Is Lollipop Android 5.0 Overrated? No Xposed Framework? - Android General

I'm still sitting on 4.4.4 as I was waiting for some bugs to be squashed in Lollipop. Initially my thoughts about Lollipop were probably like most tech addicts, "newer is better." But in reading more in depth about the changes, I'm not impressed. So I pulled the trigger anyway on my LG Google Play Tablet (not my Nexus 5 phone.) And, I was not impressed at all.
- The notifications on the pull-down and lock screen are BUTT UGLY with the white background.
- No lockscreen widgets (which I use Widget Locker anyway, but still)
- No Xposed Framework compatibility (this one is a BIGGIE)
So I'm on the fence about upgrading my Nexus 5. Can someone tell me specifically what is so much better that it would justify overlooking these drawbacks (and other's I didn't mention) and upgrading now instead of waiting for a better version or at least until Xposed Framework supports ART?

jazee said:
I'm still sitting on 4.4.4 as I was waiting for some bugs to be squashed in Lollipop. Initially my thoughts about Lollipop were probably like most tech addicts, "newer is better." But in reading more in depth about the changes, I'm not impressed. So I pulled the trigger anyway on my LG Google Play Tablet (not my Nexus 5 phone.) And, I was not impressed at all.
- The notifications on the pull-down and lock screen are BUTT UGLY with the white background.
- No lockscreen widgets (which I use Widget Locker anyway, but still)
- No Xposed Framework compatibility (this one is a BIGGIE)
So I'm on the fence about upgrading my Nexus 5. Can someone tell me specifically what is so much better that it would justify overlooking these drawbacks (and other's I didn't mention) and upgrading now instead of waiting for a better version or at least until Xposed Framework supports ART?
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Only things that are better is more security loops fixed by google

I personally really like lollipop. It feels a lot more snappy than KitKat. Given that I know exposed framework issue is due to switch to art and the Dev can't find docs on it.

shinji257 said:
I personally really like lollipop. It feels a lot more snappy than KitKat. Given that I know exposed framework issue is due to switch to art and the Dev can't find docs on it.
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I'm curious what "more snappy" really means. Has anyone done any before/after timing comparisons to see how much faster it really is? Would it be any faster than going into Developer Options on 4.4.4 and turning ART on?

I said it feels more snappy as in visually. I think someone benchmarked between kitkat and lollipop on a device an found that lollipop actually ran a little slower in some spots. I think lollipop has only a couple of odd quirks. The biggest one being the lack of a sound toggle button in the notifications area.

Until Xposed works with ART, I cannot possibly upgrade. There are two things I like about Lollipop - 1) the notification pop ups and 2) the soft keys, which I can later customize with gestures. XPrivacy is the biggest deal for me, followed by APM+, App Settings and Secure Settings.

Related

Is Lollipop all it's cracked up to be?

Really don't understand what all the fuss is about re. the release of Lollipop. When looking at some of the options under "Settings", for example, there are some things that are missing that KitKat had. Selecting the font you wanted to use, for example. Seems like there are less options to control your phone.
Maybe there are some other things under the hood that make Lollipop better, but I'm not seeing it on the surface!
There are somewhat less options now but its a different look and feel. Folks get bored and need something new.
MaverickCoast said:
Really don't understand what all the fuss is about re. the release of Lollipop. When looking at some of the options under "Settings", for example, there are some things that are missing that KitKat had. Selecting the font you wanted to use, for example. Seems like there are less options to control your phone.
Maybe there are some other things under the hood that make Lollipop better, but I'm not seeing it on the surface!
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Click to collapse
Simple answer is no.
Loss of xposed framework support is huge too.
MaverickCoast said:
Really don't understand what all the fuss is about re. the release of Lollipop. When looking at some of the options under "Settings", for example, there are some things that are missing that KitKat had. Selecting the font you wanted to use, for example. Seems like there are less options to control your phone.
Maybe there are some other things under the hood that make Lollipop better, but I'm not seeing it on the surface!
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I'd have to agree that , no, there isn't anything magical about it really. I like the look, but something similar could easily be achieved with the proper themeing/ROM combo. The animations are nice, but I usually turn them off anyways. There may be some "under the hood" changes but nothing that will drastically change the user experience. Honestly, I think smartphones as a whole have hit a plateau. Minus some tweaks here and there, nothing really innovative has come along in some time. Perhaps the industry rushed towards advancement too fast. I think this is evidenced by the fact that how many pixels a manufacturer can cram into a screen, how awesome a selfie camera is and now animation styles have become selling points. Just my opinion though.
bjoostema said:
I'd have to agree that , no, there isn't anything magical about it really. I like the look, but something similar could easily be achieved with the proper themeing/ROM combo. The animations are nice, but I usually turn them off anyways. There may be some "under the hood" changes but nothing that will drastically change the user experience. Honestly, I think smartphones as a whole have hit a plateau. Minus some tweaks here and there, nothing really innovative has come along in some time. Perhaps the industry rushed towards advancement too fast. I think this is evidenced by the fact that how many pixels a manufacturer can cram into a screen, how awesome a selfie camera is and now animation styles have become selling points. Just my opinion though.
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Looks like the unlocked developer edition m8 getting the lollipop today.
Sent from my HTC6525LVW using XDA Premium HD app
Call me a cranky old man. I don't like Lollipop. Have it running on my Nexus 7 (FHD) and another device I'm testing. Just a few things I don't like:
1. Used to be easy to EITHER swipe for notifications OR quicksettings, now what used to be simple takes at least two-taps
2. The dialogue for which app to use is at the bottom of the screen and looks like it's "falling off" the screen instead of in the middle.
3. Really not happy about the need to decrypt on boot (for some devices). It's just too darn easy for someone with evil intent to completely wipe another person's device "just for a hoot."
4. I do not see a speed increase with ART that makes it worth losing Xposed Framework.
5. Material design does not require Lollipop; it's just window-dressing and styling.
That's just off the top of my head. Every couple of days have to put the test device down and return to my M8 for the look and feel I like.
Newer isn't always better.
hgoldner said:
Call me a cranky old man. I don't like Lollipop. Have it running on my Nexus 7 (FHD) and another device I'm testing. Just a few things I don't like:
1. Used to be easy to EITHER swipe for notifications OR quicksettings, now what used to be simple takes at least two-taps
2. The dialogue for which app to use is at the bottom of the screen and looks like it's "falling off" the screen instead of in the middle.
3. Really not happy about the need to decrypt on boot (for some devices). It's just too darn easy for someone with evil intent to completely wipe another person's device "just for a hoot."
4. I do not see a speed increase with ART that makes it worth losing Xposed Framework.
5. Material design does not require Lollipop; it's just window-dressing and styling.
That's just off the top of my head. Every couple of days have to put the test device down and return to my M8 for the look and feel I like.
Newer isn't always better.
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Specifically relating to your first point, I'm not sure what you mean. On Lollipop, you can pull down the notifications menu with a single finger or go straight to quick settings with 2 fingers. Just like Jellybean and KitKat. If you use the single finger swipe down to access notifications on Lollipop, you can simply swipe down again to access quick settings. On JB/KK, you had to tap a button to get to quick settings after pulling down the notification shade with 1 finger. Since the 2-finger gesture to go straight to quick settings still works in Lollipop, I'm really not sure I understand what's so inconvenient about how it's implemented vs JB & KK.
maxpower7 said:
Specifically relating to your first point, I'm not sure what you mean. On Lollipop, you can pull down the notifications menu with a single finger or go straight to quick settings with 2 fingers. Just like Jellybean and KitKat. If you use the single finger swipe down to access notifications on Lollipop, you can simply swipe down again to access quick settings. On JB/KK, you had to tap a button to get to quick settings after pulling down the notification shade with 1 finger. Since the 2-finger gesture to go straight to quick settings still works in Lollipop, I'm really not sure I understand what's so inconvenient about how it's implemented vs JB & KK.
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Sometimes the other three fingers are busy ?
One thing that kinda bugs me is that the notifications overlay the top part of the screen so if you are trying to type there (chrome) and someone is texting you like crazy it gets annoying quick.
maxpower7 said:
Specifically relating to your first point, I'm not sure what you mean. On Lollipop, you can pull down the notifications menu with a single finger or go straight to quick settings with 2 fingers. Just like Jellybean and KitKat. If you use the single finger swipe down to access notifications on Lollipop, you can simply swipe down again to access quick settings. On JB/KK, you had to tap a button to get to quick settings after pulling down the notification shade with 1 finger. Since the 2-finger gesture to go straight to quick settings still works in Lollipop, I'm really not sure I understand what's so inconvenient about how it's implemented vs JB & KK.
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Well smack me upside the head. Had no idea about the two-fingered pull down.....
My name is Harold and I'm a flashaholic.....
I think it's great. I'm running stock Lollipop (GPE), not the Fauxpop that just got released today for the international M8. KitKat is just the latest build of what started in 2011, about three and a half years ago. With Lollipop, we're living in 2015. It's really a lot of little things, though. ICS was, too, when it was new. The big changes came with Jellybean.
Regarding Xposed, none of the blame for that is on Lollipop. The Xposed developer had, I don't know, but I'm sure it was over a year, probably more, since ART came out, to get it working. He/They wanted to wait for the release of Lollipop to port it to ART. Now, having had all this time, it's all on them. But if Xposed was that good, and Xposed was open source, where's the community in porting it to ART on their behalf? Seems to me that not that many people even want Xposed. The supply follows the demand. Google isn't lifting the smallest finger to fight Xposed. They don't care. And apparently neither do the developers. Or maybe Lollipop's market share is too small. Last I heard, it was still under 0.1%.
Yeah, Lollipop's great. I might sooner go back to KitKat than switch to an iPhone, but vs switching to Windows Phone I might have to think about it. Realistically on my M8, I'm never going back to Android 4.x. It isn't worth considering. It's like, why would you go back to Windows XP? Sure, it was stable, but so is 7. So is 8.1. Hell, even the 10 tech preview is good enough for most people. Why would you go backwards? Or to put it another way, why would you make your phone all retro? Retro games are cool. Retro cars are cool. And retro music, or more precisely, classic rock, is cool. But personal computer operating software? Not just no but hell no. Give me the latest code I can safely and securely run.
Seriously... HTC One M8... On Verzion... Running the GPE... I have the best phone, on the best network, running the best software. I envy no phone... okay, the Nexus 6 just a little, but it's too big. M8's a little too big. I think the HTC vanity bar should have been at the top. Better thumb reach. But really, nobody's got it better.
no worries, lollipop will be great
Awwww - now that's just plain cruel! Share or shut up [emoji14]

Marshmallow/Sense 7 has AOSP quick toggles

So, I got a look at Marshmallow on the HTC One A9 (via a review, I didn't actually put my hands on one) and while it still has Sense-themed Settings, it has the AOSP-like Quick Toggles like you'd see on a Nexus/Moto phone. And Flashlight is a stock toggle.
Can't really say much more about it. It's still the same soft keys, but if you have root and an app like SoftKeyZ (paid) or a ROM like ViperOne, you can change them to whatever you like (I use the AOSP set). The video didn't show BlinkFeed, but the Prism/BlinkFeed launcher looks to be about the same.
Nice to see HTC getting closer and closer to AOSP, as long as they keep the features, like rearranging the toggles (which is in stock Marshmallow, but it's somewhat hidden, I think you long-press the settings gear above the quick toggles to enable it).
So here's hoping we actually get the update... they're still saying we're getting it, but they said we were getting 5.1 as well. If we do get it, the One M8 will have been a well supported phone, having used Android 4, Android 5, and Android 6 (even though Marshmallow was originally 5.2).
dragontology said:
So, I got a look at Marshmallow on the HTC One A9 (via a review, I didn't actually put my hands on one) and while it still has Sense-themed Settings, it has the AOSP-like Quick Toggles like you'd see on a Nexus/Moto phone. And Flashlight is a stock toggle.
Can't really say much more about it. It's still the same soft keys, but if you have root and an app like SoftKeyZ (paid) or a ROM like ViperOne, you can change them to whatever you like (I use the AOSP set). The video didn't show BlinkFeed, but the Prism/BlinkFeed launcher looks to be about the same.
Nice to see HTC getting closer and closer to AOSP, as long as they keep the features, like rearranging the toggles (which is in stock Marshmallow, but it's somewhat hidden, I think you long-press the settings gear above the quick toggles to enable it).
So here's hoping we actually get the update... they're still saying we're getting it, but they said we were getting 5.1 as well. If we do get it, the One M8 will have been a well supported phone, having used Android 4, Android 5, and Android 6 (even though Marshmallow was originally 5.2).
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No idea when it'll come but m8 M testing is about to begin, so its in the works.

Life after Xposed - what apps are you using?

Hey guys, I've been waiting patiently for xposed to hit N however it looks like we might never get it. I was wondering what apps/mods everyone has been using in the mean time - possibly ones that function much like a favorite module etc.
OTTOREIKU said:
Hey guys, I've been waiting patiently for xposed to hit N however it looks like we might never get it. I was wondering what apps/mods everyone has been using in the mean time - possibly ones that function much like a favorite module etc.
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I haven't been paying attention to exposed so I'm curious why we may never see it?
aholeinthewor1d said:
I haven't been paying attention to exposed so I'm curious why we may never see it?
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I don't know the ins and outs of the development but briefly looking through the threads for N support a good deal of people are saying we most likely won't get it. With the security changes it seems like it's become much harder and, keeping in mind I haven't used xposed for about 4 or 5 years, that support for 6.0 was unexpected.
With the new phone I figured a few power users came over, and without xposed found their tweaks elsewhere via other apps and mods.
I mainly used it for luxury things like changing the UI (system icons in statusbar, misc system settings, volume button music control, etc.), which can also be accomplished with the many ROMs we have. Other uses were tweaks to snapchat, instagram, etc., that were nice things to have but I'd much rather have a newer phone and newer OS than stick with something old just for that.
Generally though, many of the features I liked about using Xposed years ago are either implemented in stock Android and applications themselves now, or can have similar solutions with just root.
Well, I have just a few things I use Xposed for and here are my alternatives for N:
Battery % and center clock: https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel/themes/mods-nmf26q-internet-traffic-speed-t3529573
Navbar swap recents/back: <same thread as above>
Headphone volume warning disable: Not sure how it disappeared, but I think this mod did it: https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/themes/mod-enabling-dual-speaker-audio-playback-t3492257
Animation speed @ 0.75% (I believe this is the perfect speed, not too fast nor slow ): http://www.androidpolice.com/2016/1...-animation-speed-android-works-stock-devices/
Enable Google assistant: Oh wait.. the pixel already comes with it
Youtube block ADs: <no alternative found> If ya guys got any solution, please share!
Not a huge list, but that's enough customization for me.

Oreo vs Nougat

Guys whom have updated, is it any better?
Any key differences
after updating to OREO everything works fine for me.
nothing is missed.
big differences:
* newer security patch level and better battery performance
* (and if it should work: ) project treble
BTW:
dirty over vs. new installation = in most cases it seems to make no differences (my experience)
:good:
Better multitasking, smoother transitions, menus are changed a little bit but overall it looks almost the same as emui 7. There are a lot of under the hood improvements such as notification settings better memory management and battery life.
Visually it's different (because new Android version).
What I found is that the lockscreen notifications for audio and video players have a visual bug - the controls are slightly off to the right so the 'next' button goes over the thumbnail and is hard to see.
Definitely better battery life. Don't really care for the new System settings layout but who cares, you only use it rarely? Never use stock launchers, so again who cares? Other than that it is great.
Better battery life for me ! All is working great.
Thanks gents
Still on the beta 321 version (567 US version)...STILL WAITING
But, the 321 version for me is stable
Oreo has all better things compared to Nougat except custom rom and magisk as well as xposed. It has only root with SuperSU, not enough for me. Will come back to Oreo later if Xposed is compatible
lemonade747 said:
Oreo has all better things compared to Nougat except custom rom and magisk as well as xposed. It has only root with SuperSU, not enough for me. Will come back to Oreo later if Xposed is compatible
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you using xposed for may I ask.
I used to run magisk to get YouTube ad free and ad blocker but there are ways around that now
sutty86 said:
What are you using xposed for may I ask.
I used to run magisk to get YouTube ad free and ad blocker but there are ways around that now
Click to expand...
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I use xposed for many reasons as well as functions cuz no phone is perfect. And with xposed I can transform my phone to its hidden perfect mode lol It contains wide range of useful modules so it always make you feel interested in exploring and enjoying.
I am experiencing a few little issues that I am hoping will be addressed soon, though to be fair I think the problem is because of EMUI 8. Main problem is some of my widgets wont update. Oreo has some little features like app shortcuts which are cool but I wouldnt rush to upgrade.

Opinions on EMUI

I'm considering the M5 8.4 to replace my aging Nexus 7 (2013) and would like some feedback on the EMUI software experience.
Do you like the skin? Is it similar to stock Android?
Since there probably won't be many ROM options, how is Huawei's track record with updates?
Thanks,
Rick
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
There should be lots of ROM options shortly if not right away, since the device is Treble compatible as are other EMUI 8.0 devices.
For whatever it's worth:
I am running EMUI - but debloated with Nova installed (I couldn't imagine Android without Nova). I'm also not 100% sure what features are EMUI vs stock Oreo.
There's a "Launch" feature built in to EMUI that allows you to specify which apps are allowed to launch in the background, allowed to be launched by a secondary app, and allowed to run in the background. I like this feature, but if you don't bother setting preferences for each app, EMUI kills background apps somewhat aggressively.
EMUI lets you choose between a collapsible navbar (if rooted you can use Exposed Edge Pro instead), and/or a one-button navigation system using the fingerprint sensor - tap for 'back,' hold for 'home,' swipe for 'recents.' I am using the one-button system in conjunction with Edge Pro and to me it's pretty seamless (but I still have to work on not hitting the sensor by accident).
The dialer and SMS skins are fine. Stock DPI options are a bit high, but you can change via developer options (after every reboot). Stock camera app no longer works if you change the DPI, but you can always use opencamera (or change the DPI back).
The other day I had an issue with background music playback about 45 minutes into streaming music via an old version of eDJing premium. Issues stopped after I disabled Doze (via root app that I had set to run at boot). That's probably an Android issue?
Battery life for me is in line with what I have experienced with every similar phablet I have previously owned.
Anyways, all EMUI 8.0 devices share key things in common, so the dev community is larger than it seems.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. I also use Nova and will probably remove some of the reduny apps. I can see myself rooting and using Magisk.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
In my opinion the emui is not bad.
The personalization of Android that Huawei made is pretty clean.
However they obviusly add some bugs:
- adaptive icons do not works correctly: you can have only the circular one (even with Nova)
- the resolution of the display or the information that the apps get are really strange: some app starts always in landscape, no matter the actual orientation, other render the pages in strange ways when the tablet in turned fron landscape to portait, etc... Really really annoying
- battery optimization is too agressive and it is not (for me) completely clear how to tune it
- every time the launcher is updated, it switch back to its stock launcher, and i have to set the nova again as default (this can be done just in the default app in the settings). Probably this will happen also for other apps.
The hardware is solid and the battery life is good.
The position of the touch sensor and of the hardware buttons are not imho right and a big design failure.
If you keep the tablet in portrait with the touch button in the buttom: the hardware buttons are almost inaccessible unless you have a prehensile bellybutton ?
In landscape if you try to change the volume with the hardware button your finger will touch the touch button and the current app is "closed" (the tablet swith back to the home screen). This is a software feature (bug?) that i will like to change
Inviato dal mio CMR-AL09 utilizzando Tapatalk
Also the Mediapad is now listed as enterprise device. I'd be surprised if they'd stop with updates soon.
As for EMUI:
It's a mixed bag for me. There are 3 annoying bugs which most likely have their origin in EMUI:
- 2 fingers at the same time without instantly moving makes the tablet not recognize the input anymore. (there is a thread on xda about it)
The other 2 are about the keyboard accessory which is probably irrelevant for you (for everybody else):
- flipping the cover from front to back triggers a "refresh", black screen on netflix or a return from edit mode to view mode in xodo pdf
- EMUI always asks if I want to start desktop mode when a keyboard is connected, doesn't matter if you tick the "don't remind me again" checkbox
giovaorama said:
- adaptive icons do not works correctly: you can have only the circular one (even with Nova)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Squircle works for me. I think all work. I'm not sure they work how they should. Not that I care.
- the resolution of the display or the information that the apps get are really strange: some app starts always in landscape, no matter the actual orientation, other render the pages in strange ways when the tablet in turned fron landscape to portait, etc... Really really annoying
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This usually has to do with the apps, not EMUI. Install Rotation Control to force auto rotation across all apps.
battery optimization is too agressive and it is not (for me) completely clear how to tune it
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Click to collapse
This is probably the biggest issue with EMUI. But almost everything is tunable and with root/feedback from other EMUI users, I don't expect this to be a long term issue for anyone. (I started having issues playing music in the background without a charger plugged in - they fixed themselves last night and I'm not sure why. My preferred music player app was last updated in probably 2011, might or might not be a factor.)
every time the launcher is updated, it switch back to its stock launcher, and i have to set the nova again as default (this can be done just in the default app in the settings).
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Click to collapse
I can confirm that you do not have this issue as long as automatic updates are turned off. I have also seen a general improvement after uninstalling updates to Google Webview.
The one EMUI feature I like that I forgot to mention in my previous post, is Eye Comfort. It's a partial blue light filter that works better than any apps I've found on the Play Store.
Nope the adpative icons do not works, and this is something that you may corcern since this is one of the feature of Oreo and the app on oreo only gave icons to works as adpative. The circle one are just ugly.
Regarding the orietation, the same app works all correctly on my previous tablet and on all my other devices.
Root should not be required to solve implementation problem.
The sotck rom must be as much as posdible bug free.
For all this bug we should blame Huawei: have a look to the support fotum for nova launcher or chronus, just to understand the real situation.
As usual what it is important for someone count nothing for the others
Inviato dal mio CMR-AL09 utilizzando Tapatalk
Hi anyone on EMUI in the UK with the 10.8 Wifi version (CMR-W09). Would you please tell me what is the version you are on (Latest). As I am considering going back from Lineage for a short while as there are too many bugs just now. Stupidly I didn't note down what version of EMUI 8 I should be on and there are tonnes of them. Cheers.
generic2 said:
Hi anyone on EMUI in the UK with the 10.8 Wifi version (CMR-W09). Would you please tell me what is the version you are on (Latest). As I am considering going back from Lineage for a short while as there are too many bugs just now. Stupidly I didn't note down what version of EMUI 8 I should be on and there are tonnes of them. Cheers.
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SHT-W09C432B151 (8.0.0.151) is what you need
Hey there,
It's not a mixed zone for me:
1) If I wanted an Ipad I would have bought that.
2) I do not like limits in terms of app-drawer etc. (fixed this, now using Nova Pro)
3) battery optimization too heavy: hell, using the keyboard with firefox (nebo, playstore, and may more) is almost impossible as the screen brightness lowers even if automatic brightness adjustment is turned off ...
What I love is:
1) Battery live
2) How it all fits together (So the "Iphoneish feeling" that I cried about above is not my taste, but it's a consistent Design at least ...)
I bought the Mediapad mainly because of the Pen, the Hardware, and the Keyboard(if I am not hating it for ausing brightness trouble...) and these are the things that I really like!
I don't mind emui has some good features and of you use Nova you can make it look stock. I like the themes and the book cover feature. I like the battery optimisation it lasts so well.
I'm trying to get ahold of the stock firmware so I can root mine.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Lee82UK said:
SHT-W09C432B151 (8.0.0.151) is what you need
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much. Appreciated!
odd1ne said:
I don't mind emui has some good features and of you use Nova you can make it look stock. I like the themes and the book cover feature. I like the battery optimisation it lasts so well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the tab has great features but some disadvantages (brightness bug with keyboard for me ... weird behavior at least)
Best of all certainly is the battery life! And I am using Nova ... That's why the look is not too much of an issue
I do notice the aggressive doze feature.
Sent from my SHT-W09 using Tapatalk
I decided to replace my aging, but beloved, Nexus 7 2013 WiFi (running LineagoOS 15.0) with something a bit meatier. After much consideration, I ordered and received a 32GB M5 8.4 (SHT-W09) from Amazon UK.
First up, the hardware is awesome. I really notice the difference with the move to 4GB RAM and the updated CPU / GPU. The performance is worlds apart from the Nexus 7 - very zippy, very responsive, games run great etc. The display also is a significant improvement - I really like the 16:9 ratio too and don't agree with review feedback that it impacts eBook and web browsing. It works great for those and just looks incredible for movies and TV. No surprises so far, then, given the 5 year old spec of the N7. On the subject of this display, note that both Amazon Prime Video and Netflix now support HD playback on the SHT-W09. Absolutely brilliant. Audio is fine, I'd always listen through Bose BT OE headphones anyway. The lack of 3.5" headphone jack doesn't bother me in the least.
So, on to the OP question about EMUI. To be honest, I really don't like it. The sheer number of junk apps installed is disappointing, especially as some (YouTube, for example) cannot be uninstalled. Note that of the 32GB available, only 16GB was available out of the box. Adoptable storage has been explicitly disabled in EMUI, so there's no option to use external SD as internal storage. A bit disappointing, but a 128GB MicroSD gives plenty of storage for media, if not apps. Within the UI itself, I miss the app drawer button (I'm sure there's an option somewhere) and it all just doesn't feel "familiar" enough for my liking. The Themes idea is great, but the version delivered with the tab only seems to support local themes - there's no "Theme Store" as such, unlike the phone version of the app. As such, customisation feels limited. I've simply installed Nova and couldn't be happier with the end result.
A really worthy replacement for the king of Android tablets, the Nexus 7 2013, so I'd encourage the OP to give it a go!
@mroshaw similar for me. I replaced my Nexus 7 (2012) by the SHT-W09 and I am quite happy. I uninstalled all the apps I do not use (ebay, facebook, some games, ...) and I replaced the laucher with the Pixel-Launcher. The only parts which still remember me that I am running on EMUI are the top bar and the configuration settings, but I can live with that.
I do not regret having it bought. There are not many Android tablets out offering such a build quality and performance for such a price tag.
I am growing to like the emui. It's got some grand security features. Like others, I uninstalled a TON of apps, disabled others, then I put an AOSP P Dark theme (from here on xda). The theme takes care of the notifications bar icons - I didn't really like the emui ones - plus "stock-ifies" most of the UI.
@mroshaw To activate the app drawer button, go to Settings, Display, Home Secreen Stlye, choose Drawer.
To enable SD card storage, Settings, Storage, Default Location. I have 45GBs out of the internal 64GB once I adb uninstalled bloat.
The deal breaker for me with EMUI is the missing option to plug in the tablet via USB and mount its storage to be visible and usable with any files operation (I use Linux only). There is no HiSuite for Linux and doing everything via adb is just a pain in the neck.
Having said that, the alternative is Lineage OS as the currently only alternative ROM, but this breaks two other things which are a deal breaker as well: No Bluetooth connectivity (its just dosn't pair anything properly), so no BT audio, which sucks when there is no headphone jack. Plus, with a custom ROM you lose L1 security in widevine, so no HD streaming with Netflix or Amazon video.
Fortunately, my usage for the tablet is different from my beloved N7; I mainly use it as a score reader for my piano. I wouldn't recommend it as a replacement for the N7; for that I bought the Lenovo Tab 4 Plus and it's a perfect replacement - except there are no custom ROM, But you can root it and the Lenovo UI is pretty much stock.
@DF5JT mtp works for me to access the device's internal and sdcard storage. Probably you need to configure your udev rules to identify your device correctly.

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