Google is reportedly rolling out an updated version of the Android Market to devices running Android 1.6 and up. The app brings new Android Market features which were up until recently only available on devices running Android 2.1, including an “Update All” button which lets you install updates for multiple apps with a single click.

The update also shows comment sin a separate tab, allows users to rate comments, and you can install the Market widget on your home scren, although I honestly haven’t ever found the Market widget to be all that useful.

Google appears to be rolling out the update for multiple devices running Android 2.1 and Android 1.6.

If you have a Motorola handset running Google Android 1.6 and you’ve been wondering when you’re slated to receive a software update, the wait is over… well, the wait for a schedule is over anyway. The actual updates are just starting to roll out, with the phased rollout of Android 2.2 Froyo for the Motorola Droid in the US.

Motorola has released a schedule explaining which phones will be updated in what parts of the globe. There’s also a rough timeframe, with some updates coming in the summer, others scheduled for Q3 or Q4 of 2010, and others simply described as “under evaluation. Unfortunately, not every phone will get upgraded all the way to Android 2.2 Froyo — some stop at Android 2.1 Eclair. And tt looks like some phones will be updated in one market, but not another.

For instance, the Motorola Backflip should get Android 2.1 in Q3 2010 in the US. But it won’t receive the update at all in Europe or Latin America, and Motorola says the update is “under evaluation” in the Canadian and Asia-Pacific regions. Of course, there’s an active hacker community that will likely release unofficial updates for phones like this, bringing Android 2.1 and maybe even Android 2.2 goodness — but you’ll probably end up voiding your warranty if you install unofficial firmware.

In the US market, the Cliq and Cliq XT will also receive Android 2.1 later this year, and the Droid X should be upgraded to Android 2.2 later this summer. The Motorola Devour doesn’t get get any operating system upgrades at all.

You can find more details about Motorola upgrade plans fro Canada, Europe, Asia, and Latin America at the Motorola Support Forums.

via MobileCrunch

The Dell Streak Android tablet/smartphone with a 5 inch display and Google Android operating system may have just gone on sale in the US today, but it’s been available in the UK for a few weeks — and now members of the Modaco forums have intercepted a pre-release build of Android 2.1 for the Streak.

The Dell Streak initially ships with Google Android 1.6 installed. Dell plans to offer an update with Android 2.2 later this year. But the Android 2.1 update is an intermediate step, which reportedly brings a new and improved keyboard, an improved camera app, and other improvements that come with Android 2.1 including support for live wallpapers, and a new photo and video gallery app.

There’s also now support for multitouch in native apps including Google Maps, as well as third party applications such as the PSX4Droid Playstation emulator.

A number of users have installed the update, and one even reports that the Universal Androot utility for gaining root access works well on the Dell Streak running Android 2.1. There are mixed reports about whether the update adds 720p HD video recording capabilities to the camera app. Some users say they see this option, while others don’t.

One thing to beware of is that the update does wipe all data from the Streak, which means you’ll want to back up any important files and settings before updating. Since Google Android stores much of your data in the cloud though, the process of configuring your device after updating the software shouldn’t take too long in most instances.

You can find download links and installation instructions at the Modaco forums.

You can check out a video showing a Dell Streak that’s been updated to Android 2.1 after the break, courtesy of MyDellMini.

Read the rest of this entry »

The T-Mobile G1 was the first phone to ship with Google’s Android operating system. And as such, you’d think it would be the least upgradeable. But it turns out you’d think wrong — while Google and T-Mobile haven’t officially made the latest versions of the Android OS available for the G1, there is an unofficial upgrade path. Or rather, there will be shortly.

Hacker Cyanogen is well known for cooking up custom ROMs for Android phones, adding extra features and sometimes making newer versions of the OS for devices originally designed to run older software. Last night he announced that his latest ROM (version 5.0.7) will work on the HTC G1, among other phones. That means you’ll be able to run Google Android 2.1 on the G1.

The ROM includes many of the features that make newer phones such as the Google Nexus One and Motorola Droid stand out, including hardware acceleration for video and graphics. It looks like some features, such as Live (animated) wallpapers and the Nexus One 3D program launcher will be left out for now.

You can check out a demo video of the Cyanogen ROM after the break. It should be available for download later today.

via Engadget

Read the rest of this entry »

Verizon has finally begun rolling out the Android 2.1 update to Motorola Droid users. And the folks at Android Central and Droid Life have posted two of the first hands-on videos I’ve seen. You can check them both out after the break, but here are some of the highlights:

• Live (animated) wallpapers
• Pinch to zoom in the browser and gallery
• 3D image gallery interface
• News and weather widget
• Speech to text in text input areas

All of those features help bring the Droid in line with the Google Nexus One. But there are a few features that are available on the Nexus One that you don’t get with the Droid even with Android 2.1. For instance, you’re still stuck with 3 home screens instead of the 5 you get with the Nexus One. You don’t get the new Clock app. And most noticeably, you don’t get the 3D app launcher.

You can check out the hands-on videos after the break.

Read the rest of this entry »

After a false alarm earlier this month, it looks like Verizon is finally starting to rollout a software update this afternoon that will update Motorola Droid users phones from Android 2.0 to Android 2.1.

The update will add support for multitouch gestures such as pinch to zoom, the new weather and news widget available on the nexus One, voice-to-text support for text entry areas, Live wallpapers, and a 3D gallery application. Google Googles also comes preloaded, and Droid users will be able to use Yahoo Mail.

According to Engadget the software update should be hit the first 1,000 users right about… now. Additional customers will get the update over the next few days.

via Droid Life

Google has just launched a new application that makes searching for contacts, bookmarks,programs, or other items including music tracks on an Android phone a heck of a lot easier — assuming you’re running Android 2.0 or 2.1.

The new app is called Gesture Search, and it’s available as a free download from the Android Market. The utility lets you search your device by drawing letters on the screen with your finger. It doesn’t matter whether you use uppercase or lowercase letters. And it actually doesn’t matter how bad your handwriting is.

Basically, if you write a “B” on the screen, Gesture Search will pull up all of your contacts, programs, and other items with a B in the name. Add “O” and another “B” and you should be able to see your friend Bob’s contact information. Tap it to bring up the phone app and give him a call.

But if it your second “B” looks more like a “P” and you have a game or song called “Bop” on your phone, Gesture Search will probably show that in the search results too.

Once installed, Gesture Search will index your contacts and other information, which can take a few minutes depending on how much data you have on your phone. When it’s done, you can add a shortcut to your home screen or fire up Gesture Search from the program menu.