New update for HTC Desire HD

There's a new update for Desire HD user which includes a fix for wi-fi connectivity issues that some users are experiencing with their devices. This update will bring the software version to 2.50.405.2.

The update isn't available for Malaysian user yet (which I've checked with my friend who is using the phone) but it shouldn't be long. If you did not receive a notification to update, you can manually check for the update by pressing the menu key while you're in the home screen->Settings->About Phone->Software updates and then click on the Check now button.

New Android Market

Google has been rolling out a new Android Market with Movie and Book Rental (only in US).

Some has already received the notification to update but not everyone get the notification to update.

If you just cant wait for the notification, you can get the apk file at the link below. 

Some reports complication with the new Android Market thus you may want to wait for it to be officially pushed to you. However, I've tried it and doesn't encounter any complication so far.

Below is the official video showing the new Android Market. Enjoy!

Download here: New Android Market

HTC Sensation OTA Update is available for Malaysia now!

The first OTA update for the HTC Sensation is out now for Asian devices which means Malaysia as well.

This update will bring some improvements but not to unlock the bootloader.

You can read about the improvements here.

HTC has also announced via their Facebook page that the update to unlock the bootloader will be available around August. Below is the message:-

"We wanted to provide an update on HTC’s progress with bringing bootloader unlocking to our newest phones. We know how excited some of you are for this capability, and we’ve put significant resources behind making this change as soon as possible. While we wish we could flip a simple switch and unlock all bootloaders across our device portfolio, this is actually a complex challenge that requires a new software build and extensive testing to deliver the best possible customer experience.

We’re thrilled to announce today that software updates to support bootloader unlocking will begin rolling out in August for the global HTC Sensation, followed by the HTC Sensation 4G on T-Mobile USA and the HTC EVO 3D on Sprint. We’re in the testing phase for the unlocking capability now, and we expect it to be fully operational by early September for devices that have received the software updates. We'll continue rolling out the unlocking capability over time to other devices as part of maintenance releases and new shipments.

HTC continues its commitment to unlocking bootloaders and supporting the developer community. Because of the importance of this community to us, please expect an update on this about every few weeks as we make progress toward launch. Thank you for your patience and continued support!"

August is coming soon and I can't wait for this update to roll out.

HTC Sensation OTA Update available for Europe

The first OTA update for the HTC Sensation is released but only for unbranded European devices which means devices that wasn't customize by carrier.

The update brings some changes that will make your phone smoother, better wi-fi performance and longer battery life.

Below is the review of the update courtesy of Sensation Devs.

"After a month of working with version 1.28, 1.35 leaked last weekend (thanks Football), so I flashed it right away!
This version was for ‘unbranded’ devices only, that means it has been made for devices without customization of carriers. This unbranded devices are normally called ‘vanilla’. The nice thing with unbranded devices is that you can flash the newest software update from HTC without waiting for your carrier to approve it. In practice the carriers release the updates months later than HTC because they have to put their customization (bootanimation, apps etc.) before they release them to the customers.

But ok, back to the update…
We are eagerly waiting for the update by HTC that will unlock the Sensation. Unfortunately, nothing changed after this update, the Sensation is still S-ON. This means you can only flash software made by HTC, no custom roms can be flashed yet. Too bad for the development community…

The new update brings a lot of improvements that you won’t see but feel.
HTC seems to work on optimizing the software to get the maximum performance out of this device. Besides the cosmetic improvements there are also some differences under the hood. Just to mention some, the agenda, camera, contacts, gallery, twitter and Sense have being improved, and there’s a new version of them on this update.

HTC Sense has been improved a lot, not in the looks, but in its performance.
Sense first consisted of several so-called modules, that were loaded separately depending on what the user did in Sense. This meant less memory usage, but more memory fragmentation. In detail, memory fragmentation increases the battery usage and can slow down the phone. Because people were complaining about the lag on Sense, HTC redesigned Sense and made it into 1 module instead of several separate modules. This results are positive, and Sense is now faster and a lot smoother.

This update includes a new, improved, radio.
After purchasing the phone, I wasn’t really satisfied with the signal strength. While any other HTC device had enough Wi-Fi signal to chill in the garden while browsing the internet, the Sensation was not getting any signal at all. Happily enough, HTC did a good job on the latest radio and now I won’t lose my wifi connection anymore when I’m moving far from the router. Despite this improvement, I still think they can do better with it.

Battery life – a hot topic now that smartphones become increasingly powerful and consume more power.
The battery life was good before the update, and now it is even better. Sense has been improved and optimized to use less power and the new radio manages the wireless connections of the phone efficiently and saves battery power. Also, charging is much faster now.

All in all, this update is worth the shot. Do not expect vast improvements but it will make your phone snappier, improve your Wi-Fi performance and make your battery last longer.

The full potential of the Sensation will be unleashed once we get root and S-OFF. Everyone is looking forward to custom roms, and I hope we can flash this beast soon!"

The update isn't available in Malaysia yet but hope it'll be soon.

HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S II problems

Two of the long awaited Android smartphone namely the HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S II has been made available to buyers for a not-very-long period but many proud owners of these devices has been reporting problems with their devices.

I've searched some popular forums and has compiled a list of some of the problems reported by these owners:-

HTC Sensation
- Death Grip issue where wi-fi signals will drop from full bar to 1 bar or sometimes even loses the signal altogether when you grip/squeeze the right top side of the phone.

- Multiple Screen Issues.

• First, the screen sometimes misses the first press which means that you may need to press several times before it register your touch.
• Second, when you scroll through your screen such as scrolling through your app drawer, it sometimes register the brushing as press thus opening app accidentally.
• Third, the lock screen sometimes display only in the upper part of the screen leaving a black screen on the lower part of the screen. And sometimes, the phone is difficult to unlock when you swipe the ring.
• Lastly, some of the third party widget will display multiple lines on the widget. The lines will move with the widget and will not disappear unless you remove the widget and add it back again. However, the lines will come back once a while and you will need to repeat these steps again.

Samsung Galaxy S II
- Pink/Red spot in camera

- Yellow tint on the left side of the screen. Mostly visible if the background is grey or black color

- Weak wi-fi signal compared to other device with the same distance. It only shows 1 or 2 bars when other device is showing full bar.
- Device gathers too much heat after playing games for a while (some reported as fast as 15 minute). It can goes up to around 60 celcius and sometimes might even shut itself off/freezes because of the overheat.

Well, I guess nothing is perfect but hope all this issues will be fixed soon with a software update if possible. If I miss any other problems, please let me know. I'll update the list.