Verizon Droid Gets Android 2.1 Update, 2D ‘Slowdown’
It took many months and false starts, but the Android 2.1 update is finally coming to the Motorola Droid. The update adds a large list of new features. Reports around the Internet, though, are suggesting the Android 2.1 update might cause hardware slowdown.
Source: PC Mag
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New Motorola DROID Ads from Verizon
The new commercials for DROID by Motorola show a focus on applications available for download via the Android Market. The first of them brings to the front Google’s Sky Map, while the second is focused on the Slacker Radio application available via the software portal. As usual, the new commercials also aim at the iPhone, as the second one stresses on the multitasking capabilities of DROID.
Source: Softpedia
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Video: HTC HD2 Takes On the Motorola Droid
The HTC HD2 has recently gone live with the HTC HD2 over in the States but how does the HTC HD2 stand up against the Motorola Droid? Well we have a video smack-down of the HTC HD2 on T-Mobile that goes up against arguable the most popular Android smartphone, the Motorola Droid.
Source: Phones Review
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Verizon begins Android 2.1 update rollout for Motorola Droid
According to Engadget, at noon on 3/30 a grand total of 1,000 users will receive notification of the update, while 9,000 more will get a similar alert just before midnight. If all goes well, the rest will see v2.1 slide down starting on Thursday.
Starting 03/30/2010, Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce a new software update for the DROID by Motorola. Users will be able to upgrade their software to version AP: ESE81/BP: C_01.3E.03P to receive new improvements and enhancements.
*Key Advantages:*
o Email – Yahoo Mail is now supported – customers can simply
sign in with their Yahoo! Email address and password. Note:
Yahoo! Email is not available over Wi-Fi
o Pinch to Zoom now available in the Browser, Maps, and Gallery
o Speech-to-Text – Customers can now use their voice instead
of typing whenever a text-entry box appears
o Google Goggles is now preloaded
o The new Gallery application uses 3D layout and shows both
pictures taken with the customer’s Android device and images
from Picasa Web Albums account online
*Software Schedule:*
Below is the software-upgrade notification schedule (All times listed are Eastern Time):
o At noon on 03/30, 1,000 users will receive notification of
the update.
o At 11:59 PM on 03/30, 9,000 more users will receive the
update notification.
o After the first 10,000 users receive the update on 03/30,
there will be a 24-hour period when no additional upgrades
will be delivered.
o On Day 3 (04/01), 200,000 users will receive the update
notification at 11:59 PM. This schedule will continue each
day thereafter until the update has been delivered to all users.
*Download & Install Conditions:*
o An OTA download requires 40% or more power availability if
the device is not connected to an external power source or
20% or more power if it is connected to an external source
o If roaming, the customer will not receive the update. The
only option in this scenario is for the subscriber to enable
Wi-Fi and wait for a mandatory OTA. The wait period in this
case will not be more than 12 hours
o User must wait to receive the upgrade via OTA
o User is unable to make or receive calls, including emergency
calls during this time
o Users will see the following information when they select*
More info* on the update screen:/ This software update
includes new enhancements to support Yahoo! Email,
pinch-to-zoom, and many other improvements for your DROID by
Motorola. You will be unable to use your device or make
emergency calls for the duration of the install. The
software updates automatically, and your DROID will power
off and on as part of this software upgrade.
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Verizon Clarifies Android 2.1 Update for Droid
In response to reports that Verizon Wireless had suddenly delayed its planned roll-out of the Android 2.1 update for the Motorola Droid, Verizon reached out to Phone Scoop. Spokesperson Thomas Pica said in an email, “The Android 2.1 upgrade for the Droid by Motorola was deployed to a small number of Verizon Wireless test users as scheduled. It is expected the broader phased rollout to all Droid by Motorola users will take place, but not just yet. No date scheduled yet.” Users should not expect their devices to update today or at any time during the next several days.
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The Motorola Droid outsold the original Apple iPhone
The Motorola Droid outsold the original Apple iPhone in the first 74 days of sales, says research shop Flurry. The 74-day mark is a significant milepost because it took Apple that long to sell its first million iPhones back in 2007.
The Motorola Droid was the first Google Android-powered phone for Verizon and the flagship smartphone of Motorola’s turnaround effort. The Motorola Droid got off to a weak start at stores where little-to-no lines formed ahead of time and no sellouts were reported. But Verizon’s ongoing $100 million Droid advertising campaign has helped keep the phone in the public eye.
Source: The Street
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Verizon’s One-on-One Droid Training
Verizon has taken a page from Apple offering free 30-minute one-on-one training for the Droid phones it sells (the Motorola Droid and the HTC Eris Droid.) and Business Week has a review of the service. Here are some of the highlights:
Making the appointment for the training was frustrating. None of the automated phone prompts at Verizon mention the training, so you’re left guessing which number to press. These free sessions are offered at Verizon’s corporate stores, but not at their retail stores.
Upon arrival at the College Park store, I informed the greeter I was there to receive a one-on-one training. A few moments later the manager of the store told me I’d be receiving my training from one of their trainers, Jennifer, after she was finished with her current customer. That’s a good sign when the manager of a store is involved so directly with customer interactions.
I first asked how I could better manage battery life on my phone. My out-of-the box experience with my Motorola Droid (which I love) was very poor. The phone was not able to make it through a single day on a battery charge. One evening soon after I bought the phone, the battery was dead when I needed to make an important call.
It turns out that there are several very useful ways to extend battery life on the Droid. Jennifer showed me how to download a program (or app) from the Android Market that identifies what programs are currently running on your Droid. By quitting programs that are running in the background, you can extend your phone’s battery life. (In addition, before the training, I independently discovered a very useful widget called Power Control that has dramatically extended the battery life of my Droid. (See http://www.idg.com/www/rd.nsf/rd?readform&u=http://www.ehow.com/how_5596884_extend-battery-life-motorola-droid.html) I leave Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and synching turned off most of the time — and also make my screen a bit dimmer — so my Droid now lasts two full days (or more) before needing to be recharged.
…
As a final question, I asked Jennifer if she could recommend a Twitter client for the Droid. She told me she uses Facebook more than Twitter. Fair enough — we all choose the social networking tools that work best for us. Still, it would be good if Verizon trainers were aware of the most popular Twitter client for Android — Twidroid. I find Twidroid very helpful for following my Twitter stream when I’m on the go.
Seeing how busy this Verizon store is on a weekend, I began to understand why Verizon doesn’t want to schedule training sessions during this time. That being the case, Verizon needs to do better in scheduling trainings outside of Verizon stores. One possible location? Public libraries. I work as a public geek at a public library. All day long I answer people’s computer questions. Could I also be answering their Droid phone questions? I sure could. Would it be better if I were Verizon Android Certified? Yes, and even though such a certification does not yet exist, maybe it ought to.
Cell phone training classes in public libraries are a logical next step as cell phone become an ever more dominant part of our lives. I’m rather surprised public libraries have not begun offering this kind of training yet.
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Inventor of the cell phone gave up his iPhone for a Motorola Droid
As if Android needed yet another endorsement, it turns out that Martin Cooper — the inventor of the cellular telephone who pretty much is responsible for all of us being here at this fine Web site today — is the proud owner of a Motorola Droid.
Source: Android Central.
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Android 2.1 leaks for Motorola Droid
As many Droid owners know, Motorola promised the Android 2.1 update was coming “this week” which later turned into coming soon. No further updates have been provided since then, but someone leaked a near final firmware (which is expected to be used for the upcoming OTA update).
Kellex from Droid Life was brave enough to flash the leaked ROM on his Droid and found the performance to be improved.
Source: Android and Me
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flash 10.1 confirmed for motorola droid and nexus one only
this morning, the flash mobile blog confirmed that flash 10.1 will only run on mobile devices that have ARM Cortex A8 chipsets, i.e. the motorola droid and nexus one. the rest of you will still have a flash option…flash lite.
Source: Droid Life
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