For those of you already running one of the many Android 2.2 builds in the wild, you might want to steer clear of using the USB tethering option that is built in.  In fact, if you do, you will be directed immediately to this page which asks you to sign up for Mobile Broadband Connect.  Problem with that?  There is no package for the Droid at this time.

Update: I should clarify this a little after reading some of the comments.  This appears to be something new and only happening with the native Froyo tethering app.  That would be the tethering included in the newest FRF84B build.  Wi-fi tethering should still work and quite possibly, the rest of the tethering apps on the market.

Check out some reader emails we just received…

If you try and tether your phone using froyo, it will not work and it’ll send you to a vzw page prompting you to buy a package that doesnt exist. I called verizon and they could not upgrade me to the package because it doesnt exist for moto droid.

More from VZW customer service and their thoughts on Froyo…

Just got back off the phone with vz and they stated that I should not have 2.2 and they wanted to know where I got it. I refused to answer that because I just read and am not an active participant in the Droid Life community. They said if they find out anyone is tethering they can suspend or terminate there contract. As well as they refused to release whatever they put on my account to stop me from tethering.

We know that the Droid X will have mobile hot spot capabilities at an extra $20 per month, but what is Big Red going to do about straight up tethering?  Also, you’ll notice on the Mobile Broadband Connect page that package pricing is ending on July 15th, which is?  The Droid X release date.

Fun stuff for sure.  Just be careful!

And let me know if you are able to continue to use the native tethering app while on Froyo without receiving that URL we posted above.  Also, list your Froyo build number.

The Droid X pre-sale at Best Buy may have come to an end, but the marketing campaign for this new device from Verizon is just getting started.  The New York Times today featured a full page ad for the newest Droid family member that managed to slip in a shot at the new i*hone and its growing list of issues…

“And most importantly, it comes with a double antenna design.  The kind that allows you to hold the phone any way you like and use it just about anywhere to make crystal clear calls.”

Poor i*hone.  The Droid X will definitely be here on July 15th.

Via: TechCrunch

Cheers Stephan and Louis!

Mobile-review.com’s Eldar Murtazin went off in a recent podcast on the subject of the next Android release we are expecting by the holidays, Gingerbread.  Normally we love to hear rumors about the next big upgrade, but these details have our split our hearts down the middle in more ways than one.  This news will scare the hell out of Motorola Droid 1 users and bring great joy to owners of the Droid Incredible…

Android 3.0 Gingerbread will be released in mid- October (around 15 -16th), 2010. First handsets shipping in November/December – for the Holiday Season.

Minimum hardware requirements for Android 3.0 devices are: 1GHZ CPU, 512MB or RAM, displays from 3.5” and higher. (We all, of course, heard that Android handsets with 2GHz CPU’s are coming)

New 1280×760 resolution available for the devices with displays of 4” and higher. (Anyone thinking about Android tablets now? )

Completely revamped user interface. If you want to get a feeling of what Android 3.0 Gingerbread UX is like, check out the Gallery App on Nexus One. The same overall feel, light animated transitions,etc. Natively, through all the UI.

Android’s split into 2 branches becomes official. 3.0 for top of the line/high end devices. Cheap, low-end mass market handsets will keep Android 2.1/2.2

Basically we’ve got higher end devices moving forward onto some amazing things while every other device prior to the Incredible will be pushed aside and stuck with Froyo.  Of course, we can still expect more updates to Android 2.2, but the fragmentation created between 3.0 and 2.0 devices will be dramatic.  Just what Android needed right?  More fragmentation.

Update: As many of you have pointed out, who the heck is Eldar Murtazin and why is he any sort of authority on Android releases?  And are we even sure Gingerbread will be 3.0?  Questions which will likely go unanswered until we hear from Google.

One thing I will say to those of you still holding a Droid 1, Verizon does offer 1 year upgrades, so you’ll be able to pick up one of these 3.0 devices as an X-mas present to yourself.

Thoughts?

Via: UnwiredView

Just 5 days after the pre-sale started for the Droid X at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile, future orders have been cut off.  We received word from 2 separate Best Buy Mobile stores and called a third who all confirmed that the number of pre-sales for the Droid X has essentially matched the amount of inventory they expect to receive.

A good sign for the Droid brand, not a good sign if this turns into the next Incredible debacle.

The greatest movie database on the planet has finally come to our Android handsets.  The IMDb app just launched and is available for free in the market.  Check showtimes, release dates, TV listings, or even search for celebrity gossip.  Today is a great day for movie aficionados.

You can even watch movie trailers straight from the app…

Download:

Download Link

Welcome to the DIY Droid Life Channel!  It’s time for anyone with a spare wire hanger laying around, to put it to use and make themselves a nice little Droid stand.  Obviously it doesn’t have the visual appeal of a Mikradle or ezeStand, but at least it’s free!

We should have instructions soon, but wanted to share the pics with you for now.  Is it weird that I’m super impressed by the wire hanger creativity of our readers?  Awesome.

Cheers Hiral!  Nice work!

Dear, Droid Incredible back-orderees, Verizon would like to make you happy once again by offering you $25 gift cards whenever your DI actually arrives.  But why?  Well because, after months of delays and rumors of it being phased out, the Incredible is gearing up for a major comeback!

Here is the email being sent out by VZW to those with a pending order…

“Dear Valued Customer,

Thank you for your recent order of the DROID Incredible by HTC. Due to overwhelming demand for this innovative device, we are currently experiencing inventory delays. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and are working to resolve this issue.

If your order shipping date was June 28 or prior, you may experience an additional delay of up to 7 business days. We will send an update with tracking information once your device has been shipped. If you have already received your device, please disregard this notice.

Your satisfaction is important to us, so we’re also sending you a $25 Verizon Wireless gift card which may be redeemed online or at any Verizon Wireless retail store as a way of saying “thank you” for your patience in this matter. No additional action on your part is required – we will send the gift card to the address you provided with your order in the next two weeks.

If you have further questions regarding your order, please contact Verizon Wireless customer service by dialing *611 from your mobile or calling 800-922-0204.

Regards,
Verizon Wireless Fulfillment”

Nice move on their part, right?  While the hype these days seems to be all around the Droid X, it’s still pretty hard to argue with the specs of the DI.  Sure, it may never see 2.2 (kidding!), but even after 2 full months on the market now, there are few devices that can equally match up to it.

Source: Phandroid

Cheers Tim!