Reader ROM Picks: Leaked Android 2.3.3 test ROM (version 4.12.651.1) for HTC EVO, rooted and deodexed
Reader ROM Picks is a regular series that showcases G&E readers’ favorite HTC EVO 4G custom ROMs.
This ROM pick was sent in by Genjinaro.
After going back and forth between myn’s Warm TwoPointTwo (Froyo) and Cyanogen’s CyanogenMod 7 (Gingerbread) on my HTC EVO 4G, I found myself torn. I wanted an HTC Sense experience, but I also wanted the latest and greatest version of Android. After going “flash mad” for about a month between the two ROMs, I caught wind of the leaked Sprint 2.3.3 Gingerbread test ROM. Hell yeah, this was the cake I was sure as hell going to have and eat.
Naturally I waited for the new build (version 4.12.651.1) to get rooted—thank you, TMartin03— before jumping in. There are some refinements in speed, fluidity, and camera performance that I liked. 4G also works, which is important to me.
But much to my (and most other people’s) dismay, this beta of 2.3.3 is missing a rather anticipated addition, HTC Sense 2.x. Gingerbread in itself only provides but a few enhancements, so I felt somewhat let down. Then again, this is only a test build so maybe we will still see Sense 2.x once it’s released later this quarter (or maybe not).
This ROM does include some Sense 2.0 additions, though, the most obvious addition being in the web browser. The browser seems to perform a hell of a lot better now, and there are also a few minor options added, most of which appear to enhance the performance. The bugs seem to have been cleaned up in the browser too.
Other changes: Volume button up and down sounds have a nostalgic HTC “bing” to them and the fast boot option has made it over too. The People & Mail widget has a third style, and both Pocket Mode and Flip for Speaker sound enhancements are present. These are all small additions but welcomed still.
One Gingerbread 2.3.3 addition that I was suprised to see is Internet calling. This is something I was sure that Sprint would remove; then again, this ROM is still in beta so it may be removed later. I haven’t heard many people talk about it, surprisingly. Just to see if it would work, I set it up and yes, it works. If you already have great network call coverage, then it’s not a must-have feature but it’s a very welcomed addition for VoIP junkies.
Another included Gingerbread improvement is the support of more video codecs, so HTC Streamer will find itself seen more often than not.
WiMAX bugs seem to be gone from this build compared to the last one; however, I still hate the new scan and find methods of 4G connectivity. When it goes to idle/manual scan, it annoys users who live in 4G regions who ride the train. On the upside, power draw is reduced on 4G, which helps because Gingerbread by itself is better on the battery.
As is to be expected, there is bloatware in this stock ROM like Blockbuster, Nascar, Nova, and Football. There are also some annoying bugs like a constant voicemail icon (which you can clear), glitchy 720p video recording with audio slightly out of sync, and and an issue that causes the screen to stay at maximum brightness.
Fortunately, none of these bugs are substantial enough for me to not use this leaked Gingerbread ROM, rooted and deodexed by TMartin03, as my daily driver. All in all, it’s a solid ROM and surprisingly stable for a test build. I highly recommend checking it out.
Download: http://www.multiupload.com/VIOMPVJC5Z
Discussion: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1035438
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Reader ROM Picks is a regular series that showcases G&E readers’ favorite HTC EVO custom ROMs.
