My First Android?
- Thread starter Sushubh
- Start date
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Saurav
Looking for BSNL Broadband substitute
it's always better to buy an android phone in and more than 15K range.the benefits are gingerbread 2.3 and updates to it in the way of 2.3.1 - 2.3.xmoreover after one year, when eventually the warranty period is over, you can flash new ROM with the help of 3rd party software. and if you are not happy with it, you can always flash back to the stock android version using the same software by downloading the firmware which is available easily. now this point is valid only if the phone you buy is a hit at the international level and independent developers have released some ROM's.the customization level on android is much higher than in iOS or any other mobile OS platform.
x720
Incoherent Poster
I dont think that pre compiled android source would be of any benefit. You can use wikipedia to check the latest version number. Essentially there exist 2 types of roms - stock (company developed) and custom (user developed) Xda developers and modaco are the two biggest android communities. They have seperate sections for each phone where you can view all the stock and custom roms for that phone along with a wealth of information on customizations and tweaks. Also what Saurav has suggested regarding the android phone is right.You will find answers to all your questions at xda and modaco in the appropriate phone section.
Great thanks for affirmative reply!
More questions:
1) Where to get latest PRECOMPILED android? How to know if phone supports it?
2) Any website where such a thing is documented?
If you upgrade the phone using the official firmware update released by your manufacturer, it won't void your warranty.
In some cases, the manufacturers don't release upgrades for some phones, some do.
For example, earlier Sony used to be notorious for this. They released their flagship(at that time) Xperia X10 with Android 1.6. After a LONG LONG time, upgraded it to 2.1 and then flatly refused to provide further updates (which is why now they had to promise that they will release Android 2.4 for all their 2011 models). Motorola has also done this with some phones.
Samsung Galaxy S on the other hand, released with 2.1, then Samsung released 2.2, then 2.3.3 and then 2.3.4. So you could upgrade to the latest android version without voiding your warranty.
HTC also provides updates at a decent pace.
There can be two other scenario's. One, your company releases the new android version, but not for your country/region/carrier. In that case you can manually download the firmware and update it. Technically, this would violate your warranty but is very safe because ultimately the firmware has been made and tested for your phone.
The other is where the company doesn't release updates for any region. In that case, if your phone has good developer support, modders download the android source code and release it for your phone. This does void your warranty. And for this, you have to root your phone(kind of like "sudo su" which grants you access to the system partition) this definitely voids your warranty.
Refer to xda-developers.com forum for custom rom's/rooting methods etc. relating to specific models.
More questions:
1) Where to get latest PRECOMPILED android? How to know if phone supports it?
2) Any website where such a thing is documented?
If you upgrade the phone using the official firmware update released by your manufacturer, it won't void your warranty.
In some cases, the manufacturers don't release upgrades for some phones, some do.
For example, earlier Sony used to be notorious for this. They released their flagship(at that time) Xperia X10 with Android 1.6. After a LONG LONG time, upgraded it to 2.1 and then flatly refused to provide further updates (which is why now they had to promise that they will release Android 2.4 for all their 2011 models). Motorola has also done this with some phones.
Samsung Galaxy S on the other hand, released with 2.1, then Samsung released 2.2, then 2.3.3 and then 2.3.4. So you could upgrade to the latest android version without voiding your warranty.
HTC also provides updates at a decent pace.
There can be two other scenario's. One, your company releases the new android version, but not for your country/region/carrier. In that case you can manually download the firmware and update it. Technically, this would violate your warranty but is very safe because ultimately the firmware has been made and tested for your phone.
The other is where the company doesn't release updates for any region. In that case, if your phone has good developer support, modders download the android source code and release it for your phone. This does void your warranty. And for this, you have to root your phone(kind of like "sudo su" which grants you access to the system partition) this definitely voids your warranty.
Refer to xda-developers.com forum for custom rom's/rooting methods etc. relating to specific models.
x720
Incoherent Poster
amishforums.xda-developers.comChance of damage is nome to.minimal, provided you stick to the guidelines on xda regarding the phone youre interested in.I flah regularly, no damage so far.
Saurav
Looking for BSNL Broadband substitute
yes. at xDA developers. google it. 
if you follow the steps, you don't damage the phone. if you don't you'll brick it.but then again there are two kinds of bricks - soft & hard.in soft brick, your phone will be stuck at the boot logo screen and will keep on vibrating at intervals, that way you'll know that the phone is not completely dead, and you can flash to the stock ROM.whereas in hard brick, your phone won't boot. but hard bricks usually takes place if you disconnect the phone from the USB while the flashing is taking place.
if you follow the steps, you don't damage the phone. if you don't you'll brick it.but then again there are two kinds of bricks - soft & hard.in soft brick, your phone will be stuck at the boot logo screen and will keep on vibrating at intervals, that way you'll know that the phone is not completely dead, and you can flash to the stock ROM.whereas in hard brick, your phone won't boot. but hard bricks usually takes place if you disconnect the phone from the USB while the flashing is taking place.
x720
Incoherent Poster
Set on live with walkman ?
Hope its in my budget!
