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Verizon now rolling out Android 2.1 to DROID owners

Summary: The Verizon DROID is the device that made Google Android popular and owners are now seeing the 2.1 update roll out. This update adds some key functionality and improvements to make the device even better.

Matthew Miller

By for Smartphones and Cell Phones |

The Verizon Motorola DROID is an extremely popular device that really kicked off the latest Google Android excitement. DROID owners have been waiting for the 2.1 Android update that matches the features we have on the Google Nexus One and according to Engadget the update is rolling out right now to DROID owners. The rollout started at noon Eastern Time today and will continue over the next three days or so. This is an over-the-air (OTA) update so make sure you have your DROID charged up and ready to go.

Here is what is being reported as the key features of the DROID 2.1 update:

  • Pinch to Zoom now available in the Browser, Maps, and Gallery
  • Speech-to-Text - Customers can now use their voice instead of typing whenever a text-entry box appears
  • Google Goggles is now preloaded
  • Email - Yahoo Mail is now supported - customers can simply sign in with their Yahoo! Email address and password. Note:
  • Yahoo! Email is not available over Wi-Fi
  • The new Gallery application uses 3D layout and shows both pictures taken with the customer's Android device and images from Picasa Web Albums account online
  • Live Wallpapers are supported.

Remember that the Gallery application is also the application you use to watch movies on your Android device. I wonder if we will see some new Live Wallpapers added to the DROID compared to what we see on the Google Nexus One.

Topics: Mobile OS, Android, Collaboration, Google, Hardware, Mobility, Smartphones, Verizon, Social Enterprise

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4 comments
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  • Is that a misprint or...?

    "Yahoo! Email is not available over Wi-Fi"

    Should that say "[i]now[/i] available" or was Yahoo! Mail previously supported in 2.0 which was intentionally removed by 2.1? If it was support was intentionally removed, why was this done? I don't see why you would be able to browse Yahoo! Mail over a 3G connection yet not WiFi.
    Sephoroth
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Verizon now rolling out Android 2.1 to DROID owners

    From what I understand, yahoo wasn't allowing Droid users to sync
    a yahoo mail acct to their device as google and yahoo are direct
    competitors. Yahoo users would require a paid premium account to
    do so. With 2.1, basic yahoo users are able to sync their mailbox to
    their Droid, but only via 3G, not wifi. I think yahoo is just being
    stubborn still.
    leadfill
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Verizon now rolling out Android 2.1 to DROID owners

    Matthew, is the Verizon DROID 2.1 updates being OTA to HTC Eris Android owners as well.

    Mitchell
    fujihts@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Verizon now rolling out Android 2.1 to DROID owners

    I was running Yahoo mail weeks before the update was pushed down. There was just an address change that needed to be done, and voila, yahoo functionality.... and that was with the free Yahoo, not the Plus.
    briggch
    Reply Vote
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