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Identifying a HTC clone ... and fixing it.

I recently bought a HTC touch phone and i suspect it is a Chinese clone but i really dont know. They all look the same to me (the phones). After searching Xda it appears to be like the HTC Elf100 and dopod S1. Is there a definitive way to tell the exact model? The phone was purchased from a website called Deal Extreme.
I would like to know if it is possible to extract the ROM from the phone and save it onto my computer for back up.
More importantly (and the reason i am here) is that the screen is malfunctioning in that the colours are all very faded and there are black lines across the length of the screen wherever there is text or icons. There is a severe flicker when the backlight is set to anything other than full brightness. For the first three days the screen was crystal clear and the colours very vibrant. The only changes made were installing some third party softwares and applying a screen protector.
I have uploaded an image here:
http://www.ibj.co.nz/vlt/CamScreen.jpg
I am trying to isolate the problem down to software or hardware. If it is hardware i will order another screen or digitizer and replace it and if it is software i will begin to look down that path, perhaps flashing the unit with more up to date ROM.

Tell us one thing, is the serial number in the following format? -> HTxxxGxxxxx, if Yes you have have original HTC Touch, if No, you have a nice Chinese clone.
If the back of the device underneath the battery looks like attached picture, you have the clone on your hands. you will have to ship it back to DX for replacement or repair.
Regards

Just from looking at the front of your phone, yes you have a clone

Yep CLone
OK Thanks for assistance. I have a clone here. DX offered to send me a replacement screen if i can locate one on their website. I would have thought they would know if they have one in stock but apparently not.
Can anyone think of a way to find what sort of a screen i would need to replace this one? I am told that the original HTC screen will not do, perhaps different pin outs.

Replacement screen
So i guess i am just sh#t out o luck then? The retailers can't find a replacement screen. Can the ridgy didge screen be modified to fit a clone?

Don't know. Since it's a clone they can have used whatever LCD, with whatever flex connector. But one thing for sure is that you wont be able to use original HTC Touch LCD.
Best option is to ship back to DX for replacement.
Regards

[Q] self-replacing a broken digitizer

Hi everyone,
My friend's got an HTC explorer which he dropped recently (probably) breaking the touch screen digitizer. It boots up fine until the lockscreen but touch doesn't work. Unless high pressure is applied in which case the small wheel thing(stock ROM) moves ever so slightly but still not enough to unlock..
The part seems to be easily available online (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Explorer-Screen-Digitizer-Mobile-Replacement/dp/B007TGXVYA) but I'm not sure if I can replace this myself, having zero experience opening a phone, except an old nokia 6233 once. So what do you guys say, should I buy one and replace it myself or get it done outside for double the cost?
P.S. This is where I would refer to for opening the device. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFtdxiX6YSM
Thanks!:laugh:

go for it and replace it yourself. it's very easy. that video was very helpfull for me too.
you'll have to be carefull with flat bands at 1:15-1:22. also be carefull at 2:35 when display is removed.
you have to order (if notincluded with digitizer) a double adhesive band to use it between digitizer and phone body. there already is some sticky material but after removal of broken one (I managed to do it with an old sim card sharpened on sandpaper)you'll have to remove the remains and replace it with new one (double adhesive band becouse you don't have that kind of material)
I used something like this (of course not all of it )
LE: actually if you order from amazon or elswere you'll get THIS . the real name

tofanpc said:
go for it and replace it yourself. it's very easy. that video was very helpfull for me too.
you'll have to be carefull with flat bands at 1:15-1:22. also be carefull at 2:35 when display is removed.
you have to order (if notincluded with digitizer) a double adhesive band to use it between digitizer and phone body. there already is some sticky material but after removal of broken one (I managed to do it with an old sim card sharpened on sandpaper)you'll have to remove the remains and replace it with new one (double adhesive band becouse you don't have that kind of material)
I used something like this (of course not all of it )
LE: actually if you order from amazon or elswere you'll get THIS . the real name
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! thanks.

The camera quality is terrible on my new Z3

Hey everyone,
After a long wait I finally received my Z3 (Dual) today. My last Android phone was an S2 back in the day, I have used a lot of Android phones since, but I haven't owned one. After the S2 I was on the iPhone 5, then recently a Lumia 930 for two weeks until I realised every app I needed was a) on windows phone but a terrible app, or b) 'in development'. I decided to head back to Android and the Z3 caught my eye, specifically the dual. I'm loving it so far, the only issue I'm having is the camera. It's beyond terrible.
The pictures are so bad that I am now starting to think that the online retailer (grey import) that I purchased this from may have sold me a refurbished phone with an unlocked bootloader. When I opened the box, the protective plastic on the phone had air bubbles all over the front and back which is a bit odd but that doesn't guarantee anything. I went to the service menu and checked there, it says the bootloader is allowed to be unlocked which implies that it hasn't actually been unlocked. If somebody did unlock it, can it be locked again?
I'm not sure what to do. If the camera really is this bad I need to get a different phone. I've been looking at the waterproof feature too and I've seen several posts about Sony refusing to honour the warranty on phones that have been exposed to salt water which is a bit stupid - what kind of pool doesn't have salt? (In Australia anyway). The grey importer I purchased this from will definitely not honour any warranty for water damage, I'm sure they'll go out of their way to find how you yourself voided the warranty. Unfortunately this model isn't available to purchase directly from Sony yet.
In saying that though, the waterproof + dual sim features were the reason I purchased the phone to begin with so if I can find a solution to this, that would be ideal. Out of all the new Android phones I've used this one is by far the snappiest, I really like it
Any help would be appreciated. And I apologise for the long post, I just needed to get my day 1 issues with this phone out there
Edit: I also just noticed, the box of the phone itself was a bit odd in that the cover just came right off. The cover wasn't taped down with a sticker to the box. For example when I opened my Lumia box I had to remove the sticker, which left a permanent mark on the box to indicate that it had been opened. Is this normal with Sony mobiles?

So when I submitted this post I realised that you can't share links on this forum if you have less than 10 posts. I'm not sure how to get my images across then without doing this dropbox/sh/5o72xpbc6ip3g7e/AACXyG80777D3foAVXNOkZdda?dl=0#/
I hope that doesn't cause any issues. I just didn't want to go spam 10 posts which I think would be worse than ^
Also I just noticed in this thread OP mentions that he unlocked/relocked his bootloader. So it is possible?

the out of the box camera quality wasn't that great for me, at least until I switched to manual within the camera settings and opted for 21 megapixels - I'd say the camera is reasonably good but not excellent, as long as you know how to use it - as an aside, if the bootloader had been unlocked before it was sold on to you wouldn't this cripple the bravia image enhancement within the display settings - might be worth a look?

Stick to manual, for better pics. 8MP seems better than 20MP which is darker.

If it helps at all my service menu says "Bootloader unlock allowed: Yes" and my phone was definitely factory new (sealed) when I got it. If the bootloader on your phone has been unlocked in the past apparently that removes the DRM keys which hits the camera quality.

Send us a picture from ur device in differents lighting

orange / yellow tint on left side of screen z3

For the 2nd time now on my xperia z3 I have an orange / yellow tint on the left side of the screen. It's almost parallel with magnetic charging port which was the same place as last time. Getting it repaired last was a nightmare. Although Sony were quick to accept for repair they send to 3rd who took over to fix and sent back phone in worse condition with speakers and phone back together all loose and creaky. They took back and another week later I got back again good as new.
It's a shame I really like this phone.
Anyone know what could cause this? Self diagnostics on phone says it's all good
Can't really be without a phone for another week

kooli9 said:
For the 2nd time now on my xperia z3 I have an orange / yellow tint on the left side of the screen. It's almost parallel with magnetic charging port which was the same place as last time. Getting it repaired last was a nightmare. Although Sony were quick to accept for repair they send to 3rd who took over to fix and sent back phone in worse condition with speakers and phone back together all loose and creaky. They took back and another week later I got back again good as new.
It's a shame I really like this phone.
Anyone know what could cause this? Self diagnostics on phone says it's all good
Can't really be without a phone for another week
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your not the only one had min swapped already 4 times. dont even use the USB charger any more have bought the QI casing and still problem occurs.
BTW had same issue with the Z2
after this phone no more Sony really disappointed in the quality

kooli9 said:
For the 2nd time now on my xperia z3 I have an orange / yellow tint on the left side of the screen. It's almost parallel with magnetic charging port which was the same place as last time. Getting it repaired last was a nightmare. Although Sony were quick to accept for repair they send to 3rd who took over to fix and sent back phone in worse condition with speakers and phone back together all loose and creaky. They took back and another week later I got back again good as new.
It's a shame I really like this phone.
Anyone know what could cause this? Self diagnostics on phone says it's all good
Can't really be without a phone for another week
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have exactly the same but not from the very beginning, now after some months.
did you found any solution?
thanks

Sony replaced the phone after 2nd time and it's just done it again. I'm escalating with Sony as this is 3 times in 12 months with 2 different phones.
I use a case mate clear and notice this is the only part the case doesn't cover.
If you press on the frame where the orange is it transfers to screen which leads me to believe the frame is weak there. Once I get it fixed I'm changing cases to a ringke. The official Sony case completely covers that side so think it must be linked.
What cases are you using?

kooli9 said:
Sony replaced the phone after 2nd time and it's just done it again. I'm escalating with Sony as this is 3 times in 12 months with 2 different phones.
I use a case mate clear and notice this is the only part the case doesn't cover.
If you press on the frame where the orange is it transfers to screen which leads me to believe the frame is weak there. Once I get it fixed I'm changing cases to a ringke. The official Sony case completely covers that side so think it must be linked.
What cases are you using?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never use cases, I don't like cases

z3 fake?

(i didn't post this in q & a, because i want to make this an open discussion about fake devices)
the first sony xperia z3 i had was around 70€ cheaper than most of the other z3's online.
the serial number flap in the usb port was missing.
the nfc logo and sony logo on the back were grey and not silver shining.
backlight wasn't same brightness at all parts af the screen (very little).
back glass crack and random screen digitizer crack appeared after 2months.
after had gotten a full replacement after i send it to service, i noticed that this one is faster and the battery also seems to last slightly longer.
bootloader unlock worked without issues over the official sony website.
curstom roms and kernels worked flawlessly.
what was going on with my past one?
how can it be unlocked by sony and install kernels and roms, but yet seems to be fake, and sony replaces it?

The previous owner probably cracked the back and replaced it with a new back which might explain it looking different.

My NFC and Xleria logos are not shining, I'm guessing more was wrong with the phone than he originally said
Sent from my D6603 using xda premium