Cell Bytes

Looks like we’re moving closer and closer toward a release of Android 2.2 for those of you Milestone owners in Europe. It’s been a lengthy, drawn out process, but Motorola’s finally making progress and it seems you guys will be getting a nice gift heading into the holiday seasons.

Hello. From next week we start user trials of the European Milestone upgrade to Froyo. Once these are complete, we will know what further work is required to optimise, before going into final testing and approval stage. As previously we plan to start rolling the update at the end of this year, but wanted to keep you updated. Thanks

This was after Motorola was unsure if they would even issue an upgrade to Android 2.2 for the device. I’m not so sure they would’ve received as much backlash as they did if they hadn’t quickly issued that same upgrade for the American counterpart – the Motorola Droid on Verizon.

Everything’s well for at least one group of you now, though. We’re still awaiting their decision on the Latin American Milestone, and we’re still waiting for users on their 1.5 devices to be stepped up to Android 2.1. Let’s get this ball rolling sooner rather than later, Moto.

[via Motorola Europe Facebook] [Thanks, Richy!]

Well, well, well, if it isn’t the HTC Merge again. This time, Android Central grabbed another look at the device in full color and motion. Nothing out of the ordinary to see here, but it’s the first time we’ve been able to see this device moving about. We know it’ll come preinstalled with Android 2.2, but it looks like we won’t be getting the latest version of HTC Sense found on the Desire Z and Desire HD (though it’s possible that could change before this handset comes out, whenever that is.) This phone is “Bing-ified,” but you knew that. Anything else is just drool material if you’re waiting on this phone, so be sure to press that play button ASAP.

More info from our friends at Android and Me regarding the Tegra 2-enabled handset Motorola’s putting out has just rolled in. According to them, the device – which, for now, is affectionately known as the T2 (or Terminator) – won’t just be for Verizon as all of Motorola’s high-end handset have been here in the states. Latest rumors from his source suggests that the device is going to be treated by Motorola similar to how the Galaxy S was treated by Samsung: try to get this thing into as many hands as possible.

It would be a welcome change of pace from all of the exclusivity Verizon’s been enjoying lately. It’s not that I don’t like that Verizon’s getting all of the goods, it’s just that I’m rooting for Motorola to make an even bigger impact than they already have, and if they have a dual-core Tegra 2 phone coming out, I want a chance to own it on the carrier I prefer as a die-hard Phandroid like myself would jump at an opportunity to own what surely sounds to be the next generation of Android handsets. Now we just have to wait and see if Motorola Mobility (new company, remember?) will be willing to spill out a few tidbits before CES rolls around. Regardless, January’s looking to prove to be a very exciting month.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab just got rumored for a November 1st launch on Verizon, and now the user guide is in town to further get us thinking this thing isn’t far from release. The user guide doesn’t give us much new info on specific functionality of the device (though it seems to suggest more telephony capabilities than the Tab really carries), but it does give us an idea of what Verizon is loading into the device.

Despite some evidence to suggest Verizon might be going all-out Bing, Google Search is mentioned in the guide. Expect apps pre-loaded to include NFL Mobile, Slacker, Kindle, ThinkFree Office, VCast, and VZ Navigator. Head to the source link to see the full thing.

[via DroidLife]

More information is slowly trickling in about the US release of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. After Sprint was pegged with a rumored November 14th launch date and a T-Mobile leak further confirmed the Tab will cost $399 on a carrier contract, insiders are placing the Android slate’s debut on November 1st on Verizon. Now as of now, just about everything but T-Mobile’s pricing is rumor or speculation, but early November seems spot on if the carriers want this one out in time to be a holiday hit. We’re pretty positive the $399 price will stick across the board as it was also rumored for Sprint’s launch.

[via DroidLife]

A Verizon source recently tipped the folks of BGR about an event taking place on October 14, involving the launch of BlackBerry 6. The OS will debut via an interactive launch organized by Verizon on Thursday, October 14. Will a new device accompany this launch so soon after the Torch announcement? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

We don’t expect prices for the Samsung Galaxy Tab to be much different from carrier to carrier here in the US, so take this as an unofficial preview of what to expect for Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T: T-Mobile’s Tab will supposedly be priced at $399.99 after a two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate. Without a contract, you’re looking at $649.99 to pick up one of the first Android tablets to be released with the chance to challenge Apple’s own 10-inch beast.

We were also treated to some specs, but it doesn’t sound much different from what we’ve heard before. (All of the Galaxy Tabs will have identical specs save for the lack of a front-facing camera on the AT&T version.)  If you need  a refresher, take a quick look above.

[via TmoNews]

We haven’t heard much about the HTC Bee since it showed up next to the Lexikon in an earlier leak. Today, a new leak gives us an early press render of the phone without any carrier branding, but a look at the phone’s ROM shows signs of this thing headed to Alltel. It’s worthy to note that we’ve also heard of this phone going to Verizon, and sure enough Alltel sits comfortably beneath Verizon’s umbrella.

It’s still not clear who the device will be offered through – nor is it clear whether or not Verizon and Alltel will allow you to use it interchangeably between their networks – but I can’t imagine those details will remain hidden for too long. In the meantime, let’s go over some stats: Android 2.2, a QVGA touchscreen (no word on screen size, but a safe estimation is 2.8 to 3.1 inches if we’re going by the resolution.), a 528 MHz Qualcomm processor, 386 MB of RAM, and a 5-megapixel camera. It definitely is a “bee” of a device as it would be accurate to describe it as Verizon’s HTC Aria. Or Alltel’s. Or whose ever.

[via PocketNow]