I'm tired of the bloat. This is NOT Android.

[928Droid]

All of this "Bloatware" is easily fixed in less than 5 minutes, rename a few files, edit the build.prop and you are good to go... you can even remove the pesky Backup Assiistant.

AND, if you just rename the files instead of deleting them is is easy to switch back for OTA updates, etc. Besides, the DX/D2 has tons of system space compared to what we were used to on the D1.

Concerning the Blur stuff.... if you actually use it for a while and understand it, most of it is way superior to the "Standard Android" equivilalents....of course some is not.

 

[cwzwack]

This "problem" is going to get worse. I was watching football for several hours over the weekend and saw a Samsung commercial about one of their new TVs. The TV came preloaded with Facebook, Twitter, Blockbuster, Netflix, and a couple others. I can understand Blockbuster and Netflix, but the social networking apps seem to just be ridiculous for a TV.

I don't have a Facebook account and I don't tweet, so those features on my Droid are useless. It'd make sense to delete them, but I don't care to root and do so. I don't mean to take the focus of this thread off the Android platform, but I think it parallels CK's original thoughts

 

[Droids]

This "problem" is going to get worse. I was watching football for several hours over the weekend and saw a Samsung commercial about one of their new TVs. The TV came preloaded with Facebook, Twitter, Blockbuster, Netflix, and a couple others. I can understand Blockbuster and Netflix, but the social networking apps seem to just be ridiculous for a TV.

Good grief, soon we'll need to root our TVs to get rid of bloatware too.

 

[jntdroid]

Good grief, soon we'll need to root our TVs to get rid of bloatware too.

Electronics/software are the automobiles of the future...

 

[turdbogls]

while this is all true, i see where companies are coming from. Samsung, wanted to differentiate from the normal vanilla android that is on the OG droid, same thing with the DX and D2. it is just something they think makes the phone better, and different to make it stand out from the others.

but like everyone said, dont worry about bloatware, b/c if you are on these forums, there will be a way to get rid of it the day you pick it up. sure you have to root, and give up your warranty, but it is something that can be taken care of. i do like your thoughts on having the customer install the bloat, but thats the thing with an open source OS, anyone can modify it to their liking.....thats the great thing, and bad thing about android.

 

[REARless]

All of this "Bloatware" is easily fixed in less than 5 minutes, rename a few files, edit the build.prop and you are good to go... you can even remove the pesky Backup Assiistant.

AND, if you just rename the files instead of deleting them is is easy to switch back for OTA updates, etc. Besides, the DX/D2 has tons of system space compared to what we were used to on the D1.

Concerning the Blur stuff.... if you actually use it for a while and understand it, most of it is way superior to the "Standard Android" equivilalents....of course some is not.

Can you give a link on how to remove Backup Assistant?

 

[928Droid]

All of this "Bloatware" is easily fixed in less than 5 minutes, rename a few files, edit the build.prop and you are good to go... you can even remove the pesky Backup Assiistant.

AND, if you just rename the files instead of deleting them is is easy to switch back for OTA updates, etc. Besides, the DX/D2 has tons of system space compared to what we were used to on the D1.

Concerning the Blur stuff.... if you actually use it for a while and understand it, most of it is way superior to the "Standard Android" equivilalents....of course some is not.

Can you give a link on how to remove Backup Assistant?

Just rename BackupAssistanceClient.apk and BuaContactAdapter.apk1 to .apk1 (or .bac etc), both located in system/app. Then reboot.

It will no longer show up in Add Accounts, My Accounts, etc. Although it still does show in the main Settings Menu, nothing happens when you tap it.

As an extra step you can edit the build.prop file and change this for added insurance, although I don't think it is necessary.

Original code.....

# BEGIN Motorola, pkd348, 26-Apr-2010, ISHADOW-4035
# true Horizontal BUA is preloaded, not allow to install standalone version of BuA from Android Market
# false Horizontal BUA is not preloaded
ro.HorizontalBUA=true

Changed code.. (change shown in red)

# BEGIN Motorola, pkd348, 26-Apr-2010, ISHADOW-4035
# true Horizontal BUA is preloaded, not allow to install standalone version of BuA from Android Market
# false Horizontal BUA is not preloaded
ro.HorizontalBUA=false

 

[Sal R.]

Like iPirate stated, people will think this is Android, they won't like it, and they will tell their friends.

That was my wife's complaint after the Froyo update on her DInc. And she's part of the "general" consumer class.

It wasn't until I rooted and removed the bloat that she loved her phone again.

Bad Big Red.

 

[diverbelow]

The carriers are ruining Android. I went into VZW today to look at all the new devices and I'm quickly souring on the whole Android experience. The Fascinate, D2 and X are filled with so much bloat that it's disturbing.

I DO NOT want this stuff on my device and it seems that Android more than any other platform is releasing with the worst bloatware. The Fascinate was a mess with so much excess junk.

Is this what Android is becoming? Will the carriers continue to force this on us?

I hope that Google stands up to the carriers and insist on them making the option to easily uninstall the bloat or they will not be allowed to brand the device with Google any where on it.

If I spend my money on a Google device I want to experience the OS/UI the way it was intended. I'm buying an Android device not an advertisement....

I don't know ladies and gentlemen but this is not what Android is supposed to be about. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it : )

I am in total agreement.

When I heard Nexus One was coming to VZW, I was all for it. When VZW did not want the N1 and got the Incredible that was a sad day. I am still hoping that Google still releases the N1 for VZW like it did for AT&T.

 

[928Droid]

Also, if you are rooted and have clockwork recovery installed, it would be very easy to make an update.zip file to rename all the bloatware.. and then another to change it back for whatever reason...then it would just take a minute to switch back and forth.

You could also have it move the originals to your SDcard (or another internal folder besides system) if you wanted to delete instead of rename them...and another version to move them back when needed.

The problem in doing this is getting a list of bloatware to "disable" that EVERYONE agred upon.

On the subject of the original topic, I do get some of the apps that Verizon installs. Some can be seen as convienence or even extra features provided as a service... but this latest "Verizon Naviagator App" that is force feed to the system area (where mere mortals can't delete it) AND requires a $10 monthly fee to use..is quite frankly insulting and outrageous!

Any app that requires a fee to use should never be placed in the system area, period.... I guess I can understand and excuse the Visual Voice Mail app, at least it functions as a "Voice Mail notification" and VM dialer without paying for it.

 

[928Droid]

I am in total agreement.

When I heard Nexus One was coming to VZW, I was all for it. When VZW did not want the N1 and got the Incredible that was a sad day. I am still hoping that Google still releases the N1 for VZW like it did for AT&T.

BUT, even the new Maps app provided in the Nexus has ads...

I changed the background area for the ads in my new Maps to match the font color so I can't ever see the ads...my little way of rebelling.

On one hand we all hate this type of stuff, BUT Google and others do have to make money somewhere...and they are providing all this Open source stuff and VERY impressive apps (like Maps) for free...so you can't blame them....too much.

 

[TheOldFart]

while this is all true, i see where companies are coming from. Samsung, wanted to differentiate from the normal vanilla android that is on the OG droid, same thing with the DX and D2. it is just something they think makes the phone better, and different to make it stand out from the others.

but like everyone said, dont worry about bloatware, b/c if you are on these forums, there will be a way to get rid of it the day you pick it up. sure you have to root, and give up your warranty, but it is something that can be taken care of. i do like your thoughts on having the customer install the bloat, but thats the thing with an open source OS, anyone can modify it to their liking.....thats the great thing, and bad thing about android.

You make it sound like giving up the warranty on a $500+ phone is nothing. Sorry, but I don't think it is nothing. Perhaps those who have more money than they know what to do with think that way, but I don't have that kind of money to just throw away. I'm betting that a lot of other people don't either.

 

[Martin030908]

The bloat is out of control.

Makes me like my D1 more and more... and long for another 'vanilla' Android phone.

 

[pyro6128]

while this is all true, i see where companies are coming from. Samsung, wanted to differentiate from the normal vanilla android that is on the OG droid, same thing with the DX and D2. it is just something they think makes the phone better, and different to make it stand out from the others.

but like everyone said, dont worry about bloatware, b/c if you are on these forums, there will be a way to get rid of it the day you pick it up. sure you have to root, and give up your warranty, but it is something that can be taken care of. i do like your thoughts on having the customer install the bloat, but thats the thing with an open source OS, anyone can modify it to their liking.....thats the great thing, and bad thing about android.

You make it sound like giving up the warranty on a $500+ phone is nothing. Sorry, but I don't think it is nothing. Perhaps those who have more money than they know what to do with think that way, but I don't have that kind of money to just throw away. I'm betting that a lot of other people don't either.

I'm not sure you understand how rooting works. It voids your warranty while youre rooted, but if you ever need to actually utilize your warranty, you just have to unroot and verizon is none the wiser. Theres no risk involved.

 

[cereal killer]

I wonder how Fascinate owners are going to feel when they are finally able to download Google Search (post 2.2) and realize they will not be able to change the default search setting from Bing to Google, and the search button will always trigger a Bing search.

Bing should be standard on WinMo phones NOT Google devices.

Imagine downloading Google Chrome and having the default search engine be Bing? Lets take it a step further. Not only is it the default search engine you wont even be given the option to change it. What sense does this make?

They, meaning VZW, enter into an agreement with Microsoft and in the process defile our Google devices. Good ol' VZW. I love them but at the same time they never cease to amaze me with their stupidity.