Ask NerdGirl: Updates to 2.2 and Blocking All That Unwanted Data!

by n3rdg1rl Jun 4, 2010 7:00 AM – 5 Comments

I’m catching up with your questions, everyone! Keep an eye out for yours!

I have an HTC Magic phone with Android 1.6 on it. I’ve given up on there being an OTA update for this (Vodafone has moved on to newer handsets), so I’m starting to wonder if it’s worth a manual upgrade.

Is it possible to do this with the HTC Magic, without losing the Gmail, YouTube and Market Place apps? (And where do I start?)

Davo

Well, Davo, according to this article, Vodafone will be updating your phone to 2.0. They haven’t announced a release date yet but they have said it’s coming. Although your phone isn’t “old,” it is underpowered. The processor, a 528 MHz Qualcomm processor, doesn’t push enough power to run 2.1 Eclair efficiently.

Now that Sprint has pushed out the 2.1 update, there will be (if there aren’t already) stable ROMs that will allow you to root your phone to 2.1. Just keep in mind that there will be features that are unusable or run really slowly because of the processor.

I have a little (but annoying) problem. I installed several Tools and Games from the Market. I noticed that every once in while there is data traffic using GPRS/3G. I know that at least one Tool (Advanced Task Killer) has ads.

My question is:
1) Is there any setting that will prevent any ‘unauthorized’ use of GPRS/3G on my phone?
2) Is there any application that can do like number 1) above. Just in case there’s no setting that can prevent it.

Communication cost in my country is still relatively expensive and the ‘unauthorized’ use of GPRS/3G has caused me a considerable amount of money.

Thanks.

Sincerely,
AN

The easiest way, AN, is going to be to turn off your 3G while you are using these apps. The downfall of this is that you cannot receive calls.

On my phone, the HTC Droid Eris, I can go into Settings » Wireless & Networks » Mobile Networks » Enable always-on mobile data. With this off the phone doesn’t connect to the network without permission. This might be something to do with HTC Sense so you need to check your phone.

Any idea when Android 2.2 will be available for HTC Desire?

@scottHSL

Late this month, maybe June 23^rd. I’ve also heard that it would be in the second half of the year. So like most release dates, no one really knows until it goes live. There does seem to be an agreement that any phone released this year will be getting 2.2 at some point. If that’s the case these phones should see 2.2:

Acer Liquid E
Dell Aero
Dell Thunder
Geeks’Phone One
HTC Desire
HTC Droid Incredible
HTC Legend
HTC EVO 4G
HTC myTouch 3G Slide
Kyocera Zio M6000
LG GT540 Optimus / Swift
LG LU2300
Motorola Backflip
Motorola Devour
Motorola i1
Motorola MOTO XT720 / Motoroi
Motorola Quench / CLIX XT
Pantech Serius Sky
Samsung Galaxy A
Samsung Galaxy S / GT-I9000
Samsung Halo i8520
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini
T-Mobile Pulse Mini
Vodafine 845
XTE Smooth

Please note that not all of the phones on the above list are released as of yet. Also, I just generated this list by its release date. I am in no way guaranteeing that these phones will all see 2.2 from their manufacturers. Total speculation!

If you don’t want to wait, there is a ROM that is 90% working for the Desire with 2.2 if you want to go that route. It looks like you need to fidget with camera settings to get the camera working correctly and Bluetooth doesn’t really work for data yet.

Keep sending those questions to nerdgirl@androidtapp.com!

~n3rdg1rl

Tags: Android 2.2, Android Advice, Android Questions, Android Software Update, Ask NerdGirl, Disable Background Data, Froyo, Help with Android, HTC Desire, Vodafone HTC Magic Smartphone

Categorised in: Android Advice, Ask NerdGirl

5 Comments

By Jan on June 4, 2010 at 8:13 am:

Actually, your info is wrong/incomplete in several points.

- HTC Magic and 2.1 – I have installed Cyanogen ROM which has now version with Android 2.1 and it works quite OK. It is not the fastest phone on the Earth and some heavy apps (Gallery and new launcher) are not included, but it is definitelly usable. Just make sure to follow the installation instructions to the letter!

http://cyanogenmod.com/

- Unwanted data traffic
Actually, turning off 3G helps nothing – the data will be still transferred over 2G (GPRS). Also, turning off 3G has no effect on calls, unless you are on 3G only network (those are rare) – the phone will fall back on normal 2G.

The proper way to deal with the problem are apps like APNdroid (http://www.martinadamek.com/2008/12/18/apndroid/) or Data Controller (http://android.riteshsahu.com/apps/data-controller), both free from the market. They will remove/disable the data APN setting and prevent the phone from using the data connection when not desired. With a single click you can toggle the connection on and off.

For people on metered data plans there are also counters for transferred data available from the market.

A bit more research would help next time.

Regards,

Jan

Reply
- By Ken on June 4, 2010 at 11:44 am:
  
  Good suggestion, Jan!
  
  Couple that with the Locale App Detection Plug-in (http://www.appbrain.com/app/com.androgone.locale.detectappli) and the Locale Shortcut Plugin (http://www.appbrain.com/app/com.twofortyfouram.locale.setting.shortcut); and you could cut-off data automatically when using those programs.
  
  Reply
  - By Antonio Wells on June 4, 2010 at 12:29 pm:
    
    I know JuiceDefender http://www.androidtapp.com/juicedefender/ can disable data APN when the phone is sleep and reconnect when you wake the phone, or you can extend that so data only flows when you want it to… plus save some battery power in the process.
    
    Reply
  - By Jan on June 4, 2010 at 1:03 pm:
    
    Locale works, however that would be rather counterproductive – Locale needs GPS/location services to work properly and without data signal the location determination is very slow. There will be no assisted GPS, no Wifi location, no GSM triangulation – you can rely only on the raw GPS (takes ages to lock on) or on the position info from the cell towers (if they are equipped to transmit that – most aren’t).
    
    Also, if you want to save battery, do not use Locale – it runs constantly in the background, polling your GPS/wifi periodically in order to detect location. That eats battery life like crazy.
    
    Reply
    - By Ken on June 7, 2010 at 7:09 am:
      
      While location detection is the most common use of Locale, it doesn’t require it; especially for this application. The conditions for this would be if x program is launched, fire y shortcut.
      
      Reply