Oreo on its way

[smapmap]

Google have approved the latest Gemini OS build - so fingers crossed will be available shortly. Wonder what improvements have been made this time?

[Murple2]

Google have approved the latest Gemini OS build - so fingers crossed will be available shortly. Wonder what improvements have been made this time?

That's good news, I bricked (and subsequently wiped) my Gemini about a week ago and I'm holding off using it in anger until the Oreo update

[jakfish]

That is good news. But I have to remind myself that after the release, it always takes a while longer for the os to make it to the flash platform.

I like Nougat fine; I'm just glad to see Planet continuing to support their devices.

Jake

[gemini_user_j]

Following last week's visit by Planet to our factory partner in China, the main focus of discussion regarding Gemini was the release date for Android 8.1. We believe that, following final confirmations from Mediatek and our factory, we will be in a position to release the Android 8.1 update within 2 weeks.

This major update will not only update the operating system from Android 7.1.1 to Android 8.1, but it will also provide have the most up-to-date version of all the Planet apps - App Bar, Airmail®, Data, Agenda, LEDison, Notes, Gemini Voice Assistant and Gemini Keyboard.

2019-03-18
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gemini-p...74#/updates/all

[graynada]

we will be in a position to release the Android 8.1 update within 2 weeks

That'll be a PC 2 weeks then       Do we think they are travelling at or need the speed of light thus time goes more slowly for them relative to us?

[gymbo]

we will be in a position to release the Android 8.1 update within 2 weeks

That'll be a PC 2 weeks then       Do we think they are travelling at or need the speed of light thus time goes more slowly for them relative to us?

That would be a quite remarkable technological breakthrough, so one would at least THINK they would announce it in a big way?? (At least I'm not aware of anybody else having achieved travel at the speed of light, or close to it...    )

Another explanation might be that they are a VERY progressive company, and in anticipation of the large population growth, and automation of work, they have cut the working day to 2 hours since the announcment     . Which might indicate up to 8 weeks instead of 2...    

Going away for a little over a week now, so wouldn't update right now anyway, but it would be nice if they could keep at least SOME of their timelines...

[gidds]

If they release in the next 20 hours, it'll still be less than 3 weeks…

Planet are a very small company, and I'm inclined to cut them a little slack.  The Gemini itself was a few months later than we hoped, but it did arrive, and with pretty much the hoped-for spec (slightly better in some ways, not quite as good in others).  From the vantage point of a year later, that delay isn't important; the device itself is.  I gather that people who've had to contact them directly about e.g. broken machines have mostly been happy with the ultimate results.  They promised a way to flash various operating systems, and they did so.  (It may not be as easy to use as we'd like, but it's probably a darn sight better support than for most Android phones.)  And so on.

As far as I can tell, Planet have been working in good faith all along, and so I'm happy to forgive them a little optimism on timescales.

By the way: does anyone know what the effects of upgrading from Android 7.1.1 to 8.1 might be?  Will any of my apps stop working?  Will I have to set up all my settings again, or my launcher, &c?  Will it still be rooted?  And are there any new features to look forward to?

[covex]

If they release in the next 20 hours, it'll still be less than 3 weeks…

Planet are a very small company, and I'm inclined to cut them a little slack.  The Gemini itself was a few months later than we hoped, but it did arrive, and with pretty much the hoped-for spec (slightly better in some ways, not quite as good in others).  From the vantage point of a year later, that delay isn't important; the device itself is.  I gather that people who've had to contact them directly about e.g. broken machines have mostly been happy with the ultimate results.  They promised a way to flash various operating systems, and they did so.  (It may not be as easy to use as we'd like, but it's probably a darn sight better support than for most Android phones.)  And so on.

As far as I can tell, Planet have been working in good faith all along, and so I'm happy to forgive them a little optimism on timescales.

By the way: does anyone know what the effects of upgrading from Android 7.1.1 to 8.1 might be?  Will any of my apps stop working?  Will I have to set up all my settings again, or my launcher, &c?  Will it still be rooted?  And are there any new features to look forward to?

I am not that sure I want A8.1 on Gemini, as on the other device I have the behaviour of 8.1 is a hell, this version of Android completely changes the notification API, many apps stops working notification including K-mail (well interested in airmail which is modified k-mail), there is very agressive power management, that is still killing any background app, you have to manually select apps that may live in the background, there is no way to set "disable wifi during sleep" as android wants wifi still on to track you etc. In the first place I'd like to know how the Gemini deals with those andriod oreo features.

[NCI]

8.1 is certainly better than nothing, but honestly 9.0 is miles ahead of it in all regards. Guess we won't be ever seeing 9.0 on Gemini, though.

[smapmap]

Anyone got Oreo yet? Supposed to be out today?

[Daniel W]

Anyone got Oreo yet? Supposed to be out today?

I just checked my X25 4G Gemini in Sweden and... nothing, so far. I intend to keep checking daily, not because I really need 8.1 as such for what I do on the Gemini, but rather because its September 2018 patch level doesn't feel serious two days from May 2019.

As for Android 9 on the Gemini, well, the Cosmo is supposed to run 9.0 at release, so obviously Planet needs to make it run there. While the Cosmo has somewhat different hardware, it still has quite a lot in common with the Gemini, so, in the long run, I suspect it would be easier for Planet to maintain a few flavors of the same version of Android for the different models of Gemini and Cosmo, than keep patching 8.1 for the Gemini and 9.0 for the Cosmo.

That, of course, doesn't have to mean that 9.0 for the Gemini will happen, just that, from my point of view, since Planet Computers claims they will keep caring for the Gemini for the foreseeable future, it would seem like a reasonable thing to do, once the Cosmo has shipped, whenever that might be.

[Varti]

Nothing here as well, and no reports from others yet (just checked on IRC/Telegram/Facebook/Indiegogo), though there's a message from Mike on FB saying that it began rolling out to some devices yesterday, and will expand to all devices over the coming days. Keep in mind that this is the OTA release for unrooted, Android-only Wifi+LTE models, the files for the manual installation will be released in a couple of weeks.

Varti

[Murple2]

Nothing here as well, and no reports from others yet (just checked on IRC/Telegram/Facebook/Indiegogo), though there's a message from Mike on FB saying that it began rolling out to some devices yesterday, and will expand to all devices over the coming days. Keep in mind that this is the OTA release for unrooted, Android-only Wifi+LTE models, the files for the manual installation will be released in a couple of weeks.

Varti

Planer computers doesn't out right lie in their communications... but they have always bern very creative with the truth. When they talk about rolling out to a limited number of devices initially, they could simply mean they are rolling out to a couple of developer devices in house.

Varti, where is your source for the couple of weeks for release of manual installation files?

[smapmap]

Nothing here as well, and no reports from others yet (just checked on IRC/Telegram/Facebook/Indiegogo), though there's a message from Mike on FB saying that it began rolling out to some devices yesterday, and will expand to all devices over the coming days. Keep in mind that this is the OTA release for unrooted, Android-only Wifi+LTE models, the files for the manual installation will be released in a couple of weeks.

Varti

Planer computers doesn't out right lie in their communications... but they have always bern very creative with the truth. When they talk about rolling out to a limited number of devices initially, they could simply mean they are rolling out to a couple of developer devices in house.

Varti, where is your source for the couple of weeks for release of manual installation files?

I'd imagine this is fairly typical - prove it works seamlessly before rolling out to the wider user base. This is the first time planet have done an OS update so I can imagine its a big deal for them.

[Murple2]

Nothing here as well, and no reports from others yet (just checked on IRC/Telegram/Facebook/Indiegogo), though there's a message from Mike on FB saying that it began rolling out to some devices yesterday, and will expand to all devices over the coming days. Keep in mind that this is the OTA release for unrooted, Android-only Wifi+LTE models, the files for the manual installation will be released in a couple of weeks.

Varti

Planer computers doesn't out right lie in their communications... but they have always bern very creative with the truth. When they talk about rolling out to a limited number of devices initially, they could simply mean they are rolling out to a couple of developer devices in house.

Varti, where is your source for the couple of weeks for release of manual installation files?

I'd imagine this is fairly typical - prove it works seamlessly before rolling out to the wider user base. This is the first time planet have done an OS update so I can imagine its a big deal for them.

If this were the case then releasing the files for manual flashing would allow people or are happy to experiment to further test the product before the OTA is rolled out. IMO Planet are stalling for time