Hello
I have ZTE Blade 3, which is my first phone. I really love it because of the price and everything. I am still new to android, but I played a lot with virtual machines powered by android x86... and my question is: How can I get vanilla android 4.X to my ZTE Blade 3? The one I have is a little bit different from vanilla. On android, there should not be any file manager by default, no lock screen icons (MiEasyAccess), very poor calculator app compared to vanilla android 4, etc. Moreover, all the apps have different colors from vanilla android. Another most annoying thing I noticed is the launcher. It's not trebuchet (or whatever is the default one called) but some other launcher, which only offers sorting apps by name/date/... and has no other options.
More info: I didnt buy this phone from any carrier, but a retailer (mobile shop) and it could never be used before. First, I installed some apps and then did factory data reset. This version of android is modified in a very bad way.
I have some other questions:
What folders are exactly affected by factory data reset? Can I remove devices from Play Store or can I only hide them? (and if I hide it, will it ever appear again if I don't use it anymore? wtb the apps? I couldnt get remove them too)
Related
Why is Samsung Apps (the store) removed from custom ROMS, for instance, sky ICE? They offer some good apps sometimes, and also offer sale/discounts. Is there a way to install it back?
u can get all those apps from market. I think you're the first person I've seen who actually wants it.
You can extract the apks from stock image but you may lose the advanced integration since its been removed from the settings menu in sky ics.
You can also try mhx-superlite, which is stock and has the market still, but has a lot of other bloat removed
Ok thanks. Like I said, sometimes they offer good deals, last month they had Asphalt 6 free. Also, they have Voice talk (vlingo but customized) specifically for Galaxy 2, among other things.
I am on a Galaxy Note i717R (Rogers variant) and I am running the OnlyOne Update 3.5 ROM. Since rooting and ROM'ing my device it is no longer able to see and download the tablet specific apps that I used to be able to. Specifically, my Swiftkey X Tablet keyboard is no longer visible in the Play Store.
When I run this app in landscape mode it no longer shows the keyboard. I strongly suspect it's because this ROM has many elements taken from the GS3 including whatever unique Device ID that the Play Store uses to filter its app list.
Are my suspicions true? If so, how does one change this ID so that I can re-install my tablet specific applications?
Many thanks for your help!
I bought a smartphone off ebay to run with my budget sim-only contract, lovely spec on the face of it - Octacore 2GB RAM, 4.3 Android. I've done this before with a smartphone running 4.2 and had much fun. This time I'm rather stumped on a couple of issues.
I have already rooted this phone, and the real problem is that I can't access the hidden 'system' settings to change the default app 'play store' equivilant away from a chinese app, which opperates in 'chinese', would you believe?
This means I can't readily identify the tools that might help, prior to downloading them, and in anycase, although I haven't really pursued it to a great degree, it seems almost impossible to use the shopping cart of this app.
I've got as far as downloading the usual playstore app from Google.com, and it apparently loaded - but when attempting to use it (similarily with gmail) the app opens and closes within a second, although the settings say it is running.This means I'm stuck with poor bloatware and cant upgrade to match the units seeming sweet specs.
My google account says it recognises my device and some apps I've attempted to download have stated that they will be 'installed soon', but disappear into the ether.
The search default is also baidu in chinese, although I've installed an English browser.
Is there a ready solution that I'm missing?
Build Id = ALPS.JB3.MP.V1.37 - sorry can't put a link in yet, of course.
Google maps Engine..
Or to put it another way....Google maps engine has never worked ( my feeling is the system files are defaulted to a Chineses alternative) and I obviously cant work any app that involves GPS.
I've rooted this phone but cant find an app from china to let me play arround with system permissions.
I have to ask.....is this area considered 'dark' as I write, over 100 views and not a single coment.
Shoe-e said:
I bought a smartphone off ebay to run with my budget sim-only contract, lovely spec on the face of it - Octacore 2GB RAM, 4.3 Android. I've done this before with a smartphone running 4.2 and had much fun. This time I'm rather stumped on a couple of issues.
I have already rooted this phone, and the real problem is that I can't access the hidden 'system' settings to change the default app 'play store' equivilant away from a chinese app, which opperates in 'chinese', would you believe?
This means I can't readily identify the tools that might help, prior to downloading them, and in anycase, although I haven't really pursued it to a great degree, it seems almost impossible to use the shopping cart of this app.
I've got as far as downloading the usual playstore app from Google.com, and it apparently loaded - but when attempting to use it (similarily with gmail) the app opens and closes within a second, although the settings say it is running.This means I'm stuck with poor bloatware and cant upgrade to match the units seeming sweet specs.
My google account says it recognises my device and some apps I've attempted to download have stated that they will be 'installed soon', but disappear into the ether.
The search default is also baidu in chinese, although I've installed an English browser.
Is there a ready solution that I'm missing?
Build Id = ALPS.JB3.MP.V1.37 - sorry can't put a link in yet, of course.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi ... I'm a n00b when it comes to phone hacks but not technology so please don't dumb your answers down on account of me.
We bought two Tmobile Samsung Avants a cpl days ago (one to use and one as a spare) because the price was right and I'm leaving a WM device for Android. HOWEVER I don't like the idea that Google, who has no personal or business relationship with me, has access to all my personal information just because I'm using a phone they've branded. So I'm looking for an Android ROM that doesn't have Google tentacles in it.
I've been researching this since we got the phones but I'm not clear on what ROMS are avail for my phone ... it doesn't look like cyanogenmod has one (although they have one for my gf's old Exhibit T599!! ) - is there a repository, website or thread I haven't found that has a list of what's out there? am I stuck rooting the phone and MANUALLY removing everything? The phones have Kitkat installed.
I saw a youtube vid where they've ported Lollipop to the Avant - would that come de-Googled?
Do Android ROMs from Android come without a Google footprint? Some users have posted that Android as an independent company is not necessarily Google and their OS is NOT a Google product so my thoughts are you can have one without the other.
Any help / info is appreciated. thanks!
master-richie said:
Hi ... I'm a n00b when it comes to phone hacks but not technology so please don't dumb your answers down on account of me.
We bought two Tmobile Samsung Avants a cpl days ago (one to use and one as a spare) because the price was right and I'm leaving a WM device for Android. HOWEVER I don't like the idea that Google, who has no personal or business relationship with me, has access to all my personal information just because I'm using a phone they've branded. So I'm looking for an Android ROM that doesn't have Google tentacles in it.
I've been researching this since we got the phones but I'm not clear on what ROMS are avail for my phone ... it doesn't look like cyanogenmod has one (although they have one for my gf's old Exhibit T599!! ) - is there a repository, website or thread I haven't found that has a list of what's out there? am I stuck rooting the phone and MANUALLY removing everything? The phones have Kitkat installed.
I saw a youtube vid where they've ported Lollipop to the Avant - would that come de-Googled?
Do Android ROMs from Android come without a Google footprint? Some users have posted that Android as an independent company is not necessarily Google and their OS is NOT a Google product so my thoughts are you can have one without the other.
Any help / info is appreciated. thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a project that doesnt have google stuff but you lose alot. Like no app store and things like that. Also Android is a google project. Like WP is by microsoft.
No there is no site like you are looking for.
Android is not a company but an OS like IOS, Windows, Linux and such.
The issue is mainly that if your device is not widely used then there may not be anything available for it. You also need to find out if the bootloader is locked or not and if kernel source is available for the device.
Google doesnt brand phones persay. The android operating system is theirs.
master-richie said:
Hi ... I'm a n00b when it comes to phone hacks but not technology so please don't dumb your answers down on account of me.
We bought two Tmobile Samsung Avants a cpl days ago (one to use and one as a spare) because the price was right and I'm leaving a WM device for Android. HOWEVER I don't like the idea that Google, who has no personal or business relationship with me, has access to all my personal information just because I'm using a phone they've branded. So I'm looking for an Android ROM that doesn't have Google tentacles in it.
I've been researching this since we got the phones but I'm not clear on what ROMS are avail for my phone ... it doesn't look like cyanogenmod has one (although they have one for my gf's old Exhibit T599!! ) - is there a repository, website or thread I haven't found that has a list of what's out there? am I stuck rooting the phone and MANUALLY removing everything? The phones have Kitkat installed.
I saw a youtube vid where they've ported Lollipop to the Avant - would that come de-Googled?
Do Android ROMs from Android come without a Google footprint? Some users have posted that Android as an independent company is not necessarily Google and their OS is NOT a Google product so my thoughts are you can have one without the other.
Any help / info is appreciated. thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google has not shown itself to be a malicious company. Is it a little creepy that they know everything about you? Yes. Will it make your user experience better? Probably. When you flash a custom ROM it removes all of the Google apps but the Google apps are really useful. Play Store, Maps, Gmail (can store all your contacts so if you get a new phone you can just import them), etc. are all very useful in my opinion. I don't personally need Google Music for example so I deleted that. All of my music comes through Spotify and Bandcamp downloads. But I can't imagine my phone without the Play Store and Gmail. It would make the experience very annoying. Cyanogen Inc. is looking into pushing their ROMs on to retail Android phones so the phone would come with Cyanogenmod and have their own equivalent to GApps. But, that won't happen for a while. The best bet to get Google out of your hair is to root it and delete the apps you don't need, or use SlimRom.
Edit: Make sure your phone is the same model as the ones that SlimRom is created for.
dictatorkara said:
Google has not shown itself to be a malicious company. Is it a little creepy that they know everything about you? Yes. Will it make your user experience better? Probably. When you flash a custom ROM it removes all of the Google apps but the Google apps are really useful. Play Store, Maps, Gmail (can store all your contacts so if you get a new phone you can just import them), etc. are all very useful in my opinion. I don't personally need Google Music for example so I deleted that. All of my music comes through Spotify and Bandcamp downloads. But I can't imagine my phone without the Play Store and Gmail. It would make the experience very annoying. Cyanogen Inc. is looking into pushing their ROMs on to retail Android phones so the phone would come with Cyanogenmod and have their own equivalent to GApps. But, that won't happen for a while. The best bet to get Google out of your hair is to root it and delete the apps you don't need, or use SlimRom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not true. Even without gapps there are still many google base system files that are built into the system. There is only one Google-less project that is being worked on but they do have issues as the OS is not built to run without them. Even Slim Rom still use alot of googles stuff.
zelendel said:
This is not true. Even without gapps there are still many google base system files that are built into the system. There is only one Google-less project that is being worked on but they do have issues as the OS is not built to run without them. Even Slim Rom still use alot of googles stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't say you can completely de-Google an Android device. But, you can make it appear to be de-Googled, although the system files you mentioned will still be there. But you can completely opt out of Gmail and the like.
dictatorkara said:
I didn't say you can completely de-Google an Android device. But, you can make it appear to be de-Googled, although the system files you mentioned will still be there. But you can completely opt out of Gmail and the like.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to have an IT company not too long ago and I run a bunch of commercial grade servers in my house - My needs aren't the same as the typical phone user with respect to data redundancy, cloud computing, etc - I have that capability already. I pretty much use my phone to snap photos, internet browsing, texting, making calls and sometimes use the gps when driving. What I don't need is a copy of all my activity, contacts, calls, texts and browsing history stored on google servers to be sold or given to entities that I a. wouldn't consent to b. have no clue it's happening.
I don't really care if there is a Google footprint left in the phone, I just want to remove Google's ability to mine my personal data from my phone which also includes registering my device via a google+ account.
With respect to playstore, isn't Aptoid a suitable alternative?
What is SlimROM? where can I get more info on it? I saw the post you had linked to originally which prompted me to post my OP because I couldn't find any other info on it
master-richie said:
I used to have an IT company not too long ago and I run a bunch of commercial grade servers in my house - My needs aren't the same as the typical phone user with respect to data redundancy, cloud computing, etc - I have that capability already. I pretty much use my phone to snap photos, internet browsing, texting, making calls and sometimes use the gps when driving. What I don't need is a copy of all my activity, contacts, calls, texts and browsing history stored on google servers to be sold or given to entities that I a. wouldn't consent to b. have no clue it's happening.
I don't really care if there is a Google footprint left in the phone, I just want to remove Google's ability to mine my personal data from my phone which also includes registering my device via a google+ account.
With respect to playstore, isn't Aptoid a suitable alternative?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No Dont use that. They are all warez and are known for including data miners, Keyloggers and screen recorders.
Ill be honest. You picked the wrong OS for that then. GPS itself uses google software to connect to the satalites.
This is your best option
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1715375
Trying to convert this old tablet into an e-reader and was wondering if a custom lightweight ROM was a possibility. Does anyone have any ideas?
I'm also looking for any rom for this thing, surprised that nobody else has done anything with it since the device can be rooted.
Same also trying to turn it into an ereader
I have one. I'd love to get an Android 5 custom ROM for it since that's likely to be the best it could handle. Barring that, I'd like to root it and remove obsolete system apps (like hangouts, Google+ and other things Google has killed off) and install updated Play Store and other needed apps as system apps so they're permanent to survive restores.
What's especially needed is a file manager as a system app! First Android device I've seen that doesn't have one.