Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-planning-multiple-nexus-devices-android-jelly-bean/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-planning-multiple-nexus-devices-android-jelly-bean/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/google-planning-multiple-nexus-devices-android-jelly-bean/#comments nexus one

Hand firmly grasping hat? Good. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on quite the bombshell today, noting that Google is about to cause its carrier partners in the States all sorts of grief -- indirectly, of course. Just weeks after placing its heralded Galaxy Nexus on sale for $399 unlocked, the report states that said move is only the beginning of a new initiative. Likely to be formally revealed at Google I/O, the mega-corp is planning to partner with a variety of OEMs (rather than just one at a time) in order to have up to five Pure Google (read: Nexus) devices available at once. Better still, the whole stable will ship with Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) and will be sold directly from Google in unlocked form to consumers in America, Europe and Asia.

The move is significant in a myriad ways. For one, more unlocked Nexus devices means more choice when it comes to carrier selection. Furthermore, the move is likely to quell fears that certain partners may have about Google making Motorola Mobility its favorite after a $12 billion acquisition. Not surprisingly, Google's not commenting on the matter, but sources "close" to the situation say that the company's hoping to have the 5.0 cadre on sale by Thanksgiving -- you know, just in time for Black Friday and the looming holiday shopping season. We're all guessing that this will address the growing "app situation" head-on; by making a push to eliminate carrier-infused bloatware (while also providing early Android OS access to more partners), we're hoping that the whole "skinning" dilemma is addressed, too.

Google reportedly planning stable of Nexus devices with Android 5.0, will sell 'em direct originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsbusinesseclairfragmentationgooglegoogle iogoogle io 2012GoogleIoGoogleIo2012honeycombice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichicsindustryjelly beanJellyBeanmobilepostcrossmobilitymotorolapartnerpartnerspartnershipreportsoftwareTue, 15 May 2012 17:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.3 continues soaring upward, now installed on 55 percent of Google devices]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/android-2-3-continues-soaring-upward-now-installed-on-55-percen/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/android-2-3-continues-soaring-upward-now-installed-on-55-percen/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/android-2-3-continues-soaring-upward-now-installed-on-55-percen/#comments
Google's monthly Android distribution charts may be the most visual piece of evidence that the mobile OS is riddled with fragmentation, but at least Gingerbread has clearly become the dominant player -- and it continues to build momentum at a healthy pace (for now, at least). As always, Google reviewed which devices accessed the Android Market during a 14-day period of time in the month of December, and found that over 55 percent of those units were running a version of Android 2.3, a ten percent turbo boost from October and an increase of seventeen percent over three months. Froyo devices -- many of which are likely older phones or tablets sentenced to a upgrade-less future -- numbered over 30 percent, and Honeycomb still amounts to a meager 3.3 percent. Cupcake and ICS are tied for last place, but we expect ICS to climb rapidly as soon as it's, y'know, officially available on more devices.

Android 2.3 continues soaring upward, now installed on 55 percent of Google devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 1.5android 2.2android 2.3android 3.0android 4.0android fragmentationandroid statisticsandroid statsAndroid1.5Android2.2Android2.3Android3.0Android4.0AndroidFragmentationAndroidStatisticsAndroidStatscupcakedonuteclairfragmentationfroyogingerbreadgooglehoneycombicsstatisticsstatsupgradesWed, 04 Jan 2012 19:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Google's Andy Rubin defines 'Android activation,' trumpets 700,000 per day clip]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/googles-andy-rubin-defines-android-activation-trumpets-700-0/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/googles-andy-rubin-defines-android-activation-trumpets-700-0/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/20/googles-andy-rubin-defines-android-activation-trumpets-700-0/#comments Looking for growth? You've found it. If you'll recall, Google's own Senior Vice President of Mobile Andy Rubin confirmed that over 500,000 Android devices were being activated back in June, and during last month's Galaxy Nexus reveal, we learned that said figure had increased to 550,000 per day. In just over a month, the tally has now climbed to 700,000 per 24 hour period. That's according to a post by Andy himself on Google+, which he followed with this:

"For those wondering, we count each device only once (i.e., we don't count re-sold devices), and "activations" means you go into a store, buy a device [and] put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service."

In other words, there are many, many more Android devices being ushered into use every single day that don't connect to any monitored wireless service, but naturally, keeping track of those is something even Google isn't about to attempt. Any guesses as to what this figure jumps to after the holiday season concludes?

Google's Andy Rubin defines 'Android activation,' trumpets 700,000 per day clip originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activationactivationsaandroidandy rubinAndyRubinbusinesseclairfroyogooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidhoneycombice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichsalesstatisticsTue, 20 Dec 2011 23:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Tursion TS-102 is an Android computer disguised as a pico projector]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/08/tursion-ts-102-is-an-android-computer-disguised-as-a-pico-projec/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/08/tursion-ts-102-is-an-android-computer-disguised-as-a-pico-projec/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/08/tursion-ts-102-is-an-android-computer-disguised-as-a-pico-projec/#comments Tursion TS-102 This pico projector is more than meets the eye. Underneath that bland, plastic exterior the Tursion TS-102 is actually a dual-core Android computer. That pair of 624MHz cores is pushing the surprisingly outdated Eclair through a lamp that can project an 800 x 600 image up to 100-inches in size at 20 lumens. While you can hook the TS-102 up to another device, there is no need to. It's capable of displaying media stored on the internal 8GB of flash or on a microSD card, and you can navigate apps with the integrated touchpad. Tack on a WiFi radio and an 80-minute rechargeable battery and you've got the makings of a pretty awesome little toy. You can order your own now on Amazon, but the luxury of owning your own pocketable, big-screen computer (and the bragging rights that go with it) will set you back a steep $449.

Tursion TS-102 is an Android computer disguised as a pico projector originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1eclairpico projectorPicoProjectorsmart pico projectorSmartPicoProjectorts-102tursiontursion ts-102Tursion TS-102 Smart Pico ProjectorTursionTs-102TursionTs-102SmartPicoProjectorThu, 08 Sep 2011 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[It's official: Motorola Titanium coming to Sprint July 24th, mil-spec Eclair can be yours for $150]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/its-official-motorola-titanium-coming-to-sprint-july-24th-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/its-official-motorola-titanium-coming-to-sprint-july-24th-mil/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/18/its-official-motorola-titanium-coming-to-sprint-july-24th-mil/#comments
The Motorola Titanium has certainly made itself no stranger to us, as it was officially announced by Sprint all the way back in May. At the time, no pricing or availability dates were known, so we were left to speculation and leaked screenshots -- you know, the usual routine for new devices. We needn't wait any longer for the prized 411, though, as the Now Network has announced the 810G military-spec Eclair smartphone will land on store shelves on July 24th and ding our wallets a Benjamin and a half -- after a $100 rebate, that is. Of course, this particular device may not be for everyone, but we know it could be appealing for those of you who just enjoy tossing the ol' Android around a few times too many.

Continue reading It's official: Motorola Titanium coming to Sprint July 24th, mil-spec Eclair can be yours for $150

It's official: Motorola Titanium coming to Sprint July 24th, mil-spec Eclair can be yours for $150 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810Gandroidandroid 2.1android eclairAndroid2.1AndroidEclaireclairlaunchmil specmil-specMilSpecmotorolamotorola titaniumMotorolaTitaniumtitaniumMon, 18 Jul 2011 14:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.1 update now available for AT&T Xperia X10]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/android-2-1-update-now-available-for-atandt-xperia-x10/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/android-2-1-update-now-available-for-atandt-xperia-x10/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/android-2-1-update-now-available-for-atandt-xperia-x10/#comments Sure, all your friends are rocking Android 2.3. But hey, quit complaining AT&T Xperia X10 owners, everyone knows that Eclair is way better than vanilla Froyo.

Android 2.1 update now available for AT&T Xperia X10 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 May 2011 06:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1at and tAtAndTATTbreaking newseclairfirmwarefirmware updateFirmwareUpdatesoftware updateSoftwareUpdatesony ericssonSonyEricssonx10xperia x10XperiaX10Tue, 31 May 2011 06:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Brainchild Kineo joins Kindle, iPad in digital reformation; ships to schools in ten states]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/brainchild-kineo-joins-kindle-ipad-in-digital-reformation-ship/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/brainchild-kineo-joins-kindle-ipad-in-digital-reformation-ship/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/16/brainchild-kineo-joins-kindle-ipad-in-digital-reformation-ship/#comments Watch out, parents -- if you live in one of a handful of states, your prodigious student-of-the-month may be bringing home something a bit heftier than a tacky bumper sticker. We're looking at the Brainchild Kineo, a 7-inch, 800MHz Android tablet, locked down for education-only use. No unauthorized web browsing, no personal email, and no Angry Birds. Running a specialized version of Eclair, the Kineo allows educators to limit student access to curriculum related apps, websites, or features exclusively -- negating the tablet's potential of becoming more distraction than learning tool. Paired with Brainchild's standards-based Achiever software, the Kineo may actually have a chance of academic success (sorry Kindle). The first 5000 units are making their way to select districts in Texas, California, Tennessee, and a smattering of other states; hit the break for full PR and a video of the tablet in action.

Continue reading Brainchild Kineo joins Kindle, iPad in digital reformation; ships to schools in ten states

Brainchild Kineo joins Kindle, iPad in digital reformation; ships to schools in ten states originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 19:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1brainchildbrainchild kineoBrainchildKineoeclaireducationeducationaleducational toysEducationalToyskineolearningpress releasePressReleaseschoolschoolsslatetablettablet pcTabletPcvideoMon, 16 May 2011 19:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Adobe CreatePDF for Android does exactly what its name implies]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/adobe-createpdf-for-android-does-exactly-what-its-name-implies/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/adobe-createpdf-for-android-does-exactly-what-its-name-implies/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/12/adobe-createpdf-for-android-does-exactly-what-its-name-implies/#comments
Google's mobile OS is growing and maturing into a business-savvy adult before our very eyes. With the release of Adobe's CreatePDF in the Android Market, we're delighted to finally see a PDF-creation app on the mobile front. Not only does it let you build a PDF from the ground up, it can convert most popular filetypes -- Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OpenOffice, Photoshop, RTF, and Illustrator, just to name a few -- into PDF format. You can import any of these kinds of docs from your phone to app via the built-in file manager, or transfer an email attachment to it using Android's share function. Available for a one-time payment of $9.99, CreatePDF won't be for the light-walleted or the casual app enthusiast; don't be put off by the price, though, because the online version charges that much per month to do the exact same tasks on your computer. Anyone rocking Eclair or better can partake of the PDF love, so head to the source link to get straight to installing.

Adobe CreatePDF for Android does exactly what its name implies originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 May 2011 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adobeAndroidAndroid MarketAndroidMarketappcreateCreatePDFdocsdocumentsEclairemailexcelfile managerFileManagerFroyoGingerbreadillustratormarketmobileofficePDFphotoshoppowerpointrtfsharewordThu, 12 May 2011 08:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola intros dueling portrait QWERTY Android options for Sprint: XPRT and Titanium]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/motorola-intros-dualing-portrait-qwerty-android-options-for-spri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/motorola-intros-dualing-portrait-qwerty-android-options-for-spri/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/05/motorola-intros-dualing-portrait-qwerty-android-options-for-spri/#comments It took 'em long enough, but it seems as if The Now Network has managed to snap up Motorola's Droid Pro... just seven months after Verizon Wireless did so. For whatever reason, Sprint's dubbing its version the XPRT, with the same 3.1-inch HVGA touchpanel, full QWERTY keyboard, 1GHz CPU and Android 2.2 loaded. It'll go for $129.99 on a two-year contract starting June 5th, but giving that the Pro hit the bargain bin long ago, we're having a hard time believing anyone will pony up for Sprint's iteration. Moving right along, the Titanium gets off on the wrong foot by shipping with Android 2.1, and while it's hailed as the first iDEN device to combine Nextel Direct Connect and Eclair, the G'zOne Commando has somehow managed to show its brawn while stepping up to v2.2. For those interested nonetheless, there's a 3.1-inch touchscreen and a chassis that's built to MIL-SPEC 810G for dust, shock, vibration, low pressure, solar radiation, high temperature and low temperature. She's unpriced for the moment, but the full release can be found just after the break.

Gallery: Motorola XPRT and Motorola Titanium press shots

Continue reading Motorola intros dueling portrait QWERTY Android options for Sprint: XPRT and Titanium

Motorola intros dueling portrait QWERTY Android options for Sprint: XPRT and Titanium originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android 2.2Android2.1Android2.2blurcdmadroid proDroidProeclairenterprisefroyoiDENmotoblurmotorolaNextel Direct ConnectNextelDirectConnectruggedsmartphonesprintTitaniumXPRTThu, 05 May 2011 09:37:00 EST<![CDATA[US Cellular introduces Android to its prepaid realm, offers LG's Optimus U and Apex sans-contract]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/us-cellular-introduces-android-to-its-prepaid-realm-offers-lgs/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/us-cellular-introduces-android-to-its-prepaid-realm-offers-lgs/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/21/us-cellular-introduces-android-to-its-prepaid-realm-offers-lgs/#comments US Cellular's love of all things green and robotic is spreading to its prepaid lineup, with LG's Optimus U and Apex marking Android's entry to the carrier's paygo segment. At $199, the Optimus is a respected entry-level Froyo touchscreen phone, and is our pick of the two. LG's Apex sells for $249, though its full QWERTY keyboard comes at a sacrifice -- the slider is saddled with Eclair. Data plans are required for both devices, though we think you'll smile at their very competitive rates. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading US Cellular introduces Android to its prepaid realm, offers LG's Optimus U and Apex sans-contract

US Cellular introduces Android to its prepaid realm, offers LG's Optimus U and Apex sans-contract originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 05:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android 2.2Android2.1Android2.2apexeclairfroyogooglelglg optimus oneLgOptimusOnemobileoptimus oneoptimus uOptimusOneOptimusUprepaidqwertyslidersmartphoneus cellularusccUsCellularThu, 21 Apr 2011 05:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Andi-One universal remote runs Android 2.1, does more than change channels]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/andi-one-universal-remote-runs-android-2-1-does-more-than-chang/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/andi-one-universal-remote-runs-android-2-1-does-more-than-chang/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/12/andi-one-universal-remote-runs-android-2-1-does-more-than-chang/#comments Like many universal remote controls, the Andi-One boasts compatibility with thousands of devices; unlike most, however, it runs on Android 2.1. This 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen clicker can check email, browse the web, control your HTPC's mouse and keyboard, run over 100,000 Android apps, act as a VoIP phone, and even kick movies directly to your TV through an HDMI enabled charging cradle. It doesn't just control your entertainment devices -- it is one. For the first time ever, your remote control is giving you the choice between changing the channel, and playing Angry Birds -- if that's not innovation, we don't know what is. She's available now for $350 -- a bargain to some, but not exactly compelling for those who already own a smartphone.

Continue reading Andi-One universal remote runs Android 2.1, does more than change channels

Andi-One universal remote runs Android 2.1, does more than change channels originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Andi OneAndi-OneAndiOneandroidandroid 2.1Android2.1eclairHDMIpress releasePressReleaseRemoteRemote ControlRemoteControlUniversal RemoteUniversal Remote ControlUniversalRemoteUniversalRemoteControlTue, 12 Apr 2011 17:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Creative's 7-inch ZiiO tablet gets Froyo this Friday, 10-inch model to follow suit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/creatives-7-inch-ziio-tablet-gets-froyo-this-friday-10-inch-mo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/creatives-7-inch-ziio-tablet-gets-froyo-this-friday-10-inch-mo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/creatives-7-inch-ziio-tablet-gets-froyo-this-friday-10-inch-mo/#comments
If you happen to be one of the handful of Creative ZiiO tablet users, then we have good news for you: come Friday, the 7-incher will be the first of the Ziio duo to receive its Froyo update, whereas its 10-inch sibling's expected to follow suit by April. So what's new? Well, the list includes greater language support, new passcode options, the ability to install apps onto external storage, and a text-to-speech engine. Once available, you can obtain the update from either Creative's website or the tablets' ZiiO Space portal; but by all means, feel free to butter up the folks over at xda-developers to slap some Honeycomb onto these ZiiOs instead.

Continue reading Creative's 7-inch ZiiO tablet gets Froyo this Friday, 10-inch model to follow suit

Creative's 7-inch ZiiO tablet gets Froyo this Friday, 10-inch model to follow suit originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid eclairandroid froyoAndroidEclairAndroidFroyoapt-xcreativecreative labscreative ziioCreativeLabsCreativeZiioeclairfirmware updateFirmwareUpdatefroyoslatesoftware updateSoftwareUpdatetabletupdateupgradeziioziio 10ziio 7Ziio10Ziio7Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Charm and Flipout follow CLIQ XT's lead, get stuck in the past]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/07/motorola-charm-and-flipout-follow-cliq-xts-lead-get-stuck-in-t/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/07/motorola-charm-and-flipout-follow-cliq-xts-lead-get-stuck-in-t/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/07/motorola-charm-and-flipout-follow-cliq-xts-lead-get-stuck-in-t/#comments Look: we've seen enough Honeycomb ports to the G1 to know that even the jankiest Android hardware can be kept current -- manufacturers just need to want to do it badly enough. In Motorola's case, it seems they don't want it very badly -- at least, not in the case of the quirky Flipout and Charm. Just as the CLIQ XT got stuck on 1.5, the two diminutive QWERTY models are going to be topping out with the Android 2.1 that they've got now; Froyo upgrades aren't in the works, according to Moto's official software update page. We're sure that the decision whether to invest the time, energy, and money into an update for a particular model comes down to the number of customers affected; neither of these devices seem to be blockbusters for their respective carriers, so that could explain it. Not much consolation to owners, though, is it?

Motorola Charm and Flipout follow CLIQ XT's lead, get stuck in the past originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android 2.2Android2.1Android2.2attcharmeclairflipoutfroyogooglemobilemotomotorolat-mobileupdateupgradeMon, 07 Mar 2011 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Rovi Connected Platform brings another flavor of Android-to-anything streaming]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/10/rovi-connected-platform-brings-another-flavor-of-android-to-anyt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/10/rovi-connected-platform-brings-another-flavor-of-android-to-anyt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/10/rovi-connected-platform-brings-another-flavor-of-android-to-anyt/#commentsAnd then, there were two. Just days after Qualcomm pushed out its DLNA Certified Skifta Android app for streaming content from your smartphone / tablet to just about anything else, along comes Rovi with an awfully similar alternative. The company -- which swallowed up Sonic Solutions just months ago -- obviously has a thing for slinging contained media all over the place, and its new Connected Platform will soon be available pre-ported to Android 2.1 or higher. In short, that'll enable Android devices to beam multimedia stored on their microSD cards to an array of PCs, set-top boxes or NAS devices, which in turn would be connected to a monitor or HDTV of some sort. The dirty details on what kinds of devices it'll support remain murky, but we're hoping to hear more once the app makes its debut in the Android Marketplace sometime this quarter. Something tells us you'll need a phone with a bit more oomph than the Acclaim to actually have decent streaming performance, though.

Continue reading Rovi Connected Platform brings another flavor of Android-to-anything streaming

Rovi Connected Platform brings another flavor of Android-to-anything streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 01:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android 2.2Android2.1Android2.2eclairfroyogooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidmedia streamingMediaStreamingRovi Connected PlatformRoviConnectedPlatformsmartphonesonicsonic solutionsSonicSolutionsstreamstreamingThu, 10 Feb 2011 01:05:00 EST<![CDATA[CLIQ XT won't get Android 2.1 upgrade, Motorola's word as good as dirt]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/03/cliq-xt-wont-get-android-2-1-upgrade-motorolas-word-as-good-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/03/cliq-xt-wont-get-android-2-1-upgrade-motorolas-word-as-good-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/03/cliq-xt-wont-get-android-2-1-upgrade-motorolas-word-as-good-a/#commentsMotorola's dangled an Android 2.1 upgrade in front of CLIQ XT users for what seems like forever -- now it's putting away the bait indefinitely. In a statement released this morning, the company said that despite months of rigorous testing, the phone will remain on Android 1.5. We first heard promises of an update in June last year, but Motorola quickly reneged. In November, its predecessor got an upgrade, but the CLIQ XT was left hanging. Then in December, the company announced a delay, citing "additional testing," and when those tests failed to bear fruit, it just plain gave up. Now CLIQ XT users are stuck with a phone indefinitely sporting an OS that's three steps behind the most up-to-date competition, and unfortunately, that's all she wrote -- Motorola shows no signs of pursuing another upgrade anytime soon. And that, friends, is your cue to pick up a handset made by HTC and situated on Verizon Wireless.
[Thanks, Josh]

CLIQ XT won't get Android 2.1 upgrade, Motorola's word as good as dirt originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AndoidAndroid 1.5android 2.1Android1.5Android2.1cancelledcellphonecliqCLIQ XTCliqXteclairMotorolamotorola cliq xtMotorolaCliqXtupdateupgradeThu, 03 Feb 2011 18:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Cowon D3 Plenue priced at $370, or $100 per inch of AMOLED]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/01/cowon-d3-plenue-priced-at-370-or-100-per-inch-of-amoled/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/01/cowon-d3-plenue-priced-at-370-or-100-per-inch-of-amoled/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/01/cowon-d3-plenue-priced-at-370-or-100-per-inch-of-amoled/#comments Want yourself a "Prestige" portable media player to make even legit smartphones blush in envy? Then the D3 Plenue from Cowon might just be for you, what with its 1080p video playback, 32GB of storage, Android 2.1 OS, and 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 AMOLED display. It's just that today we're finding the Prestige label also extends to its price, which Amazon has set at a mighty $370. That's not terrible when contrasted against unsubsidized pricing for comparable smartphones, but then this isn't a smartphone. Availability of the D3 Plenue is limited to an undated pre-order for the moment, giving you at least a little more time to deliberate on the value this souped-up PMP represents.

Cowon D3 Plenue priced at $370, or $100 per inch of AMOLED originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 05:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080p3.7-inch32gbamazonamoledandroidandroid 2.1Android2.1cowoncowon d3cowon d3 plenueCowonD3CowonD3Plenued3d3 plenueD3Plenueeclairfull hdFullHdhdmioledplenuepmpportable media playerPortableMediaPlayerprestigepricepricedpricingTue, 01 Feb 2011 05:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Aigo A8 / Leo 14 megapixel cameraphone hands-on (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/aigo-a8-leo-14-megapixel-cameraphone-hands-on-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/aigo-a8-leo-14-megapixel-cameraphone-hands-on-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/11/aigo-a8-leo-14-megapixel-cameraphone-hands-on-video/#comments We were wandering the floor at CES just before the end of the show when we stumbled upon this oddly familiar device. It's the Aigo A8 -- née Altek Leo -- an Android cameraphone (more like a phonecamera, really) destined for China Unicom that sports a 14 megapixel autofocus camera with a CCD sensor, xenon flash, 3x optical zoom, and support for 720p HD video recording. Of course, we wasted no time taking this rare beast for a spin, even going so far as to sample the camera. Take a look at the pictures below, followed by more information -- and videos -- after the break.

Gallery: Aigo A8 / Leo 14 megapixel cameraphone hands-on (video)


Gallery: Aigo A8 / Leo 14 megapixel cameraphone sample pictures

Continue reading Aigo A8 / Leo 14 megapixel cameraphone hands-on (video)

Aigo A8 / Leo 14 megapixel cameraphone hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aigoaigo a8AigoA8altekaltek leoAltekLeoAndroid2.1camera phoneCameraPhonecesces 2011ces2011EclairGooglehands-onphone cameraPhoneCameravideoTue, 11 Jan 2011 16:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Enspert Identity Tab E301 and E201 hands-on preview]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/espert-identity-tab-e301-and-e201-hands-on-preview/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/espert-identity-tab-e301-and-e201-hands-on-preview/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/10/espert-identity-tab-e301-and-e201-hands-on-preview/#comments Android tablets aren't exactly in short supply at CES 2011, but the Enspert Identity Tab stands out -- despite hailing from a manufacturer we'd never heard of before the show. Enspert's got two slick 7-inch slates on the floor, and while the E201 mostly cribs from Samsung's WiFi-only Galaxy Tab -- right down to a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird chip -- the flagship Enspert E301 pumps up the pixel density with a 1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen, adds an all-metal case, a mobile DTV antenna, and 3G connectivity. We poked and prodded these tablets all over and got a peek at the full spec sheets, so after you peruse our gallery below, hit the break for details!

Update: It seems Enspert isn't new to the Android game at all -- it's actually Inbrics, which renamed itself after acquiring a semiconductor design firm early last year.

Gallery: Enspert Identity Tab E301 first hands-on!

Gallery: Enspert Identity Tab E201 first hands-on!

Continue reading Enspert Identity Tab E301 and E201 hands-on preview

Enspert Identity Tab E301 and E201 hands-on preview originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3GAndroid 2.1Android 2.2Android 2.3Android2.1Android2.2Android2.3cesces 2011ces2011eclairenspertenspert e201enspert e301EnspertE201EnspertE301froyohands-onHummingbirdIdentity TabIdentityTabimpressionsPowerVR SGXPowerVR SGX540PowervrSgxPowervrSgx540previewS5PC110tablettablet pcTabletPctabletswifiMon, 10 Jan 2011 12:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson: no OS updates for Xperia X10 beyond Android 2.1, it's better than 2.2 anyway]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/sony-ericsson-no-os-updates-for-xperia-x10-beyond-android-2-1/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/sony-ericsson-no-os-updates-for-xperia-x10-beyond-android-2-1/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/sony-ericsson-no-os-updates-for-xperia-x10-beyond-android-2-1/#comments The farce that has been Sony Ericsson's bungled, delayed, and deservedly maligned Android upgrade story for the Xperia X10 family is coming to a fittingly silly end. Questioned by Android Community on the possibility of a Froyo (Android 2.2) upgrade for its initial set of Android handsets, the SE team has just come out and admitted that there'll be no future OS upgrades, at least in terms of Android iterations. The X10, X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro are not being abandoned, not at all, but the only software enhancements you can look forward to will come directly from Sony Ericsson. The company hardly sees that as a bad thing, however, judging by a recent tweet announcing its belief that an SE-customized Eclair tastes better than Google's untouched Froyo. We'd protest, but what's the use?

Sony Ericsson: no OS updates for Xperia X10 beyond Android 2.1, it's better than 2.2 anyway originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1eclairfirmwarefroyomobile osMobileOsoperating systemOperatingSystemossoftwaresony ericssonSonyEricssonupdateupgradex10x10 minix10 mini proX10MiniX10MiniProxperiaxperia x10XperiaX10Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:59:00 EST<![CDATA[AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/03/aocs-8-inch-breeze-android-2-1-tablet-goes-for-broke-sells-for/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/03/aocs-8-inch-breeze-android-2-1-tablet-goes-for-broke-sells-for/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/03/aocs-8-inch-breeze-android-2-1-tablet-goes-for-broke-sells-for/#comments No money? No problem! The world of craptablets has grown significantly over the past dozen months, and you won't find us encouraging anyone to add another to the pile. But AOC has actually managed to make a fairly decent name for itself over the years, albeit one in the LCD industry. In fact, this here company claims to be the world's largest manufacturer of LED / LCD monitors, but it's tough to say how that type of expertise will translate in the tablet arena. The newly launched Breeze bucks two screen size trends and splits the difference -- there's an 8-inch touchpanel here, complete with an 800 x 600 screen resolution and a row of physical keys along the right edge. You'll also find a Rockchip processor, an outdated copy of Android 2.1, not to mention a USB 2.0 port, 3.5mm headphone, inbuilt speaker, 802.11b/g WiFi, 4GB of internal storage space, a microSD card slot and a battery that's supposedly good for up to 12 hours of audio playback or (six hours of video). We're still waiting to hear back on what type of CPU is under the shell, but for under $200, we're going to hazard a guess that it's not the quickest silicon in the shed. Anywho, it'll be splashing down at "major retail chains" later this month, likely going toe-to-toe with Augen for your bargain-bin bucks.

Continue reading AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200

AOC's 8-inch Breeze Android 2.1 tablet goes for broke, sells for $200 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android tabletAndroid2.1AndroidTabletaocbreezebreeze tabletBreezeTabletcesces 2011Ces2011cheapeclairgooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidslatetablettablet pcTabletPcMon, 03 Jan 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Archos 7 Home Tablet sees revision 2, with Android 2.1 and faster 800MHz CPU]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/archos-7-home-tablet-sees-revision-2-with-android-2-1-and-faste/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/archos-7-home-tablet-sees-revision-2-with-android-2-1-and-faste/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/30/archos-7-home-tablet-sees-revision-2-with-android-2-1-and-faste/#comments The Archos 7 Home Tablet was something of a disappointment, and Archos has shipped bigger and better things since, but the firm isn't done with the original affordable Android slate quite yet. We've confirmed with Archos that a "v2" revision is now shipping in Europe with three things the original lacked -- an accelerometer, a relatively recent version of Android (2.1) and an 800MHz Rockchip CPU. Make no mistake, those are still budget specs, and you'll almost certainly still have to hack your own Android Market on to get a full quota of apps, but it's not like you're paying any more for the extra oomph. The updated version has been spotted at Expansys for the same $200, which might actually might make it one of the best bang-for-the-buck tablets out there. Look how far we've come.

[Thanks, Marien]

Archos 7 Home Tablet sees revision 2, with Android 2.1 and faster 800MHz CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1Archosarchos 7archos 7 home tabletArchos7Archos7HomeTableteclairhome tabletHomeTabletslatetablettablet pcTabletPcThu, 30 Dec 2010 19:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.x now accounts for 83 percent of all active Googlephones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/02/android-2-x-now-accounts-for-83-percent-of-all-active-googlephon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/02/android-2-x-now-accounts-for-83-percent-of-all-active-googlephon/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/02/android-2-x-now-accounts-for-83-percent-of-all-active-googlephon/#comments We're not totally sure that Android 2.1 users will be happy to be bundled in with 2.2 consumers -- after all, there's plenty in Froyo that's not available on Eclair -- but the fact remains that a cool 83 percent of actively used Android phones right now run one of the two latest iterations. A reminder is merited to say that by "active" we mean those that accessed the Android Market over the foregoing two weeks -- which might have a slight bias toward over-representing the newer phones with folks either abandoning their Cupcake and Donut handsets or simply not searching for new apps for them. Either way, we reckon it's good to see such nice big slices taken up by Android's most advanced versions, it seems almost a shame that Gingerbread's arrival will soon disrupt things all over again. For now, we're off to our delicatessen, all this food talk's given us the munchies.

[Thanks, Dan]

Android 2.x now accounts for 83 percent of all active Googlephones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 02:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.12.2androidandroid 2.1android 2.2android 2.xandroid marketandroid osandroid statsandroid versionAndroid2.1Android2.2Android2.xAndroidMarketAndroidOsAndroidStatsAndroidVersiondataeclairfiguresfragmentationfroyogooglemobile osMobileOsnumbersoperating systemOperatingSystempercentagesstatisticsstatsThu, 02 Dec 2010 02:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.1 rolling out to Sony Ericcson Xperia X8, depending on product code]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/27/android-2-1-rolling-out-to-sony-ericcson-xperia-x8-depending-on/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/27/android-2-1-rolling-out-to-sony-ericcson-xperia-x8-depending-on/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/27/android-2-1-rolling-out-to-sony-ericcson-xperia-x8-depending-on/#comments Here's an extra bonus for those of you who snapped up an unlocked Xperia X8 on a frosty Friday morn -- Sony Ericsson is starting to push Android 2.1 to the handset right now. Thirty-two tasty batches of Eclair are already in the oven, and you can easily check to see if you're a likely candidate for upgrade by scanning the back of your phone. If your eight-digit "SI-number" (e.g. 1242-4859) matches any of those on the list at our source link, your 720p video recording mode, enhanced social networking integration and five homescreens are on the way. Just don't necessarily expect to see them anytime soon on AT&T.

Android 2.1 rolling out to Sony Ericcson Xperia X8, depending on product code originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.1AndroidAndroid 2.1Android2.1eclairericssonOTASESoftware UpdateSoftwareUpdateSonysony ericssonSonyEricssonX8XperiaXperia X8XperiaX8Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson faults 'especially rigorous' firmware testing in US for X10's Eclair update delay on AT&T]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/24/sony-ericsson-faults-especially-rigorous-firmware-testing-in-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/24/sony-ericsson-faults-especially-rigorous-firmware-testing-in-u/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/24/sony-ericsson-faults-especially-rigorous-firmware-testing-in-u/#comments We think this is a veiled way of passing the buck to AT&T -- but whatever it is, Sony Ericsson USA has extended an old, crusty, TimeScape-enabled olive branch to Xperia X10 owners in the States by attempting to explain what's going on with the Eclair update 'round these parts. Basically, the company says that getting an update out in the US is way harder than it is elsewhere because of "the technical requirements that must be met" over which Sony Ericsson has "no control." The blame is levied on an "especially rigorous" testing cycle that can (and presumably, often does) take several months, which is why they've thus far refused to offer guidance on when the update will be released. Honestly, is there any way we can trade in our warranty card to get on the fast track with this stuff? And more importantly, would us bleeding-edge types be willing to take that risk on a wide scale?

Sony Ericsson faults 'especially rigorous' firmware testing in US for X10's Eclair update delay on AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1atteclairericcssongoogleSONYsony ericssonSonyEricssonupdateupgradex10Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:23:00 EST<![CDATA[LG Optimus M coming to MetroPCS this week for $230 contract-free]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/22/lg-optimus-m-coming-to-metropcs-this-week-for-230-contract-free/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/22/lg-optimus-m-coming-to-metropcs-this-week-for-230-contract-free/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/22/lg-optimus-m-coming-to-metropcs-this-week-for-230-contract-free/#comments Well, LG, well played: what Samsung managed to do with the Galaxy S series, you've now basically managed to do with your Optimus One. This time around, it's MetroPCS taking the bait with the Android 2.2-powered Optimus M, a refreshingly differently-styled take on the formula with essentially the same specs underneath: 3.2-inch HVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, and so on. Notably, this becomes the very first Android phone to launch on MetroPCS -- the first of many, we suspect -- for $229 with a $50 service plan that includes unlimited talk, text, and web without a contract. Look for it to launch this Wednesday, November 24th.

LG Optimus M coming to MetroPCS this week for $230 contract-free originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.2Android2.2eclairlgmetropcsmobileoptimusoptimus moptimus oneOptimusMOptimusOneMon, 22 Nov 2010 12:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola CLIQ gets Android 2.1 at long last]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/09/motorola-cliq-gets-android-2-1-at-long-last/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/09/motorola-cliq-gets-android-2-1-at-long-last/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/09/motorola-cliq-gets-android-2-1-at-long-last/#comments Timeline (the condensed version): Google launches Android 2.1 on January 5th, Motorola promises to eventually offer 2.1 for all its Android handsets (including the heavily skinned CLIQ) on January 6th, Google's Nexus One gets 2.1 on January 11th. We wait. Motorola CLIQ gets 2.1 today, a mere 11 months later. Sure, maybe we were young and naive, but who could've known then that this update would be so long coming? Nobody really knows the solution to this problem in a general sense, especially since vanilla Android seems to be off the table for the majority of phones. What could compel a handset manufacturer and a carrier to work up timely software updates on heftily-skinned handsets past their shelf life, potentially competing with their own newer handsets in the process? Maybe paying for updates? Real Genuine Tears of Desperation? You tell us. Anyway, congrats to the saintly CLIQ owners out there who have waited patiently for 2.1, and a grumble grumble thanks to Motorola for keeping its promise.

Motorola CLIQ gets Android 2.1 at long last originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android eclairandroid updateAndroid2.1AndroidEclairAndroidUpdatecliqeclairmotoblurmotorolamotorola cliqMotorolaCliqupdateTue, 09 Nov 2010 12:38:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Backflip getting limited Android 2.1 rollout today, all markets on November 9th]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/03/motorola-backflip-getting-limited-android-2-1-rollout-today-all/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/03/motorola-backflip-getting-limited-android-2-1-rollout-today-all/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/03/motorola-backflip-getting-limited-android-2-1-rollout-today-all/#comments It's been a long road, but users of AT&T's rather bizarre Motorola Backflip will finally be seeing upgrades to Android 2.1 -- upgrades that were originally promised in the first half of the year, then delayed to the third quarter, then delayed once again. Enough with the bellyaching, though, eh? A thousand customers who volunteered to get the update early via Motorola's support forums should've started getting access to it today, while "all markets" will receive it on November 9th -- and interestingly, it'll only be available as an offline update (in other words, no over-the-air option here). The update process will take up to a whopping 40 minutes, so be sure to make yourself a quick bite to eat before you sit down to undertake this operation.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Motorola Backflip getting limited Android 2.1 rollout today, all markets on November 9th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1attbackflipeclairfirmwaregooglemobilemotorolaupdateupgradeWed, 03 Nov 2010 22:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 slated for Android 2.1 upgrade this year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/sony-ericsson-xperia-x8-slated-for-android-2-1-upgrade-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/sony-ericsson-xperia-x8-slated-for-android-2-1-upgrade-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/01/sony-ericsson-xperia-x8-slated-for-android-2-1-upgrade-this-year/#commentsSony Ericsson's midrange X8 shipped this month with a hilariously out-of-date version of Android installed -- Donut, to be specific -- but it looks like the company is going to be moving a little quicker to rectify the situation than it has with the similarly-afflicted X10. A "company spokesman" has told IDG's news service that Android 2.1 will be coming before the end of the year, with details on exactly how that's going to happen coming "in the near future." We're in November now, so there's really no time for games if they're serious about making this happen before 2010's out -- then again, how many X8 owners are out there at this point?

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 slated for Android 2.1 upgrade this year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1eclairericssonfirmwaregooglemobilesonysony ericssonSonyEricssonupdateupgradex8xperiaxperia x8XperiaX8Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.1 starts rolling out to Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 line this weekend]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/29/android-2-1-starts-rolling-out-to-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-line/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/29/android-2-1-starts-rolling-out-to-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-line/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/29/android-2-1-starts-rolling-out-to-sony-ericsson-xperia-x10-line/#comments Doesn't get much more "late October" than this, does it? Sony Ericsson has announced that it'll begin delivering Android 2.1 upgrades to its X10 line of phones at long last this coming Sunday, October 31st -- but odds are pretty good you won't be in the first batch. In fact, only unbranded X10s, X10 Minis, and X10 Mini Pros in Nordic countries will be getting boosted at first, followed by "more kits" on Monday and throughout November. As a refresher, these updates will bring 720p video capture on the X10 proper (complete with continuous autofocus), a new backup / restore app, and a bunch of other tweaks that should make your little pal feel a bit less 2009 and bit more 2010. Froyo would be nice, of course... but we'll take what we can get.

Android 2.1 starts rolling out to Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 line this weekend originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1eclairericssonfirmwaregooglesonysony ericssonSonyEricssonupdateupgradex10x10 minix10 mini proX10MiniX10MiniProxperiaFri, 29 Oct 2010 13:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Skype app arrives in Android Market, WiFi-only in the US]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/skype-app-arrives-in-android-market-still-wifi-only/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/skype-app-arrives-in-android-market-still-wifi-only/http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/skype-app-arrives-in-android-market-still-wifi-only/#comments Finally, at long last, after so much waiting, Skype has made its debut as a full-fledged Android app. There are no Verizon-related limitations anymore, but Android Police reports that calling through the app is only available via WiFi, you can't use your mobile's data connection -- not yet, anyway. Another note they make is that Skype is using quite a few processing cycles to do its job, so much so that it introduced crackling on a call carried out with the EVO. You'll need to have Android 2.1 installed to run this thing, but if you do, why aren't you downloading it already? Let us know how your own 'droid fares in the comments below.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

P.S. -- Skype's press release and video after the break have confirmed that 3G Skype calls will be available to all outside the US. Wow. Also, Skype's acknowledged there are some incompatibilities with Samsung Galaxy S phones and is working to iron those out.

Gallery: Skype for Android hands-on

Continue reading Skype app arrives in Android Market, WiFi-only in the US

Skype app arrives in Android Market, WiFi-only in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android appandroid marketandroid osAndroid2.1AndroidAppAndroidMarketAndroidOsappapplicationbreaking newsBreakingNewscallschatcommunicationseclairgooglemessagingskypeskype appSkypeAppvideoTue, 05 Oct 2010 05:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson pushes Android 2.1 upgrade for X10 family back to 'late October']]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/23/sony-ericsson-pushes-android-2-1-upgrade-for-x10-family-back-to/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/23/sony-ericsson-pushes-android-2-1-upgrade-for-x10-family-back-to/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/23/sony-ericsson-pushes-android-2-1-upgrade-for-x10-family-back-to/#comments Big surprises, eh? Sony Ericsson has been playing fast and loose with its calendar yet again, as it has just announced that the hotly (and by now angrily) anticipated upgrade to Android 2.1 for its X10 family of devices won't be happening until late October. We were given the gravest of assurances that the end of September would be the time our tragic wait would end, but nope, apparently "we need a couple of more weeks before we are ready to start the roll-out." Just so we're clear, this isn't Android 2.2, which is Google's current highest iteration and has been around for months now -- this is the upgrade to 2.1, aka Eclair, aka the software that's not too far away from its first birthday. SE is trying to console users with promises of HD video and continuous autofocus bundled into the Xperia X10 update, but then there's also word that different configs of the phones will get the update at different times. So don't be surprised if your French-speaking X10 Mini is still doing the Donut deep into November.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Sony Ericsson pushes Android 2.1 upgrade for X10 family back to 'late October'

Sony Ericsson pushes Android 2.1 upgrade for X10 family back to 'late October' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.1androidandroid 2.1android osAndroid2.1AndroidOsdelaydelayedeclairfirmwaresony ericssonSonyEricssonupdateupgradex10x10 minix10 mini proX10MiniX10MiniProxperiaxperia x10XperiaX10Thu, 23 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Orange launches OLED-donning San Francisco, doesn't break the Android piggy bank]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/21/orange-launches-oled-donning-san-francisco-doesnt-break-the-an/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/21/orange-launches-oled-donning-san-francisco-doesnt-break-the-an/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/21/orange-launches-oled-donning-san-francisco-doesnt-break-the-an/#comments Oh snap! This is exactly what Nokia needs right now -- another cheap Android handset to gobble up its wallet-friendly stronghold. What we're looking at here is Orange's oddly named San Francisco, a £99 ($154) pay-as-you-go Eclair handset crafted by ZTE. Much like its humble sibling Racer, Orange's 4.6-ounce offering is loaded with a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset, 3.2 megapixel camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM radio, and MicroSD expansion. Yet for the same price, the San Francisco somehow comes with a larger 3.5-inch 480 x 800 OLED capacitive touchscreen. This sure sounds like a tempting deal, but don't whip out your credit card just yet -- we'll give you a yay or nay once we've seen how the phone fares in real life. For now, check out the official promo video after the break.

Continue reading Orange launches OLED-donning San Francisco, doesn't break the Android piggy bank

Orange launches OLED-donning San Francisco, doesn't break the Android piggy bank originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g3g+affordableandroidandroid 2.1Android2.1bladebudgetcapacitivecapacitive touchscreenCapacitiveTouchscreencellphonecheapeclairentry levelEntryLevellow endLowEndmobilemobile phoneMobilePhonemsm7227oledorangepay and gopay as you goPayAndGoPayAsYouGophoneproject jalProjectJalqualcommqualcomm msm7227QualcommMsm7227san franciscoSanFranciscosmartphoneukWVGAztezte bladeZteBladeTue, 21 Sep 2010 10:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Dell Streak's pre-rooted Android 2.1 update quietly suspended, revision coming in two or three weeks]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/dell-streaks-pre-rooted-android-2-1-update-quietly-suspended-r/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/dell-streaks-pre-rooted-android-2-1-update-quietly-suspended-r/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/20/dell-streaks-pre-rooted-android-2-1-update-quietly-suspended-r/#comments Ruh roh. Looks like Dell's stepped onto its own toes real hard with the Streak's Android 2.1 update -- O2 just confirmed to us that due to some "feedback from users," it's decided to suspend said download while Dell gets cranking on a revised software release over the next two or three weeks. We weren't given the exact reasons behind this quiet withdrawal, but our friends over at MoDaCo might have had the answer for some time -- soon after the release, they discovered that the 2.1 firmware was in fact pre-rooted, thus leaving the Streak vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification (although handy for the seriously tech-minded). Yikes. On the bright side, such substantial time frame suggests that the upcoming fix should also address other bugs like incompatibility with the desktop suite, weird loading behavior in the browser, and missing WMV video playback functionality.

And here comes the inevitable question: what about Froyo? Well, neither Dell nor O2 could provide a date for the Streak's scoop of frozen dessert, but we'll bet you a white iPhone 4 that it won't be out in October.

Dell Streak's pre-rooted Android 2.1 update quietly suspended, revision coming in two or three weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.62.12.2androidandroid 1.6android 2.1android 2.2Android1.6Android2.1Android2.2bugcellphonedelldonuteclairfirmwarefirmware updateFirmwareUpdatefroyoissuemobilemobile phoneMobilePhoneo2phoneproblemrecallrollbackrootrootedrooted firmwareRootedFirmwaresecuritysecurity holeSecurityHolesmartphonestreaktabletphoneukupdatevulnerabilityMon, 20 Sep 2010 17:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung's DI07 update for Epic 4G adds Media Hub, but does it fix other issues?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/17/samsungs-di07-update-for-epic-4g-adds-media-hub-but-does-it-fi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/17/samsungs-di07-update-for-epic-4g-adds-media-hub-but-does-it-fi/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/17/samsungs-di07-update-for-epic-4g-adds-media-hub-but-does-it-fi/#comments The Samsung Epic 4G has a new software update available that takes the device from version DG27 (spotted in the build number and baseband version) to DI07. Since it launched on Sprint at the end of last month, users have complained about various issues from inaccurate GPS results (despite functional results in our testing with apps like Google Maps and Foursquare, obtaining a precise location from satellites only is still iffy at best and too often requires a reboot), 3G upload speeds that appear to be capped at 150kbps, poor signal reception and more and are likely waiting to see if those have been addressed. So far, the update details (included after the break) indicate that isn't the case. Getting the update is a matter of luck for now with the servers initially in push mode but when it hits users should have access to the just-launched Media Hub app as well as optimizations for battery power in hotspot mode, performance tweaks and several fixes including one for recognizing 32 GB micro SD cards. Our Epic 4G isn't rocking any new patches no matter how many times we hit Update Android; if you get the update, let us know if you notice any other changes.

Update: A few commenters have linked up the zip file for your manual upgrading pleasure. We were able to update using the process and haven't experienced any glitches or instantaneous combustion as a result, though we are feeling even more attractive and intelligent than usual. A demonstration video from AndroidCentral is embedded after the break if you're still curious.

Continue reading Samsung's DI07 update for Epic 4G adds Media Hub, but does it fix other issues?

Samsung's DI07 update for Epic 4G adds Media Hub, but does it fix other issues? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddi07eclairepic 4gEpic4ggalaxy sGalaxy S ProGalaxySGalaxySPromedia hubMediaHubsamsungsamsung epicsamsung epic 4gSamsungEpicSamsungEpic4gsoftwaresoftware updateSoftwareUpdatesph-d700updateFri, 17 Sep 2010 16:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony Ericsson's Xperia Android upgrade roadmap leaks out, shows 720p recording but no Froyo]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/17/sony-ericssons-xperia-roadmap-leaks-out-shows-720p-video-recor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/17/sony-ericssons-xperia-roadmap-leaks-out-shows-720p-video-recor/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/17/sony-ericssons-xperia-roadmap-leaks-out-shows-720p-video-recor/#comments Sony Ericsson made it clear way back in May that the Xperia X10 family wouldn't stay at the antiquated Android 1.6 forever -- come Q4 2010, they'd get an Eclair with freshly revamped Timescape and Mediascape filling. Now, it looks like the company's codified that promise in this allegedly leaked German roadmap. Spotted by a tipster at the Xperia X10 Blog at IFA 2010 in Berlin, the document describes a 720p video recording mode (with continuous autofocus) for the Xperia X10 alone, plus Facebook and Twitter contacts integration, an HTML5-compliant browser and five homescreen pages for the entire Xperia series with the release of Android 2.1. There's also a separate "2.1x" release after that to bring the two 'scapes up to snuff, and it seems the Xperia X8's being bundled with the mini and mini pro as far as updates go. There's sadly no mention of Android 2.2, but we wouldn't yet count it out -- for all we know, the very next page of that leaflet could be oozing delicious frozen yogurt all over these phones.

Sony Ericsson's Xperia Android upgrade roadmap leaks out, shows 720p recording but no Froyo originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Android 2.1Android2.1EclairSonysony ericssonSonyEricssonX10 miniX10 mini proX10MiniX10MiniProXperiaXperia X10xperia X10 miniXperia x10 mini proXperia X8XperiaX10XperiaX10MiniXperiaX10MiniProXperiaX8Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.x now on 70 percent of all active Android phones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/12/android-2-x-now-on-70-percent-of-all-active-androids/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/12/android-2-x-now-on-70-percent-of-all-active-androids/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/12/android-2-x-now-on-70-percent-of-all-active-androids/#comments Time to get down and boogie if you think the Android fragmentation issue is overblown. Google has dropped its latest platform version stats and Android 2.2, aka Froyo, has managed to corner a healthy 28.7 percent of all active Googlephones (those that accessed the Market within the two weeks leading up to September 1), rapidly closing the gap on version 2.1 and nearly matching in number the handsets still stuck on the Cupcake or Donut diet. When you consider that back in May those pesky 1.5 and 1.6 versions were on a whopping 62 percent of Android mobiles, you'll probably agree that phone makers seem to be getting their act together in terms of delivering Google's latest wares in a timely fashion. Who'd have thought it, the more practice they have, the better they're getting at their jobs!

Continue reading Android 2.x now on 70 percent of all active Android phones

Android 2.x now on 70 percent of all active Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1android 2.2android osAndroid2.1Android2.2AndroidOsdataeclairfiguresfragmentationfroyogooglenumbersstatisticsstatsSun, 12 Sep 2010 07:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Rogers gets real with Android 2.1 updates for HTC Magic+, Samsung Galaxy Spica]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/rogers-gets-real-with-android-2-1-updates-for-htc-magic-samsun/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/rogers-gets-real-with-android-2-1-updates-for-htc-magic-samsun/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/rogers-gets-real-with-android-2-1-updates-for-htc-magic-samsun/#commentsAs promised, Rogers is now delivering an over-the-air update to Android 2.1 for customers of its HTC Magic+ alongside the Samsung Galaxy Spica, though we wouldn't exactly throw 'em a party for the occasion: internationally, of course, the Spica got its 2.1 update way back in March. Furthermore, though the Magic+'s update is OTA as we'd mentioned, the Spica's update process is a little more complex: you need to have access to a Windows machine and be willing to download a binary and cable up to get the job done. All in the name of keeping your beloved handset within earshot of Froyo, right?

Rogers gets real with Android 2.1 updates for HTC Magic+, Samsung Galaxy Spica originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1canadaeclairgalaxy spicaGalaxySpicagooglehtci5700magicmagic+mobilerogerssamsungupdateupgradeWed, 08 Sep 2010 18:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/motorola-defy-android-2-1-goes-rugged-with-water-dust-and-scra/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/motorola-defy-android-2-1-goes-rugged-with-water-dust-and-scra/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/motorola-defy-android-2-1-goes-rugged-with-water-dust-and-scra/#comments Remeber the Motorola i1? Moto has just added its second rugged(ish) Android handset in the 3.7-inch Gorilla Glass-fronted Defy. It's dust-, scratch-, impact-, and water-resistant. Matching up to the IP67 durability spec means it's expected to resist being submersed in up to a meter of water for up to half an hour -- making it a pretty awesome option for taking your Android to the beach, 854 x 480 is your screen resolution, backed up by an OMAP 3610 chip running at 800MHz (there had to be some tradeoffs, right?). Android 2.1 is another slight disappointment, we're not clear on why Froyo had to be left off the table, but at least Motorola has bundled Swype as the default input mechanism. Should be a boon for some, we suppose. The Defy is expected to launch across Europe in Q4 2010.

Update: Hands-on video now available after the break.

Gallery: Motorola Defy hands-on

Gallery: Motorola Defy press pics

Continue reading Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance

Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.13.7-inchandroidandroid 2.1android osAndroid2.1AndroidOsbreaking newsBreakingNewsdefydurabledust-resistanteclairhands-onimpact-resistantlaunchmotomotoblur enhancedMotoblurEnhancedmotorolamotorola defyMotorolaDefyruggedruggedizedspill-resistantvideoWed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[HTC Desire (US Cellular) review]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/31/htc-desire-us-cellular-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/31/htc-desire-us-cellular-review/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/31/htc-desire-us-cellular-review/#comments HTC's Desire is undoubtedly one of the headline Android devices of 2010 so far -- and heck, when you're using the already-great Nexus One as a starting point and re-upping it with an optical pad, physical buttons, and Sense, it's hard to argue otherwise. US Cellular has now become the first carrier to bring the device to the States (nearly five grueling months since its first spats of international availability, we'd like to note), and because USCC's a CDMA carrier, this is naturally a slightly different device than you're getting elsewhere. Don't get us wrong, most of the thoughts in our first review of the Desire still apply -- but needless to say, this launch is notable enough to warrant a second look. Read on!

Gallery: HTC Desire (US Cellular) review

Continue reading HTC Desire (US Cellular) review

HTC Desire (US Cellular) review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1desireeclairhtcmobilereviewsenseus cellularusccUsCellularTue, 31 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Xperia X10 family's Android 2.1 upgrade coming by end of September, says Sony Ericsson UK]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/xperia-x10-familys-android-2-1-upgrade-coming-by-end-of-septemb/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/xperia-x10-familys-android-2-1-upgrade-coming-by-end-of-septemb/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/xperia-x10-familys-android-2-1-upgrade-coming-by-end-of-septemb/#comments When we talked to Sony Ericsson for the Xperia X10 for AT&T review, reps informed us that the phone is upgradeable but no further information could be provided. Now, we can't say if this latest bit is global or just for those across the pond, but the official Twitter account of SE's UK arm wrote today that Android 2.1 is "due for release before the end of September this year." Certainly a step up from the Q4 2010 time frame we heard previously, but again, we've no clue if this applies to the US as well -- we've messaged a stateside rep and will let you know what we hear. A blessing for some X10 family owners, just a cherry on top for others.

[Thanks, Henrik]

Xperia X10 family's Android 2.1 upgrade coming by end of September, says Sony Ericsson UK originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.1androidandroid 2.1Android2.1eclairsesony ericssonSonyEricssonx10xperiaxperia x10XperiaX10Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:37:00 EST