14 DAY TRIAL // Everyone knows that most of the carriers offering high-end Android smartphones are giving them full of their own bloatware, which in most cases are useless. This is the case with AT&T's Samsung Captivate, which features about 15 carrier specific apps that are slowing down the smartphone's hardware.
Among these apps I can list AT&T Navigator, AT&T Radio, AT&T Maps, AT&T Music, and AT&T Mobile Hotspots.
Even though you might've got your Captivate unlocked, you'll still in for a surprise, as the carrier delivers the device with the same software.
So, how do you remove all these unnecessary software from your Captivate? Well, the procedure might sound a little painful, but there's really no other way to do it, so here it goes: root your device, enable app sideloading.
I won't go into details how you should root your Samsung Captivate, because the Internet is full of step by step tutorials, instead I'll point you to this one, which seems very easy to follow.
The next step on the list, enabling app sideloading is required, as AT&T users are restricted to use any applications that aren't downloaded from the Android Market.
To start enabling app sideloading you will need Android SDK copied on your memory card in the root, and the BusyBox application, which can be found and installed from Android Market, SQL Database Manager, such as SQLite plugin for Firefox, and of course your device should be rooted.
After you meet all the above requirements you will need to follow the next steps (courtesy to Briefmobile):
Turn on USB debugging: Settings / Applications / Development
Plug in your Samsung Captivate
Open up Command Prompt on your computer (Windows: start, search, type “cmd”, right click cmd, Run as Administrator)
Type in: cd _____PATH TO ANDROID SDK FOLDER______\tools (Example: cd C:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop\android-sdk-windows\tools) Enter Type in: adb shell Enter Type in: su Enter Type in: cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /sdcard/settings.db Enter Type in: cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /sdcard/settings.db.backup Enter Type in: exit Enter Type in: exit Enter Type in: adb pull /sdcard/settings.db %userprofile%\desktop Enter Leave Command Prompt open
Open SQLite Manager in Firefox by pressing Tools / SQLite Manager
Click “Database”
Then click “Connect Database”
Navigate to “settings.db” on your Desktop
Expand the tables
Click “Secure” on the panel
Scroll down to ID 6, “install_non_market_apps”
Double click it and change “value” from 0 to 1.
Close SQLite Manager
Go back to the command prompt window, type in: adb push %userprofile%\desktop\settings.db /sdcard Enter Type in: adb shell Enter Type in: su Enter Type in: cp /sdcard/settings.db /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings Enter Type in: chmod 777 /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db Enter Type in: reboot Enter Disconnect your Samsung Captivate from your computer while the phone reboots.
If you correctly followed the whole process, you will now be able to sideload non-market applications.
The last step, removing AT&T apps, is now easy to attain by installing an application called Titanium Backup, which can be found on Android Market.
Make sure your phone is not “Mounted” with USB, press the Backup/Restore button, click on each application and press uninstall.
I suggest you only delete AT&T specific apps such as: AT&T Navigator, AT&T Radio, AT&T Maps, AT&T Music, AT&T Mobile Hotspots, Mobile Banking, Mobile Video, Where, Ypmobile, AT&T FamilyMap, Mini Diary, MobiTV, Write and Go.