android

Verizon pushes out update for Droid Eris

Verizon announced on Thursday that it has begun pushing out a software update to HTC Droid Eris users.

Like the upgrade for the Motorola Droid, the over-the-air update (specifically, ROM version 1.16.605.1/Radio version 2.32.40.11.09) will be delivered to small group of customers first and then slowly rolled out to everyone within a week. Users will receive a notification on their smartphone alerting them when the update is ready for download.

Highlights of the update include:

While on a call and the device is in screensaver mode, pressing the End key now takes … Read more

Dialed In 107: Nokia slows down

It's been a slow week but we still have quite a bit of cell phone news for you. We hear that Nokia will be slowing down smartphone production, that Android updates are imminent, and that the FCC is asking Verizon some tough questions about ETF. We also chat about our latest reviews and answer your questions.

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News Nokia to reduce smartphone offering by half in 2010 HTC Droid Eris to get Android update in 2010 Android 2.0.1 for Droid users FCC questions Verizon over ETF hike … Read more

Leaked lineup tips HTCs Android hand for 2010

Thanks to the popular XDA Forums, we now have a pretty good idea of what HTC is planning for new Google Android handsets in 2010. Among them are new designs that differ from the company's standard touch-screen candy bar models that we've seen this year.

The images scanned from a brochure indicate that the Taiwanese manufacturer is grouping its handsets into targeted demographic categories. While the Legend appears to be a descendant of the Hero and Droid Eris, the Salsa brings a BlackBerry feel to Android with its four-row portrait QWERTY design. Both phones fall into HTC's … Read more

Yelp finds you food on Android

Frequent Yelp users will be pleased to see a Yelp for Android app take its place in the Android Market on Monday. Be forewarned, however, that the app contains the minimum services from Yelp.com in this iteration.

There's the usual search for restaurants and businesses nearby, which Yelp sniffs out using GPS or cell tower triangulation. Results records include ratings, reviews, and photos you can view from the phone. You can click or press a button to call the business. There's another button to map the location to a movable Google map, and this version thankfully includes … Read more

Android Team announces revisions to SDKs

We learned on Thursday that Verizon's Motorola Droid will be getting an update to Android 2.0.1 to address camera and voice reception issues. Today brings news that all 2.0 devices will be updated to this version before the year is out.

As of right now, the only other known 2.0 handset is the Milestone, also from Motorola. This update also deals with additional bug fixes and framework behavioral changes. For a look at the complete release notes, you can read them at the Android Developers blog.

The Android 1.6 SDK also gets a slight … Read more

In mobile, do developers or consumers matter most?

The mobile-computing world is increasingly a two-horse race between Google and Apple, with Apple clearly in the lead but Google Android making up ground quickly. Microsoft and Symbian are also still in the game, but the ultimate winner will be the one that best appeals to consumers or developers.

Or both.

This struck home while reading Mark Sigal's analysis of the "inevitability" of Google Android. On his way to dismantling the idea that Google's victory is assured, Sigal stumbles into apparently divergent interest groups:

[U]nlike the PC, where "good enough" was the bar … Read more

HTC Droid Eris to get Android update in 2010

While Motorola Droid owners are prepping to get Android 2.0.1 delivered to their smartphone in the coming weeks, HTC Droid Eris users might be wondering, "Hey, what about us?" Well, the good news is that there is an update coming. The bad news is you're going to have to wait a bit longer.

Verizon said Friday that it plans to release an OS update for the Droid Eris, which currently runs on Android OS 1.5, in the first quarter of 2010. The carrier did not specify which version of Android it would release for … Read more

Android 2.0.1 for Droid users coming soon

Verizon just informed us that Google released an SDK for Android 2.0.1 Thursday, which means those who have a Motorola Droid can expect a free over-the-air upgrade to their phone in the "coming weeks."

Some updates include an improvement to the camera's auto-focus and the phone's voice reception. There's still no news on the exact dates the new firmware will be rolled out, but we look forward to it all the same.

AndroidStats helps users keep up with growing number of apps

As the number of apps and games continues to grow for Android, it's getting harder to keep on top of everything. Rather than trying out every title that enters the Android Market, I like to look for specific genres of apps.

For instance, I really enjoy casual games on my T-Mobile G1. I always find at least a few minutes of downtime throughout my day so I'm constantly trying to get a new high score or unlock a new puzzle. However, as much as I'd love to try out every brain game that's released, it's … Read more