Tag: gingerbread

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Yes, I have the Gingerbread

Yes, finally, I now have Gingerbread on my Google Nexus One.

The update finally came through on Friday, and I downloaded it before leaving for work and installed it.

Having used it for a while, this is no Froyo, no major changes to features. However there have been some UI changes and improvements.

The user interface is refined in many ways across the system, making it easier to learn, faster to use, and more power-efficient. A simplified visual theme of colors against black brings vividness and contrast to the notification bar, menus, and other parts of the UI. Changes in menus and settings make it easier for the user to navigate and control the features of the system and device.

It seems a little zippier and faster.

Also pleased that it is easier to manage downloaded files.

The Downloads application gives the user easy access to any file downloaded from the browser, email, or another application. Downloads is built on an completely new download manager facility in the system that any other applications can use, to more easily manage and store their downloads.

I sometimes use the Nexus One to download a podcast or an mp3 file over 3G, I can’t do that on the iPhone if the podcast file is too big. If I press play in the browser (on either the iPhone or the Nexus One) it streams, and if the connection fails then I have to restart the download. If I download the file I can then play the file as though I had transferred it over

Trying to then find that file to play it can be problematic, hoping this Downloads application will solve that issue.

So far, pleased with the upgrade.

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How much?

Reading the Metro over lunch the other day I was surprised to see that O2 were offering the Samsung Galaxy Tab for £399 which was a lot less than the £599 launch price. The Galaxy Tab was only available from the 1st November and now less than four months later we see £200 off.

Well after posting the advert to Twitter, it would appear that £399 is quite expensive for the Tab now.

HMV have been selling in their stores (and not online) the Galaxy Tab for just £249. That is a considerable saving from the original list price. I was very tempted and nearly called into HMV on the way home. I stopped (well I didn’t actually stop, I kept driving) and thought about it and asked myself two questions.

Firstly, you have an iPad, why do you need another tablet device, especially one that only runs Android 2.2 Froyo and this is not optimised for tablets. Yes I know have an interest in these kinds of devices but though I do quite like the Tab when I played with it in a shop a month or so ago, I really did think when and where was I going to use this where I wouldn’t be using my iPad? In other words no use scenarios came to mind.

Secondly, why was the price dropped by so much in such a short time. I know some will say that the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the main reason.

The new Tab has a bigger iPad sized screen, is more powerful and will be running Android 3.0 Honeycomb which is optimised for tablet devices.

Yes that would certainly be one reason, but is it the right reason.

I have to wonder if the 7” form factor is not selling well? I have to ask is the Tab selling well, anyhow? Generally devices that don’t sell well do often end up with price cuts later. And it hasn’t been that much later has it, less than four months.

So though I was tempted, I don’t think I will be going to HMV and getting myself a Galaxy Tab. If I didn’t have an iPad, I might well have been more tempted and splashed out the cash. As it happens I am probably more likely to save up now and get that Tab 10.1 when it gets to the UK.

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Still no Gingerbread for the Nexus One

It was rumoured this week that the Google Nexus One would finally get the Gingerbread 2.3 Android update…

Alas no.

It was promised to appear in a few weeks, more than a few weeks ago, hence the impatience of many out there.

Still no update and still no firm idea when it is going to happen. Google have said it will happen, but I am starting to have my doubts.

I don’t really want to upgrade to the Nexus S, in the main as the Nexus One is still a really good phone and still does what I need it to do. The other main reason is that an unlocked Nexus S is £430 which is a lot more than the Nexus One was.

Ah well let’s get waiting again…

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Wasn’t Gingerbread…

So there was me thinking I was due an update to Android 2.3 for my Google Nexus One, otherwise known as Gingerbread…

However no it wasn’t.

It was only an update to 2.2.2

Disappointed, well not really, I can wait…

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Gingerbread for the Nexus One

Well my Google Nexus One told me today that a system update was available. I couldn’t upgrade as I was only on a GPRS connection and really you should be on wifi or a decent 3G connection, no really you should be on wifi!

I am assuming and hoping it is Gingerbread, or Android 2.3. Looking at the new features, this is no Froyo, but I am looking forward to an improved copy and paste experience.

Gingerbread 2.3 now provides support for NFC Near-field communications, however I don’t think the Nexus One hardware actually supports this.

So not many huge changes, but will be interesting to see the performance improvements.