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Nexus One blasts off to 28,000 feet, looks slightly worse for wear (video)
Your average satellite these days is roughly on par in terms of size with your average living room, give or take, and so naturally the cost of lofting one into orbit is, if you'll pardon the phrase, sky high. Despite that, many offer less processing power a mobile processor like Snapdragon. The obvious solution? Chuck a smartphone into orbit and revel in the savings. That's the idea behind the PhoneSat, helped along by the Mavericks Civilian Space Foundation, which strapped a Nexus One into a rocket with 1,000lbs of thrust and threw it up to 28,000 feet to see how it copes with the immense stress of riding into space. Of course, 28,000 feet isn't quite space (NASA would have run out of astronaut badges long ago), but the G-forces and temperature cycles felt during this short trip are comparable to a one-way voyage to orbit. The first such launch didn't go so well, with the rocket suffering a ballistic return -- coming in like a projectile without a 'chute. The shattered remains of that are shown above. But, the second flight was rather more successful, and the video results can be seen below -- captured by the phone itself. Update: Matt Reyes, one of the folks behind the launch, wrote in to let us know of another article here on the project, including more details on the history of the team and the various hardware beyond the N1 payload. Matt, along with project members Chris Boshuizen and Will Marshall, are NASA engineers, helped by Ryan Hickman at Google, which probably helps to explain how they were able to get from the photo above to the successful launch below in just one iteration. [Photo credit: Steve Jurvetson]
HTC makes Super LCD screens for Desire and Nexus One official
Welcome back to our "worst kept secrets" hour, where HTC has seen fit to release a PR blast informing the world of what it already knew: the Desire and Nexus One are getting Super (duper) LCD displays to fill demand that Samsung's AMOLED division cannot. Interestingly, HTC's statement says nothing of the Droid Incredible, a close sibling to these 3.7-inch devices, but the global Nexus One and Desire are getting hooked up "later this summer." CEO Peter Chou has also helpfully explained that the visual experience on the new SLCD screens is "comparable" to AMOLED, but offers better battery performance. Color us curious to see and hear more.
Tweaker ports Samsung's TouchWIz UI onto non-rooted Nexus One for reasons unknown
This one's been kicking around the interwebs for a few weeks now, but it has managed to grow into something of a beast during that period. Frankly, we couldn't think of less fitting way to send the glorious Nexus One out than to completely deface it and ruin what Google has worked so hard to perfect. But regardless of what we think, that's exactly what has happened here. One rolle3k over at xda developers clearly has a masochistic gene or two planted inside of his skull, but at least his APK doesn't require your N1 to be rooted before providing you access to a TouchWiz user interface. Feel free to hit the source if you're up for seeing what you've been missing out on, but only if you literally cannot think of a single better thing to do with your time.
Nexus One is sold out in Google's store -- forever
Google warned us that the Nexus One was approaching the end of its days, but we've gotta admit, we didn't realize just how quickly that moment would come. Sure enough, Google's official online store for the phone now just shows an ominous message that "the Nexus One is no longer available for purchase directly" from the company, which means you're going to have to go through Vodafone, KT in South Korea, or hold out for the units that they plan on selling directly to registered developers. Needless to say, for the bulk of potential customers, the phone is all but history. So, on that note, Nexus One: for your straight-shooting stock Android ways and your unlocked radio, you'll be dearly missed -- and we hope your legacy lives on, even though your retail model does not. [Thanks, Dan]
Google halting Nexus One sales through official store after current inventory depleted
We knew this was eventually coming, and here it is: Google is giving everyone the heads-up that it just got a fresh batch of Nexus Ones in stock, and once they've been sold through, they'll no longer be offered directly through the company's online store. For what it's worth, the customer service lines will stay open even after that happens -- and you'll still be able to buy a phone through KT in South Korea, Vodafone in Europe, and "possibly other [retailers] based on local market conditions" -- but by and large, your average American is going to have a hard time getting one pretty shortly. If you're a registered Android developer, though, Google's looking at continuing to offer the device through some sort of sales partner -- a wise move considering it'll be just about the only thing you can buy unlocked running a clean-slate latest build.
Nexus One now a step closer to FM radio support, thanks to modified kernel
As you may or may not be already aware, the Nexus One and HTC Desire have the same Broadcom chip. Seems trivial at cursory glance until you realize the Desire has a FM radio app, which should ergo be just as feasible on the Google-branded device. Cut to xda-developers' intersectRaven, who's released a custom N1 kernel that theoretically brings life to the FM receptor. It's available to download, but as for when you'll get a chance to really use this yourself, that's entirely up to the custom ROM developers updating their respective wares. For his part, Paul O'Brien said today he's already got it working on an upcoming Froyo Sense build for the device -- hang tight, folks, it's coming. [Thanks, John]
Cyanogen squeezes Android 2.2 Froyo into G1, MyTouch 3G
Earlier this evening, we took the plunge -- now, we're rocking Froyo on our formerly old-and-busted T-Mobile G1. That's because Cyanogen's team of ROM hackers has come through once again for the little handset that could, serving early adopters with HTC Dream and Magic phones (as well as the Nexus One) with the first fully-functioning, stable build of CyanogenMod 6. Based on Google's famous frozen yogurt, the release candidate's got more fabulous tweaks than you can shake a stick at, but sadly doesn't seem to include Flash 10.1, and though WiFi and the camera are working great (as well as SurfaceFlinger and Chrome to Phone) many would-be shoppers in the Android Market are finding themselves faced with the dreaded force close. As usual, you'll find instructions at the source link if you understand the risks -- if you're not careful, you can easily brick your phone. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Ubuntu joins Android on Nexus One, apocalyptic repercussions nowhere to be found
Ever wondered what would happen if you threw another mobile OS onto your Nexus One? Without removing Android? Contrary to popular belief, the world will in fact not end, and in many cases, lives could very well be improved. One particular modder over at Nexus One Hacks has managed to put together a video how-to demonstrating the installation of Ubuntu as a secondary OS on his rooted N1, and while you'll obviously find yourself dealing with a few incompatibilities should you follow suit, it's not like you really have anything better to do tonight than tinker. Right? Right. Jump on past the break and mash play to get going.
Android 2.2 (Froyo) versus iOS 4: the browser showdown (video)
A little while back Google boldly claimed that Froyo would have the world's fastest mobile browser, but the lack of final software back then meant we'd had to tie up our itchy hands until now. And boy, it sure looks like it was worth the wait -- Ars Technica's JavaScript benchmarks show that not only is Froyo's browser almost three times faster than its Éclair counterpart, but it also beats iOS 4's Safari by at least two-fold. That said, numbers alone don't always reflect real-life performance -- especially with Froyo supporting iPhone's much-missed Flash -- so we went ahead and conducted our own browser speed test. Read on for our videos and results after the jump. Update: for those who were concerned about the battery affecting the Nexus One's performance, we did use Android System Info to verify that the CPU was still clocked at 1GHz. We were also able to reproduce the same results with a full battery. Either way, it's still a win for Android.
Qualcomm demos augmented reality and peer-to-peer tech, tries to punch cellular gaming's block off (video)
It's just a tablecloth and a piece of paper, until you pull out a Nexus One, at which point it magically becomes an arena where toy robots fire off punches. Augmented reality isn't anything new, of course, but Qualcomm seems determined to bring it to cell phones in a big way -- launching an AR game studio, sponsoring a $200,000 developer challenge, and announcing a free software development kit (which will see open beta this fall) all on the same day. The company partnered with Mattel to build the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots proof-of-concept you see above using that very SDK, and you'll find a hilarious video of grown men pretending to have the time of their lives with it right after the break. However, augmented reality is only half of Qualcomm's mobile gaming plan -- a rep told Pocket-lint games like Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots are only financially viable if they can work across platforms. To that end, the company also demonstrated a simple three-player peer-to-peer title, but with -- get this -- a Nexus One (over Bluetooth), a Nokia N900 (over WiFi) and a Dell Latitude laptop all playing the same synchronous game. To commemorate this mishmash of awesome, the company funded another video; listen to an individual with a ludicrously bad accent give you the play-by-play after the break. Oh, and find some press releases, too.
Nexus One sees red, nearly doubles battery life? (video)
These five Nexus One smartphones may seem to have defects, but there's actually nothing wrong with their AMOLED screens -- the funky colors are an attempt to improve battery life by turning off unnecessary sub-pixel LEDs. Hooking up his handset to an industrial power meter, Android engineer Jeff Sharkey discovered a blood-red screen drew 42 percent less current than full color -- the least of any combination by far -- purportedly doubling the effective battery life of the phone. While you're probably not going to be able to test the requisite software patch for yourself unless you're mildly familiar with Google code, you'll find a video of the crimson wonder after the break to fuel your dreams of a eyestrain-free astronomy cheat sheet... and Android bullfighting, of course.
Nexus One gets yet another Android 2.2 Froyo update, FRF91
Another day, another Froyo build. Now that Android 2.2 build FRF85 -- i.e. the big one that got pushed over-the-air to every Nexus One this week -- is out on the prowl, Google's taken it upon itself to release yet another update, FRF91. We've heard from a few tipsters that it's also going out OTA, but our devices have yet to be notified -- all the same, a direct link for the file has been found, so it's legit. Word on the street is it's just a security update, but we've yet to install it ourselves. Go on, live a little, download's just below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Android 2.2 Froyo FRF85 now available for Nexus One (update: official)
We've been receiving numerous tips over the last hour that Nexus One owners on AT&T bands are receiving an over-the-air update for Android 2.2 FRF85, otherwise known as the "bulletproofed" Froyo build. No confirmation at this point, and since you're asking, no word yet either on an update for the larger T-Mobile N1 install base (though we've had at least one report of a user on FRF50 getting the OTA today). We've pinged Google for answers, will let ya know what we hear. Update: Thanks to a few readers, we've now got a direct link from Google's servers to update from EPE54B to FRF85. Update 2: Tipster Christian R has sent us a picture of his T-Mobile-banded Nexus One with FRF85, apparently updated from Android 2.1 build ERE27. Has the T-Mobile rollout begun? Not for us, at least. Update 3: And now we've got a direct link to download a FRF85 build that'll supposedly work for any Android build. We can safely say that it worked for us on a T-Mobile device with 2.1 / ERE27. Download from Google here, and if you need direction on how to do the update yourself, take a cue from our commenters. [Thanks, MRCUR and afinite] Update 4: And now it's official. Keep an eye on that notification bar if you're itching for the OTA method. So that's one phone down, quite a few to go! [Thanks, cl] [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC running low on AMOLED stock, will add SLCD to the mix for some models
AMOLED displays in phones haven't necessarily lived up to their promise; they'd been billed as the be-all, end-all answer for clarity, vibrance, and low power consumption, but in reality, the latest and greatest LCDs look just as good, offer similar viewing angles, have little to no impact on battery life, and fare far better in direct sunlight. We've been able to confirm this evening that HTC will be adding an additional supplier of displays later this year -- Sony -- which will be delivering its Super TFT LCD tech as a mobile exclusive (initially, at least) to key HTC handsets, some of which are already in the marketplace. Specifically, Samsung's had a devil of a time keeping up with deliveries of its 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, which means that the Desire, Droid Incredible, and Nexus One could all theoretically be impacted -- but because this is a problem of the demand for displays outstripping supply (or at least the supply that Samsung is letting HTC buy), at least some of the affected phones will likely be offered both in AMOLED and SLCD varieties. How those products will be differentiated in the market is unclear, but it may not matter much -- we're told that the displays are virtually indistinguishable. We're working to get our hands on an SLCD phone just as soon as we can, and when we do, we'll put our eyeballs on the case.
Nexus One getting Android 2.2 FRF83 update over the air?
The Android 2.2 source code just went public this morning, but we're hearing a fully-compiled, legitimate OTA version of Froyo may be hitting small batches of Nexus One handsets as well. Though a 1.78MB ZIP file floating around XDA-developers this afternoon was originally thought to be the droid we've all been looking for, Android and Me reports that they received an honest-to-goodness OTA version of FRF83 after trying (and failing) to get that ZIP to work, and we're getting several similar reports. Let us know in comments if you've received a frozen treat of your own. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Google on Android 2.2: 'feverishly working to get a final version out the door'
Considering Google's typically feverish pace in deploying new Android builds, we'll admit -- we kind of expected Android 2.2 Froyo to be released to retail Nexus Ones by now... but no dice. So, where is it? The company hasn't committed to a firm date for a global roll-out yet, but there's official word from an Android employee over on the Nexus One's support forums this week that FRF72 is not the final update and that a release "will only happen once a release candidate meets [their] quality criteria." Korean versions of the phone were pegged to launch with 2.2 this week, so any way you slice it, it can't be long now.
Android 2.2 build FRF72 for Nexus One finally leaks
Its existence has been an on-again, off-again rumor for over a week now, but it looks like a new build of Android 2.2 Froyo for the Nexus One -- FRF72 -- is very real. It finally leaked in the past few hours, we've tested it on a Nexus One of our own, and as far as we can tell, it's straight-up legit. Get it if you dare -- it's up on Google's official servers right now, but if it's pulled, we've no doubt it'll be floating around on a bunch of mirrors ad nauseam. G'luck to ya, folks! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
KT brings the Nexus One to South Korea, complete with Froyo
The Nexus One may have taken a little while to reach South Korea, but it looks like KT is doing its best to make up for lost time -- the carrier has just announced that it will not only be offering the Nexus One, but that it will come complete with Android 2.2 (a.k.a. Froyo). True to Nexus One form, you'll be able to snag the phone off-contract for 699,600 won (or about $576), but you'll also be able to get it for just 150,000 won (or $125) on a two-year contract. Not many surprises beyond that, but it looks like supplies will be limited to just 4,000 units for the June 21st launch -- although KT promises it will be readily available at stores across the country in July. [Thanks, Tom]
Nexus One steps up to 720p HD video thanks to latest hack (video)
Just more evidence that rooting is the only true path of the geek. The indefatigable coders over at xda-developers have just pushed out a download that allows the Nexus One to start shooting video at 720p resolution. You'll need to have at least CyanogenMod version 5.0.8test3, but once you get your house in order, you'll be enjoying one of the big touted features of the latest handsets on your five-month old Googlephone. Pretty neat, and what's even better is that work is already underway to improve audio and the fps rate, as well as making the code compatible with Android Froyo, it all just requires a bit more tinkering. So, hit the source link to get the download or join us after the break for a quick sample video. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nexus One gets USB host driver from a dude with an oscilloscope (video)
For Sven Killig, running Android 2.2 wasn't enough. No sir, this dude wanted even more power for his Nexus One, so he went ahead and penned a few lines of code that have allowed his Googlephone to act as a USB host. As a result, he can now do cutting edge stuff like plugging in USB keyboards and webcams, as well as more useful things like watching movies off USB sticks or connecting to a monitor via a DisplayLink USB-to-DVI adapter. All these features are demonstrated in the video after the break, and you'll find the downloadable binaries at the source -- Sven expects them to work on Android 2.1 as well.
