3G Xoom orphaned?

[TJH132]

With all the news about ICS soak tests for wifi and 4G Xooms, I feel a bit left out. Do you suppose I'll get some ICS goodness soon?

TJH

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[SamuriHL]

Um, well, I was reading about the status of the 3G Xoom this morning. Apparently now that the 4G LTE update is available, the 3G version has been discontinued. I don't have a CLUE what that means for updates, though. Was there a reason you didn't send it in for the free 4G update? It does change the model number when you do the upgrade and that's what they're still officially supporting I guess.

 

[roadrat]

same problem here. i didnt send mine in for the update

 

[slwerner]

With all the news about ICS soak tests for wifi and 4G Xooms, I feel a bit left out. Do you suppose I'll get some ICS goodness soon?

TJH

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

Why do you suspect that ICS wouldn't work with the 3G radio? Does the new version of Honeycomb that works with the 3G/4G radio also work on your 3G Xoom?

If it does, this is probably due to the fact that the 3G portion of the 3G/4G is the same as that originally used in the 3G Xoom. [FCC regs being what they are, why would Moto want to re-invent the 3G radio?]

Thus, if ICS is still going to allow those of us with 4G to keep using 3G mode when not in 4G territory, it's going to have to support the 3G radio.

 

[SamuriHL]

AFAIK, it's not JUST about the radios. I think the way 4G devices authenticate is different, and when the 4G upgrade is installed it changes it to a 4G device (obviously). That means it has a SIM card now, as well. So I don't know if they need separate builds or what. I know the ICS roms out there only seem to work on the 4G upgraded Xoom's.

 

[Zman1001]

Why not send it in for the 4G upgrade? It is free. It does not matter if 4G is not in your area, and it will not affect your service.

 

[SamuriHL]

That's what I'm not understanding, either. I would think having the upgrade would be a good thing and you'd have a fully supported device by doing so. Guess I'm confused why anyone wouldn't want to do that.

 

[SamuriHL]

ROFL! I just now got an email about "last chance for upgrade" for the Xoom. How ironic! (I've already done mine so I'm not sure why I'm getting an email about it....uh anyway). So apparently there's still time to get those 3G Xoom's upgraded.

 

[slwerner]

ROFL! I just now got an email about "last chance for upgrade" for the Xoom. How ironic! (I've already done mine so I'm not sure why I'm getting an email about it....uh anyway). So apparently there's still time to get those 3G Xoom's upgraded.

I got it too. Verizon doesn't seem to know what Xooms Motorola has done the upgrades on. I can't recall for certain, but it seems to me that the upgrade was "arranged" for via going to the Verizon website to request the box to get the process underway.

Pretty damned poor communication between the two, I'd have to say. At least the part about Moto getting word to VZ that a given Xoom had been upgraded.

No actual date for the end of the upgrade program, but those who chose not to do it yet might want to give it some thought now.

 

[SamuriHL]

I got it too. Verizon doesn't seem to know what Xooms Motorola has done the upgrades on. I can't recall for certain, but it seems to me that the upgrade was "arranged" for via going to the Verizon website to request the box to get the process underway.

Pretty damned poor communication between the two, I'd have to say. At least the part about Moto getting word to VZ that a given Xoom had been upgraded.

No actual date for the end of the upgrade program, but those who chose not to do it yet might want to give it some thought now.

I thought they had said 90 days originally? But I'm not sure on that. In any case, don't get me started again on how poor the communication was in regard to the upgrade. There's a nice long thread about it and I have MANY posts in there. I was happy in the end, but, very unhappy with how the whole thing went down and the lack of communication during the upgrade process.

Anyway, I would recommend the upgrade to anyone who hasn't done it yet. I was on vacation in a 4G area last week and man oh man....it's SO nice! Can't wait til my home area is upgraded.

 

[TJH132]

Multiple reasons not to upgrade: lack of 4G in my area (Oregon is highly under-served), no intention of paying Verizon for another data plan, and the reports of hassles and delays when the upgrade first happened.

I guess I might have to go without my Xoom for a week to get the 4G upgrade.

TJH

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[TJH132]

For the same reason the wifi upgrade won't work with the 3G version; I'm not an engineer at Google/Motorola and don't know what the internal differences may be.

But if you want to flash the 4G upgrade on a 3G unit and let me know how it goes, I'd be interested in the outcome.

TJH

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[Mark_Venture]

Multiple reasons not to upgrade: lack of 4G in my area (Oregon is highly under-served), no intention of paying Verizon for another data plan, and the reports of hassles and delays when the upgrade first happened.

I guess I might have to go without my Xoom for a week to get the 4G upgrade.

TJH

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

1. The Upgrade is FREE and it doesn't matter if you only have 3G in your area or not.
2. Even if you get the upgrade, you do not NEED to pay VZW for a data plan on your Xoom.
3. "when the upgrade first happened" was how long ago? and they were flooded by the many users who had been waiting on the upgrade. Right now, it should only be the last few hold outs.. Moto may still quote a "weeK' to do the conversion, but it will likely take less time.

There is a thread over on XDA of someone with a VZW 3G Xoom in Australia? who uses his as wifi only, and was able to apply the leaked WIFI ICS rom (currently out for soak test), but in doing so lost 3G radio (which didn't bother him because he couldn't use it anyway) effectively turning his 3G Xoom into a WIFI only Xoom.

So either way you want to go... its up to you.

But it does look like the 3G Xoom (MZ600) is now orphaned, as the upgrades look for MZ602 model to apply.

 

[TJH132]

On Saturday I filled out the form to get the 4G upgrade. Now I'm waiting on FedEX to send me the return box. I know it was a holiday weekend here in the states, but the tracking information (four days on) shows it hasn't even been shipped to me yet. Argh...

TJH

 

[Zman1001]

I am glad to see you are upgrading it. I know that when they sent me the packing info, it took a little time, but then I sent it back to them and they put it back in shipping the next day after they received it. It was something like I sent it on Monday, they received it on Tuesday, they sent it back to me on Wednesday and I received it on Thursday. Very quick turn around time.

I also waited until after the initial rush was gone too. Everything went smooth.

 

[TJH132]

Just my luck: Some bad winter storms in the Northwest have caused all sorts of delays for FedEx. I dropped my Xoom off at a lonely drop box yesterday morning and there's still no movement on the package. FedEx's tracking page has lots of zip codes listed for delays.

It would be a nice surprise to get it back in a week (or two) with ICS installed!

TJH

 

[Zman1001]

Glad to hear you got it going. It is two day shipping to Moto, so after it is picked up, they will get it quickly. Then, they will take one day, and ship it 1 or 2 day back to you.

Shipping delays stink, but you will be happy you did it (even if you can not get 4G in your area).

Wishful thinking on the ICS though. It will happen soon though (I hope)

 

[mhochman]

I never upgraded mine simply because I don't use the 3G radio, no contract with verizon, and I really didn't want to be without my Xoom for a week.
But now that it looks like you won't be able to upgrade to ICS without it, I'm sending mine in

 

[roadrat]

I never upgraded mine simply because I don't use the 3G radio, no contract with verizon, and I really didn't want to be without my Xoom for a week.
But now that it looks like you won't be able to upgrade to ICS without it, I'm sending mine in

yep, same situation here. packing mine up now

 

[mhochman]

I'm not looking forward to being without my Xoom for a week, I use it Daily! Maybe I'll try and snag my wife's Kindle Fire for the week.... Or maybe not, since I want to live to see my Xoom come back...