Educate me on Storage and Apps

[TREV21]

Okay, I hope this does not sound to dumb. I can only compare to an Ipod Touch, so hopefully you guys can explain the storage and apps thing to me. Right now I own an Ipod Touch 64GB. I have 1.5 GB of apps installed on it. Based on research for the EVO it looks like max capacity is going to be 32 GB. Not a problem there, but when it comes to apps are they stored on the phone itself? (Installed RAM is only 1 GB) or are apps stored on your memory card? Are these cards swappable or are you limited to whats space is available on it? Hope this is not a bad comparison. Thanks!

 

[dabbill]

You will have to root the phone to get it so you can store apps on the SDcard. You can have as many SDcards as you want, but also android apps i believe are much smaller then iPod / iPhone apps.

 

[talz13]

Oh good, so you can install apps to the SD card after you root the device? I keep lots of apps on my SD card on my windows mobile phone right now, and I'd hate to lose that ability.

 

[billsmed]

The EVO 4G comes with only 1 GB on board, but it includes a microSD port for removable memory and storage. More than likely, the EVO 4G will come with a 16 GB microSD memory card, but you'll be able to upgrade to 32 GB. Due to current limitations within the Android OS, you can’t install apps on removable memory. That's because Google is trying to protect their developer's code. I've read that they're working on securing the code so the removable memory could be used. I imagine this has a lot to do with Apple's decision to seal their phone, but it sucks that you can't even change the battery yourself. Until Google addresses this issue fully (maybe with an update), 1 GB should be sufficient for awhile as Android apps don't require as much space as the iPhone apps do.

 

[andddlay]

The EVO 4G comes with only 1 GB on board, but it includes a microSD port for removable memory and storage. More than likely, the EVO 4G will come with a 16 GB microSD memory card, but you'll be able to upgrade to 32 GB. Due to current limitations within the Android OS, you can

 

[RydiaOfMist]

Yeah, I agree...1gb should be plenty.

If the device comes with a 16gb microSD that would be great! However, from what I have read, it will come with an 8gb one, not 16.:

HTC EVO 4G Specs Published By Sprint | Android Phone Fans

The HD2 was advertised at radioshack with an included 16GB card. It would be very disappointing if Sprint did not include a 16GB card with the EVO.

 

[twospirits]

Due to current limitations within the Android OS, you can

 

[TREV21]

this is all good info. I guess I would max it out right away so I don't have to mess with too much. Any good links that can help me learn about Rooting? Thanks.

 

[dylan88]

All Things Root - Android Forums

 

[IOWA]

Something people are forgetting here. Only the core app is stored on the onboard memory, the app stores all the big stuff on the sd.

 

[ImGreen]

The HD2 was advertised at radioshack with an included 16GB card. It would be very disappointing if Sprint did not include a 16GB card with the EVO.

You pay for whatever is included with the phone, so for me I hope it comes with a smaller card so the initial price is lower, and therefore more money for a big microSD card.

 

[ImGreen]

Something people are forgetting here. Only the core app is stored on the onboard memory, the app stores all the big stuff on the sd.

I'm new to Android too... I assume that music can be stored on the mSD card, and videos too, right?

 

[cabbie]

I'm new to Android too... I assume that music can be stored on the mSD card, and videos too, right?

Absolutely.

Is the HD2 with the 16gig card a class 2? I have a 16gig class 6 that I'd definitely use instead of that, but having another 16gig backup would be nice

The Hero has 512 onboard memory for app storage. Theres a myth that theres a "70 app limit" of things you can install but its off-base. There IS an upper limit on how many apps you can install but its a matter of how large the apps are and not the number of apps (so if all your apps are really small you can have 100+ and if the are all very big then you might only have below 50). Around 70, with the average app size, tends to be where the threshold is reached and its a true headache.

I have about 80 installed and try to stay right under the cap. Apps that I find useful but rarely use I keep backed up to my SD card to access when the occasion arises where I want it, an example would be "Speed Test" which will measure your current download/upload speeds. Useful, but rarely used.

Basically what happens when you install too many apps and reboot your phone, you will get ZERO network connectivity, both voice and data. As the phone loads, all those apps you have installed are competing for memory and since too many are installed it can't handle it. You will spend about 5 minutes going through all the force closing of every app imaginable as the phone tries to forrest gump its way to life. The fix for that is going into your file manager and uninstalling a few of the biggest apps you have (and also dont use), then reboot the phone and it will work again.

It's very nice that the EVO will have double the memory of the Hero but I without native SD support for app installation, the issue will remain because its an android issue. So I will be able to have about 160 apps instead of 80 all things equal, which should be more than enough even for a power user like me. I still don't like that this issue is there, though. I'm rooted and could do SD card app installation but am currently too lazy to deal with the headache of teaching myself to partition the SD card like you have to in order to do it.