New Epic user. Many questions

[thegameksk]

Hey everyone. I just received my Epic yesterday and I love it so far. I came from a Touch Pro that hardly worked so this is like a huge upgrade. I have a few questions:

1) What is rooting? Is it good to do? Why? Also if I root can I still download the upgrades Sprint/Samsung/Android put out? Will everything be erased if I root?

2) Do you guys use any screen protectors or body protectors on the Epic? Can you recommend any?

3) Is there anyway to have facebook pics be the pics for my contacts? None of my friends have their phones numbers on fb so I couldnt sync them. I have to put the numbers in manually.

4) What apps/programs do you recommend I download. Like any must have programs/apps?

Thanks!

[gTen]

Originally Posted by thegameksk

Hey everyone. I just received my Epic yesterday and I love it so far. I came from a Touch Pro that hardly worked so this is like a huge upgrade. I have a few questions:

1) What is rooting? Is it good to do? Why? Also if I root can I still download the upgrades Sprint/Samsung/Android put out? Will everything be erased if I root?

Rooting does not erase anything and so far does not conflict with upgrades. It gives you admin type access to your phone to modify system files, tether, do full backups and etc.

2) Do you guys use any screen protectors or body protectors on the Epic? Can you recommend any?

Check out the Accessories forum, there are reviews for screen protectors...while our phone is made out of Gorilla Glass its not indestructible so it don't hurt to have a screen protector.

3) Is there anyway to have facebook pics be the pics for my contacts? None of my friends have their phones numbers on fb so I couldnt sync them. I have to put the numbers in manually.

It may be possible but I don't use fb on my phone much so cant say sorry.

4) What apps/programs do you recommend I download. Like any must have programs/apps?

Juice Defender is a popular app..it helps you tweak your phone to get more battery...if your root get Titanium Backup. You may also want to get a few widgets..maybe Fancy Widget clock or something..

[Johnny.Bravo]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (Android; Opera Mini/5.1.21126/20.2485; U; en) Presto/2.5.25)

The first thing you need to do is check out the wiki .....


http://wiki.ppcgeeks.com/index.php?title=Sprint_Epic_4g

[crazaytalent]

these are just my two cent based of gten's answer but he's pretty much right on

Originally Posted by gTen

Rooting does not erase anything and so far does not conflict with upgrades. It gives you admin type access to your phone to modify system files, tether, do full backups and etc.



Check out the Accessories forum, there are reviews for screen protectors...while our phone is made out of Gorilla Glass its not indestructible so it don't hurt to have a screen protector.



It may be possible but I don't use fb on my phone much so cant say sorry.



Juice Defender is a popular app..it helps you tweak your phone to get more battery...if your root get Titanium Backup. You may also want to get a few widgets..maybe Fancy Widget clock or something..

rooting wont affect updates as he said, but be mindful, once u root of messing with or removing system apps as that will I suggest developing ur knowledge of rooting clockwork mod, backing up ur device etc... that way if u do mess with hat... that way u will know how to get back whatever settings needed for future updates.

Accesories forum as he suggested many users including myself have given input on some of the items we use

Yes if u can sync ur facebook contact w/ ur device contact it will add the pics they have on fb to ur contact... but in order to do so, u basically have to match all the names of the contact on ur device, with there names on facebook so that the syncing process will recognize the and connect the two

personally some favs of mine are "beautiful widgets", "pure grid calender widget", "copy paste it", "dolphin browser" , "Tapatalk" , feeder and tons more... depending on how u use ur device... most of this i list just add some basic functionality I needed that i felt was left out or could have been better... everything else u should explore and see for urself... check the regular market, and app brain market and just search google for the type of apps u might want

[bigger hammer]

I'm new to the Epic as well and I'm having a problem getting the Beautiful Widget software to work. I installed it, then tapped on the icon and it opened up the screen where the "Home Settings, Weather Widget Settings, etc.) are located. I made my choices but then nothing came up. I pressed and held on a blank part of my screen and it opened up an "Add to Home Screen" window with "Samsung" and "Android Widgets" but I can't find the "Beautiful Widgets" button.

Can someone please help? I know I'm doing something wrong but can't figure out what it is.

Thanks, BH.

[gTen]

It should be under "Android Widgets"

[bigger hammer]

WHATABOZO! That was too easy.

Thanks, BH