update

While we're still delving in to all the little changes of the combo NoDo + Firmware (2103.11.3.3) Focus update, it's really the latter that is a bit more interesting due to the mini, undocumented "fixes" on board.

We've found at least two so far, but know there have to be more. Still, these two are awwwwesome, to say the least:

• Capacitive buttons are temporarily disabled to prevent accidental "clicks": before the update, if you had an app open and you put your finger on the screen and dragged it down to the capacitive button area, you'd activate those buttons. Now you do not. This is huge for gaming on the Focus, to say the least. (Go ahead, try it. We'll wait...)
• Camera auto defaults to "anti-shake": this was a no brainer, the Focus has an anti-shake setting on it, so why would you not want that enabled by default? Evidently, Samsung saw the light on this and now it's on automatically, resulting we think in a higher percentage of steady shots
• No more Couch Potato: Shortly after the Samsung Focus hit the market, we learned that the screen was non-responsive when laying down on a soft surface such as a couch pillow (here's our video).  Post-Nodo this is no longer a problem.  WPCentral Reader Alan tipped us on this and sure enough, the Focus's screen is responsive in your hand, on a hard surface or when chilling out on a pillow.

Find anything else that is unique to this firmware (not NoDo)? Hit us up in comments and we'll post 'em.

Not much else to say on the topic beside what you read above. Basically for those who use the Facebook app on Windows Phone 7, you can expect an update "...soon" that will finally enable notifications. At least so says Matthijs Hoekstra, Developer Evangelist at Microsoft/Windows Phone 7 development (Netherlands).

Hopefully this will finally bring the popular FB client up to par with other platforms and make it a little more complete.

Update: Hoekstra is now refining his response: "What i meant is that 'an' app is coming for that, not sure about the official facebook app". Take that how you will.

Source: Twitter

While NoDo is still in the process of being tested and rolled out across networks, HTC have played a wild card and have began rolling out their own update. While we previously covered the news that Dell is looking to push out their own separate update post-NoDo, but this is the first attempt from a manufacturer on the platform. 

[Edit: Actually, Samsung has been doing it with the Focus for various users too]

According to the information received at TheUnwired, users are reporting that they too are receiving the update while being prematurely on NoDo, so it seems as though ChevronWP7.Updater isn't such a huge problem. This - of course - is an update from HTC and not Microsoft though.

Our own George Ponder has received the update for his Surround (updates the firmware to 2250.09.10307.502) and notices that their is no noticeable change in performance, and no word has been located as to what the update actually add and/or fixes. Could well be simply HTC showing off. Have you received the update, do you notice anything different?

Being a member of the Chevron team, Chris Walshie isn't one to raise false awareness or hope, so Focus owners could be in with some luck shortly, which is fantastic news. According to his tweet, the update will a Bluetooth fix may be specifically targeted, and hopefully bundled with NoDo. We previously covered Dell teasing about NoDo and a post-NoDo firmware update, and it would be great to see Samsung nail it all in one.

We're not currently aware what the safe steps to update are should you have updated your device prematurely. If any information be made available from a source or Focus user who updates, we will of course publish it.

Via: MobilityDigest

One story that has gone mostly unmentioned, due to the non-drama, is how smoothly the NoDo updates have been going for thousands now--meaning we're not having the botched updates we saw with the February/pre-NoDo update.

Still, on the rare occasion there are still a few errors happening (though we haven't heard anyone complain yet to us). Specifically there are two errors that seem to affect a small amount of users that have the following codes:

• 800705B4: The timer ran out on what we were trying to do.
• 80180080: We couldn't update your phone because your operating system might be corrupt.

For those, Microsoft has released a special tool, preventing users from fiddling with their hard disk space and/or hard-resetting their phone. If you do have the above mentioned errors, head to Microsoft support to grab the special tool and get 'er fixed already.

Source: Microsoft Support; Thanks, Kevin W, for the heads up

We have a report (and screenshot seen above) that users on Rogers/Bell may be getting a firmware and radio update to their phones post-NoDo. According to WPCentral reader TToP:

I have a Rogers Samsung Focus unlocked and running on the Bell Network. I unlocked, and unbranded my phone to install the NoDo update on Sunday, and this morning received a update prompt on my phone. Hooked it up to Zune, and found there was an "Available Update" tagged as "Samsung update for windows Phone." Did the update and found that the Firmware and Radio revision numbers changed. FW and radio versions are now 2124.10.12.2. Took about a half hour for the update.

We already know Dell is scheduling a firmware update for the Venue Pro that is separate from the February/March OS updates, so Samsung doing the same would fit in line with that model. Any other of our readers want to confirm? For the record, we tried it on our unlocked and unbranded Samsung Focus (on AT&T) and got nothin' (we're rocking 2103.10.10.1 for Firmware). Thanks, TToP, for the tip!

For those of you who received the February pre-NoDo update but are still waiting for the big important March one to hit, there looks to be an easy way to make it happen now, without using the "VPN" trick discovered earlier.

In essence, the earlier VPN trick forced your computer to connect up to Hungary where, for some reason, the NoDo update was residing for certain phones. Now that NoDo is being pushed out large-scale, well, it's on more servers including more local ones. Still, how to get it to your device is proving to be a little tricky.

On devices listed on Microsoft's website as "delivering update" this should work, including T-Mobile HD7's:

1. Start Zune
2. Turn off Data connection and Wifi on the Phone
3. Connect the Phone with the PC (USB)
4. Start the update search in Zune
5. About 3 seconds later, disconnect your PC from the internet (Turn WLAN off).
6. Zune finds NoDo-Update. Press OK.
7. Connect to the internet again and install the update.

Although some people are reporting that they had to try this multiple times, specifically the "timing" aspect in step 5, lots of folks are successfully getting the NoDo update. Share your experience in comments below and what you did to finally get it to push through. By the way, you do need the February update to get this to work.

Update: For laughs, we tried it on our "de-branded" AT&T LG Quantum (w/Feb update). Result? NoDo success!

Source: XDA (Dwight2001); Thanks to everyone who sent this in

By now, a lot of T-Mobile US customers have received their alert about the February and March updates for their HD7s. T-Mobile has published a step-by-step guide on the process, which can be found here.

What is obvious is that the HD7, but not the Dell Venue Pro is getting NoDo today. The DVP did receive the February pre-NoDo update but we've heard, but not confirmed, that NoDo will be hitting the Dell phone in mid-April (April 18th?)--has to do with more "fixes" being on board in addition to NoDo. Hopefully we'll hear more about that later.

In addition, what is curious is the changelog for the HD7:

• Adds the ability to copy and paste text.
• Stops unnecessary data connectivity and lowers data usage while using Yahoo! Mail.
• Improved Marketplace search
• While connected to Wi-Fi, customers will now see different background images in the Search screen.

We haven't heard about the Yahoo! Mail bug being fixed in this update before, nor about the the "background images" being different during search when over WiFi--more subtle changes we suppose.

Source: T-Mobile 1, T-Mobile 2

While far from exciting, as it won't bring any new features, Microsoft is rumored to be working on an update to fix fraudulent SSL certificates in a hacking attempt that took aim at many web browser. Microsoft just published a security advisory on the issue to address the bogus SSL certs. As Bruce Cowper, manager of the Microsoft Trustworthy group states:

This is not a Microsoft security vulnerability; however, one of the certificates potentially affects Windows Live ID users via login.live.com...These certificates may be used to spoof content, perform phishing attacks, or perform man-in-the-middle attacks against end users. We are unaware of any active attacks.

Microsoft has since patched Internet Explorer against the attack is reportedly mulling over an update, even possibly an over-the-air (OTA) one for Windows Phone, though nothing is certain at this point. No time line was given either. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft utilizes the OTA update capability for Windows Phone, a feature which was originally thought to be used for adding copy/paste but has since taken a back seat due to reliability concerns.

Edit: For those curious about SSL certs and how they work, see VeriSign

Source: WinRumors