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Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 8:00 pm
by Peobody
Be advised that my Drive App just popped up a notification on my phone saying that there is firmware update available. The Drive App itself does not reference "firmware", just "update". Express listed it as a traffic language update. I let Express install it, which took just a few seconds. I don't know how to test it so this is just a 'heads up' that it isn't firmware.

Re: Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 7:47 am
by jfheath
Thanks @Peobody

Strictly speaking, none of what Garmin have put out recently in updates is firmware. The stuff that we are waiting for that addresses all of the routing issues, after version 6.50, is system software. It is an operating system that provides amongst other things, the user interface - eg like Windows, iOS, Linux etc

Settings->Device->About on the XT menu gets this distinction correct:
Software version 6.50
GPS Firmware 9.00.37
Bluetooth Firmware 12.0.26 P6

Whenever a new version of the system software is available, Garmin always refers to it as software.
And the stuff for spoken instructions, speed cameras etc is also software.

Not that it matters. It is just me being pedantic. Most people use the term 'firmware' and we know what they mean by it. I have done that as well.. eg in the link below - I changed the title of the second post because the screen shot was included to show the updates to the firmware (GPS, BlueTooth) on my replaced unit, and so that when people searched for a 'firmware update log' rather than 'software update log' they would still find it.

viewtopic.php?p=7892

Re: Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2023 1:30 pm
by Peobody
I consider "firmware" to be the root operating system and "software" as the programs that are run by that operating system. That isn't the point though. The point is that the Drive App uses the term "firmware" whereas Express uses the term "Update". To me those are very different things, and misleading by the Drive App, especially referencing a traffic language update as "firmware", but that is just me being pedantic.

Re: Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 12:13 am
by lkraus
Drive told me on Apr 6 that I should enable wi-fi on the XT to get an update. Instead, I connected to my PC via USB cable. Express updated itself (to 7.16.3.0), but did not find any updates for the XT.

Re: Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 10:16 am
by electro_handyman
My XT did the same thing.... wanted a wifi update that for some reason didn't come thru the express link on the pc.
I had done the express updates and new maps so my guess is that the XT wanted a wifi connection to confirm? I did turn on the wifi and it only took a short time to connect and then the update indicator was gone.
I normally do not have the wifi enabled.

Re: Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 12:47 pm
by Peobody
Did the alert by the Drive app use the term "firmware"? That "firmware" term is what I considered inappropriate so am wondering if the Drive app alert uses that term for all updates.

Re: Drive App notification says firmware update available

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2023 1:23 pm
by lkraus
I think it said firmware, but won't swear to it. I saw "update" and decided to wait for a more convenient time when I could use Express.

Wi-fi signal in my garage is weak and I don't trust it for a lengthy download.