Motorola update for Droid to bring Goggles, more

Motorola in the past day outlined what the upcoming Android 2.1 software update for its Droid smartphone will bring. It notably centers on the expected multi-touch support and allows pinch-to-zoom not just in Google Maps but also the browser and photo gallery. Avid texters should appreciate the new voice recognition feature that lets them speak an entry instead of typing it into a text field; users just have to swipe across the keyboard.

The keyboard itself will be larger for easier manual entry and will now have auto-complete and autocorrect functions. A new widget called 3D Gallery will display all photos, videos and album art from a user's Picasa Web album account in 3D stack that move when the phone is tilted. Selected photos can be shared quickly through an e-mail, an MMS or by uploading it onto Facebook.

The update will include a news and weather app widget that will bring user-customizable headlines and local weekly and hourly forecasts.

An update to Google Maps will let users synchronize starred items between the handset and the web version of the service. An autocomplete/suggest location based on a personal search history on maps.google.com will also be added. A night-mode will also be included, which will dim the display so it's less of a distraction in low-ambient light environments.

Google Goggles App will be added, enabling Google photo searches, reading business cards and adding the contacts they contain into the phonebook, as well as displaying information about stores and restaurants around users.

A new tab atop the music player will enhance navigation of music, while setting up Yahoo e-mails will be made easier. An unspecified change to enhance battery life is also part of the package. The sole security enhancement will prevent unauthorized pattern lock bypass.

When the update will be released is unknown, but is expected within the next few days.

By Electronista Staff