Android Community |
- Verizon Galaxy S III bootloader unlock app hits Play Store
- Samsung Galaxy Note 2 renders leaked
- Samsung training documents reveal Galaxy S Relay 4G
- DynaFlo LIQUID-ARMOR nano technology screen protection available now
- Simple Android pattern lock workaround discovered
- Google Play Store incremental “Smart App Updates” now live
- Samsung confirms over 10 million Galaxy Note phablets sold
- Instagram v3.0 brings share photos to Map, improved scrolling and more
| Verizon Galaxy S III bootloader unlock app hits Play Store Posted: 17 Aug 2012 11:05 AM PDT When Samsung dropped their popular Galaxy S III smartphone the first thing many enthusiasts in the Android world did was root it, unlock the bootloader, and start developer custom ROM’s followed by Jelly Bean ports. In their usual fashion Verizon made Samsung lock down the bootloader on their version. So while every other phone was having fun, Verizon’s wasn’t. Today we have an app to solve that.
Those awesome developers from XDA and RootzWiki always manage to out think these problems and come up with ways to unlock our favorite devices. For those following along, the bootloader for Verizon’s Galaxy S III has recently been cracked and last night an easy to use tool was released, but nothing like the app available now. Those same awesome developers have now bundled up that unlock method in to what might be the easiest bootloader unlock process you’ve ever seen. A simple app in the Google Play Store. It’s called EZ-Unlock and is exactly that. Just download it (by clicking here) make sure you have root access, and hit that massive unlock button. That was easy!
That isn’t all either. They’ve also made the app a simple way to lock the bootloader too for those in need. Simply fire it up and you can now lock the bootloader the same way in case you need to send it in for warranty replacement. The folks from CyanogenMod have recently released a test build of Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean for the Verizon Galaxy S III, so that’s a good place to start. Enjoy! Device Info
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 [via Droid-Life]
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| Samsung Galaxy Note 2 renders leaked Posted: 17 Aug 2012 10:03 AM PDT Earlier this morning reports surfaced regarding images of Samsung’s mysterious Galaxy Note 2 smartphone phablet. Sadly those images from KnowYourMobile were fake, and actually from a render that leaked this morning on Twitter. While this could indeed be the final design of the new device, we can’t be certain.
While these renders aren’t official, they are very similar to recent rumors and other leaks. Earlier this week we saw pictures that were rumored to be the Galaxy Note 2 front panel, confirming the large dedicated home button, larger screen, and super thin bezel around the screen. These mockup images making the rounds this afternoon are a fine blend between the Galaxy S III, and that leak. According to the earlier reports this device will be quite powerful rocking Samsung’s Exynos 1.4 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 12 megapixel camera, and of course that 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display. Many believe that Samsung will be following the Galaxy S III design and elegance, and blending that into a large 5.5-inch device, as pictured above. The fan made renders today could have some substance behind them, but for now we’ll just have to wonder. Samsung is set to debut and unveil their Galaxy Note 2 to the world later this month during their Samsung Unpacked event in Berlin, Germany. We’ll be there live on August 29th to bring you all the details too. Most likely we’ll be seeing and hearing more about the Note 2 in the coming weeks, so we’ll keep our eyes out for additional details. [via Twitter]
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| Samsung training documents reveal Galaxy S Relay 4G Posted: 16 Aug 2012 05:55 PM PDT We’ve been hearing rumors that the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q was undergoing a name change, but today we may have just received confirmation. TmoNews has unearthed some Samsung training documents that show the Galaxy S Blaze Q, but this time around it has a different name: the Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G. It would appear that the Blaze Q has indeed been re-branded, but Samsung has yet to make an official announcement on the switch.
The Galaxy S Relay 4G comes equipped with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 4-inch display, and a 1.5 GHz processor. TmoNews reports that we don’t actually know what kind of processor the Relay 4G comes with, but they’re guessing it’s an S4. The Relay 4G comes with Ice Cream Sandwich installed, mobile hotspot capabilities for up to 8 devices, and has NFC and (obviously) 4G functionality. The Relay 4G was originally thought to be launching this week, but with its expected August 15 release date now in the past, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Now it looks like we’ll have to wait for further confirmation from Samsung before the phone eventually arrives at T-Mobile. Perhaps the name change was the reason for the no-show? All in all, the Galaxy S Relay 4G seems like a pretty solid device, as long as you can past the silly name. We’re not sure which name is worse, but we’re positive that both names are pretty bad. Regardless of the name, however, it should be arriving at T-Mobile soon, so if you require a slider that still sports some respectable specs, this might just be the phone for you. Stay tuned to Android Community, because we’ll have more information on the Relay 4G as it becomes available!
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| DynaFlo LIQUID-ARMOR nano technology screen protection available now Posted: 16 Aug 2012 01:43 PM PDT If you’re the type that likes to protect your investment when it comes to your smartphone or tablet we have something just for you. Surely many of you all use screen protectors, but I’m personally not a fan. There are tons of products out there, but DynaFlo has something that is completely invisible. This isn’t your regular screen protector film.
It’s called LIQUID-ARMOR and it is exactly that. It comes in a spray bottle and you simply rub their nano technology screen protector liquid on your phone for the ultimate armor. This has actually been available for a little while, but starting today is available nationwide at many retailers and online.
Using their patented nano-technology you simply spray a nano liquid on your device and rub it with the included microfiber cloth, and you’ll have invisible protection for 6 months. What’s even better is the bottle lasts for tons of uses. For $25 you get an entire bottle that will last for multiple devices, not a one-use case scenario here. Their nano-coating makes an invisible layer of ultimate protection that won’t mess with screen sensitivity, dull colors, or cause your smooth touchscreen surface to have that “orange peel” look that most films do. DynaFlo works on smart phones, tablets, gaming consoles, cameras and more. Anything with glass can be easily protected. It protects your screen from scratches, repels water and dust, and is completely invisible. Sign me up now! Starting today you can get LIQUID-ARMOR in stores nationwide at Walmart, Target, Fry’s Electronics and more, as well as online. We’ll be giving it a try shortly so stay tuned for a detailed review. [via DynaFlo]
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| Simple Android pattern lock workaround discovered Posted: 16 Aug 2012 01:30 PM PDT Here’s some good news for those who frequently forget their pattern to unlock their phones: a developer on the XDA forums has discovered a relatively simple workaround for pattern-locked devices. This workaround requires just a few lines of code in ADB, and it’s made even easier by the fact that your phone doesn’t need to be rooted in order for it work. Of course, that also means that some undesirable people may be able to gain access to your phone if it’s ever stolen, so watch out for that.
According to XDA forum user m.sabra, the only thing this workaround requires is that you have “USB Debugging” enabled, and though rooting isn’t necessary, he also says it would be better if the device is rooted. Once USB debugging has been enabled on your phone, all you need to do is enter a few lines of code (which can be found in thread linked to above) in ADB, reboot, and then you should have access to your once-inaccessible device. This will likely be a godsend for people who forget their patterns on a regular basis, but as stated above, the ability to easily get into your locked up phone comes with a price. Anyone with a little knowledge in ADB will also be able to get into your phone and in turn your personal data, so if you’re a developer (or hacker) and frequently have USB debugging enabled, it’s probably a good idea to start remembering to turn it off. All it would take is you taking your eyes off your phone for a minute and it could be gone, thus opening you up to all kinds of bad things. The kicker here is that it doesn’t even take someone who is well-versed in ADB to pull this off. Someone with a basic knowledge of ADB could do this easily, which is again both a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to know you’ve got an easy way in should you ever find yourself locked out of your phone, but at the same, it’s scary knowing that malicious people could have the same easy access. Watch those phones, folks, and be sure to keep USB debugging disabled when you’re not actually using it. [via Phandroid]
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| Google Play Store incremental “Smart App Updates” now live Posted: 16 Aug 2012 01:15 PM PDT Back in June during Google IO we heard about an upcoming feature to the Google Play Store that would make users and carriers alike extremely happy. This was called smart app updates. Essentially how this works is when you get an update the Play Store will only download the new bits, rather than the entire application again.
What this means is when you get an update to Asphalt 6, or a large game like ShadowGun that is well over 50MB in size, you won’t be waiting forever to download the update, and you won’t be using up large sums of data either. Instead you’ll only get “incremental” updates of what’s new. For those on small data plans, or in non 3G/4G LTE markets this will come in handy. Google’s been making tons of changes behind the scenes over the past few days with their Play Store. A new version was pushed out last night, and it looks like they’ll be adding gift cards and wishlists soon. Apparently though that isn’t all because the folks from Android Police noticed these new smart updates happening now. A great example is the update to Instagram available this morning. It is a 13MB app and usually you have to install the entire thing on updates, but with Google’s smart app updates it only downloads 3MB and sends you on your way. Great stuff Google! I’m extremely excited to finally see this arrive, and I have a feeling carriers will be too.
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| Samsung confirms over 10 million Galaxy Note phablets sold Posted: 16 Aug 2012 12:41 PM PDT For all the naysayers that didn’t like Samsung’s Galaxy Note (you know who you are) Samsung has just confirmed that while the phone isn’t a smashing hit, it has still been quite popular. During their announcement yesterday of the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet they quickly reminded everyone that the original Galaxy Note has sold over 10 million units.
Just for a bit of context here. The Galaxy S III sold over 10 million in just over a month, but considering the small adoption rate by US carriers of the Note, that number is still quite good. Earlier this year in March Samsung announced they’d sold around 5 million, so it’s nice to see the Galaxy Note still doing well in most markets. Either way Samsung felt that 10 million strong was enough to warrant a follow up, because come August 29th we’ll all be meeting the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with a 5.5-inch display. The Galaxy Note 2 will be their third “Note” device with the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet taking second, and it is available starting today. LG has released their own Optimus Vu, and reports suggest HTC is planning their own “phablet” too, but for now Samsung is clearly leading the 5-inch and bigger market. Have you used the Galaxy Note, or does the size seem too large? We’ll be live in Berlin, Germany, for the unveiling of the Note 2 so stay tuned if you’re interested. Device Info
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[via Gottabemobile]
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| Instagram v3.0 brings share photos to Map, improved scrolling and more Posted: 16 Aug 2012 12:25 PM PDT Who’s ready for more amateur photography? The creators of Instagram (now owned by Facebook) have just issued a rather large update to their extremely popular application bringing some neat new enhancements and features. Their new feature called “photo maps” will probable be popular so lets take a peek.
Now users that geo-tag or add their location to photos can check them out on a map and see where they’ve been taken. This is great for vacations, trips, or people that travel a lot in general. Your followers can also see too, so use caution. Being able to see where your friends go and where an amazing photo was taken is a great feature. Next up is infinite scrolling. Previously you had to scroll the the bottom of the list, then tap the pesky “load more photos” button that always took far too long. Now they’ve added infinite scrolling where it will auto load content. A simple but much wanted feature, so give it a try. Check out the video below. Finally, the last thing is speeeeed. This goes hand in hand with the new infinite scrolling feature, as photos now load extremely fast. With millions and millions of users speed has always been an issue, but now that Facebook has control on the backend we can expect things to hopefully get better — although judging their Android app I have my doubts. Get it right this minute on the Google Play Store. [via Instagram]
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