For a select portion of the population, there’s nothing more rewarding than to have your very own mobile device customized to the core. To some, it’s almost akin to leaving your mark on a device and truly making it your own. And with the myriad hacking, tweaking, and customizing options available within the Android platform, you’re never be at a loss for new things to try out, just as long as you are patient and willing to learn. The possibilities are endless, so you’ll never really be stuck with a boring, outdated device. Ever.

That said, even if you’ve purchased an Android device with an earlier OS, such as the Samsung Galaxy S running on Android 2.1 Eclair, you can fire it up with the newer, more stable Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread, thanks to XDA Developers member barome. LeWaOS has been around for some time now, first making its debut on 2 or 3 devices, until recently when it has been ported to the Galaxy S. Entering the custom ROM arena as a new player and combining CynanogenMod 7 and MIUI ROMs, LeWaOS boasts of the following features:

• data monitoring
• downloadable themes and lockscreens
• power saving
• lockscreen animations and notifications

Bugs and fixes are still being worked on, and those that have successfully installed the OS report some glitches, such as the web browser not loading very fluidly. Other than that, users report an overall fast, smooth experience, owing largely to the user-friendly interface.

If you’re just about ready to breathe some fresh life back into your Galaxy S with the new LeWaOS, carry on soldier and take our handy step by step guide with you:

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Samsung Galaxy S, model number GT-I9000. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions

Requirements

• A rooted Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 running stock XXJW4 firmware and with ClockworkMod Recovery installed
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.
• If you’ve got SIM card lock enabled, disable it. You can do this through Settings > Location and Security > SIM card lock.
• Latest GApps (Google Apps) package for Gingerbread (gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip, md5sum: 1647897d8ac3efb04723d2ad2c361a3f).
• LeWa OS ROM (LeWa_ROM_i9000.zip, 76.7 MB).

Instructions

1. Copy the LeWaOS ROM and Google Apps ZIP files to the root of your phone’s SD card (not the microSD card).
2. Turn off your Galaxy S. Wait for complete shutdown.
3. Boot into ClockworkMod Recovery Mode by pressing and holding down the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons together until the phone turns on.
   • In Recovery, you can scroll up and down using the Volume keys and you can choose menu options using the Power button.
4. Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset. Wait for data wiping to finish.
5. Select Install ZIP from SD Card.
6. Scroll to the LeWaOS ROM and select it. Confirm the installation by selecting Yes.
7. After the LeWaOS ROM finishes installing, select Go Back.
8. Select Install ZIP from SD Card but this time, select Google Apps.
9. Select Go Back.
10. Once installation is done, select Reboot System Now

Congratulations! You’re now ready use your Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 with Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread, with help from MyUI Team’s LeWaOS custom ROM. Tell us what your empowered and updated device can do.