Eurodroid » Firmware

Android 4.0 coming to HTC Desire HD, Desire S and Incredible S

Gary_C — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:48:12 +0000

HTC has just issued a statement on its plans to bring Android 4.0 to some of its phones, confirming that the HTC Sensation XE and Sensation XL will be first in line to receive the update. They’ll be getting it from “the end of March.”

And even more exciting is news that HTC has added a second wave of phones to the list of Android 4.0 upgrade candidates, with the HTC Desire HD, Desire S and HTC Incredible S all now down to receive the “Ice Cream Sandwich” 4.0 enhancement. Here’s the full announcement from HTC:

HTC has been working hard to get its Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades ready, and we’re excited to announce that our first round of ICS upgrades will roll out by the end of March for the HTC Sensation and HTC Sensation XE, followed soon thereafter by the HTC Sensation XL.

In addition, we can confirm Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades will be coming later this year to the HTC EVO 3D, HTC Incredible S, HTC Desire S and HTC Desire HD. Stay tuned for more updates on Ice Cream Sandwich releases in the coming weeks

Great news. Unless you own an HTC Desire Z, in which case you may carry on being angry on the internet.

HTC Desire HD updating with Android 2.3.5 and HTC Sense 3.0

Asus updates Transformer Prime to fix “random reboot” issue

Gary_C — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:47:00 +0000

The glitch-hit and stil rather hard-to-find Asus Eee Transformer Prime should be getting an OS update in the UK today, with Asus claiming the minor tweak has one main function – fixing the “random reboot issue” that some users have been experiencing with their tablets.

Here’s the little snippet from Asus UK regarding the new TF201 upgrade:

All of you lucky Prime owners should be receiving a FOTA update soon. This is to fix the random reboot issue that some users have been experiencing. Let us know how you get on with it.

We’re holding out for the Yarvik TAB465EUK.

Google acts on security concerns, releases Android app malware scanner Bouncer

Gary_C — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:48:10 +0000

Bouncer is a new Google product the company describes as an “automated scanner” designed to automatically check all content uploaded to the Android Market for malicious code, like spyware, trojans and all the other DANGER WORDS associated with recent high-profile Android malware headlines.

There are no additional steps involved for users of apps or the app developers, with Google’s Bouncer simply going about it business, checking apps all by itself as soon as they hit the Market. Here’s a little idea of how it works:

…once an application is uploaded, the service immediately starts analyzing it for known malware, spyware and trojans. It also looks for behaviors that indicate an application might be misbehaving, and compares it against previously analyzed apps to detect possible red flags. We actually run every application on Google’s cloud infrastructure and simulate how it will run on an Android device to look for hidden, malicious behavior. We also analyze new developer accounts to help prevent malicious and repeat-offending developers from coming back.

Reassured now? Sleep better tonight? Read the full explanation of how the Bouncer security bot is making the world a safer place, one app at a time, over on the Google Mobile blog.

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STATS: Android 2.3 now powering 58.6% of Android devices

Gary_C — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:47:42 +0000

Google’s Android Developer site has once again updated its ultimately nerdy Platform Versions data, giving us a look at how the Android world was pieced together during the two-week period ending February 1st. Cue the Top of the Pops theme!

Android 2.3 is the biggest mover, up from powering 55% of all Android phones last month to just over 58% this time around, with Android 3.0 holding steady and, well, not much else in the way of action, as there haven’t been any exciting new releases since the appearance of the Galaxy Nexus late last year. Here’s the breakdown:

The data from last month had Android 4.0 showing as the OS on 0.6% of all Android phones, with the various versions of Android 4.0 now taking 1% of the market today.

STATS: Android 2.3.3 of 55% of all devices, Android 4.0 on the radar too

HTC Sensation with Android 4.0 onboard dated for March 1st Euro launch

Gary_C — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:02:31 +0000

According to a press release issued on behalf of HTC’s Dutch office, an updated white version of the HTC Sensation is set to go on sale from March 1st in the country – with Google’s Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” version of the OS onboard.

That’s exciting for literally several reasons – and mainly because it means HTC will have a fully-finished Android 4.0 update for the Sensation ready to launch by March 1st. Which means it may hit the regular HTC Sensation any day now. Hooray for that.

To help put the “Euro” into Eurodroid for the month of February, here’s a press release from HTC’s Dutch office in its native language.

HTC introduceert de HTC Sensation in Ice White

Nieuwste Android update voor alle toestellen uit Sensation-serie

Utrecht, 2 februari 2012 – HTC, leider in mobiele innovatie en design kondigt aan dat de HTC Sensation vanaf 1 maart ook beschikbaar is in de kleur Ice White. Het toestel is bovendien voorzien van Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Naast de HTC Sensation in Ice White, is de update naar Android 4.0 binnenkort voor alle toestellen in de Sensation-serie beschikbaar.

De HTC Sensation in Ice White beschikt over dezelfde specificaties als het model in de kleur Grey, zoals een stijlvol design met aluminium en een royaal 4.3-inch qHD display. Hiermee profiteert de gebruiker van een optimale kijkervaring. Ook is de witte versie uitgerust met een 8-megapixel camera waarmee tevens full HD-video’s opgenomen kunnen worden. Gecombineerd met de gebruikservaring van HTC Sense zorgt dit voor een betere en meer persoonlijke beleving van Android.

Android 4.0
Door de update naar de nieuwste Android-versie kunnen gebruikers van de HTC Sensation, HTC Sensation XE en HTC Sensation XL profiteren van een nog snellere browse-ervaring. Daarnaast kunnen zij hun toestel ontgrendelen door middel van gezichtsherkenning (face unlock). Met Android 4.0 is het ook voor het eerst mogelijk in te zoomen op de agenda en onderaan in het home screen zelf een balkje met favoriete apps te creëren. Ook biedt Android 4.0 naadloze integratie met Google+, het sociale netwerk van Google. De update wordt binnenkort Over the Air (OTA) naar alle gebruikers uitgerold.

Link via Android World.

Galaxy S Advance dated for Feb 6th UK launch

Apple denied injunction against Galaxy Nexus sales in Germany

Gary_C — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:31:06 +0000

According to a Bloomberg report today, Apple tried to gain another sneaky preliminary injunction that would’ve seen a Samsung Android phone banned from sale in Germany – this time targeting the flagship Galaxy Nexus and the redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1N. The latter of which has already been reworked to avoid infringing previous Apple legal decisions.

Bloomberg says the Munich Regional Court rejected the motion, saying “Samsung has shown that it is more likely than not that the patent will be revoked because of a technology that was already on the market before the intellectual property had been filed for protection.”

We shall not pretend to know what that actually means.

But what a close shave that was. Can you imagine the ramifications of seeing the current flagship Android device pulled from sale due to an Apple claim?

Link via FOSS Patents who does appear to understand what it all actually means.

Motorola RAZR Developer Edition, with unlocked bootloader

Gary_C — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:40:26 +0000

In a rather odd development, Motorola has finally done something to help those Motorola RAZR owners who would like to see the phone’s bootloader unlocked so they can fiddle with the OS files – it’s releasing an entire new edition of the phone it’s calling the Motorola RAZR Developer Edition.

It’s a hard move to understand, as the Motorola RAZR owning masses are hardly likely to buy ANOTHER version of the same phone. They’re far more likely to chuck it in the bin, slag Motorola off on the internet and buy a Galaxy S II instead. Here’s Motorola’s explanation:

We have some news for the community of people interested in unlockable/relockable bootloaders. Today, we announced a step forward in Europe with the availability of an unlockable version of our most in-demand product: the Motorola RAZR™ Developer Edition. This solution allows us to continue meeting our carrier and regulatory obligations, but also meets the needs being expressed by our developer community.

That’s not the “need” we’ve seen RAZR owners expressing.

But anyway. If you’d like a version of the admittedly rather awesome Motorola RAZR with an unlockable bootloader, it can be ordered through the Motorola Shop for €499.

Thanks to reader “Beefyburt” for the tip.

STATS: Amazon Kindle Fire hammers Android opposition

Gary_C — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:26:50 +0000

Despite only being on sale in the US for around three months, Amazon’s Kindle Fire has already become the joint most-used Android tablet. According to data released by analyst Flurry, Amazon’s locked-down Android device has gone from having 3% to 36% of the “application sessions” on Flurry’s ad network since November.

Here’s a graph showing the Fire’s astonishing growth, without any help from Europe or the “RotW” either:

So what does this show? That people do want tablets, but they’re not particularly bothered about the OS as long as they’re cheap and marketed very well. Something like that?

Link via TDR.

Report: Amazon Kindle Fire launching in the UK in January

Samsung Galaxy Note updated – new custom keyboard, lock screen and more

Gary_C — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:15:07 +0000

Samsung’s massive Galaxy Note mobile has started receiving an Android update, with the upgrade adding in a tweaked keyboard, altered lock screen and plenty of other minor tweaks and changes to the settings.

The biggest change is a “one handed” mode, which skews the keyboard and dialer off to one side, making it easier to press the buttons while holding the phone in one hand, without needing a thumb extension – and there’s now a row of numbers above the QWERTY for easier access.

New browser brightness settings, too. If you own an unlocked Note, the update notification ought to be floating around out there for you right now.

Images via Unwired.

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Asus: No wi-fi issues with UK Transformer Prime, TF700 update due in “June”

Gary_C — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:50:22 +0000

Asus has issued another rather long update regarding its recently launched EeePad Transformer Prime tablet, claiming that the UK version of the quad-core hardware is 100% correct and working despite the odd complaint of wi-fi problems from some buyers.

Asus also moved to stop fans getting excited about the slightly updated TF700 version of the tablet which will include a higher-resolution screen and redesigned back panel to enhance GPS performance. Asus says this won’t launch in the UK until June “at the earliest.”

Here’s a chunk from the latest Asus update:

After extensive checks we can confirm that no units have been supplied to the UK with a known WiFi issue. Any customers experiencing WiFi issues specifically are advised to contact our support hotline on tel. 0870 1208 340.

Any customers who have purchased a Transformer Prime TF201 and are dissatisfied with the performance of the GPS module are advised to return the unit to their point of purchase for a full refund as per standard consumer rights that apply in the UK.

In relation to the recently-announced TF700 model, this product is unlikely to be available in the UK before June at the earliest and no pricing details have been announced.

So that’s YOU TOLD.

As for the recently reported stock problems, a few more retailers appear to be sending out their units now – although many would-be buyers are still leaping on the limited stock when it appears.

The almighty Amazon has it in stock right now for example, although Carphone Warehouse say it’s out of stock and isn’t expecting more Primes until February 1st. Patchy. It’s very patchy.