VZW Release of OS MR Refresh to fix Known 2.2 Froyo bugs?

[NewAge]

I have looked through several pages of posts and Do Not see any solutions for possible problems that users are experiencing. The following is provided from the Motorola Users forum;

If you have already upgraded to 2.2 for Droid X, you have certainly found some great new capabilities. Most owners appear to be having untroubled operation, but  a few owners also found new issues. While the incidence of these these issues is low, we want to provide some positive news for those who might be experiencing them.

Here are some of the known issues raised by forums members, with some information about each. It is not intended to be a complete list at this time -- there are many more improvements in the works. I’ll update this list as information becomes available.

• Stuck on Moto logo after reboot – this was tough on a very few owners. Sorry about that. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release. If you are still experiencing this issue, click here.
  
  
• Random rebooting – while there always seem to be new conditions that can cause an electronic device to panic, we do have improvements coming that address and eliminate identified panic states. They will be distributed in a future software release.
  
  
• WiFi connection and stability – improvements in WiFi have been developed, to address several problem areas. They will be distributed in a future software release.

• Battery Manager “force close” errors – under some circumstances, pressing the battery icon under Menu > Settings > Battery Manager results in a forced close error. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release.

• Media won’t play – includes “sorry the player does not support this type of audio file," custom ringtone stop working, video won’t play, etc. A reboot will restore full media function, but not permanently. We believe we have identified the cause of these errors. A fix has been developed for this and should eliminate the problem. It will be distributed in a future software release.
  
  

• Music files cutting off the final four seconds or so – a solution has been developed. It will be distributed in a future software release.

I would also like to add that my HDMI out has a documented, repeatable bug.  There are several other issues that appear to have a work around, and some that do not, but lets start here.

It does not appear that VZW offers any support on its online forum for the DroidX for known customer issues.

Where is VZW at in the testing process? Are they aware of these issues? What kind of time line am I looking at for receiving these fixes so that my phone can be returned to an opperational status? Meaning; when will the Media player work, when will the wifi work? the HDMI out? I don't want my Facebook contacts in my regular contacts.

I realize all these fixs come from Moto, but VZW tests, approves, and releases these OS's. Thank you for reading and I look forward to your response.

- A concerned 14 year VZW customer.

[crb79]

This is a peer to peer support forum.  You are unlikely to get an official word from VZW on this issue as timelines never work out.

[NewAge]

Yeah I figured. Oh well. I guess I can only hope another peer may find this info usefull, and know they are not alone it wanting some fixs for their phone.  I am a little tired of the way VZW has been handling their smart phones for the past 3 years and its getting a little old. Thought it was just BB, but it has spread to all of them (naturally) and VZW's lack of adaptation and fore sight concerning the OS's that are released on their phones is troubling for me as a customer and investor.

[crb79]

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NewAge wrote:

Yeah I figured. Oh well. I guess I can only hope another peer may find this info usefull, and know they are not alone it wanting some fixs for their phone.  I am a little tired of the way VZW has been handling their smart phones for the past 3 years and its getting a little old. Thought it was just BB, but it has spread to all of them (naturally) and VZW's lack of adaptation and fore sight concerning the OS's that are released on their phones is troubling for me as a customer and investor.

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It's not an issue exclusive to them.  VZW and other cell companies are pretty much just a user-end vendor, they don't make the devices they only sell them and offer service.  Also the Android OS is still pretty new, and it's the first OS to allow open source user created content on the massive level that they are allowing.   

When you add those things together with issues of compatibility between the Android OS updates, you are bound to hit bumps in the road and a few flat tires along the way.  Android 2.2 just hit our devices 2 months ago, now there is already talk of 2.3. There isn't a manufacturer today that can keep up with that sort of speed without issues arising.

[NewAge]

The excuse that VZW releases buggy OS's just like every other cell company because they are the end-user vendor is ok? It leads me to believe that the issue is Exclusive to the cell companies, and not the manufacturers as I am sure the manufacturer would not release a phone with ANY bugs.

I realize VZW doesn't make the Devices, they just sell them and offer service.  That Service being Communication over cell network, and technical support to include the Operating System which is ONLY released by VZW. If its a hardware issue then yes its straight to Moto. If I have an OS/Communication problem with my phone I don't call Moto, I call VZW. When my phone gets its fixs it will be released by VZW, not Moto.

Android 2.2 Did hit the DroidX two months ago and I have had these bugs for two months now. I am not going to wait around for basic fixs for my phone like I did for the Blackberry Storm. That was two years of pain and I don't feel like doing again.

I am not looking for gingerbread.  I am not looking for icecream.  I am looking for a working DroidX on Froyo. 2.3 can wait till next christmas for all I care, unless it is a fixed Froyo.  It would be hard for me to believe that a company would leave an entire OS version unfixed, and just move on to the next.

I have no open source user created content on my device, unless you mean Blur or the end-user vendor Bloatware Crap that VZW puts on, and what compatibility issues between Android OS updates are you refering to? Android version don't have compatibility issues, its the UI that manufacturers put on their phones that have the compatibility issues. If this was a concern of VZW they could easily tell the manufactures to only use Vanillay Android.  Problems solved. They lock down everything else...

[crb79]

Verizon and Motorola both have very little influence over the OS.  You are incorrect in thinking that either of them do.  Google makes the OS, Motorola adds it's bells and whistles and fine tunes parts of the OS to work with it's device.  From there VZW tests the phone for a VERY limited time, usually less than 5 business days, then releases it to the public.

[NewAge]

Five days? I was wrong.  I thought VZW had Tiers of testers? That their tests were so rigorous to ensure quality, and thats the reason for the six month refresh and the occasional "Upgrade" for Smartphones. Where is the Hold up then? What reason would Verizon have to hold updates? And if they have nothing then I guess there is no push on Moto to get their fixs out and no Hurry for VZW to look into their programers causing the problems.

If there are bugs on one manufacturers phone and not on another, both running 2.2, then I am to assume that these bells and whistles are either debilitating, or fixing issues on stock 2.2 from google. I am going to believe the first because of the isolation and specificness of the bugs, but who locked down the 3g mobile hotspot? Its stock on 2.2, but we are charged by VZW to use it? Did Moto do that? Perhaps whatever code locks down the Hotspot also causes intermittent drops in wifi, connectivity issues, particularly in mixed mode or N specific. I think that might be VZW causing some of the problems.

So yes I guess you are right in that the open sourceness of the device (Not core OS 2.2), allowing the combination of Moto/VZW bells and whistles does cause compatibility issues that the Customer Must ultimately deal with. I don't think Blockbuster,Skype,Vcast,NFLMobile,Slacker,Bing,MyVerizon,AmazonMP3 is a bell or whistle. Its a profit generator for VZW. Is paying $1500 a year worth this?($100 monthly fee X 12 = 1200+$299 Device fee = $1499). Google doesn't put those into OS 2.2. Who did? How many bells and whistles do you think they can shove down my throat? 45? No I know

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[crb79]

The way it works is VZW tells Moto what it wants on it's phones in terms of bloatware etc.  Motorola then incorps that into what's on the device.  Once an update has been completed by Moto, VZW does a quick 1 over and gives it a yes or no.  Now we don't know the specifics of the contract between Moto and VZW, but I'm sure that there are time-lines set for updating certain bugs and penalties for missing those timelines.

I think the problem with the mobile hotspot is that Verizon is the only Cell carrier that offers truly unlimited mobile data.  Others charge you more, or cut you off once you hit a certain usage.  Sure it's a way to get more money, just as with all those bloadware apps.  However, it also keeps us from running into cases where AT&T got into trouble because they sold a service they could not support.

[NewAge]

Very Good points and thanks for clearing up the Role between VZW and Moto concerning the bloatware. 

So then maybe VZW is asking a bit much of the Moto programers? Simply by telling Moto "We want the Mobile Hotspot locked down", Moto goes and botchs up VZW demands because its like asking aliens from another planet to start paying taxs, when money/taxs is alien to Homo sapiens. Some things cant be done without breaking core functionality like a stable wifi connection.

So who's to blame here? Moto for not having the capacity to meet the demands agreed upon with VZW? Or VZW for demanding to much? If all VZW is going to Demand is profit generating "Bells and whistles" and "Lock downs" and not true consumer experince improvements then it looks like I will be looking for a new service provider! If the only way to get a more bug free/less bells and whistles on an Android phone is on a Nexus one, or some non VZW phone, then for the fist time I am saying I would ditch the service for the OS.  Never thought that would happen, especially with BB.

[crb79]

I wouldn't go Nexus 1, I'd wait to see what happens with 4g Coverage and LTE.  I don't remember the specifics of it, but if you read up on their 4G towers it's very interesting.  To break it down to layman's terms it will be able to handle about 30x the data connections (users) at higher speeds than the 3G service.

Nexus 1 is outdated by almost a year.  I don't think Google has plans to build another handset as the Nexus 1 was more of a boast of what could be done with Android.  But then again anything is possible.

And as for bloatware, there is always a way around lock downs.  You just have to be willing to accept the consequences that accompany them.

[Wildman]

Verizon and Motorola has knowledge of these issues and are working on a update but no release date has been reported..