HTC Inspire 4g OTA update for sideloading apps

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@Programmer56 wrote:

Sideloading apps can get you in big trouble. Plus sideloading will put a $9.99 charge on your account per month. Also How did you get a ATT phone if there is no ATT in your area? ATT and their forums can not help you if you are not a customer.

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Misinformation, and it doesn't sound like this guy even knows what sideloading is.  There is no charge for sideloading.  Use common sense and don't install/sideload apps from untrusted sources, especially warez.  But sideloading includes software from any legit market aside from the Google-owned Android Market, such as Amazon, Getjar, AppBrain, Gameloft, and others.

AND, the people on this forum will help you even if you are not an AT&T customer.

Hi, just in case, I start the thread, but I don´t write that you have to pay for the OTA update.

Ok thank you for all your help, but I think we are in a death point, so all the persons that have a HTC Inspire 4g phone  running in local networks in other countrys will no received all the updates from AT&T because AT&T only give this service to their network users, to bad! I really need to install non android market applications.

You can sideload without the OTA update.  Google for "Sideload Wonder Machine". 

Better yet, root the phone, install a custom ROM, and ditch the AT&T branding and bloatware, in addition to removing AT&T limitation such as no sideloading.  Note that rooting the phone or installing unofficial firmwre has a small chance of damaging your phone.  But read up on the XDA Developers forum, understand the process before you start, and follow all instructions carefully, and you will be fine.

Thanks, yes some friends has done that, for some works great, others have some problems, no 3g, no calls, and so on, so I am asking if there is another way to do this, also if I do that the phone's warranty is lost, but what really sorprise me is that AT&T not even have a contact form for people that are no using their network, so strange, I even cant send they an email asking for an option because in the login form they ask for an USA zip code and an AT&T phone number.

I also ask HTC and they tell me that they do not have this update because only AT&T have it, so I cant ask HTC that push this update to my phone... so sad...

After surf at&t website I found this contact form for non at&t network users, I will ask and let you know:

http://www.corp.att.com/latin_america_es/contact/spanish_contact_other.html

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@dchacons wrote:

Thanks, yes some friends has done that, for some works great, others have some problems, no 3g, no calls, and so on, so I am asking if there is another way to do this, also if I do that the phone's warranty is lost,

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Flashing any stable custom ROM should have all major functions fully functional.  For less stable, beta-type test ROMs, the developer will usually state if major functions are not working.  So its best (and highly recommended) to read up on a particular ROM, before you flash it.

It might just be a case of (with your friends with issues) that they need to re-flash; or clear data, cache, and dalvik, and flash again.  Its also possible, they have just not setup the phone properly to work on their carrier's network after flashing the ROM.

Rooting and flashing a custom ROM will only void the warranty, so long as the phone is kept in that state.  If the phone is returned to the factory firmware, and unrooted, it can then be sent in for warranty service.

However, be aware that HTC will not honor a warranty repair for a US phone, shipped in from a non-US country.  Their devices are only intended  for use in the country in which they are officially sold.  You might be able to ship to a friend in the US, who can then send it to HTC.  Otherwise, you have no warranty.

Thanks, but not need to flash it! Just yesterday HTC put the new Android 2.3.3 rom in their page for the HTC inspire 4g, not only that, when you make the update, the sideloading apps is available, so now I have 2.3.3 and can install non market apps, so happy with HTC people!!!!

Yes, I understand that you found your solution by flashing the official Gingerbread (2.3) update.  My comments to your previousl post were of a more general, academic nature.  For your understanding, or possibly to advise your friends which are having trouble.  Also for others here on the forums, not just you.

It also does not mean that you will not have the desire to root and flash a custom ROM later.  For instance, people always complain about how slow the official updates are released.  Like the Inspire, the official GB update is just now coming out for my phone, the Desire Z.  But I've been on Gingerbread since January or February, thanks to custom ROMs.  Or as I mentioned before, you may someday want to ditch the AT&T branding and bloatware.