If you read our Android 2.2 preview yesterday, you might have noticed I speculated that the Flash 10.1 beta could make an appearance next month. Sometimes my predictions are way off, but Flash 10.1 is overdue and the evidence is beginning to mount that a release is near. The following is a quick list of reasons I think we will see Flash 10.1 on May 19th at Google I/O.
I start with this point because it is the most obvious and it comes directly from Adobe. Early this week Adobe began taking applications for public betas of Flash 10.1 and Air 2 for Android. In a post on The Flash Blog it was revealed that private betas had already begun with developers.
We originally thought Flash 10.1 had been delayed till the second half of 2010, but we were wrong. Flash evangelist Serge Jespers was quick to point out that Flash 10.1 was still on track for a 1H 2010 release. That leaves about two months before it should be available.
Google’s VP of Engineering, Andy Rubin, just authored a guest post on the Adobe Featured Blogs. He specifically mentions Google I/O and says we will learn more at the event.
“We also look forward to all the innovative content and applications created for Android and Flash. Join us at Google I/O in May to learn more about our work together with Adobe to open up the world of Flash on mobile devices.”Andy Rubin>Google
I already authored an entire post on this, but I think Android 2.2 will also debut at Google I/O. There is evidence that 2.2 is already in testing and signs that new Android features will be revealed at Google I/O.
Android engineer Chris Nesladek and a few others will lead a session titled Android UI design patterns. Part of their discussion will focus on “new patterns which will get an I/O-only preview”. There is also the session A JIT Compiler for Android’s Dalvik VM which is another new Android feature.
What good is the beta of Flash 10.1 without some apps to try it out? Adobe has already provided many devs with early access to Flash and Air, while Google has supplied them with free phones.
If you visit The Flash Blog, Adobe has already listed a dozen Android apps which use Flash and Air. Each app has a corresponding blog post and video, so it looks like the devs have had access for awhile. I expect most of these guys will be at I/O to show off their work.
Progressive car insurance now has an app in the Android Market.
The company previously released an iPhone app in January and then decided to release one for Android since it is the fastest growing smartphone platform on the market today.
Progressive claims they are the first major U.S. car insurance group to release an app for Android.
Existing customers can use the app to make payments and manage their claims while new users can compare insurance rates for different cars and get quotes. Those of you who can’t get enough of their endless TV spots can also watch the latest commercials.
“We’ve seen a 30 percent increase in visits to our mobile Web site by Android users over the past four months. Our Android app is designed to simplify the mobile experience for this fast-growing group of customers.”Matt LehmanProgressive’s Web experience director
With the free Android app, users can:
Get car insurance quotes and buy a policy
Make payments and update policy information
Get directions to a local independent insurance agent
Get directions to the closest service center, where customers receive Progressive’s concierge level of claims service
Research crash test results and recall notices
Calculate and budget for monthly car loan payments
Compare the relative costs to insure different types of cars
TmoNews has uploaded a gallery of new screens which were taken from the upcoming myTouch Slide 3G. We already posted some early impressions of T-Mobile’s next phone in the myTouch series, but this is the first time we have gotten a closer look at the new Sense UI codenamed Espresso.
One new feature revealed is myModes which allows the user to create custom desktop themes and easily switch between them. This feature was originally called Scenes on other Sense UI phones, but T-Mobile has done a lot of UI tweaking for this device.
Another program spotted is the new Genius Button app which launches a voice command prompt. Users can call a friend, dictate a text message, search the web, or find directions with the click of a single button.
In a surprise move, T-Mobile USA announced today that the Garminfone (aka Nuvifone A50) will be joining their family of Android phones later this spring. T-Mobile customers who have been patiently waiting for a high-end Android phone will want to pass on this device since it is targeted at mid-range. The Garminfone ships with Android 1.6 running on a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor (MSM7227) and a 3.5 inch display.
I’m guessing Garmin started working on this phone long before Google released their free Google Maps Navigation service (which works with all Android 1.6+ phones in the U.S.). I think Google’s software offers the best navigation experience and it is still in a beta release.
The timing of this release is very puzzling, considering T-Mobile also has the myTouch 3G Slide right around the corner. Both phones features similar specs, except the myTouch 3G Slide will feature the latest Android 2.1 with HTC’s Sense UI.
Our friend Michael Orly from Mobile Burn got his hands on a demo unit (back during MWC) and posted some early impressions. The software is likely to change for the T-Mobile version, but the hardware should remain the same.
T-Mobile USA Announces Upcoming Availability of Garminfone
First Android-powered Smartphone from Garmin
coming exclusively to T-Mobile later this spring
BELLEVUE, Wash. — Apr. 21, 2010 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the upcoming, exclusive availability of the new Garminfone™, the first Android™-powered smartphone fully-integrated with Garmin’s premium navigation experience. Anticipated to be available later this spring, Garminfone is a sleek, full-touch 3G smartphone with a large 3.5-inch screen integrated with Garmin’s robust navigation experience for fast and reliable navigation from the middle of town to the middle of nowhere — and back.
“The Garminfone brings together two increasingly popular devices in one state-of-the-art package, delivering a rich, unique experience that no other smartphone or standalone navigation device can offer,” said George Harrison, vice president, marketing product innovation, T-Mobile USA. “Busy people balancing personal and professional lives are increasingly seeking smartphones, and the deep integration of Garmin navigation into the smartphone features of this device helps them do more with one device to more simply navigate their busy lives.”
Cliff Pemble, president and COO, Garmin International said, “As the North American leader in Personal Navigation Devices, Garmin sought to partner with the leading carrier of Android smartphones, T-Mobile USA, to bring our first Android device to market. Garmin’s advanced, user-friendly navigation technology is used by millions of people every day, and the combination of Garmin’s rich navigation services on the Android platform simply makes Garminfone a must-have device for families, individuals, travelers, commuters, and professionals alike.”
Garminfone features Garmin’s industry-leading personal navigation experience integrated throughout the device including the following:
· Integrated Navigation + Smartphone Experience: Garminfone delivers navigation capabilities beyond what other smartphones and standalone navigation devices provide. Customers can navigate to an address simply by clicking on it from a text message or e-mail, contact, calendar appointment, or web page. Garminfone can even remember where you are parked and navigate you back to your car. The 3-megapixel camera with autofocus automatically geotags images so you can navigate back to where your family vacation photos were taken, e-mail geo-tagged images to friends and family members, or post geo-tagged pictures on the Web for others to enjoy. Helpful Garmin travel applications such as dynamic, real-time traffic; weather local events; movie listings; and gas prices are pre-installed and easy to access and use.
· Garmin Navigation: Driving, walking and public transportation navigation with voice and on-screen directions and automatic re-routing are deeply integrated into the smartphone features of Garminfone to simplify navigating your daily life. On-board North American maps offer fast and reliable directions — whether in or out of cell phone coverage — and multiple overlapping positioning technologies ensure Garminfone customers have one of the best location and navigation experiences a smartphone can offer. In addition, Garminfone utilizes text-to-speech technology to speak street names, and the screen automatically switches between day and night modes for easier viewing while driving.
· Garmin Voice Studio: Garminfone is the first to feature Garmin Voice Studio, an Android application, which allows customers to record and share custom voice directions from family and friends.
Garminfone also includes a convenient charging window and dashboard mount, enabling customers to easily navigate and charge the phone’s battery simultaneously.
In addition to the comprehensive navigational features, the Garminfone is built on the Android operating system offering a rich mobile Web experience with integrated Google™ mobile services including Google Search by voice, Google Maps™, YouTube® and access to Android Market, where customers can find thousands of applications to further enhance their travel experience and their daily lives. The mobile Web browser experience includes enhanced functions including pinch and zoom capability and embedded location awareness which links information found on the Web to navigation and mapping functions, allowing users to navigate directly to a location from a Web page.
The powerful mobile data experience Garminfone delivers is supported by fast data speeds via Wi-Fi and T-Mobile’s nationwide 3G network*. Garminfone also offers essential smartphone features such as easy access to personal and work e-mail, including support for Microsoft® Exchange e-mail, contacts and calendar; social networking; instant messaging; an advanced music player; and a 3-megapixel autofocus camera.
Availability:
Garminfone is expected to be available in the U.S. exclusively to T-Mobile customers later this spring. For more information, please visit http://garminfone.t-mobile.com.
A new software update is now available for the Verizon Devour which includes a number of enhancements and improved functionality. The latest software version (CALAND_X_01.15.08P) makes no changes to the firmware version as it remains Android 1.5. A possible upgrade to Android 2.1 is still under evaluation so customers might be waiting awhile (Q3 or later).
If you have a Devour and have not automatically received the update, you can manually check for it by going to Menu > Settings > About phone > System Update. For detailed help, see the official instructions (pdf).
Enhancements: Device performance
Improved response time when Menu, Home, and Back keys are pressed.
Adjustments to improve the accuracy of signal strength indicators on the display.
Stability improvements made to browser, contacts, and V CAST Music with Rhapsody® applications.
Multiple enhancements to incoming call performance.
Volume keys will now function within the Mobile IM application.
Improvements made to ensure pictures are uploaded in the correct orientation.
Email and Calendar
Improved functionality to allow users to more easily delete POP3 email accounts.
Changed display when setting up new email accounts, prompting users to use a back slash instead of a forward slash.
Enhanced Exchange ActiveSync® Calendar agenda view to display meeting titles.
Verizon.net email accounts will now auto-configure.
Audio
Overall improvements to ringer, voice dialing application, and multimedia audio when using a headset.
DEVOUR 1.15.83 includes updated versions of Google applications.
We learned last week that the upcoming Droid Incredible would do TV out and now we have new details on how it works. Customers will have to purchase an optional accessory that plugs into the micro USB port and sends a signal to a composite video connection.
Wirefly has a short video demonstration of how the accessory works. The phone’s full display is output to a TV and automatically converts to a widescreen view when a movie is played.
Since the accessory works via micro USB, this feature could also appear on similar HTC phones built on the same Snapdragon platform. This would include Google’s Nexus One and the HTC Desire.
No pricing information is available for the TV out accessory at this time.
The majority of Android phones are still running an outdated firmware, but that hasn’t slowed Google from advancing their mobile operating system. Everyone knows the next version of Android (codenamed Froyo) is on the way and the rumors (1, 2) are beginning to pick up that the Nexus One will receive it soon.
Based on the data from our analytics reports it appears Google has already begun testing on their next firmware – Android 2.2. Google engineers have routinely given codenames to future builds of Android (Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, etc.), but they don’t receive a point release till they are finalized and nearing distribution.
We have shared this reporting data before and people are always quick to point out that it can be easily faked, but I have spoke with additional sources familiar with the matter who confirmed Android 2.2 is currently being tested.
The feature set for Android 2.2 was frozen long ago, but it remains mostly unknown. Google decided last year that they would no longer publish public roadmaps for future versions of Android. Based on the information we can gather, it appears Android 2.2 will mainly focus on performance enhancements.
Some of the rumored features for Android 2.2 include:
JIT compiler
Free additional RAM
OpenGL ES 2.0 enhancements
Flash 10.1 support
Fixed problem with “crazy screen” / Resolution of cross multitouch
Activation of Color Trackball
Enable FM radio
Some of these features are plausible and others we have no clue.
The JIT compiler has already been confirmed by Google and we expect to find out new details during Google I/O. Android engineers will be leading a discussion that informs devs how to test and tune their apps to work with the new compiler.
Additional free RAM should come thanks to the new Linux kernel being used in Froyo. Google is moving from 2.6.29 to the newer 2.6.32 which makes it possible to address the extra RAM. This has already been done in custom ROMs like CyanogenMod so expect this feature for sure.
I’m no expert on OpenGL, but it has long been rumored that Froyo (or a future build) will add new APIs to the Android NDK which will let Java devs have full access to the OpenGL ES 2.0 library.
Flash 10.1 is coming in the first half of the year. It is entirely possible it could be tied to a future Android firmware and be included with an OTA update.
We have already addressed the HTC touch sensor issues. It sounds like a future software update could be used to clean this up a little.
Multicolor trackball notifications are definitely coming. Android hackers like ChainsDD have already unlocked this feature for users of custom ROMs. Google advertised the multicolor trackball during its launch of the Nexus One, but the feature was cut from the final Android 2.1 build.
When it comes to the FM radio, I have no idea. Other HTC phones on a similar Snapdragon platform (Desire and Incredible) include the FM radio so it’s not out of the question that the N1 has it too.
I spoke with Google’s Eric Tseng during CES and he told me there were many secrets left in the Nexus One that we would discover later.
When is it Android 2.2 coming out?
Circle May 19th on your calendar. This is the opening day of Google I/O and I’m anticipating the release of Android 2.2 (and maybe the Flash 10.1 beta) will be tied to this event. Google has provided every developer attending the event a free Droid or Nexus One, so it is possible to see a simultaneous release on both devices.
I’m really curious how first generation devices are going to play with this release. We are expecting most phones to receive Android 2.1 this month, so it will be interesting to see how Froyo fits in. Some of the Android engineers have been talking about Froyo on the Google boards and it is unclear if the HTC Dream and Magic will be able to support it since they only have 192 MB of RAM.
What features do you want in the next version of Android?
What is the biggest issue that you think Google needs to address in the next release of Android? Are you satisfied with the rumored list of changes? Is there some glaring feature that you think Google is overlooking? Share your hopes and predictions in the comments and let us know what you think.
The rumors we posted about the HTC Desire coming to U.S. Celluar are true. The nation’s seventh largest wireless carrier confirmed they will carry their first Android phone via a Facebook wall post. No other carrier in the United States has officially announced support for the Desire, so U.S. Cellular could be the first. The company also revealed they will carry other Android phones, but failed to mention which model. Customers should expect to see the Desire later this summer after testing is completed.
“The worst kept secret in online history! HTC Desire with Android from U.S. Cellular, coming this summer after our rigorous testing is complete. Now have fun guessing which other Android phone we’ll launch.”U.S. Cellularvia Facebook
U.S. Cellular offers unlimited talk plans for $69.99 a month and data plans start at $24.95. Potential customers can also purchase a data plan without a calling plan for $29.95 per month.
A mysterious unnamed Motorola Android phone appeared over the weekend. A handful of pictures leaked out, but details remain scarce. Many sites were quick to point out the translucent flip cover featured on the front of the phone, but none have been able to explain its purpose.
According to a recent patent application filed by Motorola, that flip cover could be used to display 3D images. Made from a lenticular material, the cover is able to produce three dimensional images when it is closed.
A section of the patent reads:
“A cover is mechanically coupled to the housing and may be moved to overlie the display. The cover includes an optical element, such as a transparent lenticular material, through which the display may be viewed. The display presents images in two dimensions, and when the cover is “open“, the operator sees the displayed images, for example, diagrams and text, in two dimensions. However, when the cover is “closed“, the operator perceives the images presented through the optical element as three dimensional.”
The idea sounds awesome in theory, but we will have to wait to see how the implementation actually performs. Which types of Android applications do you think would benefit from a 3D display?
We might have overreacted when using the word broken to refer to the Nexus One’s multitouch performance, but that post helped us learn the true culprit of the issue. When we took a closer look at HTC’s touch sensors used in their Android phones, we discovered they were using the Synaptics ClearPad 2000.
It turned out there was nothing wrong with the ClearPad sensor. It was working as advertised and was never meant to track the multiple touches that we were expecting. Google is likely to improve the multitouch performance with future software updates, but the Nexus One (and other HTC phones) will always be limited in what they can do with the Synaptics hardware.
HTC must have anticipated Google’s move to a more multitouch friendly Android because new reports suggest the handset maker has upgraded their touch sensors in two upcoming models. Various sources are now reporting that HTC is using the Atmel maXTouch family of touchscreen controllers in the upcoming Droid Incredible and EVO 4G.
The Atmel maXTouch sensors (mxt224) offer superior performance and low power consumption. These new sensors recognize an unlimited number of touches, offer faster response times, and have an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.
Atmel has produced a quick promo video to demonstrate the power of their maXTouch series. A complete series of videos is available on the Atmel site for additional details.
Complete highlights of the single-chip touch solution include:
Unlimited touches
Low power consumption
Fast response — completely redraws screen every 4/1000 of a second (4ms) to eliminate recalibration issues
Excellent signal-to-noise ratio for superior precision — 3x better than competitive products
Superior performance for first-touch response — 3x better than competitive products
Unambiguous, unlimited touch support
Responsive user interface: > 250 Hz report rate for a single touch
Extremely low current consumption: < 1.8 mW in “touch-ready” state
Two touch adjacency of less than 10 mm on a 4.3″ touchscreen
Small footprint with few external components
Supports stylus, fingernails, and gloves
Grip and face suppression functionality: avoids false touches
Size and angle of touch supported
Screen sizes up to 10.2″ are supported by a single chip
Proximity channel support
To see the new touch sensor being used, check out the following video from our friend Phil at Android Central. He performed the same multitouch visual test we ran on the Nexus One and found that he no longer experienced the issues we had found.
Reading over the comments left on this site, it looks like the buzz has died down for the Sony Ericsson Experia X10. The phone was unveiled back in November, but no U.S. carriers have announced support for the device.
We have heard over and over that the X10 is almost guaranteed to appear on AT&T, but the carrier has been silent in a time that has many competing phones being announced. A trusted source of Engadget is now claiming the X10 will finally appear on AT&T around late July.
It was originally pitched as a high-end phone, but the X10 still runs the aging Android 1.6 firmware. There have been signs that Sony Ericsson could update the phone to Android 2.1 this year, but that is not supposed to happen till September. Sony Ericsson also told us the X10 would not support multitouch, but other unofficial sources have offered conflicting reports.
With AT&T set to receive multiple high-end phones this year with Android 2.1 (Dell Streak 5, Samsung Galaxy S, Nexus One), how many are still thinking about Sony Ericsson? Does it need Android 2.1 before you would consider purchasing it? Does the multitouch support (or lack thereof) even matter?
The upcoming Dell Streak 5 (which we think is headed for AT&T) has been spotted on the FCC’s site with support for T-Mobile’s 3G network. Dell already hinted they would support T-Mobile when they shared that the Streak 5 would be coming in multiple versions and specifically mentioned one with support for AWS. The Advanced Wireless Services is also known as UMTS band IV which is the spectrum owned by T-Mobile and used for their 3G wireless network.
T-Mobile customers have been patiently waiting for a high-end Android phone to land in retail stores and the Dell Streak 5 could be their prize. The speculation surrounding a high-end Motorola phone has died down and the upcoming myTouch 3G Slide it targeted towards the mid-range crowd. Keep an eye on late summer, which is when AT&T is also expected to launch the device.
A new report from Forbes is suggesting that Samsung will launch their Galaxy S phone on all four of the largest U.S. carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon) this year. We have already seen evidence the device was coming to AT&T and maybe T-Mobile, but this is the first mention of a possible CDMA version for Sprint and Verizon.
In a recent research report, Broadpoint.AmTech analyst Mark McKechnie said he expects the Galaxy S to be sold at AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint by the end of June and to be carried by at Verizon “sometime later in the year”. The report suggest Samsung was unable to lock up an exclusive deal after they failed to impress with their previous Android handsets.
“It’s a pretty impressive Android-based phone with a great display, but Samsung doesn’t have the same brand strength as Apple or even Motorola,”Mark McKechnieBroadpoint.AmTech analyst
Samsung is the world’s second largest cellphone maker, but they trail behind HTC and others in smartphone shipments. It is their goal to triple smartphone shipments this year, so bringing the high-end Galaxy S to all big carriers would set them in the right direction.
Google’s Nexus One is still the only Android phone which has been announced to arrive on the four largest nationwide carriers. If the Samsung Galaxy S can achieve the same feat (and actually be available in retail stores) it will be interesting to see which one comes out on top in sales.
Earlier this week we reported Adobe Flash 10.1 for Android had been delayed till the second half of 2010, but we were wrong. Adobe platform evangelist Serge Jespers was quick to point out that Flash 10.1 is still on track for 1H 2010 and users should be able to download it in the next couple of months.
The confusion came from an interview with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen who said we should expect Flash for Android in the second half of the year. He was referring to new devices that would have Flash 10.1 preinstalled, but the plugin will actually be available sooner for those with supported devices.
Even though Flash 10.1 is right around the corner, Adobe is unsure on the exact distribution method. It could be available in the Android Market, on their website, or via an OTA update of the OS.
Flash 10.1 might not be coming to Android till the second half of the year, but users can sign up to enter the public beta today. Adobe announced in a new blog post that they just started the private betas of Flash 10.1 and AIR 2.0 and they are “looking forward to getting these technologies into your hands as soon as possible.”
There are different sign up pages for Flash Player 10.1 and Adobe AIR 2.0 so go visit each site and get registered. No information was provided on the specific dates of the public betas, but users will be notified via email when they become available.
We previously reported that several hundred myTouch 3G Slide phones were gifted to select T-Mobile employees last week in Las Vegas. These units were handed out early in a joint effort by T-Mobile and HTC so users could test out the phones and provide their feedback before launch. One of our sources was lucky enough to receive this phone and they were nice enough to provide us with a 30 minute virtual hands on.
First off, we are being told the final name for the phone is the myTouch 3G Slide. No launch date has been provided, but it sounds like the device will launch in May. The phones given out are using the final hardware, but the software is still in beta as T-Mobile works with HTC to tweak it.
The following are some quick notes I jotted down during my tour of the phone. No spec sheets were provided with the devices, but we were able to discover most of the major specs.
Display: It is hard to tell from the leaked pictures, but the Slide will feature a larger display than the original MT3G. Our source compared the display with an iPhone 3G S (3.5 in) and said they were the same size. I was unable to determine if the display was AMOLED or not.
Camera: The Slide features a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus. This is an improvement over the MT3G which had 3 MP and no flash.
Processor: We don’t know the exact model number, but I did confirm it has a 600 MHz ARM11 processor. This could be the Qualcomm MSM7227 or MSM7627.
Memory: From what we can tell the Slide features the same 512 MB ROM / 512 MB RAM as seen in the HTC Nexus One. The phone should ship with an 8 GB microSD card.
HSPA+: The source claimed the Slide will be used by T-Mobile to promote their HSPA+ network, but I do not think it supports the full HSPA+ speeds. Instead I believe it supports HSPA 7.2 which is compatible with the new HSPA+ network. Qualcomm just started to sample some of their HSPA+ chipsets (MSM8260, MSM8660 and MSM8270), but those have a 1.2 GHz Scorpion processor which is faster than what is used in the Slide.
Battery: 1300 mAh as reported earlier.
Operating system: This was already known, but the Slide has the latest Android 2.1 firmware (still kernel 2.6.29) and HTC’s new Sense UI. All of the latest Sense UI features like Leap are included, but the UI has been tweaked to T-Mobile’s liking. It is the same UI as the leaked Espresso ROM that was revealed earlier this year. Users can select between 5-7 home screens.
Hardware extras: The Slide features a proximity and light sensor. The external speaker is much louder than the original MT3G. An optical trackpad is used in place of the trackball.
Multitouch: The Browser, Gallery, and Maps applications all support pinch zoom.
Live Wallpapers: Sorry, these are not supported. This is not that big a surprise considering the processor is ARM11 based.
Accounts & sync: Since the device is Android 2.1, it supports multi accounts. There were a few new additions not seen on my Nexus One. Flickr is now an integrated account you can sync. There is also the option to sync your T-Mobile account so they can store your photos.
Software extras: Lots of T-Mobile bundled apps like AppPack, My Account, and more. There is a myTouch Music app which is a semi-clone of Pandora. Quick Office is included along with some games like Abduction. None of the bundled apps can be removed at this time. Swype is the default virtual keyboard, but users can switch to the HTC keyboard or a new one called Dragon Dictionary.
Gaming: Our unofficial gaming benchmark for mid-range Android phones has become Raging Thunder 2. The game was designed for high-end phones like the Droid and N1, but the source claims it plays at an acceptable frame rate on the Slide. This is a surprise because we tried the game in our Motorola Devour review (also 600 MHz ARM11) and it was not playable. The additional RAM found in the Slide could be the reason for the performance boost.
Overall impressions: Our source claims they were extremely satisfied with the Slide (and they came from the G1). The phone is slimmer than the G1 which is nice for those considering an upgrade. The performance of the Sense UI was great and no lag was experienced on the home screen. The battery life is typical of any Android phone and got them through the day.
We were a little surprised last month when the Sony Ericsson PR team confirmed to us that their Xperia X10 would not support multitouch gestures. It was thought to be a limitation of the hardware and future versions of Android would never enable it. Now we have conflicting information from a “man on the inside” that claims the X10 will receive Android 2.1 this September and it will in fact include multitouch.
With no U.S. launch date in site, the point may be mute by now. Even if the X10 gets multitouch in September, it will surely be overshadowed by newer devices like the Incredible, EVO 4G, Galaxy S, and so forth.
Is anyone out there still willing to plop down the cash to pick up the X10 if it ever comes out? Does the addition of multitouch change your mind at all or has the X10 outlived its own hype?
New details have emerged about Dell’s upcoming line of Android tablets. Engadget has leaked some pictures of the new Dell Streak which will come in 5, 7, and 10 inch versions. The Dell Streak 5 (aka Mini 5) will be the first version to be released and should appear on AT&T in late summer. The 7 inch version should launch in late 2010 followed by the 10 incher in early 2010.
Engadget also notes that the Dell Aero will launch on AT&T this June. Hopefully Dell is using that extra time to upgrade the firmware to something newer than Android 1.5.
When we reported the Samsung Galaxy S could be headed to AT&T many of our readers groaned and expressed their desire to see the phone on T-Mobile. New evidence suggest they might get their wish.
Unwired View has spotted a new Samsung phone (SGH-T959) that features Android, TouchWiz 3.0, and a 4 inch AMOLED display. If those specs sound familiar that is because they match up with the upcoming Galaxy S. The device has already received its Wi-Fi certification and Bluetooth SIG approval.
All Samsung phones that begin with SGH-T are designated for T-Mobile so this leads us to believe that some version of the Galaxy S is a good candidate to appear on the Big Magenta.
The Bluetooth SIG has just approved the Samsung SGH-T959.
New details are begging to emerge about the upcoming Android 2.1 updates for the Sprint HTC Hero and Samsung Moment. The carrier previously told us to expect Android 2.1 in early Q2 and now it looks like the wait is almost over. Both AndroidGuys and Phandroid are reporting today that Sprint is now telling customers to expect Android 2.1 in early May (maybe the first week).
Screens are included below and I believe this information is accurate. Official Android 2.1 ROMs have already leaked for the Hero and Moment and we know that Sprint has been internally testing the new firmwares.
Right now it appears the Samsung Moment update will be a wired update and the Hero update could be done over the air. Both updates are expected to wipe the phone, but that has not been officially confirmed.
