Database Users

[Q] Handful of slightly random questions

1. Is SafeStrap the only custom recovery currently available for the Verizon Variant of Samsung's S4 (i545) on build ME7?
2. In general, are there ways to partition ROM slots in order to share data? For example, could stock be installed in the stock slots designated allotment for system, and another (CM or something) on the custom ROM 1's system area, but they both share data?
3. How does a manufacturer know if a unit has been rooted?
4. What are some apps that might be considered necessities on a rooted S4 (for instance, the multi-window fix)?
5. What is your idea of the perfect ROM?

Crackow97 said:
1. Is SafeStrap the only custom recovery currently available for the Verizon Variant of Samsung's S4 (i545) on build ME7?
2. In general, are there ways to partition ROM slots in order to share data? For example, could stock be installed in the stock slots designated allotment for system, and another (CM or something) on the custom ROM 1's system area, but they both share data?
3. How does a manufacturer know if a unit has been rooted?
4. What are some apps that might be considered necessities on a rooted S4 (for instance, the multi-window fix)?
5. What is your idea of the perfect ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. You might want to ask that on the Verizon Galaxy S4 forums -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2314 . This one is for the Google Play Edition, International and International LTE variants so there could be a little difference in the hardware and software.
2. (I think we'd need a dev to answer that)
3. Well, recently, we discovered that the GS4 seems to have an active e-fuse within it, which isn't good news because (in most cases - I think it's different in Europe) once it's tripped ( ie; Knox will show an 0x1 on download mode) there goes your warranty. Once you have updated to the new Knox bootloader, you can't downgrade either but there is an ongoing development on the Note 3 forums that suggests that there is now a way to get around the Knox bootloader (it remains 0x0) when you flash a pre-rooted ROM.
4. The only necessary app IMO is Titanium Backup (and eventually ROM Manager when development gets farther).
5. My idea of a perfect ROM is one that's hybrid stock and AOSP. I like AOSP ROMs as they've almost always had better battery life (there's less bloat) but the camera has always been a weak point because Samsung's camera has always been proprietary so our devs will never see the source which they would probably need to adapt to their ROM projects. The closest ROMs that has gotten to that IME has been ParanoidAndroid and SlimBean.
HTHs
P.S.: Someone correct me if I'm wrong about any points here.

I'm sorry that I posted that question in an inappropriate area, I hadn't realized. :silly:
The inclusion of the eFuse is absolutely terrible news. There is, however, a tiny ray of hope: that is a Knox feature. Knox is not yet active in ME7 build, so (fingers crossed) the eFuse may not be in use, yet. Still, why would Samsung have included security hardware that they are not using whatsoever? Isn't part of the beauty of an Android product the freedom that comes along with owning one? These large companies are beginning to closely resemble the fruity fiends from the other side. Although we may have taken extra freedoms with our devices, we must still be protected from manufacture error. Is this to say, for instance, that if I were to flash my S4 (that happens to need to be replaced, the processor has a terrible heat problem), then Samsung would take a look at the phone, determine that it had been previously flashed, and force me to live with it literally burning holes in my pocket?

Crackow97 said:
I'm sorry that I posted that question in an inappropriate area, I hadn't realized. :silly:
The inclusion of the eFuse is absolutely terrible news. There is, however, a tiny ray of hope: that is a Knox feature. Knox is not yet active in ME7 build, so (fingers crossed) the eFuse may not be in use, yet. Still, why would Samsung have included security hardware that they are not using whatsoever? Isn't part of the beauty of an Android product the freedom that comes along with owning one? These large companies are beginning to closely resemble the fruity fiends from the other side. Although we may have taken extra freedoms with our devices, we must still be protected from manufacture error. Is this to say, for instance, that if I were to flash my S4 (that happens to need to be replaced, the processor has a terrible heat problem), then Samsung would take a look at the phone, determine that it had been previously flashed, and force me to live with it literally burning holes in my pocket?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries, it's still an S4 after all. Samsung's diving for gov't and BYOD enterprise solutions now that Blackberry's demise is almost certainly a forgone conclusion. For that, they need to have good security on these devices. And yes, with this, Samsung can definitely blame the consumer for hardware issues once the warranty has been voided. One of the supposed reasons this is going on right now (according to someone quoting Samsung) is that Samsung's gotten tired of taking in warranty repairs that are due to ppl not following instructions and either frying their internals or hard bricking. In the case of OC'g, I can see where they are coming from because it's also a fact that when you OC a processor on a PC, it will shorten it's lifespan. Personally, I think it's a cop out from that whole SGS3/SGN2 SDS disaster and that was (IMHO) a QC issue. In any case, between designgears & Chainfire (and brought to us by DjeMBeY), there seems to be a bit of a solution now on how ppl can safely root their phones post Knox install.

[Q] Note 2 with KNOX?!

Hello,
at the first: I'm dont live in England or in the USA and I don't speak english very good/well.
I want to buy a new Phone. The Note 3 is a very good Phone, but I heard the Note 3 has "eFuse & KNOX" and that's very bad.
Then I thought about the Phone Note 2. The Note 2 hasn't the eFuse. But one day after I heard the Note 2 has "KNOX" and If I run a Custom Rom on my Note 2 then the number of KNOX go to 0x1 -.-". And If the number 0x1 then I haven't warranty for my Phone Note 2.
What do you think ?
Buy the Note 2 and wait for a solution for KNOX or buy the Note 2 and run a Custom Rom, but If the Phone bricks or have a damaged, then I haven't a warranty and Samsung shouldn't repair the Phone or ?
And I have a another Question:
Which Phone is better ( Price and Perfomance )
Note 3 or Note 2 with DN3 Custom Rom. ?
Yours sincerely,
Albert

XxAlbertxX said:
Hello,
at the first: I'm dont live in England or in the USA and I don't speak english very good/well.
I want to buy a new Phone. The Note 3 is a very good Phone, but I heard the Note 3 has "eFuse & KNOX" and that's very bad.
Then I thought about the Phone Note 2. The Note 2 hasn't the eFuse. But one day after I heard the Note 2 has "KNOX" and If I run a Custom Rom on my Note 2 then the number of KNOX go to 0x1 -.-". And If the number 0x1 then I haven't warranty for my Phone Note 2.
What do you think ?
Buy the Note 2 and wait for a solution for KNOX or buy the Note 2 and run a Custom Rom, but If the Phone bricks or have a damaged, then I haven't a warranty and Samsung shouldn't repair the Phone or ?
And I have a another Question:
Which Phone is better ( Price and Perfomance )
Note 3 or Note 2 with DN3 Custom Rom. ?
Yours sincerely,
Albert
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the note 3 will be better than the note2. And they will both have knox, weather this acttually affects the servicing warranty is yet to be seen but I would imagine that it would. If you want to avoid knox the get a htc one

Thank you...
tonylee000 said:
Well the note 3 will be better than the note2. And they will both have knox, weather this acttually affects the servicing warranty is yet to be seen but I would imagine that it would. If you want to avoid knox the get a htc one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the Answer!
But on saturday I bought the Note 2 . You are right but If i think in the next year or in 1,5 years I want a new phone then the Note 3 is little better then the Note 2, Or? (Price + Perfomance) But you are right,.. the Note 3 are better
I don't like HTC. I don't know why but I am know you can not put a SD Card in all HTC Devices or change the accu of all HTC Devices.
But do you think in the future is KNOX a big Problem or a small Problem ?
If in the Future KNOX is a very big Problem then I change the Phone maker (Example: Sony, HTC,...).
(sry for my english)

XxAlbertxX said:
Thank you for the Answer!
But on saturday I bought the Note 2 . You are right but If i think in the next year or in 1,5 years I want a new phone then the Note 3 is little better then the Note 2, Or? (Price + Perfomance) But you are right,.. the Note 3 are better
I don't like HTC. I don't know why but I am know you can not put a SD Card in all HTC Devices or change the accu of all HTC Devices.
But do you think in the future is KNOX a big Problem or a small Problem ?
If in the Future KNOX is a very big Problem then I change the Phone maker (Example: Sony, HTC,...).
(sry for my english)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could always put an SD is "some" HTC devices.
You can also 100% definately put a SD card in the new HTC One.

I also just got a brand new Note II (I317M), and of course tripped Knox right away rooting.
It seems some progress is being made, and I've been told that there is a way to reset Knox that *only* works for the Note II, though I haven't confirmed it, or found working instructions so I don't know if I'm just being trolled.
Perhaps you'll have better luck than me finding the information Albert.

fade2black101 said:
You could always put an SD is "some" HTC devices.
You can also 100% definately put a SD card in the new HTC One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah Oke.
e1evene1even said:
Perhaps you'll have better luck than me finding the information Albert.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe Maybe....

Note 2 beats Note 3.. In its price as compared to features ratio.. a great smartphone with super amoled, powerful quad core which can handle any game and application with ease..
Sent from my GT-N7100

If you are new then buy note3, no brain. ~400€ the 32 gb model
cons:
- 3gb
- 1080p (2x pixel vs 720p)
- IR remote
- better sound
- better call quality
- much smoother, faster (antutu 34k n3 vs 21k n2)
- much better camera, with really cool features
- much brighter screen
- -20gr (note2 185gr vs note 3 is only 162gr)
- same size (dimensions' n2 = n3)
- better s-pen hw support, easier to write (closer to life)
- instant kitkat
don't waste your time with kid roms

Questions regarding the Note 4

Hello XDA!
I'm about to purchase a note 4 tomorrow from Wind mobile here in Canada. I would have preferred the nexus 6 but its just not available with wind as of yet.
So my questions regarding the note 4 are:
1) The Note 4 variant would be SM-N910W8, will it allow rooting?
2) Does Samsung allow unlocking the bootloader to install custom roms or is just a root sufficient to do that.
3) I've heard of something called knox, and how it will trigger once you root the note 4. Will this have any adverse effects on app functionality such as tap2pay etc..? I know the warranty will be void, but if something goes wrong with the device its a 50/50 chance of getting it repaired replaced.
4) My reason of preference for the N6 was stock android, is there a ROM currently that is AOSP based?
5) Is there a specific thread i can go to find roms for my variant?
5) Is there a way to return back to a virgin note 4 (unrooted, stock ROM)? And even when that is done, will knox still reflect the trigger as 0x1?
6) Lastly, i havent been much of a fan of samsung because i felt they were pushing out "cheap phones" And i must admit, ever since they came with the metal band with their alpha and note 4. Ive taken a great liking to them. So my question (I do only expect general replies) , How are you guys/girls liking your note 4 so far?
Thanks in advanced!
(P.S sorry if some of the questions are stupid, i researched and dug around as much as i can but couldnt find definitive answers)

Rooting restriction is carrier based. Some carriers lock down from rooting, others dont.
Knox is a one way trip. Once tripped it stays that way. It is effectively a fuse.
Had my N4 for two weeks and am loving it. Came from a rooted S4. Not really missing root that much. Wish I could still turn GPS on and off with Tasker and wish I had better access to the SD card. Not big deals though. There is another thread here about non-rooted solutions to many things people want root for.
Might become more an issue in a couple years if Samsung/Verizon fails to do timely updates.
Best advice to new N4 users is learn to use the S Pen. It is what makes the N4 stand out.
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

1. No it doesnt allow rooting. get a 910U - so far it seems the least hassle.
2. no rooting.
3. yes once you try to root your warranty is void. for all purposes assume you will never get root. then again, you dont need root. in fact having no root and knox is much better. you can have a dual personality phone which works very well.
4. irrelevant. if you get the note 4 expect to run factory.
5. no. you cant have root.
6. you need a full case to hold it. its a thin glass panel. ive got an iblason armorbox for it. also would recommend buying the wireless back and wireless chargers. cables are too much of a hassle on this phone.

My recommendation would be little biased towards Samsung given my last four phones were all galaxy. I never had to root Note 3 but I rooted Note 4 in few days of owning it. Google must have thought let's give some punch to Samsung by disabling write access to external SD giving excuse of security as Samsung is the only high end phone manufacturer that still has it. And one of the most used function that was very important to me was copying files off network share to SD which no longer worked. Only for this I rooted.
I buy Note series not for amoled or big screen or good battery life or running AOSPs. I buy for SPen. I snap, print screen, doodle and write catchy text and share, adds that special touch. And that Microsoft One Note supported inking in android, I am loving it even more.
Note 4

Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated!
While it seems most of you use the note 4 for its main purpose of being a multitasking phone. I on the other end just need the good camera, screen and battery. Everything else is gimmicks (for me atleast). However, this opinion of mine could be due to the fact that ive never owned a note before.
I did see some guides of being able to root the SM-N910W8 with CF auto root, as well as a way of bringing devices back to stock as i can see form this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4/general/ref-stock-firmware-kernel-modem-recovery-t2920452
Now, is that really the case or is there somehting im not seeing?

you can NEVER bring it back to stock. the efuse blows once you root. Do NOT root a note 4 until youre familiar enough with knox to make the choice

By stock i dont mean resetting the knox fuse. I mean, if I am on a cusotm rom, i can bring it back to stock for warranty purposes (which I know after the knox fuse is blown, is a hit and miss)
So my question still stands, will I be able to root my phone based on the thread i mentioned above and be able to return it to stock afterwards, or is there something im not seeing there.

qwertyman007 said:
Hello XDA!
I'm about to purchase a note 4 tomorrow from Wind mobile here in Canada. I would have preferred the nexus 6 but its just not available with wind as of yet.
So my questions regarding the note 4 are:
1) The Note 4 variant would be SM-N910W8, will it allow rooting?
2) Does Samsung allow unlocking the bootloader to install custom roms or is just a root sufficient to do that.
3) I've heard of something called knox, and how it will trigger once you root the note 4. Will this have any adverse effects on app functionality such as tap2pay etc..? I know the warranty will be void, but if something goes wrong with the device its a 50/50 chance of getting it repaired replaced.
4) My reason of preference for the N6 was stock android, is there a ROM currently that is AOSP based?
5) Is there a specific thread i can go to find roms for my variant?
5) Is there a way to return back to a virgin note 4 (unrooted, stock ROM)? And even when that is done, will knox still reflect the trigger as 0x1?
6) Lastly, i havent been much of a fan of samsung because i felt they were pushing out "cheap phones" And i must admit, ever since they came with the metal band with their alpha and note 4. Ive taken a great liking to them. So my question (I do only expect general replies) , How are you guys/girls liking your note 4 so far?
Thanks in advanced!
(P.S sorry if some of the questions are stupid, i researched and dug around as much as i can but couldnt find definitive answers)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Note 4 with Bell so to answer your questions:
1) Yes. This is true for all Canadian carriers AFAIK.
2,4) Should be sufficient with just a root. I haven't been around for a week so I haven't caught up on new developments yet. I didn't see much in the way of AOSP last I looked.
3) This I can't answer but I know for example there is an XPosed module that will allow applications like GOOD to continue to work even with KNOX tripped/removed.
5) The W8 is similar to the 910T. I'm actually running DynamicKat with the KTNote4 Kernel. When you install DK part of the install script checks if your phone is a 910T or a 910W8 and installs the correct kernel. I had an issue with my initial flash of it bootlooping but I used the Stockish kernel from twistedumbrella that I had flashed when I still running stock rooted and backed up the boot image so I restored that boot image and it booted, then I flashed KTNote4 myself. Check here http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-tmobile/development and here http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-tmobile/orig-development for roms/kernels.
6) Yes you can just flash a stock rom (should be floating around somewhere) but Knox will still be tripped.
7) Overall I'm absolutely loving it. I came from an S3 that I was running CM11 on with KT's kernel (seriously, his kernels are amazing!) and I liked it for a really long time but it started to get really sluggish and it just can't handle multitasking the way I'd like it. I do still notice slow downs, and the phone does still get pretty hot sometimes, but that's the price you pay for multi-tasking. KTs kernel certainly isn't perfected (granted I'm on a build from 2 weeks ago) and sometimes it will randomly reboot and bootloop at the splash screen but once I clear cache it boots right up. Usually only does this once it's been pretty hot for a while. I love the multitasking windows, that's exactly what I want. The one thing that threw me off the most was the DPI. It's a big phone, I don't need everything on it to be gigantic. So I did end up using the XPosed module App Settings to scale the DPI down to 480 from 640. There are a couple quirks when doing that, like the task switcher is smaller (since it was designed for 640 DPI) and there are a couple apps that you have to set back to 640 as well like the camera but you can always fix those as you find them.
I'm a firm believer that Android is a dev's playground. I could not use this phone happily without root. In fact, I rooted it the same night I got it within a couple hours. I bought the phone outright since I would have had to change my plan if I wanted to early upgrade and my plan is too good to do that. Happy modding!

Just use Autoinput. Can trigger GPS.
Sent from my SM-N910F using XDA Free mobile app

Should I upgrade to Android 5.0 Lollipop? Can someone explain the big deal?

I'm a supreme root user and I absolutely love my Xposed modules.
Should I upgrade to Android 5? I've always rushed straight to upgrade every time but this time I am having huge doubts.
People say the battery life is even worse, my phone only lasts about a day with greenify/amplify/etc. installed.
Also they are always complaining about apps crashing and not yet supporting Android 5.
Also I can't use Xposed Framework on Android 5 (this is a huge setback) and I am unsure if rooting will be as simple either.
Lastly, my KNOX is 0x0, but that doesn't matter anyway because I'll still keep my warranty in Europe even if I trigger the flash counter.
I was thinking of getting some kind of Google only, Nexus flavour of Android 5 for my Galaxy S 5.
I hate all the bloat and garbage that Samsung put on their phones. I am also so sick of only having roughly 300-400MB of RAM free on this phone... I was hoping the sleek Google version of Android 5 would give me a lot more RAM. It's really the only thing kind of weighing me down at the moment. Does Android 5 take less RAM?
Anyway what do you guys think? I guess an upgrade is eventually inevitable but this by far sounds like the worst upgrade to Android ever... Everyone talks about how 'material design' is so awesome, but frankly I don't care about that and it doesn't interest me in the slightest. The rest of it all, from the stupid white colour changes that will just drain more battery from me, to the rounding of apps, also don't interest me in the slightest.
So what exactly IS the improvement? Because people seem to absolutely hate it:
http://www.androidpit.com/galaxy-s5-android-update

leijonasisu said:
I'm a supreme root user and I absolutely love my Xposed modules.
Should I upgrade to Android 5?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.

Currently its now NOT TOTALLY worth it due to these reasons below :
-its not yet stable (certain lags and ram issues >> i fixed these using build.prop mods but its not 100% fixed)
-xposed is not there yet for sammy lollipop (need lots of work to get a simple mod)
but im using it and i can tell you the upsides :
-the ui is a bit cooler ... although i hate white but its cool actually
-battery is better !! believe it or not i get nearly the same life as kitkat and sometimes more
-its alot smoother not speedier but its silky smooth also applies in gaming :laugh:

I haven't upgraded to Lollipop yet due to all the negative feedback I hear about it. Mainly the feedback on the reduced battery life and overall software performance. I love my S5's battery life currently and would hate to see it get worse. Personally, I'll be waiting for a future Android version that solves some of these problems before updating.

To add......good luck with getting warranty repair on a knox tripped device......
Even in Europe, it ain't gonna happen.......
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

keithross39 said:
To add......good luck with getting warranty repair on a knox tripped device......
Even in Europe, it ain't gonna happen.......
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My KNOX isn't tripped and I am not sure if you understand but EU law stipulates that they MUST repair my device even if I trip the KNOX counter. (Which I said I haven't yet).
It's only in countries like America and Australia and parts of Asia and Russia that they do not have to honor warranty. I've had my devices within the EU repaired before with tripped counters over warranty.
Either way that's the least of my concern as I take care of my devices and only the useless Galaxy S 3 I used to own ever failed on me.
I guess I won't upgrade then. A few 'cooler' looking UI elements and stuff don't remotely interest me. I use Themer anyway and I don't think I am currently missing out on anything.
Frankly I don't see the point of this upgrade. For KitKat we got a security change via SELinux and a lot of other improvements. Lollipop just seems like a boring Placebo upgrade that really doesn't serve any purpose but to change the behaviour of apps in some ways and make them more 'unified' across different displays and configurations. What I have seen so far disappoints me greatly.
Having said that, when I get the new HTC One phone, obviously I will be forced to have Android 5. But until then I think I am happy staying with 4.4.2.

Lol.....I read and understood that you hadn't tripped knox......i'm just saying that you will find it harder than you think to get a repair on a knox tripped device.....
See this thread for details.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2996873
it contains screen shots of an email conversation that I had with Samsung...It seems pretty clear as to what their official company policy is..........
You'd be better off sticking with 4.1.2 anyway.......root it, debloat it and apply Xposed to it.......
Some disadvantages of 5.0.+........
1) new secure bootloader
2) some user app incompatibility
3) WIFI issues
4) s health issues
5) xposed support
6) battery efficiency
And those are just the issues I can think of while writing this post.......
Fairly sure there are others too.....
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

Definitely no.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app

Don't install Lollipop. Wait until all the bugs are worked out, even if it takes months.

[Q] Considering buying the S5. You guys' satisfaction with the S5? Any regrets?

Hi guys, I'm considering upgrading the S5, but have heard that it's like the "black sheep" of the S family. Is that true? Is it a worthy upgrade for S4 users? Anyone here has any regret of getting the phone (camera quality not as good as expected, battery life too short, phone gets hot quickly,...) ? I've used numerous Android device including the Optimus one, Optimus 3D, Optimus 4x HD, Optimus GK (yeah lots of LG products), HTC 8x and currently Xperia Z1 compact, and decided to go Samsung this time. Is it the right choice at the moment (I really don't like how the S6 will be removing SD slot and removable battery and stuff...) ? Thanks in advance .
// Edit: even though I've never cared about camera quality in previous phone, I do want a good camera this time. Will the S5's camera blow me away compared to current alternatives within the price range?

From my perspective, coming from an S2, yes I am really happy with the phone. Whether you will see much performance difference between newer samsung devices (S3 & S4) and the S5....I couldn't comment......but I have read that there is not that great a difference between the S4 and S5. From the viewpoint of removable battery and expandable memory, if that is important to you, then the S5 is probably the last chance you'll have to own a Samsung device. The only potential 'fly in the ointment' with the S5 is KNOX......do your research on that, then decide if you want an S5.......
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

Have never regretted a single moment. Upgraded from the S3 and got the 901F , everything flies , it's just on what's your daily usage,how you use it then you can be satisfied. About the camera part, I myself don't really mind about camera quality but I can say in my opinion makes me satisifed ^_^ altho there's not much dev for my model , it's good to have a phone that has removable battery , expandable memory since S6 isn't gonna provide that

@op - Most/All of the bad points you've heard about the S5 will be coming from people who upgraded to Lollipop early on / didn't factory reset after the update, KK users from everything Ive read, are very happy with the phone, I run LP and am very happy with it too
Coming from a Lumia 620, it's a massive upgrade to me and IMO, a great phone, couldn't be happier, battery life is great too
If you go looking for negative reviews of a device, you'll find them for any device no matter how good it is

I just got the phone two weeks ago but I didn't realise how hard it would be to root without tripping Knox. I've rooted all my phones in the past which involved jumping through a few hoops but this scenario is diabolical! There are so many ROM versions, so many out-of-date forum threads for all different S5 models. I think the geographical region has an effect as well. First you have to downgrade your ROM back to KitKat and then root it and then upgrade. It's an absolute minefield! I think it might be easier if you don't mind tripping the Knox warranty flag but I'm not ready to void mine.

seanspotatobusiness said:
I just got the phone two weeks ago but I didn't realise how hard it would be to root without tripping Knox. I've rooted all my phones in the past which involved jumping through a few hoops but this scenario is diabolical! There are so many ROM versions, so many out-of-date forum threads for all different S5 models. I think the geographical region has an effect as well. First you have to downgrade your ROM back to KitKat and then root it and then upgrade. It's an absolute minefield! I think it might be easier if you don't mind tripping the Knox warranty flag but I'm not ready to void mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was the same for about 2 months, eventually got sick of waiting for a LP root method that didn't trip KNOX, and just went for it - pleased I did now
There is a question over whether or not tripping KNOX in the EU voids warranty or not too, some people say it does, some people say it doesn't and they would have to prove that flashing custom software was the cause of the fault, so if your screen stops responding, even flashing back to stock doesn't fix it, it wasn't your fault, but if you pop the speakers by modding the volume after rooting, then it is your fault, those sort of things

Recently I have used Galaxy S4, Moto G, HTC One M8 & Asend 740 ..... finally I got a Galaxy S5 (SM-G900F) with Snapdragon CPU.
I'm kind of user who doesn't play games in my smartphone, I just use it for calls Whatsapp, viber Instagram & the like apps.
to be honest yes I'm so much satisfied with the Galaxy S5 specially the great screen.
Here is a list of most notable stuff in Galaxy S5 { Kitkat 4.4.2 }
1- Camera is very nice but the images quality in low light cases & indoors are little bit noisy.
2- the UI sometimes will lag any smartphone will lag while in use ....... as you know Galaxy S5 use the Touchwize UI which it is featured rich & heavy I prefer to use feature rich UI with little lag than using light UI with very few features.
3- some time I'm having battery drain and mobile will become hot when using some Apps like viber.
4- in general battery life is very good .
in the end I love to use a new smartphone every while .......... I have used Android, Windows Phone & iOS, Galaxy S5 is a smartphone which you can keep for one or two years, it is really a smartphone you can be satisfied with it.

Yeah.....touchwiz can be a bit heavy in use, but if you replace it with a launcher like Nova or Apex (I use Nova) that can help........
And as far as games are concerned, the games I play are emulated PS1 games, and they run without ANY lag and without overheating the phone.......
Battery life on this device is better than on any other Samsung phone I've ever used......
Sent from my rooted kn0x0 stocKK SM-G900F S5

I have used all Samsung's Galaxy S series.
From Galaxy S1 to S5.
And yes, S5 is a better phone than S4.
Its build quality, battery life, Speed and features are better than S4.
Camera is almost same but doesnt focus on small objects.
+ Fingerprint, heart rate, water resistance

thank you guys @keithross39 , @fitris97 , @*Detection* , @seanspotatobusiness , @one-option, @Aafsut . I think I'll get the S5. Unfortunately where I live only the T-Mobile version is left (other variants including international 900F are sold out). But seems like the T version is one of the variants with unlocked bootloader and I don't mind having KNOX tripped (our service centers here are sh*t and they likely won't know about checking that), does that mean I can have an easier way to root the phone? I have rooted LGs and Sony in the past and they are fairly easy to do, but no experience with Samsung (Odin and stuffs)... Also the KNOX flag just voids the warranty right? No other side effect?
And I suppose I can flash most 900F ROMs on the T-Mobile version? I have asked in the T-Mobile forum and got one confirmation about Omega Rom for 900F running fine on the 900T, but just want to be extra sure

You can use odin to flash CF auto root i believe just a simple step, just find your correct model and flash it. About KNOX , if you trip it , mainly , you void your warranty as well as you can't update OTA if you want to see see whether there is an update available.

fitris97 said:
You can use odin to flash CF auto root i believe just a simple step, just find your correct model and flash it. About KNOX , if you trip it , mainly , you void your warranty as well as you can't update OTA if you want to see see whether there is an update available.
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ARRRG I knew it! No OTA is a big bummer Guess I'll have to be careful with that KNOX thingy...
// Also, will the S5 likely to receive any other major OS upgrades? 5.1 or even higher?

Well if you trip and theres new update available you can always download the right firmware for your phone and flash it via odin no problem. Well it's up to them to release it, right now latest is lollipop 5.0? For my model its 5.0.1 so different model different timing as to releasing so probably yes? Haha