webOS 2.1 hacked onto existing US Pre and Pre Plus phones; hold off for now, dear user 89
If you're waiting to see if you can run webOS 2.1 on your Sprint, Verizon, or AT&T Pre or Pre Plus, we're going to go ahead and recommend that you wait a little bit longer. Thanks to the good folks at WebOS Internals and the information in this PreCentral forum thread, several users have successfully booted their phones with webOS 2.1 - including a Pre on Sprint, a Pre Plus on Verizon and a Pre Plus on AT&T (pictured above). The magic is in the Meta-Doctor, which is the tool that allows you to modify ROMs on your computer before flashing them to a webOS device. There's no distributing copyrighted code, just gleeful patching via commandline tools.
However - we strongly advise that if you're going to try it, you only try it for testing purposes on a spare device and not with your primary Palm Profile. There are a myriad number of issues - our own AT&T Pre Plus got stuck in the First Use app (we skipped it the second time around) and the radio on CDMA phones is still an open question. More importantly - there are a slew of Palm Profile issues that can and will result in lost data if you use an existing Palm Profile. In fact, once you set a Palm Profile to 2.1 using this method, there is no going back. As with the "FrankenPre," we expect the webOS community to come through with some solutions.
So now the call is for developers and hackers to test and explore and post results in the thread linked below. We're sure that safe and reliable solutions will come soon enough. webOS hackers: Test. Everybody else: watch the fun. The official "What's new in webOS 2.1" thread is here. Pixi users - sorry, but you're out of luck for the time being.
In the meantime - how's it run? Pretty darn well, we have to say. We'll have a full hands-on later today.
Source: PreCentral Forums; Thanks @webosinternals and WebOS Internals crew for the info and the warning to users
89 Comments
Oh yeah, baby!
me wantey :)
me gusta
My question to HP / Palm is this, how is it that not even 24 hours later after releasing the WebOSDoctor for one carrier the WebOS community can hack it and make it work for every other Pre? It has been months of us waiting for this update and as we all can see, it is very possible!! If the guys on the outside can do it (yes, with some glitches to be ironed out later) I am more than sure that the guys over at HP sure can too!! Stupid liers!! Just release doctors with WebOS 2.1 for all the legacy devices to hold us out until the new devices come out!!
Did you ever stop and think that they aren't "liers" (which, by the way, is actually spelled LIARS) but rather that their US carrier partners DID NOT want it released on their devices?
Sprint set the Pre as EOL a while back.
VZW set the Pre+ as EOL a while back (but they also wouldn't want 2.1 on the Pre+ when they're trying to sell the Pre2)
AT&T... well.. they don't like to release updates anyway
Yell at your carrier, they have all the reason to NOT allow you to update. Why would Palm sever ties with 90% of their user base by not updating US customers?
I don’t think it’s a carrier thing. Were it so HP would have mentioned it at least once. They never have. They said things like legacy devices wouldn’t be able to handle WebOS 2.x or that they could release OTA updates because of the new structure of the OS. But not once have they said anything about carriers not allowing them to send out the update. Plus, if they start to release WebOSDoctors for everyone it wouldn’t hurt carriers because the Doctors would be downloaded on a computer and over an ISP and not on a phone over the carriers network. So it would not affect the network. Maybe Verizon since its selling the Pre2 with WebOS 2. But what about all of us not on Verizon and not with WebOS 2.x We just saw how possible it is yesterday!!
yeah. It's all about the carriers man. Screwing up all the fun they are.
I want it for Pixi Plus. I know mine can handle 2.0.1 I am not getting a Pre Plus for this. I dislike current Pre models. Pre 3 is better but I prefer more slab looking devices such as my Pixi slim light.
I will be waiting.
How do you know it can handle 2.0.1? Have you ever tried it? Something makes me think you just assume you can get it running on there.
I wonder if the US carriers were the hold up...
Could be - so you'd have to buy new hardware. Scumbags!
I'm sure that's what it is...hold-up wise, but then most of us would buy new phones if they were available...still using my Pre minus!
If anyone can make it happen...webOS internals can! Sorli...
Can't wait!!!
Great news!
This is exciting to hear that it is at least possible! Maybe seeing the hacks work will light a little more fire under HP to get an official version out for us poor, red-headed stepchild Pre- users left all alone in a locked, dark closet...
And Sprint... If you are reading this comment... My contract is up in September, and if there are no Webos solutions available through you at that point in time? Bye Bye!
I'm a big fan of Sprint, been with them for a little over 10 years now, so I always choose carrier over phone, but this time, I have to agree with you. My contract is up in June, and if Sprint is not getting new WebOS phones, I will be switching to the carrier that does.
That's the power of webos.
"how's it run? Pretty darn well, we have to say."
So much for the old hardware not being able to handle 2.x quote from Ruby...
it probably helps that most P|C users are overblocked .800-1ghz lol
The overclocking kernels do not yet run in 2.x. They also do not carry over from a webOS Doctor.
If they say it runs well, then they mean AT STOCK SPEED of 500MHz.
How this can make you mad at HP I don't know. They have obviously done there best to get this out and we now know that it is the carriers holding everything up and not HP. Don't blame HP, blame Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T.
It's not all black and white. They could be focused 80% on new development and 20% on getting 2.X to current devices. That would mean that their main focus is to get the TouchPad and Pre3 ready, while still keeping us happy(if that's what you call it).
Lets make this discussion about how much we appreciate the folks at webOS Internals. Great work guys!
Once again,....you guys come through for us!
Your hard work is appreciated!
First, I'd like to give props to everybody involved in this, we're lucky to have such a talented group behind webOS. Second, HP should be ashamed that within a few days/weeks of them spurning us our developer community comes in and solves the problem that their billions of dollars couldn't.
I guess that's why they donated a US $10,000 server for the hacking community :-)
Great Job, AGAIN, WebOS Internals!! You guys are Saints! HP should worship you! I don't use the Palm Profile anymore. It's Useless!! I use Google for my Contacts. Everybody should "transcribe" ALL their contacts to Google or something else, so that their not dependent on that "un-viewable", "non-accessable", "non-transferable-to-other-OS's" Profile. That would Easily solve the problem of Flashing webOS 2.x to the Pre (-). Thanks Again webOS Doctors, you have My Praise, Attention, & Donation! :-)
How do you get your apps that are already purchased if you don't use the palm profile?
you don't. that's the big reason for US users to wait. in most of the world, you can't buy apps anyway, so it's not as big a deal.
In the US it is a big deal. Most WebOS users are in the US.
I have purchased dozens of apps. I don't want to have to pay for them all over again because my Palm Profile gets replaced with a new one.
I too find the Palm profile useless. BUT it is true that with out it you could not have your apps back, right?
I do like to know that if I loose my phone I can erase it from my PP.
If you can make my pre- to run 2.1 you have my donation!!!!
(I will donate anyway, because what you guys do makes my day a better day)
yes!!!.. Really thanks to the webos internals guys!!!
Not even gotta attempt this - rather have an older, slower phone than one that does not work or is prone to occassional bugs - hopefully, the wait for a new device will be shorter than originally indicated - but the guys at WebOS Internalz are really appreciated and just total geeks . .
I love watching people jump to conclusions about HP and the carriers.
Me: "Dear sprint my phone bricked with 2.1"
Sprint: "Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya"
Good Luck!
This is awesome news..... I will be on the sidelines watching the fun as suggested. Why am I surprised to see this news? I shouldnt be given how awesome and resourceful the webos internals gods are.
Why you guys left Canada and Mexico out? We're official launch countries too.
World doesn't spin around Sprint, Verizon and AT&T you know...
I think that BELL is the same that Sprint, could someone confirm that?
Bell and Sprint share the same Pre hardware, but Bell's webOS Doctor is very different from Sprint's.
So if a Sprint Pre can be upgraded, then so can a Bell Pre... but only if the devs are willing to continue after getting Sprint's Doctor working.
Telcel doesn't care about the Pre (as is evident since they still haven't authorized an OTA update to anything greater than 1.4.0 which is WITHOUT paid apps).
Bell.. well.. I'm not sure what their holdup is. Perhaps they just don't want it released.
Bell only offered the Pre because they couldn't get the iPhone. Since then they've added GSM to their existing CDMA network, and have also acquired the iPhone. Palm means nothing to them anymore.
UMTS, Bell doesn't have GSM.
HP should seriously take some notes over here!! WebOS Internals Team you are awesome and very much appreciated! Always got the answer to HPalm's problems!
what if webOS internals had HP bank roll. We would all have WebOS 3...
...on more than toasters!
The toaster joke is getting kinda old.
Actually, it's starting to get annoying.
Truly Rod and the WebOS Internals crew are gods walking among men, tolerating the presence of lesser mortals, calmly showing the way to the future. Dannnnnggg, those guys are good! Kudos to you!
Ruby: "Yeah, 2.0 just won't work on legacy Pres. We tried it, and it's just not workable. Better to wait until the summer when the Pre 3 comes out. We'll make it right."
WebOS Internals: "Piker. It took us all of two weeks to solve your 'not workable' little problem. Now BOW before our majesty and worship!"
Ruby: "Okay, just don't hurt me."
I have to say good job guys, keep up the good work! In a way this make sense for HP, if this works fine in Europe, kind of like a beta test, they may bring to the States.
score!
can't wait for y'all to iron out the issues. :D
all the HP bashing... They ARE the ones who released the official O2 version of the doctor.
which is why blame is being directed to the carriers. Perhaps they don't want to support EOL'd phones or deemed the update too unstable.
How about making all games free so if it does blow out our profile we can still have all of the games we used to have (and then some)
Yet more confirmation that HP's argument that 1st gen hardware is incapable of running webOS 2 is a LIE!!!
Before anyone points out the issues mentioned in the article after loading webOS 2.1, none of those are hardware issues.
oh for f$ sakes
seriously
"LIE LIE LIE" give it a break.
What is HP supposed to do. Put yourself in their shoes. You want them to come out and say "oh we would love to release the update, but unfortunately, the carriers who have the legacy devices don't want to update it, so you're out of luck" - yea, cause that's perfect business sense. put your partners on the spot in public and embarrass them.
What is HP supposed to do?
I dunno. How about keep the little webOS customer base happy as possible so we can keep singing their praises instead of splattering the Intertubes with "LIARS!"?
It's a start...
M.
Wait! What about Save and restore will that bring previously purchased apps back?
I would like this answered as well, but I have to believe that there would be a conflict between 1.4.5 and 2.1 when restoring.
More evidence HP/Palm Rubinstein were blatantly lying to our face when they claim old pre -/+ can't run the webOS 2.x due to "performance issues".
Damn liars. I knew Ruby was no angel.
Well, Rogerbond above said it runs a bit slow...really hoping for the ability to overclock on 2.0 soon...so, maybe HP didn't want to hear "Stupid webOS 2.0, makes my Pre or Pre+ run slower...stupid HP...stupid stupid...nyah!"
I don't know, I'm just guessing, but perhaps HP feels that a slowdown in 'performance' is not acceptable. I for one would like to hear them explain their thought process on this...their analysis that brought them to that conclusion...if that was their conclusion.
Thank you O2 for standing up for your customers.
OMG!! I have been telling you this WEEKS ago!! (remember, the mexican guy with Pre - running webOS 2.0?)
The current devices are fully capable of running WebOS 2, but noooo everybody told me "that doesn't matter" and what about now?
Well we don't know if it's "fully" yet. When I first ran Barleywine on my Bell Pre it wasn't that great. Random lockups and Flash was complete soot.
Finally a light at the end of the tunnel! Thanks WebOSInternals!
But unless Palm does something official I will still "Think Beyond Palm" when my contract expires next year.
I have a feeling HP found one carrier that would allow an update just so webos internals could do the rest. I am okay with that too.
The doctors are out there...you just need to know where to find them...albeit, you cannot use your existing profile and all your data gets erased, but unlike the article says, there is not any problems with my phone.
my biggest question in all of this is why HP couldn't figure out all this themselves. Doesn't seem like it took all that long and can't imagine it took an inordinant amount of resources.
I'm not sure what all the fuss is: I've got a day one Pre and I'm gonna repalce it with a Pre3 as soon as it's ready. Now if I had a newer one that might be a different story.
I spoke to a friend at Sprint who told me there is no way Sprint is allowing this update. This is not Palm's or HP's fault, it is Sprint!
Be patient and get your Pre3 when it is available.
I don't understand why everyone is complaining about HP not releasing the 2.0 update to Pre- everyone with a Pre- has been complaining about hardware the oreo effect & how they are on their 3rd or 4th Pre- etc... I am with you on these complaints. However like HP I see no point waisting my time hacking an old device when the new one is within sight & how the old one will struggle with this update. The next foccus will be on if HP sends the Pre 3 & 4 Sprints way. If not that's where the next hack should be. Get one working on Sprint! Don't waste ur $ on getting a junker Pre- to test this. Save it for the TouchPad & Pre 3 they need sales support not old hack support.
I don't know if I'm the exception or the rule, but I've never overclocked or used any home brew apps So when and if they work out the kinks would you please give us a step by step procedure on how to use Meta-Doctor or whatever in order to update to 2.x
Dieter, thanks for all you and your group does!
it's evident that HP's 'legacy devices can't handle 2.0)' means that they didnt want to release it because you won't buy our new hardware out in a couple of months.
I was planning to buy new hardware when it came out, but this whole fiasco of lies and string us along has makes me have second thoughts.
No excuse now! Release it For the Pre(-)! The Pre(+)and Pre(-)have exactly the same CPU.
Also release it For the Palm Pixi
As for the memory 256 MB is plenty the iPad manages just fine on 256 MB of memory As well as many other devices?!
I don't care if the update is OTA or not, but do give us flash...
Will try it when flash is available. 90% of the reason I bought my Verizon Pre(+)
Just flashed a Sprint Pre- with Meta Doctor (O2) to WebOS 2.1; no Voice Dial app present? Does anyone have the same problem? On our Vodafone Pre+ the Voice Dial is available...or is it missing in the original O2 WebOS 2.1 also?
For all we know HP wanted to get the 2.X out for all the old devices and the carriers didn't want it. Maybe HP didn't press the matter cause they knew this is exactly what was going to happen. The great guys here get it running and then HP gets to spend more time and money making the Pre3 and the TouchPad better. HP is aware of the power of this community, hence the donation of the server a little while back. There is no reason to think they didn't see this coming
alrighty folks...
for the 3 or 4 uk palm pre plus customers on O2 uk, i have managed to install webos 2.1 with no problems (apart from a couple of system sounds missing). Following someone else's advice, I created a new palm profile. Of course this means that you won't have access to any of your paid apps, but who cares!! The app catalogue seems fully functional and all the apps I've downloaded appear to work well. However, I've not downloaded any paid apps yet.
Overall, it seems a lot smoother than 1.4.5 but too not much quicker. However, with all the extra functionality it is fantastic...
no flash though...
me gusta,
me gusta mas
so much for the bullshit, that "older hardware is not capable of handling WebOS 2.0 requirements".
I just love these guys from marketing departments, and their half-brain lies for the crowd.
Everyone is soo excited, that this blatant lie from 6th just slips unnoticed.
that's just Pathetic,by capital P, HP!
God I love you guys. I knew it would be only a matter of weeks before I saw this headline :P
does the new real version is online...?
where can i find it plz?
Yessah! I cannot wait, this is gonna be sweet!
So, is it ROW? Or carrier/country (or carrier && country) locked?
I look forward to trying this on my launch-day Pre when my contract runs out in 38 days (thanks, Sprint Premier) and I buy an Android phone, at which point neither the Pre's CDMA radio nor my Palm profile matter anymore. There are a number of WebOS-2-only apps I've wanted to try, and coincidentally, none of them have anything to do with the Pre's phone functionality.
German HowTo (deutsche Anleitung) for installing webOS 2.1 on your Palm Pre (-) with Metadoctor:
HowTo Update Palm Pre (-) to webOS 2.1 with Metadoctor
I would watch what you (hackers) do at this point. You don't want to give HP an excuse not to accommodate original Pre owners because of a home-brew version that has several errors and missing feature. HP/Palm needs to make a revised version, possible a 1.75 update with what the original phones are capable of handling.
Just keep reminding them it is 720 mhz.