HTC Magic SenseUI upgrade

A

alt146

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I qualify for an upgrade at the end of the month and I'm pretty keen on getting something that runs android. The magic is the only one I can really afford though (Haven't heard much good stuff about the Tattoo), so I'd like to ask if the official HTC upgrade to the Magic works on the phones here.

linky

The problem is that the upgrade only works on the 32A version phones and I can't find any official word on which version we have. The vodacom people haven't been particularly helpful and it seems like you actually need an HTC phone to get in contact with leaf.co.za (or I just couldnt find an email address).

Has anyone with a magic tried to install this update? I'd also like to know how well it works as a tethered modem, since my phone is the only way I can get online at the moment.

Or does anyone have any advice regarding android phones. The forthcoming range of 1GHz, android 2.x running phones looks really good (SE Xperia X10 and the HTC Bravo in particula) should I rather wait a month or two and see what I can afford?
 
Hey alt146
I was also looking for an android device. Since my wife has a nokia 5800, I'm familiar with symbian^1 and I was looking at satio, but the payin is too expensive on my contract (R1.6k) and there's no free onboard navigation like ovi maps, I was thinking of maybe waiting for SE Vivaz but there's no word on pricing or availability, so I guess I'm also gonna upgrade after Feb 7 to HTC Magic on voda (R740 payin). I'm a bit worried about voiding warranty by rooting and installing ROMS. Also worried about tethering as I also only go online using phone as a modem and I'd like a free onboard map navigation like tomtom/garmin mobile xt/route66/ovi maps instead of google maps and quickoffice reader which tattoo doesn't have but the Magic does. Don't think I'll be able to afford Hero, Bravo or X10 on my topup315s even if I wait 3-6 months. From what I've read (sorry can't recall link) the Vodacom phones are 32a, only the google branded Magics are 32b, they have less RAM and so can't handle sense hardware requirements to run.
 
I cannot give info about this, but in my opinion it should be possible. I am running Android on my Tytn2, which is a Windows Mobile phone, so if a Windows phone can be spurned into submission, I am sure an Android phone could be updated. If not by proper means, by the folks at XDA developers. Currently I am running 2.X, and it is awesome!
 
Please note still, it does not run perfectly....it's all community dependent for development, so don't go out getting a non-android device in the hopes of making it work. Get a proper Android phone.
 
@Trix - I'll be switching to topup 315/400 and using most of the airtime for data, so I'm in a reasonably similar position. I've managed to function so far with a second hand E61, with no camera or GPS, so those features aren't really essential to me. What I do want is something that's going to be fast (the lag on the E61 still irritates me after a couple of months use), with decent functionality as a modem and 2.8"+ screen. So the main reason I'd wait would be for the faster processors, the Hero is supposed to be a little laggy, as is the magic with the SenseUI and I'd like something that's going to be able to handle android 2 and will get official support for it. Apparently the Nav software in 2.x is much better and there are some decent nav apps for the 1.x OS too, so you might want to check that out.

@franciouslr I'd rather avoid flashing my rom if there are official updates that give me the functionality I need and the SenseUI is supposed to be pretty good. I can't really afford to brick whatever phone I get, the one I have now definitely wont last another two years. I understand the flashing is supposed to be pretty safe if you only change roms and not radios/SPLs (think that's what they're called) but 5k worht of hardware is still a lot to throw away. Don't know if I'll be able to afford much better than a magic even if I do wait, so I may be forced to go down that route.
 
Although the ROM update with Sense is available we still have to wait for vodacom to customize the rom (if they want us to upgrade). Only then will they send the ROM to leaf for distribution.
 
The last official sense upgrade were given to Europe just a couple of days ago. SA's upgrade cannot be far away, but you never know.
 
So there hasnt been anything official on when or if this will be coming here? Has anyone with a magic tried the upgrade I linked to? Hopefully there will be news soon, still have till the end of the month.
 
alt146 said:
So there hasnt been anything official on when or if this will be coming here? Has anyone with a magic tried the upgrade I linked to? Hopefully there will be news soon, still have till the end of the month.
Click to expand...
I tried it, but it doesn't accept the serial number. We'll have to wait
 
alt146 said:
The problem is that the upgrade only works on the 32A version phones and I can't find any official word on which version we have. The vodacom people haven't been particularly helpful and it seems like you actually need an HTC phone to get in contact with leaf.co.za (or I just couldnt find an email address).
Click to expand...

Hi alt146

I have a Vodacom Magic and yes it is the 32A. A good way to check your version is http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php/How_to_determine_if_you_have_32A_or_32B

I tried to install the Cyanogen mod but my phone only went to the "downloading 'boot.img'..." stage and hung there....
 
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duncan1a said:
I tried it, but it doesn't accept the serial number. We'll have to wait
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback, has anyone heard from leaf.co.za? I cant get hold of them without a S/N. Well, here's holding thumbs that there will be news soon. Or that next week's prices at vodacom show a bit of improvement, but I'm not holding my breath.
 
Veroland said:
Hi alt146

I have a Vodacom Magic and yes it is the 32A. A good way to check your version is http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php/How_to_determine_if_you_have_32A_or_32B

I tried to install the Cyanogen mod but my phone only went to the "downloading 'boot.img'..." stage and hung there....
Click to expand...

I dont actually have a magic yet, I know about the power+volume down thing to check the version. Noone else I know has one either, hence me asking here :P Just doing my homework, wanna make sure I get the best deal I can.
 
Just spoke to Leaf. They don't even know IF we're going to EVER upgrade. They said: "try again in a few months"

I'm getting my phones from the US in future
 
Yeh, while I love Android and am still enjoying my HTC Magic, my first experience with HTC and Leaf has left much to be desired. The Sense UI update is technically capable of running on our phone, but the update for SA being "likely right behind" is more like "right behind... a chasm 1Km across and about as likely to ever reach us as snow falling in hell". Well that's my current feeling and impression. Look how long it took just to get the Android Market, and we _still_ do not have access to paid apps. Android 1.6 was released to the _public_ almost 6 months ago and we still do not even have an update for that, even though HTC already has a 1.6 based image on the Tattoo and on the Hong Kong Magic's (which also includes Sense UI), so it's not like they have no experience with it.

What's worse is that no one takes responsibility for the crap service, Vodacom points at HTC and Google and HTC points at Google and Vodacom and we don't have any contact details for Google in SA to be able to get their input. everyone points at someone else and no one is willing to get off their butts and do something. Well, no one official.

If you can't adequately support a phone don't frakkin' offer it.

In summary... Android itself rocks... Support from HTC (primarily) and Vodacom (somewhat) though... crap as all hell.
 
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Hellburn said:
Yeh, while I love Android and am still enjoying my HTC Magic, my first experience with HTC and Leaf has left much to be desired. The Sense UI update is technically capable of running on our phone, but the update for SA being "likely right behind" is more like "right behind... a chasm 1Km across and about as likely to ever reach us as snow falling in hell". Well that's my current feeling and impression. Look how long it took just to get the Android Market, and we _still_ do not have access to paid apps. Android 1.6 was released to the _public_ almost 6 months ago and we still do not even have an update for that, even though HTC already has a 1.6 based image on the Tattoo and on the Hong Kong Magic's (which also includes Sense UI), so it's not like they have no experience with it.

What's worse is that no one takes responsibility for the crap service, Vodacom points at HTC and Google and HTC points at Google and Vodacom and we don't have any contact details for Google in SA to be able to get their input. everyone points at someone else and no one is willing to get off their butts and do something. Well, no one official.

If you can't adequately support a phone don't frakkin' offer it.

In summary... Android itself rocks... Support from HTC (primarily) and Vodacom (somewhat) though... crap as all hell.
Click to expand...

I agree. This is why I'm buying from the US in future. It's cheaper - even with international shipping etc and we get the updates as they roll.

The only potential downside is that under-warranty repairs would have to be sent to the US for phones not sold here, although HTC warranties are worldwide. But then again, I've twice had to send a phone in to Leaf for repairs (remember the I-Mate?) and both times it took around three months to get my phone back, and then only after I went to Consumer Affairs. So sending to the US could hardly be worse...
 
Hellburn said:
we _still_ do not have access to paid apps.

Android 1.6 was released to the _public_ almost 6 months ago and we still do not even have an update for that
Click to expand...
Only a few countries has paid apps.

HTC has confirmed numerous times that they are skipping 1.6 and going straight to 2.x. All they are doing with this release is providing the SenseUI until they release 2.1 in Q2 2010.
 
ninex said:
Only a few countries has paid apps.

HTC has confirmed numerous times that they are skipping 1.6 and going straight to 2.x. All they are doing with this release is providing the SenseUI until they release 2.1 in Q2 2010.
Click to expand...

Yeah, HTC will release it, as they did others, the sense UI update, etc BUT when will we get it? Everyone else gets these updates waaaay before us.

So far we've only had the one update mid last year that brought us up to 1.5 w/Market (while the rest of the world had been on 1.5 for months)

It's not HTC, it's Leaf. IMHO
 
duncan1a said:
Yeah, HTC will release it, as they did others, the sense UI update, etc BUT when will we get it? Everyone else gets these updates waaaay before us.

So far we've only had the one update mid last year that brought us up to 1.5 w/Market (while the rest of the world had been on 1.5 for months)

It's not HTC, it's Leaf. IMHO
Click to expand...
I wanted to note the fact that the new update is only for unbranded phones in Europe, eg no Vodafone etc but rather:
I agree on that. It takes way too long and leaf never responds to questions regarding this.
 
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