updating a device without cellular contract to froyo2.2

Since I already have a mobile phone (and contract), I bought a droid X without a contract so I could write apps for it.

I am confused about how to update this device to 2.2 Froyo so I can get started with developing. Is there a guide or guidelines for the upgrade/installation process? It looks like the code is here, but I need help understanding how to move it from git to device.

Thank you! (FWIW, this question is very similar to mine... but for w开发者_Python百科indows mobile)

Looking at the link you provided, I'm guessing that you're new to the Android platform. So assuming you're new, I should tell you that you should be able to develop on your Droid X just fine, even if you don't update it to Froyo 2.2.

And unless you're a Flash developer (and need the latest Flash player), or are using any of the advanced features that only Froyo 2.2 provides, developing for Android 1.6 and above (while you're in Eclipse) should still allow you to port your app to any of the versions above (since the versions on the phones are backward-compatible). In fact, since Android 2.2 is much faster than the version that came just before it, it may be a good idea to keep your Droid X deliberately slow. As developers, we tend to always have the latest phones, with the latest updates, and the latest hardware, when in fact, we should be coding and testing our apps with the lowest common denominators in mind.

In any case, your Droid X should update just fine from Verizon even without a contract. At least, that was the case for two of my Droids (the original ones). Hopefully, my instructions will still be good enough (even thought, some of my menus have changed since I have Froyo, and the closest device I have that compares to your Droid X is one of my original Motorola Droids)

From the Home screen, press on the Menu key, go to Settings > Wireless & networks

Make sure Airplane mode is unchecked, enable Wi-Fi, set up Wi-Fi once (if it's not already set up). If you don't see Mobile networks near the bottom of the screen, press the back key once, go to Mobile networks, and select 'Data enabled'

Yes, I know. I know you don't have a contract, but this doesn't mean that your phone can't synchronize with the current time zones, or any of the wireless towers Over-The-Air.

Then press the back key at least twice to return to the main settings. Scroll down until you find and press 'About phone'. From there, check to see if your 'Android version' is not already 2.2. If it's not, press on 'System updates' (although, on your phone, it may be called 'Update my Phone'. That should trigger the updating process.

It will download the update (that may take a while, or not, it will depend on your wifi connection), it will then prompt you to you install the update, then it should prompt you again to reboot your phone, and then you should have Froyo installed.

Once you have Froyo installed, make sure to disable the Mobile Network I told you to re-enable. There is no point in wasting battery life on that since you won't be able to make phone calls or send/receive data on that connection anyway. And by the way, the only reason I told you to enable that 'Mobile Network' connection is to try to trigger the update (I don't think it will allow you to download the update through there, and even if it did, the actual download should still be faster over wifi).

On a side-note, if you're looking for a cheap prepaid no-contract plan on Verizon. Check out Page Plus. They're on the Verizon network, and for some reason they're allowed to activate CDMA phones from Verizon. http://www.pagepluscellular.com/Online%20Store/Minutes/Talk%20n%20Text%201200%20Card.aspx

Their 1200 talk n text plan is $29.95 per month (without any taxes on top). That connection includes 50 mb of data (which is nothing, you'll burn through that quota in two or three days of using google maps). For my original Droid, they didn't even know if the data was going to work, but it did work for me, at least it did work until I got to 32 mb according to an app that kept stats of my downloads, then the data connection would stop after that quota was reached (but I could still make calls with it, it's not like they force you to re-fill once you reach one quota).

A word of warning thought, they're located on the East coast, their customer service is absolutely horrible, and you'll be lucky to even reach them on the phone (their phone line always seems to be busy or down). But if you can get them on the phone, they should be able to activate your Verizon CDMA phone without any problem, and there are no activation fees or re-activation fees, so you can use them a month, stop using them for a couple of months, and return to them whenever you feel like it (as long as you don't mind losing the phone number you had with them in between).