A BB defector....X arrives monday

[allrdy2go]

Ladies and gentlemen... I need some help. On monday I become a defector to the Android world leaving the warm comfy world of blackberry. My Droid X arrives and I cannot wait. I had 5 BB devices in the past few years 8330 Curve, 9500 Storm, 9630 Tour, 8530 Curve and finally the 9650 Bold.

I read all the detailed stories of rooting, Gingerbread, DNLA...etc etc. And I need to be guided by my newly found Android family. I need recommendations for the first thing that I do to my new "toy" to get it running optimally and to get the most out of the new Android experience.

To root or don't root....and why. What app is essential to download?

Guide me... I am a blank slate!

Thanks for all the help

 

[Smitty_82]

Welcome and congrats on your new device. The links in my signature should help you get on the right track. I would get used to your device before rooting.

 

[CSI Guy]

Allrdy2 are you using Gmail yet? If so great your start will be easy if you are. If not, you will need to transfer your contacts and calendar to Gmail. Next get on the Market and just start looking for interesting programs you may like. There are many threads to search for programs. I use docs-to-go for Word and Excel files and works great. If you Tweet, check out Twidroyd Pro, if you use Facebook, there are lots of those programs. I am a book reader so I use Kindle for Android. Weatherbug is a good weather program. Most of all, read all you can right here on Android Central, lots of folks will guide you all the way. Good Luck.

 

[ultravisitor]

Just spend time learning your device and learning Android for a while. Rooting can wait. You don't want to mess up your phone if you don't even know your way around Android.

 

[El Jefe]

Just spend time learning your device and learning Android for a while. Rooting can wait. You don't want to mess up your phone if you don't even know your way around Android.

I couldn't agree more!

Get to know the phone & OS in it's stock setup first before making any major system changes. Read any threads that interest you on this forum. It is a great learning tool. When YOU feel like you are ready to root & REALLY customize your Droid X, you will be ale to find complete walkthrus here too.

Enjoy...it is a great phone & OS, I seriously doubt you will miss ANYTHING Blackberry did for you.

 

[RHChan84]

Welcome. Enjoy your X. You will love it.

 

[striperhound]

I too just came over from the BB World after a few years.

Heed the advice above. I'm still learning my way around the phone and keep looking for a Menu button, etc.

I've found a lot of the features on the Droid more intuitve than the Storm 2 I just left. For instance, the menu to change my ringtones; on the Droid X I can easily find it and on my Storm 2 I had to think.

I'm getting used to just touching the screen and not a push, etc. You'll find out.

The stock browser just screams compared to Storm 2's native browser.

Apps, I'm fidning more great apps for the X.

Frankly, I doubt I'll root my phone. If want to to play on a UNIX command line I can use a Linux, Solaris or AIX server and write some scripts.

 

[mdlissner]

If you sync to an enterprise server get Touchdown. It rocks.

 

[broadwayblues]

The best thing to start off with is to install the google sync app on your BB, and sync your BB contacts with google. It will make your life a lot easier when you type in your gmail address on your new Android.

I too went from the BB 9630 to the 9650 and to a Droid X.

You are going to be blown away!!!

Welcome to the 'Cool kids club!'

 

[LastOstrogoth]

I absolutely agree with broadwayblues. I made the transitions through the 9630 to the 9650 and then, having returned three phones in seven months decided it was time to try something else. I can truly say after about six weeks with my Droid X that if anyone wants it they will have to pry it from my cold, dead hand. I love it. It is so far above anything BB has accomplished as to not even bear comparison. You will be happy here. This is also an incredibly great group of people with a host of information and ideas.

 

[Jet300]

If you sync to an enterprise server get Touchdown. It rocks.

This. x2!

 

[Chrisy]

If you don't mind me asking, what did the Droid X cost with an NE2?

 

[allrdy2go]

Actually bought the phone off ebay.... my wife already stole my upgrade. With verizon doing away with the NE2 I think ebay is going to get even more popular. I would not even be surprised if verizon decided to open a refurb store to find a way to make additional money (Bet they would have a lot of BB for sale LOL!).

 

[greydarrah]

It wouldn't surprise me if 90% of all android users are bb defectors...I know I am. The X (and probably any android phone) is such a more pleasant world to be in than bb. So many ways to do things through a huge collection of apps. We have many different calendars (I have settled on the weekly view of CalendarPad), messaging apps, email apps (though I still prefer the native Gmail app), as well as tons of games.

The best recommendation I can give is to go to youtube and search for videos for the Droid X. You "see" many things that your X is capable of, learn a lot about android in general, and find many useful apps. I suggest installing Launcher Pro immediately, as it makes moving through the home screens much smoother.

I do recommend rooting, as it gives you a way to make a complete backup of your phone, as well as free tethering. You can also use apps like SetCPU to control your processor to get the most out of it while saving battery life. Having said all that, I think you should use your X as is for a couple of weeks to get a feel for it before rooting. When, or if you are ready to root, here is a great set of detailed instructions written up by one of the members here:

From Cyber Warrior...Guide to rooting and ROMing with great video links:

http://forum.androidcentral.com/mot...ooting-backing-up-installing-custom-roms.html

 

[CSI Guy]

Well I have defected from BB also, rocking the X. The X is just too nice for me to ignore. Now to save for the Bionic!

 

[Stang68]

I would read Phil's Droid X review as it's full of great tips and information. Should be under Reviews up at the top of the site.

 

[revwill]

I came over from a BB Curve 8330, and I couldn't be happier. Battery life is similar, functionality is WAAAY better!

At first I found all the freedom of the X to be a little intimidating. BlackBerries are so standardized, so un-customizable that their familiarity becomes comforting after a while. I treated my Droid a lot like a BlackBerry for a bit, only adding bits and pieces of customization as I grew comfortable with it. Now I have it just like I like it.

My advice would be to let the customizations come slowly as you familiarize yourself with the device. Before long you'll wonder why you ever liked your BB.

 

[goin_nil]

I'd recommend waiting at least 6 months on the rooting. No need to rush it. Get to know your phone first and explore the Market apps will keep you busy enough.

I highly recommend a calendar app called Calengoo. It syncs all your google calendars, exchange calendar (at work), color coded shared google calendars (my wife's, kid's, etc), is HIGHLY customizable, has very usable month view with details of events, very cool Day Widget to see the next 3 hours, Agenda Widget us great, syncs with google tasks, too many features to list...

It also does something that not many calendar apps can do - create recurring events that have an end date (most I have tried don't allow an end date... they go on forever).

I rarely use the stock web browser; Opera Mini is much better and faster.

AppBrain is a better app for searching the market for apps.

You and your wife might like OurGroceries (real time synchronized grocery list between multiple phones).

I think that you will really like Swype for typing. Be sure to enable that.

 

[irish22022]

play around with browsers, music players, SMS clients and things like that. There are so many, and EVERYONE has their own preference (so much so that I won't even tell you mine, just try a few out and see what you think).

things are going to seem a little overwhelming. I think you should look into an alternative home launcher before anything. Blur (moto's home launcher) is not good at all. Launcher Pro or ADW (again, I'll obstain from my preference because everyone has their own) will give you a more intuitive experience. From small things like dock notifications (miss a call, new email or text? you don't have to go hunting for it! it'll will notify you in your dock), to things like screen transitions and eyecandy like that; it makes a big difference.

As for rooting, I waited about 9 months because it simply didn't appeal to me for a long time. With launcher pro (i'm sure adw is the same), you can customize the hell out of everything anyway. Droidx is fast enough to handle the bloat.

Now, I'm rooted and will never look back. BUT, come to that realization on your own, don't rush into anything.

 

[Chrisy]

I can't find swype in appbrain. Is it somewhere else?

Thanks for mentioning OurGroceries! I use that on BlackBerry and I'm glad there an Android app for it too!