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HTC Desire HD ROM spawns screenshots aplenty
We've already gotten a brief look at the recently-leaked HTC Desire HD ROM -- and the device itself, of course -- but those still looking for more may want to pay a visit to Android Spin, which has dissected the ROM and provided a fairly thorough look at what's in store for the next version of Sense. That includes some greater customization options, a new HTC Likes app that provides app recommendations, a brand new HTC eReader application and, of course, a number of new features tied to HTC's new HTCSense.com service. Hit up the source link below for the complete tour.
Is this HTC Sense on Windows Phone 7? (update: and is this HTC's Hub?)
Whoa, Nelly! Just 24 hours after we caught wind of a leaked webOS 2.0 video, in flies this. If the "Confidential use only" watermark is accurate, the video embedded after the break is HTC's Sense overlay on Windows Phone 7. If you'll recall, we finally heard that Sense would indeed be hitting Microsoft's forthcoming mobile OS after all back in July, but we've yet to see any real indication of what the end product would look like. Until now, of course. With "the holidays" rapidly approaching and Redmond holding funerals for rival operating systems, there's a better-than-average chance that this is legitimate. Frankly, we're digging what we're seeing thus far, but is it wrong to wish that even more panels were shown off? Update: And what's this? Yet another video has fallen into our laps, and it's featuring an HTC handset we've never seen before. Pocket PT is calling it the Hub (while tipster Eric suggests it may be the Mozart), suggesting that it's also running Sense atop Windows Phone 7 in the video after the break. When it rains, right? [Thanks, Sid and Pedro]
HTC Sense's new map pre-caching demoed on video
If you were paying attention during HTC's keynote earlier this morning, you'll have noted Peter Chou dropped a big old promise on us all: no more waiting for maps to load when zooming or scrolling. Pre-cached maps are one of the headline new features in the upgraded Sense that accompanies the Desire HD and Desire Z's announcement today, so we naturally had to go have a peek for ourselves. Requiring no internet connection, the Desire HD on hand sauntered through the streets of Sao Paulo and it was true that there were none of the aggravating grey squares of doom that we've grown used to when panning around. What isn't true, however, is HTC's claim that there's no waiting to be done. Responsiveness on these maps is far from perfect and patience will still need to be exercised. Notably, HTC said that you'll be able to download city maps free of charge, but navigation and other additional services will cost you. A final note is merited for the use of the phone's digital compass to rotate the map with you -- so that the map adjusts itself to whatever direction you point the phone. A very classy little inclusion. Eric Lin was on hand to answer the question of when this new Sense might trickle down to the classic Desire or other handsets in HTC's portfolio. Well, his answer was a non-answer: no roadmap or schedule has been set and HTC isn't ruling anything out just yet.
HTCSense.com will backup and remotely locate / wipe HTC devices
HTC's announcing more than hardware this morning, it's also announcing an enhanced HTC Sense experience. At the heart is HTCSense.com, a series of dashboard-connected services for backup, security, and control of your HTC handset. A new locate feature triggers the handset to ring loudly (even when set to silent) while flagging its location on an online map. If the phone was lost or stolen, owners can remote lock and/or wipe the phone. Backups will automatically archive your contacts, text messages, call history, customizations and data. Sense is also adding advanced multimedia capabilities to help ease the way we capture, share, and upload our content. HTC's also added on-the-fly capture effects and filters to manipulate depth of field or for adding distortion and vintage effects. Update: We've got a gallery's worth of interface shots from the new Sense experience! %Gallery-102313%
The revolving door: Froyo for Droid Incredible coming tomorrow, Froyo for EVO 4G gets rooted
The rich landscape of Android versioning just got a bit richer, with word of an official Froyo update for the Droid Incredible being launched tomorrow (based on the screencap pictured above), while the EVO 4G's recent Froyo software just got rooted. If you're crazily impatient, an Android 2.2 ROM for the Incredible just leaked out into the wild, and can be installed with a bit of work, but from the official-looking-ness of this leak from Droid Life, a painless official update is not far off. Meanwhile, in Sprint land, the xda-devs have a rather complicated, rather scary method posted for rooting 2.2 on the EVO 4G -- you'll have to ask yourself how much that freedom is worth to you, or just wait for the inevitably easier methods to come along and hold your hand.
HTC will ship all Android phones in China with Froyo on board, fuels fire for immediate update closer to home
A wordy headline, to be sure, but a pleasing one nonetheless. We came across HTC's Chinese web portal listing the Desire as coming with Android 2.2 (with Sense!) and simply had to ping the official source for confirmation. It turns out the info up there is no mistake: all HTC Android handsets shipping to China -- which includes the Wildfire and Tianyi -- will do so with Froyo preloaded, cutting down on your upgrade angst at least until the Gingerbread man comes a'knocking. HTC has also reiterated that a 2.2 update for its phones already on the market will be delivered "very soon," so if all goes well, we should be looking at a Froyo-dominated August in the land of High Tech Computers. [Thanks, Christian]
HTC Aria update for AT&T enables mobile hotspot, sideloaded app support (update: partially working!)
Well, this is genuinely awesome: it seems AT&T is pulling back from its ban on third-party sideloaded apps on its Android devices, because HTC has just released an Aria update that enables them (either that or HTC just went rogue here, but we highly doubt it). While that doesn't have much practical implication for your typical smartphone user, it's a strong sign that AT&T might be ready to take a more reasonable stance on the openness of its branded devices that would put it inline with the attitudes Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile have all taken with their Android phones so far. Additionally, the update includes "the Mobile Network sharing function," which we take to mean a mobile hotspot app in the same vein as the one that's shipping with Froyo -- if we had to guess, it probably requires AT&T's 2GB DataPro plan plus the tethering add-on, which would put it in line with what they're charging on the iPhone. Onward and upward, AT&T. Update: We got downright excited for a second there, but an HTC spokesman just called to inform us there's been a mistake -- this download is only for the desktop HTC Sync client and doesn't actually enable anything on the phone. We're working to get more information right now, but it sounds like the sideloading ball is still squarely in AT&T's court. Update 2: HTC apologizes for the confusion, saying the update description was in error -- it was merely supposed to read that the Aria now works with the company's desktop sync client. On Monday, the text will be updated to remove every last ounce of false hope. Update 3: Sideloading works after all! Read all about it. [Thanks, Dylan T.]
Android 2.2 ported to HTC Desire, working quite well
No patience to wait until Q3 for an official Froyo build? Fret not, dear Desire owners, as udK_dev has managed to push out a near-perfect Android 2.2 port that's working spectacularly well so far. As you'd expect, HTC's Sense overlay is indeed baked in, and while there are still a few quirks here and there, users seem to be generally pleased with how it's going. Better still, the camera has been upgraded to handle 720p video recording, so there's that. Hit the source link for the how-to, but make sure you set aside a few hours first. Or maybe just one. [Thanks, seaders]
HTC: expect Desire, Legend and Wildfire to get Froyo 'beginning in Q3'
It's summer. It's hot. Naturally, everyone wants to lick some frozen dessert in one form or another. Shortly after the Nexus One got its absolutely official Android 2.2 update, HTC has once again leaped out to tell us of its own Froyo offering. The Taiwanese mobile giant has informed Recombu that it's expecting "several of our 2010 models including Desire, Legend and Wildfire" to join Google's latest green bot party "beginning in Q3." We went to the trouble of confirming this with HTC ourselves, and while this isn't really much of an update from the company's previous statement in terms of time frame, here's hoping that at least some of its customers will get the delivery before the summer fiesta ends.
HTC Aria slipping out early into AT&T stores
Good news, Android fans! HTC's Aria -- arguably the first Google-fied phone on AT&T worth caring about -- is seemingly slipping onto carrier floors a few days early. As the story goes, the Sense-equipped, Android 2.1-powered handset was supposed to go on sale this Sunday, but based on these unboxing shots from a giddy tipster, it's clearly ready to be procured early in some locations. Still unsure if it's worth your $129.99 on contract? Have a peek at our review right here. Update: We're also hearing through the grapevine that these are in stock in certain Best Buy Mobile locations. [Thanks, Travis] %Gallery-95644%
White HTC EVO 4G coming exclusively to Best Buy on July 11th, pre-orders start today
Jumpin' Jehosaphat! Just when you thought America's first 4G phone couldn't get any hotter, along comes this: a striking white version of the HTC EVO 4G (so much for that unavailable white iPhone 4, eh?). We've received confirmation that this here handset will be sold exclusively through Best Buy (as in, don't even bother heading to your local Sprint store), with the official launch date set for July 11th. We're told that Sprint will eventually gain access on August 8th, with other retailers snapping it up in September. If you somehow managed to hold off on snagging the existing black EVO 4G, you can get your pre-order in starting on June 18th -- yeah, today, Junior! We're assuming the price will remain at $199.99 on a 2-year contract, but be sure to drop us a line if you wander in and find out otherwise. Update: And it's official; the presser is after the break confirming the same $199.99-on-a-2-year-contract price as well as the dates mentioned already. Update 2: Turns out this thing was around way back at Google I/O! Head on past the break and mash play -- that's definitely a white-backed EVO 4G on stage. Thanks, Omar! [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-95638%
HTC Aria review
It's sort of hard to believe, but AT&T finally has an Android phone worth paying attention to. Mind you, the AT&T compatible Nexus One is easily the best Googlephone on America's largest GSM operator, but this is the first one that the company has bothered to brand and sell on a subsidized plan within its own stores. Pundits could argue the reasons why forever, but considering that the carrier's doing all it can just to keep up with the demand for iPhones, it's hard to imagine that AT&T has been longing to pursue Android with reckless abandon. Believe it or not, it's been over 1.5 years since T-Mobile gave the world the first taste of a mobile OS that would soon rival (and surpass) the other options already on the table, but outside of the forgettable Backflip (and the nowhere-to-be-found Aero), there's been no Android to speak of on AT&T. HTC has somehow managed to break down the blue and orange walls, piercing the heart of a hardened operator and squeezing a delightful mid-range Android smartphone into a lineup that's about to be monumentally overshadowed by the iPhone 4. So, is the HTC Aria worth the $129.99 that you'll be forced to pay on a 2-year agreement when it ships on June 20th? Read on to find out. %Gallery-95473%
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 Aria goes official for AT&T, gets toyed with on video (update: $130, coming June 20)
Um... okay? In what's easily one of the most curious product introductions of the year (in terms of method, not design), AT&T has seemingly just made official the first not-awful Android device to be sold in subsidized fashion for its network. 'Course, those who don't mind ponying up for an out-of-contract phone have been able to pick up an AT&T-compatible Nexus One for a few months now, but contract lovers have been stuck with the Motorola Backflip and the promise of Dell's admittedly underwhelming Aero. Dante Martin, a product manager at the carrier, has followed up on a prior video with a confirmation that the HTC Aria is indeed "launching on AT&T," though he gives precisely no specifications in his address posted after the break. All we know is that the phone will most certainly ship with Sense and an optical trackball, but mum's the word on a price or release. For now, anyway. Here's hoping this is just the beginning -- AT&T needs a decent dose of Android in the worst possible way. [Thanks, Travis] Update: Ah, and here's the official presser. It's a mid-range phone with Android 2.1, a five megapixel camera, 3.2-inch HVGA capacitive touchpanel, inbuilt WiFi and support for 7.2Mbps HSPA. There's also a soft-touch back and a total weight of around four ounces, and AT&T says this one will be available on June 20th nationwide for $129.99 on a two-year contract (after $100 mail-in rebate, of course). As for specs? There's a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM 7227 processor, proximity sensor, integrated GPS, a digital compass, light sensor, 512MB ROM / 384MB RAM, a microSD card slot (2GB included) and a 1,200mAh battery good for up to six hours of yapping. %Gallery-95106%
HTC HD Mini review
We had to exercise our neglected patience muscle with this one, but at long last we've gotten ahold of a real live HD Mini and put it through its paces. Equipped with the same processor, screen size and resolution as HTC's Legend, but running the HD2's Windows Mobile 6.5.3 under a WinMo-specific Sense skin, the Mini is in many ways an amalgamation of its two better known cousins. You'll no doubt be aware that we weren't too displeased by either of those handsets, so what you must be wondering now is whether or not splicing them into one eminently pocketable package delivers an equally compelling device. Read on to find out.%Gallery-94462%
PTPT shows off wild Android UI skin, we go hands-on
Last time we heard about ExB's PTPT (pronounced "petite petite"), the software startup was just beginning to show off the basics of its touchscreen interface; since then, the small German company has been polishing up the UI and prepping it for Android phones and tablets. According to the CEO Ramin Assadollah, the company is in talks with a "major hardware manufacturer" that's planning on skinning its Android products with the incredibly unique software. We got to see PTPT running on an Android 1.6-powered Acer Liquid while at the Netbook Summit, and though it took us a few minutes to understand how the interface worked, it's definitely interesting and responsive. The input starts with three circular icons representing people, places, and things and then a bar that represents time. You can simply select an individual person -- you can import contacts from a variety of sources, including, Twitter, Facebook, and so on -- from the halo that appears, and then drag them up to a specific time to get various updates or e-mails from that person. The custom predictive text keyboard in the e-mail interface was very snappy -- it's also just nice to see a change from the stock Android input. Then, you can drag that person to things to see pictures of them. And just like in the original demo, you can then move the pictures icon to a point on the timeline to see pictures from that time. Though the phone and tablet demos we saw didn't have widgets on the homescreen, we were assured that they can be added. We promise this is all better explained in the demo video below, so mosey on down after the jump. We'll be here, wondering what Android devices this software may pop-up on. %Gallery-93739%
Sprint's Hero finally gets official Android 2.1 upgrade
Assuming you resisted the temptation to either root your Hero or update it with the recently leaked 2.1 firmware, this is your very first chance to finally slap a dash of Android future on your senescent device. Sprint has at long last made the update available, though it isn't quite yet ready to download from its site. Fear not, the good folks behind the yellow network have put together a guide on upgrading through your phone and we'll link up the download as soon as it's ready for consumption. Time to start enjoying that Google Maps Navigation magic and all the other goodies constituting Eclair's delectable filling. Update: It's now available direct from HTC's website, as well as Sprint's own site. Thanks, all! [Thanks, Jonathan]
HTC Wildfire hands-on (update: video!)
Some eager beavers went ahead and busted through the embargo dam this morning, so you should already be up to speed on the Wildfire's specs and vital statistics. For the latecomers, this is an Android 2.1 device with the same processor as HTC's fabled Hero, a 3.2-inch capacitive QVGA display, and an ambition to sate the market for an affordable, socially connected Android smartphone. It's slated for a release in Europe and Asia early in the third quarter of this year, and you can see all four of its tasteful color options in the exhaustive gallery of intimate photography below. Skip past the break for the full spec sheet and our early hands-on impressions of the Wildfire.%Gallery-93137%
Home Tab Mod 1.7 for Sense 2.5 breathes new life into Windows Mobile (video)
Ready to customize your custom Windows Mobile skin? HTC's already thoroughly tricked out Sense UI has received the modding treatment courtesy of Co0kieMonster and his team over at xda-developers, and user feedback has been exultant about the results. What you're getting with the Home Tab Mod, and particularly in this latest version 1.7, is a litany of custom arrangement options to suit all tastes. Whether you want your weather and expandable appointment list front and center or you prefer extra quick links to your favorite applications and notifications of new calls, messages or emails, you'll find a layout to suit you. There are even options for loading up the lock screen with Sense elements, if that's more to your liking, and we've grabbed a video walkthrough of the new UI after the break. To get on board, you'll need a HTC device with Sense 2.5 and the clicking power to hit up the source for the download and full instructions. [Thanks, ran]
HTC Desire confirmed for March 29 launch on T-Mobile UK
Whatever you've got scheduled for this coming Monday, make sure to leave a slot to visit your nearest T-Mobile store. The UK Deutsche Telekom representative has now officially confirmed that the Desire will be landing in its stores on March 29, supplementing the already available online and telephone ordering availability that comes with a 7-day delivery time. If our time-space telemetry is correct, that means at this point you're probably better off trying to grab one in store than putting your smartphone destiny in the gruff hands of your local delivery man. Check out the price plans for this handset below -- there are a couple of surprisingly affordable options that include 3GB of 3G allowance per month. [Thanks, Jason]
