Friday, November 1, 2013

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Nexus 5 factory image dump yields Android 4.4 Google apps downloads
Nov 1st 2013, 06:51, by Juan Carlos Torres

The Nexus 5 has just been announced and its 16 GB model already sold out, with the 32 GB probably following quickly. Eager beavers who want to get their hands on at least the latest improvements on Android 4.4 can now take the risk and install the apps separately if they wish.

android-4.4-google-search

Android 4.4 KitKat represents a major step forward in the evolution of the mobile platform. Naturally, the core set of apps that Google provides have also been updated, some more than others. Perhaps one of the most prominent changes has to do with the Hangouts app, which now integrates SMS into the instant and video messaging app. Google Voice users, however, should note that, for the time being, they will be hit by a strange bug that will prevent them from exchanging SMS with users running the updated Hangouts app.

Following the announcements, Google made available the factory image for the Nexus 5 which, of course, contains Android 4.4 and its updated apps. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the Android community to start picking out these apps and making them available for everyone else, whether or not they already have a Nexus 5 or are running Android 4.4. The new Android 4.4 launcher is also available and has special instructions for installing.

The core apps, which include Calendar, Email, Gmail, and Hangouts, as well as the set of new wallpapers, are available from the links below. Those having problems connecting the new Email app to Exchange can download the Exchange2Google APK to make it work. It should be noted that, although a good number of users have reported positive experiences, these are unofficial and unsupported packages and should only be installed at your own risk.

Downloads:

SOURCE: Droid Life, Nathan Myers

Android 4.4 Launcher extracted and available for download
Nov 1st 2013, 06:09, by Juan Carlos Torres

It was just a matter of time before someone ripped apart the Android 4.4 factory image that was just recently uploaded by Google. Thanks to resourceful and avid Android developers, we now have access to the new Home Launcher for use even on devices not yet on Android 4.4. Read on for an overview and special instructions on how to install the launcher.

android-4.4-launcher

Google has just fully launched Android 4.4 but, for the moment, it is only available for the brand new Nexus 5. Among the changes found on the latest Android version is a new and improved launcher. The launcher now allows easy access to Google Now as well as home screen management via simple swiping gestures. Users can now also have an unlimited number of home screens. There are also some revamped icons that go hand to hand with Android 4.4′s new visual look.

Just a while ago, Google made the factory image and binary drivers for the Nexus 5 available on its Nexus support page. The factory image, which contained Android 4.4, was an easy target for eager developers who want these latest features on their devices as soon as possible. Luckily for us, the folks over at XDA are a generous bunch and have made APKs of various bits and pieces of Android 4.4 available for download.

The Android 4.4 Launcher is said to work with any Android device running Android Jelly Bean. In order for it to work, the new Google Now and Google Play Services must also be installed. All three packages can be downloaded from the links below. However, there is currently a bug with Google Search that triggers a Force Close. The way around this issue is to long press the home screen to get to the Settings menu. Select the Voice settings and change the language default to something else. Go back Home and do any Google Search. Repeat the previous steps but now select English – US as the default language.

Downloads:

SOURCE: AndroidBeat, Phandroid

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