OT: Android Users

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  • nich
    nich Posts: 888
    StuAff wrote:
    Simontheintrepid wrote:
    I am a new Android user and really like it so far. Plus as it seems my new phone is about to become obsolete I'm paying well under half of what I would have for an iSlab!

    However, this obsolescence means I can't have 2.3. My question is this - does anyone know anything about the supposed 2.2 release (Frodo??) for the Motorola Defy? Apparently T Mobile users in the US have it but nothing but rumours and conjecture over here.

    Cheers
    Si

    2.2 is Froyo. Have a look over here, a few threads about it. You can install it already, you don't have to wait ;) Might well be 2.3 builds for it in future anyway!

    Woopa, another Defy user! Seriously one of the most underrated phones on the market 8)

    I'm not sure when the 2.2 version is out, maybe soon? Anyway, I've rooted my defy and run a custom version of 2.3 ;)

    Yes that's right, 2.3. Thanks to a couple of smart devs on the xda-developers forum, it's now available. Huzza! :D

    Read up on rooting and custom roms if you're not sure what I mean - basically you root the phone to get extra permissions (using tools such as SuperOneClick). From there you can install 'custom' versions of the Andriod OS, or even stock versions - but you don't have to wait until your phone company sends you the update - instead you're in control and can do what you want.

    There's obviously some risk involved in this, so don't jump into it if you're not that fussed. It's pretty impossible to break you're defy (unlike other andriod phones) but people do run into troubles.

    Anyway, if you want to know more, follow these 2 guides.

    HowTo: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=1054447
    Developer Talk: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=1033654

    Both refer to Cyanogen, which is a custom rom that I'm running - it's actually running Andriod 2.3 ;)

    So yeah, if you want to, you can run the very latest version of Andriod. Day to day usage this phone is just as stable as it was when I was running 2.1, but now I can also improve the battery life (having root allows you to install some apps which can do that by controlling voltage use), plus it's faster, plus it's got all the latest 2.3 features, plus it's got some cool Cyanogen specific features.

    But I'd say again, if you're new to Android, then don't just jump in and do this. If you mess up a step then your'll be left with a phone that 'looks' broken, but isn't. Your'll just need to ask around on the xda forum, and do a bit of background reading.

    I was a bit lucky in that I tried rooting/custom roms on my old HTC Hero, which I didn't mind experimenting with.
  • Windward
    Windward Posts: 1
    I rooted and rommed my Desire a while back and that fixed all of my problems, especially the bloomin' tiny storage with an app called 'S2E' which moves the internal storage to a partition on the SD card, it's been a million times better since the change.

    Someone asked for alternatives to the HTC Friendstream widget, try 'Colorize Widget' (forgive the spelling, it's still awesome), the free version does separate Twitter and Facebook widgets and the paid does a combination like Friendstream, it looks very svelt and unobtrusive.

    And uh, my first post, huzzah! Now back to refine my search results for Dawes Galaxy
  • Simontheintrepid
    Simontheintrepid Posts: 128
    StuAff and nich - thanks very much for all the info

    nich - to be honest you lost me at 'rooted' - maybe I'll get someone more techie to look at it but I appreciate the advice all the same - and yes - the Defy seems to be a pretty awesome phone. As long as it can resist the sweat coming off my back on a warm day's riding (which is basically why I bought it) I'll be very happy.

    Pleased to hear I could get 2.3 if I wanted to mess around, will bookmark this thread for when I feel up to the challenge.

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