Phandroids?? Users of Google's Android mobile OS

[DC]

Hey there, fellas . . .

Thought I'd start a thread to pool together Android geeks on here. This is not meant to be a "my phone vs. your phone" p!ssing match of a thread. I simply want to have Android users connect and discuss their experiences with each other.

------

I'm current using an HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1 in the US). I really dig this platform. It's very robust with a lot of potential over the coming years. This is the first phone of 19 planned by year's end. Just the tip of the iceberg as the platform grows and matures.

Yesterday, I was stuck in Costa Mesa for a while, and out of sheer boredom, I started geeking out with my phone. I installed "aHome test for Cupcake" and that pretty much froze my phone upon reboot. Nothing seemed to fix it except a reset to factory default. This pretty much wiped my phone. Back to square one!

So then I thought, "Hey, what an ideal time to root my phone!" The process was a bit complicated and nerve-racking, but in the end, I succeeded! There was a website with some good documentation on the process, and had links to the right tools to help it all along. Once you get root on your phone, there is another program that will manually update to new rooted firmware as it becomes available. This saves you the headache of going through the long process over and over again. Basically . . . root it once, install the right software, and it's easy from there on out.

I installed a developer version of the infamous Cupcake (firmware v1.5). This gives your phone full functionality but does not include a few of the specific T-Mobile icons. That was totally fine with me. Right after that, I realized there was an even newer version of Cupcake (v1.5.1) available, but not officially. Only developers received access to it. Almost immediately, someone modded it for root and set it free on the internet. That is why it now lives on my phone.

Anyway, I've been having fun exploiting root access for all its glory! Even the official Google Marketplace carries apps for rooted phones. Google has been very open about its open-source Android platform and I hope they continue that trend! :thumbsup:

Also, I'm curious if anyone is using Android as an aid in any way to film making? Or if anyone is developing any related apps?

 

[DChang]

I read that there are 3 versions of the OS available to carriers/manufacturers. Google and non GoogleApps versions as well as the "google experience". But then there is that new "rosie" UI version on the new HTC Hero. Very interesting.

People love to compare the G1 to the iPhone but they'll get the concept when they see a second phone on a different carrier with the same OS.:thumbup:

 

[djbobbyrhodes]

I love my G1. With the new cupcake update, I got an onscreen keyboard. I like that it's sort of an add-on. It's more of a neat trick, than a real keyboard, like the iphone.

But back to Android. I think it's great, it has a TON of potential, and it's already great. I've tried to crash my phone, just to see it's limits. I've opened nearly every app I had, and though a bit slow, my phone never crapped out. The only thing that does mess up is Mafia Wars on facebook. Occasionally, it force closes my browser. Maybe it's my phone's way of telling me not to be such a dork.

 

[Terry_Lasater]

Pardon me, but...

Pardon me, but...

 

[DC]

Yeah, the Rosie interface looks cool. I'm excited for Donut (firmware v2.0), though I don't know if it will actually come out for my current phone. Perhaps some flavor of it will. The search function awesome, especially how it "learns" more about you as time goes on.

The only thing that crashed my phone HARD was the "aHome Test for Cupcake." Other than that, it has been a really great multi-tasking environment to frolic in.

 

[SpenserS]

I'm really confused. I'm not up to date on "cupcake" and donut. Can you help me out? I have a g1 and it asked me to update today and the interface has changed. Is that the cupcake?

 

[DC]

I'm really confused. I'm not up to date on "cupcake" and donut. Can you help me out? I have a g1 and it asked me to update today and the interface has changed. Is that the cupcake?

"Cupcake" is the version 1.5 branch of the latest Android firmware build currently for the HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1) and HTC Magic. It's available now. Although an open-source product, some Android software development has been continuing in a private development branch. In order to bring this software into public view, a read-only mirror branch has been created, known as "cupcake." It is thought the name comes from Marissa Mayer, who has an obsession with cupcakes. "Cupcake" is commonly misunderstood as the title of an actual update, but as stated on Google's development website: "cupcake is still very much a work in progress. It is a development branch, not a release." Notable changes to the Android software that was introduced in "cupcake" include changes to the download manager, the framework, Bluetooth, the system software, radio and telephony, developer tools, the build system and several applications, as well as a number of bug fixes. The "cupcake" update started to be pushed to T-mobile G1 users on May 18, 2009. So, there are several new features and UI updates. More include the ability to record and watch videos with the camcorder mode, uploading videos to your linked YouTube account, pictures to Picasa directly from the phone, a new soft keyboard with an "Autocomplete" feature, ability to automatically connect to a Bluetooth headset within a certain distance, new widgets and folders that can populate the desktop, animations between screens and the wider availability of Copy and paste.

"Donut" is the version 2.0 branch of the latest Android firmware build currently for the HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1) and HTC Magic. It's not available yet.