What’s this we spy in the dusty depths of a Telstra software update page? A little sentence that displays some crowd-pleasing logic in bringing Android 2.3 to the hoary old Desire. HTC originally told us the handset had insufficient memory to run Gingerbread, and so would be excluded from the update. Then it did a 180-flip and said the Desire would be getting Gingerbread after all, but with the sacrifice of some memory-hogging apps. But now Aussie Telstra has opted for arguably the smartest alternative: prepare a special update that kicks HTC’s Sense UI out of the pub instead, freeing up plenty of room for Gingerbread while also pleasing punters who like to drink their Android neat. If it can work Down Under in August, other operators around the world ought to be able to make it work too. And if they don’t, there’s always the option of a spicy home-brewed beverage instead.

[Thanks, Alejandro]

Telstra will scrap Sense UI to make room for Gingerbread on the HTC Desire originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, here’s the tally: as of June 14th, there’s just “not enough memory” in the Desire for Gingerbread to run properly. As of the 15th, however, there is. We won’t pretend to understand what changed so drastically in the past 24 hours, but what is clear is that the aforesaid handset maker is listening to its most demanding of users. While it’s safe to assume that the Average Joe (or Jane) wouldn’t be able to recognize the difference between Android 2.2 and 2.3, folks clamoring for the update seem to have coerced the company to make things work. In other words, it looks like the update is back on… now it’s just a matter of making it run well. Kudos HTC, and godspeed.

Update: Turns out that HTC’s engineers will “cut select apps” to enable the Gingerbread update.

[Thanks, Frederik]

HTC pulls a 180, now says Gingerbread is coming to Desire (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After months attempting to bring the Desire up to speed with Android 2.3, HTC is throwing in the towel, and it doesn’t have much more than a comments section full of disappointed handset owners to show for it. The UK branch of the phone manufacturer announced via its Facebook page that attempts to upgrade the Nexus One-esque smartphone to Gingerbread have proven fruitless, due to a lack of internal memory on the device. According to the company, the promised update just won’t play nicely with its Sense UI. Those desiring less official methods can always check out the leaked 2.3.3 ROM. Everyone else will have to suffer through the Froyo brain freeze.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

HTC Desire tries to catch Gingerbread, can’t keep up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If this image doesn’t have you completely dumbfounded, scroll down and watch the video. Sufficiently awestruck? Good. Now, for a little background on exactly how someone got a pile of Legos and a smartphone to solve the devil’s puzzle Megaminx. The aptly titled Megaminxer enlists the Mindstorms NXT kit to do the dirty work and an HTC Desire, running a custom Android app, as the brains of the operation. Said app uses the phone’s camera to take individual images of each of the puzzle’s 12 faces, then processes the information and sends a signal via Bluetooth to the NXT controller, which in turn goes to town. Unfortunately, there’s no explaining how they got the Android to dance like that, but, really, why ruin the magic?

[Thanks, Stuart]

Continue reading HTC Desire solves dodecahedron Rubik’s Cube, will blow your mind (video)

HTC Desire solves dodecahedron Rubik’s Cube, will blow your mind (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When it launched the Incredible S at MWC a couple of weeks ago, HTC promised the new 4-inch device would be quick to get a Gingerbread update and now it’s giving us a definitive schedule for it by saying that Android 2.3 will be distributed to its new flagship phone by the end of Q2 2011. We’re not sure four months of sitting by the window waiting for the OTA update to float in necessarily matches up to our definition of “quick,” but there are much better news for owners of HTC’s older devices. The Desire HD and Desire Z — both released in September 2010 — will also be leaping away from Froyo and up to Gingerbread and will be joined by the original Desire, which was announced way back at last year’s MWC. That handset was essentially HTC’s own-brand Nexus One, so we already knew it was capable of running Gingerbread, but it’s still rare to see a device go through two significant Android updates (the Desire began life with Android 2.1). All these old Desires are placed on the same update schedule as the Incredible S, whereas the newly announced Desire S and Wildfire S will ship with Gingerbread preloaded.

[Thanks, Johannes]

HTC Incredible S, Desire HD, Desire Z and original Desire will all be eating Gingerbread by the end of June originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have an Android phone on U.S. Cellular and want to know when to expect your Froyo update? We’ve got the goods. If this chart we’ve been handed rings true, the HTC Desire and Samsung Mesmerize (Galaxy S) stand to get Android 2.2 in early February, with the LG Apex following up sometime later in the first quarter.

The Samsung Acclaim just got its update — you can find it and all future upgrades here.

And, yes, this lends more fuel to the fire that Samsung has Galaxy S Froyo updates waiting in the wings — the question is why nobody in the U.S. them yet. But it certainly is starting to look like we’ll see them soon. Thanks, anon!

US Cellular's Froyo updates detailed — Desire, Mesmerize in early February posted originally by Android Central

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HTC has been on quite a roll this past year, and UK-based T3 (a technology and gadgets magazine) has rewarded the company with their prestigious "Technology Brand of the Year" award. Editor Luke Peters cited "solid handset performance" alongside a "determined yet humble brand personality" as leading reasons for the award, which doesn’t come as a surprise as the company has nabbed smartphone of the year awards the past two years (HTC Hero last year, HTC Desire this year). Last year’s brand was none other than Google’s Android OS, so HTC is certainly in good company. "Quietly Brilliant", indeed. [HTC]

HTC named 'Technology Brand of the Year' by UK's T3 magazine posted originally by Android Central

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What have we here now? Looks like that HTC Bee leak that we saw with Alltel branding that just surfaced should have been a clear sign that it was coming, but we wouldn’t have realized it would be just this soon! Shots were sent in from an Alltel location showing off the HTC Bee and the Desire dummy units, which is great for everyone still on Alltel waiting for some new Android choices. [via Droid-Life]

Posted originally at Android Central

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Two pieces of news for any readers in the land of the rising sun — Softbank Mobile announced that they will be selling the Desire HD in mid November, with reservations being taken starting Oct 15; and the Froyo rollout for the original Desire has been halted for devices with OLED screens. 

Last week we reported that users running the HTC Desire on Softbank would soon be seeing some Froyo lovin’, and that still stands — as long as they’re sporting a version of the Desire with the TFT LCD display.  While there’s no details about exactly why the OLED version was halted, the LCD version is scheduled to roll out as planned starting today.

It’s hard to find anything more exciting than a Froyo update, but the news that the Desire HD will be launching just might do it.  We’ve seen it for Europe, and on Vodaphone specifically, but so far all we’ve heard or seen for those of us in the states is T-Mobile’s MyTouch HD version.  Wouldn’t this be a beast on AT&T?  [Softbank Mobile (Japanese)]  Thanks Christopher!

Posted originally at Android Central

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Japanese carrier Softbank Mobile will also be updating its HTC Desire to Froyo, via an over the air update starting Oct 8.  It appears it will have the same system (with Japanese language support of course) as all its North American and European counterparts, including full support for Adobe Flash.  A much better translation of the official blurb than the Google Translate version:

Softbank Mobile has announced that they will commence an over the air update for their HTC Desire customers on 10/8. The update will upgrade the phones to Android 2.2, with Flash 10.1, 720p camera, SD card storage for applications, and some native language sorting problems will be solved.

[Softbank (Japanese)] Special thanks to Christopher for tip and the translation.  Domo arigato!

Posted originally at Android Central

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