It appears that after much waiting and teasing the Android 2.1 update for the Motorola Droid on Verizon Wireless’s network is finally getting pushed out to the users. It has already started according to the sources, it began at 12:00 noon EST with a rollout to 1000 users. If all goes well, another batch of 9,000 users gets the update at 11:59pm EST today. Then a 24 hour “bake” time to see how it goes and finally another 200,000 users get it, then 24 hours and another 200,000 etc. This method is two fold I’m sure. First, if something really bad happens during the update, those first 10K users will find it and Verizon can stop the update before borking everyone. Second it should minimize network traffic and any questions/minor details that arise during the process as I’m sure Verizon gets more than a few phone calls during the process.
Other than those details, what else is there to know…oh right, what you get with the update! Well, here is the running list:
Starting 03/30/2010, Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce a new software update for the DROID by Motorola. Users will be able to upgrade their software to version AP: ESE81/BP: C_01.3E.03P to receive new improvements and enhancements.
Key Advantages:
- Email – Yahoo Mail is now supported – customers can simply sign in with their Yahoo! Email address and password. Note: Yahoo! Email is not available over Wi-Fi
- Pinch to Zoom now available in the Browser, Maps, and Gallery
- Speech-to-Text – Customers can now use their voice instead of typing whenever a text-entry box appears
- Google Goggles is now preloaded
- The new Gallery application uses 3D layout and shows both pictures taken with the customer’s Android device and images from Picasa Web Albums account online
Woohoo, well Droid users report in when you get it and if you are really impatient I’m sure there will be a manual update link here before the end of the day. Check back.
