Who's sticking with Orange firmware - the 'we want to keep our warranty, but we really want ICS now' support group

[Guest Ribs85]

Picture the scene:

There is a handfull of us, sitting in a circle, all looking tired, stressed, itching to do something to break the unbearable tension.

Finally, one of us is brave enough to stand up and say...

"My name is _______"

Everyone replies "Hi _______"

The man continues "and I'm still running the stock Orange firmware"

applause erupts! And the room goes wild.

Ahem, anyway. All this talk about the xolo ICS update is making me uneasy. I want to keep my warranty, I want to behave and stay on stock firmware, but not even a month into owning my shiny new phone, and I've just downloaded (but not applied) the xolo firmware update.

Give me some support guys. Tell me why I shouldn't update here and now.

Why are you staying with stock? Or are you struggling, just like me? Is the call of nearly bloat-free ICS just too much? Let's get a support group going!

The support group thus far / people that bothered to respond and I felt like pigeon-holing them into a group:

Standing strong:

Roids, iam_smithers, BlueMoonRising

On the fence:

Roger Barnett

Cracking under pressure:

Nobody

Defected to the dark side after joining:

Ribs85, BlueMoonRising, Gibson.1

Edited October 8, 2012 by Ribs85

[Guest]

Well I have updated so cannot support you as the angel on your right shoulder, I am on the other side :lol:

Orange will release their ICS shortly I believe, maybe a week or two at the most, so you could just wait if warranty is a concern, however, once orange release their ICS and assuming it will be available to download like the xolo ICS, you could simply put orange ICS on sd card and update to orange ICS thus keeping warranty in tact so to speak.

At the end of the day it is your choice, me personally I could not hold back, I am not that sensible unfortunately, hence why I have been on xolo gingerbread for some time and did not hesitate to update to their ICS either. :lol:

Now lets say I developed a fault tomorrow, well I would be screwed for a while, obviously I could not take it back running xolo ICS could I, but I know there is a good chance the orange ICS will be available shortly and downloadable online, so I am not that worried really as I can just flash the orange ICS and take the device back for repair.

Hopefully that helps a little, without trying to lean on your left should to much :P

Edited October 6, 2012 by Guest

[Guest Gibson.1]

I'm on the fence, want ICS but also my warranty, don't want to be waiting for Orange ICS when it comes to the new year though.

[Guest Roids]

I'm with you Ribs85. I wonder if Orange add bloat before or after they receive their ICS back from Google testing? I think it makes no sense to add bloat after testing, so I do believe we will have Orange ICS very soon. Hold on in there.

[Guest Ribs85]

The bloat would be added before. Whatever Google test needs to be the exact same as what we get... otherwise there is no point in testing it in the first place.

[Guest Frankish]

If you are able to update to the ICS release through normal methods without bypassing any security surely your warranty would still apply?

[Guest iam_smithers]

Thats up to Orange. I could afford to throw my Blade's warranty away, I can't afford to do the same with my OSD. If there is even the slightest chance updating via the Xolo route will void it, I'll happily wait for the Orange ICS update. Also, I'm not that added about updating tbh since if I want android 4 I can just load it up on my tablet and for now GB does everything I need it to.

[Guest Roger Barnett]

I haven't upgraded yet, I'm 'on the fence'.

One reason for not changing yet:-

My orange talk plan allows me 250mb data per month.

Let's say I apply the Xolo 2.3.7 update, by usb. Is the ICS update only available OTA, and if so will it eat up my whole months data allowance in one hit with the 299mb update.zip? Or is there a downloadable version of the update.zip available, which can be applied via usb?

[Guest Ribs85]

I haven't upgraded yet, I'm 'on the fence'.

One reason for not changing yet:-

My orange talk plan allows me 250mb data per month.

Let's say I apply the Xolo 2.3.7 update, by usb. Is the ICS update only available OTA, and if so will it eat up my whole months data allowance in one hit with the 299mb update.zip? Or is there a downloadable version of the update.zip available, which can be applied via usb?

Don't let the OTA nature of the upgrade put you off. Just turn on your wifi, and turn off your mobile broadband whilst you're doing this (these settings can be found in Wireless & Networks, in the settings), then there is no chance of using up your data allowance. The upgrade process will just download the update.zip, like any other program would. It won't need a mobile signal, as long asi t has Internet access in some form.

You can download xolo's update.zip from their website (xolo.in, in the support section), copy it to your phone, and run the update from there if need be... Hell, I just went to the site in my phone's browser and downloaded straight off (I'm keeping it safe, in case they remove it or something).

If you're doing it from Orange direct, then using the standard upgrade process (About Phone in settings, then check for updates), then just make sure you have a solid wifi connection, and your mobile data is off.

[Guest rickywyatt]

if orange put the ics update on there web site then you will be able to open the orange ics update and extract recovery form it and flash it then be able to push the orange ics update to sdcard and flash it

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

Well I'm getting my new replacement San Diego tomorrow so I'm waiting for orange to keep my warranty. After just 3 weeks its been getting hotter with use

[Guest Roids]

I just had a bad thought. When Orange get their ICS back from Google, might they want to have it installed on OSDs on their shop shelves *before* they offer it to us OTA? That would then introduce a 'sent to production line' manufacturing delay before we see it.

Or do you think they would still be happy to continue selling GB OSDs in their shops?

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

I just had a bad thought. When Orange get their ICS back from Google, might they want to have it installed on OSDs on their shop shelves *before* they offer it to us OTA? That would then introduce a 'sent to production line' manufacturing delay before we see it.

Or do you think they would still be happy to continue selling GB OSDs in their shops?

No, they would get it out as soon a possible.

[Guest Simon O]

Flashing the Xolo update will not void any warranty. In fact flashing any updates to any phones doesn't void warranty. It's a myth, a common misconception.

The ONLY thing that possibly COULD void your warranty is unlocking the bootloader and installing unsigned software. Custom ROMs basically. Which rules out the San Diego for obvious reasons.

So be happy, be free and flash that damn Xolo update. Of course you are free to wait for the bloated Orange ROM that will be chock full of crap nobody ever wants or needs. ;)

This has been a public service announcement. Good day to you all :D

[Guest]

Well said flibblesan :D

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

Those public service announcements aren't what they used to be are they?

[Guest Ribs85]

Make of this what you will:

'unauthorised modifications to the software' could include flashing software for another phone from a carrier in India, even if the phones are technically identical. And I would say flashing the xolo firmware is 'outside the instructions of the manufacturer'

It's a bit too vague for my liking.

The dilemma continues...

[Guest Immortal7]

I am a complete noob when it comes to tech, but I found this very easy to do, go for it, feels like a new phone!

[Guest Immortal7]

I am a complete noob when it comes to tech, but I found this very easy to do, go for it, feels like a new phone!

[Guest Ribs85]

Well, I caved.

I woke up at 3am this morning, ill, and wanted to comfort myself. After reading online, messing about as much as I could... Anything but this ICS update... I caved!

I'm sorry group, I failed you all!

I did it "properly" by flashing the Xolo Gingerbread update first. One thing I did notice is that Orange apps were still showing up, but some appeared unaccessable... It was nice seeing the space usage update when I loaded the apps list. The amount went down a fair chunk, it was too quick for me to read the before and after numbers, but it definitely went down.

Tempted to do a factory reset... We'll see how it goes.

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

Well, I caved.

I woke up at 3am this morning, ill, and wanted to comfort myself. After reading online, messing about as much as I could... Anything but this ICS update... I caved!

I'm sorry group, I failed you all!

I did it "properly" by flashing the Xolo Gingerbread update first. One thing I did notice is that Orange apps were still showing up, but some appeared unaccessable... It was nice seeing the space usage update when I loaded the apps list. The amount went down a fair chunk, it was too quick for me to read the before and after numbers, but it definitely went down.

Tempted to do a factory reset... We'll see how it goes.

I'm puzzled by that. I thought the bloatware was rolled into the update.zip. If not then they must be in an hidden area on the UK phones and try to install themselves. Does that mean that installing the Xolo update wont free up any more space on a UK phone?

Can anyone confirm free space after installing the Xolo update on an Indian phone compared to a European phone? Has anyone done a factory reset before updating?

[Guest Ribs85]

I'm puzzled by that. I thought the bloatware was rolled into the update.zip. If not then they must be in an hidden area on the UK phones and try to install themselves. Does that mean that installing the Xolo update wont free up any more space on a UK phone?

Can anyone confirm free space after installing the Xolo update on an Indian phone compared to a European phone? Has anyone done a factory reset before updating?

Not necessarily. The update.zip might only contain updated files, for example, leaving the rest alone. Hence custom roms tell us to flash the ROM first, then Google apps after. I'm not too sure if the OSD has a hidden partition somewhere or something. I think the presence of the updates may have caused the odd behaviour that I saw. Who knows! Good thing is it's all gone now. Only a little Xolo bloat (and a couple of odd icon choices) to deal with.

When I did the factory reset on ICS, I found there was only one Orange Item on there; "Orange Plus", which I think is due to the SIM Card. It doesn't show on the app list and cannot be disabled. One nice touch was the surprise inclusion of SwiftKey 3 for Intel. Which is nice, as I use that keyboard already, and it's nice too see an Intel edition, which presumably will be faster and won't drain the battery as much.

Not all the apps can be disabled. Most of them can, but some cannot. And some that I saw didn't look "system critical", but won't allow me to disable. I really hope Orange doesn't take advantage of this.

For those of you still holding out on Orange...

I'm glad I'm on ICS... partly 'cos ICS is a little nicer, and partly 'cos I've lost the bloat. But I don't have a 'better phone' because of it now. I'm still running the same apps, and I still don't have root. I just have a slightly more modern GUI to use, a few more installable apps to choose from, and a Xolo logo when I turn the phone on. Browsing with Dolphin is remarkably smoother, but that's about the only major difference. I'm personally still using ADW.ex launcher (The standard launcher just doesn't make good use of the screen space), and most apps are skinned anyway, so you can't even tell I'm on ICS most of the time.

When the Orange ICS update comes out, you'll hopefully be able to disable all the bloat they have added, and be happy. Hopefully.

And I'm still ill... Urgh!

[Guest iam_smithers]

Make of this what you will:

'unauthorised modifications to the software' could include flashing software for another phone from a carrier in India, even if the phones are technically identical. And I would say flashing the xolo firmware is 'outside the instructions of the manufacturer'

It's a bit too vague for my liking.

The whole reason they make it vague is specifically to cover themselves should it ever come to legal proceedings. It is highly unlikely you would get away, under those terms, with updating via anything other than the official route. Legally speaking it probably will void your warranty because doing so does technically come under the provision barring software modifications "outside the manufacturer's instructions" and strictly speaking is an "unauthorized modification to the software" given that the only authorised modifications are those made via the official Orange route.

[Guest BlueMoonRising]

Sorry, no longer standing strong...

ICS got me...

[Guest]

Welcome to the fast lane, buckle up........ :D