The cupcake update for Android has been rolling out over the last few days, but many users have yet to receive it. One of the benefits of installing a custom Android build is the ability to choose when you upgrade. There have been quite a few custom releases based on the cupcake branch including The Dude’s and Haykuro’s, but I have been waiting for Jesusfreke to upload his build.
While checking his blog tonight, I happened to see a post “When is your 1.5 coming out?” which is exactly what I was thinking. To my surprise, the post actually included his latest release. I downloaded it right away and was up and running in minutes. The new features of this custom build according to Jesusfreke:
- I’m now including a much better Superuser app, courtesy of zinx
- I’ve rebuilt the kernel and enabled netfilter support, to allow tethering. I recommend aNetShare
- You can see/download both paid and protected apps in the market
- Luke’s multitouch kernel patch and browser patch have been ported to the .27 kernel and 1.5 browser.
- Support for the “apps to sdcard” hack. There’s not a separate “apps to sdcard” build. You can use the same build whether you are doing apps to sdcard or not. Thanks to haykuro for explaining how he’s done this in his images, so I can make my builds compatible. See here for a tutorial on setting this up.
- I’m not including a recovery image in this build. I ran into some snags getting all of the recovery features to work with the 1.5 recovery image, so I’ll forgo that for now. If you don’t have a spiffy recovery image yet, I’ve packaged up the most recent recovery image from JFv1.43 as a separate update.
I wiped my phone when upgrading so I could have a clean install. The phone feels very snappy with the 1.5 update and has many visual tweaks. Rather than run down everything, this time I decided to snap a bunch of screen shots. There are over 50 screen shots uploaded to our Flick account. I’m working to go back and add descriptions, but if you have a question just post a comment on the photo and I will respond.
If you are interested in learning more about Jesusfreke and his Android builds, he did a short interview with us several months ago. I’m going to see if he will sit down again and answer a few more questions. If you have anything you would like me to ask, post a comment below and I will review it.
Visit our Flickr page for over 50 screenshots.
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Taylor Wimberly
Taylor is the founder of Android and Me. He loves playing with all kinds of gadgets, but most importantly cell phones. His other hobbies include cooking (BBQ hero!), politics, football, and watching every MMA event possible.
40 Comments
Does 1.5 have that circular zoom on the browser that some screen shots of the HTC Magic showed?
1.5 has multitouch zoom you hold with one finger and go right to zoom and left un zoom with the other finger
I’d love to get this working on my phone – but I am finding it difficult to find any information about installing it. Perhaps you should do a comprehensive tut on how to install it?
Things I cannot find at all are:
1. List of disadvantages to rooting (if any)
2. Actual decent instructions
3. A decent tut on backing up my data so I dont lose it all
Perhaps a series of pictures would help as well, so we know we’re following exactly the right steps…
http://www.androidandme.com/2009/05/guides/beginners-guide-for-rooting-your-android-g1-to-install-cupcake/
I am SOOOOOO LOVIN this update right now it s beautiful, and fast… has a cleaner sleeker feel!!! Android is really going places… (Gotta get back to packing to move out of my dorm lol)
Does this build have the black calendar background or a white one?
The calendar is white.
Great pictures! Thanks, it’s really keeping me from going crazy over not having cupcake yet. I hope i get it soon or my head will blow up.
@Justin, hey i’m just wondering, are you in the US or UK? And do you have a regular G1, or did u root it, unlock it, all that stuff? I’m still a bit skeptical if this update is really out here or not.
Ricky. I am in the uk and after a days worth of trial and error I am updated to this version of cupcake. I can make and receive calls fine, and all in all there are no problems.
As the article states, having a rooted phone is more beneficial than not. Tethering and apps to sd are the major plus points. I was worried that the rooted version would lose something like the google branded apps or the ability to buy market apps, but in this build literally everything is here. I couldn’t be happier.
Highly recommended
I wanna root my g1 sooo bad. I used to have so much fun with the new firmwares on my bb, but I always ran into some problems, like something not working or wasnt compatible.
I think I need to look in to the rooting scene more. Like, what I would need to do to go back and how destructive the process is. If anyone could point me in the right direction for some of this information that would be greatly appreciated.
The process is not that hard. I wrote a full guide, but never got around to posting it. I was scared of having a flood of people who don’t read the instructions and come back for help.
The only destructive thing is you are required to wipe your phone the first time you flash it. Since most of your data is backed up online, this is not much of a problem.
If enough people request it, I can touch up our guide and post it.
Oh yea, I followed the directions from xda, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480, but I only wanted to root my phone for the tethering aspect. Then I found that the guys at PDAnet made a simple one click app to do the same with the use of the debugging connection, http://www.junefabrics.com/android/index.php.
Just updated my rooted G1 to 1.5. (Thanks to you, even) I really like Cupcake. I think it’s much better than 1.1, even though it’s mostly UI updates.
I really like the new default browser and gmail application. I think I will do some in depth post on the new refinements found in 1.5.
looks cool, cant wait to get my g1
Thanks for the nice coverage of the JF build. Tweeting away.
I used the JF builds but recently switched to Haykuro (spelling may be off?) And have been happy so far with 1.5. I may flash JF to check it out.
Great… Now I Want It Even More… Crap.. What Are Pros And Cons Of Rooting? If There Is Any Cons … And Dose It Void The Warranty Thru T Mo USA?? And Can I Take Root Off?? And Have Original Software When Cupcake Dose Come Out?
I had the same concerns as you. It appears though there are no disadvantages. I can still do everything I did on my unrooted phone plus loads more.
Perhaps if TMo caught you with a rooted phone they might void you warranty. If you broke it and sent it for repair I doubt they’d even notice. Remember you can just download the original build and to an ota update and you’ll be on the latest, official unrooted version – so roll backs are a complete possibility.
In the UK a TMo rep told me, and I was specific about this, that tethering was not against tos, and that I could tether with my sim card just not the phone. So rooting opens up legitamate and non-tos breaking features.
Pros of rooting should be evident. The article states most of them.
Oh my, thanks so much for posting this, I’m installing it now!
Yea i would like to see a post also of the disadvantages also, but looks great !
Ok I am tweaking my root guide and also doing an article on the different flavors of cupcake.
I can gladly say that i have succesfully upgraded my previously rooted (used JF’s UK 1,43) UK G1 phone which is using a Danish SIM and it works like a charm although startuptimes are slow
I used the radio image from here ( http://www.htc.com/www/support/android/adp.html#s3 ) and the guide here ( http://www.htc.com/www/support/android/adp.html#s4 ) to upgrade the radio firmware before installing JF’s firmware (which i installed with the same method as the HTC guide).
Note: For an easy install just download the radio image from above, rename it to update.zip, put it into the root of your SD, reboot your phone while holding home, when the icon displays press ALT+l (if your phone isn’t rooted), then ALT+w, then press ALT+s, once it’s done press HOME+BACK to reboot.
Once rebooted replace the update.zip with the one you downloaded and renamed from JF’s blog and go through the steps above and you should have a rooted G1 with cupcake
it seems that my phone is bricked. I went from JF 1.41 lite > JF 1.5. did a wipe, then installed the 1.5 radio. then installed the 1.5. unfortunately, the new android screen is stuck in a loop… any ideas on how to unbrick my phone?
The same happened to me, but I had forgotten to wipe it first. Pull out the battery and restart it in recovery mode, hold home and power I believe. Then press ALT+L, then ALT+W, and then finally ALT+S. This worked for me.
@Cjack: try to get into fasstboot mode… this should still work to reflash a new image or restore your old one (if you have a nandroid backup)
Can you use the same process to root and image an HTC Magic as a G1?
I thought the only JF cupcake out so far was for the adp developer G1 phones, not regular ‘retail’ G1’s. Can someone please advise?
You can load an ADP build on your retail G1 phone. I wrote a simple guide on flashing the different builds that I hope to publish soon. I’m also working on a piece that explains the differences between the builds and further explores the relationship between Google, HTC, and T-Mobile.
I updated but somehow lost my IM program so no yahoo or aim anyone know how to get it back?
I have a rooted and unlocked g1 I attempted to have cupcake installed when we got in installed the signal bars kept flashing on and off it would work for about 15 seconds then the signal bars wont work again what did I do wrong? do I need to install the new radio last?
New G1 UK user here. Is ‘cupcake’ the 1.5 update I received this morning? If so, it’s great. Only drawback so far is Power Manager app no longer works. The virtual keyboard is fantastic and the browser is much sleeker.
I lost my im program too what do I do
I FOLLOWED THAT JESUS GUIDE STEP BY STEP NOW IM STUCK ON A BLUE WHITE AND GREEEN SCREEN AND MY PHONE WONT WORK NO MORE..WHEN I DOWNLOAD THE DREAM FILE IT SAYS FAILED AND NOW I HAVE TO SEND MY PHONE BACK TO TMOBILE
I had the same problem with the screen J, I think it’s because your file is corrupted and the phone can’t read it. Another reason is that it’s still zipped and u need to extract the dream file or that you need to change the file name.
I just updated my G1 to JFv1.51 but I have no virtual Keyboard what woul cause this please assist…..
Me too without virtual keyboard. Why? Help us, please…
Cry….
Solved, Menu-Settings-Locale & Text- Android keyboard Checked and the keyboard is back
I wanted to get the HERO rom but sounds too complicated Iv’ed bricked my phone many times but all you have to do is RE-Flash it. Does anyone know how to install a ne SPL and why should I install a new SPL?