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Best android phone to mess around with?

Discussion in 'Android Lounge' started by GC001, Aug 10, 2012.

  1. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    Hi I have just come over from ios and have recently acquired my New Samsung galaxy S3 and before I root or put roms on it I would like to try out messing around with android on a Much cheaper phone (To avoid bricking my SIII) just so I can get a feel for things like Roms,kernels,rooting on a cheaper phone. And would like some advice on what phone you guys would recommend for messing around with? my price range is about
     


    #1 GC001, Aug 10, 2012

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  2. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    Nexus devices are usually the easiest and safest to mess around with. Another option might be a Motorola Droid/Milestone
     
    #2 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
  3. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

     
    #3 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
  4. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    Depends on what you are doing really. Samsungs are definitely less prone to bricking than some of the other manufacturers that lock their bootloaders. It is still possible to brick them if you start messing with ROMs, kernels, and recoveries that don't mix well.
     
    #4 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
  5. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    Ill be doing my research to make sure what I'm installing on the phone is compatible with the device.:)
     
    #5 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
  6. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    As long as you do your research and ask questions first if you have any doubts then you should be fine! I know you are going to enjoy your phone
     
    #6 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
  7. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter


    Which nexus device would you recommend? I'm looking at the HTC Nexus Google one (Because its cheap) what do you think? Or does it come with a locked boot-loader?. Ill have a look at the OG droid on YouTube in a minute to see if I like it

    cheers
     
    #7 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
  8. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    Nexus if you can get one. Neither has a locked boot loader.
     
    #8 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
  9. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    A Nexus will never have a locked bootloader. Personally I would lean more toward the Nexus S though, just because the same software you are going to use on your SIII you will use on the Nexus S. Samsung phones use Odin on a PC to flash radios, kernels, Firmware, etc.

    It should be similar for the N1 or the Droid/Milestone, the software will just have a different name and function a little differently.
     
    #9 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
  10. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    If you get a Moto, make sure it is an OG Droid, not the milestone. The milestone has a locked / encrypted bootloader.
     
    #10 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
    chrlswltrs likes this.
  11. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't realize that. I thought they were the same with the exception of GSM vs CDMA.
     
    #11 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
  12. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    Nope, the infamous Milestone introduced the world to locked / encrypted bootloaders. Moto hasn't looked back since.
     
    #12 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
  13. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    Ok so ill avoid the milestone. Nexus S is pretty cheap and so is the OG Droid. Just got to make my mind up now o_O ahaha might take a while for me to decide. thanks for the help guys.
     
    #13 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
  14. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    Missed that you were looking at a Nexus S, was thinking the Nexus One. Go with the Nexus S as it is newer hardware.
     
    #14 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
  15. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    Between those 2 the Nexus S is definitely better, and I have owned both of those phones. Nexus has a faster processor, bigger and better screen, and no keyboard. Plus the benefit of using Odin on both it and your SIII.
     
    #15 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
  16. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    Ill probably get the nexus s then as I'm already sort of familiar with odin (Flashing my brothers bricked galaxy tab!) What programme would the OG droid use then? I thought odin was used on all android devices :thinking:
     
    #16 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
  17. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    RSD Lite for Moto devices, but you only needed that if you bricked it.
     
    #17 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
  18. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    What about if you wanted to root it or install roms?
     
    #18 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
  19. chrlswltrs

    chrlswltrs Extreme Android User

    I used ADB (used on all android phones and is park of the Android SDK) and ROM manager.

    You will also use ADB to root the Nexus S, but you will need Odin to root the GSIII
     
    #19 chrlswltrs, Aug 10, 2012
    GC001 likes this.
  20. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    I originally rooted mine using RSD Lite (early days of the Droid), but my wife's was done with SuperOneClick. Once rooted I used rom manager to flash clockworkmod and flashed all my roms through that. I bricked my D2 and was able to restore to factory using RSD Lite, then SuperOneClick to root it again.

    As far as a Nexus device goes, its usually as simple as pushing the superuser app and the binaries to the device and setting some permissions as they are made to be rooted (well, not made to prevent it).
     
    #20 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
  21. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    Ok I have a bit more of an idea now. the nexus s sounds easier to root and seems more open source than the OG Droid. ill probably get the nexus s based on the specs.
     
    #21 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
  22. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven ...eschew obfuscation...
    Moderator

    ^^^Good choice, have fun
     
    #22 Unforgiven, Aug 10, 2012
    GC001 likes this.
  23. GC001

    GC001 Newbie
    Thread Starter

    cheers. Thanks for the advice guys.
     
    #23 GC001, Aug 10, 2012
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