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So trying to choose between the Moto X and the Nexus 5, I came across the biggest difference between these phones, their development. Moto X has little to none and Nexus 5 has more than any phone out there. This was an easy win for Nexus 5 I thought. Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
I thought back to why I flash ROMs on Note II and my previous phone SII, and fair enough, I used to do it because I wanted to fix issues that came with stock versions. Now, I hate flashing ROMs, I just want to use my phone. Anyways, looking at the development on the Nexus 5, it seems much of it is to fix the speakers, camera, battery life, etc.
Then I thought that Custom ROMs are important to stay up to date with Google's updates but then Motorola released their update faster than Google did with their Nexus 4. They are also updating their 1.5 year old phones (Not the Razr HD or the Razr HD Maxx probably because of their TI chipset). So it looks like Moto X users are in good hands as far as updates are concerned.
What do you guys think? Would you rather have a fully functional stable stock ROM on a phone that has no development otherwise or would you rather get a phone with tons of development to fix issues that the stock ROM has?
I am asking because there may be an angle to development that I haven't considered. Many customizable things included in ROMs on Nexus 5 are available via Xposed on Moto X.
Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a very narrow perspective. There are lots of reasons one might want to flash a ROM or kernel; the "one size fits all" mentality of other vendors such as Apple and Microsoft need not apply here. Custom ROMs open the door to different features that the OEM might not have considered or wanted to spend time on, and allow the creativity of the general public to enhance the phone in ways that are unique to them or only fits a certain niche that wouldn't be profitable for a big company to try and cater to. It certainly isn't just about "fixing issues".
Though custom ROMs certainly aren't the only feature I would look for in a phone, I might hesitate before buying a phone that little support or, even worse, a locked bootloader with no current workaround or hack for the simple reason that even if there's nothing I'm interested in today, there might be something cool that I want to try out tomorrow.
MaxCarnage said:
there might be something cool that I want to try out tomorrow.
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Click to collapse
If you had bought something like the Moto X one year ago, what feature made by the ROM developers on the Nexus 4 would you really want to try out?
I've been debating this myself. I have a Nexus 5 now that I'm testing with TMO prepaid for a month. So far, the phone is really nice and as you said, the level of development is astounding. BUT, I have to leave VZW in order to keep the phone. That's very hard to do when I get a hefty discount on the service and still have unlimited data. I can get LTE pretty much everywhere I go. With TMO, I'm lucky to get Edge data in some places or even a signal at all inside buildings.
I love the look and feel of the X. It's is a great piece of hardware and with the Dev edition, I could stay on VZW. I also like the fact that it runs basically stock Android along with additions that are actually useful and well done. The dev community is very limited though and will most likely stay that way. Moto was quick to get the 4.4 update out but it remains to be seen if that pace will continue. You would hope so but nothing is guaranteed. The X2 may be out next year putting the update schedule for the current model on the back burner.
I had the original Nexus One and the Galaxy Nexus. I've always been a diehard AOSP guy. Every phone I've owned in between has always been on a custom AOSP based ROM in order to get close to that Nexus experience. I'm attracted to custom ROMs not because they fix bugs, but because they allow me to always stay on a current version of Android (no waiting for carrier updates) and add some nice features to the basic AOSP design. Custom kernels can also improve overall performance and battery life even if you decide to stay stock otherwise. The Nexus line will always have the edge in this regard.
I wanted to be blown away with the N5 and content with TMO but I'm second guessing my decision each day.....
darkgoon3r96 said:
So trying to choose between the Moto X and the Nexus 5, I came across the biggest difference between these phones, their development. Moto X has little to none and Nexus 5 has more than any phone out there. This was an easy win for Nexus 5 I thought. Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
I thought back to why I flash ROMs on Note II and my previous phone SII, and fair enough, I used to do it because I wanted to fix issues that came with stock versions. Now, I hate flashing ROMs, I just want to use my phone. Anyways, looking at the development on the Nexus 5, it seems much of it is to fix the speakers, camera, battery life, etc.
Then I thought that Custom ROMs are important to stay up to date with Google's updates but then Motorola released their update faster than Google did with their Nexus 4. They are also updating their 1.5 year old phones (Not the Razr HD or the Razr HD Maxx probably because of their TI chipset). So it looks like Moto X users are in good hands as far as updates are concerned.
What do you guys think? Would you rather have a fully functional stable stock ROM on a phone that has no development otherwise or would you rather get a phone with tons of development to fix issues that the stock ROM has?
I am asking because there may be an angle to development that I haven't considered. Many customizable things included in ROMs on Nexus 5 are available via Xposed on Moto X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am running the N5 stock and have no reason to root or flash a custom Rom. Never thought I would say that about my phone but I am actually content with the N5 the way it is. There are some cool features that devs add in but then you get sucked into this never ending flashing frenzy which I have been in for years.
It is good to actually enjoy the phone now and keep the software on it for more then a few days. lol
Anyway, the screen alone on the N5 is enough for what I consider a big step up from the Moto X. I have friends with Moto X's which I actually recommended to them since they are on Verizon and it was being offered for free on contract. I do think it is a great phone with some great features. Not enough there to sway my decision to get one over a N5 though.
I do applaud Motorola for their unbelievable quick update and I bet we start to see some other maunfacturers start stepping up their game as well. We have seen this recently with HTC also.
The question to ask yourself is what is important to you. Another good thing with the Moto X is it generally stocks with the stock Android feel so it almost resembles Nexus software.
Bottom line, when I turn on my N5 after playing with the Moto X, the Moto X does not in any way make me want to buy one for myself.
---------- Post added at 11:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:32 AM ----------
fallingd0wn said:
I've been debating this myself. I have a Nexus 5 now that I'm testing with TMO prepaid for a month. So far, the phone is really nice and as you said, the level of development is astounding. BUT, I have to leave VZW in order to keep the phone. That's very hard to do when I get a hefty discount on the service and still have unlimited data. I can get LTE pretty much everywhere I go. With TMO, I'm lucky to get Edge data in some places or even a signal at all inside buildings.
I love the look and feel of the X. It's is a great piece of hardware and with the Dev edition, I could stay on VZW. I also like the fact that it runs basically stock Android along with additions that are actually useful and well done. The dev community is very limited though and will most likely stay that way. Moto was quick to get the 4.4 update out but it remains to be seen if that pace will continue. You would hope so but nothing is guaranteed. The X2 may be out next year putting the update schedule for the current model on the back burner.
I had the original Nexus One and the Galaxy Nexus. I've always been a diehard AOSP guy. Every phone I've owned in between has always been on a custom AOSP based ROM in order to get close to that Nexus experience. I'm attracted to custom ROMs not because they fix bugs, but because they allow me to always stay on a current version of Android (no waiting for carrier updates) and add some nice features to the basic AOSP design. Custom kernels can also improve overall performance and battery life even if you decide to stay stock otherwise. The Nexus line will always have the edge in this regard.
I wanted to be blown away with the N5 and content with TMO but I'm second guessing my decision each day.....
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Click to collapse
Why not go to a MVNO that uses AT&T towers? Would still be much chepaer then Verizon and they offer much better coverage then T-Mo.
[email protected] said:
I am running the N5 stock and have no reason to root or flash a custom Rom. Never thought I would say that about my phone but I am actually content with the N5 the way it is. There are some cool features that devs add in but then you get sucked into this never ending flashing frenzy which I have been in for years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't you want to improve the Audio and the battery life by trying out the kernels and the mods made here?
Anyway, the screen alone on the N5 is enough for what I consider a big step up from the Moto X.
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Click to collapse
I assume you mean resolution? I was under the impression that 1080p and 720p are not that different under daily usage?
It all comes down to your habits. I love flashing new ROM's, I sometimes try multiple ROM's per week. So for me, development means a lot. It's why I switched from the S4 to the N5. The S4 just received 4.3 and was locked down by Knox. Plus, with the N5 being an unlocked phone, you can flash any ROM on any carrier, so you won't ever have to drool over another carrier's ROM.
mjs2011 said:
It all comes down to your habits. I love flashing new ROM's, I sometimes try multiple ROM's per week. So for me, development means a lot. It's why I switched from the S4 to the N5. The S4 just received 4.3 and was locked down by Knox. Plus, with the N5 being an unlocked phone, you can flash any ROM on any carrier, so you won't ever have to drool over another carrier's ROM.
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Click to collapse
I also flash a ton of ROMs every week and also used to enjoy it, but I am getting tired of it now... I want to live life more than flash ROMs (if that makes sense)
darkgoon3r96 said:
If you had bought something like the Moto X one year ago, what feature made by the ROM developers on the Nexus 4 would you really want to try out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anything and everything. The top reason I don't even consider not getting a Nexus device anymore is the development scene. Look, you're viewing the huge development community on the Nexus line as people who are "fixing" a "broken" stock image. That's not really true. The stock image is perfectly fine. The developers are merely making things that they deem better than how stock handled it. For instance, a developer might think that the on-screen buttons are too large on stock, taking up way too much screen real-estate. They would then develop a way to remove it, but still be able to navigate. They might make something like PIE controls. Now, I may agree that the buttons really are too large, but I like the nav bar. So I might just resize it, instead of working around it.
I guess the point I'm making is, all of those modifications you see to "improve" the stock image are there to "improve" it, but what counts as an "improvement" is completely subjective. There are different people in the world with vastly differentiating opinions about things, so they will make something to improve something else as they see fit. The development sections here on XDA are merely huge repositories of any modification that anyone who was willing to make, made. Looking at them all as collectively-required flashable improvements isn't how it should be viewed. That's the beauty of having a large development community. You can pick and choose, depending on your personal opinions, which modifications are improvements and flash them. Another way to think of it is cookie-cutter vs modular. Do you want a phone that appeals the masses,;a one-size fits all, or a phone that is completely customizable?
darkgoon3r96 said:
Don't you want to improve the Audio and the battery life by trying out the kernels and the mods made here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life has been great on stock for me. Absolutley no complaints here. I have ran so many custom kernels on prior phones and never saw a large boost in battery from them. Lots of times it would actually be worse.
The speaker volume can definitley use a boost and the camera needs some fixing. I know there is some dev work for both of these issues but I am going to hang a little and see if Google fixes it. If not, I might think about rooting solely for those 2 things. If Google fixes it, absolutley no reason for me to root this time around.
Anyway, as a prior flashoholic there is no better phone then a Nexus for people who like to flash Roms and like every feature on the sun. No other phones custom Roms work as good as they do on a Nexus.
Development is like the first determining factor for me when buying phones.
darkgoon3r96 said:
I assume you mean resolution? I was under the impression that 1080p and 720p are not that different under daily usage?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Screen size. A 5" screen starts the sweet spot for a device that uses on-screen buttons. I always felt shorted on prior 4.7" screens with on screen buttons. Like there wasn't enough viewing real estate. Sure you can remove the on-screen buttons but then you would need something that always to longer to activate then the actual buttons being present.
I also think the quality and colors of the N5 screen are just gorgous.
darkgoon3r96 said:
So trying to choose between the Moto X and the Nexus 5, I came across the biggest difference between these phones, their development. Moto X has little to none and Nexus 5 has more than any phone out there. This was an easy win for Nexus 5 I thought. Until I read Moto X users saying that flashing ROMs and kernels are normally to fix issues that the stock versions have and that they don't need Custom ROMs and kernels because what they get is stable, smooth, and lasts long enough (battery wise).
I thought back to why I flash ROMs on Note II and my previous phone SII, and fair enough, I used to do it because I wanted to fix issues that came with stock versions. Now, I hate flashing ROMs, I just want to use my phone. Anyways, looking at the development on the Nexus 5, it seems much of it is to fix the speakers, camera, battery life, etc.
Then I thought that Custom ROMs are important to stay up to date with Google's updates but then Motorola released their update faster than Google did with their Nexus 4. They are also updating their 1.5 year old phones (Not the Razr HD or the Razr HD Maxx probably because of their TI chipset). So it looks like Moto X users are in good hands as far as updates are concerned.
What do you guys think? Would you rather have a fully functional stable stock ROM on a phone that has no development otherwise or would you rather get a phone with tons of development to fix issues that the stock ROM has?
I am asking because there may be an angle to development that I haven't considered. Many customizable things included in ROMs on Nexus 5 are available via Xposed on Moto X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just got rid of my moto x for the N5 for this very reason. The moto x is a great device and probably the best carrier controlled device to date.
That being said, it drove me nuts to be locked down with a locked bootloader and no development. Knowing the n5 is open and has all the Dev support means I have control over MY phone, not AT&T and not Motorola.
After dealing with the locked down s4, I promised myself I would never get another device without an unlockable bootloader. I caved when the moto x came out and as I said it's one amazing device but at the end of the day, I'll be sticking with nexus devices from here on out.
To me it's not worth giving up that freedom but for you it may not matter.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Development totally cones into it for me. One of the biggest considerations.
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brooksyx said:
Development is like the first determining factor for me when buying phones.
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rootSU said:
Development totally cones into it for me. One of the biggest considerations.
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Click to collapse
Please elaborate. I want to know which features exactly do Custom ROMs provide that you won't be able to get from the xposed mod that you would want that much.
capathy21 said:
That being said, it drove me nuts to be locked down with a locked bootloader and no development. Knowing the n5 is open and has all the Dev support means I have control over MY phone, not AT&T and not Motorola.
Sent from my Nexus 5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I do get the Moto X, then I will get the Developer Unlocked model.
brooksyx said:
Development is like the first determining factor for me when buying phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, after my first Nexus phone, I could never go back to a phone that didn't have a strong dev. community behind it. For me; tablets and phones are as much about the journey of playing with ROM/kernel/mods as they are a communication device.
darkgoon3r96 said:
Please elaborate. I want to know which features exactly do Custom ROMs provide that you won't be able to get from the xposed mod that you would want that much.
If I do get the Moto X, then I will get the Developer Unlocked model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No stock rom mod can touch the stability and features of cyanogenmod. It is the only way to do anroid. In fact I prefer iOS over stock android. But CM is awesome.
brooksyx said:
No stock rom mod can touch the stability and features of cyanogenmod. It is the only way to do anroid. In fact I prefer iOS over stock android. But CM is awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To be honest, CM's future plans SERIOUSLY excite me.. Like that recent conversation feature
CyanogenMod, AOKP, AOSPA support, along with great kernel devs. The Nexus 5 is essentially guaranteed support for these things, and these are things I like.
darkgoon3r96 said:
Please elaborate. I want to know which features exactly do Custom ROMs provide that you won't be able to get from the xposed mod that you would want that much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who said anything about roms or features? Its all about kernels.
But if you look at ROMS like PAC, you'll see what features true roms can offer over xposed
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Is it just me or does it seem like a lot, not all, but a lot of the devs have moved on to other devices?
If so, it makes me sad to see that the first real Google phone was so quickly abandoned.
kungpowchicken said:
Is it just me or does it seem like a lot, not all, but a lot of the devs have moved on to other devices?
If so, it makes me sad to see that the first real Google phone was so quickly abandoned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How exactly are you defining this as "the first real google phone?"
Do the nexus devices not count?
kungpowchicken said:
Is it just me or does it seem like a lot, not all, but a lot of the devs have moved on to other devices?
If so, it makes me sad to see that the first real Google phone was so quickly abandoned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The other issue is custom features. Moto X users love active display and touchless control, and other than that it is AOSP. there is very little reason for development besides debloated / odexed roms, of which there are plenty
kungpowchicken said:
Is it just me or does it seem like a lot, not all, but a lot of the devs have moved on to other devices?
If so, it makes me sad to see that the first real Google phone was so quickly abandoned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the first phone I felt didn't need a custom ROM. I just installed xposed and gravity box and it's golden. Love this phone.
Unfortunately, the stock rom and features being so good has doomed development for this phone IMO. It's a bit expected since this is what I've wanted since my earliest days with with Android. Moto did a great job with it.
There isn't much demand for custom ROMs, especially since it's already running nearly stock (with useful enhancements that would be lost). If you want the miscellaneous customization options included in most ROMS, just install Xposed Framework and grab one of the various modules available (gravity box seems to be the most popular)
anotherfiz said:
The other issue is custom features. Moto X users love active display and touchless control, and other than that it is AOSP. there is very little reason for development besides debloated / odexed roms, of which there are plenty
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree there. I unlocked my Moto X but only to root it and put Xposed framework on it. After that I installed Gravity Box to customize it how I wanted.
CyanogenMod 11 is official for it but its not posted here. Dhacker forgot to make a Moto X thread. Its under msm8960dt instead of xt1060 etc.. as they unified all the Moto X builds: http://download.cyanogenmod.com/?device=moto_msm8960dt
The things I gave up using CM 11 when I tried it that brought me back was lack of NFC HCE support (Google Wallet Tap and Pay wont work), Touchless Control, and no Active Display. Granted ACDisplay app has made great strides and, once they get the gravity wake features enabled, I would not mind using that instead of AD. GW issue is something though that bothers me.
I think the only time I will consider a rom for this phone is once Motorola stops updating it and a new version of Android comes out that CyanogenMod is building from.
I too have to agree with what most people have been saying about the X. All of my previous Android phones were Samsung phones. I was a serious flashaholic with them. AOKP was my favorite on my S3. I hated touchjizz with a passion. Now, with the X, I'm completely satisfied with running stock. I never thought that would happen. All I have that's custom on my X is Faux's kernel. And, I'm happy as a clam.
Sent from my XT1053 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Yup.... This really isn't a "flashing"phone. Its an enjoy stock and the moto features and use gravity box to customize phone.
Very few seem to be using the ROMs that are available.... And as said, its cause you lose all the custom moto features, which are a big reason people bought the phone to begin with.
Also, the dangers of downgrading have played a part in people not wanting to mess with it too much I think.
I loved my x, and still recommend it to anyone I know looking for a phone....but yeah, I passed it to my wife for an n5....cause I was bored. Lol
Maybe you should try a similar move? Unless you're content. Cause unless the moto features make it to custom ROMs.....development won't pick up anytime soon. Maybe when updates end, then custom ROMs may pick up.
Sent from my N5, N7, Moto X, G Tab 3 or S2.....
I'll simply add that my 2 cents echo's those above - the phone does what I want it to do, and well. Its already running the up to date OS, which on prior devices was my main reason for flashing in the first place.
ROM development should pick up after our phones are dropped from OTAs. For the time being, stock does everything you need and it's crazy stable.
I bought this phone so I didn't have to rely on development.
Xposed framework seems to be all I need on this phone at least until it starts falling behind on future ota's as I plan on keeping it for a while.
Xposed Framework is more than enough to fill any custom rom desires.
Moto X is pratically AOSP with lots of really useful features like Active Display that I can't imagine living without now.
As much as I love AOSP and have loved using custom roms, Moto did too good of a job to warrant the constant flashing of nightlies, restoring backups, getting all my apps back, testing builds for bugs etc. I do still enjoy trying out different roms from time to time just for fun.
With all that said, I'm enjoying the stock based roms, and the stock rom + xposed. My plan is to continue using stock based roms and every month or so try a custom kernel, see what combination gives me the best battery life and smoothness, enjoy having a bug free phone, and taunt my friends with the awesome moto goodies (they really seem to envy touchless control, as they should!)
Honestly, once we stop receiving OTA's, I'll start looking for a new device. But, damn, it's going to take something special to force me to make a change.. A DE Moto X with unlimited data on Verizon, what the hell more could a guy want?!
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
DonKilluminati23 said:
As much as I love AOSP and have loved using custom roms, Moto did too good of a job to warrant the constant flashing of nightlies, restoring backups, getting all my apps back, testing builds for bugs etc. I do still enjoy trying out different roms from time to time just for fun.
With all that said, I'm enjoying the stock based roms, and the stock rom + xposed. My plan is to continue using stock based roms and every month or so try a custom kernel, see what combination gives me the best battery life and smoothness, enjoy having a bug free phone, and taunt my friends with the awesome moto goodies (they really seem to envy touchless control, as they should!)
Honestly, once we stop receiving OTA's, I'll start looking for a new device. But, damn, it's going to take something special to force me to make a change.. A DE Moto X with unlimited data on Verizon, what the hell more could a guy want?!
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its crazy how vzw makes you lose your unlimited data if you upgrade. At&t doesn't. But yeah I was going to get the gs5 but changed my mind. I'm going to hold off to see what the moto x+1 is going to be like. I'm pretty interested in the iPhone 6 and see what it has to offer also. But going to keep my x till later on in the year.
MOTO X SLAPPED
[email protected] said:
Its crazy how vzw makes you lose your unlimited data if you upgrade. At&t doesn't. But yeah I was going to get the gs5 but changed my mind. I'm going to hold off to see what the moto x+1 is going to be like. I'm pretty interested in the iPhone 6 and see what it has to offer also. But going to keep my x till later on in the year.
MOTO X SLAPPED
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually just used all the upgrades on my family plan through best buy and kept the unlimited data, some glitch in the best buy system, used mine on an iPhone 5S and sold it. But yeah it sucks you have to jump through hoops and get lucky to keep unlimited with Verizon.
Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
i dont agree. development is not dead. if you look at the newest custom roms then you see 99.9% everything works. there is nearly every custom rom available.
there is just not too much kernel developers. it is ok because they also dont develop their kernels like before, they just import a kernel source from vendor and patch it with experimental features and you can not modify them without pay their apps. just remember siyah kernel and you know what i mean...
Its not like it needs it a whole lot. Its already running just about stock, already on a new build of KitKat, and has a lot of features you can't add in with another ROM like touch less control. We have xposed modules so what more can you ask for?
Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk
I havent found one ROM that doesn't have an issue albeit small issues but issues all the same. Why flash a ROM that takes away touch less control and notifications and in my opinion doesn't run any better than stock., just to have small issues. There is just no benefit that I could find. The best ROM I tried was gummy but the stock email app continuously tried to load emails killing the battery.
Hi. I'm thinking of getting a Nexus 6. One thing I'm curious is how are people coping with not have Xposed modules. Are you depending on custom roms and themes to make up the difference? Currently on my Note Edge I use App Settings, Heads Up Notifications, Multiwindow plus. Notifly Clean, Swipeback and YouTube Adaway among others. For example App Settings really comes in handy for changing look of apps and such (can give more of a tablet UI). I'd especially like to hear from folks that heavily used Xposed in the past to get their impressions. Anyways, I might get a N6 or wait a bit more to see what comes out at CES. Thanks!
mscion said:
Hi. I'm thinking of getting a Nexus 6. One thing I'm curious is how are people coping with not have Xposed modules. Are you depending on custom roms and themes to make up the difference? Currently on my Note Edge I use App Settings, Heads Up Notifications, Multiwindow plus. Notifly Clean, Swipeback and YouTube Adaway among others. For example App Settings really comes in handy for changing look of apps and such (can give more of a tablet UI). I'd especially like to hear from folks that heavily used Xposed in the past to get their impressions. Anyways, I might get a N6 or wait a bit more to see what comes out at CES. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have adaway on my Nexus 6 and it works great. It's part of the LS ROM. The Nexus 6 is fine without xposed even after using it heavily on all of my other phones. If you want a tablet UI then you can change the DPI on your phone to 320 (560 is stock) and most people seen to like 460-480dpi. It's well worth the upgrade if you love to flash. Anything from CES (LG, ASUS, Samsung etc..) Won't have nearly as much development if any compared to a Nexus device. I like to flash ROM's and kernels so rather than deal with the hassle of unbricking a LG or Samsung with factory tools I can flash the stock ROM via fastbokt with my nexus easily. It's all up to what you plan to use the phone for. Any new phone debuting this year won't have xposed anyway because they will have lollipop
Your problem is not the Nexus 6, your problem is with Lollipop. Due time, Xposed will be made to work with ART.
Regardless of whatever phone you're using, if it has Lollipop, Xposed will not work.
Pilz said:
I have adaway on my Nexus 6 and it works great. It's part of the LS ROM. The Nexus 6 is fine without xposed even after using it heavily on all of my other phones. If you want a tablet UI then you can change the DPI on your phone to 320 (560 is stock) and most people seen to like 460-480dpi. It's well worth the upgrade if you love to flash. Anything from CES (LG, ASUS, Samsung etc..) Won't have nearly as much development if any compared to a Nexus device. I like to flash ROM's and kernels so rather than deal with the hassle of unbricking a LG or Samsung with factory tools I can flash the stock ROM via fastbokt with my nexus easily. It's all up to what you plan to use the phone for. Any new phone debuting this year won't have xposed anyway because they will have lollipop
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zephiK said:
Your problem is not the Nexus 6, your problem is with Lollipop. Due time, Xposed will be made to work with ART.
Regardless of whatever phone you're using, if it has Lollipop, Xposed will not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your replys. I was wondering if folks could change dpi on apps individually instead of globally.
Clearly lollipop is inevitable. I've tried a recently released developers version of lollipop on my former dd (Note 3) and it has some nice features plus some Note 4 multiwindow improvements. But I also missed my Xposed mods when using it. The main problem I'm having with the EDGE is that I'm not sure how much development will continune on it. Currently there are two very nice roms (I'm refering to tmobile here variant) but no custom kernels. So I guess I'm suffering from developer envy lol... CES should be interesting in that more devices should be introduced with 64 bit processors along with, perhaps some of the larger screen sony devices. At lest that is the hope!
Now that Lollipop is out what are people's thoughts about it compared to a mofo-rooted KitKat? Do the benefits of an updated OS outweigh those of root (albeit partial, but wifi-tehtering and xposed works)? What would you rather have?
Has anyone here made the switch?
From experience on other devices, lollipop is great. On the other hand, why bother sticking on xda if you were going to stay on unrooted stock (which is where 5.1 ota takers are going to stay). I'm not sure if people realize the increased difficulty finding these exploits especially on lollipop.
I guess that's the million-dollar question. Is there anything in Lollipop that would make someone switch from a mofo-rooted KK phone to Lollipop?
No, I can't stand the intrusive ads, and need Wi-Fi tethering with my unlimited plan
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using XDA Free mobile app
If we were talking about an earlier version of Android then kk I would agree in principle, but Android is so mature at this point. I love being on the latest but most missing features between the versions can be added via third party apps or xposed. Very hard for me to give up root.
For me, there are two reasons I want Lollipop... so my fitbit will display text messages.. I guess it requires 5.0 or higher... and for ART.
But to lose xposed, to lose customizing the look (white on amoled.. so dumb), to lose editing my hosts file for adblocking, just so I can have my texts readable on my wrist and a slightly faster load times for apps.. no, just not worth it. I really hope someone finds a way to root LP, until then:
Mofo'd Kitkat all that way. Been rocking the same image I made since March 28 (I nicknamed it TurboTime )
I switch to Lollipop as Wifi didn't work quite well in KK. Drop, slow connection all the time. It's rock solid when I upgrade.
Still really missed the Xposed stuffs, but I still have my nexus to play with.
Also, isn't adblock slow the internet connection too? I realize it when I started COC, it's always freeze a few secs before loading.
Onismurai said:
Also, isn't adblock slow the internet connection too? I realize it when I started COC, it's always freeze a few secs before loading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Non root adblocking can be slower as (some) reroute all your traffic through their servers where it strips ads before it gets to you, thus creating another step.
With root you can edit the hosts file.. which basically.. when a page, app or anything wants to go to www.AdsAllOver.com your phone believes that url is located at the ip address of 0.0.0.0 instead of the real address... thus the ad never loads. No slow down of speed just the denial of seeing crap.
jawiler said:
No, I can't stand the intrusive ads, and need Wi-Fi tethering with my unlimited plan
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear ya. It's all about xposed and wifi-tethering with my Verizon UDP as well. Hopefully a root method for Lollipop will be coming soon.
root > all else
As of my post, votes are leading going towards 5.1... however those voters arent speaking up.. Im curious why they feel being on 5.1 made things better.
Ive seen it made a 'less than optimal' wifi, a better function.. better battery life...(still havent seen an issue with KK battery [ 12 hours on batt 2 hours on screen time, still 57%]) ... and outside of that, Im still unsure why the people that voted 5.1 vs root did vote that way.
I really hope someone has a good argument toward upgrading but at this point, I feel those 5.1 Turbos offer less than a 4.4.4. rooted Turbo.
ntxct said:
As of my post, votes are leading going towards 5.1... however those voters arent speaking up.. Im curious why they feel being on 5.1 made things better.
Ive seen it made a 'less than optimal' wifi, a better function.. better battery life...(still havent seen an issue with KK battery [ 12 hours on batt 2 hours on screen time, still 57%]) ... and outside of that, Im still unsure why the people that voted 5.1 vs root did vote that way.
I really hope someone has a good argument toward upgrading but at this point, I feel those 5.1 Turbos offer less than a 4.4.4. rooted Turbo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe people are voting for 5.1 because they feel the need to justify taking the OTA without thinking and losing root (sarcasm).
So far I haven't heard of any real advantages for upgrading yet (increased battery life, better camera, stronger signal strength, etc.). Maybe some folks who have upgraded can chime in?
I would really like to have Lollipop on my Turbo, but moving on without wifi tether, amplify, titanium backup, and gravity box is just not an option for me. What upsets me the most is that these functions need root to begin with. We really need all of these options in stock, especially app+data backup. It's a shame we have to resort to modding our devices just to get them to work the way we want them to.
Being one of the ones giving up mofo for 5.1. For me it came down to the only benefit root for me was ad blocking and Titanium to backup / freezer apps that I couldn't disable. The advantages of 5.1 are (hopefully) improved battery, advance calling actually working for better quality and simultaneous voice / data, location-based smart unlock, better integrated notification toggles, smoother overall phone and of course the itch to be on the latest version
So while I hope they figure out a way to upgrade the kernel and system files with mofo, for me the hurdles / odds didn't seem worth it given the above tradeoffs.
So that's my $.02 from a jumper.
Coming from 4 prior phone before the Turbo with WP Off, and able to do whatever I want, running Lollipop on my Galaxy S3 before I got my Turbo. I literally had the SAME setup via apps, configuration, interface, (Besides having ART on LP, and Dalvik on kk) between my Galaxy S3 w/ Lollipop and my Turbo 4.4 w/ 'root' where I did my own images and added in what I want.
When I got rid of my S3 to get my Turbo, I really didn't notice a difference. I really did like Lollipop because I had no issues with my apps like Xposed, Viper4Android. Then again going back to kk, no problem. Only thing that sucks is this god damn phone is plagued with the WiFi issue and there was never a hotfix that was released nor is there any build.prop fix or any config file we can edit to fix the issue.
Also depends what you do, I edited my own images, put in my own ad-block hosts file so I don't deal with that **** anymore. I have xposed, I edited my GPS .conf, I have a entropy fix running which makes it slightly snappier.
If you're like me and want these options still, stick with KK, but if you don't care for your own hosts file, new gps conf, more entropy, and Viper4Android, go ahead and update. Hopefully whoever takes the 5.1 OTA can get a mofo root if there is a exploit.
I'm definitely sticking with rooted Kk. I personally prefer the UI on Kk compared to lollipop, but it's the root that keeps me permanently on it. I have LP on my shield tablet, and am not a huge fan.
Are 32 votes enough of a sample to conclude that the slight majority of XDA'ers who own Droid Turbos would rather take the OTA and likely give up all hope of attaining root on Lollipop 5.1 (despite multiple warnings to not take the OTA and wait for a rooted IMG file that can be flashed with mofo)? Since only one "jumper" actually stated why he made the switch, is being on the latest and greatest OS really so much better, customization/control be damned (note that I did not say functionality)?
Surprising...
GeoFX said:
Are 32 votes enough of a sample to conclude that the slight majority of XDA'ers who own Droid Turbos would rather take the OTA and likely give up all hope of attaining root on Lollipop 5.1 (despite multiple warnings to not take the OTA and wait for a rooted IMG file that can be flashed with mofo)? Since only one "jumper" actually stated why he made the switch, is being on the latest and greatest OS really so much better, customization/control be damned (note that I did not say functionality)?
Surprising...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got a couple theories...
1. (Is yours from before) people need to justify taking the OTA, so will vote 5.1 just so they feel vindicated in their upgrade.
2. The 5.1 voters are just casual users that, maybe in the past have had customizable phones, thus know of xda, and saw this poll, voted for what they have and left.
3. Voters that have never truly customized their phone and are happy with whatever google decides the UI should look like.
4. Voters that think a higher number is always a better number.
5. Voters that found this forum from droid-life or other news outlets, that saw the poll, voted and left (extension of 2)
6. A group of crazies that find any poll on xda and decide to vote for the least logical solution.
I'm going with 1.. the biggest thing Im hearing about 5.1 is the battery life.. however Im also hearing most are factory resetting, which makes me wonder if they had factory resetted while on KK, if they would've see the same increase of battery life? (not installing apps you forgot you installed 4 months ago, don't use anymore, and it was those apps that were draining their KK battery)
I kinda / sorta feel bad for those that want to be on the cutting edge of tech and upgraded in excitement only to realize how screwed they just made themselves... (I mean we all found xda because at one point we all wanted to root / customize some phone right? And in upgrading, 5.1 users now have no way to root and customize)
ntxct said:
I've got a couple theories...
1. (Is yours from before) people need to justify taking the OTA, so will vote 5.1 just so they feel vindicated in their upgrade.
2. The 5.1 voters are just casual users that, maybe in the past have had customizable phones, thus know of xda, and saw this poll, voted for what they have and left.
3. Voters that have never truly customized their phone and are happy with whatever google decides the UI should look like.
4. Voters that think a higher number is always a better number.
5. Voters that found this forum from droid-life or other news outlets, that saw the poll, voted and left (extension of 2)
6. A group of crazies that find any poll on xda and decide to vote for the least logical solution.
I'm going with 1.. the biggest thing Im hearing about 5.1 is the battery life.. however Im also hearing most are factory resetting, which makes me wonder if they had factory resetted while on KK, if they would've see the same increase of battery life? (not installing apps you forgot you installed 4 months ago, don't use anymore, and it was those apps that were draining their KK battery)
I kinda / sorta feel bad for those that want to be on the cutting edge of tech and upgraded in excitement only to realize how screwed they just made themselves... (I mean we all found xda because at one point we all wanted to root / customize some phone right? And in upgrading, 5.1 users now have no way to root and customize)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more:
7) Users who actually have a real need for Lollipop, whether it be application development or for a bug fix (even though I haven't heard of any major bugs in KK fixed in 5.1 but there might be some).
Highly doubt this would apply to the majority of people who voted for Lollipop
I will patiently be waiting for L to be rooted just as I did for KK. When MOFO came out and I was finally able to block ads and use gravitybox, any thoughts of lollipop just disappeared.
I'm ordering 2 of the 7" tablets for my 4 and 2 year old kids for some games and videos. While I understand the benefit of CM or slim I guess, is there any reason not to leave the tablet stock? Looks like if it arrives with the 5.1.1 I can still put on CM12 if I decide later. I just don't want to have to deal with no vibrations, no camera or whatever other feature doesn't work of that is the case. Or maybe these bugs have been resolved. If I don't want to change too much of the tablet, couldn't I just install Google play store and go from there? Or is it really that much better to prevent the update to 5.1.1 if it arrives with a prior version? Remember these are kids who will use it here and there. If it was for myself, I'd probably root. I just feel sometimes custom roms have their quirks, which is why I like the nexus line.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
dbldown768 said:
I'm ordering 2 of the 7" tablets for my 4 and 2 year old kids for some games and videos. While I understand the benefit of CM or slim I guess, is there any reason not to leave the tablet stock? Looks like if it arrives with the 5.1.1 I can still put on CM12 if I decide later. I just don't want to have to deal with no vibrations, no camera or whatever other feature doesn't work of that is the case. Or maybe these bugs have been resolved. If I don't want to change too much of the tablet, couldn't I just install Google play store and go from there? Or is it really that much better to prevent the update to 5.1.1 if it arrives with a prior version? Remember these are kids who will use it here and there. If it was for myself, I'd probably root. I just feel sometimes custom roms have their quirks, which is why I like the nexus line.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am pretty sure this tablet does not have vibration. And in my opinion it is not worth using without a custom ROM. The functionality and speed it brings to the device is unbelievable.
dbldown768 said:
I'm ordering 2 of the 7" tablets for my 4 and 2 year old kids for some games and videos. While I understand the benefit of CM or slim I guess, is there any reason not to leave the tablet stock? Looks like if it arrives with the 5.1.1 I can still put on CM12 if I decide later. I just don't want to have to deal with no vibrations, no camera or whatever other feature doesn't work of that is the case. Or maybe these bugs have been resolved. If I don't want to change too much of the tablet, couldn't I just install Google play store and go from there? Or is it really that much better to prevent the update to 5.1.1 if it arrives with a prior version? Remember these are kids who will use it here and there. If it was for myself, I'd probably root. I just feel sometimes custom roms have their quirks, which is why I like the nexus line.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there is no heptic feedback, stock or otherwise
some Amazon apps may not work with custom roms, without modifying the build.prop
Sent from my KFFOWI using XDA Labs
Thanks for the feedback. I had a few more questions. I believe I saw you can disable ota updates to 5.1.1. If I wanted to try out the stock system if I get a lower version is this the recommended approach?
If I went to cm12 is this step still required since the bootloader is locked and I want to prevent future updates?
Since I ordered two, can one backup serve for both of them or is there even a need to backup a branch new tablet? Can I just get a factory image to put it back to stock if need be?
Thanks in advance
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
If I got another Fire under version 5.1.1, I would immediately block any updates. It sounds like it would be unlikely at this point.
I have one for my 2 year old as well, mainly for movies but she's really gotten into several toddler learning games. I left Fire OS (5.0.1) on her's and blocked updates, rooted, and installed the Play store. She can navigate and choose her game readily with Fire OS, it seems more intuitive for her. She could only pick icons on the homescreen with CyanogenMod. I look at blocking any updates as "future proofing" since I'll likely update to a different ROM once she has better coordination using the tablet.
dbldown768 said:
Thanks for the feedback. I had a few more questions. I believe I saw you can disable ota updates to 5.1.1. If I wanted to try out the stock system if I get a lower version is this the recommended approach?
If I went to cm12 is this step still required since the bootloader is locked and I want to prevent future updates?
Since I ordered two, can one backup serve for both of them or is there even a need to backup a branch new tablet? Can I just get a factory image to put it back to stock if need be?
Thanks in advance
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you start with 5.0.1 and want the intended Amazon experience, you have two options which will leave the TWRP option open:
1) Keep 5.0.1 and disable OTA. Recommended, since you'll probably figure out in about 30 seconds whether you love or hate the interface. If you hate it, moving to 5.1.1 won't make you any happier.
2) Upgrade to 5.1.1 FW + 5.0.1 recovery as detailed in this post http://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/howto-install-fireos-5-1-1-root-gapps-t3265594 and then disable OTA.
I personally could not stand the stock FW and in general I do not allow billboards into my home.
Edit: Forgot to answer your second question. If you let Amazon do the uploading for you, they will install their 5.1.1 recovery, you will lose TWRP, and you cannot downgrade to a TWRP-able version yet. The game we're playing right now is you have to keep 5.0.1 bootloader on your Fire at all costs.
~Lonnie
Well I guess to a certain point this topic is meaningless. I was hoping to get a version under 5.1.1 but I did not, at least on the first device i opened. So I guess I need to at minimum block updates to 5.1.1 and install playstore. So I will have to find some threads on how to do that.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Slip seems to be the only custom ROM that supports SD cards over 32GB, so that would be one reason to keep the stock ROM over CM or AOSP at the moment.
I was able to get 64GB and 128GB cards working by formatting them as NTFS rather than exFAT.
dbldown768 said:
Well I guess to a certain point this topic is meaningless. I was hoping to get a version under 5.1.1 but I did not, at least on the first device i opened. So I guess I need to at minimum block updates to 5.1.1 and install playstore. So I will have to find some threads on how to do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FireOS v5 works well for many, has integrated parental controls and is arguably more approachable for some communities. While installing Google's Play Store/Services is one option (you'll find several how-to threads in the forums) also consider an alternative marketplace like 1Mobile which emulates the Play Store. Sideloading and Amazon's own Underground app store are also good resources that don't involve messing with the device.
Used super rep o script to add in playstore. Didn't root. Wanted to block updates but saw that requires root so I'll look into if I'm going to do that. Right now for the price and even with the odd launcher it uses, the thing works pretty well. I only with the parental controls would include any installed app. Looks like only Amazon app store apps can be selected.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk