[Kindle Fire General] CaelOlcan:
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##### ~/.android #####

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It's useful to have a single place on your main box to keep everything you want/need. So:

1. Make a ~/.android dir and cd into it.

2. Make some dirs.

----- .Bootloader

----- .Recovery

----- .ROM

----- .ROM/CM-10.2

3. link to platform tools

ln -s ../../../opt/adt-bundle-linux-x86_64-20130917/sdk/platform-tools/ .platform-tools

4. Move the fbmode and superuser dirs from there to here.

----- .fbmode(by_pokey9000)

----- .superuser-3.2-RC3-arm-signed(by_ChainsDD)

5. Move fff-u-boot_v1.4a(by_hashcode) into .Bootloader, move openrecovery-twrp-2.6.3.0-otter.img into .Recovery, move cm-10.2-20130913-0258-otter-sgt7.zip and gapps-jb-20130813-signed.zip in .ROMS/CM-10.2 (you move gapps with it because it is fairly specific to the ROMs)

6. CD to the real /opt/.../platform-tools. Symlink to those six dirs and files.

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##### App Backup #####

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Besides complete backups, you can also simply save the apps you have installed to you 'puter. This is useful before you go uninstalling **** that you only think you don't need. Of course, there are apps that will do most of the following for you, namely Titanium Backup, which you should probably use since they'll sync things instead of just overwriting.

1. Navigate to your ~/.android/ director.

2. mkdir an apps folder, an apps/system, and an apps/data.

3. Copy all the apk files to your pc. Note that the data/app files are all unimportant apps that you've downloaded. The system ones are what you really need to be concerned about removing.

adb pull /system/app ./app/system
pull: building file list...
pull: /system/app/FaceLock.apk -> ./FaceLock.apk
pull: /system/app/VoiceSearchStub.apk -> ./VoiceSearchStub.apk
pull: /system/app/TalkBack.apk -> ./TalkBack.apk
...
adb pull /data/app ./app/data
pull: building file list...
pull: /system/app/FaceLock.apk -> ./FaceLock.apk
pull: /system/app/VoiceSearchStub.apk -> ./VoiceSearchStub.apk
pull: /system/app/TalkBack.apk -> ./TalkBack.apk
...

----- You can also look at the package list via the package manager, and include their associated files (-f) if you want.

adb shell pm list packages
...
adb shell pm list packages -f
...

----- Or grab the list files directly and look at them.

adb pull /data/system/packages.xml .
adb pull /data/system/packages.list .

----- You can install or uninstall via adb (assuming you have root access and system is mounted rw)

adb root
adb remount (or adb mount -o rw,remount /system)
adb install <package name>
adb uninstall <package name>

----- Or more viciously:

adb shell rm -f /system/app/<apk-name>.apk

----- Or via the package manager:

adb shell pm uninstall <package-name>

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##### Remove Unneeded Apps #####

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Check out this page to give you a list of apps included with your specific CM OS version. Then remove ones you don't want. You will want to use ES File Explorer to shutdown, clear data/cache, then uninstall these. For some you'll need to use ES in root mode, which can be found in ES's settings.

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Android Keyboard (AOSP) - If you replace this with a different keyboard, you can remove this safely. I like Hacker's Keyboard, but honestly I don't feel quite safe eliminating this one altogether.

Apollo - Music app/widget. You will probably want to replace with something else that handles more codecs.

Bluetooth Share - The KF doesn't have bluetooth.

Bubbles - This and other wallpapers can obviously be removed.

Calculator - Might want to replace this with a better one.

Calendar, Calendar Storage - You can remove this, but Google uses it to sync with your Google account. More importantly, it appears that _LOTS_ of calendar apps use Google's Calendar/Sync as a proxy. So even if you find a different calendar app, it might need Google's stuff here to work correctly. Leave it alone.

Cell Broadcast (Receiver) - This app operates on a different frequency than primary cell/data/text service. This means that when an emergency happens and too many people are calling each other at the same time, the cell carriers, and really the govt, can broadcast emergency info that will get to everyone. You can also use it to listen to a specific channel if you know someone is broadcasting on it. Obviously, since the KF doesn't have cell service, this is completely useless and can be removed.

Clock and cLock - You can remove both, but the system Clock might need to be kept for certain apps to function. cLock doesn't need to be there. I did take out both, and FancyWidget's clock kept working so it obviously didn't depend on this app and took date/time from the system itself. That said, Clock does provide an alarm, and so might possibly be the primary alarm service.

Downloads & Download Manager - You might be able to replace these, but why bother.

DSP Manager - Digital Sound Processing. This is basically an equalizer, but does let you make different settings for speakers, headphones, etc. There are probably better, but why bother. More, do you really need this at all? Wait and find out.

Email - An email client. Can be replaced by something else. You don't need this as long as you're solely using gmail or other web-based email.

Exchange Services - This is a client for MS Exchange. It provides the server-client sync.

Face Unlock - Provides capability to unlock screen with face recognition. With no camera, the KF has no need for this whatsoever.

File Manager - If you've replaced it with ES File Explorer, you can remove this. However, I think it's not a bad idea to keep this around as a backup. Of course, with the ability to use ADB to install, it's really not necessary.

Focal - This is CM's replacement for android's standard camera app. The KF has no camera, remove this.

Gallery - Is a simple 3d photo browser. There are probably better ones, but since your KF doesn't have a camera this will only be useful for pics you grab from the net. You probably will not need anything better.

Google Ears - This is a widget that will ID songs for you by listening. This is a problem since the KF doesn't have a built in mic. It might work via a headset device's mic. You can try it and see. I'm not sure if this might also ID a song playing through the KF, like if you're listening to internet radio.

Google Feedback - This is the app that reports back to Google when apps bork. I always turn error reporting off, but removing this would ensure nothing hinky takes place without your knowledge. On the other hand, other Google apps might wig out if it's not there. CM says it's safe to remove.

Google One Time Init - This runs the first time you start the device. That CM link says that it conflicts with another Google app. Remove it after the first run.

Google Partner Setup - Not sure what it does, but according to the second link it's no problem to remove. I removed it from the startup list so far.

Live Wallpaper Picker - Yeah, you need this.

Market Feedback Agent - It's a Google app that allows other apps to call it and ask you to provide market feedback, you can safely kill or remove it.

Media Uploader - This is an app for use with Swingular.com that lets you take pics of yourself and share them to people you're cybering with. It has things like auto-faceblurring. You can use this without a cam, but with the KF it seems unlikely. Remove.

Mobile Data - Used for data xfer on cell carrier network. Pretty sure it won't hurt to remove.

Mobile Network Config - Used for configuring cell network. Pretty sure it won't hurt to remove.

Movie Studio - This is a fairly low-rated video editor. It was probably included by CM for size and/or simplicity. You don't really need a vid editor on your KF since with no camera you can't take vids. I honestly can't imagine needing to replace this, so remove.

News & Weather - A simple news reader app. Probably should find a replacement.

Notepad3 - This is a simple text editor app. It is very small, so you could probably leave it even if you replace it with something else.

One Time Init - See Google One Time Init above. I think these are two parts of the same thing, but this one might be to trigger the CM Account app and prompt for registration.

Picasa Uploader - Uploads pics to your Picasa account. Since no camera on KF, remove this.

Pico TTS - Is a service for Text to Sound. It might only be used by TalkBack below, in which case you can eliminate it. But, it also might be used by other TTS apps, in which case you'll probably want it around.

Provider Telephony - Provides APIs for monitoring the basic phone information, such as the network type and connection state, plus utilities for manipulating phone number strings. Probably can safely remove this.

Search Applications Provider - This has to do with Google Search. Apparently there's a bug in it that makes this slow down search. I don't think it's a good idea to remove this, but you should disable it in the App Manager. This could, however, cause problems so keep it in mind.

Setup Wizard - Runs the first time you start phone. Remove it.

SMS Push - This has to do with text messaging and also WAP Push. You can probably remove it, but might want to wait.

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Sound Recorder - A simple recorder. Probably don't need more.

TalkBack - This is a Google app that will read and speak aloud text from your phone's menus and some Google apps. So for Gmail it'll read the subject line of each email you touch. It's for blind people and probably not all that great for them, either, since it's pretty limited. There are other apps that do TTS (Text to Sound), and I'd recommend looking into those. I'd say remove this, but who knows how *****y Google will get about it. See Pico TTS above.

Terminal Emulator - Is one of the most popular terms. I think Terminal IDE is better, so you should at least add that, if not replace this altogether.

Trebuchet - This is a launcher service which does a lot more than just launch apps. Good launchers provide _lots_ of additional ui customizations, and Trebuchet is one of the better ones. Keep it unless something changes in the near future. Halo (notification manager) is somehow related to this, although I think it is a seperate app; Halo is also considered excellent.

User Dictionary - A user dictionary addon for android devices that do not have a standard user dictionary component. It is used by the keyboard and god knows what else. Do not remove it. There are similar apps. It might be possible to replace this with one of the others, but why bother.

Voice Dialer - This is a voice activated dialer for phones by Google. Obviously the KF doesn't need it.

Voice+ - Another phone related Google app; it catches all outgoing calls and uses Google Voice service to connect you with the dialed number by calling you back on your selected callback number first, then calling the number you dialed. I think it basically covers your cell phone's number with an online one. Obviously the FK doesn't need this, either.

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##### Add Apps #####

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Important:

DroidWall - Simple firewall app, lets you whitelist apps to give access to the internet.

Titanium Backup - System backup/restore app, lets you transfer apps/data/settings from one OS/mod to the next.

ES File Explorer - File manager.

ES Task Manager - Lets you kill apps.

TrustGo Security - FW/AV. Lets you scan your system/apps, scan incoming, etc. Currently one of the better free Firewall/AntiVirus for Android. It will probably be replaced by the next time you need to dl one, so google.

Greenify - Resource manager of sorts, it lets you choose which apps to have free reign of resources, and which to stick into hibernate mode when you're done using them. This means you don't have to constantly use ES Task Manager to kill apps when you're finished with them.

Adfree - Downloads/Updates a hosts file to block ads from the internet and apps.

System Tuner - Has endless tweaks, diagnostics, and functions.

Terminal IDE - A terminal emulator with all sorts of nice features and commands. Just poking around in this for a couple minutes and I'm in love. It installs a bunch of C binaries of commands you're used to, giving a much more familiar robustness. Note that this will create a $HOME directory for you that exists within the app's own /data/ directory tree. If you want to create a single home for all apps, you will need to make some changes.

ROM Manager - This would be useful if it would use TWRP, but since it's developed by the same guys as ClockworkMod Recovery, it insists you install that. Since at this time it seems CWM has problems with Kindle Fire?, you probably won't be able to use much of this for a while. What you really need is to find an entire system image creator for backups. ROM Manager does have a function for fixing permissions, which presumably makes sure nothing has messed up the permissions on important sys files.

Apps:

Amazon App Store - This is the second largest after Google's, but you'll have to get the app store app to use it. And there will be apps only available there.

Keyboard - You can remove the keyboard that comes with your OS if you replace it with a different one.

Hacker's Keyboard - This is a full keyboard complete with arrow keys. It also has a function key to get Home, End, the F row, etc. You can set it so that it will use the Android Keyboard in portrait mode, but switch to the HK in landscape.

Swype - Lets you drag finger across screen to each letter rather than tapping.

SwiftKey - Predictive text is the specialty here, gets to know you and can predict your next word.

Widgets:

FancyWidgets - Not perfect, but gives you a nice clock/weather widget.

WeatherBug - Gives you detailed weather info.

Browser:

Android Browser: Seems fast.

Dolphin - I think this is the winner. Pretty fast, and also has a lot of good features.

FF - Seems slow, and also has your familiar add-ons, but there would be the nice advantage of bookmarks sync. Of course, with a hosts file based ad block (AdFree) you won't need adblock and that should help.

Opera - Seems fast but limited in features.

There are many others.

Browserlike Apps:

Gmail - Google's gmail reader app.

Tapatalk - A BBS forum reader/interface app.

Facebook - Some say a good, others say a ****ty FB reader app.

DuckDuckGo - Is a search app that I believe you can set up to punt you off to a browser if you're going to do much more.

Ebook Reader:

----- TTS (Text to Sound) - I'm not sure if you'll need one of these or if one will come in your ebook reader, but I think you'll eventually want to check it out. It'd be nice to be able to have a book or wikip page read to you while doing other ****. Also see Pico TTS.

There are a lot.

Video Player, Video Editor:

tbd

Music Player:

tbd

News Reader:

tbd

Pic Viewer, Pic Editor:

tbd

RSS Reader:

tbd

Maps:

Google Maps - Supposedly there's a way to get offline maps, but I couldn't figure it out.

Maps With Me - Offline. I dig it.

OsmAnd - Offline. Didn't like.

RMaps - Offline. Didn't like.

MapsOn - Offline. I dig it.

Misc:

Google Sky Map - A very fun app to have to see the location of stars, planets, galaxies, and constellations.

Bubble Level (not sure of name) - An app that will act like a carpenter's level.

Screenshot UX - Lots of root and non-root screenshot apps. I liked this the best.

Games / Learning - Be very careful of these. Definitely want to AV scan these before using. Watch their permission requests for strange things they shouldn't need.

Chess Free

Sudoku Plus

Duolingo - Learn a language.

Solitaire

Tetris

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##### Stop Auto Startup of Apps #####

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It will scare you how many apps and services startup by default. Use SystemTuner -> Startups. And uncheck all these (note that some need to have other things installed before you do this, like the Android Keyboard, so be smart).

Android Keyboard AOSP

Calendar, Calendar Storage

Clock - This might cause probs, but shouldn't.

CyanogenMod Account

DSP Manager - You may want to check that this starts on its own when you start your media apps. If not, if you want this you'll have to start it by hand, or turn this startup back on.

Firefox

Gallery

Gmail

Google Contacts Sync

Google Partner Setup

Google Play services

Google Play Store

Google Search

News & Weather

ROM Manager

System Tuner

Titanium Backup

WeatherBug