[Q] Gingerbread question - General Questions and Answers

Hi, as the new htc phones are coming out (desire s, wildfire s, etc) I've noticed (watched a few videos of mobile phone convention) the they're running gingerbread but it's not the gingerbread with black screens, black phone dial, black notification bar, etc. It seems to be white (dial, keyboard,etc) so my questions is. What's the difference between the gingerbread, let's say, (CM7, Oxygen,etc, black font ones) and this new one that's coming with the new phones ? Is this the gingerbread update that's going to come soonish ota. Also, if the phone is updated to ota gingerbread would the rooting process change ? I currently have an original/unrooted desire but thinking of rooting but not sure if should wait for update or if I accept ota update and rooting process changes would need to learn all over again how to root, etc. Any advice/info much appreciated.

Probably just a different theme.

The vanilla Gingerbread appearance on the devices you mention is being covered up by the manufacturers skin. When Gingerbread OTA comes for your Desire the appearance of it isn't going to change as the 'Sense' bloat will still be there.
For shame

Related

How hard will it be to Make Desire Stock?

I'm an AT&T subscriber and i've been waiting on the Nexus one or compatible device.
I really don't know which is better between the nexus and the desire, but I know I do like the Physical buttons and the optical trackpad on the desire. I'm just not sure I want the Sense UI over Android.
Does the Sense UI still allow animated backgrounds and have all the features that vanilla Android has?
My main concern is the fact that it seems to take manufacturers with UI over Android a while to upgrade to the latest Version of Android.
So what do you guys think the best choice will be? And how hard will it be to remove Sense off the Desire and make it Vanilla Anroid? Will it then get the OTA updates just like the NExus One?
elijahblake said:
I'm an AT&T subscriber and i've been waiting on the Nexus one or compatible device.
I really don't know which is better between the nexus and the desire, but I know I do like the Physical buttons and the optical trackpad on the desire. I'm just not sure I want the Sense UI over Android.
Does the Sense UI still allow animated backgrounds and have all the features that vanilla Android has?
My main concern is the fact that it seems to take manufacturers with UI over Android a while to upgrade to the latest Version of Android.
So what do you guys think the best choice will be? And how hard will it be to remove Sense off the Desire and make it Vanilla Anroid? Will it then get the OTA updates just like the NExus One?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes someone can make a stock android 2.1 rom for the desire. HTC SENSE UI has everything that stock android has except (correct me if I'm wrong) the new launcher.
In every htc sense device you can just turn off sense and just use stock android so no problem there.
The device won't get major updates from google (like OS upgrades) but it might get minor updates (like 3G fixes, bug fixes, newer flash)
Just so that you know Sense UI is android except with a skin, like sense on the hd2.
I would get the Desire (you get both stock and sense ui, the desire has more RAM then the nexus one, the desire looks much better and sleeker.)
Agreed. Couple points:
1. I own a Nexus. It's very good. I'm a WinMo guy and it was good enough to convert me to a phone with no keyboard.
2. I'ld get the desire. Its almost like a 2nd gen N1. Takes away most common faults: bad network coverage, problems with capacitive buttons, vanilla interface.
3. Furthermore, Sense is great. Coming from an HTC WinMo phone I reeeaeaally missed Sense. Android clocks look cheesy while sense looks classy. There is now a dedicated phone button on the screen. My number one complaint was I hate the way iphones find contacts to call them. It's like 4 clicks and a ton of scrolling. Android is like that. But with Sense on, Sense dialer is a smart dialer. Just start typing their name on dialpad (dad = 323) and it quickly finds the number.
4. Although sense can be turned off, its not "just" a launcher. Its also a dialer, a contact app, an entire new homescreen with 7 screens and specialized htc widgets preprogrammed into them, with saveable custom homescreens called "scenes." New weather app, new app drawer with no 3d effects. Also, Sense ("Rosie") is said by Rom chiefs to be built deep into the "framework" of Android, which is why they sadly havent just ported the apps to stock yet.
thanks guys, Looks like the Desire is the best choice then... Now I just hope that it really comes to AT&T. And SOON!!!
i wonder if at&t will screw up the desire like they did with the backflop?
Brickflop, you mean. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Desire gets the same treatment.

Are Custom Skins Worth it (aka Sense)

<Rant>
Since the release of the htc desire here in the uk I have seen a explosion of my friends buying it/ getting android. Ive gone from knowing one person with a android to 10 in 2 months!
All very well and good but being a htc hero owner for nearly a year now I cannot more and more help think that the Sense/MotoBlur and other skins over the stock android really arent worth it.
This may fall on deaf ears here at xda with such a huge CustomROM development scene but every time google release a new android version, I have less and less reason to root and flash a customROM onto my phone!
Back when android was 1.5/1.6 it was a ugly looking beast which HTC sense did brilliantly to fix. It was the first android phone to make me (and many others) go "wow". Such that is the pace that android and its manufactures travel at, within a couple of months the hero dropped from #1 to #4 of top android phones. The main reason being of course the android pace of upgrades
since 2.x android has looked good, its picked up sense features and really is not that far behind the sense experience (apart from KB).. I could happily live without sense if i was on 2.x and would much prefere to have a update within 2 weeks then 6months that htc(and other companies) seem to provide.
The problem is I now want a incredible or a evo4 but I would prefere to be able to buy it with a Stock Android build that google will support like they do on the Nexus one.
Am I the only one who feels this?
</Rant>
It's a trade-off. With the evo you do have the option to use the stock android launcher though. But it still is up to the rom scene to do most of the work regarding updating the rom. Though HTC has stated that they will have, at least the evo, sense available for with 2.2 before July (I think the unofficial date is June 26 or something).
(OT)
I though the UK only had GSM carriers/towers and didn't know there would be a GSM version of the evo, and I didn't know there would be a GSM incredible(Verizon branded in the US)
I haven't heard or read anything about the HTC EVO or Incredible being produced in GSM versions. HTC have continuously stated that there won't be any GSM models of either phone. As far as I'm aware, anyway.
Do you have any links/sources that say otherwise?
Make sure you take note on the extensive time it takes to update a device with a custom UI. Learn from the eris, which JUST got its first official OTA, and even that was released pretty buggy. Even the Droid took a while, but that's just a Moto issue, and it didn't take near as long as others, as it has had 2 OTA's since it's release. Lets just hope HTC has worked out the kinks in their compilation and distribution of working software.

[Resolved] Can HTC Legend be rooted to put Froyo on it?

Hi,
I need a bit of help making up my mind. The HTC Legend fits my budget quite nicely, and I like it. I've played with both the Legend and the Desire, and while I do think the Desire is better, I'm quite happy with the Legend at the price I'm getting it at.
My only question is this - assuming HTC never releases Froyo for the Legend (and this seems to be likely), would it be possible and advisable to root it and put Froyo on it? If yes, my decision becomes so much easier.
I'm asking this because it'll be disappointing buying a fairly new phone and seeing it not supported at all in the future.
Thanks all.
It's definitely possible to root the Legend and Froyo can technically be ported to any Android device with the right know-how, so really it's a matter of time before someone does.
I think there will be an official Froyo update for the Legend - it's not that old and the Hero is still going to get Eclair despite its age (although it is a more popular phone).
This article seems to indicate that an update is coming soon although it's weirdly worded and it makes it sound like it's an Eclair update coming to the Desire and the Legend - which is what's already on there. Hopefully it's not just a minor patch.
If HTC go ahead an release an official update you can expect Sense, updated drivers and thereby better use of the hardware than custom ROMs.
Thank you for that. I'm in Australia and there's a good chance that we might get the Nexus One end of June. I've decided to wait for that and compare the plans between the N1 and Legend before committing. If the N1 is much more expensive, I'll get the Legend immediately.
On a separate note I can't wait until Google makes updating phones a bit more straightforward, or forces HTC to pull their socks up when it comes to passing on the updates to consumers.
Thanks again.

[Q] Questions about Sense and Android 4.0

Hello guys,
I've just recently got the One S on contract from Netcom and coming from a Samsung phone this really has been a new experience for me all together. But I have a problem. The phone itself works flawlessly and lags nothing compared to the HTC One X - but I really, really, really HATE SENSE.
I just can't seem to get used to it and since I've pretty much done custom flashing on my old Galaxy S since the very start, I just can't wait to replace SENSE as soon as possible - in the mean time, would it be possible to just unlock the device and put a STOCK version of ICS on it? Like one for the One S so that I get to keep stuff such as the HTC browser and maybe the custom Alt+Tab kind of thingy they put on?
Personally would like to build my own custom ROM with some mixed ingredienses but I wouldn't know where to start.
Any ideas? Or do I just have to wait and stick to this in the mean time?
As a stop-gap measure, you could install another launcher. I did this on the HTC Sensation for awhile before we started having either the non-sense options or true AOSP builds like we have now. From my limited experience, this is a flagship device and developers and users and documentarians will show up. The Sensation has a pretty rich community of both sense and AOSP builds now. One cautionary note though. On my Sensation running a modified version of CM9 there are things still being fixed. You may find early versions of ICS will have a variety of issues as developers get things solved. Its particularly hard before source gets released though. Its like peddling a bicycle backwards in a dark tunnel when its raining.
As mentioned above, install Nova launcher for now.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1389071
Sent from my HTC One S using xda premium
ok thanks guys. will have to settle with it for now I guess.
Sent from my HTC One S using XDA
Au Contraire!
I am going with the One S because it runs Sense 4 ( best android overlay)
I was going to go with Samsung Galaxy S2 but my friend showed me his, everything about TouchWiz was unappealing from the large text the stale interface.
AndroidBlizzard said:
Au Contraire!
I am going with the One S because it runs Sense 4 ( best android overlay)
I was going to go with Samsung Galaxy S2 but my friend showed me his, everything about TouchWiz was unappealing from the large text the stale interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess each one has it's own taste
My gripe with sense is just what you describe as appealing.. the small black text on white background in most of the interface is killing my eye-sight at night. Guess I have been used to the Android 2.3 experience for too long and as much as Sense 4 works wonders - it just not my cup of tea. This could of course be fixed if there was a "black" skin that could be applied. Preferably with as little bright colors as possible (I know, may sound boring but will eventually save a few hours of battery in the long run due to the AMOLED display running "less hot" )
I'm in the same situation as the OP, really enjoyed ICS on my Desire until the display broke (got slammed display first into table... IKEA > HTC)
Anyways here's hoping that I understand these nuggets correctly: "MoDaCo Custom ROMs are based on official ROMs - either shipping or leaked."
"Stock style and Vanilla (ICS) style prebakes will be available as the ROM takes shape."
Source: first post in [ROM] 11 Apr - MoDaCo Custom ROM for the HTC One S - Sense and Vanilla styles in the One S Development forum http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1592126
So hopefully Paulobrien just removes Sense etc from an official ROM. Not sure whats up with the cooking lingo though, maybe there is a dev-chef-lingo dictionary somewhere on XDA!
Also I second your request for where to start learning to build your own ROM! Should post a Q in the noob-friendly thread here.
aureleuz said:
I guess each one has it's own taste
My gripe with sense is just what you describe as appealing.. the small black text on white background in most of the interface is killing my eye-sight at night. Guess I have been used to the Android 2.3 experience for too long and as much as Sense 4 works wonders - it just not my cup of tea. This could of course be fixed if there was a "black" skin that could be applied. Preferably with as little bright colors as possible (I know, may sound boring but will eventually save a few hours of battery in the long run due to the AMOLED display running "less hot" )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perhaps you are right
Looking at sense 3.0 interface , the black blackground is weird, sense 4 with white background for settings seems much more natural. I have spent quite some time around my friends who have EVO 3D and Sensation, and I have to admit I will miss the eye catching animations and the easy access carousel function. Of course this is will be my first HTC phone so I can see how people hate the white look of settings. Coming from an iPhone with white settings too, it will be a similar transition for me. Sense just seems to have so much depth and much to explore compared to other Android Overlays. Having ICS along with it just makes the experience much smoother and sweeter.(Pun partially intended )
So... can anybody tell me if the Stock ROMs that have been cooked for the One S recently work good enough to run for production (i.e. HTC camera, launcher, weather widget)
I really would like to feel that AOSP experience again just like on my old Galaxy S. But I don't want to loose any functionality
aureleuz said:
So... can anybody tell me if the Stock ROMs that have been cooked for the One S recently work good enough to run for production (i.e. HTC camera, launcher, weather widget)
I really would like to feel that AOSP experience again just like on my old Galaxy S. But I don't want to loose any functionality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try Black Dragon 3.8 Rom. Very stable and keeps all functions working.
LikeaG2root said:
Try Black Dragon 3.8 Rom. Very stable and keeps all functions working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kthx.
Does that include the HTC ImageSense chip-drivers? I really like the way the camera snaps those pics in a fraction of a second!

[Q] Screen appearance after update

Hello everybody,
Yestarday I received a highlight (message) on my One X saying that a software update was available.
Since the last software update passed more than 6 months than I choosed to do the update.
Everything is running well but I didn´t like the style of the icons (for example, the Timing Schedule icon was the 15 number on it and now is a timing schedule page), there was some app that were removed, the ring to slide and unlock the screen is not here anymore, etc.
My first question is:
Who is the responsible for that: Android or HTC Sense update ? I don´t know which was updated.
My current situation is:
Android version = 4.2.2
HTC Sense version = 5.0
The second question: Is there any way to move back to the old situation ?
Of course I would like to have everithing up to date in terms of apps, etc., but I would like to choose the "style" if possible.
On my previous HTC (Wizard), I made ROM update several times, but on current One X none.
Is it necessary to have a diferente icon style and up to date apps? As far as I remember, the ROM is cooked with a specific content.
Is it still true even for One X ?
Thanks in advance !
Regards,
Cássio
First things first, do you have the One X (quad core Tegra3 CPU) or the One XL (dual core snapdragon CPU)?
HTC are responsible for the way HTC Sense appears. The new styling (Lockscreen, icons, widgets, Blinkfeed etc) are all part of that.
If your phone is completely stock (which I'm guessing it is) there's no way to reverse the update. If you go through all the trouble of unlocking your bootloader, installing a custom recovery, installing root access, gaining SuperCID, and gaining s-off, then you can use an RUU to install the previous version. But, if you do all this you will no longer be on Android 4.2.2 Jellybean, you'll go back to Android 4.1 Jellybean. This will mean you no longer have any of the optimizations that come with the update.
All of those steps I mentioned above require a certain level of knowledge to undertake so you'd need to do quite a lot of research. To be honest, it's a lot of work just to go backwards, pretty much everyone who does it does it to move forwards and install custom software.
My honest advice to you is to get used to the new software, unless you're heavily interested in modding your device this really isn't the right route for you.
Sent from my Evita
Update
Thanks Timmaaa !
My One X is for European market which means quad core Tegra3 CPU I believe.
I don't know what you mean with "stock" but I guess this is the case.
I was studing the new Sense and realize that there are some features that can be customized which helps a lot.
I agree that the way to "reverse" is complex and demands a lot of knoleadge. I remember a had to study a lot to replace ROMs on my Wizard years ago.
I decided to keep the current situation and become familiar with new features and designs due to complexity, have the old Android version and loose future updates.
Once again, tks for your help and advice !
Regards,
Cássio
Ok cool, no problems. If you need help with your phone in the future just make sure you ask in the HTC One X forum, this is actually the One XL forum.
Sent from my Evita

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