The Samsung i8910 HD gets 'II1' firmware

Let me know how that works for you, especially things like the 'stop' bug. I've been using the Hong Kong G4 firmware for a few days and its so much better. More C drive space, faster, stable, and no stop bug!

To add to Steve's post...

You ONLY get offered the update if you are already using an ITALIAN firmware build (IF2 or IG2).

The stop bug is gone.
A 3D task manager is introduced.
Various other usability bugs have been squashed.
Camera & video capture improved.

This is the same firmware as the I8910XXII1 firmware released in Russia last week, but with a different language pack and different custom apps.

Do you think II1 is a better firmware than G4? I like G4 and wonder if II1 is worth yet another flashing session?

Yes, I prefer II1 over IG4 - the improvements to MediaGallery (which Steve hasn't posted yet) - you can zoom in and out of pictures now; make this update worth it on their own.

Podcasting was also still broken in IG4.

What a ripoff!
1) We were told that this fw upgrade would also upgrade QuickOffice to version 6, therefore allowing us to use QO6 without having to sacrifice a good chunk of C:. That was a lie.
2) The podcasting app is still broken, but now at pre-IIG2 levels. (a) It won't do automatic updates; if you set an access point and enable automatic updates, the next time you start the app it will crash on startup (don't try this - the only workaround that I know of is a deep reset of the phone). (b) Updating doesn't work (I have to verify this, but it's very likely): if you select a podcast and do 'update', it will connect to the internet and check, but no new episodes will appear even if there are some available.
I'm very, very angry.

"the connection between the phone and PC has been updated".

Booooooo...:frown:

Guess i'm waiting for the files to made available online instead.

well...i only had 33.1MB after upgrade...did hardreset before and after
after copying over some of my ringtones and wallpapers to C, and installing main apps, had 25.1MB

tried the quickoffice update.....lost 10MB on my C: drive....uninstall and it's only back to 20.5MB.....stupid quick office doesn't have an uninstall for their install files....hacked my phone, using xplore, cannot find any sis or sisx file on c, so obviously it has all individual files....ugh....

I think he meant that most of the unbranded Omnia HD's have Italian firmware, not from Italy. Most of the websites that guide you on how to change your firmware recommend the Italian firmware, but Steve and Co always try to keep everything legit, and talking aout hacking seems to be a taboo.

It's not illegal to change the firmware on the i8910. No, you probably won't find a complete how-to on AllAboutSymbian, but we are aware of it, and heck, most of us have probably done it once or twice.

Yes, this firmware is ONLY available to Italian firmwares, that's the point that needs to be made in this article... will adjust it to suit.

What about the Houdini feature? When uploading to YouTube from Communities app, the video uploads but then disappears and is nowhere to be seen. Has this been fixed?

What about the absolute shite sound quality when recording music concerts, which Nokias can do brilliantly... adjusting the mic settings I do not think really resolves this issue?

DLNA bugs - have they been fixed? For example my DLNA app never seems to refresh the available media list - seems to be stuck on the same videos my phone had when I first started the app months ago. And the other DLNA issues, like being able to stream content properly, eg HD videos you've shot...?

So what about the browser stability, apart from the 'stop bug'? I heard it wasn't very stable before.
That and the dropped frames in HD video recording are the main concerns left now I believe. If it wasn't for that (and the announcement of the N900...) I would have bought it already.

The 3D taskmanager looks a bit slow indeed. A missed opportunity, if they'd made the rear applications a bit more visible, and clickable directly, it would probably have worked really well.

I've updated my phone to the latest IT verson II1, but the The telephone dial pad doesn't have 'abc', 'def' style lettering.. is it maybe related to the specific language settings?

What do you think of this phone from Samsung?

http://www.in.samsungmobile.com/jet/?cmpid=in_banner_tribal_contentxual_jet_0909#/technology

malerocks wrote:What do you think of this phone from Samsung?

http://www.in.samsungmobile.com/jet/?cmpid=in_banner_tribal_contentxual_jet_0909#/technology

Looks like a cute little feature phone.

The UI seem to suggest that it is running on Symbian. Plus if you go through the specs on the site, it pic editors, plays multiple video formats like Divx, H.234 and even claims to record in h.234, among others. I would not call that a feature phone.

Maybe a smart feature phone :P

malerocks wrote:The UI seem to suggest that it is running on Symbian. Plus if you go through the specs on the site, it pic editors, plays multiple video formats like Divx, H.234 and even claims to record in h.234, among others. I would not call that a feature phone.

Maybe a smart feature phone :P

If YOU went through the specs on the site:

http://www.samsungmobile.co.uk/mobile-phones/samsung-jet-specification

Operation System: Native OS (IE: NOT S60, but a similar UI as the i8910)

Browser: Dolfin (er what?)

Apart from that, i agree. It's not a feature phone, but not quite a smart phone. In the same class as a 5530?

A Smart-ure phone? 😃

The lines between feature and smart phones are definitely getting blurry....

UKJeeper wrote:The lines between feature and smart phones are definitely getting blurry....

But even though it is not a actual smart phone, the capabilities list of the device IMO is pretty impressive. I think it can almost compete with the current smartphone (except in multi-tasking)

In my view no matter how good the CPU or web browser or multitasking is,it will never be a smart phone...they is no native 3rd party apps and thats that...

Unregistered wrote:well...i only had 33.1MB after upgrade...did hardreset before and after
after copying over some of my ringtones and wallpapers to C, and installing main apps, had 25.1MB

tried the quickoffice update.....lost 10MB on my C: drive....uninstall and it's only back to 20.5MB.....stupid quick office doesn't have an uninstall for their install files....hacked my phone, using xplore, cannot find any sis or sisx file on c, so obviously it has all individual files....ugh....

Had the same problem but managed to find two 4MB files: the quickoffice sis and zip. They're in c:\private\... (I can't remember). Look for them and you'll have 8mbs back!

It's misinformation followed by misinformation here

Now they claim that only the Italians offer official firmware updates through PC Studio 7.

If you're not sure of something, don't post it as fact.

Wow.

Unregistered wrote:I've updated my phone to the latest IT verson II1, but the The telephone dial pad doesn't have 'abc', 'def' style lettering.. is it maybe related to the specific language settings?

@Unregistered

The editing on the piece and the clarifications about Italian firmware were done by Stuart Clark, one of our AAS part-time team members. He's the AUTHORITY on this phone and I stand by whatever he says is fact. I'd certainly take his word over someone anonymous/unregistered.

If someone can give me more information showing that II1 is available via PC Suite for any country *other* than Italy, I'll update the article again. At the moment, the ONLY ways to get the II1 firmware are to flash the phone from leaked Russian II1 firmwares, or use the officially available Italian version. Therefore, Italy is the only country currently offering the II1 firmware as an update.

Yes, I deleted a few comments from the forum - most of them my own, as the info contained within them had been integrated into the main article. This was done to make the article and comments easier to read and understand.

Web browser still sucks. Just as unresponsive when scrolling and pages still load slowly, seems to hang alot. Haven't tested the other stuff yet.

Unregistered, why don't you register?

Thought not.

Gents

I find your handbagging quite tasteless and does not fit the forum so ANON stop acting like a vampire in an Ann Rice Novel and AAS chaps do not react.

Question at hand.

I am a 9 year Nokia user and a 15 year symbian user. Symbian has been my driving force from before the Ericsson MX5. Mainly because I loath American sh*t and their pretentiousness and also as an African (albeit a white one) I have always had a soft spot for symbian from the Epoc days. (hope you know why)

There were alott of Huzzah's in my mind when Nokia invested in S60 and developed it further to make it what it was today but in their short sightedness they are doing damage to the system now... And until todays ago I was a Nokia user, my latest weapon of choice being the N97. And then a mate of mine gave me a Samsung Omnia HD I8910.

My jaw has dropped... all the Apple magoots are dissing S60 based on the Nokia implementation of it but as soon as I show them the Omnia implementation they go WTF??? is this Symbian? I am a Samsung convert... Highend device specs based on the most versitile mobile platform. Truly a TRUE ambasador for symbian and the EPOC legacy

So Rafe and co, you gents need to take a long hard look at your blog and decide whether it you are ALL ABOUT SYMBIAN or ALL ABOUT NOKIA. Samsung has taken S60 to a next level. And I think as you chaps were loyal to Epoc its time to move on and get to the next leader of S60... It is called evolution

You gents do a STERLING job but remember that this is a SYMBIAN blog NOT a Nokia blog and as galaxies collide Samsung has taken the SYMBIAN crown

ShakaZulu wrote:Gents

I find your handbagging quite tasteless and does not fit the forum so ANON stop acting like a vampire in an Ann Rice Novel and AAS chaps do not react.

Question at hand.

I am a 9 year Nokia user and a 15 year symbian user. Symbian has been my driving force from before the Ericsson MX5. Mainly because I loath American sh*t and their pretentiousness and also as an African (albeit a white one) I have always had a soft spot for symbian from the Epoc days. (hope you know why)

There were alott of Huzzah's in my mind when Nokia invested in S60 and developed it further to make it what it was today but in their short sightedness they are doing damage to the system now... And until todays ago I was a Nokia user, my latest weapon of choice being the N97. And then a mate of mine gave me a Samsung Omnia HD I8910.

My jaw has dropped... all the Apple magoots are dissing S60 based on the Nokia implementation of it but as soon as I show them the Omnia implementation they go WTF??? is this Symbian? I am a Samsung convert... Highend device specs based on the most versitile mobile platform. Truly a TRUE ambasador for symbian and the EPOC legacy

So Rafe and co, you gents need to take a long hard look at your blog and decide whether it you are ALL ABOUT SYMBIAN or ALL ABOUT NOKIA. Samsung has taken S60 to a next level. And I think as you chaps were loyal to Epoc its time to move on and get to the next leader of S60... It is called evolution

You gents do a STERLING job but remember that this is a SYMBIAN blog NOT a Nokia blog and as galaxies collide Samsung has taken the SYMBIAN crown

Yes, I love what Samsung have done with the i8910 HD (incidentally, if in Italy you can still call it the Omnia HD), but they still somehow seem a step behind Nokia in software... the Widget home screen is great, but doesn't go as far as the N97's implementation... OVI integration is one of Nokia's killer USPs now, and anyone who doesn't have it is starting to loose out.

Having said that, Nokia still haven't produced hardware to match what Samsung have done in the last... year and a bit. SonyEriccsson will be the next to amaze, jumping ahead of even Samsung in the camera stakes, if not in screen technology.

I truely hope that Samsung will go from strength to strength with their S60 devices, but they need to start marketing them properly... look at the coverage the technically inferior Jet has been getting recently - the average punter on the street thinks its the best thing to not have an Apple logo; but hey, it's not. Samsung have got Android, WinMo & S60 phones which are just as good, if not better, than the Jet.

Anyway, I digress. The i8910 HD is going from strength to strength. Samsung have, with the last 2 firmware releases, fixed a lot of the bugs and problems people have had with this phone, and lets hope that with further improvements, the true, true posibilities of this hardware platform are realised. Alas, I suspect S60s interface may ultimately get in the way of that 😞 (and no, that's not a dig, but S60 touch just isn't quite there yet...blame Nokia 😊)

The n97 Home screen is a mess. It is definitly the sign of a HARDWARE company's take on how to implement software. The only problem is that Samsung has bypassed Nokia when it comes to Hardware and actually has assigned a larger ammount of engineers than Nokia to focus on the OS whilst Nokia has moved coding power away towards OVI.

Touchwiz makes sense, for a power user yes N97 might be what Zappa is to Syd from Yorkshire but for the Neville Nobodies, Samsung makes more sense. I truly cannot understand how the N97 could be released AFTER the the I8910 and still be inferior because it truely is.

The features that that Samsung focus on are features that make a father happy to have the device close by when his daughter sings at daycare. The features that Nokia focus on makes an engineer happy when there is a feature contest in a bar late at night... BUT CAN YOUR PHONE DO THIS.

Remember the days when you used to know a band that you thought was really cool but nobody else knew anything about... thats Nokia's feature set, whilst Samsung has focused on being the Rick Astley, Lady Gaga of phones... mainstream. The camera software in the I8910 beats ANYTHING that Nokia has to offer.

Oh, I'll definitely correct your very apparent mistakes.

Samsung have provided official firmware updates through PC Studio in Belgium, as just one example. Do you want to know another place that is NOT Italy that has been graced with firmware updates? You guessed it - the UK (Orange branded i8910HDs, mind you)