just ordered my first android phone...any advice?

[lunercrab]

well i just ordered my new mytouch 3g phone today...i'm currently running an iphone 3g on tmo and i love the phone, but i wanted to give the whole android thing a try... So with the iphone i had it jb, so i could add apps, access the root direct, customize themes sounds, ect... Basically i was wondering if i can do the same with the mytouch? can anyone direct me, an android newbie, to any tutorials on how to access root, customize themes, add apps, advice, must have apps ect so i can get the full potential to my new phone...i'm really starting from scratch here again lol...so any advice you guys can give me would be greatly appriciated...thanks in advance....

 

[iPhone2MyTouch]

From the Android Store, get App Manager (yellowish icon), or if you want to automate backups, grab $ My BackUp Pro $. I installed one widget too many, and bricked my MyTouch. Not a problem, since I knew I'd get crazy and prepared accordingly. 5 minutes to wipe the slate clean with a factory reset, and get back to where I was before Hades set in.

Go to Google Reader, run a search on android phone, subscribe to relevant forums as well as news sites, then skim thru the headlines daily. Trust me-- it'll be worth the effort. Golden nuggets are otherwise buried in all those forums! Easiest way to learn what you want/need to know. (NewsRob on Android is great for gReader!)

BTW, good to hear that the iPhone runs well on TMo. Do you have the 3GS? Rather than sell it, I may just bring it with me to TMo. Thx in advance... and have big fun.

-edit to add-
Almost forgot- you can browse apps from your desktop via http://www.androlib.com

 

[Clackamas]

Unlike the iPhone, the myTouch out of the box is very customizable. And, unlike the iPhone, rooting isn't necessary to work around Apple's draconian policies in regards to the look and feel of the iPhone. For example, you can buy the following:

dxTop: dxTop : Android Home Alternative

Which doesn't require root. It's basically a desktop replacement that allows you to install lots of different themes, etc. There are also a lot more free alternatives than the iPhone provides as well. You found a great site here for stuff you can find on the Market to customize your phone.

However, if you want root the phone to install custom ROMs (which replaces the default build of the Android OS), you can find all you need to know here:

Sapphire - xda-developers

Sapphire is yet another code name for the HTC Magic/myTouch/etc.

Welcome to the myTouch!