<![CDATA[Gizmodo: tytn ii]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: tytn ii]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/tytnii http://gizmodo.com/tag/tytnii <![CDATA[Dealzmodo Hack: Cooked Software Revives HTC Phones]]> HTC has always known their biggest weakness: Windows Mobile. They've done their best to hide the aged interface in glossy costumes and bolster performance, but they can only do so much—the OS is slow, buggy and can drain battery life on certain hardware. Luckily, Windows Mobile responds well to per-device modification. A dedicated community of hackers called XDA has built a collection of streamlined, debugged, turbocharged OS builds (or ROMs) to resuscitate your flagging HTC phone, along with some less daunting smartphone tweaks for the weaker stomached.

Now, it bears mentioning that HTC is pretty diligent about updating their phones, releasing driver and software updates to improve performance when necessary. Problem is, these updates don't usually trickle down through the cellular providers, leaving most users stuck with the first (and only) generation of the phone's branded—and sometimes crippled— software. Thanks to XDA, most users can switch to an up-to-date OS, with a variety of extra tweaks added at the discretion of the community.

What do you stand to gain from upgrading your ROM?

  • Better battery life
  • Faster performance, especially in TouchFLO 3D
  • Stronger reception
  • Quicker, less laggy GPS locking and tracking
  • Bundles of useful software, included updated, faster Opera browser
  • Reenabling carrier-chopped features such as tethering, HDSPA

Popular phones best suited for upgrade:

The prospect of upgrading your phone's entire OS might sound intimidating, but the XDA community has provided GUI tools for each step. The procedure is not risk-free, but the success rate polls highly among people who follow the directions closely. I flashed T-Mobile's branded Diamond, the MDA Compact IV, without incident.

Ready to give this a shot? XDA's detailed guides are available here:

If ROMs and bootloaders and radios all sound too scary (and I wouldn't blame you), XDA also has a hefty collection of simpler tweaks and mods for your HTC phones, including themes, games and apps that you might not find elsewhere.

Expect to hear a lot more about these guys in the coming months—they'll probably be the first ones to port Android to older HTC handsets. As of the 4th, they've got a severely gimped version of Android 0.8 (the G1 launched with 1.0) running on the Diamond, so an "Install Android on Your HTC Phone" Dealzmodo Hack is inevitable, if still pretty far off. [XDA Developers and ModMyDiamond]

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5074850&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Qik Video Streaming Comes to HTC Phones]]> Good news for HTC phone owners, Qik is bringing its popular video streaming service to the Touch Dual, Touch Diamond and the TyTn-II. They are also adding two other Windows Mobile phones to the list: The AT&T Tilt, and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. All you need to do is set up a free account on the Qik website and you will be streaming video from your handset in no time. [Qik]

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5045640&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[HTC TyTN II Gets Windows Mobile 6.1 Update, AT&T Tilt Soon]]> HTC's TyTN II, the Euro/whitebox version of AT&T's Tilt, just officially got updated to Windows Mobile 6.1. While you could put the update on a Tilt if you were seriously jonesing for WinMo 6.1, it would wipe out all the AT&T stuff and give you a regular HTC phone. Besides, it'll start rolling out to branded phones like the Tilt soon, probably in a matter of weeks. [HTC]

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=393126&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[AT&T Tilt is Official]]> The AT&T Tilt (8925) is official. This ship was leakier than a sunken pirate ship, the successor to the 8525 is finally here. The important specs: Windows Mobile 6, Mobile Office, 2.8-inch screen, GPS w/ TeleNav, Push to Talk, standard IM program, slide-out and fold-up keyboard, glorious HTC-style QWERTY keys, Wi-Fi, 3-megapixel camera, Push Email, 3G HSDPA—but no TouchFlo on the top level like the Touch (seems like they're saving that for "Touch" designated phones). $299 with two-year contract starting Friday October 5. [AT&T via Press Release]

]]> http://gizmodo.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=306892&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[HTC TyTN II Becomes Official in Europe]]> The phone we've previously known as the HTC Kaiser or the 8925 has just been named the HTC TyTN II for the European market. The Windows Mobile 6 phone will be available under T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone and Telefonica (includes O2), and will have the standard 3.5G connectivity, Windows Mobile 6, HTC's Home screen, GPS, TomTom Navigator 6, 3-megapixel camera, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, microSD card and the flip-up screen. No price was specified, but if the first TyTN was any indication, this will be expensive. [HTC Europe]

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