Flash ROM or Not? - Wing, P4350 Herald Upgrading

I've had a Wing for about a year now (t-mobile). During this time I never really read much about modding the phone and such. However, it is a bit plain and very slow if anything is open.
I've been reading a lot and recently changed the pagepool size and am now working on using PocketMechanic to move stuff to the flash card. I do however have a couple questions:
Should I flash my wing or just optimize how it is now? What is a good home screen I can download that doesn't kill my battery life? What will I be losing if I flash? Do all the ROMs kill my battery life? How can I choose the right ROM for me? I can't decide after reading over a lot of them.
I know someone is going to say use the search. I have and have been reading for hours lastnight. If someone can just help a bit I'd be much appreciated.

i would definatly flash your rom, i would use one of the open touch roms they all have good battery life. flashing your wing is like optimizing without having to take the time to find the programs and do the registry tweaks. a good homescreen i think is spb mobile shell, just make sure you disable smart gestures, i usuall can go around 2.5 days without charging.

Downside?
Are there any downsides to doing this?

Cant think of any downsides, its all for a good cause, oh one downside, you might lose your applications you've downloaded if any. Other than that its WAY better that the original T-Mo ROM

You've been wasting your time using the original stock rom. Flash a new rom (I reccommend ITJE or ASERGs) and you're going to see a 2 fold improvement on your phone immediately.

the one downside is that if you dont follow the directions you could brick your phone

So I tried a number of ROMs today:
-Papa
-Multiple versions of the Open Touch ROMs
Here is my conclusion and thoughts. Perhaps you guys can guide me a bit to a final solution.
They all look beautiful without a doubt. I didn't have any initial problems loading or using any of them except the lock program wasn't locking the volume control. However, just do perform quick tasks like I normally do to lock the phone or go to the comm manager felt like a chore to do. They looked nice, but I had to go through a lot to do anything. The Open Touch ROMs with Throttle Launcher were annoying when viewing mail because you could only quickly see 1 at a time with the large mail that pops up when you click the icon.
I really like the look of the SPG Shell Theme they have right on their homepage, but it's not free. Any of you guys have advice? I use this for work a lot so the mail / calendar / tasks view are really beneficial for me to be viewable at all times like the default theme. This is why I was saying SPG looked nice with whatever theme it is they have on their site.
I will try an Aserg on my phone tomorrow as it looks similar to the default.
Anyways, thanks in advanced for all of the help so far. I really appreciate it.

You'll be very satisfied with Aserg's rom. I look foward to hearing what you think.
Keep in mind, any rom you flash, you'll have to set up a couple of things ... such as the device lock today plugin .. settings, etc ... don't expect a rom to fulfill ALL of your needs from the moment its flashed. When you get into a new car, you still have to adjust the seat, mirrors, steering wheel ..etc.. You can't decide to scrap one car because the mirrors weren't in the position you wanted them to be.

Related

Novice Wing Modder with Some Questions....

Hey folks, I got my Wing a couple of weeks ago and I love it. I had a treo before, and this makes me much happier. I had gotten into modding the UI a bit and playing around with the best combos of third-party software on my old treo, so I started playing with my Wing. Well, I've gotten probably mid-level with my technical modding competency thus far. I'm comfortable with most progs and mods I've found below actually flashing the ROM, and I'd think about that too, but I've gathered that most of the TF roms out have trouble on the Wing. So far, I'm overclocked to 260, tweaked some stuff in the registry, installed the HTC Touch UI minus the cube and all that, but I'm not quite happy. So, I have some questions:
On the HTC Home 5 tab skin:
1. Is there any way to put custom icons in the launcher area? Not just style-wise(though that would be good), but that link to things that aren't on the list? I'd really love to but a button that would take me to "settings" in there, like the one that takes you to "programs". I have a few other ideas too.
2. On the weather tab, I know there is a way to add cities to the "select city" list by getting the city code off of accuweather.com and changing the registry, but I can't figure out how to get the code for my city when I look it up on the site...I search it, and it comes up, but where is the code?
3. I put the HTC black theme on here, but I wondered, are there any others available? I know I've seen a blue one, and I think I've seen pictures of an HTC Touch that had a red theme....
Other Stuff:
1. I tried to up my page pool to 6mb like it says in the "all you need to know" thread, but the preparation app wont work....I install it, but nothing happens after that....I can't find it to open or anything else...Is installing it enough?
2. Is there any way to keep wm6 from putting the recently used programs on the start menu?
3. Is there any way to change the two links on the bottom bar that the soft keys are mapped to? Not change what the keys are mapped to, but like, change "Calendar" to "Settings" or "Contacts" to "Messaging", for example?
4. Is there anything out there that would let me navigate my phone with my finger? I know certain programs have this capability, like Opera Mobile's latest beta and PocketCM(which I use), but I'd like it on all windows that require scrolling....
Apps:
1. Anyone know the best app to use to stream radio and/or tv on my phone?
2. What's the best way to watch youtube? I wouldn't ask, but I've found like three or four different threads/articles on ways to do it, and I don't know which I should use. I prefer to use Opera as my browser, but I can use PIE now and then, if the process actually lets me watch it in my browser....
3. Can ya suggest any good games?
Well, thanks in advance for any help you can give. I've been trolling here for a while, so I know there are some very smart people here and I have faith. Sorry for asking so much, and forgive me if I should have broken this up a bit into different threads, but I'm trying to perfect my phone, and this was basically what was left on my list....Any other tips on how to achieve my goal of making a nice, clean, finger-friendly UI and putting the picking the best apps would be appreciated too.
Peace.
Ok, I figured out the HTC weather thing, and the today softkey thing, so I'm good there. Any help on the rest?
I can cover a few for you but any more's gonna cost ya....
flash your phone with either of the touch roms out right now and you will be able to finger scroll in nearly all applications.
try avotmv, or search using google for similar programs for streaming videos(avotMv includes youtube as well as google).
Many streams to tv stations can be opened with WMP directly which makes it alot easier to connect to them by saving them as PIE favourites. You just need to find 'em first, I would suggest doing that from your computer first.
I've recommended Flux Challenge before, ill do it again...apart from that I don't run too many games from my pocket pc. Seal Volleyball is kinda fun too.
Maybe some others can assist you with the rest
cheers

Brand New Tilt, have a couple questions.

Ok, I just want you all to know, that I heavily modded the x6700 from Verizon a while back.... key words being a while back. I was into different roms, ect. ect. so I was pretty into it..
1)So far on the tilt, I would like to know if there is a way to scroll through PIE without having the next point of scroll be the next link on the web page. Does the same thing in email, but PIE is a bigger annoyance.
Does what I am saying make sense?
2) What are some of the ways people are speeding this phone up. On the vx6700, I remember removing some customization after a hard reset, and also having some over clocking options.
These 2 will get me started. In the mean time I'm going to start searching for some neat tools. 1st in line is a keyboard that will let me type one handed txts and emails while in portrait mode...
1) download kaiser tweak on the stickies, enable dpad navigation. *note it will start sms/emai/etc on the bottom. Also download the pie fast scroll, for smoother results
2)in my experience the only thing that sped my kaiser up, was flashing a new rom(using q mobile) Registry edits didnt work that well compared to a optimized rom
as a tip for keyboard, resco works great for one handed.
I did that with my PIE but I forgot exactly what I did. Also there are speed roms out there(Dutty's ROMs).
Thanks guys! Is the custom rom the same as starting the phone without any at&t stuff on it?
Is this better than over clocking as well?
Hell, I can't even find the file explorer yet..... it's been that long!

Getting New Xda Stellar/Kaiser tomorrow, few ??s

Anything I should update change straight away, any known issues or problems I should check before the 14 days return period is up ?
Thanks
A lot of People said:
Have you read any of the forum?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriously though, if you want it for playing videos or games. Some people are unhappy with it's performance. Personally, I'm not.
Don't change anything for the 1st fortnight, but check it does perform how you want it to. I would imagine you'll be happy enough, I love mine. But the only advice you can really be given is to play with it ALOT and see for yourself.
Yer read the forum quite a lot, used it for my orbit, great place, but some of the advice, program information can be fragmented or berried deep in a thread.
Never hurts to ask specific question again now and then to keep the info flowing.
Having fun playing with the phone, great tool.
Sorry, I was pre-empting the response your might get from some people. I came from the o2 Exec and whilst I have customised my Stellar by adding different themes etc, the base device and software is still standard and I've been really pleased. If nothing else the extra onboard memory is great!
If anything you will probably find pretty similar to the Orbit, I know that apart from the size it's not really any different to my old Exec, apart from a heck of alot more stable.
Just install/get some good apps to go with your new piece of kit.
A good backup app
Resco Explorer
TCPMP player
and then make a list of what you do the most.
Do you instant message?
GPS?
What do you want it to do?
Then just start adding things you like and stripping away the bloat you will never use.
Get a microsd card, another battery, a car charger, etc
Yes or the other classic 'google for it'
Yer very same as the orbit indeed, the sliding keyboard is great.
I did notice one of its 'selling' points on the site was you could use, say, TomTom in landscape. Can you change the 'scape' of the screen by touch rather than opening the keypad or going to settings screen and changing it there ?
TCPMP player, forgot that one thanks.
So far I've got
Googlemaps
Taskmanager
Sprite Back Up
GPRS Monitor.
TomTom
On program I would like is a decent alarm clock, nothing complicated just set, sleep wake up.

So after a month of using TF3D...

I decided to disable it and use ilauncher, ill never go back to TF3D in the near future.
The device is so much easier to use and is far more responsive.
Just thought i'd share incase you wanted to see for yourself!
any screen shots?
milky wallpaper
i tried the same but when i wanted to place a wallpaper on the today screen it went all milky.that and the loss of the tf music player made me go back again. how did you solve these issues?
It's not very difficult to create an ui which is faster, easier to use and has more options to customize than tf3d. Whats cool about tf3d - the wather app? I'am wondering, what kind of benefit people see in this peace of software.
I am using MS2 and it beats tf3d in all regards. You can get with a few clicks to anywhere. If there is a menu you miss, you create it, or you delete an existing one. You can use the complete MS2 only with your thumb. (hardware+softkeys). You have shortcuts to your last used programs within the today-screen - if you wan't to keep a shortcut, it's possible to stick them.
MS2 throws you not so early back to WM6 as tf3d. (contacts,notes...) I even find it is optical more apealing on the long run and more unified in look and feel.
That there are many ui's better than tf3d is more because of the bad design of it than good design from the others, I have the impression, the makers of tf3d are only interested in smashing some eye-catchers together for nice screen-shots, instead of getting the user fast and easy to the point where he wants to.
The only reason I'm keeping TF3D is without it some system functions don't work. For example, volume buttons stop working during calls etc. etc.
pwoyorkie said:
I decided to disable it and use ilauncher, ill never go back to TF3D in the near future.
The device is so much easier to use and is far more responsive.
Just thought i'd share incase you wanted to see for yourself!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
here it is if anyone is intrested
http://www.sbsh.net/product.php?id=29

Suggest a Rom and GUI for me.

OK, my first post so be gentle.
I have MDA Vario that has been flashed with TPCElite series V11 MEGA wm6.5 23017. It also has the touchflo GUI running. Now having tried it for a week (only just purchased it a week ago) I can say that I'm not a fan of the touchflo prog. It seems to hang on occasions and I often end up selecting something I didn't want only to find the phone connecting to the net. So I have switched it off. There is a windows default one that is working fine, but I can't see a way to customise the menu so I can add what I want to it.
So my dilemma. Do I flash with a "lite" rom and add a GUI myself afterwards - this way I can uninstall it if I don't like it. Or should I just leave it deselected and install a new one? Will this have any performance/memory issues - ie is the lite rom a better way to go.
I had a Mio PDA with iLauncher on it and I liked the ability to add my own shortcuts etc.
If I should flash can anyone recommend a stable reliable rom. Also is there a better GUI? Been looking at Manila 2D v2 but I want to be able to customise the main menu and I don't want it sluggish.
One final thing. Is it possible to get the phone to ask permission before connecting via gprs rather than scurrying around for the disconnect. I've looked through the menus but can't find anything. Don't mind using it if I want it, just fed up of it dialing it by mistake -(I have sausage fingers.)
i recommend the t.i.r element v5 rom. ive been thru many roms including the tpc series that you have tried and i find that t.i.r element v5 is the best w/ smooth graphics, great gui (full landscape support etc.) i cant post a link as of now since i am new to posting on xda so please look it up and give it a shot!
Is there a CLI version of a rom for this phone or is someone just trying too sound fancy? Since when is touchflu a GUI? I am totally confused.
Do I flash with a "lite" rom and add a GUI myself afterwards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh my head is hurting make it stop.. SOMEONE REPLIED TO THIS?? awmg
If I should flash can anyone recommend a stable reliable rom. Also is there a better GUI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am so confused, it's like trying to mess with a womans bra (Full Landscape support) for the first time, what do I do.. do I call her new hair doo a pair of panties? AAAHHHHHHHH
Stylez close this **** down.. REASON.... Doesn't make any sense at all..
I used the GUI version of this forum to reply.. Thanks.
hi DTBrum,
touchflo - i never liked it too, don't know which files are responsible for its running and if it could be removed, seems like it's part of needed htc drivers to me, but this will switch it off completely:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\OEM\TFLOSettings]
"EnableScroll"=dword:00000000
"EnableCube"=dword:00000000
you need a registry editor to change those values.
===
you can't replace gui, or you can theoretically but what you mean is sort of launcher, or today manager. I tried more and didn't like any, they all seems to be laggy to me.
windows in default uses today screen and start menu, it's the same way as in pc edition, there are folders with shortcuts in them for start menu
look in \windows\start menu folder. and on today screen, you can set what you want to see there in settings/today
I use start replacement called quickmenu which is a very small prg with lots of tweaks.
if you don't like those fancy launchers and controls, better you make your own rom. it's very easy with tools from xda. nearly all custom roms lite or full you'll find here have some kind of launchers and today replacement already in them and it's hard to remove or disable them.
there is a lot of different apps like iLauncher, you can install/uninstall.
no one will recommend you any custom rom here, you need to go through trying one after another because everybody's preferences differs. look in wiki.
automatic connect. no, there is no way to disable this. you can use app called 'nodata' but then you'll have to run it to enable/disable every time you want to use internet. But it solves problems in roaming.
Some programs can be set to not auto dial. and another option is, you can set a fake internet connection, make it default and then when you want to go online you'll dial the real one manually. But you may find that some programs would not want to use other then default connection.
and don't get discouraged here on forum, some people are smart here, true, but not all of us here get born that way.
Thankx for the replies.
What I found with touchflo was that there are occasions where I try to scroll from left to right and nothing happens, then all of a sudden I find it has selected something like maps or internet and the phone is trying to connect to the net. Then it starts responding normally. So as a front end user interface for me I'm not that keen on it. Also I can't see a way to remove the categories sucj as maps, and add my own. I have a registry editor and will try changing the values suggested and see if that helps. I'll do a search for the other bits recommended.
Apologies ChumleyEX, not sure if I used the correct terminology. For me a program such as touchflo is an alternative GUI that sits on top of the windows GUI. Just want to know if there are better, more reliable ones. Doesn't have to be fancy. I want to be able to customise it and for it to be quick and responsive.
Sorry I'm sure I was too harsh, I was feeling a little too good last night.
No problem ChumleyEX - no harm done.
Papo - thanks for you time and help, you cleared a few things up for me. Registry edited and touchflo now disabled.
As I said I've only had this device a week and only just found this site recently, so I'm not really up on the terminology so I'm hoping you can look past my shortcomings please. I'll get there. I'm no novice with pc's or pda's but I'm not in the same league as most people on here I admit.
My question about installing an alternative to touchflo was because some of these other programs such as ilauncher like to be installed to the device memory rather than storage card. I don't want to find I start running low on resources so I was contemplating flashing the phone with a wm6.5 lite version with all the MS bloatware removed and adding a launcher/today screen manager afterwards. At least this way if I don't like a particular one I could un-install that. I have no option to remove touchflo.
I was hoping that by describing what I was after people would recommend something that fits the bill. But for now I keep looking at the roms and reading the comments until I find one I like the look of. There is some really nice work here on this site - so tempted to give it a go. I guess we all like different things so it's a matter of personal choice really. Key for me is functionality/responsiveness. It's no good if the interface gets in the way no matter how good it looks.
Off to read some reviews of roms on here now. I'll check out t.i.r element v5 as suggested by agent1001 first.
dude, stop fretting and just try out as many ROMs as you can...and remember to search and read a LOT! it will help in the long run to build your concepts.
i have TWO more suggestions/clarifications for you:
1. you might have big fingers, but what i suspect is that you are using your device as if it has a capacitive screen...which it doesn't. the kaiser (like many htc phones) has a resistive screen. essentially, what this means is that the screen will respond best with a good amount of pressure, applied at a point. so the best suggestion i can give you that will tremendously improve your experience with the device is...use your finger NAILS! the effect is as if you are using a stylus and once you get used to it, any "GUI" will become usable.
2. what you call a "GUI" is not a GUI, technically. this is what chumleyex was alluding to. these "GUIs" run as today screen plugins. they are just that...they are "today screen plugins"...also called "home screen" in other contexts of discussion. you can have many such plugins installed on your device. you can even have many such plugins running at once on your today screen. however, some take over the today screen completely, so you can only use them exclusively. manila2d/manila3d, spb mobile shell, and quite a few others are such kinds of today screen plugins. installing multiple such plugins only takes up storage space. RUNNING multiple such plugins is like running many applications at once...which will consume memory and may slow down the phone, etc, etc.
as always, you should have read the forum rules...which clearly state that "best of" threads or "suggest me a <insert requirement here>" style threads are against the forum rules. which leads me to believe that you probably haven't read the other "stickies" and "wikis" either. start there and then you'll find yourself asking a lot less basic questions that clutter up the forum. don't be surprised if this thread is closed soon by a forum mod. cheers.
Thanks ASCIIker - screen is more responsive with more pressure. Guess I was worried about cracking it.
I did do loads of reading before posting - mainly to do with how to, hard spl, soft spl, roms, radio threads. Sorry if I missed the bit about asking for recommendations.
DTBrum said:
I don't want to find I start running low on resources so I was contemplating flashing the phone with a wm6.5 lite version with all the MS bloatware removed and adding a launcher/today screen manager afterwards. At least this way if I don't like a particular one I could un-install that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get the feeling that you think those fancy things in full custom ROMs are taking up space. they are not. and not using them, disabling them, or deleting shortcuts from start menu would do the same as uninstalling.
you've got:
flash memory - (ROM)
int. memory - think about it as HDD: depends, typicaly little over 100MB
RAM, operating memory, like on PC another 100MB: to be used by progs.
those names differs, to add confusion, some refers to int.memory as ROM
MS bloatware & fancy stuff from custom ROMs which you don't want could still rest in peace in ROM and not bothering you. you'll still have your 100MB int.mem. And as long as they are not actively running you still will have 100 RAM and no processor power used. but exactly like mentioned every plugin on today screen means it's running too. get an fdc task manager or alternative to see all processes and other stuff running. (not just tasks) You can find a way to disable nearly everything.
I have no option to remove touchflo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think there is any. even with ultra lite, i could be mistaken with this, but i tried hard and it looks like it's part of required htc drivers. so you only could disable it...at least! i hated it too no matter about fingers. it seems better on htc pro2 anyway.
But for now I keep looking at the roms and reading the comments until I find one I like the look of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep, the look would be the main difference i'll say.
but if you want functionality/responsiveness, than you probably better stick with using start button and today screen without unnecessary additions.
* installing on SD card means it will go much slower and (at least on my kaiser) will sometime create errors on card from crashed apps and when I dropped phone or it died w/o shutdown or when contacts on SD card get loosed. many times I even lost complete SD contents.
You have 100MB of int.mem!! it would love to be used by progs.
I suggest you to try all of available and up-to-date custom ROMs then after getting an idea of what is doing what, just mix your own rom. it's a matter of check-in what you want inside basically. and you can add your own stuff too. like programs you buy or are not in any ROM. I have over 110MB of programs fitted in ROM and still 100MB int.mem. and speed of the device and ram is not affected too, because i let only 3 - 4 apps from that running in background.
Well I've tried flashing it and had to visit the toilet as things didn't go well.
I flashed with a lite rom, plan being to leave enough free space on the device to install a nice front end/today screen/touchflo etc to the device when I settled on one I liked.
Rom flashed fine - quite like it.
Radio didn't go well. Got stuck at the dreaded tri coloured screen.
Mtty.exe didn't recover it either.
Visited toilet.
Flashed back to standard rom from manufacturer. All now back up and running.
Have changed underpants.
At least I was able to use the info on here to get it back up and running OK.
Problem was a write error flashing the suggested radio - at 99% got an error 226.
DTBrum said:
plan being to leave enough free space on the device to install
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
check my previous post.
try flashing from SD card, a lot of troubles with cable/pc/connector
format small (256MB) SD card with FAT32,
rename ruu_signed.nbh file to KAISIMG.NBH place on root of SD
hold camera button and start or reset pda
I think to be honest I'm a little paranoid about keeping the device memory free. The reason is my wife has an O2 Orbit which was running wm5. It has been updated to WM6 and she has very little free storage memory at all on the device to the point where we have struggled getting some programs installed. I know most give you the option to install to storage card or device, but some don't. Also the ones that do install on the storage card often put some files onto the device, such as help or configuration files.
I know this HTC has a lot more memory so it probably isn't an issue in reality.
I'm up to speed about the different types of memory and whether an app is consuming processing power or just storage space depending upon if it running or not. I just didn't have a chance to read your reply before I posted- wife wanted the PC back. And I was relieved just to have the phone back working.
Papo - thanks for you help. Really appreciate it.
I had my tilt for 2 years and never worried about memory.
OK, flashed the phone a couple of times yesterday and I've now found a rom I like a lot. Even the GUI - touchflo - works like a dream and with the programs that came with the rom I can even customise it how I like. It's smooth, quick and I am yet to discover a bug.
I'll give it a run for a couple of weeks and if I decide to keep this then I'll donate.
Interestingly I flashed back to stock rom from T Mobile through links I found on here. Worked without a problem, provided a 6ft+ 16stone bloke is happy with everything in pink. So I then flashed back to the standard HTC rom wm6.1 and had lots of problems. Basic things like selecting tick boxes didn't even work well.
I understand that everyone wants different things from their phones, how they look etc and that is why it is impossible to say which rom is best. But through this site, I have a customised phone that runs so smooth and quickly and looks damn smart. So at the moment I am well chuffed.
The only really difficulty I encountered was I lost all my contacts. Activesync wouldn't restore them and the backup I took was incomplete as I only backed up the sim and not the phone. D'oh. Anyway I've now sorted this out as I found all the old contacts in outlook deleted items. I restored them back to the contacts folder and synced them again and it's all now back up and running.
Off to have a play
If she lets me I may even flash the wifes O2 Orbit XDA. It's been upgraded from wm5 to wm6 and the new rom leaves very little free memory on the device itself and we do struggle at times getting some software onto it. The version of TomTom I have doesn't let you choose where to install it to, it just goes onto the device. I have manually moved it back to the SD card and made new shortcuts etc, but I feel a new rom from this site would be the way to go.
Thank you to all who helped me.
DTBrum said:
difficulty I encountered was I lost all my contacts. Activesync wouldn't restore them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
activeSync & outlook played tricks on me too, deleting or doubling all contacts... even easier than backing up by backup program, is to copy 'RAW' database in pda before re-flashing. it's all in one file called PIM.VOL in root of phone. calendar is there as well. you can copy this to SD and upon reflashing copy back to root of pda and see what PC's outlook will have to say to it. or just keep on SD as 2nd backup.
note, the file may be locked by running programs (contacts, messages, home plugin) kill them from taskman in that case.
The version of TomTom I have doesn't let you choose where to install it to, it just goes onto the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tomtom app is two files tomtom nav.exe and data.chk, put them anywhere you like and the rest, config files, will be created by it.
but it runs really slow from SD. and taking 13MB, so again, it's best to have them in ROM.

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