android 2.1 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Apr

The Big Android Chart™: A Definitive History of Android Version Adoption

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Android OS, Cupcake 1.5, Donut 1.6, Eclair 2.1, Froyo 2.2, Gingerbread 2.3, Honeycomb 3.0/3.1/3.2, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, News

Last Updated: April 30th, 2012

Pop quiz: How long does it take for a new version of Android to be widely adopted? A new version of Android comes out, AOSP updates, OEMs adapt it to a myriad of devices, and carriers test the updates. That process. How long does it take?

It's a tough question to answer, mostly because Google doesn't provide data like that. The official site shows a 6 month version history, and that's it. Anyone looking for a decent amount of data is out of luck. There’s no way to view the long journey older Android versions have taken, and no way to see the bigger picture of how the update process eventually works out.

Nov

[New Game] Beyond Ynth HD Is One Of The Most Well-Done Puzzlers We've Seen On Android

Posted by John Thompson in Games, News

Beyond Ynth may not be the most catchy title in the world, but the game has already proved to be a big hit on the iOS App Store for both iPhone and iPad.

If you're familiar with the game, you'll no doubt be pleased to know that it has made the big jump across to the Android world, and is now available to buy from the Market for $3.99.

The game itself is quite simple: you must complete various puzzles on multiple levels, recovering stolen diamonds along the way. These puzzles not only look great, but the physics involved in them is very realistic as well, making for an immersive gaming experience that few mobile games can offer.

May

AT&T Sony Ericsson X10 Android 2.1 Update Is Available Now... Welcome To Two Years Ago

Posted by Cameron Summerson in AT&T, Eclair 2.1, News, Xperia X10 (es209ra)

In this line of work, I get the chance to write about things that are new and exciting. Other times, however, that's just not the case. There are times when writing about certain subjects just makes me sad... and this is one of those times. Sure, it may be good news in a sense, but the fact that I am sitting here, on May 31, 2011, reporting an update to Android 2.1... well, that's just disappointing. Regardless of that, though, here are the deetz on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android 2.1 update.

First off, unlike most modern-day updates, this one does not come over the air - you'll have to use Sony Ericsson's PC Companion software for Windows (you can get it here).

Apr

CNN Remembers Not All Of Us Have Tablets, Releases App For Android Phones

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Applications, News

Almost 2 months ago, CNN pushed out its first news app to the Android Market, though with one quite annoying caveat - it was created specifically for Honeycomb devices, which were quite scarce to say the least (i.e. the XOOM).

As you can imagine, ~~those without Honeycomb tablets~~ pretty much everyone started demanding an app as well and today finally got their wish granted. CNN App for Android Phones (as opposed to CNN App for Android) was just released to the Market, with support for Android 2.1+ and full of features you would expect from a smaller screen port of its big brother:

U.S.

Jan

LG Axis Now Available On Alltel - 7 Months Too Late, $90 Too Much (We're Making Progress!)

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in Alltel, Axis, LG, News

Man, Alltel really seems to have a knack for releasing devices much later than competing carriers, doesn't it? First it was the HTC Hero, then it was the Motorola Milestone, and now it's the LG Axis - essentially the same phone as the LG Ally, which Verizon launched in May of 2010.

Just like the aforementioned Ally, the Axis features a 3.2-inch WVGA (800x480) display as well as a 3.2 megapixel camera and... wait for it... Android 2.1 (Éclair). One might think that with specs such as these, the device would be free on contract; but alas, the Axis is now on sale for $89.99 after a $50 MIR.

Jan

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Line Will Not Receive Android 2.2 Froyo Update

Posted by Abhiroop Basu in Android OS, Eclair 2.1, News, Sony, Xperia X10 (es209ra), Xperia X10 Mini / Mini Pro (Robyn / Mimmi)

Sony Ericsson has confirmed that it will not be updating its Xperia X10 line of smartphones to Android 2.2 Froyo. So, owners of the Xperia X10, X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro will be stuck on Android 2.1 Éclair for the foreseeable future. However, Sony Ericsson has promised to provide some minor software updates, with features such as multitouch, later this year.

If you were looking for another reason to buy Google's Nexus S, here it is. No matter what promises hardware manufacturers make, the users are at their mercy when it comes to software upgrades. Still if you are keen on running the latest version of Android on your Xperia X10 there are a number of custom ROMs available, just search the XDA-Developers forum.

Jan

Android Platform Version Chart Updated: Froyo Dominates, Éclair Still Strong, Cupcake And Donut On The Way Out

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Cupcake 1.5, Donut 1.6, Eclair 2.1, Froyo 2.2, Gingerbread 2.3, News

As per usual, Google has updated their Android Platform Version Chart, which gives us a clear indication of how many devices are running each version of Android, based on Market usage. The results won't shock anybody, but they do say good things about the current state of fragmentation in Android. Froyo continues it dominance, taking over half of the chart, while Android 2.1 still remains strong with 35%, likely due in large part to the massive number of Galaxy S phones still running it. Our obsolete friends, Cupcake and Donut, continue to fall into obscurity, although devices running them are unlikely to be updated.

Dec

Revision 2 Of The Archos 7 Home Tablet Official, Not Much Better Than The Original

Posted by Jaroslav Stekl in 7, ARCHOS, News

Nope, the Archos 70 wasn't the death of the good (or not so good) ol' Archos 7 Home Tablet, apparently. The manufacturer has just let revision 2 of the Archos 7 loose, and while it's still got a resistive touchscreen (ugh), its CPU has been upgraded to an 800 MHz Rockchip processor (the older model was powered by a 600 MHz chip), and it now comes with Android 2.1 (as opposed to Android 1.6 on the original).

Expansys will sell you the device for $194.99, though it's currently out of stock and is said to be shipping within 5-10 days.

Dec

Samsung Continuum Review: Are Two Screens Really Better Than One?

Posted by Nate Kimmey in Continuum, Phone Reviews, Reviews, Verizon Wireless

Last Updated: July 24th, 2011

Introduction

When Samsung threw their big U.S. Galaxy S kick off party earlier in the summer, it was announced that each of the four major carriers would be selling their very own version of the hardware. But, in a twist of M. Night Shyamalan-ian proportions, they announced a second Galaxy S device for Verizon.

The Samsung Continuum shaves .6 inches off the original Galaxy S' 4" screen, in exchange for the very unique (and surprisingly useful) secondary Ticker display, but is that enough to justify the phone's existence? How does it stack up against the rest of the Big Red's high-end Android line-up, including the Samsung Fascinate, the Continuum's Galaxy S brother?

Nov

Virgin Mobile USA's Cyber Monday Deal: $75 Off Samsung Intercept ($174.99, No Contract)

Posted by Artem Russakovskii in Deals, Intercept, News, Samsung, Virgin Mobile

The Black Friday is long gone, but another, potentially even bigger event, called Cyber Monday, is now upon us. Cyber Monday is what happens when the Black Friday goes online, and Virgin Mobile USA does not disappoint. The carrier, which uses Sprint's network, is offering its only Android handset, the Samsung Intercept, for a whopping $75 off. The deal is valid for the duration of Cyber Monday, so hurry up if you want this 800MHz Android QWERTY slider for $175, with free shipping. The beauty of Virgin Mobile USA, of course, is its plans starting at $25 a month, with NO contract to sign.