Gingerbread
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LG invents imaginary 1GHz processor requirement to say Optimus One won't get Gingerbread
So here's the story: dude asks LG's US mobile team on Facebook when the Optimus One -- the basis for the various Optimus devices that have launched recently on American carriers -- will be getting Android 2.3. LG responds saying that "the minimum requirements for Gingerbread require 1 GHz processor," hence, no update's in the cards. Well, Android lead Dan Morrill took to Twitter to drop some knowledge, saying "there's no hard minimum processor requirement for Gingerbread... trust me, if there were I'd know." In other words, whoever's manning the ship on LG's Facebook account is either sorely underinformed or showed some awful judgment in choosing a lie to justify keeping the Optimus off the upgrade path. Sure, we can understand why LG wouldn't want to temper excitement for a still-new smartphone line by telling buyers their phones won't be receiving the next version of the platform, but the least they could've done is formulated a reasonable excuse, no?
Android 2.3 features game development-centric upgrades
The Android 2.3 operating system doesn't just add the "feature" of constantly making you hungry for traditional holiday baked goods (mmmm, gingerbread) -- it also adds improvements to the OS targeted at game development. In the introductory video after the break, Google says that it "focused on optimizing performance and tools for game development." Android NDK technical lead David Turner outlines improvements designed to smooth animation and increase responsiveness for input. In addition, Google now offers APIs for direct access to "input and sensor events," OpenGL ES, and more. The OS also supports gyroscope sensors for motion controls. The gaming focus of Gingerbread seems to support the rumors of a Gingerbread-powered PlayStation Phone. Although Google doesn't really need motivation from Sony to up its gaming offerings -- it has its own operating system to distribute, and its own app store to populate.
Google Nexus S preview
We're here at the D: Dive Into Mobile conference in San Francisco, and we've just had a chance to lay our ever-loving hands all over Google's latest wunderkind, the Nexus S. As you've probably already read and seen, the device is set to be the next flagship phone sporting a pure Google experience. That is, full-on Android 2.3 (AKA Gingerbread), sporting a subtly reworked user interface design, and touting some potentially powerful new features, like near-field communication compatibility (hardware permitting -- and this hardware does indeed permit). Speaking of nuts and bolts, the phone is no slouch, boasting all the design leanings of Samsung's wildly popular Galaxy S line, but packing them into a tighter, sleeker, faster package. As you can see in the pictures and video below, we spent some quality time with the newest Nexus, and we've made a few professional observations -- so follow along after the break to get the full scoop. %Gallery-109410%
Gingerbread ROMs start cooking for HTC EVO 4G et al; keyboard ported for rooted Androids
You can have your doubts about when your phone maker will finally get around to delivering an Android 2.3 update (March if you're with HTC, June if Samsung, 2017 if you're unfortunate enough to own a Sony Ericsson), but the smartphone dev community doesn't work that slowly. The guys who build custom ROMs just for the sheer pride of it have already begun work on delivering Gingerbread to owners of HTC's EVO 4G, Droid Eris, and Wildfire. It's all in the very nascent stages and warnings abound that you should only install these ROMs if you intend to contribute to the development process, but it does give us hope for a consumable new OS in the not so distant future. One thing that does look ready to be gobbled up, however, is Gingerbread's new software keyboard -- you'll find the download and installation instructions at the Droid-Life link below, just remember to bring your rooted Android phone along. [Thanks, Jacob]
Android 2.3 Gingerbread in pictures
You may not be able to get Android 2.3 loaded in any official capacity on your Nexus One yet -- or any other phone, for that matter -- but Google's 2.3 SDK is now available, which means there's an emulator attached, too. As with most development emulators, this one's a stripped-down subset of the apps and settings you'd see on an actual retail device; basically, all that's left is the bare minimum Google figures its developers are going to need to code apps. Be that as it may, we noticed a few things that stuck out: Overall, the UI changes are extremely subtle, and generally for the better. We prefer the new looks for the status bar, keyboard, and menus over their Froyo equivalents. We couldn't get a sense of the performance improvements -- the emulator is slow as molasses for us and really has zero bearing on how it'll perform on devices. When you reach the end of a scrolled list, the side of the list that has reached the end glows orange briefly, presumably to make it even more obvious that you're at the end. Even the browser does this -- it's an interesting effect that we kind of liked. The miserable default camera UI is exactly the same. Expect manufacturers to continue to replace this with wild abandon. The Gmail app isn't included in the emulator, so fear not when you're looking at the screen shot of the unthreaded messages -- that's the "standard" email app. The fingertip-sized markers for highlighting text work quite well, including in the browser. They seem to consistently disappear after a few seconds and automatically highlight and / or copy the text in between the markers; we're not sold on whether we like that behavior. Clearly, the jury's out until we've got a Nexus S firmly planted in our hands -- but in the meanwhile, check out a bunch of shots of Gingerbread doing its thing in the gallery below. %Gallery-109386%
Google's Andy Rubin live from D: Dive Into Mobile
Stay tuned... there's some serious Nexus S / Android action about to occur.
Samsung Nexus S utilizing NXP's PN544 NFC chip
Well, color us surprised. Just last Wednesday, Samsung announced that it had developed its very own NFC module in-house, but today we're learning that it came just a few months too late for inclusion in the outfit's forthcoming Nexus S. Right on cue, NXP Semiconductors has come forward today proclaiming its involvement in the first handset to ship with Android 2.3. The outfit's PN544 NFC controller and accompanying open source software stack will be used in the Nexus S, and naturally they've both been "fully integrated and validated on Gingerbread." Of course, only time will tell what sort of applications spring up to take advantage, but we've got a feeling that metro payments and the like could be first in line. Nice of America to finally catch up, right?
Google's Nexus S official, coming December 16th to US, 20th to UK (update: $199 on contract, $529 unlocked)
This thing is all but official anyway, but for what it's worth, Google's now got its own product page live for the upcoming Nexus S from Samsung. Here's the rundown: 4-inch WVGA display, triband HSPA with AWS support (no HSPA+, seemingly), 5 megapixel camera, NFC, 16GB of onboard storage, 512MB of RAM, available on T-Mobile. It's also got a gyroscope -- as do the existing Galaxy S phones -- along with something being called the "contour display" (which matches up with rumors we've heard), integrated VoIP support, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Interestingly, the phone's quoted as having nothing more than a 1GHz Cortex A8-based Hummingbird processor, seemingly shooting down rumors that this thing would be rocking the Orion dual-core setup. Ah, well! Peep all the shots in the gallery below. Update: And now it's official! According to the Official Google Blog, the Nexus S will be available for purchase after December 16th "online and in-store from all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores," either unlocked or with a T-Mobile plan. Across the pond, look for the Nexus S to hit December 20th at Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy UK. Videos after the break. Update 2: Best Buy's let out the pricing details: $199 with a two-year T-Mobile contract or $529 unlocked. Also, be sure to check out our rundown of the Android 2.3 SDK! [Thanks, Tony] %Gallery-109326%
Android 2.3 update now rolling out to Nexus One owners (update: not yet)
Nexus One owners feeling a little Nexus S envy can breathe a little easier -- we're hearing that Android 2.3 Gingerbread is being pushed out to the N1 as we speak. We'd imagine that all the slick new features that don't require new hardware (like NFC support) will be there, and we're definitely interested in playing with this built-in WiFi calling stack. We'll let you know what we find -- won't you do the same? Update: Looks like our flood of tips came from people who were seeing their N1s get a different, less-interesting update. Google tells us that Gingerbread isn't rolling out just yet, but is coming. Of course, we'll let you know when the actual 2.3 update hits the OG Nexus. Ah, the heady optimism of hope. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android 2.3 SDK revealed, Gingerbread improvements called out
And finally, here it is! Android 2.3 -- perhaps better known as Gingerbread -- is now official, bringing a host of tweaks that should get the Android faithful pretty stoked. Most notably, the new build is being called out as significantly better for game development, tying in nicely with all these Sony Ericsson rumors we've been hearing as of late. Also on deck is tightly-integrated VoIP support, video calling support via a front camera, better cut-and-paste, NFC integration, gyroscope support for more accurate orientation data, an improved download manager, a redesigned keyboard with multitouch support, and an integrated task manager. Follow the break for the platform's introductory video.
NFC certification program announced just in time for Android 2.3 Gingerbread launch on Monday?
Call it coincidence if you want, but a December 7th press conference to launch the NFC Forum's new Certification Program likely has something to do with NFC read / write support built into Google's new Android 2.3 "Gingerbread." An OS that could be officially unveiled as early as today according to a cheeky blog post by Notion Ink that includes this bullet: "6th December is another big day for Android and you will find out how fast Notion Ink can work. (Eden is extremely compatible with 2.3)." Recall how gung-ho Eric Schmidt was on the topic of Near Field Communication while demonstrating it using a still unannounced Nexus S with an embedded NFC chip at the Web 2.0 Summit. That was way back on November 16th when Schmidt promised a Gingerbread release "in like the next few weeks." According to the NFC Forum, a device must be certified in order to display the official "N-Mark" (pictured) -- a symbol for NFC that tells you where to touch in order to initiate NFC services on your device. So, Google... anything you'd like to announce before Tuesday? P.S. Almost forgot that Google's Andy Rubin will be kicking off the D: Dive into Mobile event later today. We'll be there live just in case Andy feels like introducing something pungent and tasty during the opening session scheduled for 6:30pm San Francisco time.
Android Market update brings long-awaited 'Related' tab, similar app suggestions
Remember that "Related" / "Similar" tab we spotted in Google's own Gingerbread video? Looks as if you won't have to wait for Android 2.3 to enjoy the spoils of having El Goog sort out what similar apps you may like after you download one. This morning, waves of Android loyalists are finding a new tab in their Market, with a Droid 2 and Nexus One both seeing the update here at Engadget HQ. Naturally, it works just like the App Store's equivalent, but it remains to be seen just how accurate the advice is. When looking at 'Related' for the (also recently updated) Engadget app, we're finding items we'd prefer to be listed first about a page or so down, but we're sure the mix-and-match engineers in Mountain View are already fine tuning things as we speak. You know, during the brief moments they aren't preparing for Tuesday's big Chrome reveal. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] %Gallery-109230%
PlayStation Phone 'Zeus Z1' caught on video again, this time you can actually see it (update)
Wow guys, we just spotted a new video of the PlayStation Phone, codenamed Zeus Z1, and this time we get a long, loving look at the entire device -- a refreshing contrast to last time's blurry tease. In addition to appreciating just how fat this phone is, and just how real it is, you can clearly see a "PlayStation" icon, which should hopefully put to rest any doubts that this phone will actually play PlayStation games. Check out a close-up of the icon after the break. Oh, and by the way, there's no audio on the video, your computer is not broken. [Thanks, Sha] Update: There's another video! Check out a brief look at the PlayStation app after the break...
Android Gingerbread officially teases you in Google's voice search video tutorial
Sure, we've already gorged ourselves on plenty of Gingerbread by way of Mr. Blurrycam and even Eric Schmidt himself, but it's only now that Google's officially (or accidentally) given us a tour around the next Android release. In a recent voice search video tutorial from Google Hong Kong, eagle-eyed peeps have spotted many tell-tale signs of Gingerbread on what appears to be a Nexus One. As you can see above, said firmware sports the previously-seen black status tray with its new icons, along with a subtly tweaked launcher bar at the bottom of the home screen. A quick peek in Settings also reveals the restyled buttons, as well as a new tab called "Related" or "Similar" on Market's app description page. Help yourself to some more spicy goodness before it's too late -- the video's right after the break (from 0:47). [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Surprise surprise! Google's pulled the offending video, but fear not -- we've got a backup posted after the break. %Gallery-108671%
Motorola Olympus shows up in the wild, demonstrates unyielding commitment to Motoblur
Witness our last review of an Android smartphone from Motorola and you'll know what we think of Motoblur. Then again, we reckon we could get over our qualms when Moto's skin is stretched out over this delectable-looking, supposedly Tegra 2-boasting smartphone. The Olympus has been snapped again, this time by someone claiming to have bought it at a flea market, and it now shows off an HDMI output alongside the standard microUSB connector, both of which are planted on the side of what's looking like a very thin device indeed. The Olympus is carrying over the Defy's penchant for minimal bezel up front, though now that we have something to judge its size against, it does look to be equipped with at least a 4-inch screen. Pretty good competition for LG's Star, we're sure you'll agree. If only we knew when it might launch...
PlayStation Phone espied in Greece, said to have Gingerbread and 4-inch screen (video)
It's quite fitting for a device that's purportedly codenamed Zeus to make its first video appearance somewhere in the wilds of Greece. What we have here is the apparent full motion debut of Sony Ericsson's big crossover device, the PlayStation Phone, one half portable gaming console, one half Android smartphone. Unfortunately, we never see it flexing out its slider to reveal that delicious control pad, but judging from its curves and little design details, it does indeed look to be the real deal. Techblog.gr reports that it's dubbed the Sony Ericsson Z1 and comes with Gingerbread on board -- something that meshes well with earlier indications that some Zeus devices in the wild are already running Android 2.3 (and above) -- while the screen is a 4-inch panel that apparently offers great touchscreen responsiveness. See the mythical creature for yourself after the break.
Nexus S in the wild gives us a blurry Gingerbread walkthrough
The old adage "when it rains, it pours" certainly applies with leaks -- and to that end, the Nexus S we saw a few hours back is now turned on and ready to give us a frustratingly blurry preview of Android 2.3 (which you may know better as Gingerbread). Of course, Eric Schmidt himself did the same on stage at the Web 2.0 summit recently, but there's a difference: Schmidt wouldn't admit he was holding a Nexus S, wouldn't show us all of Gingerbread's UI tweaks, and wouldn't take a bunch of dark, low-quality shots and submit them to xda-developers. There's not a lot to see here, but you can make out some of the icons on the redesigned, blacked-out status bar, the redone phone keypad, and the About screen where we get confirmation that it really is a Nexus S running 2.3 (granted, this screen is incredibly easy to fake, but we'll allow it in light of all the other visual evidence we've got going on here). Unfortunately, it's still not at all clear when the Nexus S is actually launching... so for now, we'll take as many of these high-ISO galleries as we can get.
Woow Digital's The One tablet cooks up Tegra 2 with Gingerbread just in time for Christmas
No, we can't say we've ever heard of Woow Digital before either, but we've just received some very legit-looking imagery of the company's forthcoming tablet, modestly titled The One. Google's impending Android Gingerbread release is promised as the OS, while the internal equipment includes an NVIDIA Tegra 2 core, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of flash storage. Up front you'll find a 10-inch display spanning a 1024 x 600 resolution, while wireless connectivity is taken care of with Bluetooth, WiFi and WCDMA 3G radios built in. Woow tells us it plans to launch The One in Japan before Christmas at a price of ¥42,000 ($504), which will be followed up by availability in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Europe. Well, it had better hope that release schedule doesn't shift, because come CES 2011, we should be up to our ears in Tegra 2 tablets and phones.%Gallery-108272%
Nexus S poses for Mr. Blurrycam, flaunting those signature curves
That fine bastion of cellular modding prowess known as XDA-developers received some particularly savory snaps this fine Thanksgiving morn -- spy shots of Samsung's elusive Nexus S running an operating system that looks uncannily like Gingerbread, which it calls "Android version 2.3," and sporting a new back cover that would look perfectly normal on the original Samsung Galaxy S, if not for the extra curves. XDA's source also claims it has a 720p video camera, though other specs are still a little shaky. To be clear, this is most definitely the phone that Eric Schmidt showed us at the Web 2.0 Summit, though the rear cover looks much further along -- assuming Samsung hasn't scrapped it for a dual-core version, we wouldn't be surprised if we saw it again in person quite soon. Hit up our source link for some shots of a green-and-black operating system running on that AMOLED screen. [Thanks, Sid]
Nexus S still leaking on public photostreams, showing exciting new angles
We know that Samsung's upcoming Gingerbread-powered Nexus S is curved in a pretty unusual way, and a new photo on Picasa -- on one of the same photostreams where we've seen "Nexus S" and "GT-i9020" in the EXIF data before -- gives us a new glimpse of the phone at a three-quarter view where we can really see just how curved it is. It's still unclear to us whether the display is involved in the curving or if it's restricted to the bezel above and below the actual screen, but either way, it's a distinctive design element that's sure to attract a lot of attention. Interestingly, the picture was captured on a Google employee's stream just this weekend, suggesting devices are definitely still out in the field -- so let's hope it launches right alongside Android 2.3 in the next few weeks. [Thanks, John]
