Phonetacular

[andrewducker]

Orange have, apparently, finally released the Android 2.2 update for the HTC Desire.*

I have therefore decided to do a backup of the files from the SD card to my PC, reformat the SD card, put everything back onto it, and then upgrade it.

Fingers crossed that it all works.

*Next time around I'm very tempted to buy the phone outright for myself, meaning I get the update when the manufacturer releases it, not when Orange have finished putting their crap on it. Not that Orange seem to put a lot of crap onto the Desire, that I've noticed. If it wasn't for the phone insurance, and a new Desire costing £400 new, I'd have done that last time around.

Comments

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

Is it possible to buy an Android handset without going through a carrier? I would've thought that even with a PAYG handset from Orange, it'd still be Orange firmware.

[andrewducker]

You can buy them elsewhere just fine:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/HTC-Desire-SIM-Free-Android-Smartphone/dp/B0035ER8OY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1285428660&sr=8-1
for instance.

Same with Blackberrys and some others too:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/electronics/356498011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_ce_1_4_last

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. Of course, all iPhones are unopened between their sanctification by His Most Holy Steveness and the user getting his/her hands on them, but you already knew that ;)

[andrewducker]

Yeah - Apple's advantage is that Steve won't let anyone install software that he doesn't approve of onto his phone. Their disadvantage, likewise :->

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

Hasn't proven to be a disadvantage over here yet.

[andrewducker]

There's not been any software that you'd like, only you can't get it because it's not allowed in the App Store?

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

There hasn't yet been a time when I searched for an app and couldn't find it due to Apple's review process. There have been times when a relaxation in the rules paved the way for apps that it hadn't occurred to me I wanted, and there have been times when I haven't been able to find an app because nobody's written what I want to use yet (seriously, one would think that at least a few Warhammer 40K geeks would also be iPhone geeks).

Also, there have been times when an app rejection has caused me to wtf, but those times are usually incidents in which Apple gets involved and rectifies things pretty quickly. The recent introduction of the reviews appeal process (where devs can appeal if they feel an app should not have been rejected) is an attempt to formalise this process (as opposed to the old process, which was "rant on enough blogs until Steve notices").

So... no. If I had found the walled garden to be in any way an issue I would have jailbroken my iPhone a long time ago, but I have genuinely never found it an issue. And Apple's control-freak attitude means that the carriers have no say in how my iPhone works, which suits me down to the ground. :)

[andrewducker]

Fair enough :->

Personally, I like the replacement SMS app and keyboard that I'm using. And there was a fascinating article in Edge recently about Japanese people hoping that the iPad would be their electronic comic reader, and being frustrated because Apple don't allow blood or nudity, which wipes out 2/3 of the Japanese comic market :->

But if you don't want anything it doesn't already do, then I can understand not being frustrated by it.

[princealbert.livejournal.com]

In UK only Orange changed the default OS. People were buying the pay as you go model from 3 as it was cheaper than even Xpansys and it came with 'stock' ROMs

Orange were the only carrier in Europe who locked the Radio ROM to stop you putting another SIM in, so even if you root/hack the Desire on Orange you have to call them up, tell them you need to use your handset abroad with a different SIM and pay £20 to get it officially unlocked.

[andrewducker]

Yeah, Orange seem to be bastards. If it wasn't for the good customer service I've always had for them I'd leave for someone else in an instant. I'll see whether they're still bastards when I come up for renewal in next Christmas.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

There's a way to trigger the process? I thought we had to just wait for our phones to upgrade themselves?

[andrewducker]

Looks like the roll-out hasn't hit me yet, but you can check by going to:
Menu->Settings->About Phone->System Software Updates.

[johncoxon.livejournal.com]

I thought we had to just wait for our phones to upgrade themselves?

Do they not give you a choice before they upgrade? Or is it mandatory?

[andrewducker]

You get told that there's an update, and asked if you want to use it (also, that it's a large one, and so you might want to use WiFi rather than downloading 85MB over the air).

[nameandnature]

I had a problem with my (unbranded, bought new) Desire on the latest greatest update (I got 2.2 a while ago) where it wouldn't boot (got as far as the white screen and stopped) during the upgrade until I took the SD card out, whereupon it finished the install and would then happily read the card again. I was scared I'd bricked the phone, so I thought I'd mention it in case you see anything similar.

[andrewducker]

Cheers. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I don't.

[princealbert.livejournal.com]

Heh!
We owners of the hacked/rooted phones will be on the new version of Sense UI very soon as someone managed to copy the Desire HDs ROM from a demo unit last week!