I've got a HTC Wildfire. It's pretty boss, even though the market is locked for me.
Apps you must get no matter what:
The Schwartz Unleashed (Lightsaber app, great fun)
Steamy Window (Lets you clean the screen with you fingers, great fun at first, but then you find that you can control the water droplets that form and draw stuff)
NESoid (NES emulator. You can't really play Ninja Gaiden on there since you have no actual controller, but most games still work great.)
3G Watchdog (Keeps track of how much Internet you've used up.)
SpeedView (Tells you how fast you're going and stuff like that. It's fun to nag your friends if they're going above the speed limit.)
Google Goggles (Not very functional just yet, works on most popular logos and priceless works of art. Still fun for the novelty of it though.)
Shazam (Lets you record a snippet of music and finds the source. good fun and pretty practical too.)
Any kind of Compass app (This'll save your bacon some day.)
Google Sky Map (Another one for the novelty of it, but it can be useful for getting around in the wilderness since you can see all the constellations.)
Barcode Scanner (It's fun when you scan some apple juice and it comes up with The Kamasutra. Also works with QR codes, so you might want to get his one first.)
Any file manager app. I'd suggest ASTRO if you don't want to pay for one.
Coin Flip. (Not very practical, but it's very entertaining for kids, since it makes the noise and you can change the colors and stuff.)
Any fireworks app.
Noise maker apps, like Stadium Horns and whatnot.
Easy Metal Detector (This is the free one, i'm sure there's a better one out there. Good fun, and it's useful too, found my keys in the laundry basket.)
Also, don't use the included Youtube app, it tends to crap up.

I'd add more, but these are the main things i use for now.

Also, and i can't stress this enough, don't use task killers. Task killers are bad, mkay? If you use them, you're bad, mkay? Don't use task killers because they're bad, mkay?

So rather start lagging around and shit? Cant do that Sir.

There is no reason for you to lag around and shit unless you have installed badly coded apps.

Having ATK running all the time uses memory and battery and is thus self defeating.

Running apps and processes are ranked on android,

1. Apps / Services that the user is currently using
2. Apps / Services that the user recently used
3. Apps / Services that ran so long ago that the user is unlikely to want to resume the session
4. Apps / Services that are syncing / updating / broadcasting etc in the background.

When you run an app (nr 1) and there is low system resource, the OS will free up more memory by closing down Nrs 2-4 (see how I cleverly ranked them, mind this is indicative)

Nr2 is a very clever way of making tasks look like you never left them, i.e. when you switch from one task to another, the old task is saved in its current state and closed thus using very little memory and immediately resuming where it left off when required. (presumably this is similar to "sleep" on W7)

Nr3 is where the above no longer applies as sufficient time has passed that the user is more likely to want to start a new session than continue the old, so the app / service is completely closed down.

Number 4 can be switched off by you if it bothers you, otherwise the OS will close these down when memory gets low.

Finally why even have apps / services installed that you don't want to run?

Food for thought, if a service or app is halfway through a background activity (broadcasting or receiving) then when it is closed by ATK it has to restart from square 1 and thus takes twice as long, using twice as much cpu, memory and ultimately battery.

/GONE NECRO.

Anything new to this? Anyone else maybe running some custom ROMs or firmware?
I recently jumped from the stock firmware to Darkys ROM 9.2 and its great

Even such a total noob as I am could do it with instructions .. and now my Galaxy S is lag free finally, even without all the shit running in background the battery drain is minimal :]



<3 Root

Comments.. GO.

(sadly this forum isnt tapatalk compatible )

Got the HTC Desire Z and so far loving it.

I have found HTC phones to be nothing but generally awesome (I have the Desire).

A lot of thought has gone into designing them for their purpose.