If you've got a taste for Donuts, well, you can just keep right on dreaming -- but T-Mobile has rolled out a minor firmware update to G1 owners in the past few days. It's being described as including "permissions fixes and other bug fixes" -- gee, thanks, T-Mobile -- and brings the firmware 1.5 build number from CRB43 to CRC1. It's good to see that they're staying on top of things in light of the impending myTouch 3G launch -- only question is, will they be able to keep it up when they've got three or four Android devices in the lineup?

[Via TmoNews]

For most Pre owners, updates to the operating system happen silently and with little drama -- just the way Palm and the average user likes it. For the more inquisitive of us, though, Palm is offering a detailed breakdown of how the updates get pushed down to the phone and under what circumstances. For starters, you've got to be on EV-DO or WiFi, because 1xRTT (in addition to being ridiculously slow) would block incoming calls when active. Furthermore, you've got to be rocking at least 30 percent of your battery juice. Unless you update manually, the phone will check all by itself every 7 days, and if it finds something, it'll grab it within 2 days during periods when you're not using your data connection (wouldn't want it ruining the user experience, after all). The download typically gets dropped into non-user accessible storage, but apparently, Palm has a contingency plan in place if an update is truly massive -- if that happens, it can steal some user storage with your permission. As we've mentioned, once you have the download, the phone requires that you install it within 7 days; if you don't, it'll auto-install the next chance it gets. Quite a process, isn't it?

[Via Palm Infocenter]

There have been a whole bunch of false starts on this, but honestly, folks -- for real, we're not messing around -- T-Mobile has finally started distributing Android 1.5 over-the-air to American G1 owners. This means that anyone who hasn't taken the time to install the update of their own accord is just about to get hooked up without any intervention whatsoever, bringing third-party widget support, a virtual keyboard, email and messaging improvements, a revised UI, and of course, an endless font of delicious pastries that will make you morbidly obese if you eat enough of them over time. Honestly, while you're waiting for the update to arrive, hop on the Bowflex for a few minutes. It's not going to kill you.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

We're certain it has been a painstaking weekend for you Storm-owning Mac users, but the long-awaited OTA download for the first firmware update is finally available. For those somewhat confused, the update we covered on Friday was exclusively available via the Windows-only RIM Desktop Manager application; now, Storm owners can suck down v4.7.0.75 without a liaison. Early reports are pretty positive, with jkOnTheRun noting that the troublesome lag that came bundled with the handset was now all but history. The 14MB download (plus installation) is said to take around 20 to 30 minutes, so fire yours up and let us know how things turn out.

While Americans have been enjoying the spoils of the RC29 and RC30 updates for a matter of hours now, folks in the UK have finally been treated to an update of their own. The RC8 update, which was recently delivered to Brits over the air, looks to be a single update that mashes together the fixes found in both the RC29 and RC30 updates available in the US. Initial reports suggest that the phone now runs a touch cooler, though it's being debated whether or not battery life has improved or worsened. Have any of you across the pond been able to test it out and see what's new?

[Via TalkAndroid]

While many of you are still waiting for T-Mobile's RC28 update to hit your G1, at least one reader has trumped us all. KoSoVaR is sitting on fresh, over-the-air software after receiving an update notice a few minutes ago. The process rebooted his G1 "a few times" only to stabilize at RC29. Hard to say what's new at this point but we'll get back to you if we hear about anything more than bug fixes.

P.S. For what it's worth, we're still kicking it old skool back at RC19 -- waiting... and waiting... for the automagic to begin.

Update: Another reader is up on RC29 now as well. Took 5 minutes start to finish and required a single reboot. Snap of the update screens after the break.

[Thanks, KoSoVaR and David]

Well, it looks like G1 owners (or some, at least) will be getting a bit of an unexpected surprise when they turn on their brand new device tomorrow, as T-Mobile is apparently already set to start pushing out the very first OTA software update for the phone. Nothing too major, it seems, but the update will include a fix for a bug that has prevented folks from listening to songs on Amazon, as well as a number of other unspecified "enhancements." As with all OTA updates, however, it's likely everyone won't get their fix at once, and T-Mobile helpfully recommends that you simply just "wait," or "wait a little longer" to make sure you get yours, or check your software version to see if you may have gotten the update without noticing (the new release is version RC28).

[Via TmoNews]

Looks like that promised big-ass update for the Instinct has started to materialize -- but wait, there's a catch: it's going down piecemeal. Rather than receiving updates for a bunch of the Instinct's core components at once, app updates are being delivered in nice little bite-sized chunks because each app is individually "updated by the vendor, and the vendors set their own schedules," according to Sprint. By the time all is said and done, virtually everything on the phone will have been refreshed in one fashion or another; if you want to get into the nitty gritty, it looks like Picture Mail, the browser, YouTube, Sprint TV and Radio, Navigation, Email, the Music Store, and Visual Voicemail (among others) are all getting some love in this round. Many modern phones support OTA updates, but very few ever have the good fortune of getting bugs fixed and features added -- carriers are too busy turning their attention to the next great thing to bother sprucing up their existing lineups -- so it's refreshing to see Sprint seemingly putting some serious effort into getting the Instinct right. Keep it up, guys.

[Via Everything Samsung Instinct]

Nokia pushing out a user-installable firmware update to one of its S60 handsets is certainly nothing new -- and unfortunately, pushing out said update to the European model before the North American model is nothing new, either -- but what is new is how this particular update is being distributed. The company is finally taking advantage of S60's over-the-air update capability, allowing users to nab the 2MB binary for the European variant of the N78 right over a WiFi or 3G connection (GPRS / EDGE too, we imagine, but that'd be pretty painful). Version 11.043 is said to imbue handsets with "improved stability with Bluetooth (headsets and car kits) and music (playback over a long time and content refresh)" alongside "optimized Camera performance and Naviscroll sensitivity improvements," so we'd say it's pretty much a no-brainer to grab -- particularly since it doesn't mean sitting down in front of the PC with a USB cable and an iron will.

Boy Genius Report has published a laundry list of changes, additions, and fixes expected in the long-rumored OTA firmware update for the Sidekick LX, and if the list is even close to accurate, let's just put it this way -- we think it was worth the wait. Highlights include comprehensive video support, stereo Bluetooth, significant enhancements to the IM client, cross-application keyword search, and an integrated spell checker, among many other things. The site claims that the rollout will kick off on the 25th, and if past updates are any indication, it'll take a little while for the goods to get pushed out in batches. Patience, friends -- or barring that, be sure you have at least friend with an updated LX you can swipe come next week.

As the dust settles on the iPhone 3G / WWDC blowout, we've sifted through the debris and discovered a few eyebrow-raising tidbits you might be interested to know. The first of which is news that the next firmware update (2.0) could be headed to devices as early as June 27th, at least according to Apple's Australian iPod touch features page, which touts the arrival of the app store later this month. Meanwhile, Apple's cash cow won't get those OTA iTunes music downloads that were being heavily speculated on in May. Word on the street is that record labels are -- wait for it -- still holding out for those upped premiums, or that AT&T wants a cut of the action, which Apple is reluctant to hand over. Of course, AT&T wanting their share of that revenue makes good sense when you realize that the telco is taking a major hit on the sale of these devices -- a hit which will stall profits until 2010. Perhaps that explains the new rules about activation; according to a report from Reuters, the company will penalize customers who buy a phone but don't activate within 30 days, which falls in line with their aggressive new push to lock users into a contract... which looks exactly like the old cellphone business model. On a lighter note, iLounge has some real-world spy shots of the device's shell, which they claim smudges like it's going out of style, though it may be joined by a Product (RED) variation later this year. Enjoy!

Update: Apparently Apple reps have confirmed that there won't be any early firmware updates for the masses, and that they're still on schedule for July 11th. The Australian site has since updated its info -- so put the champagne back on ice.

[Thanks, Dan and Danny]

Read - Australian iPod touch features page
Read - No Over-The-Air 3G Music Downloads For New iPhone; Labels Holding Out For Higher Price Per Track?
Read - iPhone to cut into AT&T earnings until 2010
Read - Real World Photos: Inside + Outside iPhone 3G's New Shell

According to a churning rumor-mill, Apple desperately wants to make over-the-air downloads of iTunes content a reality on the 3G iPhone. Apparently, a record label executive "familiar with the discussions" states that the Cupertino gang is hoping for a "big launch in June" which includes OTA music downloads, ringtone sales, and ringback tones (the substitute music you hear instead of a ring when calling someone). There's only one problem: the labels want a higher premium for those services than a typical MP3 download. Of course, Apple's iTunes pricing has been a point of contention for some time, though its recent rule-bending for HBO could lead to upped charges for the new services. Something tells us Apple has the tenacity and bullheadedness to make this work -- let's just hope they can temper the labels' greed with the end user's economic realities.

[Via AppleInsider]

Even with all the music download services floating between Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and others, wireless subs just aren't downloading music very much. Only about two percent of US customers download music to their handsets over the air according to Jupiter Research. Not an OTA fan? Chew on this: only five percent of music-capable handsets get music sideloaded from nearby PCs as well. 28 million US customers will have music-capable handsets at the end of this year, while a minimal percentage will actually use that capability. Will it get better with the iPhone being sold in volume this year? We'll see.

[Via mocoNews]

It seems that Verizon Wireless is in the holiday spirit this year and are going to give away one free ringtone to every customer on December 31st. Customers will be able to take advantage of this by texting the word "tone" to "2007." In return, they will receive a message with the instructions on how to download their free ringtone. With this being a promotion, we're thinking that your choice of content might be limited (What, no B.I.G.?). If anyone decides to take advantage of this, drop us a line and tell us about the ringtone choices.

Anyone keeping a pulse on the S60 scene knows that for Nokia's complex little pieces of smartphone machinery, firmware updates tend to come fast and furious. Normally, getting in on the updates requires a trip to your friendly local service center -- or, for the 95 percent of us outside driving distance, saying goodbye to your mobile buddy for a couple days. Over-the-air firmware updates (FOTA) are all well and good, but manufacturers and carriers have been a little slow on the uptake, and even plain ol' PC-delivered upgrades are oddly difficult for the average user to come by. Thankfully, it looks like Nokia's started to roll out user-initiated updates for reals with the N70, N72, 6131, 6630, 6680, 6681, and 6682 all currently supported; more promised in the not-too-distant future. Only 6131 users can opt for FOTA right now -- the remainder require a PC and cable -- but we're guessing we won't be hearing many complaints from Nseries owners now happily humming along on the latest cuts.

[Via MobileBurn]