droidStory

No more fighting over the remote, just use your Droid to change the channel.

Verizon just released an app exclusive to the Motorola Droid that allows you to control your FIOS HD set-top-box from your phone. Just install the free mobileremote app from the Android Market Place, connect to your Wi-Fi network and pair the Droid with your FIOS Box by using the Mobile Remote Widget on your TV, enter your phone number, and you are all set.

Now you can use your Droid just like your FIOS remote to change channels, pause, rewind, fwd, etc. In addition, you can view pictures stored on your Droid directly on your TV, either individually or as slide show. The app will even mute the TV when a call comes in. Pretty cool, huh?

Of course, you can also use this to prank your family and change channels from another room, since Droid uses Wi-Fi to remote-control the FIOS box.

Engadget reports that the next OTA Update for the Motorola Droid is being tested by Verizon. This version would relieve some of the Nexus One envy for Droid owners. The main feature of the update is of course multi-touch. You can already get a preview of multi-touch on your Droid by installing the latest version of Google Maps. The OTA Update will further expand this feature to the browser and media gallery.

Unfortunately, active wallpapers are Not included. No word on a targeted release date.

I installed the firmware update on my Nexus One last night with high hopes that the 3G connectivity problems would be fixed. After some simple tests I have to say that I did not notice any significant improvements. Although the phone seems to try holding onto a 3G connection a bit longer, the result is the same.

No real improvement after the update. 3G Signal strength -97dBm 8asu on Desk — dropping to -111dBM 1asu while holding in hand, barely holding onto 3G. Ooops it just switched to Edge -83dBm 13asu. #FAIL

How come 3bars of 3G just disappear every time you pick up the phone??? I also had a number of crashes when answering calls. Swiping the green answer button just stopped mid way and the phone hung. Perhaps this is related to temporarily losing network connection when switching to Edge after I pick up the phone. This is infuriating to say the least!

Motorola Droid + Verizon: 1
Nexus One + T-Mobile: 0

Google, now what?

The Nexus One Desktop Dock is now available in the Google Store. Of course, I’m kidding about the two-year contract option, but forty-five bucks for a dumb piece of plastic with a USB connector.

Google, seriously?!!!

The Droid Dock sells for $25, which is about as much I’d be willing to spend on a phone accessory.

The Nexus Dock does have an audio connector though, which is missing from the Droid Dock. Does this justify $45 – I think not! Let’s see what the aftermarket can come up with…

Update: Apparently the Dock uses Bluetooth for the audio connection, so I stand corrected, the “plastic” has some smarts. Still, silicon is cheap.

TechCrunch just broke this story.

Apparently there is a bug in Android 2.01 – the version currently running on Droid – which allows you to simply hit the ‘Back’ button while receiving a call to bypass the screen lock and jump straight to the home screen.  This problem seems to only affect the Verizon Droid and has not been seen on other phones, like the Droid Eris.

Here’s how you reproduce the problem:

1. Lock your screen
2. Call your Droid and accept the call
3. Hit the ‘Back’ button

You now have full access to all programs, email etc. without ever unlocking the phone as long as the call is in progress.

I was unable to reproduce this on the Nexus One.

With all the noise about the Google Phone aka Nexus One, a recent Motorola FCC filing hasn’t gotten much attention. The device with the codename “Titanium” is a “bar” style cell phone and could be Verizon bound based on its CDMA EV-DO capabilities. It’s probably a safe bet that this is going to be another Android device, since  Motorola abandoned the WinMo platform. Could this be round two in Verizon’s successful Droid campaign?

What get’s me excited is that this phone supports both CDMA and GSM networks. One of my biggest pet-peeves with the current Droid is that it doesn’t work outside of the US.  Now ditch the slider-keyboard and this will be the perfect Droid.