froyo

Samsung's plans to create the Galaxy Tab Android tablet can't come as much of a surprise at this point, but today's announcement at IFA 2010 marks the first time we're seeing official specs from the company.

Official pricing is still unknown, but we now know that the device is due to hit European markets in mid-September, and the U.S. and Asia by year's end. The Galaxy Tab's size and specs put it somewhere between the phone-like Dell Streak and the magazine-size Apple iPad. The Tab uses a 7-inch capacitive touch screen with a … Read more

Archos carries the distinction of being one of the first manufacturers to produce an Android tablet. Now, it seems it's gunning to be the manufacturer with the largest stable of Android tablets.

Today, Archos revealed its plans to deliver no fewer than five new Android-based tablets in 2010. According to the company, all of its tablets are scheduled to be released about September and October, and each it promises to ship each tablet with Android 2.2 installed. Here's the lineup:… Read more

Last weekend Motorola refreshed its support forum for Android software upgrades. This latest round of news can be broken down into three categories: good, bad, and downright disappointing.

Let's start with the good news, shall we? As many of you are already aware, the Droid currently is receiving its 2.2 "Froyo" update. Meanwhile, the Droid X is expected to see Froyo in the "late summer," which echoes Verizon's original promise. Other handsets from around the world are slated to have Android 2.2 arrive in the fourth quarter, including the Milestone and the … Read more

Google releases an expanded voice control app for Froyo, A PSP/Android hybrid gaming device, and the first Android Trojan (if you live in Russia). Plus Justin reviews SwiftKey, and we cover all of the Voice commands achievable with the new Google app.

Chrome to Phone requires two installations and a Google account, but once installed it's a nearly effortless tool for quickly sending links and snippets of text from your desktop to your Android-powered device.

Getting started isn't complicated, but can be a bit tedious. Before you install the Android app, you'll want to install either the Chrome extension or the Firefox add-on. Once you've installed this browser extension, you'll have to install the Android app on your phone.

Running the app for the first time will walk you through the setup process. You must use a … Read more

Fox to Phone requires two installations and a Google account, but once installed it's a nearly effortless tool for quickly sending links and snippets of text from your desktop to your Android-powered smartphone. (There's also a version for Chrome: Chrome to Phone).

Getting started isn't complicated, but can be a bit tedious. Once you've installed this browser extension, you'll have to install the Android app on your phone. Frustratingly, there's no quick link or QR code to the app, and instead only encourages you to search for it in the Android Marketplace. (It's … Read more

Since its beginnings, Android's identity has hinged on its openness and customization. Unlike Apple's iOS, Android allows users, handset manufacturers, and carriers a lot of room for tweaking their devices. But even with so much freedom, a select group of folks demanded even more customization and decided to "root" their handset. And up until now, that has been possible with the Easy Root application in the Android Market.

For the uninitiated, rooting lets users overcome limitations or restrictions imposed by wireless carriers or handset manufacturers. It's very much like jailbreaking an iPhone. It may sound … Read more

On Call runs every two weeks, alternating between answering reader questions and discussing hot topics in the cell phone world.

After last week's brief review of the Froyo experience on the HTC Evo 4G, CNET readers responded in force. Many were ecstatic about Froyo's new features, others were frustrated that the download still had not yet hit their phone, and others were troubled at some of the update's "hidden" changes. That's why I'm dedicating this edition of On Call to your questions about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Froyo.

Q: I noticed that since I updated to 2.2, there are so many open apps. Before Froyo, I only had a few apps running when I turned on my phone, but now it's like 14 to 19. I kill them using the Android Advanced Task Killer, but less than five minutes later they're running again. It's kind of annoying, even if I love the Evo. - Silva

A: I've heard about this problem from quite a few people. And when I tried to replicate the issue on CNET's Evo, I noticed that I also had 19 apps running after turning on the handset. What's more, I hadn't used some of the running titles in weeks. Like Silva, I tried killing the extra apps, but they were back a few minutes later.

Though Android fans will argue that you shouldn't even use a task killer, I'm not inclined to agree. The Froyo issue is very real and most of the Android-focused blogs are reporting that the update has affected most task-killer apps.

When I checked with Sprint, a spokeswoman confirmed that news. The carrier's engineers currently are testing the Froyo compatibility of Android Advanced Task Killer, and when they get back to me I'll let you know. I'm also checking with the App's developer, but the company hasn't responded yet. I'll report back when it does. In the meantime, you can kill apps in the Settings menu (go to "Applications" and choose "Manage Applications), but that's a pretty clunky experience.

Another point to consider is that apps like Sprint Football Live, Sprint Navigation, Sprint Zone, Nascar, Footprints, Amazon MP3, and Stocks are preloaded into the Evo's ROM. That means they'll be there each time you turn on your device. … Read more

Boy Genius offered a load of dish Monday on Verizon Wireless' roadmap through 2010 and 2011. Some of the rumored devices we've heard about already, but not everything has been discussed before. According to the tipster, Verizon will have a Motorola Droid Pro global phone by November, two other global handsets from Samsung and HTC, a Moto Android device that will resemble the company's long-departed Q smartphone, and Android-powered tablets from Motorola and Verizon. And on the 4G front, Boy Genius predicts that Verizon will have LTE service across 75 percent of the country by April 2012 and … Read more