Can you help a complete novice?

[secreto]

I am new here and Know nothing about android phones. I have been given a HTC hero which is a nice looking phone, and was wondering what I can do to get it up to speed.

At the moment I have version 1.5 software on it and it is working on 3 Is it possible to update the software but keep it unlocked (I purchased it unlocked)

Any help you could give me would be appreciated, I realise that you have thousands of people asking the same questions, I really do know nothing about these phones which is why I am here.

Many thanks

 

[Xyro]

Welcome to the forum!

You don't need to worry about the network lock on your phone - nothing you can do to it can lock it again.

As for updating it, you're on some of the older firmware. HTC released 2.1, which I hear is faster.

There are also user made custom firmwares with newer versions of android, although I won't go into that unless it's something you're interested in doing.

What's your build number from Settings > About Phone?

 

[secreto]

Welcome to the forum!
What's your build number from Settings > About Phone?

Thanks for taking time out and answering my questions. It appears since switching the phone on it has now updated to a new firmware 2.1? if that makes any sense.

The build number for the phone say 3.32.405.1 CL191507 release keys

Does this help you at all?

 

[Xyro]

The 2.1 update is delivered Over The Air (OTA), which means it's downloaded and installed on the phone rather than needing a pc. So yeah, that's what will have happened, as that's a 2.1 build number. Guess that makes life easier

 

[secreto]

I have been playing about with it and was wondering where I go from here, should I root it? if so which method would be best to use? also how can I expand my sources like the iphone in order to get more apps and tools? if its a case of installing a rom which one do you think I should go for? I realize these are alot of questions but I am an ex iphone user and I know that phone inside and out these androids however, are a new ball game.

 

[Xyro]

I have been playing about with it and was wondering where I go from here, should I root it? if so which method would be best to use? also how can I expand my sources like the iphone in order to get more apps and tools? if its a case of installing a rom which one do you think I should go for? I realize these are alot of questions but I am an ex iphone user and I know that phone inside and out these androids however, are a new ball game.

I'm assuming by 'expand your sources' you're referring to the way a jailbroken iPhone has access to more apps outside of the appstore? There isn't an android equivalent, as google aren't nearly as restrictive on what can go into the android market. So you'll find root related apps and so on in the market. Plus, you can install apps from outside of the market just by enabling a tick box (Settings >> Applications >> Development >> 'Tick Unknown Sources'), rather than needing to root.

There are cases where people cannot access certain apps in their country, but to get around that you need to root.

This guide here will work for your phone now that you're on 2.1.

As for whether you should or not, and which rom to use, what do you want to get out of it?

 

[secreto]

Ok I see now, I have just installed a few apk files and it is so much simpler than the iphone. I have just tried to install navigon which is a gps guidance system but I am having problems, basically the device I am using is not recognising the sd card 2gb. Is this why I have to root the device so that I can store more on the sd card and not on the device itself?