W490 worth modding?

[tailsprwr]

Hey everyone,

I recently got a W490, and stumbled across this forum. I've done a little reading on the forums; and I have a spare V195 I want to 'test-mod' first.

But, all in all, what I'm asking is:

Is the W490 worth modding? If so, what options are there for me? I saw a video with all these applications and games on there, and I want to be able to get a few games on my phone like Chess, and Mini Opera, or something similar.

What're the best options for me, and what can I do to accomplish getting the best out of my W490 and V195 phones?

[Telyx]

I have both the V195 (flashed with the V197 MP from here) and the W490 (slightly modded). I don't think either one is as moddable as, say, an original RAZR, but they are definitely moddable.

If you're on prepaid, there isn't much point to flashing the V197 MP to the V195 except that I've read that the V197's browser renders 4info's page properly whereas the V195 version does not... if that's not important, prepaid users shouldn't bother flashing. T-Zones does not support the V197; you'll get a generic-looking page and won't be able to download ringtones, wallpapers, and games from there. You would also lose the links in Sounds and Pictures to upload to MyAlbum, as well as the links to download ringtones and wallpaper.

If you're on postpaid and have at least the $5.99 T-Mobile Web add-on, you can use Opera Mini, Google Maps, and the Gmail mobile app on either phone. You just need a slightly modified websession file and the ability to set it as default. For the V195, I flashed the V197 MP, deleted the Dobson websession file, then had the T-Mobile Configurator send the Web and MMS settings to the phone, copied the new "T-Zones" web session, entered the proxy server info, then saved it as "Java Session." For the W490, I followed socalledsin's instructions here: http://www.modmymoto.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57324 (first post), and it worked fine.

You'll get the "Ask Every Time" nag every time those Java apps need to access the network unless you use P2KCommander to delete the domain_registry.sm file in a/mobile/kjava/certs/root/x509. This presents no problem in the V195/V197 since there is no music player, but be warned that it will disable the music player in the W490. (I don't use the music player anyway, so that didn't matter to me.) I think there is a modified domain_registry.sm file available somewhere that lets the music player still work, but if I remember right, you have to reinstall the music player or install a new one.

The V195 doesn't use skins, it uses color schemes, and as far as I know, you can have only one custom scheme (spcolor.sch) at a time. I edited the "spcolor.sch" file in xlr8's guide at HoFo so the menu soft-buttons are transparent and changed the text color on the main screen to red, so my wallpapers are more visible.

The W490 does use skins, but they're not like the V3 skins with a single .ski file. I had the text on the main screen of my V3r transparent with a one-pixel black outline, but the best I could do so far with the W490 is change the color of the text and the outline (basically the same as for the V195). The W490's skin has something like three .ski files, and I haven't messed with the other two yet.

The V195 can use fonts and DRM icon sets for the L2/L6 phones. Usually, if RSD Lite gives an error message, Flash&Backup will work for fonts and DRM sets. I haven't tried any other fonts or DRMs in the W490 yet--it's too new for me to want to risk goofing anything up. (I already botched a skin mod and had to have socalledsin send me his unmodded skin folder. Forgot to back it up first!)

You can install Java files on the V195 with Motorola Midlets Manager. The easiest way to install them on the W490 is to copy them to the kjava folder on the MicroSD card, then from the Java apps menu in the phone, select Install New. (If you use MotoMidMan to install Java apps on the W490, you still have to do the "Install New" thing from the phone menu, because the W490 has an "Installed" folder in c/mobile/kjava. MotoMidMan doesn't know about that, so the files end up in kjava, but have to be moved or copied to /installed.)

Overall, the V195 is an excellent basic phone with great reception and incredible battery life. It's not as moddable as a RAZR, but it can be unbranded and can run Java apps, and you can change the DRM icons and font as well as the text on the outer screen. The W490 is another excellent phone, not quite as basic as the V195 (the W490 has a camera and MicroSD slot) and not quite as moddable, but reception is as good as the V195 and battery life isn't far behind. I think as the W490 ages a little--as more people buy them and experiment--it might turn out to be as moddable as anything else.

[sbhati]

Hi Telyx,
I have got a T-mobile(USA) V195.. but i have to unbrand it and use it outside US with other cariers. can you pls guide me with Re-Fleshing process & files.
Thanks,
SAT

[Scraprider7]

"The easiest way to install them on the W490 is to copy them to the kjava folder on the MicroSD card, then from the Java apps menu in the phone, select Install New. (If you use MotoMidMan to install Java apps on the W490, you still have to do the "Install New" thing from the phone menu, because the W490 has an "Installed" folder in c/mobile/kjava. MotoMidMan doesn't know about that, so the files end up in kjava, but have to be moved or copied to /installed.)"

my phone doesn't have the "install new" option on the Games & Apps screen. is there a seem i can edit to get it to show up?

[rkenimer]

"install new" should be under Settings>Java Settings, however a seem edit may be necessary (i dont remember which one sorry).

P2kCommander 6.0 worked for me for the seem edit, and it has a list of common functions in the new seem interface, as well as a seem search function.