Should I update to 4.5.608.en.US?

[Mrs EB]

"Bloatware" is the generic name given to applications on the phone, such as Blockbuster and amazon, that a user doesn't use, but comes preloaded and cannot be deleted without rooting. (Of course, one person's bloatware is another person's useful app). If you delete bloatware (after rooting) updates will fail. The correct way to deal with bloatware is to "freeze" it, so it won't run, and then unfreeze it when you want to do an update. Novice users who get root tend not to know this, and happily delete the bad bloatware. Later they discover that this is a mistake!

The usual solution is to "SBF" back to an earlier version, this replaces the deleted bloatware, and then the upgrade will proceed. lwags67 is saying he/she won't bother.

Lwags, if you are happy with your current state, then that makes sense. I found GB even with the new bugs MUCH better than Froyo, so I would still push upgrading. But certainly some people have a bad experience.

Thanks. So SBF means to return to a previous operating system, i this case, Froyo. Ok. I find that I use maybe only a couple of the apps included. I'm not an app user. I didn't realize you could delete a bloatwear app. I tried getting rid of youtube, for example, but found that I couldn't. So I just left it. So if deleting bloatware causes updates to fail, I won't do it. Thanks.

By the way, my D2G is now fickle! LOL The green light is back on blinking even though I don't have any new emails.

 

[silver6054]

Thanks. So SBF means to return to a previous operating system, i this case, Froyo. Ok. I find that I use maybe only a couple of the apps included. I'm not an app user. I didn't realize you could delete a bloatwear app. I tried getting rid of youtube, for example, but found that I couldn't. So I just left it. So if deleting bloatware causes updates to fail, I won't do it. Thanks.

By the way, my D2G is now fickle! LOL The green light is back on blinking even though I don't have any new emails.

To delete the app you would need to root the phone, which, at least in theory, voids the warranty, and most people don't. The apparent problem with some of the bloatware apps is that it is always running, which worries some people. Sometimes, perhaps advised by misinformed Verizon reps, they install things like Advanced Task Killer, which kills the running bloatware process, which then restarts and is killed again etc. This kill/restart process wastes far more resources than the bloatware.

The other complaint about bloatware is that "it is my phone so I should decide what runs on it". True, but there are bigger global issues to expend energy on!

 

[lwags67]

Lwags, if you are happy with your current state, then that makes sense. I found GB even with the new bugs MUCH better than Froyo, so I would still push upgrading. But certainly some people have a bad experience.

Got to .607 and then rooted and deleted. Do not use Exchange, so no reason to worry about the minor upgrade. Happy and cruising on my .607GB. BTW, lwags is a "he".

 

[Mrs EB]

To delete the app you would need to root the phone, which, at least in theory, voids the warranty, and most people don't.

What does it mean to root the phone?

I bought an extended battery on the advice of many here in this forum. But, because of that, I cannot remove the cover (which came with the extended battery). Even with my nails, it's sealed closed. I could go to the Verizon store if I wanted to do so.

 

[silver6054]

Got to .607 and then rooted and deleted. Do not use Exchange, so no reason to worry about the minor upgrade. Happy and cruising on my .607GB. BTW, lwags is a "he".

OK, that makes sense. I think Froyo to GB is worth the bother of SBFing, but I agree .607-.608 might not be.

I knew a woman called lwags68, so I didn't want to assume gender. (A lie)

 

[silver6054]

What does it mean to root the phone?

I bought an extended battery on the advice of many here in this forum. But, because of that, I cannot remove the cover (which came with the extended battery). Even with my nails, it's sealed closed. I could go to the Verizon store if I wanted to do so.

Rooting the phone gives you much more access to the files, and allows you to do things like delete bloat, install custom ROMS (ROMS replace the Motorola-supplied UI that comes with the phone, and can provide more customizations and greater efficiencies). It is like being an administrator in Windows, giving you more access than a normal user. On the down slide, just like in the Windows case, it is much easier to do bad things by mistake or out of ignorance, which can stop the phone working at all. It also voids the warranty.

Re the cover, yes, some of these can be very stiff. Try placing the phone face down (on a cloth or something to protect the screen). Press down hard on the "M" on the battery cover, place your other hand at the edge of the battery cover that goes across the phone (near the lens and the "Google" and try sliding the cover forwards. Failing that, yes, take it to the store!

 

[Mrs EB]

Rooting the phone gives you much more access to the files, and allows you to do things like delete bloat, install custom ROMS (ROMS replace the Motorola-supplied UI that comes with the phone, and can provide more customizations and greater efficiencies). It is like being an administrator in Windows, giving you more access than a normal user. On the down slide, just like in the Windows case, it is much easier to do bad things by mistake or out of ignorance, which can stop the phone working at all. It also voids the warranty.

Re the cover, yes, some of these can be very stiff. Try placing the phone face down (on a cloth or something to protect the screen). Press down hard on the "M" on the battery cover, place your other hand at the edge of the battery cover that goes across the phone (near the lens and the "Google" and try sliding the cover forwards. Failing that, yes, take it to the store!

Thanks.