Andoid 2.1, from Engadget

[tispectrum]

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HTC promised the world an Android 2.0-based firmware for its Hero line once it figured out the nitty gritty details of porting Sense to Google's latest code, leapfrogging Donut altogether -- but now, it looks like they're gonna do one better. Screenshots found today show a Hero running Android 2.1, which would dovetail nicely with the fact that Google had teased a "minor update" to 2.0 before the end of 2009 back when it announced Eclair last month. The interface looks largely untouched from 1.5, proof that HTC was able to bring Sense up to speed with minimum drama; it's unclear when this'll all be available, but considering that Sprint's version just got a super-minor update, some carrier-branded versions could be in for a wait.

 

[Needsdecaf]

I like the battery use info.

 

[hrbib21]

Yeah, good point. That will REALLY come in handy on the Eris if they go with 2.1.

 

[whitey522]

well for 1. that is for the hero and 2. at the end it says other carriers could be in for a wait. I'm a HUGE verizon guy and I'm with all of you in excitedness and such and it truly wouldn't make sense for them NOT to put it out on the eris at the same time but certain parts of that post kind of worry me.

 

[HockeyFan4Life]

this would be a nice christmas gift!

 

[aleis]

Ok, so when do we get the collective voice thing goin on?
im ready to dial in to show my support.
the more calls they get to their customer service lines they will be forced to pay attention!

 

[W4LLY]

From what I've read, what ever the Hero get's, the Eris will get shortly after.

 

[DroidDO]

I found this article while searching. Its a nice reminder that blogs and forums alike, can never really predict what will happen in the future. It all really just boils down to speculation.

HTC's Sense UI not coming to any "Google" branded phones -- Engadget

(p.s. the Eris is a google branded phone, and it does have Sense UI)

 

[waremaster]

I found this article while searching. Its a nice reminder that blogs and forums alike, can never really predict what will happen in the future. It all really just boils down to speculation.

HTC's Sense UI not coming to any "Google" branded phones -- Engadget

(p.s. the Eris is a google branded phone, and it does have Sense UI)

The HTC Droid Eris is not a "Google Branded" phone. It is an HTC and that

 

[Caddyman]

The HTC Droid Eris is not a "Google Branded" phone. It is an HTC and that’s why it has Sense UI. Google Branded phones are the phones that are the soon to be made phones specifically for Google. Since those phones are not manufacturer by HTC engadget is correct No Sense UI for them.

I would not think so. A google branded phone is a phone that says "with Google" on the phone somewhere, that is the branding.

The actual, rumored, phones that might be made (manufactured) by google themselves will be google phones.

Obviously if someone other then HTC is making a phone, they can not use Sense UI as that is proprietary to HTC. If what you say is true this would not even be news.

 

[aleis]

The way i understand it is....its not google branded...its the google experience.
and only phones with plain ol` android (minus sense UI) are the "google experience" phones.

 

[OfTheDamned]

The way i understand it is....its not google branded...its the google experience.
and only phones with plain ol` android (minus sense UI) are the "google experience" phones.

That is true, however the google experience phones are marked "with Google" on the back and for some reason the Eris has that, even with Sense UI.

 

[shante1012]

I want this update

 

[duncanhoo]

Aside from the navigation, what else does 2.0 add vs. 1.5?

 

[Caddyman]

multiple gmail accts in the gmail app
better battery managment

other stuff?

 

[duncanhoo]

how good is the navigation? what is so great about it (other than being free)?

 

[Caddyman]

Free

turn by turn voice direction

shows you a picture of your destination when you arrive if available

other neato stuff

free

 

[motionxxusxx]

Free

turn by turn voice direction

shows you a picture of your destination when you arrive if available

other neato stuff

free

I tried the google nav on the droid for the 1 day I had the phone and I was not impressed. The movement is very jerky. I have used copilot on my unlocked rogers htc touch and plan to download it to my eris. Copilot has very smooth movement and the maps are stored on your sd. You do not have to have service, so when you are in the middle of nowhere you will still have working navigation.

 

[bruceo]

I tried the google nav on the droid for the 1 day I had the phone and I was not impressed. The movement is very jerky. I have used copilot on my unlocked rogers htc touch and plan to download it to my eris. Copilot has very smooth movement and the maps are stored on your sd. You do not have to have service, so when you are in the middle of nowhere you will still have working navigation.

Yeah but copilot's turn by turn voice sucks because it doesn't tell you street names. Another deal breaker is that it doesnt interface with your phone contacts so you have to punch in all your addresses, which sucks. Prob the biggest waste of my money ever. It took 3 days to finally get my area maps downloaded because it takes hours for it to download the maps and when it did the first 2 times it came up with unpacking errors and had to redownload. So it was 3 days before i could use it to realize those dealbreakers and they would not respond to my inquiries and would not refund my money even through dispute through Google checkout. Wish the charge was on my AMEX....

STAY AWAY FROM COPILOT. Google will cache your route long enough till you move back into network coverage.

 

[motionxxusxx]

Yeah but copilot's turn by turn voice sucks because it doesn't tell you street names. Another deal breaker is that it doesnt interface with your phone contacts so you have to punch in all your addresses, which sucks. Prob the biggest waste of my money ever. It took 3 days to finally get my area maps downloaded because it takes hours for it to download the maps and when it did the first 2 times it came up with unpacking errors and had to redownload. So it was 3 days before i could use it to realize those dealbreakers and they would not respond to my inquiries and would not refund my money even through dispute through Google checkout. Wish the charge was on my AMEX....

STAY AWAY FROM COPILOT. Google will cache your route long enough till you move back into network coverage.

They will update it for free. They did on the iphone version which I also have. They added TTS and interface with phone contacts. I think it's great but we are all entitled to our own opinions.

 

[bruceo]

Well when that happens then it might be worth taking a look at but currently it is not up to par especially when you need a bit of a protracted evaluation period to determine if it is worth the price.

 

[jeffyo]

I don't see a benefit to upgrading to 2.0. I would rather they fixed the current issues with the current OS.

 

[jeffyo]

/

​

HTC promised the world an Android 2.0-based firmware for its Hero line once it figured out the nitty gritty details of porting Sense to Google's latest code, leapfrogging Donut altogether -- but now, it looks like they're gonna do one better. Screenshots found today show a Hero running Android 2.1, which would dovetail nicely with the fact that Google had teased a "minor update" to 2.0 before the end of 2009 back when it announced Eclair last month. The interface looks largely untouched from 1.5, proof that HTC was able to bring Sense up to speed with minimum drama; it's unclear when this'll all be available, but considering that Sprint's version just got a super-minor update, some carrier-branded versions could be in for a wait.

It doesn't address the current issues with different phones. Not every phone brand using android is going to go smoothly. I don't see this being a smooth and wonderful update.

 

[Ataranine]

If it weren't for the stupid Sense UI we'd have it now..
I think vanilla android looks so much better, I just don't like any other android phone available.

 

[NefariousAryq]

I really wish we could get Verizon to confirm that at some point in the future our lovely little Eris will get an upgrade to 2.0 or higher. The only responses I can ever get are... we can't comment... currently no updates... etc. Yeah I know HTC has promised 2.0+ for "Hero" phones, but Verizon has to agree to it as well. They gotta test it and they gotta approve it. It would just be nice if they'd chime in, even if it's just a quick "We dunno when, but it will definitely be coming"... I think that'd make me feel a lot better. *shrugs*