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There's no doubt about it - we've come a long, long way since the HTC Dream (whose relatives include the G1, myTouch 3G, and DoCoMo HT-03A) was released. Since that fateful October day, we've seen all kinds of crazy Android-powered gear, from snow goggles to handsets sporting more raw horsepower than a netbook. We've also been treated to heaps of community-created mods, including custom ROMs like CyanogenMod and MIUI as well as mind-blowing hacks of other sorts, such as 1.5GHz overclocks and apps that essentially manage your phone for you.
I won't lie: I have no qualms about calling shenanigans on this one, especially considering the recent Nokia/Microsoft alliance. So with that said, let's proceed to examine what is, most likely, the latest entry in the Android Photoshop fail series:
The Motorola XOOM: Ever since it was first teased at D: Dive Into Mobile, the Android community hasn't been able to take its eyes off the tablet's dual-core processor, gorgeous 10.1-inch display, and - last but certainly not least - Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) operating system.
While rooted Android users have been taking screenshots on their phones for a while now, stock, non-rooted owners have been left out of the fun (there are some notable exceptions to this rule, like the EVO 4G). No longer, according to Paul O'Brien, one of the visionaries in the Android community, who posted the following in reply to Cyanogen (aka Android god):
Fellow EVO 4G owners, were you envious when Sony Ericsson demoed the Xperia arc's full HDMI capabilities? Fear not - once again, the developer community has come to the rescue!
This one's for you, developers: XDA user adub007 just posted a full Motorola XOOM system dump. What new and unprecedented goodies does it contain? That remains to be seen... feel free to download the 112MB (183MB when unpacked) file and start digging for yourself.
The final pieces of the Galaxy S Froyo puzzle are finally falling into place - AT&T's Captivate, one the two remaining GS devices still stuck on Éclair, is now scheduled to get the update to Android 2.2 tomorrow (2/24)! While you're waiting, be sure to check out AT&T's Q&A with Dante Martin video, which attempts to explain the delay behind Android software updates - let us know what you think of his excuses via the comments below.
Turns out yesterday's update to the Android 3.0 SDK introduced more than just finalized APIs - the folks over at Android Central have discovered seven completely new wallpapers as well as two higher-res versions of existing ones in the final SDK's Launcher2.apk.
It seems Google has a funny definition of "a few weeks" - the Nexus One has been waiting for an update to Gingerbread for almost three months now - but late or not, the update is finally rolling out.
Sure, the first part of that title might sound like a Steve Jobs quote, but Motorola's latest tweet merits the expression:
Ah yes, Android 2.2 (build number EB13) for the Epic 4G is finally here. Well actually, that's not quite accurate if you're waiting for the official OTA rollout - which won't start until 9:00 p.m. PST - but if you're willing to flash the update as a ROM, you can have it now.
Good news, Tegra 2 users: you can now obtain a version of Adobe's famous (or perhaps infamous) Flash Player compatible with your devices. The leaked beta APK comes courtesy of XDA user rothnic, who received it "from the Malata Zpad owners."
There are deals, and then there are deals. US Cellular's latest offer definitely falls into the latter category - now through March 10th, customers can buy a Samsung Mesmerize ($99.99) and receive five free Optimus Us. Alternatively, you could buy one Optimus U for $29.99 and get five more for free - ridiculously awesome.
Verizon Confirms February 24th Release Date For Motorola XOOM; Adobe Flash Not Included Until Spring
Verizon just updated its product page for the Motorola XOOM, and in the process, the tablet's release date has been made official. Just as expected, you'll be able to buy the Honeycomb-loaded beast this Thursday (2/24), but unfortunately, Adobe's Flash Player won't be included out of the box. Instead, the page's fine print says, the software is "expected in Spring 2011."
Wirefly just opened pre-orders for the highly anticipated Motorola XOOM, the world's first Honeycomb tablet, and like Best Buy, they'll be selling the device for $799.99 on a mandatory one-month contract that will cost a minimum of $20 (oh, and what's up with the "Switch My Existing Wireless Number to my new MOTOROLA XOOM" option?).
Sure, you've already spent hours salivating over the Motorola XOOM, checked out some apps built for Android 3.0, and even played with the Honeycomb emulator, but obviously, the one thing you've really been longing for is the XOOM's user guide.
Toshiba has already spend a good deal of time talking up its forthcoming Honeycomb tablet, but one thing the company hasn't mentioned - yet - is the device's name. However, if you believe Dutch website TabletGuide.nl, NVIDIA might have spilled the beans - at its MWC booth, the chip maker reportedly showed off a prototype of the tablet loaded with stock Android 2.2. And in the "About phone" section of the Settings app, the tablet listed "Antares" as its model number.
- the price of the XOOM will indeed be significantly less than $1,200 (at least according to Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha). In fact, if you decide to take the WiFi-only route, the tablet will cost just $600 - half of the price Best Buy put up (and subsequently took down). 3G connectivity will come with a $199 premium (jacking the price up to $799), though it's worth noting that the XOOM's radio will see an LTE upgrade sometime down the road.