android os for my windows xp pc

thebourke

I have an android phone.(HTC wildire)
i want to connect it to my windows xp pc and have the same user interface as what i would have on my phone....
Can i download an application (android os) for this to work?

Brian

You want to run android on your computer or you want to control your phone from your computer?

thebourke

control my phone from my computer;...

Brian

http://www.appbrain.com/app/droid-vnc-server/org.onaips.vnc

your phone must be rooted.

akamossie

Baza210 wrote: »

http://www.appbrain.com/app/droid-vnc-server/org.onaips.vnc

your phone must be rooted.

interesting must give it a try

t0mm13b

There's Droid Explorer and Android Commander available.

Give them a spin....and try them out...

thebourke

what does it mean to root your phone?

srsly78

If you have to ask then you are getting in over your head It means hacking the phone so you can change system stuff.

t0mm13b

thebourke wrote: »

what does it mean to root your phone?

It means, to be able to add a superuser binary program to your handset, the superuser is called root, hence "root your phone". By putting in a superuser binary program, you would attain a privilege to peer in files and hack it to suit you, such as modifying the handset in a way that you could run a program that cannot be run on a "un-rooted handset".

You probably have heard of the iPhone and the expression "to jailbreak it" or "jailbroken iPhone", you are removing the extra barrier or safety net from your handset.

Think of it another way, with Windows, when you install a program it requires Administrative privileges, it is that, by rooting your handset, you are acquiring a privilege to bypass the security of the handset.

thebourke

if i root my android phone, does that leave open the possibility that anybody else can hack into the phone?

srsly78

People can hack into your phone right now, but it relies on you pressing ACCEPT on a dodgy app. Rooting won't change that.

Why do you want to control your phone from pc? If you just want to mess around you can download the dev tools and run emulator (gives you phone on pc).

t0mm13b

thebourke wrote: »

if i root my android phone, does that leave open the possibility that anybody else can hack into the phone?

No!

It has nothing to do with anybody else hacking into your handset!

There are some programs on the Market, that requires root for it to run, that is where rooting your handset comes in.

Caveat Emptor:

Just be careful in your selection of an app that you want to pull down, that app could be written maliciously to take advantage of a rooted handset to do something behind your back.... this is where common sense comes into play here, same thing as going on ebay and looking at something that sounds too good to be true and that seller running off with your money!

Read the reviews and check around first if you want to err on the side of caution if you have a rooted handset - mine is rooted, but that does not mean, a guy sitting opposite me in a coffee place, is attempting to hack into my handset... far from it...

It's just certain programs requires access to the innards of the handset, to take advantage of the functionality of the program to work, not necessarily in a malicious way or anything.

One example I can think of an app that requires root, Market Enabler, that will modify the configuration of the handset so that you can browse the market freely that is designated for a particular carrier...

t0mm13b

If you're worried and think a person is going to hack into your handset - you are broaching on paranoia .... regardless if your handset is rooted or not...

Quick tip:
Pull down Droidwall from the market place, this application requires root in order to set up the firewall - install Droidwall and use that to safeguard your handset, by selectively allowing certain applications to communicate to the internet, this also has a facility to block 3g traffic as well if no wifi is found...

Another tip:
This will apply to both rooted and non-rooted handsets -

Common sense dictates, when you're out and about, switch off the wifi,bluetooth. Leaving those open will invariably attract the moth to the flame... get a firewall to protect yourself such as Droidwall, you can then stop the solicited network info flying out of your handset.

But rest assured, I have not seen a means to "hack into the handset" remotely... but practice common sense, if you have bluetooth on, someone will try hack it... use the wifi connections in places where you trust - such as your own wifi connection in your home...

The common theme here is common sense - use that and you'll be ok..

thebourke

i downloaded this applicaytion "Droid Explorer" and installed it on my pc.
when i connect my android phone through a USB cable to my pc, i am getting unknow device showing up in mu windows device manager.
What software/drivers do i need to be able to recognise my phone on my windows PC?

thebourke

What are the dev tools and emulator?

robinph

Learning new stuff is good, but you should really learn to walk before you attempt to run.