Android Gingerbread launching this week: Fact or fiction?

Article copyright 2010 JR Raphael. All rights reserved.

Good news, Android fans: The wait for Gingerbread may soon be over. For some of us, at least.

According to the latest Web-based rumor, Android Gingerbread -- Google's latest version of the Android OS -- will reach Nexus One devices within the "next few days." So far, the news is completely unofficial. It does, however, jive with previous (also unsubstantiated) reports that Gingerbread would make its first public appearance on November 11th.

[UPDATE (12/6/10): Gingerbread is here. Click over to our complete Gingerbread FAQ for everything there is to know.]

Of course, this isn't the first time we've heard confident-sounding predictions about the arrival of Android Gingerbread, and the last predictions didn't exactly end up panning out. (Unconfirmed Internet speculation that wasn't 100-percent accurate? Who woulda thunk?)

So is this latest Gingerbread scoop the real deal? Or is it just more meaningless noise? Check out the evidence and decide for yourself.

Android Gingerbread Launching This Week: The Nexus One Rumor

• The scoop: According to talk on Twitter, Nexus One devices will receive an over-the-air update to Android Gingerbread, believed to be numbered Android 2.3, sometime this week.

• The source: A man whose LinkedIn profile identifies himself as a member of the "leadership team" for the Open Handset Alliance, a group of tech companies that helps develop and support the Android operating system. As first spotted by Android blog Android Police, the man -- Alvaro Fuentes Vasquez -- sent the following tweet on Sunday:

  Preparen sus Nexus One (Developer version) para la actualización vía OTA de Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) para los próximos días :-D

  Translated into English, it reads:

  Prepare your Nexus One (Developer version) for Android OTA update 2.3 (Gingerbread) for the next few days :-D

  Remember: The Nexus One is now Google's official Android Developer Phone. The tweet specifically says "developer version." So even if it is accurate, any initial launch may or may not affect the bulk of consumer-sold Nexus One devices.

• Official mentions or confirmations: Nothing related to timing or specific device launch plans. Google did, however, unveil its official Android Gingerbread statue a couple of weeks ago. In the past, Google has announced detailed info about Android software upgrades shortly after their statues appeared.

• Other evidence: Last week, an unnamed source quoted by tech blog IntoMobile claimed the Android Gingerbread software development kit would be released on November 11. On the flipside, a previous unnamed source stated with some confidence that the Gingerbread software development kit would arrive in mid-October. That information obviously proved to be incorrect.

  Adobe's Flash Player for Android app, meanwhile, now has the following text within its Android Market description:

  A smoking gun? Not exactly. But something to consider.

• Android Power poll: Do you believe?

  You've seen all the evidence -- now cast your vote:

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Article copyright 2010 JR Raphael. All rights reserved.