Search Results for: droid

If you follow the progress Google [GOOG] has made with the Google Android OS, you will notice that they release updates quite often. Many smartphones are about to get an update to Android 2.1 although Android 2.2 is due out any week now. Also many are still on 1.5 and 1.6 with a few on 2.0. In total, eight releases were made in the first 18 months.

All this fragmentation has happened due to the quick updates that Google has made and now it seems that they are now beginning to slow down over the next few months.

Andy Rubin from Google said that the slow down would bring it down to about two updates per year and eventually on to just one update per year which basically follows in line with what Apple pretty much do. [Read more…]

The Motorola FLIPOUT has been spotted a couple of times in the past. After a few months of details here and there, we now have official word from Motorola about the FLIPOUT and what it exactly is.

The Motorola FLIPOUT runs the Android 2.1 operating system. It has a smaller 2.8 inch QVGA touchscreen and a unique keyboard that flips out by rotating the device around the top corner.

Features include a three megapixel camera that is fixed focus. 3G connectivity is included. It has 512MB of memory built in and this can be expanded by a microSD card.

The device is square and measures 67mm by 67mm and is 17mm in thickness. It has an 1170mAh battery. For music playback, regular headphones can be used in the 3.5mm headphone connector. [Read more…]

Motorola is attempting to update all of it’s Android smartphones to Android 2.1 as quickly as possible. The Motorola DROID has finished this cycle and all devices (other than rooted) should be running the latest version of the Android OS (latest if you don’t count Android 2.2 which isn’t officially out just yet).

The new roadmap shows a few more specific dates for a few of the Android handsets. Currently on the top of the list is the Motorola MILESTONE which is the DROID out of the US. These updates are still in progress with Europe, Asia-Pacific and Canada all in progress and Latin America beginning any time this month. [Read more…]

Just a few days ago a team managed to root the HTC EVO 4G. Gaining root on the HTC EVO 4G has moved things on to the next logical step… that is to get Android 2.2 Froyo working on the device. Google [GOOG] only launched FroYo recently, so the OS is brand new and not even available yet on devices through the official channels except for a few installs here and there on to Google Nexus One phones recently.

Android 2.2 Froyo was ported on to the HTC EVO 4G by Richard Ross. It is believed that the phone seen in the video is one of the devices handed out to all attendees at the Google I/O event held a couple of weeks ago. [Read more…]

Over the past month or so we have been keeping an eye on the progress of a guy who has managed to get Google Android running on the Apple iPhone. When the Android update was made available, the steps could have been a little challenging for some people. This is no longer a worry now though as a developer has managed to get automatic installation of Google [GOOG] Android OS on the Apple [AAPL] iPhone 2G and 3G models.

The auto installer is called iPhodroid and automates the Android OS installation on the iPhone. Just before we go on to a few more details you need to take note that Android on the iPhone isn’t really usable. It does a number of things like browse the web, make calls, send/receive text messages and what not, but the developer who created the build hasn’t looked at any power-management functions yet which means your iPhone battery will be dead within the hour. [Read more…]

The image of two keyboards shown here is supposedly a comparison of the Motorola DROID and the DROID 2. Of course we can easily confirm the top keyboard as this device has been out for half a year now.

As you can see there is quite a difference between the two with the obvious drop of the D-Pad. An addition of some arrow keys have arrived on the bottom right of the QWERTY and due to the dropping of the D-Pad it also looks like the keys are slightly larger, assuming that both devices are at the same scale.

The key depth has also been changed with each key being slightly raised rather than being flat like on the original DROID. [Read more…]

The Motorola DROID Shadow leaked out a few days ago thanks to a Verizon employee using the Verizon staff gym.

From what we read, the Motorola DROID Shadow will launch in July along with another DROID device although which DROID device it is, we don’t know.

The Shadow is an exclusive on the Verizon network although we are unsure if the second DROID device will be also exclusive. [Read more…]

Skype is coming to Google Android smartphones in the near future. Right now, only those on Verizon can download the Android Skype app due to a deal with Skype and Verizon [VZ].

We learn today though that this is changing and that Skype will be launching an Android (and BlackBerry) application that will not be restricted to just Verizon, ie, any carrier in the world can be used. The information comes from a chat that Skattertech had with someone at Skype who said the following…

Skype envisions a world where video plays a larger role in the way we communicate. The next generation innovation involving video calling will not be bound to the computer. We’re seeing a proliferation of video calling shared between all kinds of connected devices. It’s on computers (today 1/3 of all calls on Skype happen via video), televisions (Skype bringing video calls to living rooms via Panasonic, Samsung & LG partnership), and it will eventually be coming to mobile devices too. We’re betting big on video, and we intend to set the bar on mobile video calling, and it’s something we’re going to do this year.

We will be bringing a direct to consumer app to the Android marketplace later this year. This application will be available for all consumers globally to download regardless of carriers. (i.e. similar to how we offer the iPhone app today)

Brianna Reynaud, Skype PR

[Read more…]

For those who are daring with their Android smartphones, you can now get a working Alpha launch of Android 2.2 for the T-Mobile G1 / Dream, Magic / Sapphire.

The build comes courtesy of Cyanogen, Chiefzreloaded, Zenulator (XDA), ts0cha0tik, punkkaos and Azuske who have worked on the G1 port since the ROM was available for download.

With the build being alpha, there’s obviously some things that do not work just yet. The list of things that do work includes calls, 3G, LEDs, call audio, gapps and the notification bar. [Read more…]

Yesterday we heard a few bits of information about an Android smartphone spotted at the Google I/O event last week. The phone is the Acer Stream where we found out very basic details in that when it launches it will run Android 2.1.

An official announcement has now been made which covers the details of the new smartphone. We learn that the Acer Stream will have a 3.7 inch WVGA AMOLED display that is capable of showing 1.67 million colours. The contrast ratio of the screen is 2000:1 that allows the screen to be viewed in light conditions. Also with the display being AMOLED it helps increase battery life due to a lower amount of power being taken from the screen.

For connectivity the Acer Stream has 3G+ allowing for 7.2MBps HSDPA download speeds. The wireless feature allows it to connect up to 802.11n networks. Bluetooth is also included on the device. [Read more…]

Last weekend Google [GOOG] uploaded Android 2.2 for Nexus One users to download and update their smartphone. Today we found out that in fact, the Android 2.2 AKA Froyo available for download, wasn’t the final build.

We now learn that Google has pulled the download link and will make users wait for the official and final OTA update to arrive which is expected in the next couple of weeks.

With Google making the link live a few days ago, for a few days, it isn’t out of the question that you could probably find a copy of it somewhere on the internet. [Read more…]

We hear today that the HTC Desire could be getting an Android 2.2 update as early as June 23.

The information comes from a HTC rep who in speaking to a developer at XDA, said that the update would be happening June 23 although he did say that we didn’t hear it from him so to speak.

A number of users complain about Android devices in general not having enough memory to store applications in. I personally have had an Android device where I had to delete applications on it to fit others on. With the new Android 2.2 FroYo update, apps can be moved to the microSD card allowing many more applications to be installed on the device. [Read more…]