I’ve been a super huge fan of CyanogenMod for several years now. I’ve used it on all my devices. From my HTC Hero CDMA to my current Galaxy Nexus (Sprint) aka the toroplus. I’ve really grown to love the little tweaks and add ons that make the custom ROM just shine.
Crossbones – Android custom ROM developers
The problem is, however, that recently the specific build for my device has become very unstable. I was having constant issues with GPS wake locks, GApps crashing and just generally poor performance. I hated to leave my first ROM love, but things were getting desperate.
I tried a few others. EOS, Paranoid and AOKP to name a few. They were OK, but most were built off the same source as CM so they had the exact same issues. You see, the real problem is there is no Android 4.2.2 source for the toroplus, so the builds based on that generally have weird problems. Don’t get me wrong. All those custom ROMs have great features and hard-working people behind them, they just didn’t work for me and my device.
On my search for a ROM that would work (and I mean stable, fast and good battery life) I stumbled upon a ROM on XDA Developers that claimed their target was “maximum stability and performance.” A look over the changelog revealed solutions to the issue I knew was the culprit. The difference between 4.2.2 and the official 4.2.1 from Sprint. Bingo. These guys were paying very close attention to the details.
I flashed the latest Crossbones (v. 2.3.2) and started on my way. First thing was getting used to stock Android again. But boy howdy, was this thing smooth! It was great to have a quick and functioning phone again. Battery life just about doubled in the process too.
The main issue I encountered right off the bat was trying to toggle settings. It was cumbersome to go into settings all the time. I found this sweet little tool called Settings Extended that solved that and now I’m super happy.
I’d go back to CM if they ever made the toroplus stable again. But then again, the Crossbones guys have made such a solid ROM here, I may have a new #1. The fine attention to detail is refreshing and having a functioning phone is, well… priceless.
If you’re using any of their supported devices, give Crossbones a try. I’m sure glad I did.