Minimalistic Theme and rooting - Galaxy Note II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello,
I am coming back to android for the first time since I had my HTC Legend about 3 years ago. I now have a Galaxy Note II and would really like to modify my theme to something more minimalistic as I do not really care for TouchWiz. I am wondering if anyone as some suggestions on how to go about doing it (something like Chocolate on minimal android) also would it require rooting the device? I am not sure if I will be able to since I am using it for work and I do not believe I can add my exchange account email if the phone has been rooted (I am however willing to try). Sorry if this has come up 1000's of times already, I have been trying to research it however keep coming up short.
Thanks,
David

Related

[Q] Verizon Incredible: pre-purchase questions

A family member has become enamored of my Droid (original) phone running CyanogenMod and asked me about getting an Android phone for them and setting it up. Since I will end up being the Tech Support Department I want to check here BEFORE telling them what to get. I am no guru but fairly familiar with Android devices and rooting, etc.: rooted my Droid a few years ago, installed android-x86 on a netbook and carpc and now have a Nook Color rooted and waiting for CM.
I checked the available phones from Verizon and it looks like the Incredible is solid and has both root and good roms available. Root is likely to be required for customizing, and a good solid custom rom is, imo, better than the stock roms.
*Is CM seriously stable and reliable on the Incredible? Is there something else that might be better?
*Are there still issues with the two different displays? It seems that slcd (?) is all Verizon has now but originally there were display driver issues?
*All of the info I have seen on rooting the Incredible is based on computers running windows, which I do not use. Is there any reason that the ADB commands will not work using a linux machine for the process? (Some weird usb connection stuff?)
Minor issues are not a problem, but this user is not exactly the "bleeding edge" type. If the phone is not going to be reliable and glitch free 99% of the time, I'd be better off letting them just choose something they like and leaving it stuck with the constraints Verizon hobbles it with... but I hate doing that. My Droid has been perfect ALL of the time unless, of course, I was trying brand new hacks or mods.
As long as a rooted and rommed Incredible has similar reliablity I have no problem with fixing it once or twice a year.
Thanks in advance for any and all advice.
Im running 6.1 cm on mine with evolution radio. It runs great with no issues at all!! Just make sure you root with custom recovery image. As far as Linux, idk. I use Win 7.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
I cannot speak on your other quesions.... but, The Linux version of the Android SDK (with adb) can be had from Google and works exactly as its Windows counterpart... only better as there is no need to futz with ish drivers and whatnot, for that reason I actually prefer it.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
Thanks for the responses, guys.
I had figured that linux adb would be just fine, if not better. I am somewhat familiar with it from all of the other stuff I have messed with; I was just suspicious since I saw ZERO references to rooting an Incredible from linux.
Looks like she'll be getting an Incredible then.
No issues from Linux or OSX here. I think the only reason that you see most of the instructions based for Windows is just like any other - it's what the majority of people run.
I will say though that trying to do work on the Dinc from a Windows VM in OSX via VMWare Fusion can and is a bit of a challenge
Just a recommendation for two nice and stable ROMs: SkyRaider 3.5 and Myn's Warm Two Point Two RLS4. I first ran SkyRaider for a few months, then switched to Myn's about a month ago; absolutely no problems with either. Both are highly recommended. Not exactly sure if either are SLCD compatible (as I am an AMOLED user), so make a nandroid before trying either. Good luck, and if you decide to get an Incredible, enjoy!
Sent from my Droid Incredible running Myn's Warm Two Point Two RLS4.
LOL! No one noticed the OP stating he rooted his droid a few years ago? LMAO
Hypcrsy said:
LOL! No one noticed the OP stating he rooted his droid a few years ago? LMAO
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol
What can I say?
It's been a long year....
And it has been just about one year exactly, now that Mr. Not Letting Me Get Away With Being Stupid called me on the time frame- early December-ish.
Thanks for the responses, folks- after doing some more research and finding a deal with Verizon ended up ordering a pair of Droid 2 Global phones for the sum of $171.xx with tax and shipping.
They may not be quite as mod-friendly as I would have liked, but I think they'll be good.

So I caved and bought a Galaxy Nexus - few questions

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...

How many rooted users do you know IRL?

My career is nowhere near anything related to electronics. Consequently, I only know one rooted Android user, but it's actually became a source of bonding for us, since it's a rare little hobby we share. Have you made friends with other rooted users?
Actually, it's a good question. I only know one rooted user and It's my girlfriend who has my old Galaxy S with CM9 on it.
I have rooted so many of my friends phones and installed custom roms that it is unfit...
nice question .. just 1 .. but loads of friends on android, i have converted majority of them
Seven here, as I have convinced most of my boys and they are now rooted along with a few of their friends.
Like your statement regarding "shared hobby", I have to agree in my case and I enjoy the ability to "talk shop" with my kids. :silly:
I personally know 2, I walked 1 of them through while the other guy saw me doing a nandroid, then the rest is history.
Of the dozen or so people I know that have Android phones, I would reckon on about 9 of them running rooted non-stock ROMs. Of the non-rooted ones, I have done my best to get them to take the plunge but no luck so far...
Sadly very few.
I know a handful from work I'd guess 5 or 6. We talk about root / roms but I dont really see them outside of work.
outside of work I know 5 others. My brother and sister. Mother in law, sister in law and my wife.
I manage all those phones hahaha
it's been 3 yrs and i know 0 people who rooted their phone.
I work in with a lot of technical people. However, I can only think of 3 people who have rooted Android devices. Everyone else is missing out.
My wife still won't let me mess with her Droid Incredible - I'd love to get CM9 on that thing for her (or maybe just to feed my own obsession)
I work in IT so I do know a few but percentage wise it is probably less than 2%.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I know 4. once Evo, one HP touchpad, one Acer iconia, and a galaxy S3.
i know about 10 others who i have tried to get into the ROOT/ROM scene but no one wants to jump in. phones including some Droid X2's, Razr, Galaxy Note, and my wifes Incredible 2 and nexus 7 remain untouched because she "doesn't want me to mess anything up"
root? LOL
Root-users friends?
AHAHAHAHAH
My friend watch me like as astronaut , when i show them i have different launcher!
only one friend, buyed used HD2 with miui rooted pre-installed
All my friends love to tweak or mess with their phones so they all are rooted users.
My family (mom,two brothers n me) sister is n iOS fan boo
We all got galaxy nexus n rooted with custom ROM
Mom always ask questions and want to customize more she learning
Two bros on different ROM one on parandroid the other cm10
Mom and I are stock
She love it
Sent from a Galaxy far far away on planet Nexus using xda premium
I've created many monsters and crack flashers
i know a few
some fully understand why and what they did, others... well, maybe somebody did it for them
My GF.
But Like another poster, only because I gave her my old Samsung Spica with CM7!
I know one other guy who keeps telling me he's thinking about rooting his SGS but isn't sure..... why??? :silly:
I met a waiter at OliveGarden that had CM7 on his DROID. That was a while ago tho, other than him I know zero people who have rooted their phones.

Sprint Nexus.. getting started help?

I just upgraded from an Evo 4g.. lol yeah that old phone. Anyway I ran cm7 on that for ages and loved it. I recall tweaking it to its fullest potential back when it first came out and was interesting. Since then Iv fallen out of touch and dont have a clue where to start with this Gnex. I kept holding off my upgrade waiting for a great nexus device (on Sprint) that wasnt a samsung but alas my Evo bit the dust and I gave in to temptation.
Anyway, I am already in the process of doing all the research to get this rooted and running cm#, however I dont want to miss anything. Are there any tweaks I might want to perform before hand to improve the device? Real tweaks like unlocking features not tweaks like turning off animations to boost performance.
Iv been around the block and I already know how to search the forum. I have been doing it already, I just dont want to miss any of the major things that could have gotten lost in the archives thanks to the fact that this phone is already over a year old and not hot off the shelf.
TIA guys. Ahh yes the needed info, I am using the Gnex from Sprint and will most likely run cyanogen.
I should probably mention my laptop runs Ubuntu 13.04, not sure if thats going to cause issues with root or not. Back when I rooted the evo I no I needed windows. Lol linux to root linux whys it gonna be such a pain in the ars.
Thanks, much guys. After doing the research I found most of what I requested. I got found a good video on youtube on how to root the phone with linux and I already downloaded the latest CM10.1 M3 to use as my rom.
Still looking for any tweaks you guys might want to offer up.
Is there any custom launcher that makes the launcher disappear until I swipe up or touch the sides?
Thanks, again guys.
There are thousands upon thousands of apps that people use in various ways. Everyone has their own favorite setup. Some go for the minimal setups, some go for folders and widgets everywhere so they can get to their stuff quicker. Some like the stock apps, others like the customization offered in some of the market apps. It is hard to know what sort of things you would like without knowing a ton more information.
My advice is to look through threads where folks talk about some of their favorite and/or must have apps. There are also threads where folks show off their setups, and many discuss them and how they got them. You don't have to just look at what people are doing with their Galaxy Nexus, looking through other devices threads can also lead to some ideas and potential apps you will want.
About your custom launcher question, yeah there are a lot of different launchers that can do that. Nova, Apex, LMT, and probably many others that each have different ways of offering similar options. You may need the paid version of some to get some of the extra functionality, not sure what is locked in free.
cupfulloflol said:
There are thousands upon thousands of apps that people use in various ways. Everyone has their own favorite setup. Some go for the minimal setups, some go for folders and widgets everywhere so they can get to their stuff quicker. Some like the stock apps, others like the customization offered in some of the market apps. It is hard to know what sort of things you would like without knowing a ton more information.
My advice is to look through threads where folks talk about some of their favorite and/or must have apps. There are also threads where folks show off their setups, and many discuss them and how they got them. You don't have to just look at what people are doing with their Galaxy Nexus, looking through other devices threads can also lead to some ideas and potential apps you will want.
About your custom launcher question, yeah there are a lot of different launchers that can do that. Nova, Apex, LMT, and probably many others that each have different ways of offering similar options. You may need the paid version of some to get some of the extra functionality, not sure what is locked in free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, for the info about the locks. The apps part was a little off I was asking really about tweaks. Like going into the system files and unlocking features. No biggy I am about to load up cm in a few minutes and go from there. Thanks, again for the help.
this will be shot and sweet. i was a hardcore cm user on my evo, evo3d, and gs2, but since i found sourcery on my nexus, there is no going back. if you want tweaks sourcery has just about every tweak you can imagine. i love cm and those guys to an awesome job but sourcery just has more customization available and built in to the rom, no downloading of extra apps. just my 2 cents.
twilk73 said:
I just upgraded from an Evo 4g.. lol yeah that old phone. Anyway I ran cm7 on that for ages and loved it. I recall tweaking it to its fullest potential back when it first came out and was interesting. Since then Iv fallen out of touch and dont have a clue where to start with this Gnex. I kept holding off my upgrade waiting for a great nexus device (on Sprint) that wasnt a samsung but alas my Evo bit the dust and I gave in to temptation.
Anyway, I am already in the process of doing all the research to get this rooted and running cm#, however I dont want to miss anything. Are there any tweaks I might want to perform before hand to improve the device? Real tweaks like unlocking features not tweaks like turning off animations to boost performance.
Iv been around the block and I already know how to search the forum. I have been doing it already, I just dont want to miss any of the major things that could have gotten lost in the archives thanks to the fact that this phone is already over a year old and not hot off the shelf.
TIA guys. Ahh yes the needed info, I am using the Gnex from Sprint and will most likely run cyanogen.
I should probably mention my laptop runs Ubuntu 13.04, not sure if thats going to cause issues with root or not. Back when I rooted the evo I no I needed windows. Lol linux to root linux whys it gonna be such a pain in the ars.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My 2 cents :use AK kernel, that kernel has made my phone smooth plus has great battery
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Where are all the cool ROMs?

Hello all, I decided to pick up a Pixel C and upgrade from my Nexus 10 since there was a developer sale today! I'm pretty excited and I came over to this section to see all the cool roms being made for the Pixel C and I must say I'm disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the ROM developers (running Pure Nexus on my 6P) and I just thought I would see the same ROM support for the Pixel C.
Anyway, where is all the custom ROM support? Where is the official TWRP release? I went through and read the threads and I feel like I'm missing something and there is a reason there aren't any custom ROMs or official TWRP support.
vanydotk said:
Hello all, I decided to pick up a Pixel C and upgrade from my Nexus 10 since there was a developer sale today! I'm pretty excited and I came over to this section to see all the cool roms being made for the Pixel C and I must say I'm disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the ROM developers (running Pure Nexus on my 6P) and I just thought I would see the same ROM support for the Pixel C.
Anyway, where is all the custom ROM support? Where is the official TWRP release? I went through and read the threads and I feel like I'm missing something and there is a reason there aren't any custom ROMs or official TWRP support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there are a few reasons for this. One being (at least I believe) that this tablet doesn't appear to have been well received. The hefty price tag, along with the seemingly rushed (read: buggy) attempt at slapping Android OS onto a device meant to run ChromeOS from it's inception, may have affected sales. The other reason I believe relates to the previous sentence. The software on the Pixel C is some sort of amalgamation of Android and ChromeOS. From what I've gathered from the generous devs such as cheep5k8, this device is pretty much all ChromeOS up until it boots the actual OS, which is then Android. I would imagine that makes it a pain for devs to develop for it. Even chainfire said something to the effect of it wasn't worth his time because he would have to spend a lot of time adapting everything to be compatible with ChromeOS.
Now that being said, I picked one up today as well during the "developer sale" to replace my Nexus 10 just like you. However, I am perfectly content with the stock/rooted OS, as that's what I'm running on my 6P. I put "developer sale" in quotes because I'm not entirely sure the release of the Android N preview is the reason. Going back to my first speculation on why there aren't many devs, I don't believe they've moved as many units as they would've liked. So I kind of see this as an act of (for lack of a better term) desperation to move some units. But I'm okay with that. I've been waiting for Google to release another 10" tablet to replace my N10 for a good while now. With no other 10" tablet in sight from them (there is rumored to be another 7" unveiled at I/O) anytime soon, I figured now would be a great time to jump on this. I'm totally stoked that I was able to snag a 64GB version for $450 instead of $600. Can't wait for it to be delivered.
I as well was wondering this not because I want to use roms from other developers perse, but I like slimmed down roms over stock android.
I gave my son my ipad 2 and i needed a replacement for taking notes in class, work and then reading comics, books and watching movies in bed. Ordered the 32GB + Folio keyboard.
Im sure it is just a matter of time before the roms and official TWRP show up, like nearly all other devices. Especially now with the "dev sale". Might have a few more steps vs installing on a regular nexus though. We shall see. Til then im happy with stock android root.
Tablets never really have (m)any ROMs available, this one is specifically difficult since it's Android in a Chromebook's body.
Sent from my Pixel C using Tapatalk
I took the plunge last night after seeing the sale. I was surprised to actually get a code since I'm not a 'developer' by most standards. Anyways, I'm surprisingly leaning towards not using a ROM on this device and just running the kernel that's available, and doing the aesthetic and user-friendliness mods that I usually rely on ROMS for by way of Xposed. Seriously, the only reason I use a custom ROM on my Nexus 10 is to get the softkeys in a place where my thumbs can reach them, and since that's been handled natively in the Pixel C, I don't really see a need for a ROM.
Not that I wouldn't flash one if someone made something really impressive.
BaristaBot said:
I took the plunge last night after seeing the sale. I was surprised to actually get a code since I'm not a 'developer' by most standards. Anyways, I'm surprisingly leaning towards not using a ROM on this device and just running the kernel that's available, and doing the aesthetic and user-friendliness mods that I usually rely on ROMS for by way of Xposed. Seriously, the only reason I use a custom ROM on my Nexus 10 is to get the softkeys in a place where my thumbs can reach them, and since that's been handled natively in the Pixel C, I don't really see a need for a ROM.
Not that I wouldn't flash one if someone made something really impressive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 Root access is the key element for me. While I like the customizations, I can find other ways to get them. For example, it would be nice to have the advanced boot features add to the power button, but I can easily get this with an app.
I think we just need good kernels

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