According to reports, an update for the HTC Hero has just been made available: the Android 2.1 Éclair.
Version 2.1 is not the latest in the series, but it is pretty close. And with the 2.2 Froyo updates slowly being developed for a series of roll outs for various smart phones, it is a great time for the Hero to finally get updated.
This much anticipated update has sadly arrived a little too late for some of Orange mobile’s HTC Hero users. Several are confirmed to have switched networks due to the fact that the Android update that was supposed to arrive by January got delayed by a full seven months. Several Hero users are reported to have opted to install a hacked 2.1 Éclair update since it seemed that an actual update might never arrive for the handset.
The issue here, aside from the fact that Google and mobile phone makers take a long time getting their act together when it comes to delivering OS updates. Sure, there is a little bonus for some companies who get timed exclusivity on the updates, but on a more general note, Google needs to be more transparent with their actual progress and plans.
Had Google let it known earlier that the Hero patch was well underway, then some of the users might have opted to wait it out. The same goes for many other handsets –most Android owners have no clue as to when an update will be made available. While it is impossible for Google to create OS updates for all instantly, they could at least let the market know which devices are still going to get an eventual update, and which mobile phones are stuck with an older version of the OS.
Among the devices still awaiting Android updates are the Sony Ericsson smart phones: the XPERIA X10, X10 Mini and the X10 Mini Pro.
Posts Tagged ‘Android-2.1-Eclair’
Just Announced: HTC Hero Android Update Available
Thursday, July 29th, 2010Android Fans Calm Down After Google Clears Up Rumors
Monday, July 5th, 2010
Google has finally arrived to squash the growing rumors about the upcoming Android 3.0 Gingerbread update that is supposedly going to be imposing some high minimum requirement for smart phone owners. According to the rumor, the new OS will be needing high end specs like a 1GHz CPU and a 4 inch touch screen –these requirements are so high that only a very small number of Android devices could actually live up to the new standards. If the rumors had been true, it would have been as if Google came out with a completely new OS.
The fact that the rumors declared minimum requirements cause a stir in the tech community as Android purists considered the announcement as an extreme move –causing many to doubt the validity of the claim.
Considering that one of the Android’s greatest strengths is the fact that it is used in so many mobile phones is something that Google would not turn its back on –a direction that the rumor was implying.
In any case, current Android smart phone owners need not worry about their handset’s compatibility with upcoming versions of the open source mobile platform. While the switch from 2.1 Éclair to 2.2 Froyo is taking some time, Google has confirmed that they are working closely with the various mobile phone makers in order to bring the update release earlier.
The current latest version of the Android OS is known as the 2.2 Froyo. This version brings a big boost in the speed and performance of the UI and the web browser with its better Java and kernel memory management. The phone will also be sporting a new UI for the camera as well as a tips widget to help out new users. Also, Adobe’s recently launched Flash Player is compatible only with the Android Froyo. Google’s Nexus One is already running Froyo, and updates for other Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S and HTC Desire are expected soon.
Samsung’s Galaxy S Getting Updated Soon
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
There are plenty of good reasons to get the Samsung Galaxy S, this impressive little smart phone packs in plenty of hardware power, plenty of multimedia playback capabilities and most of all, the Android operating system. It’s a great big package that would make you want to think twice before splurging money on another handset like the new Apple iPhone 4.
And for anyone who chooses the Galaxy S over the iPhone 4, this Android (along with many others) will offer a great new feature not present in the Apple handset: Flash support.
Adobe has just released the new Flash Player version 10.1 for mobile phones which enables all Flash content online to be viewable by smart phones. The Android OS version 2.2 is the only platform to support the new player but it has also been announced that the BlackBerry OS, WebOS, WP7, MeeGo and other platforms will also be getting the player –except the iPhone OS that is.
The Samsung i9000 Galaxy S packs a massive 4 inch super AMOLED capacitive touch screen technology. This is the very same screen technology that was used on the Samsung Wave and considering how impressive the graphic quality it, it easily matches the new HD screen on the iPhone 4. While the Nexus One and the HTC Desire also sport AMOLED screen technology, Samsung’s super AMOLED screens are a full tier higher in terms of overall graphic quality.
The phone also packs an ARM Cortex A8 1GHz CPU, a 5 mega pixel camera with 720p HD video recording at 30 frames per second, around 8 to 16 GB of internal storage (depending on the version) and wrapping it all up is the Android 2.1 Éclair operating system.
The update for the Galaxy S from 2.1 Éclair to 2.2 Froyo is expected to arrive in a matter of days to a couple of weeks –significantly faster than originally expected.
September Launch for Android Froyo on Many Smart Phones
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
The new Android 2.2 Froyo may already be out, but the fact that only the Nexus supports the current build means that it will be a while before other handsets will be able to get the new Froyo update. According to reports, it seems that the updates for other Android handsets will only be available until the end of Q3 2010 –which gives us a possibility that all the big updates will be made available by September.
Coincidentally, September is the projected launch date of the Android 2.1 Éclair update for Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10, X10 Mini and the X10 Mini Pro. It is possible that when these devices get the Éclair, they might also be given a subsequent Froyo patch to go with it. Currently, the Sony Ericsson Android devices are at the bottom end of the list with most smart phones already updated (or are currently updating) to version 2.1 Éclair. Despite the X series devices being newly released, they still use the older 1.6 Donut OS.
Anyway, the original announcement before was that the HTC Desire was supposed to get an update to Froyo for this week while the HTC Legend and the Wildfire will be getting updates on a slightly later date. Now it seems that instead of waiting for weeks, HTC Android owners might have to wait for months before the release of the new OS is available for downloads.
For those wondering why the new Froyo update is so important, many are pointing out the Flash player support as a major addition. That is not the only feature of Froyo however. The new OS also brings updates to the user interface –such as a batter camera UI for taking images and videos. The OS will also be running faster thanks to improvements with resource handling capabilities.
Android 2.2 Froyo is Now Available
Monday, June 28th, 2010
At long last, the latest version of the Android mobile operating system is finally available. Unfortunately, not all handsets can make use of the new OS. According to many smart phone users, the update is not yet appearing on their handset. Apparently, only those with Android 2.1 Éclair FRF50 Firmware will be able to get updated to version 2.2 Froyo.
The lucky few folks aside from the Nexus One owners will be able to enjoy the latest release of Google’s mobile platform. For many users, this new update is important for two main reasons: improved performance and Adobe Flash support. Performance has been reported o be improved greatly, many are confirming that Froyo is indeed twice as fast as the last version of the OS.
This means that the user interface is faster, more responsive and most importantly, smoother when it comes loading and transitions. The overall feel of the Android operating system has indeed improved even when there are multiple applications running in the background.
As for Flash support, it has already been known early on that Flash is indeed coming to the Android OS (ever since the big public argument that they had with Apple) and true to their word, Adobe had a Flash player ready for download right before the 2.2 Froyo was launched.
While the release of the Froyo update is something to celebrate, there are plenty of smart phones that are still waiting for a special patch to be released. Devices such as the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 is still stuck using the older Android 1.6 Donut as an update to 2.1 Éclair for the handset is still unavailable.
Many believe that Google had scheduled the launch of the new Android OS to coincide with the launch of the new Apple iPhone in order to keep the market interest from shifting completely to the rival smart phone.
Vodafone 845 and Samsung i9000 Galaxy S now Available
Friday, June 25th, 2010
Samsung’s latest Android handset, the i9000 Galaxy S is now available for free on Vodafone’s contract plans along with a low end Android smart phone, the Vodafone 845. The operator made handset may be a low end device, but it actually looks pretty good for a budget device.
Fans of the Android OS looking for a cheap handset will find the Vodafone 845 a reasonable device to go for. At only 15 Pounds a month for two years, users will get to enjoy 100 minutes of talk time, unlimited text messages and 500MB of data allowance –it’s a pretty good deal for the data allowance alone, and users will get a nifty looking 3G touch screen Android smart phone along with it.
The 845 sports a humble 2.8 inch TFT touch screen, a 3.2 mega pixel camera and of course, the Android operating system.
The Samsung Galaxy S on the other hand is a pretty high end smart phone, but for free at a 35 Pound monthly tariff, Vodafone still manages to provide a value packed deal for the device. The 24 month contract will give users 900 minutes, unlimited text messages and 1GB of mobile data allowance. It is a sweet deal especially for users who rely heavily on 3G connectivity.
This Korean handset comes with an ARM Cortex A8 CPU clocked at 1GHz, a 4 inch super AMOLED capacitive touch screen display (a larger version of the display on the Samsung Wave), a 5 mega pixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, 720p video recording and 8GB of internal memory.
Topping that off is a full featured Android 2.1 Éclair operating system and you have the makings of a great smart phone. There are rumors that the Galaxy S Pro might be brought over to the UK though Samsung has yet to confirm the announcement.
Understanding Mobile Platforms
Friday, June 25th, 2010
It is a commonly accepted fact that operating systems are part of what makes or breaks a smart phone, and more often than not, gear heads would put aside the hardware issues as long as they get the right operating system.
This is because a good operating system will have an average phone performing well. Whereas a badly designed OS would make even a high powered handset seem clumsy and jerky to use. Take the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2, this smart phone has plenty of good hardware features, but the Windows Mobile operating system tends to slow it down a lot, and the fact that it relies on a resistive touch screen display means that it requires a stylus to be operated properly.
At the same time, the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini is a very mid range smart phone in terms of today’s hardware standards, but the Android 1.6 Donut OS 
makes it a very well rounded device. Speaking of the Android OS, the HTC Desire and the Dell Streak push the limits in terms of both hardware with their high speed 1GHz CPUs and software (with the newer Android 2.1 Éclair).
Some manufacturers rely heavily on proprietary operating systems. Take the Palm WebOS, RIM BlackBerry OS and the Apple iPhone OS. Since the devices that make use of these platforms are specifically designed to maximize the capabilities of the OS, the user experience is not only uniform, but the all of a phone’s features are also fully utilized.
This is why it is important for buyers to know what kind of operating systems they want before they decide to purchase a mobile phone. Even if the hardware seems like a good fit, if the OS is not compatible with a user’s needs then choosing a different device would be the wiser option.