SGS Forum Dictionary - New members please read.
Here you will find the most commonly used jargon in the SGS forum and the world of SGS.
Please press "CTRL + F" and type in what your looking for or simply scroll down.
Please make suggestions as well as corrections to the definition of a word, i can be wrong lol
.apk;
The .apk is a file extension that denotes "android package". As android in a linux based operating system, things are installed in packages. It is practically the installation file of a new program.
Bloatware;
Bloatware is software from a network provider that is put on the SGS in order to "brand" the firmware, the majority of bloatware put on the phones can be useless, as well as additional theming provided to the SGS can cause lag.
Branded Firmware;
Alot of handsets sold to us are network branded handsets and will have "bloatware" from them, these extra features can be useless and the additonal theming provided by the network can slow down the phone, as well as the addtional apps on the phone. The branded firmware is built upon stock firmware, however, when adding new modifications such as kernels will most likely not work and cause instability due to the changes made with the firmware by the network.
Bricking; Essentially the phone is as good as a "brick".
There are two types of bricking;
Semi-bricked - Phone will boot up to a stage of perhaps the S logo animating but not entering the correct stage of normal use, you should be able to enter recovery mode or download mode and recover your device.
Fully Bricked - The phone will not boot up, depending on what went wrong, you may not even be able to access recovery or download mode to recover your device, but in some circumstance it is possible with the help of a home-made JIG to Trigger download mode.
CSC; - Customer Sales Code;
This value can vary depending on who sold you the handset or if it is branded, if Orange sold you the handset, it will most likely have ORA as a CSC code. If Car Phone warehouse sold it to you, it would be CPW or XEU, this is in relation with your product code and changing the CSC code can change the product code held in nv_data.bin. The CSC firmware file contains a list of definitions for determining which network you are connected to.
The CSC file/value also goes in conjunction with how Kies will read the phone firmware-CSC value and judge if you require an update to your existing firmware. As before, we would use a Kies registry patcher, edit the registry ourselves to edit the firmware-CSC values and update the phone as we required. The new method requires an app on the phone called "Spoof FW", this edits values on the phone, so when kies connects, it believes its another phone and updates for the values you have entered. Spoof FW can be acquire from the Android Market - CLICK HERE
Multi-CSC firmware files contain more than one CSC to choose from, so, you can switch from CPW to XEU/XEO/XEE.
To access the CSC selection menu, Eclair: *#272*HHMM#, on FroYo, *#272*IMEI#.
Custom ROM;
A custom ROM is an original stock ROM that has been modified to provide increased performance, speed, battery performance and additional features. Alot of custom ROMs are being used now as developers that compile them usually include the best bits from a stock ROM and include extra goodies such as root and applications to further enhance and customize the ROM to the user.
CWM;
ClockWorkMod is an alternate recovery menu where you can execute more advanced features such installing custom ROMs, Modifications such as kernels, lagfixes, battery indicator MODS etc from the internal SDCARD. As well as backing up and restoring the current ROM you are using. Other advanced features include clearing Dalvik Cache, wiping battery stats and partitioning the sdcard. Kernel/lag-fix settings can also be changed using the CWM. It can be installed by using the update.zip by downloading from either a site or via the app on the market. You must have 2e recovery to install this MOD.
Dalvik Cache;
Dalvik cache is a program cache area for the program dalvik. Dalvik is a java based virtual machine that is the bases for running your programs (the ones that have the .apk extension). In order to make access times faster (because there's not JIT (just in time) compiler installed by default), the dalvik-cache is the result of dalvik doing a optimization of the running program.
Debranding;
To "debrand" a handset, you flash stock firmware to it, thus stripping it of any network branding whatsoever. It is a clean handset where adding customizations and modifications has a less chance of causing instability with the SGS.
Download Mode;
Can be accessed by pressing "Volume Down + Power + Menu" when the phone is powered off. It is the standby prompt for the installation of new firmware.
"Flashing" + ROM + Firmware;
The term is used as commonly firmware is stored in "flash" ROM(read only memory). So essentially when you "reflash" a device your are programming new firmware into the flash ROM.
Firmware - Is a small amount of software code used to operate and control an electronic device, the firmware on your DVD player for example, however, the firmware on the SGS is far more sophisticated that a DVD player and does contain an operating system.
Heimdall (For Android):
Is a program for Linux, mac and windows. Which is used to flash the SGS phones when the phone is activated in download mode. It is an un-offical method to flashing the SGS.
This program flashes the same files that odin uses but requires the package to be un-zipped so you can put the individual files into there slots
Kernel;
Is a bridge between the software and hardware, it allows the communication between the software and hardware and is commonly responsible for managing system rescources. You can flash different kernels to the SGS, being Voodoo, SpeedMOD and others, you can have different desired effects with flashing different kernels by enhancing sound/picture, the enhancement of input/output between the processor and memory as well as lagfixes.
Kies;
Kies is official software from Samsung which allows you to connect your SGS to your PC.
It provides many features such as photo/audio/video copying PC <-> Mobile, firmware upgrading and backing up of data such as contacts/calendar/media.
*Kies "This version of the device can not be updated.";
This means you are on the latest firmware provided by your network or by the seller of the phone (ie: T-mobile, Carphone Warehouse). Unless your lucky to have a completely stock firmware, then your more than likely on the latest official release by Samsung.
The firmware update via kies depends on where in the world you are and the network you are on. When your network has decided it has finished with adding their stuff and tested the firmware to their standard (Poor standard usually, as they make it worse). Then they may decide to release it.
Launcher;
The standard launcher that the SGS comes with is the touchwiz. This allows you to have a standard 4-icon dock and 7-home screens, placing icons and widgets onto the home screen, it is responsible for launching various applications. You can have alternate launchers such as "launcher pro", ADW, new gingerbread launcher and modified touchwiz's, each can give you additional performance and features such as graphics, widgets and increased speed in launching applications.
Lagfix;
The lagfix in the SGS is exactly what it means...fixing lag. Reason for it is that the SGS has a proprietary filing system known as RFS, this although works with android, it can cause lag. Fixes for these are "lag-fixes" which can convert the original RFS filing system into EXT4, a linux filing system which the android operating system can work very well with. Newer ROMs such as 2.2.1 JPU + have improved RFS structures which aid against lag and alot users are not using lagfixes anymore.
ODIN;
Is a windows program used to flash the SGS phones when the phone is activated in download mode. It is an un-offical method to flashing the SGS. However, it is rumoured to be leaked firmware flashing software from Samsung.
PIT File - Believed to be responsible for the partitioning and directing where to install firmware on disk.
PDA File - Is the main firmware image of the phone containing the kernel, bootloader and majority of data for the SGS.
Phone File - Also known as the modem file, believe it is responsible for the phone/modem data, such as calling protocols and having the relevant software for being able to sign onto mobile networks and other communications such as wi-fi/bluetooth and GPS.
CSC File - Customer sales code, responsible for the identification of the phone, e.g XEU-CSC will be UK/Europe Standard. The CSC values will be used for future "over the air" updates as well as current identification while in the android market to see which apps are available to you.
Recovery Mode;
Can be accessed by pressing "Volume UP + Power + Menu" when the phone is powered off, press and keep a hold for approx 4 seconds and release.
2e Recovery;
Is a revision of recovery mode which allows you to apply unsigned "update.zip"s, Wipe Cache partition, Wipe data/factory reset and format the internal SD-Card. This is the commonly used recovery mode.
3e Recovery;
Is the latest revision of recovery mode which allows allows you to flash signed "update.zip"s. Wipe Cache partition, Wipe data/factory reset and format the internal SD-Card. This recovery revision can be downgraded to 2e in order to flash unsigned zips and allow the installation of rooting or other modifications used in recovery.
Rooting;
Upon receving your SGS out of the box, you have certain privillages as a user in the android O/S, you can install apps, change settings and access different areas of the phone.
When you root the SGS, you gain access to every part of the phone, you become the administrator of the phone. (SuperUser) you can modify how things work in the phone, such the default task killing options, battery indicators, apply lag-fixes and much more, the possibilities are endless.
Stock firmware;
Stock firmware is official, untouched firmware from Samsung.
Credits go to Tufftoad(for the name), members of the forum for suggesting a jargon repository, members of the forum for educating me, you know who you areand wiki for defining things in a way i could express lol ooo, and ofcourse, the XDA forum.
Please make suggestions guys/gals, hopefully have a central repository of information to what people seek.
Please click the following links for further information;
Galaxy S WIKI - Provided by DirtySoul
ANDROID ROMS and Rooting - All terms explained - Provided by Tufftoad
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Goots
Bookmarks