Picking an Android ROM

[CU]

Trying to pick an Android Rom for my Captivate. Why choose something like CM9/10, Slim Bean, or Slim ICS, etc. over an AOSP build like LANIGHT? What do these other ROM's add over AOSP? What is general considered the best ROM, mostly widely used, and supported? There are alot more ROMS out there than I thought.

 

[sygyzy]

The reason you pick one ROM over the other is because of features or tweaks it might add. If you are simply wanting the latest version of Android that your carrier/manufacturer won't give you, you can stick with a AOSP build. But if you want more things like maybe a theme manager or reboot menu options, go with a different ROM. Start with CM.

 

[Kenmitch]

A rom that works fine for me might not for you. Best to just try what looks interesting and how it works for you.

Just research them and see whats missing,added,tweaked or broken and take it from there.

 

[gorcorps]

Each one packs in different features that you might like. Either different themes, different settings, notfication bar changes, etc. I would check out the different threads on XDA and view the main page of the popular ones. Be prepared to try multiples in case one doesn't do something how you like it. I just switched roms yesterday from ParanoidAndroid to an AOSP rom and I like the AOSP rom better. More stable and some good packed in features. It's pretty much trial and error though as they're all different.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I would pick a big name like Cyanogenmod or AOKP.

I don't want some random Joe's AOSP ROM that he'll stop updating next week because he upgraded his Nexus S to a SGS3.

 

[Uppsala9496]

I preferred slimbean on my captivate. Ran smooth, good dev support, best of cm and aokp, small package.

Currently running slim on my gnex since I was so impressed with the work/usability on the captivate.

 

[s44]

CM and AOKP are basically bloated versions of AOSP, designed to show off modern dual- and quad-cores. On an old single-core like the Cap, I'd use one of the slimmed/debloated remixes (whether "Slim" or LANIGHT).

 

[T_Yamamoto]

CM and AOKP are basically bloated versions of AOSP, designed to show off modern dual- and quad-cores. On an old single-core like the Cap, I'd use one of the slimmed/debloated remixes (whether "Slim" or LANIGHT).

They aren't bloated. They just added features. Bloated is touchwiz

 

[ponyo]

They aren't bloated. They just added features. Bloated is touchwiz

CM and AOKP are bloated. Look at the size of the zip file.

 

[cl-scott]

To actually answer the question with a couple of specifics, CM9/10/AOKP will add things like controls in the status bar to say turn on/off BT, Wifi, even cellular data. Just think of the stock Power Control widget on steroids. One of the other features I like is separating ringtone and notification volumes which Google linked inexplicably in 4.0.4.

There are plenty of other things, and so I'd say just take a weekend or something and play with a couple different ROM options you're considering, then keep the one you like best.

 

[Bman123]

I used slim ics on a vibrant basically the same phone and it ran great

 

[CU]

Sounds like a slim version maybe better considering the older hardware in my phone.

 

[cmdrdredd]

CM and AOKP are bloated. Look at the size of the zip file.

Wow...so you think they add in a bunch of UI stuff? No...that is what bloated means. Sense, touchwiz...those are stripped out.

Some people actually like having extra features because Google seems not to understand that ringer volume might not need to be the same as notification volume.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

CM and AOKP are bloated. Look at the size of the zip file.

CM and AOKP add features that should've been there in the first place. Things like linking ringer and notification volume. Otherwise you have iOS clunkiness.

CM power screenshot is useful. CM notification toggles are useful. CM with multiring unlock is useful.

None of this adds any bloat to the OS. They add knobs that allow granularity of control. If Google's all about choice, it's ironic the OS is really lacking in basic options.

What is bloat is if you had to get a 3rd party app to run a notification toggle option, and a 3rd party lock screen, etc.

 

[razibhasan]

I have used MIUI on my Galaxy Tab (7") for a few months. It was a great looking ROM. May be you can check XDA for latest MIUI ROM if they have ROM for your device.

 

[CU]

Is there a website anywhere that compares the features of different ROM's side by side?

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

not really considering most ROMs are made by some random dude on XDA. there's only a few big names like CM, AOKP, MIUI.

Slim and a few others are much less widespread

 

[Uppsala9496]

Best you can do is read through posts on XDA. Give a rom a shot and if you don't like it, switch to a new one. I settled on the slim rom when I was using my captivate. I felt he took the best of CM and AOKP and put it in a small lightweight package. I like the work so much I'm using his on my GNex.

 

[Red Storm]

What is bloat is if you had to get a 3rd party app to run a notification toggle option, and a 3rd party lock screen, etc.

I disagree. If someone doesn't want those features built in then it would be bloat for them. Using 3rd party apps is not bloat. Bloat is built in stuff.

 

[slightlyhuman]

i've had helly bean(with cyanogen) on my cappy for a few months. freaking rocks.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I think the community matters.

I am liking my JB AOKP ROM for the SGS2, but part of that is because the community is large and active.

 

[dbk]

I've been using CM9 and CM10 on my SGS2 (over AOKP, even with all those tweaks). However, I flashed ParanoidAndroid on my phone few days ago and I really appreciate the ability to set individual dpi settings for every app..

 

[Hmoobphajej]

Best way to find out is drop by the XDA forums for the Captivate, look at some roms, and try them out. Like some previous posters its all about preference for the phone user. I've generally just stuck with CM since it does everything I want without problems.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I disagree. If someone doesn't want those features built in then it would be bloat for them. Using 3rd party apps is not bloat. Bloat is built in stuff.

Built in stuff that takes extra resources. Increasing the file size of a ROM because your settings menu has more checkboxes and sub menus isn't bloat. Bloat should relate to crap that has to run in the background which consumes CPU cycles and RAM. That's what Sense and TouchWiz are. Bloat.

If you don't want to use some of the cool features in CM such as:
- Allowing delinking of notification and ringer volumes
- Quiet hours
- Multi direction unlock
- Weather widget on lock screen
- Adding AM/PM to clock
- Showing battery % and versus icon only in notification bar
- Screen brightness slider in notification bar

You can turn all of them off. But the fact that the CM team gives you the choice for these features to me is a plus. If you don't like that choice that so many Android supporters rave about, then perhaps Apple's iOS with its limited options is considered non bloat?

CM doesn't run bloated at all compared to stock AOSP. You can run it close to stock if you want. The point of CM was to address the failures of Google to include some basic features that many people need/want. They accomplished what you would need like TEN 3rd party apps or whatever which would consume RAM and have to run in the background otherwise. Good luck keeping all those running with Google's horrible memory management or HTC One X's multitasking abilities...

 

[CU]

After doing some reading on the XDA forums for the Captivate, it looks like CM is slower than AOSP with LANIGHT begin the fastest. Slim Bean also seems good and may have more long term support.