[POLL] Do you want to upgrade your Blade to Gen 2?

[Guest Picazsoo]

Why so? Got on fine for years before the TPT method of installing ROMs was here. I don't understand why this is a dealbreaker?

I probably don't have as much experience as you, since this is my first smartphone. -Thus having this universal fallback is somehow calming for me. Another thing is impossibility to downgrade back to GEN1 and thus losing my warranty for good.

[Guest alex_oz]

Yes and I already upgraded.

[Guest Comas]

My GPS, now in g2 find signal in 10 seconds, very cool...

[Guest jayhix]

I probably don't have as much experience as you, since this is my first smartphone. -Thus having this universal fallback is somehow calming for me. Another thing is impossibility to downgrade back to GEN1 and thus losing my warranty for good.

you lose your warranty as soon as you root your phone.

[Guest gr83]

you lose your warranty as soon as you root your phone.

yes.. but you can unroot it easily, you can't go back from GEN2

[Guest Matthew Ferguson]

I upgraded to Gen2 and am noting significantly better signal strength and reception in all areas.

[Guest JobSup]

yes.. but you can unroot it easily, you can't go back from GEN2

That's also one of the reasons I won't upgrade for now. In case of any hardware problems you can unroot and completely return to stock on your GEN1. The upgrade to GEN2 can not be reversed for now.

Also, there are plenty of good roms out for GEN1. If I am not happy with CM7 anymore (currently using stable), I will switch. GEN2 'improvements' are very minimal. I think, I wouldn't even see any real difference.

So long...

[Guest CaptainSpectacular]

My GPS, now in g2 find signal in 10 seconds, very cool...

Mine reboot my phone in 10 seconds very cool too ...:)

[Guest Picazsoo]

yes.. but you can unroot it easily, you can't go back from GEN2

exactly.

[Guest Len Ash]

Mine reboot my phone in 10 seconds very cool too ...:)

Why is Gen 2 an UPGRADE??

There is no obvious or proven technical reason why any performance or efficiency gains are associated with Gen 2 images... a memory map change won't do that.

Most of the claimed improvements, such as signal strength, are purely speculative and not founded in any actual measure. Using the notification bar "signal strength" as a means of claiming anything is almost madness. Adding quad band functionality will affect about 0.1% of users; wow.

Gen 2 images do not contain any magic...

You also limit your choice of ROMs considerably, and if CM7 instable (sic) is anything to go by, may your God help you.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Len Ash

[Guest hecatae]

Why is Gen 2 an UPGRADE??

There is no obvious or proven technical reason why any performance or efficiency gains are associated with Gen 2 images... a memory map change won't do that.

Most of the claimed improvements, such as signal strength, are purely speculative and not founded in any actual measure. Using the notification bar "signal strength" as a means of claiming anything is almost madness. Adding quad band functionality will affect about 0.1% of users; wow.

Gen 2 images do not contain any magic...

You also limit your choice of ROMs considerably, and if CM7 instable (sic) is anything to go by, may your God help you.

amss.mbn

this is a chipset update, it's like flashing the bios on a pc, it updates the radio baseband from P729BB01 to P729B01

I updated for this alone, the new memory map may make a difference, but I know the new baseband has made a difference

Edited April 13, 2011 by hecatae

[Guest Len Ash]

amss.mbn

I updated for this alone, the new memory map may make a difference, but I know the new baseband has made a difference

How have you quantified this? All I have taken from my colleagues is that it makes no measurable difference to anything other than add a fairly pointless quad band ability. No other effect.

I'm interested in knowing what you have found... and how.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Len Ash

[Guest hecatae]

How have you quantified this? All I have taken from my colleagues is that it makes no measurable difference to anything other than add a fairly pointless quad band ability. No other effect.

I'm interested in knowing what you have found... and how.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/05/17/ht...d-battery-life/

same applies for the zte blade baseband update, otherwise the 2.2 rom updates from zte would ship with the older amss.mbn

[Guest Len Ash]

http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/05/17/ht...d-battery-life/

same applies for the zte blade baseband update, otherwise the 2.2 rom updates from zte would ship with the older amss.mbn

Gosh, a Minor update - I see absolutely nothing that tells me this is a must-have.

Until someone actually offers a tangible reason why this is anything like worthwhile, I would suggest it is avoided for now. Particularly with the risks involved for those a) not familiar and b ) those expecting some minor miracle.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Len Ash

[Guest hecatae]

Gosh, a Minor update - I see absolutely nothing that tells me this is a must-have.

Until someone actually offers a tangible reason why this is anything like worthwhile, I would suggest it is avoided for now. Particularly with the risks involved for those a) not familiar and b ) those expecting some minor miracle.

if you have no reception issues, then you have no reason to upgrade, on gen1 my blade was very slow to switch bands, very slow to start data connectivity, gps took a minute, now takes seconds.

I'm going to check if the new Japanese 2.2 files re-enable TPT, if they do I'll update the guide

[Guest Len Ash]

if you have no reception issues, then you have no reason to upgrade, on gen1 my blade was very slow to switch bands, very slow to start data connectivity, gps took a minute, now takes seconds.

I'm going to check if the new Japanese 2.2 files re-enable TPT, if they do I'll update the guide

Fine, but generally we should avoid putting the notion in the minds of others that, for the moment at least, moving to Gen 2 from Gen 1 is neither necessary or even desirable.

Or we would be being irresponsible...

[Guest punkmilitia]

Gen2 FTW!

I was using GEN1 & CM7 as they were the best you could get tbh..

until I flashed Gen 2 & SS. so fcking smooth and fast it seems like a different phone.

[Guest jayhix]

^placebo effect :)

+ you cant compare the two as they are different roms with different gens. if you want to compare different gens then you should keep the same rom...

Edited April 13, 2011 by jayhix

[Guest Len Ash]

Gen2 FTW!

I was using GEN1 & CM7 as they were the best you could get tbh..

until I flashed Gen 2 & SS. so fcking smooth and fast it seems like a different phone.

Having a number of Blades around, 2 with my own SS4 remixes (identical), one on Gen 1 and one on Gen 2 - absolutely no difference whatsoever in anything.

jayhix is correct... :)

[Guest hecatae]

Fine, but generally we should avoid putting the notion in the minds of others that, for the moment at least, moving to Gen 2 from Gen 1 is neither necessary or even desirable.

Or we would be being irresponsible...

I agree, to quote "we should avoid putting the notion in the minds of others that moving to gen 2 from gen1 is neither necessary or desirable"

double negative

so when are you upgrading?

[Guest Len Ash]

I agree, to quote "we should avoid putting the notion in the minds of others that moving to gen 2 from gen1 is neither necessary or desirable"

double negative

so when are you upgrading?

I answered your last question in the post above. And it isn't an upgrade - Freudian slip? Unless you wish to mislead.

I have had Gen 1 and Gen 2 running SS RLS4 on identical phones and builds, side by side, same carrier, for over a week. No freakin difference on/in anything, "speed", battery consumption, boot time, shutdown time, app opening speed. 2G or 3G+ d/l speed, u/l speed, signal level sensitivity, radio power output, WiFi throughput, BT xfer speeds or otherwise. No hidden features or functions, no magic at all in fact.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Len Ash

[Guest hecatae]

My ass it is... read it again.

I have had Gen 1 and Gen 2 running SS RLS4 on identical phones and builds, side by side, for over a week. No freakin difference on anything, "speed", battery consumption, boot time, shutdown time, app opening speed. 2G or 3G+ d/l speed, u/l speed, signal level sensitivity, radio power output, WiFi throughput, BT xfer speeds or otherwise. No hidden features or functions, no magic at all in fact.

Interesting, ZTE issue a baseband update and you have found no difference.

I'm starting to think P729B01 is the original ZTE baseband, and P729BB01 is a specific carrier requested modified one, as it's got a later number

My theory is that Orange requested 850mhz and hsupa disabled, for the Orange San Francisco and ZTE used this Eclair build for the ZTE Blade in the rest of the world, which due to laziness meant 850mhz and hsupa disabled.

Softbank requested the 003Z, and the ZTE Kernel source for Froyo is the 003Z source, HSUPA was requested so the oem partition layout was used and the original baseband.

China Unicom requested Android 2.2 with no market, and ZTE were busy developing the ZTE Libra X880 for MWC 2011, so they based this version on the 003Z build.

The 2.2 updates are changing the partition layout because ZTE accidentally disabled HSUPA on all these blades and the 850mhz as they were lazy and re-used the Orange build.

Carriers have requested this update as they have received reports of HSUPA not working, even though it is advertised as a HSUPA device.

They've also been lazy with the 2.2 updates, using the 003Z build even though only the Softbank rom uses the OEM partition for camera photos if no sd card present.

Can anyone on Gen1 please try a TPT image and switch the amss.mbn with the one in the gen1 to gen2 upgrade guide, in theory it should work, you would also need the required libs.

LanceH, any chance you can try this on your gen1 device, tpt image with gen2 amss.mbn, rest of files gen1, and then clockworkflash boot.img and system with SS RLS4 with gen2 libs

Of course if this is the case, the 2.2 update is only changing the device to a ZTE Libra

[Guest]

How have you quantified this? All I have taken from my colleagues is that it makes no measurable difference to anything other than add a fairly pointless quad band ability. No other effect.

I'm interested in knowing what you have found... and how.

Quad band capability pointless? That is an entirely subjective comment. It is only a couple of years back that you had to pay significantly more if you wanted Quad Band capability on your phone. In the modern age where people travel a lot it is an increasingly important feature to many... and one that can be added for FREE and without penalty.

In my case it was the primary motivation for upgrading and with the growing international flavour to this forum I would think I am not alone. I was even willing to risk incompatibility with a wider choise of ROMs for the feature.

[Guest Len Ash]

Quad band capability pointless? That is an entirely subjective comment. It is only a couple of years back that you had to pay significantly more if you wanted Quad Band capability on your phone. In the modern age where people travel a lot it is an increasingly important feature to many... and one that can be added for FREE and without penalty.

In my case it was the primary motivation for upgrading and with the growing international flavour to this forum I would think I am not alone. I was even willing to risk incompatibility with a wider choise of ROMs for the feature.

Only 1 person commented on the additional "band"... no-one apparently cares enough to raise this as a problem to date. The phone is not sold in regions with quad band requirements at this time. I'm sure nobody is too bothered about bragging rights.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Len Ash

[Guest Len Ash]

Interesting, ZTE issue a baseband update and you have found no difference.

I'm starting to think P729B01 is the original ZTE baseband, and P729BB01 is a specific carrier requested modified one, as it's got a later number

My theory is that Orange requested 850mhz and hsupa disabled, for the Orange San Francisco and ZTE used this Eclair build for the ZTE Blade in the rest of the world, which due to laziness meant 850mhz and hsupa disabled.

Softbank requested the 003Z, and the ZTE Kernel source for Froyo is the 003Z source, HSUPA was requested so the oem partition layout was used and the original baseband.

China Unicom requested Android 2.2 with no market, and ZTE were busy developing the ZTE Libra X880 for MWC 2011, so they based this version on the 003Z build.

The 2.2 updates are changing the partition layout because ZTE accidentally disabled HSUPA on all these blades and the 850mhz as they were lazy and re-used the Orange build.

Carriers have requested this update as they have received reports of HSUPA not working, even though it is advertised as a HSUPA device.

They've also been lazy with the 2.2 updates, using the 003Z build even though only the Softbank rom uses the OEM partition for camera photos if no sd card present.

Can anyone on Gen1 please try a TPT image and switch the amss.mbn with the one in the gen1 to gen2 upgrade guide, in theory it should work, you would also need the required libs.

LanceH, any chance you can try this on your gen1 device, tpt image with gen2 amss.mbn, rest of files gen1, and then clockworkflash boot.img and system with SS RLS4 with gen2 libs

Of course if this is the case, the 2.2 update is only changing the device to a ZTE Libra

I will try, together with the 2 lib files required. Intriguing.