The Android Thread

[Ten10]

New apps released:

 

Grand theft auto III: £3.21 - https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rockstar.gta3aus&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5yb2Nrc3Rhci5ndGEzYXVzIl0.

 

Sonic CD: £1.29 - https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sega.soniccd&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5zZWdhLnNvbmljY2QiXQ..

[Goron_3]

Downloaded all the files for Sonic CD but it's not working. Ah well, should be fixed by the time I've handed my lab report in!

[david.dakota]

Imagine my disappointment. I had my heart set on getting a Xoom 2 yesterday - only to find that its available in WiFi only.

[Ten10]

Just a heads up that the Transformer prime 32GB with dock is up for preorder on Dixons. You can get 5% off using the voucher code xmas5. I just preordered 2 myself.

[Ashley]

I kind of really want the Nexus now. My contract is up on Jan 1st and I've been telling myself to wait because in a few weeks the deals will probably be better but I kind of want a new phone for Christmas. [/impatient]

[Ten10]

I kind of really want the Nexus now. My contract is up on Jan 1st and I've been telling myself to wait because in a few weeks the deals will probably be better but I kind of want a new phone for Christmas. [/impatient]

 

 

GET IT. It IS THE BEST SMARTPHONE I HAVE EVER USED!!!!!!!

 

Seriously though I thought the phone was too big but now I've used it for a while I love it. The UI is smooth the only thing that has me a bit upset is that I hit the storage cap due to the 10p apps promotion. But meh I just needed to uninstall some. It is a great phone.

 

I found a deal here: http://dealmobile.co.uk/phones/samsung-galaxy-nexus/contract

 

On 3 £200 for the handset then £17 a month with 500 minutes 5000 texts and 1GB of internet. (24 months)

[Ashley]

Isn't there 32gb of storage? o_O

 

Also considering the SII. It can be upgraded to ICS soon enough.

[Goron_3]

I've got the Galaxy 2.

 

It's bloody amazing.

[Ten10]

Isn't there 32gb of storage? o_O

 

Also considering the SII. It can be upgraded to ICS soon enough.

 

Only the CDMA version has the 32GB of storage which sucks. The screen on the nexus is beautitul though.

[Ashley]

Went for the SII in the end.

 

Anyone know a good SMS backup/restore app. Had a look at a few but what I'm looking for is the ability to restore them as text messages (not an XML file). Found one (SMS Backup and Restore) but it only backed up until a week ago for some reason.

[Jimbob]

Contract is up for renewal in February. So that will mean an upgrade, of which i'll be sticking to Android. Cheers again to @Cube for recommending the Wildfire S as a starter phone. Don't know why i didn't go over to Android earlier, they are 10x better than Nokia (where i was before). I'll see what is available when the time comes for renewal, definetly going to get a more upto date model.

[Ten10]

Went for the SII in the end.

 

Anyone know a good SMS backup/restore app. Had a look at a few but what I'm looking for is the ability to restore them as text messages (not an XML file). Found one (SMS Backup and Restore) but it only backed up until a week ago for some reason.

 

Go SMS is a replacement messaging app but it does have a back up feature that backs up all your texts. If you want to take it up a level mybackup pro is great for backing up everything on your phone.

 

Also gameloft apps are currently 69p in the market: https://market.android.com/developer?pub=Gameloft&pli=1

[Cube]

I use SMS Backup plus. It backs everything up in Gmail.

[Platty]

I got a new update notification today for my HTC Desire but it fails to install.

 

Downloads fine and starts the install but about a quarter of the way through I get a red triangle and it stops. Have to pull out the battery and reboot the phone.

 

The update is "system enhancement" and is only 20mb. I thought at first it may be due to the lack of phone memory left so I uninstalled some crap and had about 40mb free but the bugger still fails.

 

Anyone else having issues? and do you know what the update is? maybe I don't want it anyway.......

[Ashley]

Speaking of updates my only niggle with the S2 so far is that it comes with Swype installed and as such you can't upgrade it for some reason. Major ball ache as I'd gotten used to the more up-to-date version.

[Ten10]

I got a new update notification today for my HTC Desire but it fails to install.

 

Downloads fine and starts the install but about a quarter of the way through I get a red triangle and it stops. Have to pull out the battery and reboot the phone.

 

The update is "system enhancement" and is only 20mb. I thought at first it may be due to the lack of phone memory left so I uninstalled some crap and had about 40mb free but the bugger still fails.

 

Anyone else having issues? and do you know what the update is? maybe I don't want it anyway.......

 

Apparently it is a novel update to remove the feature that apple won the patent case for, big whoop. It's more of a downgrade than anything else.

 

To be honest though you're better off rooting and flashing a custom rom. I turned the desire I gave to my mum into a beats phone and it has around 700MB of space for apps.

 

Speaking of updates my only niggle with the S2 so far is that it comes with Swype installed and as such you can't upgrade it for some reason. Major ball ache as I'd gotten used to the more up-to-date version.

 

Seems like the ICS update looks exactly like the gingerbread version according to reports about the leaked rom.

 

http://rumah-android.com/ics-4-0-3-for-samsung-galaxy-s2-leaked-with-touchwiz-included.html

[Ike]

Anyone recommend a good case for a Google Nexus S?

[Ten10]

Anyone recommend a good case for a Google Nexus S?

 

Personally I think the hydro gel cases work best. Silicone cases begin to warp after a while and don't fit the phone but offer lots of cushioning against a fall. Hard cases are prone to falling a part after a while especially after impact.

 

I had one on my desire and it was done after two relatively small falls. Hydro gel cases offer the benefits of silicone cases and hard cases minus the draw backs.

 

The ones going for £2.99 in this ebay search would be best in my opinion.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=nexus+s+hydro+gel+case+&_cqr=true&_nkwusc=nexus+s+hydro+gel+case&_rdc=1

[Mr-Paul]

Just flashing a new ROM onto my Desire.

 

It is amazing the things rooting can do for it after I've had it for 18 months already.

[Ten10]

Just flashing a new ROM onto my Desire.

 

It is amazing the things rooting can do for it after I've had it for 18 months already.

 

In my eyes that is currently the best ROM for the desire. Was also interesting to see that HTC's entire marketing campaign around beats audio is just a special way of saying equaliser.

 

Also I don't see the need for antivirus on a phone. It really just requires you to be competent. But Avast have created a rock solid all in one solution that included the smartest anti theft solution I have ever seen. If you have root you can install it as a system app so that even if someone wipes the data off your phone you still have access to it:

 

http://www.avast.com/free-mobile-security

Edited January 6, 2012 by Ten10
Grammatical error drove me mad.

[Platty]

Due an upgrade in May so was thinking of flashing the Desire and giving it a new lease of life.

 

Any good websites to use for guidance and for downloading ROMs?

[Cube]

Due an upgrade in May so was thinking of flashing the Desire and giving it a new lease of life.

 

Any good websites to use for guidance and for downloading ROMs?

 

http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=594

[heroicjanitor]

Just flashing a new ROM onto my Desire.

 

It is amazing the things rooting can do for it after I've had it for 18 months already.

 

I've been considering rooting for ages, especially since I want to store more apps on the sd card. Think I'll just be lazy and assume you found a good rom :p

[Mr-Paul]

It's very good so far, best one I've used out of the three I've had. It's very smooth running considering it is a ROM based on what should run on the HTC Sensation. ItI'd say it's definitely worth it to give your Desire a new lease of life, you can definitely store a lot more apps, but it is unfortunately still limited compared to newer phones. Contacts storage takes up way too much room!

 

If anyone needs any advice on the process I'd be happy to help, or go to @Ten10, he was very useful when I decided to root.

[Ten10]

The best hand holding rooting a desire guide is this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1016084

 

Also go with the Runnymede AIO rom. Best in class. When I still used my desire I was running Leedroid, then Leedroid HD. A word of advice is that you will need to partition your SD card. It will involve backing up what you have on there already.

 

I think in that guide there is a section about Gparted to partition your SD card. I think you can do this from the menu in Clockwork Mod recovery (you'll know what this is eventually) or you can use Rom Manager from the market. You'll need to format it in EXT4 and give it 1GB so 1024MB minimum.