Trying to understand software updating!!!

[Joey76]

I have read through these pages and also on the net but am still having trouble with a few basic things.

I will try and keep this short and to the point.

My father has just bought an s2 running gingerbread- it was bought through virgin mobile AUS. What does he need to do to update to a newer version of software/firmware/op system. IE gingerbread,ICS or JB..

I have heard that Kies is needed which from what I have read seems to be similar to itunes- is this correct? I have also heard it is quite moody and he owns a Mac so in your opnion would it be better for him to take it to Virgin Mobile and have them update it.
He is 60 and not the most technologically experienced.


I am also looking at buying a phone today that has 4.0. The phone will be unblocked and was also wondering just how difficult it would be for me to update to JB (if that is possible yet). I am coming over from apple and have a lot to learn but really hoping it is relatively painless



EDIT:

Have read on here as well about doing a factory reset. If this is done is there any chance of him wiping contacts and is there anyway he has the ability owning a MAC to store his contacts on his computer. IE mac will sync you contacts without hassle. Just wondering how or where he could back up his contacts etc.

 

[chanchan05]

You don't NEED to update, but you will lose out on a few things. Like compatibility to more apps and such.

Its like Windows or MacOSX. Every now and then they send out OS updates for bug fixes and creates better user experience for less lags and stuff.

 

[Joey76]

You don't NEED to update, but you will lose out on a few things. Like compatibility to more apps and such.

Its like Windows or MacOSX. Every now and then they send out OS updates for bug fixes and creates better user experience for less lags and stuff.

Sorry if this sound stupid but how are updates sent out? IE how would he now when or how to update.

At this stage I dont have a high end android phone so being and ex apple person Im having trouble understanding how they do it.

 

[chanchan05]

Depends entirely. I'm not in the US, but I hear they (carrier networks) send it out via over the air updates. You get a notification that you have an update, then you download it straight on the phone. In other countries, you check it over Kies on your PC. Its a program that evolved from the Samsung PC Suite.

 

[Joey76]

If I update is there a chance that my data IE contacts will be lost.

How is it possible to store my contacts OFF the phone in case of errors using a MAC.

The mac sync's very easily with an iphone but have no idea if it will do the same with an android phone.

I have heard people talking about doing a factory reset after the update.
Again does this risk losing things like contacts ETC and how easy is it to do a factory reset?

 

[Hadron]

If you store your contacts as Google contacts they will sync with your Gmail account and you have an automatic backup.

Otherwise go into the contacts app & use the import/export option in the menu to export them to your sd card. You can then copy that backup somewhere else to be really safe.

A factory reset is easy to do from the phone's menu, and will erase all user apps and data - and contacts, messages etc are just application data so will be erased. So it's a good idea to have anything important backed-up. There are different solutions depending on your phone, e.g. recent Android versions can back up via adb ("android debug bridge"), there are many apps for backing up messages, and some general backup apps (though to fully back up with these you need to be rooted, in which case you don't want to accept an over the air update!). There is also an option to back up data and settings to google servers in the privacy menu, but I've never used this so cannot comment on how well it works.

 

[chanchan05]

Samsung Kies is able to make backups of your phone just like iTunes does on iPhone. You can sort of think of it as iTunes for Samsung, with a number of differences of course. There are also other options like saving to cloud, which i find as being the best option. I personally only use Kies for updates and backup everything else to cloud.

 

[Joey76]

A factory reset is easy to do from the phone's menu, and will erase all user apps and data - and contacts, messages etc are just application data so will be erased.

Samsung Kies is able to make backups of your phone just like iTunes does on iPhone. You can sort of think of it as iTunes for Samsung, with a number of differences of course. There are also other options like saving to cloud, which i find as being the best option. I personally only use Kies for updates and backup everything else to cloud.

so that would mean installing all your apps again?

Do you mean icloud is there another cloud type for android.




is it possible to transfer contacts to the SD and connect the phone to a mac and transfer to a folder via USB.?


How is making all contacts "google contacts" done.

At the moment I am using a dual sim samsung yduos in south america and its not the best.

I am trying to understand linking everything together as I have been with apple for many years. Im not IT inept, Im just trying to get used to a new system.

Regards



EDIT. I am trying to find the easiest way for my old man who has never owned a smart phone to get his contacts backed up on his PC. IE emails and phone numbers

 

[Hadron]

"Cloud" is just a generic term for "one the net somewhere". So backing up to Google servers would be a "cloud backup". iCloud AFAIK is restricted to iOS devices, though a google search does bring up a few links on syncing iCloud contacts to Android (I've not read very far on these).

Once something is backed up to sd you can easily copy to any computer over usb. Just mount the card on usb (some phones call this "disk drive mode", I've no first-hand experience of Samsung) and copy as you would with any usb storage device.

My wife's recent HTC allowed her to change contact types from "phone only (unsynced)" to "google", but I don't think most have that option (my own phone, using non-HTC software, does not). The simplest way I know is to export the contacts to sd then re-import them. When you do this it asks whether you want to import them as phone-only or google contacts, so if you select google it's done. Then in account and sync settings check that contact syncing is on and it will back them up to your Gmail account (i.e. a "cloud backup" ).

And yes, after a factory reset you would need to reinstall your apps. If you have app data/settings backed up with Google I think this might be more automatic, but as I say I don't use that option so can't say for sure.

Chanchan05 points out that you can do backups using Samsung Kies, which would be backing up the phone to your computer. Again this is something I've no experience of, so can't say more.