Android phones with timely updates?!

[unixguru]

Apart from Nexus one, there seems to be no other Android phone which seem to push the latest updates in a timely manner( < 3 months after new release), which I thought was the point of a fast development cycle. Are there any phones less than 20000 for which I am guaranteed the latest release at-least for the next one year. I do not mind installing custom roms and voiding the warranty as long as :-
(a) The Rom is easy to install, stable and fast.
(b). Has a good community.

Currently I am looking at HTC magic which seems to have a dedicated community CyanogenMod | Android Community Rom based on Éclair.. What is the best deal I can get on this phone? How about samsung spica? Will get Android 2.2 at-least?

 

[blr_p]

Apart from Nexus one, there seems to be no other Android phone which seem to push the latest updates in a timely manner( < 3 months after new release)

I think for now thats not going to change. You want the latest & greatest in a timely fashion it has to come from Google or nothing.

 

[sriharsha_m]

Apart from Nexus one, there seems to be no other Android phone which seem to push the latest updates in a timely manner( < 3 months after new release), which I thought was the point of a fast development cycle. Are there any phones less than 20000 for which I am guaranteed the latest release at-least for the next one year. I do not mind installing custom roms and voiding the warranty as long as :-

(a) The Rom is easy to install, stable and fast.

(b). Has a good community.

Currently I am looking at HTC magic which seems to have a dedicated community CyanogenMod | Android Community Rom based on Éclair.. What is the best deal I can get on this phone? How about samsung spica? Will get Android 2.2 at-least?

Also Consider HTC Hero, HTC has good firmware support so you won't go wrong with any HTC model. If you can up your budget by 3K more, you can get HTC Legend which IMO is way better than Hero/Magic.

Spica getting 2.2 is still not clear, it may/may not get 2.2, but modding communities give hope for us

 

[CeDrIc]

One doubt. I am not using any Android phone for now. But soon will be getting one.
If i am on Android 1.5, cant i just upgrade it to 2.2 by installing it directly through internet? ( a n00b question )

 

[Neo-N]

One doubt. I am not using any Android phone for now. But soon will be getting one.

If i am on Android 1.5, cant i just upgrade it to 2.2 by installing it directly through internet? ( a n00b question )

Depends on what phone u buy. For the Nexus one, u can.

For others, u'll only get official updates if the manufacturer decides to roll them out. Or else, u can opt for cooked firmwares if they are released for ur phone.