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Flash 10.1 for Android beta unveiled: Hulu a no-show, Froyo now a minimum requirement
What was once just one echelon above a myth is now finally coming to fruition. Adobe is pushing out a beta of its Flash 10.1 player alongside Google's own beta for Android 2.2 "Froyo." The general release for Flash is still on track for June, according to Anup Murarka of the Mobile and Devices team. The announcement doesn't come without caveats, however, and the bad news is that Froyo is now a minimum requirement -- according to Murarka, the APIs needed for its software only now exist in 2.2. Also not on the docket? Hulu -- it's being blocked due to content licensing issues, and our inquiries with that company turned up nil. Flash 10.1 will be available as a Marketplace download, but Adobe intends to work with as many OEMs as possible to preload it on devices so it's there at purchase. Speaking of OEMs, Murarka teased that we should expect announcements later this month and the next regarding Flash integration in TVs. Be sure to head on after the break as we talk a little more in-depth with Murarka about 10.1. As for all there is to see, hear, and do with Froyo, Google's big keynote is going on now -- stay tuned, and in the meantime, why not check out our hands-on impressions of Android 2.2! Oh, and did we mention Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch is gonna be on this week's Engadget Show? %Gallery-93358%
Google claims Froyo has the world's fastest mobile browser
You heard it here first, folks. Google has just come out with the strident claim that the web browser in Android 2.2, aka Froyo, is the world's fastest for mobile devices. Having implemented the V8 JavaScript Engine that's already made an appearance in its desktop Chrome browser, Google's reporting JavaScript performance that's somewhere in the vicinity of two to three times better than what you can get from previous Android versions. We'll give this geek cabal some style points for the double equals sign up top, but will certainly be putting its bold assertion to the test in the very near future.
Android 2.2 Froyo officially announced
No huge surprises here, but Google just announced Android 2.2 "Froyo" at I/O, and the big addition is a just-in-time compiler, which brings a 2-5x speed boost to the system. There are also 20 new enterprise features, including better Exchange integration and device administration APIs, as well as a new device backup app that'll let you transfer personal data to a new device. Android 2.2 also features a new cloud-to-device messaging API that Google called "much more than a push notification service designed to make up for a lack of basic features like multitasking," and of course, WiFi tethering -- which was used to get a WiFi iPad online during the demo to great cheers. Google also demoed a new JavaScript engine in the Android browser, which is billed as "the world's fastest web browser," and a Chrome browser plugin that allows you to send directions from Maps on your desktop directly to your phone. It's all going on live right now, so make sure to go hit our I/O liveblog!
Live from the Google I/O 2010 day 2 keynote!
Yesterday's Google I/O keynote brought about a number of big newsbits -- a Chrome web app store, the open WebM video format, and so forth -- but even more tantalizing were Vic Gundotra's not-so-subtle hints at some major announcements coming at today's keynote. Will we finally get some details on Android's latest updates on the food roadmap?
Android 2.2 will invite you to visit 'Flash-enabled' sites, rub Apple's nose in it
The battle for minds is well and truly on now, and if there was any doubt that Google and Adobe are cozying up together to take on Apple, let it now be extinguished. TechCrunch is reporting that the latest version of Android -- you know, the one with the 450 percent performance improvement and buttery smooth Flash playback -- will, upon updating, guide you to visit a selection of Flash-enabled websites. Countering Apple's list of iPad-ready (aka Flash-free) websites, this is clearly intended as a showcase of the Adobe software's capabilities. Ironically, a sizable number of the sites on the list are "mobile optimized," meaning you won't be hitting their full desktop versions (which doesn't quite mesh with the idea of "the full web experience"), but it's still likely to cause some consternation over in Cupertino. All we're wondering now is how much Adobe had to pony up to ensnare such a prominent promo position, but things like that don't stay secret for long.
Google dishes out giant Froyo parfait (video)
Google takes Android product codenames literally -- that's why you'll find a giant Eclair, Donut and Cupcake chilling on the GooglePlex lawn. This week, they were joined by the object tastefully pictured above. Frozen yogurt, anyone? You might not care to eat this one, as it's probably made of foam, but Engadget will likely bring you a spoonful next week when we attend Google I/O. Video after the break. Update: And just like that the video has been set to private. Not like video of a stationary object really adds much value anyway. Nevertheless, it already arrived at the GooglePlex where it's currently hanging out -- under wraps -- with its foam siblings.
Android 2.2 'Froyo' to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality
And the good Froyo news just keep flowing in. TechCrunch have flexed their exclusive muscle this morning in revealing their discovery that Android 2.2 will come with built-in tethering and WiFi hotspot support. That means you'll be able to use your phone's 3G internet connection to hook your laptop up to the worldwide webosphere, with a choice of wired or wireless methods. Of course, this dreamy scenario will be subject to the big bad network operators permitting -- or at least not forbidding -- you to do such awesome things with your hardware, but at least we know the goods are being baked into this forthcoming release from Google. Frozen yogurt for all!
Android 2.2 'Froyo' and Flash run like butter on Nexus One (update)
While Adobe evangelist Ryan Stewart wants us to focus on Flash 10.1 performance -- admittedly impressive -- running on his Nexus One, we can't help but be distracted by the Android 2.2 "Froyo" build apparently supporting his device. Can you blame us? It's not like we're alone with waning interest in Flash, especially for video playback. Anyway, from the looks of the homescreen in the grab above, we'll be treated to an updated launcher, Android tutorial, and global search box when the OS is revealed (presumably) at Google I/O starting May 19. And with the giant Froyo statue apparently already delivered to the GooglePlex's confectionary art show, well, the stage is set for 2.2 to be launched in time for Adobe's planned June release of Flash 10.1. Get your glimpse into the future of Flash and Android in the video after the break. Update: How much faster is a Nexus One running Froyo? 450 percent faster, according to the Android Police. They claim to have a device running the as-yet-unreleased firmware that can perform over 37 million floating-point operations per second in the Linpack benchmark... compared to about 7 megaflops without. Oh yeeaaah. [Thanks, Taylor]
Android support for memory card app storage is finally 'coming soon'
One of the biggest complaints with Android since the dawn of civilization is that the expansive plains of storage available on microSD cards have been left under-utilized; coldly ignored by the OS while it did everything it could to stuff the measly couple-hundred megs of internal storage with apps. Soon that problem will finally be rectified, with a Google representative closing the long-running Issue 1151. The issue, which covers external installation of apps, was opened in October of 2008 and since then was voted on by 2561 people, all of whom want Google to set their memory cards free. Exactly when this functionality is coming it remains to be seen, but the "coming soon" note in comment 535 is very encouraging. Froyo, anyone? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Adobe CTO says Flash 10.1 for Android in June -- will Froyo follow suit?
Let's take a break from Apple and Adobe's back-and-forth, shall we? Instead, we'll let the latter company talk about its work with Google, specifically the Android platform. Flash-based CTO Kevin Lynch said today in a post, "We look forward to delivering Flash Player 10.1 for Android smartphones as a public preview at Google I/O in May, and then a general release in June." Good news, indeed, but with all this talk of Froyo having native Flash support, and this month's conference serving as the largest gathering of Android developers, we can't imagine a better platform (pun intended) for Andy Rubin and company to unveil its fragmentation-curbing Froyo update. Might Flash 10.1's May preview / June release schedule line up with the OS, as well? Just some fat-free food for thought. [Thanks, Steven]
Google's Andy Rubin talks Android and Apple, promises Flash support in Froyo
Gather 'round, Android fans, because Google's Android boss Andy Rubin has done a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, and we're guessing you're going to want to hear what he has to say. The biggest news to come out of it is word that Android 2.2, a.k.a. Froyo, will come complete with full support for Flash, which is far and away the most official confirmation we've had to date, and slightly contradicts earlier talk that Flash support wouldn't necessarily be built into the OS. Why the change? Rubin says that sometimes being open "means not being militant about the things consumers are actually enjoying." On a similar note, Rubin also said that while he doesn't know when the number of Android phones sold would exceed the number of iPhones and BlackBerrys sold, he's "confident it will happen," adding that "open usually wins." And the hits just keep on coming from there, with Rubin not so subtly working in a mention of North Korea after a discussion about Apple and closed computing platforms, before closing things out with the line: "with openness comes less secrets." Hit up the source link below for the complete interview, in which Rubin also address the issue of Android fragmentation, and reveals that he does indeed own an iPad, but naturally has a few things to say about it.
Dell's Lightning, Thunder, Flash, Smoke and more: rounding up a storm of mobile leaks
You might have missed it if you were sleeping, but we broke open a huge treasure trove of leaked Dell mobile devices last night, including the high-end Lightning Windows Phone 7 slider and Thunder Android set. We also got wind of the mid-range Flash and Smoke Android phones, as well as the Looking Glass seven-inch Android tablet, and to round things out we scored more details on the Aero and Streak. Yeah, it was a hell of a night, but we've got it all rounded up for you right here, so click on through if you missed anything! Lightning: the ultimate Windows Phone 7 Thunder: 4.1-inch OLED, Android, Hulu app Flash: Android Froyo in 'dramatic' package Smoke: 'Like a Pixi but awesome' Looking Glass: 7-inch tablet with Tegra 2 Streak: Android 2.1 in September Aero: Spec'd Dell's mobile outlook
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.
Dell Smoke slaps Android in the wild form factor you secretly wanted
Okay, so imagine a Pixi, but awesome. We think you'd end up with something closely resembling the phone that Dell's whipping up with a codename of "Smoke," running Android Froyo atop a 2.8-inch QVGA display (looks more like WVGA to us, but whatevs). Dell calls it a "non-conforming style," but we just call it drop-dead gorgeous -- assuming the final product even remotely resembles the company's renders -- and they're even promising a price that "won't break the bank," which is always a nice little bonus. The description we're reading of the phone leads us to believe that Dell will be targeting a corporate audience with the Smoke, and that's certainly the clique that tends to enjoy portrait QWERTY keyboards, so this should fit right in amongst the sea of BlackBerrys when it launches in the second quarter of 2011. That's a hell of a wait, yes, but in return, you'll be getting Qualcomm's next-gen MSM7230 processor at 800MHz, a 5 megapixel autofocus cam, 14.4Mbps HSPA, microSD expansion to 32GB, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and dual-mic noise canceling tech in a 12mm package. Check out the full gallery below!%Gallery-91363%
Dell Flash to offer Android Froyo in a 'dramatic' package
If Dell's vision of a mainstream Android device for 2011 ends up materializing, we're not sure we even need a high end anymore. Okay, that's not true -- we'll obviously be power freaks to the bitter end -- but the so-called "Flash" that we've just caught wind of (no relation to the Adobe product of the same name, as far as we can tell) looks to be a lovely piece of kit. Dell plans to fashion this thing out of a slice of "curved glass," topping out at 11mm thick with a 3.5-inch WVGA LCD, 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz HSPA topping out at 14.4Mbps down and 5.6Mbps "or better" on the upstream, a 5 megapixel autofocus cam with image stabilization and smile / blink detection, 512MB of RAM and ROM with microSD expansion up to 64GB (Dell's clearly assuming there'll be 64GB microSD cards by next year), WiFi, TV-out, 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 3.0, and a Qualcomm MSM7230 core humming along at 800MHz. As you might recall, the MSM7230 is part of Qualcomm's next generation lineup of midrange smartphone cores, a series that looks to bring Snapdragon-class performance to the masses with HD video out capability and -- hopefully, anyway -- the performance you'll need to make Flash 10.1 fly. Dell plans to load this bad boy with Android Froyo, presumably with the same kind of custom skin that it'll start pushing with the Streak series this year; we're seeing references to a so-called "Stage UI," and we think that's what it is. This one's mentioned for a first quarter '11 release on AT&T and globally, though it's not clear whether it'll be AT&T-branded or simply be offered as an unlocked device compatible with AT&T's 3G bands -- but either way, you can count us in. Don't change a thing, Dell.%Gallery-91358%
April Fools' Day roundup: 'let me Topeka that for you' edition
Alright, good netizens of Engadget, it's time for us to bring you the sort of hard-hitting news content you can expect only on the first day of April. First on our slate we have the earthshaking news that Google is to officially rename itself Topeka, with the company's official blog urging all future communications to be addressed to Topeka Inc. This is to honor the Kansas town that renamed itself Google in an effort to curry favor with Goog... excuse us, Topeka's 1Gbit broadband program. We also have exclusive and absolutely official confirmation of the forthcoming Android 2.5 update, an inflatable laptop from Toshiba, YouTube's textual deviance, and the hands-down best iPad dock you will ever see. You'll have to come after the break for all those -- they're too hot to handle out in the open. We'll be updating this post as the day goes along, so keep it locked.
Exclusive: Android Froyo to take a serious shot at stemming platform fragmentation
We had a couple people at CTIA last week -- people whose words carry weight -- tell us off the record that the next major version of Android would take big strides toward stopping the ugly trend toward severe fragmentation that has plagued the platform for much of this and last year. You know, the kind of fragmentation that has already left users running not one, not two, not three, but four distinct versions of the little green guy (1.5, 1.6, 2.0, and 2.1) depending on a seemingly arbitrary formula of hardware, carrier, region, software customization, and manufacturers' ability to push updates in a timely fashion. Put simply, Google's been iterating the core far faster than most of its partners have been able to keep up. Thing is, in light of our CTIA conversations, we didn't have an idea of how Google planned on fixing this -- until now. We've been given reason to believe that the company will start by decoupling many of Android's standard applications and components from the platform's core and making them downloadable and updatable through the Market, much the same as they've already done with Maps. In all likelihood, this process will take place over two major Android versions, starting with Froyo and continuing through Gingerbread. Notice that we said apps and components, meaning that some core elements of Android -- input methods, for instance -- should get this treatment. This way, just because Google rolls out an awesome new browser doesn't mean you need to wait for HTC, Samsung, or whomever made your phone to roll it into a firmware update, and for your carrier to approve it -- almost all of the juicy user-facing stuff will happen through the Market. The second part of this doubled-edged attack on platform fragmentation comes from a simple reality: we're hearing that Google may be nearing the end of its breakneck development pace on Android's core and shifting attention to apps and features. By the time we get to Froyo, the underlying platform -- and the API that devs need to target -- will be reaching legitimate maturity for the first time, which means we should have far fewer tasty treat-themed code names to worry about over the course of an average year. We like awesome new software as much as the next guy, but Google's been moving so fast lately that they've created a near constant culture of obsolescence anxiety among the hardcore user base -- and in turn, that leads to paralysis at the sales counter. How much of this strategy actually materializes -- and how effective it is at changing the direction of the platform at large -- remains to be seen, but it sounds like a promising turn of events. Considering it's been a solid five months since the Eclair SDK premiered, that's an eternity in Google years; time to shake things up a bit, we reckon.
Next Android version will be called Froyo, says Erick Tseng
Proving once again that those who don't watch The Engadget Show are always going to be one step behind those who do, our latest star guest Erick Tseng has dropped a dollop of exclusive wisdom on us: Android's next big iteration will be known as Froyo. That's short for "frozen yogurt" and fits right in line with the zany naming scheme that has delivered us Cupcakes, Donuts, and Eclairs so far. If you had your money on Flan being next in that alphabetical order, sorry to disappoint. No additional info could be squeezed out of the Google man at present -- such as how much further along Froyo will be from Android 2.1 (technically considered part of Eclair) or when we might expect the upgrade -- but we've got a name and that should be plenty to get us started on another wonderful journey of soothsaying and speculation.
