Living with an Android

Tired of having all the power of an Android in my pocket and not being able to use it all because of restrictions has prompted me to take the plunge and root my G1.

Like the first time you type format c: I was a little neverous as I still have best part of 13 months on my contract and the last thing I need was to pay T-Mobile for a brick.

Anyway. Following instructions from the internet, I am now writing this on my Rooted G1 with Rc9 by JesusFreke.

I also have Google latitude thanks to GeekYouUp and a wifi tether, not that I have a laptop powerful enough to enjoy it.

It turns out that the UK gov has put the brakes on Google Latitude being enabled on my Google phone.

As suspected, after the uproar of Google Street View invading our privacy it is no surprise that Latitude has scared people to know where we are.

Of course anyone who knows me knows where I work and where I live and if I do anything dodgey, I’ll either not take my phone with me or switch it off.

Well, happy as can be that my phone has decided to update to RC9.

Now I’ll be able to find my friends using their Nokias, SEs and windows mobiles running google latitude.

I’ll be able to use by Bluetooth headphones I got for my old SE W880i

I might even use the voice dialling while I’m driving so I don’t kill myself and others trying to find contacts in the phone book.

Well, it looks like I may have to wait a little longer or indefinately, as the update contains nothing which will improve my phone experience.

Latitude is in Google Maps app, but is disable for UK (and europe?) users.

I’ll have to still use the wired, too big for my ears headphones which came with the phone as stereo bluetooth isn’t enabled.

And look out if you see me staring at my crotch when I’m driving, as voice activation hasn’t arrived.

On the plus side, The Market now tells me when applications have updates. A bit like aTrackDog app. So good for me, not so good for the aTrackDog developers.