We’ll just go ahead and say it: Android 2.2 is just about to be on everything. And it looks like, unlike the previous updates to the Android version, every major carrier and manufacturer out there is taking the update to Android 2.2, or Froyo, very seriously. And that’s perfectly fine with us. This time around, we’ve got official word from Verizon that the Motorola Droid is getting updated to Android 2.2 next week.
We had actually heard rumors that the original Droid would be updated to Froyo at the end of July, so this isn’t all that far from the case. And, while the HTC EVO 4G is getting updated to the same version number on August 3rd, we expect the roll out for the original Droid to happen right around the same time. There’s no exact date, but considering the competition, we wouldn’t be surprised.
So, we’ve got confirmation from HTC, Samsung, and now Motorola that existing devices in the market right now are getting updated to 2.2. This is great news for all the Android fans out there, especially those who have been waiting patiently for their official upgrade. Now, the Motorola Droid X is next on the list — so hopefully that happens before the end of the month of August. Any word on that, Motorola?
We just got word back from Verizon regarding those flickering Droid X screens, and sure enough, the ghastly images are not a side effect of your assimilation into the Droid collective. Verizon and Motorola have owned up to a genuine problem with a small number of Droid X displays, approximately one-tenth of one percent. If your screen starts acting up you’d best contact the authorities immediately. And by authorities, we mean tech support, not the FBI — the omnipresent glowing red eyeball is completely normal. It told us so. Here’s Verizon’s full statement on the matter:
“Verizon Wireless and Motorola are aware of a very small number of DROID X units that have experienced a flickering or banding display. Motorola has resolved the issue and is continuing to ship the phones. Any consumer who experiences a flickering or banding display should contact a Motorola customer support center or Verizon Wireless.”
The Droid 2‘s been leaking out all over the place in the past few weeks, but it looks like it’ll be another month before it officially hits shelves — we just got these shots from a packaging facility that’s handling the phone, which puts it right on schedule for that rumored August 23rd launch. We’re also told that the phone will definitely ship with an 8GB microSD card, and that pricing appears to be $199 on contract and $599 standalone, although those numbers could change. Just a few short weeks left, we suppose — although give the rate at which this thing is leaking, we’re thinking Motorola and Verizon might do well to push that date up a couple weeks. We’ll see.
Astute reader Dominic was just minding his business, hunting for hints in the Droid Does website source code, when what should he allegedly discover but an entire Droid 2 spread inside a Shockwave Flash file. To our knowledge these may be the first official images of the Motorola A955, though of course we’vealreadyseenit a number of timesbefore. We just need Verizon to leak an official announcement with price and release date now — we’re hearing August 23rd — and perhaps a nice Hollywood trailer to round things out. See a larger version of Dominic’s discovery right after the break.
A Verizon leak has tipped various smartphones as reaching end-of-life status, including the Motorola DROID and its less-endearing sibling the Motorola DEVOUR. Droid Forums received a screenshot from an internal Verizon message, tipping the two Android handsets as expected to see “limited or no remaining shipments from the vendor”, together with the Nokia 7705 Twist and the BlackBerry Tour 9630.
The Samsung Knack U310, Smooth U350, Intensity U450 and Saga I770 are also tipped for the chip, as well as the Gateway LT2016U. No word on what stock Verizon have left of any of the handsets; we’ve checked the two Motorola phones on the carrier’s site, and both seem to still be in stock, but we’d recommend calling ahead if you’re planning on making the trip out to your nearest Verizon store.
Motorola’s newest Android handset, the DROID X, was released on Verizon yesterday and has already sold out; new shipments aren’t expected to go out until July 23rd. Meanwhile the DROID 2 – which will, like the first DROID, have hardware QWERTY keyboard – is expected to debut imminently.
Hacking the Motorola DROID X and DROID 2 may be a significantly tougher prospect, thanks to the confirmation that the company will be locking the bootloaders of their future Android handsets. The bootloader – which is used to install custom ROMs that add new, unofficial functionality or streamline the Android user-experience – will be secured so as to prevent non-Motorola ROMs being loaded, the company says, explaining that the open bootloader on the DROID was the exception rather than the rule.
As for why they made that exception, there’s only the mysterious explanation that Motorola had “a specific business reason for doing so.” In contrast, the European version of the DROID – the Motorola Milestone – had a locked bootloader, as do all of the other Android smartphones from the company.
“The use of open source software, such as the Linux kernel or the Android platform, in a consumer device does notrequire the handset running such software to be open for re-flashing. We comply with the licenses, including GPLv2, for each of the open source packages in our handsets.” Motorola
That original Motorola Droid looking long in tooth? Not sure what to do with it once you upgrade to Incredible, X, or even the progenitor’s most direct descendant? Take a cue from Mike Partain, who threw in a Lego NXT Robot kit and some ingenuity to create a rather clever proof of concept. The building blocks serve as the bulk of the structure and motor skills, the phone serves as camera, GPS, and compass. The missing links between these two elements and Partain’s remote controlling are three little pieces of complex software… so maybe it’s not in your immediate future, but having a few dreams and vicariously living through the videos after the break should get you through the weekend, right? And if you really want to fiddle with one yourself, the source code has been provided.
Care for some more specificity on when exactly to expect the Droid X to become even awesomer? Well, according to one “very reliable” source over at Droid Forums, we can look forward to a late August landing for Android 2.2 on the X, which will be preceded by a late July delivery on the venerable Droid. Both dates are caveated with an ominous “currently planned” proviso, so don’t consider them carved in (Mile)stone, but we’re liking the idea of Motorola having both its flagship devices tasting of Froyo by summer’s end. There’s no mention of the Droid 2, however, which may mean nothing or might suggest that handset’s still a fair way away from its release. We shall see.
Wednesday’s seem to have a mind of their own. Seriously, they can just feel like they go on forever. That hump at the middle of the week can either be a great motivator, or something that just drags you down. Thankfully, considering the announcements and other pieces of news, today was definitely a good day. Welcome to The Daily Slash. Tonight, in the Best of R3 Media, we’ve got an expected release date for Froyo, we go hands-on with the Parrot AR.Drone, and US Cellular is getting a BlackBerry. And then in the Dredge ‘Net, Xbox 360 won’t play Zune music in the background, the Nintendo 3DS can do 3D video chat, we’ve got a huge yacht.
The Best of R3 Media
Froyo Landing on Motorola Droids in July and August: At the announcement for the Droid X today, it was made perfectly clear that the update to Android 2.2, for the Droid X and the original Droid, was coming by the end of the Summer. And now, thanks to some leaked direct images from an internal Verizon Wireless source, we are starting to get a bit more of a clearer image. The original Droid is apparently getting the update to Froyo a month ahead of the Droid X — it’s expected to launch at the end of July. As for the Droid X? That’s coming at the end of August, apparently. [via Android Community]
Parrot AR.Drone Hands-On: The Parrot AR.Drone is definitely one of the most talked about, and heavily wanted items on the planet right now. And, thanks to our charms here at SlashGear, we were able to get some hands-on time with the new-fangled device. You’ll be able to control the Drone from your iPhone or iPod Touch (that includes the iPad, too), and there’s even an Android application coming some time in the future. There will be interactive games that you’ll be able to “play” on the mobile controller, with more games coming from an open source approach later, after the device launches later this year. Check out the other details, pictures, as well as the video through the link. [via SlashGear]
BlackBerry 9650 Heading to US Cellular: As CDMA-based devices go, the BlackBerry lineage is a breed that gets passed around a lot. No surprise here, but the device that’s already made an appearance on Verizon Wireless and the Sprint Network is making its way to the sixth largest wireless carrier in the United States, better known as the regional carrier U.S. Cellular. It’s launching some time in early August, but other than that, we’ve got no more information, as US Cellular is being remarkably quiet on the launch. Guess they have to have their surprises, too, right? [via PhoneMag]
The Dredge ‘Net
Zune Music Comes to Xbox 360, No You Can’t Listen to It While You Play Games: Long title, because it deserves one. Not because it’s good news, though. If you’ve got your hands on an Xbox 360, and you’re one that’s used Last.fm before, then you know that music played from Last.fm can’t be played while you’re playing games, or anything else for that matter. That’s right — you’re console can’t multitask that certain application. In any event, Zune is just about ready to make it so you can use your Zune Pass on your 360, but it’ll work just like Last.fm — no music multitasking. But, then again, if you’ve got a Zune Pass, then you probably have a computer and the Zune Software, which means you can just connect your computer to the Xbox 360, thanks to wireless syncing, and play your music that way, right from the media player. So . . . Problem solved? [via Gizmodo]
Nintendo 3DS May Do 3D Video Chat, How Cool is That? Yes, that rhymes. Excuse us, we’re in a curious mood tonight. Anyway! Apparently, Nintendo’s dropped some hints that 3D video chat can, and will be done on the Nintendo 3DS. No idea how, considering that the 3D cameras are on the outside of the device, but hey, Nintendo’s obviously got some ideas. Now, we make it happen. We want 3D video chat! [via Kotaku]
Trinity Euphoria Yacht is Real, Costs A Lot: Yachts are expensive. There’s definitely no denying that. And, the Trinity Euphoria is $39,000,000 worth of 168-feet goodness. It can comfortably hold 10 people in its five state rooms. There’s a pair of 2,250-hp engines, too, and they can send the yacht on 3,000 nautical miles on a tank of fuel. That’s beyond impressive. [via The Awesomer]
What, our ultra-special Droid dock‘s not enough for you? There’s now another way to avoid buying Motorola’s official accessories, though this one’s a bit more blasphemous. Thijs Bosschert over in the Netherlands has put together a fully fledged adapter for his Milestone (aka Droid European Edition), which allows it to interface with docks designed for iPods and iPhones. He’s done it using mostly parts he had lying around — and a well-placed magnet, of course — though he had to resort to using the 3.5mm headphone jack to extract audio from the device. The result might not look like a million bucks, but then it didn’t cost that much either. See more pictures and Thijs’ full how-to guide at the source.
We just got word back from Verizon regarding 
