OS updates

Android 2.3, as our readers might recall, offers several enhancements over 2.2 Froyo. They include user interface refinements, a redesigned multitouch keyboard, better power management, and more. As many carriers and manufacturers are finally rolling out Android 2.3 Gingerbread firmware updates to compatible phones, we thought we would highlight the select handsets that actually ship with the Gingerbread OS from the very start. The list of phones below is by no means comprehensive, and only reflects a representative sample from each of the four major carriers.

The very first handset to ship with Android 2.3 is … Read more

Verizon Wireless's Android lineup grew a little stronger today when the carrier began deploying 2.3 Gingerbread to the Motorola Droid X2. The 101MB software update features a number of bug fixes and general enhancements plus improvements to existing applications. As is the case with nearly all recent Verizon updates, the addition of a new Download Manager app provides a central place to handle downloads.

Other details in the 1.3.232 update include calendar enhancements, improved copy and paste, and geotagging capability for the camera app. The home screen and user experience also get a revamp with new widgets, icons, screen transitions, and home customizable tray icons.

It will be interesting to see how this software update is received by Verizon's user base considering the carrier's concerns over Motorola's recent Gingerbread updates. Less than one month ago, for example, we heard that the carrier was shelving all 2.3 updates from Motorola over issues arising with other handsets.

Indeed, a quick look at the Motorola Support forums tells us that Droid X users have been plagued with multiple issues since they updated to 2.3 last month. … Read more

Sony Ericsson is now offering some Xperia X10 owners the chance to upgrade their smartphones to Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

To update the Xperia X10, which was formerly running Android 2.1 Eclair, users need to connect the device to their computers and employ the company's PC Companion software. Over-the-air updates are so far not available.

According to Sony Ericsson, the availability of Gingerbread for user devices "is dependent on operator and/or country," so it cannot provide an "exact date for when the update will be available for you."

Sony Ericsson released the Xperia … Read more

AT&T is showing its commitment to Android this morning with an announcement that confirms Android 2.3 Gingerbread updates to the following phones: HTC Inspire 4G, LG Phoenix, Motorola Atrix 4G, Pantech Crossover, Samsung Captivate, and Samsung Infuse 4G.

Atrix 4G owners will get their update starting today, while Inspire 4G users will receive an update in August. The Atrix 4G update will also let users download apps from third-party stores. Due to different manufacturer skins and other performance issues, AT&T has not revealed when the rest of the aforementioned devices will get their updates.

The other Android 2.3 Gingerbread phone not on the list is the HTC Status, which is AT&T's first Android 2.3 smartphone.… Read more

The software update being made available to the HTC Thunderbolt this week may be just the latest reminder that carriers not only giveth, but also taketh way.

Hidden behind all of the benefits, bug fixes, and improvements, Verizon has quietly removed the unlimited and free access to the embedded hot-spot functionality, according to DSL Reports. In other words, instead of being able to use the feature as they wish, Thunderbolt users now will have to contact Verizon to activate the hot spot and add the corresponding service plan.

While that's not a huge shock given Verizon's new monthly charges for using the hot-spot feature, it's just another sign of the new data regime at Big Red. Verizon even foreshadowed the change last month in a statement posted by Droid Life in which it warned that the free hot-spot promotion would end July 6 (the day before the carrier subsequently ended its unlimited data plans). … Read more

Marking its second Android software update in as many days, Verizon Wireless is now offering Gingerbread to owners of the Droid Incredible 2. Customers who have the HTC handset can manually search for and download the Android 2.3 update, which also addresses random reboots and freezing applications.

As is the case with other recent updates, the Droid Incredible 2 will have enhanced application management, improved copy and paste, and a new desktop docking app. For a deeper dive of Gingergread's features, please see our Samsung Nexus S review.

The full list of details for the Droid Incredible 2 … Read more

After several weeks of frustration, Samsung Nexus S 4G owners should get a fix for the WiMax woes early next week. The carrier has yet to make an official announcement, but SprintFeed reported today that a software update scheduled for July 11 will enhance Wi-Fi and 4G performance and alter the signal strength indicators.

The update won't bring a new flavor of Android, but the improved connectivity should be more than enough for most users. The upgrade also promises to enable the NFC secure element and address the 4G widget, TTY support, and speakerphone audio quality.

Sprint made a good play two months ago when it added the respectable Samsung Nexus S 4G to its lineup. Not only did it bring some much needed stock Android to a CDMA carrier, but also it bested T-Mobile's version of the phone by adding 4G.

Yet, it was the 4G support that soon raised the ire of many Nexus S 4G buyers.… Read more

Owners of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1-inch tablet are in line to receive a host of updates, including the company's TouchWiz interface.

Promising that the updates are "coming soon," Samsung touted a list of the new features and enhancements on its Web site late last week.

One of the most significant updates will be the TouchWiz UX user interface for tablets. Initially designed for the company's mobile phones, TouchWiz offers a Live Panel, which gives people quick and customizable access to virtually any feature, including news, weather, and e-mail. A mini apps tray also provides … Read more

HTC announced today that testing has already begun on the HTC Desire's Gingerbread update. The news comes less than two weeks after HTC promised a stripped-down version of Android 2.3 would indeed arrive.

Readers may recall the recent dust-up when HTC claimed that due to size constraints it would be unable to deliver both Gingerbread and the HTC Sense user interface. The company quickly reversed its statement after a consumer outcry. It's not known for certain how this update will look nor what had to be shelved in order to get it to fit properly.

According to … Read more