Engadget

Mobile Miscellany: week of July 18, 2011

Brad Molen — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST

Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of July 18, 2011:

Images of the Samsung Admire for MetroPCS leaked. Also known as the SCH-R720, it may be the first device with Gingerbread on the prepaid carrier. It features a 3.5-inch HVGA display, 3G, 800MHz CPU, and 3.2 megapixel camera. [via UnwiredView]
Rogers introduced the HTC EVO 3D and LG Optimus 3D to its lineup, to be available sometime this summer. (thx Luke)
Speaking of Rogers, the Samsung Galaxy S Infuse 4G should be available on the Canadian carrier within the next few days, and will reportedly be yours for $150 with a three-year commitment. [via UnwiredView]
Spy shots of an unannounced Samsung Android device with Verizon branding, and full QWERTY keyboard were dug up (see the above image). Specs include Android 2.3.4 onboard and built-in 4G LTE connectivity. (thx Fayez) [via AndroidCentral]
The Nokia N900 was hacked, allowing you to boot up your choice of four operating systems: Maemo, Meego, NITDroid, and Kubuntu Mobile. [via LoveMyNokia]
The LG Optimus 3D appears to be popping up everywhere; it's currently available on Three UK. [via AndroidCentral]
A mystery device known as the HTC Hero 4G passed DLNA certification this week, causing speculation that this is the long-evasive and much-awaited HTC Kingdom. The phone's already passed through the FCC, which means we could see it show up on Sprint at any time. [via PhoneArena and PocketNow]
The Motorola Defy+ is rumored to be a mild refresh of the Defy, a popular Android device that came out last year. The new version would get a few minor boosts in specs and come in HSPA bands compatible with AT&T. [via TIMN]

Mobile Miscellany: week of July 18, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Screen Grabs: HTC Hero caught running WP7 on Smallville, Tess Mercer due for an upgrade

Christopher Trout — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:12:00 EST

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com.

It looks like Tess Mercer's got more than one hero in her life, but only one of them is running Windows Phone 7. In this week's episode of Smallville, Lois Lane places a call to Tess Mercer, who appears to be packing a white HTC Hero. Oddly enough, though, it's not rocking Eclair. That's right, this Hero's a Microsoft man -- which has us wondering: what OS is Superman running?

[Thanks, Rich]

Screen Grabs: HTC Hero caught running WP7 on Smallville, Tess Mercer due for an upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Mecha leaked on HTC Sense

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 03:57:00 EST

We've been hearing the hushed whispers of an HTC Mecha handset for a few months. Now we've got solid evidence of its existence thanks to the HTC's own HTC Sense web site that lists the Mecha along side the Desire HD and Desire Z when signing up for an account. Unfortunately, the image used for the Mecha (found after the break) appears to be the old Hero handset unless HTC is planning to resurrect that particular industrial design (which we doubt). Now get out of here and hit the source link to try it for yourselves.

Update: And it's gone.

[Thanks, Anthony P.]

Continue reading HTC Mecha leaked on HTC Sense

HTC Mecha leaked on HTC Sense originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 03:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint outs EVO 4G and Hero updates, EVO framerate cap might be solved

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:34:00 EST

Last time we checked in on this problem, HTC had said that the EVO 4G's 30fps cap on video output simply couldn't be increased -- but it seems the latest firmware update might prove otherwise. We've got a couple screen shots showing details of the latest upgrades for both the EVO and the Hero; in the latter case, you've just got a couple bug fixes, but the EVO's list includes a total of four: the nasty calendar issue, the 30fps fix, a reboot problem involving GPS, and multiple Gmail sync that was busted in the Froyo update. Interestingly, Sprint's official changelog only mentions the calendar and Gmail sync fixes, so it's possible they're trying to keep the other two low-key to prevent undue questions and curiosity from folks as they upgrade. What's everyone seeing out there?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint outs EVO 4G and Hero updates, EVO framerate cap might be solved originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Unlocked HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update -- no, for real this time

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:22:00 EST

False starts aside, that promised late June Android 2.1 upgrade for the GSM version of the HTC Hero is finally here -- for unlocked models, anyhow. It seems that users are being greeted with an update clocking in at nearly 80MB, and despite HTC's own warning to the contrary, apps aren't being wiped, so you should be able to undertake the endeavor pretty safely. Orange and T-Mobile versions of the phone apparently haven't yet begun to see the rollout, but the wait shouldn't be terribly long now -- meanwhile, let us know how your upgrade experience goes in comments, folks.

Unlocked HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update -- no, for real this time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint: EVO 4G users getting Android 2.2 'in the near future' (Update: No upgrade for Moment, Hero)

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:36:00 EST

It looks like EVO 4G users will soon have one more thing to smile about, as Sprint has just announced that an Android 2.2 (aka Froyo) upgrade will indeed be coming to the "superphone."

With the Android 2.2 upgrade, customers can expect improvements to include the following benefits: updates to user interface, improved EAS Support, improved browser performance, including Flash 10x Support, voice dialing over Bluetooth and application storage on external memory.

No word on a timeframe yet, but you'll know as soon as we do -- promise.

Update: According to this tweet from the carrier: "HTC EVO will be updated to Android 2.2; Samsung Moment & HTC Hero will not. Future devices launching w/ 2.1 will be also be updated to 2.2."

Sprint: EVO 4G users getting Android 2.2 'in the near future' (Update: No upgrade for Moment, Hero) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet)

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:24:00 EST

It's been a long, painful, drawn-out process, but it looks like we're finally closing in on getting everyone with an HTC Hero around the globe covered with Eclair. The company's European outpost has just posted some details on its Android 2.1 over-the-air update for the 2100MHz 3G Hero sold in most of the continent (including separate builds for units in Nordic countries, Greece, and Ireland), so this should quite a lot of brewing discontent -- just in time for owners to develop a raging case of Froyo envy, that is. C'est la vie; time for a Legend, right?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: We've heard from our friends at CoolSmartPhone that this is just another minor update, amazingly -- not the 2.1 build that other Hero owners are enjoying. What gives, HTC?

Update 2: And now HTC has gotten in touch with us directly, describing a two-part (the first of which seems to have already begun) end of June release. See it after the break.

Continue reading HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet)

HTC Hero gets Android 2.1 update across Europe (update: nope, not 2.1 yet) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint's HTC Hero rooted, promptly patched over-the-air

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 09:59:00 EST

Great news: the original Android 2.1 firmware for Sprint's HTC Hero was recently rooted. Bad news: Sprint and HTC were entirely too quick about fixing it, pushing out an over-the-air update this weekend that patches up the so-called "security vulnerability" without a new root yet in sight. Owners of rooted devices are naturally being advised not to pull the trigger on the new build at this time; too bad HTC couldn't have shown this kind of hustle with the 2.1 upgrade in the first place, isn't it?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint's HTC Hero rooted, promptly patched over-the-air originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero (GSM) Android 2.1 update finally arrives... in Taiwan

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:26:00 EST

In its day, the HTC Hero with its brand new Sense UI and browser with Flash Lite was a breakthrough, multitouch Android handset. As such, it quickly became a big seller for HTC and the carriers that sold it. Now one year later, owners of the GSM variant are still waiting for their chance at the latest Android 2.1 update. As a harbinger of things to come (we hope), the Hero 2.1 update just landed in HTC's home country of Taiwan. Unfortunately, this will likely be the last update Hero owners receive... via official channels, anyway.

[Thanks, Lee]

HTC Hero (GSM) Android 2.1 update finally arrives... in Taiwan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 04:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint's Hero finally gets official Android 2.1 upgrade

Vlad Savov — Wed, 19 May 2010 06:06:00 EST

Assuming you resisted the temptation to either root your Hero or update it with the recently leaked 2.1 firmware, this is your very first chance to finally slap a dash of Android future on your senescent device. Sprint has at long last made the update available, though it isn't quite yet ready to download from its site. Fear not, the good folks behind the yellow network have put together a guide on upgrading through your phone and we'll link up the download as soon as it's ready for consumption. Time to start enjoying that Google Maps Navigation magic and all the other goodies constituting Eclair's delectable filling.

Update: It's now available direct from HTC's website, as well as Sprint's own site. Thanks, all!

[Thanks, Jonathan]

Sprint's Hero finally gets official Android 2.1 upgrade originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 May 2010 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero spied with Cox firmware?

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:27:00 EST

We've known for some time that Cox -- a name traditionally associated with cable television -- is on the cusp of turning over its trial CDMA networks in a handful of markets to the public as it marches towards LTE on a swath of 700MHz bandwidth, but what we don't know is the kind of hardware selection we can expect once these guys go live. Take it for what you will, but it seems that an unbranded CDMA HTC Hero that looks suspiciously like Sprint's version of the handset has just changed hands on Craigslist, and -- you guessed it -- it's got a Cox splash screen when you power it on. Cox's strategy boss said just last week in an interview with Light Reading Cable that there'd be Android devices in the mix for the launch, but he played coy when pressed on details; the Hero could certainly be on the short list, but doesn't it seem a little long in the tooth to kick off a brand new network launch? Of course, this could be a hoax or a cobbled-together prototype to help test the trial network, so we'll just have to hang tight and see how this cookie crumbles; in the meantime, follow the break for the damning video evidence of the Cox Hero in the wild.

Continue reading HTC Hero spied with Cox firmware?

HTC Hero spied with Cox firmware? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 May 2010 21:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Android 2.1 upgrade for Sprint's HTC Hero leaks out

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:55:00 EST

Okay, so the Moment's Android 2.1 upgrade is official -- great. But what about the Sense-powered Hero? There's no firsthand word just yet other than the promise of a Q2 release, but there is a firsthand ROM (seemingly) floating around that gives us hope we'll hear something from Hesse and crew any day now. Oh, yeah, and there is the cool part about being able to just grab the binary now and get your upgrade on without waiting, if you're as brave and impatient as we tend to be around here. Let us know how it goes, folks.

[Thanks, Divyam]

Android 2.1 upgrade for Sprint's HTC Hero leaks out originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 20:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Verizon's HTC Droid Eris getting Android 2.1 any time now (yep, it's here!)

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:08:00 EST

We'd been hearing rumors lately that HTC's Droid Eris -- a phone that has never quite made it out from under the Droid's shadow -- is in the midst of being discontinued by Verizon, but the imminent launch of an Android 2.1 update might just buy it a new lease on life. In fact, the update makes this phone just about the first Hero variant anywhere in the world to be graced with an upgrade to Google's latest and greatest stuff, beating Sprint's version thanks to a string of delays that have pushed it out to some unidentified period in the second quarter. We've yet to see any reports of folks actually receiving the update notification on their devices, but Verizon's official support Twitter account is tweeting about the upgrade -- which should fix numerous bugs on top of the hotly-anticipated Eclair boost -- so we'd expect it to start hitting the wild shortly. Keep us on top of your experiences in comments, won't you?

[Thanks, Richard]

Update: Verizon has now posted the PDF changelog for your perusal while you wait. Thanks, Michael V.!

Update 2: It has begun... but this OTA update is being brewed in small batches, it seems, as we're getting reports from Droid Eris owners that have received their Eclair update each and every day.

Verizon's HTC Droid Eris getting Android 2.1 any time now (yep, it's here!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint: Samsung Moment and HTC Hero Android 2.1 updates now coming 'in Q2'

Darren Murph — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:54:00 EST

Ouch. Just a few days ago, it seems like a certainty that Sprint would be pushing out Android 2.1 updates to the aging Samsung Moment and HTC Hero, but now a company admin has stepped in to assure us that things aren't nearly that close to go. The full text is pasted in after the break, but the long and short of it is this: the long-awaited 2.1 update is now on track "to be available in Q2." The carrier did confess to wanting this out sooner rather than later, but hey, at least your patience is really, really appreciated.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Sprint: Samsung Moment and HTC Hero Android 2.1 updates now coming 'in Q2'

Sprint: Samsung Moment and HTC Hero Android 2.1 updates now coming 'in Q2' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 May 2010 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint's HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 finally coming on May 7?

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 04 May 2010 21:33:00 EST

This is turning into a serious boy-who-cried-wolf kind of situation, but evidence is growing today that HTC and Sprint are finally -- yes, finally -- ready to drop a hot batch of Sense-laden Android 2.1 on eager Hero owners. A screen shot of a Best Buy employee news page reads that the update was "delayed until this week" and will be "in all stores" by this Friday, May 7; what that means isn't exactly clear, but it could suggest that all Heros being sold in Best Buy Mobile locations will have the update applied by then. As for current customers, Best Buy is sending out instructions on how staff can help owners upgrade if they happen to wander into the store, but otherwise, it should be available from HTC's site (yeah, no over-the-air action here). Stay tuned, folks.

[Thanks, John]

Sprint's HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 finally coming on May 7? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 May 2010 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero won't see upgrade to Android 2.1 until June, at least in Europe

Vlad Savov — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:24:00 EST

Plenty of UK Hero owners were disappointed this morning upon hearing the news that free Google Maps Navigation had spread beyond the borders of the USA but required Android 1.6 as the minimum OS version. Stuck in their Android 1.5 world, they must have hoped that HTC would just hurry up and open the gates to Eclair heaven, but hurrying up is, regrettably, the opposite of what's happening. Tech Radar heard from a Google rep that the Hero's move to Android 2.1 won't be happening until June, and followed it up with HTC directly. The official response was that a free update for European Hero variants will indeed be provided "starting in June." At least this cloud of disappointment will only hang over Europe, as other territories -- like Taiwan -- might still get the update reasonably soon.

[Thanks, Paul]

HTC Hero won't see upgrade to Android 2.1 until June, at least in Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment Android 2.1 updates on track for early May?

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:59:00 EST

Look, we're calling it: as Android goes, anything older than Eclair is officially lame sauce at this point. Manufacturers need kick things into high gear and offer upgrades for the good of their customers -- custom skin or no -- so we're glad to see that folks on Sprint might be mere weeks away from official updates for a couple of their devices. The Hero and Moment are both stuck on Cupcake for now, but we've known for a while that Android 2.1 is in the cards, and an internal screen at Sprint appears to show that we can expect the updates to launch in "early May." For what it's worth, enterprising Moment owners can already get their Eclair on -- but a more official option is always the best way to go, right?

Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment Android 2.1 updates on track for early May? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 on April 26th in home country of Taiwan

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:11:00 EST

We're past mid-March and rapidly approaching the early Q2 launch estimates for the Android 2.1 update for HTC's Hero. Now Engadget Chinese has tipped us to an official HTC release date issued on Plurk (a very popular, Twitter-like social service used locally) in HTC's home country of Taiwan: April 26th. So we should see the update go hot globally, with the latest version of the Sense UI in tow, at about the same time. You know, if you haven't grown tired of waiting and already hacked it in.

HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 on April 26th in home country of Taiwan originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint to release Android 2.1 update for Hero and Moment 'over the coming weeks'

Richard Lai — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:27:00 EST

If you recall, about a month ago Sprint tweeted that it was working on delivering Android 2.1 upgrade for its HTC Hero and Samsung Moment in early Q2 this year. An optimistic guess would be April, right? Funnily enough, Techie Buzz has heard that two eager customers managed to squeeze a more precise date out of Sprint over a phone call -- end of March or even March 26th. Don't go reaching for that champagne just yet, though -- a self-proclaimed Sprint employee shared a recent internal memo on XDA-Developers forum, revealing that it's "actively working on having the Android 2.1 platform available to our Hero and Moment customers over the coming weeks," and that "more information coming in April." Oh Sprint, you do love playing with our little minds, don't you?

Sprint to release Android 2.1 update for Hero and Moment 'over the coming weeks' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint: Android 2.1 update for Hero, Moment coming in early Q2

Donald Melanson — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:34:00 EST

And there you have it, folks -- word straight from Sprint that the much-anticipated Android 2.1 update will be coming to the HTC Hero and Samsung Moment "early" in the second quarter of this year. As you may recall, Sprint has actually been talking about this update since December, but "early 2Q10" is at least slightly better news than the previous "1H2010" estimate the carrier's been dishing out.

Update: Sprint has posted a follow-up tweet saying that OTA vs. PC-based or in-store upgrades are "still TBD upgrade options."

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint: Android 2.1 update for Hero, Moment coming in early Q2 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC enhances Sense with Leap and Friend Stream (updated with video)

Vlad Savov — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:34:00 EST

Our recent chance encounter with a multitouch-friendly iteration of HTC's Sense UI turns out to have been a preview of the company's latest version of the software. Announcing that it has "enhanced" the already quite delectable skin, HTC has noted it'll be available preloaded on the brand new Desire and Legend handsets, and as a free download for the venerable Hero. So what's new? The press event this morning told us about Leap, the new pinching function that allows you to view all your home screens at once (see above), and Friend Stream, which aims to be your social media aggregator du jour with its one stream combining Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates. There's also a new newsreader application and widget, along with additional improvements to the browser and web client. You'll find the full PR after the break and early impressions of the new interface in our hands-on with the new phones.

Update: See a full walkthrough of the new UI in a video after the break.

Continue reading HTC enhances Sense with Leap and Friend Stream (updated with video)

HTC enhances Sense with Leap and Friend Stream (updated with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero shows off multitouch-enabled Sense UI on video

Vlad Savov — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:19:00 EST

Bear in mind we don't know for sure whether this is a forthcoming iteration of the Sense UI or just an industrious hacker, but the video after the break shows off some pretty sweet multitouch integration into HTC's Android skin. Pinch-to-zoom, that most notorious of functions, is used to achieve an Exposé-like overview of all the widgets you have open, with an easy tap getting you into the one you want. It seems a relatively intuitive action, even if the person showing it off does his or her best to make it look as clumsy as possible. This should be most enticing when considered in light of the purportedly upcoming HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 -- who's to say this isn't what HTC is cooking up as an extra topping for that Eclair?

[Thanks, Nader]

Continue reading HTC Hero shows off multitouch-enabled Sense UI on video

HTC Hero shows off multitouch-enabled Sense UI on video originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 pegged for mid-March

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:35:00 EST

We've known for ages that HTC's been working on yanking its custom-skinned Hero off of Cupcake's rusty frame, but so far, the only way to drop Android 2.0 or 2.1 on your phone has been to cheat, root, and load a custom or leaked ROM in place of the official first-party firmware. If you're too straightedge for that, though, keep the faith -- your binary isn't too far off. PR released today indicates that we can expect the Hero to get an Android 2.1 update with Sense in "mid March" according to HTC's Benelux team, and it'll feature a new Friend Stream widget that aggregates user updates across services (presumably a nod to Blur), tweaked Exchange support, and a handful of other goodies. This isn't necessarily indicative of when Hero versions in other regions (Sprint's version, for instance) will pick it up, but it's a solid start.

[Image via EnglishRussia]

HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 pegged for mid-March originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising

Nilay Patel — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST

Using a cellphone to control a robot -- or a pretty sweet helicopter -- isn't exactly a new idea, but there's something about the combination of Android and Lego Mindstorms that promises to break the possibilities wide open. Swedish tech company Enea Linköping is one of the first we've seen to directly link an Android app to the Mindstorms brain over Bluetooth -- they're using an HTC Hero to control two simple rover bots. Unfortunately, since Android 1.5 doesn't support the Bluetooth serial profile, there's a hack involved: the phone actually sends out commands over WiFi,which are passed through a WiFi-Bluetooth tunneling app on laptop before hitting the bots. That means there's a little lag involved, but now that Android 2.1 has serial Bluetooth support we're hoping things get a little more streamlined in the future. Video after the break.

Continue reading HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising

HTC Hero-controlled Mindstorms bot hints at Android uprising originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Orange UK's HTC Hero gets a minor firmware bump

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:23:00 EST

Want Android 2.1 on your Hero? Of course you do -- but don't look for it from HTC... at least, not yet. It should be available eventually -- and in the meantime, you're obviously welcome to do some digging for a cooked ROM from the good people at xda-developers -- but for now, High Tech Computer is kicking out another Cupcake-based firmware for Hero users on Orange in the UK. Don't expect anything groundbreaking here, but CoolSmartPhone reports that there's at least a new People widget with a 3 x 3 grid, which sounds particularly handy for anyone with nine or fewer friends. If you want it, it's a quick download away -- not as cool as an OTA, of course, but still better than accidentally submerging your phone in boiling water.

[Thanks, Anders]

Orange UK's HTC Hero gets a minor firmware bump originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Android display battle: In the end, there can be only One

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:25:00 EST

It's not everyday you get to see six (6!) Android devices pitted against each other in a display-quality grudge match. No, not that sensor sensitivity nonsense again, rather, just a plain ol' video playback comparison for your subjective observations. Fortunately, the Android-loving kids over at HDBlog shot a video of the MyTouch 3G, HTC Hero, Motorola Milestone / Droid, Acer Liquid, Nexus One, and Samsung Galaxy (laid out clockwise in the image above). In our opinion, the Nexus One with its 3.7-inch AMOLED display packing a 800 x 480 pixel resolution comes out on top with the best overall image (though slightly on the red end of the color spectrum) -- good thing the video wasn't shot outdoors where that AMOLED is all but unreadable. But hey, that's our opinion, form your own in the video after the break.

Continue reading Android display battle: In the end, there can be only One

Android display battle: In the end, there can be only One originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC posts kernel source for Tattoo, Sprint Hero

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:40:00 EST

The terms of the GPL require that developers of Android handsets out the source code for their phones' platform kernels, something HTC, Samsung, and others have generally been good about (emphasis on "generally") -- and now HTC's gone ahead and pushed a couple more notables into the public domain. The Tattoo and the Sprint-branded version of the Hero are the latest to get their innermost software workings exposed; the Tattoo should be an interesting choice here because it's one of the lowest-end Android sets released to date, and the Sprint Hero's been taking some heat for a while now for its lack of code exposure. We're happy to see HTC stay in compliance, yes -- but really, we're even happier to know that it's now in the hands of people who intend to tear it apart and do cool stuff with it.

HTC posts kernel source for Tattoo, Sprint Hero originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Russia gets mocha-edition HTC Hero, plastic flavor coming soon

Tim Stevens — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:51:00 EST

Sure, you lament about this or that certain smartphone not coming to your wireless provider of choice, but imagine if that phone hadn't even been released in your country. For those who are Russian and for whom That Certain Smartphone is the HTC Hero, your time is finally coming, and soon. HTC sent out devices to many members of the .RU press, but rather than providing functioning ones they received models made entirely of chocolate. Not entirely encouraging, but the company's Cyrillic Twitter page (which has been responsible for creating a stir in the past) is saying the phone is coming soon, as in the next few weeks, and HTC also created a Facebook fan page for the phone over the weekend. So, buckle up Russian readers; looks like you're getting your Hero soon.

Russia gets mocha-edition HTC Hero, plastic flavor coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero gets firmware update (no, not you, Sprint customers)

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:14:00 EST

The GSM version of the Hero just got hooked up with a new firmware update, version 2.73.771.73 (H3G). We don't know what's in here yet -- HTC hasn't offered up a changelog -- but we're foolishly hopeful that it's something newer than Android 1.5 (emphasis on "foolishly"). Let us know how it goes, folks.

[Thanks, Nabeel M.]

HTC Hero gets firmware update (no, not you, Sprint customers) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero's Android 2.1 ROM hacked onto Droid with all sorts of busted

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:52:00 EST

We don't really recommend trying this yourself if you like "using" your Droid for performing "tasks," but if you're the 1337 type or you're just looking for a quick, easy, and fun way to brick a perfectly good Eclair device, you might want to take a look at this ported ROM that's just hit the streets. What we're looking at here is an early, half-baked conversion of that leaked Hero ROM with Sense and Android 2.1, apparently with functional messaging and calling (whew) but without a working WiFi stack. If nothing else, this is a good start for the community; hopefully we'll see something a little more solid soon that can actually be used day to day without an iron will and a brass pair.

HTC Hero's Android 2.1 ROM hacked onto Droid with all sorts of busted originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Google Nexus One stands with iPhone and Hero, interface gets a 5-minute walkthrough

Ross Miller — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:27:00 EST

The Google Nexus One trickle continues. Today's two menu items include a 5-minute demonstration of the Android 2.1 interface -- shaky, sure, but it's a pretty thorough rundown of all the menus. We're also serving up some low-resolution picture comparisons of the Nexus One laying side-by-side with the iPhone and HTC Hero. It still eludes us how all these leaking parties don't seem to have in their possession a decent DSLR or camcorder (feel free to give us a buzz, we'll gladly help out). Video after the break.

Gallery: Google Nexus One stands with iPhone and Hero, interface gets a 5-minute walkthrough

Continue reading Google Nexus One stands with iPhone and Hero, interface gets a 5-minute walkthrough

Google Nexus One stands with iPhone and Hero, interface gets a 5-minute walkthrough originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment on track to get Android 2.1, not 2.0

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:29:00 EST

So Sprint's backtracking on its promise to deliver Android 2.0 to its Hero and Moment in the first half of next year, but it's backtracking in an awesome way for a change of pace -- they'll actually be getting 2.1. That makes tons of sense considering that the leaked Hero builds have all been on 2.1 and 2.0 will be all but obsolete by the time HTC gets around to releasing anything -- so yeah, we probably could've predicted this anyway, but now it's official. Unfortunately that 1H 2010 window hasn't been reigned in at all, but here's hoping this is a case where they under-promise and over-deliver.

Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment on track to get Android 2.1, not 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC debuts widgets for Sense-equipped Android phones

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:49:00 EST

HTC was already in the Android software game by virtue of the fact that it drops a fully-customized UI and widget suite on some of its models, but this is new: they've migrated over to the Market. Now, what'd be insanely awesome here is if you could, say, buy Sense for $9.99 and install it on any Android device, but yeah, not so much -- what we've actually got here is a four-pack of free widgets that are compatible with the Hero and Droid Eris. Dice, Today in History, Tip Calculator, and Battery are each downloadable individually; none are particularly exciting or different than what's already available in the Market, but they've all got that famous HTC high style and the exclusivity of knowing that Motorola, Acer, Samsung, and Huawei riffraff can't use them. All four are available now.

HTC debuts widgets for Sense-equipped Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint says Android 2.0 coming to Hero and Moment first half of next year

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:10:00 EST

In the wake of Verizon's Droid Eris update announcement, Sprint couldn't very well rest on its laurels and let the world go by while its Android babies grow stale on version 1.5, could it? Indeed, the company has announced today (via Twitter, of all things) that it'll be bringing Android 2.0 to the table for its HTC Hero and Samsung Moment in the first half of 2010. Naturally, we wish they could tighten that up to the first quarter (or heck, this month, for that matter), but as far as we can tell, HTC isn't yet done prepping Sense for 2.0 so they're probably in a holding pattern there. As for the Moment, it's running stock 1.5 -- and we'd certainly expect it to run stock 2.0, too -- so we're not sure what the holdup is on Sammy's end, but you can bet we're looking forward to seeing the Google juice running in full AMOLED technicolor.

Sprint says Android 2.0 coming to Hero and Moment first half of next year originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC exec promises Hero successor in 2010, debut at Mobile World Congress

Ross Miller — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:06:00 EST

Yet another reason to love the Swedes: they give us juicy details. Former LG Sales Manager turned HTC Sweden exec Patrik Andersson has dropped word that a sequel to HTC Hero is coming next year. We know what you're thinking: an upgrade to the company's successful multi-carrier flagship Android device? You don't say! The real interesting point here is when it'll make its debut, and that's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this February. Happy Valentine's, indeed, and if you get to the press conference early, save us a seat?

HTC exec promises Hero successor in 2010, debut at Mobile World Congress originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Huge stash of HTC Android codenames found within 2.1 ROM

Paul Miller — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:39:00 EST

You know that leaked HTC Sense ROM with Android 2.1 underneath? Well, somebody did some digging and found a wild stack of HTC Android handset codenames buried within. It starts in the realm of the familiar, with mentions of Dragon, Passion, Dream and Hero, but then it starts to get a little wild. Here's the full list: Bahamas, Bravo, DesireC, Dragon, Dream, Espresso, Halo, HeroCT, HeroC, Hero, Huangshan, Incredible, Legend, Liberty, Memphis, Paradise, PassionC, Passion, Sapphire and Supersonic. Pretty wild, right? There's no telling what exactly this list implies, other than the fact that Passion and Dragon are indeed on the books, and that HTC's naming department can really let the superlatives fly, but we're sure all will be made clear over the next year or two.

Huge stash of HTC Android codenames found within 2.1 ROM originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HTC Hero caught running Android 2.1?

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST

HTC promised the world an Android 2.0-based firmware for its Hero line once it figured out the nitty gritty details of porting Sense to Google's latest code, leapfrogging Donut altogether -- but now, it looks like they're gonna do one better. Screenshots found today show a Hero running Android 2.1, which would dovetail nicely with the fact that Google had teased a "minor update" to 2.0 before the end of 2009 back when it announced Eclair last month. The interface looks largely untouched from 1.5, proof that HTC was able to bring Sense up to speed with minimum drama; it's unclear when this'll all be available, but considering that Sprint's version just got a super-minor update, some carrier-branded versions could be in for a wait. One more pic after the break.

Continue reading HTC Hero caught running Android 2.1?

HTC Hero caught running Android 2.1? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint pulls piping hot Hero update out of the oven

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST

We don't have details on exactly what has changed yet, but that minor Android 1.5-based update Sprint had announced it'd be pushing out to the Hero has now launched. The best-case scenario would have the SMS issue -- which causes the phone to stay awake when it shouldn't -- get resolved, but until Sprint hands out a proper changelog, it'll be a matter of testing and guessing. Just a thought: if they've managed to squeeze a proximity sensor into the update, that brings 'em up to the speed with the Droid Eris. Hey, it could happen.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint pulls piping hot Hero update out of the oven originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint pulls piping hot Hero update out of the oven

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Software, HTC, Sprint, Android

Sprint pulls piping hot Hero update out of the oven originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sprint prepping update for Hero, still 1.5-based

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:49:00 EST

Looking forward to a warm, delicious Donut or Eclair to get beamed down to your Sprint Hero? Well, keep on waiting -- because there's an update in the works, but it's still going to rock the same Android 1.5-based core that you're already enjoying. It looks like users can expect a so-called maintenance release in "the next few weeks," and while a complete changelog isn't yet available, folks are being told that it'll fix DST and messaging issues. As far as we know, HTC hasn't put the finishing touches on Sense for 2.0 anyway, so we wouldn't get discouraged just yet.

[Thanks, Matt Z.]

Filed under: Software, HTC, Sprint, Android

Sprint prepping update for Hero, still 1.5-based originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments