Just bought HTC touch, new to smartphones

[fozjared]

Hello, i was on here last night looking around at options on what might be comparable to the iphone and found that some were saying htc touch, so today i went and got one.. it doesn't have gps and i was really wanting that badly, is there something i can download that will give me gps on this phone? what about a compass? i saw that the iphone had an app that makes it a compass!! also when i watch video on it, the video is jerky, like the phone doesn't have enough "ram" or something.. i am no technological guru by any means so i would really appreciate you breaking this stuff down into simple language as you reply, thanks sooo much!! also, i read something about a 6.1 rom? what is that? i have heard of rom before, will that make my phone perform better? sorry for all the newbie type questions!!!

[psycho_maniac]

why didnt you just get an iphone?

[Oditius]

ROM = Read Only Memory (This is memory that is not accessible by users)
RAM = Random Access Memory (This is the memory that the 3rd party apps use to run programs)
6.1 is the Operating System Version (Windows Mobile 6.1) (ie. XP, Vista)
If you wanted a GPS then why didn't you pick up the Touch Pro?
And phones, even smartphones will rarely ever equal the power that is on your desktop.

[fozjared]

alltel does not provide iphone, and at&t does not work in my area, at all!!

thanks oditius for clearing that up.. i am actually going through a small cooperative called etex telephone here in town, they provide through alltel, but also have their own towers out in this area.. anyway, they have a special deal worked out with alltel and their plans are even cheaper than going through alltel, but i get the exact same service as any other alltel user, just cheaper! but the drawback to that is, they cannot get all the same phones i could get through a normal alltel office.. so i would have had to pay retail for the touch pro or diamond instead of signing another contract and getting the touch for free!! anyway, i love it so far, but i just wanted to know if i can get movies to play smoothly and if i can get gps on it somehow.. thanks to anyone who can answer these 2 questions!

[monkeyboy]

I dunno about the Alltel Touch, but the Sprint Touch most definitely does GPS. It works particularly well with Google Maps and Windows Live Search. These apps are free. If you want turn-by-turn Nav, there are such apps out there, but I believe most you have to pay for them.

And the Touch does play video without jerkiness, if you use the right settings. I use the CorePlayer and you have to play with the video settings (can't remember the ones to choose, something like Direct...). Anyways the point that it CAN work well. Also Slingbox works well on the Touch. I assume you have 3G/EVDO service. If not, then that is why you have jerky video. Are you talking about streaming video over the Internet or playing a video file that is already on your device ?

I suggest you poke around www.ppcgeeks.com, under the Vogue forum and see what better ROMs are for your device. You want one that is WM6.1 that does GPS. If Alltel doesn't have one, then I'm sure there will be one at ppcgeeks.com.

[Taadow9]

All touchs have the hardware for GPS. I know Verizon blocks it so you have to use thier VZNavigator. ANyway all you need to do is unlock, upgrade to a GPS radio 3.X or higher (I currently use 3.42.30 bell radio) and then flash a ROM like NFSFANS 6.1 or 6.5 generic carrier rom or whichever. THis has gps viewer and google maps on it already. If you want a program that you can get driving directions then you'll have to find that they usually cost. It all depends on what you are watching as for as video quality goes. I can play full lenght movies flawlessly with TCMP. You just have to play with the setting I think It raw frame buffer mode. Do a search for "best tcmp" settings...I'm sure you will find something that will help.

[fozjared]

hey guys i appreciate the advice, but half of the terms you used went over my head, i have no idea how to unlock upgrade or anything what do you mean taadow9 by upgrading to a gps radio? how do i do that?

[aristottle]

Google NSFAN, with his roms you will unlock the true ability of the Touch.