EVO 4G users, listen up! Flipz, the creator of one of the best custom ROMs for CDMA HTC Hero - Fresh ROM, has dropped his first version of a custom ROM for the EVO 4G a few hours ago.

The ROM is faster and more efficient than the stock ROM due to optimizations and bloatware removal (yup, the bloated apps provided by Sprint and some HTC ones are moved to the SD card and disabled!). It also comes with some visual changes.

Android 2.1 Eclair for now but will be updated to 2.2 Froyo as soon as humanly possible.

Of course, if you know Flipz, this is all just the beginning.

Be sure you wipe when you install the first time to avoid problems like boot loops!!

Normally, once you install a custom ROM, you can upgrade to the next version without wiping - you just have to bite the bullet the very first time.

Fresh Screenshots And Features

And now, some screens and the features, as per Flipz himself. Most of the changes are not visual, so can't be paraded easily, but you can definitely see an updated launcher.

Flipz introduces himself:

Hi everyone. I’m happy to have my first rom for the Evo ready to download!

A little about me in case you aren’t coming from the CDMA Hero: I have been developing roms for Android since November of last year when I got my first Android phone (the Sprint Hero).

Since then I have released Fresh Rom 0.1a – Fresh Rom 2.1.2, Fresh Kitchen, and worked together with others to port Android 2.1 to the Hero before it was official.

My Fresh series has received over 100,000 (non-unique) downloads total.

I knew as soon as I heard about the Evo that I would be getting one, and I now am happy enough with this rom to release it! It has been tested extensively over the last 24 hours by a group of testers and there are no known outstanding issues.

Keep an eye on http://bugs.geekfor.me for any issues as they come up. Just click on Fresh Evo in the top right corner.

Fresh for EVO 4G:

Changes from 0.1d to 0.2:

  • Updated Rom Manager -- NOTE: Fresh Rom shows up as an available download for free in the free version of rom manager!
  • Fixed bug where Peep wasn't showing up -- if you still don't see it then you didn't do a data wipe or your data wipe didn't work [25]
  • Fixed bug where Qik was FC'ing -- this again was caused by data wipe not working. People were ending up with a copy of Qik on /data/ and on /system/. I have removed it from /system/ and put it in /data/ only. If you are having problems still then ... again ... you didn't wipe or your data wipe didn't work.
  • Fixed bug where some users couldn't connect to 4g -- this only affected a small number of users, but the issue is resolved. [24]
  • Fixed flash player not working properly [26]
  • The bottom lights not coming on is NOT a bug! Go in to a dark room and turn your phone on. They are controlled by the light sensor. [27]
  • Please don't ask if a data wipe is required.
    Either just do a data wipe, or try it without it. But if you are having issues then wipe and flash again! Then boot up the phone... don't flash anything, don't restore anything, don't install anything. Just test it!

Updated stock apps:

  • Qik to 0.03.51
  • Facebook to 1.2
  • Google Maps to 4.2.0
  • Vending to 1713
  • Quickboot and “reboot to recovery” from rom manager will work
  • Entire rom has been de-odexd.
    • An odex file is basically a chunk of source code that has already been extracted from the apk and put on /system/. This is done to speed up the first boot of a rom (you know how your first boot takes a long time… that’s while it is extracting all of these dex files) and also to save space on /data/. Our stock sprint rom comes with this odex files to give you those benefits, however it also prevents us from easily modifying those files. This build has taken all those odex files and injected them back in the apk’s. So expect a slower first boot (it will sit on the 4g screen for a while… animated boot screen coming), and more space taken up on /data/, but you get benefits from it such as the vanilla lock screen fix and a standard set of files for people to theme off of.

Visual changes:

  • Espresso bottom bar for Evo in blue. Green coming later.
  • Full color sliders (see screen shots)
  • New boot screen is coming, but it’s not here yet

Added:

  • ES File Explorer 1.4.1
  • Rom Manager (Clockwork Mod Recovery) 1.8.8.5
  • HTC_IME Mod High Res v.27 keyboard — This keyboard has a ton of features. I have included this keyboard and the stock one. To change which keyboard you use just do a long press on a text input field.
  • Launcher Pro Beta 0.5.1
  • SuperUser 2.1
  • Wifi Tether 2.0.2 final (free 3g and 4g wireless tethering)

Moved to data and made uninstallable if you want:

  • Sprint TV and widget — I normally removed this but I kept it because it works on 4g so the quality should be a lot better, and also because the world cup is on.
    :)
  • Launcher2 — This is stock with our rom but the apps drawer is a little slow and rotation doesn’t work, so I also included Launcher Pro.

Removed (copied to /sdcard/fresh-removed-apks):
The following applications have been removed, however I am trying something new. I have the installer copy all of these applications to /sdcard/fresh-removed-apks. This will allow you to easily install the applications by clicking on them in ES File Explorer, or by copying them to /system/app for the ones that won’t install that way (HTC’s apps don’t play nicely with installing). The applications marked with a * can be installed in one click by clicking on it in ES, the ones marked with # aren’t included because they don’t need to be reinstalled. The rest you will have to copy them to /system/app. This can be done by booting in to recovery and issuing the following commands:

adb shell mount /sdcard
adb shell mount /system
adb shell
cp /sdcard/fresh-removed-apks/WHATEVERAPP.apk /system/app

  • Amazon mp3 *
  • GSD #
  • HTC FM Radio
  • HTC Footprints and widget
  • HTC Navigation Panel
  • HTC Ringtone Trimmer
  • HTC Stocks and widget
  • Quick Office *
  • HTC Peep — I put this on /data but it’s not showing up properly. I created an update.zip patch here if you need it.
  • Sprint Nascar *
  • Sprint Navigation *
  • Sprint NFL *
  • Sprint Promotion *
  • Sprint WiFi Router
  • Teeter
  • Voice Search (I am constantly hitting it on accident while using my phone with one hand. I have also had issues with it killing audio on the phone). *
  • Removed apk’s can be downloaded here and pushed back to the phone if you have problems with the sdcard method.

Get Fresh

Step 1 - Root

Of course, installing a custom ROM requires root (unrevoked won't work, as it's not true root, at least right now) - this method, courtesy of toastcfh should work.

Step 2 - Download And Install

Download and install.

DOWNLOAD: http://geekfor.me/new-release/fresh-evo-02/
4g PATCH: http://link.geekfor.me/fresh4gpatch If your 4g isn’t working (and you have 4g in your area!) then flash this patch. It’s only needed by a small handful of people.
MD5: ab5f2f08e326fab847f0d160d4aa91fd
RADIO: 1.39.00.05.31 (make sure you are running the newest radio if you are having problems with 4g)

A wipe may not be necessary (depending on what rom you are coming from), but it is recommended. You need to be rooted (unrevoked method doesn’t count as root) to flash this. How To: Root Your Sprint Evo. Always make a nandroid backup, I can’t be held responsible if something breaks, etc, etc.

Base: RUU_Supersonic_1.32.651.6

Fresh for the EVO has already been installed by many users and continues to receive excellent feedback.

As always, report back with your own feedback in the comments.

Sources: