2.1

Apple still seeding: iOS 4.2.1 Gold Master now available

Apple has just released a new version of the highly anticipated iOS 4.2 update for developers, iOS 4.2.1 Gold Master. Though the first Gold Master of iOS 4.2 was released weeks ago, Apple has yet to initiate a public release.

This version of iOS has build number 8C134 and instructions from Apple for developers to retest their iOS 4.2 applications using the 4.2.1 build.

Apple says only minor fixes are included in this build. iOS 4.2 will bring a vast array of features to iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads including AirPlay, AirPrint, … Read more

The hardware guts of your Android phone

When Microsoft prepped cell phone manufacturers about Windows Phone 7, they were crystal clear in defining the minimum hardware specifications each phone would have to support the mobile software--a touch screen, 1GHz processor, and 5-megapixel camera, for instance. Android's rapid development, on the other hand, makes minimum hardware specs murkier. They're documented but less understood than the distinctions between the software versions themselves.

As a result, we've combed through page upon thrilling page of compatibility documents to bring you the minimum hardware requirements of your Android phone and breaking down what that means.

Before we begin, note that Google has not posted documentation for Android 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.0.1; the company cites technical reasons. Also note that we omit comparing Apple's iPhone, BlackBerry smartphones, and Palm phones because they're closed manufacturing systems.

Android 1.6, 2.1, 2.2 (* not required for v. 1.6) Windows Phone 7 QVGA (240x320 pixels) touch screen Capacitive WVGA resolution (800x480 pixels) touch-screen display (eventually opening up to HVGA) (480x320 pixels)) Virtual keyboard support Virtual keyboard support n/a 1GHz processor Must have a USB connection that connects to a standard USB-A port No manufacturer skins like HTC Sense or Samsung TouchWhiz 92MB RAM; 150MB user storage 256MB RAM; 8GB flash storage 2-megapixel camera 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, hardware shutter button Home, Menu, and Back functions available at all times Start, Search, Back hardware buttons Wireless high-speed data standard capable of supporting 200Kbps; like EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, 802.11g (Android 1.6 requires Wi-Fi) DirectX GPU support Accelerometer* Accelerometer Compass* Compass GPS receiver* GPS receiver Bluetooth transceiver* Bluetooth transceiver n/a Ambient light sensor n/a Proximity sensor n/a FM radio

'Must' versus 'should' While this list reflects the minimum requirements that Google imposes on manufacturers, it isn't the full story. The Android team makes many hearty recommendations in legalese that "may" or "should" be used when building Android-compatible phones. For instance, a Micro-USB port isn't mandatory, but it is encouraged, as are hardware buttons and a dedicated search key. The base storage requirements also appear low, but Google recommends 128MB RAM and at least 1GB of on-device user storage for things like the address book and photos.… Read more

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 finally gets Android 2.1

Starting this Sunday, October 31, Sony Ericsson will make good on a promise made earlier this year. The Xperia X10 will finally get its long-awaited Android 2.1 update.

The official Sony Ericsson product blog posted an article today advising that X10, X10 Mini, and X10 Mini Pro handsets will begin receiving the Eclair update on Sunday evening. Initially, only phones in the Nordic countries will see the update, with other European countries getting 2.1 starting Monday, November 1. All other X10 phones, including those used in North America, will get their update by the end of November.

I'… Read more

Android 2.1 finally comes to Moto T-Mobile Cliq

After an agonizingly long four-month delay, T-Mobile Cliq owners at long last are able to grab Android 2.1 Eclair for their year-old phones.

Motorola and T-Mobile yesterday started actively seeking up to 2,000 users to test out the first, and likely last, update for the smartphone. Today, the handset maker followed up by launching a support page to help guide customers through the process.

Many Android users have taken for granted some of the things that Cliq owners will see. For example, they're just now getting speech-to-text, turn-by-turn navigation, voice search, resizable widgets, seven home screens, and … Read more

Basic PDF utility

PDF files are a part of just about everybody's life now, but many people don't have applications that are capable of doing much with these files besides viewing them. Quick PDF Tools is a small suite of utilities that lets users do more with their PDF files than just look at them. It's not the most feature-filled program we've ever seen, but it's not a bad choice if you're looking to perform a few basic tasks with your PDFs.

The program appears in the Windows context menu, so all you have to do is … Read more

Google TV is live

  Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded: Barnes & Noble's PubIt Amazon lets you purchase inside Facebook Google TV is live Virgin Mobile announces no-contract Android phone Skype and FringOut say hello to Android

Sony Ericsson delays Android 2.1 for Xperia line of handsets

Sony Ericsson used its official product blog to let fans know that it is delaying the release of Android OS 2.1 for their Xperia line of handsets. Originally listed for a September rollout, the company is now looking at late October and beyond.

Sadly, the Xperia X10 will still be nearly a year behind the competition when it finally does see Eclair. While other phones like the Motorola Droid have gone from 2.0 to 2.2 in the same span of time, Sony Ericsson has been behind the curve since day one.

I was a huge fan of … Read more

Remote connector

Windows' built-in Remote Desktop Connection utility is a bit basic; it offers few options, and multiple connections fill up the taskbar, making it awkward to switch among desktops. If you regularly access multiple remote machines or just want an improved remote desktop client, check out RD Tabs from Avian Waves. It uses a tabbed interface to manage open remote connections with a familiar functionality similar to current browsers, keeping everything in one spot. But it offers so much more than just better organization, with extra features like password encryption, remote terminal server management, connection thumbnails, and command line scripting.

To … Read more

Flash formatter

USB flash drives are this century's floppies, holding everything from personal and medical information to music and pictures and even secure data, with the added advantage of being small and rugged enough for keychain duty. You can even boot from flash drives, just like the old floppies, which, together with portability, universal compatibility, and enough space to host useful tools, makes them ideal recovery devices. Hewlett-Packard's USB Disk Storage Format Tool can quickly and thoroughly format virtually any USB flash drive in a wide range of file systems as well as create bootable USB media. We tested it … Read more