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Android 2.1 for Droid Eris leaks out

Posted on 04. Mar, 2010 by IBM. 

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We’ve already seen a broken build of Android 2.1 for the Droid Eris slip out accidentally, but now the full package is available for installation courtesy of the fine folks at xda-developers. We haven’t tried it ourselves, but we’re told it’s working fine, and that snazzy new version of Sense is apparently quite snazzy and new. Of course, you’re risking your phone and all your data if you try this, so the absolutely smart and prudent move is to wait for the official update, but do let us know how it goes if you’re daring enough to load it up, okay?

Update: And just like that, it’s been ported to the Sprint Hero, although not everything works quite yet. You be careful, kids.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Android 2.1 for Droid Eris leaks out originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Posted on 03. Mar, 2010 by IBM. 

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Alright, Droid owners, decent multitouch performance isn’t the only thing you’ve got to brag about. As you likely know by now, 2.1’s in the works for you — and from the latest video we’re seeing of an official test build running in the wild, we’re cautiously optimistic that it’s going to be a fantastic little update. As we’d reported some time back, the Nexus One’s revamped app launcher is missing, but multitouch appears to work like butter in both the browser and revamped Gallery app and the new news and weather widgets have made the cut as well. Most notable, though, might simply be the fact that everything flies — home screen switches, opening of the app drawer, zooming, it’s all mega-fast. Granted, anyone with an Android device knows that the speed of the device depends on the number of apps you’ve got running, the moon phase, and the direction of the wind, but it’s an encouraging sign nonetheless. Now if only Moto would stop fumbling the launch, we’d be good to go; in the meantime, though, check some video of the update after the break.

Continue reading Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid

Android 2.1 looking fast, furious on Motorola Droid originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG’s LU2300 set to challenge Samsung’s M100S for Korean Android dominance?

Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by IBM. 

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Eternal archrivals-to-the-death Samsung and LG have a tendency to match one another tit for tat in virtually every consumer electronic category, but for whatever reason, LG’s been far less interested in going for broke with Android over the past year — though a preoccupation with Windows Phone 7 Series is a solid guess at this point. Things may be changing, though, now that we’ve got news out of Telecoms Korea that they’re prepping a more brutal assault than the weakling GW620 could ever provide in the form of a so-called LU2300 for the domestic market (we’re assuming the actual thing will be a little more… well, “designed” than the snow-white mockup above). The site is playing up LG’s announcement that the phone will bundle a bunch of popular apps in ROM (awesome?) but the real news is the impressive spec sheet, which is said to include a Nexus One-like 1GHz Snapdragon and WVGA AMOLED display paired with Android 2.1 and a 5 megapixel cam capable of 720p video. It certainly sounds like it’s ready to give Samsung’s M100S a run for its money, but we’ll need to wait until its second quarter release to know for sure.

LG’s LU2300 set to challenge Samsung’s M100S for Korean Android dominance? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How would you change Google’s Nexus One?

Posted on 26. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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It hasn’t quite been out (in public hands, anyway) for two months, but Google’s Nexus One has managed to grab the world’s attention and focus it squarely on Android. Specs wise, it’s not the superphone that many had expected, but it’s certainly delightful in its own right. For those who have sprung for one, we’re bubbling over in anticipation to hear how you’d change it. Would you have snuck an overclocked processor in there? Would you have ditched the trackball for a sensor pad? Do you wish it were available on more carriers? Is the call quality up to snuff? Look — there’s a better-than-decent chance that you threw down some serious bills on this, so don’t hold back. The Nexus Two just won’t be the same without your pair of pennies.

How would you change Google’s Nexus One? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 22:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Samsung Galaxy Spica ROM leaks, tastes like Eclair

Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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Remember those rumors of an Eclair-flavored update for Samsung’s Galaxy Spica earlier this year? Well, boom: it’s not official just yet, but a gentleman by the name of Sameer Prabhakar appears to have scored a leak of an official customized ROM for Sammy’s most diminutive Android set based on 2.1, which is even better than the 2.0 we’d heard we’d be getting before. Prabhakar says that the cut of Google Maps 4.0 included in the new firmware is a bit finicky, so our guess is that we’re not looking at a final release here — in other words, you might want to wait for Samsung to give the green light if you value stability beyond bleeding-edge awesomeness — but this seems to be a good sign that we’re getting close.

New Samsung Galaxy Spica ROM leaks, tastes like Eclair originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rogers getting Android 2.1-equipped Acer Liquid e this spring

Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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Acer may make plenty of cellphones, but they’ve so far been a pretty rare sight on North American carriers. That’s now set to change this Spring, however, when Rogers will reportedly be the first carrier in North America to offer Acer’s new Liquid e phone — and, incidentally, the first carrier in Canada to offer an Android 2.1 phone (not counting the upgradable Milestone, that is). In case you missed its debut at MWC, the Liquid e packs a 3.5-inch touchscreen, along with a slightly underclocked 768MHz Snapdragon processor, a 5-megapixel camera, 7.2Mbps 3G and Wi-Fi and, of course, a basic implementation of Android 2.1. Still no indication of a price or exact release date, but Rogers is promising to say more as that approaches.

Rogers getting Android 2.1-equipped Acer Liquid e this spring originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile Pulse Mini does cheap, tiny, prepaid Android for Europe

Posted on 22. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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In the US, the concept of a prepaid Android phone is about as foreign as the concept of an effective high-speed mass transit system, but abroad, T-Mobile is following up its Pulse with a cuter, smaller sibling in the Pulse Mini. Like the original the Pulse is sourced from China’s Huawei and offers Euro HSDPA, but the similarities end there: the new model will run Android 2.1 out of the gate, step down from an HVGA to a QVGA display, and sport a Qualcomm MSM7225 core. Look for it to launch in the UK and Germany in April; pricing will vary by market, but Britons can look forward to shelling out £99.99 (about $155) contract-free.

T-Mobile Pulse Mini does cheap, tiny, prepaid Android for Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire ROM shoehorns HTC Sense and Flash 10.1 onto the Nexus One

Posted on 21. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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Want some of that colorful, homescreen-juggling, Android 2.1 Sense UI that HTC has prepped for the HTC Desire? Well, the previously promised hacked ROM is ready for your Nexus One’s consumption. It’s in alpha right now, so install at your own risk, and does indeed support Flash 10.1, so also beware of the risk of browsing the real internet. What more danger, excitement, and grassroots handset support could you possibly want out of life? Hit up the source link for the full instructions, video of the ROM in action is after the break.

Continue reading HTC Desire ROM shoehorns HTC Sense and Flash 10.1 onto the Nexus One

HTC Desire ROM shoehorns HTC Sense and Flash 10.1 onto the Nexus One originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Devour to sell for $150 at Best Buy?

Posted on 18. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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You’ve just got to love the slow trickle of information about your next smartphone, right? Just days after hearing that Best Buy would gladly accept your pre-order on Motorola’s Devour (without actually telling you the final price, comically enough), this leaked flyer has flown into our inbox to clear up the mystery. Unless we’ve got some seriously awesome Photoshop work going on here, it seems as if the Flash supporting handset will sell for $149.99 on a 2-year Verizon contract, and of course, that’s sans mail-in rebate if you snag one from the Big Yellow Tag. Not bad given the specs, wouldn’t you say?

Update: Looks like a case (shown after the break) has popped up as well. Thanks, H.R.!

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Continue reading Motorola Devour to sell for $150 at Best Buy?

Motorola Devour to sell for $150 at Best Buy? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some Droid Eris owners getting Android 2.1 update?

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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We’re not entirely sure what’s going on here, but that’s a shot of a Droid Eris running Android 2.1, and we’re told the update came over the air — a story seemingly corroborated by a couple other people around the web. Unfortunately, it seems like things aren’t quite fully baked yet: the update doesn’t include Sense UI, and it apparently wipes all your data and doesn’t allow you to log back into your Google Account. Verizon tells us that the Eris update to a “newer” Android is still in testing and hasn’t yet been officially released, so we’re taking all this to mean that there’s been a slip-up along the line — especially since this obviously isn’t final software. In the meantime, we’d say Droid Eris users should probably back up their sets just to be safe.

[Thanks, Vido]

Some Droid Eris owners getting Android 2.1 update? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire listed at Amazon’s German portal (update: €519)

Posted on 17. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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Curious as to what HTC will be charging for its Sense-enabled Desire? If Amazon’s German portal is to be believed, it’ll go for a cool €419 ($572). Of course, the site doesn’t give any indication as to when it’ll actually ship to those that order, but it is clear that Amazon is doing the selling and not some third-party merchant. Just under six Benjamins for a souped-up Nexus One? You know you’re in for that.

[Thanks, Lars]

Update: We had a feeling this price was too good to be true and sure enough, Amazon.de now lists the Desire for a steeper €519 ($711), alongside the newly arrived Legend, which has shown up with a €459 ($629) asking price [Thanks, Sebastian].

HTC Desire listed at Amazon’s German portal (update: €519) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint: Android 2.1 update for Hero, Moment coming in early Q2

Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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And there you have it, folks — word straight from Sprint that the much-anticipated Android 2.1 update will be coming to the HTC Hero and Samsung Moment “early” in the second quarter of this year. As you may recall, Sprint has actually been talking about this update since December, but “early 2Q10″ is at least slightly better news than the previous “1H2010″ estimate the carrier’s been dishing out.

Update: Sprint has posted a follow-up tweet saying that OTA vs. PC-based or in-store upgrades are “still TBD upgrade options.”

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint: Android 2.1 update for Hero, Moment coming in early Q2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Legend takes the Hero to new heights of aluminum

Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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If you thought that machining a phone from a single block of aluminum might cause RF issues in a phone… well, you can apparently think again, because HTC just went there with its freshly-introduced Legend. The rumored and leaked device becomes a proper successor for HTC’s time-tested Hero by upgrading the LCD to a 3.2-inch AMOLED display (while still carrying over the old HVGA resolution) and moving up from a trackball to one of those newfangled optical trackpads, though this one’s got a bit of a twist: it’s surrounded by a clickable button. The phone runs Android 2.1 with a series of brand new Sense enhancements, most notably the addition of a “Friend Stream” widget that aggregates friends’ status updates across services (a trend we’ve been seeing a lot of lately). We’re not hearing about North American availability at this point, but it’ll hit Vodafone and direct sales channels in Europe in “early” second quarter.

Update: Check out the promo video after the break!

Continue reading HTC Legend takes the Hero to new heights of aluminum

HTC Legend takes the Hero to new heights of aluminum originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Desire: your Nexus One with Sense and Flash has arrived (video)

Posted on 16. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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digg_url = ‘http://digg.com/tech_news/Google_Nexus_One_Sense_Flash_The_HTC_Desire’; The one thing you’ll never see on a stock Nexus One is a skinned interface like Sense or TouchWiz — they’re just not Google enough for a phone commissioned and sold directly by Mountain View. Thing is, Sense on Android has plenty of fans, and the mere thought of running it on something with as much oomph as a 1GHz Snapdragon brings tears to our eyes. The solution? The Desire, of course, featuring virtually all of the original Nexus One’s mojo with a little less direct Google support, a little more Sense, and a trackpad in place of the old trackball. The 3.7-inch AMOLED display carries over, but things get interesting on the software side: not only do you get HTC’s freshly-updated Sense with Friend Stream, you also get Flash 10.1 compatibility, which means you need every clock cycle of that 1GHz more than you ever thought you would. Unfortunately, North Americans, you’re getting screwed on this one for the time being — HTC is only announcing that it’ll be “broadly available” throughout Europe and Asia in the early part of the second quarter, while it’ll come to Australia via Telstra. Supersonic, care to save us?

Update: Promo video is now after the break (thanks, O’Neill!), and our hands-on with the device at MWC can be found here.

Continue reading HTC Desire: your Nexus One with Sense and Flash has arrived (video)

HTC Desire: your Nexus One with Sense and Flash has arrived (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola publishes schedule of Android upgrades for its handsets, steers clear of specifics

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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Remember last week, when Motorola said it was releasing an Android 2.1 update for the Droid, but then totally didn’t? Moto tried to “explain” the situation in forums, but didn’t really, edited its long-erroneous Facebook post retroactively, and ended up breaking a lot of hearts. Well, now Motorola has a new “Software Upgrade News” chart detailing planned upgrades for its Android devices. While this is certainly helpful going forward, the lack of clarification on the Droid update doesn’t exactly solve the confusion that got them into this mess: Motorola is merely saying that the OTA upgrade will roll out “soon.” As previously promised, we’re also going to be getting a Cliq update to 2.1 eventually as well, which is now being pegged for Q2. Sadly, upgrades for non-US handsets are decidedly less expedient — or not even assured — but at least we’ve got something.

[Thanks, Glenn]

Motorola publishes schedule of Android upgrades for its handsets, steers clear of specifics originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Mini 5 will run ’something newer’ than Android 1.6 at launch

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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We’ve been able to confirm in a chat with Dell spokesfolks this evening that the lovely Mini 5 won’t ship with the Android 1.6 build (also known as Donut) that we’ve seen so far — instead, it’ll be running “something newer.” They wouldn’t say what that newer version would be — and to be fair, we’re not sure they even knew since Android is always a moving target on account of Google’s breakneck development pace — but it was specifically mentioned that Flash compatibility was something they had on their radar, suggesting that something really, really fresh might be needed. Then again, they also mentioned that the giant phone / MID / thingamajig is going to be totally upgradeable, something that fellow Android skinners HTC and Motorola have both had to reassure the Android-buying public over. How this all shakes out remains to be seen, but let’s put it this way: Eclair, at minimum, seems to be a lock by the time the Mini 5 is on a shelf near you.

Dell Mini 5 will run ’something newer’ than Android 1.6 at launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lumigon T1, S1 and E1 Android smartphones offer a lovely blend of uniqueness and Scandinavian style

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by IBM. 

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Lumigon's T1, S1 and E1 smartphones offer a lovely blend of uniqueness and Scandinavian style

Straight out of Denmark comes a trio of additions to the ever-growing Android lineup, the result of “two years of top secret international development work” by Lumigon Corp. The first phones are the T1 and S1, both shipping before July, the latter of the two offering a sliding T9 keypad, both featuring Android 2.1, Freescale processors, 720p output over HDMI, FM tuning and broadcasting, and the handy ability to act as a universal remote. Next will be the E1, coming sometime later and offering a “unique navigation system and shape never experienced in mobile phones.” It’s so mind-blowingly beautiful that the company hasn’t deemed your or our eyes capable of beholding such a wonder, so no pictures have been released just yet. Perhaps if we spend our days in devotional contemplation we’ll be mentally prepared for its eventual release.

Continue reading Lumigon T1, S1 and E1 Android smartphones offer a lovely blend of uniqueness and Scandinavian style

Lumigon T1, S1 and E1 Android smartphones offer a lovely blend of uniqueness and Scandinavian style originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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