droidStory

Google is acknowledging the importance of its Android-App-Eco-System by awarding free phones to selected app developers.

“Due to your contribution to the success of Android Market, we would like to present you with a brand new Android device as part of our developer device seeding program. You are receiving this message because you’re one of the top developers in Android Market with one or more of your applications having a 3.5 star or higher rating and more than 5,000 unique downloads.”

For the US market Google will randomly award either a Droid or Nexus One, while in Europe and other GSM only markets developers will receive a Nexus One.

Why is Google doing this? As it turns out many app developers still don’t have access to the latest devices running Android 2.x and it’s in Google’s best interest to have a flourishing app market with as many applications that take advantage of the latest features that Android 2.x has to offer.

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.

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.

Flash – the missing piece of web content is coming soon to your superphone.
Watch demos of early versions of the Adobe Flash Player 10.1 on both the Motorola Droid and Google Nexus One. The Android Flash Player is expected to be released within a few months – I can’t wait…

Now that the Nexus One is officially released sporting the latest version of Android 2.1 aka Eclair, many Droid owners are wondering when this update will be available to them.  Engadget had a post in December showing the video of the newest Android OS already running on Droid.

Sanjay Jha, the Motorola CEO was present at the Google launch event yesterday. His response was rather ambiguous to the question whether Droid will be getting the update, saying:  He “thinks” this will happen.

This seems strange considering that he was sitting right next to HTC’s CEO Peter Chou, who announced that other existing HTC handsets will be getting the upgrade.

One would think that Motorola ought to make a stronger statement, especially at the launch of a competing product that is destined to steal some of Droid’s thunder.

Of course, CES is starting tomorrow and Motorola (will) may have some Android announcements of their own…