Idea Blade Blog

Idea Blade Service Centers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 11:56:00 +0000

One of the most important criteria for anything you buy, well at least electronics devices, are after market services and worry not it does exist for Idea Blade too. They should more closer than you think too.

Go to this page http://www.ideacellular.com/wps/wcm/connect/home/devices/idea-3g-smartfone/service-center and download the list. Its an excel document sorted by state. You will most likely see one near you too.

The cost of repair was bit high for my taste but if you want original replacement its your only bet. If you are open for not so original and cheaper replacement you should check out ebay.

Must have apps for your Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 07:33:00 +0000

Having a cool android phone means you have access to lakhs of apps to install and use. Though choice is good it's difficult to find an app that works best on your device especially if your device is underpowered like Idea Blade.
So i present to you a list of apps that works great on Idea Blade and doesn't slow down your device.

Launcher

Nemus Launcher
A light weight launcher app to give your phone a new look
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nemustech.launcher&feature=search_result

Browser

Opera Mini
Best browser!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.opera.mini.android&hl=en

Dolphin Browser
A great choice if you want a full blown browser.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.mgeek.TunnyBrowser&feature=related_apps

Twitter

Twicca
A great twitter client, though ui could be better.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.r246.twicca&feature=search_result

Gallery

QuickPic
A great replacement for the default and slow gallery app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alensw.PicFolder&feature=search_result

Video

Mx Player
A great video player
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mxtech.videoplayer.ad&feature=search_result

TubeMate
Neat app to download youtube videos
http://m.tubemate.net/

Music

Jango Radio
A great way to listen to your favourite artists for free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jangomobile.android&feature=search_result

TuneIn Radio
Best way to listen to thousands of radio stations
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tunein.player&feature=search_result

So what do you think please share your opinions in comments and add what's your favourite app on idea blade.

Snow Stars Cool Christmas live wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 02:31:00 +0000

Liven up your android phone with a cool Christmas themed Live wallpaper. Snow Stars is one of those rare ones which is not only light on battery, but also doesn't slow down your idea blade.

The free version comes with two themes, we can select snow flakes speed and also an option to save battery. So try this one out and happy Christmas!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maxelus.snowstarslivewallpaperfree&hl=en

Installing ICS or Jelly Bean on your Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 06:58:00 +0000

Can You install Ice cream Sandwich or even Jelly Bean on your Idea Blade?
You certainly can.

Will it Work?
Yes, but due to the limited memory of our Idea Blade, performance is not good.

What are the problems?
Even if you have swap(Enable Swap to get more free ram and better multitasking) enabled, the free memory is very limited and you can at most run one app. While your phone will look and feel becomes like a brand new one, its usability takes a hit.

Yes I understand which roms do you recommend?
I recommend you start with AOKP-CM9 Remix by Burstlam.

Run games faster on your Idea Blade using Chainfire3d

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:37:00 +0000

Ever wanted to run a new game but it was just too slow or didn't run at all, now you have a better chance using a cool little app called Chainfire3D from one of the most well known Android developer Chainfire. The app works by trying to reduce memory usage and gpu load and hence making games run faster.

Note:You need to root your phone(How To Root Idea Blade) and also backup your phone if you haven't(Back Up using Clockworkmod recovery)

Steps to install

Install the app Chainfire3d
Launch the app and install the driver(phone may restart).
Go to OpenGL settings and try each settings one by one to know which one gives the best performance.
Read a detailed decription by the developer here
Enjoy.

Note:Please remember that you must use the app at your own risk

Extend phone memory using Darktremor Apps2SD

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 04:49:00 +0000

One of the main problem of low cost android phones is the limited phone memory which gets full pretty quickly as you try new apps. This is because Android can't install all the apps to your mass storage.
This is where Darktremor Apps2SD comes in which effectively uses your mass storage for installing apps. For this i recommend a Class 4 or higher memory card with a size of 8gb or higher(Here is my post on some good memory cards Memory Cards for Idea Blade).
This method can be used for Stock Froyo rom and any Gingerbread custom roms.

Note:Backup your SDCard before this step
Note: You must root your phone How To Root Idea Blade

Step 1:The first step is to partition your sd card to create an EXT partition where the apps will be installed.

Install ClockWorkMod recovery if you haven't here is my guide for that How to: Install ClockworkMod recovery .
Now boot your phone into recovery by pressing volume key down and turning on the phone.
Go to Advance partition SDCard and select ext3 size of 512MB or above. Put swap size as zero.

Step 2:This applies to those having froyo or custom roms without Darktremor Apps2SD support. Swedish Snow users can skip this.

Download darktremor Apps2sd
move to your sdcard.
boot into recovery
now press install zip form sd card and select the file
reboot.

Step 3:Download Apps2sd gui from store and activate phone storage if not yet.

Update Idea Blade to Gingerbread [Unofficial]

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:19:00 +0000

While Idea is yet to release the official Gingerbread update for Idea Blade, the European and Chinese models of the same phone has got the update for some time. To update your phone to gingerbread you must rely on custom roms.
Updating your phone to gingerbread not only keeps it upto date, but also some newer apps requires Gingerbread or above.
To update you must rely on custom roms. I have written a detailed guide to how to install custom roms and which one i recommend.

How To Install Custom Roms for Idea Blade

If you have any doubts just ask via comments.

Enable Swap to get more free ram and better multitasking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 06:30:00 +0000

One of the main problems for Idea Blade is its low ram which gets filled up easily with just one app. The problem arises when you try to multitask( use more than one app at a time), the os kills the background(minimised) app.
Swap is a great solution for devices by using your SD Card to extend the size of your RAM.

Please Note: Use of Swap can decrease the life of your SD Card
You must root your phone(How To Root Idea Blade) If you have swap enabled the OS will try to move the inactive apps to Swap partition instead of killing it. This can almost double your free memory and multitasking experience becomes far better.
To enable swap there are two ways

Create a Swap partition if your Custom Rom supports it or
Use Swapper 2

Their is also another case, some custom roms has the option to create Swap partition like Joy os. For the first method we will use Clockworkmod recovery(How to: Install ClockworkMod recovery) which works for Swedish Snow.
Warning this method wipes your memory card clean, please remember to backup

Go to clockworkmod recovery,
select advanced partiton sdcard
next select ext3 size as 0(this option is to allow apps to be directly installed into memory card using App2sd.)
next swap size set it at 128MB.
You are all set

Using Swapper 2,this method is for Cyanogenmod and other roms.

Install Swapper 2
create swap file
enable swap

To check if Swap is enable go to terminal app and type free. If you see your set value against swap then it is enabled.

Tips to improve battery back up of your Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 12:51:00 +0000

Like many other Android smartphone Idea Blade's battery backup is very low and can't last a day with moderate usage. So here a couple of tips to make your phone run a little longer.

Install Juice Defender and it will do most of the tips which i will discuss automatically.
Install only required apps and find an app that has least impact on resources than the most beautiful. You can check at settings->battery usage.
Turn on bluetooth,WiFi and GPS only when needed. Also set the network mode to GSM only if you use 2g in mobile networks.
Set brightness settings to automatic which will be easier on the eyes and good for battery life too.
In Accounts and Sync, unmark non essentials.
If you have a cpu control app like set cpu or no frills cpu control, set governor to smartassv2.
When you don't use your phone for a long period like travelling it is recommended that you turn off data, also setting cpu governer to powersave can help. Also if you are in a low or no coverage area set it on Airplane mode, this saves a lot of battery life.
Turn off screen rotation.

These are some of the tips that came to mind and more will be added. Do you have a nice tip to share with fellow Idea Blade users, please do in the comments or start a thread in our forum.

Tips to optimise your Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 12:23:00 +0000

Once you have bought and used Idea Blade for some time you might have understood that Idea Blade has a lot of shortcomings. This includes poor battery backup, low ram, and so on. Some common to android phones in this price range and some not.
Here i will be starting a series of articles to solve some of the shortcomings and get the most out of your phone.

Tips to improve battery life

Enable Swap to get more free ram and better multitasking

Best Custom Rom for Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:23:00 +0000

There are custom roms for Idea Blade based Android 2.3 and 4.0, with some of them like MIUI with their on interface.

Popular Gingerbread roms are

and ICS

AOKP-CM9 Remix

Also their are a lot Chinese roms with custom UI which some idea blade users claim to better as it is designed for blades with 256MB ram. There are lot of roms thanks to the very active blade community and picking one is difficult. I have tried the above three and some Chinese roms and still find my way back to Swedish Snow. Though that's my personal preference but i recommend you start there.

For those wanting to try out ICS and Jelly Bean roms, Yes Idea Blade with ICS is pretty awesome. But as Idea Blade has only 256MB ram the free memory will be about 30MB even with swap( i will do an article on swap later). This means that you can't run more than two apps at best and severely limits the usability.

In summary i recommend you to try out Gingerbread roms, starting with Swedish Snow or Cyanogenmod.

Earphones for Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:13:00 +0000

One of the most common use of a smartphone is listening to music and like most models Idea Blade comes with a very basic pair of earphones. So i gathered a list of headphones to add to your idea blade, your suggestions are welcome too.

What i use Creative EP630-Buy from Flipkart Buy from Ebay(beware of fakes)

JVC MARSHMALLOW-Buy from pristine note

Sound Magic ES 18-Buy from Flipkart

Here is a big guide on earphones, though keep in mind that not all are available in India http://www.head-fi.org/t/478568/multi-iem-review-250-iems-compared-ultimate-ears-100-added-08-20-12.

Which earphone do you use please add it in our comments.

Back Up and flash Custom Rom using Clockworkmod recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:04:00 +0000

Once you have installed ClockworkMod recovery the next step is to backup(Nandroid backup) your current rom. Backing up is very important as you may wan't to restore your rom if something goes wrong.y

To get into ClockworkMod recovery go to rom manager and press reboot into recovery. Alternatively turn the phone on with pressing the volume key down. Navigate using volume keys(+-up,-down),home key to enter.

Backup steps

Go to Backup and Restore and press backup.
the backup should take couple of minutes(around 10min or more).
A memory card of size 2gb or higher is needed.

Steps to flash a new rom

Transfer the custom rom to your memory card, don't know which to try i use Swedish Snow
go to recovery and press wipe data/factory reset and also wipe cache.
next go to advanced and press wipe dalvik cache.
these steps are required for an error free installation.
next press install zip from sd card
and then choose zip from sd card
now select the file and confirm.
flashing will take some time.
once installation finishes press reboot to system
the first boot will take some time please be patient :).

Please note that you must do this at your own risk as flashing can void your warranty.

Idea Blade Review roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Thinking of buying an Idea Blade? Here is a roundup of reviews that could help make your decisions.

Review: ZTE Blade by The Hindustan Times

Handset review: Idea Blade by themobileindian.com

Review: Idea 3G smartphone Blade by The Times of India

Memory Cards for Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 04:28:00 +0000

Idea Blade supports microsd cards of sizes up to 32GB. A memory card with Class 4 rating(it would be a number printed inside the circle in front of the memory card) or higher is recommended.
Here are my recommendations

Transcend Memory 8GB Class 4 (Flipkart)-Rs.255(what i bought)-low writing speed but reading speed ok.)

Samsung 8GB Class 6(Tradus)-Rs.241(Cheapest Class 6 i could find).

Samsung 16GB Class 6(Tradus)-Rs.560(Claiming 24MB/s (Read) - 13MB/s (Write)!)

Look for more from flipkart

Get from Tradus(Cheapest rates plus get Rs.50 discount for Sandisk by using coupon SANDISK50)

eBay is running offers for memory cards too.

What i recommend is a Class 6 16 gb and please buy only after reading reviews.

Offer Buy Idea Blade for Rs.4950!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Get Idea Blade at an amazing low price of only Rs.5190. The phone comes with Android 2.2, 3.5" 800*480 screen and more. Read more in detail here.

Buy from Ebay (@Rs.4950)

Update1:~~Offer ended, see other listing on ebay~~
Update 2:~~added new offer(another seller,same price)~~
Update 3: ~~New listing @ Rs.5290~~
Update3:New listing Rs.4950

Please Note: Please buy this after comparing with others in this price range(there are others with faster processors), though i think its good deal at this price.

How to: Install ClockworkMod recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 08:16:00 +0000

Note: Please make sure to root your device,if not follow this guide
Installing ClockworkMod recovery can make flashing and backing up your roms a very easy process. So here are the steps

Search for Rom Manager in Google Playstore.
Install and if Super User window pops up check the remember option and press allow.
Run rom manager and press Flash ClockworkMod recovery(select Zte Blade)
wait till it download completes and installs
You should see "Successfully Installed
press reboot into recovery to see whether its sucessfully installed.

Screen Guard for Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 12:56:00 +0000

In the previous post i had disccused about Cases for Idea Blade, next is screen guards. Both Flipkart(for Dell XCD35) and Ebay India are selling screen Guards.
Please note that a local mobile stores can cut screen guards to the required size on your request and costs half
or less than the branded ones. Though branded ones should last longer.
Here are the links
Ebay 1:Rs.135
Ebay 2:Rs.145(more reputed seller)
Flipkart:Rs.155

Idea Blade silicone and Hybrid Rubberized Hard cases available on ebay for a limited time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 08:13:00 +0000

Want a case for your Idea Blade? Ebay India is selling both silicone and Hybrid Rubberized Hard cases for a limited time(probably the seller will extend it). The silicone case costs Rs.249+shipping, which i am currently using.
Hybrid Rubberized Hard cases like the name is like a hard shell while silicone might be more flexible and costs Rs.349+shipping.
Here is the link for both http://www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_nkw=idea+blade+case.

Update:Bought Hard case,the thinner parts can break easily, better go for Silicone jelly case

Idea Blade Ram cannot be unlocked- Confirmed?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:21:00 +0000

To be honest i had hope that Idea Blade Ram could be unlocked to 512MB and was very disappointed when i couldn't find a way. Now a new news comes out that may finally confirm it.
Pankaj Singh of ideasmartphone.blogspot.in (seems like Idea Blade is getting popular! :), a rival website), has been couragoeus enough to try to unlock via TPT method and get his phone bricked.
Here is his post http://ideasmartphone.blogspot.in/2012/05/its-been-tasted-by-me-that-idea-blade.html, read here for more.

How To Install Custom Roms for Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 07:09:00 +0000

In the previous post i had discussed how to root your Idea Blade. This blog post will discuss step by step on how to install custom roms.

Download Idea Blade Stock Rom(TPT)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:43:00 +0000

CyanogenMod forum member r-athale has posted the link to the Stock Rom for Idea Blade on Zte website.
The image can be used to restore to stock if your phone gets bricked or to get back warranty (please use it as a last resort or if you are an Advanced Android user).

wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/mobile/India/India_SoftWare/201205/P020120521626244417125.zip

You cannot use Clockworkmod recovery to flash instead you must follow the TPT(Total Phone Transfer) method. Modaco forum member alfu has posted the steps to flash the rom, you can read it here.

How To Root Idea Blade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:26:00 +0000

One of the first things an Android should do is root their phones (Warning rooting could void warranty). It can unlock your phones hidden powers and open up to the world of custom roms.
Idea Blade also called Zte Blade is pretty popular all around the world and has one of the strongest developer support . This can been seen by the number of Icecream sandwitch and Ginger Bread roms available.
So here are the steps for rooting your phone

Download modified z4root from here
move it your sd card
enable usb debugging from settings->Application Settings->Development->USB Debugging
install z4root
run and select permanent root
phone will reboot and you are set

Idea Blade Specs and Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:51:00 +0000

Idea Blade is a branded version of the highly popular Zte Blade sold around the world with different names like Orange San Fransico in U.K. and earlier as Dell XCD35 in India. Unlike the European and Dell one Idea Blade seems to have only 256mb Ram, which i have to admit is not stellar.
The Under Rs.10,000 market in India has a lot of options but none quite has the High resolution bright screen or Developer support like Zte Blade. The slow processor and Ram does have it demerits but even then Idea Blade Stands on its own.
If you want a snappy and fast device you better look else where but if the screen is the biggest factor go for Idea Blade. Frankly i can't live with the low resolution 3" or 3.2" screens.

Note: You can use any sim only with Idea you get 3g offer

Hardware

3.5 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, resolution: 480x800
- Touch hardware: Synaptics 2000 TM1541, dual touch support (not more)
Buttons: Power/lock (top), volume +/- (right), Home/Menu/Back (below screen)
Qualcomm MSM7227 SoC chipset
- CPU core: ARM1136EJ-S, 600MHz (ARMv6 architecture, ARM11 family)
- GPU core: Adreno 200
- Embedded 320MHz DSP
- 400MHz modem processor
Memory
- FlashROM: 512 MB built-in NAND flash / up to 32GB MicroSD card (a 2gb card is provided with the phone)
- RAM: 256MB
Mobile Radio
- GSM Tri band
- GPRS/EGPRS Multislot Class 12
- EDGE
- UMTS Release 6
- 7.2 Mbps HSDPA (3G +)
- MBMS baseband
- Chip: RTR6285 Platform F with SMPS GSM PA (also supports GPS)
Wireless
- WiFi: 802.11b/g (Atheros AR6002 integrated in SWB-A23 chip)
- Bluetooth: 2.0 EDR A2DP (Qualcomm BTS4025 integrated in SWB-A23 chip)
Other sensors
- Accelerometer: LIS302DL
- Proximity/Ambient Light: Taos TSL2771
- Compass: AKM8973
Camera: 3.2 megapixels with auto focus, MT9T112-3.0Mp-AF the camera does not have a flash.
FM Radio with RDS (SI4708 chip)
Connectors
- Micro-B USB port (data connection and charging)
- 3.5mm/⅛″ 4pin TRRS jack (headset)
  - Pinout from tip: Left/Right/Mic/Ground [2] (OMTP standard, not compatible with Apple's proprietary pinout)
  - Support for one button (button pressed = 100 Ohms between mic and ground)
  - For compatible headsets see Modaco forum thread
Battery: LiIon 1250mAh 3.7V
- Battery life: about 125h (sleeping, data off)
- 2h charging time (AC charger, 700mA), about 4h charging time via USB
Weight: 115g
Dimensions: 116 x 56.5 x 11.8
SAR: 1.35W/kg

Software

The phone comes with Android 2.2 default with some forums saying GingerBread update is on it way. You could easily install custom roms also. The phone comes with Twitter, Facebook and Opera Mini. And a lot Idea Software.

Idea Offer

You will get 3 month free 3G worth Rs. 3500 if you use an Idea Sim(A on time recharge required).

Review
Here is a detailed review by Paul O Brain of Modaco Paul Reviews... the Orange San Francisco Orange San Francisco (ZTE Blade) Review + videos (please remember he reviews an older European Zte Blade).

Links
Idea Cellular

Buy Idea Blade (Black) from Flipkart.com

Buy from Ebay.in(starts at Rs.5190!)

Buy Cases

Buy Screen Guard

Modaco Forum Link (gets you started on rooting, installing custom roms)

My Idea Blade thread on Modaco (has info on how to root, which custom rom to try )