Debranding W580i

is debranding w580i a good idea or no?

That would depend on what debranding means

haha
man like takin the cingular features out n ****...um..like so u can play mp3 as ringtones n unlock sum other koo features..u kno wat i m saying

That really depends on you. Debranding will free up some memory by getting rid of any software related to the carrier, in your case at&t. It will also remove the MP3 ringtone restriction. However, by debranding your phone, you void the carrier's warranty. YOu still have the manufacturer's warranty, but it probably won't be as easy replacing it if ever the phone gets defective. If it was bought within 30 days, you can replace the defective phone and get a new one..granted that it's not water damaged or the screen isn't cracked. Also, if you bought it through a new activation, you can have a chance to replace it within 1 year. The process with the manufacturer might be a little bit more lengthly, as it must be shipped in for repairs, then diagnosed.

It's really your choice, if you prefer the generic firmware version or the at&t one. Just something to let you know for peace of mind, if you still just want to leave it as it is.

this may b a stipud question but when i flash my w580i will i lose my text messages, pics, mp3s etc?

Stupid would be to flash the phone.
It may turn in to a brick.
Chances are you will loose the personal data.
For better results see here: tags/W580i

You must be very careful when flashing a phone. Just a slight mistake or misunderstanding in what you're doing can brick the phone perrmenantly. If you're wanting to use your MP3's as ringtones, you might want to research a bit on DRM. In a nutshell, DRM stands for Digital Rights Management - it is the encoding that some phone carriers use to make sure that only MP3 ringtones brought from them can be used on the phone. You might want to try finding some software on the internet that allows you to encode them with DRM yourself. There are plenty of how-to's on how to do this.

As for other nice features, I'm not sure what your carrier puts on your phone, but I don't think you'll find anything majorly useful that would justify the need to debrand. In my honest opinion, debranding should only be used under critical circumstances, as it can be a risky operation to a first timer.

thanks 4 the advice...so im guessing i'll b able to use my mp3 songs as ringtones wen i get this DRM thing downloaded?