Haroon Q Raja

Senior Editor
:: Website :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Google+ ::

Paranoid Android’s HALO Notification System – A Complete Review

by on
13
CyanogenMod is usually the first name that comes to mind when talking about custom ROMs for Android, but it isn’t the only big player in the game. Over the past couple of years, a few other ROMs like MIUI and AOKP have also joined the ranks of this behemoth, but none of them has been as innovative as Paranoid Android. In addition to bringing us per-app system colors, choice between phone, tablet, phablet and hybrid UIs, and the famous full-screen PIE navigation system, the latest and arguably the greatest feature brought to the world of Android by this AOSP-based ROM is HALO – a Facebook Chat Heads-style notification system that works universally for all your system and app notifications. What’s more – it also opens up the relevant screen of the appropriate app in a floating window for you to respond to the notification, so you don’t have to completely switch to that app from what you’re doing. Let’s take a more detailed look at it right after the break. Read More

Install Leaked Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean ROM On Samsung Galaxy S III

by on
3
The entire Android world seems to be talking about two devices these days – Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One. Sammy’s latest offering comes with a lot of nifty features added to the software that make it smarter than your average smartphone. If you already have a Galaxy S III and are not sure whether you wanna shell out extra dough just to get those features or stick with what you’ve got, we have some amazing news for you! You can now get the latest S4 camera features and more on your S III without having to shell out a penny, thanks to SamMobile who have shared the latest official Android 4.2.2 XXUFME3 firmware with us that just got leaked hours ago. Read on for details & installation instructions. Read More

What Is TWRP Recovery & How To Install & Use It On Android Devices [Guide]

by on
Leave a comment
Till just over a year back, ClockworkMod (aka CWM) was the go-to custom recovery for pretty much every mainstream Android device. Things have changed a lot since, with a newer player entering the game and gaining a lot of critical acclaim, as well as a huge user base. TeamWin Recovery Project – or TWRP for short – is a fully touch-based custom recovery that was initially developed for Nexus devices, but has since been made available for countless other smartphones and tablets as well, in form of both official and third-party builds. Just like we took you through a very detailed tour of ClockworkMod recovery and its features, we’re going to guide you through all the features of TWRP right after the jump. Read More

Hands-On With The New Features In Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail

by on
4
Staying loyal to its release cycle, Canonical has recently released the latest version of the world’s most popular Linux distribution – Ubuntu 13.04. Dubbed ‘Raring Ringtail’, this release brings with it a bunch of new features, along with several significant improvements to many existing ones. Just a couple of months back, we got to take Ubuntu’s under-development mobile OS, Ubuntu Touch Preview for a spin and were left fairly impressed. While not to be considered a major revamp of the last version, the operating system’s latest desktop release hasn’t been a disappointment either, improving significantly upon its predecessor. In what follows, we will take a look at some of the new features and improvements in Ubuntu 13.04. Read More

Chainfire’s Hotspot Control Removes WiFi Tethering Restrictions From Unrooted Android Devices

by on
Leave a comment
Native Wi-FI tethering support has been a feature of Android since version 2.2 (Froyo), but it is disabled or hidden from the Settings in many devices, thanks to their manufacturers or the carriers that sell them. On certain devices, the feature automatically gets disabled if no SIM card is present in the device. There have been several solutions out there to bring this functionality back to such devices, but almost all of them require root access. If you’re unlucky enough to have this feature disabled on your Android device and don’t want to root it to get it back, Chainfire has a solution for you in Hotspot Control. Just released on Google Play Store, it is a tiny app that allows you to easily toggle Wi-Fi hotspot mode on your unrooted Android device on which the native feature is present but hidden or disabled by the device manufacturer or your carrier. Read More

Install The Latest Redesigned Google Play Store 4.0.2.5 Right Away

by on
1
Yesterday, Google announced an update to the Google Play Store app, bringing several user interface enhancements as well as a few new features to Android’s most popular app marketplace. The update has already started rolling out and according to Google, everyone should get it over the next few weeks. Though if you don’t want to wait for a few days or weeks to get the latest version of Play Store, we’ve got you covered. In what follows, we’ll take a look at some of the prominent changes made in the latest Play Store 4.0.25, and tell you how to get it up and running on your Android device right away. Read More

Install Leaked Facebook Home APK On Any Android Device

by on
14
This past Friday, Facebook showcased its long-rumored ‘Facebook Phone’ which – as speculated by many but not all – turned out to be not a dedicated device running an entire Facebook-built operating system, but rather a bunch of Facebook-centric Android apps including a launcher that together provide a Facebook experience fully integrated into your phone’s home screen. According to the official announcement, the app will be available on Play Store for select top-end HTC and Samsung phones on April 12th, and HTC First – the first smartphone built by HTC with Facebook’s collaboration that will ship with Facebook Home preinstalled – will also start shipping on the same day. Though if you can’t wait till the 12th to try out the Facebook experience, you’re in luck! Developer builds of Facebook’s new apps have been leaked, including the Home launcher, and they work on many existing Android devices. Let’s take a closer look at them after the jump. Read More

Twitter For Android Updated With Holo UI, @/# Suggestions & More

by on
Leave a comment
The world’s favorite microblogging (and often ranting) platform has had its apps available for every significant OS out there and while the iOS app has been quite polished for quite a while, the UI of its Android counterpart had been long due for an overhaul. The wait is over, as Twitter has finally released the update, bringing the critically acclaimed Holo UI introduced in Android 4.0 ICS to the app. In addition to the Holo UI overhaul, Twitter for Android also gets a few feature additions, most notably automatic suggestions when you start typing a @username or #hashtag, integration with other services to install or launch their apps from tweets containing links to content on them, and a new font. Read More

HTC One M7 Toolkit: Unlock Bootloader, Install Recovery, Root & More

by on
Leave a comment
The HTC One is becoming HTC’s biggest hit to date, and rightly so since the phone is not only amazingly beautiful to look at, but also packs quite a punch when it comes to specs and features. The device was rooted soon after getting released, and we brought you our rooting guide for the device as always, though it required you to do everything manually. If you are looking for an easier way to unlock your HTC One’s bootloader, flash ClockworkMod, TWRP or any custom recovery to it, root the device or any combination of the above, there’s now an all-in-one toolkit available to help you with the process. Read More

Ubuntu Touch Preview: A Complete Hands-on Feature & Interface Analysis

by on
8
Since smartphones and tablets got into the hands of masses from being niche devices after the release of the iPhone in 2007, we have seen many players such as Android, Windows Phone, WebOS and MeeGo enter the field, some of which have stuck around and done well, while others have been pushed into oblivion by the tough competition. Nevertheless, it’s a lucrative industry that’s been attracting several other big names lately, the latest among them being Ubuntu Touch for Phones and Tablets. Recently, Canonical released the first Developer Preview of its touch-centric Linux-based OS to give users an early taste of things to come. Does it have what it takes to survive in today’s highly competitive industry, or is Canonical too late to the game? Let’s find out in our review of Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview. Read More

Install Ubuntu Touch Preview On Nexus Devices The Easy Way From Recovery [Complete Guide]

by on
11
The announcement of Ubuntu for Phones and the more recent one of Ubuntu for Tablets had sparked huge interest in the entire smartphone enthusiast community and kept countless Nexus device owners waiting to get their hands on the Ubuntu Touch experience.  Finally, the wait is over, as Ubuntu Touch Developer Preview has landed on the Nexus series of devices including Nexus 10, Nexus 7, Nexus 4 and Galaxy Nexus, just as Canonical promised it would.  Though if you have rushed to the original installation method provided by Canonical at the official Ubuntu Wiki, many of you must have been disappointed at learning that the method required you to be running Ubuntu on your PC in order to install it. A Linux based OS running PC is not everyone's cup of tea and it’s hardly fair to install or even dual boot a new OS only to be able to install a new one on your mobile device – and one that is already highly experimental at this point. Luckily, there is an easier and much more more familiar way to get Ubuntu Touch up and running on your Nexus devices, irrespective of the OS on your PC. That's right - we are talking about the usual flashing from a custom recovery. So let's get on with it. Read More

How To Permanently Carrier-Unlock Samsung Galaxy S III & Galaxy Note 2

by on
9
Got yourself a brand new GSM version of Samsung Galaxy S3 or Galaxy Note II through a carrier and stuck with the carrier lock preventing you from using any other SIM card? Fret not – as you can now set your beloved device free of all carrier SIM restrictions and use it on any carrier of your choice, as long as the device hardware supports that carrier. And you’ll be surprised at how easy the process is! Hit the read more button for the complete instructions. Read More

Install Leaked Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean On Samsung Galaxy S II

by on
28
There was enormous speculation, numerous fake troll attempts and countless people losing sleep over it, but finally the wait is over! One of the most successful Android devices to date – the Samsung Galaxy S II – now has an official, fully working Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean ROM available for it. Super-excited? Let’s get it up and running on your S2! Read More

How To Root Google Nexus 4 & Install ClockworkMod Recovery

by on
5
And just like that, we have rooted the Nexus 4! Running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, Google’s latest Nexus device by LG has started hitting the shelves in the US and UK, but the remaining parts of the world still hold eager fans who have yet to get there hands on this device. Luckily – as is the case with all that is Nexus – expectant users can now not only root their Nexus 4, but install ClockworkMod recovery on it as well just as soon as they get their hands on it. Having already brought to you an overview of the new features of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, gaining root access will throw even more fun your way. Wondering why you should root? View our guide on the top 10 reasons to root your Android device. Ready to root and install ClockworkMod? Read on for the detailed instructions. Read More

How To Enable USB Debugging On Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

by on
6
Yesterday, Google started rolling out Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OTA Update to the GSM/HSPA+ version of Galaxy Nexus and later, factory images were made available to directly update the device to the latest version of Android. While there were many welcome changes in this update, there was one that freaked out Android enthusiasts and developers who upon updating to 4.2 found the ‘Developer Options’ gone from the Settings. Turns out, Google decided to hide them in form of what is debatably a blend of an easter egg, a prank and a feature. Worry not though – we’re here to help you reclaim the developer options on your Android device running 4.2 Jelly Bean. Read More

Install Official Android 4.2 Jelly Bean On Galaxy Nexus GSM [Complete Guide]

by on
4
Galaxy Nexus owners rejoice – Google has officially started pushing the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update to the device. The update is currently being pushed to users of the US GSM/HSPA+ variant of the device but it can be installed manually to the international GSM/HSPA+ variants as well and as ever, we’ve got you covered with our detailed installation guides. So read on, and get Jelly Bean 4.2 up and running on your Galaxy Nexus in no time. Read More

How To Root Galaxy Nexus On Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

by on
7
Google started rolling out the latest Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for Galaxy Nexus, and hours ago, we featured a guide on how to get it up and running any GSM/HSPA+ variant of the device. If you want to go one step further and root the phone on the latest Android firmware, we’ve still got you covered. In what follows, we will guide you through the process of rooting your Galaxy Nexus on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Read More

Pimp My ROM Takes Android Tweaking To Newer Heights [Guide]

by on
9
Are you into customizing your Android phone with all sorts of performance and usability enhancement tweaks to make your it faster, smarter and overall better? If your answer is yes, you are going to love Pimp My ROM. Aimed to bring tons of useful tweaks to any stock of custom ROM on any Android device, Pimp My ROM takes it all one step further by using the excellent recovery-based AROMA Installer to let you easily choose and apply only the tweaks you need, from the list of all it is offering. Excited? Read on for more details, the list of tweaks it offers, download link and installation guide. Read More

iOS 6 Safari Adds iCloud Tab Syncing, Offline Reading List, Full Screen View & More

by on
Leave a comment
In this age of mass connectivity and high speed wireless broadband access, one of the most major parts of any smartphone OS is its web browser. While there are several third party web browsers available for most platforms, most of the users stick with the default. That’s why Safari is the most used mobile web browser in the world and in iOS 6, Apple has added some much-needed features to enhance the browsing experience for its users. In what follows, we will take a look at the new features introduced in Safari in iOS 6. Read More

Hands-On Review Of The Redesigned iOS 6 App Store

by on
1
The App Store is Apple’s crown jewel in iOS and with the release of iOS 6, it has received a major overhaul. From user interface changes to new features, the App Store has been significantly improved from its previous iteration. There have also been several under-the-hood changes and improvements to existing features. In what follows, we will take a look at all the new features and improvements App Store has received in iOS 6. Read More