How To Check Your Android For Cupcake

Cupcake is the internal Google nickname for the latest version of the Android operating system  (There will be a Doughnut version next). Google engineers stumbled on a great marketing tool similar to Ubuntu’s Hardy Heron, Intrepid Ibex, Jaunty Jackalope scheme. Who doesn’t like dessert?
Unfortunately, Cupcake is quickly becoming known as the update that didn’t show up after the recent announcement and then retraction by T-Mobile. It was officially announced that the random Over the Air (OTA) updates would begin late last week at the rate of about 15% of users each day, but it never came. Reports surfaced that it would be delayed until Monday and then “Early June.”

If you are wondering what version of Android is your phone running and whether it have been updated to the latest version, here is a quick and easy way to check the version on your Android phone:

1. Go to your home screen (push the home button).


2. Push the menu button.


3. Touch “Settings.”


4. Scroll to the very bottom of the list that comes up and touch “About phone.”


5. Scroll to the bottom again and look at the line titled “Firmware version.”

If “Firmware version” says:

1.0 – You’re behind! Call your phone company about getting an OTA (Over the Air) update. You’ve been out of cell phone reception continuously for months. Your phone reboots when you type “reboot.”

1.1 – You have the current version of the phone with update notifications and Maps 3.0

1.5 – You have Cupcake! Congratulations. You’ve received an Over the Air update while you slept and now you can enjoy widgets, on screen keyboards, voice recognition and more. Give yourself a little hug.

1.5 and Model Number “HTC Hero” – You’re very sneaky

What can I do if I am still not getting Cupcake?

Android phone owners are tenacious and impatient. T-Mobile may see a day when versions are released the way they are for desktop Linux starting with Alpha or even pre-Alpha. Clearly T-Mobile would like to prevent root access, tethering, and anything else that may allow unwanted access to their network and customer support, but Android phone owners will be finding a way to install a newer version from Cupcake to Zebra Cake! The company will have to find a happy medium before the standard build becomes something other than the OTA update.

T-Mobile has already made some concessions by hosting manual update threads and links on their forums and simply including a disclaimer instead of shutting the posts down.

If you’re too impatient, you can get the latest Cupcake via the manual update. It’s fairly painless and only takes a few minutes. You have to be willing to completely wipe all the data on your phone and you run the risk of rendering your phone useless (known as bricking). Also, T-Mobile claims that you will not receive OTA updates after a manual install, although a factory reset should bring you back in their good graces.

Download Cupcake here

Image credit: Rachel from Cupcakes Take the Cake

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Alex Byrnes is an open source expert and Android blogger/developer who can be seen all over the 'net at AndroidAndMe and Nandroid. During the day he's an ordinary software engineer for the Dayton Daily News.