With DanVDH's GPE rom on KitKat (4.4.2), I was able to use GravityBox to change the function of the back button long press to switch to the last used app to emulate alt+tab functionality on a Windows PC. I found this to be a huge feature in terms of productivity.
I recently upgraded to DanVDH's 5.0.1 GPE build (JFLTE-GPE-20150702), which seems to working wonderfully so far, but from what I gather Xposed has been causing issues with lollipop in general.
I've seen the list of xposed modules that work with lollipop here, and I see that GravityBox is listed under "Most Features Not Working".
Since I only want the ability to change the function of hardware buttons, I was wondering if anyone had any simpler and possibly less buggy alternatives to messing with GravityBox.
Your input is much appreciated, thank you!
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I've had my Note 2 for a few weeks. This is the first phone I haven't rooted and put on a custom ROM. I came from a Galaxy Nexus where I tried many flavors of ROM. The one thing I really miss from 4.2.2 is the ability to put widgets on the lock screen. (I use pattern lock).
Let me say that I'm not annoyed by TouchWiz so that's not the incentive to put on a custom ROM. And I definitely don't want "pure Google" as I'd choose AOKP over AOSP any day.
I'm tempted to put on a 4.2.2 ROM on the Note 2 but I'd like to know what I'd lose by doing so. The ROM threads talk about the features of their rom but don't tell me about what I'll lose. So, here are some questions.
Do all of the unique features of the phone work properly?
Does the Spen work properly?
Are the Spen apps that Samsung supplies available?
Does Multi-Window still work?
Can I have a floating video player?
Do the capabilities of AllShare go away?
I'm especially dependent upon Samsung Motion: Palm touch to mute, quick glance,
Does Smart Stay work? (Screen stays on while looking at it)
Is there a bullet list of things that go away?
Thanks for any help given. I like to be informed before I jump in.
As long as it's a TouchWiz ROM everything works. On AOSP, it's trickier. S-Pen works as a stylus, but you need third party apps to get some of the features back, and you have no multi-window, and all the motion, smart stay, and similar features go away.
But, stick to TouchWiz ROMs and it all works fine.
Edit: I just noticed that you referred to AOKP and AOSP separately, but they aren't. AOSP is the Google open source drop, and many ROMs from CM to AOKP to PAC and more are based on AOSP. So, AOKP *is* AOSP.
If you use a non-touchwiz rom, all the things that make the Note a Note, go away. All the Samsung features, multi window, s-pen, smart everything, s-pen preview, pop-up browser, s-planner, everything goes away.
You can use a third party note taking app, there are other floating browsers, s-pen works as a stylus only, not cut & paste or pop-up notes.
Stick with MeanBeans or CleanROM if you want full functionality.
Thanks for the quick replies. Very helpful information. It begs new questions.
1. Is there a TouchWiz ROM that is running 4.2?
2. If not, what's the benefit of installing a 4.1 TouchWiz ROM?
3. Can I easily tell if a rom is TouchWiz? Do they state it in their description?
TabGuy said:
Thanks for the quick replies. Very helpful information. It begs new questions.
1. Is there a TouchWiz ROM that is running 4.2?
2. If not, what's the benefit of installing a 4.1 TouchWiz ROM?
3. Can I easily tell if a rom is TouchWiz? Do they state it in their description?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. None of the TW ROMs are 4.2 at this point.
2. The advantages of the custom ROMs are that they combine lots of individual mods to improve overall functionality. Things like adding all apps to multi-window, editing the APN information to use another carrier's sim for data, changing the toggles in the notification window, etc.
3. The ROM description will tell you if the ROM is touchwiz based. Take a look at the dev forum...they are all listed there http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1888
There are no 4.2 TW ROMs. There are 4.1.2 ROMs, but they are not based on Verizon software. Whether or not that matters depends on whether or not you use Verizon apps. My Verizon works fine, but Visual Voicemail, NFL Mobile, etc will not work. All the Samsung stuff still works fine.
As for benefit, they are leaner, usually quicker, and have more features and customizations available. You can choose what stock apps you want to install and which you want to leave out, and generally give you more control over your phone. Possibly of particular interest to you since you mentioned multi-window specifically, all the TW ROMs I've tried allow any app to be added to the multi-window toolbar, and not just the few that Samsung decided to put in there.
Look for one that isn't AOSP, CM, AOKP, etc. Also, if it's 4.2, it's not TW. Generally, you're going to find TW ROMs in normal development, and non-TW in original development.
Clean ROM 1.5 is based on Verizon ll4 code base. Almost everything should work. You can pick and choose what stock apps you want to install when you flash it.
This is the closest to stock experience while still getting the benefits of a custom ROM.
Link to all the features
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2073390
Note 2 - Nexus 7 - Charge - Player 5.0 - Fascinate
Read twice, flash once
Hi guys,
As the title says, I'm looking for some custom Jelly Bean 4.3 Roms based on official Samsung Rom for my i9100, so it would have Touchwiz also.
Currently i keep switching between CM10.2 (4.3.1) and Wanamlite 14.7 (4.1.2).
I like Wanamlite just because it uses the Samsung Touchwiz interface i like so much. Other than that, any other stock Rom, rooted and debloated would do just about the same.
What i like about CM10.2 and cyanogenmod in general is the speed and stability the Rom feels like. Also, the latest 4.3 Roms gave me infinitely great battery lives compared to any other JB Rom i tried since. And judging from other posts and reviews on the internet, Google worked their magic on 4.3 to help small batteries run through the day (almost double the life of 4.1.2 or even worst 4.2.x).
So it seems the perfect combo for me would be a 4.3 custom with TW.
Is there such a Rom, because it seems i can't find it.
Thanks.
There is no such thing. TouchWiz is more than a launcher. It`s a full system framework integrated in pretty much everything. For example, TW ads the speed dial and video call in phone app, the swipe to quick call or message in contacts app, SNS integration, FM Radio. And of course all the other "smart" features, like smart display.
If however, you don't need any of the features mentioned above, you can find custom launchers with skins that look exactly like TW and use them on any custom rom.
Thank you for your reply.
I realize i can install some Launcher apps to get some of the TW "feel", as i already tried Apex and Nova launchers. But they don't come even close to the real TW experience. As you said, TW is more than an icon set or interface color set. It's also about built-in apps and features. I know nothing about coding and programming on Android, so i thought one could implement TW along all those apps into some custom ROM like CM10.2 (4.3).
So, i guess i was wrong.
If so, this thread can be closed.
Thank you.
I have been searching xda and Google for weeks trying to find a way to get a truly customizable navbar like we can on older versions of aosp, haven't found a 4.4.x aosp rom that can do this yet either.
Gravity box gets me close but I can not change the symbols or single tap functionalities. I'm trying to get the phone and messaging apps incorporated into it as a start but I'm basically looking for a permanent navbar/dock to put my most used apps to switch instantly between them.
If anyone could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it.
I'm reading through the features of lollipop and it's drawbacks and I'm asking myself the question: is it worth it? From a tweaker point of view? I love the lockscreen notifications, but the rest seems like small touches. Stuff we already can do with xposed or custom roms. We are however locked out from xposed and all that it brings and from what I hear Tasker nor Secure settings are working great on lollipop yet.
So, tweakers out there that took the lollipop-route, was it worth it you think?
Hello,
I've been holding off upgrading to Android 5 or newer and have been sticking to Android 4.3 because I plainly do not like how the icons and graphics for Android 4.4 and up looks like. Would it be possible to make Android 5.x look exactly like Android 4.3? Perhaps with a skin?
For example, the shape of the Back, Home and Switch Window icons at the bottom of the screen, the position of the Quick Settings in the Notification Panel, the shape and icon design of the Wi-Fi and Cellular signal strength and so on.
I have my Sony Stock Android 4.3 Rooted, which allows me to apply security fixes (ie. disabling Stagefright in build.prop) and installing permissions managers but I think as Android 4.3 ages more and more exploits would be possible against it. So I was wondering if it is possible to upgrade to Android 5x and then skin it to look and feel like 4.3.
Thank you!
AT328PRO said:
Hello,
I've been holding off upgrading to Android 5 or newer and have been sticking to Android 4.3 because I plainly do not like how the icons and graphics for Android 4.4 and up looks like. Would it be possible to make Android 5.x look exactly like Android 4.3? Perhaps with a skin?
For example, the shape of the Back, Home and Switch Window icons at the bottom of the screen, the position of the Quick Settings in the Notification Panel, the shape and icon design of the Wi-Fi and Cellular signal strength and so on.
I have my Sony Stock Android 4.3 Rooted, which allows me to apply security fixes (ie. disabling Stagefright in build.prop) and installing permissions managers but I think as Android 4.3 ages more and more exploits would be possible against it. So I was wondering if it is possible to upgrade to Android 5x and then skin it to look and feel like 4.3.
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very weird thing to do, but alright.
First of all, any reason why you're not on 4.4.4? That's the last KitKat version. Heck, 4.3 isn't even KitKat! It's Jelly Bean, so you're two versions behind. KitKat looks the same as Jelly Bean and runs much better than Jelly Bean.
Second, you can change the navigation buttons (the three buttons at the bottom) by either using an Xposed module or by installing an app (just google "change android navbar icons".
Third, you can also flash CM12.1 and use a theme. You won't find a theme that looks like the old Sony UI, because why would anyone make that, but you can theme it to look like anything else than stock Lollipop.
Fourth, you can stay on 4.4.4 and have a rather big issue at hand once you have to buy a new device It's not like Google will revert the design, so the best thing to do is to start liking it, or move to a different OS.
Cheers
Klaos3000 said:
Third, you can also flash CM12.1 and use a theme. You won't find a theme that looks like the old Sony UI, because why would anyone make that, but you can theme it to look like anything else than stock Lollipop.
Fourth, you can stay on 4.4.4 and have a rather big issue at hand once you have to buy a new device It's not like Google will revert the design, so the best thing to do is to start liking it, or move to a different OS.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I've been trying some builds here and there, such as Cyanogenmod and Blisspop, I just have to use 5.x for a few days I guess.
What ROMs would you recommend that doesn't have broken features? Right now I'm using Sony Stock 5.1.1 and rooted it using the Kingroot app and replaced that with SuperSU.
AT328PRO said:
Thanks for the reply. I've been trying some builds here and there, such as Cyanogenmod and Blisspop, I just have to use 5.x for a few days I guess.
What ROMs would you recommend that doesn't have broken features? Right now I'm using Sony Stock 5.1.1 and rooted it using the Kingroot app and replaced that with SuperSU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The most stable ones are of course the official ones, so the one you're already running and the GPe port are the most stable ones. Also, I guess you can simply use a theme on the ROM you're running right now. Take a look here if you haven't already.
Bro just use lp with nova launcher