[Q] n00b with 2 new/ Tmobile Avants - rudimentary questions about custom roms topic

Hi ... I'm a n00b when it comes to phone hacks but not technology so please don't dumb your answers down on account of me. ;)

We bought two Tmobile Samsung Avants a cpl days ago (one to use and one as a spare) because the price was right and I'm leaving a WM device for Android. HOWEVER I don't like the idea that Google, who has no personal or business relationship with me, has access to all my personal information just because I'm using a phone they've branded. So I'm looking for an Android ROM that doesn't have Google tentacles in it.

I've been researching this since we got the phones but I'm not clear on what ROMS are avail for my phone ... it doesn't look like cyanogenmod has one (although they have one for my gf's old Exhibit T599!! ) - is there a repository, website or thread I haven't found that has a list of what's out there? am I stuck rooting the phone and MANUALLY removing everything? The phones have Kitkat installed.

I saw a youtube vid where they've ported Lollipop to the Avant - would that come de-Googled?

Do Android ROMs from Android come without a Google footprint? Some users have posted that Android as an independent company is not necessarily Google and their OS is NOT a Google product so my thoughts are you can have one without the other.

Any help / info is appreciated. thanks!

***NEW*** [THEME][CM12] Dark Holo Theme v1.0 -- 01/25/15 topic

This theme is ONLY for rooted phones running a custom CM12 based ROM with the new Theme Chooser Engine
Please make sure you are running the latest version of your ROM to avoid issues.

Downloads
If you like my work, and would like to support me,
you can do so by purchasing my theme on the play store.


Dark Holo

XDA Version

Features

• Clean UI


• UI and other apps themed black with Holo accents


• Apps themed with extreme detail


• Could possibly save battery life on devices with AMOLED screens

Install Instructions

1. After download, apply the theme in the Theme Chooser app.


2. Restart phone and/or SystemUI to see all the changes take effect.

Screenshots

Themed Apps

• System UI


• Calculator


• Google Keyboard (Select Material Dark in settings)


• Stock Messaging


• Contacts


• Dialer


• Google Play Music


• Google Play Store


• Google Voice


• Eleven (Stock Music Player)


• AOSP Keyboard (Select Material Dark in settings)


• Twitter


• Spotify

Please note that more apps will be added on a regular basis.

Under Development

• At the moment.. EVERYTHING :silly:

ChangeLog

v1.0

• First Release!

***NOTICE***

• If you are running the latest version of your ROM and are still having issues, please send me a PM and I will do my best to address the issue.


• If a themed app that has previously worked fine, begins to force close, it was likely updated with a new design by the app’s developers. An update to this theme will soon roll out removing the app until fixes have been made.


• If any part of the UI begins to bug out (e.g. System UI force closing), restart your phone. Most of the time, this fixes the issue.


• Some, although very few, sections of an app may be hard to read due to text color issues. Unfortunately, these issues are unfixable. But fortunately, these issues have been minimized and should not affect daily use.

BIG thanks to @djdarkknight96 and everyone else in the theme chooser thread for all your help!