Android 2.2 ‘Froyo’ to get USB tethering and 3G-to-WiFi hotspot

David Flynn
19 May 2010, 8:30 AM


Send to a friend Print

Google’s next update to Android adds two high-value features to the open-source mobile OS, with USB tethering and the ability to create a personal Wi-Fi hotspot.


Google is certainly on a roll right now, at least when it comes to mobile operating systems.

As rumours continue to swirl about a new wave of slates and netbooks running Android and Chome, plus show-stopping smartphones like HTC Desire, the next release of Android is taking shape.

The latest features added to Android 2.2, which is codenamed ‘Froyo’ (after the ‘frozen yoghurt’ dessert treat), are a boon for mobile mavens.



Out of the box, Android 2.2 will support USB tethering to a notebook so that your smartphone can act as a 3G broadband modem.



Even neater is the inbuilt Wi-Fi hotspot system which feeds the smartphone’s 3G data stream out as a low-power, short range ‘personal’ WiFi hotspot suitable for your netbook, notebook, iPad or any other Wi-Fi device.

Android 2.2 will also support Flash 10 and allow apps to be installed on a memory card.

Google is expected to showcase Android 2.2 at this week’s Google I/O conference in San Francisco, which kicks off early Thursday morning Sydney time.


Post your comment



Comments

 RSS feed Email alert

agami (New user):

OMG, Windows Mobile had both of these features way back. I can't believe people raving on about Android when it only now is implementing feature Windows Mobile had all along. Of course I'm going to ignore all the other stuff Windows Mobile absolutely sucks at and base the following statement simply on the time difference in which a feature is implemented; Android sucks donkey balls.

19 May 2010, 10:09 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

TechHead (New user):

I had an WinMo iMate and while what you say is correct, tethering and other network connections were very difficult for me to use. I have an Android Dream now and everyting is so easy to use.

I believe Android is capturing the smartphone market worldwide because of it's ease of use. Google has borrowed from Apple by making the interface easy to use and also borrowed from WinMo by allowing configurability.

Make no mistake my friend, this is what the mainstream want. I don't want Apple restricting me or WinMo confusing me. Enter the friendly Green Robot!

I have hope for WinMo making things easier with Phone 7 Series, but they're too late, the horse has bolted. As for Apple, Jobs will always be the control freak, so he'll never see any of my hard-earned, but he will succeed by tying people to his eco system - itunes, etc.

19 May 2010, 10:38 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Not signed in
anonymous user Anonymous user