Android!

[Segoris]

Bad news Droid (only original, not X or 2) users, I guess Verizon playing nice and openly with Android had to come to an end sometime. Verizon made a statement that Froyo on the Droid won't allow for tethering/wifi due to hardware issues. Funny, rooted Droids have had no problems with this for a while now, meaning it isn't a hardware issue.

The Droid by Motorola doesn’t have [the] hardware to support a Mobile Hotspot. With tethering there is no Connection on the PC side that will allow you to tether the device so the answer is that option isn’t part of this update

This seems like a great way to promote the Droidx and Droid 2 which will both have these features enabled. So if you haven't already, I'd say now's the time to root your Droid if you wanted hot spots/tethering.

[Jherad]

My understanding is that Froyo adds Wifi tethering in infrastructure/AP mode, which the original droid doesn't support due to firmware limitations. The wifi tether app available when you've rooted uses ad-hoc mode instead.

[Segoris]

I looked a little bit further and that is right, my bad. Though I still think this was horrible wording by the spokeperson to not be a little more specific in this issue, and a poor choice by VZW to not provide a system app for non-root users to use ad-hoc wifi mode. For VZW to say that it cannot be done at all is just wrong and misleading.

Though I'm at least a little bit glad tinfoil hat isn't needed for their pushing of droidx/2.

[Jherad]

To be honest, I'm still wondering if/how VZW is going to try to monetize the tethering in 2.2 now, given their 'Mobile Broadband Connect' monthly fee shenanigans with unrooted tethering on the 2.1 incredible.

[Salamok]

ah crap, now I need to decide if I want to root or just pay pda.net their app fee for SSL.  Is that leaked 2.2 for the original droid still floating around?  Anyone have a link to a good walkthrough for rooting and getting the wifi hotspot up and going?

[Segoris]

To be honest, I'm still wondering if/how VZW is going to try to monetize the tethering in 2.2 now, given their 'Mobile Broadband Connect' monthly fee shenanigans with unrooted tethering on the 2.1 incredible.

Good question and would be interesting to see more from VZW on this

ah crap, now I need to decide if I want to root or just pay pda.net their app fee for SSL.  Is that leaked 2.2 for the original droid still floating around?  Anyone have a link to a good walkthrough for rooting and getting the wifi hotspot up and going?

This is the one I used along with this.

The first link has a nice video guide, the second link, imo, had a better preparation explanation where it listed the items to download in the first steps of "installing SPRecovery." After downloading the items listed in the beginning of the second guide, I followed the first link's video guide.

[KallDrexx]

ah crap, now I need to decide if I want to root or just pay pda.net their app fee for SSL.  Is that leaked 2.2 for the original droid still floating around?  Anyone have a link to a good walkthrough for rooting and getting the wifi hotspot up and going?

A new 2.2 has been leaked for the original Droid.  Supposedly it's the same version that's going to be released OTA later this week.

[Salamok]

I thought I read somewhere that once my phone is upgraded OTA to 2.2 it will become harder to root?   Please, please, please correct me if I am wrong.

[KallDrexx]

Anytime a new OS version comes out people have to find a new way to enable root.  They will, it will just take a small bit of time.

[Quinton]

Unfortunately many of the methods used to "root" or "jailbreak" devices are local exploits which can also be used by malicious apps to bypass permissions and do all manner of crappy things.  As such they are almost always fixed as soon as possible, so upgrading to a new OS version does run the risk of some doors being closed.

This is an argument I routinely use with OEM partners to encourage them to ship with unlockable bootloaders (like we did with Nexus One) -- By preventing people from running custom builds you're forcing them to go hunt for and publicize exploits *and* you're actively discouraging them from doing responsible disclosure, since that works directly against them.

[Trippy]

The Nexus One is now the unlocked dev phone:

http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/google-offer-nexus-one-as-unlocked-android-developer-phone-2010085/

[fuser]

Think i'm going to get a Augen Gentouch78. They are really cheap tablet sized Android 2.1 phones and seem to be hacking friendly. Completely non skinned and have access to the marketplace. Some downsides, build quality, no bluetooth, no camera, no mic, 2.5mm headset, resistive touchscreen.

But the selling point for me is $150.

• 800x480 color TFT touch panel screen
• CPU: 800 Mhz
• Ram: DDR2 256mb
• Internal Memory: 2GB
• Expansion Slots: SD/MMC card slot up to 16GB

Would be a great inexpensive pdf reader, webtablet, and dev/test platform.

[naum]

Think i'm going to get a Augen Gentouch78. They are really cheap tablet sized Android 2.1 phones and seem to be hacking friendly. Completely non skinned and have access to the marketplace. Some downsides, build quality, no bluetooth, no camera, no mic, 2.5mm headset, resistive touchscreen.

But the selling point for me is $150.

• 800x480 color TFT touch panel screen
• CPU: 800 Mhz
• Ram: DDR2 256mb
• Internal Memory: 2GB
• Expansion Slots: SD/MMC card slot up to 16GB

Would be a great inexpensive pdf reader, webtablet, and dev/test platform.

So much for "open"…

I don’t know if you’ve been following the story, but yesterday the GottaBeMobile blog broke the story that the Gentouch78 is using pirated software to provide access to the Android Market. Well, duh. I thought that was obvious. At least, it should have been obvious to anyone who blogs about Android. Let me explain.

There are parts of the Android OS that are open source and there are parts that are not open source. For example, the Android Market is closed source and if you want to use it you need to get Google’s permission. Here’s the catch: the device that uses the market has to meet certain hardware specs. Basically it has to be a phone.

I don’t have the actual requirements in front of me, but so far as I know there are no Android tablets with legal access to the market.

A not so stellar review here. Tablet enthusiasts opine on the Augen

This sort of thing makes me uneasy about Google — they're “open” with the products that don’t make them money and closed with those that do, using “open” as a marketing buzzword against Apple and hoping nobody notices how incredibly closed and secretive most of their products and operations really are. iPhone/iPad OS is far more “closed” than Android, but at least Apple doesn’t try to bullshit about it. They put it right out there. “We are in control everything because it’s better that way for you. If you don’t like it, go DL porn on Android.”

[Quinton]

Android, the operating system, is open source.  You can take the code, modify it, put it on your device, sell it, etc.  Many people have.  The open source project includes a full phone stack including low level libraries, all the core Android frameworks, stock phone apps (contacts, dialer, homescreen, settings, camera, clock, email, voice dialer, etc), developer tools, and so on.

Google also has created a number of apps that run on Android, which are closed source, and available under license.  These include gmail, Google maps, Youtube, Google Goggles, Market, etc.  They are not part of the platform.

Android the platform is not tied to Google apps and services -- some people ship it with Yahoo! apps or Bing for search.  This is a feature.  Hell, you can even ship Android with your own market.  Or install a third party market app (there are several).  Nobody's stopping you.

If you want to ship Google apps, however, (just like if you want to ship anybody's commercial apps) you will need to have a license to do so.  Google is reasonable about this, but does have various requirements (around platform compatibility, etc) if you want to include their apps.

There is no conspiracy.  This is how it's been since the start of the platform.

Google invests significant engineering resources into developing Android and gives away the source code under extremely liberal licenses -- the userspace is Apache/BSD/MIT which not only has no restrictions on third parties modifying it or including their own secret sauce, also has no requirement that they share their modifications.  One of the key features of the platform from OEM or carrier perspectives is there isn't lock-in -- you get the full source -- you control your own destiny -- if you decide you don't like Google apps, you can go ahead and ship Yahoo apps instead, or your own apps.

Why?  Because an open platform and a level playing field for app development and deployment is good for the industry, good for app developers (like Google!), good for OEMs and carriers, and good for the end users.  Android's success is a direct result of this. 

[Ghambit]

Man, I see why the GalaxyS doesnt have an LED Flash.  You really just dont need one if you put the camera in night mode.  Even moreso if you amp the visibility setting.  Yah, you have to hold pretty still, but the anti-shake helps.  Doesnt take the greatest photos (it's a fuckin phone), but the UI kicks ass and has quite a bit of useful features.

Anyone fooled with this DLNA stuff?  Supposedly you can wirelessly stream to other DLNA devices, like Zune tried.

[KallDrexx]

I'm waiting until the Samsumg Fascinate comes to Verizon to upgrade my phone.  Everything I keep seeing about the GAlaxy S line looks awesome.

[bhodi]

DLNA streaming doesn't work very well. In fact, it barely works at all.

Every single thing that has come out of that turd pile has sucked. I don't know why, but it makes me quite angry. That, and the HDMI standard. Both are wrapped in such DRM/signal protection/vendor lockout/proprietary fee-ridden standards that it seriously impacts the usability.

[fuser]

Google also has created a number of apps that run on Android, which are closed source, and available under license.  These include gmail, Google maps, Youtube, Google Goggles, Market, etc.  They are not part of the platform.

From the press release it seems both Google/Augen have come to the conclusion its a major fsck up and Augen have been forward about the mistake and will remove the suite (in future revisions where I guess the ROM's are already flashed).

A not so stellar review here. Tablet enthusiasts opine on the Augen

This isn't the only fsckup with the tablet:

• No eeprom for mac and the soft address fails back to generic address
• Issues with screen calibrations
• Google licensing of apps
• FCC licensing is dodgy at best
• Fit and finish with SDcard/headphone jacks

Alas non of this is Google/Androids fault but shoddy development on Augen's part. I'll still buy one for $150, hopefully the amount of press and purchases behind it allow them to continue development on the platform (with proper licensing of services).

[Ingmar]

I'm waiting until the Samsumg Fascinate comes to Verizon to upgrade my phone.  Everything I keep seeing about the GAlaxy S line looks awesome.

I have a co-worker with a Galaxy who had terrible battery life problems with it - take it off the charger at 8 am and it was dead by 2 pm sort of problems. Unfortunately she returned it before I could do any diagnosis to see what was running it down so fast (even though I told her not to!)

[Zetor]

Yeah, I heard of similar things with the HTC desire (post-2.2), it turned out to be the facebook app. I don't run anything like that, and my battery life has been pretty good (2.5 days per charge with light use).

Edit: btw, there's something  or about playing old C-64 / amiga games on a phone... though I think the console emulators are probably better suited to the touchscreen.

[Ghambit]

I'm waiting until the Samsumg Fascinate comes to Verizon to upgrade my phone.  Everything I keep seeing about the GAlaxy S line looks awesome.

I have a co-worker with a Galaxy who had terrible battery life problems with it - take it off the charger at 8 am and it was dead by 2 pm sort of problems. Unfortunately she returned it before I could do any diagnosis to see what was running it down so fast (even though I told her not to!)

Biggest batt. issues I've come to find so far are display (even with samsung's superior tech.) and the wi-fi and 3G.  If you take the phone totally offline, it'll last quite a long time.  Talk time is forever, just as the ad says. 

Thing is, it's a quasi-USB powered phone... so, it's not like there's an issue getting power to it when you need it.  If you're really using it as a laptop, then buy a small USB powerpack like many folks do for camera work.

[Ghambit]

Anyone have the faintest idea how to change the audible touch tones and/or selections to play a different sound than default?  I'm trying to get an LCARS button sound, since there's no theme like for iPhone.

[Merusk]

Goddamn you, Verizon. Goddamn you.

[Segoris]

So....I take it this IS the Droid you've been looking for

That may hurt the wallet a bit since I can't upgrade yet, but I'll be damned if I don't try to pick one up

[Ozzu]

[Bunk]

Guess I am going to have to read through this thread in detail now - just picked up the HTC Desire.

I are happy.

[slog]

My Wife got the Droid 2 yesterday.  So far she likes it a lot.  She's hardly a power user though.

[NowhereMan]

Deliberating between the HTC Desire and Nexus. Reviews seem to suggest the only differences are small things the Desire does better and the improved UI, any other differences or is the Desire really the same phone with a 'better' (or at least apparently more straightforward) UI? Basically all the reviews I've read come down on the Desire but some small geeky fanboy part of me kind of wants the Nexus, is there any reason to go for it besides that?

[Zetor]

The desire is pretty much the same phone with very minor improvements and without the google brand.

I went with the desire, it has an optical trackball and a functional FM radio (I think the nexus one also has a radio, but it's not enabled by default or something).

... oh yeah, the desire also costs about ~$100 less in Hungary, so that was kind of a no-brainer.  

[Quinton]

Yup, desire is the same hardware platform as nexus one and yes the FM radio module is not plumbed through in N1.  If you want a standard Android build without HTC's sense stuff, N1 is the way to go.  If you need FM radio or really like sense, Desire all the way.  Otherwise, flip a coin.

Not sure if HTC has pushed 2.2 to Desire yet, but I believe they're planning on doing so.

[Zetor]

Yeah, 2.2 is live for desire as of 2 weeks ago... works pretty well, too.

I'm not crazy about the senseUI, the main decision point was the price (obviously :p) and the FM radio... the optical trackball is hit-or-miss, sometimes it's good, other times it's annoying.

[Obo]

I got a Desire this week. Very happy with it. I ended up rooting to get Froyo since mine was branded and I wasn't holding out any hope that O2 were going to push out their update any time soon. Since I have one of the newer SLCD screens rather than the older AMOLED version (there was a very very short supply until the SLCD one started shipping at the start of the month) I ended up having to do a full root rather than just the debranding/goldcard thing, as it was the only method available. I don't know why O2 even bothers doing their own version, the only difference seemed to be the splash screen on boot up.

[Quinton]

Nice.  SLCD will be much better for screen-on battery life.

[Ozzu]

Oracle suing Google for the same reason Sun sued Microsoft a few years back.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20013546-265.html

[NowhereMan]

Ok I feel somewhat retarded for asking this but how the hell do I join different contacts together? I manually plugged in pretty much all of my old phone book and then the Facebook app synced up, creating a whole load of new contacts. I'd like to be able to identify the contacts I've manually put in with their facebook contacts (since duplicates are bad, facebook profiles seem to mostly have old or no phone numbers and I don't have a lot of email addresses on my old phone). I know it's possible since I managed to do it with one of the first contacts I put in but since then I haven't been able to find the option. I've tried searching the web but the only mention I've found has been along the lines of "Use the join feature on the contacts".

I've got a Nexus One with 2.2 and it's really driving me crazy since the one time I did it it seemed fairly easy, the fact that I can't find anyone explaining how to do it on-line suggests to me that it's really, really easy but I just cannot seem to figure it out.