- Download the Skyfire browser from Market
- Use Google to search for ascend customization guide; click on the link without a page number.
- Download MetroStockRecover.7z and z4root.1.3.0.apk
- Follow Tokenpoke's instructions for rooting your phone and deleting apps.
As Tokenpoke notes, deleting Boingo and MetroWifi are probably the largest benefits since they will run in the background and you can't permanently shut them off (without rooting your phone). I'm already seeing benefits to rooting my phone and deleting apps. When I play Angry Birds, the animation is much less choppy. Also, interaction with the phone seems to be snappier.
Note that you delete applications from the "Titanium Backup" app. Click on an application, then click the "un-install" button. For reference, these are the apps I removed:
- Boingo wifi
- Loopt
- Mail@metro
- Metro backup
- Metro navigator
- Metro 411
- Metropcs easy wifi
- Mobile Im
- Mocospace
- Myextras
- Pocket express
- Swype
- Uno
- Voice dialer
- Virtual card
- YouTube
Update 7/6/11: MetroPCS has released the Android 2.2 Upgrade. If you've tried this on a rooted Ascend, please let me know by leaving a comment. Thanks!