[Miscellaneous Android Development] uzalu:
I've reverted to stock for now, but rooted with magisk. The stock OS isn't different enough from standard android to make a custom OS as alluring as it is on other devices, and there are even some benefits for this specific device using the stock OS, like better handling of the PTT button.

since this is the only Atom L thread I have ever seen, and the most popular place on XDA for the device, I hope you don't mind if I put some advice/tips/opinions on the device here.

The stock install and rooting process was as follows (from memory, may not be perfect):

1. download stock OS from official unihertz sources

2. use the magisk app to patch the boot.img file from the stock OS

3. flash the stock OS

4. restart into the stock OS, do the setup

5. using adb, restart into bootloader

6. flash patched boot.img (I think the command is 'fastboot flash boot <patched boot.img>')

OS should be rooted when you boot. Install magisk manager.

After a few other steps, I have google pay and my banking app working.

If you have apt-x bluetooth audio devices, don't forget you can flash the drivers for aptx using magisk on any device (there's a github repo for them), even though this device doesn't support apt-x by default.

here's a tip for the stock OS: it's configured to have a larger font size by default, which leads to text overflow in some areas. Turn this back to default, but then turn the display size up instead.

EDIT: I now have xposed working without losing google pay or banking apps.

I'm only having a few issues now, can anyone else confirm they are having any of the same issues?

1. bluetooth audio occasionally cuts out. Seems to be fixed by toggling airplane mode. I've tried increasing CPU performance particularly while screen is off, that might fix it.

2. torch doesn't turn on if the battery is at or below 15%.

3. torch doesn't turn on if the camera is on.

4. the stock battery percentage display in the status bar is ridiculously small. I could fix this with gravity box, but using xposed might break my google pay / mobile banking setup. I'll look into whether it's possible to use xposed hide for this at some point. EDIT: Solved using xposed and gravitybox.

I'm particularly interested in solving 2 and 3 (the torch), is anyone aware of anything in any low-level config files which might affect this? I didn't see anything in any of the .prop files. It was also the case on the LineageOS install, so it may be something below the OS, maybe firmware.

A few points about the hardware too:

1. any way to replace the vibration motor? The Atom L has one of the weak gradual-increase ones, rather than the much nicer quick-response ones.

2. any way to reduce the device's weight, even at the expense of battery life / structural integrity, etc.? I wonder about getting a smaller battery.

3. I opened the device, just to have a look... it has a very chonky battery which is stuck down, and some thick metal pieces too. You'll need a pentalobe screwdriver, I think it was size T4 and T5 which worked for me to open it up. One of the screws had a small paper sticker which is broken when unscrewing it, and is probably intended to indicate tampering.

The issues with the torch, and the weak vibration motor are my only remaining major criticisms of the Atom L.

I had good experience with unihertz people when trying to buy this phone initially, hopefully they can set that right for you, because it sounds like a problem on their end, not yours.

Bear in mind my point above about the tamper-evident screw, as long as you haven't unscrewed it, they can't really accuse you of damaging the screen yourself. The device is rated as highly dust- and water-proof after all.

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I recently bought a few second-hand phones to try, because I hate oversized phones, and there are so few options these days. The Atom L was one of them, as well as a Pixel 2 and Xperia XZ1c. I have to say, so far I am preferring the Atom L over the other two, which is high praise.

If I have anything else significant to add while using this device, maybe I'll start a new thread for general Atom L power-usage / modding.