Upgraded to Android 1.5!

Using Android Guys' link to upgrade to Cupcake, Android 1.5, I've upgraded my G1 and I'm currently in the process of going through and checking out for myself how much better it'll be.

So far, I'm not seeing the G1 operating faster but it'll take more time.

I'll be updating via Twidroid (Twitter name: paul_onxo) in the G1. For you who aren't willing to waiting for T-Mobile, give it a try. It's actually quite simple to do.

Link: Android Guys

Installing Cupcake, UK Version - Know Way Of Knowing

For those of you who got G1 in the UK, congrats. For those of you who have upgraded to Cupcake in the UK, double congrats.

For us across the Pond, we have a few more days. Actually, worse still is that we have been waiting since last week. But there is a solution. We can install the UK version via these instructions from on the T-Mobile forum.

I was going to take one for the team and upgrade to Cupcake but as I read more, I'm not sure I like the idea of flashing back and forth. But I'm putting this out there for G-oners (not "goners") who are more technically savy. I usually rely on Dave the Mobile Warrior to undo any kind of damage I do to my mobile devices, laptops, or the space-time continuum.

Personally, I preach patience in this matter. After all, Donut is on the horizon and Cupcake is simply something to hold us over until Android 2.0. And if what's being blogged about it is true, Android 2.0 should have been the Android that shipped with G1 (as you know, it's my belief that the original iPhone users were paying beta-testers for Apple while G1 users were willing paying beta testers for Google and HTC).

Meanwhile, here are a couple of video of UI running on Android.



This video was provided by Android Guys. They're not sure if this is a skin, mod, or something more official. But still, it's definitely something that we expected when we decided to dedicate to the gPhone. Just a short note on the UI in the video. Already, at least one blog has said this could be what'll knock the Pre out of the game, not the iPhone. Wow...

Source: Android Guys

Quick Notes: Android Sites And Future Android Updates

With On Android here, I tries to advocate the advancement of a mobile platform that I think can change what direction our increasingly mobile society is headed. At Onxo, that's where we discuss general mobile computing and gaming and issues pertaining to wireless news and opinions in general.

We love our readers which is why we also want you to visit some of our favorite Android sites that we keep an eye on. Perhaps you'll want to put them in your rss reader or Google Reader.

Here are a couple that we track religiously:

• Android Guys
• Android Site
• Phandroid
• Android Community
• Google Mobile Blog
• Android Developers

Then you've got your Engadget, Gizmodo, and other general tech blogs. There are others and we'll add the ones that we think you'll find useful and like. Hopefully, once Android 1.5 is in my hand (as well as others), we'll see more activities.

Meanwhile there is just one thing I like to suggest to Google and the other Android partners. I really wish with future updates, they would allow us to download the future OS directly to our PC and create a mechanism for update that way.

Early, we pointed you to TmoNews for the update schedule. Since I preordered my G1, I'm hoping T-Mobile has a first-come-first-served updating scheme that depends on when you bought your G1. And if that's how it works great. If not, I hate to be the Android folks who getupdate their 10 days after everyone else.

Note: Android Site has posted a guide for brave 'droids who are in a hurry to get to Android 1.5. It looks a bit hairy and it's not exactly what I'm talking about when I wrote above about do-it-yourself upgrade.

Cupcake - Tomorrow or Friday?

Well, word is it's coming we know that. Frankly, given all that we've seen, we feel like we know Cupcake or Android 1.5 pretty well by now. Nice onscreen keyboard for easy access. A few other neat features that truly make it stand out from some other smartphones.

I don't know about that but I'm totally ready for Android 2.0. Nah, seriously, I totally want my cupcake now. I've got a few pot of coffee ready. I've cleared my schedule and ready to dive right into it.

Anyway, I'm not writing just to hold things over until we can share with G1 users (and non-Android users) the cool features about Android 1.5. TmoNews has gotten hold of what they think to be an update schedule from T-Mobile for sending out signals for the time to update.

It could happen as early as tomorrow and, if you're unlucky (like me at times), May 25th.

So head over and take a look at it. I don't know how T-Mobile will decide who gets it and when but it's definitely encouraging to say the least.

Cupcake - UK This Week, US (us here) Next Week

I have no problem with our UK cousins getting Cupcake now.  Okay, I do.  I want to be the first.  I'm also too scared to try installing an unauthorized copy.  So what can you do?

Anyway, I stumbled across T-Mobile's forum on Cupcake, or you probably know it as Android 1.5.  It's about time.  Anyway, as soon as I get it, I will be back for a thorough review.  It's been a while since Android mobile warriors have anything to get excited about.

Here are the specs, features, and changes:

User interface refinements

• System-wide:
  • Refinement of all core UI elements
  • Animated window transitions (off by default)
  • Accelerometer-based application rotations
• UI polish for:
  • In-call experience
  • Contacts, Call log, and Favorites
  • SMS & MMS
  • Browser
  • Gmail
  • Calendar
  • Email
  • Camera & Gallery
  • Application management

Performance improvements

• Faster Camera start-up and image capture
• Much faster acquisition of GPS location (powered by SUPL AGPS)
• Smoother page scrolling in Browser
• Speedier GMail conversation list scrolling

New features

• On-screen soft keyboard
  • Works in both portrait and landscape orientation
  • Support for user installation of 3rd party keyboards
  • User dictionary for custom words
• Home screen
  • Widgets
    • Bundled home screen widgets include: analog clock, calendar, music player, picture frame, and search
  • Live folders
• Camera & Gallery
  • Video recording
  • Video playback (MPEG-4 & 3GP formats)
• Bluetooth 
  • Stereo Bluetooth support (A2DP and AVCRP profiles)
  • Auto-pairing
  • Improved handsfree experience
• Browser
  • Updated with latest Webkit browser & Squirrelfish Javascript engines
  • Copy 'n paste in browser
  • Search within a page
  • User-selectable text-encoding
  • UI changes include:
    • Unified Go and Search box
    • Tabbed bookmarks/history/most-visited screen
• Contacts
  • Shows user picture for Favorites
  • Specific date/time stamp for events in call log
  • One-touch access to a contact card from call log event
• System
  • New Linux kernel (version 2.6.27)
  • SD card filesystem auto-checking and repair
  • SIM Application Toolkit 1.0
• Google applications
  • View Google Talk friends' status in Contacts, SMS, MMS, GMail, and Email applications
  • Batch actions such as archive, delete, and label on Gmail messages
  • Upload videos to Youtube
  • Upload photos on Picasa