[ROM][KFHD7][7.4.8] ♦ Kinology 3.3 ♦ 2014/03/12 ♦ Final

[JulianPaoloThiry]

Introducing Kinology - The Premier KFHD7 Custom ROM​

Standard Disclaimer: I cannot be held responsible for loss, damages, or any kind of issue whatsoever that could arise from installing this ROM. You install it at your own risk.

Kinology is the premier custom ROM for the Kindle Fire HD 7" tablet. It will not work on any other device. Kinology should be considered a "hybrid OS"; it contains Amazon's 7.4.8 ICS-based core along with Google's ICS Services Framework and application stack.

• Feature list
• Installation / Download
• Advanced Configuration
• Known Issues
• History
• Screenshots

3.3 will be the last version of Kinology. The 7.4.9 update does not leave enough room on the system partition for the Kinology base. Additionally, that version of the Amazon OS is using server side filtering that prevents many non-Amazon approved applications from working correctly. My investigations into the issue did not turn up an easy fix.

What's new?
3.3 - 2014/03/12

• Update the base to 7.4.8 and updated included apps. See the History page linked above for further details.

3.2 - 2013/11/21

• Kinology itself is unchanged for this release. Only apps have been updated. See the History page linked above for details.

3.1 - 2013/08/11

• Updated the base OS to 7.4.6.
• The restart/failure message when flashing the boot zip will only be shown if the recovery is actually changed.
• Installers now apply ASLR correctly to all libraries.
• Added Adobe Flash Player again, as it no longer causes browsers to crash.
• Updated GmsCore, Hangouts, and Play Store in the Google package.
• Updated Adobe Air in the Amazon Updates package.
• Behind the scenes stuff:
• * Added code to the make scripts to build all-in-one installation.
• * Modified the make scripts so that .apks with identical code and resources always result in binary-identical files.
• * Because of the previous modification, update zips can now be automatically generated.
• * Many other changes to the make scripts so that they are more resilient.

3.0. - 2013/07/21

• Updated the base OS to 7.4.5.
• Fixed the disabled wallpaper issue in 7.4.1.
• Removed text on battery icons (a percentage option was added by Amazon).
• Updated Gmail, GmsCore, and the Play Store in the Google package, and added Hangouts instead of Talk.
• Update SuperSU and included SuperSUNoNag.
• Removed Adobe Flash Player as it is not compatible with 7.4.5.
• Fixed the install process: the boot zip is now required, but it will only flash items that you do not already have installed.
• Separated Amazon app updates from Kinology proper in the install process.

XDA:DevDB Information
Kinology [KFHD7/TATE], ROM for the Amazon 7" Kindle Fire HD

Contributors
JulianPaoloThiry
ROM OS Version: 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich
Based On: Amazon OS 7.4.8

Version Information
Status: Stable
Current Stable Version: 3.3
Stable Release Date: 2014-03-12

Created 2014-10-16
Last Updated 2014-10-16

 

[raj3366]

I was just cleaning up my system (Had CM10.1 on it, but was facing issues with Video chat in GTalk) to go back to Kinology 2.0.1 and was facing some boot issues. When I went back to see the potential list of ROMs to try, I noticed this thread.

Edit: Flashed it and seems to be stable so far. Still checking stability of various apps.

Edit 2: Spoke too soon. Just got a random reboot. The screen was in landscape mode and was trying to get it to portrait, it just rebooted.I did a first reboot before setting up the device as mentioned in the installation procedure.

Sequence of events before I got the random reboot: I flashed the files as per the installation procedure (verbatim), did a reboot after the first boot, set up the system, added google accounts, installed nova launcher, set that as my primary launcher, tried hangout, it hung in the Video call, force stopped it, then was editing the message here in the forum, went back to Kindle, was rotating to portrait mode, kindle rebooted.

EDIT 3: I am still getting random reboots trying to play around hangout. I will find GTalk apk from somewhere and install. I will update the status after that.

 

[GreyGeist]

No flash, no fun . That was one of the best features in android for me, besides the roms. If it's possible, i would love to see a fix for it.

Thanks,
Grwy

Sent from my KFTT using xda app-developers app

 

[raj3366]

Request to package just Gtalk and allow option to users to upgrade to Hangouts

One humble request: If you could, please let the users decide if they want to upgrade to hangout. I am facing issues with that, and I was able to uninstall updates to go back to GTalk. But given that Hangouts was directly add to the ROM itself, I could not go back to GTalk by just uninstalling it in Playstore.

I will figure a way to get GTalk back. But it was easier to uninstall from play store

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

I will figure a way to get GTalk back.

I can make an updater zip that replaces Hangouts with Talk. Will probably post it tomorrow sometime.

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

No flash, no fun . That was one of the best features in android for me, besides the roms. If it's possible, i would love to see a fix for it.

This bugs me a lot, too. I'm not sure if there will be a solution. Unfortunately, the crash is very low level (in the .so files), so it's very tough to even begin to know how to work around it. I certainly plan to continue working on it, though.

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

I am still getting random reboots trying to play around hangout.

I successfully made a video call using Hangouts to my phone for testing and didn't get any reboots. I know that's just one anecdote, but if I recall, GTalk's video/voice didn't work very well for some on Kinology 2 either.

 

[raj3366]

I can make an updater zip that replaces Hangouts with Talk. Will probably post it tomorrow sometime.

That would be awesome. I tried replacing the Hangouts.apk with Talk.apk in the google update zip. But the signature (SHA1-digest) had to be updated in META-INF/CERT.SF and META-INF/MANIFEST.MF files. So I could not get it working.

I had very good success rate using GTalk in Kinology 2.0. I guess my mileage varies. But having GTalk gives me the freedom to upgrade to Hangouts or stay with GTalk depending on whichever works. Again, that's just my personal opinion.

Thanks for looking into this Julian. I am sending this Kindle to my parents so that I could chat over Video call. I have to get it stabilized before that. They are not tech-savy.

So far I am not seeing any other issues. I will report back, if I run into any.

I can't thank you enough for doing this.:good:

 

[GreyGeist]

This bugs me a lot, too. I'm not sure if there will be a solution. Unfortunately, the crash is very low level (in the .so files), so it's very tough to even begin to know how to work around it. I certainly plan to continue working on it, though.

Alright, thanks. I've always really liked Kinology, but the gapps and lockscreen issues were its downfall for me. Are these fixed yet? In the previous build, gapps constantly crashes (especially chrome), and the lockscreen would randomly disappear.

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

There is now a download available to rollback from Google Hangouts to Google Talk. Be aware that your launcher's caching may cause the icon and/or name of Hangouts to remain unchanged. Be sure to actually launch the app and check it before claiming that the rollback did not work.

Edit: Hmmmm. Hold off downloading that. I can't seem to find the voice/video options at all now.

Edit: False alarm. Turns out that Google Talk cannot voice/video chat with Google Hangouts users. So if your friends upgrade and you do not, you're SOL. There's nothing wrong with the rollback package, so use it if you like.

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

the gapps and lockscreen issues were its downfall for me. Are these fixed yet? In the previous build, gapps constantly crashes (especially chrome), and the lockscreen would randomly disappear.

... no one reported either of those issues previously...

I've used Kinology since it was released and have not seen them. I must admit, however, that I have the lock screen disabled (my Kindle never leaves the house and has a book-like cover), so I wouldn't have noticed that one.
I do use Chrome and most other Google apps, and can't recall them ever crashing. Capturing a logcat dump immediately after a crash and sending it to me is the best way to get that sort of thing identified. The only other workable alternative is to report reproducible steps that always result in a crash.

 

[raj3366]

There is now a download available to rollback from Google Hangouts to Google Talk. Be aware that your launcher's caching may cause the icon and/or name of Hangouts to remain unchanged. Be sure to actually launch the app and check it before claiming that the rollback did not work.

Thanks a lot. That solves my problem. I will try it tonight when I get back home and update you. As long as it works with other google talk users, I am good. Is there procedure to repackage it myself? (if you update the google zip, I would not want you to re-package it every time. I would be more than happy to do it myself and share it for those who need that.)

EDIT: I just saw the size of it. I guess no re-packaging necessary. I just need to flash it as the last zip. This even more awesome. Thanks!

 

[Wind Dancer]

Launcher

How do you start up in tablet mode, not Kindle carousel?
Do you need a launcher?

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

How do you start up in tablet mode, not Kindle carousel?
Do you need a launcher?

If you do not want to use the carousel as your default launcher then you will need to install an alternative launcher from the Play Store, such as GO or Nova. The next time you reboot (or press the home button, I think), your Kindle will ask you which launcher to use, at which time you can tell it to stop asking and just use the one you pick.

 

[Wind Dancer]

If you do not want to use the carousel as your default launcher then you will need to install an alternative launcher from the Play Store, such as GO or Nova. The next time you reboot (or press the home button, I think), your Kindle will ask you which launcher to use, at which time you can tell it to stop asking and just use the one you pick.

okay, thanks for the confirmation

 

[markbc01]

Alright, thanks. I've always really liked Kinology, but the gapps and lockscreen issues were its downfall for me. Are these fixed yet? In the previous build, gapps constantly crashes (especially chrome), and the lockscreen would randomly disappear.

Odd, I never had a problems with Gaaps (Google Applications) although I have not liked chrome on any of my Android devices. . .Sorry, I can't compare with lockscreens -since I don't use one on my KFTT, but when I did it was never an issue. . . I hope this new version will be a stable, and dependable as Kinology2 -I am downloading now! (Thanks!) :victory:

 

[Gilly10]

Sorry to change topic but does anyone have the full build/version number for 7.4.5, it should be something like this: 7.4.5_D025_XXXXXXX

Thanks

 

[JulianPaoloThiry]

Sorry to change topic but does anyone have the full build/version number for 7.4.5, it should be something like this: 7.4.5_D025_XXXXXXX

Thanks

4513120

 

[Hinzman420]

I cat find the update file anywhere the one i found will not manually update. Could you send me the stock update file for 7.4.5. I like to be up to date as much as i can but amazon is not posting this update on there web site and my auto update is not updating to 7.4.5

Sent from my KFTT using xda app-developers app

 

[Gilly10]

I cat find the update file anywhere the one i found will not manually update. Could you send me the stock update file for 7.4.5. I like to be up to date as much as i can but amazon is not posting this update on there web site and my auto update is not updating to 7.4.5

I downloaded this 7.4.5 file but since I'm not on stock Amazon OS I can't test it to see if it'll update properly, also supposedly Adobe Flash doesn't play nice with this build.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/kindle-fire-updates/update-kindle-7.4.5_D025_4513120.bin