Android Folks! Help me out!

[TheStu]

Alright, I have an HTC Incredible sitting on my desk. I want to play with it.

The ESN is no good as it was lost and then found, but it doesn't matter anyway since I am on AT&T. I would like to update it to whatever the latest OS version that it can handle (I think it is on 2.2). And get the Google Play store as there is an app I want to check out. Google's help site for the Play store is well... unhelpful.

So, what do I do?

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Are you willing to go with a custom rom or do you want the latest stock software for it? Also the Play Store should be pre-installed on it, given the devices age it could be labeled as the Android Market if it was factory reset recently.

If it doesn't have the Play Store or market it probably isn't stock, in that case see what it says under the Settings-> About Phone for Android version and Build Version or Rom name if it has it.

 

[ponyo]

Use iTunes!

Android market is the PlayStore. It'll update on its own eventually. As for updating to the newest Android OS, head over to XDA forum and do lot of reading first.

 

[Silenus]

I just stopped using an Incredible and got a Gnex. XDA has everything you need. Start with this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=739428

Root and unlock that thing and you'll be free to experiment with ROM's all you want. I'd suggest starting with something like CM7.2. They were the last OFFICIAL CM build for the incredible and that is what I was running. Compared to stock I was very pleasantly surprised at how fast and stable CM7 ran on the incredible. There are of course tons of others roms including some unofficial CM10 builds (jelly bean!). Those are considered experimental but there is still a good chance you could find a decent stable rom that is ICS and higher.

 

[TheStu]

Are you willing to go with a custom rom or do you want the latest stock software for it? Also the Play Store should be pre-installed on it, given the devices age it could be labeled as the Android Market if it was factory reset recently.

If it doesn't have the Play Store or market it probably isn't stock, in that case see what it says under the Settings-> About Phone for Android version and Build Version or Rom name if it has it.

It is stock, and has been reset, I searched on the Android Market for the app, and it didn't come up. I am looking for the DoubleTwist Alarm App.

Use iTunes!

Android market is the PlayStore. It'll update on its own eventually. As for updating to the newest Android OS, head over to XDA forum and do lot of reading first.

I know that ICS isn't supported on this device, I was just hoping to at least get it to 2.3.

I just stopped using an Incredible and got a Gnex. XDA has everything you need. Start with this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=739428

Root and unlock that thing and you'll be free to experiment with ROM's all you want. I'd suggest starting with something like CM7.2. They were the last OFFICIAL CM build for the incredible and that is what I was running. Compared to stock I was very pleasantly surprised at how fast and stable CM7 ran on the incredible. There are of course tons of others roms including some unofficial CM10 builds (jelly bean!). Those are considered experimental but there is still a good chance you could find a decent stable rom that is ICS and higher.

I don't care that much about custom ROMs. I wouldn't mind putting stock Android on this since it shipped with Sense, just to get an idea of what that is like though.

 

[BenSkywalker]

If you are running 2.2, it should show up.

You can install the app to your phone from your PC, log in to Google with your GMail/Android account and go to Play. There is a tab on the top that says 'My Android Devices'. From there you can install the app to your phone as long as it is supported.

If it didn't show up in the Play Store you may want to double check what version of Android you are running- Settings- About Phone(all the way to the bottom) and it should be listed about half way down in that screen.

Edit- Step by step to upgrade your Incredible using manual steps- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAd-WPcX_XM

 

[TheStu]

If you are running 2.2, it should show up.

You can install the app to your phone from your PC, log in to Google with your GMail/Android account and go to Play. There is a tab on the top that says 'My Android Devices'. From there you can install the app to your phone as long as it is supported.

If it didn't show up in the Play Store you may want to double check what version of Android you are running- Settings- About Phone(all the way to the bottom) and it should be listed about half way down in that screen.

Edit- Step by step to upgrade your Incredible using manual steps- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAd-WPcX_XM

Thanks, I'll check that out after work today.

Also, why doesn't the clock auto-update over Wifi? I have it set to update automatically, but it doesn't seem to want to actually synchronize. It is off by a couple minutes from all my other devices.

 

[Raduque]

The clock only auto-updates with a cellular connection. Android devices only seem to pull time from a carrier's network.

 

[TheStu]

The clock only auto-updates with a cellular connection. Android devices only seem to pull time from a carrier's network.

Wow that is... incredibly dumb. I mean, seriously, that's just silly on their part.

Who the hell designed it that way??

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Wow that is... incredibly dumb. I mean, seriously, that's just silly on their part.

Who the hell designed it that way??

It must update over wifi on the newer versions since my wifi only honeycomb tablet has always had the correct time.

 

[TheStu]

It must update over wifi on the newer versions since my wifi only honeycomb tablet has always had the correct time.

Well, I would imagine that they would have added that in, and any OEM that wanted to make an Android PMP would have had to add in that functionality as well, but it is weird that it isn't in the base OS, at least not in 2.2.