2.1 ESE53 will be Official Release on the VZW Motorola Droid

[Slipstream]

I would rather wait until the update can go out smooth as silk, even if it meant months longer, or even never. I like living on the edge of technology on a lot of things, but my mobile device is necessary to run my business. Its a tool, not a toy. If the phone doesn't ring, MY clients aren't happy. Then I become unhappy. I like the idea with the Droid that I can be as close to the bleeding edge of technology as ... I ... choose to be - or as far away.

Agreed 100%. You have to remember, a lot of the cow-milkers are of the demographic that spend 7-8 hours a day in class, and other than tracking homework, soccer practice and Twitter accounts, the phone IS just a toy to mess with. Some of us actually need the phone to be a phone and data collection device, and aren't willing / interested in potentially crippling the phone to get it to do what VZW/Google/Motorola are planning on making it do anyway.

...And in the end, if we get a few extra toys and features in the OTA release, then all the better.

 

[diverbelow]

From where we are sitting, the 2.1 update seems huge and important (or at least desirable). But from VZW's POV, it may very well not be big and important enough to warrant a redundant distribution system. Even though I find it hard to believe they would subcontract to an entity that couldn't get the job done (allegedly what happened with Bitfone), I still find that easier to believe than the various conspiracy and abandonment theories that are being floated.

Objectively, 2.1 is not really a major update, and the 2.0.1 phones are working well, by and large. I just don't think it's as important to VZW as it is to us. They'll get around to it. Probably.

It is an update that will fix a security hole, and fix the browser lagging issues that has been reported to Google forums and yes others have seen the lagging in 3rd party browsers.

 

[cereal killer]

with something as critical as radio flashing, I am curious whether the OTA will indeed reflash the radio.

Yes sir it will..............

 

[Dave12308]

All these theories about WHY it was delayed or whatever are irrelevant. Verizon Wireless MADE IT A POINT to announce that Adobe Flash 10.1 capabilities were COMING Q1 2010. Now, whether they consider the 2.1 update 'important' or not is irrelevant; Adobe has stated that 10.1 will REQUIRE the 2.1 OS.

Given that VZW promised Flash 10.1 support, they HAD BETTER consider the 2.1 update important. Because they've got a couple of days to get it out to meet the target date for Flash 10.1 - Q1 is damn close to being over.

 

[Dave12308]

All these theories about WHY it was delayed or whatever are irrelevant. Verizon Wireless MADE IT A POINT to announce that Adobe Flash 10.1 capabilities were COMING Q1 2010. Now, whether they consider the 2.1 update 'important' or not is irrelevant; Adobe has stated that 10.1 will REQUIRE the 2.1 OS.

Given that VZW promised Flash 10.1 support, they HAD BETTER consider the 2.1 update important. Because they've got a couple of days to get it out to meet the target date for Flash 10.1 - Q1 is damn close to being over.

And, to quote myself since I cannot seem to edit this post:

VZW is opening themselves up for a class action lawsuit. People sued over the Moto v710's lack of Bluetooth profiles, they WILL sue over the lack of Flash 10.1 on the Droid. I can see it coming.

 

[STVA]

All these theories about WHY it was delayed or whatever are irrelevant. Verizon Wireless MADE IT A POINT to announce that Adobe Flash 10.1 capabilities were COMING Q1 2010. Now, whether they consider the 2.1 update 'important' or not is irrelevant; Adobe has stated that 10.1 will REQUIRE the 2.1 OS.

Given that VZW promised Flash 10.1 support, they HAD BETTER consider the 2.1 update important. Because they've got a couple of days to get it out to meet the target date for Flash 10.1 - Q1 is damn close to being over.

VZW has nothing to do with Flash development. Flash 10.1 for Android is probably months away, regardless of which phone it's phone. VZW is not going to feel any pressure to get 2.1 out for Flash anytime soon.

I'm not sure why people are constantly thinking that Flash is to be bundled with 2.1, they really don't have much relation with each other.

 

[TimChgo9]

All these theories about WHY it was delayed or whatever are irrelevant. Verizon Wireless MADE IT A POINT to announce that Adobe Flash 10.1 capabilities were COMING Q1 2010. Now, whether they consider the 2.1 update 'important' or not is irrelevant; Adobe has stated that 10.1 will REQUIRE the 2.1 OS.

Given that VZW promised Flash 10.1 support, they HAD BETTER consider the 2.1 update important. Because they've got a couple of days to get it out to meet the target date for Flash 10.1 - Q1 is damn close to being over.

I am sure VZW considers the update important. If they didn't consider it important they would not have made it available for the Droid. Think about it. If VZW didn't want their Droids to be updated, they would have said to Motorola, "thanks but no thanks". Even though Motorola developed the 2.1 update for their phones, it is up to Verizon to say "yeah, send it out." It is in everyone's best interests to update this phone. Why? Because of the hefty investment by both Motorola and VZW. The idea behind launching the Droid was delivering a phone to the consumer market that would compete directly with Apple's iPhone. Blackberry, Palm, and other companies have come out with "smartphones" but none of which measured up to the iPhone, until the Droid. In order to compete directly with the iPhone, and compete effectively, it is in VZW's best interests to make sure that the Droid is performing at it's absolute best, and if it that means pushing out OS updates, then, that is what they will do. Motorola and Verizon are hand in hand with the Droid, since it is a Verizon exclusive, both companies are heavily invested, and both companies will continue to support the phone so long as it remains viable.....

 

[rkeller62]

All these theories about WHY it was delayed or whatever are irrelevant. Verizon Wireless MADE IT A POINT to announce that Adobe Flash 10.1 capabilities were COMING Q1 2010. Now, whether they consider the 2.1 update 'important' or not is irrelevant; Adobe has stated that 10.1 will REQUIRE the 2.1 OS.

Given that VZW promised Flash 10.1 support, they HAD BETTER consider the 2.1 update important. Because they've got a couple of days to get it out to meet the target date for Flash 10.1 - Q1 is damn close to being over.

I believe Adobe's original timeline was Q2 2010. And, last I heard, they were saying July at the earliest for Android phones, which means they have already slipped to Q3...

 

[Milehighjc]

VZW is opening themselves up for a class action lawsuit. People sued over the Moto v710's lack of Bluetooth profiles, they WILL sue over the lack of Flash 10.1 on the Droid. I can see it coming.

I just cant get through this knothole. On what grounds do you think Verizon is subject to lawsuit? IMHO, whatever marketing speak they may or may not have given, the governing document is the contract.

Customer Agreement

I can find nothing in the Customer Agreement that says the Verizon is compelled in ANY way to provide updates, in fact it reads to me like they arent even compelled to have the device work properly.

We make no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, about your Service, your wireless device, or any applications you access through your wireless device. We do not warrant that your wireless device will work perfectly or will not need occasional upgrades or modifications, or that it will not be negatively affected by network–related modifications, upgrades or similar activity.

Furthermore - what are the damages associated with not delivering 2.1? That you cant watch live wallpaper? That you cant pinch zoom? That you dont have the necessary pre-req for the flash update that is already delaying until 2nd or 3rd quarter? Regardless of whether we agree on the relative importance of the content of 2.1 (I dont think its "important" at all), I'm puzzled about how Verizon or Motorola have ANY obligation to provide these features under the contract except to the extent that it serves their own self interest (like keeping customers).

Its the way of the software world. Stuff breaks. Business conditions change. Projected availability dates get delayed, or even eliminated. The smart companies wont breath a public word of availability dates until they have already shipped the code - just so they DONT have this uncontrolled backlash.

Consider this... if VZW or MOT read this forum, do you think there is an ice cubes chance in a firestorm that they will say another word before the OTA update has already started? If I were them, I wouldnt, there is NO advantage to doing so, and a huge public relations risk if they miss again.

jc

 

[hookbill]

Bah! Class Action Lawsuits. Nobody wins but the lawyers.

I'm surprised this is still being discussed.

 

[mkraffert]

When you are doing anything in IT, that is "mission critical", a redundant system is necessary, but I have seen things done by the seat of the pants, with no back up, or redundancy, and I have seen it work out, and I have seen it go bad....

The key words here are "mission critical". I don't think an OTA is "mission critical". There's not a single person out there who's phone is DOA and is waiting on this update. It your phone dies, and it's a "mission critical" tool for your business, you go to Verizon and they replace your phone.

The "mission critical" aspect arises if the update bricks your phone. This update, while allegedly really cool and all that stuff, doesn't meet the standard of "mission critical" as I understand it. Paying all the additional costs of redundancy for a "nice to have" update isn't cost effective.

Besides, we're only speculating that the delay is a deployment systems issue. I suspect, (just my opinion) that the delay is likely due to a bug that potentially could have destabilized more phones than they cared to deal with. Be patient. They'll send it when it's ready. Besides, it seems to me that the longer this delay stretches out, the more features the update contains. Maybe if we wait long enough, the feature list will grow to include ending world hunger and global peace!

 

[hookbill]

When you are doing anything in IT, that is "mission critical", a redundant system is necessary, but I have seen things done by the seat of the pants, with no back up, or redundancy, and I have seen it work out, and I have seen it go bad....

The key words here are "mission critical". I don't think an OTA is "mission critical". There's not a single person out there who's phone is DOA and is waiting on this update. It your phone dies, and it's a "mission critical" tool for your business, you go to Verizon and they replace your phone.

The "mission critical" aspect arises if the update bricks your phone. This update, while allegedly really cool and all that stuff, doesn't meet the standard of "mission critical" as I understand it. Paying all the additional costs of redundancy for a "nice to have" update isn't cost effective.

Besides, we're only speculating that the delay is a deployment systems issue. I suspect, (just my opinion) that the delay is likely due to a bug that potentially could have destabilized more phones than they cared to deal with. Be patient. They'll send it when it's ready. Besides, it seems to me that the longer this delay stretches out, the more features the update contains. Maybe if we wait long enough, the feature list will grow to include ending world hunger and global peace!

It will bring an end to this thread. Then we'll move on to the Pros and Cons of 2.1.

I hope you're just kidding about the delay really having more features. I strongly doubt it's going to bring anything other then what was on the list that I saw a few weeks back. Which is enough for me.

 

[booklady2002]

No update

As of todat, 3-29-10 there has been no update for me. What is taking so long?

 

[mkraffert]

It will bring an end to this thread. Then we'll move on to the Pros and Cons of 2.1.

I hope you're just kidding about the delay really having more features. I strongly doubt it's going to bring anything other then what was on the list that I saw a few weeks back. Which is enough for me.

I haven't read anywhere that the list of features has changed. But now, after reading all the posts on various sites, it seems it's going to contain Flash, a new radio update (which may have been on the original list, but I don't remember seeing it), pinch-to-zoom, which I originally read was NOT included, but now is included. It's kind of like that game in kindergarten where you whisper a secret and it gets passed around and when it gets to the other side of the room, it's totally different.

I like the features I've seen on the 2.1 ROMs, and can't wait for an official release that includes them. Mostly pinch-to-zoom. Live wallpapers, are cool but eat battery. Overall, I use my phone for work, and it serves it's purpose better than my friends' iPhones. Droids are great, 2.0.1 or 2.1, they're still the best phone on the market.

 

[cereal killer]

As of todat, 3-29-10 there has been no update for me. What is taking so long?

Nobody knows Booklady : )

If I were to make an educated guess from all the rumor and speculation thats been floating around I'd say there is an issue with distribution.