Android 2.2 to feature USB + WiFi tethering as standard
Simon Chester, MobileCrunch, 5/13/2010
TechCrunch, found out today that the Froyo-flavoured (and bloody fast) Android 2.2 will feature USB and WiFi tethering as standard.
This will give users the ability to access their phone’s 3G connection by either physically connecting the phone to their laptop external-USB-modem-stylee, or over a temporary WiFi access point beaming out from within the phone’s magical inner chamber.
This is already achievable on any rooted Android device (I sometimes use it on my Android 1.5 HTC Hero just to feel special), but it’s good to have this oft-requested, rather practical feature supported out-of-the-box, without the need for any warranty-voiding rooting shenanigans (*ahem*) or third-party applications.
As the original post states, it’s unclear if access to this feature will be able enabled/disabled at the carrier’s whim (I imagine it will be), but — as a buhzillion rooted and custom-ROMed Android users have already proven — that fact is almost moot.
As it stands, I don’t know where the EVO 4G’s $30/month mobile hotspot feature will fit in once it receives its inevitable yoghurty upgrade. We’ll have to wait and see…
No doubt we’ll be treated to a few other features at the Google I/O conference next week, where Android 2.2/Froyo is expected to be announced.
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- Motorola Droid now just a (hacked) firmware update away from WiFi tethering Tim Stevens, Engadget, 12/23/2009 Add one more item to the “Droid does” column — unofficially, at least. WiFi tethering from...
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In: Android, Mobile Technology · Tagged with: 3G, Tether, WiFi

on May 13, 2010 at 5:30 pm
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Android 2.2 to feature USB + WiFi tethering as standard http://is.gd/c7HmI