Vodacom N97 Software

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ben_thb

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I read the replies regarding the total absence of the Vodacom (Vodafone) N97 software upgrade here. Googled it and found a couple of p!$$ed off Hellopeter posts as well regarding this.

Also e-mailed Vodacom4me again and was told on Wednesday that the phone is only being launched next week, so the expectation of a firmware update was a bit premature?

What is the real story - is this phone available from Vodacom (still waiting for my back-order callback...) and is the software upgrade mentioned (turning it into a super phone) truely only available to MTN subscribers? What is going on with Vodacom?

I am tempted to hold out for the HTC Hero Android phone.
 
Unless you must have the N97's keyboard it's anyway better to wait for the Hero. With the Android device you'll be in for many more exciting OS upgrades. With Nokia you'll be stuck with boring old S60 - with firmware tweaks here-and-there - for the duration of your contract/ownership. Android is definitely more exciting imo.
 
Also, if the 3.5mm audio jack is not important to you you may as well consider the Magic. It will also get the Hero's ROM at some point (Sense UI, etc).
 
Im very happy with my N97....ER....but then again Im on MTN. Never seen or played with an android phone so cant comment. I just have a phobia about Leaf products since my K-JAM saw early retirement against the office wall! :)
 
Leftfoot, I've also forcefully retired a phone of mine against a wall before. It's very liberating to do so when yet another device fails to live up to the hype and manufacturers claims.
 
Ben I have the N97 from Vodacom and I have no problems with it at all. If you need to download the new firmware, it can be done with the Nokia Firmware software that comes with PC Suite (Nokia). They are just so delayed! I mean MTN has the new firmware so why can't they? Stupid Vodacom! Anyway, I can recommend the N97, it really is a good phone but with all the mixed reviews it gets, its hard to make a decision until you have it. The phone is available from Vodacom, you just have to ask for it as its not in their specials booklet yet, it should be in the next one (August 9th I think?) and there is a pay-in if you are not on Talk 1000 although you can manage monthly on your current contract. Apparently you can update the firmware by changing the product code when you update to Euro 1 or Euro 2, Google it and there should be help available (it also removes the irritating Vodafone Live branding) making it into the superphone it is.

No idea about the Hero honestly but Symbian is a very good platform run by more than one phone manufacturer. V5 which comes on the N97 is still young but has massive potential.
 
Musiclover08 said:
I can recommend the N97, it really is a good phone but with all the mixed reviews it gets, its hard to make a decision until you have it. .
Click to expand...

I can honestly agree with Musiclover on this one. After holding out for 5 months from the time i first became eligible for an upgrade to this past week when i was still umming and aahing about the N97 and the terrible reviews it received i eventually just said how bad can it be.

And i'm pleased to say .. I couldnt be happier.

Everything i needed to work so far works.

Mail on MS Exchange as well as Pop3
WLAN Surfing
GPRS Access
general apps such as MXIT and twitter( TweetS60 ) working perfectly
as well as GArminXT

Only downside of course is the vast array of apps available for the iphones but then again they werent always there so i' prepared to give Nokia time to catch up wont happen overnight

Any which way you paying for the pone make the call and just be prepared to live wit the choice you made as with everything else
 
ben_thb said:
I read the replies regarding the total absence of the Vodacom (Vodafone) N97 software upgrade here. Googled it and found a couple of p!$$ed off Hellopeter posts as well regarding this.

Also e-mailed Vodacom4me again and was told on Wednesday that the phone is only being launched next week, so the expectation of a firmware update was a bit premature?

What is the real story - is this phone available from Vodacom (still waiting for my back-order callback...) and is the software upgrade mentioned (turning it into a super phone) truely only available to MTN subscribers? What is going on with Vodacom?

I am tempted to hold out for the HTC Hero Android phone.
Click to expand...

I also mailed the Vodacom4me people (again) over the weekend enquiring about the software upgrade availability. Got a similar reply today informing me the phone is only being launched middle of August "...at which stage the firmware upgrade will be available from your local Vodashop..." ? Replied that I already have the phone, but no replies as yet.

What is going on @ the Vodacom helpdesk? Do their agents even know the phone has already been supplied to subscribers for the past 2 odd weeks?



Seems the VodacomSP agents/helpdesk is not informed at all about the products they supposed to support? Then again, how does one expect them to keep track of all the cellphones out there...?
 
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:D
ben_thb said:
I read the replies regarding the total absence of the Vodacom (Vodafone) N97 software upgrade here. Googled it and found a couple of p!$$ed off Hellopeter posts as well regarding this.
Click to expand...


From hellopeter.co.za recently:

My brand new Nokia N97 has a software bug that causes the lcd backlight to only turn on about 50% of the time when the device is unlocked. I Googled this problem and found it to be a widespread problem with the Nokia N97. Why didn't Vodacom do their homework before releasing this phone to the public!

So the articles I read in on the web mention that the new firmware update fixes this problem...guess what?....the update is not available for Vodacom handsets. Why not? I heard that MTN handsets do have this update available.

I really think that Nokia and Vodacom dropped the ball on this one!
Click to expand...

I just got my Nokia N97.
There is known issues with the firmware, e.g. the backlight does not always activate.

MTN users get to update their handset to Firmware version 11.0.021. Why in heavens name can I not do the same to fix my problems on my phone!!??

This is really terrible Vodacom!

Please have the firmware released so I can enjoy the product I pay for!

Some more info: Just Google 'Nokia N97 backlight' or 'Nokia N97 Firmware Update' to confirm what I'm complaining about.... not just me with the issue..
Click to expand...

I recently bought a N97 from Vodacom, as with my previous phone, a N95, it had the Vodafone branded firmware - which is compulsory. The problem is that the vodafone firmware is not as up to date as the generic Nokia software. The Vodacom software for the N97 is at V10, and the generic software is at V11, and if my previous experiences are anything to go by the Vodafone software will allways lag behind. Example: The Generic Nokia Firmware for the N95 (which is now 2 years old) is at V31.0.17 and was launched on the 20th of January 09. The Vodafone firmware is still at V30.0.015 - thats 6 months later!

The other problem I have is that the the vodafone firmware does sometimes remove some of the phones advertised features, ex. in my N95 with the vodafone firmware, internet calling (aka built in Skype) was disabled.

My main issue with Vodacom is that they do not tell you this beforehand, and they wont change the phone's firmware back to the generic software. There is ways you can do this yourself, but Vodacom then say that you lose the warranty on your phone!

They get away with it because 95% of people don't know the facts - but hey! Thats why Hellopeter.com is there!
Click to expand...

Purchase a nokia N97 on friday and have been very disappointed with the out of date firmware. The current firmware installed on my phone is V 10.0.012 and I have encountered several problems that have been fixed, confirmed by other users on MTN who updated their phone to version 11. Why has vodacom not offered a firmware update yet and what can i do to resolve the issues on my phone?
Click to expand...

Seems this is a common issue - but hey, at least they have a nice TV ad with normal friendly, approachable, (dancing in the streets - like we used to do!) people that are to be very funny! Just can't stay mad at your dancing people of Vodacom! We are all to be superstars one day if we wish hard enough and can afford the latest per MB rate!!! ;)
 
Hi all i got my n97 from mtn this week. The from italk cellular. I cant seem to update it to the new firmware. I tried 'to update it from the phone as well as the pc suite, but it says that everything is up to date. I know that this is the old firmware cos i checked the version. Please help!
 
Ok, so I have finally received my N97 a few weeks ago and I must agree with some of the online reviews and opinions posted here. I am a true Nokia fan and was really looking forward to this phone, but it is really a big disappointment.

Apart from the fact that Vodacom users cannot get firmware upgrades for the N97, there is couple of the most basic cell phone features that this phone really fails at. Also the new Maps app is quite frustrating. I can't get it to render the saved maps untill it has a satellite lock. Previously I could sit in my home and browse the maps without a GPS lock. Also, the GPS lock takes up to 10 minutes sometimes, and sometimes does not find a lock at all.

Things were so simple and worked so well on the N95 - Why did Nokia have to go and screw it up.

Another thing that bugs me is accessing the numeric keypad during a call such as retrieving voicemail or dailing a "press 3 for..." helpline. First you have to wake up the phone (blank screen), then press options, then select the keypad to be shown. Then after you have pressed a key and listened on the handset for the next instruction, you have to move it away from your face, wait for it to decide between switching to landscape or portrait mode and the finally (eventually) show the keypad again. This takes 3-4 seconds each time. Very frustrating. And I know we are are not supposed to dail while driving, but good luck using this phone with only one hand.

Maybe this is the price one pays for a touch-screen Nokia. I just wish I took it back within the 7 days allowed by Vodacom. I am contemplating selling it and getting myself an iPhone or HTC Hero.

If you are planning on getting one, be prepared to have your patience tested. The moment the new phone novelty wears off, the frustration starts.

The N97 in my opinion was a big hype followed by and even bigger disappointment- I want my N95 back. :mad:
 
ben_thb said:
Another thing that bugs me is accessing the numeric keypad during a call such as retrieving voicemail or dailing a "press 3 for..." helpline. First you have to wake up the phone (blank screen), then press options, then select the keypad to be shown. Then after you have pressed a key and listened on the handset for the next instruction, you have to move it away from your face, wait for it to decide between switching to landscape or portrait mode and the finally (eventually) show the keypad again. This takes 3-4 seconds each time. Very frustrating. And I know we are are not supposed to dail while driving, but good luck using this phone with only one hand.

:
Click to expand...

Thats a bit of overkill there.

Accessing the Numeric pad is as simple as moving the phone away from ear and pushing the 'Dialer' button which is on the screen.

The screen Automatically comes alive when you move the Handset away from your ear with the built in proximity sensor locking it to prevent you from pushing anything accidentally when the handset is pushed against your ear

I use the functionality regularly and dont have the same pains ... I am on ver 12 firmware too though so maybe it's not the functionality but rather your Vodacom Branded Handset ?
 
mohebo said:
Thats a bit of overkill there.

Accessing the Numeric pad is as simple as moving the phone away from ear and pushing the 'Dialer' button which is on the screen.

The screen Automatically comes alive when you move the Handset away from your ear with the built in proximity sensor locking it to prevent you from pushing anything accidentally when the handset is pushed against your ear

I use the functionality regularly and dont have the same pains ... I am on ver 12 firmware too though so maybe it's not the functionality but rather your Vodacom Branded Handset ?
Click to expand...

I agree....its pretty simple and quite quick. Im on V12 TOO.
 
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