Gingerbread for Desire is finally out!

CiDeRmAn · 01-08-2011 11:25am #1

The new update for the HTC Desire to give us the official Gingerbread experience, whatever that is, has been published but only to the HTC Developer centre.
This is not being released to all and sundry it seems, at least not yet and there are several caveats to downloading it, such as it pretty much resetting your phone and you lose the facebook application.

Going to install it now and see how we get on.

http://developer.htc.com/

NeitherJohn · 01-08-2011 11:41am

I used an RUU to update my Desire HD with Android 2.3.3. Went very well. Market was supposed to reinstall the apps that were deleted when the phone was wiped but it didn't. That was the only thing that didn't really work.

Took about 10 minutes to install after downloading.

the whole year inn · 01-08-2011 12:42pm

Whats this like for battery,looking at extending my battery life.

Going ot download it anyway.

Kenno90 · 01-08-2011 12:51pm

Taken from engadget

wayhey · 01-08-2011 12:52pm

I'm looking at getting a new phone. HTC ones really look great, but I've heard with the Sense UI updates for Android aren't straightforward. Is this something to consider when buying an Android phone? Is Gingerbread a major update?

I know nothing about Android, had Symbian for years.

CiDeRmAn · 01-08-2011 1:43pm

I'd happily dump the SenseUI, don't like it at all, prefer the bog standard Gingerbread frontend that I've seen installed on a Nexus.
I had to use Handy Backup to reinstate my contacts and apps, the Gingerbread installer simply reset the whole thing to stock.
Not seeing to many differences as it stands, however.

youcancallmeal · 01-08-2011 3:34pm

Sounds like more hassle than its worth tbh. Think I'll stay put for now.

BionicRasher · 02-08-2011 12:10pm

OK NOOB questions ahead

• Is this a stable build (i.e. will work as normal for the best part and won’t require constant tinkering)
• Do I lose all my paid apps when the phone goes back to stock (I don’t mind taking a list of all the stuff I have installed and re-installing but don’t want to have to repay for apps already purchased)
• All my contacts and emails and SMS etc are in Google so I don’t need to back them up – or do I?
• I don’t use Facebook on the phone (sometimes I use it on the web) but my contacts are linked to their Facebook profile – will this still work or will I have to get the HTC Facebook App on the phone?
• It says all operator customizations will be removed – I presume I won’t have to set up the Phone with Meteor sms/mms/internet settings again – or will I?
• Is this a good improvement on Froyo?
• Is there a noticeable difference in internal memory?

Cant think of anymore NOOB questions at the moment but just curious to know if it is worth it as I don’t really want to go down the rooting avenue and I really just want the internal memory to not suck and I don’t want to have to be constantly playing with the phone to get it to work (The Other Half would kill me if I played with it anymore)
Anyone that has tried this let us know how it went and if its worthwhile

lukester · 03-08-2011 11:42am

+1 to post above, interested to hear how others have fared with this. I don't have tons of time to fiddle with the phone at the moment, but would like to upgrade at some point.

A plus for me is that it has dropped a lot of the Sense apps, just bloatware for me as I use LauncherPro, much nicer than Sense imo.

BionicRasher · 03-08-2011 1:20pm

Yes I am still not sure I want to upgrade unless it is really worth it - I really would like some feedback on early adopters of this upgrade

I deleted the Adobe Flash updates a few weeks back and got a massive increase in memory and it hasn't caused any issues.
Might just stick with Froyo as phone is unbranded and no bloat-ware so I probably wont see much improvement by upgrade - but I could be tempted.

Looks like I might hold out for Nexus 3 and go with vanilla Android. Would love it to be a HTC device but cant be putting up with all the manufacturer junk and operator bloat-ware and think vanilla is the way to go (Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich even better!!)

Venom · 03-08-2011 1:55pm

From what Iv read on XDA

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595

lots of folks complaining about poor battery life and not being able to root their phones after installing this dev only update. It olso wipes all data and contacts so better off waiting for the official OTA update imho.

lukester · 03-08-2011 2:00pm

Venom wrote: »

... better off waiting for the official OTA update imho.

There will be no OTA update for Gingerbread on the Desire. It states this on the HTC developer site.

BionicRasher · 03-08-2011 2:05pm

Venom wrote: »

better off waiting for the official OTA update imho.

From what I read there will be no OTA update
That's why I am nervous doing it this way and not seeing the benefit

Venom · 03-08-2011 4:14pm

Where have HTC stated no OTA GB?

Can't see anything on the Dev site or anywhere else.

lukester · 03-08-2011 4:22pm

Venom wrote: »

Where have HTC stated no OTA GB?

Can't see anything on the Dev site or anywhere else.

When you click download on the update, you get an information box including the following:

Will HTC issue an over the air (FOTA) for HTC Desire update to Gingerbread?

No, this downloadable RUU is the official update to your phone. The update required that we conserve space by removing customizations and wallpapers, we had to release the update as a downloadable update.

lukester · 04-08-2011 4:59pm

Decided to upgrade to Gingerbread today. I toyed with going down the rooting/custom ROM path for about a day, did some reading, but I just don't have the time to get to the level of confidence I'd want, and to do everything required, including reverting the hboot from 2.2 to 2.1, which is required for rooting. Realistically I wouldn't be putting other custom ROMs on anyway.

Justifications out of the way, it's too early to say anything about the new version, but the upgrade process itself was very straightforward. I'll add feedback when I've played with it for a few days.

lukester · 05-08-2011 9:40am

OK, can answer the following based on an evening of hard-core tinkering with the new ROM:

tui0hcg wrote: »

• Is this a stable build (i.e. will work as normal for the best part and won’t require constant tinkering)

Seems no different stability wise to Froyo, i.e. very stable. I've had no issues of note, battery usage seems fine.

tui0hcg wrote: »

• Do I lose all my paid apps when the phone goes back to stock (I don’t mind taking a list of all the stuff I have installed and re-installing but don’t want to have to repay for apps already purchased)
• All my contacts and emails and SMS etc are in Google so I don’t need to back them up – or do I?

Use one of the backup apps for both of these, MyBackup has a 30 day trial, it got the best reviews when I looked, worked well for me.

tui0hcg wrote: »

• I don’t use Facebook on the phone (sometimes I use it on the web) but my contacts are linked to their Facebook profile – will this still work or will I have to get the HTC Facebook App on the phone?

You'd just have to re-sync them, which is easy to do. TBH I was happy to see the back of this as I found I had duplicate entries in my contacts list.

tui0hcg wrote: »

• It says all operator customizations will be removed – I presume I won’t have to set up the Phone with Meteor sms/mms/internet settings again – or will I?

No, everything should work as before. I can phone/text/access 3G as before.

tui0hcg wrote: »

• Is this a good improvement on Froyo?
• Is there a noticeable difference in internal memory?

Having used it for a good bit yesterday evening, I'd say it's been worthwhile from my perspective. My partner probably couldnt' be bothered with it, but she's not a tinkerer at all. There are supposed performance improvements, but I'd be lying if I said I noticed, probably because there wasn't any noticeable lag in performance previously.

But there are subtle UI changes, such as the notifications which are a tad more understated and just look better. The default browser seems improved. Keyboard has improved a bit too, although I tend not to use the stock one.

I haven't verified this, but from browsing forums there is a bit of an improvement in internal memory. I move most apps that support it to the SD card anyway.

Overall I'd say it's worth the switch if you're the kind of person who likes to have the latest versions of software, and doesn't mind some minor tinkering. When I say tinkering, I really just mean stuff related to backing up contacts, apps, etc. I didn't have to resolve any issues with the phone, it worked as before.

The entire process was very straightforward and the instructions provided with the download are very clear.

Unrelated to the actual ROM upgrade, I decided to try a new launcher. I was using LauncherPro, the free version, and liked it a lot. I decided to try Go Launcher Ex, which was listed among the top current launchers. I really like it so far, especially after trying a few of their downloadable themes. It has a nice look and feel, some nice widgets, and its own keyboard. Phone feels kind of new again.

bittihuduga · 09-08-2011 3:40pm

upgraded my HTC desire to gingerbread yesterday. simple process. no issues found so far. feels like a new phone (may be its just me)

Venom · 09-08-2011 11:55pm

bittihuduga wrote: »

upgraded my HTC desire to gingerbread yesterday. simple process. no issues found so far. feels like a new phone (may be its just me)

Not just you. I upgrade at the weekend and its a pretty big difference.
Battery life seems better.
UI seems even smoother.
New clock widget animation is cool.
Phone seems faster overall and very noticeable when you install apps.
Moving apps to SD card is much better. Same apps on phone as 2.2 and Iv 45mb extra internal space

bittihuduga · 10-08-2011 10:17am

is anyone using golauncher notification for sms/gmail on gingerbread?
i had this working and notifications were displayed for sms/gmail on froyo but its not working on gingerbread. any idea?

BionicRasher · 14-08-2011 11:48pm

Venom wrote: »

Not just you. I upgrade at the weekend and its a pretty big difference.
Battery life seems better.
UI seems even smoother.
New clock widget animation is cool.
Phone seems faster overall and very noticeable when you install apps.
Moving apps to SD card is much better. Same apps on phone as 2.2 and Iv 45mb extra internal space

Yes battery, camera and video playback and UI better but........
I don't know what I have now or if something is wrong but I have less Apps and less space. Maps up by 2mb gmail up by 1mb, Google Music gone mad and up by 10MB.

I have installed less apps and now I have 12mb if space left and i don't have Facebook or adobe flash installed.

Also a lot more stuff seems to have gone on to the phone and wont let me move them to SD.

Have had to pull the battery twice and also find the trackball not working as well.

Man i am peeved off as it's taken an age to get the phone set up as it was and now it's crap. Can I reinstall or step back to Froyo?

Also I think some of the advances are poor. Some Froyo stuff was better like cut and paste and things like handcent sms notifications worked much better. Some of the new font and styles are not as nice on the eye either.

I really don't want to root as if it takes this much effort I will crack up.

BionicRasher · 17-08-2011 6:48pm

OK
did a factory reset as the thing was driving me mad with 6mb free internal memory and only half the apps I had on Froyo

Seems much better - up around 38MB free now but still a few apps to re-install.

I think the issue was they way I had backed up apps with a back up tool from the market. I had backed up everything to the SD and when I put on Gingerbread I had reinstalled the apps with that little tool (App Backup & Reinstall its called) Then I noticed that when I went in to the Market on the phone none of the apps I had reinstalled via that tool were showing on the My Apps list. So I went through the Market on the phone and clicked install one by one for all the apps. This seems to have doubled the space used by the apps or double install them I think.

This time I used the App Backup & Reinstall tool again but only used it to back up apps that are not available in the Market (such as HTC Navigator etc) Then I went and installed each one directly on the phone and its way better

Just a note for anyone in case you see the same isssue - hope it makes sense

DRice · 21-08-2011 11:07pm

whats the website to download this update? how do you back up your contacts?

MiCr0 · 22-08-2011 8:30am

DRice wrote: »

whats the website to download this update? how do you back up your contacts?

Typically your contacts will be sync'ed into gmail.

Check before you start

BionicRasher · 22-08-2011 8:35am

DRice wrote: »

whats the website to download this update? how do you back up your contacts?

go here for download http://htcdev.com/devcenter/downloads

If you have set up your phone with a Google/Gmail account all your contacts are in your Gmail
If not I suggest setting this up as its great to have your contacts backed up in the cloud in case you ever drop your phone down the toilet!
Also I used SMS Backup + to back up my sms and it backs up your call log too
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zegoggles.smssync

Gingerbread for Desire is finally out!

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