New kernel and version update?

[Gmash]

So I was reading on another forum that the new Mercury's are shipping with an updated kernel and 2.3.6. So I checked under settings> about phone> online updates and there were options for firmware update and software update that I don't think were there before. I didn't try them because I don't want an update that might be worse. I usually keep my background data turned off, don't know if that would keep it from upgrading automatically or not, but has anybody noticed this? Anyone with a new Mercury please compare here:

http://androidforums.com/huawei-mercury/474865-compare-m886-device-info.html

This makes me think I might be right about the Mercury shortage having something to do with updates going on. Anybody with an updated version; is the native tethering still available?

 

[Sandman45654]

There is a newer version of the phone and the audio problems have been fixed! Voice to text works beautifully now!

There is a newer version of android 2.3.6 but the kernel is the same. The build version is different and the build date is 1/20/2012.

 

[jbaalson]

How do you get the new software update?

 

[Sandman45654]

I forgot to mention tethering is still built into the rom. Sorry, it was a quick reply before leaving for work. Here are a few pics to show some of the other differences I've noticed.

 

[the258]

Well, Im pissed. I want the new version.

 

[mathesar]

Well, Im pissed. I want the new version.

Yea the firmware upgrade / system software upgrade options say No updates available. I wonder if they can flash it in a corp store.

EDIT: Well I called cricket (611) and they said If I upgrade my account to Muve it will receive the updated software. so I have to pay $5 extra per month to do this?? wtf.. the person was really hard to understand (accent) but i'm 95% sure this is what she was telling me.

 

[mathesar]

There is a newer version of the phone and the audio problems have been fixed! Voice to text works beautifully now!

There is a newer version of android 2.3.6 but the kernel is the same. The build version is different and the build date is 1/20/2012.

Can you verify if the audio sounds any better when recording Video?

 

[Sandman45654]

I haven't done a lot of video recording so I cannot give a definite yes but there does seem to be quite an improvement. The only videos I ever took were of my rearview mirror vibrating. Before I got the new version of the phone the bass from my trunk pegged the mic so hard you couldn't hear ANYTHING in the video. Now when I do a recording at the same level I can actually hear music but it won’t pick up the hard bass (expected). I just did a quick test of someone talking in the house and the quality seems decent.

 

[mathesar]

I haven't done a lot of video recording so I cannot give a definite yes but there does seem to be quite an improvement. The only videos I ever took were of my rearview mirror vibrating. Before I got the new version of the phone the bass from my trunk pegged the mic so hard you couldn't hear ANYTHING in the video. Now when I do a recording at the same level I can actually hear music but it won’t pick up the hard bass (expected). I just did a quick test of someone talking in the house and the quality seems decent.

If you get a chance can you play one of the videos on your PC and check what audio codec is being used, For example if you use VLC player you'd start the video then goto Tools / Media Information / Codec and it'll show the audio codec there, On mine its showing AMR @ 8,000Hz sample rate which is sounds pretty bad on playback.

Thanks for the reply.

VideoLAN - Official page for VLC media player, the Open Source video framework!

 

[Sandman45654]

Here ya go

 

[mathesar]

Here ya go

Hmm doesn't look like anything has changed with the audio codec which isnt very promising, I recently recorded video from my nephews basketball tournament and the audio was mostly a garbled / mechanical sounding mess.

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

 

[erica_renee]

i installed mx player and the codex add on this will give you ability to play all android standard video . I do so thru wifi dlna. bubble up. using mx player.

im on the new version of 2.3.6 kernel 2.6.35.7 as well and i have issues with Voice Dial.. and voice to text does NOT WORK FOR ME . also the phone keeps changing my default keyboard(swiftkey x) back to that stupid swype.. super annoying. I hope huawei makes a cdma ics rom for this or the honor phone . This will be needed before we can get ics ported. the current rom for ics is gsm. and its not likely to port gsm to cdma without Source.