13 replies to this topic

[ZTE_SeanJacko]

Hi all

Atomix86 made a statement regarding the Blade refresh being the Libra - but coming with Gingerbread as standard. Here's the official line regarding the Blade and Libra:

"The Blade+ will launch before Christmas 2011, and will be running the Gingerbread OS.  The Blade II is launching in Q1 2012 and will also be running Gingerbread. ZTE will always offer the latest version of Android OS to our customers based on device capabilities as and when they are made available on the market"

[wbaw]

Is the Blade+ the Libra? Will there be any other differences between blade & blade+/libra except the software? Is the Sept 26th release date (according to amazon.co.uk) realistic? Will operators be given gingerbread updates for their existing zte blade & sanfrancisco customers? If zte are so committed to bringing us the latest version of android, then why are they still selling android 2.1 phones & why were they so late with previous os upgrades? Are they going to sell the libra as if it's a new phone as some kind of excuse not to upgrade existing owners?

Edited by wbaw, 16 September 2011 - 01:05 PM.

[ZTE_SeanJacko]

wbaw, on 16 September 2011 - 01:02 PM, said:

Is the Blade+ the Libra? Will there be any other differences between blade & blade+/libra except the software? Is the Sept 26th release date (according to amazon.co.uk) realistic? Will operators be given gingerbread updates for their existing zte blade & sanfrancisco customers? If zte are so committed to bringing us the latest version of android, then why are they still selling android 2.1 phones & why were they so late with previous os upgrades? Are they going to sell the libra as if it's a new phone as some kind of excuse not to upgrade existing owners?

Lots of questions there - I shall put them to ZTE and hope to have clarification on them soon.

[Taptap1]

For ZTE:

If ZTE thinks less people will buy Blade+ or Blade2, if they release Kernel Source.
It's NOT true.

The mainstream don't cares about custom roms (80%)

The 20%, who install custom roms, wouldn't buy a Blade+ if you don't release source code for their Blades. Most of these people are Geeks. Custom Roms are a lot of work, making AND installing.

[samlui4321]

is this for the UK and can you put it to O2 Carriers instead of orange, sick of having bad siginal

[blade_]

Great news!!

[flibblesan]

And one question from me about this. Since ZTE are releasing updated versions of the Blade with newer software, could you please either provide an update to Orange so existing San Francisco customers can upgrade from Android 2.1 or better still provide an unbranded update on the ZTE website for ZTE Blade owners?

I appreciate that for modders and developers this wouldn't be useful but for the thousands of Blade owners that are still on the manufacturer supplied ROM and have no wish to root, install custom software etc it would be appreciated.

If ZTE don't provide a software update for existing users it would upset a lot of customers who possibly won't purchase another ZTE device.

Please. With extra sprinkles

[ZTE_SeanJacko]

flibblesan, on 18 September 2011 - 05:39 PM, said:

And one question from me about this. Since ZTE are releasing updated versions of the Blade with newer software, could you please either provide an update to Orange so existing San Francisco customers can upgrade from Android 2.1 or better still provide an unbranded update on the ZTE website for ZTE Blade owners?

I appreciate that for modders and developers this wouldn't be useful but for the thousands of Blade owners that are still on the manufacturer supplied ROM and have no wish to root, install custom software etc it would be appreciated.

If ZTE don't provide a software update for existing users it would upset a lot of customers who possibly won't purchase another ZTE device.

Please. With extra sprinkles

Appreciate the spinkles! I can ask ZTE about supplying updates for the OSF. I think I know the answer though, the OSF is an Orange phone and it is for Orange to dictate to ZTE about whether updates are made available. ZTE has the technical capability to do it, but Orange would have to request it. As I say, this is my educated guesswork and most definitely NOT the official ZTE or Orange view (I will seek sign off and let you know.)

[wbaw]

Will there be official Gingerbread updates released for existing owners of other ZTE Blade variants in other countries?

[zith.ie]

Any idea if these phones will support adobe flash ?

[t0mm13b]

zith.ie, on 22 September 2011 - 01:16 PM, said:

Any idea if these phones will support adobe flash ?

Flash is not exactly supported on ARMv6 chipset... there was a "workaround for flash" somewhere on this forum IIRC...

[wbaw]

t0mm13b, on 22 September 2011 - 01:32 PM, said:

Flash is not exactly supported on ARMv6 chipset... there was a "workaround for flash" somewhere on this forum IIRC...

The blade 2 looks like it might be 1ghz armv7.

Another question for Sean, why do ZTE insist on using the same name for completely different phones? Also why do they give the same phone several different names? It does nothing except create confusion & warn people off ZTE because they don't immediately know what they're buying. I can usually work these things out, but they're even confusing me. I hate to think of the hell you'll be putting poor phone shop staff through this Christmas when they're trying to explain the differences in a busy shop. If a single shop has more than one blade variant at the same time it's just creating more trouble for the sales staff that are trying to sell ZTE phones, maybe they'll try harder to sell other brands instead because of it.

Is the Blade+ the Libra? Is that the same as the current Blade, Globul Z3, Base Lutea, Orange Sanfrancisco & Sapo A5? What is the '+' for?

Then there's the ZTE T-U880, that's a completely different phone, but it's sold in a box with the ZTE Blade logo all over it.

The Blade 2 is a totally different phone with 1ghz arm7, right? The ZTE Aglaia V881??

Is it too much to ask for the same phones to have the same name & different phones to have different names?

Edited by wbaw, 22 September 2011 - 04:08 PM.

[iKrautDroid]

Miui on a "blade"...

If its cheap I want one...

@Sean
Any idea if the blade 2 will be coming to germany?
Possibly on base?

[flibblesan]

wbaw, on 22 September 2011 - 03:53 PM, said:

The blade 2 looks like it might be 1ghz armv7.

Another question for Sean, why do ZTE insist on using the same name for completely different phones? Also why do they give the same phone several different names? It does nothing except create confusion & warn people off ZTE because they don't immediately know what they're buying. I can usually work these things out, but they're even confusing me. I hate to think of the hell you'll be putting poor phone shop staff through this Christmas when they're trying to explain the differences in a busy shop. If a single shop has more than one blade variant at the same time it's just creating more trouble for the sales staff that are trying to sell ZTE phones, maybe they'll try harder to sell other brands instead because of it.

Is the Blade+ the Libra? Is that the same as the current Blade, Globul Z3, Base Lutea, Orange Sanfrancisco & Sapo A5? What is the '+' for?

Then there's the ZTE T-U880, that's a completely different phone, but it's sold in a box with the ZTE Blade logo all over it.

The Blade 2 is a totally different phone with 1ghz arm7, right? The ZTE Aglaia V881??

Is it too much to ask for the same phones to have the same name & different phones to have different names?

I got a headache from reading all those variants. ZTE need to stop releasing slightly upgraded phones and focus time + energy + money on new devices that people will want to buy!