Mystery RC29 update hits T-Mobile's G1

While many of you are still waiting for T-Mobile's RC28 update to hit your G1, at least one reader has trumped us all. KoSoVaR is sitting on fresh, over-the-air software after receiving an update notice a few minutes ago. The process rebooted his G1 "a few times" only to stabilize at RC29. Hard to say what's new at this point but we'll get back to you if we hear about anything more than bug fixes.

P.S. For what it's worth, we're still kicking it old skool back at RC19 -- waiting... and waiting... for the automagic to begin.

Update: Another reader is up on RC29 now as well. Took 5 minutes start to finish and required a single reboot. Snap of the update screens after the break.

[Thanks, KoSoVaR and David]

[Durkee @ Oct 28th 2008 3:27AM]

Pimp... i wish my iphone could get "true" over the air updates...

[Andrew @ Oct 28th 2008 3:32AM]

Why so you have to wait for updates to get pushed to your phone?

no thanks, I rather just click that update button in iTunes and get it instantly.

[matt @ Oct 28th 2008 4:33AM]

What if I am not near my home PC?

[melloncollie @ Oct 28th 2008 9:03AM]

@Andrew
Yeah, because that's far more convenient.

/sarcasm

[spam_free @ Oct 28th 2008 9:55AM]

Actually, I'd much rather decide for myself whether I even want the update. Especially as far as the iPhone goes. Since a lot of people jailbreak their iPhones and just about every update breaks it, it's a far better idea to wait it out. Besides, updates are often risky doesn't matter who pushes it out. If the update is automatically applied to your phone and bricks it, you're out of luck for a while. It's better to let the brave souls test it out for the rest of us first. I don't mind testing new stuff on the computer. But I NEED my phone to work ALL the time. So, no, an auto update (OTA or otherwise) is not necessarily a good idea IMO.

[yincrash @ Oct 28th 2008 10:38AM]

@spam_free

i got the update for RC29 this morning. It asked me if I wanted to update and there was a choice to cancel.

[spam_free @ Oct 28th 2008 10:52AM]

@ yincrash
That's good form of Google. Unlike Tivo, whose updates are pretty much shoved onto the box whether you want it or not. Knock wood that so far none of the updates (that I can remember) toasted the box. But it would be nice for manufacturers to at least notify you and give you a chance to delay the update until you're ready for it.

[Jon Graft @ Oct 28th 2008 11:16AM]

@ Spam_Free,
With Android you don't have to be afraid of an update, because Android you can actually do what you want with it, unlike the iPhone which they have locked down. >_>

[Andrew @ Oct 28th 2008 11:49AM]

The G1 doesnt have a desktop application to take care of updating or backing the phone up so its no surprise that the only option is over the air. I personally dont see the benefit to over the air updates unless you are away from home for days at a time. Frankly the drawbacks negate any of the benefits.

I prefer to update my phone while connected to my PC - iTunes does a nice backup of the phone before applying the update and if anything goes wrong you have the option to restore the phone.

At the very least Android should give you the option of 'checking for updates'. Having to wait for updates to get pushed to your phone is a little ridiculous.

[Peter @ Oct 28th 2008 12:56PM]

@Andrew
You don't seem to understand the idea behind OTA updates. "Check for updates" is a pull mechanism - the point of OTA updates is that they're pushed to you as soon as they're available (with some network loading taken into consideration) so it's clearly better than you waiting until you happen to be at home and connected to your PC (err, Mac). There is no downside of an OTA update. Android already is backing up your contacts and apps so the benefit you're talking about with iTunes isn't relevant.

[eD @ Oct 28th 2008 9:48PM]

@Peter

I don't think you understand the principle behind OTA. OTA means you can install software or OS updates without the requirement of a PC. The push or pull process has nothing to do with OTA.

[rick @ Nov 4th 2008 1:58PM]

Just got my update to rc29 a few mins ago. Havnt tested out. What it did yet but update went smooth took less than 5 mins and restarted 2 or 3 times.

[Chris A. @ Oct 28th 2008 3:32AM]

Probably just a fix for the recently discovered security issue? :

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/technology/internet/25phone.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

http://securityevaluators.com/content/case-studies/android/

[Curnsie @ Oct 28th 2008 7:29AM]

@Matt

"What if I am not near my home PC?"

You could try waiting until you are near your Pc at home.... ;)

[Hrpuffnstuff @ Nov 3rd 2008 5:57PM]

Just got the RC 29 today 11/3 (better late than never) up from RC19 and I can happily say battery life is noticeable better

[webon @ Oct 28th 2008 4:01AM]

Pardon my pauper knowledge on this here subject matter, shall some fella out there with an affluent erudition on the theme gimme some sorta explicatory exegesis on how those clever boys at T-mobile send one this update to ones mobile? via email? sms? mms?

damn not even I can understand what I just wrote, to late to change it tho.sry.

please answer anyhows

[??? @ Oct 28th 2008 5:27AM]

Actually, you did have a chance to change it. It's called a backspace key.

[Luiz @ Oct 28th 2008 4:08AM]

This update has been happening since last weekend.
Basicly it fixes a file corruption problem with Amazon's mp3 store.

[PEZ @ Oct 28th 2008 7:39AM]

That as RC28, this is RC29. Its more than likely fxing the security issue and the problem with POP/SMTP on the regular email accounts not fetching.

[gad get @ Oct 28th 2008 4:15AM]

Wow, a software update! Whodathunkit?

[Doug @ Oct 28th 2008 4:35AM]

I'm waiting till my 2 year contract is up in a few months to upgrade to my long coveted G1... I just pray they will still be available...

[john @ Oct 28th 2008 8:29AM]

You can update now even before your contract is over. Enjoy....

[B @ Oct 28th 2008 9:12AM]

I still have 1 year left on my 2 yr contract with T-Mobile. They're charging $349 for the phone with a 2 yr extension if you're already a T-Mobile customer. That just sucks... :(

[trumpton @ Oct 28th 2008 6:32AM]

An update you say?

Surely they must have taken Google off air for a while to achieve that?

[Neoprimal @ Oct 28th 2008 6:38AM]

I'm jealous. I've been eagerly awaiting RC28 and people are getting RC29 :(
RC28 has quite a few more bug fixes than the amazon mp3 issue, I'm hoping that RC29 has some oomph to it as well.
Of course, by the time I get it, it'll be on GOLD2.7 or something.

[Jash Sayani @ Oct 28th 2008 8:53AM]

I am waiting for the T-Mobile G2 with Android Firmware 2.0 and better hardware...
By that time, Android would have a better interface and lots of bugs found and fixed... An would be a very polished Mobile OS.

Hop to see all this by November end.....

[Scott @ Oct 28th 2008 8:55AM]

True-dat. I doubt it will be out that quickly, though

My wife's Verizon contract ends in February and I'm already jealous of how much of these little nuances she won't have to deal with when she gets her Android phone.

[Joshua Satrape @ Oct 28th 2008 9:02AM]

I got the 29 update this morning just before 8am.

[thomas @ Oct 30th 2008 11:20AM]

what area is this update coming from i still have rc19

[Nick @ Oct 28th 2008 10:09AM]

Dammit...still at RC19...

[Ben @ Oct 28th 2008 11:06AM]

I think this came with the update...
In the browser, you can now force landscape mode with the screen closed.
Just go to menu - more - flip orientation

[Ronald @ Oct 28th 2008 11:13AM]

no, that was already there. I'm still on RC19 and mine has that option.

[Raul Villagomez @ Oct 28th 2008 11:58AM]

I've been sitting on RC29 since 10/23/2009. I got a buddy of mine that still doesnt have the update and we got our phones at the same time.

[dopeboy503 @ Oct 28th 2008 9:34PM]

its bull shit

[. @ Oct 28th 2008 12:02PM]

these updates should be manually accessible.

[jon @ Oct 28th 2008 9:47PM]

I got the rc29 this morning but waiting for my other g1's to get it

[rex2745 @ Oct 30th 2008 2:24AM]

do u got to be in 3g for it to update or could u be in wifi also?

[bono @ Oct 29th 2008 12:32PM]

To get the OTA do u have to be an a 3G network? Im in Albuquerque and tmobile's 3G network not here yet??? I have RC-19 still got my G1 on 10-20-08

[Edward @ Oct 30th 2008 2:47PM]

I got the update :) and no u don't have to be in a 3G network covered area. Wow the camera is much smoother. But I wonder what else did it improve o_O if any one has an idea or a link then post it up please. (Link containing features on the RC 29)

Bye peeps.

[defcon @ Oct 31st 2008 5:37PM]

You can now update your Android G1 Manually instead of Over-The-Air by following these directions:
http://www.android-unleashed.com/2008/10/howto-manual-ota-update-instructions.html

[Tyler @ Oct 31st 2008 9:05PM]

Has anyone had problems with their touch screens. Like mine just stops working and no matter what I do I can't get it back running until it feels like working again. I've checked the forums and it looks like other people are having the same issue. Any possiblity that RC29 will fix this since I'm running RC28?

[Tyler @ Oct 31st 2008 10:25PM]

Apparently the update did not fix my touch screen issue.

[Nikki @ Nov 2nd 2008 10:22PM]

What axactly does the RC29 update? What is it supposed 2 make the phone do?

[Unix Nerd @ Nov 14th 2008 3:50AM]

First of all, a lot of people don't understand how awesome this is. Any (former?) sidekick user will tell you how beautiful it is that OTA updates even exist. Yes, your phone is going to download an update *over the cell network* (PC not required - OTA stands for Over The Air) but you have the choice not to update. On the flip side, if your phone isn't downloading it, or you're stuck in a technically network-inferior area (3G isn't fully rolled out to "country bumpkins" in Virginia) it's as simple as downloading an update, renaming it, and copying it over to your sd card, then rebooting your phone and hitting a few buttons. Just so there's less confusion, the downloadable R19-R28 update is actually mislabeled; it's R29 as well.

Second of all, I spent a long time using R19 before manually updating to R29. I don't have a changelog or anything but I can easily summarize some almost immediately noticeable things:
- battery life much improved
- entire OS and UI much more responsive
- both GPS and AGPS much less flaky
- increased EDGE/3G stability (from a friend that updated in a 3G area)
- better SD card handling
- more graceful failure and/or retrying of some network problems

And lastly, this is just a sign of things to come, folks. This is how open source works! People develop a project, open it up to others, interested parties fix bugs and send patches to the project, the leaders test for regressions and incorporate the good stuff. Then a new version rolls out to the world. The G1 is about choice.

[James @ Nov 10th 2008 9:00PM]

is R30 good?

[JC @ Nov 12th 2008 5:14AM]

After recieving my R30 update and playing with the g1 for a while I will be happy to trade someone my G1 for a Blackberry Storm.

[CHRIS @ Feb 11th 2009 8:08AM]

pre-order my g1 got it the following wed. after its OCT.22 release...it came with RC-29
and just after midnight like 1:15 (11-13-08)
got the RC30 UPDATE..IT SAID UPDATE AVAILABLE UPDATE NOW OR LATER..
I updated it..took about 5 min..total..
i noticed than when you plug your usb data cable u get the notification usb connected in the window shade
it gives u the option mount or don't mount
to copy files to/from computer and your phone's sd card
ALSO I NOTICED IT COULD HAVE BEEN ALREADY AN OPTION BUT IT HAS MORE OPTIONS UNDER SETTINGS/WIRELESS CONTROLS/MOBILE NETWORKS/ OPERATOR SELECTOR GIVES U THE OPTION TO CONNECT TO AT&T NETWORK....BUT I CLICK IT AND SAYS SIM CARD NOT ALLOW CONNECTION TO THIS NETWORK AND ANOTHER OPTION USE ON 2G NETWORK AND SAYS SELECT TO CONSERVE BATTERY..

AND ALSO THE CHANGES THAT UNIX NERD LIST ALSO...ABOVE

[Diegoboten @ Nov 15th 2008 10:28PM]

My G1 phone BRICKED during the RC29 update.

I am in the minority of folks where this happens, I've been told. To make matters worse, the reset procedure did not unbrick the phone. 3 tmobile reps told me they had to send me a new one in the mail, there was no other solution. I got a bad loaner phone, and miserably awaited my new phone to come in the mail.

But they were wrong.

The issue at heart is that the SD card that ships with some Android phones has a bad partition table. And what you need to do is simply reformat the card with the correct partition table and place a copy on RC29 at the root directory of the SD card. Somebody else posted about it online here:

http://rivviepop.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/fix-your-g1-android-messed-up-sd-card/

After following this gentleman's suggestions, I successfully unbricked my phone, and all is normal again. Now what to do with the new phone arriving in the mail?!

[timstephens @ Nov 19th 2008 10:22PM]

I'm sure (hint, hint) that SOMEONE would be willing to take that EXTRA G1 off your hands (me first) for a "reasonable" price (ahem)... Congrats on the fix and thanks for posting it for the rest of us.

[Vishal Sharma @ Dec 16th 2008 1:21AM]

Dear Sir,

The list of problems are mentioned below.

1) When I power on the device, I get the G 1 logo on the phone and after 15 mins, Andriod appears and then when the screen comes on, the touch on Andriod does not work. It does not accept the captive touch command.

2) The phone does not alert when a call comes, it only shows the homepage.

3) The touch does not work on any of the applications.

4) When I go to setting, under sd storage, when I press factory settings, it takes me to phone reset and when I press it, it takes me to the final screen reset phone it does not highlight.

Can someone pls help?

Regards,

Vishal.