Streak Froyo OTA Update for O2 Customers

Hi Amy!

Would you please post a response for the benefit of the community, on the vexed Contacts/Calendar backup/synchyng issue?

In your article "Dell™ Streak Backup and Restore Guide for Upgrading to Android 2.2" http://support.euro.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kcs/document?docid=266073 you say:-

"Running the Backup & Restore App on the Dell Streak will create a single backup archive file on your SD card which contains the following items:

• Contacts: Local/legacy contacts and contacts synced from Outlook only; contacts synced with Google, Facebook, etc. will auto restore after signing back into these services."

My main issue is that it specifically did not backup restore the 134 of my 145 contacts that were synced in from Outlook,

Opening the Backup & Restore app on the Streak and selecting the Info button suggests that this app was only ever going to backup/restore local contacts.

Who's right, and, if we were misled as to backing up/restoring of synced in Outlook contacts, will you be working closely with Nero to release an OTA update to the device s/w and PC download to support backup/restore and synching of Outlook Cantacts, Calendar, and Tasks, as a matter of urgency?

Starting the Dell Sync app on the device, we are asked to:-

"Please connect your PC with your phone by either an USB cable or Wi-Fi(R) network for synchronizing your multimedia content and contacts.

This indicates that syncing contacts, as a minimum, was intended to have been included in the functionality of this app, but was, possibly, dropped, in order to get it released on schedule.  If this is correct, then this is yet another reason that we will be looking to you to confirm that you will be standing by your early adopting customers, and will be working with Nero to release a robust, fully functional version of their "first cut" sw, to include Outlook synching support, as a matter of urgency.

We all look forward to hearing from you, Amy, with interest.

Stephen

Have been sent this link by Nero support for manual (PDF) for Dell Mobile Sync,

http://www.nero.com/eng/support-dell-mobile-sync-manuals.html

So far it isn't helping me much but at least we now have some kind of help for this unweildly programme.  

Dell Mobile sync is only for audio, video and photos, absolutely no use for the thousands of customers who have just found that all their contacts have disappeared.

I've had two long phone calls with dell support ...   The first agent was very concerned and went away to find out more promising a callback next day.... the second guy phoned me up very exited to tell me that I could download this software and it would Cure my problems.

I had to explain it all over again as Dell dont seem to be telling their own Streak support team about the issue.  Dell Mobile Sync is only for media files.

Its quite simple, this is probobly all about money and sales.....

Dell abandoned work on the PC suite in order to get the new operating system into the devices in time to be sold at Christmas.  The side effect is that anyone responding to an earlier Streaks prompt that an upgrade is available will also lose all their business functionalty as outlook etc will no longer sync.

There is no solution other than buying in third party sync software but then these seem to work by broadcasting all of your details through Gmail which I dont want to do.

Now.... Does anyone know if the phone can be prevented from auto updating if running on Android 2.1......  (I read some threads that said this had happened although that may have been finger trouble)

I have a plan, the streak will be going back to Tesco's where I bought it as it cannot sync my contacts and is therefore not fit for purpose.  They offer a 28 day returns policy so theres plenty of time.

I then may consider going back, buying another and running it on its original 2.1 software until Dell get their act together.

Alternatively perhaps I should just get the iphone 4 which maybe I should have done in the first place.

Dell.... your customer support team have been wonderful, if a little uninformed... but your company's decision to release Froyo without a PC suite is shameful. 

You have turned a device that could have rivalled the Iphone 4 into a child's toy.

Mike

Will Have another look, couldnt see that on my version.  Lots of confusion as Dell agreed that it woulnt do the job.

Likewise when I get contacts on the Streak I still need to sync tasks too so I'm in the same boat

many thanks

Mike

Hi, I got the automatic update to 2.2 a few days ago. I did backup my contacts with the application suggested, and then restored them after the update. Many, though, have not been restored. Meanwhile, whenever I try to quit the web browser it gives me the error message "System exception" and then "The application Browser (process com.android.browser) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again."

Mine does that, as well. It's very irritating.

Another strange problem is with Wikipedia - if I try to use it in Web mode it quits immediately. I can only use it in mobile mode.

A big thank you to Amy for the manual link to the 2.2 upgrade as the wifi had stopped working courtesy of 2.1 and the OTA option was no good as it insisted on wifi being active.

Not so keen on the giant icons as they simply waste too much space and I still cant get the email to work at all, it worked flawlessly on 1.6 but since 2.1 it wont work it just keeps saying "unable to open connection to server" jeez my old xda orbit worked flawlessly with this !!

Seems to be a lot more forced closures even on vanilla o/s, of course it's new and needs time for updates to help this (I HOPE)

My biggest gripe however is the descision to drop the syncing program this worked great and to be quite honest I don't like much of Nero's software on the whole and the time it took to install this program was ridiculous !!!

I also wish they had used a mini usb or equivelent socket rather than that wierd proprietery socket they fitted, my one is starting to cause me problems too becoming slack etc.

However one big boon I really like is the new SWYPE keyboard after a few days of fiddling and getting used to it it really is very very good !! this of course only really works on a phone with a reasonable sized screen which the Dell has.

At last flash has arrived for the Streak too another big boon !

I also like the fact that the screen will work both ways in portrait or landscape mode now rather than having to turn it round.

There is one thing though about this phone I haven't seen anyone mention yet and that is the lack of ability to make video calls included out of the box I had phones 5 years ago with this feature !!! I'm sure the Dell streak  is more than capable of handling this so why is it not included ?? 

Overall- I do like my Streak as the most important functions (to me) work fine e.g. the phone ! texting, internet and the music although I never had any problems with the music even on 2.1 and hopefully the 1 main niggle with email being inop will be sorted eventually.

I've fixed mine now, which was upside down too.

HOWTO is here:

http://www.srchild.com/blog/view/article/calibrate-sensor-on-upside-down-dell-streak-after-froyo-22-android-upgrade/

Im desperate to find an answer, as otherwise Im going to take the phone back, which is a shame as I love the 5" screen!!

You mention you like the new keyboard....but how do you add a return key when writing a text message?

When your typing lines, either a full stop or comma will do until your ready to send the text, therefore the return key isn't really needed for this and pressing and holding the top keys gives numbers no problem, I personally think this is one of the great success storys of this update and I will be surprised if this swype idea doesnt become more mainstream on phones eventually.

I have to say though that the screen orientation always was a bit slow on the streak though but it's not that bad, this phone has so much potential with the right software in it !!

@JontyR,

"You mention you like the new keyboard....but how do you add a return key when writing a text message?"

it depends on the SMS module you have installed - if you use the default one then there is no Enter key, but others contain one.

I use Handcent SMS, which has an option to either have "Enter" or "Smile", on the action key.

Of course, it's not part of the standard OS install, so it's a "use at your own risk" app, like pretty much all Android apps...

@Phil.A

You are a legend!!  This is just the answer I needed :)  Have a virtual pat on the back, and the knowledge youve made a person very happy!!!  Handcent locked and loaded, and first message (With paragraphs) sent :)

The Dell Mobile Sync doftware doesn't seem to have the facility to sync contacts with Microsoft Outlook.  Is there any suggestion on ways of syncing the Dell Streak contacts with MS Outlook after the 2.2 update?

Please advise, 'Sola. 

i have the dellstreak and i have just upgraded the phone to android 2.2 its grt except for one thing the3G connection to the internet dont work anyone elsehave this problem if so can u advise me as to how to solve it the setting are correctinmy network its setto be connected to the 02 3g network of which ihave unlimited surfing it just wont connect thanks

i lost allmy contacts but found them in the sim managment prog u can if your contacts are saved to your sim re add them from there