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HTC Magic / T-Mobile G1 gets Honeycomb port, Android past and future fused together (video)
The original gangster of Android, T-Mobile's G1, just refuses to quietly fade into the annals of history. Even in spite of its long overdue end of retail life last summer, the handset continues to see support from grassroots modders and tweakers, with the latest project being the most ambitious of them all: an Android Honeycomb port. A pair of xda members have succeeded in splicing Android's most senior hardware with its very latest software and the results are available to see on video after the break. As usual with these builds, half of the phone's functions have still to be enabled and the UI lag seems like it'll be a permanent feature whatever happens, but still -- it's Honeycomb on the G1!
Rogers HTC Magic+ 2.1 update almost ready for prime time
Early this year Rogers announced -- to some seriously upset owners -- there would be no Android update for the HTC Dream and HTC Magic. Shortly after there was a flip flop followed by an exchange program, which resulted in bags of smiles for all. Well, the final steps of that process are underway as Rogers announced today it has completed the Android 2.1 update testing for the HTC Magic+ ( it was renamed to Magic+ with its first firmware overhaul that included Sense ) and has sent it to Google for thumbs-up and eventual HTC OTA launch. The only catch is your Magic+ has to be running the newer Rogers firmware with Sense -- but fear not, they'll get you into a Rogers store to help you out with the update if you need it. Sadly still no firm timeline, but we'd say this glorious news should keep you busy 'til that fateful day.
Cyanogen squeezes Android 2.2 Froyo into G1, MyTouch 3G
Earlier this evening, we took the plunge -- now, we're rocking Froyo on our formerly old-and-busted T-Mobile G1. That's because Cyanogen's team of ROM hackers has come through once again for the little handset that could, serving early adopters with HTC Dream and Magic phones (as well as the Nexus One) with the first fully-functioning, stable build of CyanogenMod 6. Based on Google's famous frozen yogurt, the release candidate's got more fabulous tweaks than you can shake a stick at, but sadly doesn't seem to include Flash 10.1, and though WiFi and the camera are working great (as well as SurfaceFlinger and Chrome to Phone) many would-be shoppers in the Android Market are finding themselves faced with the dreaded force close. As usual, you'll find instructions at the source link if you understand the risks -- if you're not careful, you can easily brick your phone. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Cyanogen 5.0.7 experimentally brings Eclair to G1, myTouch 3G -- caveats apply
After a brief delay, looks like CyanogenMod 5 is now out for the HTC Dream, Magic and Sapphire, also known as the T-Mobile G1 and myTouch 3G. The release is labeled as experimental, so take care not to flash it onto your work phone, and G1 owners should back up their data as they'll need to install a little something called the DangerSPL (which has phone bricking potential) and perform a full wipe. If you're the kind of individual who doesn't shy away from software explicitly labeled "danger," get cracking on that rooted Eclair at the source link. Update: Can't get through? That's because the sheer willpower of Android early adopters is crushing websites hosting the CM5 ROM like so many stale pretzels. Cyanogen is retweeting alternative options if you simply can't wait for things to quiet down.
Cyanogen ports Android 2.1 to G1 and MyTouch 3G (update)
Droid, Milestone, Eris, Moment, Spica, even the Hero, all have had their Eclair, one way or another. G1 and myTouch 3G? Not so much. But don't worry, Android early adopters, because Cyanogen's got your back. Most all the bells, whistles and hardware-accelerated graphics of Android 2.1 are coming to the HTC Dream, Magic and Sapphire in CyanogenMod 5.0.7, and you can see a video of a T-Mobile G1 running the new build after the break. Twitter buzz indicates the ROM will be out any minute now is nearly ready; the dev himself tweeted that it's good to go and just needs G1-friendly bite size packaging. Update: Don't stay up all night waiting -- Cyanogen says he's got "two more bugs to kill" and is "hoping for a test1 public beta tomorrow night." [Thanks, Philosophics]
Android 2.2 spotted in analytics data, running on Magic?
Hero owners, look away now. Google's Froyo appears to be almost ready to exit the freezer and enter handsets on an official basis. Since April 7, Android and Me have noticed visits from devices identifying themselves as having Android version 2.2 on board, while German site MobiFlip.de has come across pictures of a T-Mobile myTouch 3G (aka HTC Magic) that is supposedly running the latest software. The images are certainly easy to spoof (including a wonky looking .2), but their timing and our eternal optimism invite some attention. They indicate a new option for automatically pulling down app updates from the ether, which would be kinda neat, while Android and Me have also compiled a list of other rumored new features for Android 2.2 and confirmed with "sources familiar with the matter" that the new OS is indeed being tested right now. Their tip is to gaze expectantly toward the Google I/O conference starting on May 19 when we're sure to learn at least a little bit more. Considering Android 2.0 got a full features demo at that meetup last year, chances are good that Froyo will be on show in just under a month's time.
Rogers HTC Dream upgrade plan is official, still free
We smile when carriers do us a kindness, and we'd expect a few of you HTC Dream owners will agree that Rogers momentary lack of reason offer for a free upgrade to an HTC Magic is just that. So, the rub you ask? Well, that's the magic here, there all but isn't one, simply hop online or call customer care -- Rogers brick and mortar shops won't be doing this upgrade -- between the 12th and 26th of January, re-sign -- yes, to a new 3-year, but we're told that should be no more than 7 months for most users -- your contract and you walk away with a $599 handset for nothing. No added fees, administrative charges or anything, heck, Rogers is even eating the $79 upgrade fee and the $35 admin fee for the new set. Oh, but check this out, it gets better: it is an upgrade and as such Rogers doesn't even want your old set back, so you'll have a day phone and an evening phone, one 2.1 -- at some point, anyway -- and a nice 1.5 set with Sense. So, what are you waiting for? From any angle this just looks too fantastic to let slip through your fingers. Update: Well, the good deal from Rogers just got better -- as if that could be possible. It seems the lucky upgrading masses are also receiving a bonus $50 rebate on checkout. So not only do you get a free Dream and get to keep the Magic, Rogers is now paying you $50 for the privilege.
T-Mobile Fender MyTouch 3G in the wild, due for launch January 20
A lot's happened since T-Mobile first announced the myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition, but if you're looking for last-gen Android hardware in the sweetest case around, your wait is almost up: test units are going our to T-Mobile reps, and that formal launch will occur on January 20th. No word on pricing, but we can't imagine it'll be cheaper than the current myTouch 3G, especially since it adds a much-needed 3.5mm headphone jack and has that fancy woodgrain finish, bundled 16GB microSD card, and preloaded music. Yeah, we'll still take the Nexus One, although we'd bet the myTouch 3G actually has... 3G. %Gallery-82940%
Rogers to offer HTC Dream owners 'limited time opportunity' to upgrade to Magic
A couple days ago we covered news that Rogers and HTC were going to upgrade the HTC Dream and Magic starting with an enhanced version of 1.5 in the coming weeks. Unfortunately for Dream owners, the upgrade path for that device ends at 1.5, -- as it simply doesn't have enough memory to run 2.1 -- where the Magic will carry on to 2.1 and -- potentially -- beyond. We've now heard that Rogers is looking to offer HTC Dream owners an upgrade path to the HTC Magic, and while the details are unclear as to the when and the how, it seems the price for the hardware shift will be $free. So, now the issue will be if an OS upgrade is really enough to push you off a keyboard and onto a touchscreen, so, do fill us in on what you plan to do. Hopefully this all pans out as it seems it's going to, and if it does, all we can say is: well done Rogers, golf claps all around.
Rogers and HTC give up: Magic will see Android 2.1, but Dream gets a pass
Seems that all your cries out in Rogersland have forced somebody to rethink the official company line on updates from OS 1.5 for the Rogers HTC Dream and HTC Magic. The message was simple: there would be no updates for the devices beyond 1.5. MobileSyrup's now heard directly from HTC that there will indeed be upgrades to both devices, with the first scheduled in the next weeks. Bump one will apparently see "a number of benefits for these devices, including bringing the HTC Sense experience to the HTC Magic" though the OS version will stay at 1.5 -- in other words, you'll basically get a current-gen Hero. While that's cause for celebration, mid-year is when we'll get to the meat of the tweaks as we'll apparently see an upgrade to 2.1 for the Magic, but the lowly Dream -- due to "certain limitations," likely meager internal storage if we had to guess -- will stay at 1.5. So there you have it, your sets may get better in the near term and much better -- at least for some -- half way through the year.
DIYer concocts homegrown View-Master, relies on HTC Magic and Google Street View (video)
It's been far, far too long since we broke out the View-Master from the admittedly dusty toy chest, but now we're guessing it'll be at least a score before we get the urge again. Why, you ask? The View-Master 2009. These homegrown virtual reality goggles are surprisingly impressive despite their ragged look, and by utilizing some form of cardboard enclosure, an HTC Magic and Google Street View, the designer was able to mimic that "immersive" environment we've grown to know and never forget. Don't believe us? Have a look at the vid just past the break, and hang in there 'til the end if you're scouting a how-to guide.
Android Battle: CLIQ edition
CLIQ Galaxy Tattoo Hero Magic / MT3G Dream / G1 Carrier T-Mobile -- (GSM / HSDPA) -- (GSM / EDGE) Sprint T-Mobile T-Mobile Manuf. Motorola Samsung HTC HTC HTC HTC Price -- -- -- $179.99 $99.99 $149.99 Released -- July 2009 -- Oct 11, 2009 Aug 5, 2009 Oct 22, 2008 Keyboard Slide-out Virtual Virtual Virtual Virtual Slide-out Android MOTOBLUR Standard Sense UI Sense UI Standard Standard Processor 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz ARM11 528MHz MSM7225 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz MSM7201A Screen 3.1-inch (est.), 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 2.8-inch, 240 x 320 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 480 x 320 Headphone 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm ExtUSB ExtUSB Touchscreen Capacitive Capacitive Resistive Capacitive Capacitive Capacitive Still Camera 5MP with AF 5MP with Flash 3.2MP 5MP with AF 3.2MP with AF 3.2MP with AF Bluetooth 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 Exchange ActiveSync ActiveSync -- ActiveSync Depends on version Depends on version Storage 256MB, microSD 8GB, microSD 512MB, microSD 512MB, microSD 512MB, microSD 256MB, microSD Battery 1400mAh 1500mAh 1100mAh 1500 mAh 1340 mAh 1150 mAh Weight 163g 114g 113g 135g 116g 158g It's been over 11 months since the Android first hit the scene with HTC's T-Mobile G1, and in that time we've come to the conclusion that, despite having more or less a clean slate on industrial design choices and specs, little progress has been made in the way of variation. Stacked up side-to-side, Motorola CLIQ manages to stand out with a slide-out keyboard and MOTOBLUR skin, but under the hood, it's pretty much as uniform as a netbook. Peruse for yourself in the chart above.
HTC reportedly moves a million Magic smartphones, boogies down at midnight
These days, the whole "I shipped a million!" claim is becoming more and more common, but it's still worth pointing out that HTC has managed to move a whole bundle of its Android-based myTouch 3G (or Magic, as it were) since debuting in April. Or, that's the story, anyway. According to a dangerously brief blurb over at Digitimes, the outfit's head honcho quipped that the Magic has "surpassed one million units," and he also noted that it would begin to focus more on the mid-range market as opposed to always dealing devices at the high-end. So, raise your glass high for this one folks, and let the countdown to a million Hero handsets begin while you're at it.[Via InformationWeek]
HTC Hero and Click coming to China under Dopod brand
HTC has been on a global Android-pimping mission with its Hero device, and it looks like Chinese subsidiary Dopod gets the honor of announcing three new handsets for the Middle Kingdom. Unlike others, the Hero retains its WiFi capabilities by playing nice with China's custom WLAN security protocol and is expected in late August on China Unicom for 5,600 Yuan ($820) along with the few-frills Click for 3,400 Yuan ($500). The carrier has opted to strip Google Maps from the Hero (though it's still downloadable), and to soften the blow it will likely offer a snazzy red version of the phone. China Mobile will have to settle for an as-yet unspecified TD-SCDMA handset and the already announced Magic, both of which will likely be sporting the OMS flavor of Android. We're not sure we'd classify the Hero's price tag as reasonable -- but really, can you put a dollar figure on being the first big-name Android release in the world's largest wireless market?
Engadget Podcast 154 - 07.11.2009
The podcast is a little late this week, but for good reason -- special guest Michael Gartenberg joins Josh, Paul, and Nilay this week as they sort through the Google-dominated week in news. We've got Chrome OS, the myTouch 3G, some more HTC Hero hands-on time (as well as a Magic flashed with the Hero ROM), and the leaked Sony Ericsson Rachael on tap -- oh, and to top it all off, Sony backtracked huge and released its first true netbook, the VAIO W. It's a bit of a wild one, we won't lie -- buckle up. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Guest: Michael Gartenberg Producer: Trent Wolbe Song: No Rain Hear the podcast 00:01:22 - Google announces Chrome OS, coming to netbooks second half of 2010 00:26:37 - myTouch 3G hands-on (with video!) 00:39:35 - New HTC Hero ROM leaked, Flash 10 already chugging along on a few lucky G1s 00:56:25 - Sony Ericsson Rachael UI video leaks out, Kiki comes for the ride 01:04:55 - Android 1.5 gets official SDK for native development 01:12:58 - Sony announces VAIO W... netbook! Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
T-Mobile pushing apps hard with myTouch 3G; Sherpa pictured, detailed
Though the myTouch 3G is really just an HTC Magic at its core, T-Mobile seems to be doing everything it can to gussy it up with as much crapware bloatware value-add software that it can. All kidding aside, this really isn't crapware -- the carrier is apparently quite serious about calling out best-in-class apps in the Android Market, going so far as to create a separate "app pack" application that'll drill down stuff it wants to highlight. T-Mobile tells us this might even include T-Mobile's own visual voicemail application, which is currently in development, but whether that's available at launch or not, nothing in the app pack won't be findable in the regular Android Market, so there's no reason to worry.The crown jewel in the myTouch 3G's arsenal will be Sherpa, an entertainment discovery app that learns your preferences in food, stores, and attractions over time based on your ratings and bubbles them to the top so they're easier for you to find. Naturally, it's location-based so that you can find things around you; it'll be interesting to see how well this works in practice, but at a glance, we're excited to give it a shot so that we can finally stop eating In-N-Out seven nights a week (not to say there's anything wrong with that).
T-Mobile rolling out plethora of myTouch accessories
As much heat as the "myTouch" name has taken, we're starting to understand why T-Mobile went with it -- the myTouch 3G is a very customizable device. At device launch, we're counting no fewer than 17 trinkets to go along with your phone -- not including color variations -- ranging from the ultra-mundane (a USB cable in your choice of black or white, for example) to the awesome (a snap-on battery extender that'll add 50 percent more juice) to the crazy (a myTouch logo commuter mug). Buyers will also be able to get custom-designed shells through Skinit and have access to a fitness belt, meaning you now have absolutely no excuse not to get on the trail and run that ten miles with that trusty Magic firmly attached to your arm. Well, except the fact that The Hills is on. Right after The Hills, though, we swear.
myTouch 3G hands-on (with video!)
We just got a look at the myTouch 3G, and while it's great to see T-Mobile's next Android phone all official and everything, there are certainly few surprises for those of us already familiar with the HTC Magic / Google Ion. We found ourselves, despite the best knowledge otherwise, still looking fruitlessly for a 3.5mm headphone jack -- it was silly that the G1 didn't ship with it, but this year it's downright shameful. At least the included adapter is nice. Please, HTC Hero, come and save us from this madness. Fresh off our play time with the Hero, we found the stock Android 1.5 keyboard to be quite a bit of a step back. It's certainly usable, but we found ourselves missing the spacebar quite a lot, and the responsiveness just wasn't at HTC's level, though prediction was pretty good. The included zippered case is nice, though we don't know what we'd use it for, and the unboxing experience is generally pleasant and uneventful. In a lot of ways, the phone seems like a last generation product, but it's obviously the only one of its kind available in the States at the moment, so we suppose T-Mobile would beg to differ. Every single cover we've seen so far looks completely horrible, and while it's nice to have "options," we'd think twice before putting a pic of our dog on the back of one of these. Perhaps the best news making the rounds is that T-Mobile is thinking about putting a Visual Voicemail app in the forthcoming app pack, though it wasn't pre-loaded on any of the handset we checked out, and apparently the app pack is more of a curated Market than a single app combo download. Peep an enthralling video of the hardware after the break.
T-Mobile myTouch 3G gets unboxed, user guide outed
Can't wait until July to check out every nook and cranny of T-Mobile's version of the Ion / Magic? A couple of tipsters, including one anonymously, have lent us a hand in that department with pictures of an apparent myTouch 3G unboxing, as well as an entire user guide dating back to May 19th. We're still rummaging through it ourselves, but so far we're not seeing anything we didn't already know or see for ourselves with the phone's many other releases. Completionists can hit up the 113-page manual in the gallery below.[Thanks, Derek]
WSJ: T-Mobile's myTouch 3G coming this summer
Looks like our hopeless optimism might win again. Android lovers who didn't get their hands on the Google Ion (a.k.a. HTC Magic) already can look forward to a summer launch of T-Mobile's version, myTouch 3G. According to the Wall Street Journal citing, the ever-resourceful "people familiar with the matter" group, all the details will be announced next week. Of course, the definition of "summer" can be stretched pretty far, we dare say even into September, but regardless of that technically, it seems promising the G1 successor is just over the horizon. Excited? We are.
