UDP streamlines Nokia 6120 Classic v4.21 firmware upgrade
UDP, which stands for User Data Preservation is a new mechanism that seriously helps streamline the process of upgrading phone firmware.
Upgrading firmware without UDP is no small feat because the phone's internal memory is wiped as part of the upgrade. To avoid losing user-added data like contacts, calendar-entries, themes, settings, applications and such it is therefore necessary to either back up the data before upgrading, or re-establish it manually after upgrading. Both approaches have drawbacks - manual re-entry is really cumbersome, while restoring a back up does not always work (in my experience).
Not so with UDP - during the upgrade, all this data is copied to some other part of the memory and re-established after the new firmware has been installed. Automagically, mind you - you do not need to lift a finger.
As the title suggests, I first experienced UDP when I upgraded the firmware on my Nokia 6120 Classic last week. N82 and 6120C are the first two Nokia models to employ UDP - sadly the recently released v21.0.016 N95 firmware does not come with UDP…which means I am in for one hell of a job!
Before upgrading the 6120C I did actually back up the data, but it was entirely unnecessary - the upgrade went through the different steps and at the end of it, everything about my phone was just the way it was before the upgrade. Except for the changes that come with the new firmware of course. And what exactly are the changes for the v4.21 firmware? Not many it would seem. I have not come across any sort of changelog, but from reading blog and forum posts, I have gathered the following:
- Faster menu navigation (difficult to tell, really)
- Added possibility to synchronize individual contacts with services like ZYB.
- Some users claim that new themes are added, but the themes listed (»Pearl White«, »Pink«, »Sand Gold« and »Classic Blue«) were all present on my phone in the previous firmware (v3.83).
Not that it really matters - the addition of UDP alone justifies this firmware upgrade. From talking to colleagues, friends and family I would say that few people make use of the option to upgrade their phone firmware. That is a pity - I have taken my Nokia N95 through three firmware revisions since buying it (as mentioned above, I am still to upgrade to the latest 21.0.016 revision) and because of it, I now have a phone very different (vastly improved) from the one I bought.
Hopefully, mechanisms like UDP will ease the task of upgrading firmware and thus enable more people to enjoy the improvements brought about by new firmware revisions.
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November 9th, 2008 at 15:38
Good day! Just asking how were you able to update your N6120 classic to v4.21? Mine’s still v3.83. I checked nokia.com but they got no latest update for this phone model. Where’d you get this update? Did you also used Nokia Software Updater? By the way, I’m from Philippines. I also want to know if the phone version update is “region-dependent”? Whether if the new version can only be possible with the network service provider in your country.
Thank you and may God bless you. Hoping for your kind reply.
November 9th, 2008 at 22:38
Hello Harris, and thanks for stopping by. I will do my best to answer your quetions.
Yes, I have updated my 6120C using Nokia Software Updater (NSU).
Yes, the firmware revisions are released for each product code - product codes are region specific.
To see if new firmware is available for your handset, you need to know the handset’s product code. If you do not know it, it is printed underneath the battery - it is a number and for your 6120 is should be something like ‘0547591′.
You then go Nokia’s Device software update page; type in the product code and the page will tell you, what the latest firmware revision is. Again, for your 6120C is ought to be v05.11 since a new revision has been released since I wrote about updating to v04.21.
Does that answer you questions? If not, please feel free to elaborate in another comment…