Orange front end

[phooey]

hi gang

i'm getting a bit miffed with looking at the same old screen on my phone for the past few weeks... but more truthfully i am more frustrated at having to work the phone the way some halfwit donkey thinks i should be using it. i'm used to having a phone where i can change the function, look and feel of the phone ie. spv's..

the orange front end - to be honest... sucks*

not quite worked out if i had the phone 'flashed' (i think thats what i'd need nokia to do to it? why the hell do nokia have to do it?!) what i'd end up looking at each time i dragged it out of standby? would this be my best option? what are you other punters who are not coloured orange looking at?

does anyone know of any software that has been written to customise the front end of the N70 so that the user can create personalised home screens that they can adapt to suit their needs perfectly? if the answer to this is no - would anyone like to have a crack at doing this?


* this is just my personal opinion and people are likely to disagree... i mean no offence with this statement.. (it sucks the sweat of a dead man's)... but if you want to differ then please be my guest.

[steve_perry]

I'm running the N70 on Orange and whilst I agree that you can't remove the start bar from the standby screen you, can run different themes and wallpapers. Here's a couple of screenshots of my current theme.



If you do a Google search (or even a forum search) for "Orange HomeScreen", you'll see that this has a fair number of people up in arms and not just with the N70 but with most of Nokia's latest S60 phones. Doesn't really bother me that much but it would be nice to have the choice of switching it off.

If it really bothers you you'll have to get your phone re-flashed with generic N70 firmware. From what I have read a lot of Nokia Service Centres may refuse to do this anyway as they risk frying the phone. Yet other NSC's seem to perform the the task with no problem or worry.

S.

[impy78]

That's a lovely theme... where did you get it?

What is it called?

I take it it is some kind of windows based theme?

[steve_perry]

Originally Posted by impy78

That's a lovely theme... where did you get it?

What is it called?

I take it it is some kind of windows based theme?

Hi,

I think it came from http://gallery.mobile9.com/ or possibly http://www.symbianthemes.com/ and it's called something like 'XP SP2 FullVersion'.

I just love all the icons they have been drawn/ported so beautifully.

S.

[impy78]

Thank you!

My phone is much more colourful now!

I do like the original nokia themes, but they loo a bit stupid when you you have acolourful wallpaper on the homescreen.

[phooey]

Originally Posted by steve_perry

I'm running the N70 on Orange and whilst I agree that you can't remove the start bar from the standby screen you, can run different themes and wallpapers. Here's a couple of screenshots of my current theme.

If you do a Google search (or even a forum search) for "Orange HomeScreen", you'll see that this has a fair number of people up in arms and not just with the N70 but with most of Nokia's latest S60 phones. Doesn't really bother me that much but it would be nice to have the choice of switching it off.

If it really bothers you you'll have to get your phone re-flashed with generic N70 firmware. From what I have read a lot of Nokia Service Centres may refuse to do this anyway as they risk frying the phone. Yet other NSC's seem to perform the the task with no problem or worry.

S.

thanks Steve.. i'll pass on the wallpapers etc.. i'm interested in changing the operation of the phone to suit me.. not Orange.

Spoke to Nokia today and they recommended Car Phone Warehouse or Town & Country NSC's to get the phone flashed and that they could get it done under warranty...

there was another thread in one of the Nokia support forums where a chap was having problems with his firmware version... got it flashed and it solved his problems and got rid of the orange home screen... and i think unlocked it but i can't remember if that's correct.

what i was trying to establish is.. WHEN i get my phone flashed... what screen will i be presented with when my phone comes out of stanby? can anyone post an example like steve has with his orange home screen?

here's hoping!

[steve_perry]

Originally Posted by phooey

...what i was trying to establish is.. WHEN i get my phone flashed... what screen will i be presented with when my phone comes out of stanby? can anyone post an example like steve has with his orange home screen?

here's hoping!

You'll get the default Nokia themes, as to which one will be selected I can't say. But the screen will have the normal Series 60 look about it. i.e. Signal strength bar top left, Clock to the right, Network logo at the top and battery strength bar top right. Take a look at the following thread...

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/forum...ad.php?t=42765

Bear in mind that Proandi is running Active Standby hence the icons running near the top of the info bar but at least with Nokia you can switch this off for a cleaner look.

S.

[phooey]

thanks - thats what i was after!

makes you wonder why Orange had to screw around with a perfectly good design and layout?!

[impy78]

Thta's what we've all been asking, and we've been asking orange directly....

[phooey]

and when you asked Orange their response was.......???

[mark4130]

Basically Orange dont think that ruining wallpapers, slowing the phone down, squandering the phones memory, removing the functionality of the joystick, ruining the initial interface of the phone are any cause for concern. Apparently we are all rejoicing in the "one homescreen across all models" ethos.. as we dont know how to use a phone unless Orange tell us how to.

[phooey]

that figures...

has anyone in this forum actually had their orange N70 flashed or am i the guinea pig?

[steve_perry]

Originally Posted by phooey

that figures...

has anyone in this forum actually had their orange N70 flashed or am i the guinea pig?

I've read quite a few posts on various forums where owners have had their N70 flashed with generic firmware to remove the Orange HomeScreen.

S.

[EinZtein]

Here's what a factory un-locked un-branded n70 looks like, standard theme.

[phooey]

thank you EinZtein!

why oh why oh why do Orange think they have the right to ruin what looks to be a perfectly designed front end?

after all who are the professional phone builders here - nokia or orange?