HtcDroidIncredible
Latest
HTC teases something 'Incredible' for the US in July, we think a 4G LTE Droid might fit the bill
HTC has been leaving Verizon subscribers hanging on just when they would get the Droid Incredible 4G LTE ever since we saw it in New Orleans last month. The company just dropped a not-so-subtle hint that the wait is about to come to an end -- a Twitter update from HTC's US branch is promising some "special fun" coming to us next week that will be "incredible," which we're pretty sure doesn't involve refurb sales of the 2010 original. While the clue is still a bit cryptic, it lines up with internal documents pointing to a July 5th release. We'd advise against partying too hard on Independence Day if you want to line up early for Big Red's adaptation of the HTC One line.
Refresh Roundup: week of June 18th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
CTIA 2012: a look back at our favorite devices
CTIA 2012 is wrapping up and we thought we'd spend a few minutes reminiscing about some of the more interesting devices we had a chance to see for the first time or that were launched here. Unfortunately for us -- and thereby for you, too -- the show lacked the bite we've seen at previous events, in fact it barely registered a nibble. We did catch up with five products we'd like to highlight so follow on after the break for our recap.
HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE pops up on Verizon for $300, links to Droid RAZR Maxx
We'll take a dedicated microsite over ole Mr. Blurrycam any day of the week. HTC's latest Verizon LTE handset is now an Incredible step closer to being official. The HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE has popped up on Big Red's Droid Does site, complete with specs and a $300 on-contract price tag. The ICS smartphone will be powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with a gig of RAM, and packs a 4-inch super LCD qHD display, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with a VGA shooter up front, an LTE hotspot mode with support for up to 10 devices and Beats Audio on board for "studio-quality sound." The Buy Now link brings you to the Droid RAZR Maxx's product page, so it's not quite clear when you'll be able to pick up an Incredible. You can take a closer look right now, however, at the elaborate dedicated Verizon page at our source link below.
HTC Droid Incredible 4G parties down with FCC, ready for Verizon?
Can't get enough of the FCC approval gossip? For some reason, neither can we. In the middle of what seems like a flood of new devices trying to get prepped for their inevitable US debut, the HTC PJ53100 appears to stand out above many of the rest. Why? It's boasting LTE band 13, which is Verizon's piece of 700MHz real estate. And while it doesn't come right out and proudly proclaim exactly what it is, we're rather certain this is the HTC Droid Incredible HD -- also known as the Fireball. Any other details? Nothing worth writing home about, sadly, but we have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of this smartphone pretty darn soon.
Refresh Roundup: week of August 29, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates The biggest update we saw this week was a widespread push of Android 2.3.3 to the Motorola Droid 2. This one is done OTA, so simply go into your settings menu and check for updates to see if it's there. (thanks to everyone who sent this in) While we saw a rollout of Android 2.3 to a select few LG Optimus Ones in June, we're hearing reports that the update's now getting pushed out again to a few more regions. This refresh must be done manually through LG's updater tool, so you'll definitely want to check to see if your phone is one of the lucky recipients. [via PocketNow] US Cellular took to its Facebook Page to let customers know it's working on revamping the Samsung Mesmerize to Gingerbread at some point, though no official date or timeframe was given aside from "as soon as possible." [via AndroidCentral] HTC announced the arrival of Android 2.3 for the Thunderbolt and Droid Incredible this month, via its Facebook page. [via AndroidCommunity] In fact, some users have already reported getting Gingerbread for the Incredible, and we suspect the rollout will be complete no later than the end of the month, to fulfill the company's promise. [via Phandroid] Gingerbread is in the plans for the Motorola Milestone 2, and according to the company the refresh will begin rolling out in early Q4. [via MyDailyGadget] The Samsung LC11 LTE mobile hotspot is getting a new build, EF07, that appears to improve its handling of multiple devices and congested WiFi locations. It also adds security patches and new protocols. [via Verizon] An update for the Droid 3 was apparently available to soak testers and leaked online, but was pulled from Motorola servers shortly thereafter. It appears to add video chat support in GTalk and adds a new radio that's supposed to save battery life. The via link still has the update available for anyone interested. [via Droid-Life] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery The root method used on most Motorola Android devices has been employed to root the Droid Bionic before it's even been released. [via Droid-Life] LG has released the kernel source for its Gingerbread build of the Optimus S. [via AndroidCentral] The HTC Dev site expanded its support for the bootloader unlock tool this week, now encompassing all versions of the Sensation -- including T-Mobile's. [via AndroidCentral] Other platforms SPB Shell 3.0 is now available for Symbian^3 devices. It brings a fresh 3D-style UI to the OS, and can be yours for $15. [via IntoMobile] Updates already covered this week HP planning TouchPad OTA update for added functionality HTC Flyer Honeycomb ROM leaks Samsung Nexus S updated to 2.3.6, fixes voice search and breaks tethering
Verizon drops Samsung Fascinate, Droid Incredible, Droid R2-D2 to $100
You can call it a Valentine's sale or a pre-iPhone 4 blow out, but any way you slice it there's some pretty good deals on Android phones available from Verizon right now. That includes the Samsung Fascinate and Continuum, as well as the HTC Droid Incredible and Motorola Droid R2-D2, which are all now available for just $100 on the usual two-year contract (the Fascinate deal is apparently today-only). Unfortunately, the sale doesn't include the Droid X, Droid Pro or Droid 2 Global, but Verizon is promising some additional one-day only sales during its "ten days of sweet deals" from now until February 10th, so folks interested in one of those might not be out of luck just yet.
EVO 4G and Droid Incredible vie for title of best Android hotspot in informal test
Wireless tethering is rapidly becoming a desirable option in top-tier smartphones, but which device delivers the best? Laptop Magazine swore to find out, pitting six Android favorites (two HTC, two Motorola and two Samsung) against one another in a brutal data-sucking showdown in New York City. Unsurprisingly, the HTC EVO 4G came out on top, averaging 5.09 Mbit / sec downloads and a 3.65 second page load time when 4G connectivity was present, but intriguingly enough it's the freshly-upgraded Droid Incredible that pulled the best speeds on 3G. Lest you think Motorola was trounced in this little competition, the Droid 2 actually delivered websites the fastest at 4.425 seconds on average -- besting the Samsung Epic 4G on 4G -- and Droid X owners can find consolation in the fact their handset is really good at loading ESPN for some reason. Sadly, the study failed to include the most important item for comparison across the board: a dedicated MiFi or aircard.
HTC Desire HD ROM ported to Droid Incredible, Desire (update: EVO 4G too)
You've already seen it ported to the HTC HD2, and it looks like the recently-leaked HTC Desire HD ROM has now also made its way to two more likely candidates for a port: the Droid Incredible and original Desire. As you might expect, there are a few issues that you'll likely want to consider before diving right in -- there's no camera support yet on either phone, for instance -- but it does look like it otherwise reasonably stable for a beta, and it does bring some of the boot speed improvements seen on the Desire HD itself. Head on past the break for a quick video, and hit up the source links below for all the necessary details. Update: We're getting word that even the HTC EVO 4G's in on the speedy-booting game now, with a Desire HD ROM as well as an original Desire build from MIUI. They're apparently still half-baked like the other two, missing camera support, WiFi and 4G as well, but if you've been looking for an opportunity to tweak, hit up link number three below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC Droid Incredible nearing switch from AMOLED to SLCD?
HTC already transitioned its Desire and Nexus One units from AMOLED to Super LCD, and it looks as if the outfit may soon be doing likewise on the highly popular Droid Incredible as it struggles against a long-running AMOLED shortage. The Verizon memo you see above clearly lays out the firm's intentions, with an entirely new SKU (ADR6300VW3) expected to flush through retail channels "around the end of September." In other words, those who purchase an Incredible after the end of this month will all but definitely be guaranteed an SLCD unit. We pinged HTC to see if it wanted to deny or confirm the claims, and here's what we received: "We haven't announced any moves towards changing the Incredible display from AMOLED to SLCD." Yeah, a textbook denial. Oh, and if you're wondering whether to rush or retard your impending Incredible purchase, have a look at our Desire head-to-head here. Decisions, decisions...
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.
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]
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?
Verizon posts Droid Incredible video, has excellent taste in apps
Are we posting this HTC Incredible promo video even though we've already put up our full review just because the Engadget Android app makes cameo appearances at 1:05 and 3:23, much like we posted the EVO 4G video because it featured Engadget in the news widget? Yes, we are. Any other questions? Video after the break. P.S.- It's officially called the Droid Incredible, but Verizon's dude-man only ever calls it just "the Incredible." Odd, no? [Thanks, Lyndon]
