It’s official, the Samsung Galaxy S will be getting Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Samsung Mobile Finland confirms that the roll-out of the upgrade will begin mid of April starting from Europe, so we can expect the update to be available for Galaxy S users in Malaysia sometime early May. This is of course assuming Samsung stays firm on the release date. Fingers crossed!

[via]

	Android, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Samsung
	Android, Android 2.2, Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Android 2.3.3, gingerbread, Gingerbread upgrade, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S Android 2.3, Samsung Galaxy S Gingerbread, Samsung Galaxy S Malaysia, Update

Swype beta for Android is expirying soon. If you didn’t get Swype pre-installed on your device you would need to update to continue using it. According to Android Central,
there are a couple of bug fixes and enhancements for this Swype update.

Among the changes are support for German and Portuguese language, added disable auto-space gesture by swyping from spacebar to backspace, quick language change, improved word prediction and gestures.

This is strictly for existing Swype Beta users as they are not accepting new sign ups currently. You must also uninstall both Swype and SwypeInstaller before proceeding. Those with Swype pre-installed like the Samsung Galaxy S are advised not to download.

Download Swype Installer here via your Android browser. For detail step by step installation, click here.

For those who didn’t know, Swype is also available for Nokia touch screen phones too.

[ SOURCE ]

	Android, Mobile Apps, Mobile OS
	Android, Android Keyboard, Keyboard, Swype, Swype Beta, Swype Beta for Android, Update

HTC has release another firmware upgrade for the Legend. This time it carries the version 2.05.707.1 which fix issues related to enhanced data connection stability and fix loss of ringtone for incoming call.

Users in South East Asia should be receiving notification anytime now over the air (OTA). If you can’t wait, you can check for updates from MENU > Settings > About Phone > System software updates > Check now.

UPDATE: Firmware version shows 2.1-update 1 after update. Existing Swype installation does not work, requires reinstall.

[ SOURCE ]

	Android, HTC, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS
	Firmware, Firmware Upgrade, HTC, HTC legend, Software Upgrade, Update

One of the anticipated features of Froyo is the ability to create your own WiFi Hotspot. Unfortunately Motorola Droid users will not have this pocket MiFi or even USB tethering when they upgrade to Android 2.2 Froyo, which is to be released this week.

Verizon explained that the Droid lacks a WiFi transmitter and there’s no connection on the PC side as a reason. However some had opposed such explanation accusing Verizon of blocking users from using more data. It doesn’t make sense to blame on the hardware as users reported tethering works well with 3rd party apps such as EasyTether.

Since this is a telco-tied model, we wonder if Motorola Milestone in Malaysia faces the same limitation.

[ SOURCE ]

	Android, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Motorola
	Android 2.2, froyo, mifi, Motorola, Motorola Droid, motorola milestone, Update, Upgrade, USB Tethering, WiFi Hotspot

While HTC users in China get to enjoy Android 2.2 Froyo on the current HTC Android devices, HTC EVO 4G users have officially gotten their Froyo update in the US. This makes it the 2nd phone to get Froyo after Nexus One over that side of the world.

The new update gave the EVO 4G similar Android 2.2 features plus a few stuff from HTC, such as a Flashlight app, updates on FM Radio, MMS and Photo Gallery apps. Android Central has a detailed list of the new changes in their EVO 4G Froyo post. As mentioned earlier, we should be expecting HTC’s Froyo update for the rest of us anytime soon.

For those who are having Android’s best selling Motorola Droid/Milestone,
an update is expected to come next week. Verizon, the official carrier for the Moto Droid in the US has updated its support page in time for the upgrade.

We should be expecting more announcements of Froyo roll out in the next couple of days. Samsung too has announced that the Galaxy S is getting Froyo by September. So far, the only quiet one is Sony Ericsson which seems to be stuck with Android 1.6 until today.

This is it folks! Q3 is showtime for Froyo.

[ SOURCE, 2 ]

	Android, HTC, Mobile OS, Motorola
	Android, droid, froyo, froyo download, froyo upgrade, HTC, HTC Evo 4G, Motorola, Motorola Droid, motorola milestone, Update, Upgrade

This week, HTC has released its line of Android devices and it comes with Android 2.2 Froyo! Yes, you’re seeing it right, the Chinese market is having Froyo for the HTC Desire, HTC Tianyi and HTC Wildfire.

What is HTC waiting for? Release Froyo already for the rest of the world!

[ SOURCE ]

	Android, HTC, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS
	Android, Android 2.2, Firmware Upgrade, froyo, HTC, HTC Desire, HTC Tianyi, HTC Wildfire, Update

After the Nexus One, the next device that’s getting Froyo loving is the Motorola Droid, scheduled for July. This was reported from Android Central that managed to grab some new updates on Motorola’s Android OS update.

The newly launched Droid X was also mentioned to receive Froyo but only in late summer which is around October. Speaking of updates, barely 24 hours since launch, the Droid X already has a software update. Probably some last minute fixes which Verizon/Motorola didn’t have time to update before the launch.

Which reminds us, the rumour about the HTC Desire getting the Froyo on 23rd June remains a rumour. The only significant event for 23rd June is the announcement of Froyo going open source, which means developers have access to the codes.

[ Source ]

	Android, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS, Motorola
	Android, Android 2.2, Droid X, froyo, Motorola, Motorola Droid, Motorola Droid X, Update

Techcrunch reports that sources close to Google are looking to offer a complete revamp of the Android OS user experience when the new version, codenamed Gingerbread, becomes available.

The endgame for Gingerbread, Google says, is to make the user experience so fluid and compelling that device manufacturers don’t see the need to add their own skins on top of Android, like the HTC Sense and Motorola Motoblur. Word has it, Google wants Android to feel close to how the iPhone is now and make skinned Android interfaces obsolete.

Techcrunch says that skinned Androids “aren’t all that great” and “tend to slow down devices”. We have to disagree on this. We’ve been using the HTC Legend side-by-side with a Nexus One running Froyo and we dare say that the HTC Sense on the Legend offers a more integrated user experience compared to running native Android alone.

Getting manufacturers to shed their skins and run on natve Android is going to be difficult though as device manufacturers rely on skinned UI to differentiate thier products from the rest.

On the other hand, Google will need to lock down Android to ensure that the mobile OS can compete with the likes of Apple’s iOS4. But this is going to be difficult considering the fact that Android is an open operating system that is designed to handle a variety of hardware options.

When there’s a variety in hardware, it’s going to be very hard to make the user experience perfect. Which is why Apple’s Macs, with locked down hardware, have always been a better experience than the hugely hardware-flexible Windows operating system.

[source]
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	Android, Mobile OS
	Android 2.2, Android 2.2 Download, Android 2.2 Froyo, Download, froyo, gingerbread, google, Nexus One, Nexus One Android Download, Update, Upgrade

It’s now almost close to a month after Google made Froyo public and yet the only phone that has so far been able to download and use the latest Android OS is Google’s very own Nexus One.

We’re not sure what’s the holdup but Google’s delay in release 2.2 into Android’s now very rich and diverse ecosystem is only going to be detrimental to them. At the very least, there is a great deal of confusion amongst owners of Android devices as to if and when will Froyo be available for their device.

With very little word from Google, we’ll just have to play the guessing game and look for possible clues that can point us in the right direction as to which devices will get Froyo and which will not.

In our search, we’ve discovered this very interesting article from PC World in which the site has assembled the most comprehensive list to date on the devices that will be receiving Froyo.

Read the rest of this entry »

	Android, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS
	Android 2.2, android froyo, android upgrade, Firmware, froyo, google, OTA, Update

We mentioned earlier that HTC has an update for its Legend. At first we’re excited that HTC might have surprised us with an early Froyo upgrade but there’s no clear mention of Android 2.2 or even a log of enhancement that comes with the new upgrade.

While the notification is yet to come out, we decide to check for software updates manually. This as expected, prompted us to download the new version which an option to download via WiFi or 3G.

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	Android, HTC, Mobile Devices, Mobile OS
	Firmware, Firmware Upgrade, HTC, HTC legend, Software Upgrade, Update