A connectivity and an Opera browser to the Touch.
(Click here for a larger view of Sprint's HTC ROM upgrade utility)Sprint HTC Mogul upgradeSprint's
HTC Mogul was already
upgraded to EV-DO Rev. A in March, when it was claimed to be the first U.S. phone to support the 3G radio data packet protocol. Where available, EV-DO Rev. A permits downloads from 600Kbps to 1.4Mbps, peaking at 3.1Mbps, and uploads from 300 to 500Kbps, peaking at 1.8Mbps, Sprint says.
The Mogul did not, however, previously come with
Windows Mobile 6.1, which is added by today's software upgrade. The upgrade also adds the Sprint TV application and -- for customers whose devices did not already have the March upgrade -- activation of the GPS receiver built into the Mogul.
Sprint HTC Touch upgradeSprint's
HTC Touch has even more to gain, since it now gets EV-DO Rev. A for the first time. Like the earlier device, it also receives Windows Mobile 6.1, and gets an unlock of its GPS capabilities, which are built into its 400MHz Qualcomm MSM7500 chipset.
The Touch additionally gains an onscreen 40-key QWERTY Keyboard. Finally, it also receives a version of the
Opera Mobile Web browser. Unstated by Sprint, however, is what version this is. Opera Mobile 9.5, which became downloadable earlier this week in a public beta version, has previously shipped on HTC's
Touch Diamond phone.
Upgrade instructionsUpgrade instructions are similar for both phones. Users are cautioned to open their phone's Start > Settings > System Tab > Device Information menu to determine its ROM version and date. If these are
earlier than the following, the upgrade should be applied:
- For the Mogul, ROM version 3.56.651.0, with a date of Jun. 16, 2008
- For the Touch, ROM version 3.03.651.4, with a date of Jun. 30, 2008
As is the case with most ROM upgrades on Windows Mobile devices, data on the phones will be deleted, so it should be backed up using ActiveSync (Windows XP) or Windows Mobile Device Center (Windows Vista), Sprint warns. In addition, the devices' battery level should be at least 50 percent; if power is lost during the upgrade process, the phone could be "bricked."
Further informationTo obtain further specifics on the free ROM upgrade for Sprint's HTC Mogul and download it, go to the company's website,
here. To obtain further specifics on the free ROM upgrade for Sprint's HTC Touch and download it, go to the company's website,
here. The upgrades are carrier-specific, and should not be applied to HTC devices obtained through other channels.
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