Develop Bugs

LG G4(H818) vs Oneplus 2 (Chinese version)

Hi,
Im looking to buy a new phone but im worried which to choose lg g4 h818 (no bootloader) or the oneplus 2 (chinese variant) btw i live in KSA.

Lg g4 pros:
Curved QHD screen
Removable battery
Leather back
Awesome camera
Cons:
No bootloader unlock
No fingerprint
3gb ram rather than 4 gb
Oneplus 2
Pros:
4gb ram
Fingerprint sensor
Loads of roms
Cons:
Chinese version
Full hd screen rather than qhd
Has been rumored of heating issues
Pls help me out

There is no heating and fullhd is better than quadhd cause better battery life.
Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk

5nickers said:
There is no heating and fullhd is better than quadhd cause better battery life.
Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had heating issues on the 1+2. I didn't have any issues on the G4. The G4 has a superior camera.
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

OnePlus 2:
Pro:
• Battery is superior with GPS (As good as no loss in battery using Maps)
• Fingerprint (Although it's a bit picky sometimes)
• 1080p gives overall a better battery duration
• Worthy look & feel
• Lord Boeffla is officially supporting it (He should be really well known)
• A near vanilla android feeling
• 4GB of RAM (At least for the 64GB variant)
• Price for features and hardware
Con:
• No fingerprint for AOSP
• Laser Auto Focus only worked with a specific build of CM12.1 (AuxXxilium with VISION)
• No real professional ROMs from OnePlus themselves (Yes, the ROMs have major bugs, but beside they try to fix them, it's a mess...)
• Optical Image Stabilization isn't really working, even with LAF
• No sources for devs except the kernel itself
• USB Type C (USB 2.0 variant, but that's not the problem. The problem is: You really have troubles to find good cables & having everytime an own cable with you)
LG G4:
Pro:
• QHD-display
• Expandable memory
• Changeable battery
• codeworkx (A legendary legend is doing the major development of CM13 for us! If you don't know him: Google him. I'd call him godlike and will mention him in one sentence with chainfire!)
• googy_anas (A famous kernel-dev is giving us a neat kernel, formerly doing more than awesome stuff for Samsung devices!)
• AntaresOne will come (The legendary CM-Optimized major developer of Samsung Galaxy S4 - maybe also with JDCTeam & googy_anas will probably help too. I asked for it . Source: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MattiaDAlleva/posts/MNN2L1KRqaL & kernel thread from googy_anas)
• One of the best cameras out until now with stunning ability to shoot photos and make videos
• OIS is working seamless and giving you a perfect shot everytime you need it
• Manual camera support (God, this feature kicks ass, believe me!)
• Already Marshmallow
• A more than a well done stock-android from LG (Yes, I simply love the features)
Con:
• If you don't have a supported device, you won't have the benefits of freedom. Why? Because there are several devices of the G4, unlocking the bootloader isn't possible & so: No chance of doing stuff for many users.
• Changing DPI is a mess, if you'll go smaller than 538DPI. Stock apps will crash immediately (To be honest: They should simply ship it with 540DPI - display is 538DPI. 640 (Stock) is way too much, because you really feel, it's a device for shortsighted people only)
• Installing Xposed is a pain, if you don't install deodexed system apps (Android 6.0.x). If you don't, your phone simply won't boot and will in worst case overheat
• No real con: Max. 32GB versions out - wouldn't have hurt to provide also a 64GB variant
• No real con: Wireless charging needs a small hack to the back cover. Pins are there and there are covers out from LG (I guess), supporting it. The cover also has enough place (proven!). IDK why they missed this part so badly
I have both devices and have to confess, I didn't touch my OnePlus 2 for a few months. I don't miss fingerprint that much, but would have - for sure - granted to get faster access than pressing the button itself. I'm simply satisfied about my H815, unlocked bootloader, TWRP and so on. The leatherback is a welcomed feature, so it feels worthy and won't get slippery (Have the black one). If you want me to pick a winner: LG for sure. But simply, because OnePlus missed the chance to give out the sources to the devs. The OnePlus One was a great phone, but the OPT isn't getting the needed attention because of the lack of sources. They shot themselves into their knees, because a) they had their invitation-system for too long, so most devs simply went over to other devices an b) like I said, the lack of support from OnePlus themselves.

MickyFoley said:
OnePlus 2:
Pro:
• Battery is superior with GPS (As good as no loss in battery using Maps)
• Fingerprint (Although it's a bit picky sometimes)
• 1080p gives overall a better battery duration
• Worthy look & feel
• Lord Boeffla is officially supporting it (He should be really well known)
• A near vanilla android feeling
• 4GB of RAM (At least for the 64GB variant)
• Price for features and hardware
Con:
• No fingerprint for AOSP
• Laser Auto Focus only worked with a specific build of CM12.1 (AuxXxilium with VISION)
• No real professional ROMs from OnePlus themselves (Yes, the ROMs have major bugs, but beside they try to fix them, it's a mess...)
• Optical Image Stabilization isn't really working, even with LAF
• No sources for devs except the kernel itself
• USB Type C (USB 2.0 variant, but that's not the problem. The problem is: You really have troubles to find good cables & having everytime an own cable with you)
LG G4:
Pro:
• QHD-display
• Expandable memory
• Changeable battery
• codeworkx (A legendary legend is doing the major development of CM13 for us! If you don't know him: Google him. I'd call him godlike and will mention him in one sentence with chainfire!)
• googy_anas (A famous kernel-dev is giving us a neat kernel, formerly doing more than awesome stuff for Samsung devices!)
• AntaresOne will come (The legendary CM-Optimized major developer of Samsung Galaxy S4 - maybe also with JDCTeam & googy_anas will probably help too. I asked for it . Source: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MattiaDAlleva/posts/MNN2L1KRqaL & kernel thread from googy_anas)
• One of the best cameras out until now with stunning ability to shoot photos and make videos
• OIS is working seamless and giving you a perfect shot everytime you need it
• Manual camera support (God, this feature kicks ass, believe me!)
• Already Marshmallow
• A more than a well done stock-android from LG (Yes, I simply love the features)
Con:
• If you don't have a supported device, you won't have the benefits of freedom. Why? Because there are several devices of the G4, unlocking the bootloader isn't possible & so: No chance of doing stuff for many users.
• Changing DPI is a mess, if you'll go smaller than 538DPI. Stock apps will crash immediately (To be honest: They should simply ship it with 540DPI - display is 538DPI. 640 (Stock) is way too much, because you really feel, it's a device for shortsighted people only)
• Installing Xposed is a pain, if you don't install deodexed system apps (Android 6.0.x). If you don't, your phone simply won't boot and will in worst case overheat
• No real con: Max. 32GB versions out - wouldn't have hurt to provide also a 64GB variant
• No real con: Wireless charging needs a small hack to the back cover. Pins are there and there are covers out from LG (I guess), supporting it. The cover also has enough place (proven!). IDK why they missed this part so badly
I have both devices and have to confess, I didn't touch my OnePlus 2 for a few months. I don't miss fingerprint that much, but would have - for sure - granted to get faster access than pressing the button itself. I'm simply satisfied about my H815, unlocked bootloader, TWRP and so on. The leatherback is a welcomed feature, so it feels worthy and won't get slippery (Have the black one). If you want me to pick a winner: LG for sure. But simply, because OnePlus missed the chance to give out the sources to the devs. The OnePlus One was a great phone, but the OPT isn't getting the needed attention because of the lack of sources. They shot themselves into their knees, because a) they had their invitation-system for too long, so most devs simply went over to other devices an b) like I said, the lack of support from OnePlus themselves.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldnt aggree more, imagine that i have my Unlockable G4 H815 EU, still locked cause there is no immediate need to do it unless you want to update to MM. I have a rooted 5.1 stock and have flashed Xposed+ some camera mods i wanted and im all good. The downside is you cant flash kernels and stuff with flashfire if you are locked, it would result in a brick. but other than that, i have root and all the modules i wanted and LGs stock is nowhere near Old Samsung's. I came from OneplusOne (still got it), great phone and you wont find one to have the same battery life+ performance + support anytime soon, even with nexus phones(not sure about 6P), so dont compare Oneplus One with anything, it was a different kind of device.

when you see the box with the words made in KOREA, it's just better lol...

Thanks guys

I have found the h815 variant and im going to buy it.....its a lil bit cheaper too...
Again thanks guys for helping me out

[Question]About to buy the phone, could you give me a few tips?

Hello!, I'm about to buy the Zuk Z2 phone tomorrow, it's the Aliexpress one that comes with multilang ROM (I think there's only one seller so I don't have anything to add about it). Anyone tested this ROM? Never flashed a phone so don't know if should I or not.
Main features I liked from the phone are the U-Touch swipping thing, front fingerprint sensor and camera, but looking at the forums, custom ROMs has less features on the camera (and I think they also get worse quality), also viewed a review that said that after 3 months of use, the fingerprint sensor started failing to recognize his fingerprint at the first two or three tries. Does the problems get solved with those ROMs? What about the camera? It gets really worse? Are there custom ROMs with the great performance, battery life, qc3 enabled and also stock camera or there's not such a perfect one yet?
Thank you a lot!

I think I can explain the fingerprint problem. When you use the U-Touch button often, the sensor gets dirty and needs to be cleaned before it can recognize a print. Someone on the forum said putting tape on the sensor helps, but that just made fingerprints stop working for me completely. What I did was disable U-Touch entirely and use the software nav keys. I mapped the U-Touch functions to other stuff - like double tapping the home button to open the dialer and stuff. Stock ROM doesn't let you do that, but some custom ROMs (I use AEX 4.5) do.
Camera isn't really that great. I don't need a camera so I don't mind, but I've seen better stuff for the price.
Also, I don't think QC3 works on any ROM, although I'd love to be corrected on that.
Hey, see if the Xiaomi A1 is available to buy instead for a similar price - IMO it's a much more well-rounded phone, and I've seen a Snapdragon 625 phone (Redmi Note 4), and it's about on par with the Zuk Z2 in performance, IMO. You get better benchmarks on the Zuk, but actual usage is 100% the same. Mi A1 has official updates from Google and a better camera too.

NSDCars5 said:
I think I can explain the fingerprint problem. When you use the U-Touch button often, the sensor gets dirty and needs to be cleaned before it can recognize a print. Someone on the forum said putting tape on the sensor helps, but that just made fingerprints stop working for me completely. What I did was disable U-Touch entirely and use the software nav keys. I mapped the U-Touch functions to other stuff - like double tapping the home button to open the dialer and stuff. Stock ROM doesn't let you do that, but some custom ROMs (I use AEX 4.5) do.
Camera isn't really that great. I don't need a camera so I don't mind, but I've seen better stuff for the price.
Also, I don't think QC3 works on any ROM, although I'd love to be corrected on that.
Hey, see if the Xiaomi A1 is available to buy instead for a similar price - IMO it's a much more well-rounded phone, and I've seen a Snapdragon 625 phone (Redmi Note 4), and it's about on par with the Zuk Z2 in performance, IMO. You get better benchmarks on the Zuk, but actual usage is 100% the same. Mi A1 has official updates from Google and a better camera too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm also torn between A1 and Z2 (lol funny names). The main feature (for me) that the Z2 has is the smaller 5" screen. I prefer a compact form factor plus the z2 also has a 500mah bigger battery. I just hope that some kind soul ports the latest and greatest of android to the z2.
btw, does volte (jio) work proper on custom roms?

blueman24 said:
I'm also torn between A1 and Z2 (lol funny names). The main feature (for me) that the Z2 has is the smaller 5" screen. I prefer a compact form factor plus the z2 also has a 500mah bigger battery. I just hope that some kind soul ports the latest and greatest of android to the z2.
btw, does volte (jio) work proper on custom roms?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think so? Not sure because I don't have Jio personally, but a lot of ROMs advertise VoLTE.
I can confirm that the battery on the Z2 is excellent - I get anywhere from 6-8 hours of SoT and I didn't even do any tweaks after installing the ROM. About the form factor though, you're not going to notice a huge difference - I hold a Z2 Plus and a Redmi Note 4 side to side, they're not really that different. Where the RN4 is wider, the Z2 Plus is thicker. I'd imagine the same would carry for the Mi A1.

NSDCars5 said:
I think so? Not sure because I don't have Jio personally, but a lot of ROMs advertise VoLTE.
I can confirm that the battery on the Z2 is excellent - I get anywhere from 6-8 hours of SoT and I didn't even do any tweaks after installing the ROM. About the form factor though, you're not going to notice a huge difference - I hold a Z2 Plus and a Redmi Note 4 side to side, they're not really that different. Where the RN4 is wider, the Z2 Plus is thicker. I'd imagine the same would carry for the Mi A1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I brought a Z2. The A1 is good but the updates aren't handled by Google. If those Android One phones would get updated the same day along with nexus and pixel then maybe i would have given it a second thought. Even now, its launching with Nougat and they "promise" that it would be updated to O in 3-4 months. In three months, most phones get custom roms ready so no use of buying the xiaomi a1. I also don't sign up to the dual camera gimmick. If i even buy a phone for the camera, it would be the pixel or nothing. On the Z2, i couldn't care less. i can just carry my dedicated camera.
Now i just hope that VoLTE works nicely cause i use jio as my primary carrier and as you know, they don't have 2g/3g fallback.

I wouldn't buy this phone if given a chance again. Even with custom ROMs performance is below par.

n00b_dr0id said:
I wouldn't buy this phone if given a chance again. Even with custom ROMs performance is below par.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Care to elaborate?

blueman24 said:
Yeah, I brought a Z2. The A1 is good but the updates aren't handled by Google. If those Android One phones would get updated the same day along with nexus and pixel then maybe i would have given it a second thought. Even now, its launching with Nougat and they "promise" that it would be updated to O in 3-4 months. In three months, most phones get custom roms ready so no use of buying the xiaomi a1. I also don't sign up to the dual camera gimmick. If i even buy a phone for the camera, it would be the pixel or nothing. On the Z2, i couldn't care less. i can just carry my dedicated camera.
Now i just hope that VoLTE works nicely cause i use jio as my primary carrier and as you know, they don't have 2g/3g fallback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, that's cool. Have fun with your new device!

- my phone is now on AEX 4.6
- Jio is working without any issues. I can make calls from it even without turning on the LTE data.
- I use U-Touch single tap for 'back' and long touch for 'Google Now on Tap', and left and right swipe for one-handed mode. I don't like the sound when pressing that button, so never use that.
- so for 'recents' and 'home', I use 'Swipe Navigation' by Suphi : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.suphi.swipenavigation . I even purchased the full version. This is one of the better phones to use this app since there's no button (even capacitive) other than U-Touch. It has many customisations like long swipe for last app, dock, etc. More than that, it consumes only ~8mb of RAM.
- installed >300 apps, LTE mobile data always on, location (battery saving) always on, adaptive brightness (on day) browsing, chatting, gaming, watching videos,.. and still get 5-6 hours of SoT
- I don't care about the camera that much. So can't say anything about that, but I'm very happy with the results.
- for my smaller hands, 5" phones are good. And I love large screens if they're bezel-less (but these are expensive )

Doogee x30 (32-bit) :: An Un-Boxing and Review

Introductions ::
Hello there, and welcome to my review of the DOOGEE x30 (32-bit – not L) smartphone! As a casual technology enthusiast, this sort of product truly fuels my interest in the mobile device industry. Manufacturers, like DOOGEE, constantly raise the bar of expectancy-vs-price, by either introducing highly sought-after features to cheaper devices or creating entirely new features that are then introduced through the budget market first. This practice of constantly improving the developing the low-end market makes for an interesting show when one goes to observe the ripples that this creates in the mobile device market as a while. These manufacturers, when they get the formula just right, create devices that can competently perform at a low price point, while displaying very little compromise in overall design, features, and quality. As such, I find the budget market to be an important part of the general mobile device market(place).
Now, for a bit of personal background. This is my third smartphone from DOOGEE, which means that I have a slight, inherent bias. However, I will do my best to curb such, for the sake of an honest and fair assessment of the device in question. I will start with the un-boxing experience, and move forward from there in a semi-natural progression, if you will. The included clips will (unfortunately) be presented in 720p30fps - not true HD. But, it should get the un-boxing experience across in a satisfactory manner - I hope.
Specs ::
Can be found here.
Un-Boxing ::
approx. 15 minutes long
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI_cLORLc24
* Please note that the first part (the un-boxing) is still being processed, and the second part (the actual review) will be uploaded later this week (and hopefully, in a higher resolution). I hope you all are enjoying your winter holiday this year
Review ::
There is none - it's ded
Pros ::
The CPU is an MTK 6580, which is clocked at 1.3GHz - a decent CPU for this SoC, although 32-bit.*
This phone comes with 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM, which is better than what many other budget smartphones come with (less than 1GB in many cases). In fact, this SoC could be packed with up to 4GB of RAM if they wanted…
The 4-sensor Camera system truly sets this device apart from the competition in terms of photographic capabilities at this price-point (60-100 USD). They record at 5mp and 8mp respectively, meaning that the maximum resolution you can get for an image (from the rear cameras) is 3264 x 2448. Pretty nice for a sub-100 USD smartphone...
The metal frame also helps in terms of durability, and even adds to the overall visual appeal of the phone’s design.
The curved body makes it easy to hold, and ergonomically pleasing to the average user. No pain in the palms to speak of
The phone comes with Android 7, which is a great move - Android 8 is here, and DOOGEE can push an update whenever they’re ready. In addition to that (assuming that DOOGEE does update this phone), it gives users the option to decide on whether or not to move on to 8 - software options. But, while you’re waiting, you can play around with Quick Settings Customization - which is another plus.
This phone comes with 16GB of internal storage as an entry model, in opposed to 8GB (as seen in past models like the x5 and x6). This move is definitely one in the right direction…
The software that comes installed on this device initially appears quite close to stock (Google Apps and all - beyond AOSP) Android, which is great for those of you who want more control over the experience, or a simpler experience when using Android. It’s pretty difficult to spot most of the differences and deviations...
Cons ::
This model’s CPU is 32-bit, which limits the RAM and apps that can be used on this device. As such, it won’t be able to use any software that requires a 64-bit* architecture or more than 4GB of RAM. Remember the x5 Pro and x6 Pro models?
The RAM speed on this device is only 533MHz, which leaves it feeling like low-price DDR2/LPDDR2 (at around 500-600MHz), in opposed to the LPDDR3 it’s actually packing, which (in theory) can reach speeds of around 800MHz.
The Mali GPU included on this SoC is only 2 cores*, which is a bit underwhelming for obvious reasons. A higher clock speed could have helped this a bit.
It comes with some unnecessary apps, which can’t be completely removed without rooting. This needlessly reduces the amount of free storage space on the device. What’s up with the cat hanging from the top of the screen?! The approach used on the x5 and x6 Pro models should be used on this device instead.
It’s theme, while small in terms of performance impact, is an unnecessary and non-innovative deviation from a simpler Google/AOSP UI experience. Once again, the approach used on the x5 and x6 Pro models should be used on this device instead.
The screen, while being HD-Ready, is of the 720p/1080i variety - not the Full HD (1080p) that many have come to expect from their smartphones nowadays. But, this isn’t too much to bare.
The camera(s) only record at 5mp and 8mp respectively, meaning that the maximum resolution you can ever get for an image (from the rear cameras) is 3264 x 2448. While still images are quite nice, video recordings are locked in at 30fps, and may actually be at a lower resolution still.
This device can only receive so much expansion via the SD card slot - 32GB to be exact.
The SoC on this model doesn’t offer 4G(LTE)* capabilities, Bluetooth 5, NFC, or Wireless Charging.
It’s USB 2.0, instead of 3.0. An upgrade to 3.0 would have been nice...
Not so sure about how honest DOOGEE is about the camera.
Some apps I would remove (if I could) include:
Torch*
Themes **
System Manager**
File Manager**
DOOGEE ?
Chrome *g
* Integrate this feature into the Quick Settings - no need for another app
** Can be handled better with 3rd party apps
*g Have better counterparts that are developed by Google, and should be decided on by the user
? What does this app do?! I don’t remember it being around on the older models...
Conclusion ::
Overall, I think that this device is quite nicely-made for this price (60-70 USD), but could be improved upon a bit. While being a worthy successor to the single-digit x-models, I also think that there should be a higher-end model available, for those of us who are willing to pay to have many of these issues alleviated (around say, 100 USD - like last time). In addition to this, from having had the x5 Pro and x6 Pro models, I can’t help but feel just a bit let down this time around. Yet, there isn’t an x30 Pro. Perhaps the x30L* would answer the call? Although, I haven’t been able to find the darned thing, for sale, anywhere!
Overall Rating: 7.0/10
Bottom Line;
Good show, DOOGEE. You do have some places where you can improve. But, I can’t wait to see what you come up with next...

I actually purchased this phone for the mother-in-law. It literally just arrived today. Off the top, it's a very nice phone, especially for the sub-$70 I paid for it. I'm going to be working with this in-depth over the next few days in order to customize it (and see what tricks I can find). I'll report back when I'm done.
UPDATE: Just got this TWRP'd and rooted. Now I can see what this thing can do. :good:

Here we go!...
Bratzilla said:
I actually purchased this phone for the mother-in-law. It literally just arrived today. Off the top, it's a very nice phone, especially for the sub-$70 I paid for it. I'm going to be working with this in-depth over the next few days in order to customize it (and see what tricks I can find). I'll report back when I'm done.
UPDATE: Just got this TWRP'd and rooted. Now I can see what this thing can do. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll be uploading a review of it this week!

TopHatProductions115 said:
I'll be uploading a review of it this week!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear! I enjoy reviews of these smaller brands. Not everyone can afford a Note 8 cash-out.
I got a few more technical notes. Apologies if I ramble a bit, but I wanted to get this listed so that I don't forget. (Please let me know if you want me to post my root method as I don't want to hijack your thread. I didn't see any other threads pertinent to this phone posted yet.) These notes have to do with modding the phone and how it behaved for me afterwards.
As mentioned earlier, I rooted this phone after playing with the stock version a bit. A note about rooting - there are several posts online that mention rooting via SP Flash Tool. I never got this to work for me. Instead, using ADB and the TWRP version for this phone did the job (there is a trick in doing so as the install wasn't quite so straightforward). Once TWRP was installed, flashing SuperSU went as usual. Root Checker confirmed that root did take.
Custom recovery was possible because Doogee X30's flavor of Nougat 7.0 (which btw this phone has one of the few maker-created launchers that I pretty much like) contains a switch in Settings that allows you to make the bootloader unlockable. A quick run through ADB to actually do the unlocking worked perfectly. However, I now have a "Status Orange" message upon boot-up that claims the phone is now unsafe due to the bootloader unlock. But this doesn't seem to adversely impact operation (at least nothing obvious has presented itself) - very similar to the message I got when I did the same thing to the Galaxy Note 4.
I was able to use Kernel Auditor to do thinks like speed up the CPU and enable init.d (one of the requirements to get Viper4Android to work). CPU tweaks substantially enhanced this phone's performance.
Once rooted, customization became relatively easy. I targeted my usual apps to enhance the phone. SELinux Switcher, Adaway, BusyBox, Kernel Auditor (to tweak CPU performance and enable init.d), and Viper4Android (the package that includes Sony + Dolby Atmos). Rooted apps are all performing as expected.
The factory launcher is surprisingly lite and simple, and I did enjoy it. I would have kept it for the MIL, but I didn't see any obvious way to change the icon set so I went with Evie Launcher (if you see a way, though, please let me know). So far, Evie is working quite nicely.
Wifi speeds are pretty good for a phone in this class; I have no complaints. For cell data, based on the radios supported, this phone can only work at 3G/HSPA+ as there is no LTE radio. However I'll better be able to speak on that once I put in her SIM card and really give this a twirl on AT&T towers.
With the right modifications, I'd say this phone performs similar to those with a much higher pay point. Of course it's nothing near flagship level. However, for the amount of RAM and on-board storage, SD card support, headphone jack and REMOVABLE battery - I'd say this phone is a pretty sweet deal especially for people who just cannot or do not want to spend $$$ for a bunch of features they don't need. Plus if you break this sucker, you're not gonna cry over it. Just save up a few In-and-Out combos in a piggy bank and you can buy another one.
Oh yeah - one final note. Regarding cases, unless you want to pay Amazon's ridiculously jacked-up prices, it's best to order one through eBay from overseas. I got the pleather wallet model and it looks pretty decent. Just saw there is now a genuine full-leather one also on eBay.
---------- Post added at 05:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:19 PM ----------
Oh darn it! I just saw that you wanted to remove some system apps. Once rooted, there are apps in Playstore that should let you do just that.
In fact, thanks for that list. I'll check these out and see which ones I can dump. Is Themes tied to the launcher? If so, I may not touch it to avoid problems later. Speaking of Theme - that effing hanging cat can be turned off in the stock launcher settings. There is actually a switch for it. Sooooo annoying!
And your rating is very close to what others are giving (low to mid 7s), so it looks like your instincts are quite on the money.

Just added the first video. Once again, I'm kinda wishing that my dedicated camera was still operational (Nikon COOLPIX), but it stopped working a few months back. I had no option but the Nexus 7 camera (again). I've been using it as my camera for most of my videos where it isn't screen cap.

care to expand on TWRP rooting?!
(there is a trick in doing so as the install wasn't quite so straightforward)

For those wondering how to root this phone, its actually pretty simple. THIS WILL ERASE EVERYTHING.
Assuming you know some basic adb commands..
You wanna start off with making sure your bootloader is unlocked, which can be done fairly easily with ADB tools.
Don't be alarmed when your phone resets a couple times, its erasing data and reformating.
Once your bootloader is unlocked and your phone restarts, remember to reenable USB debugging. and then go to fastboot mode again to flash our recovery.
(I used the recovery link listed in the SUflash method that comes up when googling 'x30 doogee root')
Once our recovery is installed, we'll wanna put the latest version of SuperSU (Make sure its the zip, not the apk) onto your phone/SD card. Boot into recovery, and install SuperSU through TWRP.
Congratz, you've succesfully rooted your X30
Tested and verified on mine. Sorry I could not include links, do not have enough posts. Just wanted to be of assistance!

This device (unfortunately) actually sort needs root to even feel at-home with. Which is sad, because the x5 Pro and x6 Pro weren't like that. I rooted them advanced purposes - not to get them to a decent state...

Help me please!
I stuck my phone in TWRP can you send me a copy of your recovery?

VeteranoX said:
I stuck my phone in TWRP can you send me a copy of your recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I unfortunately don't have the device anymore

Just picked up a 7.1 - I'm a fan

Pulled the trigger on this bad boy, and I must say it's elegant in its simplicity.
1) Android One, while not unique to this device, is the perfect combo. No BS vendor or manufacturer bloatware and quick security updates - done.
2) No real pictures taken yet, but in playing around with it, the camera seems much better than my Essential's snapper.
3) I am a business user, so I don't need the 845 for gaming... that said, there's nothing that feels 'slow' about the Nokia
4) It has a nice build quality feel without being as heavy as the Essential phone
5) The screen is very nice
I'll check in later with some more input. The only thing I am on the fence about is unlocking and root. It's been #1 on my agenda for so long, it's strange to think of owning a device with out. However, the ACTUAL use I have for root is so limited at this point... I'm not so sure I'll miss it. Of course, that's assuming Nokia won't eventually provide the keys to the kingdom... which they might.

In installed my favorite music player, Neutron, and it auto detected some hi res / optimal settings. Sounds awesome!

Samsung S9: Unlock the beast

(This is not a reddit thread )
At the time of writing, Samsung Galaxy S9 is by far the best smartphone one can obtain simply because of its current price point.
It packs a:
? snapdragon 845 (latest so far)
? good camera
? good position for the fingerprint scanner
? good aesthetics
?? best display
???? IP68 rating + headphone jack + stereo speakers + fast wireless + .........
This smartphone is truly remarkable and yet so underrated bc of the rapidly growing market we are in right now. Any android phone I eye on, I always compare it with the samsung products. Is the screen better? Speakers? This phone is like the basis of every android phones out there.
The downside of all the Galaxy Flagship Series is the software. It alway has and will always be (hopefully not). Samsung takes too long to upgrade the their firmwares and the ever so undependable touchwiz (note: there would be a one ui soon tho)
Now I trully believe that this phone can be further improved and it's we can make it happen. Right here in xda.
What we can do to make it perfect:
Face Unlock System.
It sucks. Irish scanner plus the facial detection is unreliable. Although the s9 has a good fingerprint scanner, having a dead feature is really bothersome. It uses an infrared camera paired with an IR sensor.... which reminds of me something... ?? Oh right!! Pocophone has this great IR Face unlock feature which works great and is really reliable. It flashes an IR signal to the users face and creates a 3D map of the bounced signal. Works even in pitch black environment. Now if only Samsung adapts this instead hmmm ?
The overall ui experience.
The dropdown quick settings. Look how iphone did it. Simple swipe from the bottom and there goes everything that a user usually needs. There's so many unnecessary things on the quick settings (which is by the way editable) and a less user friendly orientation. I just dont like the ui.
Android one os? Ported gcam. Good ui experience. Even the unlock pin feels better on the ios. How come it's not on our custom roms.
What I'm trying to say here is that why don't we create a custom rom that packs everything that a user would ever want. ?

The reality is there is no perfect Rom. Because every user has his own preferences. What you want in a Rom might not be wanted by another user, and vice versa.
Another factor is the presence of bugs in a custom Rom.
Another one is the necessity of rooting the phone to install a custom Rom which will break some system and user applications due to security issues. There's a root module to hide the root status, but is not 100% working on all applications, at least based on my experience.
But with all these factors, some users still prefer rooting the phone and installing a custom Rom mostly due to customisable features, lean build, and faster overall performance of the phone.