Best Custom ROM for HTC Touch HD BlackStone

After taking the leap and buying a HTC Touch HD in June 2009, I have had no end of issues with it, until I upgraded the ROM to one "cooked" by KWBR from the XDA-Developer's forum called "Topix 3.1.2 WM6.1" today.

I have flashed my phone with various ROM's in both WM6.1 and the new WM6.5 flavour but to be honest, most of them are either slow & buggy or just plain unstable.

You may know that the Touch HD 2 is now officially released with twice the processing power and more RAM than the former version, hence why Windows Mobile 6.5(WM6.5) is slow in certain areas on the Touch HD, I particularly find that the text messaging is horribly laggy in this Windows revision on the Touch HD and that is the reason why I think it's best using the version of Windows Mobile that was optimised for the Touch HD... Yep that's right! ... Windows Mobile 6.1!

Topix 3.1.2 WM6.1 by KWBR, although a hybrid ROM using parts of many different newer ROM's seems to be very stable and very fast, text messaging is fast and has lots of better features over the stock 6.1 ROM, the stock ROM has that annoying predictive text engine, where if you move the cursor to the end of the predicted or semi-predicted word, it would copy the word if you pressed space etc ARGHH! It really wound me up! However the version integrated into Topix is very nice, and everything works as you would expect it to.

Some extra information:
- This rom is a so called frankenstein build with parts of several roms.

- Based on the 1.59.709.0 rom for Blackstone

- XIP, drivers and packages from the Blackstone rom

- rilphone.dll version 1.14.25.24

- Packages from Leo rom, 1.19.401.0 Rhodium rom, 09.06.22.0725 Topaz rom, Iolite and Kovsky rom.

- CE OS 5.2.21055 (Build 21055.1.6.8) for wm6.1 version and 5.2.21884 (Build 21884.5.0.85) for wm6.5 version

- Manila 2.1 CFC edition

Added applications

- Bluetooth Explorer

- Capture screen

- Enhanced CommManager

- GPS Tool

- JBed Java

- hTC GPS Tool

- Import IE mobile favorites to Opera

- Modaco NoData in Settings, Communications

- Music ID (Aug 2009 v1.3.60)

- Notification Enhancement from hTC Twin

- .NET Framework 3.5
- Opera
- PocketRAR
- Regedit
- Reset button in start menu
- RSS Hub
- Screenrotation application
- Softkey Manager
- Threading SMS
- TotalCommander
- VNCviewer

After flashing the ROM, the first thing I did was also grab a free copy of  S2UL2 (Slide2Unlock2) which is very much like the "Slide to Unlock" feature of the iPhone. This app will prevent you from accidentely dialling people when the phones in your pocket or even dialling people with your ear, whilst your using your in a call already!

A useful program I always install is ACR(Auto Call Recorder) which is currently at version 1.23, there's a special version for use on the Touch HD though in beta stage called ACR_HD_v0.3. This software allows you to automatically record telephone conversations.

Another must have tool is called HD Tweak available from XDA-Developers.

This tool is specifically designed for the Touch HD and allows you to tweak and optimise a plethora of options on your phone.