Related
I know I've made a few topics across XDA (and other forums) regarding my next phone, but after heavy consideration, I ordered a Galaxy Nexus, and the following case in black:
http://www.obostore.com/imak-colorf...slim-case-for-samsung-nexus-prime-p-3941.html
(I just really like the design - not concerned about protection level since I'm great with my tech)
Anyway, a few questions. I've used an AOKP ROM on my G2 with and without a tablet UI for a little bit, so I'm a little familiar with ICS and its features, but one thing I'm not sure of - what apps are specific to ICS and/or the Galaxy Nexus (other than Chrome and Google Wallet)?
Must-have mods/tweaks or ROMs? I haven't delved into it much, but so far, I'm liking ParanoidAndroid for the hybrid phone/tablet support and MIUI v4 for the looks, but looking for anything else is like a needle in a haystack - I have no idea which ROM is actually better/faster than the other.
Disadvantages of rooting the Galaxy Nexus? I know Play Movies doesn't work (but I'm not concerned since I don't use it), but does Wallet still work? Any other apps/functions affected?
Must-have accessories? I'm looking at getting an MHL adapter at some point, but I want to stay away from any docks (at least for the moment) just because of how expensive the official ones are, and not sure if there's any other such accessories I should go for.
Cool housing replacements? I've looked at tear-down videos and the Galaxy Nexus seems really simple to take apart, and I've seen white housing replacements, but I'm wondering if there are any other nice colors available.
Where can I get the official extended battery back/door? From what I understand, the case I'm getting won't fit the new battery door, but by the time I scrounge up the $50 or whatever the kit costs, I'll probably be bored of it and want a new one (not too big on having multiple cases, but I wouldn't mind another nice one just to have a little variety).
Any other things I need to know about the Galaxy Nexus? Don't tell me anything gaming-related - not too concerned both because I'm not a fan of touchscreen gaming, and I intend on getting a used Xperia Play for gaming purposes only.
I forgot to mention that I bought the GSM version off the Play Store.
Anyway, I did a little research, and it seems like everybody prefers the recent JB ROMs - are the JB features/enhancements really that good?
magus57 said:
I forgot to mention that I bought the GSM version off the Play Store.
Anyway, I did a little research, and it seems like everybody prefers the recent JB ROMs - are the JB features/enhancements really that good?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After installing JB I will never go back...smooth as butter baby!!! Plus google now is sick!
Welcome to the world of rooting
All your questions stem from an assumption / insecurity regarding rooting and trying out things.
There are not that many ROMs out there, learn nandroid, keep a stable copy on the PC. And just try these things out - it's so easy to jump around on ROMs (I've tried 2/3 in one day) that within a few tries you would settle down with something.
Lot of it is subjective, but one thing that remains constant - its safe to root. just follow the guide properly, and do not screw up installing CDMA roms on GSM and other goof ups like that.
happy rooting. (and you can unroot as you probably already know - so its not a one way street)
but then, once u discover the charms - it actually is a one way street
p.s the movies work with root now I believe. I'vent tried but read about it somewhere.
dhruvraj said:
Welcome to the world of rooting
All your questions stem from an assumption / insecurity regarding rooting and trying out things.
There are not that many ROMs out there, learn nandroid, keep a stable copy on the PC. And just try these things out - it's so easy to jump around on ROMs (I've tried 2/3 in one day) that within a few tries you would settle down with something.
Lot of it is subjective, but one thing that remains constant - its safe to root. just follow the guide properly, and do not screw up installing CDMA roms on GSM and other goof ups like that.
happy rooting. (and you can unroot as you probably already know - so its not a one way street)
but then, once u discover the charms - it actually is a one way street
p.s the movies work with root now I believe. I'vent tried but read about it somewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with rooting and whatnot and have no issues with it, I was just wondering if there's some specific exception against it. And I may just load a few ROMs onto the device and try them out before I put my SIM in and start using it as my phone. Any recommendations (other than something JB-based)?
magus57 said:
Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with rooting and whatnot and have no issues with it, I was just wondering if there's some specific exception against it. And I may just load a few ROMs onto the device and try them out before I put my SIM in and start using it as my phone. Any recommendations (other than something JB-based)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if ICS, id say go with AOKP and franco kernel
but im running JB now, and honestly, its amazing (Jelly Belly Rom + franco kernel), ICS feels outdated now lol
HELP
Jo guys this is my first post and i have some questions.
first of all; WHERE THE HACK IS THE FILE EXPLORER!!!!
second thing is: WHY CANT I ARRANGE MY ICONS!!!!!
third is: if i unroot my phone will i get my warranty back (i bought it without a contract)
thanks if i did something wrong plz dont delete or something just tell me what not to do
magus57 said:
Yeah, I'm pretty familiar with rooting and whatnot and have no issues with it, I was just wondering if there's some specific exception against it. And I may just load a few ROMs onto the device and try them out before I put my SIM in and start using it as my phone. Any recommendations (other than something JB-based)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AOKP
CM9
and as you noticed, paranoidAndroid is just awesome (based on CM9. its hard to go to any other ROM after the customizations this one offers in using the real estate of your screen)
can try bigxie's APEX, fairly generic and combination of options
then franco kernel, supposed to be one of the fastest and most efficient kernels out there
dhruvraj said:
AOKP
CM9
and as you noticed, paranoidAndroid is just awesome (based on CM9. its hard to go to any other ROM after the customizations this one offers in using the real estate of your screen)
can try bigxie's APEX, fairly generic and combination of options
then franco kernel, supposed to be one of the fastest and most efficient kernels out there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know, thanks. Really can't wait for it to come in =P
emran1234 said:
Jo guys this is my first post and i have some questions.
first of all; WHERE THE HACK IS THE FILE EXPLORER!!!!
second thing is: WHY CANT I ARRANGE MY ICONS!!!!!
third is: if i unroot my phone will i get my warranty back (i bought it without a contract)
thanks if i did something wrong plz dont delete or something just tell me what not to do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1747087
???
Don't mess with ics. Go jelly all the way. Plus like others have stated Google now is insane
DO YOU JELLY?
kevinjgray88 said:
Don't mess with ics. Go jelly all the way. Plus like others have stated Google now is insane
DO YOU JELLY?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will do, thanks!
I just got mine last Saturday and ordered these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Sync-2n...567566?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item2c645fe68e
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-Nex...234898?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item2c6502abd2
And will mod it as in this thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1726426&highlight=dock
http://www.ebay.com/itm/19066256756...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_3433wt_1163
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261055591684?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Total was $60 I think. One desk dock, one night stand dock, Mhl adapter and a second charger, I was going to order off monoprice but it was the same with shipping and I hates one of three cords I received last time, lasted 3 weeks...
Is Knox actually available? The last thing I read says that it's available for the S4, but it's up to the carriers whether it's installed. I know wanting to use this software goes against the grain for XDA, but I actually want to use one phone instead of feeling like a moron while I walk around with two smartphones.
If you're wondering WTF I would need to go to such extremes, my work is forcing MobileIron on us and is one of the approved security apps for Knox.What the MobileIron can do and the policies being put into place has a lot of us saying "HELL NO" to putting it on our personal devices. We are reimbursed for the cell phone plan, but they want to treat personal hardware like corporate hardware even though it's just e-mail and we don't handle anything sensitive. The main concerns that the Security team has is already addressed in ActiveSync presently, but they are looking for more control.
noc007 said:
Is Knox actually available? The last thing I read says that it's available for the S4, but it's up to the carriers whether it's installed. I know wanting to use this software goes against the grain for XDA, but I actually want to use one phone instead of feeling like a moron while I walk around with two smartphones.
If you're wondering WTF I would need to go to such extremes, my work is forcing MobileIron on us and is one of the approved security apps for Knox.What the MobileIron can do and the policies being put into place has a lot of us saying "HELL NO" to putting it on our personal devices. We are reimbursed for the cell phone plan, but they want to treat personal hardware like corporate hardware even though it's just e-mail and we don't handle anything sensitive. The main concerns that the Security team has is already addressed in ActiveSync presently, but they are looking for more control.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to settings - Application Manager - All
If it's installed it'll be listed there as 'Samsung Knox'. My Galaxy S4 has it installed.
dj_aj said:
Go to settings - Application Manager - All
If it's installed it'll be listed there as 'Samsung Knox'. My Galaxy S4 has it installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the reply. I checked out a VZW and T-Mobile branded S4s. On both of them that's there, but I've got a feeling that's just the framework. The application itself isn't listed in the App Drawer of the launcher or in the Samsung Apps. I poked around a bit in the settings to see if it might be under there, but didn't find anything. Granted it was about five minutes in the store so not as through as I'd like.
Kinda hoping someone has had experience getting it going.
I don't even think there are any APKs floating around yet. You'll probably waiting for a bit longer.
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/mobile/solution/security/samsung-knox
Sup 'droids...
It's time for a new phone and I'm on the hunt doing research. Such a hard choice! I've had a Galaxy S1, S3 and S5 and loved them all so I went and got the S6 the other day without ever reading about it. When I went to install my ROM of choice I found out that Samsung is now officially releasing only the douche ROM...so I returned it 3 days later.
I read that the 5X was going to be released soon and also read some stuff on the Moto X Play (which is what it's called here in Canada, available at Telus). The 5X seems ok...I could potentially wait a month for that delivery (if Telus even carries it), or I could go get the Play or the G4 today--which seems to be the forerunner at this point due to it having slightly better specs than the Play.
My questions relate to custom ROM experiences. I like to have AOSP support with all the fancy settings available to me! I especially like hardware keys. My S3 was able to turn the flashlight on by holding the home key. I know the G4 doesn't have hardware buttons anymore so I'm not even sure if that's a thing. Maybe volume keys instead? That might create problems with track seeking though. Whatever...as long as there are options lol.
So...what kind of experiences--good and bad--have you guys had with this phone? Is there good ROM support? It seems like M will be out soon...does that mean the code will also be available for developers? I see a few ROM's available but unfortunately I can't test them out because I don't actually have the phone.
I'm sure I'll have more questions but thought I'd get a discussion going for those interested in sharing their experiences.
Thanks.
i'm somehow convinced that when the official android M update from LG finally released, the developer scene would start to bud here and there.
but for now, i think the developers are gathering only in some unlocked bootloader variants...
AZDJedi said:
I read that the 5X was going to be released soon and also read some stuff on the Moto X Play (which is what it's called here in Canada, available at Telus). The 5X seems ok...I could potentially wait a month for that delivery (if Telus even carries it), or I could go get the Play or the G4 today--which seems to be the forerunner at this point due to it having slightly better specs than the Play.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The play is a midranger with a good battery not comparable with a flagship like the G4. Maybe you were thinking of the Style or Pure as its known in the US.
My questions relate to custom ROM experiences. I like to have AOSP support with all the fancy settings available to me! I especially like hardware keys. My S3 was able to turn the flashlight on by holding the home key. I know the G4 doesn't have hardware buttons anymore so I'm not even sure if that's a thing. Maybe volume keys instead? That might create problems with track seeking though. Whatever...as long as there are options lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not too much at the moment. Just root. To use xposed entails risk as there is no recovery. Unless you can source a H815 euro variant of the G4.
I'm sure I'll have more questions but thought I'd get a discussion going for those interested in sharing their experiences.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you need from roms ? that stock with root can't give you.
One Twelve said:
What you need from roms ? that stock with root can't give you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll be honest, I was about to use my middlefinger to write an aggressive post for you but the intelligent part of my brain said "STOP! THINK!". So I thought...and thought again. Coming from Nexus devices running CM only, on the G4 I have yet to find a reason to even consider a custom ROM. I sometimes miss the pure Android but that's all about it. It's the first time since my Nokia E72 in 2007 I did not switched a ROM for more than a month. Let's see where this goes. Good point mate!
nitrous² said:
Coming from Nexus devices running CM only, on the G4 I have yet to find a reason to even consider a custom ROM. I sometimes miss the pure Android but that's all about it. It's the first time since my Nokia E72 in 2007 I did not switched a ROM for more than a month. Let's see where this goes. Good point mate!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will you be able to convince the OP of that ?
Otherwise he needs to look elsewhere.
AZDJedi said:
Sup 'droids...
It's time for a new phone and I'm on the hunt doing research. Such a hard choice! I've had a Galaxy S1, S3 and S5 and loved them all so I went and got the S6 the other day without ever reading about it. When I went to install my ROM of choice I found out that Samsung is now officially releasing only the douche ROM...so I returned it 3 days later.
I read that the 5X was going to be released soon and also read some stuff on the Moto X Play (which is what it's called here in Canada, available at Telus). The 5X seems ok...I could potentially wait a month for that delivery (if Telus even carries it), or I could go get the Play or the G4 today--which seems to be the forerunner at this point due to it having slightly better specs than the Play.
My questions relate to custom ROM experiences. I like to have AOSP support with all the fancy settings available to me! I especially like hardware keys. My S3 was able to turn the flashlight on by holding the home key. I know the G4 doesn't have hardware buttons anymore so I'm not even sure if that's a thing. Maybe volume keys instead? That might create problems with track seeking though. Whatever...as long as there are options lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's too early for the G4 now. Currently only the EU H815 model has an unlockable bootloader. LG's official page says more devices will be added to the list soon, but I wouldn't count on that. Since you're from Canada and propably won't get the H815 on contract, it'd be risky. If I had your patience, I'd wait for the 5X. You seem to be an Android purist. I wouldn't want to deal with a device running a custom version of Android. Also, even if CM or any other AOSP ROM would make its way to the various variants of the G4, they're going to have these little issues here and there because of bad or missing documentation from the manufacturer. It'll be a buggy experience overall. For example, I'm sure the camera will be a mess on CM/AOSP/A
AZDJedi said:
So...what kind of experiences--good and bad--have you guys had with this phone? Is there good ROM support? It seems like M will be out soon...does that mean the code will also be available for developers? I see a few ROM's available but unfortunately I can't test them out because I don't actually have the phone.
I'm sure I'll have more questions but thought I'd get a discussion going for those interested in sharing their experiences.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's great so far. Running vanilla Android was a nice experience but I got bored. Having a custom UI with the option to use a custom vanilla Android is the perfect place for me. But as I said, right now I have no reason to go vanilla.
5X = 32gig no sd
G4 = sd
I can't live with 32gig so G4 fills all my needs. Stock too.
Sent from my LG-H815 using XDA Free mobile app
Thanks for the input guy! I'm glad to hear that the G4 won't have much ROM support for some time--not that I'm glad for the *lack* of support, I'm just happy that I was informed of this *before* I made my purchase lol. There are some things that vanilla doesn't seem to offer me. Some features are not needed (pie and other recent/quick access features, and others I can't even think of cos I never turn them on in my current ROM lol); however, the ability to alter the power menu, the ability to add custom hardware keys (mainly for flashlight; if not a hardware key, then at least a toggle in the tray, or in the power menu), status bar changes (clock, color, battery % in numbers, double-tap for screen off), led control, etc (perhaps all these can be altered with apps or via Xposed. @onetwelve You said above there could be problems with Xposed because there's no recovery. You mean TWRP recovery? You can't mean that, so I'm confused :s).
The lack of camera support would suck. I am by no means a photographer; the main thing I use my camera for are taking random photos and also taking quick snapshots that require a fast-focus to be achieved. It's frustrating when camera apps don't work properly. I think pretty much every camera is going to be good enough for my purposes. 21MP vs 16MP = whoopdeedoo.
SD card support is not a concern for me. I've lived with 16GB for years and it's almost never been a problem unless I record a bunch of videos before I get home. I don't put music on my device (only audiobooks). Getting a 32GB internal memory phone would be like landing in a pot of gold haha!
My buddy has been nagging me to get an iPhone 6 and jailbreak it--he says I'll never turn back...but I'm not sure, I love Android and don't really wanna learn a whole new interface.
AZDJedi said:
Thanks for the input guy! I'm glad to hear that the G4 won't have much ROM support for some time--not that I'm glad for the *lack* of support, I'm just happy that I was informed of this *before* I made my purchase lol. There are some things that vanilla doesn't seem to offer me. Some features are not needed (pie and other recent/quick access features, and others I can't even think of cos I never turn them on in my current ROM lol); however, the ability to alter the power menu, the ability to add custom hardware keys (mainly for flashlight; if not a hardware key, then at least a toggle in the tray, or in the power menu), status bar changes (clock, color, battery % in numbers, double-tap for screen off), led control, etc (perhaps all these can be altered with apps or via Xposed. @onetwelve You said above there could be problems with Xposed because there's no recovery. You mean TWRP recovery? You can't mean that, so I'm confused :s).
The lack of camera support would suck. I am by no means a photographer; the main thing I use my camera for are taking random photos and also taking quick snapshots that require a fast-focus to be achieved. It's frustrating when camera apps don't work properly. I think pretty much every camera is going to be good enough for my purposes. 21MP vs 16MP = whoopdeedoo.
SD card support is not a concern for me. I've lived with 16GB for years and it's almost never been a problem unless I record a bunch of videos before I get home. I don't put music on my device (only audiobooks). Getting a 32GB internal memory phone would be like landing in a pot of gold haha!
My buddy has been nagging me to get an iPhone 6 and jailbreak it--he says I'll never turn back...but I'm not sure, I love Android and don't really wanna learn a whole new interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is no custom recovery as in there is none for the G4 variant you most likely will be getting in Canada, as of now. However, there are reports of an unofficial Bootloader unlock method coming for many variants of the G4. It's important to note that in this case you must not take OTA updates or the unofficial unlock method won't work. Anyway, no need to get into detail much.
There's no need for a custom recovery since flash fire is enough to get xposed working.
Btw. Is that a Rick & Morty reference?
Cool, thanks for the info. So it seems even the G4 won't suffice for me ...guess I'll wait for the X5 and see what happens there. I doubt Telus will carry it so I'll have to buy it outright. Support for that is going to be active and functional?
Never watched Rick & Morty...which did you think I was referencing?
AZDJedi said:
Cool, thanks for the info. So it seems even the G4 won't suffice for me ...guess I'll wait for the X5 and see what happens there. I doubt Telus will carry it so I'll have to buy it outright. Support for that is going to be active and functional?
Never watched Rick & Morty...which did you think I was referencing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess you mean the 5X? In this case, yes, you can expect the great minds of XDA to develop for this device and since the 5X is relatively cheap and people tending towards mid-high-range devices, you can expect a big fellowship in the 5X development section and forum in general.
Nvm, I was referring to the "whoopdeedoo". Realized that "whoopdeedoo" is a very common saying. Just binge-finished Rick & Morty but somehow my brain is still processing the information.
EDIT: A Rick & Morty reference would be like, uh, like "Wubba Lubba Dub Dub", or "Get shwifty" or how much "Schmeckles" does the Moto X cost and so forth. Wait, what?
AZDJedi said:
Thanks for the input guy! I'm glad to hear that the G4 won't have much ROM support for some time--not that I'm glad for the *lack* of support, I'm just happy that I was informed of this *before* I made my purchase lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it certainly pays to do your research before you dive in.
There are some things that vanilla doesn't seem to offer me. Some features are not needed (pie and other recent/quick access features, and others I can't even think of cos I never turn them on in my current ROM lol); however, the ability to alter the power menu, the ability to add custom hardware keys (mainly for flashlight; if not a hardware key, then at least a toggle in the tray, or in the power menu), status bar changes (clock, color, battery % in numbers, double-tap for screen off), led control, etc (perhaps all these can be altered with apps or via Xposed. @onetwelve You said above there could be problems with Xposed because there's no recovery. You mean TWRP recovery? You can't mean that, so I'm confused :s).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
am not too knowledgable on the xposed side of things. it was an interaction i had with someone on youtube and they said if you do not have access to kdz, then in case of a boot loop you would not be able to recover. since you're in canada and the carriers there are no better than us carriers, xposed might not be an option unless you REALLY know what you're doing. There's these TOT's instead so somebody more knowledgeable can answer.
The lack of camera support would suck. I am by no means a photographer; the main thing I use my camera for are taking random photos and also taking quick snapshots that require a fast-focus to be achieved. It's frustrating when camera apps don't work properly. I think pretty much every camera is going to be good enough for my purposes. 21MP vs 16MP = whoopdeedoo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, vendors keep cameras very close to their chest. Only stock based roms will preserve camera or lets say are more certain to preserve it.
other stuff is going to be buggy or not work too well. this is down to developers so you end up using 3rd party cameras but its not the same as stock when it comes to cameras.
The cameras on the nexii are pretty good from what i've heard. But I would contend that the lack of OIS is an egregious omission when the last two nexii had it. Maddening! why go to the trouble to develop such a good camera and leave it out (!!!)
This means you will have to have a good handhold to avoid blur or camera shake indoors or in low light. But if the light is enough i think you will be happy with the nexus cameras. They really have come a long way since the Nexus 4. In good light i would not be surprised to see them rivaling the S6/G4 in terms of preservation of details. They are that good. But unfortunately thats it.
Btw the nexii are 12MP shooters. Don't let the mega pickles bother you just check out the photos at the pixel level and see for yourself.
SD card support is not a concern for me. I've lived with 16GB for years and it's almost never been a problem unless I record a bunch of videos before I get home. I don't put music on my device (only audiobooks). Getting a 32GB internal memory phone would be like landing in a pot of gold haha!
My buddy has been nagging me to get an iPhone 6 and jailbreak it--he says I'll never turn back...but I'm not sure, I love Android and don't really wanna learn a whole new interface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thought the whole point of getting an iphone is that there is no need to do jailbreaking. not nowadays anyway. why would you want to jailbreak ios9 ?
Hello!
This is not a problem specific to the HTC10, but I figured, I've got one and it's running LeeDroid's Oreo ROM, so maybe I have better luck here...
Got a Fit 2 Pro, and it looks like a great tracker. Problem is, Samsung's apps seem to detest either other manufacturers' devices or rooted ones. There's this thread here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...d-samsung-gear-app-android-n-samsung-t3547035 , however it's closed as the apps are supposed to be more 'open' now. However this is still not the case, as on my phone they appear as incompatible. I guess Samsung may have opened them to other devices, but not to rooted ones...
Anybody's got any success using Samsung's devices/apps?
Thanks!
krakout said:
Hello!
This is not a problem specific to the HTC10, but I figured, I've got one and it's running LeeDroid's Oreo ROM, so maybe I have better luck here...
Got a Fit 2 Pro, and it looks like a great tracker. Problem is, Samsung's apps seem to detest either other manufacturers' devices or rooted ones. There's this thread here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...d-samsung-gear-app-android-n-samsung-t3547035 , however it's closed as the apps are supposed to be more 'open' now. However this is still not the case, as on my phone they appear as incompatible. I guess Samsung may have opened them to other devices, but not to rooted ones...
Anybody's got any success using Samsung's devices/apps?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To use Samsung Tracker device with other manufacturers, your best option is to use an app like Open Fit.
You can find instructions for using it with the HTC 10 in THIS ARTICLE.
Thanks, but yeah, I've seen this and it won't cut it... at this point, an older version of Gear is a much better option than Open Fit unfortunately.
krakout said:
Thanks, but yeah, I've seen this and it won't cut it... at this point, an older version of Gear is a much better option than Open Fit unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair enough. Though this is why I stay clear of anything Apple or Samsung personally.
Did you try installing the Samsung Accessory Service before trying to use their Fit App?
Pretty sure it's a prerequisite.
You're right, of course. The watch looked amazing (to me, at least - a great gadget between a fitness tracker and a smartwatch, certainly a couple of steps up from my Fitbit Charge 2) but obviously, little did I know about how locked these are... now I know
Yes, the Accessory Service is installed; with the modded apks it does work with my phone, but all them apps (except for Samsung Health, I think) still appear incompatible in Play. There's some suggestions about tweaking build.prop to fool it into thinking it's a Samsung device, but doing that opens a separate can of worms.
Btw, since we're at it, does Play sniff whether you're rooted or not?
Thanks for trying to help
Hello all! I have a galaxy s20 g980f stock with oneui 4 beta 1. What are my options to get rid of as much as possible bloatware, de-google, de-samsung etc.? im aware of adb debloating, but it has certain lmitations like knox. so what else? Custom rom? Which one is most debloated and 100% functional?
and1ronik said:
Hello all! I have a galaxy s20 g980f stock with oneui 4 beta 1. What are my options to get rid of as much as possible bloatware, de-google, de-samsung etc.? im aware of adb debloating, but it has certain lmitations like knox. so what else? Custom rom? Which one is most debloated and 100% functional?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
De-bloating is subjective: one man's bloat is another man's treasure. Moreover, aggressive debloating tends to result in broken functionality and it is time consuming to track down the removed package that causes a failure.
Custom ROMs vary greatly in objectives and quality. At the end of the day, the only way you will get exactly what you want is to roll your own.
sjevtic said:
De-bloating is subjective: one man's bloat is another man's treasure. Moreover, aggressive debloating tends to result in broken functionality and it is time consuming to track down the removed package that causes a failure.
Custom ROMs vary greatly in objectives and quality. At the end of the day, the only way you will get exactly what you want is to roll your own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I cant agree here. I assume there is a common meaning for debloating - getting rid of all preinstalled software that has spying and advertising functions, and replacing it with analog functional software without spying and advertising parts. For example i uninstalled samsung keyboard and replaced with one of foss options.
Now the main and only problem I got is that i was not able to find official detailed explanation of each stock package - over 400 of them. Do you now where this can be found?
and1ronik said:
Well, I cant agree here. I assume there is a common meaning for debloating - getting rid of all preinstalled software that has spying and advertising functions, and replacing it with analog functional software without spying and advertising parts. For example i uninstalled samsung keyboard and replaced with one of foss options.
Now the main and only problem I got is that i was not able to find official detailed explanation of each stock package - over 400 of them. Do you now where this can be found?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly my point. I actually like the Samsung Keyboard. That said, if you *really" want every last piece of invasive software off, you will likely be better served with LineageOS or some other close descendant of AOSP. For what it's worth, one of the most invasive pieces of software on just about any stock device is Google Play Services. However, without it, most of the Google apps won't work, and plenty of other apps downloaded from the Play Store will have issues too.
The closest I've seen to a list of stock packages I've seen is this: https://docs.samsungknox.com/CCMode/G980F_R.pdf. It doesn't provide descriptions though.
As you encounter .apk files in the firmware package, here's an easy way to determine the package name from the occasionally less than informative file name:
Bash:
aapt dump badging file.apk | grep -Po "^package: \Kname=\'\S+?\'"
Attached is the list of bloat specs I used when building my image for the G986B culled from a variety of sources. It should serve as a useful starting point.
Try florisboard from f-droid, i personally found it perfect. But off course I understand your point, it is common too. I go radical, i deleted google play, framework and all google apps, i simply do not use any soft that requires google, for me its an affordable price for privacy and freedom.
By the way for debloating I am using AppManager from Muntashirakon, in ADB mode. I see the packages there, but no description, so yeah its a hit or miss. But there is an option to disable, then you see what happens and if problems you enable it back. Pretty decent, but not perfect. I wish I could root at least, but i guess need to wait for full A12 firmware and a matching TWRP recovery. Currently device is running on A12 Oneui 4 beta1.
Thanks a lot, I was going to ask you for this, where to start putting together own rom!!
Wondering, why are Calyx and Graphene roms not getting much attention here on XDA? And linux phones deserve some, even though they're technically not XDA..
The g980f in subject I just happen to have, if i would have to buy a phone now I wouldn't consider Samsung at all for the restrictions. Few months ago I disabled Samsung Pay Services - phone got locked irreversibly. I called Samsung and only option they offered is hard reset. Lost some sweet stuff with it and will never go Samsung again.
and1ronik said:
Try florisboard from f-droid, i personally found it perfect. But off course I understand your point, it is common too. I go radical, i deleted google play, framework and all google apps, i simply do not use any soft that requires google, for me its an affordable price for privacy and freedom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That keyboard actually looks pretty good. That said, I don't have the patience to fully cut Google/Samsung out of my life.
and1ronik said:
By the way for debloating I am using AppManager from Muntashirakon, in ADB mode. I see the packages there, but no description, so yeah its a hit or miss. But there is an option to disable, then you see what happens and if problems you enable it back. Pretty decent, but not perfect. I wish I could root at least, but i guess need to wait for full A12 firmware and a matching TWRP recovery. Currently device is running on A12 Oneui 4 beta1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know that you need an Android 12-based TWRP, but you definitely need a compatible version of Magisk. Modding is generally a lot harder when you're on the bleeding edge, and is further complicated by the fact that you can't roll back the bootloader; you'll never find me on the latest build. It looks like there is a Android-12 compatible Magisk Canary build but I haven't tried it yet.
and1ronik said:
Wondering, why are Calyx and Graphene roms not getting much attention here on XDA? And linux phones deserve some, even though they're technically not XDA..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because the Android phone market is too fragmented. Any custom ROM is available for at most a handful of the hundreds of actively marketed devices in the Android ecosystem.
Of course the bigger question is why we even need the abomination of an OS that is Android. In short, we don't: Sharp was already selling its Zaurus line of Linux PDAs 20 years ago. Google, however, decided it needed to insert itself into the mobile market, and the rest is history.
and1ronik said:
The g980f in subject I just happen to have, if i would have to buy a phone now I wouldn't consider Samsung at all for the restrictions. Few months ago I disabled Samsung Pay Services - phone got locked irreversibly. I called Samsung and only option they offered is hard reset. Lost some sweet stuff with it and will never go Samsung again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung's "security" practices are obnoxious, though at least in the US, the carriers share plenty of blame for phones being locked down. That said, I have yet to find to find hardware that is more compelling--the lack of a SD card slot is a deal breaker.
By the way i am on beta oneui 4, and i'm not going to update to full A 12 yet, so I keep an option to go back to 11 anytime, and there I can go custom rom or root at least.
And the lack of sd card in pixels is the only thing holding me from switching too.. but very little, im actually going to get a pixel 5 as parallel to the s20. Lack of SD card can be partiality cured by cloud storage. I guess its less inconvenience comparing to struggling with samsung's bs..
From what i see online, pixels have widest rom options, Calyx, Graphene, e/OS, so I can experiment and see what works best for me.