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A few questions that I am concerned

Hi Guys, I am planning to buy this phone, I am from Mexico and before I make the purchase I have a few questions and since I have been around with the HD2 for about a year now, I don't know anything related this one.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_ii_skyrocket_i727-4303.php
- Is there as much development for this specific model as the vanilla S2 one?
- I saw in a sticky thread that there is a way to unlock a S2 with an app, is it possible with this model?
- Since I will be using it in Mexico (Telcel carrier, GSM) I won't receive the ICS update right? but I guess I will be able to root it and then upgrade it following a guide in the Android development subforum?
- Does anyone tested the MHL (HDMI adapter) with this specific model or at least with the vanilla S2? How is it working so far?
- What are your thoughts overall about this phone?
Thanks guys, I know these are common questions but after reading some posts I would like some fresh ideas.

marcosxd said:
Hi Guys, I am planning to buy this phone, I am from Mexico and before I make the purchase I have a few questions and since I have been around with the HD2 for about a year now, I don't know anything related this one.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s_ii_skyrocket_i727-4303.php
- Is there as much development for this specific model as the vanilla S2 one? The phone is relatively new and the AOSP hasn't been released yet, so it's only going to get better.
- I saw in a sticky thread that there is a way to unlock a S2 with an app, is it possible with this model?There's multiple ways to unlock it as you can see in the development thread. I used the One Click Root method on my phone and it worked perfectly
- Since I will be using it in Mexico (Telcel carrier, GSM) I won't receive the ICS update right? but I guess I will be able to root it and then upgrade it following a guide in the Android development subforum? I don't see why you shouldn't receive the ICS update, but yeah if you don't you can install a custom version instead.
- Does anyone tested the MHL (HDMI adapter) with this specific model or at least with the vanilla S2? How is it working so far? Can't speak to this yet.
- What are your thoughts overall about this phone? Very good and will probably only get better once ICS is released and LTE is deployed more. Screen isn't the best ever (not up to Galaxy Nexus level) but definitely acceptable
Thanks guys, I know these are common questions but after reading some posts I would like some fresh ideas.
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Please see above comments

dvandam said:
Please see above comments
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Thanks for your quick answers!
But do you recommend me to get the Skyrocket better than the vanilla SG2?

I do recommend it over the van. SG2. Better features. The screen IMO is perfect for a phone. One thing you have to consider is the better the screen the more power it's going to consume. I feel the screen was perfect for this phone. Take the LG Nitro HD for example it has an AH-IPS display. Battery only lasts 4-6 hrs max. I'm expecting to see official support for CM9 after one of the carriers drop a ICS rom for this phone (or a close sister phone from like TMobile). Once CM9 is out for this phone that's all I'll use.

[Q] Some basics I need covered :)

Hi,
So I'm new to Android, and I've only had a Nexus 7 for a week (I sold it) which I rooted and had some custom roms for.
I wanted the Xperia Z, but it's shape is too square and thus bulky. I like that this Razr HD is a bit water resistant, has excellent battery, the keflav back, and is a less cumbersome size.
But- i'm concerned as this device isn't one of the more popular. Does this mean i will have to wait much longer for upgrades even if rooted? And less support in future? could some apps not run/be designed for this device?
Basically- Im someone who keeps their phone for ages. Im still using a jailbroken 3GS happily. As much as i dont like apple- its good that i can always run the latest OS...
Just wanted thoughts on all this. Cheers

ycon said:
Hi,
So I'm new to Android, and I've only had a Nexus 7 for a week (I sold it) which I rooted and had some custom roms for.
I wanted the Xperia Z, but it's shape is too square and thus bulky. I like that this Razr HD is a bit water resistant, has excellent battery, the keflav back, and is a less cumbersome size.
But- i'm concerned as this device isn't one of the more popular. Does this mean i will have to wait much longer for upgrades even if rooted? And less support in future? could some apps not run/be designed for this device?
Basically- Im someone who keeps their phone for ages. Im still using a jailbroken 3GS happily. As much as i dont like apple- its good that i can always run the latest OS...
Just wanted thoughts on all this. Cheers
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Official upgrades for android devices are at the whim of the manufacturer and the carrier unless we're talking about a nexus device which gets updates directly from Google. On Verizon updates typically take longer to come out due to what they say is extensive testing, but recently they've been better about it imo. Unofficial updates are governed by the amount and quality of developers on that particular device. For moto phones we have a nice core of developers that keep us up to date. Now that the newest moto phones have had their bootloaders unlocked, development has really picked up. The development scene on Android is a lot different and more complicated then the Apple side. Due to the amount of high end android devices that are released every year the development scene moves pretty quickly. That isn't to say older devices aren't dev'd for but it is a possibility to consider. In the moto world devices as far back as the droid 3 are still actively supported. Many of us started out with moto and have never left.
Don't worry about the apps. Unless the device falls really behind in the os version all apps will be supported. It's not like apple where if your phone doesn't have the latest update a third of the apps don't work. There are apps coded specifically for features only available on the latest Android version but those are very few due to people wanting to make money lol.
sent from my xt926 RAZR maxx hd

Cheers for that really helpful response.
It all seems pretty good to me with app compatibility.
So- if I understand correctly, if I unlock the bootloader & root my phone, I wont have to rely on Moto/my carrier for the OS updates?
Are there any other general things I should know before saying no to more mainstream (GS4) device?
Cheers

ycon said:
Cheers for that really helpful response.
It all seems pretty good to me with app compatibility.
So- if I understand correctly, if I unlock the bootloader & root my phone, I wont have to rely on Moto/my carrier for the OS updates?
Are there any other general things I should know before saying no to more mainstream (GS4) device?
Cheers
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Yes to your first question. Technically you would only need root to stop carrier updates but none of the new roms are being developed for locked devices.
Firstly know that the HD has basically the same innards as the gs3 except with 1gb less ram and a less impressive camera. The two monster phones out/coming out right now are the gs4 and the HTC one with a new nexus hopefully out soon. The gs4 represents some of the best hardware available (with newer still coming out later this year) and will have a lot of Dev focus. Out of those 3 phones Verizon will only be getting the gs4 most likely. In terms of what phone to get I would say you need to physically handle each before making a decision. If you must be on Verizon then the gs4 would be a great choice but some people don't like the build materials and feel of the phone (similar to gs3). People sticking with moto appreciate the solid feel, excellent materials, amazing radio strength, and battery life.
sent from my xt926 RAZR maxx hd

koftheworld;4080229The gs4 represents some of the best hardware available (with newer still coming out later this year) and will have a lot of Dev focus. Out of those 3 phones Verizon will only be getting the gs4 most likely. In terms of what phone to get I would say you need to physically handle each before making a decision. If you must be on Verizon then the gs4 would be a great choice but some people don't like the build materials and feel of the phone (similar to gs3). People sticking with moto appreciate the solid feel said:
Cheers for that. I am not on Verizon (I'm in Australia), I'll buy the phone unlocked.
I have had a look at the GS4, HTC One and Razr all together.
The GS4 is my favourite in terms of size, but I'd rather sacrifice the power (Quad core) for the longer battery, better call reception, stronger build, and lower price of the Razr HD.
I might jsut have to wait for the new Nexus phone to come out. I've heard Google will be subsidizing it, so the price might be right.
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[Q] Where are all the roms???

I've been using this phone since it first came out on T-Mobile. I've been pretty excited about it but the lack of Roms makes me feel like I should of just brought the note 4. I mean there's a bunch of Roms for that. Im the type that changes my ROM every week to keep it feeling new. We don't have cm12 yet or nothing and I get pretty anxious waiting. I check everyday expecting something to be added and everyday I get disappointed. I'm thinking about trading my edge for a note 4 in a sec but I really don't want to. Does anyone know if there is going to be more Roms anytime soon or what?

You could. .. develop one

ichardy said:
I've been using this phone since it first came out on T-Mobile. I've been pretty excited about it but the lack of Roms makes me feel like I should of just brought the note 4. I mean there's a bunch of Roms for that. Im the type that changes my ROM every week to keep it feeling new. We don't have cm12 yet or nothing and I get pretty anxious waiting. I check everyday expecting something to be added and everyday I get disappointed. I'm thinking about trading my edge for a note 4 in a sec but I really don't want to. Does anyone know if there is going to be more Roms anytime soon or what?
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First, in the first month the Note 4 sold 4.5 million units; Samsung says they are not even going to make 1 million units for the Note Edge.
The Note Edge is something new, and not meant for everybody; not to mention about $100 more than the Note 4. So a much smaller market is going to purchase the Edge (smaller market = smaller development).
Not to mention all development for the Edge and I would also guess the Note 4 is pretty much at a standstill until Andriod 5.0 (lollipop) is released on are phone, as there is no point starting a new ROM when you know you will have to build one from scratch in about a month.
I have a white T-Mobile Note 4 I will gladly trade you for if you feel the Note Edge is not for you. But I will tell you right now, there will not be nearly the development for the Note Edge as the Note 4. Just be thankful you have a T-mobile Note Edge, as some of the other providers have nothing for development so far.

This is just an ignorant post. You want Roms? Develop them yourself and then complain about why there isn't a plethora of Roms. If you wanted unlimited amount of Roms to try out I'm sorry to inform you that you chose the wrong device. It's been mentioned before that the quantity of this phone even produced doesn't even come close to how many note 4 was sold. Of course you will not see as much development especially on a niche device like this. aosp Roms would obviously limit you use of the edge so it would be pointless imo to flash something like CM rom. If you just want a debloated deodexed rom you can achieve most of it through root and titanium backup if you're savvy enough. 5.0 isn't released for the edge or the note 4 while CM has moved onto 5.0. Who in their right mind would develop a 4.4.4 rom a month presumably before 5.0 comes out and they gotta rebuild all from scratch again, you? If you don't think the edge is not for you sell or trade it to someone who would actually appreciate it or desires it because clearly I don't ever see someone like you being able to be satisfied with a phone like this. Maybe some research before heading out to buy a $1000 device could've done you some good too. When I got mine I saw that the 915S was the only one with someone even attempting to create a custom kernel and decided that it would see the most amount of development and snagged one. UpInTheAir has been providing great development for my device with both rom and kernel. We worked very hard putting lots of hours in trying to test so that he could achieve a stable build. With 1 post since joining in 2010 how have you contributed to the development community other than complaining that there's not enough Roms for you to flash and try.

ichardy said:
I've been using this phone since it first came out on T-Mobile. I've been pretty excited about it but the lack of Roms makes me feel like I should of just brought the note 4. I mean there's a bunch of Roms for that. Im the type that changes my ROM every week to keep it feeling new. We don't have cm12 yet or nothing and I get pretty anxious waiting. I check everyday expecting something to be added and everyday I get disappointed. I'm thinking about trading my edge for a note 4 in a sec but I really don't want to. Does anyone know if there is going to be more Roms anytime soon or what?
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Click to collapse
tospace2006 said:
This is just an ignorant post. You want Roms? Develop them yourself and then complain about why there isn't a plethora of Roms. If you wanted unlimited amount of Roms to try out I'm sorry to inform you that you chose the wrong device. It's been mentioned before that the quantity of this phone even produced doesn't even come close to how many note 4 was sold. Of course you will not see as much development especially on a niche device like this. aosp Roms would obviously limit you use of the edge so it would be pointless imo to flash something like CM rom. If you just want a debloated deodexed rom you can achieve most of it through root and titanium backup if you're savvy enough. 5.0 isn't released for the edge or the note 4 while CM has moved onto 5.0. Who in their right mind would develop a 4.4.4 rom a month presumably before 5.0 comes out and they gotta rebuild all from scratch again, you? If you don't think the edge is not for you sell or trade it to someone who would actually appreciate it or desires it because clearly I don't ever see someone like you being able to be satisfied with a phone like this. Maybe some research before heading out to buy a $1000 device could've done you some good too. When I got mine I saw that the 915S was the only one with someone even attempting to create a custom kernel and decided that it would see the most amount of development and snagged one. UpInTheAir has been providing great development for my device with both rom and kernel. We worked very hard putting lots of hours in trying to test so that he could achieve a stable build. With 1 post since joining in 2010 how have you contributed to the development community other than complaining that there's not enough Roms for you to flash and try.
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Well dam I guess I need to learn to develop then.

Be grateful your on t mobile of all the edge development we have the most.

forum dead?

Why is this forum for the G4 so dead? Because it's new and not able to root yet?

Yeah, it was a little early to split the forums. Things'll liven up when root is available.

Plus it seems the bootloader is still locked.

not dead, am hoping it just hasn't come to life yet.
o/

lol not dead

Who knows, but #10!

I'd say pretty dead. Might we be about to miss our "window" for having a heavily supported device?

gboybama said:
I'd say pretty dead. Might we be about to miss our "window" for having a heavily supported device?
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Possibly. There's still a chance if the pro or nexus 5 is somewhat compatible.
I think I'm giving up on anything but nexus devices in the future. It's obvious the carriers don't care about security or usability.
With the recent security issues I need a phone that I own completely.

phineous said:
Possibly. There's still a chance if the pro or nexus 5 is somewhat compatible.
I think I'm giving up on anything but nexus devices in the future. It's obvious the carriers don't care about security or usability.
With the recent security issues I need a phone that I own completely.
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You said it bub. I really didn't care whether I bought the M9, S6 or G4 and bought the G4 due reading that the Snapdragon was easier to dev on (so, no S6) and the 810 ran too hot (so, no M9). I pre-ordered at the first possible opportunity with the expectation of seeing a mass amount of custom ROMs and kernels in a couple months.
Performance has been fine, but obviously, the phone being so locked down is a total buzzkill. I'll never buy another non-Nexus device before it's broken wide open by our awesome dev community.

Thinking of getting one, is it right for me? (questions about rooting)

So I'm a noob when it comes to root/flashing. I did update my Verzion Nexus 6 though.. Thinking of getting this since they are cheap enoufe on Ebay but only if I can get a stockish rom up and running on it. Is there good noob friendly guides for doing this? My use case for the tablet is movies/youtube/internet browsing. Seems like it's the only "big" tablet that is affordable.

Fahrenheit85 said:
So I'm a noob when it comes to root/flashing. I did update my Verzion Nexus 6 though.. Thinking of getting this since they are cheap enoufe on Ebay but only if I can get a stockish rom up and running on it. Is there good noob friendly guides for doing this? My use case for the tablet is movies/youtube/internet browsing. Seems like it's the only "big" tablet that is affordable.
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Not much development for these tablets so stockish or CM is all you'll get. What variant you looking at, WiFi or LTE (if LTE what carrier)? Why root?
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

muzzy996 said:
Not much development for these tablets so stockish or CM is all you'll get. What variant you looking at, WiFi or LTE (if LTE what carrier)? Why root?
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
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Just to ditch touchwiz and have a newer OS

It comes -- or can be safely updated -- to stock Lollipop. And it is actually quite nice, touchwiz and all. That didn't stop me from rooting and installing the CM 12 version of Android.... the fellah that's worked on that is also working on a Marshmallow CM version for our tablets. But it ain't here yet.
As far as the tablet goes... sweetness. You should sort out what you're gonna use it for, and if the list makes sense, jump.
Blessings on this Good Friday.

I'm of a mind to ask "why root?" What little you gain seems unbalanced to potential issues you create. I am a power user of this tablet and while there are some minor benefits to rooting (minor enough not to bother), the first consideration out the gate, even before getting it is 'whatcha gonna do with it?" You little list of things you want to do is no problem for this tablet "as is". I would be primarily concerened about getting a clean bright display, no dead pixels, excellen response to touch and pen, reliably long battery life.
Its like buying a sports car. You want to play mechaninc and endlessly tweak it or you want to get out there and drive? I am primarily driver oriented. Yes, if down the road you want to play mechanic, you can. But in the mean time, don't waste time on time consuming operations that will not help with the driving experience that much.
Its all about priorities. LIfe is short.