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Stream Hulu on your Nook Color, ditch Fitzgerald for Family Guy
In case you need still more distraction from using your Nook Color to, you know, read, now you can have Hulu's extensive video library at your fingertips, thanks to a simple 19-step process. Replacing the standard Adobe Flash Player with a modified version seems to work for the Nook and some other devices; users at Android Central have reported success on the Epic 4G, Thunderbolt, and Droid Incredible. When you're ready to trade One Hundred Years of Solitude for 1000 Ways To Die or 16 and Pregnant, hit the source link for detailed instructions, and see the tutorial video after the break. [Thanks, Alex]
Verizon officially announces HTC Droid Incredible 2: available April 28th for $200
It was pretty clear that a launch was imminent, and Verizon has now finally officially announced that the HTC Droid Incredible 2 will be available on Thursday, April 28th. It will run you the usual $200 on a two-year contract, which will buy you a 4-inch super LCD screen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, an 8 megapixel camera with a dual LED flash, a brand new 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and WiFi mobile hotspot support. As expected, it's also a world phone, but it'll be left in the dust by the Thunderbolt when it comes to sheer speeds due to its lack of LTE support. Full press release is after the break. [Thanks, Shane]
HTC Incredible 2 prepares for imminent launch, Casio's Commando provides backup
If you'd been crushing hard on HTC's Incredible, cool that burning desire just a smidgen -- we've got evidence that suggests an imminent release of the Droid Incredible 2. Following its appearance in Verizon's internal system and leaked training docs, Best Buy has begun receiving accessories for the re-purposed Incredible S, ensuring you'll have all the requisite goodies at launch. Additionally, the folks at Droid Life report Verizon stores are receiving retail shipments of the device, along with Casio's G'zOne Commando. The expected release date is April 28th, so it looks like you'll be playing with those capacitive buttons soon enough. We've included a pic of the retail box after the break, and you'll find additional snapshots in the source link.
Leaked docs suggest Verizon Droid Incredible 2 will be a world phone
HTC's Droid Incredible 2 for Verizon hasn't exactly been the best kept secret over the past few months, and it looks like some of the remaining few details about the phone have now also been cleared up by yet more leaked documents obtained by Android Central. Assuming they are indeed legit, it's looking like the Incredible 2 will be a world phone with both CDMA and GSM connectivity, and that it will boast a new 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera to go along with the standard 8 megapixel shooter 'round back. You can also apparently count on getting a 16GB microSD card with the phone, and that use of the 3G mobile hotspot will cost you an extra $20 for 20GB, at least according to the document -- although Android Central rightly notes that may well be a typo. Here's hoping Verizon finally clears up some of those details itself sooner rather than later.
Caribou Android app opens doors over the internet, needs neither permission nor keys (video)
Opening doors with wireless RFID cardkeys is old hat at this point, but opening those doors with a smartphone is rather more intriguing. Doing so without permission of the people who put the locks on the doors, well, that brings things up to a whole new level of awesomeness. That's what Caribou does, a little Android app that remotely connects to a server managing the locks at a supposedly secure location. The app then diddles the ports and security settings of that server until it finds the magic phrase and, in a couple of seconds, it's open sesame time. Doors are unlocked remotely and then, 30 seconds later, automatically locked again. How thoughtful. We first saw this demonstrated a few days ago but weren't entirely convinced of its legitimacy. But now, after exchanging a few e-mails with Michael Gough, who discovered the exploit, and Ian Robertson, who wrote the app, we're convinced. They're actually working with US-CERT on this issue so that appropriate measures will be taken but, in the short-term, if you have a system like this and it's sitting out there, IP open to the internet and being caressed by every passing breeze, you might want to think about pulling that in behind your firewall. Lots more info at both source links below, though you can see it working for yourself right here in a video after the break, running on an HTC Incredible.
HTC Droid Incredible 2 shows up in Verizon's system
Well, look what we've got here! Seeing that HTC just introduced the Incredible S -- a world phone only available in the UK -- it was only a matter of time before the phone hit the stateside. A trusted tipster just hit us with screen shots of Verizon's internals containing a device dubbed HTC ADR6350. The other screenshot below has a listing for the HTC63503 with a description of "INCRD2." Putting two and two together, we'd say with great confidence that the Incredible 2 is coming to Verizon in the near future -- and we certainly wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with that "buttonless" shot we saw a while back. Stay tuned as we try and dig up more details... and in the meantime, peep the second screenshot after the break!
Verizon drops Samsung Fascinate, Droid Incredible, Droid R2-D2 to $100
You can call it a Valentine's sale or a pre-iPhone 4 blow out, but any way you slice it there's some pretty good deals on Android phones available from Verizon right now. That includes the Samsung Fascinate and Continuum, as well as the HTC Droid Incredible and Motorola Droid R2-D2, which are all now available for just $100 on the usual two-year contract (the Fascinate deal is apparently today-only). Unfortunately, the sale doesn't include the Droid X, Droid Pro or Droid 2 Global, but Verizon is promising some additional one-day only sales during its "ten days of sweet deals" from now until February 10th, so folks interested in one of those might not be out of luck just yet.
Droid Incredible takes a stable bite out of Gingerbread (video)
Android 2.3, get your Android 2.3! A Gingerbread ROM for the Droid Incredible that's been cooking on xda-developers for a couple of weeks is finally looking ready for mass consumption. It hit version 4 overnight, fixing a few niggling issues and enabling the 8 megapixel camera, which leaves only its video recording and GPS functions on the to-do list. Otherwise, it's looking like a very slick implementation of Google's latest OS, and it's particularly pleasing to see how its responsiveness has improved between builds. Hit the source link for more info, though don't expect to find out why HTC, Verizon et al can't do things this quickly themselves. [Thanks, Stuart]
Best Buy Mobile will offer free smartphones, mostly Android, every day in December
Holiday spirit over in Best Buy land must mean "getting rid of old stock by discounting it." The Droid Incredible and Xperia X10 are among the handsets to be featured in the big retailer's December mobile sale, which will involve offering up four free phones each day (one for each carrier) at a price of $0 upfront and subject to the usual two-year agreement. LG's Optimus T and Optimus S will also get their moment in the spotlight this month, though the discount there isn't exactly massive when you consider that the S started life costing $50 on contract. Speaking of S-branded Android phones, wasn't it Best Buy that first leaked out the next Nexus? Now that'd be a holiday offer worth talking about.
Verizon's Droid lineup available at Amazon for a penny per handset with no activation fee
Yeah, retailers are always undercutting carrier pricing, sometimes pretty dramatically, but Amazon's taking things to the limit this weekend. You can score any of Verizon's major Droid phones for a penny, and Verizon is also fronting the $35 Verizon line activation fee. Of course, you'll have to sign up for a two year contract, and you'd better not think about canceling out of it: Amazon has a $250 per device cancellation fee on top of Verizon's own hefty charge. Ah, the price of free.
Droid Incredible update starts rolling out, packs fixes and V CAST Apps
As expected, Droid Incredible users are now starting to receive an over the air update that packs a number of fixes and additions. The biggest of those additions, of course, is the V CAST Apps store, which will let you purchase apps and bill them straight to your Verizon account. Otherwise, you can expect to get an updated Slacker application, a Flash update with some security improvements, some Visual Voice Mail fixes, and the ability to email attachments larger than 5MB. Look for the update to hit your device within the next few days if it hasn't already.
Droid Incredible getting V CAST Apps next week, whether you like it or not
Verizon has just announced that its lovely HTC Droid Incredible will be getting a fresh software update pushed over-the-air starting next week, and among the "software enhancements" will be the automatic installation of the carrier's V CAST Apps app store. Since this doesn't mean the Android Market is going away, we suppose it's not the end of the world -- and Verizon is quick to note that V CAST Apps supports carrier billing -- but the benefit of having two app stores on a phone is still anyone's guess. Here's Verizon's full statement: "Verizon Wireless will begin pushing a software update to the DROID Incredible next week. The update includes software enhancements that will pre-install V CAST Apps on the phone. We said earlier this year that we'd be expanding V CAST Apps to the Android platform, and the DROID Incredible is the first Android phone with the store. Developers continue to submit apps, and as a reminder, V CAST Apps allows carrier billing, so customers who purchase applications through our store will see those charges on their monthly bill. For more information about the update customers can go to www.verizonwireless.com/droidincrediblesupport."
EVO 4G and Droid Incredible vie for title of best Android hotspot in informal test
Wireless tethering is rapidly becoming a desirable option in top-tier smartphones, but which device delivers the best? Laptop Magazine swore to find out, pitting six Android favorites (two HTC, two Motorola and two Samsung) against one another in a brutal data-sucking showdown in New York City. Unsurprisingly, the HTC EVO 4G came out on top, averaging 5.09 Mbit / sec downloads and a 3.65 second page load time when 4G connectivity was present, but intriguingly enough it's the freshly-upgraded Droid Incredible that pulled the best speeds on 3G. Lest you think Motorola was trounced in this little competition, the Droid 2 actually delivered websites the fastest at 4.425 seconds on average -- besting the Samsung Epic 4G on 4G -- and Droid X owners can find consolation in the fact their handset is really good at loading ESPN for some reason. Sadly, the study failed to include the most important item for comparison across the board: a dedicated MiFi or aircard.
SLCD-equipped Droid Incredible filtering into retail
Those incoming Droid Incredibles with SLCD displays swapped in for those ultra-scarce AMOLED units are starting to make cameos on store shelves around the country, it seems, which means the supply constraints that have held it back for most of this year should start to evaporate. Of course, the Droid Incredible has been around long enough now so that demand is going to start to diminish naturally anyhow -- so... you know, six of one, half-dozen of the other. Besides the SLCD swap, it seems the new units have another fun little feature, too: they come with Froyo preinstalled, meaning you won't need to wait around for several painful minutes after your first boot for the update to go through. Needless to say, patience is not a virtue we hold dear.
Verizon gearing up for Android V Cast App store?
We're guessing Verizon has been pretty happy with the results of its V Cast App store for BlackBerry, as it looks like the carrier's now accepting submissions in the Android category for software that'll propagate its eventual marketplace on that mobile platform. According to a purported letter obtained by Android and Me, Big Red has been sending out letters to developers extolling the virtues of using its store in lieu of Google's: no testing fee, 14-day turnaround, carrier billing (with the promise of an eventual subscription billing option), 70 / 30 split favoring the developer, etc. Froyo is the flavor of choice, and the only version of Android that'll be supported from the onset -- so that includes both flagship Droids, Droid Incredible, and Droid X. Verizon's Developer Community Conference is the end of this month (21st and 22nd, to be exact), and we imagine the skinny will be gotten by then. [Thanks, Ryan]
HTC Droid Incredible nearing switch from AMOLED to SLCD?
HTC already transitioned its Desire and Nexus One units from AMOLED to Super LCD, and it looks as if the outfit may soon be doing likewise on the highly popular Droid Incredible as it struggles against a long-running AMOLED shortage. The Verizon memo you see above clearly lays out the firm's intentions, with an entirely new SKU (ADR6300VW3) expected to flush through retail channels "around the end of September." In other words, those who purchase an Incredible after the end of this month will all but definitely be guaranteed an SLCD unit. We pinged HTC to see if it wanted to deny or confirm the claims, and here's what we received: "We haven't announced any moves towards changing the Incredible display from AMOLED to SLCD." Yeah, a textbook denial. Oh, and if you're wondering whether to rush or retard your impending Incredible purchase, have a look at our Desire head-to-head here. Decisions, decisions...
Red and white official Droid Incredible backs shipping for $25
They're not showing up on Verizon's site at this point, but you can apparently score first-party replacement battery covers for your Droid Incredible -- not just in the original black, but also in decidedly louder red and white varieties. If you've got a buddy flaunting a white EVO, we can't think of anything better than fire engine red to get him to quiet down a bit -- only problem is you'll be asked to shell out a stiff $24.99 for the privilege. Word is they're available in stores now. [Thanks, patlex]
HTC Droid Incredible update to Froyo rolling out far and wide, manual install available
Yeah, the Droid Incredible update was technically already deployed, but you know how these things work: they're usually long, painful phased rollouts designed to limit the damage if something catastrophic happens in the over-the-air push. On that note, we're excited to report that we've gotten a constant barrage of tips today suggesting that the update is now going out en masse -- and as always, the update file's already been sniffed out for you to download if you haven't gotten it on your phone yet and you're as distractingly impatient as we are. Let us know how it goes, alright, folks? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verizon confirms Android 2.2 update for Droid Incredible hits today
Just as we thought, HTC's Droid Incredible for Verizon is getting boosted from Android 2.1 to 2.2 today, which should make plenty of owners (and plenty of non-owners who've been unable to find any stock for the past couple months) happy as a clam. Major features include pre-installed Flash 10.1, 720p video recording, mobile hotspot support as first introduced for Verizon on the Droid X, and naturally, all the other standard greatness you've come to expect with Froyo. We imagine this update will take a couple weeks to roll out to everyone, so show some patience, Droid Incredible owners -- or, you know, do like we do and search frantically for an update.zip to get posted somewhere. [Thanks, Ryan]
The revolving door: Froyo for Droid Incredible coming tomorrow, Froyo for EVO 4G gets rooted
The rich landscape of Android versioning just got a bit richer, with word of an official Froyo update for the Droid Incredible being launched tomorrow (based on the screencap pictured above), while the EVO 4G's recent Froyo software just got rooted. If you're crazily impatient, an Android 2.2 ROM for the Incredible just leaked out into the wild, and can be installed with a bit of work, but from the official-looking-ness of this leak from Droid Life, a painless official update is not far off. Meanwhile, in Sprint land, the xda-devs have a rather complicated, rather scary method posted for rooting 2.2 on the EVO 4G -- you'll have to ask yourself how much that freedom is worth to you, or just wait for the inevitably easier methods to come along and hold your hand.
