Freedom Kernel enables overclocking and undervolting on rooted HTC EVO 4G running 2.3.3
HTC EVO 4G users have been rejoicing since Sunday when S-OFF and root was achieved for their favorite phone running the latest Gingerbread OTA update. For those familiar with the rooted life, flashing kernels is second nature. For those new to rooting, the word "kernel" may confuse you.
According to our complete guide to root, backup, and flash new ROM and kernel on your HTC EVO 4G: "A kernel is the driving force behind what happens in your EVO. Generally when you want to save on battery life and get better performance, you get a new kernel." So the kernel is important!
In the past year, the EVO 4G has seen numerous kernels. Kernels have given us over- and underclocked EVOs. Kernels can also enable undervolting and the trickle-charging, battery life improving SBC. AOSP users running 2.3.3+ ROMs have been enjoying many kernel choices (Tiamat, Savaged-Zen, CM kernel).
Until recently, all EVO 4G ROMs running Sense-based Gingerbread 2.3.3 were forced to run the stock kernel. A stock kernel does not have any of the bells and whistles that custom kernels give the end user. Luckily, HTC finally release the source code for the kernel from the EVO's Gingerbread OTA update.
Ready to flash a custom kernel that works for all of your favorite 2.3.3 ROMs (stock, MikG, Synergy, Kingdom Alliance, Swagged Out|Stock)? Well, then thank lithid-cm for his Freedom Kernel!
Freedom Kernel offers many features:
- Multiple governors (including smartass, powersave, interactiveX)
- Added Wireless-N support
- Clock speeds from 128MHz to 1.19GHz (good for those that overclock for performance and those that underclock for battery)
- 3 or 5 multipoint touch
- Multiple voltage versions available for download
All of these features seem pretty standard, except the last point. When you go to download the latest version (v0.8.5) from Mediafire, you are met with four different versions. This allows the user to choose how much undervolt their EVO 4G can handle (too much undervolt is like too much overclock: unstable).
There are also separate versions available for Synergy and Synergy's nightlies. The universal version should work with all the other Sense-based 2.3.3 ROMs out there. I'm currently running v0.9.9 of the Swagged Out|Stock ROM. When Freedom Kernel is underclocked to 768MHz, my battery life lasts forever (and the ROM is as fast as ever).
Best of all, this kernel is fairly new. Lithid-cm has been updating it often and has other features he plans on adding (here's hoping he adds SBC soon).
If you are running a Sense-based 2.3.3 ROM and want to try out a new kernel, then head over to Freedom Kernel's original thread or search on Kernel Manager to find the version that will suit you best. Be sure to make a Nandroid backup first!
[xda-developers]
