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Windows 9 Leaked Screenshots & New Start Menu

2014-07-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

The new Start Menu hasn’t changed much since Microsoft demonstrated it at Build in April, but the screenshots show a variety of "Metro-style" apps that are pinned to the menu, alongside traditional applications. The Verge understands the screenshots are genuine, and that in some current development versions of "Windows 9" the Start Menu expands to maximize the screen and act like the Start Screen found in Windows 8. The second screenshot also shows how Microsoft is planning to make "Metro-style" apps run in the desktop as windowed or fullscreen. This is an essential part of Microsoft’s plans for the next version of Windows, to make it a lot more mouse and keyboard friendly with a significant focus on the desktop.

Microsoft provided an early look at its new Start Menu for a future version of Windows earlier this year, but freshly leaked screenshots are offering an even closer look at the company’s progress towards its major desktop revamp. Two screenshots have emerged on myce that show the new Start Menu in a recent build of codename "Threshold." Microsoft is currently working on a number of products as part of its Threshold efforts, including a version of Windows that will likely be named Windows 9 when it ships next year. Microsoft is currently labelling this development version of Windows as "Windows 8.1 Pro," but this is placeholder branding until the latter stages of testing and the final name is ready and confirmed.

Microsoft is expected to ship Windows "Threshold" in early 2015, alongside improvements to the Xbox One operating system and a combined version of Windows Phone and Windows RT. The combination of Windows RT and Windows Phone will finally drop the desktop mode, and focus on "Metro-style" apps over traditional x86 desktop applications.

iOS 7 vs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

2013-06-11T19:39:00.002-07:00

WWDC 2013, Apple confirmed rumors of a completely new, and visually overhauled version of their mobile OS with upcoming release of iOS 7. Apple calls it the “biggest change to iOS since the iPhone” and has finally done away with the realistic shiny buttons, leather, and felt. The new user interface is much simpler, colorful and places a greater focus on minimalism and typography. Sound familiar? It should.

iOS 7′s new look is almost the same minimal user interface Android users have been enjoying since Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich debuted back in 2011. It was then Matias Duarte showed the world his beautiful “Holo UI” which placed emphasis on a simple, minimal design as well as the all new Roboto system font. This was seen as a rebirth for Android, (oddly enough, Apple calls iOS7 “a new chapter for iOS”) which typically relied on its utility rather than its good looks.

Android users are used to Apple biting off the OS, waiting for Google to do all the heavy lifting, before they swoop in and rebrand these ideas their own. Whether it’s multitasking, or their “Notification Center” – we're starting to get used to it.

Since Apple is boasting the upcoming iOS 7 update as “the world’s most advanced mobile OS,” we figured we'd put that claim to the test. Let’s take a quick look at the UI from iOS 7′s all new applications, along with their new features and see how they compare to the current reigning champ, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

Home screen and lock screen

First up, iOS’ trademark lockscreen is now gone. Almost feels less Apple-ie not seeing it there (especially after they went through the trouble of patenting it), but they've really committed to minimal with their latest version. Nothing but text, and directions to “slide to unlock,” it’s plain and we can't help but wonder how much more functional it would be with widgets.

The homescreen features a lot more eye candy this time around, with bright, flat, colorful icons that look very similar to the color pallet used with Google Play. The homescreen actually works with the gyroscope and when you tilt the phone, allowing you to almost see behind the icons. You may remember how jazzed I was to show you guys this feature last year with a free app called 3D-Effect Live Wallpaper. Yeah, it was pretty sweet. What’s next Apple, live wallpapers? Guess they gotta save something for iOS 8.

Apple says, they ran out of “felt and wood,” for iOS 7 which gave me a chuckle. While iOS 7 is definitely very minimal, I wouldn't quite call it “Holo” or even Metro. There are no sharp edges to the design and everything has a very rounded look, more in tune with the UI from Any.

We can't help but wonder if Apple was taking a jab at the competition when they said, “We don't add features simply because we can… We add features only when they're truly useful.” My takeaway was Android is apparently chock-full of features, but not all of them are actually useful. Guess Apple really loved our quick toggles.

Control Center

Quick toggles to quickly turn on/off basic system functions is one of the most useful features ever. I'll admit, this also took a while before we saw it integrated into stock Android, but like most things, we've been enjoying these since the early days of TouchWiz and Sense many years ago. We're glad Apple finally found them “worthy” of including into iOS 7.

Mail, Weather, Messages

Like all the other apps, mail, weather, and messages were given a visual overhaul. Mail and messages now look very minimal and clean (gone are the hideous bubbles conversations we've since since iOS 1) and from what I've read, now feature swiping gestures to delete.

The new weather app was given a lot of attention during Apple’s presentation and while we admit, it is flashy, we'd just like to point out the fact that this is the same Yahoo app already available on the App Store and looks about as nice as the Sense 5 weather application. Something tells me Yahoo won’t be updating the Android version of their app anytime soon. The thing is when it comes to weather, most Android users are used to not having to open an app to view it. We have the weather on our lockscreens, homescreens (and in Sense 5, Blink Feed and app drawer) — so why go through the hassle of opening an app (unless you want extremely detailed info) when it’s always viewable at a glance?

Camera, Safari, Siri

Camera has gotten an all new look. There’s a lot of transparencies and yes, a more minimal UI. Users can select to crop a photo ahead of time for easy to posting to Instagram, and filters viewable in real time make it easy to post hipster photos directly to social networks without having to rely on Instagram. Of course (you knew this was coming), Android users have had multiple camera applications available in the Play Store that mimic this functionality to a tee. Apps like Camera 360 perform all these “new” iOS 7 features and more.

Safari has been updated with a smart search field that works similar to Google’s omni search bar. It’s also been updated with Google Chrome-like 3D tabs, which we found interesting. Whether you're on iOS 6 or Android, you might want to try downloading Chrome for all these “new” features and more (tab syncing, games, etc.).

Siri was also given a revamp, and where some Android OEM’s have gone out of their way to copy the old UI (I’m looking at you, Samsung), it’s now super minimal, with a kind of glass UI that allows you to still see your homescreen underneath.

Apparently Siri’s also been given a bevy of new features like better Twitter and Wikipedia integration, as well as the ability to pull up searches directly from, uhhhhh.. well this is embarrassing….. ummm, Bing. I did like the ability to choose between male or female Siri in a variety of languages, so Apple definitely gets points there. Overall, Google Voice Search is improving everyday and because Android is becoming more modulated, users no longer have to wait for an entire firmware update before they can get updates with the latest features. This means Google Voice Search has the potential to advance at a much quicker pace and we're sure something Google is focusing on.

iTunes Radio

Apple has also introduced their new iTunes Radio which some are labeling a “Pandora killer.” It offers the similar functionality, allowing users to listen to music stations and buy a songs on the fly. It’s ad-based, but for iOS users who sign up for iTunes Match (where they store their music in the cloud for streaming), can get it ad-free. Google recently updated Google Play Music with similar functionality, giving the app the ability to play music stations, purchase music, stream music stored in the cloud, oh — and/or pay $8 a month to stream all the music they want, when they want. Boom.

AirDrop

AirDrop is probably my favorite feature from iOS 7. Basically, it’s makes sharing photos with other iOS users a wonderfully simple process. If someone near you is in your contacts, you simply select the photos/videos/files you want to send, then the contact and boom. You're off. Android Beam has been around since Android 4.0 and allows you to beam photos, contacts, web pages, and apps to another Android device using NFC but in my usage has been rather finicky (especially with smartphone cases getting in the way).

We've also seen similar implementations from manufacturers running custom UI’s on Android, but tapping devices together seems almost barbaric vs wireless. Because not every Android device has NFC built in, that too is a downside. Fortunately, there are other options like Bump which allow you to send not just photos, but share any file on a device with others (Tip: you don’t have to physically bump devices to transfer, just shake them near each other).

Multitasking

Apple has finally got on the ball and introduced multitasking across any and all applications downloaded from their App Store. It took them awhile, but it looks like they've finally caught up to Android by simply keeping all apps open in the background. Their implementation is visually very similar to WebOS, allowing for the user to pull up cards of all the apps opened in the background, swiping them up off the screen to close them out. It’s definitely pretty but again, something Android users have been enjoying for quite some time now.

Calculator

While all the iOS 7 systems apps have been spiffed up, I just found it interesting how visually similar their new calculator app was in comparison to Androids. While it’s true, there’s only so much you can do with a calculator UI, if they rounded out the corners it’d be less obvious where their app drew its inspiration.

Conclusion

The point of this post wasn't to simply trash Apple or iOS 7. I was genuinely excited to see something new out of WWDC and was kinda bummed out to walk away empty handed. Like some of you, I actually enjoy a good fight and I know that good competition fuels innovation and pushes companies to try harder and deliver even better products. While it’s sad to see Apple no longer the “innovator” they once were, Android users now have OEM’s like Samsung and HTC to turn to for new ideas in terms of hardware and software.

You've really gotta hand it to the Android developers, they've really done an incredible job at making Android not just functional, but beautiful as well. So beautiful it seems Apple is now looking to Android for design ideas, instead of the other way around. When it comes to the next version of Android Key Lime Pie, Google may have only to outdo themselves.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Leaked

2013-06-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

According to rumors, Samsung has decided to show new products on 20th, 2013 in London but among one of these products “Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom” leaked before June 20th. The Galaxy S4 Zoom uses a 4.3” qHD sAMOLED display a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 16 megapixel camera sensor with optical zoom, 8 GB intern with extern micro SD up to 64 GB, Bluetooth 4.0 LE Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, and A-GPS. You are able to call with the Galaxy S4 Zoom, Samsung added a shutter button to the device and the volume rockers or zoom buttons are on the right side. Another important information is that the Galaxy S4 Zoom runs on Samsung’s own Touch-Wiz Nature UX interface with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on it. We are not sure but rumors is that the Galaxy S4 Zoom will be Samsung last product of the Galaxy S4 range. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is Samsung’s first cameraphone based on Android.

Top 10 Must Have Android Apps

2013-06-05T01:36:00.002-07:00

1. All in One ToolBox

All-In-One Toolbox provides comprehensive system optimizing techniques, including real-time memory info, one click memory quick boosting, task killer, cache cleaner, history cleaner, and SD file manager etc. It embraces all factors that matter to device performance, and helps to optimize your device to run at optimum speed. Link to Google Play Store

2. Lightning Browser

One of the smallest Android web browsers around. It is a high-performance small-sized browser built for those who don't want the cumbersome slowness or size of Firefox or Chrome. It is based off the Android WebKit Engine. Please email me with any questions you may have, I always try to respond. Please leave comments as well, I will try to respond to those too. Link to Google Play Store

3. MX Player

MX Player is one of the best video player available on google play store. MX Player is available on ad version and pro version. It supports Hardware Acceleration (Hardware acceleration can be applied to more videos with the help of new H/W decoder), Multi-core Decoding (MX Player is the first Android video player which supports multi-core decoding. Test result proved that dual-core device’s performance is better up to 70% than that of single-core devices), Pinch to Zoom –(Easily zoom in and out by pinching and swiping across the screen), Subtitle Scroll –(Subtitles can be scrolled to move back and forth faster). Link to Google Play Store: MX Player (Ad Version) MX Player Pro

4. Gallery Lock

"Gallery Lock" manages pictures and videos by individually hiding them and it is an app that is absolutely needed for protection of personal privacy. The product is one of the most popular apps in the world and is one of the top 10 apps sold on Google Market. It is available on lite and Pro version. Link to Google Play Store Lite Version Pro Version

5. Tube Mate

Tube Mate is one of my favorite app that I mostly use. This app is use to download YouTube video. It also support download video from YouTube on various resolution as well as format. It is not available on Google Play Store, I don’t know why maybe copyright issues. You can download this app from here

6. AirDroid

AirDroid is a free and fast app that helps you manage your Android from a desk web browser, all over the air. Move things on and off your Android device without a USB cable. Even when the device is not nearby. Send and receive SMS from your big-screen computer, without being distracted by the small-screen thing. Locate and lock your Android when it’s lost. Cannot get it back? Simply wipe all data remotely. Link to Google Play Store

7. WorldWeb

WorldWeb is the free offline English dictionary and thesaurus with synonyms, related words and great search and no adverts. Audio pronunciations are available with the separate Audio Edition app. The comprehensive WordWeb dictionary database includes: - 285,000 words, phrases and derived forms - 225,000 word sense definitions - 70,000 usage examples - 85,000 text pronunciations - Synonyms, similar and related words - N. American, British, Australian and international English

The intelligent word entry suggests possible correct spellings as you type, as well as listing words that sound the same or are often confused. Additional features include the ability to drill down on any word in a definition, full bookmark support and history. Search features include: - Alphabetical listing - Spelling suggestions - Sounds-like and often-confused - Fast pattern-matching search (*, ?, vowel and consonant) - Filter search results by noun, verb, adjective, adverbs. Link to Google Play Store

8. Office Suite Pro

OfficeSuite Pro allows you to view, create, edit, print and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the go. You can also open attachments and see PDF files on an Android based phone or tablet with our feature-rich mobile office solution. OfficeSuite Pro includes a File Browser and integration with Cloud service leaders: Box, DropBox, Google Drive, SkyDrive and SugarSync to give users a multitude of options on how to manage files and attachments. Link to Google Play Store

9. Auto SMS Sender

Auto SMS Sender app is an enormously powerful app with very user friendly interface, designed by DRC Infotech. It enables you to send SMS automatically to the preferred recipients at a scheduled time via your network provider. You can also send personal message to multiple contacts with same content, the application automatically incorporate the name of corresponding contact from the Phone book while sending an SMS. Have you ever got embarrassed by friends for forgetting their birthdays? Have you ever anticipated for tightening up relations with your clients by sending them Christmas wishes? Now you can do all these with ease using Auto SMS Sender. Link to Google Play Store

10. µTorrent® Beta

It is the torrent downloader for the android devices. It is use to download torrent directly to your smartphone or tablet. Link to Google Play Store

Top Ten Android Smartphones 2013

2013-06-04T03:33:00.000-07:00

In this year 2013, we have seen many Android smartphones hitting the market, however, only a few of these get real recognition and of these few recognized Android based smartphones, only the best phones will go on to achieve staggering sales across the world. Now, we are going to take a look at these few Android smartphones with key features.

1. HTC One

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
4.7" 16M-color 1080p Super LCD3 capacitive touchscreen with 469ppi pixel density
Android OS v4.1.2 Jelly Bean with Sense UI 5.0
Quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300 CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset
4 MP autofocus "Ultrapixel" camera with 1/3'' sensor size, 2Âµm pixel size; LED flash
1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
HTC Zoe
2.1 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
32/64GB of built-in storage
MHL-enabled microUSB port
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Aluminum unibody
Front-mounted stereo speakers with BoomSound tech
Class-leading audio output

2. Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G with 21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA support
Optional LTE connectivity
5.5" 16M-color Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen of HD (720 x 1280 pixel) resolution
Android OS v4.1 with TouchWiz launcher
1.6 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPU, Mali-400MP GPU, 2GB of RAM, Exynos 4412 Quad chipset
S Pen active stylus with deep system integration
8 MP wide-angle lens autofocus camera with LED flash, face, smile and blink detection
1080p HD video recording at 30fps
16/32/64GB internal storage, microSD slot
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n support
GPS with A-GPS connectivity; GLONASS support, Digital compass
NFC support
Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
FM radio with RDS
microUSB port with USB host and TV-out (1080p) support, MHL, charging
Accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Great audio quality
Very slim at only 9.4mm
1.9MP secondary video-call camera
Document editor and file manager comes preinstalled
Extremely rich video and audio codec support
Huge 3100 mAh battery

3. Samsung Galaxy S4

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE; quad-band 3G with HSPA; LTE
5" 16M-color 1080p Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 3
Android OS v4.2.2 Jelly Bean with TouchWiz UI
Quad-core 1.9 GHz Krait 300 CPU, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 chipset/ Quad-core 1.6 GHz Cortex-A15 & quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7, PowerVR SGX 544MP3 GPU; Exynos 5410 chipset
2GB of RAM
13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash,1080p video recording @ 30fps, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
2 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
Dual shot and dual video recording, Drama shot, Shot and sound
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
16GB/32/64GB of built-in storage
microSD card slot
microUSB port with USB host and MHL 2.0
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
IR port for remote control functionality
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Barometer, thermometer, hygroscope
IR gesture sensor for Air gestures
Smart gestures: Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Ample 2600 mAh battery with great endurance
7.9mm thickness
Smart volume and Adapt Sound features for the music player

4. HTC One X+

Quad-band GSM and 3G support
21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
4.7" 16M-color Super LCD 2 capacitive touchscreen of HD resolution (720 x 1280 pixels); Gorilla glass 2 protection
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with latest HTC Sense 4+
1.7 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPUs, low-power companion core, ULP GeForce 2 GPU, Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset
1 GB of RAM
32/64 GB of storage
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; face detection and geotagging
1080p and 720p video recording @ 28fps with stereo sound
720p front-facing camera for video-chat
Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS; GLONASS
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Accelerometer, proximity sensor and auto-brightness sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v4.0
MHL TV-out (requires MHL-to-HDMI adapter)

5. HTC Droid DNA

EV-DO/CDMA network support
Quad-band GSM/3G support
LTE network connectivity
5" 16M-color Super LCD3 capacitive touchscreen with full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution, 441ppi, Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, planned upgrade to 4.2, HTC Sense 4+ UI
Beats Audio enhancement with a dedicated amplifier
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
8MP autofocus camera with LED flash, image stabilization, f/2.0 aperture, dedicated image chip
1080p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
2.1 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
16GB of built-in storage (11GB user available); 2GB of RAM
MHL-enabled microUSB port
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC connectivity
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Voice dialing
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Wireless charging capability
Great ergonomics given the screen size

6. Samsung Galaxy S3

Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G support
21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA support
4.8" 16M-color Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen of HD (720 x 1280 pixel) resolution; Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Android OS v4.0.4 with TouchWiz launcher
1.4 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPU, Mali-400MP GPU, Exynos 4 Quad chipset, 1GB of RAM
8 MP wide-angle lens autofocus camera with LED flash, face, smile and blink detection
1080p HD video recording at 30fps
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n
GPS with A-GPS connectivity; GLONASS support, Digital compass
16/32/64GB internal storage, microSD slot
Accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port with USB host and TV-out (1080p) support, MHL, charging
Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
FM radio with RDS
Great audio quality
Super slim at only 8.6mm
2MP secondary video-call camera
Full Flash for the web browser
NFC support
Document editor
File manager comes preinstalled
Extremely rich video and audio codec support
Impressively large 2100 mAh battery

7. Motorola DROID Razr Maxx HD

Dimensions 131.9 x 67.9 x 9.3 mm (5.19 x 2.67 x 0.37 in)
Weight 157 g (5.54 oz)
Display Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Size 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.7 inches (~312 ppi pixel density)
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass
Memory Card slot microSD, up to 32 GB, Internal 16/32 GB (26 GB user available), 1 GB RAM
Primary Camera 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
Camera Features Touch focus, geo-tagging, face detection, image stabilization, Video Recording 1080p@30fps
Secondary Camera 1.3 MP, 720p@30fps
Android OS, v4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), upgradable to v4.1.1 (Jelly Bean)
CPU Dual-core 1.5 GHz
Sensors Accelerometer, proximity, compass, barometer

8. LG Nexus 4

Flagship specs at a bargain
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
Penta-band 3G with DC-HSPA, up to 42Mbps downlink, HSUPA up to 5.76Mbps uplink
4.7" 16M-color WXGA True HD IPS Plus (768 x 1280 pixels) capacitive touchscreen, Gorilla Glass 2
Stock Android OS v4.2 Jelly Bean, fast updates
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, face detection, Photo Spheres
1080p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
1.3 MP front-facing camera, 720p video recording
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
8/16GB of built-in storage
microUSB port with TV-out support
Bluetooth v4.0
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Voice dialing
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
2100mAh battery
Wireless charging (works with any Qi-compatible wireless charger)

9. Sony Xperia Z

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
5" 16M-color 1080p capacitive touchscreen with 441ppi pixel density; Bravia Mobile Engine 2
Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with custom UI
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geo-tagging, HDR
1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
2.2 MP front-facing camera, 1080p video recording
IP 57 certification - dust resistant and water resistant
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
16GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot

10. LG Optimus G Pro

Dimensions 150.2 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm, 160 g
Display 5.5" 16M-color FullHD (1080 x 1920 pixels) True HD-IPS+ LCD capacitive touchscreen
Chipset Qualcomm APQ8064T Snapdragon 600
CPU Quad-core 1.7GHz Krait 300 processor
GPU Adreno 320
RAM 2GB
OS Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)
Memory 32 GB storage, microSD card slot
Still camera 13 megapixel auto-focus camera with backlit sensor, face detection and Best faces feature, touch focus and image stabilization, HDR
Video camera Full HD (1080p) video recording at 30fps, LED flash, HDR; 2.1MP front facing camera, video-calls, 1080p@30fps; dual video recording
Connectivity Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, standard microUSB port with MHL features (TV Out, USB host), GPS receiver with A-GPS and GLONASS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM radio, NFC
Battery 3140 mAh
Misc: Optimus UI, Extremely rich video/audio codec support, built-in accelerometer, multi-touch input, proximity sensor, gyroscope sensor, active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

White LG Nexus 4 Available On Google Play Store

2013-06-02T19:31:00.001-07:00

The freshly announced white LG Nexus 4 is available on the Google Play Store. LG Nexus 4 has officially made its way to the United States. The beautiful eye-grabbing handset can be purchased at the moment from the Google Play store. In the Google Play store, the white Nexus 4 is priced at the usual $299 for the 8GB version, and $349 for a 16GB device. Google is also giving away a free white bumper with every purchase.

Google Play Store

HTC One with stock Android announced, launching June 26th in US

2013-06-02T00:08:00.000-07:00

A new version of the HTC One is just revealed that runs an untouched, stock version of Google's Android operating system. It will be available from the Google Play store starting June 26th for $599. The unlocked device will run on both AT&T and T-Mobile in the United States with support for high-speed LTE data on both networks. This "Nexus user experience" version will contain 32GB of built-in storage. Much like the special edition Samsung Galaxy S4 unveiled during I/O, Google will be directly handling future software updates. With the announcement, customers can now purchase the two leading Android handsets available today stripped entirely of the custom and often criticized manufacturer "skins" they originally shipped with. Suffice it to say, with both devices running identical software, it will be interesting to see which Google Edition smartphone proves more popular in the weeks and months to come. In addition to getting some hands-on time with the device, we've learned some new details on the stock HTC One. In terms of button layout, things remain unchanged compared with the regular model. Accessing Google Now requires a long press of the home button, which can also be double tapped to bring up Android's multitasking bar. And yes, unfortunately the software "menu" button is still here for apps that call for it.

HTC also provided another interesting tidbit: it's currently "examining the best way to support early adopters of the One" that may prefer the stock Android experience over Sense, perhaps by way of an AOSP ROM. The company isn't providing specifics on that front just yet. Still, if you're a One owner feeling burned by today's announcement, there may be hope.

Samsung Gulf Reveals Water Proof & Dust Proof Galaxy S4

2013-06-01T22:51:00.002-07:00

Mr. Young Soo Kim, the President of Samsung Gulf, unveiled during a Q&A session that a “ruggedized” Galaxy S4, which will be water proof and dust proof is in the making and will be announced in next few weeks. Something challenging to the Sony Xperia Z may be? Let’s see who will won the battle of technology. Whatever, we can do is; wait and watch.

How To Flash a Firmware Using Flashtool on Xperia

2012-09-01T09:19:00.003-07:00

Required files:

Flashtool — Download link

Firmwares — Download the “.ftf” firmware file for your phone. Below are the links:

Android 2.3.4 [4.0.2.A.0.62]

Download LT15i 4.0.2.A.0.62 Generic Global [Updated]

Instructions:

Switch off your phone and put it aside.
Extract the “FlashTool_x.x.x.x.exe” file on your PC (you can just double click on it to extract)
Few files and folders will be extracted — the two which we’ll be using are the ‘drivers‘ folder and the ‘firmwares‘ folder.
Inside the ‘drivers‘ folder there’s a file named “ggsetup-2.2.0.10.exe”, double click on this file to install the proper driver on your PC.
Now copy the “.ftf” firmware file that you downloaded for your phone, and paste it inside the “firmwares” folder.
Double click the “X10FlashTool.exe” file.
Once the program opens — click on the “Flash” button.
You’ll see the firmware that you copied in Step 5 loaded on the screen — click “Ok”!
Now it should ask you to connect your phone to the PC. So first plug the USB cable to PC, then pick up your phone and hold the “Back” key, and then connect the USB cable to your phone. Remember you’ve to hold the “Back” key while connecting the USB cable to phone.
Once the phone gets connected — Flashtool will automatically start the flashing process.
Keep an eye on the Flashtool’s screen.
And once the process gets finished, disconnect your phone from PC and switch it ON.
Don’t freak if it takes longer to boot (that’s normal) as the phone has to build the cache again after flashing.

Enjoy!

Many thanks to the XDA Developer community for firmwares.

The methods and procedures discussed here are considered risky and you should not attempt anything if you don’t know completely what it is. Do this only if you’re capable of getting your phone back right on your own. If any damage occurs to you or your device, we won’t be held liable. You only will be responsible — you’ve been warned. Okay!

Sony Erection Xperia X10 gets Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS)

2012-09-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

After initial beta versions of Android 4.0 custom ROM ports got out for Galaxy S, Galaxy S2, Nexus S, EVO 3D, Nexus One, HTC Desire and even the nearly unthinkable for this, the HTC Wildfire, the Xperia X10 has scored one, too.

If you remember, it’s the same device for which Sony Ericsson — the phone’s manufacturer *ahem* — said that they would not be able to update it to (even) Android 2.3 Gingerbread. But here we are, the first Android 4.0 ICS ROM has already booted on the Xperia X10, with much stuff working, although it’s not at all good for daily life usage. Yes, credits go to zdzihu over at XDA for this.

Here’s more info about the ROM:

[KERNEL]
- ol’ good 2.6.29-SEMC
- fixed touchscreen driver (now backward-compatibile with Gingerbread)

[ROM]
- partially based on drewis release (thanks!) – currently I don’t have access to PC that could handle compilation of the whole thing
If someone could compile clean es209ra build and upload it would be awesome.

[WORKING]
- it boots
- radio, calls, txt (sms)
- audio partially working (in-call is fine, playing mp3/ringtones leads to WLOD)
- bluetooth, GPS seem to work
- wifi almost working (“can’t find wlan0 device”)
- mobile data (it gets IP but disconects afterwards, needs investiagtion)

[NOT WORKING]
- most of the stuff does not work
- quite unstable

How to Install Android 4.0 Custom ROM on Xperia X10

Make sure you really wanna install it because it’s in alpha stage, and not good for use in daily life — as of Nov 21, 2011.
Download the Android 4.0 ROM from here. The current version is Alpha1 — check and download the latest version available and then, continue with this guide to install it.
Extract it to get the Android 4.0 ROM and kernel files. Obviously, the bigger file (in size) is the ROM.
Transfer the ROM file to your phone.
Flash the kernel using flashtool. Use this guide on how to use flashtool to flash kernel on SE devices.
Once kernel is flashed, reboot the phone into recovery mode.
Select “install zip from sdcard”, then install zip from sdcard and browse and select the ROM file you transferred in step 3 above.
Once it’s flashed, reboot your X10 from recovery using ‘reboot system now’.
Let it boot peacefully, and prepare for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich awesomeness.

What is ICS on Android ?

2012-09-01T08:41:00.000-07:00

What is ICS on android?

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is the latest version of the Android platform for phones, tablets, and more. It builds on the things people love most about Android; easy multitasking, rich notifications, customizable home screens, resizable widgets, and deep interactivity and adds powerful new ways of communicating and sharing.

Features of ICS Android:

Refined, evolved UI: Focused on bringing the power of Android to the surface, Android 4.0 makes common actions more visible and lets you navigate with simple, intuitive gestures. Refined animations and feedback throughout the system make interactions engaging and interesting. An entirely new typeface optimized for high-resolution screens improves readability and brings a polished, modern feel to the user interface. Virtual buttons in the System Bar let you navigate instantly to Back, Home, and Recent Apps. The System Bar and virtual buttons are present across all apps, but can be dimmed by applications for full-screen viewing. You can access each application's contextual options in the Action Bar, displayed at the top (and sometimes also at the bottom) of the screen. Multitasking is a key strength of Android and it's made even easier and more visual on Android 4.0. The Recent Apps button lets you jump instantly from one task to another using the list in the System Bar. The list pops up to show thumbnail images of apps used recently tapping a thumbnail switches to the app. Rich and interactive notifications let you keep in constant touch with incoming messages, play music tracks, see real-time updates from apps, and much more. On smaller-screen devices, notifications appear at the top of the screen, while on larger-screen devices they appear in the System Bar.

Home screen folders and favorites tray: New home screen folders offer a new way for you to group your apps and shortcuts logically, just by dragging one onto another. Also, in All Apps launcher, you can now simply drag an app to get information about it or immediately uninstall it, or disable a pre-installed app. On smaller-screen devices, the home screen now includes a customizable favorites tray visible from all home screens. You can drag apps, shortcuts, folders, and other priority items in or out of the favorites tray for instant access from any home screen.

Re-sizable widgets: Home screens in Android 4.0 are designed to be content-rich and customizable. You can do much more than add shortcuts you can embed live application content directly through interactive widgets. Widgets let you check email, flip through a calendar, play music, check social streams and more right from the home screen, without having to launch apps. Widgets are re-sizable, so you can expand them to show more content or shrink them to save space.New lock screen actions. The lock screens now let you do more without unlocking. From the slide lock screen, you can jump directly to the camera for a picture or pull down the notifications window to check for messages. When listening to music, you can even manage music tracks and see album art.

Quick responses for incoming calls: When an incoming call arrives, you can now quickly respond by text message, without needing to pick up the call or unlock the device. On the incoming call screen, you simply slide a control to see a list of text responses and then tap to send and end the call. You can add your own responses and manage the list from the Settings app.

Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs: Android 4.0 makes managing notifications, recent apps, and browser tabs even easier. You can now dismiss individual notifications, apps from the Recent Apps list, and browser tabs with a simple swipe of a finger.

Improved text input and spell-checking: The soft keyboard in Android 4.0 makes text input even faster and more accurate. Error correction and word suggestion are improved through a new set of default dictionaries and more accurate heuristics for handling cases such as double-typed characters, skipped letters, and omitted spaces. Word suggestion is also improved and the suggestion strip is simplified to show only three words at a time. To fix misspelled words more easily, Android 4.0 adds a spell-checker that locates and underlines errors and suggests replacement words. With one tap, you can choose from multiple spelling suggestions, delete a word, or add it to the dictionary. You can even tap to see replacement suggestions for words that are spelled correctly. For specialized features or additional languages, you can now download and install third-party dictionaries, spell-checkers, and other text services.

Powerful voice input engine: Android 4.0 introduces a powerful new voice input engine that offers a continuous "open microphone" experience and streaming voice recognition. The new voice input engine lets you dictate the text you want, for as long as you want, using the language you want. You can speak continuously for a prolonged time, even pausing for intervals if needed, and dictate punctuation to create correct sentences. As the voice input engine enters text, it underlines possible dictation errors in gray. After dictating, you can tap the underlined words to quickly replace them from a list of suggestions.

Control over network data: Mobile devices can make extensive use of network data for streaming content, synchronizing data, downloading apps, and more. To meet the needs of you with tiered or metered data plans, Android 4.0 adds new controls for managing network data usage. In the Settings app, colorful charts show the total data usage on each network type (mobile or Wi-Fi), as well as amount of data used by each running application. Based on your data plan, you can optionally set warning levels or hard limits on data usage or disable mobile data altogether. You can also manage the background data used by individual applications as needed.

Designed for accessibility: A variety of new features greatly enhance the accessibility of Android 4.0 for blind or visually impaired users. Most important is a new explore-by-touch mode that lets you navigate without having to see the screen. Touching the screen once triggers audible feedback that identifies the UI component below; a second touch in the same component activates it with a full touch event. The new mode is especially important to support users on new devices that use virtual buttons in the System Bar, rather than dedicated hardware buttons or trackballs. Also, standard apps are updated to offer an improved accessibility experience. The Browser supports a script-based screen reader for reading favorite web content and navigating sites. For improved readability, you can also increase the default font size used across the system. The accessibility experience begins at first setup a simple touch gesture during setup (clockwise square from upper left) activates all accessibility features and loads a setup tutorial. Once accessibility features are active, everything visible on the screen can be spoken aloud by the standard screen reader.

Face Unlock: Android 4.0 introduces a completely new approach to securing a device, making each person's device even more personal Face Unlock is a new screen-lock option that lets you unlock your device with your face. It takes advantage of the device front-facing camera and state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to register a face during setup and then to recognize it again when unlocking the device. Just hold your device in front of your face to unlock, or use a backup PIN or pattern.

Android Beam for NFC-based sharing: Android Beam is an innovative, convenient feature for sharing across two NFC-enabled devices; it lets people instantly exchange favorite apps, contacts, music, videos almost anything. It’s incredibly simple and convenient to use there’s no menu to open, application to launch, or pairing needed. Just touch one Android-powered phone to another, and then tap to send. For sharing apps, Android Beam pushes a link to the app's details page on Google Play. On the other device, the Google Play app launches and loads the details page, for easy downloading of the app. Individual apps can build on Android Beam to add other types of interactions, such as passing game scores, initiating a multi-player game or chat, and more.

Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 Update With ICS 4.0.4 (CM9) Beta 7

2012-04-19T01:17:00.002-07:00

This is another update for Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 users. Galaxy Mini users will be delighted as this update has fixed most known bugs like FM & also this update is rolled after 1 month waiting. Since the last update release, there were many bugs like system instability, mass storage problems, flickering and many more, but developers put their efforts to overcome these problems and fixed known several bugs. Still they have not fixed all bugs like camera (which is more essential), but we can expect camera and many other bug fixes in upcoming releases. Sources told that the camera work will fixed as soon as possible in near release because camera is working but the screenshots captured by the camera are not displayed after the Screenshot is captured. As this can take some time, up till then we will enjoy this latest release. Please note that this Cyanogen Mod 9 release it is the unofficial release and still the Official Cyanogen MOD 9 ROM is not yet released (Or will not be release), so ensure that you are flashing at your own risk.

Disclaimer:

At Samsung Galaxy Series, We should not be held responsible in any manner just in case if anything happens to your device which is a very unlikely case if you follow the instructions which are mentioned in the due course of the article.

This update is not the Official update which is released by the Samsung Electronics Ltd. and is the custom ROM which is released by the third party developer. Also, in the process of applying this custom ROM, you will have to root the phone and after which you will be losing the warranty which can be claimed only when you update with any of the Stock releases of Gingerbread Update which we have seen earlier. Soon, a modified version of Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0 version will be arriving for the Galaxy Mini s5570 phone which too will be covered here.

Tip: As ROM is in Beta 7 Stage, There are some bugs in this ROM. You should try this ROM at your own risk.

Enhancements in the ICS 4.0.4(CM9) Beta 7:

Android updated to 4.0.4
FM Working
Clean Cyanogen Mod 9 Sources
Smooth windows animations
New phone lock animation
Hardware acceleration on most video formats (not all)
Smooth videos on YouTube (LQ only right now)
Fully working deep sleep
GSM fully works (signal indicator/mobile data/phone calls/messages etc.)
Updated Google Apps
Flickering is Gone
Working native mass storage
New kernel, updated to 2.6.35.7perf-CL945787
Smoother than Gingerbread
Good System performance
Improved GPU performance
Removed UMS App
New Adreno 200 libraries for ICS
Fast and Smooth System
Working Live Wallpapers (won’t slow down your system, like before or on Gingerbread).
All time Gallery and Calculator
Working Gmail App
Smooth And Fast Native Browser
All Apps with Graphics Problems are Fixed
Updated AOSP/CM9 sources
Updated Audio Libraries

Prerequisites:

+ Charge your device to a minimum of 90% as since the procedure is bit lengthy, the phone will consume more battery than the normal usage. Lesser battery will lead to the turning Off of the device in the middle of the firmware update process.

+ Back up all your data which is there in the phone memory, as in an unlikely event if the data gets lost then you can easily restore the backup.

Special Instructions to users on Custom ROM (Not for all users):

+ Just in case if you are on any of the custom ROMs then you need turn Off your phone so that you can then enter into the recovery mode. The recovery mode can be entered by pressing Volume UP Key + Middle button, and holding both simultaneously press the Power Button. If the device boots normally then you need to again try to enter the same.

+ In the recovery mode, select the options like Wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache partition and then select reboot system now to reboot the phone. You can select the options using the Volume keys and can select the appropriate option by pressing the Power button. This basically clears off all the cache data which is there in the phone so that the room can be made to accommodate this all new custom ROM firmware.

Procedure to update Samsung Galaxy Mini S5570 with ICS 4.0.4(CM9) Beta 7:

For your convenience, we have created different steps wherein you can follow individual step easily.

Step 1: Base Firmware Installation:

First up you need to update your phone with the 2.3.x version of firmware (And not on Froyo 2.2.x). You can update your phone with the 2.3.6 version from here. >>> Gingerbread 2.3.6 for Galaxy Mini

Step 2: Clock Work MOD Installation:

Now, once you updated the device you will need to proceed to install the Clock Work MOD Recovery in your phone. You can install Clock Work MOD from here. >>> Installing Clock Work MOD Galaxy Mini

Step 3: Installation of ICS 4.0.4 CM9 Beta 7:

First up you need to download Zip file which is mentioned below in your computer

ICS 4.0.4 CM9 Beta 7.zip

Now, once you are done with downloading the above file in your computer, you need to now copy the file in your phone and ensure that you are not placing these file deep into the phone. Please note that you should not modify or rename the files which you have downloaded or else there is a high probability that the file would not be supported.

After this Enter in Recovery Mode by Holding Power Off + Menu Button Until Recovery Mode Appears.

In the recovery mode, you will have to choose “choose zip from SD”. Now, from the list of files and paths you will need to first select the file which is named as “Galaxy-Mini-ICS-CM9-Beta7.zip (or which you Have Copied to SD Earlier)”. Ensure that you select the file properly.

Now, as soon as the process is over, Select Wipe Data/Factory Reset and Wipe Cache Partition. After all done select “Reboot System Now”.

So, there you go as soon as the phone is rebooted you will see that the firmware is updated with the latest version of Android 4.0(ICS 4.0.4). Let me know in the comments section just in case if you face any issues as I will try our level best to sort out the same or you can search the forum.

Raging Thunder 2 Full with SD Files

2012-04-16T20:41:00.002-07:00

Raging Thunder 2 is one of the best racing game in android market. An adrenaline pumping 3D racer, featuring cross-platform multiplayer! Are you ready to take on the most adrenaline pumping 3D street racer ever on a handheld platform? Raging Thunder 2 will take you through abandoned temples, tropical beaches, snow-covered mountains, the Great Wall and a range of other breathtaking vistas the world over! Buy new cars to upgrade and balance until you have the ultimate ride then take it online to punish your opponents wherever they might be, or play an intense round of Survival, Time Attack or any other of the 5 single player game modes. Download Raging Thunder 2 apk & Sd files. Buckle up and get ready to take it to the streets in this seminal sequel to Polarbits award-winning Raging Thunder.

Screenshots:

Key features:

- Stunning, console quality 3D graphics

- Internet cross-platform multiplayer racing

- Fast paced, intense gameplay

- Accessible and intuitive controls

- 5 different single player game modes

Download: Raging Thunder 2.apk & Sd files

How to Install:

1) Download & Extract the file containing Raging Thunder 2 sd files

2) Copy the Raging Thunder 2 apk to sd card & install

3) Then copy the sd files: ‘com.polarbit.rthunder2’ folder in your: sd/ data/ data/ com.polarbit.rthunder2

4) Launch Raging Thunder 2

That’s it! Now you can enjoy this fantastic racing game on your android phone. For free!

Compatible Device List:

You can play Raging Thunder 2 apk & Sd files on your android phone, free! Play Raging Thunder 2 apk & Sd files on any android phone having Android 1.6 & up.

QVGA Devices: Samsung Galaxy Mini/Pop, Galaxy Gio, Galaxy fit, Galaxy 5, HTC Wildfire, Sony Ericson Xperia mini 10, Mini Pro etc.Raging Thunder 2 apk & Sd files

HVGA Devices: Play Raging Thunder 2 apk & Sd files Galaxy S, Galaxy S2, Galaxy Ace, Vibrant; HTC Sensation, Hero, Desire, Desire HD (Ace), Desire S, Desire Z (G2, Vision), Evo 4G, Evo Shift 4G, Incredible 2, Incredible S, Inspire 4G, LG P990 Optimus 2X, P999 (Star, G2x), Revolution VS910, Optimus 3D P920, Thrill 4G (P925), P929; Motorola Droid X, Xoom; Sony-Ericsson SO-01C (Xperia Arc), Xperia Neo, Xperia Play.

Samsung Galaxy S2 get ICS Update

2012-04-08T04:34:00.002-07:00

Ice Cream Sandwich update brings:

Improved user interface
Faster web browser with added features
Slightly better graphics performance
Slightly better battery life
Stereo sound in videos
SNS integration into phonebook
Better UI for switching apps and killing them
Face unlock
Built-in data usage monitor

The Samsung Galaxy S2 has become one of the biggest selling smartphones of all time achieving record breaking sales globally. The phone runs on the popular Google Android operating system and comes supplied with the Gingerbread version of the platform installed on the device. There is now a software update available for this model which upgrades the OS to the new Ice Cream Sandwich version and millions of users must've cheered the news of the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update rolling out. The latest OS from Google is a new lease of life for the Galaxy S II - but desserts are served at the end of the meal. It's an opportunity for the S II to finish with a flourish as it makes room for the much-anticipated new flagship.

Ice Cream Sandwich, or ICS for short, improves the performance of the phone in some areas and promises better battery life - so, it's kind of like you're getting a free hardware upgrade. There's also a lot of new functionality that garnishes Ice Cream Sandwich, a lot of which is concentrated in the browser, but the general usability of the interface got a boost too with the latest from Google.

Here's a summary of what you can expect after updating your Samsung Galaxy S II to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Of course, the Galaxy S II interface is not purely Google-made - the phone runs the latest TouchWiz 4.0, but oftentimes you can't quite tell it's a new version of the software at all. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. Anyway, the camera to see if Samsung have made any tweaks to the processing or upped the video bitrate or done anything to improve image quality.

We take a look at how this new software works on the phone. Android ICS promises a number of improvements to the Samsung Galaxy S2 including enhanced performance and improved battery life. When using this new software for the first time the first thing you notice is the improved lock screen. This screen is the same as the one used by the Samsung Galaxy Note and requires the user to place their finger on any point of the screen. When users perform this action a circle appears on the display and the finger simply needs to be dragged outside of this to unlock the phone. This basically means that the user can can perform shorter swipes to unlock the phone which is a welcome improvement. If you prefer you can also chose to activate the face recognition option which means that the handset can be unlocked by simply looking into the front facing camera. The main menus on the device have also been tweaked and rather than presenting the user with a number of icons the phone now uses an improved list format. This allows the phone to offer more options to the user. A vertically scrolling task list can also be accessed which lists all of the applications that are currently running. This is a great new feature which allows users to take full advantage of the multi tasking features that the phone offers.

The new ICS software for the Samsung Galaxy S2 features a new data usage monitor feature that enables users to keep track on the performance of the handset. This function keeps tabs on both mobile data and data used over WiFi. Users can set limits so that they receive a warning when the model is approaching the specified data limit. Some of the native applications that are installed on the phone now boast some minor improvements thanks to this update. The music player for example now offers an option for users to view the lyrics of the song that they are listening to. The web browser now features an incognito mode so no browsing history is stored and users can also save web pages that are of interest to them. The photo gallery has been overhauled with an attractive new interface and some new editing features have also been added to enable consumers to change the appearance of their shots. These are just some of the improvements that the new ICS Android platform delivers to the Samsung Galaxy S2. The new interface is visually more appealing and the updates to a number of native applications are another impressive aspect of this new software.

Get your taste buds ready and jump over to the next page where we try to find what Ice Cream Sandwich means for the general interface and functionality of the Samsung Galaxy S II.

CyanogenMod 7 for Galaxy MIni

2012-04-07T21:12:00.003-07:00

This is the CyanogenMod 7 for Galaxy Mini that works awesome in Galaxy Mini. I have check it out and I like it pretty much. Hope you all like it too. Every hardware and software features are working. Here, in this post I have described you to how to install CyanogenMod 7 in your Galaxy Mini and I have Included some screenshots of my device.

How to Install CyanogenMod 7 in Galaxy Mini:

1) Download required files [ CyanogenMod Galaxy Mini/Pop , ClockworkMod Recovery ]

[Note: For installing ClockworkMod Recovery just go to my previous post Installing ClockworkMod Recovery v4.0.05 on Galaxy Mini/Pop [GT-S5570] or if you already have it just ignore it]

2) After installing ClockworkMod Recovery; copy the CM7 file [update-cm-7-02022012-NIGHTLY-GalaxyMini-signed.zip] to your SD Card root through your computer

3) Power off your Phone !!!!

4) Power on Your Phone By Pressing "Power & Middle" Button. It will take to your phone to ClockworkMod Recovery mode.

5) Choose "apply update from sdcard" and press Middle Button

6) Choose SD Card File "update-cm-7-02022012-NIGHTLY-GalaxyMini-signed.zip" From your Saved location [rooot] and press Middle Button

7) After Process Completed Choose "reboot system"

8) Now you have CM7 in your device Galaxy Mini.

Downloads:
CyanogenMod Galaxy Mini/Pop
ClockworkMod Recovery

What is Rom & Kernel, Stock ROM & Custom ROM ?, Why you want Custom Rom?

2012-04-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

ROM & Kernel:

In general sense, the word ROM means Read Only Memory, but it has migrated in the modding community to mean an actual custom OS image that you install into the ROM area of your phone. And also, the word kernel essentially means the heart of the OS - it's the barebones operating system components.

Stock ROM & Custom ROM:

A Stock ROM is the version of the phone's operating system that comes with your phone when you buy it. A Custom ROM is a fully standalone version of the OS, including the kernel (which makes everything run), apps, services, etc - everything you need to operate the device, except it's customized by someone in some way. Since, Android is open source, developers are free to take stock ROMs, modify them, strip them of garbage, optimize them, add things, and pretty much do whatever their imagination and skills allow. Everyone can edit, modify it as they want.

Why You Want Custom ROM?

1. Getting Update Frequently:

Using a custom ROM usually results in more frequent updates that fix bugs and introduce new features because the developer behind the ROM doesn't have the same procedures and red tape that the manufacturer+carrier combo does. A quality update can be churned faster because it doesn't involve the bureaucracy of 30 different project managers, 15 vice presidents, and 5 dozen marketing departments. A ROM developer usually gains a loyal community which beta tests his updates in real life situations and provide feedback, or even fixes bugs - that's the beauty of open source software. ROMs are usually free and supported by optional donations? If you can't afford to pay for it, you don't have to. Finally, most custom ROMs out there are upgradeable over the air (OTA) and without reinstalling anything. Who doesn't love open source after this?

2. Better Performance And Efficiency:

Custom ROMs are oftentimes faster, more efficient, and use less memory because the developer ripped out useless garbage, such as carrier installed apps or the developer optimized the kernel. For example, an undervolted kernel can provide a much better battery life than the stock one.

3. Upgrading To A Better/Later Version Of Android:

You can upgrade to a version of the OS that has not yet been released for your device, or never will be. This is possible in 2 situations; A leaked version of the new ROM showed up online, and the developer got on it. And a ROM from another phone that is ported by the developer to work on another device.

4. Ability To Install Apps To The SD Card

Most custom ROMs nowadays come with the ability to install applications to the SD card, called Apps2SD (or A2SD). This is not possible on stock ROMs, even in Android 2.1 If you have run out of space on your phone, Apps2SD is a killer feature to have.

Disadvantages of Custom ROM:

1. You may void your warranty.

2. Flashing Custom Rom may leave your phone in a bricked state, if not done adequate research.

3. Some hardware features of your phone may not work if you. Eg. Bluetooth, WiFi, Sound, etc.

4. In order to install Custom Rom you have to clean wipe, that means you will loose existing data.

5. Lots of Custom Rom is out everyday, getting right Custom Rom is difficult because the article does not cover individual phone

Here, Can't describe all the advantages and disadvantages. If you want more you simply can Google it.

MIUI Music Player for non-MIUI phones

2012-04-06T09:37:00.002-07:00

Latest MIUI Music Player on any android device. Designed for all android devices, the new MIUI Music Player brings out the best of two worlds intertwined to make a visually pleasant UI with slick looks and feel. Featuring an enhanced equalizer, spectrogram, sleep timer and some other features, the MIUI Music Player app is a complete package for music fans out there.

Among other notable features includes the option of auto- downloading album art, or displaying lyrics of the currently playing track.

However, before you download the application and try it on your phone, let us warn you that the application may not work as described by other users. The app may contain some minor bugs, but rest assured that your music experience remains faithful to the MIUI build.

Other features include listening to online music via streaming through mobile network or via Wi-Fi. The application also has some configuration settings for users to tweak: listen to the song while downloading, shaking to skip a track, or let the screen stay awake to see catchy album visuals as song tracks are being played. There is also the filtering system to let users filter music files according to size, genre, or folder.

Some users, however, observed that as long the user is browsing and playing tracks, the application works flawlessly, but once the tile of the currently played track is disturbed, the application goes into a force close error.

On the other hand, user-interface is top-notch with easy to use controls. Aside from that, navigation is polished with fast response times in switching between tracks. Developers, expectedly, are working hard to fix the various issues that still haunt the app. MIUI Music Player does have the potential to sit among the best of the breed in music player apps for Android.

If you want to give the application a chance and install it on your phone, you can download from the download link below.

Download:

Miui MusicV3.apk

Install MIUI File Explorer Application On Non-MIUI Phones [Mi File Explorer]

2012-04-06T09:00:00.001-07:00

If you love your Android device but not crazy about its interface then you must have heard about Chinese-made custom rom, MIUI which has been a big hit among Android users because of its unique user interface and plenty of other features. Its elegant and beautiful iOS-like interface, blazing speed and the most popular File explorer which gives you access to locally browse your stored data and SD card, all these features have surely make the other custom rom feel jealous.

There are apps like MIUI Music Player and MiLocker which has already provided the MIUI custom rom goodness on the non-MIUI rom users on their devices and now MIUI File explorer is ported to Non-MIUI devices which requires android OS 2.2 or higher to run. XDA Senior member apooonet has developed and serves the MIUI’s native file explorer on android and with more capability to access root directory of their devices.

The app is offering the same three tab interface which includes Browse, SD card and FTP; browse tab allows to browse all device content such as music, video, photos, documents, zip files, apk’s and more on a category based dashboard and the graphical representation of total space left or consumed by each category, SD card Tab allows to explore device internal as well as SD card, and at last you can remotely transfer of files between pc and android device via built in FTP server which is presently not working, but the developer has promised that you will not have to wait for long time.

Moreover the developer is also working on other things which are worth to have an eye out.
1. Sending apk via bluetooth
2. Fix unzipping problem
3. Fix deleting large number of files error
4. Making root access more simple
5. Browsing archives before extracting
6. Swiping pages

If you are interested to explore your android device files with MIUI, you can get the apk file from xda developer thread and simply root it.

Download:

MiFileExplorer 2.3.7.28.apk

More Screenshots:

Galaxy Mini> Installing ClockworkMod Recovery v4.0.05 on Galaxy Mini/Pop [GT-S5570]

2012-04-06T04:17:00.002-07:00

About Android Recovery & ClockworkMod Recovery:

All Android devices ship with a recovery console that is basically a partition on the device’s internal memory and can be booted into. The stock recovery of almost all Android devices provides a few basic yet handy options that allow you to factory reset your device and also to recover its operating system using an official ROM in zip format, but that’s all you can do with it. That’s where a custom recovery comes handy.

A custom Android recovery basically replaces the stock recovery with one that lets you do all you can do with the stock recovery, plus a plethora of more options to give you a lot more control on your device. With a custom recovery, you can install official and unofficial ROMs as well as other updates including apps, themes, kernels etc. using zip files, wipe not just user data but pretty much every partition on your device, mount the storage card for USB mass storage access without leaving recovery, partition your SD card, wipe Dalvik cache and battery stats, fix permissions, perform, manage and restore backups and so on.

ClockworkMod – also known as Clockwork and CWM – is a custom recovery for Android phones and tablets that allows you to perform several advanced recovery, restoration, installation and maintenance operations on your Android device that aren’t possible with the stock recovery.ClockworkMod recovery is one of the most widely used custom Android recoveries that is available for most mainstream Android devices. It is our custom recovery of choice here at Addictive Tips and almost every custom ROM that we install on our devices is done using this recovery.

Installing ClockworkMod Recovery v4.0.05 on Galaxy Mini/Pop [GT-S5570]:

1. First of all download thes files:
Odin Multidownloader <Here>

Tass V1.0.ops <Here>
Tass Recovery CWM <Here>
2. Download and install KIES from official Samsung KIES website or you can simple Google it. (If u already got KIES pass this step) [Note: We need KIES for the latest USB drivers]

3. OK Now Ready for Installation, Make sure that your phone is 70% charged. Now turn off your phone and open Odin Application.

4. Enter Downloading Mode on your phone, press VOLUME DOWN KEY, OK BUTTON and POWER BUTTON at the same time, then you will be entered in download mode on your phone.

5. Connect the USB cable, now in Odin at COM PORT MAPPING should appeare the USB cable as connected(COM1,COM2........ etc).

6. Load the OPS file that you have downloaded previously OPS on Odin and select TASS_v1.0.ops

7. Now make sure that in the ODIN the only boxes that are checked are ONE PACKAGE, AUTO REBOOT , RESET TIME and PROTECT OPS after you have checked on "Select Integrated Package" Click on One Package and load "tass-recovery-cwm.tar".

8. Press START, now u have to wait for sometime. It must say above the COM connection PASS on a blue backgroud to disconnect the USB cable and u are done. !!EVEN IF THE PHONE BOOTS UP DON'T DISCONNECT THE USB CABLE,WAIT FOR THE PASS SCREEN!!

9. After you got "Pass" reboot your phone to recovery mode there you will see new recovery for your phone ClockworkMod Recovery V4.0.05 with more function.

Well Done !!! You Got New Recovery Mode for Your Galaxy Mini/PoP [GT-S5570]

Galaxy Mini> Rooting Galaxy Mini GT-S5570 Gingerbread

2012-04-06T02:20:00.001-07:00

Rooting Galaxy Mini/Pop Gingerbread [GT-S5570]

First of all, What is rooting?

“What is rooting? Why should I root my Android device?” These are common questions that I get asked quite often. Today’s lesson is to talk to you about both the advantages and disadvantages of rooting your Android devices. But before we get started, a word of caution: rooting or modifying your phone in any way will void your manufacturer’s warranty and possibly “brick” it. What does “bricking” your device mean you ask? Exactly what you think… It means screwing up your phone software so badly that your phone can no longer function properly and is pretty much as useless as a brick. I do not in any way recommend anyone to root their Android device.

“Rooting” your device means obtaining “superuser” rights and permissions to your Android’s software. With these elevated user privileges, you gain the ability to load custom software (ROM’s), install custom themes, increase performance, increase battery life, and the ability to install software that would otherwise cost extra money (ex: WiFi tethering). Rooting is essentially “hacking” your Android device. In the iPhone world, this would be the equivalent to “Jailbreaking” your phone.

The term “root” comes from the Unix/Linux world and is used to describe a user who has “superuser” rights or permissions to all the files and programs in the software OS (Operating System). The root user, because they have “superuser” privileges, can essentially change or modify any of the software code on the device. You see, your phone manufacturer/carrier only gives you “guest” privileges when you purchase your device. They do this for good reason… they don’t want you getting into certain parts of the software on your phone and screwing it up beyond repair. It makes it much easier for them to manage and update the devices if they lock it all down. This way, all the users are running the same unmodified version of the phone’s software. This makes it much easier for them to support the devices. But, for the tech-savvy crowd, only having “guest” privileges on your device is pretty lame and it locks down a lot of potentially useful features.

[Note: Rooting or modifying your phone in any way will void your manufacturer’s warranty and possibly “brick” it. Do it on your own risk, I am not responsible for any harm to your phone, thank you! ]

Steps:

1) Download The Root File [Gingerbred-2.3.6-root.zip]

2) Copy to your SD Card

3) Power off your Phone !!!!

4) Power on Your Phone By Pressing "Power & Middle" Button. It will take to your phone to recovery mode.

5) Choose "apply update from sdcard" and press Middle Button

6) Choose SD Card File "Gingerbred-2.3.6-root.zip" From your Saved location and press Middle Button

7) After Process Completed Choose "reboot system now"

8) After Rebooting You Will See Superuser in Your Apps List/Menu

Rooting Success !!!!!!!!!!!!! Well Done !!!!!!!!!

[Note: This Gingerbred-2.3.6-root.zip works most of the gingerbread versions]

Galaxy MIni> Flashing Latest Official Firmware for Galaxy Mini 2.3.6, Updated on March 2012

2012-04-05T23:48:00.000-07:00

Official Firmware 2.3.6 [Gingerbread] for Galaxy Mini [GT-S5570] : Firmware: S5570XWKTN_S5570OXXKTB

This is the official firmware 2.3.6 for Galaxy Mini [GT-S5570] from the Samsung. Hopefully better than the previous versions. I have tried it out and I like it too. Flashing android firmware is easy if you did in right way or if you don't now the process you may brick your phone. I am not responsible if you bricked your phone. Do it on your own risk.

Anyway, here I am going to help you to flash the official firmware 2.3.6 for your Galaxy Mini [GT-S5570]. If you download tools and follow the right steps during flashing you will never brick your phone.

Steps:

First of all just download the required tool and firmware. Links: Odin Multi Downloader <<Here>> , Tass V1.ops File <<Here>, Firmware 2.3.6 [S5570XWKTN_S5570OXXKTB] << Here >>
Download and install KIES from official Samsung KIES website or you can simple Google it. (If u already got KIES pass this step) [Note: We need KIES for the latest USB drivers]
Now extract firmware you will get APBOOT, CODE & CSC MD5 files. All together you will have 5 files including ODIN AND TASS.OPS. It is better to keep all files in the same folder.
OK Now Ready for Installation, Make sure that your phone is 70% charged. Now turn off your phone and open Odin Application.
Load the OPS file that you have downloaded previously OPS on Odin and select TASS_v1.0.ops
Now from the firmware that you have extracted: ( THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART) -APBOOT_S5570XWKTN_CL1019135_REV02_user_low_true.tar.md5 goes into BOOT -MODEM_S5570XWKT6_CL1000416_REV02.tar.md5 goes to PHONE
-CODE_S5570XWKTN_CL1019135_REV02_user_low_true.tar.md5 goes to PDA and -GT-S5570-MULTI-CSC-OXXKTB_RST.tar.md5 to CSC
MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET IT RIGHT!!!
Enter Downloading Mode on your phone, press VOLUME DOWN KEY, OK BUTTON and POWER BUTTON at the same time, then you will be entered in download mode on your phone.
Connect the USB cable, now in Odin at COM PORT MAPPING is should appeare the USB cable as connected(COM1,COM2........ etc).
Now make sure that in the ODIN the only boxes that are checked are AUTO REBOOT , RESET TIME and PROTECT OPS after you have checked, and then press START, now u have to wait 5-6min.
It must say above the COM connection PASS on a blue backgroud to disconnect the USB cable and u are done. !!EVEN IF THE PHONE BOOTS UP DON'T DISCONNECT THE USB CABLE,WAIT FOR THE PASS SCREEN!!

................ WOW its Done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............
For Feedback and any Problems innocentumesh@gmail.com