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Hello,
A friend of mine has an Android device (SIM unlocked TELUS HTC Hero running on Bell Canada) and I've recently become interested in seeing what he could do as far as flashing ROMs, rooting, etc.
I'm thinking about getting an Android device at some point in the future, so I also see the advantage to understanding the Android paradigm.
I'm currently a WM user (HTC HD2 T9193) so I understand that setup of .nbh ROM images, .cab installers, HSPL, et cetera, but I don't really understand the Android paradigm that corresponds to that.
I've searched around these forums a bit, but I can't really find anything that helps me get started (all the WM ROM Development forums have great stickies with enough information to get you started). All I've really found is directions for rooting the device, which sort of helps...but not really.
If someone could be so kind as to information or link dump in this thread, to give me something to read to understand better, I'd be most appreciative.
No detail is too minute! I love information!
Thanks a lot!
P.S.: Total aside, but Swype for Hero, does it exist? Searching the web seemed to indicate that it only is available for WVGA devices (N1, Droid/Milestone, Desire), but there's always that chance of XDA magic...
I'm writing a series of Android Explained guides.
Give me a week or so...
There's plenty of info in these forums, its just its really well hidden...
I can answer your Swype question though! They're working on it, there's a beta available, not sure if they have places left on it though. Head over to the MoDaCo forums and you should be able to find out some info on how Swype is coming along.
Florida.
i remember a while back before the swype beta was released i got my hands on a swype apk, cant remember where from tho. used it for about 2 weeks on the hero. was great, slightly buggy tho
Yes,a guide with explanation of several terms of Android / HTC
would be good!
Example:
What is "Root","HardSPL/SPL","Swap","apps2sd" etc.!
I had exactly the same issue as you, but eventually I got so sick of winmo that I threw myself into the depth and bought a hero. After that I think i used i stock for about two or three weeks looking on forums for nice things to do with my phone.. Eventually I began to learn more and more about rooting etc. (theunlockr.com is a nice website)..
What i'm saying is, there are so much cool things to discover when you buy an android powered device. It's fun to just go for it and find stuff out...
I understand it's probably a big investment.. But you will not be dissapointed!!!
Android RULES period
DaanJordaan said:
I had exactly the same issue as you, but eventually I got so sick of winmo that I threw myself into the depth and bought a hero.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I currently own an HD2.
I'm not going to go HD2 ==> Hero, because that's a serious downgrade IMO.
DaanJordaan said:
After that I think i used i stock for about two or three weeks looking on forums for nice things to do with my phone.. Eventually I began to learn more and more about rooting etc. (theunlockr.com is a nice website)..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a big WiFi tethering junkie (my buddy who actually has the Hero isn't so much...he's more paranoid about rooting, which is why I'm trying to do all the research/reading possible), I don't know if that's possible on Android without rooting, but from what I've read it's not [possible], so that'd be why I'd root on day #1.
DaanJordaan said:
What i'm saying is, there are so much cool things to discover when you buy an android powered device. It's fun to just go for it and find stuff out...
I understand it's probably a big investment.. But you will not be dissapointed!!!
Android RULES period
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally with WP7 on the horizon -- and how awful it looks -- I've resigned myself to the fact that my next smartphone will be an Android-powered one.
I'm waiting to see if there'll be a GSM version of the EVO, because so far that's the only Android device that's caught my eye (given that I currently have an HD2...the downgrade in screen size is what's made me discount the N1 for now).
Spike15 said:
Well I currently own an HD2.
I'm not going to go HD2 ==> Hero, because that's a serious downgrade IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're not going to a Hero, why are you posting in the Hero forum?
Honestly, the information is there, you just have to look for it. Most of us, myself included, came from WM devices of some description and we all found the info ourselves pretty well.
alliekhat said:
If you're not going to a Hero, why are you posting in the Hero forum?
Honestly, the information is there, you just have to look for it. Most of us, myself included, came from WM devices of some description and we all found the info ourselves pretty well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're lecturing me about "just looking for it [information]" and yet you don't even read the OP before asking a question:
Spike15 said:
A friend of mine has an Android device (SIM unlocked TELUS HTC Hero running on Bell Canada) and I've recently become interested in seeing what he could do as far as flashing ROMs, rooting, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also pointed out that I searched around a bit, but couldn't find salient information. Both of the WM devices I have experience with (TP2, HD2) have stickies all over their boards with all the relevant information you need to get started.
Why is that idea lost on these forums?
My point is, why ask here in particular?
You obviously haven't searched very hard, and not researched other Android devices before posting on a section that, in comparison to others, is lacking. Look at the Magic/Nexus One sections maybe? I know the Magic has a lot more info than you'll find here.
Or here's a bright idea, try the wiki? or even Google!
Hey guys I just got the HTC HD2 about 2 weeks ago and love the phone but hate windows mobile. It freezes up all the time for hardly any reason (I tried to turn the alarm off and it froze for example) so I'm trying to figure out if it's possible yet to load Android onto the phone (or if not how soon it may be available). I've searched through the forum a bit and haven't found anything.
If anyone can tell me and also give a somewhat detailed instruction on how to load it on the phone (I'm a former iphone user so I know almost nothing about these or winmo)
Thanks a lot for the input.
markusbergthaler said:
Hey guys I just got the HTC HD2 about 2 weeks ago and love the phone but hate windows mobile. It freezes up all the time for hardly any reason (I tried to turn the alarm off and it froze for example) so I'm trying to figure out if it's possible yet to load Android onto the phone (or if not how soon it may be available). I've searched through the forum a bit and haven't found anything.
If anyone can tell me and also give a somewhat detailed instruction on how to load it on the phone (I'm a former iphone user so I know almost nothing about these or winmo)
Thanks a lot for the input.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you searched, I don't know why you haven't found any of the many threads about this. No android yet... it will be a while before there is a well working port. If you hate WinMo, why did you get a WinMo phone?
Android???
markusbergthaler said:
Hey guys I just got the HTC HD2 about 2 weeks ago and love the phone but hate windows mobile. It freezes up all the time for hardly any reason (I tried to turn the alarm off and it froze for example) so I'm trying to figure out if it's possible yet to load Android onto the phone (or if not how soon it may be available). I've searched through the forum a bit and haven't found anything.
If anyone can tell me and also give a somewhat detailed instruction on how to load it on the phone (I'm a former iphone user so I know almost nothing about these or winmo)
Thanks a lot for the input.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
You have two options.
1. Read, Read, Read. Learn that the phone you have is quite capable and with a little bit of tweaking is an incredible phone.
2. Return it immediately for a full and prompt refund.
fhaines
Yet another "is Android coming the the HD2" thread. Folks need to learn to search forums, seriously.
And for those app-happy people, do your research BEFORE buying your phones. It's not as if WinMo is new to the scene and there isn't any information about what is available for that phone OS.
There should be a sticky in the HD2 forums: "If you are an Android/iPhone user who just bought an HD2 and are wondering if you should take the phone back....take it back! And next time....RESEARCH!"
I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but it seems that more people who buy this without doing their research on the phone wind up taking it back anyway.
i'm the opposite. i bought an iphone and wished i had gotten the hd2. fortunately, i was able to switch them out and am loving the hd2.
vplaza96 said:
Yet another "is Android coming the the HD2" thread. Folks need to learn to search forums, seriously.
And for those app-happy people, do your research BEFORE buying your phones. It's not as if WinMo is new to the scene and there isn't any information about what is available for that phone OS.
There should be a sticky in the HD2 forums: "If you are an Android/iPhone user who just bought an HD2 and are wondering if you should take the phone back....take it back! And next time....RESEARCH!"
I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule, but it seems that more people who buy this without doing their research on the phone wind up taking it back anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
merely speaking the gospel my friend =)
hard reset.
doo a hard reset and start over. should fix it
Android will prob be ported over, i think sometime end of june or early july. When the EVO 4G comes out shouldnt be hard for them to port the ROM over from their..But be patient. the DEVS do this for free so we shouldnt be complaing..
KidTech said:
Android will prob be ported over, i think sometime end of june or early july. When the EVO 4G comes out shouldnt be hard for them to port the ROM over from their..But be patient. the DEVS do this for free so we shouldnt be complaing..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The end of june or july? They probably will have a bootable port by then, but I doubt it will be very functional. The EVO rom might help them out with some drivers, but it won't be easily ported over. I wouldn't expect a fully functional rom for at least 6 months to a year. These things take time and are not easy. I have been watching their progress and discussions on the irc chat logs for months now... and while they are making great progress, there is still a huge amount to do and drivers to get working.
To all the gurus here at XDA I am getting the HTC EVO 4g tomorrow, but I really don't like the carrier for this amazing unit so I am considering bring it back since I like Tmobile better. My question is, if I purchase the HD2 and root it will i be able to load Android 2.1 in it?
Please advise
Thanks to all of you in advance
Please read the forum posts for this.
at the moment u cant load android on the hd2!
dcordes and the other guys who r working on the "linux on htc hd2" project made a functional kernel but there isnt a working android version yet. it will take a while until they will get android on it. i really dont know how much time it will take but it could take 1 year more or less i think.
It could be a very long time before there's a port thats as functional as a phone made for android. There still isn't a perfect android port for any winmo phone yet, and some of them have had android being developed for years. If you want to use android full time, get an android phone, not a winmo phone. Even if there's a bootable port soon for the hd2, it won't be very functional and wont be able to use some of the phones hardware (bluetooth, wifi, camera, etc). I'm not expecting a fully functional port for a year or 2.... if ever.
Sorry for my ignorance, what will i be able to do by rooting this hd2, i really don't like windows mobile
do some research!!!
Going to start swearing at people soon,
Surely if Android had made it on to the HD2 it would have been all over the NET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can somehow manage to put your new EVO hardware into a HD2 body and there you go you got the first full funciton running Android HD2.
Not even if you search here you could get answer but you could even google and it will direct you here.
riverajuan said:
Sorry for my ignorance, what will i be able to do by rooting this hd2, i really don't like windows mobile
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are confusing a lot of things here. You can't root a windows mobile phone the way you mean for Android. What you can do is to install an SPL or Hard SPL that allows you the flixibility to load up customised roms, ie customised windows operating systems, onto your winmobile device, ie HD2.
You have got a lot of reading ahead of you before you can make any sort of decision and start to do things to your phone that could seriously injure its health! The first decision you need to make is whether you want to go down the Android route or Winmobile.
Once you have the answer to this you can start to do your research and learning in the appropriate fora.
Hope this helps.
Moving this to General/Q&A.
WB
shut up!!!!!!
i'm realley getting annoyed of this threads.
can't there be a filter for apple, iphone, and android
SEARCH GOD DAMN IT
riverajuan said:
To all the gurus here at XDA I am getting the HTC EVO 4g tomorrow, but I really don't like the carrier for this amazing unit so I am considering bring it back since I like Tmobile better. My question is, if I purchase the HD2 and root it will i be able to load Android 2.1 in it?
Please advise
Thanks to all of you in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I refuse to answer your question because of this - CLICK ON THIS LINK
eenbox said:
I refuse to answer your question because of this - CLICK ON THIS LINK
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANKYOU, thats made my day...
Hey guys,
As an Ex-iphone user, i loved too playing around with photo applics that add effects to pictures, i.e. vintage look, polaroid etc... Can you recommend on any applications for HD2 of the same nature?
I have found VintagePic in the marketplace, but i can't purchase it since my credit card does not match any of the countries in the list. Any other suggestions?
Thanks, Guy
Vignette, or camera 360 are excellent for that. (android)
thanks for the suggestion, however I'm still running stock rom, which means i'm limited to apps in WM...
Any other suggestions in that department?
any clues?
Like you said, you are limited if you sick with wm ;-)
I have 3 apps who makes that and much more on my hd2
Hi,
I must admit, as a new user of HD2, I'm very concerned about messing around and ending up bricking my phone. i finally got to the stage where i have everything working fine on my WM, so I'm less eager to go about and mess things up.
However, maybe i can start reading and learning from other people's experience on the different 'adventures' that i may run into if i try to install Android on my system. as far i i understand there is still no 100% working version, but it's getting close.
Can you reference me to the main discussion thread on the forum for the android on HD2? (how to install..etc...)
BTW - do i need to take something into consideration if my Phone is a t-mobile?
Thanks,
Guy
Hi Guysu,
I do believe there are effects within your camera options that allows a few effects, under advance, on the 3rd page, you will find effects, limited to GrayScale, Seipia (for ur old look) and Negative (for whatever only God knows!)
But I do hear you, because I too am looking for some fun Cam Apps for my beloved phone. It's always a little harder to find fun stuff for a serious phone.
Benedict
guysu said:
Hi,
I must admit, as a new user of HD2, I'm very concerned about messing around and ending up bricking my phone. i finally got to the stage where i have everything working fine on my WM, so I'm less eager to go about and mess things up.
However, maybe i can start reading and learning from other people's experience on the different 'adventures' that i may run into if i try to install Android on my system. as far i i understand there is still no 100% working version, but it's getting close.
Can you reference me to the main discussion thread on the forum for the android on HD2? (how to install..etc...)
BTW - do i need to take something into consideration if my Phone is a t-mobile?
Thanks,
Guy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
we should open a support group for these kind of issues. meet once in a while exchange painful stories. long live hd2!
on a more serious note, can someone direct me to the right thread on the options to migrate from WM to Android?
guysu said:
Hi,
I must admit, as a new user of HD2, I'm very concerned about messing around and ending up bricking my phone. i finally got to the stage where i have everything working fine on my WM, so I'm less eager to go about and mess things up.
However, maybe i can start reading and learning from other people's experience on the different 'adventures' that i may run into if i try to install Android on my system. as far i i understand there is still no 100% working version, but it's getting close.
Can you reference me to the main discussion thread on the forum for the android on HD2? (how to install..etc...)
BTW - do i need to take something into consideration if my Phone is a t-mobile?
Thanks,
Guy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As someone who is only just a few months into his 24 month contract (a contract that has no built in data connection), I know the fear of mucking up your hardware. However I've found the whole experience to be quite safe.
The first step would be to get HSPL onto your phone from this thread - forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=611433
Then reading this thread - forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=713977 should give you everything else you need to know to find and install a new ROM, Radio and Android build.
I went from stock ROM on my HD2 to cooked ROM, new Radio and Android all in a day with those threads.
The only issues I've noticed so far as not being able to change the alarm times on the built in clock (just download a new one from Android market) and sometimes the screen stops responding to touch for 10 seconds or so.
thanks for your help in getting started...
I tried to catch on my reading right away, but i noticed this warning in big red scary font:
1024LEOs (from T-Mobile with 1024ROM) ARE NOT SUPPORTED
so, as a T-mobile HD2 user, that means bye bye sweet android adventure for me i guess?
Looks like your android adventures don't have to be over quite yet forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=653614
I'll swop my HD2 with yours
But my experience with Android on my HD2, it's weird, sluggish and not fun. However that jumping cow game is fun in it. .
To be honest, the last I tried, I was on stock roms and radios, now with my new artemis rom and upgraded radio, maybe i should try again.. but i recalled I couldn't make phone calls lol..
guysu said:
thanks for your help in getting started...
I tried to catch on my reading right away, but i noticed this warning in big red scary font:
1024LEOs (from T-Mobile with 1024ROM) ARE NOT SUPPORTED
so, as a T-mobile HD2 user, that means bye bye sweet android adventure for me i guess?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's an app I found via Google.
EDIT: Nvm, it looks like it's not even good.
Hi people,
I am a noob as far as Android goes, but I am pretty good at PC stuff. I run a 3D CAD department and I've been the "unofficial" tech guy at every job I've had in the last 10 years.
That being said, I just got the HTC Hero from Sprint last weekend, Android 2.1, update 1. I have always wanted to play with Linux but have never really had the time. So, this is my first encounter with Android or Linux.
So ..... , as much as I'd love to root the phone, I'm afraid to brick it. Is there any way to get rid of all the bloatware without rooting my phone? Also, what are the chances of bricking the phone? I've read a couple "how to root" articles on the net and it doesn't seem like it would be that hard, but I LOVE this phone so far (other than battery life) and I honestly can't afford to go buy a new one at full price if I end up killing my phone.
Another question; I've seen a few people in other posts who have the HTC Hero and say they're running 2.2. How is this done? Is this something else that I would need to root the phone to accomplish?
Also, I just ordered an 8GB microSD card. My laptop has a card slot, so I'm figuring I can put the new card in the slot, connect my phone via USB, and copy everything on the phone to the new 8GB card, then just swapping the cards.
Am I correct thinking this should be as simple as it sounds, or is there more involved?
I appreciate you taking the time to read my post, and I look forward to reading/posting here on a regular basis.
Thanks,
Eric Mortenson
Hey, welcome to XDA!
It is VERY HARD to brick this phone, so don't worry....about the only way we've seen that is by flashing a GSM radio to it, so just don't do that and you'll be fine trying anything else.
There are a couple rooting methods here, and there won't be any problems at all as long as you follow the instructions. It's not as daunting as it may first seem. You do have to root to get rid of bloatware, it can't be done without rooting. I recommend this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=694572 although there are 'one-click' and 'universal' methods out there too.
The ones running Android 2.2 are doing it through a custom ROM called Cyanogenmod. Check out the Development section to find it. It doesn't have the HTC Sense UI though, so it will look and feel different than your stock 2.1. But lots of people here are using it and loving it. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=755795
And yes, you should just be able to swap out the SD cards with no problems.
chromiumleaf
Thanks for the quick and helpful reply. It is greatly appreciated.
I think I am going to try to root my phone. Pre-installed "bloatware" on PCs is one of my biggest pet peeves. So, the biggest reason I have right now for rooting my phone is to get rid of the stuff I don't want/need/use.
I will probably leave the 2.1 on the phone because I love the phone so far and if as you say, it will look and feel different. Maybe I'll keep digging through the site and change my mind later. Thanks for the "heads up".
Please do me one favor, and I hate to sound ignorant (I did say earlier I was new at this), but what does "flashing a GSM radio to it" mean, and is it something I could do my mistake?
Sorry, tried doing a search so I wouldn't have to bother you but I'm just not sure.
Thanks again.
Eric
Eric_1966_FXE said:
...what does "flashing a GSM radio to it" mean, and is it something I could do my mistake?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To "flash" some code means to burn it into your phone's read-only memory. A number of things can be flashed to your phone's memory, including the radio operating code, high-level operating system code, and "kernel" (system "core") code.
What the poster meant by "flashing a GSM radio" is "downloading the code that operates the phone's radio". Our Sprint Hero phones have what is called CDMA radio hardware, while European Hero phones have GSM radio hardware. The two different radios are not compatible with each other's operating code. So if you ever download ("flash") the wrong radio code (GSM code) into your CDMA phone, that will render your radio inoperative, which will effectively brick your phone.
With that in mind, just read carefully any information relating to any system code you're considering flashing to your phone, and make SURE it's for a CDMA phone, and you'll be fine.
I loved sense and was all against even trying an aosp rom( vanilla/ stock android), but once I flashed CM6 and found beautiful widgets and launcher pro plus and dialer one I haven't looked back. The speed of my phone and the overall appearance is far better than Sense UI. Rooting the 2.1 is far easier than it was when I got mine. You had to download and type in a whole bunch of crap, now its as easy as installing an app and running it.
Thanks
Thank you to all three of you for your quick (and more importantly useful) answers.
You guys are awesome.
Go for it
I have 4 Hero's here at my home on a family plan,and mine is the only one running CM6-RC1 and they are all jealous. Every one that has a Hero at work or a different Android running 2.1 that has seen mine including a few Evo users loves the way mine looks and how fast it is. I thought in the beginning I wouldn't want to loose Sense and feared I would brick my phone as well,but these guys here are great and are a very supportive Hero community and walked me through the process. It is a lot easier now with the universal 1 click method than before,so that was what I did. The nice thing is if you do everything correctly,you can revert right back to you stock phone if you ever have to take it in for service.
Taking your time and researching all of this pretty good before deciding what to do is a good thing,but I can honestly say, there is so much more you can do once you unlock your phone than just downloading apps and bloat ware...you can actually make it work and do what you want it to do.
The chiefs here at XDA are working hard to bring us stable working Roms for everyday use,and I tip my hat to all of them and I certainly am loving how my Hero is now compared to what it was when it was stock.The RC-1 build I am running is awesome and (knock wood) haven't crashed 1x with it where I needed to do anything nor have I had any shutdowns or unexpected forced closed programs that were installed correctly.
So I say... Don't be afraid and just go for it.. you can still have it similar to what it is now,or you can see what aosp is all about like many here have and try it.That's the beauty of Rooting...YOU have the choice of what is on your phone..not someone else.
Good Luck
Mac
Thanks Mac
And Thank you to all who responded.
Like I said in my intro, I am a tech geek when it comes to PCs but this is my first venture into this kind of forum.
You have all been extremely helpful and have made me feel welcome.
I only hope that I can return the favor at some point to others on XDA.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend.
Thanks again,
Eric