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First off, hey all! My first ever post to the forums. I figured it'd be big enough I should skip using the XDA app for now, but I did get it, and it's neato.
I'm using a brand new Samsung Mesmerize, unrooted, stock Eclair 2.1-update1. I considered grabbing the Froyo leak, but the whispers I'm picking up are the USCC is releasing it either this month or next, or at the very least, "soon".
I've got a lot of questions that are loosely tied together, but I didn't really find any answers to my questions specifically on the forums. For the most part, I get *how* to actually do the procedures I'm mentioning thanks to the AWESOME newb guides on this forum, so these are more conceptual or clarification questions I guess.
1. Rooting. Should I really be worried by it? I know it's really easy with the one-click root apps out there, but I'm more concerned with that whole "warranty voiding" part. Should I really be the concerned by it if I'm not comfortable with it, or is it not that big a deal as long as I'm careful with my phone and don't do anything that would actually require warranty work (cracking the screen, etc.)?
2. Is Voodoo the only real "viable" or "best" lagfix, or are there others? Although I'm a Windows guy in the IT field, I more or less grasp the Ext4 filesystem Voodoo uses, and stock Mesmerize does not. Is that fact what makes Voodoo the aforementioned "only viable" lagfix out there, if that's the case?
3. In spite of the ease of rooting from z4root (if I have the name right), I'm hoping to avoid rooting for as long as possible (though, see question 1). If there are other viable fixes out there, will I need to root the phone to use them?
4. If I do end up going with Voodoo, I see that it doesn't require rooting, which is cool. Does having a custom kernel itself technically void the warranty however, or just rooting? .....am I too worried about rooting and it's not actually that big a deal warranty-wise?
5. If using Voodoo, can I select which of the Voodoo fixes I want to use? I'm really only after the lagfix, and I *think* I like my colors just fine (that said, I'm not necessarily opposed to going with any color fixes if I just don't know what I'm missing)
6. I've also picked up that I can maybe do something about my battery life, and that there are other speed increases/battery utilities people are using; I came across this thread while searching for lagfix answers, and saw the poster is using "SGS tools". Is that something I should also look into?
7. I've noticed that some ROMs don't have all apps/hardware working just yet. Is that something I'd need to worry about with loading just a custom kernel like Voodoo? The Voodoo Documentation page seems to mention Kies won't work in Ext4 mode, but that's all I see affected an unrooted, otherwise-stock unit. How badly will I really miss Kies if at all? ...or, what does disabling lagfix (the suggested solution if you want to use Kies) actually do to the filesystem?
I think that's all for now---sorry for the rapid barrage of questions, but hopefully this will tell me if I need to worry about rooting, and if Voodoo is the way for me to go, and if I need anything else and I'm just not aware of it yet. Thanks for helping out a new guy, all!
First off, welcome. I will try and answer what I can and some of the more experienced guys will surely throw in their thoughts as well.
ChromWolf said:
First off, hey all! My first ever post to the forums. I figured it'd be big enough I should skip using the XDA app for now, but I did get it, and it's neato.
I'm using a brand new Samsung Mesmerize, unrooted, stock Eclair 2.1-update1. I considered grabbing the Froyo leak, but the whispers I'm picking up are the USCC is releasing it either this month or next, or at the very least, "soon".
I've got a lot of questions that are loosely tied together, but I didn't really find any answers to my questions specifically on the forums. For the most part, I get *how* to actually do the procedures I'm mentioning thanks to the AWESOME newb guides on this forum, so these are more conceptual or clarification questions I guess.
1. Rooting. Should I really be worried by it? I know it's really easy with the one-click root apps out there, but I'm more concerned with that whole "warranty voiding" part. Should I really be the concerned by it if I'm not comfortable with it, or is it not that big a deal as long as I'm careful with my phone and don't do anything that would actually require warranty work (cracking the screen, etc.)? We have the stock operating system available to us if you would be concerned about warranty issues. You can always just flash back to that and no one would ever know you were rooted
2. Is Voodoo the only real "viable" or "best" lagfix, or are there others? Although I'm a Windows guy in the IT field, I more or less grasp the Ext4 filesystem Voodoo uses, and stock Mesmerize does not. Is that fact what makes Voodoo the aforementioned "only viable" lagfix out there, if that's the case? Voodoo is the best and only kernel that we have available at this time.
3. In spite of the ease of rooting from z4root (if I have the name right), I'm hoping to avoid rooting for as long as possible (though, see question 1). If there are other viable fixes out there, will I need to root the phone to use them?
You don't have to root but there's really no reason not to. Gives you so many more options than stock and you can get rid of the junk USCC wants you to have
4. If I do end up going with Voodoo, I see that it doesn't require rooting, which is cool. Does having a custom kernel itself technically void the warranty however, or just rooting? .....am I too worried about rooting and it's not actually that big a deal warranty-wise? See above answer about warranty. I would guess changing anything to the stock software technically voids warranty though
5. If using Voodoo, can I select which of the Voodoo fixes I want to use? I'm really only after the lagfix, and I *think* I like my colors just fine (that said, I'm not necessarily opposed to going with any color fixes if I just don't know what I'm missing) the color fix is not available in our current versions of voodoo. The voodoo fix for 2.1 has the sound options in it. Voodoo for 2.2 is strictly lagfix. Make sure you get all your files from the Mes forums or you can run into problems.
6. I've also picked up that I can maybe do something about my battery life, and that there are other speed increases/battery utilities people are using; I came across this thread while searching for lagfix answers, and saw the poster is using "SGS tools". Is that something I should also look into? I've never used the SGS tools but I don't believe it fully works on our phone. Battery life will be greatly improved with Voodoo.
7. I've noticed that some ROMs don't have all apps/hardware working just yet. Is that something I'd need to worry about with loading just a custom kernel like Voodoo? The Voodoo Documentation page seems to mention Kies won't work in Ext4 mode, but that's all I see affected an unrooted, otherwise-stock unit. How badly will I really miss Kies if at all? ...or, what does disabling lagfix (the suggested solution if you want to use Kies) actually do to the filesystem? Kies is used for nothing except for upgrading to 2.2 which is already available through Odin without using Kies. Make sure you read through the forums and instructions when doing anything though. Disable lagfix before you flash anything to be safe.
I think that's all for now---sorry for the rapid barrage of questions, but hopefully this will tell me if I need to worry about rooting, and if Voodoo is the way for me to go, and if I need anything else and I'm just not aware of it yet. Thanks for helping out a new guy, all!
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Hope I helped some. Most important just make sure you read and re-read before you jump in.
IMHO, I believe that if you are going to spend the money for the device, service and insurance, you deserve to have the latest software available and complete access to your phone. I'm not worried about warranties, (I'm not even sure how long it even is for this phone), cause I'm almost certain I will never have to use it because I have insurance in case of any unfortunate event. That part is entirely up to you. The roms and kernels available for the mesmerize on this forum are completely stable(from my experience) and are without a doubt worth any time put in understanding the processes involved. Just be sure you know what you are doing, read, reread and make backups. My two cents.
Hope this helps, and welcome to the xda forums; it's a pretty neat place.
Sent from my SCH-I500
Thanks to both of you!
So an update (for those actually watching and who care, haha):
I did end up deciding to root my phone, especially after bigmike's response. Yeah, why *shouldn't* I get to play with my new toy to the fullest extent? So I grabbed z4root, and I didn't even have to pull the battery, it just... did it. It was great.
I've been using Wireless Tether for Root users as my tethering app, and am in fact posting from my laptop in that way. Byebye Verizon aircard! I know it'll chew the battery up faster, but it means I don't need to actually physically tether, so I can keep USB Debug mode off and charge/transfer files that way. My laptop is always plugged in, so the phone should never actually die while wifi hotspotting. ...I didn't turn on encryption, but I did turn on access control, and I think I'll even scale back the broadcast strength of the phone's wifi while within Wireless Tether; the phone is literally inches from the laptop.
Still struggling with putting Voodoo on the phone... I need to find a good rooted-compatible file manager so I can see non-app files I put on my SD card from my SGS. After that I can follow bdemartino's Newbie Guide from step 2 (RomManager and CWM).
My trouble has been that the one that's recommended in his thread is a paid app, but is in Euros, and I can't seem to purchase it; just puts a hold on my account and looks like a suspicious charge to my credit card company. ....So, any recommendations on a preferably free, or at least USD-listed, root-compatible file manager?
ChromWolf said:
Thanks to both of you!
So an update (for those actually watching and who care, haha):
I did end up deciding to root my phone, especially after bigmike's response. Yeah, why *shouldn't* I get to play with my new toy to the fullest extent? So I grabbed z4root, and I didn't even have to pull the battery, it just... did it. It was great.
I've been using Wireless Tether for Root users as my tethering app, and am in fact posting from my laptop in that way. Byebye Verizon aircard! I know it'll chew the battery up faster, but it means I don't need to actually physically tether, so I can keep USB Debug mode off and charge/transfer files that way. My laptop is always plugged in, so the phone should never actually die while wifi hotspotting. ...I didn't turn on encryption, but I did turn on access control, and I think I'll even scale back the broadcast strength of the phone's wifi while within Wireless Tether; the phone is literally inches from the laptop.
Still struggling with putting Voodoo on the phone... I need to find a good rooted-compatible file manager so I can see non-app files I put on my SD card from my SGS. After that I can follow bdemartino's Newbie Guide from step 2 (RomManager and CWM).
My trouble has been that the one that's recommended in his thread is a paid app, but is in Euros, and I can't seem to purchase it; just puts a hold on my account and looks like a suspicious charge to my credit card company. ....So, any recommendations on a preferably free, or at least USD-listed, root-compatible file manager?
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Keep in mind that the step you're referring to is for customizing your phone with 2.1, you don't need to do that if you're planning on going to 2.2 (EB16) Rom Manager isn't used for that process at all.
Unfortunately either way you will need a root file explorer (file manager with root access), but I'm not sure what you mean by having issues purchasing Root Explorer - it's listed as 4.02 USD on my phone... Anyway, all you need is a file manager with root access (just a quick search shows me that Ghost Commander File seems to be a good free alternative)
bdemartino said:
Keep in mind that the step you're referring to is for customizing your phone with 2.1, you don't need to do that if you're planning on going to 2.2 (EB16) Rom Manager isn't used for that process at all.
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I suspect not yet. I think I'm going to hang about and wait for the official release---am I correct in understanding that, at least according to rumors, it's coming sometime in the next couple months? I'm friends with a USCC office employee, and that's what he seemed to think, but didn't know any specifics.
bdemartino said:
Unfortunately either way you will need a root file explorer (file manager with root access), but I'm not sure what you mean by having issues purchasing it - it's listed as 4.02 USD on my phone... Anyway, all you need is a file manager with root access (just a quick search shows me that Ghost Commander File seems to be a good free alternative)
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It's weird. It's listed the same on mine (~$4.02 USD), but then when I proceed with the purchase process, it changes over to €2.50 (I think is the equivalent value), and won't charge my credit card. It's *possible* they just flagged the purchase as suspicious because it's so small and from a source I don't usually purchase from, outside of the fact it's listed in Euros, but I can't be sure. It's also possible that it won't go through because it's a debit card rather than a credit card.
In any case, I'll give Ghost Commander File a try. Thankee sir!
ChromWolf said:
I suspect not yet. I think I'm going to hang about and wait for the official release---am I correct in understanding that, at least according to rumors, it's coming sometime in the next couple months? I'm friends with a USCC office employee, and that's what he seemed to think, but didn't know any specifics.
It's weird. It's listed the same on mine (~$4.02 USD), but then when I proceed with the purchase process, it changes over to €2.50 (I think is the equivalent value), and won't charge my credit card. It's *possible* they just flagged the purchase as suspicious because it's so small and from a source I don't usually purchase from, outside of the fact it's listed in Euros, but I can't be sure. It's also possible that it won't go through because it's a debit card rather than a credit card.
In any case, I'll give Ghost Commander File a try. Thankee sir!
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I'm not sure why you're even messing with your phone if you're going to wait? Having root gives you the access to the system folders/files, but nothing else really...
EB16 2.2 is completely stable and (IMO) is far superior to our customized 2.1 release (minus the fact that since we're waiting for official 2.2 source to make an undervolted kernel yet, it's not as battery efficient as 2.1)
Either route you go, we have an installation that will take you back to 2.1-update1 as if you just pulled it out of the box. (so long as you cleared your sd card) so you're able to go back to stock and then update to US cellulars 2.2 when it releases (which will be slow and full of bloat, so why wait?)
As far as your market issue, it sounds to me like the problem is on your credit card companies end - I purchase things all the time and they sometimes charge me in EURO or whatever else - but I have no issues.
If I were you, I'd do a hell of a lot more reading on the forums while you decide, because it doesn't sound like you've completely got your mind wrapped around all of it yet It takes time though....
bdemartino said:
I'm not sure why you're even messing with your phone if you're going to wait? Having root gives you the access to the system folders/files, but nothing else really...
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Click to collapse
I really only wanted to worry about rooting for two reasons.
First, I'd seen the lag issues being mentioned, and how I'd noticed it on my own phone. It's not *terrible*, but... it's there. So speeding things up with a lagfix was definitely something I wanted to worry about. I know I don't need to root to run Voodoo, but I was also concerned about having to worry about flashing a kernel onto the phone as opposed to just finding a simpler lagfix app; the ones I was seeing did require a rooted phone. I ended up not going with any of the other lagfixes as they just seemed less optimal than Voodoo, which is why I wanted to load that up.
The other big goal was to be able to tether (be it with cable or as a wifi hotspot), and I knew that depending on the app I went with, I might need to root. I ended up going with Wireless Tether, which does require a rooted phone.
That said, you're not wrong; if I found a wifi hotspotting app I liked that didn't require a root, I suppose I could take it off, but.... the tinkerer in me finally won out over that stick in the mud worried about warranties (see above). XD
bdemartino said:
EB16 2.2 is completely stable and (IMO) is far superior to our customized 2.1 release (minus the fact that since we're waiting for official 2.2 source to make an undervolted kernel yet, it's not as battery efficient as 2.1)
Either route you go, we have an installation that will take you back to 2.1-update1 as if you just pulled it out of the box. (so long as you cleared your sd card) so you're able to go back to stock and then update to US cellulars 2.2 when it releases (which will be slow and full of bloat, so why wait?)
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That's another thing I need to keep in mind, which makes me wonder if I shouldn't change my plans and just go ahead with EB16 2.2. With the wifi hotspotting I plan to do, I cringe just a bit at having even less battery efficiency, but since the plan is to cable it to the laptop for charging while I'm doing that, I don't think I need to worry about it.
However, I seem to recall reading somewhere in the EB16 2.2 thread that Voodoo wasn't working with it yet...? Am I just making that up and/or has that been fixed...? I'm almost positive there was a reason other than "US Cellular is releasing the official one 'soon' " that made me want to wait on the leaked version...
bdemartino said:
As far as your market issue, it sounds to me like the problem is on your credit card companies end - I purchase things all the time and they sometimes charge me in EURO or whatever else - but I have no issues.
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I suspect you're right--my bank has rather a lot of security protections in place, which has been annoying in the past, but I'm sure the first time it saves me from some financial disaster I'll finally say I'm glad they're there. XD
bdemartino said:
If I were you, I'd do a hell of a lot more reading on the forums while you decide, because it doesn't sound like you've completely got your mind wrapped around all of it yet It takes time though....
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Ouch, though I suppose the truth hurts. I suspect you're not wrong about that either though. but it's a lot to take in. I've never really worked with Linux, so I've got no base PC knowledge to draw from, and I still require a google/wikipedia visit for a lot of the terms thrown around here. XD
So yeah, if Voodoo works for EB16 2.2, maybe that should really be my next step. ....and by the looks of your guide, the next step after going to EB16 2.2 is to grab Voodoo, so I guess that answers that question. XD
I'll keep reading, but I think you're right, I'm starting to get a craving for Frozen Yogurt.
You are aware you have a 5GB data cap with USCC right? If you are planning on using tethering as your main internet source you could easily blow through that very quickly.
ChromWolf said:
I really only wanted to worry about rooting for two reasons.
First, I'd seen the lag issues being mentioned, and how I'd noticed it on my own phone. It's not *terrible*, but... it's there. So speeding things up with a lagfix was definitely something I wanted to worry about. I know I don't need to root to run Voodoo, but I was also concerned about having to worry about flashing a kernel onto the phone as opposed to just finding a simpler lagfix app; the ones I was seeing did require a rooted phone. I ended up not going with any of the other lagfixes as they just seemed less optimal than Voodoo, which is why I wanted to load that up.
The other big goal was to be able to tether (be it with cable or as a wifi hotspot), and I knew that depending on the app I went with, I might need to root. I ended up going with Wireless Tether, which does require a rooted phone.
That said, you're not wrong; if I found a wifi hotspotting app I liked that didn't require a root, I suppose I could take it off, but.... the tinkerer in me finally won out over that stick in the mud worried about warranties (see above). XD
That's another thing I need to keep in mind, which makes me wonder if I shouldn't change my plans and just go ahead with EB16 2.2. With the wifi hotspotting I plan to do, I cringe just a bit at having even less battery efficiency, but since the plan is to cable it to the laptop for charging while I'm doing that, I don't think I need to worry about it.
However, I seem to recall reading somewhere in the EB16 2.2 thread that Voodoo wasn't working with it yet...? Am I just making that up and/or has that been fixed...? I'm almost positive there was a reason other than "US Cellular is releasing the official one 'soon' " that made me want to wait on the leaked version...
I suspect you're right--my bank has rather a lot of security protections in place, which has been annoying in the past, but I'm sure the first time it saves me from some financial disaster I'll finally say I'm glad they're there. XD
Ouch, though I suppose the truth hurts. I suspect you're not wrong about that either though. but it's a lot to take in. I've never really worked with Linux, so I've got no base PC knowledge to draw from, and I still require a google/wikipedia visit for a lot of the terms thrown around here. XD
So yeah, if Voodoo works for EB16 2.2, maybe that should really be my next step. ....and by the looks of your guide, the next step after going to EB16 2.2 is to grab Voodoo, so I guess that answers that question. XD
I'll keep reading, but I think you're right, I'm starting to get a craving for Frozen Yogurt.
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As far as I know, you need to have root in order to flash anything through recovery, so you would need it to flash the voodoo kernel. Root seems more scary than it should, it does indeed "void" your warranty (if you were to turn the phone in with it still rooted) but the scarier stuff comes when you go to flash things, because that is where you can really mess your phone up if you're not careful.
As far as your knowledge, I come from the same background - 0 experience with linux. After about a month of reading and researching and actually looking into the .apk/.jar file types I was pleased to see that it was very similar to a PC. In fact, if you actually decompile the files it's mostly XML and Java script, packaged within the .jar/.apk file types.
I hope I didn't offend you with that comment, I just want to stress the importance of having an understanding of all of this before attempting any of it - as it seems people jump right into flashing as soon as they register on the forum - then come running when things don't work - so those comments are really more directed at the community in general.
And lastly, pay attention to what Akellar said in the previous post - as if you go over your limit they may look into "why" and see that you've been wirelessly tethering and may charge you for that service. We have had one guy admit that he did this and lucky for him the agent he spoke to was kind enough to cut the overage in half after he showed him the MOD's he did, lol - we all may not be so lucky so just be careful. 3G Watchdog is perfect for monitoring that.
bdemartino said:
As far as your knowledge, I come from the same background - 0 experience with linux. After about a month of reading and researching and actually looking into the .apk/.jar file types I was pleased to see that it was very similar to a PC. In fact, if you actually decompile the files it's mostly XML and Java script, packaged within the .jar/.apk file types.
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Not that I've messed around with JavaScript or XML much... XD I was into the more web-based languages (if one could argue that's the primary use for those two) when it was... HTML3-4? I kinda got out of it, and never really kept up with playing with it. I'm sure I could work with the syntax and figure it out (eventually, LOL).
bdemartino said:
I hope I didn't offend you with that comment, I just want to stress the importance of having an understanding of all of this before attempting any of it - as it seems people jump right into flashing as soon as they register on the forum - then come running when things don't work - so those comments are really more directed at the community in general.
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I'm applying aloe to my pride. ROFL XD But seriously, I happen to show a brief glimmer of wisdom and read the forum rules, which mentioned that users that speak different primary languages post to this forum, and that it's generally a good idea to take what's posted with a grain of salt since that's the case. I know we're both from the midwest, but it was still a good thing to remember. And like I say, you're not wrong, currently page 14/35 of the Froyo leak thread. XD
akellar said:
You are aware you have a 5GB data cap with USCC right? If you are planning on using tethering as your main internet source you could easily blow through that very quickly.
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I can't help but have a small part of me think it's foolish to not be worried about it, but.... I've had an aircard with Verizon for 2 years now, and another of the big reasons my girlfriend and I wanted to get smartphones is so we could eliminate that bill entirely by being able to tether one way or another. I bring it to work every day as my internet while I'm here, and when we travel to Wisconsin or Illinois to see our respective families, it's my internet when I'm actually on my laptop there as well (more IL than WI, Dad is tech savvy and has his wifi setup). In the two years I've had the aircard, I've only ever piqued 2 GB of usage (heck, most of the time I can keep it just under 1 GB) was for a major World of Warcraft content patch *after* we'd left for Illinois, and then streaming Blizzcon while in WI when Dad's wireless was having issues.
Apart from that, we've got a local carrier's 25 MB download cable internet at home, so while it does get usage a fair amount of the time as far as hours of the day and days of the week, I'd still call the cable my "primary". I try and limit the youtubing and such to while I'm at home because, at least while I was using the aircard, it loaded too slowly anyway (bad reception in the building here).
That said, I'll still be trying 3G Watchdog, if for no other reason than I have no idea how having a phone with a data plan will change that dynamic.
Alrighty, back to reading the Froyo leak thread for me. Still looking for where Voodoo got okay'd for the Froyo leak, and maybe a link to the version that includes CWM pre-loaded. ;D
Sooo, I'm on page 26 of 32 of the Froyo EA11 leak thread, but I'm starting to actually wonder---*does* Voodoo work for this build yet? I mean, I see the [KERNEL] voodoo for eb11 fix release thread, but... it just sounds like it's not quite ready, or more to the point, not quite ready for a little nublet like me who's not looking to tweak, just run Froyo + Voodoo Lagfix as his lifeline phone...?
Also, what's the difference between EB11 and EB16? Just a build number of the versioning, kinda thing? What about the terms "AOSP" and "Showcase"?
Seems like you're right, I'm not quite ready to go flashing my phone until I know just which one I want to put on there, and whether or not Voodoo is supported yet. The guide says it is, but I haven't yet caught a post in the EB11 thread that says "okay guys, Voodoo kernel is now supported" or whatnot. Just got done reading through the thread, and it just suddenly switches over to people saying Voodoo works now. ...am I missing some conversation, like from the IRC channel or something? XD
ChromWolf said:
Sooo, I'm on page 26 of 32 of the Froyo EA11 leak thread, but I'm starting to actually wonder---*does* Voodoo work for this build yet? I mean, I see the [KERNEL] voodoo for eb11 fix release thread, but... it just sounds like it's not quite ready, or more to the point, not quite ready for a little nublet like me who's not looking to tweak, just run Froyo + Voodoo Lagfix as his lifeline phone...?
EB11 is for the Cell South Showcase and isn't what you want to use on your mesmerize. The EA11 voodoo works fine on EB16 for now. It will be updated to add a few more tweaks once the official release is out.
Also, what's the difference between EB11 and EB16? Just a build number of the versioning, kinda thing? What about the terms "AOSP" and "Showcase"?
See above for EB11 vs EB16. Also AOSP is Android's stock UI I believe. (someone will surely correct me if I'm wrong) THe Showcase is the Cell South version of the Mes.
Seems like you're right, I'm not quite ready to go flashing my phone until I know just which one I want to put on there, and whether or not Voodoo is supported yet. The guide says it is, but I haven't yet caught a post in the EB11 thread that says "okay guys, Voodoo kernel is now supported" or whatnot. Just got done reading through the thread, and it just suddenly switches over to people saying Voodoo works now. ...am I missing some conversation, like from the IRC channel or something? XD
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Again, nothing you read in the EB11 thread applies to the Mes.
Eb11 is the build for cellular south's Showcase, the same model of phone as the mesmerize. The difference is in the software, ea11 and/or eb16 is what you want for the mesmerize. Ignore that thread unless you have a showcase. voodoo for the mez works fine, just no sound control or color fixes as there is no official source code to work on.
as for the wireless hotspot... You have nothing to worry about unless you go over your 5 gig cap. I watch net flix on my laptop via the hot spot sometimes and I don't think ive even reached 4 gigs..on top of my typical usage
Sent from my SCH-I500
Akellar did a nice job answering your question, but I thought i would add that AOSP stands for Android Open Source Project, and as Akellar stated - it's the "stock android rom" meaning no other manufacturer changes to the software (such as touchwiz, etc.)
You should try the vanilla froyo its crazy fast!!! Because I got 2300 on quadrant!!!!
vicous707 said:
You should try the vanilla froyo its crazy fast!!! Because I got 2300 on quadrant!!!!
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Click to collapse
....first off i'ts Vanilla AOSP froyo , and we don't yet have a release for the mesmerize.
Hey so I have read a lot of the threads on rooting but I think (hope) mine is a bit original for you. I am one of those skittish goody-two-shoes type people who have a bad record of breaking their electronics. My family is updating their tmobile plan in August and I am planning on getting a lg g2x. It seems like a great phone that'll be able to keep up with the advancements of Android for a while. However I have heard the battery life is really bad (as it is for most androids) and that there are all of these great methods I could use (setCPU, Battery Calibration, etc.) and I can get rid of ads on my apps (adfree) and even use ROMs and Themes!! This sounds great EXCEPT all of the above requires rooting. So my question is, if I install Battery Calibration, setCPU, adfree, etc, while rooted and then just unroot, will they all still work??? Also, in the case that this is possible, if I have any problems with my phone and have to send it in for service, as long as it's unrooted I don't have to delete any of the apps to put it back under warranty do I? And (yes there's more) can I continuously root/unroot as I please in order to change themes and ROMs and even updating the android system once my phone is out of date (though I hope I'm not obsolete within 2 yrs) and no longer gets updates from my phone company? I know superoneclick is supposed to be really easy but as I don't have the phone yet I was wondering how fast it actually is as well.
Thanks for all of your help!!
Hmm....lots of questions young one, well 1st of all by rooting it technically voids the warranty, and yes for the programs to work properly you will need to keep it rooted because some off them actually need root access to tweak the device.
Sent from my mind
scarlet_fire said:
Hey so I have read a lot of the threads on rooting but I think (hope) mine is a bit original for you. I am one of those skittish goody-two-shoes type people who have a bad record of breaking their electronics. My family is updating their tmobile plan in August and I am planning on getting a lg g2x. It seems like a great phone that'll be able to keep up with the advancements of Android for a while. However I have heard the battery life is really bad (as it is for most androids) and that there are all of these great methods I could use (setCPU, Battery Calibration, etc.) and I can get rid of ads on my apps (adfree) and even use ROMs and Themes!! This sounds great EXCEPT all of the above requires rooting. So my question is, if I install Battery Calibration, setCPU, adfree, etc, while rooted and then just unroot, will they all still work??? Also, in the case that this is possible, if I have any problems with my phone and have to send it in for service, as long as it's unrooted I don't have to delete any of the apps to put it back under warranty do I? And (yes there's more) can I continuously root/unroot as I please in order to change themes and ROMs and even updating the android system once my phone is out of date (though I hope I'm not obsolete within 2 yrs) and no longer gets updates from my phone company? I know superoneclick is supposed to be really easy but as I don't have the phone yet I was wondering how fast it actually is as well.
Thanks for all of your help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. If you install the root required apps, root, then unroot, they will stop working. Once an app requires root and your phone is not rooted, even if it was before but it's not now, they will not work.
2. There are many one click root apps. e.g. z4root and universal androot.
3. You will have to unroot and remove the root required apps to put it back under warranty. I say this because if you leave them, then your provider will know that you must have rooted your phone to put them on it in the first place. (It would be like sending an Iphone for servicing to AT&T with Cydia installed. They will know that you jailbroke it.
4 Superoneclick does work fast. It may take up to five minutes (depends on your phone model), but remember what I said in #2. Good luck.
I have the T959v android phone, which I found out is a bit more complicated than my Samsung Vibrant.
I am running the gingerbread kernel after using Kies.
I have finally successfully flashed the T959v using Heimdoll following this guide. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21953878&postcount=2
Super User has been installed using SuperOneClick.
After struggling with it and reading on some sites it's possible and some sites it's not possible, I've come to the conclusion that Rom Manager is not a good idea to use, to install a Rom on my particular phone.
I want to install this Rom here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1402966
However I reviewed the instructions and found I was lost on some parts.
I know how to get to recovery mode (with the phone turned off, hold down volume up and down and the power button)
However, here's where I get lost:
6. Perform Voodoo -> Disable Lagfix.
I do not have this option, likely because I'm missing voodoo or some sort of app. I've tried googling this and figuring out what it is, but I don't even know what a CWM is.
I haven't tried (since I'm atleast smart enough to review information before I start following them, lest I get myself stuck somewhere and unable to back out of). However I believe I can get as far as Step 5.
Unfortuantely I can't get any further.
The only apps I have installed (besides the annoying bloatware on the phone) are the ones I listed above.
This is my first time flashing a phone or doing any of the above, previously my friend did it for me.
So I apologize for whatever Incompetence I may have, however if you can simplify instructions I'm pretty good at following them.
The hard part is that I don't know how to do a lot of the instructions.
Is there a video? Perhaps a guide with pictures that includes all the software I need and how to install that software?
I'm sorry for the questions, I hope someone can help. This has been a long and frustrating process but I'm determined to finish it.
Thank you in advance.
Ah also this: "Must have pre-installed kernel with clockwork recovery!"
I cannot do this because when I try and use clockwork recovery it says it cannot support my phone.
It gives me a list of 4 devices, none of which are my phone.
Then I click on "My device is not listed" and it states the T959v is not supported.
I'm really sorry for all the questions.
Not only does this app look nice, and sound nice due to hardware acceleration. Above all it gets rid of that bloatware crap from T-mobile.
I look forward to giving this app a try.
Hello my friend i know how excited you are when it come's to flashing, installing, removing apps on your phone, but before you do any harm to your phone maybe
consider reading this http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_4G before going further. it save's you a lot of time and headache plus you can avoid
flaming from other people here. and also try to use the search bar just i case you have further question's..
I advice you to take some time to read first on what do you want to your phone before doing anything.. don't be in a hurry we have tons of great roms in here..
Do not use clockwork manager...it is not for this device!
If you have super user ur rooted and good to go ...i would suggest you play around with the gingerbread roms for a spell before going to icecream sandwich roms,just so you get a feel for flashing on this device.....i too came from the vibrant and dearly miss it.
This phone is far from a vibrant but is coming along.
Feel free to pm me.....I may be a bit slow on replies since I'm working 7/12's 3rd shift.
Thank you both so much for your replies.
Warren I am checking that link out right now. Thanks
Shortbus, I miss my Vibrant too.
Technically speaking my Vibrant is still usable, but ever since I dropped it and cracked the screen it seems to have drastically slowed down (and the screen is annoying with all the cracks too).
Sad day for me.
I still want to try and get that Rom I had posted above working, as I doubt I'll move to another rom anytime after that. But I'll try and learn more about it using the link you gave me Warren. It'll probably take me several days ~_~
Shortbus I may email you with questions I come across from time to time if that's ok
Squeezitgirdle said:
Thank you both so much for your replies.
Warren I am checking that link out right now. Thanks
Shortbus, I miss my Vibrant too.
Technically speaking my Vibrant is still usable, but ever since I dropped it and cracked the screen it seems to have drastically slowed down (and the screen is annoying with all the cracks too).
Sad day for me.
I still want to try and get that Rom I had posted above working, as I doubt I'll move to another rom anytime after that. But I'll try and learn more about it using the link you gave me Warren. It'll probably take me several days ~_~
Shortbus I may email you with questions I come across from time to time if that's ok
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to install Valhalla Final - read the guide in the first link of my signature and begin where applicable.
I don't mind.
Flashing roms on this device is easy once you realize its not the vibrant lol.
Like the vibrant....this thing is near impossible to brick,....just a lil bit more complicated than the vib.....till you get to understand it.
lumin30 said:
If you want to install Valhalla Final - read the guide in the first link of my signature and begin where applicable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, so I should switch to Froyo instead of Gingerbread from the looks of it.
I'll get right on that I'm going to try following your guide now
edit: I saw that you switched to Gingerbread, jumped too far ahead of myself.
I'm getting pretty far along in the guide, I'm now at the part where I am about to install the rom.
I love that you guys respond so quickly too.
In the process of using Heimdall I ran into so many issues but was (slowly) able to work through them and figure them out.
It's nice to know I can come here if I have a quick question.
I'm not much help with heimdall....I use gremlin remover,its a one click Odin program....serves the same purpose....to bring you to a rooted stock state.
Hi all,
Just bought a tablet off amazon not too long ago, Kingpad K70 (tabletexpress is the company), and I have been trying to find a way to root it. I have tried the various methods like Chainfire, Towelroot, and others, but still unable to. It is running kitkat 4.4.4, says model number is as KINGPAD K70. Any insight or assistance would be great! I also have stock .img file from company, as version on website did not work.
Thanks all,
angrynapkinz said:
Hi all,
Just bought a tablet off amazon not too long ago, Kingpad K70 (tabletexpress is the company), and I have been trying to find a way to root it. I have tried the various methods like Chainfire, Towelroot, and others, but still unable to. It is running kitkat 4.4.4, says model number is as KINGPAD K70. Any insight or assistance would be great! I also have stock .img file from company, as version on website did not work.
Thanks all,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try rooting with the following android apps.
Root Master
z4root
Universal Androot
Easy rooting toolkit
Framaroot
Thanks for your quick reply!
I tried all of the .apk files with no success so far but soon I will try the last one and update!
Well tried last one (root toolkit) on two different computers, both just waiting for device, Windows 8 had some compatibility issues, and my desktop, windows 7 automatically reinstalls the driver, and won't allow me to update to ADB device oddly.
Any insights?
Thanks
Same problem
I got the k70 with the rk3128 and NEED TO ROOT as well. I asked the customer service people at tabletexpress, and they weren't much help. I bought it off of amazon, and the title said it was compatible with 3d games... and the lie detector test determined, THAT WAS A LIE !!! no real racing, no dead trigger, no fast and furious, no temple run of any kind. I was lied to. The tablet is a POS to me, but could be better if I could root it. I googled til my brain was all googled out and found NOTHING. So now my only option it to complain and bother people here, amazon, and the customer service at TabletExpress for selling me such a POS tablet:good:
Forgot to update! Use kingo root, took a while but worked, and then I just installed rom toolbox and deleted kingos bs. Still don't like their Android edit, so if you find a workaround for cfw let me know!
angrynapkinz said:
Forgot to update! Use kingo root, took a while but worked, and then I just installed rom toolbox and deleted kingos bs. Still don't like their Android edit, so if you find a workaround for cfw let me know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
updated: okay, I downloaded kingoroot on my computer. I hooked it up. Had the usb debugging on. wifi is on. I had it recognize the tablet once and it gave me the options to unroot and reroot. I chose reroot. it failed. So im trying to go again, but this time to unroot, then root, however i cannot get it to connect anymore, it keeps saying the tablet is offline! So im pretty sure im missin somethin here.... its sayin its offline, and i read that im supposed to "tick always allow from this computer" to avoid this problem. where would i find this prompt? how do i get to it? also, its not rooted[i checked with root checker] i dunno why it gave me the options unroot/reroot
SUCCESS!!
harlowneedstoroot said:
updated: okay, I downloaded kingoroot on my computer. I hooked it up. Had the usb debugging on. wifi is on. I had it recognize the tablet once and it gave me the options to unroot and reroot. I chose reroot. it failed. So im trying to go again, but this time to unroot, then root, however i cannot get it to connect anymore, it keeps saying the tablet is offline! So im pretty sure im missin somethin here.... its sayin its offline, and i read that im supposed to "tick always allow from this computer" to avoid this problem. where would i find this prompt? how do i get to it? also, its not rooted[i checked with root checker] i dunno why it gave me the options unroot/reroot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:good::good: for you. I got around the "offline" thing by deleting the kingoroot app off the tablet, then proceeding normally. I did the unroot, but it failed, however it did remove some stuff that made my first reroot fail. So after I unrooted and failed. I rebooted the tablet, deleted the kingoroot app again, and proceeded to reroot. This time the reroot worked!! thank you angrynapkinz:good::good: hey, one more question, what apps to you recommend for this tablet. maybe something for the battery and the overheating. I also couldnt figure out how to play 3d games on it without it crashing
Try China Devices
is cwf custom firmware? Im not that experienced with flashing new ROMs, and it seems that most people here are about the brand name stuff. I was googling cfw's and found nothing except for this forum website that "specializes" in chinese tablets like the kingpad/dragontouch (pretty sure theyre all the same) i think the webmaster makes cfw's or if he doesn't, he'll find out. Thanks again for the root help:good:
Hey harlow, yea I meant custom firmware, the KitKat that they have loaded is obviously rooted previously, you'll notice the more you use it. I installed xposed installer and root browser's etc on it for battery monitoring and all, malwarebytes keeps picking up malware loaded into the tablet and every time I delete. It's reinstalled upon reboot so that's why I'm trying to figure out rom reflashing/cfw options. Still trying to figure out what to add and what not though so take your pick and let me know also what seems to work. I went search and found its been mix and match from forums.
angrynapkinz said:
Hey harlow, yea I meant custom firmware, the KitKat that they have loaded is obviously rooted previously, you'll notice the more you use it. I installed xposed installer and root browser's etc on it for battery monitoring and all, malwarebytes keeps picking up malware loaded into the tablet and every time I delete. It's reinstalled upon reboot so that's why I'm trying to figure out rom reflashing/cfw options. Still trying to figure out what to add and what not though so take your pick and let me know also what seems to work. I went search and found its been mix and match from forums.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah the kitKat they got on there is no comparison to the OG one on my cheap ass LG L70. I did malwarebytes and avast and found nothing on it so i guess im lucky. Im using Nova Launcher because it looks nicer and functions better. And theres this thing in the Google Play store called Root Booster. idk if you heard of it but you can set your tablet onto one of three modes: Speed, Battery, and Stock. Im on Speed right now, and it boosted the RAM about 50mbs. (I still cant play real racing on it tho) Have you taken the back off yet??? I cant figure it out!! I wanna replace the battery with something with bigger nuts... The stock one is garbage. I can squeeze about 5 hours out of it. Maybe ill glue on some heat sinks onto the chips, it gets really hot when im netflixin. So ill keep an eye out for the cfws. Have you tried reflashing with the stock one they got on tabletexpress? i havnt tried that, but maybe it wont have malware on it?
Yea it sucks, haven't found an alternative yet and still trying to figure this thing out. I had to flash one they emailed me cause the site one didn't work previously. The malware is like coudw.a or cloudsservice.apk every reboot, and also having a constant 115b up and download. No I haven't tried any games yet, or tried to open it up but I might do that, as I'm getting about the same battery wise.
angrynapkinz said:
Yea it sucks, haven't found an alternative yet and still trying to figure this thing out. I had to flash one they emailed me cause the site one didn't work previously. The malware is like coudw.a or cloudsservice.apk every reboot, and also having a constant 115b up and download. No I haven't tried any games yet, or tried to open it up but I might do that, as I'm getting about the same battery wise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the tablet would work good as a playstation or rom player. I have yet to put my playstation games on it and also connect a ps3 controller to it. busy with differential equations and maplestory... I found a battery on aliexpress with about double the capacity. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/The-...ery-For-7-8-9-inch-tablet-PC/32213974542.html ...idk if itll fit tho. its a little thicker and longer on one side.... if it dont fit... ill make it fit > also, another app to boost the RAM is SmartBooster. I got a little over 200mb ram. yeah, ill update you when i find out other tips and shjt
Need PC/windoze to root.
"Root Android without PC," an info app on GP, indicates that phones/tablets with a kernel newer than 1/3/2014 can't be rooted w/o a PC. Framaroot doesn't work, it also fingers Kingo as possible solution. Kingo itself indicates that it's best for phones. I hate Windoze, but here goes.....
(Weeks ago, I saw something about invoking Linux instead--maybe it was a dream: Perhaps some of my brain cells exploded--no doubt due to "sprinting" cups at keg parties and then passing out long ago!)
I'm rating this thread a 3--still somewhat murky, without clear procedure to solution.
Thread is dead.
From rbrband57. This endeavor seems dead.
I still believe that replacing software/firmware is the key to getting the K70 to run better--the hardware likely is pretty good. I've been able to disable PRC bloatware, via some helpful cleanup software from GP. I'd like to uninstall. The loader at cold boot takes forever--I'd like to crucify that.
I'll reinstall kingoroot yet again, but I still don't know how to proceed further. Root confirm software says then rooted, but can't get SuperSu on--which might indicate true root, after all. Still not much info online.
My experience with rooting in the past was with a cheapo Icecream Polaroid 4.3" screen device from Big Lots: Full step-by-step procedure in one site, etc. Put a valid, new, upgraded .apk ROM on. Nothing can help the underpowered much, though--single core, 1GHz, perhaps, and 512MB sys mem.. GP worked sporadically afterwards--not really very well. Sold it to a guy in CA for his kid's Xmas last year.
Thanks for trying--Amazon no longer offers--K77, instead. Probably pretty much identical--hated, as well.
Okay, I know I don't post much in XDA, but I do read a LOT of threads!
The reason I am posting this is because I am wondering if anybody achieved root on this phone.
I have tried KingRoot, KingoRoot, OneClickRoot, none of those work.
It is running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.
I am about to screw around with ADB, see what I can do. I'll post back when I have got something.
Sorry if I posted this in the wrong section, I don't post much on XDA.
any luck?
I've tried every root method available without the PC and nothing. But, there maybe good news. In developers options there's a switch to unlock the bootloader. Now I'm no dev but I hope this makes cwm or tarp easy for devs to port and root.
I found https://mobile.twitter.com/srsroot/status/810325782417592325?lang=en srsroot claims it supports ZTE Z833. I've used srsroot once before but on another phone I have no PC so I can't test it but someone should test Cydia impactor see if it works.
RE: comments
kotarou1 said:
I found https://mobile.twitter.com/srsroot/status/810325782417592325?lang=en srsroot claims it supports ZTE Z833. I've used srsroot once before but on another phone I have no PC so I can't test it but someone should test Cydia impactor see if it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I too saw that twitter SRSRoot business and tried it thinking, "Oh joy!" no, not working. Tried it every way you could (yes Kingo, KingRoot, vRoot, iRoot, FramaRoot, uRoot, & we-all_Root (the last two were jokes don't be so serious, nor was it a complete list of what I did actually try, ha!) too). I even wrote the people at SRSRoot telling them that it didn't work and have gone back to download their latest versions, still nada, zip, zero. FML on toast!
2. Cydia Impactor is not for Android devices, it is only for iOS. I went and double-checked just to make sure I wasn't trippin' thinking that maybe they have gone cross-platform. No, they have not.
3. I have the phone in question, I submitted a formal request on here in the best way I could find to get it added to the XDA devices list and I have been eagerly monitoring awaiting the day it happens. I was even considering trying to compile TWRP myself, but I just bought a different phone because I was tired of the headache. I couldn't figure out how to extract the zImage from it in order to give it a go (I think that's what it was). Anyways, I'm writing this before finishing reading the rest of the posts and may be rambling, but I had to respond. I have spent much time doing this. I ended up buying a different MetroPCS phone called the Samsung Galaxy On5 and was able to successfully root it and after much waiting finally got ahold of the Superstarz ROM that finally went out for that one. Just an FYI in case someone happens to see this before making the purchase. I will say that I feel like the ZTE Avid Trio Z833 has pretty good response time for such a cheap phone, then again they had a deal on it in the store, it looked to be more expensive at retail pricing. Anyhow, I digress, but felt the need to contribute rather than just lurk.
Oh, and another thing... The development option to OEM Unlock is "checkable", but as for actually booting to the bootloader it WILL NOT DO IT. The only way this is gonna happen to be rootable is if you use a custom recovery (which none exist yet) in a tar format and ODIN the friggin thing from download mode. So, there's your catch 22. If anyone knows how to extract the zImage and whatnot (without root obviously) I'd be more apt to give it a go and boot my happy bunghole into Linux and give compiling TWRP another go. I finally have had a lot of life stresses temporarily die down since I decided not to leave my current living situation and just stay with these irritating bastards another month at a higher rate. FML & Cheers!: good:
I should mention, however, that SRSRoot attempted to use it's "Exploit 8." So, I went digging into it's directories to see what the script was, but it was binary (and I didn't have reverse-engineering **** handy like PE-ID, and whatever else the kids are using in this newer age). So, I was like "wah-wah", but if any experienced ppl know more about the specific exploits that aren't ancient and actually working with Marshmallow that would be interesting to hear feedback about as well. Thanks. I really would like to use this second phone still, but right now I'm just using it as a Kodi/Megabox HD + AllCast Projector to watch streaming things without having to interrupt my working phone in the middle of it. It would also be cool to use as a straight VOIP phone with no cell service connected, but I've yet to find the free Google Voice VOIP loophole that is currently working. PM me if you know of these
P.P.S. I wrote another spicy post on hardr3set dot info about what crap I felt about their B.S. (weaksauce compared to anything legit which we all know you come to XDA for the meat-and-potatoes) because I was so tired of searching the Goog for root ZTE Avid Trio Z833 and having it be the top result over and over. Finally this has risen up. Thank you for starting this. Oh, and also, please... If you would kindly also request for this device to be added formally, maybe it would encourage development. Not sure how all that works, but yeah... power in numbers right?
Sincerely,
~Ye of little faith
Bump
are you telling me that faults advertising runs ramped all over the internet even Google play store and this is the nondoing phone ever made and it can't be jailbroke nor rooted
Rooting your zte device
Can not be done. This phone is an unfortunate accident by ZTE with numerous problems and they are not small issues but ones that affect the performance of the device. Replace that phone or your only adding to your daily stress.
That kingroot and oneclickroot don't work
For this phone
a
Guessing this is a dead issue? It's an okay phone but lags horribly when it comes to multi tasking
Hey I don't want the root thing to die on this topic. So would it be possible to root via ADB update in recovery mode? Or to somehow update via SD card and applying root? I refuse to give up hope on this device lol
Anyone made progress on this? I just got this phone and it definitely has some issues, but I feel like root would resolve most of them.
Has anyone figured out a way to root this device?
I've searched for a long time without success. I hope something comes up.
Any progress on this? Thanks
following, bought one this morning hoping to have a cheap rootable phone.
I got mine from MetroPCS for $29. lol Yes, it's frustrating and has got problems (I've already put two of them through my dashboard and had to replace them, within the first 2 months, but it only cost 30buck so WTH. Anyways, I decided after I destroyed #2 that I was only going to use it for work and add no apps to it, except maybe GasBuddy and Winamp. Other than that, it's stock and I haven't had any real problems with it to speak of (problems aggravating enough to make me want to destroy it yet again).
So my suggestion to anyone who owns this phone, or is thinking about owning one: Don't install any more than a couple small apps, add a 32GB uSD card for music and other stuff, and use the thing as a phone and a media player only. The camera is pretty much worthless for quality photos, so there's really no other use for it. But it makes a great txting, voice calling, and music playing phone!
Of course, if you end up paying more than $30 for it, you probably paid too much. But it sure is a pretty nice phone for 30 buck!
Yes. root it please
I have a Z833. The phone only lags apps that are over 100mb I'll have test this out agin
I have ordered one of these phones for $20 should be here by Monday. When it arrives I'll be able to confirm if its bootloader is unlocked or not. In the meantime here is the firehose and support files (rawprogram0.xml and patch0.xml) as well as the MetroPCS B16 firmware to be flashed with QFIL or MiFlash. This will allow people to recover their device and hopefully if the bootloader isn't locked flash custom images.
Support files
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397898033
V1.0.0 B16 Firmware
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397898034