Full FeedMotorola Droid to receive Android 2.1 upgrade this week
Motorola chose to announce some pretty exciting information via Facebook earlier today. Rather than issuing a formal press release, Motorola has stated the Motorola Droid will be receiving an Android 2.1 upgrade sometime this week. Unfortunately, it is not known whether all Droid users will be lucky enough to upgrade to 2.1. Motorola plans to have additional announcements about other software upgrades later this month as well. We will keep you updated when our Droid receives the upgrade, or when we hear about other users receiving it. Android 2.1 is the version of the Android platform the Google Nexus One smartphone runs on, so it has been available for quite some time.
According to Engadget, the 2.1 upgrade for the Droid will include a multitouch browser, pre-installed Google Goggles and upgraded news and weather widgets. However, no animated wallpapers nor 3D app icons will be featured in the upgrade. Check out Motorola’s Facebook message below.
Motorola: Hi all—we know you are frustrated with the lack of details regarding Android software upgrades and we sincerely apologize for not being able to share info sooner. We’re happy to relay the 2.1 upgrade to DROID will start to roll out this week, and we will have more information to share on other device upgrades later ...this week as well. Thanks for your patience and continued support.
Read [Facebook]
RelatedDropbox, a file sharing app, coming to an Android phone near you
There are many services available that allow users to share files over the Internet, such as documents, photos, videos, and music. These services become much more efficient and popular if they create an app to be used on smartphones such as the iPhone, Palm webOS, BlackBerry, or Android phones. Well, Dropbox has recently announced in an email that a Dropbox app will become available for Android and BlackBerry soon.
The email wasn’t really specific as to a time the app would become available. But the fact that it is coming is sure to make paid and free users happy. Basically, you upload whatever media you want to your own account and give away a link that can be used to download it. The app on an Android or BlackBerry phone makes sharing media files that much simpler and effective. Currently, a SugarSync app is available on the Android market, which is similar to Dropbox. Both services allow free accounts to use 2GB of online space, and paid accounts receive higher storage.
Via [Androinica]
RelatedGoogle Maps gets multitouch support on the Motorola Droid
It seems Google has finally updated Google Maps to feature multitouch support. Since the Droid runs on Android 2.0, the capability for multitouch was always there, but the program was never written to encompass multitouch.
If you own the Motorola Droid, go to the Android Market app and find the Google Maps app, then press install updates. The 3.4.0 update is about 3.01MB large and takes around 10 seconds to download, depending on your connection. Since I have the Motorola Droid, I was able to check out the latest Google Maps update, and the ability to pinch and zoom into the map definitely makes it easier to use.
RelatedCardo Systems introduces new method of communication for motorcycle riders
If you ride on a motorcycle often for travel, then you probably know how difficult communication is of any sort, whether it be on the phone or talking to the person next to you. Recently, Cardo Systems announced a new product based on Bluetooth to help motorcyclists communicate with one another, or multiple riders.
The scala rider G4 allows up to two riders and two passengers to communicate all at once, or three separate riders, or just two people as long as everyone is within a one mile radius. If you and a group of friends are all traveling to the same place, the ability to communicate at once is definitely helpful. In addition, the scala rider G4 can connect to any other Bluetooth device, such as a MP3 player, GPS unit, and cell phones. In case your devices are not Bluetooth-capable, the scala rider G4 still has a jack that can connect to those devices.
It sports a FM radio, voice activated controls, automatic volume control based on surrounding noise, a weatherproof design, 10 hour battery life on constant usage, and a noise canceling microphone. It it set to retail for $279.95.
Read [Cardo Systems Press Release]
RelatedZune Phone reportedly set to debut at MWC
According to a source over at MuyComputer, Microsoft will be unveiling the Zune Phone, which will run on Windows 7 Mobile, at MWC later this month. While Microsoft has not come forth and confirmed this assertion, Jesus Diaz at Gizmodo says his source, Javier Pérez Cortijo, confirms this 100%, and Diaz believes him.
The Zune Phone is somewhat of a misnomer; it will not be a Zune with phone capabilities. Instead, it will be a Windows 7 Mobile phone featuring Zune software. Microsoft is expected to announce Windows 7 Mobile at the Mobile World Congress anyway, so it makes sense to announce a phone that will run it. The phone will run on a NVIDIA Tegra chip, and the screen is said to have a 480 x 272 resolution with HDMI out capability. I’m sure we will learn more in the coming days about the MWC and Zune Phone.
Read [MuyComputer] Via [Gizmodo]
RelatedMicrosoft introduces the new SideWinder X4 gaming keyboard
If you are a hard core gamer, then you probably already know having all of the high end peripherals are necessary, such as a good mouse and keyboard. Today, Microsoft announced the latest addition to their lineup of gaming keyboards, the SideWinder X4, which boasts anti-ghosting technology. Essentially, many keys can be pressed at once and all of them will register, allowing players to use complex combos.
The Applied Sciences Group is responsible for the new technology in Microsoft’s latest product. The keyboard can register up to 26 different keys being pressed at once, just to give you some perspective on how well the anti-ghosting technology works. Players can associate one key with a combination, called macro recording. If you keep pressing that single button, the combination saved will continue to occur. Similarly, automatic macro repetition will repeat the same macro as many times as you wish. In addition, users can switch between different profiles with ease, in case you switch between different games throughout the day. The backlighting is also customizable to your specific needs.
It is set to be available sometime in March 2010 for $59.95, it will be available on Amazon for pre-order sometime this week as well.
Read [Microsoft]
RelatedGoogle Chrome steadily becoming more popular; Windows 7 as well
Good marketing campaigns can do wonders for the product. Case in point with Google Chrome and Microsoft Windows 7, as they both became more popular in the month of January. According to Net Applications, Chrome managed to gain popularity in terms of web browsing by stealing popularity from Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. In January, Google Chrome had a 5.20% usage share, which increased from 4.64% in December. IE had 62.18% in January, decreasing from 62.69% in December, and Firefox had 24.41% in January decreasing from 24.61% in December.
I’m not sure if you noticed or not, but our Editor Robert Nelson certainly has, Google had been pushing an intensive campaign for Google Chrome all through late December and January. Interestingly enough, the most popular browser has become IE 8, which passed IE 6 with percentage usage of 22.31% and 20.07%, respectively.
Windows 7 increased to 7.51% in January from 5.71% in December, and in terms of global usage, it has reached 10%. Mac has only slightly increased from 5.11% in December to 5.13% in January. Linux practically stayed the same at 1.02%. It is worth noting Net Applications probably isn’t the most accurate representation of browser usage because it uses data from 40,000 monitored websites, featuring 160 million unique visitors, and bases it on country population to calculate the appropriate percentages.
Via [ZDnet]
RelatedGoogle opts out of Google Docs and Sites support in IE6
Recently, Google has decided to stop offering key functions of their Google Docs and Sites services for Internet Explorer 6 browsers. The only browsers that can work with Google Docs and Sites include Mozilla Firefox 3.0+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Google Chrome 4.0+, and Safari 3.0+.
The changes will begin March 1, and while some functions of these two services will remain operational, the core features will not. In addition, Google has plans to render Gmail and Calendar services on IE6 obsolete. Back In July, Google stopped offering YouTube support for IE6 users, and I can only imagine other companies will stop support for their services on such an old and simple browser. While most people have probably made the switch from IE to a different browser, or at least have upgraded; those in IT companies still run IE6 and are having trouble upgrading because their systems run on IE6.
Personally I don’t agree with restricting the functionality of certain services on older browsers. If people still use them and if it isn’t too much of a hassle to keep it running, then you should. But seriously, for those who are still running IE6, you should definitely consider at least upgrading to IE8, which is safer and has better performance.
Read [TechCrunch]
RelatedGoogle’s new Voice web app for iPhone and WebOS
Google Voice is a great service, but its functionality becomes even better if you can use it on a phone. Google has created a web app using HTML5 web browser on both the iPhone and WebOS phones. HTML5 allows powerful web apps to work with more efficiency. As long as you have an iPhone running 3.0 software or a WebOS phone, then you can use Google Voice straight from your browser.
When going to the Mobile Google Voice website, you will be shown your Voice inbox, from which you can listen to voicemails and other messages. In addition, if you call from your Google Voice number on your phone, the recipient will see your Google Voice number instead of your actual phone number. This allows someone to call you back on your Google Voice number. Receiving and sending text messages is also free using your Google Voice number.
You will need a Google Voice account in order to use any of the above features. Check out the informative YouTube video below about the Voice webapp.
Read [Google Voice]
RelatedTexting while driving a bus or a truck is officially banned in the U.S
In a move that does not seem too surprising, a law was passed banning texting while driving either a bus or truck across America. Back in December, a law was passed banning texting while driving a government vehicle, so it is no surprise that buses and trucks were the next vehicles. This law will be effective immediately and it carries a hefty fine of $2,750. If being safe is not a good enough reason to stop texting when driving, then perhaps the monetary costs will deter drivers.
While it may seem like common sense, a research study was conducted and it found drivers of buses and trucks who text when driving are putting themselves at higher risk for accidents during the time their eyes are focusing on the cell phone screen. In addition, the National Safety Council finds 200,000 of all car crashes are caused by someone texting.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a law was passed banning texting in any car, since it does pose a significant safety risk to not only you, but those around you.
Read [Reuters]
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