Hero to get Android 2.1 in february (not confirmed

[delanvital]

More rumors and details pointing towards April... http://www.htcheroblog.com/2010/03/17/htc-hero-android-2-1-update-schedule-leaked/

I don't want to get my hopes up...

[OldBloke]

I don't want to get my hopes up...

Don't :sad:

Now looking like April 26th at the earliest.

[smilodon]

Hope folks don't mind but Gandy and I were taking this thread way off topic, so I moved our mutterings to a new thread.

As for 2.1 I'm less bothered about the delays as I've been able to run several versions on my Hero by rooting it. None of them are what I would call fit for daily use as they either have bugs or drain the battery at an alarming rate.

Why I'm less desparate for the update is that while it's worth having it's not really a massive update in the way that say Windows 7 was over Vista. There's nothing much wrong with Android 1.5 and all that 2.1 gives is some extra bit's and bobs.

In a nutshell you get

Different graphics and menues. A bit more slick and easy to use but not greatly different from what we already have.

Gallery. Nice iPhone like swooshy pictures app with a 3D look and some better interaction with other apps i.e. camera

Friend feed thing. A single widget that aggrogates all your contacts and social networking updates. So you see your friends Twitters, Facebook updates, messages and mails in one place.

Home screen wheel. The ability to see all seven home screens as thumbnails and tap the one you want.

New marketplace and extra apps. Thumbnails of the apps, apps broen into free and paid for. Update to some google apps like Goggles and Maps 4.1

Everything else seems to be tweaks under the bonnet so while it will probably run smoother and faster there's nothing much to see.

So 2.1 will be nice and a no brainer to update to but it won't significantly change your experience IMHO

[Bob]

So 2.1 will be nice and a no brainer to update to but it won't significantly change your experience IMHO

I do not have any critical problems with Android 1.5. It is a great tool in my day-to-day life and I still enjoy it very much. Some of the main things that makes me really looking forward to 2.1 are:

• Improved Android Market
• New version of Google Maps (with turn-by-turn navigation as the most interesting part)
• Voice control
• Better search functionality
• Hopefully a faster and smoother Hero

It's not that any of these are extremely revolutionary new features. My main problem - what makes the "urge" to get the update so big - is not necessarily the new features themselves, but rather HTC's lack of communication with its customers. I would almost be satisfied with a crappy explanation, as long as some kind of explanation was given.

[smilodon]

Yep HTC really have upset a lot of users of their Android phones. I'm not sure they have caught up with the idea that we've entered a new world of consumer power. Even non techy Android users realise that their OS is in a constant state of upgrade and improvement. As long as their hardware can run it they expect to have access to the newest version. There's one iPhone and Apple release their updates to everyone at the same time (Maybe owners of the original iPhone will be out of luck when v4 arrives) so everyone is happy. But there are lots of Android phones and HTC should realise that Hero owners aren't going to be happy when they see owners of Nexus Ones and Legends getting 2.1 while they hear nothing,

No one is getting excited with anticipation about the update. We're getting frustrated. HTC should recognise the difference.

[delanvital]

I do not have any critical problems with Android 1.5. It is a great tool in my day-to-day life and I still enjoy it very much. Some of the main things that makes me really looking forward to 2.1 are:

• Improved Android Market
• New version of Google Maps (with turn-by-turn navigation as the most interesting part)
• Voice control
• Better search functionality
• Hopefully a faster and smoother Hero

Besides those listed in the first post in the thread, I look forward to being able to run the new google earth app (android 2.0+), heck that runs on the iphone.

From the list, the faster version of the HTC-keyboard would be really nice... (been messing about with that a bit) and the faster flash lite player is much needed. Or, being prepared for the official DropBox app (most likely android 1.6+).

Seeing as the next flash apparently won't make it to the Hero and having spent a little time with the new HTC Desire/N1, I am tempted to upgrade and just forget all this... Then perhaps my DivX-movies would also run a bit more smooth than 10-20fps I think...

You will enjoy MCR Bob, but btw if you use Locale you could end up having Wifi-problems when that is running, which requires a reboot to sort it out - and it can drain your battery quite a bit (not a bug in Locale, but the ROMs, or so it is said). Also, the never versions of MCR (3.x vs. 2.x) use a lot more battery in my experience. I have set up Locale for some aggressive savings when I know I am not near the phone, which helps quite a bit though... UNLESS Locale decides to **** up the Wifi...

[smilodon]

I almost went with Locale (I used the free version before it went paid). However the wifi issues were a concern and I really only used it to turn the volume off at night.

Currently I use FoxyRing. It's a lot more limited that Locale but it's free and works on the MCR.

Limitations include

You cannot set up different times for different actions. It has one sleep mode that work seven days a week i.e. you cannot have one sleep setting for a week day and one for weekends.

You can turn off bluetooth and or wifi but in order to stop syncing FoxyRing puts the phone into Airplane mode which also stops voice calls.

[delanvital]

I almost went with Locale (I used the free version before it went paid). However the wifi issues were a concern and I really only used it to turn the volume off at night.

Currently I use FoxyRing. It's a lot more limited that Locale but it's free and works on the MCR.

Limitations include

You cannot set up different times for different actions. It has one sleep mode that work seven days a week i.e. you cannot have one sleep setting for a week day and one for weekends.

You can turn off bluetooth and or wifi but in order to stop syncing FoxyRing puts the phone into Airplane mode which also stops voice calls.

I have already tried that, but thanks I have also tried a couple of others but Locale is the definite solution for me. Disabling all kinds of things at night (sync/wifi/data/screen light timing/keyboard light etc but allows calls) because I read books on the phone at night and once in a while fall asleep on the phone :blush: and muting+enabling vibration on my phone when I approach work + log what time I arrived at work (and what time I left) saves me a lot of trouble

[smilodon]

We''l the earliest date (that hasn't been proved totally false) for a UK 2.1 update is this Friday (2nd April). I wonder what the chances are of it being with us by the weekend?

Slim or none?

[Bob]

The current most "realistic" rumour seems to be the 16th of April. However, I wrote kind of a harsh mail to HTC support yesterday, and this is the answer I got from them:

Dear Mr ...

Some of the phones in our Android line up including your Hero are  due to receive an upgrade, and it is scheduled to be released starting  at the end of April. Your phone should be upgraded Over-The-Air. You can  expect a pop-up message on your phone when connected to the internet  once it is ready. When the upgrade is ready, we will notify you via our  website and on various social media networks including Twitter and Face  book.

Best regards,

...

HTC

If he says "the end of April" just because he ain't allowed (or don't dare to) promise a date, or that really means the end of April and not the 16th is not good to tell. However, this ought to mean that we have the 2.1 update within out sight at least

[delanvital]

The current most "realistic" rumour seems to be the 16th of April. However, I wrote kind of a harsh mail to HTC support yesterday, and this is the answer I got from them:
If he says "the end of April" just because he ain't allowed (or don't dare to) promise a date, or that really means the end of April and not the 16th is not good to tell. However, this ought to mean that we have the 2.1 update within out sight at least

Tbh that is the most solid response from HTC I have seen so far, nicely done mate. Now at least HTC themselves formally says ultimo april... but considering how 2.1 has been pushed so far, and considering that HTC has said Nordic countries and other are the next in line, it does look good... ooh, those hopes...

[Gandalf]

Wiki page has been updated....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Hero

Operating system: Android 1.5 and HTC Sense [Android 2.1 with Sense from 16th April]

[smilodon]

http://phandroid.com/2010/04/15/get-your-htc-hero-updated-to-2-1-at-the-end-of-april/

End of April..... promise. Maybe in time for the LAN? Who knows.

[Bob]

http://phandroid.com/2010/04/15/get-your-htc-hero-updated-to-2-1-at-the-end-of-april/

End of April..... promise. Maybe in time for the LAN? Who knows.

The quote from that link seems to be exactly the same as the reply I got in the mail mentioned in [post=307783]this post above[/post]:

ââ,¬Å"Some of the phones in our Android line up including your  Hero are due to receive an upgrade, and it is scheduled to be released  starting at the end of April. Your phone should be upgraded  Over-The-Air. You can expect a pop-up message on your phone when  connected to the internet once it is ready. When the upgrade is ready,  we will notify you via our website and on various social media networks  including Twitter and Face bookââ,¬Â

So, conclusion: they aren't very creative in the answers they give, but at least they are consistent, and that must at least be a good sign

[delanvital]

The quote from that link seems to be exactly the same as the reply I got in the mail mentioned in [post=307783]this post above[/post]:
So, conclusion: they aren't very creative in the answers they give, but at least they are consistent, and that must at least be a good sign

I read that as well. At least, as you say, consistent. I was hoping for that April 16th though. What can be the problem? 2.1 has been made for other phones and also HTC-ones. I reckon they have just down-prioritised it so much, with new phones needing various upgrades more urgently... :sideways: Despite the fact that Heros in rather large numbers are out there!