HTC Desire Ruined by Orange Branding

[Hatticus]

Got my lovely Orange branded Desire on Saturday. I'd exchange it for another network but doubt I'd get as good a deal anywhere else. Plus I can't be bothered to make the effort...

I'll probably be attempting to dump all the Orange crap next weekend, but just wanted to get some stuff clear in my head before hand.

I'll be using this Bravo RUU: http://android.modaco.com/content/ht...-t-mo-handset/

This site is pretty useful for setting up a Goldcard, so will follow those instructions.

My main question is about the Micro SD cards. My Desire came with one (4GB I think...). If I take this out, and make the Goldcard using a spare 1GB card I've got knocking around, can I then put the 4GB card back into the phone once it's flashed?

Will there be any problems/issues with the Bravo RUU (as opposed to a Desire one)?

[Hands0n]

Hi there Hatticus, welcome to Talk3G.

You won't go wrong following the instructions on Modaco's pages - but do make sure that you note the info on here about the need to install HTC Sync at the outset.

The Gold Card is only used to help you bypass the mechanism that prevents you installing a Bravo RUU on to the handset. The routine only writes somewhere around 512bytes of information to the SD card, so a 1GB card is more than sufficient. Please make sure you format the SD card to FAT32 as per the instructions. I don't know if the FAT format will cause any issues, but the instructions say FAT32 so follow that to avoid potential problems.

Once you have the handset updated to the Bravo ROM you can put your original 4GB card back and use the handset as normal.

In use my lad has not experienced any problems with the Bravo RUU. The Bravo is in fact the Desire, apparently HTC renamed it on release http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/3146...nounced-at-mwc .

[Hatticus]

Thanks for the welcome!

Your post pretty much summed up my understanding, just wanted to double check before I started to mess around with my shiny new toy! From the instructions I've read it seems pretty straight forward, so will give it a go when I've dug out the SD card!

Just one thing I did notice, Orange do state in their T&C's that using instant messengers is not permitted - I think it's all part of their ploy to get people to use the messenger they stuck on the Desire (which I guess there'd be an extra charge using)

[Hands0n]

@Hatticus - yup, you're pretty much got it right there re Orange and the use of instant messengers. Theirs is probably the most prohibitive network in the UK, unless someone can offer differently Not my cup of tea at all. But I'm reasonably sure you'll be getting a real buzz from the unfettered HTC Desire. My lad says that everything about it is so much improved - faster, all the standard HTC Android apps, longer battery life even.

Do let us know how you get on with it after the branding. Also note kdub87's troubles loading up the Bravo ROM. It was chucking up USB errors but turned out to be the SD Card itself!!! If you have any issues that you can't work around any other way then try and grab hold of another make/size of SD card. I suspect that a small (smaller than 1GB) card would work just as well given the tiny amount of data that goes to make up the Gold Card itself, approx 512bytes (yes, bytes!!)

[Hatticus]

@Hatticus - yup, you're pretty much got it right there re Orange and the use of instant messengers. Theirs is probably the most prohibitive network in the UK, unless someone can offer differently Not my cup of tea at all.

I wasn't aware of that part of their T&Cs when I signed up (my fault I guess), but like I mentioned, I got a pretty good deal on the tariff so I'm not too bothered. Fingers crossed that a bit of using GTalk will go unnoticed...

Would have loved to buy a SIM free handset, but at the moment I can't justify a £300+ outlay up front

I've noticed that the battery life isn't amazing (it's my first smart-phone so I have nothing to compare it with), so any boost there wouldn't hurt! Although I realise that the Desire is going to be more battery-intensive than a lot of phones.

[Ben]

Hi Hatticus!

Ah, congrats on the first smartphone. Battery life is certainly more of an issue than on dumbphones. If it lasts all day and charges all night then you're about par for the course!

[Hatticus]

Quick couple of questions:

1. Do I do the flash with my Orange SIM card in the phone? Or out of the phone?
2. I've read some stuff over on xda-dev about one of the generic ROMS being a Virgin one, is this the case for the one from MoDaCo?