Witness the rise of Android [Infographic]

It’s been a magical ride for the Android operating system, as it wasn’t too long ago that analysts were insisting that Google was crazy to enter into this space. Now, Android has some incredible momentum in the market and the folks from Xcubelabs have put together a neat infographic about the rise of Android and its major accomplishments.

It starts out with the founding of Android by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White in October 2003. Those of you who follow these things closely will remember that early versions of Android looked very similar to the BlackBerry operating system. Once the iPhone came out and was a hit among the tech crowd, Android quickly changed its focus.

Google purchased Android in 2005 and rolled out the Open Handset Alliance and the Android beta SDK in November of 2007. It took nearly a year for Android to land in a handset, as the T-Mobile G1 landed in September 2008.

From those humble beginnings – one device, one carrier, near-zero market share – Android has rocketed to the top of the smartphone charts in terms of market share. With Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread and Honeycomb, the platform has gotten much better with each iteration and it has resonated with consumers, carriers and handset makers all over the world. Google recently said it is activating 550,000 Android handsets a day and look for that number to continue to rise.

Check out the infographic below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Article: RSS via IntoMobile

Tags: Android, Android 1.0, Android 1.5, Android 1.6, Android 2.0, Android 2.1, Android 2.2, Android 2.3, Android 3.0, Android 3.1, Android 3.2, Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Google, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Mobile OS

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Gmail for Android Will Prioritize All Inboxes in Sight

The Android team gave their Gmail app a nice little update, which, among other things, now supports prioritized inboxes, along with improved methods of composing emails. And they’re not even waiting for the Gingerbread release to roll this out.

The prioritized inbox comes with new UI elements for determining on the fly which emails are or aren’t important. Plus you can setup custom alerts or vibrations so that you know when a priority email has been received without even looking at your phone.

As for improvements when it comes to composing emails, Google has made it easier to switch between replying to one or replying to all, allows you to send your emails out under a non-Gmail alias, or reply to emails in-line.

The update is available now in the Android Market for all devices running 2.2 Froyo.

Article: RSS via Gizmodo

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Android Market, Apps, Froyo, Gmail, Google

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Froyo landing on Three and T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S handsets

Android 2.2 makes its way onto devices

This is a bit of news that would have been a lot cooler a week ago. You know, before Gingerbread came a knocking.

But, with Samsung umming and arring over whether Android 2.3 will be hitting the Galaxy S, the news that Froyo is at least landing for Three and T-Mobile customers will serve as some sort of consolation.

The update brings with it, amongst other things:

- Google Maps with Navigation: GPS navigation system with voice guidance
- Adobe Flash Player 10.1: Allow the web browser to make full use of the whole web
- Setup Wizard: Quickly customize the GALAXY S and access networks with ease
- Home Screen/Menu Preview and Edit : Preview by pinch-zoom
- Search in-Browser: Google, Translate, Wikipedia, Dictionary

Android updates are never as straight forward as they seem though, and there has already been reports of issues with the T-Mobile update.

Some users are not seeing the update on Kies, and others have witnessed error messages during the process.

It’s therefore worth taking a look at the T-Mobile forums before you update to get some advice and to see how others have fared.

Article: RSS via Pocket-lint

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Froyo, Galaxy S, Samsung, Smartphones, T-Mobile, Three

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Android 2.2 update starts rolling out to unlocked Dell Streaks, includes Stage UI

We’ve pretty much been waiting on the Dell Streak’s Android 2.2 update for as long as the 5-inch tablet / phone has been on the market, and it looks like the time has finally come… well, at least for owners of unlocked Streaks. Word is that Dell has started to push out its over-the-air Froyo update to unlocked Streaks; those that purchased devices locked to a carrier will see the update hit those 5-inch screens sometime in December. (Note: Streaksmart also reports that Dell will start selling an unlocked Streak in the US with Froyo preloaded in the next couple of weeks.)

There are details on the entire upgrade process at the source link below, but just as we’d heard, the update includes Dell’s new Stage UI, which we’ve been told will eventually be included as a software layer on all of Dell’s consumer devices. We got a chance to see the interface a few weeks ago, and have to say the widget-based UI looks really slick. Those who prefer their Android untouched will be happy to know you can turn off the layer. We’ll be doing an in-depth preview of the updated software once it hits our AT&T and O2 Streaks, but until then you can check out a few pictures of the new Froyo goodness below.

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Dell, Dell Streak, Froyo, Stage UI, Tablet PC's

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Froyo flies in for Vodafone HTC Legend

2.2 also arrives for Virgin Media’s HTC Desire, and it’s also coming soon to the Dell Streak

It’s a busy day in the world of Froyo.

First up, Vodafone has begun rolling out its Android 2.2 update to Legend users.

HTC had promised a Froyo update for the handset earlier this month, but had warned: “For those of you with carrier-branded versions of Legend there will be a slightly longer wait…once we finalise the update within HTC, the software must then go through the appropriate approval process at each carrier that supports Legend on their network. This is the same process for all of our handsets, and Legend is no different”.

However, there are numerous reports (including from Mrs Pocket-lint herself) that the update has now gone live with one poster on the Vodafone forum writing:

“Right just checked my branded vodafone Legend for updates & its telling me an update is avalible update is Android 2.2 & HTC sense update size is 82.88mb so recomends downloading via wifi”.

No prizes for spelling or grammar, but top marks for spreading the word.

Froyo is also spreading its love to Virgin Media’s HTC Desire customer base. A statement on the carrier’s website read: “We’ve started sending out the Froyo update as of 9am this morning”.

The update is only available for customers on Virgin specific firmware 1.23.351.1 at the moment though. If you’re still on the original firmware (1.15.405.4) you’ll have to update to the 1.23.351.1 firmware first, but there should be a fix in “the next few days”.

Finally, Dell has announced via its Facebook page that the Streak will be getting its Android 2.2 upgrade “before the end of November” with a global roll-out planned, starting in the UK.

Phew, that’s a whole lot of Froyo news right there. We’re going to take a lie-down before the Gingerbread madness begins.

After all, Google has recently been teasing the next Android update via its Twitter page.

Article: RSS via Pocket-lint

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Froyo, HTC, HTC Legend, Smartphones, Virgin Mobile

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Dell Streak Android 2.2 update imminent in UK, other territories on the way

Looks like Japan’s not the only one that’ll have Froyo on a five-inch tabletphone this year — Dell’s official Facebook account confirms that Android 2.2 will be rolling out to the Dell Streak starting this very month. That date’s just for the UK, mind you, as Dell plans to stagger the release from country to country for that winsome Stage UI. That said, if you’re a particularly astute diner you may be able to get your sweet spoonful sooner than some, as just last evening Dell directed a number of Streak owners to the website pictured above. While that “Continue with Update” button reportedly didn’t work and the website has since been pulled, it seems that Dell’s considering the idea of letting users directly download Android 2.2 themselves.

Article: RSS via Engadget

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Dell, Dell Streak, Froyo, Stage UI, Tablet PC's

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HTC Legend to Get Android 2.2 Froyo Update Soon

HTC has announced that its unibody HTC Legend will soon be receiving an update to the current version of Google’s Android operating system, versions 2.2 Froyo. The company says that the Froyo update should be coming in a matter of weeks, but says that if you have purchased the device subsidized by a carrier, it may take longer to get the update as the Froyo build would need to get certified by the carrier. News of the Froyo release was posted by company representatives on Facebook.

Article: RSS via Ubergizmo

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Facebook, Froyo, HTC, HTC Legend, Smartphones

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Dell Streak’s wonky new “Stage” widgets caught on video

According to word on Rumor Street, Dell’s building a fairly deep HTC Sense-esque UI overhaul called “Stage” for some of their upcoming Android handsets.

For their Android-powered Streak tablet, however, it looks like they’re keeping things a bit.. simpler. The gal who runs Streak Smart got her mits on an early, slightly-hacked build of Froyo for the Streak, complete with the Stage additions. They’re, uh, interesting, to say the least.

The bad news? “Stage” on the Streak is less “overhaul”, more “wonky, sort-of-hacky widget system”. Video sometimes makes things seem less useful than they are, so I’ll keep my judgement light for now… but would you use something like this? Let us know down in the comments.

Article: RSS via MobileCrunch

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Dell, Dell Streak, Froyo, Stage UI, Tablet PC's, Video

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Samsung Galaxy S: Froyo update begins

Android 2.2 begins roll out today

Good news Galaxy S users, Froyo is making its way to your handset, starting…..now.

We were originally told that the Android 2.2 update would begin hitting handsets in mid-October but, as is tradition with all Android updates, the roll-out was delayed.

But the good chaps at Samsung have tweeted that the roll-out will begin today (5 November).

The update brings with it, amongst other things:

- Google Maps with Navigation: GPS navigation system with voice guidance
- Adobe Flash Player 10.1: Allow the web browser to make full use of the whole web
- Setup Wizard: Quickly customize the GALAXY S and access networks with ease
- Home Screen/Menu Preview and Edit : Preview by pinch-zoom
- Search in-Browser: Google, Translate, Wikipedia, Dictionary

Like other Froyo updates, expect some delays as networks configure exact software versions for their handsets.

Android updates are never as straight forward as they seem.

Article: RSS via Pocket-lint

Tags: Android, Android 2.2, Froyo, Galaxy S, Samsung, Smartphones, Software Update

Posted in Android, Samsung, Smartphones | No Comments »

HTC Desire Froyo update arrives on Three!

We’ve just had word that the customised Android Froyo update for HTC Desire on Three is rolling out we speak. The Froyo update started rolling out at 9am this morning, so plug in and update, and drop us a line to tell us what you find! The update was announced back at the beginning of August, and like all HTC Desire Froyo updates, seems to come later than planned. Stay tuned for more information!

Article: RSS via: Electricpig

Tags: 3, Android, Android 2.2, Froyo, HTC, HTC Desire, Smartphones, Three

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