iPhone: it is all about the firmware

Great post! I had to update my BlackBerry 7105T's OS yesterday. Ir required a (gulp) Dell, as RIM doesn't make the OS available through Macs.

Between dusting off the old Dell laptop that was under a pile of clothes, downloading the software four times, and making five calls to T-Mobile and BlackBerry, I spent seven hours trying to fix a glitch in the BlackBerry (not all events were syncing).

And the kicker is, now some of my applications aren't working.

Yes, gone are the days of Pong and DOS...Gone are the days of single task, completely useless (for most people) machines.
With computers/Operating Systems/Electronics supporting as many features as they do, we might as well all get used to software updates.
I actually look forward to them! lol

Speaking of apple updates...why do they not share ANY INFO WHATSOEVER about what is in the update?
Has anyone seen the changelog or patch info about the 1.0.2 update?

@ #8 Rothgar

And even easier than the PS3 is the Xbox 360! I have both systems, I'm not fanboy of either, just of great games.

Anyway, the 360 update process is the easiest I've seen anywhere, on any type of device. You litterally do nothing other than say yes. My PS3 takes FOREVER to download ANYTHING including the updates.

Back to the point though, the iPhone is extremely easy to update but I really wish Apple would start pushing some new features/apps.

Matteo: Go into the settings menu on your K800i and click "Update service". You can update the K800's firmware over the air.

5+ years ago, a friend bought a Bosch washing machine that could get its firmware updated. Let's stop admiring the obvious, it's a freaking phone.

SonyEricsson phones, after a long series of complaints by the users, got the ability to insall firmware updates a long time ago. There is a special software that allows you to install the updates. I own a k800i.
This is not a smartphone, so updates are basically just bug fixes (no new features), but I found it nice that I could install everything on my own, without having to go to a service center.

Why am I talking in the past?
Because SonyEricsson only created their software for Windows!!! How lame is that??
Anyway, iPhone has a nice feature, but it is not a new one and also not much more user friendly compared to SonyEricsson's.

I should, however, point out that it is WAY better than the one for Windows "smart"phones (where "smart" has just been put there for marketing purposes). I had a Windows Mobile based phone and it was horror at it's finest! (both hardware as well as software where useless).

I cannot tell anything about Nokia, since I never owned one (and here I might just be the only person in Europe who can claim that).

So all the kids who haven't hacked their phone don't know the dramatic shift towards instability that added apps produce. I say better to release software that is stable four, five, even six months after initial release than release crap that freezes my phone. I got rid of my Treo for a reason.

Erica's apps not included, of course.

I updated a Samsung Glint when I bought it, it's over the air and only took five minutes. The update checker is a little out of the way though.

Updating over the home Internet probably saves Apple money though.

It doesn't get any easier than the iPhone. PSP is also good, but firmware update takes 4 or 5 times longer than the iPhone. I've also owned SonyEricsson UIQ Symbian phones. Firmware updates last up to an hour and I was always holding my breath. iPhone wins!!!