The HX series of firmwares for the Samsung i8910 HD continue to roll out, with v5 the best yet, with a number of important fixes and detailed improvements, including, critically, fixing the Java certificate problem and improving battery life. As ever, these firmwares are 100% unofficial, but they're easy to apply* and can dramatically transform this old but still powerful smartphone. Comments welcome if you get a chance to try it on your i8910. Changelog extracts and link below.

Here are the main changes for V5 (selected items quoted from the official changelog)

• java-certification failed- fixed
• mediabrowser showing every file/icon -fixed
• slower kinetic-scroll values
• camera videos/images are saved with DATE instead of text by default (yyyy.mm.dd)
• wlan-power at down 40 mw by dafault – saves battery
• packet data connection set on “when needed” by default
• exposure meter set on “normal” instead on center-weighted
• Browser cache set back to d:\ many users reported that it´s much faster then.
• now musicplayer looks also on e:\sounds and f:\sounds (will find recorded sound-clips)
• landscape standart-apps added
• loudspeaker on when you are in call and SHAKE the phone
• bluetooth, received files will be now on e:\download
• OVI-acount login on OVI maps not possible – fixed
• Threaded-SMS-lite on autoinstall and linked INTO messaging-app
• CPU-CLOCK – Turbomode patch will come later (maybe)

You can find the HX firmwares on HyperX's page.

* NB. Disclaimers apply. You will need a PC running Windows XP, a little tech confidence and the sure knowledge that whatever's on both disk C: and the mass memory of your i8910 HD will be blasted out of existence. Do your backups and be prepared for half an hour of reinstalling apps afterwards.

The changes above are in addition to the usual HX firmware attributes, e.g. max disk space on C:, better image quality, etc.