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If you remember the iFixit teardown of the Nexus One, it revealed the device had a Broadcom chip labeled BCM4329EKUBG (which supports Wireless N) and a FM transmitter. Both features were not present when the phone launched on January 5th, but it looks like each is close to being implemented in Android 2.2.
Broadcom and Google just released updated drivers for the WiFi chipset which appear to enable Wireless N. Android hacker Steve Kondik (@cyanogen) was quick to pull the files into his repo and then @kmobs compiled them to run on his Nexus One. After setting his WiFi router to 802.11 N, Mr. Kmobs was able to connect his Nexus One and browse the internets.
This was captured in a short blurry-cam video.
If Broadcom and Google have already released these files into the wild, chances are pretty high they have already been implemented in an upcoming firmware. The official Android Open Source Project is typically a month behind (or more) the latest Android firmware.
What other tricks does the Nexus One have up its sleeve?
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This is awesome news to hear!
This is awesome, and my Nexus One comes in tomorrow
Oh snap! Someone tear down the HTC Incredible and see if we can get in on this N train, too!
I would think so. The HTC N1, Incredible, Desire, EVO, etc are all on a similar platform.
For all we know, we could have a nexus 2 model, coming next year.
THIS PROVES THAT FROYO IS AROUND THE CORNER.
NEXUS ONE + FROYO = A BIT BETTER THAN EVO WITH ANDROID 2.1
CANT WAIT FOR ANDROID 2.2 (FROYO)
GO GOOGLE!!!!
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Wimax is slooowww. Enjoy your gimped phone. I’ll keep rocking out with the N1. Unlocked bootloader ftw.
Uprated in agreement.
How long do you think it’s going to take to root the EVO?
how do you know its slow evo gonna be the first wimax phone
Um…you do realize that 802.11n is about 6x faster than the theoretical max on WiMax, and about 20x faster than the real-world testing has produced, right?
I’d be damn excited and SHOUTING if I were him as well.
Yeah, and the range of wimax is the same as that of wifi, is it?
Wimax is supposed to be a rival to 3G, not wifi…
Are you an idiot? Are you comparing Wi-Fi to WiMax. Different things, buddy.
Some people are clueless regarding specs, anyway the N1 rocks in NYC with tmos HSPA, also tmo is testing HSPA+ here in NYC which will be more than twice as fast as sprints 4G. it will be on par with LTE maybe even faster. Im hitting 3 quarters of a MB (not Mb) in some cases tethered to mu mac.
ship with 2.2, lol. how many sense UI devices have the latest and greatest firmware…not to mention any of the sprint devices
WiMax, haha, are you kidding me? Wimax does 6Mbps at the most. I have an ipod touch that on wifi G downloads at 11Mbps. With wireless n it will be faster. Ofcourse that all depends on your ISP and router. Anonimac from androidforums.com announced yesterday that he was able to verify the Incredible supports wireless N.
*facepalm*
We know WiFi is faster than WiMax. WiMax is a cellular data network not something to replace Wi-Fi. Is it really that difficult to understand. The Evo has both WiFi and WiMax. WiMax is set to replace 3G not WiFi. Ignore the fact that both start with “Wi”
*facepalm*
Are you all missing the fact that those responses were for the anonymous comment that got ranked down? He said “enjoy your Wifi N. Doesn’t have the same ring as WiMax.” Of course there is no comparison, but that is why they were bringing it up.
I already notice that high-sensitivity 802.11N antenna in my N1. It detects, and connects to, wireless networks that are undetectable by my MacBookPro
Any chance of this for the Droid? I don’t know the Hardware specs.
Nope. Uses a completely different baseband/wireless chip.
Sorry.
Uhh…what’s the big deal? My Moto Droid has been working on my router that is set to wireless N mode only since the day i got it back in December with 2.0. I’ve turned off the B and G on my router since all my devices are N capable. In a speed test it pulls 4Mbs down and 1.1Mbs up while on 3g it only pulls 1.2Mbs down and 500K up.
Wow, on the SpeedTest app on my Droid, I switched to a closer server and it just hit 5Mbs down
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Taylor,
You said “FM Transmitter”. Did you actually mean “FM Radio”? Transmitter means something different, a device like Motorola ROKR, which allows to transmit voice from a phone or mp3 player to a car GMT Radio. Or am I mistaken?
Looking at the Broadcom chipset details, it says it does FM Tx and Rx.
I think the transmitter part is so you can play music on a car radio over an empty channel. I have a doohickey I used to plug into my ipod for that.
Actually 802.11n already works: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?tid=71a1c6a1e16585e1&hl=en
I have always been able to connect to 802.11n with my N1 without any mods, maybe it is those “cymods” who have been in the dark.
This story quotes “Broadcom and Google just released updated drivers for the WiFi chipset which appear to enable Wireless N.” any leaves readers with impression that we (The N! users) have never been able to connect to 802.11n networks. I and many others who will remain silent know this in not the case.
All @kmobs has done is update the driver and now it is upon him to enlighten us on the features added by the Broadcom driver update.
I’ve nexus one and I am happy to hear that it has wifi N support and a FM radio.
How about they actually fix phone reception problems on the N1? Sick and tired of having a phone that can’t make calls!
How dare you bad mouth the holy grail of phones? *sarcasm*
Is that chip in the HTC Desire?
“What other tricks does the Nexus One have up its sleeve?”
Can they fix the ragged 3G data connection? How about fix that before worrying about implementing wifi n.
Where do you people live who keep complaining about the 3G? I have not had one problem with my 3G since the day my Nexus One. Not being an a$$ just curious
How about… San Francisco?
Excellent News! And for the record the 3G on my Nexus One works FLAWLESSLY, I have never had any of these mythical problems people keep trying to bring up. Its Tired, just let it go!!!
But will it support 5GHz?
I hope so, but I don’t expect it. But I have a simultaneous dual-band router which is broadcasting my g-network on the 2,4GHz and the n-network on 5GHz.