By Motorola Droid owners were already promised and refused Android 2.1 once before and now it has happened again. Yesterday we saw Verizon announce Droid 2.1 update information and heard Motorola say that at 12 noon a limited number of people would get the update before rolling it out to the masses shortly after. Well, noon has passed and zero people have gotten the update with an expected zero people to have gotten it by the end of the day.
This internal screenshot leaked at Engadget explains it all:
To summarize in Shakespearean form:
Verizon/Moto: Art thou hungry?
Droid Owners: Starving!
Verizon/Moto: We hath brought edible delights to quench thy deepest hungers!
Droid Owners: Thank you!
Verizon/Moto: Just kidding
Droid Owners: ?
Verizon/Moto: Go away
Excuse me but I’m trying to distract myself from depressing reality of the situation.
Ticked off rant comments beginning in 5..4..3..2..1..
grrr
I’m thinking that my next android phone is going to be supported directly by Google. Good lord.
WTF Again???? F U Verizon
I think its time to root my phone and update it myself
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we’ve reached a new milestone in waiting for this Droid update (pun intentional).
it seems that the best android to get is a tmobile stock android phone. updates are always on time.
Root ftw.
I’d rather have a working phone than a broken update, wouldn’t you?
Verizon/Motorola probably have a good reason to hold this back.
It’s disappointing, but not as disappointing as an update which has severe problems.
I think this might be a good sign. When they published the specifications of the update, there was a lot of flak from the online community. Most notably over the lack of 3d app drawer and the lack of 5 homescreens.
I think that the update was delayed because they wanted to try to fix this. I mean, it was canceled so suddenly. It’s not like it was a rumor of an update date. This was official, and supposed to happen today. I think that they only canceled it for good reason. And there’s a chance that reason is the upheaval over the 3d app drawer and the homescreens.
Who knows though?
Gave up waiting. Installed the droidmod custom image and got 90% of all these goodies and a few extras. Tired of waiting on the over controlling carrier…it’s my phone. If a couple guys online can put together a custom image and make it all work VZ should be able to do it by now too. Lame…
Yes, ROOT FTW!
More than ridiculous…. What more can you say.
i dont understand why you have to wait for a cellular provider for an OS update. that would be like me having to ask comcast everytime my windows XP needed an update…
google needs to release this shit themselves. come on people. a phone is the same fucking thing as a computer. stop with this nonsense
… and the serpent said “eat of the fruit of knowledge” and… aww crap… son of a b…..
I grew sick of waiting for that damn update I’m now running Cyanogenmod v5.0.4.2 and I am not dissapointed at all.
people just root (while you can)….
more options and you’ll have all of the things this update is promising and more….
as many problems as Moto/Verizon has had with this update release, I would bet this will be the last update Droid owners see….
Rooting isn’t the option for all of us. When I first installed droidmod it was great. But overtime it began to bog down and the force closes became more and more frequent.
A phone isn’t exactly like your Windows machine. This is specialized to each device’s individual specs. You just can’t use general specs for a phone. It has to tested & tailored for a high degree of quality. I’d rather see all the carriers take their time & get a high quality build of Android 2.1, then to release a bad update that bricks phones left & right.
The problem is instant gratification. I’ve been with phones that got bad updates & it was a nightmare. You don’t want to go through this much in the way Samsung Instinct users did on Sprint’s network. Let them do it right instead of rushing 2.1 out the door.
This is actually very unnerving, as I like my Droid and I think it will be with me for a loooong time with that huge “pay off.” How could as huge a company as Verizon be this stupid/inefficient/unsavy/and just plain silly to kick themselves like this? What do they have to gain by stating a date for the update and then canceling? Good grief. Must be run be absolute nincompoops. Does that mean non compos mentis? It at least means I better reload Dolphin Browser.
@fupadroid: That’s a fallacious argument. Did you buy your computer from Comcast?
The OTA update comes from Motorola over Verizon’s network.
Feh.
That’s why the do a limited rollout, people. Sometimes, there are problems. We don’t know where these problems are. They could be Motorola, they could be Verizon. I suspect the latter since I had no data at all on my phone earlier this morning, but anything is possible.
Hell, they released the phone with bugs. Who would be bent out of shape if the update has a few?
They should have upped the framework to 2.1 without adding any live wallpapers/gallery/other 2.1 goodies so we could at least lower some of the OS fragmentation. Then around now they could be hot on a 2.1.1 with all the goodies running perfect.
Yep, as frustrating as this is, I’d rather have a good update than a messed up one. I honestly think that the powers in charge could make it happen sooner if they canned a few butts and paid some of the smarter ones more to get it happening. I’m guessing that there are hosting providers for the updates that are unable to meet their obligations. It’s hard to believe the issues would be software related at this point. There are too many good mod roms out there to think that the people that own the thing can’t get it right yet.
It would seem that Verizon/Motorola forgot who their targeted audience is. Don’t they watch their own commercials? Come on, we’re geeks. They would be best served to introduce a beta program. Those who don’t care about 2.1 will probably be giving it to their kid to update it for them anyway.
They are really letting Android down for Droid users.
:(
I’d rather them pull a buggy update than let it screw up my phone…
So….rooting it will be, my patience can be tested no more, any recommendations on ROMs…bugless, etc
@tristan “Hell, they released the phone with bugs. Who would be bent out of shape if the update has a few?”
Most likely all the people who got bent out of shape that 2.0 had bugs. I seem to recall people foaming at the mouth waiting for 2.0.1 on December 11.
I’m never buying Motorola / Verizon again. This is a horrible experience.
In all fairness to Verizon, they said “soon.” Motorola is the one giving dates and times. It’s a pretty safe bet that Verizon is tired of Motorola jacking their customers around.
oh boohoo, you’ve been stuck with 2.0 since November..imagine Hero owners and their 1.5 woes.
Verizon is ALWAYS holding up phone udates ever since I had a treo 600 (what seems like a decade ago).
I’m CERTAIN (in my clueless mind- so dont know any facts- laughing)- that moto had an update ready to go a month ago when they first said something but all these delays have been VZ’s doing.
other carriers always get the updates on the SAME hardware before VZ releases it. And guess what- the verizon releases are just as buggy if not BUGGIER than the other carriers. Verizons QA SUCKS. They should fire the guy in charge of handsets and replace him/her with the person who’s in charge of their network. If the handled their handsets like they do their network things would be soooo much better.
Google’s whole direct sell thing to me is looking better and better every day. I can’t see my next phone being bought from verizon if google continues to sell them directly.
droid nukem forever
Rooting is definitely easier than this heartache.
All I know is that I’m sick and tired of getting blue balls
Wow, the stupidity of these comments is astounding. “Letting Android down for Droid users”? Would you get over yourself? Out of 1.05 million Droid users, I bet only 10-20 thousand read gadget blogs on regular basis. Even though you are suffering from this unspeakable outrage, you are in the absolute minority. It’s not like the people at Verizon just gathered together and said “Hey, I think we should f**k with these nerds and hold the update for another month”. You got a phone with more advanced OS than most of the Android phones out there. Google, Motorola, or Verizon are not obligated to pamper your fancy and release software updates to keep you happy. So STFU, quit your juvenile bitching, and go root your phone. If you, poor babies, won’t live another week without live wallpapers, for the sake of the rest of humanity throw your Droids in the toilet and go get Jitterbugs.
All over a minor software update …
Jitterbugs…..love it.
pinch zoom doesn’t seem minor to me, but each his own.
hmmmm…….
http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=5676
In response to reports that Verizon Wireless had suddenly delayed its planned roll-out of the Android 2.1 update for the Motorola Droid, Verizon reached out to Phone Scoop. Spokesperson Thomas Pica said in an email, “The Android 2.1 upgrade for the Droid by Motorola was deployed to a small number of Verizon Wireless test users as scheduled. It is expected the broader phased rollout to all Droid by Motorola users will take place, but not just yet. No date scheduled yet.” This message is essentially the same as the one provided yesterday by Verizon Wireless. Users should not expect their devices to update today or at any time during the next several days.
I’m betting this is related to the Skype update; I’m sure they want to roll it all out at once. Patience; you’ve been ok without it thus far.
They are probably scared that the fact we have already rooted ESE53 that they are wanting to remake it so we can’t.
dima has it right…I love my droid and honestly, it works perfectly fine now. An update would be nice, but ill try to be patient. Seriously, i have never had another phone that ever had an update. picky people will give Android a bad name. some are starting to sound like iphone snobs…hum. I hope it comes soon, but will be patient.
@dima1109 Your pretty much right, were in the minority. Droid users are in the minority also, and pretty much Iphone rules the day. But enough with the small talk. Why should anyone get upset when there promised an update and it doesn’t come? Come on its not like we paid for the phone…right? Its not like we pay for service? ..oh wait. Any who, I am sure it will come out out soon enough.
And if they pushed out a faulty update that didn’t work properly you’d all bitch 10 times harder. Patience is a virtue.
I’m more disappointed that Motorola gives out a date of release, and they pull back and delay it. I agree that a more stable release is better than a buggy one, but at this rate, the Droid Eris will be updated sooner than the Droid.
Hate on Verizon all you want about being late on releasing updates but Verizon will not release an update unless it passes at a 98% success rate. Helps keep customers out of the store for bugs and trouble shooting. When the software is perfect, it will be released.
Droid users count yourselves lucky and root. Think of us Eris users with a pathetic pseudo-sudo and no unlocked bootloader. We’re stuck on Android 1.5, you’re stuck on 2.0 unless you root.
Verizon, you disgust me with your money lusting ways. Anyone with an education realizes that this is just your way of amplifying your business and it is working. All of this OS hype is foolish to follow. The Motorola Droid should have had multi-touch from the start. I mean look, Google Maps already has it implemented. You are laughably disorganized in your manners and it makes me want to get a trac phone from Wal-Mart.
Guys, let us set the way-back machine to Blackberry Storm 1. It was launched prematurely and had so many issues with it that the folks at vzw had to release NUMEROUS fixes for that unit. I think that this fiasco taught the peeps at big red a lesson. and that lesson is 1. release a more workable device at launch 2. when releasing a software upgrade, make sure that it does the trick that it needs to do to fix any and all issues, and to make all of us happy. Now the other thing, let’s look at the massive amount of people who have become Droid users. If they were to Roll out the upgrade to ALL Moto Droid users, it would have detremental effects on the VZW network as a whole. Now I think if they are going to address some software issue, then good for them, if it is a OTA Roll out issue, then again I say good for them. I would like to know that I can still enjoy the device on the network without it being so over burdened with the OTA that I cannot even use it.
And believe me, as a Droid user, that is a VERY important thing for me to have……usability.
You folks never lived with a Palm 700p. The Droid experience has been a great one. I am looking forward to the update, but bottom line… my phone actually works. There is not a majorly broken element here. With the Palm, the first update took over a year… more, they did it with no acknowledgment of it being a faulty phone. It would lock up if you even looked at it funny. There is no comparison. Droid rocks. It is a fun phone. It out performs nearly everything else out there. Ease up folks.
i had unrooted last night with the hope of getting the update today. so much for that lol cyanogen 5.0.4.2, here i come!
Could be worse… Your only Android option with a physical QWERTY keyboard could be a G1…. ;-(
signed,
T-Mobile guy with dust in his face.
The phone has been out 4 Freakin Months. If it were a Windows phone you would wait Years for updates. Cool your jets. Verizon probably wants to make sure it has all the bugs workes out.
Android 2.1 The next Duke Nukem Forever!
We are but mere ants to the Verizon Gods. They ripp our feelers off to watch us squirm.
I have updated today my milestone to version 2.1-update1
the updates not broken they just can’t push it to the phone. if they wanted to they could slap a ruu together and post it for download only and if you were reluctent to updating. that’s your prob. i’m not a moto user i’m an eris user. i just feel for sorry you guys cause you got duped into thinking they cared. i’m glad i updated to 2.1 it’s great.
i gave up waiting for the update a while ago and rooted my phone. I now have seven screens, wiring tethering, over clocking, and a blowup doll on the third home screen. After reading these posts, it feels like people are waiting for Microsoft to release 7. It takes a while to get it right and you all have a perfectly good version right now. You can tweak to your hearts content with a rooted phone guys. Don’t let Verizon or Motorola dick with you, take matters in your own hands and root, or quit your frickin whining. I suggest Bugless Beast. That Rom rocks!
From Droidlife.com: Verizon, via Twitter, reports that on 3/18/10 they have sent out the 1,000 updates for testing.
.
So an update was actually issued. It was not as far spanning as everyone assumed…I hope that everyone here knows what assuming does. Damn them for wanting to test an update prior to sending it out. It is not like the internet trolls would be mad if it didn’t work right away.
.
I love it when people get pissed at a company for not meeting an imagined goal that said company never announced. “Damn you Motorola/Verizon/Apple/Microsoft/HTC/Google/et cetera for not doing what some uninformed internet troll said you were going to do. It was on the internet so it must be true after all. I will never buy your product again and will only buy your competition (until they too fail to meet an imaginary goal).”
Oh frigging come on people! I’m just as excited as the next guy about the update but the Droid is still great as is and we should be enjoying what we got. When it comes it comes.
I just switched from the Storm 1 to the Droid. Even if they NEVER push out 2.1 for the Droid, Android 2.0 is still WAY better than Java. Didn’t Alexander Graham Bell create that OS? LOL! I think Java is that old!
I base my buying of products on the experience I have with them , and guess what this Moto/Verizon stunt just cost Moto , will not be buying a Moto product ever again .
I suspect Moto will be gone in a couple of years and this will be one of the reasons for that beginning to happen .
We have the power to topple giants , we are the consumers who buy products , we can make you or break you !
DANCE, PUPPETS, DANCE!!!!!
I think what upsets me the most is the fact that when we all bought the Droid, we were getting the latest and greatest android version to date. Then google releases the Flop1, I mean Nexus1, with 2.1? What the hell is that about? It was only like 2 or 3 months later, which means that the OS was probably ready when the Droid was released. It should have been on the Droid from the beginning. After looking at the sales figures, I bet they wish it had been on the Droid, being that it broke Idon’t’s, I mean Iphone’s debut sales numbers. Iphone, 1 million units in 74 days. Droid, 1.5 million in 74 days.
The developer community is always one step ahead of the big companies it seems. I’ve been running 2.1 with no issues or force closes for some time. Got sick of Motorola and Verizon sitting on their hands. I wonder what Google thinks of the Droids overall “Google Experience”?
I’m not sweating it too much. I’m stable and good to go. No need waiting for Motorola or Verizon. If the OTA update is decent, perhaps I’ll see about going back to stock.
@infojock: Java, no matter how u look at, dominates the world – the only thing that Sun Microsystems has been able to implement with success. I’ve met the father of Java, James Gosling, and even have a autographed poster. Don’t blame the language, blame the Devs and there ability to implement the shyt. Java’s not going away any time soon
Waaaaahhhhhh!!! My phone can’t do anything without 2.1!!!!
Hey Folks, For an old man of 50 with an VZW Eris…….. Can you tell me where I mite get 2.0 ? I am still on the original OS of 1.5 I love the phone as of now but gee, would really like to see what ya’ll are talking abt in this 2.0 then 2.1 whenever it gets here !!
Maybe Adobe gave them the Flash player to add to the update?
@rootedsam, how’s the battery life? How hot does the CPU run? It it still within manufacturing spec? What are the RF characteristics? Are they still within network spec?
When you get a custom ROM, it doesn’t undergo the kind of testing that the phone manufacturer and network put it under. For one, the custom creators likely don’t know what they would have to test, and wouldn’t care if they did. It seems to work, release it. They have no liability if your phone burns itself out and (because you rooted it) isn’t covered by the warranty.
People say that they’re willing to take the risk, but as soon as the phone stops working, who will they blame? Themselves for running unapproved and untested software? No. It’s because it’s a crappy phone. Bad manufacturer. Bad manufacturer!
Customs don’t have to worry about reputation the same way that a company like Verizon, HTC or Motorola does. It’s little wonder they take their time testing and retesting before they release anything. They’re dammed if they do and dammed if they don’t, so they might as well follow the path that causes them the lowest liability.
@MKE: The Droid is still the best Android phone on Verizon. Even if the Nexus One came out 2 months after the Droid, it’s 4 months later now and you still can’t get it.
And Apple sold 1 million original iPhones in 74 days. The Droid barely beat that record, and the iPhone still sold that many even though it was unsubsidized. Both the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS sold over a million devices in the first weekend alone.
Chill people……it will get here and be great.
So to summarize us iPhone owners who want Flash and live in areas where AT&Ts network is bad don’t have a magic bullet in buying a Droid from Verizon (which has the best network in my area). One would think Verizon would have an interest here in enticing me into this market. Of course they’re the guys that said no to the iPhone in the first place so I guess I shouldn’t expect too much of them.
Why am I sick of the iPhone? No Flash and it appears there never will be Flash on the iPhone. No foward and back Bluetooth controls. Cobbled in and rather primitive copy and paste (my PC with Windows 3.11 and my Mac Plus copy and pasted better than the iPhone) odd Apple can’t fully implement a feature on computers 20 years ago. I can’t copy an appointment and paste it into another timeslot (something my old Palms and Pocket PCs could do).
And my favorite iPhone features, soft reset daily so all functions will work right expecially Bluetooth. And living in an Orwellian state that requires hands free cell phone use this is now a mandatory feature that HAS to work right.
When it get’s really bad hear the Apple store tech tell me to reset to factory (reload the operating system to original). Last OSs I had to do that on, why Windows 9x. I laugh everytime I see one of those Apple commercials picking on Microsoft. Sorry Apple you are no better! I was nice to the Apple tech the last time he said that I made no comments about Win9X but oh did I want to! Nothing quite like moving all my apps around for the next two weeks to get them back to where I know where they are.
Oh and how many times I was told my Win 9X machines had too many apps. Guess what I’m being told is why my iPhone doesn’t work right!!!! Now I need a truckfull of apples and a cider press to get my frustrations out. What’s the point of having 10,000 apps on the Apple store if I can’t install more than aproximately 80?
yeah….maybe MOTO does not have the time to update the droid cause they have there attention on all there new phones. I don’t think this is a Verizon issue…as many so quickly jugg it to be
It’s been a few days since this last promise of the 2.1 update for the Droid… and I’m still seething… If they have the software, how hard can it be to transfer over to one of their most popular devices?! Ugh… Maybe I’ll just pick up an HTC Incredible in a couple of weeks… as long as that comes with 2.1 that is…
This is a serious letdown. The Droid was supposed to be the big, open challenger to iPhone. And what do we get? Delays, lies, and coy responses to direct questions from hundreds of thousands of angry consumers.
And the biggest disappointment of all? NO FLASH PLAYER IS BEING RELEASED WITH THE UPDATE NOW. They have yanked Flash 10.1 from the update. And please don’t start with the stupid debate about Flash being “lame” or “useless” or a “battery hog”. The fact is, FLASH EXISTS ON THE WEB IN A HUGE WAY, and we have no way to access those websites and Flash features on those websites through our Android phones.
And the biggest slap to the face in regards to no Flash player? Those damned YouTube videos that were released by Adobe devs showing an Android phone with Flash Player running on it. They dangle the carrot, they take the carrot away, and act like it was never there.
That blows whole herds of yaks.