4.05 update

[boobdole]

I guess that's part of what I don't get.  Why is it so hard to have universal hardware from one device to another?  Why is there different hardware in each phone?

I work in a design group (not cell phones) and if we make firmware or hardware changes, we have to look at changes to ALL functions and go through rigorous testing.  To see the effects of our changes, we compare our current design to our previous design (on multiple units) and compare changes to core functionality (and note any changes on minor functionality).  That's one of the main reasons for locking a hardware design is to ensure you don't have to do THAT much testing on a regular basis. 

Also, when we make a firmware change, we have to examine how different firmware works with different hardware and a) either make case exceptions in the firmware for different hardware versions or b) make sure all devices have the correct firmware for their hardware.  Since the latter isn't possible (since there are multiple hardware differences and they seem to want to create one universal firmware patch), in order to ensure things work for everyone, they have to be more clever with their firmware (maybe that's what takes so long for a release). 

I'm not saying they necessarily rushed hardware (or firmware), but clearly their testing process could be more thorough (especially if they're doing as many hardware changes as they claim to).  Or lock the hardware down, don't make hardware updates (which will require more hardware testing PRIOR to release so people are actually getting a finished product), and firmware should work universally for everyone. 

I guess I look at the problems from phone to phone to be a result of failed processes but I'm on the outside looking in, so who knows.  It just looks bad when every unit behaves differently from every other unit.  If you want to know why you can't test every real world example, I'd definitely point to some of the processes that don't make phones exactly the same way twice.  We'd lose contracts left and right if we did that. 

[ShellyGal]

Verizon Dropped the Ball with the Galaxy Nexus

By Adam Mills

http://drippler.com/samsung/galaxy_nexus/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly...

This is the full cut and paste posting:

Verizon Dropped the Ball with the Galaxy Nexus is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

Verizon had a chance to make the Samsung Galaxy Nexus experience a special one, but unfortunately, it dropped the ball.

Big Red was the first American carrier to play host to the Galaxy Nexus, the first device toting Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

I, like many others, bought the device thinking that it would provide that old fashioned Nexus experience where the device would be the first to get updates from Google.

Read: Why Did I Buy the Galaxy Nexus Again?

Nearly five months after buying the phone, the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon still hasn’t received a single update. It’s sitting on Android 4.0.3, riddled with bugs.

I vented my frustration about the issue, however, that was before an Android engineer took to Google+ to vent frustrations of its own.

Android software engineer Jean-Baptiste Queru took to Google’s social network to lambast an unknown service operator who apparently has been holding back software on Google’s flagship devices.

He doesn’t explicitly say it but he is definitely talking about Verizon, the Galaxy Nexus, and the Motorola Xoom.

That’s pretty embarrassing. For me, this was the cherry on top of all the complaints I’ve had about this phone and about Verizon.

Read: Verizon to Blame for Lack of Galaxy Nexus Update?

Verizon had the chance to do something big with the Galaxy Nexus, a 4G LTE smartphone that is widely considered to be one of the best Android smartphones ever made. It had the chance to prove to Google that it was a great partner, Queru’s statements seem to say otherwise.

It had the chance to keep customers happy by releasing timely updates on a device that no other service provider had.

And lastly, it had the chance to provide a great smartphone experience, one that would not only ensure that customers would buy another device on Verizon but one that would also stand to lure in others to the fold.

In my mind, it has failed on all counts here.

Queru says that his mind is blown that the software hasn’t rolled out. Agreed. But you know what bothers me more? The silence. The complete and utter silence that Verizon has displayed in regards to this device.

In fact, the carrier seems to be mum about the device (and its software update) internally as well.

I know for a fact that thousands of Galaxy Nexus owners have asked about the update and I know for a fact that Verizon hasn’t provided any sort of clear cut answer to any of them.

To me, for a Nexus device and one that cost $300 with a tiered data plan, that’s unacceptable. About as unacceptable as the battery life issues that continue to annoy me on a daily basis.

If it sounds like I’m angry, I am. I’m fed up.

Add Jean-Baptiste Queru to that list.

And I get the feeling that many others are too.

Verizon Dropped the Ball with the Galaxy Nexus is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.

[calvinaguilar]

I wish I could "like" this over and over again! Now I'm stuck with Verizon and a junk phone. Screen scratches very easy too, whoever decided not to use gorilla glass, I hate you.

[Poozler]

get hip.  the problem is obviously that the patches don't fix the problems or they'd be rolling them out.

4G LTE is not ready for primetime is most of the issue.

[phony-smartphone]

" 4G LTE is not ready for primetime is most of the issue. " What are you

talking about. I'm using 4G in a semi rural area and it works great and

when I'm in the city it still works Great. Yes it uses more battery but I

have been able to deal with that pretty well. It's reasonable new

technology so I don't expect it to be perfect but it certainly is ready for

the market and I'm using it every day.

Verizon has rolled out the best performing 4g with the widest access. It's

a brand new technology that only became available when? Last year... They

are doing pretty well given the difficulty at rolling out a completely new

technology across the entire continent.

[Poozler]

doesn't work for diddly if you join a wifi network thats what I'm talking about. major issue. and please notice, its one that feathers verizons nest. start running movies, they're going to make money.

[phony-smartphone]

"doesn't work for diddly if you join a wifi network thats what I'm talking

about. major issue. and please notice, its one that feathers verizons

nest. start running movies, they're going to make money."

Well may be you should learn how to setup your WIFI network or how to

configure the phone to access an network. I've never had any problem

accessing networks whether at home at work or in public. I have a whole

list of saved networks that I automatically connect to. When I walk into

Barns & Noble I connect to their network. Of course some networks require

authentication and authorization but you either open a web page or enter

the password or both.

I never heard of anyone having problems connecting to WIFI so it sounds

more like user error.

[Poozler]

got the new 4 update tonight.  phone went into download mode and never came back.  great. now its a small plastic brick.

wish I had my old original droid back. might have been slow but it worked.

[Tidbits]

you can bring it back to factory using Odin.  Can't link the files needed...  It's not bricked...

[B33]

Tidbits is it Possible to take it to a Retail store an they could Flash it For Him or Would that Work ? b