For some time now, Chinese startup Xiaomi has been shipping quality devices that blow even the likes of Samsung and LG of the water where value-for-money is concerned. This past year, the Mi Note has been one of Xiaomi’s best devices with a stunning 1080p display, a Snapdragon 805 CPU and an excellent aluminium frame and a myriad of swappable covers like the Bamboo style featured above. The problem – for some – with the Mi Note and other Xiaomi devices is not the hardware, but the software. Xiaomi devices ship with a very different build of Android, dubbed MIUI, and while the ROM is ported to many other devices like Samsung and Nexus devices, it’s not for everyone.
Sadly, the English translation isn’t quite 100%, which is understandable as it’s not marketed to an English-speaking audience, and for those used to more conventional Android builds, it can be a bit of a culture shock. Those with a Mi Note, or those considering getting one will be happy to hear that some enterprising folks have managed to get bone stock Android 5.1.1 Lollipop up and running on the giant device, along with your choice of either TWRP or CWM recoveries. As covered by XDA earlier this week, the ROM works pretty well albeit with a few bugs here and there. It’s hosted over the official MIUI forums, and is easy to get up and running. It’s a pretty simple build of Android 5.1.1, so don’t go expect anything magical, but if you just want a simple Android ROM, this should do the trick.
Unfortunately for many who would love this new ROM, the TWRP recovery is in Chinese, but following the same sequence of buttons will get you where you need to be, but the CWM recovery is in English and claims to support dual-boot options as well. This is a pretty nice experience to see, and while we thought the Mi Note was an excellent device there will be many that just don’t enjoy using MIUI, and thankfully choice is something that Xiaomi devices have always offered. Now, the community has stepped in and offered a little more choice, the ROM and instructions can be found at the source below. No, this ROM will not work on the Mi Note Pro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2_AlSjBxac