The HTC DROID Incredible will be joining the DROID 2 tomorrow as a Verizon Android 2.2 phone. This update will add some great features like Flash, mobile hotspot, 720p video recording, and general improvements to the OS. Look for the update to start hitting DROID Incredibles tomorrow!

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Well lookie here. The leaks have just been slipping enough lately that I may just say, “It’s raining Windows Phone 7, Hallelujah”! Ok, maybe not, but there have been quite the few leaks to look into these past couple of weeks. First it was the unannounced Samsung phone that looked almost like an exact replica of the highly acclaimed i8910 Omnia HD, which later was revealed that it is the Samsung Cetus i917 due out for AT&T. Then it was the LG C900 who popped up next, which is also AT&T branded and due out in the near future. Today we have the latest Windows 7 phone leak, the T8788, an HTC built device which looks very polished like it is ready to start production. Of course the T8788 model name will change before it is ousted to the masses, but the unique feature about this particular device is the landscape slide-out speaker. When you first take a glance at it you obviously notice the device will slide out in landscape mode, but when you slide the screen up, there is no keyboard under the screen. It is a full fledged speaker underneath, which sort of reminds you of that other phone that also slid out a speaker back in the days. Being that there is a speaker instead of a full QWERTY keyboard underneath, nice 3.7 in. screen (as it seems from the photo), it sounds like this device will be heavily advertised to be media-driven. Word has it there is also a kickstand on the back for easy viewing for movies and video clips. So who’s going to connect their Bose desktop speakers to this once it comes out?

Source Engadget

The Sprint HTC EVO 4G is hands down one of the most powerful Android phones on the market. The carrier announced today that it would become more powerful with the Android 2.2 Froyo update. Sprint also brags that it is the first carrier to bring this update to an Android phone. Some of the improvements include:

• Voice Dialing Over Bluetooth.
• Application Storage on External Memory, giving users more storage room for all their apps.
• Camera 4-way rotation allows the camera icons to rotate with the camera.
• Improved Browser Performance including a faster JavaScript engine and Flash 10x Support improving the user’s ability to view videos and available content associated with web pages.

Sprint says that the update will start hitting phones on August 3rd and will proceed throughout August. Customers who hate waiting can go into Settings and initiate the update themselves. Hit the jump for the full release

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Sprint is the first wireless carrier to bring Android 2.2 to customers using the award-winning HTC EVO™ 4G beginning Tuesday, Aug. 3

Android 2.2 offers HTC EVO 4G feature enhancements including Bluetooth® voice dialing, built-in Flash, the ability to store apps to the memory card and much, much more

The award-winning HTC EVO 4G just got that much better. We are excited to announce that beginning the week of Aug. 1; Sprint will begin rolling out the Android 2.2 upgrade to its HTC EVO 4G customers.

Sprint will be the first wireless carrier to bring the latest version of Android to its customers. The Android 2.2 software release provides a significant number of feature enhancements, including:
• Voice Dialing Over Bluetooth.
• Application Storage on External Memory, giving users more storage room for all their apps.
• Camera 4-way rotation allows the camera icons to rotate with the camera.
• Improved Browser Performance including a faster JavaScript engine and Flash 10x Support improving the user’s ability to view videos and available content associated with web pages.

“Sprint is thrilled with our customers’ response to HTC EVO 4G and the innovative and exciting experience it offers,” said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development for Sprint. “It is exciting for us to lead the industry in bringing the Android 2.2 update to these customers and improve on the amazing experience they receive with America’s first 4G capable phone.”

Easy Downloading
Sprint will begin sending update notifications to users in waves beginning Tuesday, Aug. 3 and the upgrade should be available for all HTC EVO 4G users by the middle of August.

The notification will let the users know that the update is available and it will provide the simple two-step over-the-air download process.

1. Users will receive a notification that Android 2.2 is available for download.
2. Once the user has downloaded the update, they will be prompted to install the update. The user will be notified that their device will be disabled during the installation process. The phone will be ready to use once the process completes.

For those who just can’t wait to get Android 2.2, there will be an easy user initiated option to download the upgrade. Customers can access the software update through their HTC EVO 4G under the Settings Menu System Updates HTC Software Update. This will initiate the three-step process also.

Rave Reviews and Accolades for EVO
Check out what the top tech reviewers are saying about the device.
Walt Mossberg with the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) says:

“The HTC EVO 4G, when used on Sprint’s 4G network, offers the highest consistent downstream data speeds I have ever seen on a cellular network. It also has a number of other strong features: a front-facing camera for video chatting, and the ability to serve as a Wi-Fi hotspot (for an extra fee of $30 a month) that can simultaneously connect up to eight laptops or other devices to the Internet.”

Chris Ziegler with Engadget says:

“Let us be crystal clear: we love this phone. Nay, we adore it. …truly one of the best smartphones ever made…”

Sascha Segan with PC Magazine says:

“…if you live online, the EVO offers a big, beautiful, and powerful window to the world.”

“The EVO starts with a world-class 3G smartphone and adds 4G as a “turbo boost” option. If you’re an intensive Web user, you’ll like it even without 4G.”

Bonnie Cha with CNET says:

“Overall, the HTC Evo 4G is, hands-down, the best smartphone that Sprint has to offer and certainly ranks as one of the best Android phones on the market today.”

Jessica Mintz with the Associated Press says:

“HTC’s Evo 4G phone is fast, powerful and fun to use – as long as your heart isn’t set on tapping into the speedier new network it was designed for.”

Mark Spoonauer with Laptop Magazine says:

“Even if 4G hasn’t yet reached your neck of the woods, the Evo 4G is a killer device thanks to its zippy processor, huge display, and an interface that makes Android more intuitive and user-friendly. While the keyboard could be better and the battery life longer, the Evo 4G richly deserves our Editors’ Choice award. It’s a no-brainer for Sprint customers, and a tempting choice for those on other carriers.”

Matt Buchannan with Gizmodo says:

“It’s actually staggering how different the experience is of using a phone that has over 4 inches of display, diagonally, versus more conventional screens, which run closer to 3.5 inches. Even when you’re using the same OS at the same resolution-in this case, Android 2.1 with HTC’s Sense UI at 800×480, seen on their last few Android phones.

It’s kind of like when the jeans you’ve been wearing forever start to fit a little too snugly because you’ve been eating a little too well, and you finally cave and buy a bigger pair of jeans, there’s a mindblowing moment when you close the button for the first time of how much freedom you suddenly have to breathe. So you kind of hyperventilate.”

CNET, LAPTOP Magazine and eWeek gave HTC EVO 4G awards for Best of Show when it was announced at CTIA this spring. It was also recently cited on MobileTechReview’s Best Smartphones and Best Touch Screen Phones lists.

Customer favorites on HTC EVO 4G’s long list of features include the 4.3-inch screen, dual 8MP video camera capable of capturing HD quality and front-facing 1.3MP camera. They also appreciate the HDMI output jack making it simple to start a movie for your children in the backseat of the car with the phone and then connect to an HDTV to finish it when you arrive at home.2 Business customers highlight its super-fast 1GHz processor, simultaneous voice and data capability in 4G or Wi-Fi coverage areas enabling Web surfing and more during conversation, and built-in mobile hotspot for up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices.3 For HTC EVO 4G images visit Sprint’s image gallery.

Amazing at 3G, Unbelievable at 4G
Sprint is the first national carrier offering the next generation of broadband technology today in 43 markets. Sprint 4G delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G from any other wireless carrier4, giving HTC EVO 4G a faster data speeds than any U.S. wireless device available today. HTC EVO 4G’s exciting features and applications are compelling and powerful in a 3G world, but they become even more amazing when experienced with 4G speeds.

AT&T has begun expanding its phone assortment to include Android phone. The HTC Aria is the carrier’s second Android device and the only one that has the HTC Sense UI on it. The Aria runs version 2.1 of Android so it doesn’t have all of the features of the 2.2, like Adobe Flash support. However, the phone will be getting the 2.2 update later this summer. While many phones are expanding their size to maximize screen space, the Aria took a different approach and made a relatively small device.

Hardware:

When comparing the HTC Aria to other popular smartphones, like the DROID X or HTC EVO 3G, it is immediately evident that the Aria is much smaller in size. This is not necessarily a bad thing for certain consumers. However, with smaller size comes a smaller screen to play around with; the Aria has a 3.2-inch capacitive touch screen display. The phone is also lighter than many of the other smartphones on the market, weighing in at 115 grams.

The hardware itself is very sleek and industrial. HTC keeps the phone real simple by making the entire phone black with silver spots for text, the camera, and screws. Wait, screws? There is a screw in each corner on the back of the phone. These screws look as if they can be taken out to get inside the actual phone (mind your warranty). We are assuming that HTC chose to expose these screws through the back case to give the phone a sort of industrial look. And to be honest, we think the screws add a cool look to the phone. On the front of the phone there is a round trackpad and four touch sensitive buttons that help navigate around the phone. The front of the phone looks simple, yet clean.

The 3.2-inch capacitive touch screen display is  very responsive to different movements and touches. We found that even when moving up and down the menu, the screen seemed to follow our finger’s movements immediately.

So how is the build quality? We aren’t sure if it is just our unit, but the back cover seems to creak pretty easily when playing around with the phone. We think it might be how the case snaps onto the back of the phone, but either way it is annoying.

Software:

The HTC Aria runs Google’s Android operating system with HTC’s Sense UI over it. With Android version 2.1, the Aria is missing some interesting features that Android version 2.2 bring along. The big one people are talking about is Adobe Flash. We haven’t heard a release date on AT&T releasing 2.2 for the Aria yet.

Android as an operating system works great and has a pretty big following. The Aria has a 600MHz processor that works allows applications to open up quickly without much lag. While it may not be as fast as some of the new Android phones like the DROID X or EVO, it does have the power to support this phone. Android has great features like the Android Market with over 70,000 applications in it, Google Maps integration, and FriendSteam that comes with HTC Sense. HTC Sense is a great UI on Android phones and really makes the operating system shine. HTC Sense runs on many other popular phones like the HTC EVO 4G and the DROID Incredible. The graphics on Sense make the phone enjoyable to use and not seem as bland. There are give different customizable home screens that users can place shortcuts on or place a widget that will allow for easy access to different features of the phone.

Since the Aria is an AT&T-branded phone, the company has loaded some of its own software into the phone. We found that a lot of software just cluttered the phone menu and we never seemed to use a lot of it. For example, AT&T Hot Spots will locate your nearest AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot. Other AT&T applications incliude AT&T FamilyMap, AT&T Navigator, MoviTV, AT&T Radio, Mobile Video, Mobile Banking, and YellowPages.

With no physical keyboard, the Aria utilizes the Android on-screen keyboard. The on-screen keyboard on the Aria is accurate and guesses what work you might be trying to type. We found it easy to use and type on in both landscape and portrait mode.

Camera

The HTC Aria has a 5 megapixel camera packed inside its small body. It works nicely and takes good pictures in well-lit areas; however, not so much in dark areas because the Aria lacks a flash. Check out our sample shots:

Battery Life

The Aria packs a 1300 mAh battery that HTC says can give you 6 hours of talk time. We found that the battery will last the full day for moderate users. On heavy use days we had to plug in for a recharge when we got the low battery warnings.

Conclusion

The HTC Aria is a great choice if looking for an Android phone on AT&T. Its small size will be a plus for many customers in a time when big phones are taking over the market. Those looking for a huge screen may want to avoid this one, but its small size is great for carrying around in the pocket.

First there was the Motorola DROID that started the Android revolution on the Verizon Wireless network. But now there is the Droid Incredible and there are some major differences from the original Droid. The specifications on the Droid Incredible really make the phone incredibly fast and responsive. You may have seen this phone on the new Verizon “Droid Does” commercials, and now we are bringing you the review after a month of real use with the phone.

Hardware:

The Droid Incredible has an interesting body to it. From first glance it just looks like a thin phone with a really high quality display. However once picked up, the Incredible reveals a shapely back panel and a interesting color scheme. On the left side of the phone there is the volume toggle and the charging port, which takes a microUSB connection. One of our complaints about the design is that the charging port is placed on the bottom half of the left side of the phone which makes it difficult to charge and talk on at the same time. On the front of the phone there is a optical joystick that allows you to navigate around the phone without using the touchscreen display.

The HTC Droid Incredible has some powerful internal specs that make the phone fast and usable. With a 3.7″ 480×800 WVGA OLED touch screen display, this phone’s display really shines and looks fantastic. With a 1 Ghz Snapdragon processor, you will rarely find lag and slow response on the Incredible. 8GB of internal memory (and the opportunity to add 16GB more with a microSD card) gives users the opportunity to take advantage of all the media capabilities of the Incredible and put the 8 megapixel camera to good use.

The HTC Droid Incredible weighs in at 4.59 ounces which makes it just a tad bit lighter than the iPhone.  The phone is pretty thin and easy to hold in the hand. On the front of the phone, under the display, there are four touch buttons that allow you to go home, bring up the menu, go back, or search for something. We had no problem working with these and never seemed to hit them by accident.

Software:

The HTC Incredible runs Android 2.1 and has the HTC Sense interface. With its Snapdragon possessor and 512MB of RAM, the Incredible runs really smoothly and can have a decent amount of apps open at the same time. There were times we would have 7 or 8 apps open at a time and didn’t notice any difference in performance.

HTC Sense is the user interface that runs on top of the Android operating system. It really makes the operating system shinen with its graphics and functionality. Sense has a widget called FriendStream that allows you to connect it to your social networks and see what your friends are doing. We found that really useful and set as one of our homescreens. There are multiple other widgets that can be added to homepages. We have used Android phones without Sense and we can honestly say that we just don’t enjoy them as much. This user interface really adds what we believe is needed for a great smartphone.

The HTC Droid Incredible does not have a physical keyboard. Therefore, there is a on-screen keyboard that pops up when needed. The keyboard turns as you turn the phone making it easy to type when holding the phone sideways. After extensive email, web, and text messaging use, we found the keyboard to work fine. We had some trouble getting words right when the phone was upright. However, we loved the keyboard when using the phone turned sideways. If you spell a word incorrectly, it will give you options to fix it or add it to the dictionary.

Camera:

The Droid Incredible has an impressive 8 megapixel camera with a flash. This camera can be used to take some pretty nice photos and videos, but it probably will not replace your real camera. The quality is good, but it just isn’t up to par with a real camera. Check out some pictures below.

Conclusion:

The HTC Droid Incredible really shines when it comes to Verizon smartphones. At this point, I can honestly say that the Incredible may be the best smartphone currently available on Verizon. If you are a hardcore BlackBerry user, you may think otherwise. However, for the standard user looking to get a smartphone, the Incredible is a great choice at this time. The camera quality is ahead of most phones, the Sense UI and speed of the phone really make it usable.

After many speculation dates, Verizon has announced that the HTC DROID Incredible would be making its way onto the network on April 29th. Many early reviews have called this device the best Android phone available in the United States and really think the phone has potential. The Incredible has a very fast Snapdragon processor and a 8-megapixel camera. Running Google’s Android OS 2.1 and HTC Sense, the phone really shines and takes advantage of its amazing display. The phone is available for pre-order beginning today on the Verizon website. The phone is priced at $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a contract.

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Earlier today Verizon sent an internal memo to its employees letting them know that new devices would be launching on April 25. However, the company failed to tell its employees what devices would be launching in particular. Later today, internal Best Buy documents leaked showing that the HTC Incredible was set to launch at Best Buy stores on April 29th. The Incredible packs a 8 megapixel camera and runs on Android 2.1 by Google.

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T-Mobile has finally launched the HTC HD2 on its network. This has been a really anticipated phone by Windows Mobile users and others who just want a new slick phone. When buying this phone, remember that Windows Phone 7 Series is coming in a few months and that Sprint just announced the 3G/4G HTC Evo. The phone is available on the T-Mobile website and in stores for $199.99 on contract and $449.99 without a contract.

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Spint announced the availability and exclusivity of the HTC EVO at CTIA yesterday. The HTC EVO is the World’s first Android 3G/4G phone and has some really exciting specs. The phone runs Android 2.1 so it will not be behind like some other Android phones still dropping. There is no pricing yet, but Sprint says the phone should be available at this summer.

Sprint also announced that it would be expanding its 4G network in 2010 to Boston, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

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The Nexus One from Google is finally making its CDMA debut on the Sprint network. This comes one day after Google released the Nexus One that is compatible with AT&T 3G networks. There is still no launch date or pricing, but Sprint promises all the details soon. The Nexus One runs the Android operating system and is arguably the best looking Android phone on the market. Check out the full press release after the jump.

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