Zayed Rehman | AddictiveTips

Profile Flow Allows Easy Time-Based System Automation On Android

by Zayed Rehman on June 10, 2013

Android

The genre of system/task automation apps for Android is quite crowded. There’s Tasker - this behemoth of an app that will automate your device down to adding a sugar cube to your coffee based on its temperature, if the device supported that. However, if the purpose is as simple as setting up automated profiles for different occasions, Profile Flow will do all of that from its beautiful Holo UI in an interface interface that won't leave you scratching your head trying to figure what to configure. You can set up multiple profiles and trigger them based on date, time range, day etc., while defining ‘entry tasks’ and ‘exit tasks’. We take a closer look at how the app functions after the jump. Read More

Gain S-OFF On HTC One With The revone Tool From Revolutionary

by Zayed Rehman on June 08, 2013

Android

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The HTC One M7 gets S-OFF! The Revolutionary team is back with a developer preview of revone – the tool to gain S-OFF and more on your HTC One. The Revolutionary team has played a pivotal part in getting S-OFF to most HTC devices in the simplest manner possible with their automated scripts. However, this time around, their S-OFF solution has started off as a command-line based developer preview in favor of providing early access. The tool should allow users to unlock, lock and relock the device as well as reset its tamper flag. So much for carriers locking down their phones citing security concerns. If you’re wondering whether you need S-OFF on your device or not, check out our post on explaining S-OFF. Head on after the jump to learn how you can gain S-OFF on your HTC One. Read More

Front Flash For Android Allows For Brighter In-The-Dark Selfies

by Zayed Rehman on June 07, 2013

Android

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Front-facing cameras on mobile phones have usually been quite neglected by most manufacturers, especially in light of the major improvements in their rear-facing counterparts. Improved lenses, sensors, flash etc. have all been targeted at the rear cameras in smartphones, leaving a lot to be desired in the front-facing cameras' quality – which is at best suited for casual video chats or some occasionally impulsive self-shots. Sensors and quality aside, the user is also set aback when taking a self-shot in low light conditions due to the absence of a flash. While smartphones manufacturers really need to address this issue in the future, and not just for self-shots but for video-chats in low light conditions as well, if you have an Android device and find yourself taking self-shots more often than you would have us believing, Front Flash may just be what you need. Read More

Tapatalk 4 For Android Brings New Holo UI, Photo Editor & More

by Zayed Rehman on May 28, 2013

Android

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Tapatalk, is synonymous with forum browsing apps for Android and iOS. Having been around for some time now, the app has been quite popular with forum browsing junkies and during all that time, it has been evolving for the better. Enter Tapatalk 4 - Community Reader – a public beta app by the developers of Tapatalk that is set to redefine forum browsing apps and hopefully integrate into Tapatalk - Community Reader and Tapatalk HD on the Play Store. Where the later two apps are paid-only, Tapatalk 4 can be installed from the Play Store for free on devices running Android 4.0 or later. With an all new redesigned UI based on the much-demanded Holo theme along with Google Now-style cards, the apps looks poised to impress. Let's take a closer look at what the app has to offer and how well it fares. Read More

Get Chat Heads-Like Per-App Alerts In Android With Floating Notifications

by Zayed Rehman on May 27, 2013

Android

Facebook Chat Heads caused quite a stir when the feature was first released on Android in form of Facebook Home as well as the updated Facebook Messenger app, and even more so after later making it to the Facebook app for iOS. The feature inspired the likes of the famous Paranoid Android ROM developers for Android, who then created their HALO feature with Chat Heads-like support for all notifications. This, however, required the installation of the custom ROM - something most people wouldn't do just to get a single feature. Senior XDA-Developers forum member ‘crazyfool_1’ has just released what is a free and working Chat Heads-like app for Android and better yet, it has answered the needs of all those who wish to use this feature on their stock ROMs. Floating Notifications is currently in alpha, but is working better and better with every update. In essence, you will see a floating icon on the screen pertaining to the relevant app whenever a notification is received. This icon can be dragged around for repositioning and tapped to see the details of the notification. Read on as we take a closer look at the app's features and how it functions. Read More

Auto-Set Google Now Backgrounds As Android Wallpaper By Time Of Day

by Zayed Rehman on May 14, 2013

Android

Those of us who often use Google Now on their Android devices running Jelly Bean are bound to be awed by the background images of the app. What makes those wallpapers awesome is the way they automatically change based on your current local time. All of this however is restricted within the the app itself. Enter GoogleNowWallpapers – the wallpaper app that brings Google Now wallpapers to your home screen, from stars lit in the sky to a bright sunny sky. The app also changes them according to times split into Day, Dawn, Dusk, and Night. You can customize the time after which wallpapers will change to reflect the time of the day. Let's take a closer look at this simple but distinct app after the jump. Read More

Flayvr Is An Auto Gallery Organizer For Android With Online Sharing Of Interactive Albums

by Zayed Rehman on May 09, 2013

Android

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Android’s native Gallery app has never been disappointing and suffices for most users, but it does leave much to be desired, especially by power users and media enthusiasts. If you want to organize or edit your albums, you have to resort to a third-party app, since the native app offers no such features, being entirely driven by the folders on your device’s storage. Enter Flayvr - an album organizer with dynamic previews for both pictures and videos. Released earlier for iOS, the app has been available on the App Store for quite some time, and has just made its way to Google Play Store as well. Let's take a closer look at how it performs on Android, and the features it brings to the platform. Read More

Player FM Is A Comprehensive Android Podcast Player With Auto Downloads

by Zayed Rehman on May 09, 2013

Android

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Over the past few years, podcasts have become increasingly easier to find, manage and listen to, thanks to several dedicated channels for them available on the web and in form of apps for pretty much every platform out there. We have seen several such apps for Android in the past, a few notable ones being AntennaPod, Volksempfanger and VoAudio. Player FM is the latest entrant in this genre that supports accounts as well as guest login, complete with support for sharing your own channel, automatic downloads for offline listening and manually downloading any podcast of your choice. With a choice of over 300 topics to choose from and more planned by the developers, you can always find something of interest, and set the ones you like as ‘favorites’ for quick access . With its widget and lockscreen widget (Android 4.2+) support, swipe navigation, and the fact that the app is free, Player FM has all the makings of an app that will make people want to explore and learn about stuff on the go. We take a closer look at the app after the break. Read More

Cloudii: One App To Access & Sync Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive & Box On Android

by Zayed Rehman on May 08, 2013

Android

Names like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and SkyDrive have become synonymous to cloud storage. Each with their own appeal and distinct features, these services sport their own dedicated apps for both desktop and mobile platforms. If you happen to use more then just one of these services regularly, it is always more convenient to manage your accounts and data through a single app. Cloudii is just that app that allows you to to setup all four aforementioned cloud storage services on your Android device under one roof, and gives you some powerful settings for synchronizing and managing your files. The app gives users the ability to add multiple accounts for each supported service as well, along with some nifty additional features.The app requires Android 4.0 or above. Right after the jump, we take a look at what it has to offer and what makes it worthy of a mention. Read More

Splay Launcher Redefines Android Home Screen Replacement With Unique, Pie-Like Navigation

by Zayed Rehman on May 06, 2013

Android

Let’s face it, single-handed operation on mobile phone with a screen size of over 4.3 inches gets a bit tricky and as you up the screen size further, it almost becomes a challenge. Developed by Else Ltd., the company behind the smartphone 'First Else' that never made it to the shelves, Splay Launcher for Android is another Home Launcher replacement, but what makes it stand out is its distinct interface that focus on single-handed operation. The app's interface may remind some of you of the the much popular Pie feature from the Paranoid Android ROM. Think of it as a semi jog-dial containing three menu levels that are accessible via some intuitive swipe gestures. The app requires Android 4.0 + to work. Read on after the jump, as we take a closer look at the app and its interface. Read More

Got-IT For Android: Beautiful To-Do & Notes App With Google Tasks Sync

by Zayed Rehman on April 15, 2013

Android

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Got-IT might seem like just other task management + note-taking app, but with its intuitive and Holo-themed UI coupled with features like unlimited lists, swipe navigation, widgets and DashClock support, it could very well become the choice for many users for taking notes and managing tasks in a quick and simple manner. Developed by XDA-Developers forum member ‘Mikro ddd’, the app was built with inspiration from Google Now and Google Keep while adding drop-down menus and swipe navigation to the mix. We take a closer look at the app and see how well it fares, after the jump! Read More

Universal Unroot Offers One-Click Unrooting For Any Android Device

by Zayed Rehman on April 13, 2013

Android

If you’re reading this, you already have a rooted Android device, or you’re looking for reasons not to root it. Sure, rooting your phone opens up a plethora of new possibilities for your device that are otherwise restricted by its manufacturers. Root access and the mods that follow, such as installing a custom recovery, and consequently, a custom ROM, are not meant for every novice Android user, which is precisely why most manufacturers want you to stick to the stock firmware. So, in order to discourage this practice and prevent complaints that lie outside the scope of support that a manufacturers can provide, consumer devices are designed with layers of protection. The procedure leading to the rooting your device not only makes you ineligible for troubleshooting support but also voids any warranty that you could have claimed from the manufacturer in case of a fault in the device. So you do what you can – you unroot the device before handing it in to customer support. However, this is not always as easy as it sounds, especially if you’re a novice who had his phone rooted by a friend. Enter Universal Unroot, the one root access removal app to rule them all! This app is the simplest one-tap unroot solution out there till date for any and all rooted devices. Details to follow. Read More

Buzz Launcher For Android Boasts Crowdsourced Themes, Multi-Themed Layouts & More [Review]

by Zayed Rehman on April 10, 2013

Android

Ever looked at a friends Android device and envied the home screen layout and theme on it, wishing you could just swap the home screen or replicate the same deal on your device? Android enthusiasts end up spending quite some time tweaking their home screen themes and layout to personalize it to their needs and aesthetic sense, and why not? This is the freedom we get with Android! But what if you were able to replicate home screens from around the world, without the need to have to follow up on complicated setup instructions as presently practiced. Enter Buzz Launcher – the home screen replacement app that brings crowdsourced themes to the home launcher arena. However, unlike themes seen before for launcher apps that more or less focus on just icons and wallpaper, Buzz Launcher themes can completely change the layout and behavior of your home screen whilst including widgets, and work in a smarter and more intuitive manner. In what follows, we take a closer look at the truly unique features of what could become one of the best home screen replacements apps out there for Android. Read More

Overlays Turns Any Android Widget Into A Persistent, Floating Panel

by Zayed Rehman on April 09, 2013

Android

Just when you thought apps that could be run as overlays – such as Tiny Apps, Floating Browser Flux! and Super Video – were all the rage, Overlays for Android comes along with an offering that further builds on the concept. Overlays works with widgets, not apps, allowing you to use the widget of any app anywhere in the OS, all neatly managed through a robust profile system. Widgets can be resized and repoistioned freely, that is, they do not snap to a grid while you do so. Even better, you can do all this after the floating widget has been set and you are running your priority app. For a more closer look at what could be a step in the evolution of Android widgets, read on after the break. Read More

Get iOS Status Bar, Notification Center & Banners On Android With Espier Notifications

by Zayed Rehman on April 06, 2013

Android

Just a while back, we covered Espier Screen Locker, which replicates the iOS 6 lock screen on Android. The developers at Espier Studio are known for their efforts to bring the iOS look to Android devices and after Espier Launcher & Espier Screen Locker, they have released Espier Notifications. As you might have already guessed, the app brings you iOS-like notifications - both banners and prompts. There's more too - the app also adds an iOS 6-like status bar to your device, complete with an iOS 6-style Notification Center! There are plenty of options to configure such as changing status bar colors for specific apps, choosing the app for which notifications will be displayed in the Notification Center, and much more. Read on after the break to learn more about the app, as we take a closer look at it. Read More

How To Root Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 On Android 4.2.2

by Zayed Rehman on April 05, 2013

Android

Galaxy S4 rooted! No, this one actually works! Earlier, news hit the internet that the Samsung Galaxy S4 had been rooted, and I was almost tempted to break the news too when I saw the forum thread at XDA-Developers. However, news as it was, it was always going to be a risk asking our readers to hop onto the root bandwagon, owing to the fact that the developer had no device to test the method on. That's when recognized Android developer and XDA forum member ‘Chainfire’ stepped in to save the day and confirm root access! Read More

Tiny Apps For Android Combines Five Handy Floating Tools In One Package

by Zayed Rehman on April 02, 2013

Android

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There are quite a few computer users out there who have sticky notes stuck across their monitor’s border - and why not, since that information is always available at a glance. These notes made their way to computer users in form of note widgets for their desktops as well as apps for their smartphones and tablets. However, why stop at merely taking notes? Enter Tiny Apps – a package that contains five floating apps that act like omnipresent widgets. This reminds me of Small Apps for the newer Sony Xperia devices, but Tiny Apps has quite a few extra tricks up its sleeve. You get quick access to a sound recorder, music player, painting canvas, calculator, and of course, notes from anywhere across the OS, floating atop all other apps. Read More

Espier Screen Locker Is An Accurate iOS Lock Screen Clone For Android

by Zayed Rehman on April 02, 2013

Android

From the creators of Espier Launcher – the iOS SpringBoard replica for Android, comes Espier Screen Locker, an excellent iOS lockscreen clone for Android that doesn't just replicate basic UI elements. It shows you all incoming notifications, be they incoming messages, missed calls or notifications from third-party apps, has a camera grabber that can be swiped upward to unlock into the camera app, just like in iOS 6. Read on after the break as we take a closer look at how close Espier Screen Locker is to the real deal. Read More