Thinking of buying a blade

[Guest Mark0101]

Hi, I'm thinking of buying an orange san francisco to replace an old non-smartphone. The attraction of this phone is that it's a very cheap phone running android and I've read good reviews of it. However, I don't like the idea of the orange bloatware and would want to get a custom ROM. While the process doesn't sound too difficult, I have two questions:

1 How likely am I to brick the phone if I follow all of the instructions carefully?

2 Could any of the ROMs (2.1, 2.2 I don't really mind) be considered 'usable' on a daily basis? You see, the http://sanfranciscoandroid.co.uk/ wesbite recommends Swedish Spring RLS5 as the best 2.2 custom ROM and r9: de-orangeated as the most stable debranded ROM. However, I havnt't had a chance to read all 100+ pages of the Swedish Spring thread to see what bugs remain (is there a bugs list?) and the de-orangeated ROM seems to have problems including a faulty contacts list and an issue with the proximity sensor meaning calls are dropped - both of these would be deal breakers for me.

I like HTCs but they're very expensive - my alternative would be a HTC Wildfire (not S) but it's about £50 more expensive and less powerful - not to mention a smaller screen. However, if I was stuck with the stock Orange ROM then I might have to just get one of those instead?

Oh, and one more thing. If I got a SF, how easy would it be to install a HTC sense 'theme', (obviously once rooted)?

If you could help with any of the above questions, it would be much appreciated :unsure:

Sorry about original message, ran out of characters on my phone :L

Edited May 14, 2011 by Mark0101

[Guest Azurana]

This question has been answered many times before in this forum. One of them not so long ago. But:

1) If you follow instructions and make sure you got a gen 1 phone with a gen 1 rom or gen 2 phone with a gen 2 rom, you'll be fine. Easy peasy

2) Are yeps.

[Guest Mark0101]

Thanks for the help :unsure: Sorry, my phone ran out of characters and I had to post an incomplete message so as not to lose what I had typed... Fixed it now. If anyone could help with any of the other queries, that'd be great. I've been reading these forums for a while and would love to jump in and have a go but I have a couple of reservations...

Edited May 14, 2011 by Mark0101

[Guest Googlistic]

How likely am I to brick the phone if I follow all of the instructions carefully?

99.9% Unlikely. Fairly easy and risk free as i, like most people have changed ROMs more than 5 times...:unsure:

2 Could any of the ROMs (2.1, 2.2 I don't really mind) be considered 'usable' on a daily basis? You see, the http://sanfranciscoandroid.co.uk/ wesbite recommends Swedish Spring RLS5 as the best 2.2 custom ROM and r9: de-orangeated as the most stable debranded ROM. However, I havnt't had a chance to read all 100+ pages of the Swedish Spring thread to see what bugs remain (is there a bugs list?) and the de-orangeated ROM seems to have problems including a faulty contacts list and an issue with the proximity sensor meaning calls are dropped - both of these would be deal breakers for me.

SS RLS5 is great and de-orangeated is truly the most stable ROM(but not snappy). It depends on which works well for you and your taste. I like the simple FLB r11b with many of my own app changes inside the ROM. Gets me 75% of free RAM.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Googlistic

[Guest Fou-lu]

Don't use any 2.1 roms, they are old and not updated anymore, the best roms now are:

SS5 (2.2)

CM7 (2.3)

SS is the most "stable" but less features compared to CM7.

CM7 is stable now but with some small problems. for a newbie go with SS.

[Guest agreenjesus]

Wait for the Skate, it should be great, mate.

[Guest Mark0101]

Wait for the Skate, it should be great, mate.

Good point, it does look exciting; any news on UK release date? As my phone is really in need of replacement and I don't want to wait too long... Also, d'you reckon it'll be full of Orange bloatware like the Blade or will it be available straight from ZTE with no provider to mess it up?

[Guest Searcher2]

Good point, it does look exciting; any news on UK release date? As my phone is really in need of replacement and I don't want to wait too long... Also, d'you reckon it'll be full of Orange bloatware like the Blade or will it be available straight from ZTE with no provider to mess it up?

What is the fixation with Orange Bloatware? There is a thread on here about how to get rid of most of it without needing to change ROMs. I've got the San Fran and have happily been using it with stock ROM and haven't removed any Orange stuff yet. The only thing I've done it unlock it so I can use an O2 SIM. Granted I don't play games which may be the main reason for putting a new ROM on but at the moment I am happy as it is.

[Guest Mark0101]

What is the fixation with Orange Bloatware? There is a thread on here about how to get rid of most of it without needing to change ROMs. I've got the San Fran and have happily been using it with stock ROM and haven't removed any Orange stuff yet. The only thing I've done it unlock it so I can use an O2 SIM. Granted I don't play games which may be the main reason for putting a new ROM on but at the moment I am happy as it is.

Well, not (yet) being a Blade owner I don't know the extent of what's on there - I've just read about it here and in reviews.

[Guest Anil k Solanki]

Hi Mark,

The Blade is truly a bargain. I have purchased two in the past two months, there is nothing anywhere near as good for even double the money. I love mine and so does my girlfriend.

If you are unsure about rooting etc. Buy a pre-rooted handset from eBay. Then simply download ROM Manager from the ANDROID market, and you are 95% there. Download Swedish Spring. Stick that on your SD card, reboot into recovery using the option in ROM manager and install.

I am a graphic designer, I have used a computer to earn my living for the past 15 years, and in those years have owned a lot of tech. The Blade has to be the best tech bargain I have ever come across. How do they make any money selling this kind of technology for £99? Obviously they do make money, which just goes to show what a rip-off most smart phones are. Apple made 9 billion dollars profit in 3 months due to the iPhone and its massive profit margin.

Don't think getting an Orange San Francisco (aka ZTE Blade) is a compromise. It's not, it's just good sense, a great handset for £99, truly awesome.

Anil.

PS. Once you get customising you will be able to get the HTC theme or loads of others that suit your needs with no problems, all over the air (OTA). I love ANDROID, it's a great OS.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Anil k Solanki

[Guest swisstourist]

which just goes to show what a rip-off most smart phones are. Apple made 9 billion dollars profit in 3 months due to the iPhone and its massive profit margin.

of course it s a ripp-off. as long people pay top money, and change phone every 2 years, why constructor should be settle for less?

look at the wildfire S sold for 270$, what is new? no much.

ZTE use a different marketing, sell more with less profit, at the end, it s the customer who is the happy winer.

let the iboys alone, they are blind! not every boy has a daddy with 800$ for an icrap!

[Guest ColdEmbrace]

which just goes to show what a rip-off most smart phones are. Apple made 9 billion dollars profit in 3 months due to the iPhone and its massive profit margin.

of course it s a ripp-off. as long people pay top money, and change phone every 2 years, why constructor should be settle for less?

look at the wildfire S sold for 270$, what is new? no much.

ZTE use a different marketing, sell more with less profit, at the end, it s the customer who is the happy winer.

let the iboys alone, they are blind! not every boy has a daddy with 800$ for an icrap!

I do have to wonder how you rant was constructive in this thread, although I do feel inclined to agree with your point. I'd much rathet have my blade over an iphone. I think its a matter of cost efficiency for me, I don't play games so I don't need anything high powered.

@OP If your worried about bricking it don't be as long as you follow the tutorial too the letter, took me half an hour too set my phone for its first rom, I change roms really quickly now, no real issues once you have done it the first time.

In terms of usability SS5 is regarded the best in terms of stabability it is android 2.2 and as far as I know runs without bugs. If your worried about usability maybe you can keep the stock ROM and remove the orange branded stuff, if you even want too do that.

The errors with the orange free ROM could be due to people removing something orange branded that they shouldn't, the topic contains a list of what is safe too remove.

I don't think there is a sense based theme available for the OSF, I have never found one but maybe there is.

[Guest Tony Sidaway]

I looked at the prices the other day and decided I'd be mad not to. So for the past week my new best friend has been an Orange San Francisco, the first smartphone I've ever owned.

The infamous "Orange bloatware" isn't that bad but I need something closer to bare Android. After encountering little success with CyanogenMod I installed Swedish Spring release 5. I suspect you would also be happy with it.