14 DAY TRIAL // It appears that Vodafone Australia is preparing to deploy the Android 2.3 Gingerbread software upgrade to several smartphones and tablets that are available on the market.
The carrier has confirmed via Twitter, that it has received the firmware upgrade for the original Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Tab 7-inch, Galaxy S, HTC Desire Z and HTC Desire HD.
Although the Gingerbread upgrade for the Galaxy S doesn't come as a surprise, as the carrier has already started to roll out the update in the UK, the rest of list includes interesting devices that weren't in fact scheduled for Android 2.3 anytime soon.
However, Australian users who own any of the listed devices should know that the carrier is now testing the new software.
There's no telling how long the testing period will last, but if nothing goes wrong we might see Vodafone deploying the software upgrade in the coming weeks.
It is unclear if Vodafone Australia will extend the list of devices getting the Android 2.3 software update or how it plans to deliver this update, through Kies/HTC Sync or OTA (over-the-air).
Other major carriers in the country like Telstra and Optus have yet to announce the Gingerbread update for any of the Android smartphones they are retailing.
Currently, Gingerbread is only accessible to Australian consumers via Nexus S, which is the only smartphone running on Google's latest mobile platform available on that market.
Android 2.3 Gingerbread promises solid enhancements in comparison with older 2.1 and 2.2 versions of the platform.
The standard on-screen keyboard has been greatly improved with faster input and more intuitive typing, while the cut & paste feature has been enhanced.
The UI also got a makeover with new color schemes and other cosmetic changes.
Application and power management has been improved, as Gingerbread now provides better insight into apps running in the background, and how much memory and CPU time they are using.
