Android 2.2 on Dell Streak

as you'll know from previous posts, I own a Dell Streak mobile phone/tablet. If i'm honest I stopped using it for a while. The touch screen was ultra temperamental, any sort of moisture on the screen, either by body or atmosphere caused it to freak out, on a couple of occasions I was unable to hang up because of a couple of rain drops on the screen.. the only way to end the call was to take the battery out.

I had continued to use it as a satnav device in my car utilising the Rebel Sim adaptor to allow me to use an alternative networks sim card. this all worked really well.

Yesterday I got the black triangle popup to tell me that there was an Android update available.. woooo Android 2.2! So went ahead and tried to install the upgrade. I won't knock Google. I'm always impressed by their presentation and intuitive design (they're contacts system was dog poo not so long ago but it now very much sorted) however I will criticise Dells little input.

When you first try to install the update, it advises you to download another piece of software from Dell to backup all your settings etc. It then says to re-run the update program. Download, backup.. rerun update software, whereupon you're met by the same info.. download this software, back up your settings then re run the update program... I did this a few times getting more and more irritated.. by chance I clicked on the greyed out "back" icon which inexplicably took me to the page allowing me to download the actual Android update... totally random as you're not actually going "back" to anything..

Anyhoo, after a lot of swearing the update finally went through.. Android 2.2 looks great! it works really well and again makes the Dell even better than with 2.1 and that was fantastic compared to 1.6 which now by comparison looked like complete plop.

I'll try and put some screen shots up for you so you can see what its like.

One problem I've noticed and have seen mentioned on a couple of other sites involve the browser, it basically crashes every time you close it... which is better than it crashing when you don't want to close it I guess. I'm sure Google will release a little patch for that issue in time.

Fear not about upgrading to 2.2. It works really well and makes inputting text even easier than before. the off centre landscape keyboard has been sorted although its still not that comfortable typing with your thumbs. typing in portrait mode with one finger is still more comfortable.

Another major alteration is the portrait mode for the home screen. whereas with 2.1 it would always remain in landscape mode no matter how you held the phone, in 2.2 it actually rotates, which works really well.

BBC iPlayer on Nokia E71 download problems

if any of you have had problems finding a download link whilst using BBC iPlayer on your Nokia mobile phone, try connecting to your home wifi then revisiting the BBC iPlayer app.
Looks like O2 stifle the bandwidth enough for the option not to be offered inside the BBC app.
Oh and you need to remain connected to the same cell site to get the authentication code before playing your download for the first time, so do so before a train journey etc. I'm guessing as you move between cell sites your phone is assigned a new 'ip' address, making identification to bbc impossible?... Just a theory.
Sent from my Nokia phone

REBEL SIM... update

I've been using this for the last week... so far so good! the handset works just as it did with the O2 sim in it. the only difference I've noticed is it just doesn't tell you what network you're actually on. I'm guessing that has more to do with the fact I'm on a Virgin sim, who I'm fairly sure uses T-Mobiles masts.. which might have just confused the fudge out of the rebel sim device.

In summary, if you want to put a different operators sim in your Dell Streak.. use a Rebel Sim!

REBEL SIM RULES!!!.. screw you O2

Today I received my Rebel Sim gadget, I've mentioned it previously on here as a way of getting around O2's obnoxious little "the Streak can't be unlocked because its a network specific blah blah blah". I bought it in hope more than anything.. how can a little thing like that get around a simlocked phone.. how?... well it does!

It was very easy to set up, you get an SD card case with your Rebel Sim adaptor inside, as you can see from the picture above its shaped like your sim card, all you need to do is, using a hole punch, cut a hole in the tapered end of your sim card so that the chip can sit inside it (image on the left shows the chip) then, place the rebel sim against your operator sim card and insert into your Dell Streak (rebel sims are available for other handsets). I used a little bit of cellotape to keep the rebel sim and operator sim together (also makes slotting into the phone easier). Switch the phone back and on and whizz bang.. your phone is unlocked and works perfectly on any network.. so screw you O2. I got a sim only deal from Virgin which offers 1gb of data not the poxy 500 offered by O2.

If you fancy a Dell Streak but don't want to be tied to O2.. like me.. you can! for £15 from Rebel Sim

O2 are a bunch of tossers

Well after being told that O2 were sending out an unlock code, I received a letter a week later basically saying "you can't have an unlock code because this phone is special to our network and we want you to have the best service"... which really impressed me.

I've since found a really cool website called http://rebelsimcard.com/virtu/ which deals in unlocking phones without risking invalidating warranties etc.. I've ordered one for my Dell Streak and will let you know how it turns out.

A possible work around...

If that last post upset you as much to read as it did me to write.. then I'm sure you'll have gone off and made yourself a cup of tea.. or possible sobbed a little. Whilst on the phone I had the presence of mind to ask for the unlock code for my handset (if you've ever tried shoving an alternate sim card into your Streak you'll know what i mean).. anyway, this code will allow me to use any networks sim card in it. Bizarrely they have to post me this code and it takes up to 7 days.. I guess modern tech only gets us so far. Somewhere in Tibet there is a monk typing out (literally typing out on an old typewriter) unlock codes for mobile phones.

I couldn't find a picture of a Monk.. so here's a Monk-ey at a typewriter

A cunning plan.. I saw an advert in the Metro offering a sim only deal from Virgin for a 200 minutes, unlimited (there's that word again) texts and unlimited data. I'm planning on sticking the Virgin sim in the Streak and putting the O2 sim in my old E75. I love the Streak to bits however it does have its limitations.. perspiration and adverse weather being the latest.. during the commute to work, depending on the heat I perspire/sweat a little.. I always have around my side-burns.. so, when I press the phone against my lug hole the sweat transfers from my hair to my phone.. which renders the touch screen useless... similarly, rain drops effect the screen too.. its impossible to hang up on someone in anger with a touch screen phone if A) you're sweating B) crying C) outside on a rainy day.

I'll let you know how it goes.. take 2 phones in to the shower.. well.. not the Dell Streak because it won't work.

O2 just shafted me.. for 2 years

I knew it was too good to be true.. after years of avoiding a contract knowing that it was basically giving a company license to screw me over constantly for the term of the deal... I took the plunge in June signing up for a 24 (yes.. TWO YEARS) contract with O2 for the Dell Streak (its still so pretty). £30 a month on the online 30 deal which gives me 600 minutes a month plus unlimited texts and a bolt on that gives me UNLIMITED data and wifi (has anyone ever actually used wifi offered by a mobile phone provider?.. if you have a signal on your mobile, why would you use wifi?.. and if you were somewhere remote enough not to have a 3g signal.. why would there be wifi available???) anyways, turns out the mobile telecoms use of the word "unlimited" varies as much as an politicians meaning of the word "yes/no". I received the following text from O2

O2: Your data usage is exceptionally high and is affecting the service for other customers. This is against our excessive use policy. To comply with our policy you need to dramatically & immediately reduce your usage. One way to do this is by using your home broadband Wi-Fi or public Wi-Fi hotspots such as BT Openzone and The Cloud. Don't forget you get unlimited Wi-Fi on all our data tariffs. Please go to o2.co.uk/datainfo for more information. If you do not immediately moderate your usage we will have to stop you from using data on your mobile.

So, apologies to anyone who was struggling to get a signal or send a text or check out ebay via their mobile, it was nothing to do with O2.. it was all MY fault.

I didn't mind so much being told that my usage was high, although, my mobile phone useage habits haven't altered all that much in the last few years, it was the "hey, you're using mobile phone data too much and screwing it up for everyone else, change your habits NOW.. buy our home broadband... change now or DIE/we'll cut you off". It did carry the whiff of blackmail...

I contacted O2 customer service who again tried to tell me all about their wonderful home broadband package.. how very subtle indeed. A short conversation (poor girl) later I was advised that, although unlimited meant unlimited in June.. unfortunately it doesn't quite mean unlimited in October when they're changing everyone's terms and conditions.. how pleasant, you get to change the rules and I get to take it up the arse. she suggested I could take out an unlimited data bolt on again in October "BUT I ALREADY HAD ONE OF THOSE" i replied.. bless her, she did try. Turns out its using Googles satnav that is gobbling up vast amounts of data.. so, O2 use the shiny wonderful Android and Apple phones to lure you in "hey look at all the clever internet based things you can do" then realise their crappy network can't cope so change the rules.. "oh yeah, you know all that stuff on the adverts.. and all the shiny things on your phone.. well you can't use them now, not unless you pay us lots more money.. yes I know we paid through the nose for this 3G guff from the Government but hey.. we didn't expect you lot to actually USE it.."

I had apparently used 800Mbs of data.. quite.. it must have all been satnav based.. so, if you have an Android phone, don't expect to use the free satnav feature for very long before incurring large bills.

I did a little bit of sniffing around the O2 website and found this info;

Additional Bolt Ons

Unlimited O2 to O2 calls
Offers unlimited calls from your O2 mobile to other O2 mobiles in the UK.
Unlimited landline calls
Offers unlimited calls to UK landlines (starting 01, 02 or 03) at anytime in the UK.
Unlimited Web Bolt On, Unlimited Data + Wi-Fi, BlackBerry Unlimited
These Bolt Ons offer unlimited* data on your mobile in the UK.
* Unlimited data is a promotion until 30th September 2010. After that date, your data allowance will depend on how many minutes your tariff gives you:

UK Minutes	100	300	600	900	1200	Unlimited
UK Data	500MB	500MB	500MB	750MB	750MB	1GB

So.. you don't want minutes.. but do want data.. tough, you'll have to buy the minutes too.

Well, its only for another 15 months..