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Android Hardware Thread - 2010 Edition

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I saw a video interview with a bloke from Currys who said that the tablet will have Archos' app store at launch and that it will be getting the proper Android marketplace when Gingerbread hits.

Are google relaxing the requirements for Gingerbread?
 
brain_stew said:
Woah boy, no else see the news about the new Android tablet DSG (Currys, PC World etc.) will be stocking in time for christmas?

Android 2.2 (Froyo)
512MB RAM / 512MB ROM
Full size USB host
Mini HDMI out
Tegra 2 chipset (Dual 1ghz Cortex A9 + high end ES 2.0 graphics)
1024x600 10.1" capacitive touch
3300mah battery

All for £250!

More info here (with pictures and videos):

http://android.modaco.com/content/a...s-set-to-hit-the-dixons-group-stores-shortly/

As far as I'm concerned this blows away every other announced Android tablet. Seems there'll be models with HSDPA and GPS as well, not clear if they come with the stock £250 model.

Edit: Preview here:

http://androidcommunity.com/advent-vega-tablet-hands-on-video-20101013/
Click to expand...

I am liking this. Need more information but we should be getting a lot in the next few weeks if this is supposed to be out in time for Christmas.
 
Is there a Android phone from AT&T that doesn't suck? It looks like none of them have the marketplace, or did I read that wrong?
 
czartim said:
Is there a Android phone from AT&T that doesn't suck? It looks like none of them have the marketplace, or did I read that wrong?
Click to expand...

They all have Marketplace, what they don't have is sideloading enabled. This means that you can't load apps by plugging the phone into your PC, they have to be downloaded from the Android market only.

There are workarounds to make this functional according to which phone you get.

At this point, I'd recommend the Captivate as AT&T's strongest Android offering right now.
 
outsidah said:
They all have Marketplace, what they don't have is sideloading enabled. This means that you can't load apps by plugging the phone into your PC, they have to be downloaded from the Android market only.

There are workarounds to make this functional according to which phone you get.

At this point, I'd recommend the Captivate as AT&T's strongest Android offering right now.
Click to expand...
Excellent, thank you! I've been needing to upgrade for a while, and I want to try something other than Apple.
 
czartim said:
Excellent, thank you! I've been needing to upgrade for a while, and I want to try something other than Apple.
Click to expand...

There is MUCH to learn and tinker with once you get into Android. The OS is very open to let you do pretty much whatever you want with it... some changes are very easy and some require some research to find out what app/ROM you might need.

The Captivate modification scene is still fairly young compared to some other phones out there, but you should have more than enough to keep you busy. The XDA forums are an excellent resource and you should check them out if you make the leap to Android. Best of luck! :)
 
Speaking of captivate modding: anyone have a good link to a comprehensive "what to do to your captivate when you get it" article.

Even a list would do, I just want to dig right into it when I get mine tomorrow.
 
Due for an upgrade in the middle of December on AT&T (would otherwise switch carriers, but I'm in college and on my family's plan, so it's in the interest of saving money).

Should I go ahead and spring for the Captivate then or am I better off waiting for this rumored Motorola Olympus or the Google Experience Samsung phone?

I'm so sick of this crappy Blackjack 2, and virtually everyone around me has recently gotten an iPhone 4 or a top of the line Android phone, so it's going to be very hard to wait even longer.

I guess what I'm asking is, in terms of Android software development, how soon will the current Galaxy S crop of phones be considered out of date?
 
Samsung Galaxy Player 50, still waiting on the YP-MB2 Samsung:

Samsung Video
Video Preview

galaxyplayer1.jpg


Android 2.1
3.2" LCD Screen
2MP Camera
8/16GB Memory
MicroSD Slot
GPS
DivX
FM Radio
B/G/N Wifi
Android Market Place
 
I got my Captive yesterday. Coming from a first gen iPhone, it's pretty sweet. The guy who set it up for me had no idea what he was doing though. I couldn't send or receive texts and my voicemail didn't work. I got it straightened out over the phone, but I still can't send MMS. I'm going to bring it back to the store so they can look at it (phone support thought it might be a bad SIM card.)

I was disappointed to learn how spotty the GPS service is on this device, but the XDA peeps seems to think it's not hardware related, so hopefully it gets fixed soon. I was really looking forward to pinpointing my location, especially when I go to DC next weekend. As of now the GPS updates terribly slowly and is extremely inaccurate. I've seen my friend's 3GS pinpoint down to which side of a one lane street we were on. Very disappointing indeed.

What is hardware related though is the lock/power button. It's in an awkward place, especially with a case on. It also provides almost no feedback when you press it. I'll eventually get use to it.

There are a few software issues I have too. I'm assuming these can already be fixed though, just need to find the solution.

Other than that, I've been pleased.
 
czartim said:
I got my Captive yesterday. Coming from a first gen iPhone, it's pretty sweet. The guy who set it up for me had no idea what he was doing though. I couldn't send or receive texts and my voicemail didn't work. I got it straightened out over the phone, but I still can't send MMS. I'm going to bring it back to the store so they can look at it (phone support thought it might be a bad SIM card.)

I was disappointed to learn how spotty the GPS service is on this device, but the XDA peeps seems to think it's not hardware related, so hopefully it gets fixed soon. I was really looking forward to pinpointing my location, especially when I go to DC next weekend. As of now the GPS updates terribly slowly and is extremely inaccurate. I've seen my friend's 3GS pinpoint down to which side of a one lane street we were on. Very disappointing indeed.

What is hardware related though is the lock/power button. It's in an awkward place, especially with a case on. It also provides almost no feedback when you press it. I'll eventually get use to it.

There are a few software issues I have too. I'm assuming these can already be fixed though, just need to find the solution.

Other than that, I've been pleased.
Click to expand...
Haha not exactly a glowing review. I guess it's a bit of a fixer upper right out of the box. Are you on AT&T or Rogers?
 
subrock said:
Haha not exactly a glowing review. I guess it's a bit of a fixer upper right out of the box. Are you on AT&T or Rogers?
Click to expand...
AT&T. And yeah, being on the phone with support for four hours kind of killed the mood. I'm sure once it gets settled out, I'll be able to enjoy it then (I'll root it then too.) But this GPS stuff needs to be fixed before I can fully enjoy the device.
 
czartim said:
I got my Captive yesterday. Coming from a first gen iPhone, it's pretty sweet. The guy who set it up for me had no idea what he was doing though. I couldn't send or receive texts and my voicemail didn't work. I got it straightened out over the phone, but I still can't send MMS. I'm going to bring it back to the store so they can look at it (phone support thought it might be a bad SIM card.)

I was disappointed to learn how spotty the GPS service is on this device, but the XDA peeps seems to think it's not hardware related, so hopefully it gets fixed soon. I was really looking forward to pinpointing my location, especially when I go to DC next weekend. As of now the GPS updates terribly slowly and is extremely inaccurate. I've seen my friend's 3GS pinpoint down to which side of a one lane street we were on. Very disappointing indeed.

What is hardware related though is the lock/power button. It's in an awkward place, especially with a case on. It also provides almost no feedback when you press it. I'll eventually get use to it.

There are a few software issues I have too. I'm assuming these can already be fixed though, just need to find the solution.

Other than that, I've been pleased.
Click to expand...

I've had my Captivate since late July and have found the phone to be pretty frustrating due the GPS issue. Samsung's September update was supposed to fix the GPS, but it didn't correct anything for me and my two co-workers that have Captivates. I've even tried a couple of Froyo-beta based roms and the GPS still doesn't even get close to working with any consistency. The GPS has been a known issue with Galaxy S phones for the better part of a year, so if Samsung (or the the folks at XDA) were to find/develop a fix, they would have done so by now. If you need your phone to have fully functional GPS, you should probably look elsewhere.

That said, I haven't had any other major issues with the Captivate, especially after installing one of the lag-fixes. My power button has a noticeable click feedback, so that issue may be unique to your phone.
 
So much for the Rogers "launch" of the captivate. I'm waiting at bestbuy right now because as of 10am the 20-30 stores I called 1 store had 4 and had a line and everyone else has either never heard of it or doesn't expect it for a few weeks.

Bullshit.
 
The GF loves her captivate, but the GPS issue defeats all navigation apps. She also has an issue with battery life too. Is this common as well?
 
NH Apache said:
The GF loves her captivate, but the GPS issue defeats all navigation apps. She also has an issue with battery life too. Is this common as well?
Click to expand...
Yeah. My new one didn't even last the day.
 
czartim said:
Yeah. My new one didn't even last the day.
Click to expand...

:(

Looks like someone is getting the extended battery for an early Christmas present.


Futureman said:
So is XDA the place to look around if I am interested in rooting my Droid X?

I probably won't end up doing it, but I at least want to look into what the benefits would be (wifi tethering sounds nice but... 3G is pretty darn slow, so not that tempting).
Click to expand...


Better than none. I'm on Verizon as well and I've had upwards of 300 kb/s download speeds before.
 
So is XDA the place to look around if I am interested in rooting my Droid X?

I probably won't end up doing it, but I at least want to look into what the benefits would be (wifi tethering sounds nice but... 3G is pretty darn slow, so not that tempting).
 
Just pre-ordered the Archos Gen 8 tablet, the Archos 70. Guess TigerDirect is the first to offer the 70 as well as the 10" tablet known as the 101. I should get it first week of November. Some members of the Archos fan forums called TigerDirect this morning and they confirmed they got a shipment of tablets today. Woohoo!
 
thirty said:
Just pre-ordered the Archos Gen 8 tablet, the Archos 70. Guess TigerDirect is the first to offer the 70 as well as the 10" tablet known as the 101. I should get it first week of November. Some members of the Archos fan forums called TigerDirect this morning and they confirmed they got a shipment of tablets today. Woohoo!
Click to expand...


Did you get the one with the 250 gig hardrive?

Also, I can't find any specifics on the resolution on the webcam. Anyone have any info?
 
NH Apache said:
Did you get the one with the 250 gig hardrive?

Also, I can't find any specifics on the resolution on the webcam. Anyone have any info?
Click to expand...
I went with the 8gb version for $275. I have no desire to carry all my music and movies with me and don't trust portable HDD's too much.

As to the webcam I remember reading it was 3 megapixels I think. Go to the official Archos site for specs.
 
thirty said:
I went with the 8gb version for $275. I have no desire to carry all my music and movies with me and don't trust portable HDD's too much.

As to the webcam I remember reading it was 3 megapixels I think. Go to the official Archos site for specs.
Click to expand...

I did. It just says

Webcam: Yes

lol

I think I might go for the 101. Its only like 20 bucks more.
 
NH Apache said:
I did. It just says

Webcam: Yes

lol

I think I might go for the 101. Its only like 20 bucks more.
Click to expand...
I was set on the 101 too but then got sold on the 70 thinking about its ability to fit in a coat pocket and all the apps fitting to screen due to its WVGA resolution. The 101 does have a full sized USB but the higher res may make for a lot of apps lookin like complete ass on the higher res screen.
 
My Bell galaxy s crapped out again.. Phone froze, would not boot past galaxy s logo. Luckily I now have three button recovery. Had to factory reset. Phone is stock as it was last time. FUck im tired of this shit, this is the worst phone I have ever owned, I wish I kept my N1. Fuck samsung... Ugh..@#1%+ looking on xda there are people on second and third handsets. I can see why.
 
zedge said:
My Bell galaxy s crapped out again.. Phone froze, would not boot past galaxy s logo. Luckily I now have three button recovery. Had to factory reset. Phone is stock as it was last time. FUck im tired of this shit, this is the worst phone I have ever owned, I wish I kept my N1. Fuck samsung... Ugh..@#1%+ looking on xda there are people on second and third handsets. I can see why.
Click to expand...
sad huh when android's current "best phones" the galaxy s line and the motorola X are riddled with freezes and restarts.

part of the reason why i'll probably go windows phone for my phone but will try an android tablet for side loading good times.
 
Just got and Aria maybe 2 weeks ago. I know alot of people dont like the size but that was actually the deciding factor for me. I love it so far. Works great, no software issues whatsoever, snappy as all get out. I dont like the lack of froyo info for it though, but im hopefull seeing as it's been rebadged and soon to released in europe with 2.2.

I need to spend some time familiarizing myself with rooting and ROMS. I've tinkered with many a game device but this is unfamiliar territory for me.
 
SimleuqiR said:
http://www-bgr-com.vimg.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/PlayStation-Phone-11.jpg[IMG]

PSP phone?

[url]http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2010/10/26/playstation-phone-images-revealed/[/url][/QUOTE]

I refuse to believe.
Click to expand...
 
Hey guys, I need some help with my droid 2.

This has happened twice now. I use my phone as my mp3 player and whatnot, so while at work, I plug the phone into my pc on charge only, and use pandora.

The phone shows it is charging, but the percentage never increases.

So tonight, I brought in my wall charger and have been using that. The phone is doing the same thing. It moved from 70 to 80 percent, but has been on 80 percent for an hour now.

I do have alot plugged into my cube, so is it possible there isn't enough voltage left to properly charge the phone? If so, will that damage my phone?

I think the reason it messed up on my PC is because I can't install the driver for the phone. It has properly charged before though.

Any ideas?

Also, I am using a USB extension cable to make the cable longer. Will there be any issues from that?
 
Hey . . . I've had an EVO for a week or two now. THIS THING ROCKS. I have been w/o a modern phone for a while since I was too lazy to upgrade. Damn, things sure have improved.

Once caveat: The battery life SUCKED. But I bought $60 3rd-party add-on Seidio battery that is twice the size and all is well now.

Now where is that Android software thread . . . I need some tasty app suggestions.
 
thirty said:
sad huh when android's current "best phones" the galaxy s line and the motorola X are riddled with freezes and restarts.

part of the reason why i'll probably go windows phone for my phone but will try an android tablet for side loading good times.
Click to expand...

really? Know 2 people with it and they love it.
 
Engadget reviewed the Desire HD

So what to make of the Desire HD? It's undeniably hampered by some design flaws and poor battery life, but the sheer volume of good things it brings to the table can't be ignored. Froyo is the most polished and accomplished version of Android by a good margin, HTC's latest Sense enhancements add legitimate value to the proposition, and the aluminum unibody construction, upgraded internals, and jumbo screen are unignorably appealing. On the whole, we feel like the Desire HD's downsides tend to relate to things that won't affect you too much in daily operation -- you won't need to access the battery too often, for example -- whereas its strengths reside in the critical areas of expanding functionality, choice, performance, and screen dimensions. It's Froyo on a 4.3-inch screen and it tastes just right.

7/10

The good:
Terrific general performance
Flawless browser
Aluminum unibody plus jumbo screen

The bad:
Fit and finish issues
Poor battery life
Camera lens left unprotected
Click to expand...
http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/27/htc-desire-hd-review/
 
CurlySaysX said:
Do Samsung not get tired of copying other companies designs?
Click to expand...

I'm guessing you are comparing it to the touch?

How much diversity can there be in a touchscreen media player? I don't believe the touch has wifi N, micro SD capability, FM, or android.

Also, avatar quote.
 
j-wood said:
Hey guys, I need some help with my droid 2.

This has happened twice now. I use my phone as my mp3 player and whatnot, so while at work, I plug the phone into my pc on charge only, and use pandora.

The phone shows it is charging, but the percentage never increases.

So tonight, I brought in my wall charger and have been using that. The phone is doing the same thing. It moved from 70 to 80 percent, but has been on 80 percent for an hour now.

I do have alot plugged into my cube, so is it possible there isn't enough voltage left to properly charge the phone? If so, will that damage my phone?

I think the reason it messed up on my PC is because I can't install the driver for the phone. It has properly charged before though.

Any ideas?

Also, I am using a USB extension cable to make the cable longer. Will there be any issues from that?
Click to expand...

Do you set it to "Charge Only" or whatever the setting is? I'm pretty sure it defaults to "USB Mass Storage" mode, at least it does with my Droid X, when I plug it into a computer.

But yea, Pandora is probably draining the battery a good bit and the low voltage of the USB charging isn't enough to increase the battery time.

That's really odd though that even plugging it into a wall stalls at 80%... Is this while Pandora is still going? If you quit all programs and charge from the wall, does it still stall at 80%?
 
So i'm pretty much set on a new tablet. Been using a Windows one for a couple years now (with stylus!) and I'm looking to go lighter.

So it pretty much boils down to this Android-GAF (for the uninitiated, click for more info):

Archos 101

or

Archos 70



At first I was pretty much against all 7-inch tablets but now.. I just don't know. What do you guys think? Is there another model I've overlooked? I'd hit up a win7 tablet, but batterylife + price is a concern.


(oh, that Mytouch4G is looking pretty good. Though I wonder if the Nexus Two really is being unveiled on Nov 8th by Samsung... )
 
Ephemeris said:
So i'm pretty much set on a new tablet. Been using a Windows one for a couple years now (with stylus!) and I'm looking to go lighter.

So it pretty much boils down to this Android-GAF (for the uninitiated, click for more info):

Archos 101

or

Archos 70



At first I was pretty much against all 7-inch tablets but now.. I just don't know. What do you guys think? Is there another model I've overlooked? I'd hit up a win7 tablet, but batterylife + price is a concern.


(oh, that Mytouch4G is looking pretty good. Though I wonder if the Nexus Two really is being unveiled on Nov 8th by Samsung... )
Click to expand...



I don't know man. 800x460 on a 7" screen? That's the same res as my X and 3 inches bigger. I can already see pixel structure at this size; can't imagine how low res that tablet will look.
 
Ephemeris said:
At first I was pretty much against all 7-inch tablets but now.. I just don't know. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

IMO, stick with your gut :p


Especially given the gimped res of the 7". It's phone resolution at 4x the size. Ugh Lee.
 
Raistlin said:
IMO, stick with your gut :p


Especially given the gimped res of the 7". It's phone resolution at 4x the size. Ugh Lee.
Click to expand...

You have a phone w/ a 1.75" screen?

you should wait a few months if you really want an Android tablet. Aren't we expecting tons of reveals at CES this year?
 
I was set on the 101 until I read this post earlier this month:

thirty said:
finally, new vids of the Archos tablets.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhDGWvg-XCg
Click to expand...
Thirty also made some good points on why to get the 70 over the 101. (Damn you).

And It's not like I have an issue with waiting until next year, it's the fact the prices and the specs on these Archos tablets are so good (around $300, microsd and usb host for expandability ), I could live with jumping in now.

Besides. It's not like paying 499 for the cheapest ipad with something new right around the corner...
 
kinggroin said:
I don't know man. 800x460 on a 7" screen? That's the same res as my X and 3 inches bigger. I can already see pixel structure at this size; can't imagine how low res that tablet will look.
Click to expand...

It may look pretty pale in comparision with most current smartphones but that pixel density is pretty much standard for netbooks and I guess most people don't complain. I've got even smaller pixel desity on my 22'' IPS monitor and I don't see big problem with that (it's true that you don't get as close to monitor screen as you get to a tablet screen but the difference isn't really big).
 
Ephemeris said:
I was set on the 101 until I read this post earlier this month:


Thirty also made some good points on why to get the 70 over the 101. (Damn you).

And It's not like I have an issue with waiting until next year, it's the fact the prices and the specs on these Archos tablets are so good (around $300, microsd and usb host for expandability ), I could live with jumping in now.

Besides. It's not like paying 499 for the cheapest ipad with something new right around the corner...
Click to expand...
Thanks for hearing me out. To add, you can also hold a 7 inch like a large phone and type with your thumbs like you do now on a phone. With a 10" tablet you have to lay it down and type like you would on a laptop. Then again I'll probably use my tablet for browsing and don't expect to be typing so much so the extra real estate of the 10" makes sense too.

I think I'm going to wait for more impressions before I make the plunge.
 
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