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HTC Droid Incredible finally returns to stock, not a moment too soon
If the rumors of an August 18th Android 2.2 update prove true, we'd say Verizon Wireless couldn't have picked a better time to get HTC's Droid Incredible back in stock. 'Course, we suspect you'll think differently if you've been waiting for your backorder to clear over the past few weeks, but we digress. As of this moment in time, the handset -- which has been tough to get thanks to AMOLED shortages -- is in stock and shipping as early as today, with an unchanged $199.99-on-contract price tag. Better hurry if you're looking to buy -- who knows when those panels will hit yet another production snag.
Droid Incredible getting a spoonful of Froyo on August 18th?
The Droid's slated for a second helping of Froyo, the Droid 2 came with one, the Droid X will see Android 2.2 by early September -- when's Droid number four getting its due? According to Mashable's anonymous sources, August 18th will be the day Verizon begins the Droid Incredible's OTA rollout -- which lines up pretty well with what we heard a couple weeks back, not to mention the fact that HTC just released the handset's Android 2.2 source code. As always, dates slip and Verizon often dishes out small batches at a time, but now you've got a ballpark estimate to assuage your troubled mind. And hey, you can always go shoot something in 720p if you get tired of waiting.
Froyo code for HTC EVO 4G, Droid Incredible goes open source
You know the drill: if you're rolling custom firmwares for your Android-powered devices, you've got to release the GPL portions of those binaries for all of our prying eyes to see. It's a drill HTC is well-acquainted with at this point, and once again, they've come swooping in with a couple that should pique the particular interest of the North American hacking community: kernel source for the Android 2.2 releases for Verizon's Droid Incredible and Sprint's EVO 4G. Of course, finding a frickin' Droid Incredible is another matter altogether... but hey, at least when you do, you'll have the source for it. Half the battle, right?
Android 2.2 upgrade for Droid X may already be trickling out, other Droids shortly?
We've already gathered that Verizon, Moto, and HTC all seem to be pretty well committed to bumping most of their Droid models to Froyo (as well they should), but things are starting to get real -- really real. First off, we've been fed a shot of a tipster's Droid X that has apparently already been blessed with 2.2 over the air; the baseband version is a tick older than the one in a shot leaked over on My Droid Life, but it's anyone's guess how Motorola is staging this and what the final gold binary really contains. We've also seen a 2.2 ROM for the Droid Incredible leak recently (and the Droid before that), so uncorroborated rumors we're seeing that three of the four retail Droids will be getting 2.2 by the 15th of next month aren't necessarily crazy. Remember: think positive thoughts. [Thanks, Shane]
Droid Incredible now getting big OTA update with 720p recording?
That rumored software update for HTC's Droid Incredible is apparently now hitting some devices, and it's a doozy -- it's impressive enough, in fact, that it darn near gives you a new phone (short of Froyo, anyway). The headline features are the addition of Verizon's mobile hotspot app (for which you'll pay $20 a month for 2GB in order to use) and 720p video recording, a feature that's becoming virtually standard on top-tier smartphones this year -- including Sprint's EVO 4G, which essentially shares the Droid Incredible's camera hardware. You'll also get the Skype app integrated and some other Verizon-related software goodies plus a sweet new boot animation, so overall, you're definitely going to want to accept this update once you're phone notifies you that it's available. Don't be afraid -- remember, it's the evil Droid eye that you really need to fear.
Apple and HTC lead charge as smartphone market looks set to grow and grow
A recent survey of 4,028 US consumers by ChangeWave has thrown up a number of illuminating statistics, which you might consider as predictable as they are informative. The chief takeaway is that people are keen on buying smartphones like never before, with 16% of respondents saying that they'll be taking the plunge within the next 90 days, which marks the biggest increase in the survey's history. Secondly, and crucially for vendor loyalists, Apple and HTC seem to be the biggest beneficiaries (or are they the stimulants?) of this interest, with both improving their share by over 50 percent between March and June of this year. RIM and Motorola have taken a tumble in that same timespan, while Palm has sadly failed to register even a single percentage point. We can definitely see the Droid X and BlackBerry 6 remedying things for the big boys, but Palm's route out of ignominy seems a little less straightforward. You'll find a chart of customer satisfaction -- dominated by Apple in imperious fashion -- after the break, and the full breakdown at the source link.
Droid Incredible OTA update said to be bringing mobile hotspot, 720p recording
Well, it looks like Droid Incredible owners might soon be rewarded with more than a $25 gift card -- Droid Life is reporting that the phone is set to get an OTA update that will add some of the most oft-requested features. That includes mobile hotspot functionality, 720p video recording and, last but not least, the familiar Droid red eye boot animation that's been curiously absent. No word on a rollout date just yet, but Droid Life's tipster has provided some pics, and a video of that boot sequence (check it out after the break). [Thanks, Dustin]
Verizon sends letter, $25 gift card to patient Droid Incredible buyers
Still haven't received your HTC Droid Incredible due to that AMOLED shortage? Then it looks like you'll soon be hearing from Verizon, if you haven't already. Android Central reports that the carrier has begun sending letters to all customers still waiting for their phones that apologizes for delay, and informs them that they'll soon also be receiving a $25 Verizon gift card as a little thank you for their patience. As for when you'll actually receive the phone itself, however, Verizon is only saying that if your order date was June 28th or prior, you "may experience an additional delay of up to 7 business days." [Thanks, Jacob]
HTC running low on AMOLED stock, will add SLCD to the mix for some models
AMOLED displays in phones haven't necessarily lived up to their promise; they'd been billed as the be-all, end-all answer for clarity, vibrance, and low power consumption, but in reality, the latest and greatest LCDs look just as good, offer similar viewing angles, have little to no impact on battery life, and fare far better in direct sunlight. We've been able to confirm this evening that HTC will be adding an additional supplier of displays later this year -- Sony -- which will be delivering its Super TFT LCD tech as a mobile exclusive (initially, at least) to key HTC handsets, some of which are already in the marketplace. Specifically, Samsung's had a devil of a time keeping up with deliveries of its 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, which means that the Desire, Droid Incredible, and Nexus One could all theoretically be impacted -- but because this is a problem of the demand for displays outstripping supply (or at least the supply that Samsung is letting HTC buy), at least some of the affected phones will likely be offered both in AMOLED and SLCD varieties. How those products will be differentiated in the market is unclear, but it may not matter much -- we're told that the displays are virtually indistinguishable. We're working to get our hands on an SLCD phone just as soon as we can, and when we do, we'll put our eyeballs on the case.
HTC promises fix for Droid Incredible's ne'er-to-forget browser
In case you missed the recent excitement, a "feature" of HTC's Droid Incredible was found whereby the Sense UI bookmarking widget would take random screenshots of your web browsing experience and put them in a folder that's nigh impossible to delete, even after resetting to factory settings. Looks like the company knows about the issue, acknowledging it in a statement and promising a fix "in the near future." It also suggests a different reset to fix the mess, which apparently is to select "Format Phone Storage" from the "SD Card and Phone Storage" settings menu. Let us know if you have any luck with this and please, be careful about your browsing habits if you're worried what might be hanging around.
Droid Incredible saves browser screenshots to internal memory, turns into a privacy nightmare?
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Droid_Incredible_saves_browser_screenshots_to_internal_memor'; June must be the month when privacy issues leave their hibernation and return to trouble our fragile minds. First we had Flash going loco, then AT&T's airwaves exploded with iPad users' email addresses, iPhone 4 pre-orders started sending people to the wrong account, and now this. Boy Genius Report has come across a rather worrying "feature" of the HTC Sense bookmarking widget on the Incredible, which takes sporadic screenshots of your browsing sessions. That wouldn't be so bothersome in itself, but try to remove said pictures, and you find where the problem lies. Ending the browsing session, deleting your history, and even a full reset to factory settings failed to eviscerate the indiscreet imagery. You have to manually discover their location and delete them by hand. Considering the high likelihood of Incredibles being sold and resold for years to come, this could turn the phone into a little cache of treasure for the proactive identity thief. And since it's a Sense issue, it might be affecting other HTC handsets as well. Wunderbar.
HTC EVO 4G and Droid Incredible suffering from unresponsive screen issues
Uh oh: on top of reports that the EVO 4G suffers screen-detachment issues, we're also starting to hear that the touchscreen sensor is inconsistent, particularly when the phone isn't grounded. We've seen more than one report and video purporting to show the EVO's touchscreen failing to smoothly register touches when the phone isn't being handheld (and thus grounded). We haven't been able to reproduce the issues ourselves, but trust us when we say we've heard from enough unhappy EVO owners to believe that the problem is real. What's more, there's also an older video showing the same problem on three different Droid Incredibles, which obviously shares strong family ties to the EVO. We've pinged HTC, we'll let you know what we hear -- for now, get your sad faces on and watch the videos after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
How would you change HTC's Droid Incredible?
Yeah, we called it the best Android device in America during our review back in April, and even today it's somewhat difficult to track down, but that's not to suggest that HTC's Droid Incredible is free of flaws. The Sense-enabled smartphone is the current flagship in VZW's stable, and while the EVO 4G may offer faster connections (in select locales) and a larger display, the Droid Incredible still has its fair share of proponents. This space, however, is where we all take a deep breath, a step back and quick sip of a strong drink. After that, we'd invite you to hit up comments below and tell us how you'd tweak this here smartphone if you suddenly found your way into HTC's headquarters. Would you have stretched the display a centimeter or two? Changed the hardware design somewhat? Made it available with a GSM radio? The options are pretty limitless, so head on down and publish your $0.02. Seriously, what are you waiting for?
Droid Incredible gets rooted at long last
The Incredible wait is finally at an end -- HTC's finest handset on Verizon had proven quite the tough nut to crack, but at long last it has succumbed to the efforts of some industrious root-hungry coders. You should be mindful that progress is still at a very early stage, and hacking your own Incredible is said to be both "very hard" and "not very repeatable." The important thing though, is that it's happened, and we're now probably only a few days removed from a user-friendly patch that lets us truly do whatever we might want with that handsome device. They say roots are an important part of a balanced diet, and this one should go very nicely with a bit of Froyo, don't you think? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verizon's V CAST Video for Android now available, runs $10 a month
Android owners on Verizon now have a new (albeit pricey) way to bide their time as they wait in grocery store checkout lines, doctors' offices, traffic jams, DMVs, and Engadget Show entrance gates, because Big Red is flipping the switch today on its V CAST Video offering for every Google-powered handset to hit its network so far. The Droid, Droid Eris, Devour, Droid Incredible, and Ally are all equipped to take advantage of the app, which claims to offer over 230 full-length shows spanning over 40 programming providers -- but the downside is that it'll cost you $10 a month on top of your data plan, the same that V CAST Video On Demand runs on Verizon's other phones. If you're willing to take the plunge, look for it in the Market right away.
Droid Incredible confirmed to be suffering from AMOLED shortage
Being completely unable to keep a popular device in stock is a great problem to have, we suppose -- but considering that Verizon Wireless' Lowell McAdam believes he could sell "twice" the number of Droid Incredibles that he has available, that's got to be a bit of a bummer if you're one of the company's bean counters (or a would-be buyer, for that matter). In a talk at a Barclays Capital conference today, McAdam made it clear that component shortages were to blame for the high-end Android handset's general unavailability -- specifically the Samsung-sourced AMOLED display, which is seeing duty in more phones all the time and will likely be in short supply for a while yet. At the present, new buyers need to wait until at least mid-June to get their Droid Incredible if they order online, and the Nexus One's brief inventory situation is very likely related; since Samsung is using a ton of AMOLED displays in its own devices, doesn't this all seem like a conflict of interest?
Droid Incredible versus Nexus One: cameraphone showdown
With all this talk of the Droid Incredible ousting the Nexus One from Verizon Wireless, having a better multitouch implementation, and just being newer and shinier, you might think this comparison of cameras is just mercilessly piling on the pain for the original Googlephone. After all, the Nexus One and its 5 megapixel sensor came out a good few months ahead of the 8 megapixel Droid Incredible, so surely this battle would be over before it's even begun? Not so fast, says Android and Me, whose diligent testers have put the two HTC handsets through a side-by-side shootout. As it turns out, the Nexus One rather swept the contest in both naturally and flash-lit shots, while the Incredible habitually exhibited a blue hue in less than perfectly lit photos. Both cameras were adept at taking excellent daylight photos, as is to be expected, but the devil is as usual in the details -- and you can find all of them at the source link below. [Thanks, Matt]
Droid Incredible torn down to its constituent elements, reassembled in a flash (video)
Now here's an innovative concept -- instead of doing separate videos for an unboxing and a disassembly of the Droid Incredible, why not combine them into one? And while you're at it, turn that into a stop-motion animation and include well timed sound effects for comedic relief. Make sure to include intimate closeups of the Incredible's spectacularly red innards, then finish off with a sped-up reconstruction and reboot of the handsome Nexus One killer. Got all that? Good, now drop the video after the break and let the people enjoy it.
Droid Incredible's mysterious OTA update actually fixes Exchange bug
Saturday afternoon, reports came in that Verizon's new Droid Incredible had already received its first OTA update. Nobody knew quite what it did and few even received it, but some figured it probably fixed the smattering of random reboots and radio bugs experienced by some early adopters. We reached out to Verizon on the matter, and we're afraid to say that's not the case -- the new 1.22.605.2 CL161494 software build merely fixes a bug in Microsoft Exchange support. As such, you'll only see the update if you've got a corporate handset, and those who do can expect their carbon-copy email fields (which would apparently fill with unintended addresses beforehand) to be fixed sometime around May 6th. On the off-chance that fix magically transforms your mobile world, feel free to let us know in comments. Full statement after the break.
HTC Droid Incredible arrives as promised (Update: not yet!)
Don't say we didn't warn you. HTC's impressive Droid Incredible has arrived, so if you pre-ordered one you can expect it today (if you haven't already gotten it) -- and if you didn't, well you can pick one up at a nearby Verizon store. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our full review of the Incredible. Update: So, a friendly tipster pointed out to us that on Verizon's website, it actually still lists the Droid Incredible as available for pre-order. To quote: "Due to high demand, this device will ship by 5/4."
