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Hi everybody, I have been closely following the ICED GLACIER ROM development thread since it was started. I know there is a consistently growing number of people who have just purchased their myTouch 4G phone (android noobs and vets). The ICED GLACIER ROM thread is getting really large, and I am sure the thought of reading through 1,600+ posts can potentially be a little overwhelming and very time consuming. I know everyone is really excited to try that AWESOME ROM, but I also see in the thread that everyone wants to know what works, what doesn't, how to fix this, etc... I'm hoping that people with questions about this ROM can look here for an answer before asking questions in the other thread that have already been answered along the way (sometimes many times). I hope this will help the devs too- if we can provide info and answer questions about everything that has already been answered in the other thread then we can get rid of repeat posts of questions and problems that are cluttering up the other thread- meaning it'll hopefully be really easy to narrow down current hiccups or problems people are experiencing. If anyone can contribute to this thread, it would be greatly appreciated!
*Flashing- When I first flashed this ROM, Iced Glacier was at 1.0, first I flashed V0.5, then V1.0. With V1.1, you no longer need to flash V0.5 or any other version first- you can go from stock rooted to V1.1 (make sure to make a nandroid backup first!!!). If you are not sure how to flash this ROM, or how to root your phone- you WILL find answers by reading through some of the other threads in this section. *It looks like a few people have had problems when/ after flashing this ROM due to not completely wiping the phone in different versions of this ROM- you might want to do a complete wipe just to be thorough (I'm no expert, it's just a suggestion to hopefully save you any headaches down the road)
*Overclocking- Make sure to install/ purchase SetCPU, so you can tweak the processor speeds. If you are not sure what SetCPU is, or how to use it- do some studying first. It has been noted that each of our phones responds differently with the different speed settings- I have noticed, that when I have my phone set too high it freezes (particularly while I'm surfing using Dolphin HD), and I have also noticed that I get better performance (and Quadrant results) when my max speed is set at 1440 mhz as opposed to 1382 or 1497mhz. Again, every phone will respond different. Play with the different speeds and see what works best for your phone- everyone can make recommendations (i.e. lower clock speeds with the screen off, battery low, or temp too high), but in the end you have to find what works best for you. I would recommend that you use the 'on demand' option instead of 'performance' to avoid having your phone constantly working at the highest set clock speed though, and don't forget to set different profiles (i.e. screen off, temp too high, battery low...). Remeber, this will affect your battery life, along with a million other variables related to your phone, so make note of before and after results to find a good balance between speed/performance and battery longevity to your liking.
*Apps and Data before flashing the ROM- install 'Titanium Backup' (I recommend purchase as well to support the creator) and batch 'backup all of your apps and data' (run the batch 'verify backup' afterwords to make sure you have a good backup to restore after installing this ROM). I had problems with my backups, so after I flashed V1.0 every time I tried to batch 'restore all apps and data' my phone would reboot, in the end I went through my backup and individually restored data (and app if it was missing) for all of my apps- time consuming, I know, but it was worth it to have this ROM (note: I was using the free version of TB- I now have purchased the app, but haven't had to use it yet for a full batch 'restore').
*Once you have installed the ROM- open 'rom manager' and execute 'fix permissions'. Do this first, as it will likely fix force closes or the 'instant close upon starting the app' that sometimes happens, before you experience them. After running 'fix permissions'- power down, pull your battery for a couple minutes, and then restart your phone (I suggest this, because I had an 'instant close' problem with wi-fi calling and power down + pull battery fixed it for me). You will also want to check to make sure your wi-fi is functional-if not Gr8gorilla has a fix here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9328350&postcount=1
*Test a flash website on your browser- if it does not work, you likely have to install flash from the market. If it does work- you should be good.
*Bluetooth- If you use bluetooth for calls, it should work fine (I use bluetooth for making calls and have had no problems with V1.0 or V1.11). However, if you use bluetooth for stereo music (A2DP) I understand that it does work with V1.0, but not on V1.11. I have noticed that when I have bluetooth turned on and try to dial a number on the stock dialer- it is very very sluggish to dial the numbers (ex. I press a 5 on the dial pad and wait about 2-3 seconds for the number to light up, sound the DTMF tone, and provide the haptic feedback). I have since switched over to using the 'atakephone' app and have had 0 problems. ***The devs are aware of the bluetooth issue, and plan to include a fix in the next update http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9684992&postcount=1577 *EDIT*- bluetooth fixed in ROM V1.1.2
*Genius/ Handsfree- there have been issues with this not functioning properly or not at all. Again, this will be fixed in the next update http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9684317&postcount=1573 *EDIT* Fixed in the V1.1.2 update!
*YouTube app- I would say it's not usable- it starts 'turbo scrolling' when I use it- it will sometimes stop if you hold your finger on the screen, but revert back when you take your finger off. This ROM is based off of the original MT4G kernel and I think I read somewhere that the version of this youtube app associated with the original kernel had this bug. Goolge released a new version of the youtube app yesterday (12-8-10)- since I installed that update, I no longer have problems in the app. *EDIT* See *RECAP- KNOWN ISSUES below.
*MMS- looks like some are having problems sending and recieving MMS messages- it might be a problem with the phone rather than this ROM (I am getting a replacement because my phone has that problem). Depending on who you talk to at Tmo customer service, they will confirm it as a known issue with the 4G. Make sure to do atleast a handful of tests sending and recieving with your phone before and after flashing. *EDIT*- some people (myself included) noticed that when using the stock messages app, contacts pictures don't display- looks like there are 2 fixes, 1 being a FULL wipe and fresh install of the ROM or 2- clearing cerain contacts cache settings as Notxel21 posted http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9706457&postcount=1653
*Bloatware- this ROM has the original bloatware apps removed. The Monopoly demo, demo video, Rock Band Demo, etc. are gone (as well as some other stuff that I forgot to mention- which is proof that it wasn't needed in the ROM anyway ).*** A 'spare parts' app was added for tweaking window animations and viewing battery stats. A 'dsp settings' app was also added to allow equalizer settings for the phones earpiece, external speaker, and the 3.5mm headphone port (really sweet btw!). I had to reinstall 'superuser', 'rom manager', and titanium backup from the market after flashing. The market still works for me after flash without any glitches fwiw.
***Updates- they will come when they come, theres no need to ask about it every day or so. The easiest way to check for yourself is to open the Iced Glacier ROM thread and look at the changelog in post #2- the devs have been faithful to update that post whenever they release a new version. (You can also look through the first post, but the second is cleaner as they put the newest changelog right at the top of the post) *EDIT*- Version 1.1.2 released
*RECAP- KNOWN ISSUES-- Youtube- no worky until you update in the market *EDIT* some are having problems with the youtube app in the 1.1.2 version- looks like it works fine until you use the app in landscape and try to return to portrait- the display returns to portrait, but stays stretched out for widescreen.
*Themed vs. Unthemed- I tried themed first in V1.0- I switched to unthemed and currently use V1.11 unthemed. I only used the V1.0 themed version for about 15 minutes, so I can't really provide any info on it aside from intense screen transition effects and alot of blue/black icons. V1.0 unthemed appears just like stock (if you don't like the HTC sense, you can use launcher pro, ADW or a list of other homescreen replacements). V1.11 Unthemed looks just like stock, but the drop down notification bar is transparent, and the icons at the top are colored with a circle battery meter that shows the battery % in the middle (very cool). There are other notification icon options available in the themes and apps section of this MT4G forum if you want to try something different, but I think you will lose the transparent drop down if you flash a different bar.
*There are also some other issues that seem to be random- someone is having problems with wifi not working at all, someone having problems with the 'media room' app, etc... to my knowledge there is currently no resolve for these problems.
Hope this helps! If anyone has anything to contribute, please let me know, and I will try to update this OP, so all the help stays in one common place.
Maybe consider making each topic header bold or something to combat the "wall of text" effect.
this hurts
kindaonebigsentence
itmustbejj said:
Maybe consider making each topic header bold or something to combat the "wall of text" effect.
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Excellent, thanks! I just threw it together on 'notepad'...never gonna do that again- no formating sucks lol
1.1.2 is up now.... in case you didnt see lol..
No DSP manager in this one, didnt look to see if it was in 1.1.1. Also, Wish Meltus Audi hack worked for our phones.
crypysmoker said:
1.1.2 is up now.... in case you didnt see lol..
No DSP manager in this one, didnt look to see if it was in 1.1.1. Also, Wish Meltus Audi hack worked for our phones.
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Click to collapse
lol, Yeah, 1.1.2- go figure, just as I got done typing this out I logged in to the forums here to see that. I've never heard of Wish Meltus Audi- I'm gonna do a search.
EDIT: Found it- Meltus' Audio Hack- that would be cool!
This is not development and needs to be closed or moved
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
Foo_Blyat said:
This is not development and needs to be closed or moved
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
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Click to collapse
OK, how do I move it, or do I have to request it be moved?
I guess it probably could be closed anyway since IG is now at 1.1.2. Gotta love the speed of development!
I like how not a single person thanked you for your effort. So... thank you! This was very nice of you.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
bubonik said:
I like how not a single person thanked you for your effort. So... thank you! This was very nice of you.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Hey, thanks alot, that goes a long way! Since IG has been updated I will continue to keep an eye on it and update this thread accordingly. I plan to work on that tonight.
No Bugs in Mine
I have noticed none of the above mentioned bugs you claim. Youtube works fine, and so does Genius button. According to information I have gotten from others on IRC, the only bug is BT stereo, which I do not care about to be honest. I recommend the non-themed version.
photolarry said:
I have noticed none of the above mentioned bugs you claim. Youtube works fine, and so does Genius button. According to information I have gotten from others on IRC, the only bug is BT stereo, which I do not care about to be honest. I recommend the non-themed version.
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Click to collapse
Your fortunate. Not everyone has experienced all of these bugs, I'm just posting what I have read about in the IG ROM thread as well as what I have experienced. As far as the non-themed version, it's my fav. Just got my replacement phone and looking forward to flashing IG 1.1.2, but first I'm gonna play catchup in that thread to see if I need to update this one yet.
bubonik said:
I like how not a single person thanked you for your effort. So... thank you! This was very nice of you.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
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The same I say!!
dragon4000 said:
The same I say!!
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Thank you!!!
Duplicate Ringtones and Notifications
I am not sure what happened but all of a sudden I see two of each ringtone and notification. They seem to work properly but not sure why they are showing up twice. I added a few new ones to /system/media/audio by hand. Wondering if this has been tested by anyone else. I do not have any in /sdcard since I thought that could be problematic.
=====================
Update: I fixed this issue by creating directories on /sdcard/media/audio as follows but empty folders:
/sdcard/media/audio/ringtones
/sdcard/media/audio/notifications
Also according to Zinx: Any folders on the /sdcard named notifications or ringtones will be found regardless of subdirectories...thus I think that may have been the entire issue I was seeing.
Everything looks about right
photolarry said:
I am not sure what happened but all of a sudden I see two of each ringtone and notification. They seem to work properly but not sure why they are showing up twice. I added a few new ones to /system/media/audio by hand. Wondering if this has been tested by anyone else. I do not have any in /sdcard since I thought that could be problematic.
=====================
Update: I fixed this issue by creating directories on /sdcard/media/audio as follows but empty folders:
/sdcard/media/audio/ringtones
/sdcard/media/audio/notifications
Also according to Zinx: Any folders on the /sdcard named notifications or ringtones will be found regardless of subdirectories...thus I think that may have been the entire issue I was seeing.
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Click to collapse
I'm glad you were able to fix it! I had that same problem shortly after I got my phone, but it was with alot of my pictures as well. I ended up searching my sdcard from my computer for *.mp3 and *.jp to find all of the duplicates.
Sent from mytouch 4G using Tapatalk
Here is a problem I've came across....not rebooting after I flashed 1.1.2 I have to actually pull my battery and power up. Very strange to me
Has anyone else experienced this
g33kChic said:
Here is a problem I've came across....not rebooting after I flashed 1.1.2 I have to actually pull my battery and power up. Very strange to me
Has anyone else experienced this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was that through Clockwork- when you choose the reboot option after flashing? When you power down, do you have to pull your batt before you can restart your phone again? I know that the first time I flash a zip through clockwork, when I select reboot- there is a longer delay than if I were to execute that command without flashing any .zips.
Nice thread, should really help. I really wish someone had a list of the bloatware that was removed from it though, I used more of it than I didn't. There might be something removed that I might need someday.
So since most of the themes if not all, have wrong placement of images (specially the notification pull down window) I am wondering if indeed most of the users are NOT using applications like LCD Density.
To me, LCD Density is the first thing I install pretty much. It makes my phone just completely different so I wouldn't imagine myself without it.
Please comment.
I liked it too, but it's not compatible with a lot of games and some other apps... That's the reason I don't use it.
HaTeNL said:
I liked it too, but it's not compatible with a lot of games and some other apps... That's the reason I don't use it.
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+1
With a bit of tinkering you can make 240dpi look a lot like 200, and avoid headaches in the process.
Thing is, when changing the density the SGS doesnt look so good as for example hero with a changed density. On hero I go with 120DPI. Tried on SGS 200 and it looked bad and somethign wasnt even readable. (I have even now trouble with fonts on 240 sometimes they are thick sometimes thin in the same app)
Its strange but hero on 120DPI is better readable then SGS on 200 why is that so?
PAGOT said:
Thing is, when changing the density the SGS doesnt look so good as for example hero with a changed density. On hero I go with 120DPI. Tried on SGS 200 and it looked bad and somethign wasnt even readable. (I have even now trouble with fonts on 240 sometimes they are thick sometimes thin in the same app)
Its strange but hero on 120DPI is better readable then SGS on 200 why is that so?
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Really? That is very odd. I run 182 and the image is just insanely sharp and detailed. I wonder if user Eyes are also coming into play here... interesting to see the Poll that some many people have never heard about it!
Jumba said:
+1
With a bit of tinkering you can make 240dpi look a lot like 200, and avoid headaches in the process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what tinkering is that but I still run 182 (the minimum I can run without Contacts crashing) and everything looks so razor sharp and so much info fits on the screen that I cannot think about using my phone without it.
HaTeNL said:
I liked it too, but it's not compatible with a lot of games and some other apps... That's the reason I don't use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What games are those? So far only Pac Man has given me the issue and I have tons of games. You can always use the Temp change to go back to stock when needed.
shaolin95 said:
Really? That is very odd. I run 182 and the image is just insanely sharp and detailed. I wonder if user Eyes are also coming into play here... interesting to see the Poll that some many people have never heard about it! .
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Click to collapse
Image is pretty, but try to read something on opera mobile with a smaller font or even gmail (messages from google checkout)
PAGOT said:
Image is pretty, but try to read something on opera mobile with a smaller font or even gmail (messages from google checkout)
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Click to collapse
As I mentioned, I use this all the time 24/7 and read all my email and use different browsers as well and love it. Might have to do with each users vision as well I suppose.
Well that might be so but we could rule that out? Since I told you I have a HTC hero on even lover DPI and its still better readable as the SGS . Maybe my SGS is bugged...
Dont get me wrong here, SGS is far more superior and literally not comparable to the Hero. Am just saying, maybe with mine is something wrong
PAGOT said:
Well that might be so but we could rule that out? Since I told you I have a HTC hero on even lover DPI and its still better readable as the SGS . Maybe my SGS is bugged...
Dont get me wrong here, SGS is far more superior and literally not comparable to the Hero. Am just saying, maybe with mine is something wrong
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No prob I understand what you mean indeed.
I'm very happy with my screen, so won't screw around there unnecessarily...
Prasad007 said:
I'm very happy with my screen, so won't screw around there unnecessarily...
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Click to collapse
I was happy until I tried this plus is not like its going to crash and burn.
I went to all the trouble of rooting my phone and installing the free version , but after changing the numbers it didn't work so I decided that it wasn't worth the bother
Kethead said:
I went to all the trouble of rooting my phone and installing the free version , but after changing the numbers it didn't work so I decided that it wasn't worth the bother
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Click to collapse
That sucks. Was that an old version or a recent one. I dont recall the first one I tried but they have all worked. On eclair I could do 160 but on Froyo anything under 182 crashes the contacts.
Thing is i have tried it many times at 200 but the stock apps that Samsung provides don't change to 200, so it's all too small when you open e.g the Phone app, the dialer is in the left hand corner and there is dead space on the right around it, same goes for other apps except contacts and calendar, but the top bar is messed up in those apps.
I'd use it but also GTG's touchwiz launcher doesn't work properly with it, only thing stopping me from using it is the problem with apps, if there is any way to make them scale to 200 i'd use it in a heartbeat
I use a different dialer as that is the only one that does not show correctly for me. It would be nice if everything worked though.
I know what it does, I do not use it at all
It causes too much screen / resolution problem with Apps that are not compatible
too much hassle to maintain
it's easier to not use it
AllGamer said:
I know what it does, I do not use it at all
It causes too much screen / resolution problem with Apps that are not compatible
too much hassle to maintain
it's easier to not use it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It just baffles me to read comments like this, my phone has about 305 apps/games (according to Titanium back up) so it is odd for me to read people saying this. Either I am very lucky that my apps are all fine or something else is wrong.
shaolin95 said:
It just baffles me to read comments like this, my phone has about 305 apps/games (according to Titanium back up) so it is odd for me to read people saying this. Either I am very lucky that my apps are all fine or something else is wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have issue with plenty of apps not sizing properly. It's just the nature of the beast when you change the density.
But to answer your OP, I don't use that program. I just change it manually in the build prop. That way it stays 140 or so when I do a full reboot.
oohaylima said:
I have issue with plenty of apps not sizing properly. It's just the nature of the beast when you change the density.
But to answer your OP, I don't use that program. I just change it manually in the build prop. That way it stays 140 or so when I do a full reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never tried changing it there, I guess the app is just a GUI for the same thing.
Can you name some of those apps if you have time cause I am really curious to check those.
So far games, only Pac Man and apps, the Dialer for which I am using a different one.
I think it's a waste to have a 4" screen and have it display as much as a 3" one would. I used it at 185 for a long time and never had many issues with non-Samsung apps.
Sometimes things scaled a bit weirdly, but they were perfectly functional and it was quite rare. Some of the Samsung applications (TouchWiz app drawer, calc, phone, memo, etc) just got smaller but I replaced those anyway. Other than that I never had issues.
Right now I'm using it at around 210 since the fonts got a little too small and for example the LP Twitter widget hard to read from a distance. Trying to find a balance.
Besides it being new what are you really gaining. Tons of apps don't work on it. Besides folders and multitasking I don't even know what I'm really gaining. And if I have to lose one feature my phone has now ill pass. Phone works too good right now and ics theme will hold me over for a long time.
I understand everybody wants what is new but think about everything your really gaining. To me its like IOS 4.3 to 5. I upgraded my Ipad 2 lost jailbreak for what I see as a minor upgrade.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
You can stay on gingerbread then, it wont bother me really
I think you need to read up on what actually ICS changes besides icons and themes....
raqball said:
I think you need to read up on what actually ICS changes besides icons and themes....
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Click to collapse
From the leaks, we are not getting the new ui because of twiz
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
kingsway8605 said:
From the leaks, we are not getting the new ui because of twiz
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once it starts hitting custom roms, I'm sure we will be getting all sorts of interesting things.
Fataldesain said:
Besides it being new what are you really gaining. Tons of apps don't work on it. Besides folders and multitasking I don't even know what I'm really gaining. And if I have to lose one feature my phone has now ill pass. Phone works too good right now and ics theme will hold me over for a long time.
I understand everybody wants what is new but think about everything your really gaining. To me its like IOS 4.3 to 5. I upgraded my Ipad 2 lost jailbreak for what I see as a minor upgrade.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
You sound like a old man in his old ways lol jk. I can't speak for everyone else but I bought my phone because it was at the time of purchase ahead of every curve (with the exception of nfc) so now that something is out that can make the phone better why the would I not want it. I'm patient in waiting but would love to have it yesterday
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
How about true dual core support? or gpu acceleration through the whole phone?
List goes on.
Gingerbread has "true dual core support"
I'm not greedy. Because it's the New thing is the best answer I got. Newer is better right? J/k
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
...bad joke.
Fataldesain said:
Besides it being new what are you really gaining. Tons of apps don't work on it. Besides folders and multitasking I don't even know what I'm really gaining. And if I have to lose one feature my phone has now ill pass. Phone works too good right now and ics theme will hold me over for a long time.
I understand everybody wants what is new but think about everything your really gaining. To me its like IOS 4.3 to 5. I upgraded my Ipad 2 lost jailbreak for what I see as a minor upgrade.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to the informative Android blogs and tons of videos, most people know why they want ICS besides having a new look. As for your Ipad and losing jailbreak, you probably should have read in advance to see what features iOS 5 had before taking the plunge. I remember reading multiple times that people with jailbreak should hold up on iOS 5 until an untethered jailbreak is done. But hey, this is about Android
What I'm really waiting for is a nice AOSP ICS with everything working. I am less enthusiastic about TW ICS.
One of the videos showed better app controlled , limit or block apps from background data
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA App
Hmm... OP you should consider the fact that ICS source was only recently released and I think the Nexus Prime launched just today. Of course not all apps are going to work you have to give app developers time to update the apps to be compatible. It's not all going to happen overnight that's why these things take time for the transition. Although I'm a little disappointed that TW covers up some features, I am looking forward to:
*Scrollable widgets
*The swipe gesture to remove notifications
*New notification bar Info slots (i.e. when you get a text you see the contact pic)
*Face Unlock (even though it can be bypassed it's cool nonetheless)
*Camera Speed
*New widget placement UI
*New Cool Blue Look
*The drag and drop feature to make folders
*How the app market stays in the app drawer on the top right
*The minimalist layout of all the Google Apps
*A few other things I'm sure everybody knows by now...
Not to say that you have poor judgment, I do advise reading up a little more on the updates before you jump in and discredit them for changing anything. I think Google is actually just trying to make Android more accessible to more than just Devs, if anything at least give them credit for that.
If you want an entire list of things that are new and how they work, read this review (Personally I think it's the best review that covers everything) it's 7 Pages!
LINK
Guys all I'm saying is it seems like alot of people want ics just because and are foaming at the mouth for it. Isn't alot of your apps not working kinda a big deal. People should just calm down enjoy gingerbread for a few more months.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
Improved multitasking is enough for me....a better looking OS.....speed.....better hardware acceleration...more efficient......data monitoring.......ability to block certain apps from accessing data and last but not least.............camera app (that thing needed updating)
ICS is what Android needs to be to fully compete with IOS the only real threat(since Isheep see differently). I am not too anxious to see TW and Sense on ICS
I remember when iphone first came out my buddies back in college were saying look at what I can do.....I pulled out my cingular blue razr v3 and said check this out....made a call lol
Just gotta wait till the apps are updated thats all
I have to agree with OP,to a certain extent. A lot of the new features are incremental, and I think you can duplicate most of them with already available apps/mods. Not to say I'm not going to flash ICS as soon as a good rom comes out, but I am pretty satisfied with how my phone runs now. ICS is the first step to integrate the Android phone /tablet os, like ios ,and will be much better as it evolves.
Sent from my Samsung Epic Touch using tapatalk
Only if your hiding something?
Sure, you may be able to replicate some of those features with other apps, but thats the point... it brings these features to stock android.
newalker91 said:
*Scrollable widgets - Already offered in custom launchers
*The swipe gesture to remove notifications - Just extra glamour
*New notification bar Info slots (i.e. when you get a text you see the contact pic) - More extra glamour
*Face Unlock (even though it can be bypassed it's cool nonetheless) - There are apps that already offer this
*Camera Speed - Is a hardware feature of Galaxy Nexus, not ICS
*New widget placement UI - Very similar to TouchWiz
*New Cool Blue Look - Already have themes for this
*The drag and drop feature to make folders - Already offered in custom launchers
*How the app market stays in the app drawer on the top right - Already offered in custom launchers
*The minimalist layout of all the Google Apps - Will be available based on app, not Android version
*A few other things I'm sure everybody knows by now...
Many of the things that you've listed can already be achieved or are part of the Galaxy Nexus and not ICS. Just kind of goes to reinforce the idea that most people really don't know why they want ICS. I personally find ICS to be a bit too intrusive into my privacy, especially seeing as in the recently used app overlay it shows you the last picture you took. Definitely not appealing to people in relationships.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although I do see your point, the OP asks why I want ICS. I'm entitled to my opinion right? and I noticed the majority of the things you quoted and responded to have to do with modding the system in some way. How about having it all in one package and not having to download a bunch of apps to imitate what should come stock in the OS.
And what's wrong with a little "extra glamour" ?
I just want stock Gingerbread with better battery life and no CarrierIQ. I don't know how much faster people need these little computers to be but the E4GT is fast enough.
I have been messing around with the LCD density settings on a few ICS ROMs for a little while now and after a lot of trial and error, I thought i'd share my experiences. I did some digging and I didn't see a formal write-up on this for our phones so I thought I'd give this a shot. (if anyone feels this has common knowledge and unnecessary, please just let me know and i will delete. also, I never tried this back on GB)
General Info for Beginners:
As you may already know, the standard resolution for our screens is 800 x 480 pixels. This is far below that of HD or even qHD screens. What this means in terms of real world use is that icons and text appear very large. Given our devices have a large 4.5 inch screen, it is arguable that this is not taking full advantage of all the extra screen real estate. While you cannot change the native resolution of a screen, you can do a simple build.prop tweak that can "trick" your phone into thinking that the resolution is much higher via a few simple programs.
How-To Change the Density Setting:
There are multiple programs out there for this purpose but I have found the best results with "ROM Toolbox". Feel free to buy the full version to support the dev but if all you are looking to do is change the density setting, the lite version will do just fine.
1. download and install "ROM Toolbox" from the Google Play Store
2. go to the "Performance" tab
3. click "build.prop tweaks"
4. change the "LCD Density" slider to whatever DPI you like
5. reboot
As mentioned, there are multiple programs out there but from my experience, DO NOT USE "LCD DENSITY MODDER" from the play store. This seems to soft-brick our phones as well as other GSII variants based on other reviews I've read and there does not seem to be a resolution at this time. This caused issues for me on TW-based and AOSP ROMS. It's a shame too, it seems perfect for this task, especially considering it can install a hacked Play Store (more on that later)
To see a more detailed thread on LCD Density Modder, go here (thanks kobridge!): http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1570893
What Setting to Choose:
This is matter of personal opinion, but I personally like 190 dpi (stock setting is 240). Many people swear by using 160 dpi but personally the icons and text are too small for my poor eyesight. I suggest starting from about 200 or so and working your way down. Remember, the lower the number, the smaller your icons/text will appear but will also give you more screen real estate
You may also notice that text and icons appear less sharp when messing with these settings. Keep in mind that because you are not truly changing your screen resolution, the translation will not be perfect. Personally, given the natural sharpness of AMOLED screens, i think most people while not be bothered by this or even notice
Some users like elliwigy have reported FC issues when going below 190 DPI. If you want to go lower than this, I suggest you search for the thread that has a modded phone.apk that can help with this issue
Potential Issues and Workarounds:
You will inevitably run into some compatibility issues so here are few final thoughts
Which ROM to use?
TouchWiz-based Roms: All roms based on stock Samsung TW for the E4GT were written with only the native resolution in mind. This means that certain apps will not scale well with a higher resolution and two particular ones come to mind:
- The Phone Dialer: The dialer looks like small box that fills up only a portion of the screen. To resolve, use an aftermarket dialer app like "exDialer" from the play store (thanks tenazrael!)
- TW E-mail App: The TW e-mail app (not gmail) also doesn't scale well. Instead, delete and install the AOSP e-mail apk.
AOSP ROMs: CM9 and AOKP handle the conversion a bit better. You won't run into the dialer or e-mail issue like with TW ROMs but there are still some bugs.
- Certain pictures of contacts may show up as way too zoomed in, i.e. messaging notification pictures or the favorites tab (thanks locoboi187!)
- Other aspects of the OS may become hard to read when scaled down so much, i.e. lock screen add-on buttons (thanks phpracing!)
The Play Store Doesn't Show All Apps? - This is the biggest pain in the a$$ when you mess with the lcd density settings. There is a bug in the play store that prevents you from seeing certain apps when you change the settings away from default.
I have seen a few "hacked" versions of the vending.apk out there that makes the play store think you are always set to 240 but for some reason, this only works for a little while.
Here are the steps to get the market working again:
1. Change LCD Density back to stock (240)
2. Reboot to take effect
3. Clear the data for the Google Play Store AND Google Services Framework
4. Open the Play Store app and you should see everything again
5. Change LCD density back to whatever you like.
6. Reboot
I know this is a bit cumbersome but it's the best solution for now. I haven't quite nailed down what triggers the market to "break" but hopefully you won't have to do this fix too often. In opinion, this annoyance is worth it.
To see a more detailed thread on this topic, go here (thanks kobridge!): http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1529227
Everything Looks Too "Stretched Out"? - Having an aftermarket launcher will help with this tremendously. I personally use Apex Launcher and there are some settings you can change to make the proportions look better
1. Homescreen Settings: Change the Vertical and Horizontal margins to medium or large
2. Dock Settings: Same as above.
You may also want to mess with different grid configurations now that you have extra room but i prefer to leave mine at the default 4 x 4
And that's it. I hope this will help you out so that you won't have to go through all the trial and error I did. I promise you, after you do this, it will be impossible for you to go back to the stock resolution (everything looks HUGE)
... and for those who care, here are some screen shots and the stock e-mail app
I've found 190-200 to be the sweet spot for me no matter which rom I use. It's nice, but isn't as nice as native 720p.
Tis a pity pentile was chosen for the GN over samoled+ makes it so one must choose between awesome colors or sweet, tight rez.
heroisnotdead said:
Tis a pity pentile was chosen for the GN over samoled+ makes it so one must choose between awesome colors or sweet, tight rez.
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Amen
For those people who are interested - I am currently using LCD Resolution app from the Market store to keep my phone at 200. Anything less bothers me in some way or another.
In regards to the Dialer/Contacts being off center, I use an app called exDialer + exDialer ICS theme which scales perfectly. I then use an app called Holo Launcher which I believe beats Zeam, Go, and Launcher Pro hands down! This also scales perfectly. Finally, I am running the latest Blazer ROM on GB EL29.
The Market bug is very annoying, but I'm continually doing research on how to get past it.
tenazrael said:
For those people who are interested - I am currently using LCD Resolution app from the Market store to keep my phone at 200. Anything less bothers me in some way or another.
In regards to the Dialer/Contacts being off center, I use an app called exDialer + exDialer ICS theme which scales perfectly. I then use an app called Holo Launcher which I believe beats Zeam, Go, and Launcher Pro hands down! This also scales perfectly. Finally, I am running the latest Blazer ROM on GB EL29.
The Market bug is very annoying, but I'm continually doing research on how to get past it.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for the dialer tip! I will update OP with this info. This is very useful knowledge. I started using AOSP roms to avoid annoying dialer bug so this may lead me to rethink what ROM i use and go back to TW based
At any lower dpi the messaging notification picture icon looks zoomed on CM9. I tried 160, 180, 195, 200
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im running cm9 a4 and this worked for me no problems. everything works the contacts and the dialer. not off center to me. i havent really messed around with the store yet but seemed good to me. the only thing i saw that was a little out of place and i dont think it is the tweak is the favorites icons. i use the favorites alot seeing as i only really call the same 6-7 people. does the contact/dialer app fix this?
phpracing said:
im running cm9 a4 and this worked for me no problems. everything works the contacts and the dialer. not off center to me. i havent really messed around with the store yet but seemed good to me. the only thing i saw that was a little out of place and i dont think it is the tweak is the favorites icons. i use the favorites alot seeing as i only really call the same 6-7 people. does the contact/dialer app fix this?
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i guarantee you that you'll see my problem listed above. Reproduceable.
Thanks for re-editing.
LCD Modder issue -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1570893
Market download -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1529227
elterible said:
... and for those who care, here are some screen shots and the stock e-mail app
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Click to collapse
Is that a galaxy nexus or did you just change the dpi.
Also with the changes. The lock screen add on buttons (top, right, and left options) are very tiny. I didn't even notice them until I took a good look at it. Again don't think this is a problem, just a product of the modification.
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My experience on any rom is phone fc's on any setting below 190 without modded phone.apk.. havent had any issues with market or anything when set to 190 in rom toolbox on any rom.. also if interested in native lcd changing support paranoid android is awesome! Not only does it have tablet mode it also has hybrid mode where you can change global density and even density per app while in hybrid mode
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
thanks for the feedback everyone. again, i will update OP with the info
kobridge - thanks for the links to your posts. i didn't see these but will link in the OP for those who want more info.
Zero Night said:
Is that a galaxy nexus or did you just change the dpi.
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just changed the DPI (don't own the GN, only E4GT). At the time of the screen shots, i was running CM9a5 with apex launcher set at 190 DPI
I didn't feel like reading the previous post but here's how to fix play store dpi issue. Steps 1 & 2 can be done in either order. Doesn't matter. Just be sure to change dpi before market updates
1) set your dpi
2) uninstall all data and updates to market.
3) reboot phone let play store update.
4) where did my dpi compatability issue go?
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Shoulon said:
I didn't feel like reading the previous post but here's how to fix play store dpi issue. Steps 1 & 2 can be done in either order. Doesn't matter. Just be sure to change dpi before market updates
1) set your dpi
2) uninstall all data and updates to market.
3) reboot phone let play store update.
4) where did my dpi compatability issue go?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
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I've tried both OP's solution and your solution, but neither is working, guess I'm one of the unlucky ones. It'll be a pain, but whenever I need to download something from the Play Store, I'll have to sit with 240 dpi for a bit, haha.
lucentflame said:
I've tried both OP's solution and your solution, but neither is working, guess I'm one of the unlucky ones. It'll be a pain, but whenever I need to download something from the Play Store, I'll have to sit with 240 dpi for a bit, haha.
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What ROM you using?
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
lucentflame said:
I've tried both OP's solution and your solution, but neither is working, guess I'm one of the unlucky ones. It'll be a pain, but whenever I need to download something from the Play Store, I'll have to sit with 240 dpi for a bit, haha.
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That's odd. I forgot to mention u gotta wipe Google frameworks also. But its how I fix my issue. It works on cm9 and blazer 4.1
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Shoulon said:
That's odd. I forgot to mention u gotta wipe Google frameworks also. But its how I fix my issue. It works on cm9 and blazer 4.1
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Yes, the "trick" doesn't work for me either until i wipe google services framework.
On a side note, wipe the google services framework FIRST, then the play store. If you do the GSF last, you sometimes get a weird "server error" when you open up the play store
I have a question: why is it that every rom, every new OS all the icons stays the same? Why don't these companies or rom developers just create a whole new icon set? Yes, I know that I can install a launcher and get new icons but I like to just leave the phone just the way it is without installing a launcher and then installing sets of icons. Samsung is the same, KiKat is the same as way back to eclair. No difference. Its just the same ol' same ol' boring icons.
Its one of those, "if it ain't broke" things I guess. It seems to me a lot of folks think they nailed it back on ics, so they are sorta sticking to a lot of that and introducing changes a little at a time. Kk for example does have a different look in some areas such as the status bar and notification area. I also think that most significant changes will be made for different devices. The average person using their S3 for the past 2 years may not want all different icons when they update. They expect to only have to relearn what's what when getting a new device.
Thats a theory anyway...
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DocHoliday77 said:
Its one of those, "if it ain't broke" things I guess. It seems to me a lot of folks think they nailed it back on ics, so they are sorta sticking to a lot of that and introducing changes a little at a time. Kk for example does have a different look in some areas such as the status bar and notification area. I also think that most significant changes will be made for different devices. The average person using their S3 for the past 2 years may not want all different icons when they update. They expect to only have to relearn what's what when getting a new device.
Thats a theory anyway...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
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You have done great things with the 4.3 update, the themes are freaking awesome to change the stock-flat-boring icons from TW. Personally, Im using the AOSP theme on the TW launcher, love that combo! Thanks for giving us taste of KK with your sprint port. Can wait for you to mess with the KK update we will be getting soon. Oh, and I have a request for your future KK rom, include the AOSP theme or the option to use the google launcher like you did on 4.3 :highfive::highfive::highfive:
Actually, I cannot take credit for all of that! If I am not mistaken you are referring to the StockMod rom right? Pretty much the entire rom is the work of @saranhai. All due credit goes to him for that one! And I am certain he will be hard at work on it too.
We just got wifi working, so if we can get screen rotation solved, it wouldn't surprise me if he rebased using my port!
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Yeah, I guess that makes sense. its just that, if you build a rom couldn't the icons be replaced to make it a bit different? I do like the flat samsung icons even though they still look the same, its just flat. I don't like using launchers any more because most of them need to install lots of widgets in order to complete the launcher and then when I install another rom then I have to do that all over again. Thats why I gave up on launchers.
Your roms are great and I love them. I guess what I'm trying to say is that most KK roms gets boring with the same look. I know that there's some that offer more features in settings, but they still look the same in general. I mean, they still using the same stock messaging icon since the beginning of Android, time for a change.
First, admittedly, KK has switched back to drab White over black icons which are not exactly appealing. So I will grant you that. Secondly When it comes to icons, you do have to edit the actual app APK in order to change or replace the icon. That is if you don't want to replace the laucher. There are inherent problems and a ton of time editing the APKs not to mention copyright issues.
If you are not wanting a Launcher change then you can go for either a lightweight launcher with theaming support (Such as Apex) and you can apply Themes. Otherwise you can go for De-Odexed Roms that are skinnable and highly customizable. AOKP (Unicorn) and Pacman come to mind.
Do know there are projects here on XDA such as Team Blackout who invert Google Apps and other apps.
You can't expect OEMs to design new icons every time they push a new update.. And from eclair to KK, I've had a Samsung eclair device and the icons look way better with kk, don't know what you mean that they look the same.. You can use an xposed module to change icon themes on any launcher even stock, gravity box or wanam modules to add mods and change a little appearance, there's flashable themes.. I don't see a reason to rant about this
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