The Facebook menace

January 5, 2012 7:29 AM

Please help rid me of this Android update notice.

I've got a HTC Desire running Android. For the last six weeks or so, I've had nearly daily notices to update the Facebook app, something I don't use (I don't even have an account). The phone's nearly two years old so I don' t know what's changed. I can't find a way to uninstall the app or stop the update notices. I'd really appreciate your help and advice. Keep it simple please, I'm no hardware hacker. Thanks!

posted by londonmark to Technology (7 answers total)

Have you tried actually installing the update? This isn't clear from your question.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:31 AM on January 5, 2012

Unfortunately, Facebook is probably one of the apps that you can't uninstall because it's locked in by HTC (you can check by going to the settings menu, then Applications, then Manage Applications; that's where you can select an app to uninstall). If it is in fact not removable, when you go to the page where the phone asks for permission to run the update, there's a box you can check to automatically update the app from now on. Check that and the notifications will stop coming, although you will continue to receive updates for the app.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:35 AM on January 5, 2012

Response by poster: Well now I feel stupid, but that hadn't really occurred to me as a solution. I guess I assumed there would be more updates and I'm a bit short of space and would really rather not fall into that trap. I'd prefer to disable it somehow, if possible.
posted by londonmark at 7:35 AM on January 5, 2012

Sadly, the only way to disable it that I know is to root the phone so you can actually uninstall the FB app. If you want to do that, search for "Unrevoked Forever" for your HTC Desire.
posted by introp at 7:58 AM on January 5, 2012

Best answer: Root the phone & install CyanogenMod. It's the only way to be sure :)
posted by pharm at 12:40 PM on January 5, 2012

Response by poster: Thanks folks.

Pharm, CyanogenMod looks a little daunting and having found the instructions for rooting, I'm not even sure I understand them. But if it's the only way, I'm willing to give it a go -- just as soon as I've conned one of my more tech-savvy mates into helping out.
posted by londonmark at 5:31 AM on January 6, 2012

londonmark: From your POV the advantage of installing CyanogenMod is that the ROM as shipped is a stripped down straight Android build with little to no excess baggage. You don't even have to install the Google apps if you don't want too (although most people probably do).

Rooting & installing custom bootloaders is something of a pain I agree. If you can find a friend who's done it before & is willing to do some handholding that's probably a good idea!

Note that if you install Cyanogen, you'll lose Sense (the HTC UI layer on top of Android) altogether. If you really like Sense then there are some replacement widgets & launchers on the Android Market which you can use to create a similar look & feel I believe. Personally, I've been happy with the stock Google UI ever since Froyo or so but perhaps I don't know what I'm missing out on!
posted by pharm at 8:26 AM on January 6, 2012