Using locked Android phone in WIFI mode only?

**netarc** · 10-13-2011, 02:24 PM

I'm looking to purchase an Android handset or tablet (Froyo 2.2, as I understand that's what most Android phones appear to be running these days?) for use in testing application and business email/calendar integration (I'm an IT service provider, and support clients with Android phones; having an iOS device myself, I need to gain expertise/experience with use & support of the Android platform). I plan to only use the phone in WIFI mode, with no cellular service.

The big question is - can an locked Android phone be easily used in wif-only mode? Or is it like the iPhone, where the phone can't be used at all unless it's "activated?" And if the answer is no, they can't be used in wifi only w/o activation - would rooting the phone address this?

I was looking for 4"+ 2010-era phones, focusing on those with Samsung OLED display (e.g., Galaxy S, as I've also always wanted to have an OLED device) on ebay/craigslist. My eval budget for this device is < $150, so if anyone has any suggestions

The other alternative was to purchase a 7" Galaxy Tab or the new 5" samsung wifi-only "player" ... although both of these at >$200 are over the budget I'd allocated for this test device.

Thanks in advance, any suggestions would be appreciated!

**Moscow Desire** · 10-13-2011, 03:00 PM

You can use it in locked form. THe Wifi will work just fine. Note that some devices, may want to prompt you with an activation screen, but the code to bypass that is on the net. And it's legal to do so.

But if you're going to test, why settle for a cheap tablet? Going to use it for a book reader?.....Joking of course. But you'll find the cheaper tab's, are just that. Cheap. Usually, they don't even come with the market app, So you have to root anyhow. Not to mention they will probably have an old version of android, like 2.0 or 2.1. ANd you probably will not get updates.

If you wish to test a tab, sport out 349$ and get the Acer A500 from best Buy. Maybe cheaper on the net. Comes with Honeycomb 3.0 or 3.1. And...... much to the displeasure of the comparison chart by Milobender in this forum, it also sports a 2.0 Full Size USB port which most of the other tabs don't have. And you can run a 3g dongle with a patch update. Personally, I have the A501 which has internal 3g Sim.

**netarc** · 10-13-2011, 06:12 PM

Although I'd like honeycomb for personal use, the main goal here is to have a platform which is comparable to the majority of Android phones out there, so that means the device we target must be 2.2, or possibly 2.3.

I ended up finding a refurb Tab 7 on newegg for $240, so purchased that, even thought I've heard that the device can be sluggish. Still, if I can also find a phone-based droid device in the <$50-80 range, I may try to pick that up as well.

**Moscow Desire** · 10-13-2011, 09:49 PM

I understand. 1 note, if you shop for a used phone, make sure the ESN number clears (not stolen).

**netarc** · 10-14-2011, 12:35 AM

Thanks for the tip. re: the ESN number, how does one check it, is there a web resource to do so? Is the ESN # typically on the battery?

**chemnerd** · 10-14-2011, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by netarc

Thanks for the tip. re: the ESN number, how does one check it, is there a web resource to do so? Is the ESN # typically on the battery?

Best suggestion is actually to just buy a GSM phone (T-Mobile or AT&T) and then you don't need to worry about a clean ESN (as GSM phones don't have an ESN, they have an IMEI, but it's not required to register the phone on the network - the SIM card does that).

If you are looking at a CDMA phone (Verizon or Sprint) then it will have an ESN, you can call the carrier it's on to verify or try an online search (for example, using ). The ESN is located on the phone, under the battery, btw, the same place the IMEI would be located on a GSM phone.

Hope that helps!

**Andrew Ruffolo** · 10-14-2011, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by chemnerd

Best suggestion is actually to just buy a GSM phone (T-Mobile or AT&T) and then you don't need to worry about a clean ESN (as GSM phones don't have an ESN, they have an IMEI, but it's not required to register the phone on the network - the SIM card does that).

If you are looking at a CDMA phone (Verizon or Sprint) then it will have an ESN, you can call the carrier it's on to verify or try an online search (for example, using ). The ESN is located on the phone, under the battery, btw, the same place the IMEI would be located on a GSM phone.

Hope that helps!

This.
Any phone/tablet would work. And the device being sluggish wouldn't be bad... if your app runs well on a slow device, it will run well on a faster one... You didn't even need to purchase a device though to develop your app. For "wifi" only purposes, using the emulator on the computer would have done the same thing. Here's my tutorial:
[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfPPcvElSWE[/YT]