This is not knocking our heavy-duty modders and developers, but it seems like in lots of threads folks ask questions and the answer always is to go to the custom ROMs. (Yes, I know they are good and do a lot!)
Could we maintain this, or another thread -- or could the admin set up a section for folks who have stock G-Tablets who want to improve and get the most out of them without ROMs?
I got my tablet 11/25 and when I turned it on, the first thing it did was download two updates. I have not had a lot of the really bad problems some of you earlier adopters had. So I would like to try a stock machine with program improvements before deciding whether to go custom ROM.
That said, I would like to install the Google Market, Contacts, Gmail, Calendar, etc. I am willing to root the tablet if that is needed to get all the software working.
Any suggestions -- references to non-ROM upgrades -- recommendations on how to accomplish the above will be appreciated. And I suggest there probably are a lot of other folks out there who would like to do the same thing. (If I'm right, post and speak up so the people with knowledge will know helping us is worth their time and effort.
Rev
P. S. -- Sorry this got so long. If a different thread is needed to get this done, someone feel free to get it started.
I don't find the stock g-tablet as horrible as many are reporting. It is not the same as an Android phone, and I guess that is what most people object to. I have installed the ViewSonic 1.01 update.
Here is what I have done:
1) Root it using Z4root. You can find it here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=833953
2) Installed Android Market:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=827209
EDIT: This version of Market does not work on the firmware update version 4349. For that use the package that Roebeet has supplied to us:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12939008&postcount=40
It is installed as an update package, where you first unpack it, then place it into the /sdcard folder. Reboot holding both the Power and Volume+ button. Then select "Apply Internal update.zip", using the volume rocker to select, and the power button to enter the selection.
3) Do the Market fix to get access to all apps:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=845175
4) Also install the AndRootFile app, available here:
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/39778/androotfile/
5) Install LauncherPro or ADW.Launcher
EDIT: This is no longer needed, as there is now a "Classic" home screen in the firmware update. But it can still be done if you want to try it.
6) Install Flash:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9172522&postcount=2058
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842040
7) Install OpenGL fix, so then you can install Angry Birds from Market:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=846463
This is no longer needed. The OpenGL update is included in the firmware update.
I think that is about it. If I think of something else, I'll add it.
wasserkapf said:
I don't find the stock g-tablet as horrible as many are reporting. It is not the same as an Android phone, and I guess that is what most people object to. I have installed the ViewSonic 1.01 update.
Here is what I have done:
1) Root it using Z4root. You can find it here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=833953
2) Installed Android Market:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=827209
3) Do the Market fix to get access to all apps:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=845175
4) Also install the AndRootFile app, available here:
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/39778/androotfile/
5) Install LauncherPro or ADW.Launcher
6) Install Flash:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9172522&postcount=2058
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842040
7) Install OpenGL fix, so then you can install Angry Birds from Market:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=846463
I think that is about it. If I think of something else, I'll add it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not giving you a hard time but for someone who doesn't mind the stock interface everything you have done is pretty much the same as just installing TnTLite...
It may be true that "Waterhead" had done most of the same things some of the ROM mods do ---- BUT, he didn't have to flash anything like TNT or cwm, etc.
For those who don't want to flash, what he has provided here is a less risky path to decent performance.
Or for those who are less experienced and want to start out "lite" on their modding experience, this gives them a chance with less opportunity for making a fatal mistake.
I think there probably are a lot of folks who will own G-Tablets who will fall into this category.
And with a route to learn modding and work their way up to really serious modding, I think we will have done them a big favor.
Thanks for the posts. I think we have started a good thing in this thread. And thanks to you more experienced folks who are willing to help get those folks started.
And......it just could be that if we provide an opportunity for the unexperienced folks to make their tablet right -- more people will buy them. IMHO.
Rev
Sprdtyf350 said:
Not giving you a hard time but for someone who doesn't mind the stock interface everything you have done is pretty much the same as just installing TnTLite...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I did is no different than what a person does to a PC. You install the needed programs and drivers. And maybe customize your desktop.
As a long-time Linux user, I am fully capable of installing from scratch. I just see no need to do that with the g-tablet. I actually like the weather app as a homepage.
So you have the TnT UI (Stock 3 Homescreen UI) and Launcherpro/ADW? If people are going to go this route, then I would suggest installing home switch app from the market.
xmr405o,
Two things:
(1) My model with updates has a three-screen "Home" already -- one with weather/clock/news, one with "To-Do" lists, and a third I use so little I have forgotten what is on it.
(2) I have installed Launcher Pro and when I choose a task that will require launching, my firmware gives me a choice of the regular "Home" or LP to do that job.
What would the app you are recommending do beyond this??? More info??!!
Rev
Seriously, what is so intimidating about installing a rom? You cannot brick these things, it's impossible to do.
Thanks for this thread.
My wife picked one of these up at Office Depot the other day. She knows I have been waiting on Adam and thought I might like this instead. I have yet to open the G Tablet until seeing what the supposed Dec 19th update brings. I am new to android and hesitant to start at the deep end of the pool with modding a $399 toy on day one.
From all the reviews it sounds like a solid piece of hardware and that most issues are with TnT and the lack of Google support for tablets. Do you think this device will get Gingerbread and full support from Google eventually?
My only other concern is the LCD, which is turning out to be hard to judge without having seen the demo unit.
Ideally I just want a clean Android 2.2 experience with the ability to install and use the typical apps (gmail, flash, twitter, facebook, angry birds, etc). If this thing can be made into a solid purchase maybe I would just skip Adam and wait for a next gen tablet like Eve which should be on Tegra3/honeycomb.
rayden25 said:
Seriously, what is so intimidating about installing a rom? You cannot brick these things, it's impossible to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If this is true, that's awesome!
This quote from an earlier post answer the question asked as well as I ever could:
"I am new to android and hesitant to start at the deep end of the pool with
modding a $399 toy on day one."
I've already said I have no problem with the people who want to go the ROM flashing direction.
But there are people who would like to be more conservative while they learn something new.
Would it be such as bad thing to just help them?
Rev
P. S. -- And, personally, the first computer I ever built I soldered and put evey part together. I have been doing hardware and programming since 1979. But still, I am new to Android....and the documentation is lacking...and somethings are not explained well in the threads....so like the person I quoted I would like to move a little slower and not take chances until I am ready. And eventually I may get a second G-Tablet I can afford to mess up. But right now I want improve my tablet without the risk. IMHO.
jfholijr said:
If this is true, that's awesome!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nothing is impossible.. We just haven't found the person to do it yet
It is pretty forgiving though. And I have been able to get going again every time I have gotten into a crazy spot.
butchconner said:
This quote from an earlier post answer the question asked as well as I ever could:
"I am new to android and hesitant to start at the deep end of the pool with
modding a $399 toy on day one."
I've already said I have no problem with the people who want to go the ROM flashing direction.
But there are people who would like to be more conservative while they learn something new.
Would it be such as bad thing to just help them?
Rev
P. S. -- And, personally, the first computer I ever built I soldered and put evey part together. I have been doing hardware and programming since 1979. But still, I am new to Android....and the documentation is lacking...and somethings are not explained well in the threads....so like the person I quoted I would like to move a little slower and not take chances until I am ready. And eventually I may get a second G-Tablet I can afford to mess up. But right now I want improve my tablet without the risk. IMHO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said in my earlier post... I am not trying to give anyone a hard time and understand people wanting to keep them stock. You should be able to and have a useful tablet. When they first came out it wasn't so easy, and still isn't. Programs would not install because of memory mapped wrong, wifi disappeared after waking from sleep, time would reset every boot. The latest Viewsonic update has fixed some of those things, but not all. I flashed mine because I knew I was driving a Z06 Corvette with a Vega motor in it that had power windows that didn't work. I wanted the capability I knew was under the hood and the only way to get it was to flash a new rom. Or wait, and hope that Viewsonic eventually did it in an update.
I picked up my tablet back when they first came out. Seems like a long time ago but was really only a month. I read read all the pages in the original huge thread that existed before the G Tablet received a home of its own here. I would read what people were doing, read what they were breaking, and then when I felt comfortable enough that success was a possibility I would give it a shot. I have worked with computers myself since the early 80's and am comfortable building, installing, breaking, etc. Android is definitely different, but mostly to have fun with your tablet you don't have to know much more than how to flash a rom. Back before there was a recovery path things were pretty spooky and I did a lot of reading and waiting to see what worked. Things have progressed now to where if you can unzip a rom package to your internal SD card so you end up with an update.zip file, and a recovery folder all that is left is to hold the volume up button while pressing the power button and about 2 minutes later you are all done. And your Z06 will actually have power windows, and the right engine..
The specs on this tablet are probably the best out there right now. The software chosen just doesn't properly utilize most of it. Maybe the December 19 update being talked about will make it right out of the box. I hope so...
And no matter which path you take, stock, or modded... If trouble comes the answers so far have all been here in the forums...
xmr405o said:
So you have the TnT UI (Stock 3 Homescreen UI) and Launcherpro/ADW? If people are going to go this route, then I would suggest installing home switch app from the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I only installed LauncherPro. When I want to bring up the original TapnTap UI, I use the icon in the app list.
If you install both LauncherPro and ADW, then the home switcher app would be a good idea.
rayden25 said:
Seriously, what is so intimidating about installing a rom? You cannot brick these things, it's impossible to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a ZT-180, and have flashed it several times. You had to mess with it just to get it to a useful state. But eventually you want to stop re-installing things and just use it. The stock g-tablet is wonderful compared to the stock ZT-180.
I guess that I come to this with a different perspective.
Great post! I've done exactly what you've done and am pleased with the result.
Thanks
z4padroot
trying to root g tablet with z4padroot.1.3.0.apk, answer: could not parse.
please advise.
I don't know about the program you used, but I used z4root as mentioned in the second or third post in this thread. It installed flawlessly and all I had to do to root was click one icon! Good luck!
Rev
wasserkapf said:
I don't find the stock g-tablet as horrible as many are reporting. It is not the same as an Android phone, and I guess that is what most people object to. I have installed the ViewSonic 1.01 update.
Here is what I have done:
1) Root it using Z4root. You can find it here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=833953
2) Installed Android Market:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=827209
3) Do the Market fix to get access to all apps:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=845175
4) Also install the AndRootFile app, available here:
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/39778/androotfile/
5) Install LauncherPro or ADW.Launcher
6) Install Flash:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9172522&postcount=2058
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842040
7) Install OpenGL fix, so then you can install Angry Birds from Market:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=846463
I think that is about it. If I think of something else, I'll add it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you very much, have you tried vimeo?
jae-v said:
thank you very much, have you tried vimeo?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is vimeo?
Well I got my galaxy s2 on release day and being a former crackberry addict I have no idea what to do with android. I understand that there are endless possibilities but I have no idea where to begin. Anyone know some stuff I can do to make my android experience simply better?
in same boat
i am not only new to andriod, i am new to smart phones. that said, i have had my andriod for a month. i have done a lot to it just by reading posts here and in andriod central. andriod central seems easier to navigate by phone choise than xda.
my wife is still a blackberry adict. after gettting my phone she wined about how much i could do. she still likes the blackberry and has found ways around the issue or boasted about something she could do that i cant.
this is just from reading about backberry so feel free to correct me if i am wronge. the PC device manager allows you to modify your phone. ie change theme, apps, ect.
the biggest issue most andriod owners have is that they cant get rid of the carriers apps(bloatware). most of these apps take up space, run when not in use, use up your ram. as far as i am aware the only way is to root(gain administrator acess) the phone. then you can get an app that will freeze the unused, unwanted apps(titanium backup,pay for version).you can also delete them, but i read it could be hazardes. recomend reading manual. i wont do it any justice, so info on rooting is everywere, i do suggest andriod central.
if you dont care about the apps then dont root. you cant get multiple home launchers,ie go launcher, launcher pro, adw launcher, theres more. i prefer go launcher, it lets you customize the most, ie change icons, the way the app drawer functions, the way icons function, different functions for the direction you slid your finger on the desktop.
with a rooted phone you can get custom roms to change the look and feel of the phone. what i understand flashing a rom to be is installing a new operating system, its like someone took andriod OS striped it down to just the OS and then added what they feel should be there for apps. generaly they just get rid of the bloatware, optimize the system, and a few usefull tools.
i have rooted my phone. sadly no custom roms yet. freezed most of my bloatware, freed up a lot of space. changed my desktop. got a wifi tether app so i can hotspot my phone with out having to pay for the data plan. any way i hope this helps. if you have anymore questions feel free to ask.
to expand on the topic about rooting (assuming that you take this route), here are some rooting methods (android version-specific):
z4root (2.2/2.2.1)
SuperOneClick (2.2/2.2.1)
Gingerbreak (2.2.2)
everything you can possibly discover about your phone (roms, kernels, themes, etc) can be found in the sgsII's forum:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1055
WP7 im curious about a few things
the GUI:
What changes it? Roms or Themes? i see some WP7 phones on here that dont use tiles, but use a theme or a rom, which is it? how does it work?
Roms and Themes:
what does each do? From the android world, Roms did mostly everything... and themes changed like colors.. how about WP7?
unlocking:
unlocking from what i read allows non market apps, how about carrier unlocking? on some android phones (that have bootloaders unlocked) they can do some changing to the registry and do a carrier unlock, how about with WP7 phone?
Gorship said:
WP7 im curious about a few things
the GUI:
What changes it? Roms or Themes? i see some WP7 phones on here that dont use tiles, but use a theme or a rom, which is it? how does it work?
Roms and Themes:
what does each do? From the android world, Roms did mostly everything... and themes changed like colors.. how about WP7?
unlocking:
unlocking from what i read allows non market apps, how about carrier unlocking? on some android phones (that have bootloaders unlocked) they can do some changing to the registry and do a carrier unlock, how about with WP7 phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Themes are color changes. Blue tiles, Green Tiles ect.
There are a few roms that will unlock your phone if loaded, but they still don't give you much customization control. The GUI in Windows Phone really can't be modded much.... but that also makes it secure.
I was a rom flasher in the older windows mobile days... i loved customizing the crap out of my phone (you'll find posts by me in the wizard, Tilt, and Pure forums). I really never used my phone though till i had windows phone. i just tinkered.
With Windows phone and live tiles, all the information is there immediatly or within 3 clicks. I check facebook without an app. i post pictures to facebook right from the camera. Things are so much quicker when they are integrated. I actually use the phone as it was ment to be. I don't have to worry about roms fixing one thing and breaking another as i did back in those days.
Pick one up, you'll have 30 days to return it. Use it at least 20. At 1st it's a system shock and you feel limited until you really get to dig into it and get how everything flows. Don't give up on it in the 1st week. It's completely different from android or iphone and change always seems frustrating at 1st.
ROMs are only available for HTC devices up to now
but some developers are working for the first Samsung custom ROM.
in the GUI you can change tiles colors.
all devices are unlockable, except lumias!
I hope to have been exhaustive
ROCOAFZ said:
I was a rom flasher in the older windows mobile days... i loved customizing the crap out of my phone (you'll find posts by me in the wizard, Tilt, and Pure forums). I really never used my phone though till i had windows phone. i just tinkered.
With Windows phone and live tiles, all the information is there immediatly or within 3 clicks. I check facebook without an app. i post pictures to facebook right from the camera. Things are so much quicker when they are integrated. I actually use the phone as it was ment to be. I don't have to worry about roms fixing one thing and breaking another as i did back in those days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couldn't agree more. I've probably already said it a half-dozen times on these forums, but Windows Phone gave me my life back. The mantras "glance and go," "get in, get out, get on with your life," and "seriously?" are all VERY accurate.
My wife was 5 or 6 months pregnant and I was just launching a side business when I upgraded from a Tilt to a Samsung Focus (on a Titan now), and it was PERFECT timing to make the switch. I can't imagine juggling two jobs and a baby and still spending a few hours a week hunting for the perfect ROM. It may not do as much as an Android (or even some later WinMo phones), but there's not ONE thing that I feel that I'm missing personally, and for every feature it lacks there are a hundred features that it does SO WELL.
I think my favorite thing, apart from the beauty of Metro itself, is contact management and social integration. Being able to link my wife's Live contact/FB profile/Twitter handle and have one updating tile is amazing. Being able to change my status across several networks from the "Me" tile is awesome. I feel like my digital life (especially contacts and calendar) is finally unified and under control.
I don't want to know how to root, I can find my answer for that on Google, however what I don't get is what it does...
I know it unlocks the device somehow, but can't I simply access everything in the system if I compile android from source and install it on the device?
I have downloaded the android source and I believe I can access every possible thing, so why is rooting needed?
If I install an app as a system app, won't it automatically have the permissions to do what I need it to do?
AFAIK rooting is for the people you'd call the end user/consumer or whatever.
If you have a new phone and want to install one of the many custom ROMs around, you simply need a rooted phone.
A custom ROM is in easy terms a custom made User Interface for the phone.
There is lot more complicated stuff going on under the hood, but in general you change the look and feel of you phone's UI.
The phone has to be rooted, because the manufacturers and net providers around pack a lot of useless crap called "bloatware" (like Samsung Shop and Samsung Play and Samsung Sing and Dance and Music and whatnot) on your phone, which often makes it slower than it can be without it.
But naturally the big corps don't want you to be able to get rid of that **** too easily, which is why you don't have access to the system folders as a normal user.
I guess in your case it's possible that you (if you compiled android from source and installed it on your device) so to say have an already rooted phone, since Android itself is rooted by default. Like I said, the manufacturers are the ones to unroot Android in order to dictate which apps their customers might or might not use.
But I'm a noob and am not sure how you would install Android on your phone if it's new (and unrooted by default?) if you haven't rooted it before?
meh, hope that helped a bit at least...
root- you would love to do it after reading this..
Root? what is it?
it is what i call full access to our phone, flash new roms, have dual boot (example- you can have to os like ics and JB), can access the evasive /data folder which holdes the apk/setups of apps installed from playstore and many other things..
If you are concerned about warranty you can unroot your phone and give in your phone for warranty. i have given my phone for warranty like this.
The most important thing i like about root is that i can fix my phone myself (if it is a software problem). any other question please ask, and i will answer it.
Thanks if helped!
I don't have the time for development anymore. I used to play with stuff like that years ago, but life has taken me away from it. I'd still like to be able to access everything on my phone and play with custom roms, and root lets me do that. The end consumer comment is a good one.
As for to root or not root, I tell most people who ask me to root for them what they use their phone for and explain what they would get out of rooting, and explain the risks involved. Seems that people who understand what rooting does are able to do it themselves, and the ones that ask you to do it for them usually decide against it after hearing "there is a tiny chance that your phone could get bricked" lol
If you just want to play emulators etc, how would you benefit from rooting?
IMO rooting is very useful if you want to keep touching system things in a stock rom, optimizing and debloating it, installing other people ROMs, etc... I believe that if you compile your own flavour of android and find no restriction doing whatever you want, you don't need to.
Android phone without root is nothing
McFex said:
AFAIK rooting is for the people you'd call the end user/consumer or whatever.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:good:
McFex said:
But I'm a noob and am not sure how you would install Android on your phone if it's new (and unrooted by default?) if you haven't rooted it before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some phones can just be flashed (for example via usb) which gives you full control, others can be cracked.
Hats off to everyone on this forum. It's been awhile since I been on here and I am happy to see it still going strong.
I am new to the S8+ and new to modding in 2019. I haven't messed around with this stuff since the "getting the evo to work on boost" days. I am looking for some advise/recommendations on what to choose as far as roms, etc., from the gate from someone who may have had an experience in what I'm trying to achieve rather than going through hundreds of rom post to find the answer I'm looking for. I stepped away from "smart" phones for awhile and came back only when I found out I could lock them down as much as possible using programs like bk disabler (rip). Even root at the time didn't list the "apps in the background" (if you know what I mean) for me to edit or disable them.
I am looking to root (if needed anymore) my device and install an ultra slim/lite rom, no extra apps on it that don't need to be there, especially social media apps. Not sure if roms still come with a separate gaps install option but not having them is fine as well as I will not be signing into any account on my phone and will only want to use youtube as far as the only goog service used, so i wont be able to use any of them anyway besides tube (unless of course there is now a way to use maps and such without signing in?). If theres such a rom out there of course it would need to be stable. I do not want android 9 as none of the apps I actually use (like bk disabler/acr/etc) work with pie from what I have read. Goog wants all the tracking to themselves now I guess, hence why I am looking for a rom that is as slim as possible. I just want to make calls, text, browse the web and use the tube without having all kinds of accounts and sign ups for any of it. I am really tired of big tech but going back to a black and white nokia in 2019 is not an option anymore.
So a few questions I have would be.. Whats the best root process? I see Odin is still a thing so which version should I be using, also which kernel should I be using? Are different roms still based off different kernels, if so which is better? And lastly what rom should I choose or which rom creator is now the person to look out for?
I know I'm oldshool at this point so please bare with me on these questions. Any help in pointing me in the right direction would be very much appreciated. Thanks!