n00b with OS upgrade questions.

[maestrojed]

I really want this phone. But with HTC/Sprint providing their own version of the OS (Sense) I have concerns. I have heard Sense is great, that's good. BUT when Android 2.2 comes out I doubt HTC will be any quicker to make previous phones/OSs upgraded to 2.2 then they have been with 1.5->2.1. This drives me crazy when I am leaving Apple to go to a device that is "open".

Here are my questions?

1) Am I legally (sprint contract, etc.) allowed to install Android instead of Android/Sense on the EVO? Specifically once 2.2 comes out.
2) If not legally, can it be done? What are my risks? Can I revert back to Sense if I need to? Will my data carry over? Is this what "rooting" is? I have read the thread on how quickly the EVO might be rooted.
3) Will I loose core functionality by using Android over Android Sense? What about 4G?

Thank you for helping out a n00b iPhone user soon to be Android user

maestrojed

 

[horadin]

I really want this phone. But with HTC/Sprint providing their own version of the OS (Sense) I have concerns. I have heard Sense is great, that's good. BUT when Android 2.2 comes out I doubt HTC will be any quicker to make previous phones/OSs upgraded to 2.2 then they have been with 1.5->2.1. This drives me crazy when I am leaving Apple to go to a device that is "open".

Here are my questions?

1) Am I legally (sprint contract, etc.) allowed to install Android instead of Android/Sense on the EVO? Specifically once 2.2 comes out.
2) If not legally, can it be done? What are my risks? Can I revert back to Sense if I need to? Will my data carry over? Is this what "rooting" is? I have read the thread on how quickly the EVO might be rooted.
3) Will I loose core functionality by using Android over Android Sense? What about 4G?

Thank you for helping out a n00b iPhone user soon to be Android user

maestrojed

There is no reason or law or anything otherwise that will prevent you from putting whatever OS you want to on the EVO. I highly doubt you will lose any functionality if you do go to the sock android OS and there should be no problem at all switching back to sense if you so choose.

 

[Caloy]

I don't think there's any legal issues, but there might be some warranty issues. Not sure though.

 

[travisr528]

I really want this phone. But with HTC/Sprint providing their own version of the OS (Sense) I have concerns. I have heard Sense is great, that's good. BUT when Android 2.2 comes out I doubt HTC will be any quicker to make previous phones/OSs upgraded to 2.2 then they have been with 1.5->2.1. This drives me crazy when I am leaving Apple to go to a device that is "open".

Here are my questions?

1) Am I legally (sprint contract, etc.) allowed to install Android instead of Android/Sense on the EVO? Specifically once 2.2 comes out.
2) If not legally, can it be done? What are my risks? Can I revert back to Sense if I need to? Will my data carry over? Is this what "rooting" is? I have read the thread on how quickly the EVO might be rooted.
3) Will I loose core functionality by using Android over Android Sense? What about 4G?

Thank you for helping out a n00b iPhone user soon to be Android user

maestrojed

You don't need to install just android you can turn off sense. Yes, You Can Disable The Sense UI on the HTC EVO 4G | Android Phone Fans

 

[esone1ll]

You don't need to install just android you can turn off sense. Yes, You Can Disable The Sense UI on the HTC EVO 4G | Android Phone Fans

Unfortunately, that does not affect the upgrade availability. The OP would still have to wait for HTC+Sprint to release the Android+Sense update for the EVO.

I think the OP was more concerned with upgrading to Android 2.2 than he was with turning off Sense -- am I right?

 

[drksilenc]

the problem would be drivers. htc has to add alot of the drivers for the specific parts so you cant just add a random android 2.2 build.

 

[adseguy]

1.) Legally. I think you guys are wrong. According to your contract you probably can't root the phone and use it on the network. This gets down to the nitty gritty, but I don't think you can just blurt...yeah it's legal. It probably isn't. Are they going to know or care if you run a 2.2 OS when it comes out after you rooted the phone? Absolutely not. If you start adding the free Wi-Fi tether and other stuff...then yeah probably.

2) If not legally, can it be done? What are my risks? Can I revert back to Sense if I need to? Will my data carry over? Is this what "rooting" is? I have read the thread on how quickly the EVO might be rooted.

2.) Yes it can be done, you just need to Root the phone (look it up). Pretty hard to screw up your phone and yes you can always revert back.


3) Will I loose core functionality by using Android over Android Sense? What about 4G?

3.) No you won't loose anything. You loose all the Sense UI widgets and anything Sense related. This should go without saying., but the Core Operating system and it's drivers will work. So yes, the camera, 4G, the buttons all will work because whoever creates the 2.2 ROM for the EVO should include all this stuff. Heck it could be me.

 

[katmandoo122]

1.) Legally. I think you guys are wrong. According to your contract you probably can't root the phone and use it on the network. This gets down to the nitty gritty, but I don't think you can just blurt...yeah it's legal. It probably isn't. Are they going to know or care if you run a 2.2 OS when it comes out after you rooted the phone? Absolutely not. If you start adding the free Wi-Fi tether and other stuff...then yeah probably.

2) If not legally, can it be done? What are my risks? Can I revert back to Sense if I need to? Will my data carry over? Is this what "rooting" is? I have read the thread on how quickly the EVO might be rooted.

2.) Yes it can be done, you just need to Root the phone (look it up). Pretty hard to screw up your phone and yes you can always revert back.


3) Will I loose core functionality by using Android over Android Sense? What about 4G?

3.) No you won't loose anything. You loose all the Sense UI widgets and anything Sense related. This should go without saying., but the Core Operating system and it's drivers will work. So yes, the camera, 4G, the buttons all will work because whoever creates the 2.2 ROM for the EVO should include all this stuff. Heck it could be me.

This board probably shouldn't get into legalities. First of all, breaking a contract or EULA isn't illegal, it just opens you up to potential civil liabilities (for the most part). Nuances like that make giving legal advice via web a bad idea.

As for the rest, to update the ROM to 2.2 (which I would guess will be doable a couple of weeks after 2.2 ROMs are seen in the wild) should be fine but should also require a root. Although no one has seen it yet, I would venture a guess that WiMax would still work but it ain't no guarantee. In fact, I would hope that it WOULDN'T work because it would mean that WiMax has better encryption and identifier protocols, making it safer for others to use. The hardware stuff should otherwise work OK though or there would be no point to a hacked ROM.

As for the open versus iPhone thing, it's not about running whatever license you want, it's about using the phone how YOU want, not the CEO of HTC.

Finally, I believe Froyo will be the final time we'll have to worry about being stranded in an older OS. In addition to optimization, Froyo is supposed to be about making the incompatible compatible moving forward. I would guess that was what delayed 2.1 to the earlier HTC/Android models. Of course, that won't mean that the Evo will have access to 3.0. Companies have a right to strand customers (Microsoft is OK with it) and the hardware needed to run tomorrow's OS (like 3.0 or 3.5, etc.) may be higher than what the Evo will have.

 

[adseguy]

This board probably shouldn't get into legalities. First of all, breaking a contract or EULA isn't illegal, it just opens you up to potential civil liabilities (for the most part). Nuances like that make giving legal advice via web a bad idea.

Much better said then I did. Thanks!

 

[maestrojed]

Thank you all for your help.

I understand the legal issue. No one here is a lawyer and I don't expect a true legal answer. What you all have said is great. Installing Android2.2 instead of Android2.2+Sense: Probably allowed, if not, no one will come looking for me.

As someone said I am much more concerned with upgrading my Android version than I am turning off Sense. From what I read, Sense is pretty good. Sounds like pretty quickly I would be able to upgrade via root and using Android Stock 2.2. HTC might even upgrade quickly since some issues have been addressed. I am not worried about Android3 since I will probably be ready for a new phone by the time it comes out.

Thanks again, I am thrilled at such a complete answer. I think the EVO might be the phone for me. I am also looking at the Incredible and the NexusOne.

I do have a question about GPS on Sprint but I will make that another thread.

Cheers,
maestrojed

 

[KiLo11]

once android 2.2 comes out u will have to wait for htc to put htc sense on it cuz u cant just slap android 2.2 on the evo from some other device
that device will most likely be the nexus one

 

[KiLo11]

once android 2.2 comes out u will have to wait for htc to put htc sense on it cuz u cant just slap android 2.2 on the evo from some other device
that device will most likely be the nexus one

 

[maestrojed]

And this is because each phone has drivers and such that need to be worked into Android2.2? So it really wouldn't be different for any phone. The NexusOne is just Google's phone so it is assured to be first on the list. Is that correct?