Posts tagged Android

If you want to update your firmware from version 1.5 to version 1.6 you can basically follow the instructions below. Of course you will need the update files to follow the instructions.

1. To get the needed update files you can go to this official HTC site. But as that one seems to have some issues, you can alternatively go to here and download the 2 needed files. (Files are: ota-radio-2_22_19_26I.zip and signed-dream_devphone_userdebug-ota-14721.zip )
2. Rename the “ota-radio-2_22_19_26I.zip” to “update.zip”
3. Plug your G1 into your computer and mount as a USB mass storage device using your USB cable
4. Copy the “update.zip” onto your SD card in your G1
5. Unmount the USB mass storage device and than disconnect the phone
6. Shut off the G1
7. Start up the G1 by pressing the “home” and the “power on/off” button at the same time (and hold) until a triangle with a “!” appears
8. Flip the keyboard and press “ALT” and “l” (lower case “L”)
9. A screen appears with a menu
10. Press “Alt” and “s” to apply the “update.zip” on the SD card
11. If the installation is finished (it tells you when), press the “home” and the “back” button and release them again to reboot the system
12. If the system has rebooted, mount the device as USB mass storage device again, by using your USB cable
13. Delete the update.zip from your G1 SD card
14. Rename the “signed-dream_devphone-ota-14721.zip” to “update.zip” and copy this onto your SD card
15. Unmount your USB mass storage device and disconnect the G1 from your computer
16. Power off the G1 by pressing the “power on/off” button
17. Start up by pressing the “home” and the “power on/off” button at the same time (and hold) until a triangle with a “!” appears
18. Flip the keyboard and press “Alt” and “l” (lower case “L”)
19. A screen appears with a menu
20. Press “Alt” and “s” to apply the “update.zip” on the SD card
21. If the installation is finished (it tells you when), press the “home” and the “back” button and release them again to reboot the system

I did update my own phone this morning and everything seems to be fine. The new features of android 1.6 are (from here):

New User Features

Quick Search Box for Android

Android 1.6 includes a redesigned search framework that provides a quick, effective, and consistent way for users to search across multiple sources—such as browser bookmarks & history, contacts, and the web—directly from the home screen.

The system constantly learns which search results are more relevant based on what is clicked. So popular contacts or apps that have previously been picked will bubble up to the top when a user types the first few letters of a relevant query.

The search framework also provides developers a way to easily expose relevant content from their applications in Quick Search Box.

Camera, Camcorder, and Gallery

An updated user interface provides an integrated camera, camcorder, and gallery experience. Users can quickly toggle between still and video capture modes. Additionally, the gallery enables users to select multiple photos for deletion.

Android 1.6 also provides a much faster camera experience. Compared to the previous release, launching the camera is now 39% faster, and there is a 28% improvement in the time from completing one shot to the next.

VPN, 802.1x

A new Virtual Private Network (VPN) control panel in Settings allows users to configure and connect to the following types of VPNs:

• L2TP/IPSEC pre-shared key based VPN
• L2TP/IPsec certificate based VPN
• L2TP only VPN
• PPTP only VPN

Battery usage indicator

A new battery usage screen lets users see which apps and services are consuming battery power. If the user determines that a particular service or application is using too much power, they can take action to save the battery by adjusting settings, stopping the application, or uninstalling the application.

Accessibility

Users will be able to download new accessibility services built on the new accessibility framework and enable them in Settings.

Android Market Updates

For devices with Android Market, the latest version improves the overall user experience and makes it easier for users to discover great apps and games from developers.

• At the homescreen, users can choose among Apps, Games, and Downloads.
• Inside a category, users can explore titles that are Top paid, Top free, and Just in.
• For each title, users can now see screenshots submitted by developers in addition to reviews from other users.

New Platform Technologies

Expanded Search Framework

The Android search framework has been redesigned and expanded to provide third-party applications the opportunity to surface content from their applications in Quick Search Box, the global search tool. To do this, developers will need to make their app “searchable” and provide suggestions in response to user queries. To enable application search suggestions, users simply select each application from which they’d like to receive suggestions, under Searchable items in the Search settings.

Text-to-speech engine

Android 1.6 features a multi-lingual speech synthesis engine called Pico. It allows any Android application to “speak” a string of text with an accent that matches the language. The engine supports the following languages: English (American and British accents), French, Italian, German and Spanish. If you’re using a T-Mobile G1 or Dream device, you’ll need to download the SpeechSynthesis Data Installer from Android Market, which includes the “voices” needed by the text-to-speech engine.

Gestures

A new gestures framework provides application developers with a framework for creating, storing, loading, and recognizing gestures and associating them with specific actions.

Developers can use the new GestureBuilder tool included in the Android 1.6 SDK to generate libraries of gestures to include with their application.

Accessibility

Android 1.6 provides a new accessibility framework. With this framework, developers can create accessibility plugins that respond to user input, such as making a sound when a new window is shown, vibrating when navigating to the top of a list, and providing spoken feedback.

Expanded support for screen densities and resolutions

Android 1.6 adds screen support that enables applications to be rendered properly on different display resolutions and densities. Developers can also specify the types of screens supported by their application.

Telephony support for CDMA

Android 1.6 includes support for CDMA in the telephony stack.

New version of OpenCore

Android 1.6 includes the updated OpenCore 2 media engine, which has:

• Support for OpenMAX encoders
• Support for additional audio codecs in AuthorEngine
• Improved buffering model supports shared buffers allocated in the decoder

2.6.29 Linux kernel

Android 1.6 upgrades the Linux kernel from 2.6.27 to 2.6.29.