If you have a Dell Venue 8 Pro, time to update. BIOS A08 is a three version jump from the previous A05, and it’s a lot more minor too. All it references is updating the power charging modes for USB charging. I suspect it may have to do with the release of the +port Kickstarter device that I backed previously, but I’m not sure.
The +port is a nifty device that splits the USB and the charging paths, so you can keep using USB devices with your Intel Atom “Bay Trail” tablet, many of which offer only one micro-USB port for both charging and OTG adapter use, preventing you from both charging and using USB accessories simultaneously. The +port fixes that.
Also released was an OEM driver CAB – I thought at first it updated the Intel chipset drivers, but there were no changes there I could get Device Manager to pick up. The Broadcomm Wi-Fi driver was identical in version number, but had a newer build date. Probably not worth the 140+ MB download to bump up the build date of what is probably the same exact driver. That said, go update your BIOS.
The only disappointment with BIOS A08 is that it still doesn’t unlock 64-bit UEFI, something Dell said they would offer this year on Venue 8 Pro. Now that Windows 8.1 supports InstaGo on 64-bit, there’s no need for the 32-bit UEFI firmware restrictions anymore. It would be nice to see Dell honor that commitment and roll out 64-bit firmware to all Venue 8 Pro units. At Console OS, right now, we’ve resorted to resuming 32-bit (kernel and firmware) engineering builds to keep working on Bay Trail tablets.