Linux may not be the most popular consumer operating system out there, but what it lacks in consumer app variety, it definitely makes up for in flexibility and security. And if you've ever tinkered with a Linux distro, you know how easy they are to install—most of the time, I skip standard installation and boot directly from a CD.
I don't know of a pain greater than of the one felt after cracking the screen of your phone. After I managed to crack my screen, rendered unusable, I immediately began to panic as to how I was going to recover all of the photos, videos, and documents stored on my device. After a few hours of searching, I came upon a thread by Mohamad Sabra that showed exactly how to alleviate my problem.
Many game developers have finally realized that in order for their games to be successful, they have to support Android. To really win Android users over, they should also accommodate us hardcore gamers who have OTG cables with the ability to hook up controllers to our devices.
If you have a custom recovery installed on your Android device, the first thing you should have done as soon as you finished installing it was to create a Nandroid backup. But if you didn't, I'm not here to judge—I'm here to show you a much easier way.
While Google would like you to believe that Flash is incompatible on Android KitKat, there is a functional workaround that will get it up and running on your Samsung Galaxy Note 3's gorgeous screen in no time.
Owning an Android device is almost like having a PC in your pocket. Android's ability to easily navigate the file system on your phone is one of many features that separate it from the competition. Just plug your phone into a computer, drag the file over, and you're all set.
Update: June 19, 2014 Android 4.4.4 has been released, fixing a small security bug in 4.4.3. The factory images have already been made available to all current-generation Nexus devices, and I've linked them out below. This does not affect the process depicted, you can still use these same steps to bring your device up to date with this latest release.
After lots of waiting and anticipation, the OnePlus One Android smartphone has been unveiled, and it's ready to take down the Nexus.
Dropbox, the cloud backup tool that is a mainstay on many of our devices, has added two companion apps to its service. Earlier today, we showed you a glimpse into a new testing version of the Gmail app, with features like pinning and snoozing to keep your inbox in check. Now, Dropbox has released Mailbox for Android, about a year after they purchased the company and its iOS app, with a simple goal: taming your inbox.
Third-party ROMs like CyanogenMod are the ultimate form of customization for softModders. Hard-working developers offer us alternate Android experiences to replace our often bloatware-riddled stock ROMs.
Alright, I'll admit it, iOS can be quite nice. Android loyalist that I may be, I'm not so stubborn that I can't recognize a good thing when I see it. Apple's iOS has a lot of strengths, and our Nexus 4s, god bless 'em, are growing a little long in the tooth.
When choosing a phone or tablet, I always take in to consideration what my music experience will be. Unfortunately, the Nexus 7 doesn't have Beats by Dre technology, which some may view as overrated, though it's definitely one of the better ways to get perfect-sounding tunes with headphones. But it's not all about the Beats. There are many other ways to make listening to music on your Nexus 7 tablet a better experience, and we'll highlight some of the options and add-ons that you can try out.
In spite of the degree of difficulty it is to install, CyanogenMod has steadily climbed the ladder to become one of the most popular third-party firmwares for Android devices.
The newest Android operating system, Android 4.4 KitKat, has been unleashed with the arrival of the Nexus 5, and soon to be rolled out to other Nexus devices and Google Play Edition smartphones any day now. Only problem is, the Samsung Galaxy S3 isn't getting 4.4 for a very long time. It doesn't even have 4.3 Jelly Bean yet.
With the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch only several weeks old, the extent as to what you can do with it is limited since there are only about 70 apps in the Gear Store right now, and a lot of those need the full app installed on your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 in order to function properly.
The design of iOS 7 has its lovers and haters, and if you're an Android user who just happens to love it, there are plenty of ways to make your device feel more Apple-y.
If you've had the pleasure of owning both an iOS and Android device, you may have noticed one subtle difference on each one's PIN unlock screen. Android's lock screen requires you to press "OK" after entering the PIN, whereas iOS's simply unlocks the screen right after the last digit.
Sometimes, it's very useful to be able to use more than one app on Android phone or tablet. For example, if you want to watch a movie while surfing or if you need calculator, find some contact, write a note, search web or wikipedia for some facts, etc.
One of the coolest features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 is Group Play, which lets you connect other Samsung Galaxy S4s up to yours so you can use them as extra speakers to create a surround-sound stereo of sorts.
Just because you wanted a stable, stock Android version on your HTC One doesn't mean you have to miss out on Sense because you bought or softModded to a Google Play Edition. As long as you have the Android SDK tools and you've unlocked your bootloader, you can turn your HTC One into the Developer Edition, a Sense version free of carrier bloat.
During last week's D11 event, Sundar Pichai, head of Google's Android division, announced that a Google Edition of the HTC One would be available for sale on June 26th in the Google Play store.
Do you like Samsung's TouchWiz and the iPhone's user interface, but wish you could bring the best of both worlds together onto your device? You can! MIUI (pronounced me-you-eye) is a heavily modded custom ROM that brings a different UI experience never before seen on stock Android devices. Over in the Nexus 7 SoftModder forum, Shashou Jian mentioned MIUI as a ROM every user should try out. The interface is a fresh mix of Apple’s iOS and Samsung’s TouchWiz elements—with a large dose of customi...
There's over 20 million people out there who use Ubuntu as their main operating system, and the number is steadily increasing due to its thriving community. While it's easy enough to download Ubuntu on your PC, the process to get it on your mobile devices can be fairly more difficult. Thankfully, it's not the hard to get Ubuntu onto your Nexus 7 tablet, but first you'll need to unlock it.
Google released Android 11 today, Tuesday, Sept. 8. The new update follows seven months of beta testing, which started with Feb. 19's developer preview 1.
You no longer have to worry about accidentally closing an app with Android 11. The latest version introduced a new gesture that lets you bring back an app you inadvertently dismissed from your recent apps list.
Most people are aware that you can reply to messages within notifications. The "Reply" button has been a feature in Android since 7.0 Nougat, saving precious seconds needed to open the app and respond there. But did you know the convenience doesn't stop there?
Android's de facto document scanner is Google Drive, but it's far from the most intuitive method. With One UI 2, your Samsung Galaxy device now has a document scanner built-in, with the ability to automatically detect documents like letters, business cards, and notes that you can scan with just a tap.
If you have a Chromecast or Android TV, you can mirror your phone's display to the big screen. It's helpful for showing off something you found interesting without having to pass your phone around the living room, but the actual process of casting your screen is a bit clunky. Thankfully, there's a better way.
The Nextbit Robin, the world's first cloud-oriented smartphone, is on sale at Amazon for $299 plus tax, a savings of $100. You'll have to act quick though, as the deal only runs through May 10th while supplies last. Nextbit Robin, an unlocked SIM phone, was just updated last week, and now runs Android Marshmallow 6.0.1. It also has a unique storage system, with 100 GB of cloud space, as well as 32 GB of built-in storage. You can snag it in midnight or mint colors. Amazon Prime members will al...
Android 6.0 Marshmallow is due out later this fall, but Google has already released three preview builds of the upcoming version. So if you really wanted to give Marshmallow a try, you could install the preview on your Nexus device right now. But if you just wanted to get a little taste of what's to come, we went ahead and pulled all of the brand new wallpapers out of the latest release.
The main developer behind the Xposed Framework just teased Android 5.0 compatibility for his popular mod. Rovo89 posted a screenshot on XDA that shows the framework running on a Lollipop-powered Nexus 5. Android Lollipop's switch from Dalvik runtime to Android runtime—better known as ART—made Xposed compatibility a problem for the OS. But alas, our favorite modding platform is just about ready for primetime.
Christmas is only a few days away with New Year's right around the corner. If you're like me, you count down the days until Christmas for family and presents like a little kid, and then count down the days until New Year's like an adult that can't wait to have their first cocktail.
The last of the major Google apps has finally received a much needed update to Android's new Material Design aesthetic, and it's a big one—YouTube. While the update will hit the Play Store and your device soon enough, you can download the APK right now, courtesy of our friends at Android Police, from this link.
Unlocking "Developer options" on an Android device is useful for many things. You can limit or stop transition animations for a snappier device, enable USB debugging to run fastboot commands, and more. But of course, the first step to making these tweaks is to unlock the hidden settings menu.
The Nexus 9 is the hybrid update to the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. It's in the sweet-spot for great size and portability, and it'll be one of the first devices to natively run Android's new Lollipop update.
So you've got your shiny new LG G3, your accounts are all set up, and Google has restored all of your apps. Well... almost all of them.
If you're using an Android phone or tablet with Google Now, then you and your little ones are in for a little treat. Just tell Google, "Let's Go Caroling," and watch the holiday metamorphosis as your device changes into a personal, karaoke caroling machine. Just in time for the holidays! Choose from one of five famous Christmas songs (Jingle Bells, Up on the House Top, Deck the Halls, O Christmas Tree, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas), press Play, then keep up with the bouncing ball as it h...
Skype has recently made some really great changes to their Android app that were once exclusive to softModders with rooted devices. Previously when Skyping, using your device for other tasks was impossible. Your entire screen was devoted to your Skype conversation.
Numerous potential exploits are found for every operating system each month, and Android is no exception. Trouble is, lots of Android devices don't receive timely updates — but many are now getting regular monthly security patches to at least shore up these vulnerabilities.
It's been a while since Android got a true Easter egg with a new software update. Remember when Google added Marshmallow's Flappy Bird-style mini game? For Android 11, we get a new game, and like Android Nougat, it revolves around the infamous Android Neko cat.