newbie help
 

Ok, I understand that a rom is an altered, customized version of the Windows Mobile interface....

Being brand new to pocket PCs, I could use a tiny help in the following:

I have WM 5.1.195 build 14847.2.0.0

I know I should probably upgrade it to build 2.06.00

here is what I don't understand....
What does AKU stand for? what is AKU 3.5?
Is windows mobile latest build still 2.06? I do not understand the 3.3, 3.5 etc rating that you guys use when building custom roms.
Also, extended rom, I have no clue what that is for nor what it is exactly......
Ive read over the noob guids and wiki, it helped... somewhat, but i'm still a little lost. hopefully a few answers will point me in the right direction :)

and, Hello everybody!
-Ben

im not sure what in the wiki was confusing but to kinda graze it quickly....

aku 2 is like windows 2k

aku 3 is like windows xp

aku 3.5 is like windows xp sp2

.... the ext.rom is what the manufacturer uses to install its "customizations" .... all the crap to make it work on their network properly, as well as install junk they pack in like links to stores, and "sprint" sounds & ringers etc.

thank you very much, that clears up things a lot.... just a few things still murky.

2.2 was the last version I downloaded from UT Starcom and it was the latest they offered.

are the versions newer than 2.2 "official". Like, created by microsoft for windows mobile 5..... or are they created by independent developers?

OR is 2.2 the latest update provided by the creator of the device, UT Starcom ... and the more recent AKU versions are still microsoft created windows mobile 5 editions? (with, of course on this site, many other additions/subtractions for individual roms)?

The newer versions are created by independent developers and are unofficial. The developers take the VW Beetle (2.2) and turn it into a Ferrari. There is no comparison between the 2.2 and 3.5 version.

There is a rumor that Verizon might release an official 3.x version in the next few months but who knows.

Wait a minute, 2.2 is the latest official rom for the Apache. Anything after that for the Apache is created by independent developers. But there are official realeases of 3.3 and 3.5 for other devices, right? Then these official versions for other devices get adapted to the Apache, right? I always thought thats how it was.

I don't think its simply adapted....
thats why they are still working on a "finalized" 3.5 rom release here in the forum...
at least thats what leads me to believe it is developed by independent.

Dannzeman was right. The 3.3/3.5 roms that is being distributed is from HTC devices in Europe (GSM). They have been ported to work on our apache devices (CDMA). Because so many people were making different flavors of the original ported rom and each developer had something working while another didnt, developers decided to come together to work on 1 rom and make sure everything worked on it in kitchen form and then release it. With the release, you or anyone else out there can then dl the rom/kitchen, customise it to your own benefit and use it for yourself or distribute your flavor, knowing everything works as it should. Hope this clears that up.