When Good Firmware Goes Bad... And Why You Should Wait To Update

[Shrygue]

via Gizmodo US


"Firmware update" sounds like something you'd want. Something solid, yet fresh and new. But lately deciding to update is getting more complicated. The newest firmware is no longer just a nice downloadable present from a benevolent electronics overlord; on many devices, it has been buggy or downright dangerous to install. Manufacturers like Apple, Nintendo and Sony are increasingly releasing firmware that disables functionality for business reasons—or that just make products worse by being halfbaked. Here is a rundown of firmware updates that weren't exactly beloved by users.

Sony PSP: A healthy and thriving homebrew community had sprung up around Sony's PSP, with alternate, user-made firmware adding new functionality like a wider range of supported media codecs and the ability to share music. Oh, and, well, there was also that little issue of mass piracy of games. Sony issued a number of firmware upgrades—a whopping six each in 2006 and 2007—designed to curb the little thieves, but which had the unfortunate side effect of discouraging the more creative, less piratical wing of the homebrew community. Sony used the "carrot and stick" method, enticing users with marginal new functions when the real purpose of the upgrade was to stop the homebrewers. This led to users actually trying to downgrade, or move back to an earlier firmware. Sony in turn tried to make it harder to downgrade, escalating the squabble into a war with its own customers.
Degree of Evilness: High. This is a deliberate attempt to harsh PSP users' buzz.

Sony PlayStation 3: The PS3's anticipated firmware 2.40, on the other hand, was a simple disaster. The famously expensive console was due to receive a major update, adding the flashy XMB interface to the mix. Unfortunately, while the update did work for some, it bricked a lot of PS3s, producing some very upset gamers. Sony pulled the update and re-released it, repaired, as 2.41, but Sony's mucked-up firmware was the Story of the Day. Bad press, ill will and useless hulking black machines. Not a great moment for Sony.
Degree of Evilness: Low. Simple incompetence from a corporation that should know better.

Apple iPod: Back in 2004, Real cracked Apple's FairPlay code in order to allow music purchased from Rhapsody to be played on iPods. When Apple released an update blocking Rhapsody users, Real cracked it again. Apple released another block update, and so on until Real ran out of steam. We doubt there was much demand for the service at the time, but Apple's clampdown was shameless. Hell, Apple could have played Real compatibility as yet another reason to buy an iPod.
Degree of Evilness: Medium-High. In the end, it was more bratty than evil.

Apple iPhone/iPod touch: When the first iPhone/iPod touch software was jailbroken, a few updates came out under the guise of bug fixing that just happened to make unauthorized use a lot more difficult. This time around, with the 2.0 release, the setbacks were more accidental than deliberate. The new 2.0 firmware may have creaked open the floodgates for third-party applications, but it also resulted in a lot of instability. Thanks to the update, iPhones have crashed at a rate never seen before (well, outside of my last couple Windows machines, that is), the keyboard gained a frustrating lag, "backing up" takes almost as long as the Iraq occupation (zing!), and, in a total affront to common sense, THERE IS STILL NO COPY-PASTE.
Degree of Evilness: Middle. A mix of self-preservation and circumstance, with some brazen stubbornness from His Steveness thrown in.

Nintendo Wii: In Nintendo's Photo Channel 1.1 firmware update, the game maker quietly removed support for MP3 playback in their Wii console. They replaced it with support for the iPod-friendly AAC codec, a far-too-obvious hint at what we all suspected: Nintendo has been taken over by the White Devil. How else do we explain the move from that GameCube controller that was clearly designed for some moon octopus to a remote control so simple I can operate it with my genitals? What about the new and incredibly racist all-white color scheme, the minimalist design aesthetic, and the cavalier and haughty attitude toward competition? Readers, watch out, or Jobs will get you ne-AAAACK!
Degree of Evilness: Nintendo can do no wrong. (And Steve Jobs is perfect.)

Firmware updates that leave you worse off than you were before are a kick in the crotch. But what about the slow, increasingly painful wedgie of unfulfilled promises? Electronics companies often promise to deliver features in firmware updates that, for whatever reason, aren't included at the time of purchase. In the best of cases, this is frustrating: Samsung's P2, for instance, promised Bluetooth compatibility, games, skins and more upon release, but was only achieved, finally, months later. But what if, as in Samsung's Blu-Ray/HD DVD combo player, the product line dies before the promised features (Blu-Ray 2.0 compatibility) can be updated? Firmware updates should be a surprise, a freshly-wrapped hand-me-down present that makes your crappy old gadget seem somehow new again, not a license to shove an unfinished product out the door.

This is just a short list of troubling firmware updates—if you have some firmware horror stories of your own to share, be our guest. And for all of you who immediately click "YES PLEASE!" to all auto-updaters, take heed, and maybe wait 24 hours before doing the upgrade.

[____anders____]

i ALWAYS read the changelogs on every firmware updates for all stuff i have before i update, or not.

i'm still on 3.2E on my wii as i'm thinking that maybe there's stuff that can't be done with the new firmwares, like that "CFW" released a couple of hours ago, only compatible with 3.2 PAL wii's, so i guess i did the right thing not to update.

but those custom firmwares for wii (if you can call them that) is way too early in development fo me, so i'll wait until something i really want get implemented into them.

[sappo]

Lol, Sony and Apple fail.

[mike_jmg]

24 hours or maybe more

[jrsmaster411]

atleast sony give new features unlike nintendo. sony give trophies, in game music, and home on ps3 with updates on psp web browser, rss feed, skype. All nintendo does is give you the ability to drag your mii to the mii plaza >.> hooray and I wouldn't consider trying to stop piracy "evil"

[alanparker05]

I've always known manufacturers are very slow at adding new features and release buggy firmwares because when you have to update you will have to take more notice of any new features and products that can make them more money and even if you only use pirated games they have more chance of getting getting you interested with an update and i do respect nintendo for taking a much nicer approach and still making more money than the rest

[masterchief929]

Nintendo can do no wrong.

i completely agree! the only thing they can do is try to stop homebrew but make it so that the wii will be re-hacked within 48 hours.

[gutbub]

First off, despite what it says, Nintendo and Apple will never merge, or at least they better not. If that ever happened, the world would go into chaos.

Now then, speaking of bad firmware experiences, one time I upgraded my router firmware. Bad idea. Became incompatible with my isp, and I lost internet service. Now I only install firmware for my router that my isp recommends.

[Veskgar]

I have a couple to share:

A while back when I was a sucker and would upgrade everything because it was "new" I went to upgrade the bios on a Sony Vaio laptop. The update went through its process with no signs of error. Then at the end it shut the laptop down as it was supposed to. However, when I tried to power up the laptop............................. NOTHING! Bricked. Had to sell the laptop "AS-IS" for parts or repair on eBay.

For a fun PSP related story, before I really paid serious attention to PSP homebrew, I upgraded to the 2.00 firmware which introduced the much hyped but disappointing PSP web browser. Shortly after, I realized just how amazing the PSP homebrew scene was becoming. Thanks to the MPH 2.00 downgrader via tiff exploit, I was able to return to the coveted 1.50 firmware.

[TVarmy]

Linksys deserves an honorable mention. They came out with the WRT54G router, which proved to be very hackable, thanks to its linux OS. They never blocked users' ability to install custom firmware. When Linksys was planning on releasing a new model with less RAM and a different OS, they made sure to release the same old router under the name WRT54GL, L standing for linux. The hacked routers have features very expensive, very high end routers have, and probably do keep power users from buying fancy, high end routers, but Linksys still embraces the homebrew movement nonetheless.

It should be noted that they were partly legally obligated due to Linux's GPL license, but the fact they continued to make the old design of router proves that they appreciate the homebrew movement, or at least the sales it brought the otherwise utilitarian router.

FWIW, I'm currently using one right now to send this message.