Posted: 07 Feb 2012 01:17 AM PST  With so many official and unofficial firmware releases for the Samsung Galaxy S2, many consumers can have a hard time rooting their devices. Starting off with the latest release of the leaked XXLP6 firmware, rooting methods used from past firmware versions for the Galaxy S2 usually won’t work, thus requiring a fresh rooting solution. The Android 4.0.3 ICS build XXLP6 firmware update promises near-perfect functionality, with only minor bugs and a few disabled features. It is allegedly a leaked copy of the latest firmware update for the Galaxy S2. If you’ve manually applied the firmware update to your rooted Galaxy S2, your root access may have been revoked, but you can get it back using CF-Root. If you want to regain root on your Galaxy S2 after applying the XXLP6 firmware update, you can do so by following the instructions in this guide. Important RemindersThis tutorial is intended to work only with the Samsung Galaxy S2 with model number GT-I9100. You can check by going to "Settings > About phone” to verify whether you have the same model number. This tutorial may or may not work for other handset models. So, use these instructions at your own risk and don’t hold us responsible if you damage your phone by using the information in this tutorial.Instructions
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This article, Root Your Samsung Galaxy S2 Running XXLP6 Firmware Using CF-Root , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 08:59 PM PST  One of the things I like about Samsung and don’t like about HTC is that they are willing to use other chips for their devices, especially if one of their favorite chip is not top dog anymore (fortunately Samsung’s chips have always maintained the lead so far). HTC on the other hand, no matter how good or bad was the performance of Qualcomm chips, they would stick with them. There are hints that this year they will use Tegra and even OMAP chips alongside the Qualcomm ones, but that remains to be seen. I do like that Samsung is using other chips, especially when they are more powerful, but it usually happens for another model, which I’m completely fine with. However, I don’t like it when the exact same model uses 2 different chips that don’t even have similar performance. That ruins the brand image of the device. What will someone who got the Snapdragon version say when his friend who got the Exynos one shows him better performance in games and applications? The dual core 1.5 Ghz Snapdragon was already shown to have sometimes less performance than the dual core 1.2 Ghz Exynos. The reason for that is because the Exynos is based on Cortex A9, while Snapdragon S3 is roughly similar to the Cortex A8. The only improvement it has received is that it’s now made at a smaller processing node – but so is the competition – and that it has a higher clock frequency, which doesn’t seem to be enough to compensate for the improvements in Cortex A9. The Krait based S4 should be significantly more powerful than Cortex A9 at the same frequency, but until then we’re stuck with the Scorpion based S3, and so are the future buyers of the Galaxy Note on AT&T, because that version of Galaxy Note will not have Exynos inside, but Snapdragon. Here are the performance comparisons for the GPU: Galaxy Note with Exynos GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt High: 2827 Frames (25.0 Fps) GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt Standard: 3012 Frames (26.7 Fps) Galaxy Note with Snapdragon GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt High : 1014 Frames (9.0 Fps) GLBenchmark 2.1 Egypt Standard : 2425 Frames (21.5 Fps) There seems to be quite a bit of difference, because I think the real world difference will be closer to the “High” benchmark than the “Standard” one. On the CPU side the difference shouldn’t be as big, because of Snapdragon’s overclocking. But does this make it less likely for you to buy a Galaxy Note? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, AT&T Galaxy Note to Have Snapdragon Chip with Lower Performance than Exynos , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 08:58 PM PST  There’s something big coming, and that’s the Google Glasses. I don’t know exactly what the next “personal computing” paradigm will be, but I know that it needs to be even more personal (mainframe-to-minicomputer-to-PC-to-laptop-to-smartphone – all were ever more personal), more mobile, and also cheaper. If I was trying to find out what’s the next computing paradigm, I would go with something that we use even closer to our bodies than laptops or smartphones – it has to touch the skin somehow. A lot of unexpected gadgets could take that place, that we don’t even know about right now, but if I were to bet which one it will be from current technological products, I’d have to go with glasses (2nd choice would be smart watches). It’s the easier choice and the one that makes the most sense – as long as they make it work properly. To be honest, I would’ve expected something like this until around 2015 or so but maybe Google managed to do what Apple did in 2007 – surprise the industry with a product that is years ahead of its time. Some Google employees have been working on extremely cutting edge technologies for years now, as part of the Google X project. They’ve been working on self-driving cars, AI that can be 93% indistinguishable from humans in conversation, and now what’s probably the next computing paradigm – smart glasses. Here’s what some rumor said about them in December: They are in late prototype stages of wearable glasses that look similar to thick-rimmed glasses that "normal people" wear. However, these provide a display with a heads up computer interface. There are a few buttons on the arms of the glasses, but otherwise, they could be mistaken for normal glasses. Additionally, we are not sure of the technology being employed here, but it is likely a transparent LCD or AMOLED display such as the one demonstrated below:The specs are also said to include a lower-end camera with only a few megapixels (can’t ask for too much in the first generation), only one generation behind processor, probably 1 Ghz Cortex A8, but I think Cortex A7 would be perfect for this (smaller, cheaper, more efficient). But that might not arrive until the next-gen device. It will also have around 256 MB of RAM, and probably 4-8 Gb of internal storage. The device will probably have Internet connection, too, so it might come with a 3G/4G chip built right into it. Hopefully that doesn’t mean a 2 year contract as well, unless they are given for free with the contract. The display/lenses should be transparent (Samsung did show some transparent OLED displays last year), although some rumors say one of the lenses (where the HUD interface will be) might not be transparent, at least not in this generation. It will probably run Android, or some heavily modified and minimized version of it, so it consumes the least amount of energy. I can’t imagine having a too large battery in them, and they should last you for at least 5 hours with constant use of the HUD. The device will be voice controlled (Majel?), because obviously that makes the most sense for it, until we can mind-control devices. If it does have a personal assistant in it, it would be pretty great, because it will always be inside your ear, and guiding you, whether it’s telling you if a product you’re looking at is cheap enough, or some other store next to it has it for a lower price, or if it’s giving you directions (it should have GPS, too), and so on. The applications are quite endless for such a “personal” device that comes with a virtual personal assistant. Whether this will work out great or not in practice, I can’t wait to see what Google has done with it. And if the first generation is good enough, imagine how good the 2nd or 3rd generation will be – more powerful specs, better displays, slimmer glasses and more polished design, and so on. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Google Glasses – The Next Computing Paradigm? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 08:40 PM PST  Computer-Aided Design (CAD) applications have already invaded the mobile platform. Although most of such programs’ mobile versions may not be as sophisticated as the desktop ones, the main point here is that more and more productivity applications are now brought into the mobile platform. This would mean that mobile devices like tablets and smartphones are getting more useful, productivity-wise. One of the companies who ventured into a CAD app is IMSI Design. The company is known as one of the leading providers of CAD software applications. It has an array of products that are specifically tailored for computer-aided design. One such CAD product from IMSI is the TurboViewer app for Android. ProsTurboViewer is capable of rendering not just 2D designs but also 3D designs. This is a feature that is unique to TurboViewer. Other mobile CAD apps don’t have such feature.The user interface of the app is simple and straightforward. You will not be bombarded with so many menus that might be confusing at times. All you see is a clean and tidy user interface without clutter.   The app may take a few seconds to render a design depending on how big the file is, but once it is already up on the screen, you can easily rotate or zoom in and out of the drawing. The animations on this app are very fluid. The app is free, too–so, that should be one of the biggest perks here. You can upgrade to a premium version, though, to gain access to more features.   And, last but not the least, the makers of the app just very recently released a software development kit (SDK) for the app. This will mean that the app will be improved. Better versions of the app will surely come out once developers can get hold of this SDK. ConsThis might not really be a big disadvantage of the app, but it's worth mentioning. The app can only recognize the directory it has created during the installation process. The app doesn’t have a way to browse for files saved in other directories.The features in the app are very decent and good. But, they are very limited. You don't have that many on the menu to choose from. The free version of TurboViewer is ad-supported, and the ads can be a bit annoying at times. This will go away though if you get the premium version. If you want to stick with the free one, you have to get used to those advertisements. The app will eat up around 43 MB of storage space when installed on a device. This might not be that much, but for a viewer app, this is a bit big. ConclusionTurboViewer is a good app. This might even be the first free app that offers 3D viewing capability–something which makes it stand out from the rest. The cons we listed above, as you can see, are really minor ones, and can easily be overshadowed by the great features this app has.Looking at the bigger picture, tablets and smartphones are said to be the future of mobile computing. It is even predicted that mobile devices will someday replace laptops and netbooks. And, with the developments we are seeing nowadays, this may not be a far future. These devices are becoming more powerful nowadays. Someday soon we’ll be seeing a full-fledged CAD app running on our mobile devices. If you want to try this amazing mobile CAD app from IMSI Design, download TurboViewer free from the Android Market. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEThis article, Android App for Viewing 2D or 3D CAD Designs , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 05:44 PM PST  Earlier today we told you about the new update for the Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx that would be pushing out soon, we also provided you with the changelog, it is now pushing out. Version 6.12.173.XT912.Verizon.en.US (there’s no way we could make that one up) started slowly rolling out over the weekend and is now pushing hard and heavy, and chances are you can grab it yourself by simply going to Settings>About Phone>System Updates.The update weighs in at just 150MB and updates your Android software to Android 2.3.6. Also brings along with it a long changelog, including better battery life which is always a good thing. The full changelog:
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This article, Verizon Now Rolling out Motorola Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx Update , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 04:59 PM PST  Yesterday we started hearing about Motorola’s latest soak test for the Motorola Droid Bionic, and immediately people started thinking is it ICS or just a bug fixer update? Perhaps to fix the data drops that have been plaguing our Bionics. Other’s are hopeful that it could be Ice Cream Sandwich. At this point it could be either.So in tonight’s poll, we are simply asking if you think the update Motorola will be testing is a bug fix like .902 or something newer, or if it could be the biggest upgrade in the history of Android, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. Either way we will find out what this update consists of in the next week or even sooner. There’s rumors of the update hitting tester’s devices some time tonight. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Monday Poll: Droid Bionic Soak Test, is it Ice Cream Sandwich or a Bug Fix Update? , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 02:22 PM PST  Well here we go again, hopefully this will clear up that whole mess from last week where it looked like Google was dropping support for its’ CDMA devices like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus and the Sprint Nexus S 4G, and the upcoming Sprint Galaxy Nexus. According to Android engineer Dan Morril, the device is still a supported "Nexus" device for "everyday use" and will receive updates and all that jazz. Google is just now making it public that they can't lock down licenses for CDMA binaries like they do with GSM, therefore they cannot distribute them. So to have their developer pages represented appropriately, they have to say that "no CDMA devices are supported."Here’s the full message: Hi, all! Thanks for all the questions. Here's a quick omnibus to answer the questions folks have asked…In simpler words, CDMA is just a pain where the sun don’t shine! As far as custom ROM’s, you can almost guarantee that we will see plenty of custom ROMs for the Galaxy Nexus and other CDMA Google Nexus devices, so don’t worry about that. If they had just made a simple blog post over at the Android Developers blog, they could have saved this big headache from us all. But anyways looks like we finally have answers. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Google Offers Further Clarification on Why They Removed "Support" for CDMA Devices in AOSP , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 01:45 PM PST  Just came across a cool new app in the market today, it’s Carrier Coverage. It basically tracks the coverage you are getting in a certain area and uploads it to it’s database. But don’t worry it takes your security and privacy seriously. It will help answer that age-old question of “Which carrier has the best coverage in this area?” This app already has some cool features, and the developer is already working on some new ones for the future:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vclFMdNoGfQ YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKENo related posts.This article, Carrier Coverage is Carrier IQ the way the Consumer wants it , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 01:36 PM PST  Motorola has just released the changelog for the impending update that will be rolling out to your Motorola Droid Razr or Razr Maxx in the next few days, to members of the Motorola Feedback Network. This list is a bit different from the one that was recently released by Verizon. Hopefully this update will be out to everyone in the next week or two. We will keep you posted.Full list below. Software Update for the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX by MOTOROLA YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
This article, Motorola Releases Full 6.12.173 Update Changelog for Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx , was originally published at AndroidAuthority.com - Your Android News Source. |
Posted: 06 Feb 2012 10:52 AM PST  One of the reasons why people love the Android Market is because Google takes an extra step to keep the Market adware and malware free. Unfortunately, there are some times where these manage to sneak past the security Google has already set up. To answer this, Google has decided to release Google Bouncer; which is an automatic scanning software which will search, analyze, and remove malicious applications that are on the Market. The software scans both existing and future apps found on the Android Market, as well as news applications submitted to it. With this, both Android owners and developers are happy knowing that such a software exists. Through the software, users get to have a protection against harmful apps. Meanwhile, developers get to have an assurance that their apps are approved faster.  The Bouncer software is believed to send a red flag to bad behaving apps. Once it has been found suspicious and dangerous, it will automatically be removed from the Android Market. At the same time, the developer's account will be flagged for repeated malicious behavior. In addition, apps which are too spammy and do not have enough purpose will also be removed by Bouncer. The development of the Google Bouncer is suspected to be brought about by the recent malware scare that only turned out to be a very aggressive ad network. As of this writing, the Android Market has over 11 million apps submitted to it. It has also obtained 11 billion app downloads, which is slowly gaining momentum on its rival Apple app store's 18 billion app downloads. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
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Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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