New system update available

PeteDee

Member
May 21, 2011
91
0
Just downloaded it OTA.

Now showing version 3.0.1

Two problems I was having on my A500 appear to be fixed, the random keys input and Google Sky are fixed. Still showing the battery using cell standby on a wireless only A500.

Cheers.

Pete
 

Icebike

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,523
186
Wait, I thought 3.1 was rolling out. Why are people getting updates to 3.0.1"
And PeteDee, what country are you in?
 

whitegoose

Member
May 21, 2011
8
0
I got the update a few days ago in Australia, on the day 3.1 was released but it was not the 3.1 update... I have since read that Acer will be releasing Honeycomb 3.1 in June.

As a side note, I'm pretty new to the Android world and I donlt really understand why different machines get OS updates at different times... If Honeycomb 3.1 is available why can't it be installed on any machine rather than waiting for my machine's manufacturer to release it? Not necessarily a criticism, I just don't get it!
 

Icebike

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2011
1,523
186
I got the update a few days ago in Australia, on the day 3.1 was released but it was not the 3.1 update... I have since read that Acer will be releasing Honeycomb 3.1 in June.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I was confused.


As a side note, I'm pretty new to the Android world and I donlt really understand why different machines get OS updates at different times... If Honeycomb 3.1 is available why can't it be installed on any machine rather than waiting for my machine's manufacturer to release it? Not necessarily a criticism, I just don't get it!

Its because for speed, security, and small size, most of the drivers are embedded into the OS, rather than called as dynamically loaded modules like you would find in a computer. At this time, Amdroid is still largely built as a monolithic OS.

As such, each vendor has to get the source, recompile and link in their own drivers for each model. Different storage controllers, screen drivers, bluetooth chips, wifi chips, USB controllers, etc.

Some smaller fixes can be released as binary patches, but most new versions of Android need a whole re-load of the OS.
Sometimes these patches are just loaded after the main software is up and running, (patch before running) sometimes they actually replace portions of the OS in the Read Only Memory.

I suspect the 3.0.1 update you mentioned is just a binary patch to fix some of the things people have mentioned.

This is both good and bad. The good part is you don't get an OS update that leaves you high and dry with a non-working camera or something. This sort of thing happens to Windows users and sometimes Linux users as the OS is upgraded but no drivers exist for some peripherals (like printers) and everybody *****es. The manufacturer has to build a release in its entirety, and test it. You usually get a much better product this way.

The bad part is you wait a little bit longer.
 
Last edited:

PeteDee

Member
May 21, 2011
91
0
Not yet for 3.1, later in June.

In Australia, WiFi only, 32Gb A500.

Cheers.

Pete
 
Top