HOW TO: Purge the bloatware from your AT&T Pre 3

[everythingsablur]

Hello all,

I have been experimenting for the last couple of weeks with my AT&T Pre 3 on getting rid of all of the AT&T bloatware. For those of us who are not using AT&T, it's just taking up space (minimal), looks ugly, and just puts options on the device I know I will never use. I like my devices clean of this sort of filth, including:
- AT&T Navigator (pay service)
- YPmobile
- Amazon MP3 store
- AT&T Address Book Sync (in Accounts preferences)

I have two removal methods which I will document. Both are about 95+% complete, and as I learn/tinker away a little more, I hope to make the purge complete. They work fine as is, but just have one or two niggling little things I haven't yet figured out how to rid myself of. There is also a simple Hide method which just hides them out of the Launcher (thanks for the idea ceveret3!).

In this post I will document the Patch method, and in the next post I will document then elegant solution. This method is a little ugly, but works. It is a better option if you already are up and running and don't want to go through the effort of the elegant solution. The more elegant solution is a modified Meta Doctor which has the added advantage of adding Skype and opening up additional languages without resorting to swapping the wr.tar for the att.tar which can cause some problems. I prefer that method overall as it makes for a lot less work after I doctor my device since the bloat is never loaded in the first place.

DISCLAIMER: I take no responsibility for your use of these patches/instructions but will support/assist where I can. I have tested them several times on my own device and they work fine. If all of this sounds too complex for you, then don't bother. The bloatware doesn't really impact your device much, I just personally want it gone. Install at your own risk! You can always roll back with a Doctor.

Patch & Delete method:
Pros:
- Works on existing, up and running devices (no need to completely reconfigure after a Doctor)
- Has Voice Dialling (currently an issue with the elegant method)

Issues:
- Entry in Music app for Amazon MP3 remains, but is unclickable at least
- should be fixed now: YPmobile is still listed in Just Type as an available App Search, though you can delete it from your list

Requirements:
- Patches (attached, might put in Preware)
- Internalz Pro in Master mode
- WOSQI
- Impostah
- An AT&T Pre 3 running 2.2.3. This is not designed for any other device, though theoretically it could work on other AT&T branded devices.

Instructions:
1) Copy patches to your Pre 3 via USB mode and apply using Internalz Pro OR install using WOSQI. Restart Luna or whole device
2) Open Launcher, and delete AT&T Navigator, YPmobile, AT&T Sync Panel, and Amazon MP3
3) Launch Internalz Pro
4) Navigate to and delete the following directories:
- /usr/palm/public/accounts/com.palm.attaddresssync
- /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.amazonstore
- /usr/palm/applications/com.palm.app.attsyncpanel
- /usr/palm/applications/com.telenav.app.attnavigation
- /usr/palm/applications/com.yellowpages.ypmobile.preload
5) Launch Impostah
6) Go to System Prefs scene, System Preference Overrides and set the override for the following two preferences to blank:
- defaultMusicStoreAppName
- defaultMusicStoreAppId
7) Not sure if this is absolutely required using this method, but just in case, I prefer to be in control (and wait for a Doctor)... Disable the Update Daemon
8) Restart the device
9) Type something into the Just Type bar, then scroll down to Preferences. Delete the YPmobile entry if it is still there.

Voila! Other than the non-functional Amazon MP3 reference in the Music app, you should be free of all AT&T gunk. There are some contacts that are loaded by default, but you shouldn't need instructions on getting rid of those...

Let me know if any of you bother doing this and how it works for you. Just trying to give a little back to the community.

Hide Patch method:
See post #9

Update (10/30/2011): Tweaked YPmobile patch, which should remove or at least disable universal search entry

[everythingsablur]

reserved for second set of instructions

[ceveret3]

wouldn't a patch just to hide the icon be easier? I'm not sure this would work in 2.2 but there were patches like this in 1.4.5. I know your method deletes the apps, but out of site out of mind right lol?

[fernandez21]

Amazon mp3 is actually standard on WebOs, not at&t.

[kill_dano]

Amazon mp3 is actually standard on WebOs, not at&t.

wrong. It's part of the carier customization files

[fernandez21]

Originally Posted by kill_Dano

wrong. It's part of the carier customization files

Really? I've always seen it on every WebOs device I've seen. (sprint and AT&T)

[LurkerX]

Probably because Amazon made a sweet deal major carriers to sell more of their music.

[everythingsablur]

Originally Posted by ceveret3

wouldn't a patch just to hide the icon be easier? I'm not sure this would work in 2.2 but there were patches like this in 1.4.5. I know your method deletes the apps, but out of site out of mind right lol?

Fair point, but to each their own. If I'm going to go to the length to just hide it, I might as well nuke it was my thinking. Why bother having it there, and not all of it is truly hideable (Amazon from the Music app, AT&T Address Book sync out of Accounts). The apps would still be triggerable even when hidden if something called on them (YPmobile out of Just Type searches for example, maybe AT&T nav too).

Still, I'll whip up a some hide patches for YPmobile, AT&T Nav, and Amazon MP3. Out of sight, out of mind!

Originally Posted by kill_Dano

wrong. It's part of the carier customization files

Originally Posted by fernandez21

Amazon mp3 is actually standard on WebOs, not at&t.

Kill_Dano is correct. It is in the carrier customizations. It just happens that in your experience with US based carriers, both have provided it. Amazon has no license to sell digital music elsewhere (... maybe they do, not in Canada at least), and it is not present in Doctors for non-US carriers. Ergo, it's bloatware for those of us who can't/don't/won't use it.

[everythingsablur]

Here are some quick and dirty, as of yet untested Hide patches. These should make YPmobile, AT&T Navigator, and the Amazon MP3 store no longer visible in the Launcher. The AT&T Sync Panel is already invisible, but the only way I know how to remove it from the Accounts preference scene is by deleting it.

Don't have time to re-Doctor right now to test it out, but no reason it shouldn't work. Can always uninstall them from Preware.

[cbosdell]

Originally Posted by everythingsablur

Here are some quick and dirty, as of yet untested Hide patches. These should make YPmobile, AT&T Navigator, and the Amazon MP3 store no longer visible in the Launcher. The AT&T Sync Panel is already invisible, but the only way I know how to remove it from the Accounts preference scene is by deleting it.

Don't have time to re-Doctor right now to test it out, but no reason it shouldn't work. Can always uninstall them from Preware.

I just tried them on my AT&T Pre 3. I'm not sure if it is a fluke but they wouldn't install with WebOS Quick Install. I would love to get these working though and maybe get some for Memos, Music and Tasts since I use third party solutions for those. Thanks for the good work!

[NuttyBunny]

Originally Posted by fernandez21

Really? I've always seen it on every WebOs device I've seen. (sprint and AT&T)

It doesn't come with the Telcel Pre

[ToniCipriani]

Originally Posted by fernandez21

Really? I've always seen it on every WebOs device I've seen. (sprint and AT&T)

My Bell Pre doesn't have it.

[vasekvi]

Good looking out. I don't personally mind the "bloatware" on mine so I will pass. But awesome for those who do.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre3 using Forums

[cbosdell]

My earlier problem appears to have been a connectivity issue. I got the patches to install with Internalz Pro and they are working.

For anyone curious as how to delete the icons hold down the option key (rectangle on bottom left of keyboard) and tap the app and it will give you a popup to delete from the launcher.

To the op, is there anyway these could be adapter to remove the default Memos, Music and Tasks app for someone who uses third party applications?

Thanks!

[everythingsablur]

Originally Posted by cbosdell

My earlier problem appears to have been a connectivity issue. I got the patches to install with Internalz Pro and they are working.

For anyone curious as how to delete the icons hold down the option key (rectangle on bottom left of keyboard) and tap the app and it will give you a popup to delete from the launcher.

To the op, is there anyway these could be adapter to remove the default Memos, Music and Tasks app for someone who uses third party applications?

Glad to hear they're working for you now. Did you use the Remove or the Hide patches?

As for removing memos and tasks... Not sure. Those if Palm treats them truly as just another application, then it's possible. Seems a little more core PDA functionality than the AT&T bloat though. Music might be more possible at least for changing it to be the default file handler.

Out of curiousity, what are you using for memos, tasks, and music instead of the stock apps?

[fernandez21]

ok, well i stand corrected on amazon.

[mdram]

Looks good but I just went into internalz and deleted the app folder for ypmobile and it was gone from my launcher on reboot. I use att nav and the mp3 store so I'm keeping those. The account sync isn't in my accounts but its there if I go to add account. Since I'm not adding that, I'm not too worried about it

[everythingsablur]

Originally Posted by mdram

Looks good but I just went into internalz and deleted the app folder for ypmobile and it was gone from my launcher on reboot. I use att nav and the mp3 store so I'm keeping those. The account sync isn't in my accounts but its there if I go to add account. Since I'm not adding that, I'm not too worried about it

YPmobile might still have a presence in your Universal Search if you didn't "properly" delete it, which should also remove the Just Type plugins. Remnants is all.

Really I prefer removing these all from my Doctor in the first place so that they are never installed, but it loses Voice Dial when I do that. Just need to write/hack something to still set the right system prefs for it to be enabled.

[cbosdell]

Originally Posted by everythingsablur

Glad to hear they're working for you now. Did you use the Remove or the Hide patches?

As for removing memos and tasks... Not sure. Those if Palm treats them truly as just another application, then it's possible. Seems a little more core PDA functionality than the AT&T bloat though. Music might be more possible at least for changing it to be the default file handler.

Out of curiousity, what are you using for memos, tasks, and music instead of the stock apps?

I used the Remove patches for the AT&T junk. I use Music (Remix), TapNote (Dropbox synced notes for my PC/iPad/TouchPad), and for Tasks I use a combo of a To-Do List in my Dropbox and for time sensitive ones I make calendar appointments.

Right now I have the three stock apps under my 'Preferences' Launcher Page at the very bottom, out of sight so to speak. Would be nice to be able to just hide the icons though. Actually removing the apps doesn't matter to me.

[kill_dano]

What's wrong with removing the carrier programs like YPmobile using the command ipkg remove (package name) ? I just did that instead.