I like the ability to customize through intended device or program settings, and often wish there were more possiblities without messing with the registry or dowloading a cab from a complete stranger who may or may not know what they're doing.

Yes, blame AT&T mostly. The devices are getting there... Fuze is a huge step in the right direction to being usable straight out of the box.

I take modifying as a hobby. You are not forced to do it but it's fun.

so, how about this - what if microsoft, htc, samsung et. al. buy tweeks from the xda developers and bake them into updates sent out over the air using that so far unused winmo update feature? :-)

I just sold my AT&T Tilt for an iPhone, but when I owned the Tilt there was no way I could have lived with it the way AT&T setup it up. Screen rotation was unbelievably slow, video performance was also pretty weak and made me feel the device was kinda crappy.

Then you install a custom rom from the guys over at XDA and its like a new device. In a way I think that's one of Microsoft's problems with Windows Mobile, device makers and cell phone companies too often don't take the time to optimize Windows Mobile for each device, yet AT&T finds the time to install JAVA trialware...its a bit upsetting sometimes.

I forgot something. To the question asked in the headline but not specifically addressed in the poll, I think phones should "just work" but have lots of opportunities for customization.

Didn't the original iPhone fall short there? If I recall correctly, you couldn't even customize the home screen.

Steve

I put "No", but there really should be more answers. Installing third-party software technically makes your phone "modified" (I won't go so far as to say that adding PIM data, media files or ring tones do), but there are also more serious tweaks, like ROM flashing and registry mods. (I've done the former only with official ROMs, so that may not really count, and I've done the latter quite a bit.)

Then there are the gray areas -- does installing a new Home/Today screen count as tweaking your phone? What if you designed it yourself? Does setting custom ring tones for contacts or assigning Speed Dials count? Those are functions offered by the base Windows Mobile (Standard) OS that you're intended to customize.

As for personalities, I never understood letting some things "reflect your personality" (this isn't directed at anybody in particular; it's something I've said for a couple of years now). Clothes and maybe a car, sure, but a phone or PDA? It's one thing to modify something to make it more useful or even more appealing to yourself, but I think people should let their personalities reflect their personality. ;-)

Steve

i want to be able to let my phone display my personality, cosmetic or functional tweaks for how you work don't count, but i don't feel i should have to be doing under the hood tweaking for the device to perform properly, that's the OEM's job & that needs to be corrected & locked before the device leaves production.

Rather than making a long post here I think I'll add to a thread I already started in the Forums called "Going Converged". Let's adjourn to there so we don't drag this thread too far off-topic.

-CB :D

Until currently, I have been a very anti-convergance person. Meaning, I had my iPod for music, my Dell Axim X51v for various protable software needs, and my cell phone. When I got my first BlackBerry, the Pearl 8130, I saw there were some apps for it. But after trying one or two, I used my Pearl for telephone and email.

Now comes my Storm. This is changing things for me to a point. I'm not exceited about carrying multiple items around, but there are certain things that one item can do that the other can't.

Can my phone replace my iPod? No way. I have a 160gb video with 11,000 songs, 8 movies, 3,000 pictures, and 60 music videos on it (only 1/2 full). The Storm can carry some music and videos, but not all. My Dell Axim X51v has some software that the Storm doesn't yet have - Pocket Quicken, Sling Player Mobile (although it's close for the Storm), List Pro, and a few other items. SO either I give up a few items I currently use to carry less technology, or not.

That long answer to the question can be summed up as: now that I have a Storm and see it's potential, I want more out of my phone now, so it will never be good enough out of the box. So much for my anti-convergance stance.

I answered 'no' ... but it's a weaker 'no' than it used to be.

Got tired of fiddling around with this stuff so I installed Facade, SBSH Calendar and a few other goodies onto the Smart Phone (Moto-Q) and put the PPC up for sale. I'm tired of tinkering! I've got other things to do.

-CB :D

I put no, but it's only because I still want to make minor tweaks. When I had the Tilt, I think I flashed a new ROM once a week, but now with my Treo Pro, I have put real VGA on there and created a custom background for the home page, but that's it. It works pretty well on it's own and I have better things to do now...like find a new extra dollars!

The thing is, I have yet to find a device that I like natively out of the box. They ALL need the addition of third party apps to fulfill my needs...

But that's one of the reasons I enjoy Windows Mobile so much - it's so modifiable (is that spelled right?!).

:)

Matt

I do like to tweak the device to improve GPS, screen sensitivity, adding new versions of TF3D, etc., but I don't flash anymore. I was a flashing maniac with my Tilt. But with my Fuze I still have the stock ROM. The thought of flashing my device, reinstalling dozens of apps, reapplying my own tweaks and customizations — which all used to be fun — now makes me nauseous, especially when you know the ROM chef is going to constantly update the ROM compelling you into an endless cycle of flashing. I plan on flashing the updated HTC Fuze ROM when it's released, but that's it.

Funny, up until a couple of months ago I would have answered no, but after going through a bunch of hassles I have gone almost completely vanilla. While I do have some third-party apps installed, none of the key apps have been replaced with, say, a third party PIM app. And, man, it is working much, much better.

Not enough answers in the poll. Some aspects I like to change, but others not so much. It's highly dependent on the crapware that's installed on the phone by the manufacturer and the provider.

I selected yes to leaving my phone as is (mostly), the only caveat is that I use several devices and those I am constantly changing and tweaking but my main phone I use for every day use is an old Motorola v3 something. I learned the hard way, not to take an expensive phone on to a job site, when it ended up in a 70 yard pour of concrete