Both Engadget.com and androidcentral.com are reporting that a Verizon rep has confirmed that Froyo (Android 2.2) will start to be released today (08/27/2010). Personally, I've heard wolf cried one too many times to start holding by breath now. I admit however; I'll be checking the system update menu throughout the day anyway.

When 2.2 does reach the Incredible it boasts Adobe Flash 10.1, HD 720p video recording, mobile hotspot support, and presumably the bluetooth stacks for human interface devices (bluetooth keyboards anyone?). Other 2.2 users have also reported a noted increase in speed, which while unnecessary on these already snappy phones, will be welcomed.

As of 9:23am (MST) I have yet to hear of any legitimate OTA updates happening.

**Update**
As of 10am there are rumors of people in the Pacific North West getting the update. I've only seen one person claiming they've received it though.

**Update** 
12:30 and 16 people have reported that they have it on a poll at AndroidForums.com 

**Update**
4:50 and still only a hand full of users have announced that they've received the update.

**Update**
3 days later: Android central users have tracked down the file on verizon's servers and have posted a link and instructions on how to manually update. 

**Update** 
Downloaded the file to 90% and all of a sudden my phone announced that my OTA update was available. Installing 2.2 as I type. 

The 2.2 update for Android users has been wrought with problems. As an Incredible user I've seen half a dozen or more "leaked" patch dates, that came and went with nothing to show for it. I'm not sure if they were real to begin with or just fabricated to generate clicks to the originator's blog/site. I for one am just going to stick with Verizon and HTC's original announcement stating, "We'll have it to you by Christmas". 

I'm really looking forward to it for a number of reasons. I have to say the main one is the supposed ability to connect and use blue tooth keyboards. Since I got my Incredible I stopped carrying around my laptop because I just didn't need it anymore, so having the ability to bring along a blue tooth keyboard to draft emails or blog posts would really be a great utility. 

Other phones and manufacturers seem to be having a myriad of issues as well. The 2.2 patch for the Motorola Droid doesn't even get key features of the update including most notably 10.1 flash. After some significant user backlash it was announced that 10.1 would be made available on the Android Market in the near future.

Even worse the Cliq, Cliq XT and backflip aren't even expected to get 2.2, and are still waiting for 2.1. I'm not sure which version was promised to these owners, but I'm glad not to be in their shoes right now.

I think that the way carriers and manufacturers handle these updates is going to be vital for Android's future. Too many broken promises and users will loose faith in the brand, and may drift back to an inferior, but more consistent iPhone.

**UPDATE**
2.2 did not fix Bluetooth keyboard (HID) input. I'm incredibly disappointed (pun intended)

The next time your representatives threaten to cut education spending, tell them to find the money somewhere else. For example, this is from the Associated Press.

Documents reveal governor’s housing costs. When renovation of the historic Texas Governor's Mansion began 2 1/2 years ago, Gov. Rick Perry waspleased to find some pretty fancy temporary digs: a five-bedroom, seven-bath house in a gatedcommunity. It fell to Austin newsman Jay Root to find out much that was costing taxpayers.Using the Texas Public Information Act, Root spent weeks pulling together invoices, ledgers and otherexpense records from three different state agencies. He found that the rent, utilities and upkeep alone arecosting the state $10,000 a month, twice as much as a downtown penthouse within walking distance ofthe Capitol.Root also revealed that state-paid expenses at the 6,386-square-foot rental house included $18,000 for“consumables” such as household supplies and cleaning products, $1,001.46 in window coverings fromupscale retailer Neiman Marcus and a $1,000 “emergency repair” of the governor's filtered ice machine.He also discovered that Perry had used $130,000 in campaign funds to throw parties, buy food and drinkand pay for cable TV and a host of other services since moving in.

The officials in charge of our budgets threaten to cut spending in places that hurt so that we'll be more likely to support bigger spending and higher taxes. Yet every year I hear about Judges doing $40,000 office remodels, military brass sitting in $10,000 desk chairs, and cities putting up $250,000 "Welcome to..." signs. Yes, schools and defense are the biggest budget line items and are thus are the place where the most money is available to cut, but I know we have a lot of other trivial crap to cut before we have to touch their bottom line by even 1/2 a percent.  

My take on the training material AZ Post released today is this. These things you're reading are not words. No matter how much I tell you that, you can still see that they are indeed words. The same goes for the rules placed for establishing reasonable suspicion. Just because they say over and over that it's not racial profiling, and that you can not use racial profiling does not change the fact that it is.

http://www.azpost.state.az.us/SB1070infocenter.htm

Lets take this scenario. A college student, his friends, and some friends of theirs go to a bar. They have 2 compact cars, 2 designated driver's and about 12 people. The student get's drunk to the point of sluring, and forgets his drivers licence at the bar. No matter he's not driving anyway. While walking to the car, he trips and falls in the grass tearing holes in the knees of his pants and getting grass stains. On the way home they are pulled over. When asked where he lives, he replies that he can't remember in a jumble of ill prepared sentences. The one mistake he makes is to not fasten his seatbelt, so he's now subject to questioning by the officer. According to the training material he's in violation of the following:

Lack of identification
Traveling in tandem
Inability to provide his residential address
Not knowing other's in the same vehicle
Providing inconsistent or illogical information
Dress
Significant difficulty communicating in English

So, if the person is white will he be suspected of being illegal? Fat chance. This training material recommends racial profiling no matter how many times they say that racial profiling is prohibited. 

Even outside of the frat night on the town scenario, any legal US citizen can find themselves fitting many of these criteria in a variety of circumstances. Heck, our former president G.W. Bush has significant difficulty communicating in English, and went to great lengths to dress in the same style as Mexican cattle ranchers. Unless you fit a particular stereotype you will not be targeted for questioning under this law.

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