Android Atlas

One year after the introduction of the T-Mobile G1, three of the top-four carriers in the United States are offering Google Android handsets. And with each model bringing something new and unique to the market, everything is rosy, right? Not so fast. While differentiation is one of the key benefits behind Android, it's leading to fragmentation. Thus, one of the biggest benefits is becoming a drawback.

At the time of this writing, there are three versions of Android on the market. On Verizon Wireless, the recently released Motorola Droid has Android 2.0, while the carrier's HTC Droid Eris is running Android 1.5 under the Sense UI. The phones were released on the same day yet they are on polar opposites in terms of Android.

What's more, there are four other handsets running Android 1.5: Sprint's HTC Hero and Samsung Moment, and T-Mobile's Samsung Behold II and Motorola Cliq. And what about the first two Android phones, the G1 and MyTouch 3G? Both handset have Android 1.6 under the hood. Confused yet?

The differences stem from the desire handset manufacturers have to differentiate themselves. Rather than go for the stock Android experience, companies are opting to add their own flavors to help stand out. The problem is that Android's updates come from the handset maker and not Google. As we're learning, it could be months before HTC or Motorola catch their handsets up with 1.6, let alone 2.0.

By then it's not unrealistic to think that Google will be ready to push its next build (Flan) out to handsets. And remember that much anticipated Sony Ericsson Xperia X10? Though it's not expected until February, it too is slated to have 1.5 unless the company can get 1.6 or 2.0 loaded before it heads out the door.

This is becoming confusing and discouraging to current and potential customers. Normally, the newer the phone, the more advanced the operating system. But with Android, the two oldest phones have more software capability than the six that followed. Imagine the frustration of saving up a couple hundred dollars to get the latest and greatest handset only to find that older phones have more potential. Google recently made its Google Maps Navigation available to Android 1.6 devices. Sadly, this still leaves over half of all Android phones without the feature.

It doesn't get any easier for developers. Many are practically pulling their hair out over minor updates and bug fixes. With each new handset comes a different camera video tweak or extra line of code to address video drivers. Differentiation in hardware is just as big of a headache. It might not be a bad idea for Google to step up and set some standards or recommend specific hardware. The sooner all of these things are addressed, the better.

DoggCatcher

(Credit: Screenshot by Scott Webtser/CNET)

Sprint rolled out an over-the-air update to its HTC Hero earlier this week to address a couple of bugs and add a few small features. But since the release, some users are reporting that copyright-protected apps have disappeared from their phones. Did this "fix" accidentally break something entirely different?

Those who have lost the copyright-protected apps also report that they can't even find the apps in the Android Market even if they have already paid for them.

A quick look around a few Google and Sprint discussion boards shows that the problem is not isolated to a few users. And developers are hearing directly from frustrated customers who downloaded their apps.

SnoggDoggler, the creator of the podcast application DoggCatcher, received e-mails from users who lost the app immediately after installing the update. After a little bit of detective work, SnoggDoggler narrowed it down to the app's copy protection. The developer also conducted testing with a user and found that by toggling copy protection on and off, the app would appear and disappear from the Android Market.

SnoggDoggler offers a beta version of its application that's unaffected by the update, but as with most beta apps, it's subject to bugs and quirks. Until this issue is resolved, SnoggDoggler and other developers must either resort to a non-copy-protected version or simply make their app unavailable to select handsets.

Other apps known to be affected by the update are Twidroid Pro, Advanced Task Killer, My Backup Pro and Documents To Go. Are you a Hero owner or Android developer experiencing the same issues? Tell us below.

(Credit: Google)

One of the highlights of Android 2.0 has been the Google Maps Navigation app that delivers voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation on your phone for free. Until now, only Motorola Droid owners could take advantage of this sweet perk, but times they are a-changing.

On Monday, Google announced that its navigation app is now available for devices running Android 1.6 and higher, including the T-Mobile G1 and T-Mobile MyTouch 3G. While still in beta, the app provides voice-guided directions between two points, traffic information, and business searches.

This release also includes a new Layers feature that lets you overlay more information on the map, such as transit lines and Wikipedia articles about places, but it does not support the "Navigate to" voice command feature found on Android 2.0, so you'll have to input all your destinations using your phone's keyboard.

Google Maps Navigation for Android 1.6 is now available for download from the Android Market. Unlike other navigation apps or location-based services from the likes of TomTom, Garmin, and TeleNav, you don't have to pay a one-time fee or monthly subscription to use Google Maps Navigation. All you need is a data connection and you're good to go.

Motorola Droid

(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)

Shortly after we posted our Motorola Droid review, we received quite a few e-mails from CNET readers who were concerned about the phone's inability to support hands-free voice commands and dialing. Indeed, the readers were correct and Motorola's support forums continue to buzz with user complaints regarding the issue.

As part of our original Droid review we did not test whether the handset supported hands-free voice dialing. We apologize for that, but we've now updated the review to reflect our findings.

Below is the passage from the review:

Unfortunately, the Droid does not support Bluetooth voice dialing or commands. In order to use the Voice Dialer feature, you first must select the icon from the main menu (you can move on a shortcut to the home screen). After speaking your command, you then must confirm it via a prompt on the touch screen. Though we found the voice dialing feature to be quite accurate--it successfully picked up a command when we were a few feet away--it is not an ideal scenario for people who need to completely hands-free. We hope this omission is corrected in a future software update.

In the future, we will report on hands-free voice dialing in our smartphone reviews. As more state and local areas pass laws mandating hands-free driving, such capability will only grow more important.

As Google Android is for the smartphone market, Chrome will be for the Netbook industry. At least, that is Google's hope. The company views its two platforms as not necessarily replacements to existing operating systems, but rather as alternatives. And as part of its quest to get users on the Internet and connect to their services, Google created Android and Chrome.

Much of today's mobile applications run in the cloud, pulling data from a server as opposed to loading files from a device. If you have an Android handset, you know about the constant sync between your phone and the Google cloud. Indeed, contacts, e-mails, and more are literally updated by the minute. Chrome looks to be an extension of this idea, but designed for larger screens.

With Chrome, there will be no need to worry about whether an app is compatible or updated because it will not reside on any hard drive. Instead, everything comes from the cloud. At first, people might think they'd miss out on some of the day-to-day function of their desktops, but a closer look will show that much of what you do offline can be replicated when online. Google Docs, Calendar, and Reader all have replaced native apps on my desktop. Android does this very well with devices like the Archos A5 media tablet.

What's more, there's the added benefit of not needing to carry USB drives or flash memory. I can create a document in the cloud and leave it there. Even often-accessed files like photos and music can be held for you. Photobucket can host all your images and the recently announced Google Music Search can help you find the music you want.

This is fantastic news for developers because they can create applications that work on all major platforms at once. Just write it for a WebKit-based browser (Android, iPhone, WebOS) and you're done. There will be no need to learn multiple languages and you'll no longer have the "which platform to write for" dilemma. Google already has committed to start building apps to run in the browser for Android, iPhone, and other handsets. They even showed off a concept of Gmail running in airplane mode on an iPhone.

Other companies are following suit. Adobe recently unveiled its Photoshop application for Android. The title includes an autouploader that sends your pics to Photoshop.com's cloud storage. For a preview as to how this could work, check out Aviary. It has been offering cloud-based photo editing for desktops and laptops for a few years.

Google also announced today that data connections on Chrome Netbooks will come from 802.11n wireless cards. Yet, it wouldn't surprise me to see notebooks integrated with 3G or 4G capability running on Sprint's nationwide Clear network by the time the devices go on sale. Google has invested in Clearwire and has agreements in place for mobile advertising and search. This partnership also will see devices based on Android being deployed on the network.

Dell Mini 3

(Credit: Dell)

After years of rumors, Dell finally announced last week that it would make a smartphone called the Mini 3. The handset will run Google Android and will sell in China and Brazil over the coming weeks.

Though some Dell fans may wonder about the company's decision, the move actually has good business strategy. Dell, long synonymous with PCs and notebooks, has been developing a more diverse product portfolio for years. After starting off with printers and digital cameras, the company has evolved into PDAs and smartphones. Some of its offerings have been received better than others so analysts will be watching this move closely.

Considering that smartphones are becoming equally handheld computers and phones, Dell's move into this space makes a lot of sense. Just like PC makers that have had to adapt their products and start offering Netbooks, the smartphone is the next step in the process. And in addition to finally getting into the handset game, Dell is joining other computer companies that see the promise in devices attached to a service provider.

This is a similar move to what Acer did when it announced a smartphone line last year. I suspect that other computer makers will follow this trend just as more phone manufacturers will mimic Nokia's transition to larger, more Netbook-like devices.

So why head to China and Brazil? Well, why not? China Mobile is the largest wireless provider in the world with roughly half a billion subscribers while America Movil, the parent company of Brazilian carrier Claros, has nearly twice the footprint of the largest U.S. carrier, Verizon Wireless. In other words, Dell is going for the gold.

Chances are good that if and when Dell decides to bring the Mini 3 to the United States, they'll enter an exclusivity agreement with a carrier. Why handcuff themselves to someone like Verizon with only 90 million customers when there are considerably larger deals to be had?

Dell and China Mobile have previously worked together with the Mini 10 Netbook, which operates on the carrier's homegrown 3G network.

(Credit: Engadget Mobile)

On Monday, Samsung revealed its latest Google Android device, the Samsung Galaxy Spica (I5700).

Like its siblings, the Samsung Behold II and Samsung Galaxy, the Spica has more of a multimedia focus and is actually the first Android smartphone to offer DivX support. In addition, it includes DNSe 2.0 (Digital Natural Sound engine) technology to improve sound quality and features a 3.5mm headphone jack and a 3.2-inch (320x480) capacitive touch screen.

The Spica measures 0.51 inch thick and features a 1500mAh lithium ion battery. Other highlights of the smartphone include an 800MHz processor, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 3.2-megapixel camera. The Spica will support the full suite of Google services but runs Android 1.5 rather than 2.0.

The quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; HSDPA 900/2100) Samsung Galaxy Spica is available in Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States now and will be expanded to the Middle East and Asia markets. However, there's no word yet on North American availability.

T-Mobile G1

(Credit: Corinne Schulze)

With the recent flood of new Google Android phones, some of you may be thinking of making the switch. You're right to consider it, as there are many advantages to the operating system, not the least of which is the growing line of attractive handsets. But for the uninitiated, Android can be a bit of a mess. It's supposed to be a uniform operating system across all devices, but in practice, the user interface on each device varies slightly. It offers third-party applications, e-mail syncing, and a media player; however, the capabilities of those features also will differ by handset. Lastly, while Android promises a high degree of user customization, that may not mean a whole lot to the average person.

Understanding the operating system
Fear not, as Android takes only a brief period of acclimation. Even after a few minutes, you'll get the hang of the interface and you'll be able to navigate your way through your phone. Yet, you need to know a few things about Android before making the jump. Below I've told you what to expect, because I'd hate for you to be surprised by what you find. And equally as important, because your Android experience will vary by device, I'll break down the current U.S. handsets and give you the basic scoop of the Android features on each device. ... Read more

A leaked screenshot of the HTC Passion?

(Credit: Boy Genius Report)

We've seen the Motorola Droid and the HTC Droid Eris from Verizon Wireless so far, but apparently there is a third Verizon Android handset waiting in the wings, if rumors are to be believed.

Rumors are that it will be the HTC Passion, which is supposedly powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon chipset (the Passion might also be called the Dragon). The rumor mill (from Boy Genius, Phone Arena, and elsewhere) claims that the HTC Passion will feature a 5-megapixel camera, a large WVGA-resolution screen with multitouch, a 3.5mm headset jack, 256MB RAM, and it's said to run Android 2.0 with the HTC Sense overlay.

We have heard nothing about this through official channels, so this is strictly rumor territory here, but we can't help but be intrigued by this mythical phone. The Android 2.0 with multitouch and the Snapdragon processor certainly puts it just a notch above the Droid. Perhaps that's why Verizon is keeping mum about the device for now. Still, the rumor mill claims we'll see an announcement about the Passion/Dragon in mid-December, so we'll definitely keep an eye for that.