Droid + HTC Sense = An Unhappy Battery

Image via Wikipedia          Google has created a tremendously fun and captivating experience with their Android operating system, but unfortunately this experience only lasts about an average of 10 hours before completely shutting off.  In a world where smartphone users love to remain connected and to be accessible, this crippling limitation prevents people from doing so.  A stellar phone is nothing than a faint start in the distance if it can’t get you through the day.   Below are a few tips suggested in order to help prolong one's daily Android experience.

          The easiest and most simple solution is to carry another charging cable.  The majority of smartphones have all migrated to using mini and micro USB, so you are someone you know may already have an extra charging cable laying around.  Hotels are also a great place to find extra charges.  Many times hotels will let you borrow chargers left by customers and keep it because, let’s face it, the previous owner isn’t coming home anytime soon. Carrying an extra charger benefits people with desk jobs the most for the simple fact that they can charge the phone by connecting it to their computer and still have a 100% charge when 5:00 rolls around.

                As far as the Android operating system is concerned, the following recommendations will keep help your battery last a little longer (I’ll explain directions for each in a future article):

1.       Disable wi-fi and Bluetooth

2.       Turn the brightness down (do not use automatic brightness)

3.       Decrease the syncing frequency of apps such as Facebook, Twitter, and HTC                       Weather

4.       Disable “always-on mobile data”

5.       Turn off data roaming  

6.       Update your profile and PRL

7.       Turn off “use wireless networks”

8.       Turn down your screen time out

9.       Consider using a task killer

The Originial Droid Gets a Brother!

Motorola Droid and Droid 2 (DropNews)

     After releasing it's flagship device with tremendous success, Verizon Wireless is finally releasing a predecessor to the Motorola Droid on August 12th (tentatively) .  The new device will simply be called Droid 2.  The basis of the design is the same, with the biggest improvement being the improved keyboard.  The keys have more of an individual feel rather than seeming like they're all on the same pad.  For people who had never owned a quality slide out QWERTY keyboard they didn't make much fuss over it but trust me, texting on the original Droid and it was just plain awful.  It's great to see Motorola improving upon their design flaws, including making the phone a little less boxy to give it more of a gentle aesthetic look and removing the directional pad.   

 (via MobileCrunch)

(via Pocketnow)

     As specified by Best Buy, The Droid 2 will run you $199.99 on contract and $599.99 if you'd like to buy the phone outright.  I imagine that there will be some sort of mail-in-rebate associated with the $199.99 price tag on Verizon's end, so if you don't receive any corporate discount from your employer and you're jumping into a new contract I highly suggest purchasing the phone from Best Buy.  They won't belittle you with mail in rebates and will offer you the $199.99 price tag right then and there.  So how about it readers, will you acquire the new Droid 2?  Or will you wait to see if Verizon drops another Android phone in the coming months?    

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• Droid 2 Landing for $199 On Contract, $599 Without (pocketnow.com)
• Spotted In a Newspaper Advert: the Unannounced Motorola Droid 2 [Motorola] (gizmodo.com)

Evo & Original Droid Get Froyo

Sprint has released the update from Android 2.1 to Android 2.2., Froyo (some people say it “fro-yo,” but I think that “froy-o” sounds way better) for the HTC Evo.  The update for Verizon’s Grandfather android device, the Motorola Droid, has also been floating around.  Due to the fact that I have a Hero and HTC has already explained that no 2.2 update will be released for it, I am sort of jealous.  I’ve only had the phone for 3 months!  That’s okay though, I love my Hero .  Speaking for the Evo, it’s an OTA (over the air) update, so you won’t have to hook your Evo up to the computer.  Thank goodness for technology right!?  Some of the following features that the update to Android 2.2 are:

1. Overall speed increase on your device
2. Add more apps such as one to share different apps with other people (which you can already do with Bump) and a flashlight, via the led camera lights
3. Can finally save apps to your SD card (Woo hoo! No more warning prompts from Android about there not being enough space left on your device)
4. Multiple G-mail accounts
5. Adobe Flash 10.1 so that you can play flash games in the browser and view other flash content that was previously unavailable
6. More widgets

In depth look at the 2.2 update for the EVO from Android Central

It’s good to see that Google is pushing for all possible Android devices to have 2.2 and above.  The latest numbers, before the updates for the Evo and Hero, are as follows:

Sources: Google, Android Central