Voiding waranty...... - General Questions and Answers

All of us who have rooted and flashed ROMs to our phones will have seen and read disclaimers stating that we risk voiding our waranty if we go any further. Do you think this is fair bearing in mind that these custom ROMs are based on the same open source code that the phone manufacturers use in their stock ROMs?.
Do you think that Google and the phone manufacturers should work more closely with the 'unofficial' devs in order to get 'official approval' for the clearly superior custom ROMs?........
Do you think that phone manufacturers should take things a step further and supply rooted phones (on request)......
or even supply 'ROMless' phones where the end user can apply their ROM of choice......
or should things remain the way they are?......
what do you think?.........
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

keithross39 said:
All of us who have rooted and flashed ROMs to our phones will have seen and read disclaimers stating that we risk voiding our warantees if we go any further. Do you think this is fair bearing in mind that these custom ROMs are based on the same open source code that the phone manufacturers use in their stock ROMs?.
Do you think that Google and the phone manufacturers should work more closely with the 'unofficial' devs in order to get 'official approval' for the clearly superior custom ROMs?........
Do you think that phone manufacturers should take things a step further and supply rooted phones (on request)......
or even supply 'ROMless' phones where the end user can apply their ROM of choice......
or should things remain the way they are?......
what do you think?.........
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...
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Click to collapse
On 99% of these phones you can just flash stock RUU or flash stock Odin + reset flash counter and it's as if you never rooted anyways.

Lol...yeah I know that.....but my question is about manufacturers stopping all this stupidity over 'voiding waranty' and accepting that end users don't necessarily WANT to be stuck with a 'stock' ROM, and 'officially' giving them the option to choose for themselves......
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

keithross39 said:
Lol...yeah I know that.....but my question is about manufacturers stopping all this stupidity over 'voiding warantee' and accepting that end users don't necessarily WANT to be stuck with a 'stock' ROM, and 'officially' giving them the option to choose for themselves......
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...
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Well look at it from their point of view, you can easily brick a Samsung phone by flashing the wrong thing in Odin. Remember that leaked kernel that was bricking people's N7000? Samsung was honoring RMAs I think and even helping the dev community find the bug!
But there are higher brick rates with rooting or flashing insecure kernels. Even on the HD2 when we had HSPL, if you flashed a radio ending in .51 on the tmobile unit, bam instant brick.
Same with the iPhone 3GS, if you flash the iPad baseband on a later than week 34 of 2011 model to carrier unlock, bam your NOR chip is fried and you have no radio.
How about doing an OTA over a custom ROM? HTC devices get bricked that way, all that wrong hboot version garbage.
Sure, custom ROMs are built from an open source kernel, but that kernel is often modified, and just because the new modified kernel has a source repo, does mean it is safe to flash? Hell, the N7000 ICS ROM is "open source" but if I flash it on a I717 guess what you get? Paperweight.
My opinion is (and I think Samsung operates this way), if the rooting is NOT the cause of your problems, they honor RMA, if rooting caused the problem, they have a right to deny.

Yeah I understand that there are risks involved in rooting and flashing the wrong software etc....this is why I suggested that Google, the manufacturers and devs *could* work more closely together....one way of doing this could be that all parties jointly set up and run/monitor a website where one page is reserved specifically for each make/model of phone where the software links for upgrading that specific phone are contained only on that specific page....I think that'd be workable....what about you?
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

keithross39 said:
Yeah I understand that there are risks involved in rooting and flashing the wrong software etc....this is why I suggested that Google, the manufacturers and devs *could* work more closely together....one way of doing this could be that all parties jointly set up and run/monitor a website where one page is reserved specifically for each make/model of phone where the software links for upgrading that specific phone are contained only on that specific page....I think that'd be workable....what about you?
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...
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No, because you will still have idiots flashing things they shouldn't be, just like on this site. It very clearly says in the HD2 forum NOT to flash a .51 radio on a tmobile unit, and you still get these threads "HELP I FLASHED 2.08.51 RADIO AND NOW MY PHONE WON'T TURJN ON"
You can't coordinate against stupidity.

orangekid said:
No, because you will still have idiots flashing things they shouldn't be,
You can't coordinate against stupidity.
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Lol.....yeah ur always gonna get the occasional idiot, some people just can't be helped.....but the website I described would keep these mishaps to the absolute minimum....you'd go to the page specific to your phone and if the link wasn't there you couldn't flash it......
Google has the infrastructure to build the website....
The manufacturers have the relevant info about their phones...
And the devs have the upgrades......
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

keithross39 said:
Lol.....yeah ur always gonna get the occasional idiot, some people just can't be helped.....but the website I described would keep these mishaps to the absolute minimum....you'd go to the page specific to your phone and if the link wasn't there you couldn't flash it......
Google has the infrastructure to build the website....
The manufacturers have the relevant info about their phones...
And the devs have the upgrades......
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...
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Honestly the website you describe is this forum.
Is there anything that this website would have that XDA lacks?

There's no doubting that this website (XDA) is a fantastic resource.....but speaking from my (limited) experience it seems to lack *some* continuity....my case as an example....I wanted to flash cwm to my phone...I was having trouble finding the resources I needed....in the end I asked for help....which I was given....my point is...up until that moment, the resources I needed weren't grouped together on one page...they were spread across the website....as a noob, I could quite easily have selected the wrong download and permanently FUBARed my phone....
That's what I'd like this theoretical website to provide...all the resources needed to upgrade a specific make/model of phone grouped together on one single page.....
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

keithross39 said:
There's no doubting that this website (XDA) is a fantastic resource.....but speaking from my (limited) experience it seems to lack *some* continuity....my case as an example....I wanted to flash cwm to my phone...I was having trouble finding the resources I needed....in the end I asked for help....which I was given....my point is...up until that moment, the resources I needed weren't grouped together on one page...they were spread across the website....as a noob, I could quite easily have selected the wrong download and permanently FUBARed my phone....
That's what I'd like this theoretical website to provide...all the resources needed to upgrade a specific make/model of phone grouped together on one single page.....
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...
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With a million phones and a million carriers and a million recoveries I don't see how you could possibly do that on a single page.

orangekid said:
With a million phones and a million carriers and a million recoveries I don't see how you could possibly do that on a single page.
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Yes...I agree...it's a potentially massive undertaking....but the Infrastructure, resources and info are already available.....
It's not like Android is a 'niche' market, over the last year or so, it's seen some massive growth....as we go into the future, there are going to be more and more users who aren't going to be satisfied with just the 'stock' experience....so unlocking a phones potential is going to be seen as way more mainstream and high profile than it currently is....everybody needs to realise this before it becomes a real issue...where you have your 'average joe or june' with their phones fresh out of the box...trying to unlock and upgrade....and getting it disastrously wrong. There are users with varying levels of tech savvy out there....those of us here on XDA are probably more tech savvy than most....there are going to be users who haven't heard of XDA....or if they have, they've decided it's just another 'geeky' forum (no offence intended). Some of those users are going to see what other peoples phones are really capable of and think to themselves 'i want my phone to be able to do that'. It's not unreasonable to suggest that the numbers of these erm 'tech challenged' users are very soon going to be larger than the tech savvy users and that as a result, unless a user friendly resource is made available, a great deal more phones...through no fault of their own....are going to end up bricked. You may say that's nobody's fault but the end user.....I would say that I agree to some extent....BUT....partial responsibility HAS to be shouldered by Google and the manufacturers too....after all Google made the code 'open source' and the manufacturers ran with it. So as I suggested in my OP, they should shoulder some responsibility to a) help ensure things don't go wrong In the first place and b) provide support if they do.......
Bottom line......Google and the manufacturers helped create the situation by building this capability into the OS and phones, it's just a cop out to hide behind waranty statements after the fact........
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

You don't realize that us users who root and flash custom **** make up less that. 1% of the market share of Android users.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

I didn't know that it was as low as that....but I've a feeling that this will change...in a big way...
Consider the mess that Samsung made of rolling out ICS, what if that happens with future releases of OS upgrades....when you combine that possibility with the ever increasing numbers of Android users....a lot of who are not going to accept that sort of delay...it's fair to say that more and more users are going to seek an alternative option.....even with that aside, with more people buying Android phones, more people are going to be prepared to risk unofficially upgrading, as a result of this, more 'general' Android users are going to see modified phones and think that they'd like to have a phone as capable as their friends.....so yes, the percentage at the moment probably is that small, but it has the capacity to snowball exponentially to a very large percentage.....it may take time, but imo, it will go that way......
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

As the hardware gets better and better there's less of a reason to root. Back during the donut/froyo days you had to flash ROMs but these days on quad core jellybean there's no real reason other than us freaks...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app

Don't forget about the phones that are left behind and forgotten about by their manufacturers....I'm using a galaxy W, and if I hadn't rooted and flashed CM9, I'd still be running stock gingerbread.....as it is, there's a very real possibility that I could end up running jellybean in a few weeks......that in itself is reason enough to root.....and I'm sure i'm not the only Android phone owner who finds themselves in this unenviable position.....
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

Lol....And then there's the original reason I decided to root....getting rid of all the pre installed c**p that was clogging up my phone when I brought it.....I mean...t blox and millionaire city and hang man....really?...lol
Another reason I rooted was to gain some control over the permissions that my apps were requesting.....LBE privacy guard allows this.....as long as I am rooted.....bit of a no brainer really......
Sent from my CM9 Android powered (iOS beating) Galaxy W, using XDA-Developers App...

Related

Don't buy samsung

Samsung is a manufacturer which is having the most market shares currently.But, their customer aftermarket support is the worst.
As all of us know, the Galaxy line of devices are so successful today for having a sales of up to millions.The reason for this is from the start of the Galaxy S.It is their flagship phone in 2010, with a sales of about 20 million globally. Now, Samsung have made a decision not to upgrade the Galaxy S to the newset Android 4.0. Source: http://www.samsungtomorrow.com/2043
Translated English page by Sammobile : http://www.sammobile.com/2011/12/22/official-no-android-4-0-for-galaxy-s-and-galaxy-tab/
Is it a hardware issue?No, it is because they just don't want to upgrade it and wants people to buy their new phones so they can make more money.And even Sony Ericsson done soooo much better than them. They decided to upgrade their whole 2011 Xperia line of devices, even including the 150$ Xperia Mini.
Yes i know that the Galaxy S is an old device, which already exceeded the 18 months of software update. But well, what happens to its other brother? The Galaxy S Super Clear LCD i9003 which launched about the same time as the Galaxy S2, and the Galaxy S Plus which have not even exceeded 6 months,and the recently Galaxy W,what would happen to them?And also, the Galaxy S have so much similarities to the Nexus S, which had its Ice Cream Sandwich update about 1 week ago.
It is a BIG SHAME that Samsung would make this decision, as these devices are still in the 18 months software update timeline. Is the Google's Android Update Alliance dead? Most of us would probably say yes. If Samsung are not gonna rethink this and release the new update for the Galaxy S phones, I would be sure that this is my first and last Samsung phone ever.Samsung is just caring its sales of new devices and its money.My next phone would be only from Google, the Nexus line.
I'm guessing u have a galaxy s? All companies are like that all they care about is money. Why give it to the old phone when they can Just make a new one and give it to that one and make double or triple the money. Just because their greedy didn't mean its a bad phone. Just saying. Funny thing is I have an HTC
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium
These companies are venomous, I'm going to get an n9 even if its a dying breed
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
The best part about this post is the last sentence. The Nexus is made by Samsung buddy...
LMAO he doesn't know that Google phones are still made by Samsung (cue the Galaxy Nexus)
Sent from my GT-S5830 using XDA App
ODD PHONE ERA Reply
boss man Kole said:
I'm guessing u have a galaxy s? All companies are like that all they care about is money. Why give it to the old phone when they can Just make a new one and give it to that one and make double or triple the money. Just because their greedy didn't mean its a bad phone. Just saying. Funny thing is I have an HTC
Sent from my Inspire 4G using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The market is just a joke now - the devices are all junk really. Everybody can get one now because they're free on contract, and that has totally killed the value of a "smartphone", even if we can get them cheaper now. For this reason, there's no need to cry over spilled milk. I had an HTC Diamond from 2009 up until this year, when it wasn't worth it to repair because the market screwed itself so badly. I (sadly) carry around a Samsung Epic (the superior of all the Galaxy S series), but it'll never be able to replace the magic of Windows Mobile that our quickly moving market/retarded Microsoft has frowned upon.
- 2B
Motorola is the worse when it comes to upgrade
and with their locked bootloader you can't even load custom ROMs
HTC is heading the same way as Moto
If you want updates then next time just get a nexus device next time your available for an upgrade or get a crapple iPhone!! ;p
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium
If you are whining about updates why don't you flash a custom rom? Or get a nexus? Oh wait....
Sent from my E10i using XDA App
people who care about receiving the latest update would be on forums like this - by extension you will have dabbled with custom roms.
samsung gave their reason why they couldn't put ICS on the older devices - it involves touchwiz, which is their core skin - samsung aren't going to ditch it for their non nexus devices anytime soon (otherwise every android handset would really be "the same as the next").
load a custom rom with no skins onto your phone and stop complaining, or buy a new device. nobody guaranteed you any updates to the latest firmware - and hell, i wouldn't be surprised if the galaxy s 2 won't receive an update to android letter "J" because the screen resolution is too small or something.
Stop whining and get a new device. I was once a Galaxy S user, and have been through the Eclair, Froyo and Gingerbread era. I am more than satisfied to have this phone supported until Gingerbread. Besides, I can flash the ported ICS rom if I want to.
Wiggy Fuzz said:
people who care about receiving the latest update would be on forums like this - by extension you will have dabbled with custom roms.
samsung gave their reason why they couldn't put ICS on the older devices - it involves touchwiz, which is their core skin - samsung aren't going to ditch it for their non nexus devices anytime soon (otherwise every android handset would really be "the same as the next").
load a custom rom with no skins onto your phone and stop complaining, or buy a new device. nobody guaranteed you any updates to the latest firmware - and hell, i wouldn't be surprised if the galaxy s 2 won't receive an update to android letter "J" because the screen resolution is too small or something.
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Click to collapse
Spot on! Most of the average consumer don't give a damn about what android version they are using, the manufacturer skin and other stuff about that. As long as the phone is works just nice, then they don't care about the versions they are using. I even saw phones (Xperia X8) still stuck at 2.1 and yet the phone works just fine. Did the phone render unusable for not having 4.0? No right? If those guys (especially techies) still whine about manufacturers not giving updates or some sort why don't they flash a custom rom? Problem Solved.
Bro!
This is ****ing XD-****ing-A!
root your phone and flash the ****!
You're pissed off at a company for not putting out OTAs of upgrades?
We're talking about Android here, the OS that I love, that i die for. What are we talking about, Android? We're talking about Android! What are we talking about, Android?
This is XDA homez!
root your phone and flash ICS!
How in the name of Zeus did you go 4 days with a stock ROM on ANY Samsung device? How the **** did you not void your warranty the second you unboxed your phone??
In ALL of the time you spent putting together this very eloquent and moving post, you could have rooted your phone and flashed a custom ROM.
Just wait for CM8 on EVERY device, don't worry about it, you're getting bent out of shape.
Can old S even handle 4.0 hardware wise? How much ram does 4.0 need to run comfortably?
Also, OP, you've clearly NEVER really been a phone enthusiast, have you? Go look up OMNIA HD, for example. People still used and more or less loved it despite how little support it got even from the community.
Skv012a said:
Can old S even handle 4.0 hardware wise? How much ram does 4.0 need to run comfortably?
Also, OP, you've clearly NEVER really been a phone enthusiast, have you? Go look up OMNIA HD, for example. People still used and more or less loved it despite how little support it got even from the community.
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Click to collapse
yeah dude, ICS uses like so much less resources then even Sense 1.0, you could probably flash it on a motorola startac
orangekid said:
Bro!
This is ****ing XD-****ing-A!
root your phone and flash the ****!
You're pissed off at a company for not putting out OTAs of upgrades?
We're talking about Android here, the OS that I love, that i die for. What are we talking about, Android? We're talking about Android! What are we talking about, Android?
This is XDA homez!
root your phone and flash ICS!
How in the name of Zeus did you go 4 days with a stock ROM on ANY Samsung device? How the **** did you not void your warranty the second you unboxed your phone??
In ALL of the time you spent putting together this very eloquent and moving post, you could have rooted your phone and flashed a custom ROM.
Just wait for CM9 on EVERY device, don't worry about it, you're getting bent out of shape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fixed. XD
It is just amusing to see that non-android techies just whine about (Insert phone manufacturer here) not giving updates to (Insert phone of the manufacturer). And OP even rant in a forum called XDA.... Head-------->Wall
What? Did the phone rendered unusable for not having 4.0? Well, you can get a freaking Nexus... and Problem Solved.
BTW Sammy is one of the most dev-friendly manufacturers out there. They tried to make everything open source, having an open bootloader and even gave SGS2s to CM7 developers. They hired Steve Kondik (The guy who worked on the popular CyanogenMod Rom) too. Unlike HTC which locks down bootloaders on their devices and lied about it about the bootloader unlock thingy.
---------- Post added at 02:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:32 AM ----------
orangekid said:
yeah dude, ICS uses like so much less resources then even Sense 1.0, you could probably flash it on a motorola startac
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I lol'd at this.
rocker529 said:
My next phone would be only from Google, the Nexus line.
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You do realize that last two Nexus phones were made by Samsung, right?
AnyMal said:
You do realize that last two Nexus phones were made by Samsung, right?
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Click to collapse
Unless OP wants to get a Nexus One which won't be updated to ICS officially....
sooyong94 said:
Fixed. XD
It is just amusing to see that non-android techies just whine about (Insert phone manufacturer here) not giving updates to (Insert phone of the manufacturer). And OP even rant in a forum called XDA.... Head-------->Wall
What? Did the phone rendered unusable for not having 4.0? Well, you can get a freaking Nexus... and Problem Solved.
BTW Sammy is one of the most dev-friendly manufacturers out there. They tried to make everything open source, having an open bootloader and even gave SGS2s to CM7 developers. They hired Steve Kondik (The guy who worked on the popular CyanogenMod Rom) too. Unlike HTC which locks down bootloaders on their devices and lied about it about the bootloader unlock thingy.
---------- Post added at 02:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:32 AM ----------
I lol'd at this.
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lol thx for the fix, was laughing my ass off at Jim Rome and slipped the 8 instead of 9
Just get nexus end of story.

When will we get our first ICS based ROM

I really want some ICS love! Anyone know any thing about any ROMs based off of ICS or.... even better.... CM9? I am new to this rooting thing so...
Wow. Just search through all the topics in the skyrocket forum and you'll find your answer
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
This is like some kind of Platonic Ideal of a post here.
But, I'm pretty sure they're going to release ICS at the big Samsung/AT&T/Google event tomorrow.
Savitt said:
I really want some ICS love! Anyone know any thing about any ROMs based off of ICS or.... even better.... CM9? I am new to this rooting thing so...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before you ask a question, please search the forum first, therefore other members will not give you harsh answers.
If you are looking for answers to rooting your device, please go here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1383464
If you are searching for rom developments, please go here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1383
If you are searching for information on Ice Cream Sandwich, best luck is to search google or in the general section. There is NO certain release date of when ICS will be available, but there are rumors and some information that states it will be in Q1 of 2012.
Good luck to you.
Please press "Thanks" if I have helped you in anyway.
What event? Do you have a link. ?
I think he's referring to the CES 2012 event on January 9th.
Oh thats not tomarrow lol tomarrow is the 5th . Darn i was hoping there was some att/sammy event tomarrow.
Phoneguy589 said:
I think he's referring to the CES 2012 event on January 9th.
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Indeed. That is the only upcoming event that I am aware of.
I wasn't...LOL. I can't afford to buy another phone. I just pre-ordered the Transformer Prime so I'm out of money...so my wife says.
silver03wrx said:
Oh thats not tomarrow lol tomarrow is the 5th . Darn i was hoping there was some att/sammy event tomarrow.
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Click to collapse
Haha me too my friend l lol the hope jumped up through my body!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
No, I was being mean. There's not event tomorrow and ICS is but a distant dream. Enjoy your device now and don't sweat the OS version number. ICS is not going to give much more over what you have now.
I'm sort of with the OP in wanting to know about any rom based on ICS. I've searched the forums and google to no avail. I'm seeing other devices getting a version of CM9, but nothing for the Skyrocket yet.
So, my question is this: Is anyone working on an ICS rom for the Skyrocket such as CM9? If I had the know-how I'd be all over that since we have such a great and powerful phone. I know AT&T and Samsung will eventually release ICS, but it'll never compare to the likes of CyanogenMod.
No no ones working on it. Why make a hacked up version. Thats not very functional. When our update is just around the corner. We will see ics, and mabye cm9 but.not until theres a leak for the skyrocket or the actuall update.
silver03wrx said:
No no ones working on it. Why make a hacked up version. Thats not very functional. When our update is just around the corner. We will see ics, and mabye cm9 but.not until theres a leak for the skyrocket or the actuall update.
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Click to collapse
Thanks. Like some others I'm an impatient type...especially after using ICS on my HTC Incredible. Can hardly wait to have it on my Skyrocket, but will sit quietly (maybe) and wait.
Not saying this to start a flamewar or anything but why are so many people with talent focusing on old roms and tweaks and not ICS? IMO this is what is hurting Android with better development etc, it seems like iOS hacking and tweeking seems to be more tight-knit and innovative, where Android seems to just have (almost) the same thing over and over again.
Now, I am not saying it is the same, there are obviously very difficult functions and programming that needs to be done, but I don't get why all efforts by everyone wouldn't be focused on ICS since it is what Android needs, a fresh new OS that could change the game.
Turbojugend said:
Not saying this to start a flamewar or anything but why are so many people with talent focusing on old roms and tweaks and not ICS? IMO this is what is hurting Android with better development etc, it seems like iOS hacking and tweeking seems to be more tight-knit and innovative, where Android seems to just have (almost) the same thing over and over again.
Now, I am not saying it is the same, there are obviously very difficult functions and programming that needs to be done, but I don't get why all efforts by everyone wouldn't be focused on ICS since it is what Android needs, a fresh new OS that could change the game.
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so you want us to randomly pull kernel source for ICS (linux kernel 3.0+) out of our ass?
samsung has not provided us with enough driver libraries/binary blobs that work properly with AOSP GB, let alone ICS.
the problem here is the manufacturers. they control the proprietary hardware/drivers we need to focus attention on something. we could hack something together, but it wouldnt be worth a crap, and by the time we got something working half decent, Official would be dropped on us with source and we would have to basically start fresh....
tl;dr: it is not worth the time it takes to try to hack something together until we have 'something' from samsung.
Pirateghost said:
so you want us to randomly pull kernel source for ICS (linux kernel 3.0+) out of our ass?
samsung has not provided us with enough driver libraries/binary blobs that work properly with AOSP GB, let alone ICS.
the problem here is the manufacturers. they control the proprietary hardware/drivers we need to focus attention on something. we could hack something together, but it wouldnt be worth a crap, and by the time we got something working half decent, Official would be dropped on us with source and we would have to basically start fresh....
tl;dr: it is not worth the time it takes to try to hack something together until we have 'something' from samsung.
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Exactly its not as simple as ics source code being out, you also need proper drivers for the hardware
Pirateghost said:
so you want us to randomly pull kernel source for ICS (linux kernel 3.0+) out of our ass?
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That answers a lot for me, like I said I am not too familiar coming from Iphone (day one, I just got a Samsung Galaxy S II LTE (Skyrocket))
So obviously you need the kernel to work with the OS, I didn't know they were not released.
draztikrhymez said:
....you also need proper drivers for the hardware
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Is it harder for phone hardware? Seems to be a lot of open source, or scene made drivers for, say video cards.
Turbojugend said:
That answers a lot for me, like I said I am not too familiar coming from Iphone (day one, I just got a Samsung Galaxy S II LTE (Skyrocket))
So obviously you need the kernel to work with the OS, I didn't know they were not released.
So what exactly is open about Android then? If you are at the mercy of the manufacture's to release the kernel, how is that open?
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Android itself is OPEN. you can go and build your very own version of 4.0 ICS right now from source code. there are very few phones you can STABLY and RELIABLY run it on though.
The NEXUS line of phones exists for a reason. they are untouched by carriers (verizon teabagged the Galaxy Nexus a little), and do not have some stupid overlay on them. they are developer devices in that it is the first phone to get android updates straight from google (no manufacturer interference required).
every other phone is tainted with a manufacturer's UI. Touchwiz on Samsung phones (galaxy nexus is a samsung but they provided the hardware not the software), Sense on HTC, 'non-blur' on Motorola, whatever Sony calls theirs...lol, LG, etc
on top of that tainted Android interface is a carrier branding or lockdown (doesnt apply to the entire world, but im only referring to US here)
so google releases new version of Android
manufacturers build phone, and customize android to fit their model (this is where android almost stops being OPEN)
carriers get a hold of the manufacturers build of android and tweak and modify it themselves (more than likely they just tell the manufacturers what they want), as you know they love to include bloat and lock it down from the user
you receive your android phone after it has gone through all those steps....long process huh? we dont get updates to newer versions as quickly because of that long process...and they would rather us buy new phones instead of improving perfectly good hardware.
Android is open in the sense that manufacturers can use it however they wish, within reason. it is not necessarily meant to be 'open' to the average end user, and manufacturers dont want you messing with the phone they built. its the reason XDA is what it is today, albeit with roots deep in WinMo hacking.
Hey Pirateghost Really great in-depth info with your permission I would like to add this info for noobs here.
Pirateghost said:
Android itself is OPEN. you can go and build your very own version of 4.0 ICS right now from source code. there are very few phones you can STABLY and RELIABLY run it on though.
The NEXUS line of phones exists for a reason. they are untouched by carriers (verizon teabagged the Galaxy Nexus a little), and do not have some stupid overlay on them. they are developer devices in that it is the first phone to get android updates straight from google (no manufacturer interference required).
every other phone is tainted with a manufacturer's UI. Touchwiz on Samsung phones (galaxy nexus is a samsung but they provided the hardware not the software), Sense on HTC, 'non-blur' on Motorola, whatever Sony calls theirs...lol, LG, etc
on top of that tainted Android interface is a carrier branding or lockdown (doesnt apply to the entire world, but im only referring to US here)
so google releases new version of Android
manufacturers build phone, and customize android to fit their model (this is where android almost stops being OPEN)
carriers get a hold of the manufacturers build of android and tweak and modify it themselves (more than likely they just tell the manufacturers what they want), as you know they love to include bloat and lock it down from the user
you receive your android phone after it has gone through all those steps....long process huh? we dont get updates to newer versions as quickly because of that long process...and they would rather us buy new phones instead of improving perfectly good hardware.
Android is open in the sense that manufacturers can use it however they wish, within reason. it is not necessarily meant to be 'open' to the average end user, and manufacturers dont want you messing with the phone they built. its the reason XDA is what it is today, albeit with roots deep in WinMo hacking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Let's tell HTC we want a REAL unlock!

Please read the following blog entry and consider what this could mean for you as an HTC user!
Join with toastcfh, cyaniarb and the many other HTC devs who have brought you all the customization's you know and love. Ask HTC to provide a solution for the current situation!
Please comment and share, spread the word so HTC will hear us and not force us to find another manufacturer we could possibly stand that offers a true unlock!
http://goo.gl/3T4NK
Essentially why my next phone will be a Samsung. Samsung is way more dev friendly. HTC absolutely f***ed the development on the vivid, even though its a top notch phone. They used to be king of the hill for devs, not anymore.
Sent from my HTC PH39100 using xda premium
Sony is the most dev friendly companie I ever saw. Unlock bootloader to all devices, from the beggining, rent devices for developement, release camera libs and such.
Felimenta97 said:
Sony is the most dev friendly companie I ever saw. Unlock bootloader to all devices, from the beggining, rent devices for developement, release camera libs and such.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After their multiple fiascos over the years with other products I won't trust them for a second... think "other OS" on the playstation. a feature they advertised and sold customers based on and then revoked in a later software update.
ve6rah said:
After their multiple fiascos over the years with other products I won't trust them for a second... think "other OS" on the playstation. a feature they advertised and sold customers based on and then revoked in a later software update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What fiascos? Their phones with single core while the rest was with dual core last year? Or their updates? The learned from 2010. They release ICS for ALL their devices, with a awesome software tweaks that made their devices could follow other dual core competitors. And the UI is not heavy like TouchWiz and Sense neither ugly.
For prices, they're not cheap, just like all of their devices, but they make it premium. And stop a little and take a look at the rumours for their next big phones, Hayabusa and Mint. They will blow away One X and SIII.
Sent from my X10 Mini Pro using Tapatalk
I listed one of the fiascos in the reply I made, I could add their rootkit fiasco on CDs a while back... or others.
They haven't screwed over android users yet, but their company has a long history of screwing people over on every other product they've made, I don't want to be involved when they decide to do it on a phone.
Felimenta97 said:
Sony is the most dev friendly companie I ever saw. Unlock bootloader to all devices, from the beggining, rent devices for developement, release camera libs and such.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plus sueing the guys who created the PS3 jailbreak (Geohot, failoverflow), going after another guy who contributed to running Other OS on updated PS3 devices (graf_chokolo).Oh and removing otheros in the first place.
Yeah, Sony sure are dev friendly.
Back on topic, i'm totally with this, S-OFF is a crappy solution.
cl8 said:
Plus sueing the guys who created the PS3 jailbreak (Geohot, failoverflow), going after another guy who contributed to running Other OS on updated PS3 devices (graf_chokolo).Oh and removing otheros in the first place.
Yeah, Sony sure are dev friendly.
Back on topic, i'm totally with this, S-OFF is a crappy solution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may have said it wrong. Sony is very dev friendly on Android. Better now?
Felimenta97 said:
I may have said it wrong. Sony is very dev friendly on Android. Better now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't know, i own a HTC phone, hence why i posted in this thread.
slapshot30 said:
Essentially why my next phone will be a Samsung. Samsung is way more dev friendly. HTC absolutely f***ed the development on the vivid, even though its a top notch phone. They used to be king of the hill for devs, not anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. Only with Evo 3D. I'm done with HTC.
Back to topic, yes the whole idea of s-off seems like a common place term, however, this is only because the manufacturer is creating road blocks and locks that keep us from doing what we want. Security and locks make sense, but for the user who understands the risks but simply wants to create custom distributions or simply upgrade firmware on their own schedule there should be a solution with understanding.
Felimenta97 said:
I may have said it wrong. Sony is very dev friendly on Android. Better now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, this is still false. Sony killed off their own dev community. I don't recall exactly what device(s) it was, but I remember a HUGE fiasco involving them which resulted in tons and tons of devs deserting Sony.
imheroldman said:
Back to topic, yes the whole idea of s-off seems like a common place term, however, this is only because the manufacturer is creating road blocks and locks that keep us from doing what we want. Security and locks make sense, but for the user who understands the risks but simply wants to create custom distributions or simply upgrade firmware on their own schedule there should be a solution with understanding.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, security and locks like that do NOT make sense. Samsung SHIPS with unlocked bootloaders, and they don't seem to be having too many problems with it because they keep doing it. HTC makes you jump through hoops just to flash a recovery or kernel every time you want a new ROM.
slapshot30 said:
No, security and locks like that do NOT make sense. Samsung SHIPS with unlocked bootloaders, and they don't seem to be having too many problems with it because they keep doing it. HTC makes you jump through hoops just to flash a recovery or kernel every time you want a new ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not exactly familiar with other samsung devices but I know that the Galaxy Nexus you have to physically connect the phone in fastboot and enter an unlock command...
You think HTC phones are harder to unlock? Motorola's phones are the hardest sobs to be unlocked. If you go back a few years, you'll see that almost every motorola phone required a hardware box or a very specific and hard to find software to be unlocked.
Sent from my GT-S5360B using XDA
i have a s2 and everything is so easy to do. i still dont know what s-off is
acizcool said:
i have a s2 and everything is so easy to do. i still dont know what s-off is
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
S-off is security off. Samsung doesn't have any security on their device. This is why samsung phones are so easy to unlock.
HTC unlock is really horrible way of doing things. Because of the boot img which is basically the kernel is blocked as well. If you ever looked in the kernel and at source a lot of stuff that is actually useful to the power user is turned off in the stock kernel. Especially latest Linux kernel patches.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
s-off on a HTC device is very difficult? have not s-off my sensation XE yet. how difficult is it comparing to samsung device?

Question for Entropy, JT1134, Scotthart, RE: Exynos3 Source

I've been following, off and on, the struggle Entropy and other devs have been having with Samsung to ensure clearer documentation and accurate source files. It seems like Samsung may have opened up a little with their Insignal repositories. What I'd like to know - and haven't been able to discover - is if Samsung has already (or intends to) release the same for Exynos 3 (hummingbird). The source up on their regular opensource site is clearly not complete. Also, have Samsung opened up enough that Cyanogenmod will continue developing for Samsung devices?
I have a few reasons for asking. One is that I have another year on my contract with the Infuse and feel pretty annoyed that Gingerbread is as high as they'll go (my fault, but before this, I really had no concept of how primitive Gingerbread is). I'm happy that development has lived on here on xda, but I'd like to have a properly working camera. I don't think that's going to happen until Samsung open up.
The other reason is that, having read all Entropy has had to say on the matter, I won't buy another Samsung phone for me or family members until I know development can continue beyond AT&T and Samsung's arbitrary schedules.
Whizzpopper said:
I've been following, off and on, the struggle Entropy and other devs have been having with Samsung to ensure clearer documentation and accurate source files. It seems like Samsung may have opened up a little with their Insignal repositories. What I'd like to know - and haven't been able to discover - is if Samsung has already (or intends to) release the same for Exynos 3 (hummingbird). The source up on their regular opensource site is clearly not complete. Also, have Samsung opened up enough that Cyanogenmod will continue developing for Samsung devices?
I have a few reasons for asking. One is that I have another year on my contract with the Infuse and feel pretty annoyed that Gingerbread is as high as they'll go (my fault, but before this, I really had no concept of how primitive Gingerbread is). I'm happy that development has lived on here on xda, but I'd like to have a properly working camera. I don't think that's going to happen until Samsung open up.
The other reason is that, having read all Entropy has had to say on the matter, I won't buy another Samsung phone for me or family members until I know development can continue beyond AT&T and Samsung's arbitrary schedules.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You think samsungs bad...wait till you get an HTC lol they are even worse
Every manufacturer is bad with source unless its a nexus...if its not a mexus then they do the bare minimum
Anyways...I have no actually answer for your question...just felt like letting you know they are all bad...
Sent from my HTC Holiday using Tapatalk 2
mg2195 said:
You think samsungs bad...wait till you get an HTC lol they are even worse
Every manufacturer is bad with source unless its a nexus...if its not a mexus then they do the bare minimum
Anyways...I have no actually answer for your question...just felt like letting you know they are all bad...
Sent from my HTC Holiday using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know! Afterlife development is what Android has going for it over iOS (IMHO). I guess Moto, Samsung, HTC, etc - just like every freaking retailer in America - really want everyone to buy into iOS? Had I opted for an iPhone 3GS, I'd still be eligible to upgrade to iOS 6. & I would have been able to copy and paste a tracking number the day I booted up my phone! LOL! Now, do I want a walled garden to enclose all my other walled gardens? Or do I want a walled garden with a gate?
Whizzpopper said:
I've been following, off and on, the struggle Entropy and other devs have been having with Samsung to ensure clearer documentation and accurate source files. It seems like Samsung may have opened up a little with their Insignal repositories. What I'd like to know - and haven't been able to discover - is if Samsung has already (or intends to) release the same for Exynos 3 (hummingbird). The source up on their regular opensource site is clearly not complete. Also, have Samsung opened up enough that Cyanogenmod will continue developing for Samsung devices?
I have a few reasons for asking. One is that I have another year on my contract with the Infuse and feel pretty annoyed that Gingerbread is as high as they'll go (my fault, but before this, I really had no concept of how primitive Gingerbread is). I'm happy that development has lived on here on xda, but I'd like to have a properly working camera. I don't think that's going to happen until Samsung open up.
The other reason is that, having read all Entropy has had to say on the matter, I won't buy another Samsung phone for me or family members until I know development can continue beyond AT&T and Samsung's arbitrary schedules.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you looked at the JB Roms for the infuse? I'm loving The ParanoidAndroid port Scott's done.. I've also put the AOCP rom on there as well as an AOKP rom but I always go back to PA..
as soon as the infuse was in my hands I installed a JB Rom I never had to deal w/ Gingerbread or Froyo or even ICS.. I did the same for my captivate and my 2 Skyrocket 2's as well..
_oxygen_ said:
Have you looked at the JB Roms for the infuse? I'm loving The ParanoidAndroid port Scott's done.. I've also put the AOCP rom on there as well as an AOKP rom but I always go back to PA..
as soon as the infuse was in my hands I installed a JB Rom I never had to deal w/ Gingerbread or Froyo or even ICS.. I did the same for my captivate and my 2 Skyrocket 2's as well..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure why you ask. Yes, is the answer, but I don't know what that has to do with the topic. The camera doesn't work properly on JB and I don't think it will until either a) a developer with particular expertise in digital recording has time to spare or b) Samsung releases the source. I've tinkered enough with the source to know more or less what the main problem is, but where it is and how to solve it is well beyond me. There are other little problems too, but they may not be important in the long run.
I often wondered why Entropy called the Infuse, the Confuse. When I started rifling though the source, I found out: the Infuse is a Frankenphone.
I wasn't thinking of the video recording functionality w/ regards to the camera. Apart from that, it all works quite well for me. I haven't tried the 4.2 AOSP based ROMs so I don't know about the video recording functionality of that. I highly doubt Samsung is interested in furthering the development of the infuse as its getting pretty old.
_oxygen_
Sent from my SGH-I897 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Do samsung-free roms exist?

Just bought an S6 and if my past phones were any indication I will want to remove as much vendor android customization as possible.
I don't care about warranty and am happy to root/unlock/s-off/etc my phones.
How's development looking for the S6, has anyone produced a rom with the samsung stuff stripped out?
I don't need a ROM with gizmos, just the samsung stuff and preinstalled apps taken off.
They is a great topic , i was just talking to my coworkers from tmobile that im litterally gonna switch to the g3 or htc m8 because the development on here is so sad its driving crazy (yeah yeah, i know if i want a rom i should build it myself) well if i had the BRAINS that these developers have i would exploit my knowledge but because I dont have the knowledge then we can only depend on the developers...just imagine cm 12 running on a 64bit processor...jesus.... instant nerd boner... seriously... we need to use our phones full potential...if not then why the strong processsors for? Why all the specs... htc m8/moto X 2nd gen/Lg G3/nexus 5 (for that android M)
Any feedback? I feel like ppl are afriad to speak on this topic that they dont just so they dont get flamed... but someone has to stand up and bring it to attention...
Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
I agree. I would love to see some cm/aosp. I think about switching to another device that can run it every day
Yeah, I agree to. I'm waiting for CM or AOSP rom. I want imagine a pure stock on my phone...But I thing maybe it's difficult with Knox or Samsung bloadware to make different rom who can run on our phone. All we have actually are based on Samsung rom... So wait and see...
The s6 has the least amount of preinstaled apps ... and a lot of them you can remove ... why do you people even buy phones from Samsung if you need to change every little detail about it ... maybe the best advice is that you make your own phone at home ....
Sent from my SM-G920F using XDA Free mobile app
I don't see how stripping out most of the features and adding on a buggy CM software is "getting the full potential" of the phone.
A 64 bit processor vs 32 is negligible anyway, and Cm, really? That's like equipping Iron Man's suit with a ZX spectrum computer.
zdravkodubravec said:
The s6 has the least amount of preinstaled apps ... and a lot of them you can remove ... why do you people even buy phones from Samsung if you need to change every little detail about it ... maybe the best advice is that you make your own phone at home ....
Sent from my SM-G920F using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do i buy phones from samsung? Umm lets see it has the latest hardware, camera, processor, screen display.... that was a really dumb question...smh... vs one plus one or a moto x 2014... i wanna run cm on a 64 bit processor.
Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
OP, what you are looking for is called Android Open Source Project or AOSP for Short. AOSP is the Google's Android Source Code Repository. It has a code base for your phone's Processor (SoC). There are several Developers who utilize this Google Source to create Custom Roms with Features that are not available in Samsung's Touchwiz rom. You can review this list
for currently available Roms on your Device. Essentially what is called "Play Store Edition" of a device, is basically the same thing as regular Device but has AOSP Rom.
Unfortunately this thread is a duplicate of Does Exynos = no custom ROMs? So please carry on the Discussion over there,
Thread closed.

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