Team-BHP > Shifting gears > Gadgets, Computers & Software


Reply
  Search this Thread
8,254,107 views
Old 21st December 2011, 17:10   #7096
Senior - BHPian
 
clevermax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tvm/Amsterdam
Posts: 2,086
Thanked: 2,628 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by phamilyman View Post
Exactly. Its just another part of the firmware - nothing else. The website tool just overwrote it and did nothing else.
So is it possible that a fully-capable SETool would have been able to do the job? no?
I was reading about the business motives behind network locking - phone manufacturers would like to loosen or ease the unlocking of some phones to improve their popularity, but the service providers would want to tighten the the security to the highest possible method so that unlocking is made almost impossible. So in the newer handsets, there are some models which can be easily unlocked and some cannot be unlocked that easily. X8 falls into the second category where the unlocking is made very very difficult.

Having said that, network unlocking of any phone is Legal in countries like UK. So the service provider themselves offer network unlock if customers pay a fee. For the network I wanted to unlock from (Three) they were not providing such service for X8 at the moment. People who figured out the hashing algorithm which the provider used to lock, can run their paid services over internet to anyone who wants to unlock their phone. I just used such a service. Since network unlocking itself is not illegal, they can publicly run their site. Breaking a contract is illegal through.

Coming to the firmware part, there can be differences in where the network lock is kept. But keeping that along with the Android firmware is the easiest way to unlock and if anyone is doing that, it is with the sole intention of making the unlock procedure easy. In X8, or in most of the new SE droids however, it is not part of the Android firmware and you can't unlock by flashing a new ROM. The unlock tool which I used flashed a new bootloader as part of the whole procedure, but I do not think that was all.

Last edited by clevermax : 21st December 2011 at 17:15.
clevermax is online now  
Old 21st December 2011, 18:15   #7097
BHPian
 
Bluengel180's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 270
Thanked: 676 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax View Post
Finally network unlocked the Xperia X8. I used FastGSM.com service to do that. Basically you have to buy enough credit from their site, run an unlocking application in PC, connect the phone over USB and just click Unlock.

The application will talk to their server to see if I have enough credit to unlock the specified model and if found yes, it will proceed with unlock. The process takes about 5 minutes and one time you have to manually restart the phone, allow USB debugging and connect back to PC.

It costed 19.99 USD. There is no free or cheaper unlocking for X8 yet.
Which network was the phone locked to?
Bluengel180 is offline  
Old 21st December 2011, 18:16   #7098
BHPian
 
ece2k2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 524
Thanked: 348 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

could you guys please suggest a phone for my wife. My requirements are:
1. Need to look good and should have a good VFM
2. Good battery backup
3. Budget 10k to 20k
4. Features - GPS (to be used for trips within India) and Camera (basic but should take crisp pictures)
5. I considered a variety of phones including Motorola Defy, SE Experia Neo V, Dell XCD35, Nokia E5/E6 and Apple iphone 3GS - but ultimately got confused
6. Future upgrade-ability is a plus - but not a must
7. Phone would be used for 2 to 3 years
8. Current phone is ASUS P320 windows phone and the new phone must look like an upgrade from the current phone

I look forward to your suggestions.
ece2k2 is offline  
Old 21st December 2011, 18:21   #7099
BHPian
 
Bluengel180's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 270
Thanked: 676 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by ece2k2 View Post
could you guys please suggest a phone for my wife. My requirements are:
1. Need to look good and should have a good VFM
2. Good battery backup
3. Budget 10k to 20k
4. Features - GPS (to be used for trips within India) and Camera (basic but should take crisp pictures)
5. I considered a variety of phones including Motorola Defy, SE Experia Neo V, Dell XCD35, Nokia E5/E6 and Apple iphone 3GS - but ultimately got confused
6. Future upgrade-ability is a plus - but not a must
7. Phone would be used for 2 to 3 years
8. Current phone is ASUS P320 windows phone and the new phone must look like an upgrade from the current phone

I look forward to your suggestions.
If its for your wife i recommend the SE Experia Neo V, it looks elegant.has a good camera and will be getting an official 4.0 update (a beta is already out)

the rest of the phones look too,umm...male
Bluengel180 is offline  
Old 21st December 2011, 18:23   #7100
Senior - BHPian
 
clevermax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tvm/Amsterdam
Posts: 2,086
Thanked: 2,628 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluengel180 View Post
Which network was the phone locked to?
It was locked to Three network in UK.
clevermax is online now  
Old 21st December 2011, 18:32   #7101
Distinguished - BHPian
 
mayankk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 5,139
Thanked: 8,119 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax

No way... As of now, there could be very crude methods which are risky or the easy paid method. I was there in setool forum and got to know that there is money involved for that too.
Isn't there something like flashtool for the x8?
mayankk is offline  
Old 21st December 2011, 18:34   #7102
BHPian
 
Bluengel180's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 270
Thanked: 676 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax View Post
It was locked to Three network in UK.
Did you try contacting three?

From what I've learned these "unlock sites" pull the codes out of the carriers server. and make good money out of it.

I had a motorola atrix locked down to AT&T,i did not have an AT&T account and all the sites Google threw up were paid unlock websites.As the phone was over a month old i went to AT&T online support and told them the phone was a gift and that i needed the unlock code to use it in India, and i had it within a few minutes.it would have cost me 40$ if someone hadn't suggested that i first try contacting AT&T

I think most carriers will give you an unlock code without a fuss.Try contacting them first when you import locked phones
Bluengel180 is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 21st December 2011, 18:42   #7103
BHPian
 
ece2k2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 524
Thanked: 348 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluengel180 View Post
If its for your wife i recommend the SE Experia Neo V, it looks elegant.has a good camera and will be getting an official 4.0 update (a beta is already out)

the rest of the phones look too,umm...male
Thanks, the only problem I see with SE Experia Neo V is the very average battery backup - from whatever I read in the internet.

Do I have any other option to look at?

Last edited by ece2k2 : 21st December 2011 at 18:54.
ece2k2 is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 21st December 2011, 18:55   #7104
Senior - BHPian
 
clevermax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tvm/Amsterdam
Posts: 2,086
Thanked: 2,628 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by mayankk View Post
Isn't there something like flashtool for the x8?
There is SETool, one of its support guys himself told that I shouldn't be buying their tool if I just have one phone to unlock. There may be other flashtools available but didn't want to take that much risk because the phone doesn't belong to me. Read that once you have a damaged trim area (need to figure out what exactly it is) it may require a specialized hardware to unlock.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluengel180 View Post
Did you try contacting three?

From what I've learned these "unlock sites" pull the codes out of the carriers server. and make good money out of it.

I had a motorola atrix locked down to AT&T,i did not have an AT&T account and all the sites Google threw up were paid unlock websites.As the phone was over a month old i went to AT&T online support and told them the phone was a gift and that i needed the unlock code to use it in India, and i had it within a few minutes.it would have cost me 40$ if someone hadn't suggested that i first try contacting AT&T

I think most carriers will give you an unlock code without a fuss.Try contacting them first when you import locked phones
What if the phone was brought to India breaking a contract? It is unlikely that they will simply unlock it for anyone who has broken a contract and gifted it to someone in India. In X8's case, it was a contract broken by someone... I don't think they are that broadminded to have helped me with the unlocking for free.

Last edited by clevermax : 21st December 2011 at 18:58.
clevermax is online now  
Old 21st December 2011, 19:14   #7105
BHPian
 
Bluengel180's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Pune
Posts: 270
Thanked: 676 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by clevermax View Post

What if the phone was brought to India breaking a contract? It is unlikely that they will simply unlock it for anyone who has broken a contract and gifted it to someone in India. In X8's case, it was a contract broken by someone... I don't think they are that broadminded to have helped me with the unlocking for free.
Yeah i guess

Must have been super cheap in that case,how much did you get it for?

Quote:
Originally Posted by ece2k2 View Post
Thanks, the only problem I see with SE Experia Neo V is the very average battery backup - from whatever I read in the internet.

Do I have any other option to look at?
Android phones don't have excellent backup anyway,The ICS update might improve battery life
The xperia ray costs around the same but it doesn't look as appealing to me,it has a better camera though.

Last edited by Bluengel180 : 21st December 2011 at 19:17.
Bluengel180 is offline  
Old 21st December 2011, 19:26   #7106
Senior - BHPian
 
clevermax's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Tvm/Amsterdam
Posts: 2,086
Thanked: 2,628 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluengel180 View Post
Yeah i guess
Must have been super cheap in that case,how much did you get it for?
Don't know the exact amount, but as you said, yeah super cheap (unlocking charge included)
clevermax is online now  
Old 21st December 2011, 22:18   #7107
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 1,112
Thanked: 403 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by ece2k2 View Post
could you guys please suggest a phone for my wife. My requirements are:
1. Need to look good and should have a good VFM
2. Good battery backup
3. Budget 10k to 20k
4. Features - GPS (to be used for trips within India) and Camera (basic but should take crisp pictures)
5. I considered a variety of phones including Motorola Defy, SE Experia Neo V, Dell XCD35, Nokia E5/E6 and Apple iphone 3GS - but ultimately got confused
6. Future upgrade-ability is a plus - but not a must
7. Phone would be used for 2 to 3 years
8. Current phone is ASUS P320 windows phone and the new phone must look like an upgrade from the current phone

I look forward to your suggestions.
Samsung Galaxy S LCD. Its an excellent phone for around 17-18k.
blue_pulsar is offline  
Old 22nd December 2011, 07:53   #7108
BHPian
 
ece2k2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 524
Thanked: 348 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by blue_pulsar View Post
Samsung Galaxy S LCD. Its an excellent phone for around 17-18k.
Finally, went ahead and placed the order for Galaxy R at letsbuy.com for Rs.19990 - I hope this is a sensible purchase and the 4.5k premium over the SE Xperia Neo V is worthy...

Please share your thoughts.
ece2k2 is offline  
Old 22nd December 2011, 08:41   #7109
BHPian
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 519
Thanked: 818 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by F150 View Post
My GT - i9003 connects to vodafone, I am posting this message from my phone connected on Vodafone 3G.
Quote:
Originally Posted by h@r$h@l View Post
Recently VF in gujarat had some network changes and after that i did face some issues on my i9003 for a day or 2. But the VF cc helped me with it and things back on track. They made me delete the AP details and sent me new ones and after a quick restart, all is well.

Ps. Msging from i9003 (edge)
I guess, this problem must be limited to those with GT-i9000, like myself. Thank you for the revert.

Samsung told me that using a Vodafone Android or 3g SIM from Vodafone, made up words. Vodafone proposed that I select Vodafone IN under the SIM settings, in vain unfortunately.

I would be grateful, if you could provide any information pertaining to this; I would hate to switch operators especially because I'm happy with Vodafone.
vinu_h is offline  
Old 22nd December 2011, 08:58   #7110
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 299
Thanked: 287 Times
Re: Android Thread: Phones / Apps / Mods

Quote:
Originally Posted by ece2k2 View Post
Finally, went ahead and placed the order for Galaxy R at letsbuy.com for Rs.19990 - I hope this is a sensible purchase and the 4.5k premium over the SE Xperia Neo V is worthy...

Please share your thoughts.
In performance, i think galaxy R will get the satisfaction.
the only concern i have is that Neo V will be getting ICS 4.0 while samsung has still not announced any plans for Galaxy R for ICS 4.0

I think you will enjoy every bit of it if you r not bothered with this update.

congrats.
Nicky is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks