For those running non-hacked devices (a shrinking majority of our readers), updates are a topic of intense debate, anticipation, and frequently, frustration. From reportedly faulty Droid updates to fan pleasers like the recent Cliq fixer to the curiosity about pushing rooted Moments ahead of the curve, it’s clear that you all want information on the latest and greatest software updates. Well, I’ve got great news for you today…depending on how you look at it, I suppose. Rather, I’ve got information for you today: a sort of roadmap for Motorola updates (image below) followed by HTC’s response to an inquiry by This Android Life on the timeline for a GSM Hero update. Also see this link about the possibility of a major Nexus One update hitting the air.

“Thank you for your enquiry about rom upgrade

Some of the phones in our Android line up including your Hero are due to receive an upgrade, and it is scheduled to be released starting at the end of April. Your phone should be upgraded Over-The-Air. You can expect a pop-up message on your phone when connected to the internet once it is ready. When the upgrade is ready, we will notify you via our website and on various social media networks including Twitter and Face book.”

Via Motorola and

If a 2D graphics slowdown after updating your Droid to 2.1 didn’t bother you, well…I applaud you. But more bad news? Because the gallery in 2.1 is entirely different from the boring old app in 2.0.1, the new one being made by Cooliris, it turns out you just downgraded image quality from 24-bit to 16-bit. But you know what? It’s really not that big a deal to me. I like the new effects. And like IntoMobile points out, we’ll probably see the 24-bit images restored in Android 2.2. Check out some super technical analysis over at DisplayMate.

Via IntoMobile

EDIT: This video is by LincKraker.

I posted earlier today about a cooked ROM for hacked Moments that was rocking 2.1. I still can’t fully endorse it because I don’t have a Moment on hand, but here’s a video of a phone that was hacked using the process followed in that same thread. As always, embarking on this journey is done at your own risk, but I would like to hear some feedback from any readers who are willing to take the plunge.

I realize that dabbling with cooked ROMs is an at-your-own-risk type of business, but there are a few big names out there that we all know we can trust – Cyanogen, MoDaCo, a bunch of other folks who post over at xda-developers… Flashing ROMs released by these cats is a pretty safe endeavor. But what do you do when tempted by someone who appears to be a relative newcomer? A user identified as 123321 with the account status, “Momentary Newb” posted a link with no description or explanation over at a site called sdx-developers last night, and the brave souls who decided to test the waters discovered an Android 2.1 ROM for the Samsung Moment. We know the official update is coming in the near future, but I can certainly understand that some people are sick of waiting. Sounds risky to me, but for all I know, the original poster is well known and trusted amongst the ROM cooking elite. What do you think? Is it worth the risk?

Via Android Central

Well this isn’t good. After being endlessly toyed with regarding the release window for the Android 2.1 update, Droid owners are now finding that the OTA has significantly slowed 2D graphic performance, as evidenced by the video below. Pinch-to-zoom in various apps, Live Wallpapers, and other long awaited goodies are now happily rocking Droids around America and I’m wondering: is the new sluggishness really that noticeable in daily use? Would you gladly return those delicious new features for the higher frame rate? Are you sorry that the update finally dropped? Well, I’m sure the issue will be addressed, if not sooner, then…well, you know.