Is there any hope we skipped Gingerbread so we could get Ice Cream Sandwich? My only interest is to get the front facing camera working for video chat.
Short and Long answer NO. Samsung just doesn't update their phones apparently. I didn't realize this before I got locked in to the Charge. Again, as stated in previous threads, the gingerbread update has been floating around the interweb for about 4 months. How many gingerbread/problem fix OTAs has Samsung provided for Verizon for the Charge?
Samsung has really only released one good fix for the Charge; EE4, the other updates just took away the free hot spot feature, and also only allowed wi-fi or 4g for use in the media hub, not 3g, as it was not able to provide enough juice for streaming and such.
Some people need to be more upto date on things before giving feedback The answer isn't no. The answer is, we will wait and see. current beta's are on 2.3.5, skipping the release of 2.3.4.
Icecream is new in the SDK's, it is also very buggy, especially on aspects that try to merge tablet and phone usage, so they are steppign back forom it to finish key aspects.
It will be some time till phone are updated. It is scalable but will be some time into 2012 before you start to see it. Samsung isn't slow to update. THey update as needed. They are pushing ahead on the build for the charge because it is needed and was already planned. If you are expecting a hudge difference between 2.2.1 and 2.3.5, you will be disappointed. Other then behind the scene functions, default front cam support on apps like skype (which I am using now and it works), you won't see any difference on the home pages. THe menu's have slightly changed (hugh of menus on selection, the icon for the GPS which I actaully don't like when it activates) that's about it. Other then 4g support speeds.
HoustonHeart,
Good to hear from you again! RE Gingerbread 2.3.5, do you think it will FIX some of or all of the many problems some folks are having???
I ask this because who cares if there is a BIG DEAL difference in the cosmetic looks of screens and so forth with 2.3.5. Many folks here are more interested in the FUNCTIONAL aspects of 2.3.5. An example of what I mean, and you already know that I feel it's a battery problem is, will 2.3.5 correct the flash camera phone-lockup problem???
Don't forget, you said that instructions for a MANUAL update or 2.3.5 would be posted here...okay?
Best regards,
JerryF
HoustonHeart wrote:Samsung isn't slow to update.
I'm sure myself and quite a few current and previous Samsung device owners would disagree with you there. Simple fact is they have the worst track record of updating phones in the US compared to other manufacturers and the builds they release still don't end up being bugfree.
Santa_Barbara wrote:Is there any hope we skipped Gingerbread so we could get Ice Cream Sandwich? My only interest is to get the front facing camera working for video chat.
Gingerbread will give us the front facing camera for video if it ever gets released.
It's actually up to Verizon to do a better job of managing their vendor - Samsung - if indeed Samsung is the cause of the hold-up.
DOn't hold your breathe.We are now two versions behind. I don't see Samsung making up for that, at all!
Well here is what samsung tech had to say. " Unfortunately at this time there is no update scheduled for your model phone in the near future." Now when I called verizon with this response: " Unfortunately right now I can not give you a repsonse to your question about the update for your phone. If and when an update is available, you will be notified via the OTA. Thank you for choosing Verizon and have a great day." Iam glad iam not bound to any contract and have since switched to a different carrier and phone that has the latest GB update and 4g (at least this 4g is faster than Verizons so called 3g fringe service.).
Thank you Verizon - Samsung for screwing us over.. <<<---- I bet this gets censored. The only thing Verizon actually stays up to date on, CENSORSHIP.) beside making sure that we get billed every month.. LOL
front-facing camera DOES work for the Charge- works for both the Skype and Tango apps. Skype updated their app about a month ago to correct this bug.
Is there anyone out there that has the front facing camera on the Charge to work with Skype? Skype's own Description for the app I'm looking at right now says the Front Facing Camera will not work. The app says..."On Android 2.2 (Froyo) only the back camera will work. This is because only devices running Android OS 2.3 or higher allow apps to access the front facing camera."
There is a program out there that does work with front facing camera. It is called OOVOO and this program works great, and I believe it works with skype clients. I haven't tried to see if it works with skype clients, for all the folks I know have dumped skype and went with OOVOO. Give it a try. At least this works with the Droid Charge.. Just in case anyone is wondering, I am running the stock software on the phone and not any rooted updates..
I have a non-rooted Charge. Both Skype and Tango work with the front facing camera. Skype started working with the front facing camera just recently.
Ok, cool, glad that Skype finally does work. I have another question about Skype so I'll start another thread about that as I don't want to hijack the Ice Cream Sandwich topic.
SCAMSCUM already announced that 5 devices will recieve ICS and guess what Droid Charge isnt one of them.
After using 2.3.5, yes it fixes some prone issues others have reported. However I haven't had most those issues even with the regular froyo EE4. Only can tell from other people's feedback on tests.
Facts versus specualtions or rampid complaints.
2.3.4 and 2.3.5 test versions for the Droid charge all work with Skype and the front facing camera. 4g in this case makes a difference on video quality and audi combined clarity.
Testscores are much higher in benchmarks.
3D modifications work flawless but all use alot of memory.
I DO NOT like the new GPS indicator, it is hard to even tell if it is on. THE communications icon was combines since 2.3.4 build 3. Personally i don'tlike it.
What others say as far as droid not getting Icecream. THey wouldn't know. Samsung knows. 4.0 Icecream is a modular, scalable SDK, and it even functions on older droids. Samsung already has it in the works and was announced at a telcom showing as merger of old and new formats with tablets.
It will make its way onto the charge either offcially, or unoffcially at some point.
Google wants it to be pushed onto all phones within the past year or two upto that point the full build is released.
Now saying Samsung has a track record that is bad is not true, sorry if you had bad issues. I have used many HTC's, Moterola's and Sansung and everyone has had issues equal. I wish the droid 2 global had better spport, and soem of the mid way HTC's, but it wasn't the case. I have updates that work on the Droid Charge now but still not droid X2 nor currently Droid 3.
HoustonHeart,
Nice description re 2.3.5, Thank you.
JerryF
HoustonHeart wrote:
Now saying Samsung has a track record that is bad is not true, sorry if you had bad issues.
lol. Do you work for or have ties to Samsung? Get out of that little Samsung bubble and join us in reality for a moment. Look at this forum, go look at the Fascinate and Continuum forums. Heck, go look at any of the forums for the Galaxy S variants on any of the US carriers. Then look at how long it took them to get Froyo and the Continuum still doesn't have it. How long did it take for the Galaxy S devices to get a functional gps? As a former Fascinate user, I probably would've thrown it off the tallest building I could find if I were the type to wait for an official update and a quick google search reveals that I'm not alone. Bad thing is that the slow updates and delayed source have pushed some of the main developers away from Samsung devices. Samsung makes good underlying hardware but they'd be better off letting someone else manage the software. That said, I don't think the blame lies strictly with Samsung as the European and other foreign models tend to be updated fairly quickly. There's definitely a disconnect between Samsung and the US carriers and the customers are getting the shaft.
More than likely... NO device will get it this year... The Galaxy Nexus will release this month, and sometime in December the source code will be released. From that point manufacturers can work on ICS for whatever devices. It WILL take longer than a month to get this going. Drivers, kernels, and RILs will have to be written and tested. They could use the old stuff, but the problems people may be experiencing with their devices may be due to those 3 things. Also drivers more than likely will have to come from the parts manufacturers and not Samsung themselves so that'll take additional time. It's safe to assume if the charge does get ICS it'll probably be March at the earliest. Most devices out right now it's safe to assume that. If they bring it out sooner than that I have to assume would be the devices closely resemble the hardware with the New Nexus. Like the Droid 3, Droid Bionic, and the Droid Razr... Seems like the Motorola buyout has something to do with that hmmm... gotta love conspiracy theories.
PJ that's not entirely true. The European and asian models came out BEFORE US markets, and everyone tends to just look at the dates they received the udpates... It appears "quicker", but it's been roughly the same time with the US counterparts if you look at date released to date recieved update.
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