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Cyanogen ports Android 2.1 to G1 and MyTouch 3G (update)
Droid, Milestone, Eris, Moment, Spica, even the Hero, all have had their Eclair, one way or another. G1 and myTouch 3G? Not so much. But don't worry, Android early adopters, because Cyanogen's got your back. Most all the bells, whistles and hardware-accelerated graphics of Android 2.1 are coming to the HTC Dream, Magic and Sapphire in CyanogenMod 5.0.7, and you can see a video of a T-Mobile G1 running the new build after the break. Twitter buzz indicates the ROM will be out any minute now is nearly ready; the dev himself tweeted that it's good to go and just needs G1-friendly bite size packaging. Update: Don't stay up all night waiting -- Cyanogen says he's got "two more bugs to kill" and is "hoping for a test1 public beta tomorrow night." [Thanks, Philosophics]
myTouch Slide found in the wild, looking good in red
Yeah, we saw the myTouch Slide back in January, but it certainly seems to have come a long way in the past few months. For starters, the phone is on now, showing off a slightly custom Android UI and that 480 x 320 screen. The handset also looks to have gotten a fancy red (or is that form of pink?) paint job, and doesn't look half bad for it. Our guess is we'll be seeing this in a number of colors, just like the myTouch 3G, but that's just speculation. There aren't any other details about the phone on offer here, or knowledge on exactly how this shot managed to leak out, but we figure we'll be learning more soon enough.
T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition sells out, next batch not due for a while
As much gentle ribbing as the Fender rebranding of T-Mobile's myTouch 3G has gotten, someone's obviously buying the blasted things because the carrier's been wiped clean of them -- all 17,250 units, according to TmoNews. Sure enough, a quick check of T-Mobile's site confirms that the device is listed as "temporarily out of stock," but the problem is that "temporarily" might be a hell of a wait -- it's being claimed that we won't see a fresh batch of these until April. Why the huge gap? It seems T-Mobile had to go back to HTC and place a second order for the phone, possibly a sign that even the carrier is shocked at the success of a year-old, warmed-over device with some fake wood and a corporate tie-in. Amazing what a little rock 'n roll can do, isn't it?
myTouch 3G with 3.5mm headphone jack hits T-Mobile's store, now with less Fender
No offense meant to Eric Clapton, but not everybody wants a faux wood phone. And yet, it seems like there are many folks in this subset scattered across this fruited plain who'd like a real 3.5mm headphone jack on their phone, and for those crazy people there's at last the T-Mobile myTouch 3G to suit them. The phone has just been listed in white and black versions on T-Mobile's store, and lack all the fancy app and content frills of the Fender Limited Edition, and have even been consigned to mere 8GB microSD cards (while Fender jams away on a 16GB slice). So far T-Mobile makes no mention of price, but with the original myTouch 3G (which we're guessing isn't long for this earth) still at $150 and the Fender edition at $180, we're not expecting these phones to land at a price that matches the age of this handset -- namely, between $99 and free. Sure, that incoming 2.1 update will be nice, but there's a lot of good phone to be had out there for $150. Update: There's official PR out now. The handset will be replacing the current myTouch at the same $150 pricepoint and is available today. Other tweaks include a couple of minor pre-loaded apps, 288MB of RAM and Swype for text input instead of the standard Android QWERTY. Full PR is after the break.
T-Mobile myTouch 3G with 3.5mm jack seen awaiting a lucky owner
Aww, will you look at that -- our little buddy here is all boxed up with no place to go. See that little green "3.5mm jack" box on there? Yep, you're looking at the non-Fender version of the mildly-tweaked myTouch 3G that finally features an honest way to enjoy music, but don't feel too bad that he's not on sale yet -- current rumors have this pegged for retail tomorrow, so we're sure he'll find a good, clean home soon enough.
T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition impressions
Last October, we would've never guessed that T-Mobile would bother to circle back with HTC on the myTouch 3G to craft a slightly modified version that fixes everyone's single biggest complaint -- the lack of an integrated 3.5mm headphone jack -- but here we are now in January with that very product resting in our hands. Even crazier, though, is that the only version of the modified phone (or, at least, the only version announced so far) is a limited edition tie-up with Fender and pitchman Eric Clapton. Strange bedfellows, indeed -- maybe just strange enough to work. Seriously, who doesn't want a phone endorsed by one of the hippest, most storied brands of the 20th century? %Gallery-84179% %Gallery-84180%
T-Mobile myTouch Slide in the wild?
With the G1 on its last legs, the CLIQ stands as T-Mobile USA's only QWERTY Android set -- and for a carrier that seems as committed to Android as T-Mobile does, that doesn't seem right, now, does it? Indeed, that rumored myTouch Slide looks like it's going to get real here pretty shortly now that we're seeing shots of the thing in the wild, and... well, it looks nothing like the original myTouch 3G (and even less like the Fender edition). Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder -- and we'd want to wait until we see this in the flesh -- but the myTouch Slide appears to lack the old model's attractive contours, sticking with a spartan design strangely paired to a chrome-ringed earpiece. Besides the clear addition of an optical pad here (something we'd previously heard HTC would be pushing hard in 2010), it's apparently got an HVGA display, externally accessible microSD slot, camera with flash, and unfortunately, an old-school ARM11 processor. We're holding out hope that T-Mobile has plenty of higher-end gear waiting in the wings, but for now, this looks like the G1's true spiritual successor.
T-Mobile myTouch 3G granted ultra-minor firmware update, too
The CLIQ isn't having all the Android over-the-air update fun today -- and unlike Motorola's little debacle, this upgrade looks like it's here to stay. The myTouch 3G has started receiving what appears to be the tiniest of cute little updates -- so tiny, in fact, that it fixes just one bug: a dodgy missed call indicator that wasn't showing up consistently. The bottom line is that you can't expect Android 2.0 or 2.1 here -- you'll still be at 1.6, and if you're intentionally not answering your phone, you may have actually preferred the bug anyhow. Let us know how your updates go, folks.
DoubleTwist partnering with T-Mobile for Android music management
As the late, great Rodney Dangerfield would attest, DoubleTwist has been jonesing for some respect for quite some time. For those unaware, said software essentially acts as an iTunes for everything else, giving users of all those non-Apple devices a somewhat familiar interface and portal to sync media, playlists, etc (video demonstration is after the break). Up until now, Android users have been forced to figure out content management on their own, and while geeks have obviously had no issue, those expecting iTunes to take the wheel have found themselves in an uncomfortable position. Reportedly, T-Mobile USA has decided to partner with the company and pre-load the software onto a number of new Android devices -- not just the Fender myTouch 3G. The only real pitfall here is that Amazon's MP3 Store integration is missing, but we should learn more as T-Mob goes official with the details later today. Is this the big break DoubleTwist has been waiting for? Time shall tell.
T-Mobile myTouch 3G '1.2' in the wild, Fender not the only one that can play this game
If you thought you'd have to submit to the reality of owning a faux woodgrain-themed myTouch to get in on that all-important 3.5mm headphone jack, think again -- the myTouch 3G "1.2" that's been making the rounds on the rumor circuit recently has just been snapped, it seems, and it's exactly what you'd expect: a Fender Limited Edition minus the Fender branding and with a return to the solid colored-shells of old. For most -- particularly those who don't believe in that loud, newfangled rock 'n roll -- this is probably a more sensible choice, and we'd argue it probably breathes enough life into the aging set to keep in on shelves for the better part of 2010.
HTC Magic's user agent profile says it has a QWERTY keyboard, possible myTouch Slide for T-Mobile?
We'd just heard the other day some hot rumors that HTC's aging Magic would see a new version on T-Mobile this Spring with a physical keyboard added into the mix, and now we've got some corroborating evidence: an official user agent profile for the Sapphire (HTC's original codename for the phone) that proudly boasts of its QWERTY capability. You might think that this doesn't mean much since even Android phones without physical keyboard still have access to QWERTY through software, but actually, the "prf:Keyboard" line in these bundles of XML typically reads "No" if there isn't an actual keyboard in tow. Ironically, the original myTouch just got reworked with a 3.5mm headphone jack, but who knows -- maybe T-Mobile's evil plan is to let the old one soldier on for another handful of months and offer a new model just above it with a whole bunch of extra keys?
T-Mobile's Fender edition myTouch 3G now available for $180
We'd already heard that T-Mobile's new Fender edition myTouch 3G would be rolling out on January 20th, but we hadn't had much indication about what sort of premium (if any) it would demand over the standard myTouch. Well, as you can see above, you will have to pay an extra $30 on top of the $150 the regular myTouch 3G currently demands (on-contract, naturally), but that will get you a bundled 16GB memory card, not to mention a genuine 3.5mm headphone jack, a few pre-loaded songs from Eric Clapton and others and, of course, that classy woodgrain finish. Not too shabby for an extra thirty bucks, if you ask us.
T-Mobile Fender MyTouch 3G in the wild, due for launch January 20
A lot's happened since T-Mobile first announced the myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition, but if you're looking for last-gen Android hardware in the sweetest case around, your wait is almost up: test units are going our to T-Mobile reps, and that formal launch will occur on January 20th. No word on pricing, but we can't imagine it'll be cheaper than the current myTouch 3G, especially since it adds a much-needed 3.5mm headphone jack and has that fancy woodgrain finish, bundled 16GB microSD card, and preloaded music. Yeah, we'll still take the Nexus One, although we'd bet the myTouch 3G actually has... 3G. %Gallery-82940%
T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition adds 3.5mm jack, fake wood
We'd just assumed that T-Mobile would've written off the myTouch 3G and moved on to other Android-powered endeavors before outright re-engineering the thing, so color us shocked to find out that the carrier has gone back and added a desperately-desired feature -- a genuine 3.5mm headphone jack -- for a new version of the phone later this year. That's just the beginning, though: the new myTouch is actually being released as a special edition in partnership with the guitar experts at Fender, sporting a woodgrain finish (maybe a little too much inspiration from the Ply and Touch Wood over in Japan?), bundled 16GB microSD card, and preloaded music content. There's no word on an exact release date or pricing yet, but the gap between this and the Hero just got a whole lot smaller, didn't it? Check out a shot of the slightly less-interesting front after the break.
Android 1.6 update now official for T-Mobile G1 and myTouch 3G
Donuts for everyone! Well, not everyone -- but as we'd heard, at least some G1 and myTouch 3G owners on T-Mobile USA are now being blessed with an official Android 1.6 build over the air. The carrier says it has "begun delivery," which we take means it's not all happening at once; that's the way the 1.5 rollout was handled, so it really doesn't come as a surprise. Keep checking for that update notification, folks. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android 1.6 getting pushed to G1s starting tonight, myTouch 3Gs in a day?
This is totally out of left field, but TmoNews (which tends to have a pretty solid track record when it comes to all things T-Mobile) is claiming that "select" G1s will be receiving Android 1.6 "Donut" starting... well, right about now. So much for any lingering worries that the first retail Android device was being left high and dry, eh? If everything goes well, the rumor goes on to say that myTouch 3Gs would be getting their own over-the-air upgrade in about 24 hours -- and like the 1.5 update before it, it'd likely be a staggered rollout to make sure that T-Mobile doesn't brick a bazillion phones in one fell swoop. Any G1 owners out there seeing anything yet? This sounds awfully quick, especially considering that the Dev Phone 1 just took delivery of 1.6 a handful of hours ago -- but hey, if it's true, we like T-Mobile's hustle.
Android Battle: CLIQ edition
CLIQ Galaxy Tattoo Hero Magic / MT3G Dream / G1 Carrier T-Mobile -- (GSM / HSDPA) -- (GSM / EDGE) Sprint T-Mobile T-Mobile Manuf. Motorola Samsung HTC HTC HTC HTC Price -- -- -- $179.99 $99.99 $149.99 Released -- July 2009 -- Oct 11, 2009 Aug 5, 2009 Oct 22, 2008 Keyboard Slide-out Virtual Virtual Virtual Virtual Slide-out Android MOTOBLUR Standard Sense UI Sense UI Standard Standard Processor 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz ARM11 528MHz MSM7225 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz MSM7201A 528MHz MSM7201A Screen 3.1-inch (est.), 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 2.8-inch, 240 x 320 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 320 x 480 3.2-inch, 480 x 320 Headphone 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm ExtUSB ExtUSB Touchscreen Capacitive Capacitive Resistive Capacitive Capacitive Capacitive Still Camera 5MP with AF 5MP with Flash 3.2MP 5MP with AF 3.2MP with AF 3.2MP with AF Bluetooth 2.0 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 Exchange ActiveSync ActiveSync -- ActiveSync Depends on version Depends on version Storage 256MB, microSD 8GB, microSD 512MB, microSD 512MB, microSD 512MB, microSD 256MB, microSD Battery 1400mAh 1500mAh 1100mAh 1500 mAh 1340 mAh 1150 mAh Weight 163g 114g 113g 135g 116g 158g It's been over 11 months since the Android first hit the scene with HTC's T-Mobile G1, and in that time we've come to the conclusion that, despite having more or less a clean slate on industrial design choices and specs, little progress has been made in the way of variation. Stacked up side-to-side, Motorola CLIQ manages to stand out with a slide-out keyboard and MOTOBLUR skin, but under the hood, it's pretty much as uniform as a netbook. Peruse for yourself in the chart above.Update: We had a typo on the Hero screen size -- it's 3.2-inches, not the other way around! Stupid keyboards.
Save $100 on a T-Mobile myTouch 3G, thanks to Oprah
What could possibly cause T-Mobile to knock a full $100 off a successful smartphone less than two months after it started shipping? A lapse in judgment? A freewheelin' new CEO? A brand new Android phone set for release? No, it's something far more momentous: a new season of Oprah. While it's not quite a new car, folks tuning into the show today will apparently be treated to one of the biggest celebrity android sightings to date, and be given the opportunity to snag a myTouch 3G of their own for just $99 (on a two-year contract with data, of course). Can't wait another minute? Then it looks like you're in luck, as the discount code is already up on T-Mobile's website, and is valid until September 24th.[Thanks, Jeff]
T-Mobile's myTouch 3G gets rooted, Questlove unavailable for comment
Looking to run the latest and greatest homebrew wares on your myTouch? Just a week after release the Android handset has been set free of its corporate restrictions, the most private sections of its kernel unlocked for you to mess with. Full instructions (and we do mean full) are available at the read link, so proceed with caution -- and don't come crying to us if you wind up with a shiny merlot brick. [Thanks, Scott]
T-Mobile myTouch 3G storming retail stores today for $199.99 on contract
You knew good and well this day was coming, but if you're sick and tired of lusting after your proactive neighbor's myTouch 3G, today's your lucky day. The highly customizable HTC handset will be widely available starting this morning in T-Mobile USA retail outlets, partner locations and online, and if you're really looking to celebrate, you can dart over to San Francisco at noon as 100 skydivers take a leap of faith in order to generate buzz, relieve some stress and put food on the table. Speaking of cheddar, you best bring $199.99 if you plan on snagging one on a two-year agreement, and you'll do everyone there a favor if you've already settled on black, merlot or white beforehand.