14 DAY TRIAL // Nexus One by HTC, the first mobile phone delivered to the market with Google's Android 2.1 operating system on board, and also the first of them all to be sold via Google's own web store, has just received its first software update from the Mountain View-based company. Those who already purchased the device should have a reason to rejoice, especially those who have experienced 3G connectivity issues with the phone, or who missed the multi-touch support it didn't include before.
According to Google, the new firmware solution for the Nexus One will be delivered over-the-air, which means that users will just have to sit and wait for their device to announce it is ready for it. However, since there are some who can hardly wait to get their hands on the new software solution for the phone, it seems that things can be done another way. The guys over at Android forums say that one should get the update on a computer, place it on the root of an SD card, reboot into the bootloader, and apply the update. All the details can be found here.
A recent post on Google's Nexus One blog provides more details on the new software update, which comes with the following improvements: - Google Goggles: this mobile application will now be available directly on your device by launching it from your All Apps menu. Just use your Nexus One camera to start searching the web - Google Maps: the Maps application with be updated to a new version, Google Maps 3.4, which will include: - Starred items synchronized with maps.google.com - access your favorite places from your phone or computer - Search suggestions from your personal maps.google.com history - makes it easy to search for places you've searched for before - Night mode in Google Maps Navigation - automatically changes your screen at night for easier viewing and driving - Pinch-to-zoom functionality: devices will now include a new pinch-to-zoom mechanism in the phone's Browser, Gallery and Maps applications - 3G connectivity: we will provide a general fix to help improve 3G connectivity on some Nexus One phones
Beside the 3G connectivity fixes the new software update includes, and which were announced already to be on their way to the handset, one of the main improvements that Nexus One users can enjoy now is the pinch-to-zoom functionality. It is rather uncertain why Google didn't include it in the device before, especially since other Android-based mobile phones have it, at least outside of the United States, but the good news is that they changed their mind in the end. However, it does seem like a great addition for Nexus One's features, and you can have a look at it in the video below, available courtesy of Engadget.
“Looking around the mobile industry, from Apple to Palm to HTC and Motorola - it's clear that pinch-to-zoom technology has become a standard and popular way for users to interact with their mobile phones. Likewise, Android users can now truly benefit from this capability with the availability of Android 2.1, which powers a new class of devices with larger touchscreens and more interactive features. Unlike past devices, these phones have the processing power to deliver pinch-to-zoom, while still providing a great user experience. Based on these new capabilities and numerous requests from Android users, we decided to provide pinch-to-zoom capabilities with this new over-the-air software update for Nexus One devices,” is what Google said officially, notes readwriteweb.