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Software Updates

A Tiny PC What's Wrong? Dirty Little Secret

Feb 2, 2005, 7:00 PM by Eric Lin

An in-depth look at all aspects of core software in phones, and the various ways it can be updated.

Your mobile phone is not all that different from your PC. It looks different, and acts different, but it shares many of the same components. They both have processors, memory and chipsets. On top of that, both have firmware (or BIOS, for you PC users), an operating system (OS), and even applications. Although smartphones have better publicized and more accessible operating systems and accompanying applications, all phones use them.

Operating systems lend the same strengths to mobile platforms that they do to desktops, but it stands to follow that they also suffer the same weaknesses. They are large and complicated, and just as with desktop OSes, they are sometimes released with a bug or two.

Most modern desktop systems include automatic updaters that check for new software versions automatically. Although they may be buggy like PCs, most phones cannot go out and check for software updates by themselves to fix those bugs. Often times the user must check to see what, if anything, is available should a problem arise. This guide should give you a good idea of whether potential problems are software-related, and what sort of update options are available now, as well as how technology is evolving to update future handsets.

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Comments

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pfox

Jun 26, 2005, 10:37 AM

Motorola T720

I bought a Motorola T720 off ebay to use with Alltel and although it has Brew shop on it, I cannot access Alltell's Axcess shop to download ringtones. I was wondering if I needed a firmware update to be able to do this and if so, where do I take my phone to update the firmware. I took it to Alltell but they were not able to do this. Thanks.

shackguy

Feb 27, 2005, 11:50 AM

710...

I'm' looking to get a 710 but I've been waiting for someone to find a way to "un-cripple" the bluetooth capabilities. Any recommened sites or methods to do so?

shooters

http://www.inetron.com »

There are a number of tutorials and alot of pictures and ringers to put on a transflash card and use on your V710

hatoncat

Feb 5, 2005, 4:59 AM

Hence, The Firmware Trackers

Over on Sprint PCS Info, we saw this problem since day one. We have the only firmware trackers that track every phone released on every carrier, for exactly this reason; the more people know, the more the carriers will realize firmware is not something that just can be fixed by selling a new phone.

AT&T:
http://sprintpcsinfo.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa ... »

Cingular:
http://sprintpcsinfo.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa ... »

Verizon:
http://sprintpcsinfo.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa ... »

Sprint:
http://sprintpcsinfo.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa ... »

Sprint has caught wind of this trend, and actually started their own firmware tracker (of course, for only for their 3G-d...
(continues)

Rich Brome

Yep, and it's an excellent resource! Keep up the good work, Hat! 🙂

...

allbulls

Feb 7, 2005, 9:53 PM

Hey Rich LOOK @ THIS

🙂 🙂 New Audiovox 9200. This is great!!!!It is cute, small and compact. I prefer this phone over the 8910. I can't wait for it to come out. Does anybody know when this phone is coming out for verizon?

Can you answer some of these questions it was mentioned in the CES 2005 article.
ANYONE CAN ANSWER TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

Rich Brome

This is completely off-topic.

Do you have anything to share about software updates for phones? 🙂

...

yhoungs

Feb 8, 2005, 8:35 AM

question.....

Dear,

I need your answer. pls... I have a sony ericsson z500a brand of a cellphone..

I just ordered a new z500a phone that I will need to get unlocked. I currently have a att plan and the phone is locked to cingular. I have searched the internet but wasnt able to come up with any codes to unlock the phone. So what I need to know is what would be the best and easiest way for me to go about unlocking my phone. I am located in Philippines ..if anybody knows anywhere in this are where I can get help with this phone i would greatly appreciate it...

and also I ask if i use this phone here in davao Philippines... and when is the released of sony ericsson z500a model here in philippines./..

waiting for your imediate reply...

youngs......
(continues)

rrehberg1

I have found some unlock codes on E-Bay for a few dollars just be carefull my buddy got ripped off

...

Rich Brome

Feb 5, 2005, 2:57 AM

Another good example - MPx220 update

Here's a good example of a sanctioned user-installable update - version 1.3 of the ROM for the MPx220:

http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.p ... »

corporate

Feb 4, 2005, 10:23 PM

RIM Updates

RIM makes it incredibly easy to update the firmware on their handsets, I think every high end phone should be user-updateable via USB (or some other cable)!

sfinaki2000

Feb 4, 2005, 5:40 PM

PM-325

I have Sprint service and recently updated my LG PM-325 automatically over the air and it was wonderful. The update solved a problem with sending pictures from the camera and also sped up running through my menu functions.

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