Nexus S gets its first update over the air
We don't know what it fixes yet, but we've gotten some tips -- and we're now seeing it on xda-developers -- that Nexus S handsets in the field are getting blessed with their first software update, build GRH78 (up from GRH55) with an official version of 2.3.1. Not everyone has it yet (we don't on ours), so as usual, this would seem to be getting sent out on a rolling basis. Hang tight, owners! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Nexus S gets its first update over the air originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:53:00 EST.
Categories: Mobile Phone Tags: developers, field, friend-via, gingerbread, grh78, nexus s, over-the-air, result, software-update, update, upgrade
Samsung Galaxy S receives Gingerbread port right from the Nexus S source (video)
Hold on to your hats, people, there's a wind of awesomeness coming through. The Nexus S is no longer the only Gingerbread game in town, courtesy of supercurio over on the xda-developers forum, who has ported the hot new phone's Android 2.3 install over to its Samsung forefather, the Galaxy S . The port is described as being unmodified from the Nexus S original, although quite a few basic functions like voice, WiFi, and GPS (insert joke about Galaxy S GPS woes ) aren't yet operational.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: from-the-nexus, gingerbread, joke, kernel, samsung, samsung galaxy s, samsung-galaxy, update, upgrade, xda
Kindle for Android updated with periodicals and integrated web store, can be installed on SD card
Version 2.0 of Amazon's Kindle for Android software has snuck out tonight, bringing with it access to the company's library of newspapers and magazines, the ability to purchase content in-app, and the freedom to choose where you want to store the app itself, which is now happy to reside on your microSD card. Other additions include social networking updates of your reading progress, the appearance of chapter titles in the reader status bar, zoom for images and graphics, and the volume keys doubling up as your page turners should you wish them to do so. The updated app's available in the Market now -- you know what to do with that QR code, right?
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone, Other Tags: card, chapter-titles, e reader, magazines, market, microsd, networking, newspapers, reading, the-appearance, update, upgrade
HTC Aria gets Android 2.2 update… but not on AT&T yet
We know this isn't exactly the news you wanted to hear, AT&T customers, but it's comforting to know that the diminutive Aria has been upgraded to Froyo somewhere , isn't it? HTC's support page for Southeast Asia now reports availability of an over-the-air update to build 2.37.708.5 for the phone, which brings it up to Android 2.2 -- topped off with Sense, of course -- presumably along with all the normal benefits of Froyo like tethering, improved enterprise support, and some serious performance boosts. It's unclear when this update will take a flight across the Pacific to AT&T's version -- but if nothing else, it's good to know that HTC's officially gotten the Aria working with something newer than Eclair.
Categories: Android, htc, Mobile Phone Tags: aria, diminutive, eclair-remember, entry, froyo, htc, like-tethering, news, something-newer, southeast-asia, the-diminutive, upgrade
Samsung Vibrant gets official Froyo update on Bell (sorry, T-Mobile customers)
Those promised December Froyo updates for Canada's Galaxy S models? Yeah, they've started hitting -- or at least one of them has
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: engadget-mobile, galaxy, gets-official, mobile, models, samsung vibrant, their-updates, updates, upgrade, vibrant
LG commits to upgrading Optimus Ones to Gingerbread, angry hordes abate
Well, we've got to hand it to LG for quickly doing the right thing here by keeping people informed and ultimately making the best decision for its customers. Just two days after a Facebook spat that suggested the Optimus series of midrange Android handsets wouldn't be getting Android 2.3 Gingerbread thanks to a seemingly made-up 1GHz processor requirement, they've reversed the decision, saying that "all" of the models that fall under the Optimus One guise (presumably including the Vortex , Optimus T , Optimus S , Optimus M , and Optimus U ) would be getting upgraded. Here's the full statement: "LG will upgrade all Optimus One smartphones currently using the Froyo OS to the next version of the Android OS, Gingerbread.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: confusion, decision, gingerbread, guise, hordes, misunderstanding, optimus-ones, thing, upgrade, vortex
Sprint phasing out Nextel’s iDEN network, selects vendors for $5b network upgrade project
Looks like the Motorola i1 Android set ( not pictured above) will stand as the highest-end Nextel phone ever -- Sprint just announced that it's phasing out the iDEN network sometime in 2013 as it begins a new four to five billion dollar network enhancement project called "Network Vision." We've expected this for a while -- the Sprint / Nextel merger has been beset by subscriber losses and rumors of a breakup for years now -- but this is the first time we've gotten a date. Sprint's rolling out push-to-talk on its own network to support its 10.6 million Nextel customers, but we don't have a schedule for that yet. Sprint's also announcing vendors for Network Vision: Alcatel-Lucent, Samsung, and Ericsson will each handle a region and be tasked with expanding and fortifying Sprint's existing 1900MHz 3G network while buying 800MHz, 1900MHz, and 2.5GHz spectrum for future use.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: alcatel-lucent, enhancement, ericsson, network, network-upgrade, network-vision, networkvision, sprint, underdog, upgrade, vision
Sony Ericsson faults ‘especially rigorous’ firmware testing in US for X10′s Eclair update delay on AT&T
We think this is a veiled way of passing the buck to AT&T -- but whatever it is, Sony Ericsson USA has extended an old, crusty, TimeScape-enabled olive branch to Xperia X10 owners in the States by attempting to explain what's going on with the Eclair update 'round these parts. Basically, the company says that getting an update out in the US is way harder than it is elsewhere because of "the technical requirements that must be met" over which Sony Ericsson has "no control." The blame is levied on an "especially rigorous" testing cycle that can (and presumably, often does) take several months, which is why they've thus far refused to offer guidance on when the update will be released.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: att, buck, eclair, entry, offer-guidance, our-warranty, sony-ericsson, sonyericsson, states, technical, update, update-delay, upgrade, x10
Motorola Defy ‘expected’ to get Android 2.2 in Q2 2011, says O2 Germany
Though we loved the Defy , we were quick to admonish Motorola for having the stones to release a phone this late in the game running Eclair ; after all, Froyo's been on retail devices since June, so rocking 2.1 on a new release is just a little insulting.
Categories: Android, Mobile Phone Tags: been-on-retail, blur, engadget-mobile, entry, famous, froyo, game, main-challenge, mobile, motorola defy, think-the-main, time, upgrade, words
Cox enters wireless market with ‘Unbelievably Fair’ contracts
We've been hearing about Cox's intention to make a splash in the wireless space for a good long while , but today the cable company's finally made that move official. The venture will start off with three markets -- Hampton Roads, VA, Omaha, NE, and Orange County, CA -- and the big selling points will include MoneyBack Minutes, which gives you cash back for disused minutes, and free usage alerts to help you avoid gnarly overage charges. Bloomberg reports that service will be provided using Sprint's 3G airwaves for now, with Cox building out its own network for the future.
Categories: htc, Mobile Phone, Other Tags: cable, charges, cox wireless, entry, handsets, launch, official, past-the-break, phone, phone-selection, sprint, upgrade, wireless