Zest T1

[MoHaG]

How do I check if it's running fine?

If everything complains about it it isn't... (It also doesn't show up in Settings > Apps)

 

[konfab]

Having my battery drop from 50% to 4% spurned me into action.

I rooted my phone according to the instructions on XDA, then installed an app called battery fix.
The app resets the battery calibration and fixes the issue with sudden drops in battery life.

Now my phone loses change gracefully. I have installed a CPU tuner app to see if I can't squeeze any more juice from the lemon that is the Zest

 

[Barge]

Been rooted for a long time and having hell with my battery. I assume you mean https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Abhijay.batteryfixfree
going to try it now.

 

[konfab]

Been rooted for a long time and having hell with my battery. I assume you mean https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Abhijay.batteryfixfree
going to try it now.

Yup

 

[d7e7r7]

My mom's screen is cracked. Anyone know where she can get the screen replaced?

 

[MoHaG]

My mom's screen is cracked. Anyone know where she can get the screen replaced?

Zest has a repairer... See their facebook page, there seem to be several questions looking for someone to help...

Their reply for someone is:

Hi there. Please email us through our website and we will immediately assist you through our own service centre.

 

[MoHaG]

Having my battery drop from 50% to 4% spurned me into action.

I rooted my phone according to the instructions on XDA, then installed an app called battery fix.
The app resets the battery calibration and fixes the issue with sudden drops in battery life.

Now my phone loses change gracefully. I have installed a CPU tuner app to see if I can't squeeze any more juice from the lemon that is the Zest

How do you root it? (The 20140903 firmware) The exploits seem to be getting less and the MTK droid tool thing didn't seem to have any success on the new release last time I checked...

 

[SykomantiS]

I'm also rooted. I just went through everything I have on my pc but it seems I lost my downloads folder when I redid my Windows installation.

What I can tell you is that I did it around March, so if you can find an MTK droid toolkit version from around that time, it should be a starting point. Not much to go on, sorry, but I hope it helps.

 

[konfab]

I will upload the one I used.

 

[d7e7r7]

Zest has a repairer... See their facebook page, there seem to be several questions looking for someone to help...

Their reply for someone is:

Thanks, I'll check their Facebook page out.

 

[MoHaG]

I'm also rooted. I just went through everything I have on my pc but it seems I lost my downloads folder when I redid my Windows installation.

What firmware version do you have? The 20140903 version certainly doesn't work one-click with MTK Droid tools 2.5.3...

The release notes for the 20140903 version contains this (as written by their "Proudly South African" developers): (Excel file in the archive)

解决第三方apk检测手机rooted的问题

Google translate gives "Troubleshoot third-party apk detect problems rooted phones", and I'm worried that thast might have "fixed" the ability to root it...

 

[SykomantiS]

I was under the impression it was 20140903, but looking at my phone it seems it's a previous build. I wasn't even aware there was more than one. Mine is the one with the repartitioned storage. I do remember checking not too long ago if there were updates on the website, but when I compared it was still the same stuff I had on my phone. Either I'm missing something or I'm blind.

Way back when, I uploaded the repartition software to my Google drive as others had issues downloading it from their website at that time. Here's the link to mine: Zest firmware

 

[MoHaG]

That seems to be 20140714... They mainly removed the Afrihost branding in the release(s) after that...

The later release notes: (Needs Google translate...) (It seems to not go back too far...)

20140903_e2101v82_zest_axxsee 20140903 zjn
解决第三方apk检测手机rooted的问题

20140828_e2101v82_zest_axxsee 20140828 zjn
1. MS Board number: Zest_T1_G46
2. Manufacturer: Zest Mobile
3. Model Number: Zest T1
4. Build Number: Zest_T1_August
5. Default website: www.zestmobile.net
6. Bluetooth name: Zest T1
7. WiFi hotspot name: Zest T1
8.删除apk
a. com.bbm.apk--------------->BBM
b. com.shazam.android.apk----->Shazam
c. com.skype.raider.apk----------->Skype
d.Axxess.apk ---------------------->Axxess
9.桌面排列如附件 “排列方式”
10.开关机动画第一张显示 如附件 “boot1.png” 第二张显示如附件 “boot2.png”
11.删除AXXSEE的所有壁纸，添加附件中的壁纸，如附件 “Wallpapers”，默认墙纸为：“edit3.jpg”;
12.删除AXXSEE的所有铃声，默认信息铃声如附件 ”golf-Ball-in-hole.ogg“
13.默认网页： www.zestmobile.net
14.书签： 1. Zest Mobile www.zestmobile.net 书签图片见附件 “zestbookmark.png”
2. Zest Facebook www.facebook.com/zestmobile 书签图片见附件 “zestfbboomkmark.png”

20140819_e2101v82_zest_axxsee 20140819 zjn
修改浏览器缩略图与网址不匹配的问题

20140815_e2101v82_zest_axxsee 20140815 zjn
用那个隐藏google play软件重新立项做个新客户版本，需求如下：
1、删除这个版本的所有壁纸。增加附件壁纸 “Zest Axxess Wallpapers"。
默认待机壁纸：DefaultWallpaper
默认锁屏壁纸：DefaultLockScreen
2、删除 ZEST GET APP,保留 ZEST FREE APP
3、增加来电铃声并默认：来电铃声 axxess_dsl_ringtone
增加短信铃声并默认：短信铃声golf-Ball-in-hole
4、开机动画第一张显示boot1.png,第二张和第三张见附 件“boot2”；
关机动画boot2
5、删除多余的书签，增加三个书签，详细见附件 "Zest Axxess Firmware browser Details.rar "
Zest Axxess Firmware Browser:
默认网 站：Default URL in browser: www.axxess.co.za
Bookmarks:
1. Zest Mobile www.zestmobile.net
2. Zest Facebook www.facebook.com/zestmobile
3. Axxess www.axxess.co.za
ONLY THESE BOOKMARKS, NO OTHER BOOKMARKS MUST BE INCLUDED!
6、增加APN，见附件 AxxessFirmwareAPN.xls
7、Zest Axxess Firmware Names:
1. MS Board number: Zest_T1_G46
2. Manufacturer: Zest Mobile
3. Model Number: Zest T1
4. Build Number: Zest_T1_Axxess
5. Default website: www.axxess.co.za
6. Bluetooth name: Zest T1
7. WiFi hotspot name: Axxess Mobile – Zest T1
8、待机界面第一页和第二页的排列
9、增加APK，见超大附件“Zest Axxess APK.rar”。删除 afrihost 这个APK。

 

[SykomantiS]

So basically, there is no benefit to getting the later firmware, and you seem to lose the ability to root?

 

[MoHaG]

So basically, there is no benefit to getting the later firmware, and you seem to lose the ability to root?

Possibly... There are some instructions on xda that might work... Which basically seem to involve modifying the bin files to include files for root and then flashing..I'm thinking this is better to try: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2701283 (The Zest seem to have the same SoC as the Android one devices, which likely gives stock Lollipop and CM12.1 options....)

 

[SykomantiS]

I wouldn't mind a stock Lollipop rom... Not at all...

 

[ViljoenJG]

I wouldn't mind a stock Lollipop rom... Not at all...

I'm loving stock Lollipop on my Nexus 5. The next Android version is already in dev preview and set to be released around October. I wonder if Lollipop will arrive on the T1 before then. I'm not holding my breath though.

 

[Barge]

I don't believe Zest has any interest developing ROMs for the T1 anymore. There seems no entrepreneurial spirit left in Zest after the initial enthusiasm.

 

[SykomantiS]

I have to agree. The there isn't even any mention of the Accelerate any more.

 

[MoHaG]

Got (one of) mine rooted... Had to get MTK Droid tools to generate boot.img and recovery.img with CWM integrated, flash it with SP Flashtool (Zest's multi version might work as well) and then flash the SuperSU from zip from recovery... (I also tried loading SuperSU from MTKDroidTools, but the su binary seems to not get installed properly...)

I still get that the Play store, play services and the Google search app disable on reboot after flashing a few times... Once that happen, you can only get them back by loading the APK manually or using a root app like Titanium backup.. It stops working after the next reboot again for some reason...