- November 4, 2010 12:49 pm
Moto Backflip users have been stuck at Android 1.5 (Cupcake) since the device’s release. Blame Motorola’s custom skin and focus on higher-end devices. But alas, today is your day to shine. The Android 2.1 (Eclair) update is finally coming — November 9th. With it, users can expect such things as greater integration with Google services, new widgets, a total of 7 homescreens, a tweaked media gallery, and access to countless new apps that are only available to 2.0+ devices.
Yeah — Android 2.1 is last year’s news. But for Backflip owners, I’m sure they’ll take whatever bone AT&T and Motorola are willing to throw them. Backflip users: Let us know how it goes once the bits start flowing.
Update
The update has actually started rolling out to a small group of users today. It will go “global” (U.S. Only) by November 9th. Sorry for the confusion.
That whole Samsung/Behold II/Android 2.x drama we talked about yesterday just took a turn for the worst. Ya, Samsung pretty much hates you guys — you guys as in the one’s who picked up a Behold II with the belief Samsung was actually serious about supporting it longer than six months.
Unfortunately, speculation that Sammy was cuttin’ and runnin’ has been confirmed with an official tweet and forum reply to disgruntled end users stating the highest they’ll be able to upgrade is Android 1.6. Ouch. Step inside for the official replay their tweet is referring too…
You know a phone isn’t that great when it’s released with old, outdated software. Unfortunately, in the Android world the practice is all too common. What’s worse however is buying a phone with the aforementioned outdated software and promises of near future upgrades only to find out the opposite is true, that the company who swooned you with flashy advertising was lying and is unwilling to right their wrong.
Samsung has a problem…
Thankfully for us, Dell is terrible at keeping secrets. That’s allowed goodies such as the now official Streak to pique public interest for several weeks now with geeks around the world mulling over just what exactly Dell’s new device is.
To any average user, they look at the spec sheet and see data + voice features and say: “Smartphone!” But it’s soooo much more than that…
If you want to play in the big touchscreen smartphone arena these days, one crucial feature must be included — multi-touch. Even if you think it’s not that big of a deal, just look back at web archives from countless blogs over the last few months concerning the Moto DROID in particular. One of the biggest gripes was the lack of multi-touch. Clearly it’s a deciding factor.
So why then has Sony constructed a device that is 9/10 of the way there and simply gorgeous to look at with a beautifully and intuitively crafted UI such as the Xperia X10 left off such a crucial feature?
According to Sony themselves:
“It is correct that the X10 will not support multi-touch. However with the X10’s signature applications, the X10 offers an excellent user experience
The lack of multi-touch isn’t just a software issue (as it ships with Android 1.6 which lacks multi-touch API’s) but is even a hardware issue at this point. No software update can fix that.
It’s a shame really. Short of a lag here or there and no subsidized love in the US, the Xperia X10 was quite the looker. Unfortunately it now appears it will forever remain one of those “neighbor next door” kind of phones — always there tempting you yet always just out of your grasp. Except this time, the reason for the inability to finish the job is actually by choice.
IntoMobile
Android users in the UK, listen up. If you were distraught and wondering around the streets of the mother country because you couldn’t download music OTA via the Amazon MP3 app, now is the day to put away that hanky.
Amazon would love for you to know that UK’ers rockin’ that friendly little green machine can now partake of OTA music goodness. Of course, many users have already been using the service as a leaked version of the app was released some time back.
If you fit that bill, you still may want to eye upgrading. New numbers are always nice. Not to mention, the official app now supports Android 1.5. Whoop Whoop! Go into the Android Market app and search “Amazon/Amazon Music” and download the free app now.
Pocket-Lint
- January 15, 2010 10:21 pm
If you thought the DROID was pretty tight and the N1 wasn’t quite your cup of tea and were instead looking forward to the next great Android handset, it’d be in your best interest to pass on up this newly leaked Motorola “Ruth”.
According to the user profile, two of the bigger specs — the processor and the display — consist of a Qualcomm MSM7200a processor and QVGA display. They don’t seem too high end do they? The real kicker — or kick in the pants — is that this codenamed “Ruth” will ship…brand new…with Android 1.5. Mind you, even though the Ruth appears to be on the lower end of things, Android 1.5 will be over a year old by the time this device rolls around.
Releasing new hardware with old software is stupid on multiple fronts. I guess the big question is: Did Motorola have a one hit wonder with the DROID?
Engadget > Cellphone Signal
- December 16, 2009 9:07 pm
To AT&T users who have been holding out for their day to claim Android and use the The Nation’s Most Reliable Network, The Nation’s Fastest Network, “Death Star” — a gsm network that happens to reside inside of the U.S — the Moto Backflip/Enzo is a slap in the face.
AT&T had to get into the Android game at some point. They’d be stupid not to. While many AT&T hopeful were no doubt looking forward to some sweet high end uber Android device, I’m sorry to say that they won’t find it here. Granted, something is better than nothing of course. Or is it?
The phone as we now know it is the Motorola Backflip/Enzo and features that oddly aligned keyboard that when closed allows the keyboard to rest on the outside of the phone — Why? (shout out to Android Central, haha) — and also comes pre-loaded chock full of AT&T specific apps, lables, and branded buttons. Oh joy.
The specs are pretty similar to the Moto CLIQ on T-Mobile and position the phone squarely as a mid-range device more geared towards tweeners ad the “younger at heart”.
- 3.1 inch display 320 x 480 (HVGA)
- 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900 W-CDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100
- WiFi / Bluetooth 2.0 / GPS
- OS Android 1.5 with Motoblur
- 5 megapixel camera with LED flash
- Reverse flip keyboard & Rear directional touchpad
*Reamin positive, remain positive, remain positive.*
Being a complete gadget nerd I realize I want every new phone to blow me away and leave me speechless. I also realize that simply isn’t how life and the market woks. WIth that said, I’m still left disappointed completely disgusted with the Backflip/Enzo. AT&T people have been waiting for over a year and what do they have to show for it — a phone that uses the going on 2-year old 528MHz Qualcomm processor, outdated Android 1.5, AT&T garb through and through, and a goofy design that leaves the keyboard exposed even when closed.
Keyboard
First we’ll backtrack a tad and visit that keyboard. Why did they design it the way they did? I get the trackball on the back. It’s actually not a bad idea. It gives back precious space on the keyboard for what needs to be there — keys. The trackball then has free reign on the backside giving a rare yet seemingly highly functional design. The flipped keyboard however is weird. If the keys aren’t resilient, broken/missing keys are going to be a big issue. The keys however are nice and big — a plus!
Android 1.5?
What the hell is it with carriers spending so much time tweaking and fixing old software and pushing it out with a prettied face as if it’s something new and exciting. MotoBLUR’s design is cool and unique. I get that. But Android 1.5? Really!? I’d really like to know who makes these decisions and how they get the positions they do. The appearance of Android 1.5 isn’t the end however. Oh no, it’s gets better worse.
AT&T *vomit* branding
One of the great things about Android is the way it gives end users, carriers included, the ability to fully customize the OS till the ends of the earth. A blessing it is, a curse it has become. In the case of the AT&T Backflip/Enzo, AT&T hasn’t left any stone unturned, any button un-AT&T-ified, or any element of the phone free of AT&T’s crap branding. The AT&T key on the keyboard reeks of econo-phone stench. It’s just like those stupid WAP web buttons that Verizon in particular is getting so much flack for at the moment — nickel-and-diming users to death. If you have any dealings or memories of past encounters with dumb/feature phones on AT&T (or any other carrier), you’re all too familiar with those carrier branded apps. You know the ones that offer an extremely limited (read: poor, poor selection) of apps and services at greatly inflated prices and all because they (the carrier) feel they’re doing you a service.
**NOT a Google exerience — Yahoo Experience sucker punches after hiding popping out of the closet
Another blunder…wait for it…wait for it…a complete lack of any Google apps except for Google Maps. **Side Note: This isn’t the first “non-Google” phone. But seeing as how MotoBLUR on the CLIQ is so tightly integrated with Google apps, the complete 180 is striking.
Along the same lines, the stratification that everyone is starting to get worried about just got a big shot of relevance with this phone. A brand spankin’ new phone launching with old everything and the enemies search engine. I swear to god AT&T ruins everything they touch.
Yahoo Search love fest
Christ, I’ve lost all hope in this piece of garbage. An OS heavily pushed, touched, cared for, and ultimately run by Google features Yahoo Search as the crowning search provider. ‘Nough said.
I’ll probably get flamed, skewered, and raked over the hot coals for poo pooing AT&T’s Android virgin. So be it. I’m calling this waste of everyone’s time for what it is. Between insults and obscenities, just think about how you’re going to feel when twenty things are trying to update in the background (since MotoBLUR is all about the social scene) on that two-year old processor. Lest we not forget how the MotoCLIQ was looked upon unfavorably because of the unrefined OS. The ultimate uber social idea is great and all. But the hardware on the CLIQ — the exact same as this phone here — had a hard time juggling so many tasks.
In the end, I come away feeling sad. Sad beyond words for the countless AT&T users whom are weeping oceans from their faces asking themselves “Why?”. Why did they wait for so long only to be let down so harshly? Can AT&T not step away from their own little world where they’re the super greatest and realize that they are not a software company nor GUI designer? Because of that, they need to learn to keep their hands off of the phone itself. It worked wonderfully on the iPhone — not a hint of AT&T crap branding except for the network indicator. Though Apple has a much larger bargaining power than Motorola. On that note, I’d also be interested to know exactly how much influence Motorola had and how much power AT&T stripped away.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Backflip/Enzo will gain a loyal following much like the socially connected CLIQ on T-Mobile. But as far as gaining anything close to the Droid-like cult following and mass hysteria — well, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell. Not one. The Moto Backflip/Enzo is a knock against Android, AT&T, and Motorola.
So AT&T users, are you now left looking ahead to the next Android device that will hopefully come sometime in 2010? Currently you’re only hope is looking at being either the Nexus One since it comes with your 3G bands and all or some completely unknown device. Ya, your options downright suck right now.
Phandroid Android Central
Motorola CLIQ users have now had a good 12 hours to wring their freshly updated CLIQ’s to the ends of their ropes. I have to say that it’s an extremely good thing that Motorola pushed out the update they did — fixing numerous bugs and tweaking app/memory/processor management as to get a grip on that abysmal battery life. But I’m sure like me, many of you are disappointed that you’re still stuck with Android 1.5 and weren’t upgraded to 1.6 at least. No excuses. Android really needs to watch this fragmentation. The bigger Android becomes, the larger the cracks that form will be. With that ominous note aside, I’ll simply end by asking: “How does it fare?”
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