Cell Bytes

We were all wondering when (if at all) HTC would get around to fixing the framerate capping issue uncovered way back when on the EVO 4G. It turns out the “minor” update released earlier this week has the EVO saying bye-bye to a measly 30 frames per second limit. Though HTC had initially stated the problem couldn’t be solved with new firmware alone (even though hackers were able to loosen the restraints using a bit of code), it seems they must have found a way if only to silence the outcry of EVO fanboys everywhere. Not such a minor update after all, huh?

[via Engadget]

Motorola Droid 2 World Edition is much more than we expected and more than meets the eye… Recently pictured in a batch of photos that show it in action, the smartphone could feature a 1.2GHz CPU, as claimed by the folks of IntoMobile. There’s also a new color scheme in the mix, a pretty pacifist one, so to say.

As you might have figured out, the Droid 2 World supports both GSM and CDMA standards and it’s a pretty slick piece of gadgetry. Benchmark tests of the device have proved that it performs even better than the champion, Nexus One using Froyo as its OS.

However, the T-Mobile G2, for example is still able to put up a fight, only using a mere 800MHz Scorpion CPU, but that’s a different chipset architecture we’re talking about. Real world use of the device will tell which is best. This version of the Droid 2 could be a bit more expensive than the standard one, so you’re going to pay more than $200 (first Droid 2 units’ price).

[via IntoMobile]

During what appears to have become “maintenance update” week in the Android world – with the Samsung Epic 4G, Samsung Fascinate, Samsung Captivate, HTC Hero, HTC EVO 4G, and the Motorola Droid X all getting updates of some sort (Froyo or otherwise) – the LG Ally throws up its “me too” flag and will be offering a maintenance update of their own. It reportedly started this past Friday, and here’s what to expect when your device pulls it down within the next few weeks:

• Enjoy preloaded applications like City ID, Skype,® My Verizon,and Corporate Directory.
• Updated Backup Assistant application.
• Enhanced ability to pair Ally with multiple Bluetooth® devices.
• Improved camera performance.
• Overall enhancement for Microsoft® Exchange email accounts.
• Improved device detection when syncing Ally to a PC via USB cable.
• Operate the Gallery application with improved speed and efficiency.
• Improved Android¿ operating system security.
• Enhanced battery life.
• Improved application responsiveness when opening from home screen.

It all sounds pretty nice, so be sure to install this as soon as it’s ready to be pulled down to your Ally.

[via AC, LG Forums, Verizon Forums]

Simply releasing a Motorola Droid 2 with internals capable of global roaming probably wouldn’t have done much to differentiate the world device from the D2 currently on Verizon’s shelves, so good thing Big Red decided to give the phone a cosmetic makeover (at least in the color department). This is our first look at what will be the Droid 2 World Edition (or Droid 2 Global or Droid Pro or whatever it may end up being called) with its white casing and silver screen bezel as opposed to the blue and gunmetal of the first Droid 2. Rumor has it this one might replace the first iteration of the Droid 2 outright in VZW’s lineup.

Other than the new colors and roaming capabilities, looks like we will be getting the same exact phone. We more or less expected that, though some were holding out hope for some tweaks in the hardware here and there.

This will be the first world-roaming member of the Droid family and I must say the new look makes this a pretty tempting handset. Hit up the via link below for a couple more images.

[via DroidLife]

After some initial confusion around the launch of the Motorola Milestone XT720 it was said that a once 550MHz CPU would ship at a clock speed of 720MHz. Turns out when the phone’s got into the hands of consumers they were still sitting right at the original, lower speed. But Moto wants to make things right by issuing an update that will up the limit on the CPU to the promised 720MHz. Also included in the update is the introduction of DLNA support for wireless media streaming to other devices. The update is currently available for XT720 handsets originating in the UK or Germany.

In other Milestone-related news, it looks like the original handset (AKA the Motorola Droid) will be hitting Alltell’s airwaves on 9/23. Alltell was bought out by Verizon who in turn sold off the remaining Alltell shops to AT&T with plans to re-brand existing locations as AT&T stores by January. Does this mean the Milestone would carry over to AT&T? Don’t count on it.

[via Tracy and Matt, DroidLife]

Though HTC has been clear that they have not formally announced any plans for an Android tablet, last week a rumor came out that we could be seeing the device as soon as early 2011. Now Digitimes — the source of the original rumor — has their sources inside of Taiwanese device manufacturer Pegatron Technology spilling the beans again, this time revealing the specs of the device they are supposedly contracted to manufacture.

According to their report, the HTC tablet will feature the NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset, a 1280×720 resolution touchscreen, 2GB of RAM and 32GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. An estimated price based on build cost has been tossed together and sits right around $790. If this and other rumors turn out true the device will run Android 3.0 and be available in Q1 of next year.

[Digitimes via Gizmodo]

Well that didn’t take long. After the last update to the platform versions chart showed Android 2.2 sitting somewhere below 5 percent distribution on devices, a slew of updates for the likes of the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Incredible plus the release of the Motorola Droid 2 has helped rocket the OS version up to 28.7 percent. Android 2.1 begins its drop by falling to 41.7 percent after a quick rise to holdings of over 50 percent of devices. Do the math and Android 2.1 or above accounts for about 70 percent of all Android devices.

A quick look at the version history chart shows a slower rise for Froyo than Eclair, but adaptation has begun to pick up at a rate that matches the first big explosion of Android 2.1 back in April. Once dominant and now outdated Android versions 1.5 and 1.6 are nearing the end of their decline to obscurity and together account for the other 30 percent of the pie.

[via Android Developers]

Motorola has once again revised their software upgrade chart to reflect the latest timeline for their Android devices to receive their respective updates. Most notably the Motorola Quench has been deemed unfit for an upgrade after a previous iteration of the chart said its Android 2.1 update was “under evaluation” as well as the international Backflip and Dext. Devices that were listed as not receiving an update now get the text “Will remain on Android 1.x for the best combined hardware and software experience.”

On the USA side of things the chart has been updated to show the completion of the Motorola Droid Android 2.2 roll out, while the Droid X remains listed for a late summer push. We are about as late into the summer as we can get, and with the wording of this particular entry not changing it’s a good sign, trust me. The Motorola Backflip has gone from an Android 2.1 update in Q3 to joining the Cliq and Cliq XT as “testing in process, planned for late Q3/early Q4.” Strange that the foreign counterpart — the Quench — simply won’t receive the update.

Uh-oh. Even if you’ve been running flash on your Motorola Droid newly-adorned with Android 2.2, it seems Adobe’s updated requirements for running Flash on an Android device excludes the phone from being ideal. As the chart now states, a phone with a 550MHz-plus Cortex A8 processor and VGA screen resolution is still capable of running the plugin without problems, but it isn’t until you get into WVGA resolutions (read: close to what the Droid houses) that they start requiring a beefier CPU (800MHz Cortex A8, to be precise).

For you rooters, you won’t give a whoop: the Motorola Droid can be overclocked well beyond 800MHz and your flash content will play just as beautifully as it does on any other speedy device today. For those not into that scene (read: a crap ton of people), your fate has yet to be decided. With these new requirements, will Adobe eventually pull support for the phone? Or will this urge Motorola to ramp up the clock speed on devices through a kernel update?

Would you rather Adobe continue to try and truly optimize the platform for mobile or are they justified in excluding certain devices not up to standards? (even if the chipset is technically capable of handling the plugin, clock speed aside.)

[via Droid-Life]

Many were reluctant to take part in the contest Verizon’s holding through their @DroidLanding Twitter account for the R2D2 special edition of the Motorola Droid 2. They’re doing it differently from the Droid X’s contest, though, as there are no scavenger hunts or GPS coordinates to mess around with. Instead, they tweet out codes and clues that you have to use to unlock certain areas of the R2D2’s website. Whoever is responsible for exposing the section they expose wins a free R2-Droid 2.

Thus far, two sections have been unlocked: the Apps and Widgets section netted Droid-Life’s reader Andrew Tarr a new phone, and someone else (yet to be named) has unlocked a gallery of images showing off the device and what appears to be an accompanying docking station (pictured above). For the rest of the gallery, be sure to head on over to the landing site now (and try to unlock more sections!)