| Samsung Galaxy Note 3 flash counter cannot be reset, warranty voided permanently Oct 10th 2013, 02:57, by Juan Carlos Torres Samsung is seemingly on a roll in making some rather controversial design decisions, ranging from the eyebrow-raising to the blood-curdling. Now it seems that the manufacturer has effectively found a way to discourage the few brave souls from tinkering with the newly released Galaxy Note 3. 
The latest S Pen phablet is already beset by bad publicity despite the otherwise impressive hardware and software tandem, which you can read about in our review here. Aside from the highly controversial region locking, Samsung has apparently designed the Galaxy Note 3 in such a way that its flash counter can no longer be reset when flashed with a different ROM, thereby permanently marking the device as “damaged”, even if its still working, and voiding all warranty. Here’s how it all works. Normally, everytime an Android device is flashed with another ROM, its flash counter is incremented to show many times it has undergone flashing. This gives service centers an indicator if the device has been tampered with. In the past, however, it has been possible to reset this counter to 0 which, along with flashing the original manufacturer ROM, would make it eligible again for warranty. This time, however, thanks to Samsung’s new KNOX security system, that is no longer the case. KNOX uses eFuse, a technology that enables read-only memory (ROM) to be reprogrammed, despite the read-only property of the chip. This, processor, however, is inaccessible to users. What happens now, then, is that, when the Galaxy Note 3 is flashed, KNOX gets rewritten and the flash counter is incremented permanently. Developer Chainfire, who wrote the TriangleAway tool that resets the flash counter, says that while it may be possible to find a way to reset the counter, it will be difficult to do so and the probability of success is quite low. This, unfortunately, leaves Galaxy Note 3 owners hanging with no way out of a flashed device. VIA: SamMobile |  | Samsung SM-W2014 flip phone tipped to launch in China Oct 10th 2013, 02:23, by Juan Carlos Torres It seems that Samsung is really holding on to its throwback design as the company is reported to once again have a flip phone model in the works. The SM-W2014 is rumored to launch soon in China after having passed Chinese Industry and Information Technology authentication at the end of September. 
Samsung and China are no strangers to flip phones as the company has launched several such models in the past. Indeed just last August, Samsung unleashed its SCH-W789, codenamed Hennessy, on the Chinese market. Although that smartphone did have dual SIM support, a feature popular in that region, it only sported mid-range specs such as a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor and two 3.3-inch 320×480 screens, a few notches down from the higher-end Samsung SHV-E400 Galaxy Golden which the company released in Korea just shortly after the Hennessy. Now it seems that Samsung will be making a repeat performance, this time in the Chinese market, preparing a flip phone that very closely resembles the Galaxy Golden. The SM-W2014, which at the moment doesn’t have an easier sounding name, sports a 2.3 GHz quad-core processor, most likely a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, and 2 GB of RAM. It will also have dual AMOLED displays, both measuring 3.67 inches with resolutions of 480×800 pixels. It is rumored to have a 13 megapixel rear camera with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor as well as a 2 megapixel front-facing camera. Unlike the Galaxy Golden, this smartphone will be running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean out of the box. But like the Galaxy Golden, the SM-W2014 is said to be available in only one color option: gold. There is no availability date or pricing details available yet, but the smartphone is tipped to be bound for carrier China Telecom. VIA: Blog of Mobile!!    | | Final Fantasy VI venturing into Android soon, Final Fantasy VII also being considered Oct 10th 2013, 01:45, by Juan Carlos Torres That title alone should make the heart of any fan of the never-ending Final Fantasy franchise palpitate but let’s all take it in stride. Just after the release of Final Fantasy V on Android last month and with at least two more titles on the way, Square Enix is now saying that it is planning to release a modified version of Final Fantasy VI on Android and iOS this winter. 
According to Square director and producer Takashi Tokita, this mobile version of Final Fantasy VI will be a sort of remake of the original title, adjusted for the tastes and habits of mobile gamers today. For example, the need for grind has been reduced so that players can enjoy the game more for its epic storyline and memorable characters. Fans of the original 2D artwork, however, need not fear as the graphics will retain the same feel, only enhanced for modern displays on smartphones. Tokita also hinted that the company is also mulling over porting Final Fantasy VII over to Android and iOS. The title is one of the most popular and most loved in the franchise and has undoubtedly received many a request to update, port, or remake on various devices. However, given the somewhat perplexing stance by Square Enix to not put out a heavily modified version, we can probably expect that Final Fantasy VII will closely stick to the original, give or take a few adjustments for better mobile experience. The company is also said to be considering other titles further down the line such as Final Fantasy VIII, IX, and even X. However, all of these hinge on the success of this so-called “Legacy project” that is bringing beloved classic titles in the Final Fantasy world to mobile platforms, so whether all that happens is still to be determined. In the meantime, aside from Final Fantasy VI, we do have other titles to look forward to, with Final Fantasy IV: The After Years coming soon, as well as a newer Final Fantasy Agito game. VIA: Kotaku | |
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