As I sit here using the Verizon Wireless DROID Incredible I can’t help but love Android. If not for the uncanny ability to multitask my applications at ease, but for the ingenious pull down notification alerts which give me total control over my smartphone. Sure there is still a long way to go and I get my fair share of force close application warnings, but with each version of Android the improvements far exceed the bugs. It’s hard to believe that less than 2 years ago we began the Android journey and now code names such as Cupcake, Donut, Eclair and now Froyo are part of our vocabulary. The latter of those code names, Froyo, has the Android community on its heels for a possible two to five times increase in performance with our existing hardware compared to Android 2.1. While using the DROID Incredible has me excited about Froyo I can’t help, but wonder what if any future remains for devices like the G1, myTouch 3G and Hero. Has Android followed the path of Windows Mobile through select device updates and ultimately left some devices behind?

For all the reasons that I despise Apple’s iPhone there is one aspect I truly envy as an Android owner – worldwide synchronized software updates.  With over 20 Android handsets in the world today and now four versions of Android, it is clear that a single update to Android which can be delivered worldwide is not possible.  As more and more Android devices are released how much wider will the gap become in the release of Android updates.  If we look back on Android 2.1 which was introduced with the Nexus One, it took 3 months for the Motorola DROID to receive the update and another 3 months for the Hero and Samsung Moment.  It’s hard to tell whether Google is playing favorites with certain devices or if HTC’s Sense UI really requires additional handling to warrant delays.  If Sense was really the culprit then why did the Samsung Moment receive an update around the same time as the Sprint HTC Hero?

My love hate relationship with Windows Mobile stemmed from a very similar situation where software updates were sporadic and the majority of update information came from leaks and forum posts.  I left Windows Mobile for Android to escape the update nightmares and to enjoy the fruits of an open OS.  Now that I’ve had nearly 2 years of experience with Android devices my biggest fear is that I will need to choose my next device based on whether or not I believe Google will prioritize it’s updates.  As of today we know that the Motorola Droid will be updated to Android 2.2 in the coming weeks while the Desire and EVO will be updated in the second half of 2010.  Does this mean that all Sense UI devices will be 6 months behind the Nexus One for all future updates?  What happens to the Android legacy devices – is the G1 cursed?

I believe Android users deserve answers on the updates direct from Google and not dependent upon questioning PR teams for manufacturers.  Fair warning is not too much to ask and if a six month delay is going to become typical because I enjoy Sense far more than the standard Android UI then I think it’s time Google considers purchasing the UI or at least incorporates some of the styling into the vanilla Android build.  My question to fellow Android users is do you feel confident in the future of your device and how much would synchronized Android updates change your experience?

T-Mobile UK today unveiled the latest addition to its market-leading AndroidTM range: the T-Mobile Pulse Mini, which will be available on pay as you go, priced at £99.99. The device is the sixth Android smartphone for the network and follows the Samsung Galaxy Portal (i5700) and LG InTouchMax (GW620) announced last month. The Pulse Mini is a slimmed-down version of the T-Mobile Pulse, which became the world’s first pay as you go Android handset when it launched last October. Manufactured by Huawei, the new version boasts a 2.8 touch screen, 3.2 Mega pixel camera with LED Flash and runs on the latest Android 2.1 software. Unlike its predecessor, it also features a 3.5mm headphone jack, with a memory expandable to 16GB for storing music, photos and movies.

The Pulse Mini, manufactured by Huawei, runs on the newest Android software (Android 2.1). It features a 2.8 touch screen interface, 3.2 Mega pixel camera with LED Flash and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It will be available to pay as you go customers for £99.99.

[via T-mobile UK]

Today AT&T and Motorola announced that the Motorola BACKFLIP ™ with MOTOBLUR™ will be available in AT&T stores nationwide and online at www.wireless.att.com beginning March 7. BACKFLIP features a unique form-factor with an original reverse flip design, spacious keyboard and BACKTRACK™ touch panel, allowing the display to be hands-free while one’s fingers work behind the screen. BACKFLIP runs on the nation’s fastest 3G network and is powered by MOTOBLUR™, Motorola’s Android-powered content delivery service created to make phones more personal and socially smart. Customers can see photos and learn more at www.att.com/backflip.

BACKFLIP is the first Motorola device to feature the new and unique BACKTRACK™ feature which gives AT&T customers the ability to navigate quickly and easily through Web sites, menus and more with a touch panel located behind the screen when the device is folded open. BACKTRACK offers a new way to scroll through the Web, texts, e-mails and news feeds without obscuring the home screen. Flip the keyboard backwards into table-top mode to listen to music, watch videos, view pictures with the digital picture frame or to turn BACKFLIP into a digital, bedside alarm clock.

BACKFLIP comes with a full HTML browser that can be viewed on the 3.1” high-res, touch screen display and makes use of 7.2 HSPA 3G technology on the nation’s fastest 3G network. Android Market™ has access to more than 20,000 apps and widgets, in order to customize the device to fit each consumer’s personal style. Customers can easily shoot photos and video with the BACKFLIP’s 5 MP camera and flash, and upload them to their favorite photo sharing or social media site.

The Motorola BACKFLIP features Wi-Fi connectivity and AT&T customers receive AT&T Wi-Fi access at U.S. hotspots included as part of their unlimited data plan. AT&T’s has the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network with more than 20,000 U.S. hotspots.

Pricing and Availability
The Motorola BACKFLIP will be available March 7 at AT&T retail locations nationwide or at www.wireless.att.com for $99.99 after $100 mail-in rebate. (Pay $199.99 and after mail-in rebate receive $100 AT&T Promotion Card. Two-year agreement and smartphone data plan required.)

For more information on the Motorola BACKFLIP, visit www.att.com/backflip or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/att.

Today Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced QUENCH with MOTOBLUR, Motorola’s Android-powered content delivery service, which organizes messages and synchronizes contacts to keep conversations in constant motion. QUENCH’s sleek touch-screen design, combined with great navigational features such as pinch and zoom and a touch pad, as well as the inclusion of Adobe Flash Lite, make browsing the web on its 3.1” high-resolution display a breeze. Motorola QUENCH™ will be available beginning in the first quarter of 2010. In the U.S., it will be called CLIQ XT™ and be available next month exclusively through T-Mobile USA. This is the eighth Android-powered device launched by Motorola around the globe.

“As we continue to expand Motorola’s portfolio of Android-powered devices, we remain committed to delivering more of what people want from their handheld devices in easier ways,” said Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola and CEO of Motorola Mobile Devices and Home business. “QUENCH with MOTOBLUR showcases Motorola’s design heritage by offering a compelling differentiation from the traditional Android experience, giving people an easier way to have more messaging, more Web and more music.”

MOTOBLUR is Motorola’s Android-powered content delivery service created to make phones more personal and socially smart. It is the first solution to sync contacts, posts, messages, photos and much more — from sources such as Facebook®, MySpace, Twitter®, Gmail™, work and personal e-mail and Last.FM — and automatically deliver them to the home screen. Content is fed into easy-to-manage streams allowing you to spend less time managing your life and more time living it.

Messaging is made easier on QUENCH with the combination of MOTOBLUR features, a palm and pocket-friendly design and Swype, a new feature that makes responding to messages and entering text easier than ever. MOTOBLUR keeps happenings, messages, news feeds and more readily available for browsing and responding on the customizable home screen. Contact information, such as email addresses, profile pictures and phone numbers, is automatically synced whenever the details change online, so there’s no need to manually update.

QUENCH delivers a complete Web experience on a full touch-screen device with pinch and zoom capabilities. Navigation is enhanced with a front-facing, centrally-located touch pad, so it’s easier and more intuitive to flick through the Web. Adobe Flash Lite enables rich media content such as banners and videos to be displayed and fully enjoyed on the 3.1” high-resolution display.

The innovative new connected media player on QUENCH is not only connected to the Internet but your social networks as well. QUENCH connects you to your music with a new style of media player that lets you buy and instantly download music from an MP3 store while integrating third-party apps such as TuneWiki, SoundHound, GoTV, and YouTube™. The music search feature makes finding your songs easy while synchronized lyrics in any language you choose make learning songs easier than before. Share your favorite tracks, discover new ones2, find lyrics, watch videos, and stream FM radio.

QUENCH enables clear calls using dual microphones and noise cancellation technology, while crystal clear pictures are enabled by a 5.0 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash. Finding information online or within the device is made even easier with voice-activated search (English only). Simply say what you are looking for and QUENCH will find contacts, serve up Google™ Web search results based on location, or launch applications. Android Market™ provides fast access to more than 20,000 apps and widgets for limitless customizations and enhancements to QUENCH. Extras such as 3G and Wi-Fi® access, aGPS and stereo Bluetooth®1 make QUENCH a solid Android-powered device.

Finally, MOTOBLUR provides end-users with convenience and peace of mind, as lost devices can be located from a secure personal information portal and even remotely erased if necessary. Then, one user name and password brings back your contacts, messages and connectivity to your previously configured networks and email providers. Plus, with over-the-air updates, Motorola has the ability to improve current features and add new ones to QUENCH, ensuring the overall experience is continually enhanced.

Availability
QUENCH with MOTOBLUR will be available in multiple regions around the globe beginning in Q1 2010. In the U.S., the device will be called CLIQ XT with MOTOBLUR and will be available exclusively through T-Mobile USA beginning next month. For specific regional availability and pricing, contact your local Motorola representative. For more information, product specifications and images of QUENCH, please visit Media Center Fact Sheets. For multimedia assets from Mobile World Congress, visit MWC 2010 Press Kit. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today introduced an enhanced HTC Sense experience that will be available on two new smartphones that take Android to the next level, the HTC Legend and HTC Desire. The new HTC Sense experience continues to focus on improving your interactions with your most important people. This begins with a new HTC application and widget called HTC Friend Stream that seamlessly aggregates all of your social communication including Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr into one organised flow of updates. This simple aggregation makes it easier than ever to focus on what friends are doing as well as to view the images and links that they share. In addition to Friend Stream, people can be organised into specific social circles, such as groups of friends, colleagues or any other way that makes sense.

The new HTC Sense experience also introduces broad improvements to applications including the browser, email client and others. In addition, the new version of HTC Sense includes a new newsreader application and widget, as well as a new seven-screen ‘Leap’ thumbnail view for quick and easy access to specific screens.

HTC Legend
Built around a newly enhanced HTC Sense, the HTC Legend boasts a unique design with a smooth, continuous surface, machined from a single aluminum block into a seamless compact frame.  To complement its looks, the HTC Legend includes a stunning 3.2 inch, AMOLED HVGA display.  The traditional trackball has also been replaced with an optical joystick, surrounded by a narrow button to improve usability without interrupting its unique design.

HTC Desire
HTC Desire is the richest way to visually experience news, friends, photos, favourite places and whatever else is important on a mobile phone. With one of the most advanced displays available on a phone today, HTC Desire is designed with a large 3.7 inch AMOLED WVGA display to enhance and maximise content, whether it is pictures and videos, browsing the Web or checking on friends’ status updates. HTC Desire is powered by a one gigahertz Snapdragon processor and is Adobe Flash 10.1 ready. As with the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire also includes an optical joystick.

Release Dates
The new HTC Legend will be available in Europe through Vodafone and in the direct channel beginning in April.  It will roll out to other parts of the world including Asia in early Q2.  HTC Desire will be broadly available to customers across major European and Asian markets in early Q2.  The HTC Desire will be exclusively available in Australia through Telstra. The enhanced HTC Sense experience will also be offered as a free upgrade on the HTC Hero in Europe and Asia.

[via]

TELUS and Motorola today announced the availability of the much-anticipated Motorola Milestone in Canada. Motorola Milestone, powered by Android, delivers a rich mobile web experience, superior messaging and top-of-the-line multi-media features in an innovative design that could only come from Motorola. Milestone features the best of both worlds with a full QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen navigation, as well as the opportunity for users to customize their mobile with widgets and the freedom to run multiple applications at once.

“We are excited to bring the Motorola Milestone to Canada,” said Rick Gadd, vice-president, Motorola Canada Mobile Devices. “Canadians will now have the chance to experience a smartphone with no limits; harnessing the power of the mobile web with the latest version of Android, plus Google Search, simple messaging and extreme multi-media features.”

The Motorola Milestone is available only at TELUS for as little as $199.99 with a three-year commitment. For more information please visit www.telusmobility.com or www.motorola.ca.

Xperia™ X10 mini and X10 mini pro with slide out QWERTY keyboard offer an open and intuitive communication entertainment experience and build on the human curvature design philosophy debuted by the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ X10. Combining the Android platform with signature applications and a customisable UX platform, communication truly becomes entertainment with these new mobile phones. To enhance the experience, pick and choose from a multitude of applications at Android Market™ and co-create a mobile phone experience that is entirely unique. Users can go one step further and customise the home screen’s four corners and widgets to access the most needed applications for limitless possibilities.

Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro key features: 5-megapixel camera, Bluetooth A2DP, Sony Ericsson Timescape, MS Exchange Activesync, Auto Rotate, Slide-out keyboard (mini pro only), FM radio, A-GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, microUSB, WiFi, and a 2.55-inch 16.7 million color 240 x 320 pixel scratch-resistant touch screen.

X10 mini and X10 mini pro supports HSPA 900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, HSPA 850/1900/2100 and EDGE 850/900/1800/1900. The X10 mini will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colours Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red and Silver. The X10 mini pro will be available in selected markets from Q2 in the colours Black and Red.

Orange today announced it will be launching the much anticipated HTC Desire, the next Android device to be ranged by Orange in the UK. Available this spring across all Orange consumer retail and business channels, the HTC Desire will be free on selected consumer pay monthly and business price plans. Offering a rich, intuitive browsing touch interface and premium design, the 3G+ enabled Desire is the latest device to feature Google’s 2.1 Android operating system, allowing users unrestricted access to thousands of amazing tools and applications which can be downloaded straight to the handset.

Created for those wanting an optimised mobile customer experience, the Desire comes equipped for users to make the most out of the internet. The device features the superfast Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor and as part of Orange’s Signature range, users will be able to access great Orange services direct from the home screen, including Orange’s own sat-nav product, Orange Maps, as well as Orange TV, Photography, Games and Orange Windows Live.

The Desire also comes with a choice of specially designed unique user interface options courtesy of HTC Sense and an integrated five mega-pixel, auto-focus camera featuring camcorder capability, a gravity sensor, A-GPS, a digital compass and 512 MB of memory with space for a 32Gb MicroSD card. What’s more, the 3.7 inch WVGA capacitive display features anti-fingerprint screen coating for improved smudge resistance and a longer lasting, clearer display. Orange will be offering the HTC Desire for free to customers on selected pay monthly price plans. The HTC Desire will be available from Orange shops and www.orange.co.uk/shop in April 2010.

The new Huawei U8800 Android smartphone has a need for speed.  Running the latest version of Android (version 2.1) and delivering support for theoretical peak download data speeds of up to 14Mb/s, the U8800 is set to impress.  If that wasn’t enough to spark your interest, the U8800 features a 3.8-inch screen and the device will be released in the third quarter of 2010.  Huawei came to play at this year’s Mobile World Congress, announcing 4 additional Android handsets besides the U8800.  The U8300 is aimed at the youth market and incorporates social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter, and a Qwerty keypad. It will be available in green, yellow and purple.  The U8100/U8110 are entry-level smartphones. They have 2.8 inch wide touchscreens and dual cameras, plus WiFi and bluetooth. They will be launched in Europe in the second quarter of 2010.  The SmaKit S7 tablet was also on show, which enables information-sharing across screens to present the same content simultaneously on computers, mobile phones and TVs. The model has a 7 inch wide screen and can be connected to a home gateway, TV or Android handsets.

Huawei’s strong support of Android at this year’s show follows last year’s unveiling of its first Android device, the U8220 (marketed as the T-Mobile Pulse). It is one of the cheapest Android handsets on the market and was dubbed the world’s first prepay Android device. Separately, Huawei is also demonstrating its LTE-Advanced system this week, with claimed download speeds of up to 600Mb/s. The company claims it is the first vendor to use multi-carrier aggregation and high-order MIMO technology in its LTE-Advanced system, which increases spectrum efficiency up to five times, reducing transmission costs.

Every quarter the NDP Group releases a top 10 list of mobile phones purchased by US consumers.  What makes Q4 2009 so special is that all 10 top-selling phones packed a touchscreen, a QWERTY keyboard or both – can someone call Nokia and tell them standard key pads are dead?  Topping the list again this quarter was the BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models), followed by the LG enV3, Apple iPhone 3GS, Apple iPhone 3G, Motorola Droid, LG enV Touch, BlackBerry Tour, Samsung Intensity, Samsung Solstice and Samsung Impression.  As my relationship continues to go strong with my Motorola Droid it’s news like this that makes me excited for the Q2 2010 results.  As Turtle from Entourage said it best, “We got a monster Vince”.

[Via Cellular News]