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ZTE Blade - great low-end phone with hi-end featuresPROS: price, great displayCONS: low memory capacity for installing applications |
ZTE Blade is a member of low-end phones category - it's quite cheap - but it has 480px x 800px display - which is not common in this class. I am using it almost for one year and it is always in good condition - no scratches on display. Battery keeps for one day - quite frequent usage (calls & internet)
One of the biggest issues of ZTE Blade is small memory space for installing apps - only about 150 MB (even that mobile has 512 MB of memory). It is not problem for daily usage - you can face it just in case if you want install many games etc..
I think it is great phone - if you want to start with Android - it's good choice
ZTE Blade - update factory ROM to CyanogenMod
In the time - thanks to many application updates - ZTE Blade become unstable - Google Maps or Opera Mini caused phone resets. I decided to update ROM. At first - by updating ROM, you lost warranty. On the other side - updated new ROM is faster, more stable and has many new features..
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMaxImportant - do it on you own risk! Backup all your data (in phone and SD card). You will have to reinstall all apps.
My Experience with updating ROM on ZTE Blade:
- it is practical to have enabled backup of apps to you google account.
- the phone has to be rooted (for example with z4root)
- then you can download new ROM - I used CyanogenMod 7.1 from http://www.cyanogenmod.com/devices/zte-blade and copy it to SD card
- install ROM Manager from Android Play
- then you can use "install ROM from SD Card"
- check "wipe apps and data" (I did not do that and after ROM instalation - Cyanogenmod was always cycling and restarting. If it happens to you - remove battery for 20 second. Then hold power button and volume down button - you will get into recovery menu. Here you can wipe data - it helped me..)
- after restart - now you have new CyanogenMod ROM in your ZTE Blade
ZTE Blade - install Google Apps into new CyanogenMod ROM
Due to license, Google apps are not part of CyanogenMod. After updating ROM - you can download Google Apps at http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/Latest_Version/Google_Apps
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMaxCopy it to SD Card and install (use file manager in your ZTE)
If you backuped your data and apps in your Google Account, after installation, all your Apps should be restored
ZTE Blade - ADWLauncher dock is hidden sometimes
Maybe, you realize that your dock on home screens is sometimes hidden. Go to AWGLauncher setup -> UI setup -> Dock (closing)
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMaxZTE Blade - CyanogenMod Dialer
Standard dialer in CyanogenMod is better than factory dialer in ZTE Blade. BUT - XT9 number search is not supported!
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMaxI recommend install for example TouchPal contact. It has many nice features.
How to make him default dialer? Hold on icon of phone in dock - then choose change and choose new dialer
ZTE Blade - CyanogenMod Lockscreen
Maybe, you find animation after unlocking screen little annoying. You can change it by - setup -> cyanogenmod -> lockscreen -> style option -> locscreen style -> Sliding Tap
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMaxI also recommend enable music widget on Lockscreen; in lockscreen -> widget option -> lockscreen music control.
Then - if you play music - you can manage it without screen unlocking.
ZTE Blade - CyanogenMod Profiles
Maybe, you want to have different sound for incoming SMS and Incoming mail. You can do it with Profiles.
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMax- You have to create new Profile (setup -> Profiles -> new profile.)(it does not work with default profile)
- Then make this profile active
- Edit this profile - in application group - choose SMS. Choose YES and your favorite Sound.
ZTE Blade - disable notification sound at night
If you do not want hear notification sounds at night - you have 2 choices:
Apr 30, 2012 / DileMax- in cyanogenmod - setup -> cyanogenmod -> Sound -> Quiet hours
- or use Application Sound Manager - I have good experience with it
ZTE Blade - frequent restarting
My Problem with ZTE Blade is quite frequent restarting. It often happens in Opera Mini. But it is not rule.. I have to say that update of ROM did not solve it. It is better but not perfect. It seems its kind of hardware issue.
May 7, 2012 / DileMaxZTE BLADE - random restart
It seems that CyanogenMod 7.1 RC 2 (build May 9) is much more stable than previous version. I recommend update to this version.
May 20, 2012 / DileMaxZTE Blade - partitioning
One of the biggest disadvantages of ZTE Blade with factory ROM is only 160MB of available space for applications and data. It is real problem if you want to install more apps.
May 20, 2012 / DileMaxI read about changing partition scheme - this brings almost 380 MB for apps and data - but - it decreases size of system partition (possible problems with future system update..)
Thats why I finally decided for S2E (Simple to Ext). This application (together with CyanogenMod 7 or 9) allows you to move your apps, data and cache at external card.
You need to format you external card - create partition with ext2 filesystem. You can do it with ROM Manager. Warning! Backup your data! All will be erased during this operation!
Installation steps: (on your own risk!)
- Backup your SD card
- Create extra partition for data (with ROM Manager) (For example, you can choose 512 MB for your apps and data.)
- Restore your SD card data
- Install S2E
- Choose option to move your apps and data to external device
It works very nice. Of course, it is slower compare to phone memory. But it is not real issue.
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