Root Helpful pointers and apps for our phone

[Mancow60]

Here are some tips and pointers for our ZTE Supreme. It’s a great phone but we can always make it better.

How to Disable apps on phone
Some apps you don't use on your phone but still run in the background. You can disable some of these apps like Gmail or even Real Racing 3. Go to Settings>Apps then scroll to the right and you will see ON SD CARD, RUNNING, and the last list is ALL. You will find the app on the ALL list and be able to disable the app. If you have updates installed, then uninstall updates then you will be able to disable the app. You can't disable all the apps, just some.

No need to be rooted for these apps

Android Kit Kat Email app
This app works very well on our phone and seems to work better than the stock email app.
APK Download: Here's The Default Email App From Android 4.4, With Gmail-Style UI And A Slide-Out Menu

Button Savior Non Root
The capacitive buttons can be a bit iffy sometimes and this app helps a lot. It adds sort of like soft keys on the side of the screen and it has a trigger to show and hide the soft keys.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smart.swkey.nonroot

HD Camara Ultra
If your not happy with the camera taking blurry pictures then try out this camera app. It takes clear pictures practically every time for me.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jessdev.hdcameras

Power Toggles
This app adds toggles to your notification bar. You can add Data, WiFi, flashlight toggles on there. you can also add a nice looking battery on the notification bar.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.painless.pc

8sms
This app is an SMS app. Its a port of the stock messaging app from 4.2.2 with few extra things. I used to use GO sms but it has become very bloated and slow. 8sms is very stable, quick and no bloatware.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thinkleft.eightyeightsms.mms

MMS fix for our phone
Ok so maybe some of you have noticed that you can't send MMS on 3rd party SMS apps. I used to use Go sms, Textra and now use 8sms and none worked so had to use default messaging app to send MMS. After much research and messing with phone I found a fix! We need to manually input APN information.

These are instructions to 8sms app, but should be about the same for other apps.
Open 8sms, go to Settings>MMSC settings. You are going to have to type this inside the following sections.

MMSC: http://mmsc.vmobl.com:8088
MMS Proxy: 68.28.31.2
MMS Port: 80

Nova Launcher
This launcher is very smooth and very customizable. Much better than the default Launcher.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher

How to root on a Mac
This was the only way that I found out to root the ZTE Supreme with a Mac, also works on Windows of course. Very simple instructions.
Rooting with Cydia Impactor - xda-developers

You need to be rooted to do these changes

SuperSU
This app grants you root access to apps. So first thing to download after rooting phone.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.supersu

AdAway
This app blocks ads from apps and internet browser.
https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.adaway

GL to SD
This app helps save a lot of storage on phone if you play games, or just large size apps. You can move the data files to your external sd card.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slf.ListglApp

Here is a video on how to use it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYhj9pGbnUY

LMT Launcher
This app is like the Button Savior but on steroids. You can get to your soft keys and shortcuts from the sides, bottom. You can also use gestures. It's very customizable.
[APP][ROOT] LMT Launcher v1.912/v2.0 RC6 for various devices - xda-developers

Here is a video on how to use it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oha8ijaD9dc

How to disable Boot sound
I really hate the super annoying boot sound on our phone, I’m sure you feel the same. All you have to do is add .bak to the sound file. The file is located in
system>etc and the file name is Bootsound_virgin.ogg, rename to Bootsound_virgin.ogg.bak then restart phone.

How to disable Camera shutter sound
I also don’t like the camera shutter being on all the time so I disabled it. The file is located in
system>media>audio>ui and the file is called camera_click.ogg, rename to camera_click.ogg.bak then restart phone.

How to enable Soft keys
This is to enable the soft keys on our phone. Some people may not like it because it takes up some space on the screen but I really like it, it’s so responsive and it looks cool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fie9TBOyE4U

I used Root Browser from the Play Store to change the file names and build prop.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrummy.root.browserfree

Xposed framework
This app allows you to do so many mods on your phone without flashing anything. You can change the color of statusbar, add battery percentage, and so much more. Of course this app only gives you access to change things but you need to install separate modules like Gravitybox to actually make changes. Thanks to David Dubz for this find.
Xposed Installer | Xposed Module Repository
[APP][JB][XPOSED] GravityBox v2.8.4 - tweak box for Android 4.1/4.2/4.3 [23/12/2013] - xda-developers

Here is a full collection of Xposed Modules:
[INDEX][XPOSED][12/16] Collection of XPOSED Modules | Post Modules' request here! - xda-developers

Font Installer
This app changes the font to your whole phone. *Please use it with caution, it may mess up your phone*. Thanks to stevestone for this find.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrummy.font.installer

Greenify
This app can save you a lot of battery. It hibernates apps when not being used, rather than running in the background wasting battery juice. Be careful and don't add your messaging app or something like that to the list. This app really does work.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.oasisfeng.greenify

Android Clock 4.2.2
This is the Clock app from android 4.2.2 ported to 4.1.2. It looks and works great on our phone. It includes timer, stopwatch, and alarm. Here is the link for the apk and instructions:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2402924

If any body has any more tips or pointers, please post them.

Here is a screen shot to show the soft keys enabled and the nice looking battery on notification bar from Power Toggles.

 

[Mobstergunz]

Easier way to disable and re-enable the boot animation

Add this line to the build.prop

debug.sf.nobootanimation=1

Change the "1" to a "0" and the bootanimation will be back on

 

[Mancow60]

Easier way to disable and re-enable the boot animation

Add this line to the build.prop



Change the "1" to a "0" and the bootanimation will be back on

Cool, thanks!

 

[stevestone]

thanks. I will try it when i am home..

 

[Mancow60]

Added 8sms app to the list.

 

[David Dubz]

I would recommend xposed and gravitybox (gravitybox needs xposed to work). You can change the status bar icon colors, the status bar color, battery icon, enable pie controls, and do so much more. Xposed has a ton of mods you can download.

http://repo.xposed.info/module/de.robv.android.xposed.installer

 

[Mancow60]

Added Nova Launcher to the list. This app should of been on the list since the beginning, but forgot to add it till now. Also, don't forgot to post your suggestions and tips!

 

[stevestone]

nice. I enable soft keys default hardware is annoying. THANKS.

 

[Mancow60]

nice. I enable soft keys default hardware is annoying. THANKS.

Yep, I really like the soft keys too. The phone works the way it should have. With the soft keys on, our phone's screen has pretty much the same dimensions as the Nexus 5. So i don't feel bad "losing" that small space of the screen because it's really worth it for me.

 

[stevestone]

Yes exactly. Our hardware key is bit buggy. Thats the only part, i dont liked about vital. But now its super cool.

Tbh, i literally compared my phone with htc one & nexus 5.
Htc one is only good in front camera, very minor difference is see in display quality, audio or even kitkat. That can be easily ignored when i see pricing.

Nexus 5 is gay, doesnt stand up in front of this tbh. If people use brain. Camera of nexus sucks, audio sucks, battery less, then us,
Rest on paper its specification is more
Ppi 445 or other thing...

Pricing lol, we can get 2 to 3 vital..

If this phone gets a customized rom support, i will use it atleast for a year..

 

[stevestone]

Wow. Xposed installer rocks.. gravity works on our device you should add it on your list.

See i did some tweaks, status bar.. transparency.. its cool tbh

 

[Mancow60]

I would recommend xposed and gravitybox (gravitybox needs xposed to work). You can change the status bar icon colors, the status bar color, battery icon, enable pie controls, and do so much more. Xposed has a ton of mods you can download.

Xposed Installer | Xposed Module Repository

Wow, I just had to thank you. This thing is freaking awesome! I'm still messing with settings but there is so much you can do with this. Thanks!

 

[stevestone]

One more excellent thing on your list ..

I am loving it.. font installer
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrummy.font.installer

100% works .. i am loving my phone..

 

[stevestone]

I dont need ferking rom now.. jk...

 

[Mancow60]

Hey stevestone, here is a collection of XPOSED Modules that I think you will like. Go crazy. LOL
[INDEX][XPOSED][12/16] Collection of XPOSED Modules | Post Modules' request here! - xda-developers

 

[stevestone]

Ya it was there in xposed. I already TRIED many

 

[stevestone]

I will try more tweaks lol... but as you know, if it brick.. it will be big pain in ass.. lol..

.. waiting for junkie to create recovery for this....

 

[Mancow60]

yeah, I just did a few mods. I added the battery percentage, some power tweaks and notification expander. I'm happy with that.

 

[stevestone]

Great... I am working on recovery...

 

[CTS_AE]

Toss on Kingo for Rooting on Windows, can't believe how ridiculously easy it was, and that it worked : )
Seems their main site is down right now, but it's still on cnet, and surely will be back up here soon.

Someone sticky this thread pl0x

 

[David Dubz]

I would also recommend this app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sg.ruqqq.IconThemer

If you have xposed installer on your phone and you have $3 to spare from Christmas or something, get this. It changes the icons to a icon theme throughout the whole system. I'm using this with the Tersus 2.0 nova launcher theme and the galaxy s4 launcher. My phone has never looked better.

 

[Mancow60]

I updated the list and added the app Greenify and other pointers that people had to add to the list. Greenify can really save alot of your battery. It's not a task killer, it hibernates apps on it's list until you need to use it. Many apps unnecessarily run in the background, and this app is very helpful for that. Give it a try, you won't regret it.

 

[BackHandLegend]

I would also recommend this app

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sg.ruqqq.IconThemer

Warning everyone, this is an app that could cause a bootloop. Use at own risk.

 

[Mancow60]

Toss on Kingo for Rooting on Windows, can't believe how ridiculously easy it was, and that it worked : )
Seems their main site is down right now, but it's still on cnet, and surely will be back up here soon.

Someone sticky this thread pl0x

Be careful with rooting with Kingo. XDA developers has deemed it suspicious and malware. It may be nothing but I wouldn't take the risk. PSA: Kingo root has been deemed suspicious by XDA : Android

 

[David Dubz]

Warning everyone, this is an app that could cause a bootloop. Use at own risk.

Since it goes through xposed, if it causes a bootloop, you can reset the phone from recovery and the phone will be okay. That's worse case scenario. So potentially there is no risk. I haven't had any problems with the app on multiple devices.