Look at this forum: It's kinda scary: What good is it to upgrade? (brand new phone)

[mycophiles]

If you don't want to read my ramblings my question is in bold.
I realize this is a frivolous post but for us who are thinking about flashing some encouragement and general knowledge of these roms would help before we go off researching each individual rom.

I've been browsing the forums for a couple weeks adding apps and getting familiar with my phone. Didn't think it necessary to flash the phone before I had decided if I liked or didn't like the stock build.

Before I got the phone I was worried about two things. One: The memory. The phone doesn't have much memory to work with considering all the applications that can and do run simultaneously. Two: The battery life. Before I bought the phone I read horror stories about how bad the battery life is on this phone. Looking back on the first 3 weeks I've had the phone I've come to the conclusion that 1. yes, the phone would be a bit nicer if it had more ram. Two: The battery life worries were just that. Worries. I have NEVER had my phone go under 50% battery life. Very glad of that.

Now that I've had my phone for a while with the Newest stock rom from sprint. (bought it March 18'th I think) I find myself curious about these new roms that have been built. Looking to speed up my phone specifically. After doing searches on both xda and ppc I find that there isn't many people asking WHY we should upgrade from this newest build. I guess their thinking is that they need the newest and best or maybe it's just common knowledge that I missed the viral email on. Before 3.35 there were some issues that people like me could gripe about and it could be usefull to flash but now... With the 3.35 rom... why?

Anyway, I had come to the upgrade forum to see if anyone had answered that question or posted up exactly what these roms were and couldn't find anything? (i did a search... even a google search.. on xda you have to do a google search to get anything) Since I am a phone noob and don't know much about these roms my understanding of them is a bit...how do you say... altered.

It seems they aren't themes or they would be called themes. I've come to understand they are changes made to the wm6.0 OS. I understand some, if not all take out some of the stock programs that no-one uses or come included with some popular applications that everyone uses, but what else? Are the rom's just the OS build with all the apps included? Is there a list of what these rom's change or what the bennifit of upgrading the rom would be?

The series of steps to flash your rom (at this point) seem to be getting clearer and clearer. A couple searches and some reading will give you the steps to flash the rom. But judging from a quick glance at the forum it appears not enough people a. cannot follow instructions sufficiently (don't do enough searching for all the steps for their update) or b. not competent enough to do a rom flash. (I'm hoping this isn't the case )

If you search XDA and PPC you can find a ton of roms. There are quite a few. It would be nice for someone to make a thread with all the MAJOR/STABLE roms in it so we newbies who are starting off on our first flash (and wanting to get it right) know the roms that are tried and tested. But that's no absolutely necessity and well.. after all we all have lives.

I've rambled on long enough. Still not sure If I'll flash my phone but maybe some of you guys can give me the benefits and convince me.

[Sturatt]

having windows mobile 6.1 is the main reason to upgrade from 3.35 right now. Windows mobile 6.1 runs 2-3 times faster on my device, which is the main reason i am running a custom rom

[mycophiles]

your serious. its that much for faster?

[indagroove]

No, it's not.

[carlosjcar]

Originally Posted by indagroove

No, it's not.

I have custom NO2 5060 with a few added apps and today plugs. much faster than stock. If you keep your Rom loaded with all the apps you can it will be very slow. Specially if you have too many programs running in the back ground. I keep all the stufF that i dont need in my sd. Including programs not used ofthen.

So it comes to a matter of knowing how to set up your device properly and also your taste.

My old APACHE was much faster with similar mods but it was over clocked. The new chip in the Mogul can't be Overclocked yet.

I have gone tru 4 Moguls since it was introduced to the public and i wuold not change for anyother.

my advise to you is to used stock for a while and learn to used really good. Then go for a Pre build custom rom from NO2 or from DCD these guys are the masters in rom building and modifiyng. My choice is NO2 but DCD is equally good.

make sure you read the simple guides here for unlocking your phone and upgrading and always backup your Data.

Then later go for the kitchen and cook your own. every thing you need its here you mus read read read.

By them you will have learned all need to succeed.

And have your phone Mod teh way you like it.

[raywilcox99]

For myself I am running the Verizon XV6800. The stock ROM and OS was ok but was still lacking overall. I have since been upgrading the phone as new things come out for these reasons:

1. I love to mess with things that work just fine
2. Upgrading the OS meant that I also had to upgrade the ROM and Radio
3. I have learned something very new and had a few days of sweating when i came close to bricking
4. Since the 3.35 upgrade, I have gotten reception in places i wasnt able to before and I am so glad to have my GPS
5. The customized ROMs have improved my battery life and the overall performace of my XV6800. Though I do get glitches because everyone runs the Sprint ROMs for the base.
6. With a lot of the upgrades you can get more memory out of your phone then you whould have had with the stock ROMs.

So in short I have found out that upgrading is for the best, though not all upgrades work for all phones. For me it is the adventure I have when things go wrong and the hours of research I have to do when it does. I am still learning and have not actually cooked my own personal ROM as of yet, but it is a work in progress.

[gguruusa]

Wow. crazy stuff people think.

Upgrading
1) will sometimes make your phone a little faster/more responsive. But only a little.
2) does remove crap software that no one uses
3) will let you utilitize otherwise unused memory, depending on your device (not for titan)
4) will build software programs and tweaks and themes right in, saving you the trouble of doing it yourself. Only meaningful as compared to hard resets (locked up phone) and stock upgrades.
5) will generally fix minor software problems
6) will generally utiltize the latest software (like WM6.1)
7) will let you change splash screens

upgrades
1) will not get you better radio reception
2) will not get you a faster processor
3) will not get you more memory
4) will not get fantasically better battery life, unless your carrier screwed up the power saving option to begin with.
5) will not increase the resolution of your camera

kitchens
1) will let you fully customize your phone
2) are only marginally more difficult than flashing a pre-made rom
3) usually contain newer software than premade roms
4) are addictive. You will need therapy.

Edit: and if you don't have Sprint, but want GPS, you can get that only through an upgrade (because you'll need a new rom).

[dkincaid]

Originally Posted by gguruusa

Wow. crazy stuff people think.

Upgrading
1) will sometimes make your phone a little faster/more responsive. But only a little.
2) does remove crap software that no one uses
3) will let you utilitize otherwise unused memory, depending on your device (not for titan)
4) will build software programs and tweaks and themes right in, saving you the trouble of doing it yourself. Only meaningful as compared to hard resets (locked up phone) and stock upgrades.
5) will generally fix minor software problems
6) will generally utiltize the latest software (like WM6.1)
7) will let you change splash screens

upgrades
1) will not get you better radio reception
2) will not get you a faster processor
3) will not get you more memory
4) will not get fantasically better battery life, unless your carrier screwed up the power saving option to begin with.
5) will not increase the resolution of your camera

kitchens
1) will let you fully customize your phone
2) are only marginally more difficult than flashing a pre-made rom
3) usually contain newer software than premade roms
4) are addictive. You will need therapy.

I actually have had to stop myself many times from upgrading. At some point, you really have to determine what you are going to REALLY get from it. You nailed it when you said it's very addictive!

D

[Nickles]

for me (VZW user), the single one and only reason i chose to upgrade was for GPS.
my stock phone was perfect the way it was, but was obviously missing the GPS.
Windows 6.1 i don't really care about nor do i notice any interface improvement over 6.0.
in fact, the threaded SMS is a little annoying (sorry, but i think it is).
anyhoo, GPS is reason enough to take the plunge.

and kitchens ARE fun.. once you do it once, you'll be addicted.

[puff]

@ OP - there's too many reasons, most which have been covered already, some of which haven't, in regards to why install a custom ROM or cook one from a Kitchen. Of course it's not for everyone. In the end, the only one that can make the decision on whether or not it's worth it, is you !!!

Originally Posted by carlosjcar

The new chip in the Mogul can't be Overclocked yet.

i forget the name of it, but from the 5060 kitchen there's an option under settings on my mogul called performance. it lets me overclock to 624 Mhz

Originally Posted by gguruusa

kitchens
1) will let you fully customize your phone
2) are only marginally more difficult than flashing a pre-made rom
3) usually contain newer software than premade roms
4) are addictive. You will need therapy.

very addictive, when dose the next one come out???

Originally Posted by Nickles

in fact, the threaded SMS is a little annoying (sorry, but i think it is).
anyhoo, GPS is reason enough to take the plunge.

and kitchens ARE fun.. once you do it once, you'll be addicted.

if you use no2chem's kitchen, and installed the nuetools, you can goto start -> programs -> nuetools -> nuethreadedSMScontrol -> Disable