Help update (newbie question)

[anothertrad]

after search in the forums, I couldn't find an answer for that.
My HTC Magic has android 1.5. I know that it's possible to upgrade to a newer version of android. How can I do that? For the phone? For the computer? Thanks!

 

[mjschmidt]

We would need to know where you are. Are you in the US with an HTC MyTouch (the Magic on T-Mobile), in England, in Canada, or elsewhere?

If you are in Canada, and you have a Magic from Rogers, it will be upgraded by Rogers to Android 2.1 soon, sometime in June.

Otherwise you will have to root your Magic to "upgrade" it if your cell phone provider/carrier isn't offering an update.

"Rooting" your phone is kind of like "hacking" it. Some people here will tell you it's very easy to do, but only if you are very good with technology and computers. When you root your phone, there is a risk you will "brick" it, which means that it will stop working completely.

 

[anothertrad]

We would need to know where you are. Are you in the US with an HTC MyTouch (the Magic on T-Mobile), in England, in Canada, or elsewhere?

If you are in Canada, and you have a Magic from Rogers, it will be upgraded by Rogers to Android 2.1 soon, sometime in June.

Otherwise you will have to root your Magic to "upgrade" it if your cell phone provider/carrier isn't offering an update.

"Rooting" your phone is kind of like "hacking" it. Some people here will tell you it's very easy to do, but only if you are very good with technology and computers. When you root your phone, there is a risk you will "brick" it, which means that it will stop working completely.

I am on Brazil, and yes, I am a computer professional, with LPI certifications, which means that I am able do use Linux systems.

Ok, so I understand that i have two options: hack or contact my provider.

 

[mjschmidt]

Just so you know, if your carrier in Brazil is anything like Rogers here in Canada, you may be in for a fight to get an update.

Our carrier (Rogers Canada) didn't even know there was an update beyond 1.5 until we started complaining and asking. Then they tried to tell us that HTC wouldn't make an update to 1.6 for us, while HTC told us that it was because Rogers had to ask for it.

Likely it is a matter of cost. If your carrier didn't agree/contract to get updates, they might not offer them (since I assume someone has to pay for it).

We started an online campaign to embarrass Rogers and HTC until they agreed to give us 2.1.

You can see more about it in my blog (link in my sig) if you are interested.

 

[anothertrad]

Just so you know, if your carrier in Brazil is anything like Rogers here in Canada, you may be in for a fight to get an update.

Our carrier (Rogers Canada) didn't even know there was an update beyond 1.5 until we started complaining and asking. Then they tried to tell us that HTC wouldn't make an update to 1.6 for us, while HTC told us that it was because Rogers had to ask for it.

Likely it is a matter of cost. If your carrier didn't agree/contract to get updates, they might not offer them (since I assume someone has to pay for it).

We started an online campaign to embarrass Rogers and HTC until they agreed to give us 2.1.

You can see more about it in my blog (link in my sig) if you are interested.

of course, I am interested. but I'll unlock the phone tomorrow. So, I tough that software upgrades issues would be handled by HTC Itself, like I do with my nokia phones. When i unlock, I can't go to my carrier (TIM Brasil) searching for software updates right?

Another thing: android is an open source linux based system, so, I tough that I just needed to go to android website, download whichever version I need (as long as it's a compatible version with my hardware), and install it on my phone...

 

[Frank]

I have an unlocked Rogers HTC Magic with 1.5. I also want to upgrade it. I do not use Rogers and live in China. Can I go to the Rogers web site and download their updates? Or will this "brick" my phone? I am worried that since I do not use Rogers it may cause a problem for the phone. Thanks

 

[mjschmidt]

@anothertrad: When they say Android is open source, they really mean only that it is free to be used, and that it is capable of being modified. The problem is when manufactures like HTC take the base Android OS, and then customize it further, with a UI like HTC's Sense UI for example, or customizations done for the carrier.

Because of these customizations, when a newer version of the OS comes out, HTC needs to add the same customizations before it can be installed on your phone. If they decide that it's too much of a hassle or cost to do those customizations, then they just won't, and you won't get an _official_ upgrade.

That's where rooting comes it. If the phone can be rooted, you can then replace the manufacturers Android ROM with whatever Android ROM you want (as long as it has a radio that will work with your cell phone carrier).

The problem we have here in Canada with the Magic is that when HTC recently updated the Magic's Android ROM (some bug fixes) they also made it impossible to root it, until very recently when someone figured it out. So in Canada for months now we have been stuck with a version of Android we didn't want, and no way to root it to install what we do want.

@Frank: While there is no update for the Rogers HTC Magic _yet_ I couldn't say what will happen. They next update to 2.1 will be OTA (Over the Air), so since you are not on Rogers network you might not get it, but I am not sure. I believe it checks your IMEI number on your phone on the network, but I am not sure. Since you are not a Rogers customer, they will not give you tech support for your phone. You can try asking them, but the front like Rogers tech people very seldom know what they are talking about.

 

[anothertrad]

@anothertrad: When they say Android is open source, they really mean only that it is free to be used, and that it is capable of being modified. The problem is when manufactures like HTC take the base Android OS, and then customize it further, with a UI like HTC's Sense UI for example, or customizations done for the carrier.

of course, of course,

Because of these customizations, when a newer version of the OS comes out, HTC needs to add the same customizations before it can be installed on your phone. If they decide that it's too much of a hassle or cost to do those customizations, then they just won't, and you won't get an _official_ upgrade.

absolutely. you're 100% right.

That's where rooting comes it. If the phone can be rooted, you can then replace the manufacturers Android ROM with whatever Android ROM you want (as long as it has a radio that will work with your cell phone carrier).

The problem we have here in Canada with the Magic is that when HTC recently updated the Magic's Android ROM (some bug fixes) they also made it impossible to root it, until very recently when someone figured it out. So in Canada for months now we have been stuck with a version of Android we didn't want, and no way to root it to install what we do want.

thanks for the explanation.
In my N97 I done something like change the product code and get a customized symbian version for european product codes. with "customized" I mean the S60 that we all know, but just in a newer version that was only launched in europe.

 

[anothertrad]

@mjschmidt,
does android have a native basic UI that can be used?

I know that Symbian doesn't have it. it's just the core. The most used UI is the S60, right?

 

[mjschmidt]

afaik there is no "basic UI" beyond the regular Android interface. What you see on the Nexus One is, for intents and purposes, the "basic" Android interface (although 2.1 does look a bit different from 1.5 and 1.6).