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Samsung Moment gets Android 2.1 update from Sprint, Hero users promised to be next
Hey, hey -- what do you know? If you're a Samsung Moment owner on Sprint, you know exactly how glorious it feels to have and hold Android 2.1, which Sprint has confirmed to be rolling out to handsets as we speak. Notably, a tweet on the matter has the carrier promising that Hero owners will be "next" to see the same update, but sadly a time line wasn't given. Enjoy and hang tight, respectively.
Samsung Moment update to Android 2.1 available at long last?
Sure, it's been leaked already -- but is Moment-gate 2010 finally about to draw to a close? Quite possibly, because folks running the firmware update executable found on Sprint's site are apparently ending up with a phone powered by Android 2.1 when all is said and done. Considering the fact that the Moment runs stock Android, the update feels long overdue -- but Eclair updates are still pretty hard to come by no matter what kind of phone you're using, so we're just delighted to see it finally happen. Moment owners: can you do us a solid and check this out (assuming you're brave enough) and let us know how it goes in comments?
Sprint: Samsung Moment and HTC Hero Android 2.1 updates now coming 'in Q2'
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]
Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment Android 2.1 updates on track for early May?
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?
Eclair shocker! Android 2.1 leaked for Samsung Moment
Feeling impatient? Can't wait until Moment gets its Android 2.1 upgrade? The kids at SDX-Developers feel you, with one forum member providing a simple, straightforward download link to a 7z archive containing not one but two leaked builds: ECLAIR.DC23 and ECLAIR.DD03. According to the hub-bub, the latter seems to be giving people the most luck, although some are reporting a "faulty" Marketplace. That said, both builds do seem to work with voice and data. And yes, it will wipe your phone completely -- but if you're looking to get into this sort of action you're probably a risk-taker and a heart-breaker anyways. Good luck, and if you brick your phone don't blame us. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Moment 2 with Sprint branding and TouchWiz 3.0 peeks out
The Samsung Moment is due to get Android 2.1 sometime in the near future, but it looks like it's also going to get a bit of a refresh -- check out this pic of a Sprint-branded Moment 2 that's said to have TouchWiz 3.0 on top of Android 2.1. Unfortunately, the same source says this thing doesn't have Sammy's new Super AMOLED screen, so we'd assume it doesn't have that new faster processor from the Galaxy S either -- all of which means the HTC EVO 4G is still really the Sprint device to wait for. But hey, maybe you love TouchWiz? Is that a thing? It's hard to say what the kids are into nowadays. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sprint to release Android 2.1 update for Hero and Moment 'over the coming weeks'
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: Android 2.1 update for Hero, Moment coming in early Q2
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]
Samsung Moment gets a firmware update, convenience not included
Taking your phone into a service center for a firmware update is so 1999, but Samsung apparently didn't get the memo, because Sprint just announced that you'll need to head into one of the carrier's stores with a repair facility to get your Moment re-upped. Of course, the good news here is that the Moment's getting an update, period -- it improves AGPS and battery life, among other things -- but the bad news is that it bucks Android's trend of magically updating over thin air and doesn't include the promised 2.1 core. Presumably that stuff is yet to come, and happily, Sprint says that "the ability to download the update directly on your Moment will be available in the near future." Let's just pray this is the first and last time you need to put on pants and leave the house this year.
Samsung's Mobile DTV-enabled Moment hands-on
Samsung's out and about this evening showing off its just-announced Moment with extra Mobile DTV circuitry stuffed in, and if you thought it looked an awful lot like a standard Moment... well, you'd be absolutely right. The only notable change is an articulating, telescoping antenna that screws into the top of the phone -- a sure sign that this device is nothing but a trial unit since we'd assume retail devices would have a sexier way to stow it. Speaking of stowage, what do you do when you're not watching TV? Pop off the antenna, collapse it, and screw it into the attached charm -- "geeky" doesn't even begin to describe it. Anyhow, we got a little video of the modded Moment in action -- unfortunately, Samsung's having reception issues with its private broadcast setup (there's no Mobile DTV network here in Vegas, or anywhere, for that matter) but we were able to see how the UI's going to work and learn a little bit about the system. Guide data will typically be pulled over the TV airwaves, though the company says that it'll be up to the manufacturer and carrier if they want to supplement or replace that with a 3G-based feed; the video was coming down at 416 x 240 and can be shown full-screen on the Moment's AMOLED display. Unlike MediaFLO, it's completely free for users -- and that might be just the kick in the pants mobile TV needs to take hold. Follow the break for our video!
Samsung Moment being trialed with Mobile DTV
You know the old saying -- as LG does, so does Samsung -- so it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Sammy's swinging in today with a ATSC Mobile DTV announcement following LG's a few days ago (of course, it helps that both companies worked were actively working on the technology for a couple years, too). There are some interesting parallels here; LG basically transplanted a boob tube tuner into its Lotus, while Samsung elected to take its Android-powered Moment and retrofit the new circuitry. It's little more than a proof of concept for now, but by the end of the quarter, Sprint and Samsung look to roll out trial units to customers in Baltimore and Washington, DC. Productivity: you're on notice.
Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment on track to get Android 2.1, not 2.0
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 says Android 2.0 coming to Hero and Moment first half of next year
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.
HTC Hero, Samsung Moment now $100 on Sprint courtesy of Best Buy
Leaning back and forth between the $100 HTC Eris on Verizon and the $179 HTC Hero on Sprint? Well, your decision just got a bit more difficult, as Best Buy has now kicked off a new holiday promotion that'll net you a chin-less Sprint Hero for the same hundred bucks as Verizon's Eris. If you prefer, you can also now snag a Samsung Moment for the same price, but each will of course have to be paired with a new two-year activation, and you'll have to take the plunge before the end of December -- although there's at least a decent chance there will be another discount / price drop by the time this one ends. [Thanks, Daniel]
Sprint launches Samsung Moment, Android empire expands by one
And here comes more trouble for your wallet. Mixing up that unholy trifecta of a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, AMOLED screen and Android inside, Samsung's Moment -- in spite of its quirks and niggles -- is likely to lighten the load for quite a few Sprint customers today. Pricing is as expected, with a $279.99 initial outlay that gets reduced to $179.99 after rebates, but you'll also have to agree to a two-year contractual commitment. Unless you're locked in to Sprint for whatever reason, we might advise holding out for a couple of days and seeing if the DROID takes your fancy, but don't take our word for it -- check out what your fellow readers think right here. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Ask Engadget: Which Android phone should I get?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Chris, who is deathly afraid that making the wrong choice on an Android phone will ruin his life completely. "Listen, I am an obsessed gadget hound who needs some real help. I just switched to Sprint from Verizon about three months ago for the Pre. Mostly because they said that they weren't getting an Android anytime soon (ha!). Anyways, I like the Pre but Sprint in my area is spotty at best. I have been intrigued with Android and have had HTC in the past with some good success, so I went for the Hero about a week ago. Now, I miss my hardware keyboard and am thinking about switching to the Moment. After Chris's pithy review of the Moment it seems that may not be the correct choice either. So, I am still able to switch back to Verizon if I want and get the Droid when it arrives. Should I just trade up to the Moment when it comes out, see if I like it, and if not switch to the Droid? Or something else entirely? Help!" Wow Chris, that's a pretty compelling story. Really engrossing. So much so, in fact, that we're sure you'll have no issue getting all sorts of helpful replies in comments below. Right, Android lovers? Right?
Samsung Moment review
In the world of Android, it's not yet clear who's going to come out victorious -- QWERTY sliders or their keyboardless brethren -- but does there really need to be a winner? We say there's room for just about everyone in this open-source party, and Sprint is starting to round out its Android offerings by introducing the keyboard-equipped Samsung Moment to saddle up alongside the HTC Hero that was released a few weeks ago. In the scheme of things, the platform is still extraordinarily young which means that virtually every new handset that's announced brings "firsts" to the table; in the Moment's case, it's both the first Android device with an 800MHz ARM11 core and the first Android QWERTY phone with an AMOLED display (you'd have to go back to another Sammy, the Galaxy, to find the first AMOLED Android phone regardless of input method). Being able to stuff Android, AMOLED, QWERTY, and 800MHz all into one sentence certainly sounds like a winning combination, but does the Moment deliver? Let's find out.
Samsung Moment unboxed!
It's here, folks. We'll naturally have more impressions in the near future, but for now feast your eyes on the Samsung Moment and one of the least eventful unboxings of all time -- Sprint sure isn't packaging this like a premium handset, but at $179 we suppose it isn't really pricing it like one either. The hardware itself might tell a different story, with a solid, hefty feel to it and great screen. So far our editors are divided on the keyboard, with Chris not being sure it meets up to the CLIQ's standards, while this writer feels it's far superior -- not tiresome to press, but super clicky and very touch type-able. While we sort out this astonishing bit of intra-office drama, check out the unboxing shots in the gallery below. The phone goes on sale November 1st. %Gallery-76131%
Samsung Moment for Sprint first hands-on!
We're not sure that the keyboard meets the lofty standard set by the CLIQ / DEXT, but arguably the Moment's single most important feature -- the slide-out QWERTY keyboard -- has decent feel. It's very clicky and requires a surprising amount of pressure to actuate individual keys, but not enough to be frustrating -- it just feels solid. Overall, the phone's a little bulky and has a plastic overtone to it, but fortunately, the screen's at least as good as the G1 and Magic for feel and there's no "give" to speak of; OLED's gorgeous (as always) indoors, but the true test of trying to view this thing in the sunlight might not come until we've had a chance to take delivery of a review unit. The software's essentially stock Android with a few Sprint apps (including Sprint TV) peppered in for good measure. Check out our hands-on gallery, won't you?%Gallery-74953%
Samsung Moment slider coming to Sprint, packing Android (update: official, $179)
Samsung just accidentally leaked a Sprint-bound Android QWERTY slider called the Moment in an otherwise totally boring press release about its OLED handset lineup -- it'll have an 800MHz processor, a 3.2-inch AMOLED screen, optical trackpad and a 3.2 megapixel camera. We're guessing this is the long-rumored "high-end" InstinctQ, but we're not sure why Sprint and Sammy have dropped the Instinct branding in favor of Moment. Samsung has a press event scheduled for 2PM EST, so we're guessing we'll find out more shortly -- stay tuned. Update: Oop -- Sprint just posted its PR ahead of the event as well, along with a pre-registration page. Yep, the Moment is indeed the InstinctQ. Pricing will be $179 on a two-year contract after $50 instant savings and a $100 mail-in rebate when it launches November 1. Oh, and there's no TouchWiz here after all -- that's another hyped manufacturer UI shelved in favor of "With Google" branding. Interesting.
