[Q] Custom ROMs Advice - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hello People.
I have seen here many people asking what rom is best for them and i understand that it is entirely a personal choice.
That said, i would really appreciate any advice as this will be my first Custom ROM.
I rooted my Samsung Galaxy s4 a while ago (almost as soon as i got it actually) so that i could remove some very annoying apps.
Having done that i was quite happy with the vanilla kitkat on my phone untill very recently, when I was told that i could not update the os because the phone was rooted.
With that I have now decided that, since i will get no more updates i may as well try a custom rom.
Here is the problem. I have looked at loads of ROMs on here and i have no idea what to try.
I am looking for a ROM that is very similar to the stock kitkat (maybe with some of the annoying stuff removed).
That can potentially improve my battery life, I will also try inverted colour schemes (or a ROM that allows you to customise your colour scheme).
Looks and the like are less important to me as i adapt very quickly to new layouts ect.
I use google for my contacts, and calendar so it is important that this will still work normally (I.E. sync gmail contacts and calendar with contacts and calendar apps on phone).
Ideally still have the stock kitkat keyboard as I really like that (and have tried others but always reverted back).
And critically must have no google or samsung apps that are not crutial to operation of the ROM, i will install what i need (althought i suspect that all ROMs conform to this anyway).
I will try any (reasonable) suggestions in response to this post, only after reading the reviews of any suggested ROM.
I apologise in advance if this is in the wrong place, and If there is any further information that is needed just ask.
Thank you all in advance.
Alex

Related

[Q] Dialer with predictive Contacts filter

Ok, so I am starting a new thread as I didn't find any answer, neither have received a reply previously in other threads (Specific roms threads)
In custom roms such as Cyanogen's and [email protected]'s - no Sense roms - the Dialer is very basic.
Actually, it is impossible to get a contact filtering when entering numbers (what T9 does in SMS/Messages apps... Ok, I don't know how to explain that in a comprehensive sentence, but I hope you get it)
I played with a rom that a friend of mine installed on his Galaxy S, and the Dialer is pretty much the same, such as Google phones with basic android software, no additional features,... But that one has the predictive thing....
Is there a way to implement this feature within the phone (Dialer) apk of custom roms?
Thank you guys for ... Well, first, trying to understand what I wrote, ... and then for your answers!
Try Dialer One
take phone dialer
Thank you guys, for answering.
I know Dialer One, but don't like it, ... Have to discover TAKEPhONE dialer...
However, I wanted to know if it was possible to add the feature in the original phone application for Legend, as it seems to be implemented in the dialer from the custom rom for Galaxy S... (I assume it is...)
Because that app, the original phone app above mentioned, is pretty much the exact same app than the one for our Legend, except it has the T9 filter feature.
Thank you guys, anyway !!!
thank you for your effort

[Q] Eris non-active rom

ok ive looked through here and have been doing kiddy style roms but no luck with makeing a rom to match what i have in mind. first, i have a android eris. second, im looking for a rom, or help to build one, that is for a phone that is deactivated. i.e. i transfered the line to another phone and started to flash new and different roms to learn as i go. third is that im looking for a rom thats not a "phone" rom more of a pocket pc rom. i dont need (let alone have ability) to send messages or make calls but insted i use with my wifi and connect while around the house/work. while i mainly use for games i also use for things like web, gmail, xda app...so on and so forth. can anyone tell me, post, or help me with what apk's to remove from favorite rom to make a more personal style for myself and my girl? thanx.
ps personal rom i like best so far is xtrSENSE5.0.1.

Full Screen Incoming Call Contact Picture/ICS

Hello all, just updated my to ATT/ICS last week and thought this feature was to be included in the 4.0? After searching here for a bit I can't find any info. Wondering is there a way to do this with out rooting the phone or running a different launcher. TIA
Steve
SportsFans said:
Hello all, just updated my to ATT/ICS last week and thought this feature was to be included in the 4.0? After searching here for a bit I can't find any info. Wondering is there a way to do this with out rooting the phone or running a different launcher. TIA
Steve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that feature is available on Google's version of ICS, which is AOSP, but also in AOKP/CM9, I have AoCP from The Collective Team and I have full screen caller id, if you're running stock , well that's AT&T/Samsung's fault for not adding it to their dialer, you can try this app out and see if you like it, I don't think you need root for it or anything else. good luck
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androminigsm.fscifree&hl=en
Hey thanks roloracer, this is kinda a no brainer Att Ics? Coming from a windows phone and boy that feature looks just great. Every day I'm getting closer to the ROOT of the matter. Thanks again.
Related question, but backwards.
How would you disable this feature?
Looked through all the options I can find in CM9 (h0tw1r3, not the official CM9) and can't find anything about it.
I don't have contact pictures for 75% of my contacts, and the ones I do have are seemingly tiny images that look terrible on the Note full screen.
cforceleritas said:
Related question, but backwards.
How would you disable this feature?
Looked through all the options I can find in CM9 (h0tw1r3, not the official CM9) and can't find anything about it.
I don't have contact pictures for 75% of my contacts, and the ones I do have are seemingly tiny images that look terrible on the Note full screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the moment someone woudl sync with google .. there server saves the pics very samll so it woudl look bad for everyoneanyway.. thatfeature has been present on htc devices for a long time and i had a mod on my previous samsung phone rom to allow big pictures full res ,but you woudl have to NOT sync google contacts automaticallly and save them to vcard on your phone so you can reload the full res pictures , this issue has been on going since the first android device go look at google 's error reports youll see tht threads is thousands of pages ppl com:laugh::laugh::laughlaining .
@DAGr8*;
thanks for info ..........yes I was wondering , if there is a way to do this eg > lower the resolution of pic ( thus able to add bigger size for display on Ausoem note screen)
will that maybe solve this issue?
<< this feature was one of Major reasons why I went from ICS stock to another ROM from Xda forum>>
I find stock ICS from att =has several things lacking and a MAJOR DISSPOINTMENT
>> thanks in adnace > love your mods and work !
Cheers

[Q] Some questions from a first time ROM flasher

I've been a long time follower of XDA forums. In fact although I say this is my first time flashing ROMS that only refers to modern smartphones. I have previously (with the help of XDA forums) flashed a couple of XDA phones and my Sony Ericsson w880i too.
I've recently moved to the Galaxy S3 but before that I was an iPhone user which meant that I used to browse these forums envious of all the amazing things people were doing with their Android phones.
I dont regret moving to Android and the Galaxy S3 is (in my experience) better than any iPhone I've ever had including the new iPhone 5 too.
Now that I've had the s3 for a while and I'm more comfortable with Android, I want to look into flashing a custom ROM or two onto my device before I settle with the ROM that best suits me. So with that in mind I have a few questions that hopefully you can answer for me.
1) Backups. I have downloaded lots of apps, I have several hundred contacts, I have lots of SMS messages that I dont want to lose, I dont want to lose my calendar entries or my music customisations. Some of you posters here seem to flash different ROMs to your phone every day/week so I'm guessing you will be able to tell me which is the best way to backup my information and restore it safely and quickly.
2. Suitable ROM. I know that there is no such thing as the best ROM for everyone but certain ROMs will be more suitable for me than others. What I'm looking for is quality audio for calls, built-in reliable call recording of both sides (I do phone interviews), the best music audio, light build, fast response and long battery life. I'd also like a ROM which is fully compatible with all the phones features. I dont want to waste my time with ROMS where the WiFI, camera, 3G, bluetooth or other features dont work properly.
3. Hacks/Mods. I cant seem to find a list of the most popular (and reliable) hacks and mods avaialble for the Galaxy s3. I've heard there are some great ones for the camera and the audio drivers but I haven't found any place where they are listed together. So if it exists could you point me to it and if not then could you share your favourite hacks with me please.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions and hopefully (after my long iPhone exile) I can start benefitting from the wonderful world of flashing ROMS too!
1 - Titanium Backup PRO is the only way to go, i also recommend Lookout Mobile security
2- I use AOSP ROM's as most of the bloatware is gone and they are far more advanced than Samsung based ROM's but from what im looking you want i think you would be better off with a ROM like Android Revolution, Dragon ROM or Omega,again there are dozens of ROM's to choose from i recommend you take some time out to check their different features.
3- As above take some time to search the S3 forums there are many brilliant mods and hacks to be got.
I was hoping for a few more responses and suggestions. I like the features of the MIUI rom but I dont like the iOS look.
1. Backups:
I would go as well with Titanium Backup Pro for Apps & Data (non system)
For contacts & calendar just use gmail to sync them. This will automatically restore your contacts & calendar entries once you flashed a different ROM.
For music customization as well as SMS I am not sure, but there are at least solutions for SMS backups
2. ROM:
I am using Stock JB Rom (latest french version). Works pretty well so far and had no need to go custom ROM yet.
3. Mods:
The only additional things I install after flashing a new ROM are the extended power menu (as it is not included in stock ROMs obviously) and Syiah kernel (also includes some Audio tweaks in sTweaks) & config files for better battery life
Hope it helps you

[Q] Samsung Galaxy W OS recomendations

First of all greetings XDA community. I am new here but ever since I got my android and found this website I've been checking and searching for needed information, up until now I never had the need to register or post. So thanks for the help and information I've already found in other threads and other topics
The reason I needed to make an actual post here, is because I don't exactly have a precise question. I understand this may be a subject of discussion, so I wanted to hear the opinion of people with more experience and knowledge.
I have a Samsung Galaxy W, for probably less than a year. I understood that at the time of purchase the phone itself was already "outdated".
However this didn't concern me, I wanted a phone just so I could access the Internet anytime needed just to read some stuff or google something I may need as well as checking fb and twitter. For larger and more resource-consuming apps I would use my tablet (a Sony S).
In a nutshell: I want my android for browsing the Internet and checking fb and twitter. I would use it as an mp3 and to play some casual games to burn some time (angry birds, solitare, bejwelled, Jetpack Joyride and so forth).
By the way, I would like to (at the risk of getting sidetracked) ask you for some recommendations on browsers for android. I know Chrome is probably by far the best, but sadly the Galaxy W can't run Chrome. I've tried Dolphin, Opera, Ninesky... but nothing that would fully satisfy me (like Chrome).
The issue: As of late my phone as been slowing down and dragging itself a bit too much. Something as simple as opening the messages, something you'd expect to be instantaneous, takes some painful seconds under a black screen.
I couldn't deal with the keyboard (this is my first touchscreen phone) so I tested and bought SwiftKey which made typing a lot easier, but sometimes it also takes a while to see the keyboard appear.
Some of my apps (might be relevant): Juice Defender, 3G Watchdog, Facebook, Twitter, TweetDeck, tomtom Places, and some apps that are forced by the carrier.
I use Clean Master and I even try to, sometimes, kill iddle tasks of things I don't need, but it feels pointless since the phone just drags and slows even more as he restarts the closed apps again.
I think that using a different ROM might help my issue, and I have some questions:
1- Do you think using a Jelly Bean (or ICS) Cyanogen mod might improve the speed on my phone (pardon if I'm saying some barbarity in here)
2- If I install a Jelly Bean or ICS ROM will I be able to downolad and install Chrome from the store?
3- The phone is unlocked (meaning I can use other SIM cards from any carriers in it). Will the ROM undo this and force the phone back to it's original carrier?
4- The phone is rooted. This is kinda silly but I'd like to be sure. Will a new ROM un-root my phone?
I think that's it. Sorry for the long post. I wanted to make sure I wrote all the relevant information to make sure I get the right answer :fingers-crossed:
Thank you, looking forward to read your replies :highfive:
I forgot to mention, for some time i used the ex go launcher. It worked the same as the default theme. It takes sometime to load at first but after loading the transitions are smooth and everything works fine... until i open an app or do something big.
Lately (read, today) the call button was a bit laggy and i did not like it one bit.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S using xda app-developers app
Thaenor said:
First of all greetings XDA community. I am new here but ever since I got my android and found this website I've been checking and searching for needed information, up until now I never had the need to register or post. So thanks for the help and information I've already found in other threads and other topics
The reason I needed to make an actual post here, is because I don't exactly have a precise question. I understand this may be a subject of discussion, so I wanted to hear the opinion of people with more experience and knowledge.
I have a Samsung Galaxy W, for probably less than a year. I understood that at the time of purchase the phone itself was already "outdated".
However this didn't concern me, I wanted a phone just so I could access the Internet anytime needed just to read some stuff or google something I may need as well as checking fb and twitter. For larger and more resource-consuming apps I would use my tablet (a Sony S).
In a nutshell: I want my android for browsing the Internet and checking fb and twitter. I would use it as an mp3 and to play some casual games to burn some time (angry birds, solitare, bejwelled, Jetpack Joyride and so forth).
By the way, I would like to (at the risk of getting sidetracked) ask you for some recommendations on browsers for android. I know Chrome is probably by far the best, but sadly the Galaxy W can't run Chrome. I've tried Dolphin, Opera, Ninesky... but nothing that would fully satisfy me (like Chrome).
The issue: As of late my phone as been slowing down and dragging itself a bit too much. Something as simple as opening the messages, something you'd expect to be instantaneous, takes some painful seconds under a black screen.
I couldn't deal with the keyboard (this is my first touchscreen phone) so I tested and bought SwiftKey which made typing a lot easier, but sometimes it also takes a while to see the keyboard appear.
Some of my apps (might be relevant): Juice Defender, 3G Watchdog, Facebook, Twitter, TweetDeck, tomtom Places, and some apps that are forced by the carrier.
I use Clean Master and I even try to, sometimes, kill iddle tasks of things I don't need, but it feels pointless since the phone just drags and slows even more as he restarts the closed apps again.
I think that using a different ROM might help my issue, and I have some questions:
1- Do you think using a Jelly Bean (or ICS) Cyanogen mod might improve the speed on my phone (pardon if I'm saying some barbarity in here)
2- If I install a Jelly Bean or ICS ROM will I be able to downolad and install Chrome from the store?
3- The phone is unlocked (meaning I can use other SIM cards from any carriers in it). Will the ROM undo this and force the phone back to it's original carrier?
4- The phone is rooted. This is kinda silly but I'd like to be sure. Will a new ROM un-root my phone?
I think that's it. Sorry for the long post. I wanted to make sure I wrote all the relevant information to make sure I get the right answer :fingers-crossed:
Thank you, looking forward to read your replies :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi .
I just saw this forum. and came across a topic related to upgrading Galaxy W to kitkat unofficially. How about your 'quest? lol.

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