2.2 Update for T-Mo US is available

[colnago]

Downloading now.

Bah! No wi-fi hotspot.

A few additions to the OS though. What I've found so far:

- (3) home screen Profiles: Home, Work, and Weekend
- Settings menu has a "Drive Smart" menu (auto settings for BT, volume, call fwd, etc, when sense phone is "moving in car"?
- Peer to peer menu (channel selector) in Advanced Wi-Fi settings (hotspot?)
- In pocket detection - locks your device automatically when inserted in pocket (new?)
- App called "Lookout" phone backup, loss recovery, etc...I deleted, didn't know what it was
- menu fonts look different, but no color icons like with the HTC phones
- new apps: T-Mobile TV, UNO, Tasks, Slacker(? I don't think I installed on my own), and Doh! 3G Mobile hotspot (iin app drawer)
- Battery Manager...is different


Update: It seems like I lost the ability to manage the system notification sound (Disconnect from charger beep, etc). I also can't enable the simple screen lock, even though it appears briefly when waking the phone.

 

[colnago]

...it also seems like battery life has improved. I've got a 1% increment battery monitor, which is still showing 100% after 20 minutes of web browsing, on wifi, from pulling off the charger.

Edit - scratch that...there is something wrong with my battery monitor (Minimal Text). The phone's system monitor dropped to 90% while Minimal Text's was still at "fully charged".

Anyway, here is the official change log:


http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles..._Blur_Version.34.4.9.MB525.T-Mobile.en.US.htm

Software Upgrade for Motorola DEFY™ (34.4.9)

Introduction

This is a software upgrade for T-Mobile USA Motorola DEFY users who are currently using Android™ 2.1 (Eclair) software versions. The 34.4.9 upgrade for Motorola DEFY provides new features from Android 2.2 (Froyo) plus additional improvements.
Important: The file size of the DEFY Froyo software update is approximately 120MB. To avoid potential data overage charges, please use a Wi-Fi connection to fully download the software update.
For more information on your T-Mobile Motorola DEFY, visit http:// www.motorola.com/mydefy

Who Can Use This Release?

All Motorola/T-Mobile USA DEFY users.

Android 2.2 (Froyo) Highlights:

- Phone speed and performance Performance of the phone has been enhanced resulting in faster user interface, application operation, and Web browsing.
- Adobe Flash Player 10.1 Your device now supports Adobe

 

[linuxme]

I just updated to Android 2.2 on my Motorola Defy and now it has no home screen and cannot access any apps or menus rendering it nearly useless.

It does have the top notification bar which does update (indicate incoming texts, etc). It does receive phone calls and text, but are only accessible from the top notification bar. Other than that it is a brick.

Cannot hard reset. Holding down the lower volume key while powering up gets the Android ! icon, but it does not respond to a tap in the lower right corner.

Other Motorola Defy customers report a similar Android upgrade problem (though some are able to recover with a hard reset). No such luck in my case.

My guess is some sort of configuration file incompatibility with Android 2.2 and 2.1. The previous upgrade broke the camera but clearing the camera data (from the App menu) fixed that problem. Maybe it is a similar typte problem.

Any suggestions as to how to get home screen back? FWIW, I am an experienced linux/unix developer and can help in technical debugging of this problem.

Thanks

 

[colnago]

I'm not sure what you mean by "no home screen", but are you able to "change profiles" (pressing the menu button, then "Profiles") to bring up a different home screen setup (i.e. Home, Work, Weekend)? Sorry I can't help you out...I'm a network/VoIP guy. Last bit of programming I did was BASIC on a TRS-80.

Hard reset never worked for me either however the upgrade went pretty smoothly. I was not rooted, and had Launcher Pro installed, but not active at the time. I am starting to see some lagginess, and when trying to "re-create" the "Anycut" shortcut to the battery usage, the shorcut kept disappearing when I try to move it. I had (2) reboots while attempting that.

After the upgrade, a few other widgets/shortcuts (Moto and 3rd party) were not working quite right, and a few were missing. So I uninstalled Launcher Pro and Home switcher, and again, re-created/re-installed the missing links.

I spent most of the day trying to get the Hotspot working on AT&T, and finally got it working, so I'm not really sure if anything else is "broken". I may try a system reset to get it running clean, because I think I'm taking back my G2x.

 

[BobbyPhoenix]

Hm. Mine has the wi-fi hotspot available. It's not under the setting for wireless & networks like my N1 or Desire HD, but it's an app called 3G Mobile Hostspot. I use it all the time. A couple of things I noticed was slight lag and getting hot(both fixed by doing a factory reset), the Amazon Kindle app won't update (says "Not signed correctly" I guess it means the one that comes pre-installed), and when using the Wi-Fi hotspot after you are done sometimes it won't shut off, and only a reboot will fix it. The last thing I have an issue with is calibrating the compass. Once you do, and check the batter stats, it shows "Android OS" always using the most juice. Only a reboot fixes that too. Other than those issues, it has been a really great update. Battery life is much better too.

EDIT For the home screen issue I had a similar one. It seems for me if I have any alternative launcher installed I cannot use the default Blur one, but that's fine by me as I use ADW EX.

 

[colnago]

The hotspot "works", just, wasn't working on AT&T, until I resolved an APN setting. I also had to re-install my Dish Network app as I could not connect.

 

[linuxme]

I'm not sure what you mean by "no home screen", but are you able to "change profiles" (pressing the menu button, then "Profiles") to bring up a different home screen setup (i.e. Home, Work, Weekend)?

What I mean by "no home screen" is simply a blank screen. No green phone icon, App list icon, or contacts icon along the bottom. No icons on the desktop. Not even the background wallpaper. Nothing except the notification bar at the top. Made it impossible to make calls, send texts, or run applications.

If you looks at the 2.2 features list you posted it says "- Profiles Added profiles feature that provides three customizable sets of home screens to give you access to the apps, shortcuts, and widgets you want, when you need them. " I suspect something in that new functionality conflicted with my old 2.1 based settings. Maybe it didn't like my background wallpaper of my kids. I have not rooted the phone or done anything unusual. (I do plan on writing apps and other playing around, have already downloaded the Android SDK, but have not had the time to actually do anything to the phone. Have only had the phone for just over a month.)

The Motorola support website was able to tell me how to hard reset the Motorola Defy (after seeing the Android ! icon press the middle of the volume control to get the reset menu) and the phone is back to factory settings. Annoying to have to re-set it up but at least it is working again and nothing significant was lost. It's a good reminder to always have everything on the phone backed up.

My biggest concern is other Motorola Defy users. If my "vanilla" setup hit this problem many other Defy users will too. There are similar reports on the Motorola support site. Less technical users will be completely lost when they hit this problem. My wife would have gone ballistic if I had upgraded her phone (as I was planning to do) and had to factory reset it. She will probably be stuck on 2.1 for the life of the phone.

 

[colnago]

Good to hear you're back in the game.

Just an update, it "does" seem like I'm getting better battery life after all. (7) hours after pulling off charger, I'm only down to 90%.

 

[colnago]

Wow...after update, 14 hours 30 minutes off charger, and battery level at 80%. Phone mostly been idle, on 3G with full bars, but still.

 

[J3D1]

I am having some noticeable performance issues after the update. My phone seems to be working much slower....huge delay after I touch an icon (as much as 10 seconds at times) and everything opens/starts up way slower. Not impressed.

 

[colnago]

I am having some noticeable performance issues after the update. My phone seems to be working much slower....huge delay after I touch an icon (as much as 10 seconds at times) and everything opens/starts up way slower. Not impressed.

Maybe you have an app installed that is causing issues with the update? I had to perform a system reset, after Launcher Pro stopped working properly. After the reset, I re-installed Launcher Pro, among a few other apps not working, and everything returned to normal...actually better, since the battery is lasting 2-3 days now.

 

[J3D1]

What does a system reset do? Will I have to ad all my contacts and preferences and downloaded apps/ringtones/music and stuff again?

 

[BobbyPhoenix]

What does a system reset do? Will I have to ad all my contacts and preferences and downloaded apps/ringtones/music and stuff again?

If you are talking about "factory reset" then yes and no. It basically wipes the phone to a state as if you just bought it new. You have to sign in with your account again, but if you previously selected the options to back up data (under one of the settings on the phone) then all you apps will be there in the Market waiting to download again. You won't have to pay anything. They will just be there. This was the only way I was able to solve my lag issue after updating, but it was worth it. Yes I had to set up all my stuff again, but now it's like a new phone.

 

[J3D1]

well shit. updating should not be this big a hassle. I now wish I never updated.

****ing bullocks.

how do i do a system/factory reset?

 

[BobbyPhoenix]

well shit. updating should not be this big a hassle. I now wish I never updated.

f**king bullocks.

how do i do a system/factory reset?

Go to -> "Settings" -> "Privacy" (If you want all your stuff ready after you do the reset make sure both options are checked for "Back up my data" and "Automatic restore" otherwise you will have to find all your apps again one by one.) -> "Factory Data Reset". Do the reset, and follow the instructions. It's pretty easy, and quick really.

 

[CenturyB1974]

I had exactly the same issue, thanks for your help, followed your advice and got me working within 5 mins. Awesome post dude. cheers

What I mean by "no home screen" is simply a blank screen. No green phone icon, App list icon, or contacts icon along the bottom. No icons on the desktop. Not even the background wallpaper. Nothing except the notification bar at the top. Made it impossible to make calls, send texts, or run applications.

If you looks at the 2.2 features list you posted it says "- Profiles Added profiles feature that provides three customizable sets of home screens to give you access to the apps, shortcuts, and widgets you want, when you need them. " I suspect something in that new functionality conflicted with my old 2.1 based settings. Maybe it didn't like my background wallpaper of my kids. I have not rooted the phone or done anything unusual. (I do plan on writing apps and other playing around, have already downloaded the Android SDK, but have not had the time to actually do anything to the phone. Have only had the phone for just over a month.)

The Motorola support website was able to tell me how to hard reset the Motorola Defy (after seeing the Android ! icon press the middle of the volume control to get the reset menu) and the phone is back to factory settings. Annoying to have to re-set it up but at least it is working again and nothing significant was lost. It's a good reminder to always have everything on the phone backed up.

My biggest concern is other Motorola Defy users. If my "vanilla" setup hit this problem many other Defy users will too. There are similar reports on the Motorola support site. Less technical users will be completely lost when they hit this problem. My wife would have gone ballistic if I had upgraded her phone (as I was planning to do) and had to factory reset it. She will probably be stuck on 2.1 for the life of the phone.