Android 2.1 SDK now available, Nexus One says 'geez, finally'

In a break from tradition, the availability of an official SDK for Android 2.1 trailed availability of a phone running it -- the Nexus One, of course -- by nearly a week, undoubtedly leaving countless developers sleepless. Despite the Nexus' fistful of new goodies like active wallpaper and a far flashier 3D-enabled Gallery app, Google's simply referring onlookers to the 2.0 documentation to learn about user-facing changes: "Android 2.1 does not add significant user features, see the Android 2.0 Platform Highlights document for the latest user features." From a development perspective, the latest SDK includes hooks for creating your own active wallpapers, so get moving, guys -- a whole bunch of HTC and Moto devices are going to be able to use 'em soon enough.

[va jj Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:11PM]

MAKE YOUR OWN LIVE WALLPAPER FINALLY.

[etrnldrk Posted Jan 12th 2010 12:14AM]

@Paul B Chapel Dreams do come true.

[enjoytheride823 Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:12PM]

Live 'active' wallpapers look awesome but I'm fairly confident my Eris would seizure while using them... Can we just get a damn confirmed release date of Nexus One on Verizon?!!!?

[hotsoda Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:12PM]

"From a development perspective, the latest SDK includes hooks for creating your own active wallpapers." My candidates: doglickingscreen.com and a live wallpaper that uses the camera to put what's behind you on-screen.

So what if they'll kill the battery in a matter of minutes? It's not like people actually use their phones to communicate anymore.

[ijames99 Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:12PM]

Now when's the Droid gonna get it?

[synergy Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:18PM]

@ijames99 Interview with Moto CEO during CES said it shouldn't be too long after release of Nexus One. Easier to get updated version when you don't have to worry about custom UIs stacked on top of Android

[Steve B Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:19PM]

@ijames99
It's getting it tomorrow

I really have no idea, but I can hope :P

[GingerBeast Posted Jan 11th 2010 9:17PM]

@ijames99 so uhh anyword on the mytouch too? will it be getting the update as the same time as the droid?

[wrenbjor Posted Jan 11th 2010 10:05PM]

@ijames99 Droid already has it

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-hacks/10247-how-install-2-1-easy-way.html

Proof

http://twitpic.com/xqv7h

[ijames99 Posted Jan 11th 2010 10:45PM]

I know the rooted version exists, but that seems like a lot of work and complication.

[rj7855 Posted Jan 12th 2010 2:54AM]

@ijames99

Motorola Europe stated "Attention Android lovers. The 2.01 update is on its way for all Milestone users - watch this space for more info. The Android 2.1 upgrade for MILESTONE is also on its way and will be ready in the next 2 months. We can confirm that DEXT will get the Android 2.1 upgrade as well – once we have the timing for this, will let you know here..."

I guess 2.1 will be even sooner available on the droid as the Milestone is weeks behind the droid (still waiting for the 2.0.1 update)

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:29PM]

Does this mean its been open sourced and xda can finally get to cooking roms??

[Hydra Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:38PM]

does that mean it has the drivers for the camera for the g1/my touch so they can run 2.1?

[danG Posted Jan 11th 2010 10:30PM]

@Hydra
No, it is proprietary and not part of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP)

[MJ Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:45PM]

Never soon enough!!!!

[Chefgon Posted Jan 11th 2010 8:47PM]

I installed the 2.0.1 sdk LAST NIGHT. Ugh.

[dallashigh Posted Jan 11th 2010 9:03PM]

Did they remove multi-touch from the SDK too?

[Mr Oos Posted Jan 11th 2010 10:54PM]

@FrankJ

That would be awesome.

[B3astofthe3ast Posted Jan 11th 2010 11:15PM]

@FrankJ Go for it!

[yyandrew Posted Jan 12th 2010 2:06AM]

"In a break from tradition, the availability of an official SDK for Android 2.1 trailed availability of a phone running it -- the Nexus One, of course -- by nearly a week, undoubtedly leaving countless developers sleepless"

I'm sick of all this sarcasm that follows each article about the Android OS and devices. Are we forgetting how long did it take for Apple to release the SDK for iphone?

[matthewp Posted Jan 12th 2010 7:06AM]

They are calling this a minor new release, really? Isn't universal speech to text for EVERY TEXT BOX a pretty major feature?

[E30 Kid Posted Jan 12th 2010 7:37AM]

@matthewp
I wish that there were an option to turn that off, it replaced the comma key. Every time I want to put in a comma, I have to hit the key for the other keyset.

[noll Posted Jan 12th 2010 10:03AM]

@E30 Kid You can, it's in the keyboard settings and puts the comma back...

[Chefgon Posted Jan 12th 2010 10:24AM]

Do people actually talk to their phones? I have never met anybody who actually uses their phone's voice command features.

[bigtimebooch Posted Jan 12th 2010 1:41PM]

@matthewp

Agreed. I installed better keyboard, but turned it off because I lost the icon to do speech to text. It really does work often enough to be useful...the only thing I wish it had was a feature to manually stop listening. I've had it listen too long, only to have me repeat myself and then for it to put in what I said - twice.

[enaviyatech Posted Jan 13th 2010 12:43AM]

At last the baby is out. It was like denial session from Google since long time, whenever been asked regarding the Nexus project. Finally people can have their hands-on the Google phone, which runs on home-grown Android platform. The feedback from people is negative for the time being. But I expect that once the problem is sorted out, things will come back to normal. Meanwhile Google should not let its competitors throw garbage at it. - http://www.enaviya.com/