How To Manually Install Android 1.5 Cupcake Without Rooting Your Device

Some Android owners are beginning to lose their patience with the whole Android 1.5, Cupcake, T-Mobile US, T-Mobile G1 debacle. A lot of them have been waiting for months (some of you since the very beginning!) to get the update and T-Mobile continues to delay the release of Cupcake.

So if you're sick of waiting and eager to try out Cupcake, there is a workaround that allows you to manually update your G1 to Android 1.5. Hit the Jump for more Details...

Don't worry, there's no root access required and it's a relatively straightforward process. How this particular method works is it uses the UK version of Android 1.5 to install onto your US T-Mobile G1. And according to multiple users, it really does work (with some sacrifices).

Here's how:

1. Head over to the T-mobile Forums to download the UK version of Android 1.5 Cupcake
2. Put the downloaded file into your SD card
3. Turn ur phone off and re-boot it holding the home button
4. When you see the triangle hit alt+L
5. Then alt+S
6. Press home and back when it tells you to (to reboot your phone)
7. It'll say installing Radio after you hit home+back (thats normal)
8. It'll reboot a couple times and after you see the new Android loading screen,
you've got Cupcake.
9. When Android 1.5 for the US comes out repeat the process with the US download

Note: if you do decide to use this method to get Cupcake, know that you'll be missing a few US-specific features such as: Voice Search, Native Chat, Amazon MP3, etc. We're also not sure on whether the Android Market in this process will be the UK version or the US. Otherwise, you can test drive Cupcake to see if it measures up to everything you've been waiting for.

The official T-Mobile US release should be coming out soon! Hopefully this method can keep you guys from storming T-Mobile's offices and demanding Cupcake.


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