Database Info

[Q] Help me choose a new WinMo/Android phone (CDMA, to be modified for MetroPCS)

Its time for me to find a new phone. Ive gone through three first gen MotoQ over the last few years and this last one is finally starting to fall apart which is quite amazing since it was announced five years ago (if it isnt broke dont fix it, and if it breaks fix it!). I've been a MetroPCS customer going on six years now and have no intention of switching providers
Help me find a phone with the following requirements -
Android OR Windows Mobile 6+
Able to be modified for MetroPCS
A full keyboard (can be a slider, flip or front facing keyboard like the MotoQ)
Price under 200$ new or used
Some nice features to have but not required would be -
Charges through standard mini usb
Extended life batteries (or brand new original batteries) available
Some type of tethering solution (currently i do this through USB)
I don't mind if the phone is old, even a model from four years ago if it works well
I am in the San Francisco bay area (LTE is available)
I often use my MotoQ to send MMS and the Google Maps application even though the speed is very slow (perhaps because of my device?).
Three times I have paid someone to add the "foreign" ESN of my phones into the MetroPCS database so it would be a definite plus (not a requirement) if the phone had the ability to directly take over for my current MotoQ without the extra fees (electronic serial number change).
You dont have to give me all the details on how to hack the phone onto metro, if you give me a model number I will do my own homework.
My girlfriend insists on getting me a phone for my birthday. I think she is tired of seeing me carry around this ratty old phone that no one still uses.
Thanks for your suggestions

Based on all your needs, the best fit would be a Sprint HTC Touch Pro 2 (Rhodium). It also runs Android now, as well as WM 6.1/6.5.
I have little experience with CDMA, but from what I understand most devices whether they have a good or a bad ESN can be flashed for any carrier other than the original. I haven't seen any CDMA Rhodiums for sale here on the forums, but you could always try eBay. They're pretty cheap these days too
Good Luck!

Thanks for the quick reply. I will have to look into that model more but so far it does seem to do what I wanted!
I was starting to lean towards the Moto Droid 2. Apparently it is not too difficult to get it functioning properly on MetroPCS and it has decent specs. The price for used models isnt bad and its running 2.2 android stock, with a 2.3.3 hack available

braschlosan said:
Thanks for the quick reply. I will have to look into that model more but so far it does seem to do what I wanted!
I was starting to lean towards the Moto Droid 2. Apparently it is not too difficult to get it functioning properly on MetroPCS and it has decent specs. The price for used models isnt bad and its running 2.2 android stock, with a 2.3.3 hack available
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also true, with the added benefit that if you ever move away from CDMA, you'll have a GSM radio in there too. I can only speak for the original Milestone, but it was a capable little phone at the time. They reworked the keyboard on the second one, so it seems to be much more user-friendly. I'm not sure how much luck they had with the bootloader on it though, so would pay to do some research there before you buy

Which tablets can you use as a Phone? (No 3rd party app/VOIP)

I'm wondering what tablets out there that you can use as a Phone, even if they are hacked or need to be shipped overseas!
I used the original Galaxy Tab (7") as a phone (T-Mobile/USA) since late October 2010, but am looking to switch to a better/faster tablet phone. The Galaxy Tab I used was hacked by a guy who enabled the 'phone' function of it (used European firmware or something?)
I purchased the new Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus assuming that can be hacked to do it, unfortunately it cannot (Would need to buy an oversees model and ship it here)...
So what tablets allow this?
--I heard the Galaxy 8.9 might
--There's the new Galaxy Note and LG Vudo (spelling?), but those are only 5", a little small then what I'm used to
I'm not looking for Wifi calling, or 3rd party app calling, or VOIP calling, I'm talking GSM Calling (making a call from a SIM Card that supports voice + data)
I tried doing a Google search but it's a little hard finding accurate results with keywords like tablet/phone/gsm calls/etc
Hoping you experts out there might direct me in the right place

Broken in the Marketplace has a new Tab 7.0 that does it right out of the box. I can't remember the model number, but it's white and for AT&T I think

juzz86 said:
Broken in the Marketplace has a new Tab 7.0 that does it right out of the box. I can't remember the model number, but it's white and for AT&T I think
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Broken in the Marketplace has a new Tab 7.0
What do you mean Broken in the Marketplace? I'm not sure if I read that right, are you saying there is a tablet on AT&T that is capable of this out of the box?
I went to their website and didn't see anything :\

HTC Flyer 3G, but needs to be hacked.

NineT9 said:
Broken in the Marketplace has a new Tab 7.0
What do you mean Broken in the Marketplace? I'm not sure if I read that right, are you saying there is a tablet on AT&T that is capable of this out of the box?
I went to their website and didn't see anything :\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it's from AT&T directly, but it is 3G-band compatible with their service.
Broken's For Sale thread is here.
Hope you can work something out

Thanks for the feedback and providing that link! The HTC Flyer looks decent, wish it had better specs (Dual core)... and that link to the Broken's for Sale, unfortunately I don't have 10 posts yet, so gotta wait it out!

Also wondering the same thing. I'm looking for a tablet i can just stick my T-mob sim in and use as a phone. no extra plan or anything. I have an android plan on it already.

anon1ski said:
Also wondering the same thing. I'm looking for a tablet i can just stick my T-mob sim in and use as a phone. no extra plan or anything. I have an android plan on it already.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you find anything let me know So far I've only seen 1 or 2 options :\ I was debating getting the Sony Tablet P and doing VOIP but I'm a little turned off by VOIP after hearing some disadantages

Found this topic after doing a Google search for the same question...what I've found over time:
-HTC Flyer 3G - can be made to work as a GSM voice/text device with some work, and works on T-Mobile 3G; drawback being that it's ~$450 (like $200 more than the Wifi version) and single-core
-Samsung Galaxy 7.0 (original) - you obviously know about this one =P
-Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 - can do GSM voice/text and 3G/4G web out of the box; drawback being the high ~$600 price (it is a quality tablet, though), 7.7" size (I'd sooner go for a plain 7", but that's just me), and only does 2G on T-Mobile
-Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 - AFAIK can do GSM voice/text on the international version; drawback being that it only does 2G on T-Mobile
-T-Mobile Springboard (Huawei Mediapad) - from what I've gathered on the Mediapad/Springboard discussion topic on XDA, flashing the ICS beta from Huawei grants it GSM voice/text capabilities, but because of the IMEI, you're limited either to data-use only or GSM voice/text-use only (I could be wrong, but I can't truly confirm one way or the other); drawback being that there's very little support for it (doesn't have it's own board on XDA)
-Dell Streak 7 - has a dialer app "hidden" in the system, but nobody has been able to find a way to use it AFAIK
And there's a few random ZTE/Huawei/etc 7" tablets that seem to support GSM voice/text, but finding info on them seems to be even more difficult than on the Mediapad/Springboard, they seem to be pretty low-spec, and AFAIK they'd only offer 2G on T-Mobile (and probably on AT&T too).
Why companies (especially in the US) are so reluctant to add GSM voice/text capability to 7" tablets, especially ones compatible with T-Mobile US 3G, is beyond me, when there's a clear desire for it since the original Galaxy Tab 7. I'd really love a nice high-end tablet that I could just easily pop in the SIM from my T-Mobile phone and easily use.
Also, while on topic - I know you're obviously looking to upgrade your Galaxy Tab 7, but how does it currently work? From what I understand, you either have the choice of GSM voice/text and 2G web or T-Mobile 3G (not both), correct?

galaxy note 10.1
the new Samsung galaxy note 10.1 has phone capabilities right...

Note 7 help

Can i please get some advice? (sorry a bit long but thought i need to provide the background info).
I have been given a Samsung Note 7 as a compensation-related gift by my network operator Vodafone and to cut a very long story short i have almost exhausted all possibilities with Vodafone and Samsung to get it exchanged for a different model or a credit.
I am currently looking at the possibilities of keeping my Note 7 if i feel i can assess (and possibly repair) it privately to confirm the safety implications and any other issues that may come up.
My questions are as follows:
1. Has anyone had success changing the Imei and model number? The reason is to protect myself from network barring and to retain app support. I have a previous Note and can use the imei. My plan was to change the model to G935F that of an S7 Edge. (There are some sites i came across but I wasn’t sure the guides were tested)
2. Can i root it and will i be able to update it regularly from core android?
3. Will the Wifi-calling feature work? Sounds like a small thing but its quite important. I have this feature on my Note 7 already and activated on my account and its very useful to me.
I live in the UK and I am an Engineer by trade. I worked for a cellular phone repair centre a number of years ago that specialised with Samsung and Nokia phones.
Whilst i have some experience and contacts in the industry, my knowledge of the current software/ firmware platforms on the market is limited so i would greatly appreciate any advice you can give.
Thanks in advance

New Note 5 (Sprint) owner

I've owned a few phones, notably my long-time companion Note 4 (TMobile). Recently my office announced they're flipping our TMobile account to Sprint. We get a "new" phone but not quite cutting edge... though a Note 5 seems a nice move forward despite the loss of removable battery and extra sd-card slot. But can someone explain to me the strangely unpopulated page here compared to the Note 4's page (or even the One Plus 2 page, where actual Oreo roms are popping up like weeds)? Is it all about the Exynos chip, or Sprint, or what? There's a dearth of new development going on here compared to my other two phones and I'm baffled. Thanks....

The 920P it is not very compatible. Being just a USA phone, It doesn't get enough attention from developers*. All Note5 and S6 phones are Exynos, but the Sprint models just have poor support. And they are also 3 years old.
*The Sprint model doesn't work very well outside the Americas (continent)

cachanilla86 said:
The 920P it is not very compatible. Being just a USA phone, It doesn't get enough attention from developers*. All Note5 and S6 phones are Exynos, but the Sprint models just have poor support. And they are also 3 years old.
*The Sprint model doesn't work very well outside the Americas (continent)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that's not what I want to hear. Tell me something comforting! HAHAHAHA.
If at some stage I want to unlock the phone (say in 8 months or less when TMobile and Sprint merge) will it have all the hardware inside it to function as a TMobile or other provider's phone? Incl. LTE, wifi calling, and the rest?

shonkin said:
If at some stage I want to unlock the phone (say in 8 months or less when TMobile and Sprint merge) will it have all the hardware inside it to function as a TMobile or other provider's phone? Incl. LTE, wifi calling, and the rest?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so, this being a carrier specific model it is very limited so you can't use it elsewhere. In Mexico I get LTE with the most popular carrier and some other people in Vietnam and India. You can wait to see if it works for you.

I did find this thread on sprint that discusses unlocking (domestically) the Sprint Note 5 for use as a GSM phone (TMobile, AT&T and the like). At some point it may be of use to me or someone else...
https://community.sprint.com/t5/Sam...ng-Note-5-for-Domestic-use-on-GSM/td-p/960238
I did finally get the Sprint Note 5, by the way.... first thing I noticed is that compared to my old Note 4 its battery life *sucks*. But such a nice phone otherwise, despite no switchable battery or microsd slot. (I solved the latter to a degree by getting a 64gb version of the phone).

I unlocked my Note5 via a paid service...
Hello to Everyone:
This is my first post so please don't hold it against me. Thank you in advance.
I used the unlock service of idoneapps.com. it ran $35. Opted for the debranding option as well but skipped the MetroPCS option.
My phone is no longer Sprint branded and got rid of their bloatware. TWRP with SuperSu installed and I can pull out my T-Mobile SIM out and put in an AT&T SIM in and it works seamlessly.
Get access to the hidden menu and hotspot is unlocked while I get to manually select, (if desired), WDCMA, GSM, etc... Connects at LTE and the wireless switching works great. WiFi hotspot also works great.
Couldn't be more pleased as I also can turn off anything as the package comes with an app manager. It is great not to have Facebook, Snapchat, or the Sprint crud running. No more stupid Sprint boot animation.
I am currently running a Samsung branded Nougat 920P that I had my own IMEI number generated TWRP let's me access the recovery mode and let's me flash perfectly.
XPosed is installed with, AdAway 3.3, ViperFX 6.5.0.5, YouTube ad blocker, rootcloak. Upgraded to SuperSu pro however I still haven't managed to go systemless.
I play Crash Fever so I am stupid and actually spend money that game so my Google Play code redeeming works fine. Samsung Pay won't ever work because of rooting but oh well... ACMarket, MS office mobile, the Samsung Suite of apps, and all the S-Pen features work seemlessly.
Anyways, I hope I didn't violate any rules by my posting as I love XDA as this community is phenomenal.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me as I would be glad to field any questions or facilitate details as may be needed.
Eagerly awaiting an Oreo update.
Gellybean777

Root for the CAT S22 + (review!)

So I bought the s22 flip unlocked and am decently excited about it. Its clearly a beta-ish device, with some bugs. The screen sometimes goes black and the keyboards are little frizzy.
General:
Size: Yes it's a brick. Don't be surprised. I do wish there was a smart flip phone on the market that more resembles the nice old compact ones, but the only other model seems to be the galaxy folder 2 and that don't work in the US. The screen is small and can feel cluttered, but it's usable.
Battery: the battery life is pretty meh. It'll probably last a day.
Specs: it's slow and has 2 gigs of ram and 16 of storage. Up to 128gb expandable. I tried putting in 256 and it didn't work.
Wierd things they don't tell you: It has no t9 (why?!) But it can be sideloaded. Doesn't seem to care about hotspot provisioning. IT SUPPORTS CDMA (and 5G?) ON SOME MVNOs! I popped in a verizon sim, and with data set to lte only connection is great but no volte.
Best of all, unlockable bootloader! So how can we go about unlocking this device? I've spoken to both CAT support and Bullitt group, and they told me "
Bullitt Group do not distribute the stock ROM for any of our devices.
This is part of our contractual obligations with our partners and the Brands that we represent". So so much for that. What now?

I'm curious about the possibilities as well.
Also about network settings best for 4g/LTE
As right now mine only connects to 2g

well I just got one of these devices and want to at least update it to a full version of android instead of Android Go!
I read that you can sideload android 11 on it and just don't overwrite the drivers.
When you talked with Cat/Bullitt did you ask them if they are ever going to update the firmware on the phone at all? Most phones even T-mobiles bottom of the line phones still get 1 OTA update in firmware to fix initial issues. and most companies are at least providing one level of android updates also.
Any luck with any software work arounds? As for best 4g/LTE settings that is carrier specific, you can change those in developer mode and manually set them up under sim settings.
I plan to use mine on a T-Mobile MVNO so shouldn't have any issue there as this was a Tmobile phone originally that I just got "NEW" unlocked.
I might reach out to T-Mobile for firmware also, as they have to have multiple versions of the firmware as they have T-Mobile branded bloatware on some and Metro branded Bloatware on others.

I just picked up an S22. I've tried TeamSpeak and Mumble, and the PTT won't work when the flip is closed. Any suggestions? Thanks

Hello everybody. I got s22 flip. I am in Italy and I can't use it. Seller said is working with any 4g simcard. But my phone is not working. Any suggestion? Thanks

I need help. I flashed boot from 29 firmware to 30. Root is activated, but Wi-Fi and speakers do not work. I need an update.zip from 29 to 30 firmware.

i have 30 version and i need boot.img to root
i need help to root anybody help?