Yet Another "offical' AKU3 release rumor (verizon)

[schettj]

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/0...oing-to-be-la/

Interesting if it happens - esp. if it is 3.5, as we should be able to use it on Sprint as well (with a little hacking maybe, but we should be able to...) or at least grab the correct settings/driver bits and get em into the kitchen

I will believe it when I see it.

[vboyz103]

LOL, at first I heard it was January of 2007, then someone posted some thread over PDAPhone saying first week of February, and now it's late March and April.

Next thing will hear is that it will be in June or July and the promise/rumor goes on and on....

I think AKU 3.3 is good enough for me, some minor bugs but ok. AKU 3.5 as far as I can tell, it only have some new icons and splash screens. So is it worth the wait?

[sfaure03]

snicker..

On 3.5, we just cleared one hurdle, and have one left before we will be starting down the path.

Maybe we should all get jobs at sprint/verizon. cause we faster than they are.

3.5 probably will be readily avail this week.

[helmi_c]

Originally Posted by vboyz103

LOL, at first I heard it was January of 2007, then someone posted some thread over PDAPhone saying first week of February, and now it's late March and April.

Next thing will hear is that it will be in June or July and the promise/rumor goes on and on....

I think AKU 3.3 is good enough for me, some minor bugs but ok. AKU 3.5 as far as I can tell, it only have some new icons and splash screens. So is it worth the wait?

or maybe use aku3.5 system icon (shellres.96.dll, gwes.exe.0409.mui , crossicon.dll and all .lnk, all phonepad skin, and wmp skin+wav sound in aku3.5) with the currently available AKU3.3 rom... there u'll hv a crossbow look and feel with stable aku3.3 rom..

[TheRocoLoco]

Verizon is just watching this forum for a stable 3.5 and then they are going to upload it to there website and release it as "offical".

[luv2chill]

That is just as vague as every other "official" email response people get from UTStarcom. I am not sure why engadget picked that up and started running with it, but I remain extremely skeptical that we will ever see an official AKU 3 for any 6700 device. Call me a curmudgeon if you will, but I've seen this play out before with the 6600 and it was almost identical. There was one official ROM update released for both Sprint and Verizon 6600s (check!). Then someone over at xda-dev found a newer ROM build for Telecom New Zealand which got everyone reinvigorated for a while (check!). Then there were many vague almost-promises from UTStarcom (back then it was Audiovox) and Sprint that a new ROM update was in the works that would fix bugs in the CE ROM and add EV-DO support for the Sprint 6600. This persisted for months and months until the 6700 came out and everyone moved on to that device (either broke down and bought it or Sprint caved and gave the sqeaky wheels some grease). The only difference this time is that we've got enough knowledgable folks to manufacture customized ROMs for the 6700. The 6600/Harrier never had that advantage.

The only reasons I would think we could see an official AKU 3.x for the 6700 (or any ROM upgrade period) is if the 6800 gets delayed. And maybe that will happen--Crossbow is right around the corner but if they can't get all the bugs worked out maybe the 6800 will be delayed past 2Q 2007. All signs point to May at this point though.

The last "official" e-mail from UTS about the PPC6700 (Sprint) was that no further ROM updates were forthcoming, and that the only thing to expect in the future is a cab file coming this quarter to fix the daylight savings time issue. This was after dozens of other e-mails promising various dates for AKU3's release. It's appeasement tactics--plain and simple. UTStarcom is just a middle man between HTC (which does all of the ROM creating) and Sprint/Verizon (who actually sell and support the device). UTS can say anything they want, and are not accountable for it since they didn't sell the phone to you--your carrier did. Try calling Verizon and asking for a date on the AKU3 ROM--I would be surprised if you get one. They know better, because if they say something specific (especially in writing) they've become accountable for it.

Now it is indeed quite possible that HTC is developing/has developed an AKU 3.x ROM for the Apache, but it's probably under strict lock and key until a carrier is willing to pony up the money to buy it. Once they do that, then the wheels are set in motion to get it paired with the appropriate radio ROM, customize an extrom, and push it into testing and eventual release. So if you want to put any pressure on someone, forget UTStarcom (who is just a facilitator) and go after your carrier, since they're the ones who have to pay the big bucks for it.

My two cents...

[Malatesta]

I will say this though: the 6600 was very limited in market share when it came out and there was little competition. Also, upgrading 2003SE devices to WM5 has always been more pain than it was worth and the platform was just done for by the time the 6700 was ready to come out.

In 2007, the WM world is very, very different from 2004-2005.

AKU updates (unheard of pre-WM5) are becoming more and more frequent and easy to enable as the code base has become more stabilized.

Case in point: Crossbow is widely reported to have a "Windows Update" function it much like our Desktop versions (how much will be updated remains to be seen), but this is the logical progression of the WM platform.

Now maybe this will or won't happen but with Engadget picking up on the story it does add some pressure to Verizon to deliver, which is also better than a few dorks on message boards quietly ruminating to themselves about it. Verizon has also been very aggressive on the PDA/smartphone front in comparison to Sprint and they have more money to throw around too.

[luv2chill]

Originally Posted by Malatesta

I will say this though: the 6600 was very limited in market share when it came out and there was little competition. Also, upgrading 2003SE devices to WM5 has always been more pain than it was worth and the platform was just done for by the time the 6700 was ready to come out.

In 2007, the WM world is very, very different from 2004-2005.

AKU updates (unheard of pre-WM5) are becoming more and more frequent and easy to enable as the code base has become more stabilized.

Case in point: Crossbow is widely reported to have a "Windows Update" function it much like our Desktop versions (how much will be updated remains to be seen), but this is the logical progression of the WM platform.

Now maybe this will or won't happen but with Engadget picking up on the story it does add some pressure to Verizon to deliver, which is also better than a few dorks on message boards quietly ruminating to themselves about it. Verizon has also been very aggressive on the PDA/smartphone front in comparison to Sprint and they have more money to throw around too.

You make some good points, Malatesta. Although AKU updates did exist pre-WM5 (AKU 2.0 for WM2003SE added Windows Media Player 10 Mobile), they have certainly become more frequent and taken on more significance with the rise in popularity of WM.

I agree with you about the "lame duck" status of the 6600/Harrier and any other device based on the old model of using RAM for storage memory and not having the proper key layout for one-handed operation. But it wasn't WM5 that users were clamoring for (well I guess some overly-optimistic ones were), it was the big EV-DO update (and an official Sprint-sanctioned upgrade to WM2003SE AKU 2.0). After a while it was clear we weren't getting a new CE ROM, so we were left hoping for an official EV-DO update (I and a few others were using it unofficially via another carrier's radio ROM and a hacked PRL, but that was before Sprint turned on authentication, at which point a Sprint-blessed update became necessary). True, it is a different situation, and surely there are more challenges ($$) involved in re-approving a device for EV-DO, but the fact was that it was too expensive for Sprint to justify upgrading an old device when its successor was on its way to market.

I see a similar situation at play here. Sprint has officially EOL'ed the 6700, meaning they won't be ordering any more from UTStarcom. I am not sure if Verizon has followed suit (maybe someone who knows can chime in?) but if the 6800 is coming in May as expected, it won't be long before the 6700 is out of production entirely.

So since Sprint and Verizon have already committed to selling the 6800 (which presumably has at least WM5 AKU 3.5, if not WM6) they could offer their corporate customers--by far the largest market segment for these devices--a monetary incentive to upgrade from the 6700 to the 6800 and take care of the other customers on a case-by-case basis. By doing so they would end up way ahead financially than if they paid for the AKU 3 update for the 6700 in addition to paying for the 6800 (remember, they want you to upgrade to the 6800 or one of their other spiffy new phones).

I've not read much (anything?) about Windows Update-type upgrades being in Crossbow. In fact, I thought that was more in the Photon timeline but I really don't know so I'll take your word for it. But I agree that's where things need to go. The OEM model was nice for MS these past seven years because they didn't have to deal with the end users, but I imagine that the carriers are lobbying hard for MS to take on the burden of pushing out OS updates (as long as there are promises of a stable wall between CE and cellular radio). That would save them a ton of money and resources and allow MS to share in some of the support costs involved. I think it will be really interesting to see how Apple and Cingular handle iPhone support and updates. It could very well end up providing a good model for how Windows Mobile should be going forward.

Anyway, yeah I hadn't thought about the Engadget post being a chest-puffing move to try to force Verizon's hand, but I am just highly skeptical of it ultimately succeeding (fool me once...).

I said this of the Sprint EV-DO debacle too, but I will gladly eat crow if Verizon comes through with another ROM update for the 6700. It will only serve to benefit all of us, so I hope it happens. I'm just not holding my breath and I'd advise everyone else not to do it either--it's bad for your health.

If you've read this far, congrats!

[technole]

The 6700 is not EOLed at Verizon. You can find it at just about every VZW store and kiosk at Circuit City. Its a good seller, and they know 6700 customers cough up some good revenue

[dmackdaddy]

At Phone News.com they're saying UTStarcom is making it not for a specific carrier, so hopefully it will be for both VZW and SPCS!

http://www.phonenews.com/content/view/1817/1/


I hope this is true so that GOODLINK will support AKU 3.X and I'll be able to use all these cool AKU3.X ROM's you guys put together (thanks again!) and I can run GOOD for my Corp. mail :P