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Wednesday, 8 January 2014

Easily Capture Screenshots of your Android Screen With Advanced Screenshot Creator

What is the best way for you to capture screenshots? For Android 4.0+ running devices, it would probably be using the Power and Volume down buttons together. That stores the captured screenshot to your device’s storage. If you were to store the captured screenshots to your windows machine, you would probably connect your device to the PC and transfer them. But there’s always a better alternative way to doing things traditionally. One such alternative is Advanced Screenshot Creator developed by XDA-Developers forum member Diamondback. It is a light tool for windows machines to capture screenshots of an Android device connected to it via USB cable.
The tool adds some functionality to the Dalvik Debug Monitor Server (DDMS) tool which provides port-forwarding services, screen capture on the device, thread and heap information on the device, logcat, process, and radio state information, incoming call and SMS spoofing, location data spoofing, and more.
2014-01-02_19-56-58

Requirements

To get started with Advanced Screenshot Creator, all you need is a PC running Windows Vista or later (including Windows 8), Microsoft .NET 4.5, properly set up ADB drivers for your device and the tool itself.

Features

  • Take screenshots from any ADB connected device
  • Automatically save all taken screenshots to a user specified folder
  • Show you each screenshot in the tool, so you know exactly what you already have and what you still need
  • Replace existing screenshots in case you are not happy with them
To get the latest version of this tool, head over to the original thread at XDA-Developers. Do let us know your experience with the tool, do you know about some better screenshot-taking alternatives?

Sony Xperia S Gets Official Jelly Bean Update [6.2.B.0.200]

he much awaited Jelly Bean update for Sony Xperia S is finally here and it is both for Xperia S LT26i and Xperia SL LT26ii. There were leaks previously which were meant only for brown (developer devices) or for devices with unlocked bootloader. But this one is for all – no matter if your phone is rooted or not. You can flash it on both locked and unlock bootloaders.

As it can be seen from the screenshots above, your PC companion must show that an update for your phone is available and the update is codenamed 6.2.B.0.200 – the same which Xperia P and Xperia Go received.
Here’s a screenshot of the device running official Jelly Bean:

You may not receive the update using the PC companion because it is location-dependent but you can still update your phone via FlashTool. All you need to do is download the ftf file for your update and flash it via FlashTool.
Please note that this procedure is applicable only on devices that are not locked to any carrier. Trying this on a carrier-locked device might brick it.
Since this update will wipe all data on your device (if you prefer a clean install), we recommend you backup data using our backup guide and have the latest drivers installed on your PC.

Steps to Update Sony Xperia S to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Download the Jelly Bean ftf file for Sony Xperia S from this thread.
The steps to update the device are same for all Xperia devices. I have mentioned the steps in the Xperia P update tutorial. You can select the ftf file for Xperia S in FlashTool and flash it to your device. If you wish to retain data, you can uncheck “DATA” on the right when you select the ftf file in FlashTool.
Once the flashing is finished, the phone will reboot with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. If you face any issues with this update, you can leave a comment below or ask us in our Facebook group. We’ll be glad to help you.

Get MIUI ICS ROM Working on Your Sony Xperia S

Sony Xperia S is the next phone to get MIUI Ice Cream Sandwich ROM after Xperia Arc/Arc S. MIUI ROMs are pretty smooth and fast when they come from the official Chinese community. This community has now released an MIUI ROM for Sony Xperia S and in this tutorial we will let you know the steps that need to be followed while installing this ROM. We’ll also let you know how to backup data on your phone before you install this ROM.
xperia s miui rom
Since this is a custom ROM, you may face a few issues with some apps. I haven’t seen people giving any negative feedback about this ROM, though. Installing a custom ROM will void the warranty of your device.

Screenshots

MIUI ROM for Sony Xperia S  Xperia S MIUI
  
You will need to wipe all data on your phone before you install it to prevent low memory and force close issues. Hence, it is recommended that you backup data before you proceed with the installation steps.

Prerequisites

  1. Back up all apps using ASTRO File Manager. You can get the APK files using ASTRO and later restore it. Rooted users can use Titanium Backup which also backs up data along with the apps.
  2. Back up all contacts to SD card.
  3. Backup SMS on Android.
  4. Backup call log on Android.
  5. Have minimum 60% charge on your phone else you might get stuck while the update process is running on your device.
  6. Remove any security or Anti-virus app if you have them installed.
  7. Enable USB Debugging. This can be don by Settings>Applications>Development and making sure that USB Debugging is checked.

Steps to Install MIUI ICS ROM On Sony Xperia S

  1. Download the ROM from this link (Click on “miuiandroid_LT26i-2.9.7.zip”) and download the zip file.
  2. Also download CWM.zip file from Mediafire.
  3. Copy both the zip files into your phone’s SD card.
  4. Boot your phone into recovery mode. An easier method to do this is to use the Quick Boot (Reboot) App.
  5. In the recovery mode, make a nandroid backup so that you can revert back to your current ROM if you wish to.
  6. Now wipe data/factory reset and wipe cache partition then go into mounts and storage and format system data and cache then go into advanced and wipe dalvik cache.
  7. Go to “Install zip from SD card”>”Choose zip from SD card” and select the ROM zip file that you had moved to your SD card in Step 3.
  8. After this, flash the CWM.zip file in similar way.
  9. Go back and select “Reboot system now”.
Your phone must now be running MIUI ICS ROM. If you face any issues, feel free to comment below :)

CyanogenMod 11 Android 4.4 for the Sony Xperia S

Sony Xperia S, one of the best high end devices from Sony has received a stable CyanoegenMod 11 build, thanks to the OpenSEMC team at XDA-Developer forums. The current beta build is pretty stable for daily use except for some minor issues that shouldn’t affect the daily functioning of the device. XDA member RaymanFX has contributed in the development of ROMs for several other Xperia devices and is the main contributor to this ROM as well.
As of now, the ROM does not have a working FM radio which is a common issue in most CM ROMs. Apart from this, the Notification bar doesn’t render smooth and it lacks stereo sound on the hardware speaker. More issues can be seen here.

Screenshots

Xperia S KitKat Xperia S Android 4.4
KitKat for Xperia S Android 4.4 for Xperia S

Downloads

Download the ROM zip file and Gapps from the following two links:

Disclaimer: The warranty of your device will be void after flashing this ROM. Neither the developer nor Navigatordash is responsible if your device is bricked or if you face any other issues.
Data Backup
It is recommended to have a backup before you flash this ROM as all data will be wiped if you follow this tutorial. You can create a nandroid backup using OBackup and restore data using Nandroid Manager. For more, you can refer our Android data backup guide.

Installation Instructions

  1. Make sure you have unlocked the bootloader of your Xperia S, if not, visit unlockbootloader.sonymobile.com
  2. Your device should be rooted and CWM installed.
  3. Download the ROM zip file and Gapps zip file. Place it in the device’s storage.
  4. Boot your device into recovery mode.
  5. In recovery mode, wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache and dalvik cache from Advanced menu.
  6. Go to “Install zip from SD card”>”Choose zip from SD card” and select the ROM zip file.
  7. Repeat the previous step and flash the Gapps zip file.
  8. Go back and select ‘Reboot system now”.
Your Sony Xperia S should now boot into CM 11 Android 4.4. If you face any issues, feel free to comment below or refer the original thread on XDA forums.

How To Install Whatsapp On Any Android Tablet

So you love Whatsapp and also have an Android tablet but you can not use Whatsapp with it just because your Android tablet does not support a SIM card – it’s a tablet and not a smartphone. This is because Whatsapp reads your phone status and identity using the mobile network. Since your tablet doesn’t have these properties, Whatsapp installation isn’t possible unless you try the method mentioned below.
I haven’t created this guide, it has been created by AnonFBI on XDA forums. Via this blog post, I am only sharing knowledge and might help you if you face any issues. Also, this method does not  require root permissions and should work on all Android tablets irrespective of the Android version your tablet might be running.
[box_light]Someone has reported that the version of Whatsapp used for this tutorial has become obsolete which means that this tutorial might no longer be helpful.[/box_light] The procedure goes this way -
  1. Download BlueStacks and install it on your PC. BlueStacks is an emulator which lets you run Android apps on your PC – pretty useful software one can use.
  2. Download WhatsApp v2.8.7326 apk file on your PC. The creator of this guide is specific about this version because this guide works only with this version as the new version has some security protection.
  3. Download STR AppGuard on your phone. This app is useful for the user to read and modify the permissions of any app installed on the device.
  4. Right click on the Whatsapp APK file and select “”Open with BlueStacks APK Installer”.
  5. Install Whatsapp on your tablet from the Google Play Store but do not run the app. Once it is installed, tap the “Done” button. In case you ran the app, you will have to go to Settings>Apps>Whatsapp>Clear data.
  6. Launch STR AppGuard and select “Whatsapp” from the list of installed applications.
  7. You will get the following screen: (I am using my phone for screenshots because I don’t have a tablet)
    Secure app
  8. Tap on OK button and the app will finish the three tasks listed in the image above. It will uninstall Whatsapp and install a secure version of the app.
  9. After the app is installed, you will see the permissions of Whatsapp (see screenshot below). Just uncheck the ”Phone calls – read phone status and identity” option which will prevent Whatsapp from reading your phone identity. Since there is no such identity, this criteria will be void.
    read phone identity
  10. Launch Whatsapp onBlueStacks and enter your phone number. Get the verification code via SMS or via a phone call.
  11. Repeat the above step on your tablet and you  will get some error. Select the “Call me” option and you will still receive an error.
  12. Tap the menu button on your tablet and enter the code you received.
  13. Whatsapp will now work on your tablet. You can import contacts via a Google account.
If you receive a 6 digit authorization code, you perhaps did not install the correct version of Whatsapp listed above. You can now uninstall Whatsapp on BlueStacks and also remove AppGuard if you don’t need it anymore.
If you face any issues, leave a comment below :)

Install CM10 Jelly Bean ROM on your Sony Xperia Tipo

The Sony Xperia Tipo has been sweeping off from the shelves in a similar way as it being better than the competition. Recently we had posted the Rooting Guide to the little from the Japanese and now we got a big time surprise to all of you owners of the device as this device has recently been added to the list of devices supported under the FreeXperia Project.


About the FreeXperia Project:

FreeXperia is a group of CyanogenMod Xperia mainteiners who work upon making the latest of Cyanogenmod releases(which are a set of off-market firmware for different varities of android devices based on every new edition of the platform that hits the surface) available to each and every possible new generation Xperia device released by Sony. This exclusive support team is unique in many ways as there hasn’t been any such group which backup a whole series of devices with frequent releases.

Pre-Installation Tasks:

  1. Back up all apps using ASTRO File Manager. You can get the APK files using ASTRO and later restore it. Rooted users can use Titanium Backup which also backs up data along with the apps.
  2. Back up all contacts to SD card.
  3. Backup SMS on Android.
  4. Backup call log on Android.
  5. Have minimum 60% charge on your phone else you might get stuck while the update process is running on your device.
  6. Remove any security or Anti-virus app if you have them installed.
  7. Enable USB Debugging. This can be don by Settings>Applications>Development and making sure that USB Debugging is checked.
Disclaimer: Navigator dash is not responsible for any damage that your device may face during this process. The developer is also not responsible for the same. There are little chances that your device may face any issue. However, try this at your own risk. This process voids the warranty of your device.

Steps to Install CM10 Jelly Bean ROM on your Sony Xperia Tipo :

    1. Download the zip file from the original thread.
    2. Copy the downloaded zip to the root folder of your sdcard.
    3. Boot into recovery mode.
    4. In the recovery mode, you can navigate using the volume buttons and select using menu/home button.
    5. Make a nandroid backup in recovery mode.
    6. Use these to navigate and select “Wipe” and then “Wipe data” and also consider wiping Dalvik cache if you don’t want to face “Low on memory” issues.
    7. Now, navigate through the interface choose “select zip from SD card” and select the zip file which we downloaded earlier.
    8. After it gets completed, you can flash the GAPPS file in a similar fashion and get back using the back button and select “Reboot” and you are done!.
If you followed all those steps carefully, you can now enjoy Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in the Cyanogenmod style :) .
If you faced any problems while flashing the ROM or have any queries/suggestions to make, please leave us a word in the comments section.

Jelly Bean OTA Update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 India Leaked

Jelly Bean OTA Update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 India Leaked

Jelly Bean OTA Update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 India Leaked

Sammobile has leaked the Jelly Bean OTA update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 for Indian users. You can download the OTA update and flash it on your tablet right now instead of waiting for Samsung to push the update to your device.
About this OTA update, Sammobile says:
This is the very first Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean TEST OTA Update for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (GT-P3100). We wanted to give Samsung’s Die-Hard fans a taste of Jelly Bean before it’s officially released. This update will also help 3rd party Android Developers, like CyanogenMod Team, to improve their Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean custom ROMs for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
OTA Firmware Details:
Android Version: 4.1.1 – JRO03C
PDA: P3100DDBLI1
Country: India (INU)
Build Date: September 8, 2012
Size: 295.2MB
OTA updates’ require a specific base firmware on which they can be flashed upon and are flashed through the stock Samsung Recovery.
This P3100DDBLI1 Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean OTA update requires the user to be on P3100DDBLH3 firmware
Official Jelly Bean Update for Galaxy Tab 2.7.0
In this tutorial we will tell you how to flash the OTA update on your device right now. Before you proceed with the installation steps, make sure you backup all data on your tablet.

Screenshots

  

Prerequisites

  • Back up all apps using ASTRO File Manager. You can get the APK files using ASTRO and later restore it. Rooted users have a better option of using Titanium Backup.
  • Have minimum 60% charge on your device else you might get stuck while the update process is running on your device.
  • Remove any security or Anti-virus app if you have them installed.
  • Enable USB Debugging. This can be don by Settings>Applications>Development and making sure that USB Debugging is checked.
Disclaimer: NavigatorDash is not responsible for any damage that your device may face during this process. The developer is also not responsible for the same. There are little chances that your device may face any issue. However, try this at your own risk. This process voids the warranty of your device.

Steps to Install Official Jelly Bean Update on Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 GT-P3100

  1. Download the Base firmware required by the OTA Update, P3100DDBLH3  from HERE.
  2. Extract the contents of the file to a separate folder in your PC.
  3. Download Odin.
  4. Boot your device into download mode (Press Power Button + Volume down).
  5. Open Odin.
  6. Connect your tab to the PC via USB Cable and wait until Odin recognizes it. If it doesn’t you should check your device drivers being properly installed on your PC.
  7. Click PDA button and select the file P3100DDBLH3_P3100ODDBLH1_P3100DDLG1_HOME.tar.md5
  8. Make sure re-partition is NOT ticked
  9. Click on “Start” button and wait for the firmware to be flashed.
  10. After the base firmware has been flashed you nee to download the OTA update from here.
  11. Copy the downloaded zip file to your SD card.
  12. Boot your tab into recovery mode (Press Power Button + Volume up).
  13. Select Apply update from External Storage and select the zip file you had copied to your SD card in step 11.
  14. After flashing the OTA update, select “Wipe Data/Factory Restore”. This will format your SD card.
  15. Go back and select “Reboot system now”.
Your Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.7.0 GT-P3100 will now be running official Jelly Bean update from Samsung. If you face any issues, feel free to comment below :)

Android 4.3 OTA Update Rolling Out to Indian Samsung Galaxy S3

It has  been more than a month since Samsung started rolling out Android 4.3 update to the Galaxy S3 devices in the U.S and other countries and today the update has started rolling out to Indian Galaxy S3 users.  The OTA update has the build number I9300XWUGML4 and weighs 408 MB.
S3 India I9300 Android 4.3 Update Samsung Galaxy S3 India Android 4.3 Update
The Android 4.3 update brings Samsung Galaxy GEAR compatibility to the device which is of no use unless you have the Galaxy GEAR, improved performance, KNOX support, new camera modes and more. Here’s the full changelog:
  • GALAXY GEAR Support
  • TRIM Support (Makes the device much faster)
  • ANT+ Support
  • Core UI elements updated to the ones on the Galaxy S4 (Galaxy S4′s theme all over)
  • New Samsung Keyboard
  • GPU drivers have been updated (Higher GPU benchmark scores)
  • New Lockscreen: Multiple Widgets, improved ripple effect than Android 4.1.2, ability to change clock size and set a personal message
  • New Screen modes (From S4): Adapt Display and Professional Photo
  • Daydream
  • Driving mode
  • Actionable notifications
  • Move-to-SD-card feature
  • New Camera mode : Sound and Shot
  • New Additions in Notification Centre
  • Completely revamped Settings UI (Tabbed interface – Exactly like the Galaxy S4)
  • Implementation of Voice controls (Let’s you control various parts of the phone using voice commands – Galaxy S4 feature)
  • New Samsung Apps: Calculator, Clock, Contacts, Gallery, Music
  • Full screen Samsung apps
  • New S-Voice (from Galaxy S4)
To receive this update, you can go to Settings>About phone and check for software updates which should show you the aforementioned build number, or you can use KIES to check for the update. Another alternative is to download and flash the firmware manually. You can download the firmware from Sammobile
Please note that updating the phone will revoke root access in case the device is already rooted. You will have to root the device again to remove bloat or modify the system in any way possible!

Google Asks For Removal of CyanogenMod Installer From Play Store

The CyanogenMod Installer was released in the Play Store with an aim to help newbies install the custom ROM easily without going through much hassle. However, Google does not seem to like it and has asked the CyanogenMod team to remove the app from the Play Store or they might have to do it administratively.

The CyanogenMod Installer was released in the Play Store with an aim to help newbies install the custom ROM easily without going through much hassle. However, Google does not seem to like it and has asked the CyanogenMod team to remove the app from the Play Store or they might have to do it administratively.

The basic function of the app is that it connects the users to the desktop client through ADB, via a USB cable and it does not actually unlock or root the Android device – all that is done by the Desktop client that the user downloads from CyanogenMod’s website. Google says that the app ‘encourages users to void their warranty,’ which is unacceptable though the app technically doesn’t violate a rule.
According to CyanogenMod blog,
Today, we were contacted by the Google Play Support team to say that our CyanogenMod Installer application is in violation of Google Play’s developer terms.
They advised us to voluntarily remove the application, or they would be forced to remove it administratively. We have complied with their wishes while we wait for a more favorable resolution.
You can however download the app from a direct link and view the installation instructions here. To install the app you need to go to Settings>Security and check “Unknown sources” option. Cyanogen Inc plans to release the app on Amazon app store and Samsung app store, but it might get rejected in these market places too.

[DOWNLOAD] Android 4.3 for Sony Xperia Z & Xperia ZL Leaks

While Nexus and Google Play Edition devices are receiving Android 4.4 KitKat updates, OEM-skinned devices always take too long to receive these updates. Though the Xperia Z (C6603) and Xperia ZL (C6503) will receive the Android 4.4 update in 2014, a leaked version of the Android 4.3 update meant for these devices has been posted online in the form of an ftf file which can be easily flashed via FlashTool.

Xperia-Z_Firmware_10.4.B.0.569-315x560

The build number for both the leaks is 10.4.B.0.569 and the firmware has been tested by users on XDA forums. Most users have reported  a significant increase in the device’s performance without any bugs. Since this is an unofficial leak, there is a possibility that the official version that will be rolled out Over The Air (OTA) might carry a different build number.
It is important to note that flashing this on your device will not void the warranty as it is a Sony-certified firmware. Also, flashing this firmware will revoke root access in case your device is already rooted but it will not affect the bootloader status.

Downloads

To learn how to flash it to your device via FlashTool, you can refer this guide that I posted for the Xperia P.
Should you face any issues while flashing, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be glad to help you.
Download links and leaks courtesy of XDA-forum member Androxyde.
Source (1) (2)

Google Releases Android Device Manager App in the Play Store

he Android Device manager adds a layer of security to your Android device with remote locking and wipe options and also lets you locate the device via its website. The website functionality is now available as an app on the Play Store.
If you are one among those who don’t know how to activate Android device manager, it is an app that comes with Google Play Services and can be activated from Settings>Security>Device Administrators. Its permissions to wipe or lock the device and send the device’s location to Google can be controlled from the Google Settings app on your device. Once activated, you head over to the web interface of Android device manager, sign in using the same Google account that is associated with your Android device and locate your phone.
While that helps you when your device goes missing, trying to locate your device via a web browser might be difficult especially when you are trying to do it on another Android device. Google has therefore launched the Android device manager app in the Play Store.
If you lose your device, you can use any other Android device and pull up the Android device manager to locate your missing phone. As of now, the app can only help you locate the missing device, lock it or wipe the data on the device.
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[APK DOWNLOAD] Google Play Store 4.5.10 With IAP Indicator, Activity Sharing & More

Google Play Store has been updated yet again to version 4.5.10 and brings quite a lot of exciting new features which include In-app purchase indicator, activity sharing and an improvised interface to rate apps and view ratings by your Google+ friends.
Screenshot_2013-12-06-21-33-45
The most important update in the new Play Store is the in–app purchase indicator which indicates if the app you are installing will ask you for payments when you are using it or not. For example, if you download a game and start playing, there are chances that you can go beyond a level only by making a payment, This will be indicated in the Play Store before you install the app – but this is a binary indication as it only lets you know if the app has in-app purchases or not and there is no indication about the amount you might need to spend within the app.
Screenshot_2013-12-06-21-33-10 Screenshot_2013-12-06-21-32-42
Apart from this, if you haven’t rated an app yet, you will see the blank stars below the app’s screenshots and these stars are not bigger than before. Also, the reviews below are sorted with reviews from your Google+ friends on the top and the reviews by other people appear below them. You can also edit your review and also delete them if you wish to.
Screenshot_2013-12-06-21-34-49
There is yet another feature worth mentioning in this update – activity sharing. You will now be able to see a feed of your friends’ Play Store activity which includes their +1s, app installs and reviews. Your activity is share with your Google+ connections similarly.
Play Store 4.5.10 APKDownload Link 1 | Link 2

Google Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 : What You Need to Know?

The super cyclone which hit the American coast this past week swept a lot along with it but Google looked in no mood to face any sort of event annihilation as it moved out of the cards and announced the next generation Nexus devices to the world. Both of them being marvelously carved out pieces of beauty boast the most robust chispets of the present generation of droids.

To Begin with, let’s start with the introduction to the latest additions to the Droid power-grid.

Google Nexus 4

Apologies for being a bit late to the occasion, to be very honest, we were already in the hunt! Putting a confirmatory stand to all the coverage on the Nexus 4 that we brought to you, Taming down the nature’s conspiracy, the Google Nexus is now officially here. The successor to the highly successful Samsung Galaxy Nexus got it’s share of announcements done by Google with the alleged Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS on-board( No Key lime pie this time!).
 The 4.7” Nexus device from the house of the Korean manufacturer has got a lot of things on the charts to share with it’s closest sibling, the LG Optimus G, the Google Nexus 4 boasts the same or odd configuration viz. the Snapdragon S4 processor with it’s four krait cores ticked at 1.5Ghz of clockspeed, Adreno 320 GPU , 2Gigabytes of RAM and the 8MP/1.3Mp camera combo on-board as well as the HD display whose 318ppi count ensures some eye-popping action over the 4.7 inches of screen estate.
The Nexus phone will be available in two variants viz. an 8GB one along with a 16GB one, whichever suits your desire. The only feature which takes it ahead of all the competition is the fact that this phone is a Nexus! Clarifying further, It carries on the legacy of tasting out the latest of droid confectionery even before the league could hear about it. With stock Android 4.2, this device is seriously a true successor to the Nexus line up of super cool smartphones by Google.

Google Nexus 10

The much awaited answer to all the bragging rights done on the part of the retina display by apple, The Google Nexus 10, pictures of which were leaked previously is finally here! Officially this time. The 10.1” slate manufactured by the king of the droid market, the makers of the Skyrocketed Galaxy series, Samsung, boasts a jaw dropping pixel density of a whopping 299ppi on a Super-PLS TFT unit which easily bests out the critically acclaimed and potentially applauded Retina Display by Apple.
“Its not showing off if you don’t back it up!” This phrase seems valid enough to explain the efforts put into this amazing 10-incher by Samsung. The classy exteriors and the out of the world display unit is nicely backed up by some beefy configurations on the inside. Running on Samsung’s very own Exynos 5250 chipset, the dual core unit rocks two cortex-A15 cores clocked at a zippy 1.7Ghz of clockspeed along with the new generation Mali GPU, the Mali-T604and 2GB RAM should be capable enough to easily race past the current  chipsets including the dual core Krait ones.
Planned to ship with Android 4.2 out of the box along with a 5MP/1.9MP imaging combo in 16/32Gb variants, this sure could turn out to be a deal sealer for the potential buyers. Further, boasting the Nexus moniker gives it an additional stand ahead of the competition. We’ll come back to that later.

Forums go live at the XDA!

Google went official regarding the above nexus devices which means now they have a full-fledged portfolio of devices under the Nexus branding which now includes three different device of different mobility criterion viz. the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and the Nexus 10 (going by the size).  Its an announcement from google, how could the big hackers stay back and watch! Yes, the masters @ the XDA are yet again in the action with the forums for the recently announced Nexus  lads. Here are the links to the forums:
Google Nexus 4 XDA Forum
Google Nexus 10 XDA Forum
Talking about XDA, how could we @hackmyandroid.com could sit back with all that action happening in the Droid world! Despite the delay, we are back and promise you a bang for the click you pay as we look forward to bring to you all the hacking stuff on these two super cool Nexus devices.
So, hop-on and get ready as we look forward to keep in with our legacy with the coverage we did on the Nexus 7.
Excited? let us know about your opinions on the two from the Nexus-land as well as stay tuned with us as we continue to deliver :)

CallApp is Probably the Best Dialer & Caller ID For Your Android

After testing quite a lot of Caller ID apps and dialers, I decided to use CallApp which is probably the best one till date. It has hit the Google Play Store recently and has good ratings and reviews. According to TechCrunch, CallApp is one of the most promising startup this year. CallApp was a finalist at TechCrunch Disrupt 2012 – one of the most anticipated technology conferences.
CallApp integrates your contacts with your social networks. Quite a lot of apps do that but this app does it differently making it interesting.  CallApp provides you with all info you need about the person you are talking to. It can be used to view contacts,call logs and also has a beautiful caller ID with some customization options.


Upon installing the app, you will be asked to connect your phone to your social accounts like Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and Twitter. After you connect your accounts, the app uses the pictures of your friends form these accounts when you get a call from them. This can also be disabled.
On the CallerID you will also be shown a recent status update from the user’s profile. It also has a business caller ID which displays the information about the company. That’s possible if the number is associated with a Facebook page.

The caller ID also gives you some options like sending  message to the contact, share your location with the contact, share pictures and a few more. So you need not go back to the home screen while you are on a call, instead you can do these operations directly from the caller ID screen.
You can also save notes for contacts on your phone. These notes will be displayed when the person calls you. The caller ID is customizable – you can make it short, medium, large or disable the caller ID this app provides and use the stock caller ID you have on your phone. With these many things being displayed on the caller ID, it does not make things cluttered. You can re-order information that is displayed on the caller ID placing what you wish to see on the top.
I’ve not experienced any issues with the app as of now but I am not sure how it would run on low-end android devices. It certainly needs some high numbers on the specs of the device as the app has to start without any delay as soon as you receive a call. Since this app does something different from other apps and also gives quite a lot of customization options, we’ll give this app 4 stars.

Remotely Manage your Android Device Using Pocket.do

Pocket.do is yet another great Android app that has popped into the Google Play Store. When it comes to managing your Android device remotely, the first name that may come to your mind is AirDroid – a great app to browse through files on your phone, send and receive SMS, view photos, videos, manage clipboard data and much more. While AirDroid has some great features, pocket.do does something similar with some extra features and a spy camera which AirDroid doesn’t offer. We aren’t promoting any of these apps but they stand good for their respective features.
Pocket.do is a remote Android management and control suite for Android devices that offers you features like managing threads, contacts and pictures via the native website. It also lets you locate your Android device and turn on the spy camera using the website. All of these features are explained briefly past the break.
  Pocket.do
To begin with, you first need to install this app on your Android device from the link at the end of this post. You can click on “Connect” button and use any service like Facebook or Google to connect. The same service can be used on the native website to manage your phone.
After this has been done, head over to pocket.do on your browser. Sign in with the same service that you used in the app on your phone. After this, your device name will be shown to you and you can click on it to access the control panel.
Manage Messages in Browser
The first tab lets you access your message thread on the browser. You can view those threads and chat with your friends right from your browser or add a new number from the option at the bottom to send a message. Comparing this feature with AirDroid, I would recommend pocket.do because there is no lag in sending an SMS or viewing a thread. AirDroid seemed to lag sometimes though both my PC and Android device were on the same WiFi network.
Manage Android contacts in browser
The next tab lets you access contacts on your Android phone. You can view contact details on the right and the list on the left of your screen. You can also edit these details and the changes will reflect on your phone. Adding and deleting contacts is also pretty easy but it does not let you select multiple contacts at a time, something which AirDroid does.
Locate Android device
Locating your Android device remotely is perhaps the best feature of pocket.do. When you click on locate, the site shows you the location of your device on Google maps. Before you do this, make sure you have checked the option “Use Wireless networks” in Location and Security settings. If not, this feature will not work for you. You can also make an alarm sound on your device if you feel it is in your vicinity though this feature didn’t work for me.
Spy Camera Android
The Spy Camera feature is yet another great feature from pocket.do It lets you turn on the camera on your phone automatically and view whatever lies in front of it in the website. When you activate the feature form the website, it lets you see using the camera as an eye. You can capture the image and save it to your computer. This is useful if your phone is stolen. You can use the captured images to trace the culprit.
This ends the features that pocket.do has to offer you. I have been using this app from the past one week and it seems to help me a lot while I am on the PC. What are your views about pocket.do?
Download Pocket.do for Android