Google issued an over-the-air software update for its Nexus One smartphone that adds features including multi-touch support--and also corrects some bugs that customers have complained about.
Multi-touch, which will affect the phone's browser, picture gallery and mapping applications, is probably the most high-profile software change. The technology allows users to zoom into images using a pinch motion, a feature pioneered by Apple's iPhone. Google said the Nexus One, which it has been selling online through its own Web store, also will get a new version of Google Maps, Google's visual search application and, importantly, improved connections to T-Mobile USA's 3G network.
The company had promised late last month that it would issue such a fix. T-Mobile is so far the only carrier subsidizing the Nexus One, though Verizon Wireless has promised to offer it later this spring.
In other Nexus One news, it appears Google is looking to boost its Nexus One customer service efforts; the company has been criticized for not offering phone-based customer support for the device. Google posted a job listing for "Phone Support Program Manager, Android/Nexus One," based at the company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. "As Phone Support Program Manager for Android and the Nexus One, you are responsible for ramping up and managing operations of Google's telephone support for our direct-to-consumer Android/Nexus One customers," the company explained.
Google confirmed the job posting was legitimate, according to CNet. "We're working quickly to solve any customer support issues as they come up, and we are trying to be as open and transparent as possible through our online customer help forums," the company said in a statement. "We continue to address all issues in as timely of a manner as possible, and we're flexible and prepared to make changes to our processes and tools, as necessary, for an optimal customer support experience."
For more:
- see this Google blog post
- see NYT blog post
- see this Engadget post
- see this CNet post
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