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OK, so I've been using a Kaiser/Tilt with Eclair on it for awhile. I've spent countless hours drooling after the Nexus One. When AT&T finally got the "Backflip" from Motorola, I just couldn't resist. I took the plunge.
I should've known better. I have plenty of AT&T horror stories, and this is the same carrier that wont allow you to tell your Java apps NOT to ask for permission more than once (making Opera mini a PITA but the only usable browser for non-smart-phones).
There is NO option to install applications from untrusted sources. This means anything on your SD card, downloaded from the web or over your wifi at home WILL NOT WORK. Naturally, you also cannot use the "su" command in terminal.
Motoblur is nice I guess, but the uninstallable AT&T paid apps, the limitations of 1.5 firmware (ie: no google navigator, no voice search) and the locked-to-yahoo-search-bar are enough to get me to say NO to any further AT&T abuse.
With the Kaiser's bloatware, they removed/hid apps from you so you wouldn't try to use them and replaced them with their crapware.
AT&T does not know the meaning of "open" and they do not understand Android. You are not buying an Android phone when you buy from AT&T.
You are buying a device LOCKED to a market with a smaller number of applications than the iPhone (I don't use Apple products either ) forced to use a lesser search engine for your most convenient option and subject to losing any application that was once on the market but then removed. You can't install your own apps or even test them on your device. Period.
Also on my first day of using it I got a number of "Force Close" messages including on the built-in applications (ie: Motorola's flavor of the desk clock).
It's decent hardware, it feels pretty zippy to me, but this is exactly why I WONT buy an iPhone.
Screw you, AT&T. I will make sure that everyone I know is properly informed about this crippled device that is nothing like the Android experience is supposed to (expected to!) be.
/endrant phew, going to go breathe for awhile.
EDIT: I will add:
- Set "orientation" on this phone when you tilt it and somehow it gets stuck in one orientation or the other (who knows maybe this one is just me, not seen any other backflips) if you set it back to just when you open/close it it's fine again though
- The desk clock can't be launched manually and is tricky to get to appear trying to get the phone in that perfect angle to display it
- I don't have a separate camera on me right now to show you the menu but to back up with sources:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/1910...n_atandt_not_the_full_android_experience.html
https://supportforums.motorola.com/message/121849
Don't buy this phone. Stay away from AT&T, stay away from Motorola (IMO or at least the motorola backflip).
This is pretty horrible.
I have two questions, though.
1) Can you take a screen cap of the Settings > Applications screen so we can see the lack of Unknown Sources option? That'd really help people see the validity of this issue.
2) I hope you have some kind of 30-day money-back guarantee when buying a handset from AT&T like Sprint offers. Otherwise, ouch =/
I haven't tried to install an apk from astro or anything, but i have pushed a few with ADB which seems to work fine. It kinda sucks, but I really hope that we can figure out root access soon! I don't care for blur, but I like android. Hopefully we don't have to wait to long. Here is an ADB guide http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=643866
I wonder if Apple suddenly took over AT&T because this kind of behaviour is more common to them
... It's not only AT&T who manages to confuse their customers about an OSS... Don't forget who decided to lock down an open software system boot-loader for everyone *cough*Motorola*cough*
Apple made them an offer they could not refuse!
nuff said
I spent some time with one yesterday.
Ouch, even my Fuze running eclair is faster.
They really broke this machine.
I am worried about other att phones!
My hope for an even somewhat open x10 on AT&T is starting to dwindle.
HushH said:
My hope for an even somewhat open x10 on AT&T is starting to dwindle.
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mines as well. i hope they dont. i know its off topic but is there an officail release date for the x10 on att? i hear it may be april/may
Someone more familiar than I needs to figure out the proper java system call to enable unknown/untrusted sources and then post on this thread the proper at command to execute it via CLI. You wouldn't even need root to do this.
IConrad01 said:
Someone more familiar than I needs to figure out the proper java system call to enable unknown/untrusted sources and then post on this thread the proper at command to execute it via CLI. You wouldn't even need root to do this.
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Assuming the software running on the Backflip is the same software they released the source to on opensource.motorola.com, there may be hope of that. I'll dig into it when I get time.
Wow. I am surprised that this was picked up by Gizmodo. Do we have anyone corroborating this? Doesn't this somehow violate Google's terms of service?
HushH said:
My hope for an even somewhat open x10 on AT&T is starting to dwindle.
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Mine too! Just means to spend the couple extra hundred dollars and get an unlocked unbranded one.
I got the Backflip just because I am moving on from my jailbroken iPhone and I wanted something neat and shiny.
I can say that there is a lot of smack talk here, but give these guys a chance here to root the phone and get some things working on it.
It's been two days since the release and I can already say, that I like the phone a hell of a lot more today then I did on Sunday. I've been able to install untrusted sources using the Droid Explorer, a bit of a pain in the ass, but it's okay, considering that if I want Android, then this is the only way to go for now.
But I have faith in someone out there... Someone will figure this out.
I just hope it's within my 30 day return policy.
EDIT: I Installed "GDE" on my device and I am able to use the Google search widget... So that issue is sort of solved...
This may just be my unit but the A2DP doesn't work right, it starts playing music then begins to fast forward whatever you are watching or listening to. Did a hard reset, no luck. Looks like I already need a replacement lol.
Squeaky369 said:
EDIT: I Installed "GDE" on my device and I am able to use the Google search widget... So that issue is sort of solved...
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Can you please explain how you got the google search widget working?
nutcake852 said:
Can you please explain how you got the google search widget working?
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Eh; fail on my part. It's mostly a cosmetic fix. I didn't actually test it, but when you click on it, it changes to "Yahoo".
So my bad on that one.
God, I hate Yahoo. Ever since that stupid ass cowboy did that commercial, it's ate away at my soul...
I don't know why...
To think we were all worried about how Verizon was going to cripple android only to have ATT do it instead. At first I was amazed and then I realized that any android phone would have outshown their prized phone...oh well one more reason to love being on T-Mobile. ;-)
I played with a Backflip. My god it's a horrid phone. And yeah, Android is completely locked down, with no way to delete those AT&T apps and no installing off-Market Android Apps out of the box.
I was going to wait to see what AT&T was going to bring to the table, but I'm not holding my breath.
Btw, I noticed that AT&T trained to sell the Backflip pretty hard. Like, seriously, I was looking at phones today, and every other word out of the rep's mouth was that I should buy the Backflip. Thankfully I'm more informed than that. I walked out with an iPhone instead. (Don't grill me, I use a Touch Pro2, I just needed a good phone for my work line >_<)
Help i ****ed up my phone
So i just rooted my g1 to get the nexus one features to it and now all it is doing is foreclosing instead of going to the home screen if anyone can help can you please email me at [email protected] thank you
Xodium said:
I played with a Backflip. My god it's a horrid phone. And yeah, Android is completely locked down, with no way to delete those AT&T apps and no installing off-Market Android Apps out of the box.
I was going to wait to see what AT&T was going to bring to the table, but I'm not holding my breath.
Btw, I noticed that AT&T trained to sell the Backflip pretty hard. Like, seriously, I was looking at phones today, and every other word out of the rep's mouth was that I should buy the Backflip. Thankfully I'm more informed than that. I walked out with an iPhone instead. (Don't grill me, I use a Touch Pro2, I just needed a good phone for my work line >_<)
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I really do think though that this is going to end up to be a decent phone.
I know I am a little pro for that comment, just because I bought one. But lets look at every phone that ever comes out. There is always some sort of challenge that we have to overcome.
And; with all the threads I've been reading about this; it looks like it was BOTH AT&T and Motorola that are to blame for locking this phone down. ATT cause they don't want us to install from anything but an "App Store" and Motorola because they don't want their devices used for what "there were not intended to be used for," is the wording I've seen floating around the internet.
But in all seriousness. I am coming from an iPhone 3GS which I had jailbroken. So I am coming from a phone that I had everything and anything on to this, and I am, overall, happy with it. Although it's only been 5 days, I can say I don't think I'll change my mind in the next 25 days.
But that's just my two-cents.
First off, yes I did a search, both on XDA and via Google, and I turned up plenty of mentions, but no actual links.
The official AIM app for Android was released a while back, and it worked great (for me anyway); well, lo and behold my N1 was stolen on Sunday (bastards... WaveSecure's gonna put'em in jail tho), and I just got my replacement today. After rooting and flashing CM 5.0.6 and trying to restore everything to the way it was pre-theft, wouldn't you know it, the app no longer seems to be on the market. Anybody got the APK? Got it installed and can link up a copy from an Astro backup? It'd be greatly appreciated.
Edit: Yes I know there are other apps that provid AIM functionality. Yes I know about the issues many have had with the official app. Yes I'm still pissed that my N1 was stolen. Yes I'm gonna be selling an N1 for a low price once I get the stolen one back (and I'm praying I do). Thx for your concern and your help.
Can't help you with the actual AIM app, btu I can suggest eBuddy as an alternative.
I got the apk but I'm put right now. too bad I don't know how files.
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
^it's no rush, my dude. If you get around to uploading it when you get home or whenever you have time (assuming you meant you're "out" and I'm not misunderstanding), I'd greatly appreciate it.
When I can't find an app in the Market I can usually get the app wit Market Enabler and switching back and forth with T-Mobile and AT&T. It will usually work for at least one reboot if I fake a provider, reboot, fake the same provider again after the boot, open Market. T-Mobile is 310260. At&t is 310410.
BTW and off topic, does anyone know a place to find a list of ALL the different gsm.sim.operator.numeric values for all the world's Android Markets? That would be a big help.
Anyway, here's the official AIM app. Enjoy.
Hmmm, I just typed AIM and it was the first app in the Market to download.
As for selling the stolen phone, doesn't the IMIE or whatever its called get blacked listed/banned?
That's interesting... it's now showing up for me as well. It looked like a newer version than the one I installed though, it prompted me to "update" to 1.5.5.1 I believe it was; Astro shows the version I downloaded yesterday as being v1.5.5.1 however. Wierd.
I kid you not though, it wasn't showing up yesterday. I even went to the AIM mobile site and tried to get it via the QR code on the page, market found nothing. Odd.
Edit: Also, about the other phone... that's a good question. I guess we'll see if/when the other N1 is returned to me. *shrug*
Ok, decided I wanted to try a WP7, so I looked to craigslist. Found a Samsung Focus to trade my Android for. Everything worked fine it seemed, the only slight nag was that this particular focus was a pre-release, it said "not for sale" on the back. I decided to go ahead with it anyway since everything worked, but now I have an issue. My live id gets the annoying attention required text when it tries to sync, and I can't seem to install apps that require my device id. Netflix will dl fine, but upon trying to install I get the problem with license error. Everything else, even some apps, install and run without a hitch. Am I screwed? Am I just missing something? I have searched and searched and can't find an answer, so anything will help. Thanks.
I think you're bound to run into some issues with a pre-release phone. My suggestion would be to get an official release WP7.
definitely picking up an "official" one soon, would still like to sort this one out if possible though. Odd, the only apps that won't install are ones that seem to need the device id. Others so far seem to work well enough, and even though my live id keeps telling me attention required, and insisting my password is wrong...it still has the correct xbox live stuff loaded. Hopefully someone can shed some light on this, but at least it's "mostly" functional, and I can use it enough to tell that I like it so far and will definitely be interested in the future of wp7.
Ricparr said:
definitely picking up an "official" one soon, would still like to sort this one out if possible though. Odd, the only apps that won't install are ones that seem to need the device id. Others so far seem to work well enough, and even though my live id keeps telling me attention required, and insisting my password is wrong...it still has the correct xbox live stuff loaded. Hopefully someone can shed some light on this, but at least it's "mostly" functional, and I can use it enough to tell that I like it so far and will definitely be interested in the future of wp7.
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I believe others have gotten around this by flashing RTM ROMs... don't quote me on that though. Try checking one out, if it exists it'll be in the development section.
So I have a Skytex Primer Pocket, little 4.3" thing running Android 2.2. No market, no official Google apps, and, above all, no mention of it anywhere except for brief reviews. So I'm looking into rooting it, or just getting the Market onto it (and maybe the Gmail app). It comes with GetJar, which, as I've just learned, is a ****ty alternative app store full of spam and ads. I'm also learning that if you wanna have a half way decent experience you NEED the Market, which this doesn't have. I've had very little experience with Android (never owned an Android device before this), so please bear with me if I say or said something stupid. What would yall smart people suggest?
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
oops! sorry
I just got a pocket primer for my three year old to play with (navigates my EVO 4G better than my wife). In it's stock form he can play videos and basic angry birds but even he will get frustrated if I can't get the same apps on that thing as the rest of his family has,......and he beats me.
haha wow i'd given up on this thread. I've actually pretty much given up on my device entirely and use it almost exclusively as an mp3 player. The browser doesn't open anymore (it displays a message stating that it crashed whenever I open it), the wifi doesn't turn on and it's just a ****ing piece of ****.
thefinn93 said:
haha wow i'd given up on this thread. I've actually pretty much given up on my device entirely and use it almost exclusively as an mp3 player. The browser doesn't open anymore (it displays a message stating that it crashed whenever I open it), the wifi doesn't turn on and it's just a ****ing piece of ****.
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The problems you are having can most likely be resolved by hitting the reset button, as I have had to do once or twice. Also, if you wanted it to have all the things you mentioned, why did you buy this device? The ad states pretty clearly that the apps market that this device uses is Getjar. And, once again, you get what you pay for. BTW, there are many apps on the Amazon Apps Market that work just fine.
You can also download 1 Mobile Market as a good alternative, much better than Getjar...
warneso said:
The problems you are having can most likely be resolved by hitting the reset button, as I have had to do once or twice. Also, if you wanted it to have all the things you mentioned, why did you buy this device? The ad states pretty clearly that the apps market that this device uses is Getjar. And, once again, you get what you pay for. BTW, there are many apps on the Amazon Apps Market that work just fine.
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Yeah I had mine given to me and wasn't really sure what to expect, but wasn't terribly impressed. It makes an OK media player. And yes, I ended up resetting it and getting the browser back.
As for 1 Mobile Market, good to know, will try it. Thanks. For everyone who has it: is it "pre rooted"? like, when you connect with ADB do you get a root shell, or do i have a weird one?
hmmm I wonder if SlideMe market would work as well, I think all skytex devices come with root already its one of there monkiers, I just wish the dev community would pick a couple up and throw ROM's at em cheap devices that work well as gifts but have crappy stock roms
right now my daughter is using one as mp3 player and using amazon market on it but she calls me everyday and I have to tell her reset, Im just going to start answering the phone, "reset it"
I have tried myself with the Gapps and i managed to install them by installing the market vending. Youtube doesnt work, and by that I mean that the video doesnt play. Which I cant understand because mobile youtube can play just fine. Plus from what I can remember it disables its own lockscreen and the home button ceases to work and a factory reset is the only answer. Defiantly a unique situation and ridiculous as well. How does all that happen from just installing the market? A clusterf**k of BS is all I can say about it. These low grade tablets are mostly hopeless to get properly suited with G apps so Im at a loss for anything else to do.
I'm super bummed. Got an S7 BOGO, just saw that the rebate was approved. So I was going to root my phone so I could install 'Vollkorn' font and AirAudio which I use to stream audio to my Airport Expresses thru Airplay.
Without root, neither of these things work. I can't believe I can't even change a simple font. This has to be about the f-in dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life. I play music everyday from in different rooms throughout the the house and is a feature I require.
If anyone has some good news, please share it. Maybe it's really time to switch to Apple. God this sucks, the S7 is so legit.
Does anyone know how to make either of these happen?