One of the good things about Android – and the best great feature about the OS, according to some of its fans – is the openness and customizability that it offers. With other operating systems, users don’t have much access to the inner workings of the system, and therefore are pretty much stuck doing whatever the manufacturer/vendor tells them they should do with their devices.
On the other hand, an Android user can often tweak and modify their device quite a lot, which has many benefits in the long run. For example, owners of older hardware don’t have to get left behind when new versions of the operating system comes out, as even if the manufacturer doesn’t release an official update, someone from the community eventually will if there’s enough demand.
Now, owners of the Samsung Galaxy S3 can get a chance to enjoy some features of the newest version of Android, 5.1 Lollipop. Even though the Galaxy line has been pushed all the way up to S6 now, and there are rumors of even more devices coming out soon, the older entries into the series are still just as popular, especially on some markets where budget devices are enjoying more attention.
And now, those who own the somewhat old phone can now enjoy some of the features of the new Android 5.1 Lollipop, by getting a custom ROM deployed to their device which is based on the latest version of the operating system. The ROM is 229 MB in total, and features various shortcuts for customizing the device and getting the most out of its key applications and default user experience.
There are actually more options for configuring the OS than one would find in the standard Android version, and users can now choose a theme with the Resurrection Remix pitch black theme included, and there is also a feature to use user gestures anywhere within the OS. New animations are of course included as well, and there is an app circle bar which should help with navigation and the overall usability of the OS.
Of course, there’s also the standard clock widget, lock screens and recent notifications panel. The notification drawer is included as well, and there’s now a brand new CM audio FX application. Performance has been tweaked here and there and according to reports, the OS runs even faster than the standard Android build of the same version. Which should definitely prove helpful, considering what kind of hardware it’s being run on.