Galaxy Nexus

Hardware

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_nexus_i9250-4219.php

• Codename: Maguro
• TI OMAP 4460 CPU 1.2 GHz dual core
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB flash
• 5MP camera
• Mini SIM card
• Bands: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
• GSM / HSPA+ -- works with T-Mobile and AT&T

History

• 2015-May-23 I like CM12 on my Nexus 7 so much I am upgrading the phone today while sitting outside Whole Foods Market.
• 2014-Dec-23 CyanogenMod 11 (aka Kitkat) broke down and installed Google Apps package too
• 2013-Sept-07 Tried Ubuntu Touch on the phone. Tried it back in June on the Nexus 7
• Used to have Android 4.3 on it

Why I am not fond of the Android set up

I have had it long enough to realize

1. I want complete control over the phone. I don't feel like I own it.
2. I would like to be able to use the GPS without Google tracking me.
3. I have lots of Linux knowledge I would like to be able to use

I wrote about trying Ubuntu Touch on both the Nexus 7 and this phone. I deleted the notes on how to install it from this page because it was taking up space uselessly. :-)

What is included with Ubuntu Touch (in Sept 2013)

• Gallery
• Phone (Dialer, SMS, Address Book)
• Camera
• Browser
• Media Player
• Notepad
• Music app
• Calculator
• Weather app

Those are the apps. I am not currently interested in becoming on an Ubuntu Touch developer.

CyanogenMod

2015-May-23 Based on experiences with the Nexus 7 I am pretty sure I can try foregoing Google Apps this time. At least for longer than 3 hours. We'll see!

Backup-- I still have one around from December. I don't really have any special data stored on the phone. I have many apps. Here is a list of what I want when I am done.

Must have

• Browser
• Ebook reader
• Email (gmail) reader
• Ability to use the phone. Voice and SMS. :-) Comes with.

Nice to have

• Twitter
• Skype
• SIP calling, for testing Vastra

2014-Dec-23

Still tired of having Google control my phone. I gave up and put Google Apps on about 3 hours after installing CyanogenMod

Make a backup with ADB -- remember to install Android SDK and platform-tools and to allow debug from USB on the phone

~/Library/android/platform-tools/adb backup -apk -shared -all -f galaxy_backup.ab

Then unpack the backup to confirm it's actually usable

java -jar ./abe.jar unpack galaxy_backup.ab galaxy_backup.tar
tar tvf galaxy_backup.tar

Now that I am confident that I can repair the damage done, or at least I can look at the files that used to on the phone, I can go ahead with CyanogenMod installer.