AndroidSPIN

Sprint’s Valentine’s Deal for a Nexus S Will Sure Warm Some Hearts

David Pena — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:14:29 +0000

That dreaded “Hallmark” holiday is drawing closer to us and there is nothing we can do about it. Us guys have to use our brains to come up with some creative gift or act to make our fair lady’s smile and make them happy to be with us slobs. Many of you might not have a trick up your sleeves and will just do the traditional chocolates, flowers and dinner at Sizzler because you did not bother making reservations at a classy place. Well Sprint just might have the deal for you to make your lady scream for joy and hopefully lead you to a great night.

Sprint is doing a little Valentine’s deal where they are selling the Nexus S for the hefty price of ZERO dollars. Yeah you read that correctly. Of course you have to sign up for a new 2-year agreement, but that could be a no-brainer right there. So if your one of those guys (I am sure there are many) and you have a significant other who is not happy with their current phone, feel free to upgrade them to the awesomeness that is a Nexus S. Head over to the Sprint page below. Also ladies, this could be a great gift for your man. He works hard for you. At least I hope he does.

Sprint’s Nexus S Page

Mobile ODIN Updated to 2.0. Adds More Devices on its List

David Pena — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:43:12 +0000

Back in November we got a first look at Mobile ODIN thanks to XDA senior moderator Chainfire. Mobile ODIN is an app that acts as an on-device ODIN utility by allowing you to fully flash your firmware straight from the device itself. Basically you can do this without connecting to your computer. Pretty nifty tool, yet it was limited to certain devices.

So in comes a nice little update for Mobile ODIN. This update to 2.0, allows a bunch of other devices to jump on the Mobile ODIN bandwagon, as well as updating flashkernels for those who were already compatible. There is a lite version that you can find at XDA-Developers and you can purchase the pro version on the Android Market. Check the list below to see if your device made the Mobile ODIN cut.

The following devices have been added (see changelog for full list):
- Samsung/Google Galaxy Nexus, GSM and CDMA/LTE variants
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7″, 3G and Wi-Fi variants
- Samsung Galaxy 5, eight different models

The following variants have been added:
- Samsung Galaxy Note: I9220 variant added
- Samsung Galaxy S2: SHW-M250S variant added

The following devices have been updated and have new flashkernels:
- Samsung Galaxy S
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 7″ (the original 7″ tab)
- Samsung Galaxy S2 (2 models)
- Samsung Galaxy Note (2 models)

Source: XDA-Developers

Galaxy Nexus Gets a Nice ICS 4.0.4 Update

David Pena — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:12:08 +0000

Looks like XDA member kangxi has given us the scoop on the new ICS 4.0.4 update for the CDMA version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The update looks to have new radios, so we can expect better reception and hopefully better 4G fon the super phone. The update is also is suppose to remedy that pesky bug were the phone would wake up randomly. Guess it comes with a digital Tylenol PM. ROM is still in the works but here is what you can expect:

Noticeably Faster
Android OS bug fixed (in battery stats)
Long-pressing on a blank spot on the last page of app tray bug is gone
3G/4G switching better.
Improved signal strength
New Power Menu
PRIMELA03 Boot loader
Faster boot up time
Auto-brightness Functionality changed. Smooth transition
Holding down camera button now refocuses again
Multi touch issue seems resolved
Auto rotate is faster
Browser performance noticeably improved
Recent apps list opens faster
Miscellaneous camera UI changes
Increased volume
Keyboard fixes
Updated News & Weather app UI
Improved quick controls in browser

Some of you Galaxy Nexus users might have gotten a prompt for the update already. Anyone rocking it yet? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: XDA-Developers

Win one of five Galaxy Notes from Samsung Canada

Stormy Beach — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:12:47 +0000

Are you one of the many people looking to snag a Galaxy Note in Canada? Well, thanks to a current give-a-way by Samsung Canada, you might just have a chance. Samsung really wants to get the Galaxy Note and all its 5.3-inch, Exynos power housing, S-Pen writing device to your hands. By filling out a short little entry form you too can try your luck at winning one. Hope one of our readers ends up winning. Just head over to Samsung Canada’s site to register.

Via Samsung Canada, thanks Jeff

Since there seems to be some confusion on the part of it being for Canada ONLY, here is the quick look at the Eligibility Rules. Take special note about the part that says “Contest is open to legal residents of Canada“

ELIGIBILITY:
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Contest is open to legal residents of Canada
excluding residents of Quebec who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of
residence (or, if under the age of majority, have the consent of their parent or legal guardian to
participate in the Contest), except employees or agents (and those with whom they are domiciled)
and affiliates of Contest Sponsor and its advertising and promotion agencies.
CONTEST PERIOD:
Contest begins on Friday, February 3, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. (EST) and ends on Monday, February 13,
2012 at 6:00 p.m. (EST) (the “Contest Period”)

ROM – @JonathanAlvey51 Blazer ROM for Samsung Galaxy S II/ Sprint Epic 4G Touch

Community Release — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:47:29 +0000

PhantomHacker has released an update to Blazer ROM. The latest version is now 3.8.

This release is supported on the following Device(s):
- Samsung Galaxy S II: Sprint Epic 4G Touch

Updated to v3.8
Skip songs while screen is off using vol + (forward) and vol- (back)
Camera should work with any battery %
Fixed White Signal Bars
Logs Provider: modded to prevent text messages from being displayed in the phone log
GPS and Network Fixes by odub303 and datajosh
Updated kernel with Voodoo Louder Support
Fix Build Prop
Removed Vlingo

Updated to v3.7
Fixed GPS Toggle
Fixed 4G Hotspot Tether
Removed Boot Up Sounds
Lowered Auto-Brightness Values
Added additional wallpapers from ICS and CM7 to wallpaper chooser
Added notifications and ringtones from CM7 and ICS
Removed additional bloat
Enabled Setup Wizard
Framework Tweaks
SystemUI Tweaks
Battery Tweaks

Updated to 3.1
Hopefully Fixed SU Issue
Fixed Build.prop

Updated to El13
Mods,Tweaks,Hacks

Updated to v2.0
Extended Toggles Includes:

Reboot

Shutdown

Airplane mode

Bluetooth

Brightness (with customizable modes)

GPS

Flashlight

Lockscreen

Mobile data

Orientation

Screen timeout

Sound (with customizable modes)

Sync

Wifi

QuickSettings
Speed Improvements
Theme Improvements
Stock Rogue EK02 Kernel (No LoS for me)
EXT4 Tweaks (For Speed)
Battery Improvements (Best Battery Life of any ROM)
ICS Wallpapers

Bug Fixes:
Swype is now working
Fixed Clock Bug

Updated to v1.2
Fixed Various Bugs
Added Swype
Removed Camera Sounds
Removed Camcorder Sounds
Added init.d Scripts and Speed Tweaks

Head over to PhantomHacker ‘s CommunityRelease Developer Homepage for more information and downloads.

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ROM – @thelegendarylegends Extreme Sensation ICS for HTC Sensation

Community Release — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:37:27 +0000

thelegendarylegends has released an update to Extreme Sensation ICS. The latest version is now 1.0.1.

This release is supported on the following Device(s):
- HTC Sensation

CHANGELOG

1.0.1

1. Beats Built in (thanks to mudhi) sound will be the same if beats is disabled and if beats is enabled, but sound is definately better than normal sensation

2. Wifi is even faster than Extreme Sensation 1.0.0

3. More system bloatwares are deleted

4. Bunch more optimization.

Head over to thelegendarylegends’s CommunityRelease Developer Homepage for more information and downloads.

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ROM – @ AndroidME for HTC Sensation

Community Release — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:27:28 +0000

has released an update to AndroidME. The latest version is now 2.0.

This release is supported on the following Device(s):
- HTC Sensation

AndroidME v2.0.0 Release Date: 05 February 2012
**MUST Full wipe**
Rebuilt on latest 3.25.401.101 XE Base with Beats Audio

The usual Speed improvements

Added Advanced Power Menu – Thanks j4n87

Added Extra Quick Settings – Thanks j4n87

Improved Battery

Re-Zipaligned

AndroidME v1.0.0 Release Date: 10 January 2012
**MUST Full wipe**
Initial Release

Head over to ‘s CommunityRelease Developer Homepage for more information and downloads.

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Get instant notifications for:

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Should developers profit from a port? Minicraft players in up roar over current in-game ad Attempts

Stormy Beach — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:47:07 +0000

Occasionally while cruising through the market you find an application or game that is port of something popular. They are not always ported by the original author of said application and it usually doesn’t really matter in the log run to the creators. Saves them the time and hassle of porting said app or game and they are happy to let it be placed on another OS. To loyal followers of the original though, there are lines that get drawn on a sandy beach and often washed away and re drawn. The most recent out cry came from the most recent update to Minicraft.

Folstad Consulting Inc took and created a port of Markus Persson’s game that he created for the Lundum Dare Competition back in December 2011, called Minicraft. The creator of the port isn’t taking any credit for the game by any means. It clearly states who made it in the market description and on the game itself. All Folstad Consulting Inc isn’t taking credit for is the port to Android. The most recent update to the port included a new permission and some ads. Immediately the comments were lit up with 1 star ratings for implementing the ads and attempting to profit from the work of another. A vast majority of people were not pleased. The port developer is already removing the adds in the next update after being bombarded with requests. It wasn’t so much the implementation of ads to the game that upset people, it was the lack of permission from Markus to profit from the port. Which is fair enough really and permission to profit from someone else’s work should be common practice. How can we as a community though, support the work that is still taking place?

It isn’t really a matter of just getting permission from the original creator. Sometimes that can take forever to achieve, especially if it is a larger company and slow response times. Not everyone is looking to make a quick buck either, but with us all being broke, is it too much to ask for some sort of compensation for work provided on something that so many people enjoy? What I am more curious about is how people would react if the same developer added a donation link in-game or on the market description. After all, he did port the game and that took time and effort. He is still working on it to improve the controls and fix issues. Would a donation link still set the community a blaze? Alternatively would it become a legal issue for asking?

We aren’t condoning profiting from someone else’s work in the slightest, just profiting from your own time and efforts. What are your thoughts and feelings about it? Would a donation link for services rendered be something that is acceptable, or would that be another major no, no? All ports that are offered at a price or that want ads in them should always have the original developers permission to profit directly, but what about indirect profits? Any suggestions on how we could thank a developer for their time with out just star ratings and comments? Leave them below.

Google Fiber moves to next stage as laying preparations begin, one Gbps broadband on the Way

Stormy Beach — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:52:49 +0000

What do we have here? We all know Google gets its little search engine fingers into everything it can across the globe. One thing I didn’t know they were working on is a high-speed residential broadband service. Apparently it has been in the works for a couple of years now. After some pretty extensive testing, cutting through all the red tape that one needs to get through to comply with laws and competitors, it looks like Google is ready to start laying some fiber. Where you ask? Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. Interesting locations to say the least, but I am sure it was the most engineering friendly and accepted location for public service testing. Not to mention I would expect a grip of jobs to be created in the area for the cities involved.

Kansas City is Fiber-Ready!

Monday, February 06, 2012 | 3:00:00 AM

We’ve measured utility poles; we’ve studied maps and surveyed neighborhoods; we’ve come up with a comprehensive set of detailed engineering plans; and we’ve eaten way too much barbecue. Now, starting today, we’re ready to lay fiber.

As we build out Google Fiber, we’ll be taking thousands of miles of cables and stretching them across Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. Each cable contains many thin glass fibers, each about the width of a human hair. We’ll be taking these cables and weaving them into a fiber backbone—a completely new high speed infrastructure that will ultimately be carrying Kansas Citians’ data at speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have today.

At first, we’ll focus on building this solid fiber backbone. Then, as soon as we have an infrastructure that is up and running, we’ll be able to connect Google Fiber into homes across Kansas City!

As we build, we’ll be sure to post more important updates and announcements right here.

Posted by Kevin Lo, General Manager, Google Access

Source: Google Fiber via Androidandme

[ADW Theme] BigDX Slick is just that, Slick

Stormy Beach — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:57:00 +0000

It has been a little while since we have brought the ADW community a theme from the depths of the Android Market. After recently being alerted of this, and of a new ADW theme launched by BigDX, we figured it was about time to toss another one out there for you to see and get your hands on. BigDX as a themer has been around the so call Android block a few times. He makes some incredible themes that have great care and detail in their preparation. You won’t find a half assed job in any of his available themes. The most recent addition to his collection is called ‘Slick’.

All of the icons are custom original work and not copy or tweaks of someone else time and labor. The Slick theme comes packed with 420 custom images, 375 icons internally coded in App Drawer with 400 icons available in the Icon Picker. The theme also features 12 custom wallpapers and 10 custom dockbars. Giving you a truly unique experience and theme to adjust in your spare time. Take a look at a few screenshots below that were provided for your viewing pleasure.

I hate to have to say it, but I will anyways. This theme is build and designed for ADW Launcher. You must have ADW Launcher EX 1.3.3+ installed on your device to use the theme. Buying and installing this theme without having the associated launcher app will result in nothing more than a waste of your time and money. Click HERE to download ADW Launcher EX. Now on to more important things. After you pick up this theme below you will want to set it. Press Menu > ADWSettings > Themes Preferences then select “BigDX Slick” and Apply Theme! Hopefully you can change the dockbars and wallpapers on your own. If you need some help though, there is a handy ADW Launcher EX guide available. Pop on down to the QR below and click it or scan it to go snag this theme and enjoy the new look that BigDX has brought to your device.

Application: BigDX Slick ADW Theme
Developer: BigDX
Cost: $1.99