Archive for the ‘android 2.0’ Category

HTC confirmed to be cooking up Android 2.0 update for Hero, other devices unclear

Anyone with an existing Android device and a nasty case of DROID envy today might want to hold off before switching devices, emptying the bank account, and possibly switching carriers in the process, because HTC’s got a little bit of information here to end our day on a high note. Here’s the full quote:

“Yes, we are working on an Eclair update for the HTC Hero. Because Eclair is a significantly enhanced release, it will require some time to update Sense for this new version of the Android OS. Please be patient while we work to provide you with a tightly integrated experience like the one you are already enjoying on your Hero.”

Bottom line, the Hero is signed up for Android 2.0 and it’s just a matter of HTC getting Sense ported and tested — makes sense (no pun intended), and we imagine Motorola will have to go through these same hoops with BLUR. The company went on to mention that it intends to bring the update to all versions of the Hero, though it’s up to partners (like Sprint, for instance) to help coordinate how and when that’s going to go down. We don’t have any information on the sundry Dream and Magic variants around the world at this point — but it’s important to remember that the Hero uses the same processor as its older siblings, so at least there’s hope for a good xda-developers port if nothing else.

Filed under: Cellphones

HTC confirmed to be cooking up Android 2.0 update for Hero, other devices unclear originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this

We apologize for being fanish, but Google has pulled off something with its new Navigation elements in Google Maps (or is it Google Maps in a Navigation app? It’s hard to tell) that has serious ramifications for a navigation device industry used to charging money for functionality. The introduction of satellite view, a tasteful touch of street view (peep a still of your next turn, or see your destination), and of course regular stuff like spoken directions and street names, and Google’s voice recognition applied to search (anywhere on the device just tap voice search and start your phrase with “navigate to”) make this a pretty astonishing offering for what’s essentially a free app with the purchase of an Android 2.0 device. The biggest worry here is that if you lose signal you won’t be able to pull maps, but while there’s no whole-map caching, it does cache a route when you enter it in, so as long as you don’t stray too far from the beaten path you should be fine with a dropped signal here or there. But enough of our blather, check out a video walkthrough after the break.

Continue reading Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

Google Navigation video hands-on: you want this originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola DROID first hands-on!

We’ve got the DROID in our hands… and it is sweet. Moto claims that this is the thinnest full QWERTY on the market, and we’re apt to believe it. The phone is incredibly slick and solid, and we’re definitely looking forward to putting it through its paces. We’ll have more photos, video, and a full review coming, so stay tuned!

Update: We’ve added a new gallery, and video is on the way!

Filed under: Cellphones

Motorola DROID first hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)

We knew good and well this thing was coming sometime in November, and now Verizon Wireless has made it official: the Motorola DROID will hit Big Red on November 6th for $199 on contract (after a $100 mail-in rebate). Naturally, the DROID itself is just the first of what could be many Android-laced phones coming to the carrier, and Verizon Wireless CMO John Stratton even stated that the phone “is wide open” — pretty big words from a company like VZW. Android 2.0 will be front and center, along with Visual Voicemail, a 3.7-inch display (854 x 480 resolution), 5 megapixel camera (with dual-LED flash), a bundled 16GB memory card and a beta version of Google Maps Navigation(!). For those wondering, yeah — the DROID is the first phone to offer that, which transforms Google Maps into a turn-by-turn routing system that’ll have your dedicated TomTom / Garmin trembling in fear. There’s also a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3G, WiFi, voice-activated search and over-the-air Amazon MP3 downloads. With all that, who needs the iPhone, right Ivan?

Continue reading Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video)

Filed under: Cellphones

Motorola DROID official on Verizon: $199 on contract, coming November 6th (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android 2.0 support officially added to SDK

Google’s gone ahead and uncorked the bubbly to celebrate the launch of Android 2.0 “Eclair” today ahead of Verizon’s big reveal tomorrow, bundling its announcements into two very important sections: SDK support, meaning devs can go ahead and start targeting the new bits, and a comprehensive list of changes in the latest version. Here are the major changes us lay folk are going to care about:

• Support for multiple Google and Exchange accounts
• Third-party “sync adapters” allow apps to tie in to the phone’s sync services
• Quick contact menus for fast access to specific key pieces of contact information
• Unified email inbox (yes!)
• SMS and MMS search
• Text message auto-delete after a user-defined thread size is reached
• Significantly improved camera controls with white balance, macro, effects, and more
• Improved keyboard layout, dictionary, and algorithm based on multi-touch support
• Double-tap zoom in browser, support for HTML5
• Bluetooth 2.1 support with addition of OPP and PBAP profiles
• “Better” graphics hardware acceleration

Needless to say, we’re extremely excited about the changes Google’s made here — and on top of the Droid, we can only hope this action is coming to legacy devices on the double. We’ll find out soon enough (hopefully). Check a video of 2.0 in action after the break!

[Via MobileTechWorld]

Read – SDK support announcement
Read – Android 2.0 changes

Continue reading Android 2.0 support officially added to SDK

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Android 2.0 support officially added to SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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