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I recently bought a Droid 2 Global and decided to get my feet wet with android development. To familiarize myself with the platform I wrote a simple utility for managing the bloat that came pre-installed on my phone. I thought there might be other people who would get some use out of this so I am posting it here. You will need to be rooted and have busybox installed to use this application. If you used z4root to root your phone then you should have everything you need.
The application is pretty simple. When you start it you are presented with a list of the Bloat that the application recognizes. Each item in the list has a checkbox that indicates whether it is enabled or not. To disable bloat you just uncheck the boxes next to what you don't want and then press the Apply button that appears at the bottom of the screen. You can save what you have disabled as a profile by pressing the options button and then choosing Save Profile. This is convenient because you are going to need to turn all of this bloat back on if you want to receive updates. If you have saved a profile and a new update becomes available you can launch Bloat Manager, press the options button, choose Enable All and then click Apply to get your phone ready for the update. After the update installs you can launch Bloat Manager, press the options button, choose Load Profile and then click Apply to turn the bloat back off.
The following applications can be toggled on or off using Bloat Manager:
Amazon MP3 /system/app/amazonmp3_1_8_14_signed_zipaligned_Signed_2010-09-09_15-23-51.apk
Blockbuster /system/app/Blockbuster.apk
City ID /system/app/CityID.apk
Friend Feed /system/app/FriendFeed.apk
Kindle /system/app/Kindle-1_0_2-OEM-SingleSign_Signed_2010-09-20_17-31-57.apk
My Net /system/app/Mynet.apk
My Verizon /system/app/MyVerizon.apk
News Widget /system/app/NewsWidget.apk
Performance Manager /system/app/PerformanceManager.apk
Skype /system/app/Skype_mobile.live.apk
Social Messaging /system/app/SocialMessaging.apk
Social Share /system/app/SocialShare.apk
VZNavigator /system/app/vnav_6.1.0.160_Droid2Global_rel_PROD_signed.apk
Visual Voice Mail /system/app/Vvm.apk
Weather Widget /system/app/WeatherWidget.apk
World Clock Widget /system/app/WorldClockWidget.apk
When you disable an application using Bloat Manager it simply renames it to .bak. When you re-enable an application it is renamed back to .apk.
Bloat Manager remounts your /system partition as writable in order to make changes to applications. I came up with this list based on what other people have had success with removing, but I have not personally turned off everything on the list. Changing things in your system partition is always dangerous so please be careful.
So this only renames the app filenames? Is the app still affecting the phone in any way (ie. sucking battery life) once it is renamed, or is it completely "disconnected" from the phone until you rename it back to .apk for updates/etc.?
Thanks I will try this out soon.
Correct, this simply renames the apps so that they are no longer recognized as launchable applications. The applications will not be able to run anymore after they are renamed so they will not affect your battery life directly. I have heard that the operating system will continually try and restart some apps if they get renamed, but based on what people are saying in the bloatware removal script thread on droidforums where I got this list of applications none of these should have that problem.
Let me know how it goes.
The application works, any chance you might add more programs to the list?
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using XDA App
Are there any specific applications you would like to see added? I designed it so that the list can be extended but I haven't implemented an easy way to add things yet. If you know your way around a SQLite database you can add new items to the Bloat table to put them in the list. I plan on adding an import feature that lets you add a group of applications from a file in the near future.
Well some programs I can do without are files, car dock, backup assistant, the social networking widget, and news and weather, if you can find a way to ad the .bak extention to them without it hurting the system, it would be greatly appreciated
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using XDA App
wtb one for sprint phones, i.e. the Epic 4G
Great solution, how about a "Bloat Manager for Samsung Galaxy S" next ?
How about a general android bloat manager?
General Android bloatware app would be a major win!
The way you implement (renaming to .bak) is brilliant in it's simplicity, well done. I'm curious how it compares to the 'freeze' function of Titanium backup. Anyone?
^^^That's what I want to know too.
i am just wondering but would this work on other phones like the HTC Droid ERIS or any other devices???
Any chance you can port this to the Droid X? Also, do you need to be rooted to use it, or does it work on stock devices?
same quest
rusty815 said:
...any chance you might add more programs to the list?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...are these Bloats removeable too?
-Stocks
-Amazon
-Soundhound
-Setup
-facebook
-htc hub, likes etc.
-latitude
-anything from google (maps locations, navigation etc., etc.)
-peep, twitter etc. any social network sh..
-speech saerch
-talk
-connected media
Any chance for a G1 or G2 version?
I plan on making the next version a lot more flexible in terms of which phones it will be useful for. If you guys can get me a list of which apps can safely be removed from your phones I can add them to the next version.
Technically this version should run on other phones so long as they are rooted and have busybox installed in /system/bin. If your phone has some of the same bloat that comes on a Droid 2 Global you may be able to use this to remove it. Any applications that the program cannot find when it starts will have a ! on the front of their names in the list. Bloat Manager won't be able to turn those off.
I installed this and chose disable all, and clicked apply. The applications can still be opened. Skype still shows that it is running even after I force stop it.
LOL...installed on my G1....all apps had the !
Uninstalled. Thanks!
MrFrankfromCM said:
LOL...installed on my G1....all apps had the !
Uninstalled. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, its meant for the bloat on the d2g and d2, I'm pretty sure the g1 doesn't have any of the apps that are on the list
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using XDA App
MrFrankfromCM said:
Any chance for a G1 or G2 version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your looking for away to remove bloatware on the G2 go to this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=809231
super easy did it myself.
Has anyone compiled a list of the safe-to-remove apps for the AT&T GSII along with corresponding .apk filenames, yet? I've already removed a number of them via Root Explorer, using the list of removed apps from Cognition's rom, but there's a couple that still remain and I'm wondering if they're ok to remove or not. A full list would be best, though I'm mainly wondering about:
Kies Air
Featured Apps
Social Hub
AT&T Hot Spots (doesn't show in app list, but still shows as a running app for me)
Don't know...I saw that AT&T Hot Spots wasn't actually in the drawer but it shows up as a running app too. I don't plan on removing Kies Air or the Social Hub (for the moment) but I'd like to remove "Featured Apps" but when I go into Titanium Backup it'll ask me if I'm sure I want to do this since it's part of the framework so I've backed off of it for now...I'd like to know about these 4 apps and if they're safe to remove as well.
I used root explorer and did it manually. I lost count how many I ripped out.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
joeybear23 said:
I would like to keep a running list of AT&T-delivered apps from the stock ROM that are safe to freeze/uninstall without causing any loss of essential functionality.
Amazon Kindle
AP Mobile
AT&T Code Scanner
AT&T Family Map
AT&T Hotspots (if you do not use it)
AT&T Navigator
Buddies Now
City ID
Digital Clock
Dual Clock
Featured Apps
Live TV
Media Hub (not AT&T Bloatware, rather Samsung-delivered)
Mini Diary
Mini Paper
QIK Lite (if you do not use stock video chat)
Yahoo Finance
YP
If you have any apps that you have removed and run problem free for at least 48 hours, please let me know and I will update the list.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From this thread.
Honestly I'd recommend installing Titanium Backup and doing a backup before you remove ANY apps. You simply never know if you might need them down the road for something. Sure 99% of the AT&T crap is crap, but there's no reason not to back them up first.
Also, if you're worried about it, buy the PRO version (of TB) and simply freeze ones you don't want to use. This isn't deleting them, it simply disables them.
Kadin said:
Honestly I'd recommend installing Titanium Backup and doing a backup before you remove ANY apps. You simply never know if you might need them down the road for something. Sure 99% of the AT&T crap is crap, but there's no reason not to back them up first.
Also, if you're worried about it, buy the PRO version (of TB) and simply freeze ones you don't want to use. This isn't deleting them, it simply disables them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the PRO version. I know about freezing but I was being lazy and I know there are much more adventurous people than me who've gone ahead and ripped things out. I didn't want to do the freeze app, okay seems safe to remove, repeat per next app deal. Like I said, I'm lazy...
Some of these At&t apps i cant find under root explorer, for example featured apps. what would be the file name for featured apps?
re: bloat/system apps
Smoghog said:
Has anyone compiled a list of the safe-to-remove apps for the AT&T GSII along with corresponding .apk filenames, yet? I've already removed a number of them via Root Explorer, using the list of removed apps from Cognition's rom, but there's a couple that still remain and I'm wondering if they're ok to remove or not. A full list would be best, though I'm mainly wondering about:
Kies Air
Featured Apps
Social Hub
AT&T Hot Spots (doesn't show in app list, but still shows as a running app for me)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to uninstall even more bloatware you need to get the app called
"SystemAppRemover" from the market. (everything will show up with this).
It makes it very easy to uninstall most any system apps.
The app has other functions too.
It's also best to flash a Nandroid backup of your rom before uninstalling
bloatware/system apps.
(use CWM Manager or CWM Recovery and NOT rom manager for backing up).
Good luck!
If it matters, mine is a P509 - my question is whether any of you have found, short of custom ROM, a way to remove bloat apps, or freeze them effectively, given a stock LG ROM? I run kernel 2.6.32.9 and it is very stable. just wanting to free up cycles and memory
the reason I can't get along with custom ROM is the lack of wifi calling [that is, the way it is supposed to work, via T-mo]
Will Titanium Pro do this? any nasty side effects?
root - delete the apps.
TiBackup - freeze or delete.
All of these work. I just test-searched this subforum for remove bloatware and was rewarded with an abundance of information. This also contains info on the likeliest followup question, "what apps can I remove?".
FWIW, I find greatest stability and battery life on a sanitized stock ROM but run CM7 on principle. I use Google Voice + Groove IP for my wifi calling needs. Works fine and doesn't eat TMO voice mins.
I just go to system/app and delete the apps or "bloatware" that you dont need, titanium backup does the same but you have the option to freeze. If you want to get rid of it quick and easy just go to system/app and delete the app you want gone. Be careful what you delete, stay away from system apps that your phone will need. I would make a backup first before you start deleting just to be safe hope this helps
you are my man! i use the same plan with T-mo - do everything I can on wifi, keep data turned off 90% of the time, send pics via GoSMS Pro...
Thank you both, fratermus and 'droid311 for the help.
If you don't mind let me list a few that I ASSUME I can safely remove - if you see something dangerous pls let me know
- Drivesmart
- Telenav
- thinkfree office
- visual voicemail
- Voice Search
- web2go home
- Pacman demo [good grief]
- places
- latitude
- fm radio [never worked]
- dinerdash
- doodle
ok fire away
btw - re: titanium does the freeware version do the trick or the upgrade?
I'll have a look at system/root - not an expert su by any means
fratermus said:
root - delete the apps.
TiBackup - freeze or delete.
All of these work. I just test-searched this subforum for remove bloatware and was rewarded with an abundance of information. This also contains info on the likeliest followup question, "what apps can I remove?".
FWIW, I find greatest stability and battery life on a sanitized stock ROM but run CM7 on principle. I use Google Voice + Groove IP for my wifi calling needs. Works fine and doesn't eat TMO voice mins.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, friends I got it rolling now. handful of that stuff uninstalled.
could I bug you for just a couple of specifics?
- Keyboards: I have been running the Gingerbread keybd for awhile and like it well enough - the handset still has he original keyboard installed. is it safe to uninstall/remove that or is it involved with the core ROM?
- Similarly, I seem to have three Messaging things stacked: there is the original which I guess was on the handset from the edge: there is an Update to the stock Messaging app, then there is GoSMS Pro which is what I actually use. Is it safe to uninstall the other/stock messaging apps?
- Maps [latitude] is a pig - it loads three modules at powerup and I never even use it [my eyes and that screen with ddetailed maps,, no worky well]. safe to remove? answer seems to be yes.
that's all. I am a happy camper
Are you running cm7?
-You would probaly get a foreclose if you delete it, I would go into play store (android market) and find the keyboard you want, download it and push it to system/app then delete the old gingerbread key board.
-I wouldnt move/delete the stock messaging apps because I think (not positive) but gosms pro would need your stock messaging app to run off of.
-yes maps can be safe to remove
-Also reading your list of your bloat ware, they all can be deleted safely with no harm
thank you so much!
no, i'm running 2.2 LG rom and it is so stable I am ok to stay here, especially because WIFI calling works like butter... excellent.
uninstalled maps, finally - nothing else would stop it from loading up. no harm done, as you indicated.
all this has managed to free up about 35% of the meager ROM.
I guess this is about as good as it gets if one retains wifi calling, gmail/voice, and basic decent apps like a good media player, maps [that is, 3rd party], sms/mms, memos, calendar, reminders, notifier[missed message flasher the only one I have found that actually works]
No problem man, make sure you always backup
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
I've spent a month with KK on 2 phones, and ultimately contacted Verizon after my work phone left me unable to email, and then died only 3 hours after unplugging the charger.
I went through the exercise of doing a factory reset (which did not fix any of the issues, surprise surprise) and Verizon agreed to send me a replacement phone.
But what I did notice is this:
On both phones, after doing a factory reset, most of the bloatware was *not* on the phone until I gave it my gmail address... then they began downloading (isis, nfl, allshare, print services, audible, and on and on.)
I re-reset, rebooted, and did NOT give my gmail (or any other email) and the downloads did not start. After a few hours, I gave it my gmail, and the downloads started. And I would like to point out... these downloads are NOT restoring or synching any of my play store apps, these are all of the junk that were pre-installed when I got the phones (for example - nfl live, or nfl direct, or whatever it is called is NOT on the phone until after it is downloaded and installed automatically.)
So today I have a new Galaxy S4 with JellyBean 4.3 (I545VRUEMK2)
After activating it, it started downloading a "software update", KK I presume.
I didn't let it finish; I restarted the phone and re-factory reset it, and immediately turned off wifi.
I've not given it my gmail, but had to give it my work email (exchange).
So far, no updates... It is just a vanilla system with nothing more than my work email (which is working fine.)
Is there any way that I can, at this point, prevent it updating or installing all of the Verizon garbage?
I know the knee-jerk answer will be "root it" but I want to avoid that if possible... this is my employer's phone, and I don't want that to be an issue if there are any problems with the phone.
If it's owned by your employer why do you care about bloatware?
sent by bajarom v2.2 kitkat
decaturbob said:
If it's owned by your employer why do you care about bloatware?
sent by bajarom v2.2 kitkat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Multiple reasons... I would like to be able to have a phone that works properly, without a lot of garbage getting in the way.
Secondly, because my personal phone is being replaced as well, and I would like to keep it running as smooth as possible as well.
You can disable most of the apps under settings. And they are already present on the phone, they are simply being upgraded to newer versions when you enter your Google account information.
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
snurfle said:
Multiple reasons... I would like to be able to have a phone that works properly, without a lot of garbage getting in the way.
Secondly, because my personal phone is being replaced as well, and I would like to keep it running as smooth as possible as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(About your personal phone)
Since you are still running JB you should be able to root. Once rooted, you can simply uninstall the bloatware with SDX software romoval app. It is NOT in the google play market, but if you google it you should be able to find it. What I do is "freeze" the app with Titanium Backup Pro. Once frozen, the apps do not load nor update. Freezing gives you the ability to update the phone to the new FW when the time comes. Just unfreeze all apps, update, then freeze them again. Downside is that NC5 still has NO native root. So, you could just keep it JB instead of upgrading to KK and losing root. There are other options out there for upgrading to 4.4.2 and keeping root, but if you are looking for simplicity, just keep it JB. Lastly, VooDoo OTA root keeper works MOST of the time. However, with 4.4.3, you still lose root.
I am sure there is a list of apps somewhere in the S4 forums for you so you know what to freeze. From my experience, I froze all verizion apps minus "My Verizion Mobile", all bloatware like Isis, NFL, IMDB, ect., and even SDM(the app that controls OTA updates). Hope this helps.
I have my phone rooted, but unlike my previous phone, a motorola, there is no forum for it, since it's pretty new-ish. So I was wondering if any one has a list of system/bloatware apps that can be safely deleted without destroying my phone?
I'm pretty sure all the google apps can be removed without negative affects and that voice mail app that puts it in text format, but beyond that, I'm not sure.