First time Android user... any tips?

[Carioca_FL]

I'm coming into the Android world after using webOS (Pre) since its launch on June of last year. While I'm in love with webOS and feeling a bit "meh" on Android after using it a few times (don't hate, it's just an opinion, after all), I'm fully commited on giving Android a fair shake.

I've grown used to how easy it is to install patches on webOS, and a few weeks/months after the Pre's launch, there were apps available to allow you to install these patches easily over the air. Hope there's a similar dev scene for the Android...

With that, I have a few questions:

- is Android "open" enough that the user/developer/homebrew community has developed any tweaks/patches/modifications for it?
- how easy is it to install/remove these patches/tweaks?
- are there any threads/stickies that layout what customizations are available for Android?
- any tips for getting the most out the Android OS?

Thanks in advance!

 

[KerkedAgain]

I'm coming into the Android world after using webOS (Pre) since its launch on June of last year. While I'm in love with webOS and feeling a bit "meh" on Android after using it a few times (don't hate, it's just an opinion, after all), I'm fully commited on giving Android a fair shake.

I've grown used to how easy it is to install patches on webOS, and a few weeks/months after the Pre's launch, there were apps available to allow you to install these patches easily over the air. Hope there's a similar dev scene for the Android...

With that, I have a few questions:

- is Android "open" enough that the user/developer/homebrew community has developed any tweaks/patches/modifications for it?
- how easy is it to install/remove these patches/tweaks?
- are there any threads/stickies that layout what customizations are available for Android?
- any tips for getting the most out the Android OS?

Thanks in advance!

1. Yes
2. Very, reboot into what you'll know as "recovery" and go back to what works
3. kinda..I've been on xda for a while, but there's a dev (lurking in the backgrounds) here that does some CRAZY great work. Threads'll more than likely pop up more after the phone launches
4. Best tip: STICK AROUND!! Its gonna get fun within these next few weeks (as root [homebrew-like] has already been achieved)

 

[Carioca_FL]

Thanks Kerked, but I hope there's more than one dev around these parts, though. At least with the Pre, there's an army (yes, army. It's got divisions, regiments, etc ) of devs cranking out patches/apps on a seemingly daily basis.

 

[KerkedAgain]

ohhh we're gonna have our army, no worries! Google "evo 4g froyo" and you should find a link to a dev site (and video) with Froyo 2.2 working on the EVO...quite a bit of ingenious dev work done over there, as I'm sure will be the case here

 

[spinteews]

I'm with you Carioca, came from a pre also and trying to get use to Android

 

[Carioca_FL]

I'm not looking so much for running a specific rom (Froyo, etc), but actual apps and patches.

For example: is there a flashlight app on the Android that allows the use of the LED flash as a flashlight and/or strobe light?

How about patches that change the UI in some aspects, add missing functionality, etc?

 

[mala027]

Carioca, I use an app called "MotoTorch LED" on my DROID (only 2 more days till I upgrade to an EVO!) that does LED flashllight, strobe light (with delay and duration controls), and morse code (!). It's worked perfectly for me so far (though I don't know morse code so I can't comment on that), and it has a widget to put on your homescreen for one-touch flashlight.

 

[stolirocks]

I'm not looking so much for running a specific rom (Froyo, etc), but actual apps and patches.

For example: is there a flashlight app on the Android that allows the use of the LED flash as a flashlight and/or strobe light?

How about patches that change the UI in some aspects, add missing functionality, etc?

man, if those few trivial things excite you then you aint seen nothing yet

 

[Kyle Gibb]

I'm not looking so much for running a specific rom (Froyo, etc), but actual apps and patches.

For example: is there a flashlight app on the Android that allows the use of the LED flash as a flashlight and/or strobe light?

How about patches that change the UI in some aspects, add missing functionality, etc?

AppBrain.com is a great website for looking for apps from the comfort of your computer rather than with the limited space on your phone.

 

[bmoore]

I'm not looking so much for running a specific rom (Froyo, etc), but actual apps and patches.

For example: is there a flashlight app on the Android that allows the use of the LED flash as a flashlight and/or strobe light?

How about patches that change the UI in some aspects, add missing functionality, etc?

I have the same questions.

We have an app called PreWare that resides on the device. With it, one can modify several aspects of the phone with what are called "patches". For example: The Pre is 500mhz stock. Through the PreWare application, I was able to download a patch that over-clocks the Pre to 800mhz. There are also patches for enabling different native apps (mail, txt, calendar) to use the accelerometer. In addition to patches that can be installed OTA, there's also the entire "homebrew" set of apps from several different feeds across the internet. This is all accessible from the phone and over the air.

here's a link

http://www.webosnation.com/getting-started-preware


Does android have something like PreWare, that enables its users to seamlessly modify different core aspects of the OS?

 

[Kyle Gibb]

I have the same questions.

We have an app called PreWare that resides on the device. With it, one can modify several aspects of the phone with what are called "patches". For example: The Pre is 500mhz stock. Through the PreWare application, I was able to download a patch that over-clocks the Pre to 800mhz. There are also patches for enabling different native apps (mail, txt, calendar) to use the accelerometer. In addition to patches that can be installed OTA, there's also the entire "homebrew" set of apps from several different feeds across the internet. This is all accessible from the phone and over the air.

here's a link

http://www.webosnation.com/getting-started-preware


Does android have something like PreWare, that enables its users to seamlessly modify different core aspects of the OS?

I don't think there is yet a single app that would do this, considering that there are so many different Android devices. I know people have OCed the Moto Droid to like 1.2 GHz or something insane, but nothing yet for the Inc as far as I know.

 

[Carioca_FL]

Thanks guys; I've seen appbrain mentioned a few times. Besides listing Android apps (does it list them all?) and allowing the creation of lists, what else does it do?
Does it let you send the app(s) to your Android device for installation?

 

[Kyle Gibb]

appbrain has an app in the market that has a "sync" button that will basically open the market link for any app you have selected from their website for you to install. It won't install them automatically, however. Just makes it so you don't have to search for them or forget any you marked to install while you were browsing.

 

[Carioca_FL]

That makes sense, thanks!

How about contacts? I'm on the Pre and 99% of my contacts are Google Contacts (that 1% are contacts under Palm Profile, which I need to re-create under Google Contacts), and I wonder if Android uses contact pics -can anyone show me some screenshots of the contact pics under Android?

Also, is there anything I should do to prepare my contact list prior to getting my EVO?

 

[Kyle Gibb]

if its in google, it *should* sync right down once you login with your account when you get the phone. i dont have pics with them, but Sense plugs into facebook so thats where most of my contact pics are from.

 

[Carioca_FL]

I don't use Facebook for contacts; in fact, 60% or so of the people I have on Facebook I don't actually want in my phone's contact list (I know, weird).

Any idea if the contact pictures on Google Contact is synced with the phone?