Help Huawei Ascend M860 as WiFi only phone??

[stcdm33]

My daughter is 10 and has wanted a cell phone like the teenagers for a while. She is turning 11 in a few days and i thought this might be a neat idea.

I saw an add for 99 dollar ascend from cricket. I thought with all the stuff android can do, I could probably not need a data plan and just get her a phone that would work in wifi hot spots (aka her mom's house and my house and maybe when we are out) and not need to have a data plan or monthly bill. Nor other concerns that go with a full fledged phone.

I bought the phone today (was 99 but they wouldn't let me have that price without activation with first month so i had to do 55 bucks one time and I just wont renew, this was store policy she said but maybe authorized dealers might not require it). BTW this does not have multi touch which i guess i never noticed. That doesnt matter too much.

Okay so my real questions are here.

I can use Google voice for free SMS from the phone via wifi. This should handle the text aspect (does anyone have a better or alternative method?)

What methods are there for phone calls? Skype calling seemed the best. She doesnt need to be able to call phone numbers directly. skype type calls would be just fine. Are there any other services like this? Specifically any that will integrate more with the phones core features (so it feels more like its a phone)

GPS does not require a plan to work, does it?

Market can work over wifi without a data plan?

If i root this can i get rid of Canvas (which appears to be the default launcher app)??

I still see no custom roms or 2.2 methods for this phone, unless someone else knows something I do not?

Huawei Technical Forum: Huawei Ascend (M860) FAQs ...

That link looks like the phone's developers are saying 2.2 will be released for it next quarter.

Thanks for any help you can give on this

Update:
I was able to easily root with z4root from Market. Removed the demo games, photobucket and Poynt. I'm unsure what removing the cricket store and such will do. I found minicanvas.apk which might be the other launcher, but scared to remove that as well unless someone has had success.

Installed ADW 1.3.1 standalone and am using it instead of canvas, but still would like to get rid of canvas if anyone has tested it out.

 

[JRoque]

Hello and happy new year. Hopefully I'm not too late responding to this.

My daughter is 10 and has wanted a cell phone like the teenagers for a while. She is turning 11 in a few days and i thought this might be a neat idea.

My wife is also 10... ask her

I saw an add for 99 dollar ascend from cricket.

I got mine during the brief time it was sold directly from the MetroPCS website, also for $99, shipped.

Okay so my real questions are here.

I can use Google voice for free SMS from the phone via wifi. This should handle the text aspect (does anyone have a better or alternative method?)

Nope, GV is the best as far as I know

What methods are there for phone calls?

1. Make sure you open a new Google account. Don't use the one you (might) already have.
2. Add Google Voice to it and pick a new number in your area code (or not)
3. If you use your own phone to set up GV verification, log in and change it to Google Chat later on so incoming calls, etc don't go to you.
4. In Market, download app SIPDroid. It will create an account for you on PBXes.org, completely automated, to finish the setup.

When done, you will be able to call anyone in US and Canada and receive calls to your GV number, all for free. BTW, Android 2.3 will include native SIP support but unless it integrates with GV directly, SIPDroid is hard to beat.

GPS does not require a plan to work, does it?

Correct. The latest Google Maps caches data locally so maps will work even when WiFi has no connection

Market can work over wifi without a data plan?

Correctomundo.

I still see no custom roms or 2.2 methods for this phone, unless someone else knows something I do not?

A new 2.2 update is coming shortly directly from Huawei. I'd wait for that. If it doesn't update automatically, you can download it from their website to your SD card and install it that way.

 

[foltz61]

The Nettalk app will allow her to make free calls out to any US number over wifi. It's in the market.

 

[joser116]

You are very smart. I should do that

 

[Muilisx]

The Nettalk app will allow her to make free calls out to any US number over wifi. It's in the market.

Nice, I should download this just to try it out

 

[edgchacon]

Try this....Google Voice VoIP on Android just got a lot easier with PBXes peering | Kyle Hasegawa

I tried it and there sometimes a bit of lag but it works..calls work outgoing and incoming.

Google Voice is free(invite only??)

when you setup sipdroid it creates an account on pbxes.com

You get 2000 monthly minutes from pbxes.com on the free account. If you get a Pro/Premium acct you get 5000 minutes a month.