Gingerbread SDK is released! Update: Video

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Gingerbread is finally here, folks. Google has just released the SDK -- that's the software development kit, the building blocks for the OS.

We're about to dive headfirst into this guy, but here are the big strokes:

  • UI refinements
  • Faster, better keyboard
  • Better power management
  • Task manager is easier to get to.
  • Internet calling -- SIP support!
  • Near-field communications (NFC) for purchases and the like
  • Better downloads management.

And that's just the stuff for us end-users. There are a bunch of changes behind the scenes for developers. Stay tuned, folks. We'll have more in a bit. [Android Developer Highlights]

 Update: Google's video walkthough is after the break!

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson
26 Comments
  • Thank you Santa. Now give me Nexus S on AT&T or ELSE!!!!
  • Santa already promised me one on T-mo. That's how I knew it was coming out before Christmas. Thank you (free) Bass Pro Shops Santa!
  • Now I feel its the chrismas season. Google realized that everyone prefers dark bar over white.
  • But what I really want is paypal support along with google checkout in the market. That is more important to me as I hate having a bunch of small charges to track on my credit card.
  • Is that the Nexus S I spy being used in that video?
  • Diving in now... woohooooo
  • *sighs* I wish I could meet one of the dev leads for android and ask them to please put a favorites list at the top of settings. So anywhere in setting you go you could tap and hold and select add to favorites. While there are a lot of toggle options out there I still from time to time have to wade through the menu.
  • I'm gonna ask santa to hold samsung at gun point and make them update my captivate to gingerbread and just forget about froyo!
  • Check out "Sammy's to get Gingerbread???" post in the forums. Its a long stretch and just a he said she said rumor but I have heard other people theorize this as being the hold up for Froyo on the US Carriers. Still doubt it to be true though :)
  • We Galaxy S variant owners will be lucky to get froyo before the year is out. They promised November ... grr. There's no telling if we'll even get Gingerbread! All we can do is hope for the best or if that fails, turn to the talent at XDA to do it for us.
  • Yeup that's right. Blame Sammy for the slow updates, then blame the carrier for putting all their crap and bloatware on it slowing the update even more. We should just be able to download that off the market for free. Any way, I visited my friend XDA over the weekend and got a stable 2.2 Froyo ROM on my Epic 4G, works great!
  • And I just got the Incredible, not that the S is coming to Verizon anyway :(
  • Nice... now let us go support those awesome devs of cyangen and help them get it into their rom and on all devices.
  • How do I download this for my Droid X or is this not for the X?
  • Its not *for* anything. Its the SDK, your Droid X won't see this for a long time, if ever, you can thank Ninja-Blur or whatever the hell everyone is calling it nowadays.
  • So when do we find out what devices are supported and when is it being pushed? DroidX :-)
  • YYYYAAAAAYYYY!!!!
  • Okay! Finally! Now will it be months and months (like Blackberry) before I can update my HTC Desire on Telus? Please say it won't be so!
  • cant wait for the evo roms to start to flow xda will be are savories
  • the android logo is forever ruined, it has a mouth
  • Be a nice treat to get 2.3 the Fascinate....
  • can i get this on my g tablet?
  • I want that shirt!!!!!! =)
  • Hope i get this!! is it in the write pleace
  • Dude what is taking Sammy so darn long. We still don't have froyo. GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR YOU KNOW WHAT AND LETS GO SO YOU CAN TRY TO SAVE SOME FACE!
  • Hurry up and wait......