Latest gadget: Review of Samsung Galaxy Grand

Every time, Samsung launches any kind of an android in the market, it always does launch with many similarities. The Samsung Galaxy Grand looks very similar to Samsung galaxy S3. In spite of these facts; it clangs high in the market, as it contains numerous features and apps. The person who wants to go for it not only is satisfied, but also gets fulfilled by the entertainment desires.

Display and Design: – It has 5inches of display; along with WVGA TFT LCD display when compared to other models of the same brand. It has a resolution capacity of 800×400 and the pixel density of 220 ppi. The device’s width is 76.9mm, height is 143.5mm and thickness is 9.6mm approximately. Its weight is lighter than note 2, as it weighs 160gms in this respect. It is available in two different series, namely GT-19080 with a single SIM and GT-19080 with dual SIM. This phone is affordable and cheaper than the galaxy note tab which was known in advance. The uniqueness of this phone is the innovative dual SIM feature, which provides flexibility of conversation. Because of these mobile innovative features, it is easy to use.

Features include:-

When it comes to connectivity, the below are the features which are very useful, like:

F Bluetooth 4

F Wi-Fi, along with sensors

F HSPA+

F 8 Megapixel camera

F 2 megapixel front facing camera

F GPRS

F EDGE

Specifications:-

When you get into the specification part, they contain:-

The processor and the Chip: -It has an amazing 1.2GHz Dual Processor, which supports many tasks at the same time. The most dependable thing is it has superior graphics, fastest web browsing capacity, precipitous dissolute display conversions. The price of this instrument could fit in your budget, as the chipset is an Eryngo’s 5 series.

Camera: - This has 8 MP rear camera and 2Mp front facing camera and both are highly defined recorders. The Specialty of rear camera is that it has a capacity of 1080p recording, which is a big advantage of its own. The other best part is the front facing camera with blameless feature, when compared to other phones, available in the market. The features that include in this camera are Geo tagging, face and smile detection, touch focus, and image stabilization.

Operating system, storage and Memory capacity: - This phone runs on latest android 4.1.2 operating system (Jelly Bean). The built up memory of this phone is 8GB, which includes the RAM of5. 76 GB and the inbuilt memory can be accessed by you. The memory can be expandable up to 64GB through micro SD card. It has a radio of TBD, Java MIDP emulator in black and white colors.

Battery:-

This phone does have 2100mAh of the battery. It is lithium – ion type of the battery. You can always go for updates about the same.

If you really are fond of this mobile and the budget is going beyond the same, the best option which is available in the market is Payday loans, which can give you instant cash.

Author Bio:

I am Maria Jones  from USA. I’m into Finance and Technology who had experience in writing quality guest posts. Catch me @financeport

The post Android Phone Review: Samsung Galaxy Grand appeared first on Androidome.

Android updates have always been one of the major question marks for Android powered devices. Despite Google rolling out Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for its latest Android devices, majority of the Android users are still on Android 2.3 Ginger Bread. Indeed according to one of the surveys, Ginger Bread is the most prevalent Android version used around the world.

Carrier users have a slight edge here as they get to have quicker and more updated versions of Android as compared to the rest. Even so, most of the Android users  still have to rely on older versions and thus they fail to relish what Android is all about. Hopefully though, Google would be having observation over all these problems and we might very much be seeing some drastic chain of events in the coming years.

Till then, Android users have to rely upon rooting techniques to enjoy at least some of the features of modern updates if not all. The latest phone which gets in the hands of developers is non other than the Galaxy Note 2 itself. This specific version is the LTE N7105 so it’s good news again for 4G users of the Galaxy Note 2 as developers have finally come up with the rooting procedure for the device.

This guide is specifically for the LTE version of Galaxy Note 2, and while the same steps will be applicable for the international N7100 version, you have been advised. Also, follow these instructions at your own risk. We cannot be held responsible for any damage to your device as a result of following this procedure.

Requirements

• Unlocked Galaxy Note 2 LTE or International version running Android 4.1.2
• CF-Auto-Root package for your device (this one is only for the LTE version)
• Odin3 Flashing tool
• Windows based PC with Samsung USB Drivers
• 50% or more battery remaining

CF-Auto-Root package and Odin3 can be downloaded by doing a simple search on your favorite search engine.

Procedure

Step 1: Download both the root package and Odin3 to your computer and extract them to a convenient location.

Step 2: Put your Galaxy Note 2 into download mode by turning it off and powering on while pressing and holding volume down, home and power buttons. Then, hit the volume up button to enter download mode.

Step 3: Launch Odin3 and connect your device to the PC using USB cable. Odin should pick up the phone and show a yellow box with COM port, along with an “Added” message.

Step 4: Click the PDA button in Odin and point to the CF-Root package that you extracted in Step 1. Make sure not to change any other settings in Odin3.

Step 5: Hit the Start button in Odin to begin flashing. Once that is done, your device will reboot.

That’s it – you’re now rooted on Galaxy Note II N7105 running Android 4.1.2 on the stock firmware.

It’s advised to use the Toolkit in place of this method, as that’s not only easier, but also provides a lot of other features. Also, I’d reiterate that this guide and associated packages are specific to the LTE version of Samsung’s Phablet, and if you’re looking for the international version to get root, the instructions will remain same, but you’ll need the correct root package.

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The introduction of launchers like Nova lets you take control of your Android appearance and customize it to your own likings in no time.  This also includes editing the home screen completely and converting it into a simpler platform without status bar or any normal Android access plates. I have discussed this simpler home screen interface in one of my previous articles and how to achieve that.

The problem for launcher apps like Nova and others was that how to access all the notifications, once the notification bar was gone. Well, a new app on the Google Play store has a solution to that problem finally. The Notification Browser app has made its way to the play store and is now available for download.

It will let you access all your Android notifications with a single tap on the app icon. The app interface is simple with all the notifications appearing in the form of a list. The great thing is that you can use the app in the form of a widget in which a window panel will display all your notifications.  Not only that, but the app also attempts to collect as much information as it can from the notification itself, and then allows you to use the list view to either dismiss the notification, or launch the source app for that.

It’s a major leap forward as accessing the notifications is now way easier even in the absence of the status bar which dominated the Android OS for a long time with its subtle and easy utility. The notification browser app is still in Beta mode and is thus facing a bit of problems. One of these problems include the automatic removal of all the notifications on restarting the phone.

Despite that, we expect that the full version of the app will be problem free. You can download the application directly from the Play store from this download link.

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If you want to buy an Android device than any sane person would say only one thing to you; go for a Google device. The reason most experts would recommend you Google phones is simple, Google gives you Android updates in no time along with some prodigious phone options. The Galaxy Nexus was the first device introduced by Google under the manufacturing roof of Samsung and has been one of the most successful devices worldwide.

Google has shifted the manufacturing partners this time and went with LG to form the successor of the Galaxy Nexus, the LG Nexus 4. Although LG can’t really compete with Samsung when it comes to quality but when it comes to Nexus 4, LG has done a surprisingly great job  and Nexus 4 has received a warm welcome from the audience.

The reason behind this article is just to help you make a decision that if you own a Galaxy Nexus, should you make a move for Nexus 4 or there is no such need. Ultimately, it all depends on what you want but the move is always the best option if you can spare some  $300 to $350.  Let us see how.

Nexus 4 has a better built quality at the expense of body armor

Galaxy Nexus was criticized for its plastic body. Although it was lightweight but build quality was minimal owing to cheap plastic body covering and backside. The curved screen did make up a bit for the poor backside but everyone eventually agreed upon this fact that the body built takes the downside of the phone.

Nexus 4 backside was under high scrutiny right after its release and it was no way near to disappointment as LG created a shimmering glass backside which might be fragile but one of the most beautiful looking backsides for any phone. The glass back of Nexus 4 is comparable to that of iPhone 5 which shows that the phone did an excellent improvement in this domain.

On the downside, we got fragility as the main factor. The glass back is way more prone to breakage as was the plastic side. So, it is clearly an appearance vs. Strength comparison. You will get more durability in Galaxy Nexus and more appealing build quality in Nexus 4.

Nexus 4 Screen is far superior to Galaxy nexus

It is simply more crisp and cutting edge. The True HD IPS screen simply puts the Galaxy Nexus’s HD Super AMOLED display to shame. The resolution and pixel density is slightly greater for Nexus 4 but on actually seeing both the devices, you will clearly notice that Nexus 4 screen is far clearer and sharper than its predecessor’s.

The premium quality of the screen was actually a challenge for LG as we all know Samsung are the world leaders when it comes to screens and LCDs but LG has successfully executed what seemed to be the major gamble for the company. Substituting Super Amoled, we all know, is not that easy.

Better Performance for Nexus 4

Both the phones carry the latest Android software with Galaxy nexus slightly lagging behind in terms of timely access for the update but nevertheless Google has ensured that each and every user of  a Nexus device timely receives all the Android updates. With Android 4.2 running, we have a guaranteed buttery phone performance but Nexus 4 slightly overtakes Galaxy nexus here owing to its powerful processor and RAM.

The loading is faster and even the connectivity swiftness is there in Nexus 4 for all to see. It performs better on Wi-Fi and slightly even on GPRS. The booting time has also decreased for the LG’s classic as compared to Galaxy Nexus. Everything on the phone feels faster and snappier — which is no surprise, considering it’s rocking a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM.

Galaxy Nexus wins the LTE support

I was amazed by the fact that there was no 4G LTE and thus Verizon compatibility for the Nexus 4 while it was there in Galaxy Nexus (in 4G supported version). But developers pulled it off with their own tweak as we saw that a light software change enables 4G on Nexus 4 which was a great news for some of the fans.

Nexus 4 Camera is simply Better

The 8 MP camera of Nexus 4 is not only better in terms of simple maths ( Galaxy Nexus has 5 MP) but also in generalized quality, exposure and color contrast.

On taking account of photos from both the phones, I was convinced that Nexus 4 delivered more crispy and sharper images with heavy color contrast and exposure as compared to Galaxy Nexus’s.

Verdict:

It’s quite clear that Nexus 4 is an improved version for the Nexus family but that doesn’t make it obvious for you to change your phone as such. Even if you want to make the upgrade from Galaxy Nexus to Nexus 4, it’s highly recommendable if you’re looking for an improvement in terms of performance but if it’s about making a major leap then there is no need as Galaxy Nexus is a great device in itself and you might not find that much great deal of a difference in terms of utility between it and Nexus 4.

Let me know through comments of what do you think about both these phone and should a person go for Nexus 4 if he’s already using Galaxy Nexus?

The post Galaxy Nexus Vs. Nexus 4: Will You Be Going for Nexus 4? appeared first on Androidome.

Nova is your Android Customization tool. I’ve talked before about the customization strength this application offers in my custom Android theme article and this article is just to deliver you the amazing news that version 2 of this application is now available at the Play store. Some of the key features, this app offers are:

• Custom Icon Size (Prime)
• Swipe actions on any desktop icon (Prime)
• Custom wallpaper cropping
• Increase maximum desktop grid size
• Infinite Scroll Drawer Setting
• Alphabetical list drawer style
• Small Icons Dock Setting
• Force wallpaper scrolling on USA SGS2
• Aggressive Desktop Setting (Keep in memory)*
• Lower memory usage
• Improve scrolling performance
• Fixes, optimizations and tuning

*”Retrieve Running Apps” used for Aggressive Desktop and warning when multiple launchers are running

Additional changes:

• “Swipe to open folder” allowing swiping over a desktop or dock folder to open it, with the tap action doing something else (such as opening an app).
• Use app icons as replacement icons, for example to change a folder icon into the icon of an app within it
• Disc background for folders
• Folder background transparency
• Slightly redesigned Nova Action icons (and at Nexus 10 resolution)
• Auto-close options for drawer and dock
• Merge Android 4.2 changes
• New background image for settings apps

With all these new diverse options for customization, I’ll surely come up with some more new tutorials on how you can pimp your Android device. Till then be sure to update your version of the Nova as this tool offers endless tweaking possibilities.

Here is the link to the Nova Ver 2. [download]

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Android’s vulnerability was again exposed few days back by a new Trojan virus capable of mounting DDos attacks. The Russian anti-virus vendor Doctor Web warns Internet users about a new malicious program for Android. TheAndroid.DDoS.1.origin can carry out DDoS-attacks on various internet resources and send short messages upon a corresponding command from criminals.

The Trojan poses as a regular app with Google Play icon as disguise. Once you run the app, Google Play store will normally open but instead of opening the doorway to millions of applications on the Play store, the application would grant access to the root hackers that can then signal your cell to send your phone number and can also manipulate your network to send text messages.

Although the virus is not much of a problem as it’s not linked with that much heavy distribution as we usually expect of such viruses. Nevertheless, proceed with the usual dose of caution in order to avoid any kind of malware, such as only using the official methods of obtaining your apps.

This has not been the first time that Android has been exposed to such malware. There are a number of cases when applications containing malware were openly distributed from the Google Play store itself due to a lack of scrutiny over the security measures from the Play Store officials. Google has hardly implemented any solid line of security when it comes to accepting apps for sale on the Google play Store.

Things get all the more frustrating when Google fails to deliver any type of strong security measure in Android’s updates. Although Jelly bean is relatively safer as compared to previous versions but many phones still don’t carry the capability of having it on board and rely on older versions of Android which are vulnerable to malware.

There are a number of antiviral and antimalware apps on the play store but even some of those applications are infected with some troublesome virus that are difficult to get rid of. It’s time that Google should start paying more attention to these security credentials in order to safeguard Android’s reputation in the long run.

Are you satisfied with Android’s Security Credentials?

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Samsung is working hard to dominate the phone market. The release of S III last year was a clear notification to the Cupertino company that Samsung meant business and although the latter responded with an even powerful iPhone 5 but it failed to deliver what it promised and many users weighed Galaxy S III better over the iPhone 5.

Owing to the huge success of S III and Galaxy Note II, Samsung has decided to move towards a hybrid of Note II and S III and release the Samsung Galaxy S IV with an S pen. Unusual? Not really, Samsung has been reportedly working on this project for quite some time now. According to South Korean Media, the S IV will be coming in 5 inch massive version having 13 MP camera and powered by EXYNOS 5440 quad-core processor. Unlike S III, the S IV will be slightly thicker having 9.1 mm thickness as compared to S III 8.6mm.

It might be great news for the Galaxy fans but I’m not sure for how long, the reason being the pace at which new phones are coming in. While most of the people will go for S IV just to keep themselves align with the timeline, others would be in a dilemma of what to do with their recently bought S III on which they spent hundreds of dollars just to get their hands on the device.

Same story goes hand in hand with the Android updates. Right when you have most updated phone in your hand in the form of S III with ICS, Google releases the Jelly Bean update and then you have to wait for several months before you can access the official Jelly Bean update on your device. I bought my Xperia Play when it was released a few years back and unfortunately it’s still on Ginger Bread as ICS was never officially released for the Xperia Play versions.

Releasing S IV would mean high profits for the company and a brand new set for the audience on one hand and a lot frustration for a number of people on the other hand. Companies have to decide which way is better in the long run. Leaving users frustrated every year could badly affect the customers of Samsung in the long run. The specs of S IV would no doubt be mouth watering for many and it will be a grandiose addition for those who have got S III on yearly contracts, but for the majority, the news of S IV rings trouble and frustration.

Therefore, it is imminent for Samsung to ease out their trend of releasing new phones one after the other and at least give a bit of time to the customers to enjoy what is there on the market rather than wait for what’s coming. Let me know what you guys think if there is any need of a new Galaxy S.

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In this day and age people tend to travel quite frequently both near and far, and the ever increasing amount of smart phones has not only made our everyday life easier, but also helped us to travel more efficiently and smartly. The following little apps will be able to provide you information about your destination prior to your arrival, as well as help you easily navigate around and find the best spots to visit. Below we present to you: 5 Android apps that might be useful for you on your trips!

Hipmunk – Flight and Hotel search

While some of us prefer to book out flights and hotels beforehand, others just want to take a flight and see where the road goes. So if you have not made any reservations, or if you have run into any kind of issues with your flights or hotel bookings, Hipmunk will be a true lifesaver. For flights, it shows you the cheapest and fastest alternative available, but also how easy it actually is to reach the airport. For hotels, you get a clear map view of your hotel and the vicinity, and also listings of any near-by nightlife, landmarks and such.
Price: FREE
Download Hipmunk

Simple Currency Converter – never get cheated with Forex again

While many countries might accept currency such as US Dollars, it’s always a good idea to exchange your current money to local currency. Simple Currency Converter can fetch you the current exchange rate, so that you may check that you’re not getting cheated by the exchanger. You may also pre-fetch the rates, and use the app offline if you don’t have access to Internet at all times.
Price: FREE
Download Simple Currency Converter

Poynt – Get Poynt, Get There!

When you visit either a country or a city for the first time, you might find it a bit hard to find the local places, like movie theaters, best restaurants or bars. Poynt makes all this very easy, by providing you a clear list of businesses near you, and guiding you there as fast as possible. Poynt can also fetch the phone numbers so you may directly call the said business, get you movie show times or trailers directly to your mobile or place a table reservation.
Price: FREE
Download Poynt

Google Goggles – See via the eyes of Google

Have you ever seen something, and wondered what it really is? Well, we all have, and this is where Google Goggles can help us out! Take a picture of what you don’t know, and Goggles will tell you what it is! It’s exactly as simple as it sounds, and this app will surely make your sightseeing tours way more interesting!
Price: FREE
Download Google Googles

TripAdvisor – Reviews, photos and maps by millions of travelers

Many of us know TripAdvisor already: it’s a website where people can rate practically anything they’ve come across on their journeys; hotels, restaurants, flights, tours… it’s all there! Feeling a bit adventurous, but are on a tight schedule? Check TripAdvisor on your Android mobile, and know exactly where you should visit to make the mod out of your trip!
Price: FREE

Download Trip Advisor App

Karen is a passionate photographer and will not go anywhere without her iPhone. You can check out her website here if you want to learn more on her.

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Rovio impressed the audience once again with its creativity and direction. ‘Bad Piggies’ turns out to be as good as bad as its name suggests ‘Bad’ Piggies.

The Plot:

Bad Piggies gives you the freedom to engineer your own way to  the finish line. The game is about the arch nemesis of Angry Birds, the Piggies which you will be incharging this time around. Your role is to plot the escape route for your piggies while collecting the star boxes in order to get maximum points and all 3 stars. In order to plot your escape, you must build the ultimate transport vehicle that is able to overcome all the obstacles in its path and also collect the star boxes before touching the finish flag. Let’s get more into this title. Read below to know more why Bad Piggies could be your sole appetizer for the holidays.

Building the Transport:

The stages are divided just like Angry Birds. There are four main story plots and inside each plot there are a number of stages for you to pass. Passing each stage unlocks all kinds of tools for the sandbox mode on which we will come later in the review. At the start of every stage, you will be given certain  tools like pieces of crates,tires, fans, pumps, boosters etc. You have to place arrange these objects in a limited grid space with each block accommodating one of the objects in such a manner, to create a suitable vehicle for your piggie. Once you’re done with the transport you have to place the piggie in one of the crates and prepare to test your newly created ride.

Tools and Materials:

As I said earlier, you will simply love the creativity of the team that has created this game. Bad Piggies is filled with loads of fun building tools and stuff and you can create almost all kinds of machines including bikes or planes even! The materials include wings, engines, boosters, different body part, tyres with all these parts playing a unique role in the aerodynamics, strength and mobility of your transport. Placing the engine in the front crate would shift the center of gravity of your vehicle and you might see it crashing on a small bit of acceleration as all the force is being put on the front tyres. Hence, randomly placing thing won’t be a good idea after all.

Difficulty:

Bad Piggies is nowhere an easy game to play. I found it even harder than Angry Birds. It requires more of your brains but in the end I’ve found it more rewarding as the sandbox mode of the game is one of the best additions. Sandbox mode allows you to build all kinds of random machines, using your imagination. You can unlock loads of materials for the sandbox mode by completing the main campaign. The more pieces you unlock, the better machines you would be able to employ to collect the stars in the sandbox mode.

Overall

Bad Piggies is available as a free app on the Google Play store. You can also invest some money into buy engineer piggies in the game which will help you ready the best and most suitable vehicles in the game. The game is fun, addictive and uniquely designed. It will keep you busy for a long time as the stages are complex and long enough to drain a lot of minutes of your time and brain. So, if you’re looking to grab your copy of Bad Piggies, you can download it from this link.

The post Rovio ‘Bad Piggies’ Android App Review appeared first on Androidome.

iPhone dominates the Phone market with with its latest release of iPhone 5. According to experts, the trend will keep on shifting in favor of Apple. Meanwhile Android still dominates the Europe with 61% market share.

The post iPhone Dominates the Market with 52% Market Share in U.S as comapred to Android’s 42% appeared first on Androidome.