Android noob help please.

[WelshBloke]

I've bitten the bullet and decided to take my old WinMo phone outback, shoot it and get an Android phone.

I've got an HTC desire coming from eBay in the next few days and wanted some tips on getting it up and running.

The phone is locked to Vodaphone and presumably filled with whatever crapware they put on it, so the first thing I need to do is unlock it and then flash with a stock HTC ROM.

The unlock wont be a problem but I've never used an Android phone, much less flashed one and the process looks to be a bit more involved than that on a WinMo phone (which I have done many, many times).

If I've got the process down it looks like I need to root it (looking like I'll do the unrevoked method) and then use clockworkmod/ROM Manager to flash a new ROM.

I'll probably stick to the stock HTC desire ROM to start with as I'm used to HTC phones and I think I'll find the SenseUI easiest to get the hang of.

I read somewhere about goldcards, wth are they and do I need one? It sounds like a real hassle. Also if I flash to a stock HTC rom will I get any updates automatically?

So am I going about this wrong and does anyone have any tips?

Remember I dont actually have the phone yet but should soon.

I'll nag you all for your tips on software later. Specifically GPS (for incar and hiking), media players (for AVI and hopefully wm/wtv files), emulators (snes et al), ebooks and anything else that you think is funky.

Cheers all

 

[YoungGun21]

It is super easy using the unrevoked program. I had an Incredible, but I'm thinking they use the same method. It is just about as easy as it can possibly be to root a phone.

Flashing ROMs you just have to be careful to stick with stuff that isn't experimental, make sure it is actually compatible with your phone, make sure you have the proper files ready to flash things, and always make sure you have a back up ready to go if things don't work out.

No idea what a goldcard is, must be specific to the desire.

 

[WelshBloke]

It is super easy using the unrevoked program. I had an Incredible, but I'm thinking they use the same method. It is just about as easy as it can possibly be to root a phone.

Flashing ROMs you just have to be careful to stick with stuff that isn't experimental, make sure it is actually compatible with your phone, make sure you have the proper files ready to flash things, and always make sure you have a back up ready to go if things don't work out.

No idea what a goldcard is, must be specific to the desire.

Goldcard. Maybe they are not needed now.

I think I'll stick to a stock HTC ROM to start with.


How do you do the backup? I'm guessing/hoping this becomes a bit more clear when I start.

I suppose its not massively different to flashing WinMo phones, unlock the bootloader and flash a new ROM. Its just the terminology is very different.

 

[WelshBloke]

Well that was an adventure!

Phone came unlocked, apparently all HTCs are carrier unlocked as standard in the UK, so that saved me a few quid.

Had quite a bit of trouble rooting it then ran into an S-off problem, but all that is sorted now. Just need to decide on a decent ROM with good battery life and sense UI.

So far I've been really pleased with Android which has pleasantly surprised me as I was expecting to keep saying 'Meh, WinMo did this better' all the time. Nandroid backups are awesome!

I have to say the phone is huge, I really couldnt see myself using anything bigger. Its a nice shape however and comfortable to hold. I managed to get an SLCD version (which is the one I wanted) and the screen is fantastic.

Anyway off to play with some Roms.

/blog

 

[phoenix79]

I highly recommend the Cyanogenmod ROMs. It is the most well-rounded out there. It's not the fastest, or the best battery life but it's close on both accounts, very stable, and very usable. SenseUI is a resource hog, if you use it, then switch to any ROM that is stock android, you will notice a performance improvement. Your best bet is CM6.1.1, just make sure you grab the right one, there is Desire for both CDMA and GSM, I believe you should be GSM but don't swear by it.

Also, CM7 stable is just around the corner. This is the Gingerbread build with a different look and many different changes. I've been running the nightlies and have been loving it, for the most part.

This will be your best friend when it comes to modding your android phone

 

[YoungGun21]

I would say that Sense is the best custom skin for Android, if I had to pick one. I do prefer stock, but Sense does add a lot of features.

There are tons of ROMs for your community, I'd just suggest reading the threads and deciding which one you like best.

 

[WelshBloke]

I'll give Cyanogenmod a go.

Also @phoenix79 I've been a member over at XDA for years but only just switched from WinMo to Android so all the threads with noob questions (of which I have loads) have a couple of hundred replies so take some digging through.

I'll get there though, Cheers.

Edit:ROMmanager is a ridiculously easy way to flash your phone

 

[WelshBloke]

Good God, Cyanogen is fugly!

Do not like

 

[shortylickens]

I can help you.
But I wont until I see vids of shot phone.

 

[Glitchny]

Good God, Cyanogen is fugly!

Do not like

? My Cyanogen looks like stock 2.3... what exactly did urs do to be fugly

 

[WelshBloke]

? My Cyanogen looks like stock 2.3... what exactly did urs do to be fugly

Nothing, just flashed it. Maybe stock 2.3 is fugly.


SenseUI:wub:

 

[Demo24]

It also depends on which launcher you've installed. You can change the designs of that though.

If you like senseui why even bother with other roms? Sense is generally fairly smooth, and looks ok.

 

[WelshBloke]

It also depends on which launcher you've installed. You can change the designs of that though.

If you like senseui why even bother with other roms? Sense is generally fairly smooth, and looks ok.

Well I didn't know what stock Android looked like.

Just trying stuff out. Enjoying the whole Android experience so far.
Wierdly the thing that's taking the most getting used to is switching to a non resistive screen.

 

[The_Dude8]

How do i flash HTC mytouch 3g slide to CM7 without using the rom manager apps? is there a window program/ui that you can flash the rom with?

Thanks

 

[WelshBloke]

How do i flash HTC mytouch 3g slide to CM7 without using the rom manager apps? is there a window program/ui that you can flash the rom with?

Thanks

Any reason you dont want to use rommanager? It makes everything easy and backs up your stuff first in case it all goes tits up.

 

[YoungGun21]

@WelshBloke, you can install a theme over CM7 if you dislike the look. Or you can install a new ROM of course.

@The Dude 8, I'm also curious why you don't want to use ROM Manager, but if you don't use it you just have to install through whichever modded recovery you are using (AmenRa or ClockworkMod).

 

[WelshBloke]

@WelshBloke, you can install a theme over CM7 if you dislike the look. Or you can install a new ROM of course.

...

I think I'll stick with my senseUI ROM at the moment. I cant find any carrier based crap installed and it seems fast enough to me.

Theres quite a lot to get used to already and senseUI seems really easy to get to grips with (maybe because I'm coming from a WinMo phone).

I think the only thing that would make me change this ROM is increased battery life, otherwise I'm really happy with it. I really need to get used to what Android can do first.

Over all I'm really pleased (even having to get a gmail account didn't matter, it handles my hotmail/pop3 stuff really well).

 

[The_Dude8]

@WelshBloke, you can install a theme over CM7 if you dislike the look. Or you can install a new ROM of course.

@The Dude 8, I'm also curious why you don't want to use ROM Manager, but if you don't use it you just have to install through whichever modded recovery you are using (AmenRa or ClockworkMod).

Where do i download rom manager? is it under the android market icon?

Thanks

 

[WelshBloke]

Where do i download rom manager? is it under the android market icon?

Thanks

Just search in the Android market.

You need to be rooted and S-off (this may not be a problem depending on your phone) though.

 

[phoenix79]

Personally I don't like ADW which is stock on CM now (and is almost identical to the stock launcher) I use launcherpro. Looks much better IMHO and I purchased it for the widgets as well.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Launcher Pro is much faster. I can show you a video of ADW running on my Droid and it looks like ass even when overclocked to 1.1ghz. LOL. Yes yes, blame my device for being too slow or whatever.

 

[Demo24]

Launcher Pro is much faster. I can show you a video of ADW running on my Droid and it looks like ass even when overclocked to 1.1ghz. LOL. Yes yes, blame my device for being too slow or whatever.

When I forced mine into memory it worked fine. I user LP now because I believe it's what came with BB, and it does look a bit nicer. It doesn't seem to work as nicely as it did a couple of months ago when I started using it though, and it has a tendency of freezing my widgets after removing from the dock.