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Universal Kernel Flash is a utility for embedding a custom kernel for a number of Android devices. What is the kernel version on Android - kernel android

After spending some time on forums and blogs dedicated to Android, you'll notice a lot of mentions of this term. But the kernel is not something unique, used only in Android. iOS and MacOS, Windows, BlackBerry's QNX All and other operating systems use it. Since Android uses Linux kernel, then we will talk about him further.

Core which is used Android device is different from the one used by different operating systems. It contains many special codes. Hardware manufacturers are also involved in the process, as they must release drivers for the hardware used for the current version of the kernel. For this reason, it takes some time for independent developers to get a new version to work on an old device without any glitches. Drivers written for Gingerbread, may well not work on the kernel. And this is a very important point, since one of the main functions of the kernel is that it is necessary to control the iron. Description continued inside Android kernels.

For any hardware and software actions it is necessary core. For example, you press the search button on your phone, thereby instructing you to open the corresponding application. What happens is: you touch a certain point on the digitizer, which transmits information to the software about touching the screen in certain coordinates. The software knows that when acting on a certain point, it is necessary to open a search window. Core in this situation, it forces the digitizer to perceive touches, find their coordinates, and tell the system to carry out this action. Ultimately, when the system receives touch information from kernels(via the driver), it knows what needs to be output to the screen. Software and hardware related to core, which allows the phone to perform the necessary actions. Incoming information on one side becomes outgoing on the other and leads to action.

Without kernels, which receives and sends information, developers would have to create codes for each event and for each piece of hardware in your device. With the kernel everything is much simpler. Developers only need to connect all the necessary elements together.

Android from A to Z: What is the Android kernel:
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The author of CyanogenMod began making the first custom (homemade) firmware for his HTC Dream. A little later, he was surprised to find positive reviews about his brainchild and assembled a team of enthusiasts. Now his nickname is almost synonymous with custom firmware, and the work of his team has been officially recognized by Google.Why were other people so interested in his experiments? Do these experiments need to be repeated by a “mere mortal”?

Despite the friendliness and abundance of features of the Android OS, many functions that allow you to use the smartphone exactly as users would like are missing.

At the beginning of its journey, Android was another operating system that gave much more freedoms than the closed, albeit popular iOS. Now, in 2013, it “holds” 80% of the smartphone market, but then, three years ago, Android was still very far from ideal and was only slightly ahead of iOS in the race for the share of the dying Symbian.

Custom firmware has significantly expanded the possibilities for customizing and adapting an Android smartphone to suit you. There are now possibilities for managing the deepest system functions: the kernel, the virtual machine, changing user interfaces...

Custom firmware was able to gain a key part in winning a huge audience of users due to the reluctance of smartphone manufacturers to timely update their devices to new OS versions, while custom firmware began to be released for more and more devices, updating them to the latest versions of Android.

Of course, it is incorrect to ignore other modifications of Android, such as MIUI, AOSP, AOKP, but at the moment CyanogenMod is rightfully considered the most popular custom version of Android.


Initially, most people associated custom (not factory, home-made) firmware with “beauty”, a change in the not-so-successful interface of early versions of Android. With the advent of Android 4.x (codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich, later Jelly Bean, and now KitKat) and a new theme called Holo, the need to invent a new design for the OS largely disappeared - developers were able to focus on expanding its capabilities .

If we try to describe all the capabilities of the CyanogenMod firmware, it will take several pages of simply listing the differences from the original version from Google, so it would be easier to say that everything that is in the regular Android OS is also there, only several times more.

For example, the lock screen supports the installation of its applications for quick launch, all APN points of mobile operators are built into the firmware, you can install third-party themes, and very precisely configure the notification panel (even which side of the screen it should appear on). You can switch your smartphone to tablet mode, you can disable the software buttons altogether and use the so-called Pie Controls - buttons that appear only if you swipe your finger from the edge of the screen to the center. Support for daily routines, user profiles, advanced control of widgets, control of screen rotations, the ability to receive fresh updates over the air - it’s impossible to list everything.

One has only to add that with all this, the firmware takes up very little memory (for example, about 115 MB of custom memory versus 600 MB of official memory for the Samsung Galaxy Note) and works quite smoothly and quickly.

Custom kernels

The kernel is the heart of the operating system; it controls the entire operation of the device. Since all devices have their own set of hardware, the manufacturer assembles the cores in accordance with the requirements of a particular device. Some kernels can be installed in original firmware, but this is still not recommended.

What can a non-standard kernel give the user? Control of power consumption and frequencies of the processor and video chip, updated drivers, control of the Dalvik virtual machine, the ability to customize the sound and operation of the screen, its color rendering, sensitivity, add support for non-standard external devices...

Until now, many users are dissatisfied with the active operation time of their devices based on Android OS; with the help of a properly configured kernel, it will be possible to extend this period by several hours without consequences for the device. Or with negative consequences - if configured incorrectly.

Before installing an alternative kernel, you should carefully study all its pros and cons, reviews of other people who have used it, and new glitches and problems may appear in the operation of the operating system. It may well happen that you flash the wrong version or the developer (don’t forget: he’s an enthusiast, not a certified specialist) makes a mistake - this can even ruin the hardware of the device. Repairs may be expensive or not practical at all.

Radio module

The radio module is responsible for all connections in the device: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile networks. It happens that defects creep into its firmware, due to which the device does not pick up wireless network signals well or spends too much battery power on the connection. In addition, custom firmware of the radio module can provide undocumented capabilities such as recording calls directly from the line (regular firmware of radio modules does not allow recording telephone conversations, only turning on a regular voice recorder during a conversation).

To update its own firmware, it is not necessary to change the general firmware, that is, reinstall the entire OS. The manufacturer sometimes releases a firmware update for the radio module itself, but not always at the same time for all regions; often the difference can reach six months. The latest OS updates for other countries contain slightly newer versions of the kernel and radio module than those released earlier.

It is impossible to give a definite answer to the question about the need to install custom firmware on your device; this is purely individual. For most readers, a device that “just works” on factory firmware will be enough. Someone will get root rights out of interest or for a specific purpose. Someone who wants to “refresh” their device and get ample opportunities will install custom firmware, kernel, radio module...

Some may fall into a cycle of reflashing, fixing, improving - sleepless nights spent on a device designed to make life easier. And yes, someone inattentive will give a decent amount to the service center master.

Recently, more and more opportunities have appeared that allow users to independently upgrade their mobile devices without carrying out complex manipulations with the command line, which often lead to disastrous consequences for the entire system of the device. Application Universal Kernel Flash It will be useful not only for beginners, but also for experienced users who are not averse to finding a more convenient and faster way to install custom kernels without the risk of damaging the device. The application is controlled through a familiar and intuitive graphical interface, while it is installed on a smartphone and works without the use of a PC.

The application was developed by one of the XDA community members under the name frapetti. He tried to introduce Universal Kernel Flash the ability to identify a device and calculate its compatibility with a specific type of potential custom kernel in order to avoid problems with the operation of the device in the future. When writing the utility, it was assumed that it would only flash LG Nexus 4 (E960) and several models of smartphones in the series Samsung Galaxy, including:

  • S4 (GT-I9500and GT-I9595)
  • S III (GT-I9300)
  • Ace 2 (GT-I8160)
  • S Advance (GT-I907and GT-I9070P)

The custom firmware produced at that time was based on already released versions Android, starting from Gingerbread and ending Jelly Bean. Now frapetti is working to expand the application's customer base by introducing support for other smartphones on the platform Android.

Universal Kernel Flash is distinguished by a fair amount of minimalism, providing the user with only those options that are necessary to perform this specific operation. However, you do not have any opportunity to change the default settings to avoid unwanted consequences. Before working with the application, you should download the custom kernel file to the root of the memory card (the utility supports formats .bin, .md5 And .img). You should also obtain root rights on your device first.

After installation and launch, the utility identifies whether control is performed on behalf of the superuser, and if so, the main application window will appear on the screen. The top of the screen will show your device model and current version Android. Below is a button for selecting a custom kernel file saved on the device. After adding the file, the application will analyze and display its main characteristics. If the kernel you select is not supported by your device, you will see a warning that you may not want to install it. If you want to install this particular kernel at your own peril and risk, all you have to do is ignore the warning and click on the ‘ button Flash Kernel Image’, after which the application will begin installing the kernel on its own. After completing the procedure, you should reboot the device to make sure that the system can start stably from the kernel you installed.

Mobile device users are not always satisfied with the operation and capabilities of their gadgets. For this reason, users are looking for the best way to flash the kernel of the Android operating system. On the one hand, this action can be easily carried out with your tablet or smartphone. Thousands of users have successfully flashed the kernel without any difficulties or problems. But, on the other hand, any mistake during this process can lead to problems, including failure of the gadget and the need for expensive service. At various stages, there is a risk of choosing the wrong version of the kernel firmware, which was created by unqualified developers, or is not suitable for your mobile device. We recommend that you be extremely careful when carrying out any actions that make changes to the software part of the device at a low level. After successfully flashing the kernel, many people feel like they are holding a completely new device in their hands. Advanced users can thus customize the gadget to their needs and preferences, while gaining new knowledge and experience about modern mobile technologies.

The kernel of the Android operating system and its firmware

What is the core of a mobile device?

The operating system kernel is the basis of the software that controls the hardware of the device. The basic parameters of any gadget depend on it. It should be noted that it consists of three interconnected components - the Linux kernel, the Dalvik vertical machine and various low-level services and libraries. If we are talking about custom firmware, then only two components are affected, which allow you to add new system services, optimize existing parameters and change the graphical shell.

Those wishing to install the kernel on Android should understand that there is a difference between the concepts of custom kernel and custom firmware. The latter is an unofficial version of the software. Custom firmware was developed by a team of specialists for specific devices. The custom kernel is based on the Linux kernel, representing its unofficial version. Often a custom kernel comes bundled with firmware. But it can be installed separately after changing the firmware. Essentially, it does not replace the native core of the mobile device, which is the ultimate goal of such an operation.

Android kernel firmware is mainly done to increase the operating time of the device by several hours by adjusting the power consumption parameters. Perhaps this is the main reason why users carry out complex conversions of the software of their gadgets. The firmware will allow you to change the video chip without consequences for your smartphone or tablet. Advanced users customize the screen in this way, changing its color rendering and sensitivity. Kernel firmware allows you to improve the sound of the device, update drivers and introduce support for non-standard external gadgets.

Before flashing the kernel, we recommend making sure that you have chosen a good version that was created by experienced developers. In addition, it is important to make sure that it is suitable for your Android firmware version. It is advisable to read the reviews of people who managed to install the appropriate version of the kernel on their mobile phone. Reviews may contain important information about problems that may arise at the stage of firmware or further operation of the device.

Flashing the gadget via Fastboot

You can reflash your Android device using Fastboot. But first you need to install the utility on your gadget. There are two versions of this program. The first involves downloading Fastboot in conjunction with the official Android SDK program. The second version involves downloading the utility separately.

We recommend checking whether your mobile device can see your laptop or computer. To do this you need to do . After downloading and installing the Fastboot utility on your computer or laptop running the Windows operating system and connecting your smartphone, you need to open the command line. To do this, open Search. In Windows 8, to do this, just move the mouse cursor to the right side of the screen and select the appropriate section. In Search you need to enter “cmd”, after which the command line will appear in front of you. The device should be switched to firmware mode. Next, you should enter a command that will test the interaction between your computer and mobile device:

fastboot devices

If everything works, you need to download the correct version of the kernel firmware boot.img. We do not recommend flashing the kernel of the original firmware, as this may lead to problems with the operation of the smartphone. The file should be saved to a previously created partition on drive C called “Android”. After this, you need to boot the mobile device into Fastboot and connect it to the computer. The message “Fastboot USB” will appear on the screen.

  • cd C:\Android.
  • fastboot flash boot boot.img.
  • fastboot erase cache.
  • fastboot reboot.

It is very important to enter all words correctly, taking into account case and spaces. The cd command opens the required folder that contains the required files. After this, flashing occurs. The fastboot erase cache command deletes the Cache partition. The last command - fastboot reboot reboots the device from firmware mode to normal. If you performed all the above steps correctly, the process will be successful.

Firmware using ClockworkMod Recovery

ClockworkMod Recovery (or CWM for short) is a recovery system that is used instead of the original factory Recovery. CWM allows you to install new firmware on a mobile device, flash the kernel, backup files and restore the shell. Such a system can work with firmware update files in zip format. ClockworkMod is installed in, replacing the factory Recovery. To launch CWM, you need to know the key combination that is suitable for your gadget. In most cases, this is a combination of the Volume Down and Power buttons that should be pressed while the device is booting.

To flash the kernel firmware, download the archive with a zip extension. It must contain the META-INF folder. Then there are two options. In the first case, you need to specify the firmware file. The second option involves placing the firmware file in the /sdcard folder. After this, you should activate ClockworkMod Recovery, find the Apply update from sdcard function there and specify the required file.

It should be noted that the ClockworkMod Recovery menu is convenient and understandable for most users. In addition to this recovery system for firmware, you can use TWRP Recovery. This tool is convenient and popular among Android users. The main thing is to select the correct firmware file.

Flashing the Android kernel is a procedure that we do not recommend resorting to if you are completely satisfied with the operation of the gadget. Such actions are driven by the desire to improve the performance of a mobile phone or tablet. Advanced users have the opportunity to set parameters at a lower level. But without certain knowledge and objective reasons, it is better not to change the software part of the mobile device, since this is associated with risk and malfunctions in its operation.

We have written more than once about custom firmware, root applications and alternative boot menus. All of these are standard topics in the Android hacking community, however, in addition to all of the above, there is also such a thing as a “custom kernel”, which can provide almost unlimited possibilities for managing a smartphone and its hardware at the lowest level. In this article I will tell you what it is, why it is needed and how to choose the right custom kernel.

Custom kernel?

What is a custom kernel? As we all know, Android is a pie consisting of three basic layers: the Linux kernel, a set of low-level libraries and services, and the Dalvik virtual machine, on top of which runs a graphical shell, high-level tools and services, as well as almost all applications installed from the market. The creators of most alternative custom firmware usually work only with the top two layers, adding functions to the graphical shell (for example, buttons in the curtain), changing it (theme engine in CyanogenMod), as well as adding new system services (equalizer in CyanogenMod) and optimizing existing ones.

The authors of popular firmware also make changes to the Linux kernel whenever possible: they optimize (build with more aggressive compiler optimization flags), include new functionality (for example, support for Windows ball), and also make other changes, such as the ability to raise the processor frequency above that provided by the manufacturer . Often all this remains behind the scenes, and many users of custom firmware are not even aware of these possibilities, especially since the same CyanogenMod comes with a custom kernel only for a limited range of devices, for which both the source code of the native kernel and the ability to replace it are available. For example, almost all CyanogenMod firmware for Motorola smartphones use a standard kernel - it is impossible to replace it with your own due to the impenetrable protection of the bootloader.

However, the kernel in smartphones with an unlocked bootloader can be replaced separately from the main firmware. And not just replace, but install a kernel with a huge number of different functions that require certain technical knowledge to manage, and therefore are usually not built into the kernels of popular firmware such as CyanogenMod, AOKP and MIUI. Among these functions you can find support for high processor frequencies, control of screen gamma, energy saving modes, highly efficient power managers and a huge number of other features.

In this article we will talk about what the creators of custom kernels can offer us, consider the main custom kernels for various devices, and also try to install the kernel independently of the main firmware and check everything on our own skin. So, what do developers of alternative kernels usually offer?

Smart traffic controller

The OMAP35XX SoCs, used, for example, in the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus, have a SmartReflex function, which acts as a smart voltage adjustment system when the load on the processor changes. Essentially, it eliminates the need for fine tuning of voltage by the user.

Optimizations

Often the main goal of building a custom kernel is to optimize performance. Typically, a mobile device vendor tries to maintain a balance between performance and stability, so even good optimization techniques that can significantly increase the speed of a device can be rejected by the manufacturer only on the basis that after using them, some applications began to crash every tenth launch. Of course, enthusiasts are not bothered by such little things, and many of them are ready to apply any compiler options, power saving algorithms to the kernel of their own assembly and raise the processor frequency as high as the device can handle. Among all optimization techniques, four are the most common:



Another type of optimization: changing the default I/O scheduler. The situation in this field is even more interesting, since instead of understanding the principles of operation of schedulers, some kernel builders simply read documents on the Internet on I/O schedulers for Linux and draw conclusions. Among users, this approach is even more widespread. In fact, almost all of the most powerful and intelligent Linux schedulers are completely unsuitable for Android: they are designed for use with mechanical data stores, in which the speed of data access varies depending on the position of the head. The scheduler uses different request aggregation schemes depending on the physical location of the data, so requests for data that are close to the current head position will receive higher priority. This is completely illogical in the case of solid-state memory, which guarantees the same access speed to all cells. Advanced schedulers will do more harm than good on a smartphone, and the most clumsy and primitive ones will show the best results. Linux has three similar schedulers:

  • Noop (No operation)- the so-called non-scheduler. A simple FIFO request queue, the first request will be processed first, the second second, and so on. Well suited for solid-state memory and allows you to fairly distribute application priorities for access to the drive. An additional plus: low processor load due to a very simple operating principle. Disadvantage: no consideration of the specifics of the device’s operation, which may result in performance failures.
  • SIO (Simple I/O)- an analogue of the Deadline scheduler without taking into account the proximity of sectors to each other, that is, designed specifically for solid-state memory. Two main features: the priority of read operations over write operations and the grouping of operations by process, allocating a time slice to each process to perform operations. In smartphones where the speed of the current application and the predominance of read operations over write operations are important, it shows very good performance. Available in Leankernel, Matr1x kernel for Nexus 4 and SiyahKernel.
  • ROW (READ OVER WRITE)- a scheduler specifically designed for mobile devices and added to the kernel just a few months ago. The main goal is to process read requests first, but distribute fair time for write requests as well. It is considered the best scheduler for NAND memory at the moment; it is used by default in Leankernel and Matr1x.

It is worth saying that almost all standard firmware and half of custom ones still use the kernel with the standard Linux CFQ scheduler, which, however, is not so bad, since it can work correctly with solid-state drives. On the other hand, it is too complicated, creates a greater load on the processor (and therefore the battery) and does not take into account the specifics of the mobile OS. Another popular choice is the Deadline scheduler, which is as good as SIO but is redundant. You can view the list of available schedulers using the following command:

# cat /sys/block/*/queue/scheduler

To change the following is used (where row is the name of the scheduler):

# for i in /sys/block/*/queue/scheduler; do echo row > $1; done

Some kernel builders also use another type of optimization related to I/O. This disables the fsync system call, which is used to force the changed contents of open files to be flushed to disk. There is an opinion that without fsync the system will access the drive less often and thus save processor time and battery power. A rather controversial statement: fsync is not used very often in applications and only to save really important information, but disabling it can lead to the loss of the same information in the event of an operating system crash or other problems. The ability to disable fsync is available in the franco.Kernel and GLaDOS kernels, and is controlled by the file /sys/module/sync/parameters/fsync_enabled, in which you should write 0 to disable or 1 to enable. Again, it is not recommended to use this feature.

Adding new functions to the kernel

Of course, in addition to optimizations, tweaks and various advanced hardware management systems, in custom kernels you can also find completely new functionality that is not in standard kernels, but which can be useful to users.

These are mainly different drivers and file systems. For example, some kernels include support for the CIFS module, which allows you to mount Windows shares. Such a module is in the Matr1x kernel for Nexus S, faux123 for Nexus 7, SiyahKernel and GLaDOS. By itself, it is useless, but there are several applications on the market that allow you to use its capabilities.

Another useful feature is the inclusion of the ntfs-3g driver in the kernel (more precisely, in the package with the kernel; the driver itself works as a Linux application), which is necessary for mounting flash drives formatted in the NTFS file system. This driver is found in the faux123 and SiyahKernel kernels. Usually it is activated automatically, but if this does not happen, you can use the StickMount application from the market.

Many kernels also include support for the so-called zram technology, which allows you to reserve a small amount of RAM (usually 10%) and use it as a compressed swap area. The result is a kind of expansion of the amount of memory, without any serious consequences for performance. Available in Leankernel, enabled using Trickster MOD or zram enable command.

The last two interesting features are Fast USB charge and Sweep2wake. The first is nothing more than the forced activation of the “fast charging” mode, even if the smartphone is connected to the computer’s USB port. Fast charging mode is available in all more or less new smartphones, however, due to technical limitations, it cannot be enabled simultaneously with access to the memory card. The Fast USB charge function allows you to always enable this mode, while disabling access to the drive.

Sweep2wake is a new way to wake up a device, invented by the author of Breaked-kernel. Its point is to turn on the smartphone by sliding your finger over the navigation keys located below the screen, or across the screen itself. This is a really convenient feature, but turning it on will cause the sensor to remain active even while the device is sleeping, which can significantly drain the battery.

Overclocking, voltage and energy saving

Overclocking is popular not only among owners of desktop computers and laptops, but also among mobile technology enthusiasts. Like x86 architecture stones, processors and graphics cores of mobile devices are excellent. However, the overclocking method itself and the steps taken to implement it are somewhat different. The fact is that standard drivers for SoCs, which are responsible for energy saving and changing the processor frequency, are usually locked at standard frequencies, so for fine tuning you have to install either an alternative driver or a custom kernel.

Almost all more or less high-quality and popular custom kernels already include unlocked drivers, so after installing them, the ability to control the “power” of the processor is significantly expanded. Usually custom kernel builders do two things that influence the choice of frequency. This is an expansion of the frequency range beyond the initially specified ones - you can set either a higher processor frequency or a very low one, which allows you to save the battery and increase the gradation of frequencies, for example, instead of three possible frequencies, there are six to choose from. The second is the addition of the ability to adjust the processor voltage, so you can reduce the processor voltage at low frequencies to preserve battery charge and increase it at high frequencies to increase stability.

All this can be controlled using the well-known paid utility SetCPU or the free Trickster MOD. Management recommendations are the same as for desktop systems. It is better to set the lower processor frequency to the minimum, but not lower than 200 MHz (to avoid lags), the upper threshold is increased gradually while testing the stability of operation, if it drops, it is recommended to slightly increase the voltage for this frequency. There are no recommendations for voltage, since each processor is unique and the values ​​​​will be different for everyone.

In addition to changing frequencies, builders often add new power saving control algorithms (automatic control of processor frequency) to the kernel, which, in their opinion, can show better results compared to standard ones. Almost all of them are based on the Interactive algorithm used by default in new versions of Android, the essence of which is to sharply increase the processor frequency to the maximum when the load increases, and then gradually reduce it to the minimum. It replaces the previously used OnDemand algorithm, which smoothly adjusted the frequency in both directions in proportion to the load, and makes the system more responsive. Collectors of alternative kernels offer the following algorithms to replace Interactive:

  • SmartAssV2- rethinking the Interactive algorithm with a focus on saving battery. The main difference is not to pull the processor to high frequencies in the event of short-term bursts of load, for which low processor performance is sufficient. The default is used in the Matr1x kernel.
  • InteractiveX- a tuned Interactive algorithm, the main feature of which is to lock the processor at the minimum user-specified frequency and de-energize the second processor core when the screen is turned off. Default is used in Leankernel.
  • LulzactiveV2- essentially a reinvented OnDemand. When the load on the processor exceeds the specified one (60% by default), the algorithm raises the frequency by a certain number of divisions (1 by default), and lowers it when the load decreases. It is of particular interest because it allows you to independently set operating parameters, therefore it is suitable for hardened geeks.

In general, kernel builders really like to come up with new energy-saving algorithms because of the ease of their implementation, so you can find a dozen others. Most of them are complete rubbish, and when choosing a scheduler you should be guided by the rule: either one of the three described above, or the standard Interactive, which, by the way, is very good. You can make a choice using the same Trickster MOD.

Control Interfaces

Most popular custom kernels include several mechanisms for fine-grained control of various driver parameters, the most common of which are ColorControl, GammaControl, SoundControl and TempControl.

The first two interfaces are available almost everywhere, including CyanogenMod kernels, the second two are available in Leankernel and maybe in others. One way or another, all of them can be controlled using Trickster MOD.

Cores

Which core should you choose? There is no clear answer to this question, and not because “to each his own,” but because there are a huge number of Android devices in the world and almost as many different kernels. However, there are several popular kernels that are being developed for several devices at once. One way or another, I mentioned many of them throughout the story, and here I will give a brief description of them.

  • Leankernel is the core for the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7 and Galaxy S III. The main emphasis during development is on simplicity and speed of work. Energy saving algorithm: InteractiveX V2, I/O scheduler: ROW, all of the above control interfaces, support for Fast USB charge, Swap and zram, flexible overclocking options for CPU and GPU. One of the best cores. Customizable using Trickster MOD.
  • Matr1x (http://goo.gl/FQLBI, goo.gl/ZcyvA) - kernel for Nexus S and Nexus 4. Simple and unoverloaded kernel. Support for CPU and GPU overclocking, GammaControl, Fast USB Charge, Sweep2wake, I/O schedulers: SIO, ROW and FIOPS. Performance tweaks. Customizable using Trickster MOD.
  • Bricked-Kernel (http://goo.gl/kd5F4, goo.gl/eZkAV) - a simple and unoverloaded kernel for Nexus 4 and HTC One X. Optimizations for Snapdragon S4 and NVIDIA Tegra 3, redesigned power saving mode for Tegra 3, the ability overclocking, energy saving algorithm: tuned OnDemand (also available Interactive).
  • SiyahKernel - kernel for Galaxy S II and S III. Flexible overclocking options, automatic battery calibration, improved touch screen driver, power saving algorithms: smartassV2 and lulzactiveV2, I/O schedulers: noop, deadline, CFQ, BFQV3r2 (default), V(R), SIO. CIFS and NTFS drivers (with auto-mounting). Configurable using ExTweaks.
  • franco.Kernel - kernel for Nexus S, Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note, Optimus One and One X.

Kernel capabilities vary greatly from device to device, so you'll have to check the details on site. However, by flashing this kernel, you will get the ability to overclock, driver tuning, excellent performance, as well as support for various power saving algorithms and schedulers. In fact, the kernel includes almost all the tweaks described in the article. Considered one of the best kernels available. There is an application for automatic updating franko.Kernel Updater. You can configure it using Trickster MOD.

How to install?

All kernels are distributed in standard Android ZIP archives, which should be flashed through the recovery console in the same way as alternative firmwares. Typically, kernels are compatible with any firmware, so once you select the right kernel, you can safely install it. The only thing you should pay attention to is the version of Android with which the kernel is compatible. It can either be suitable for all versions of Android available for the device, or work only with one (the developer usually explicitly talks about this). Before flashing the firmware, be sure to make a backup of the current firmware using the same recovery console. If something goes wrong, you can always roll back.

conclusions

As you can see, custom kernels have many advantages over kernels used in standard or third-party firmware. And what’s even more important is that you don’t need to know all the intricacies of Android to use them; just download and install the ZIP archive.