Software&Firmware Updates 521-GDR3/Black

[CopaCC]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

Finally finished and I played around with it for a bit. I think DataSense is probably the most obvious new feature. The FM radio is there, but it told me I needed to plug in headphones, I was hoping to l listen through my Bluetooth. Won't know until later I of there's any obvious difference in battery life.

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 4

 

[rkin92]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

Finally finished and I played around with it for a bit. I think DataSense is probably the most obvious new feature. The FM radio is there, but it told me I needed to plug in headphones, I was hoping to l listen through my Bluetooth. Won't know until later I of there's any obvious difference in battery life.

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 4

the requirement for the wired head phones is something that has been around for a while, would be nice if you didnt have to plug em in to use the FM radio (or the phone had an antenna built in)

 

[rkin92]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

anybody having an issue with the phone finding the update? seems its taking forever for mine to even check for it...

 

[CopaCC]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

anybody having an issue with the phone finding the update? seems its taking forever for mine to even check for it...

Took as long time checking for it. Decent time downloading it. A really long time preparing for installation (Especially after it said 100%). A decent amount of time installing it. And a reality long time migrating data. Definitely longer than the Android updates I've done in the past!

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 4

 

[rkin92]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

Took as long time checking for it. Decent time downloading it. A really long time preparing for installation (Especially after it said 100%). A decent amount of time installing it. And a reality long time migrating data. Definitely longer than the Android updates I've done in the past!

Sent from my GT-P3110 using Tapatalk 4

dont even get me started on android haha.

Currently I would place this update procedure right between apple and android, apple being the best and android the worst.

I finally updated it, too very little time to download.

Insteadof waiting, I gotta mow the lawn

 

[Smyrna5]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

I think it made my WiFi calling clearer. I had a bit of distortion before that seems to be gone now, and noticed that one of the updates had to do with WiFi calling. Low light performance of camera is better. This made a great phone deal that much better

 

[WPhoney]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

Glance screen is not coming to 521 unfortunately.

Some people have said that "Glance" is a battery hog. If true, We're better off without it.

The FM radio is there, but it told me I needed to plug in headphones, I was hoping to l listen through my Bluetooth.

The frequencies used by FM require an antenna of 2-3 feet to get decent reception. The wires on the headphone have the right length, so the phone relies on the headphone's wire to capture the radio waves. A Bluetooth headset has no wires, therefore it's useless to the phone as an antenna. My old Creative ZVM MP3 player also has FM capabilities and it needs the earphones to tune to the stations as well.

 

[MikeSo]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

Updating now. Looking forward to it.

I don't have a problem with Glance not being available. IMO, that's the sort of feature that needs to differentiate premium phones from the low end ones like this one. All phones should have enough memory to run all apps (which the 521 doesn't unfortunately), but not all phones should have premium features.

 

[rkin92]

Re: New Firmware Updates released 521

Some people have said that "Glance" is a battery hog. If true, We're better off without it.

agree. on symbian it was a major battery hog imo..

 

[KitN]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

What happened to Double-Tap-to-Wake feature?!? That's one of the main features I was waiting for! AT&T Lumia 520 had it out of the box! Even after waiting and waiting for the official update, getting the update, the 521 STILL doesn't have it??!

 

[Smyrna5]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

Does the AT&T 520 have WiFi Calling??? I can't seem to find a reference to it anywhere. If not, that may explain why the 521 is a smidgen longer, and also why the 521 didn't get "double tap" hardware. Just speculating.

Personally, I really need WiFi calling at my location, but I can live without double tap.It may also explain why the 520 is slightly cheaper to buy. I have 2 blackberries - one is an unlocked AT&T 8310 w/o WiFi calling. The other is a T-Mo 8320 with WiFi Calling (UMA) built in. bought the 8320 used just to get WiFi Calling. To this day, the one with WiFi calling has a higher resale value for that reason.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

I doubt if any AT&T branded device would have WiFi calling, since AT&T's network has never supported that feature.

 

[Corepc]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

At&t has no WiFiCalling at all on their network.

 

[Smyrna5]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

Bingo - That makes me think all the websites saying these two phones have identical hardware may be wrong.

 

[mogelijk]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

WiFi calling doesn't require any additional hardware. It simply uses the WiFi antenna that is already built in. In essence, the process that T-Mobile is using for WiFi calling is little different than Skype (just not adding the video capability) or Vonage (when the app is released), which work on AT&T phones.

 

[Dustin Hodges]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

WiFi calling doesn't require any additional hardware. It simply uses the WiFi antenna that is already built in. In essence, the process that T-Mobile is using for WiFi calling is little different than Skype (just not adding the video capability) or Vonage (when the app is released), which work on AT&T phones.

Nope. Otherwise, every smartphone on tmobile would have wifi calling. GEN1 and GEN2 wifi calling required specially added hardware to phones during manufacturing. GEN3, however, does not require specially added hardware, but it does require hardware compatible with its specific configuration. Not all devices can support the hardware configuration necessary for WiFi calling. no one seems to understand that.

If you go to the smartcam page, Nokia Smart Cam | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States) there's an update. I spoofed with a proxy server to be a 1020 and got the update.

Can you show me how to do the spoof thing? or at least a link. The upcoming 625 has 512MB ram and supports SmartCam, yet the 521 after update is still given the general 'unavailable for your device "may be for a different country" or "may need an update"' message

 

[mogelijk]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

The trick with WiFi calling is not so much a "special configuration", it is that it needs hardware that has the processing power and WiFi connection to deliver a quality call over WiFi. In these cases, it is largely older phones, say phones that don't have the newer audio processors or poorer WiFi connections (say, only supports 802.11g standard). The issue with those phones is not that they can't do WiFi calling, it is rather that the call clarity won't be high enough quality to meet T-Mobile's standards. Notice that even current low end phones, such as the LG L9, support WiFi calling. The other issue is that T-Mobile is adding WiFi calling at the OS level so, for example, the iPhone does not have WiFi calling, despite having the hardware capable to support it, because Apple won't let T-Mobile modify iOS. This is also why the Nexus 4, which has "pure Android" without T-Mobile modifications, does not support T-Mobile's WiFi calling.

Beyond that, as you point out, it would be no added hardware. Even if T-Mobile required Nokia to change a part to better support WiFi calling, it is unlikely changing that part would add an additional 4 mm in size. Instead, you are likely looking at replacing one small chip for another. It is also worth pointing out that there appears to be no added cost for the 521 over the 520 (despite the fact T-Mobile Prepaid is charging more, both the AT&T 520 and the MetroPCS 521 cost $99. For some reason, T-Mobile seems to be charging premium prices for all their prepaid phones, not just the 521.

It would be interesting to see a tear down of the two phones, and see what differences there are. As far as published specs, there are no differences -- same processor, same GPU, same memory, same battery, etc.

 

[Smyrna5]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

Not to beat a dead horse, but there is more than one way to implement WiFi Calling. One of the most stable (supposedly) and one that hands off calls to the network when you get out of range of your router is called UMA. UMA requires additional hardware on the chipset. The 521 supposedly has UMA onboard. Presumably the 520 does not.

 

[CobaltDragon]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

Something I certainly don't remember being there is the ability to block numbers, which is a great addition. Just long hold a txt or a phone number in your history and the option displays, whereas there was only "delete" previously...unless I just somehow completely missed it before.

 

[Corepc]

Re: Software&Firmware Updates released 521

Call blocking and SMS blocking are new features amber added this.