LG l4 II

LG announces budget-friendly Optimus L4 II with IPS display

LG announced today a new budget-friendly Android handset called the Optimus L4 II (also known as the E440), which we’ve been catching glimpses of as early as May. The modest device packs a single-core 1GHz MediaTek processor, 512MB or RAM, 4GB of internal storage (expandable via a MicroSD slot). On the outside they’ve attached a 3.8-inch HVGA IPS display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels.

An interesting feature of this handset is the standard LG front-and-center home button, which features a built-in LED that changes color based on the different types of notifications. Hit the break for a couple more images of the device in white.

The phone is currently available in black and white variations in Russia and Ukraine for 5,490 RUB, or about $172.

HTC One Mini (M4)

HTC One Mini (M4) rumored to launch on T-Mobile

HTC’s next member of their One family of smartphones, the HTC One Mini (previously known as the HTC M4) is rumored to be landing in T-Mobile stores sometime this summer. HTC developer @LLabTooFeR tweeted that all signs point to a T-Mobile release, with no word on availability through other carriers. The One Mini is one of two rumored devices being released by HTC alongside the HTC One Max, HTC’s newest entry into the phablet market.

The HTC One Mini is rumored to pack a dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, Ultrapixel camera and Sense 5 all packed into the same aluminum design as the One, front-facing BoomSound speakers included.

As the market for small phones shrinks (pun intended), a device of this caliber is much needed. Let us know below if this device piques your interest.

HTC Butterfly S rumored to head to Sprint, not Verizon

HTC insider and developer @LlabTooFeR has been on a roll tonight, just moments ago hinting that the HTC One Mini was headed to T-Mobile this summer, and now dropping another hint that the HTC Butterfly S will not be headed to Verizon like its predecessor, but will more likely see a launch on Sprint’s network.

The Butterfly S is going to be announced on June 19th and will feature the same 5 inch, 1080p display as the Butterfly (or Droid DNA on Verizon) an updated Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, an improved processor, HTC’s excellent UltraPixel camera, and the new Sense 5. No word on price, but it will presumably cost around the same amount as the One.

Samsung to allegedly release kill switch to improve mobile security and prevent device theft as soon as July

Smartphone theft is on the rise, and as these devices get more and more expensive it gets less and less easy to replace them. On top of that there is the risk of sensitive personal information going into the wrong hands (i.e. a thief). Samsung and other manufacturers recently met with New York Attorney General Erich Schneiderman to discuss the future of smartphone security and how to prevent device theft, reportedly working on a kill switch of sorts. Now, it looks like Samsung will be releasing this new feature as soon as July.

The kill switch goes a step further than LoJack for mobile phones, not only allowing the owner to remotely wipe their device, but also essentially brick the phone, rendering it unusable to thieves. With Samsung having such a large foothold in the smartphone industry thanks to the Galaxy S 4, this is an opportunity for them to blaze new trails in smartphone security, prompting other manufacturers to follow suit.

On top of the user being able to remotely disable their phone, the new system would also allow carriers and possibly the government to carry out these tasks as well. This is all rumor, of course, as Samsung has yet to make an official announcement regarding the kill switch. Let us know in the comments if this is a welcome feature to the smartphone market, or if it may be a bit too invasive.

How To Improve The HTC Hero Battery Life

There are many ways to improve or even double the battery life of your HTC Hero phone. Let’s go over some of the most power-draining functions and features that can be disabled to save the life of your battery.

Disable the Always On Mobile Data Connection

This is one of the biggest power-draining features on your phone. If you don’t need it to work all the time, disable it by de-selecting the “Enable always on mobile data” check box. You can find this under the Mobile Network Settings menu.

Disable/Limit Updates for Weather, Facebook, Flicker, and Twitter Apps

The constant connections and updates strain your data connection and your battery. For Facebook, go to the People app, Updates and Events tab, Data Connection button to change the frequency of updates. For Twitter, go to the Peep app, Menu/Settings, Send & Receive. Change the update frequency there. To turn off the weather updates, simply go the Settings menu at the Weather app. While you’re at it, switch off any other apps you aren’t or won’t be using any time soon.

Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connections

When not in use, these features still use up some major battery life. Disable them by going to the Menu, Settings, and then Wireless Controls.

Disable Wireless Network Positioning Services

GPS can handle this all on its own. The wireless network just makes it quicker. Keep the GPS box checked. De-select the Wireless Network Positioning Service by selecting Menu, Settings, Location, and Use Wireless Networks.

Lower Brightness Setting

Many phones come standard with the screen brightness all the way up. This is usually way brighter than most people need to see properly. Keep the brightness to as low a setting as you can handle without straining your eyes.

Disable Background Data Option

Don’t do this if you’re using Google services because you won’t automatically sync with their servers. Disabling background data will save a lot of power because it prevents connections from running in the background. Go to Menu, Settings, Data Synchronization, Google, and Background Data. Uncheck the box.

Not only will these tips save you a lot of battery power, they may even make your smartphone’s processes go faster.

How to back up your contacts

How to back up your contacts with your Android phone

Normally there isn’t a major need to back up your contacts as long as they are synced with Gmail, but hey a backup of anything can’t be a bad thing. You never know what could happen down the line and if something does happen, taking a few minutes now might avoid any heartaches. Moon19th from our forums put together a really good post showing you how to do this. He details a simple export and utilizing another application called Moborobo.

As to Gmail syncing, I can’t believe how many phones I’ve seen from friends that aren’t even set to sync with Gmail. This mostly happens to people that are just getting a smartphone for the first time and the store moved their contacts over, but never went over how Gmail works. Verizon is notorious for this as they often set the contacts to only be backed up with their own Backup Assistant. So if you have any questions on if your contacts are being synced with Gmail, then Moon19th also shows you how to set that up.

How to disable unwanted system

How to disable unwanted system apps and bloatware from your Android phone

A very handy but underrated feature in Google’s Android 4.x operating system is the ability to disable apps. Disabling apps is a way to basically freeze and hide any unused, unwanted, or unruly system apps that came on your phone (ie: ones that you can’t uninstall). This feature might come in handy if your phone came stocked with a bunch of unwanted bloatware that you never use. If you’re sick of looking at those unused icons cluttering up your app drawer, you can simply disable them and they’ll disappear for good.   Another reason you might want to disable an app is if it is causing problems for your system, whether it be battery drain or lag. A perfect example was Google’s Currents app that was causing lag for Nexus 7 users after the Android 4.2 update. Users simply disabled the app, and the lag immediately disappeared. Whatever the reason is that you might want to disable an app, it’s a pretty straightforward procedure. Read on after the break for instructions. To disable an app, you must be on Android 4.0 and up. If you are, then follow these steps:

1. Open your main Settings menu


2. Tap on Apps


3. Swipe to “All”


4. Find the app you want to disable and click on it


5. In the top right you will see a disable button (if it says Uninstall instead of Disable, then it is not a system app, and you can just uninstall it like normal)


6. Tap Disable


7. Confirm by clicking OK on the pop-up dialogue


8. Exit settings


9. A reboot may be necessary, but more than likely won’t be

If you ever want to enable the app again, just follow the steps above and tap Enable at step 6.

A couple of disclaimers: 1) The steps might be slightly different depending on if your phone has a custom manufacturer skin (ie: Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, or HTC’s Sense), but should generally be close to this order. 2) Some system apps cannot be disabled. For example, an app called ConfigUpdater cannot be disabled, because it is a vital part of your phone functioning properly. 3) Some bloatware might not show the disable button. If that’s the case, tap uninstall updates. If it still doesn’t give you an option to disable, than either the app is vital or the carrier forced the manufacturer to block it. Still, this method should work for most apps.

Let us know how this guide worked for you and if you have any questions, just ask in the comments section! Good luck!

Android Newbie’s Guide to Rooting

 

Newbie’s Guide to Rooting

If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re either already rooted or thinking about rooting your device. The thing with rooting is that instead of folks falling into two different camps, I believe there are three camps. In my opinion, we’re either rooted, don’t even want to think about rooting, or we’re kind of intrigued by the idea but don’t want to go through the hassle or risk of rooting our device. This guide is more for the latter. My intent is not to sway anyone one way or the other. This is simply to try to keep things simple, while providing resources and knowledge from first-hand experience, and enabling you to make your own informed decision. While I’m not going to walk you step-by-step on how to root your specific device (we’ll be here forever going through each device); I will introduce you to the concept of rooting, reliable sources for reading, things to do before rooting, the benefits of rooting, and what to do after you’re rooted.

 

What is rooting? 

Rooting a device is simply the process of gaining full, privileged, or admin control of a device thus allowing ‘root access’ or ‘superuser’ permissions. The process itself basically exploits a security weakness on a device, and in simple terms, grants the user executable permissions that are not otherwise there with a non-rooted device. Once a device is rooted, the user has complete control of the device from files on the device to being able to perform additional tasks that will truly make your device your own. These days, most devices are very easy to root. Also, keep in mind that the method(s) you run across to root your device has been done numerous times by countless others.

No technical knowledge is required for the most part – just basic computer knowledge if anything. I’m far from a ‘techie type’ but recently I sold a rooted device I had been using for the past year and began using my old device that wasn’t rooted (I hadn’t gotten the rooting bug when I used my previous device). In a matter of 15 minutes I was rooted without any prior knowledge of how to root that device. It’s literally that easy, for the most part.  Rooting has come a long way since the first Android smartphone, and rooting a device usually only takes a few minutes once a little bit of homework on the user’s part is done.

 



 

What are the benefits of rooting? 

As mentioned above, rooting gives the user ultimate control over a device. Imagine for a second that you couldn’t access, alter, or delete a file or program on the PC/laptop that you own. That really doesn’t make much sense does it? Granted you could mess some things up if you’re not careful, but you do have the right and are given that ability as the superuser or admin of your PC that you paid money for. You are the ‘root’ user of your PC or laptop. Now think, do you have complete control of the device that you’ve no doubt paid a lot of money for? If the manufacturer doesn’t limit what you can do on your laptop, why do phone manufacturers do it?



Beyond just the basic idea of knowing you have complete control of your device, rooting allows you to modify the phone to your liking. Do you hate all of that carrier ‘bloat’ that is preloaded on your device? Don’t just disable it, root it and get rid of it so you have more storage. Are you annoyed by ads like I am? Simply download an app from the Play Store (root required) and block those ads.

Additionally, if you don’t have a Google device, chances are that you get updates later than when Google officially releases them – way later, since they then have to go through the carrier to be ‘massaged.’ When you’re rooted, you can get those updates within a few days from developers that own your same device via a custom ROM. Speaking of custom ROMs, most ROMs include an option to tether. This is in fact a major reason why most go ahead and make the leap to root.

Other benefits include the ability to completely back up your system onto your SD card. This way if all else fails, you could boot into your recovery and load the backup that you have saved that is sitting on an external storage. Additionally, you can modify boot animations, fonts, and themes. No techie or coding experience is necessary. The beauty these days is that there are numerous apps that allow you to make these changes with a few selections of available options via the app(s).

 



Fact is, once you’ve made that leap to go ahead and root and you do a few things that aren’t normally ‘allowed,’ it can get addicting and you begin finding out what else you can do. It’s truly what Android is all about. For example, due to my phone being rooted, I’m able to run Android 4.2 with a phone that was released almost 2 ½ years ago. It was essentially abandoned by my carrier and Google regarding updates, but being rooted keeps it ‘alive.’ I don’t get the newest features like Photo Sphere since my phone lacks a proper gyroscope, but I can run 4.2 while enjoying most of the other benefits. You shouldn’t feel like you need a new phone to enjoy new software. It’s downright amazing what developers can pull off on older devices, and when you have root access, you can enjoy those benefits such as custom ROMs and kernels which make your device even better.

 



 

What are the risks of rooting? 

Okay, honestly this is what most of you want to know, right? I mean, if it were easy and there were no risks then everyone would be rooted. Aside from completely voiding your factory warranty, to be blunt, you can seriously mess up your phone – like to the point where you’ve made it into a glorified paperweight. That’s the big risk. I know, it’s a massive risk, but it’s kind of along those lines of a risk that has to be pointed out like all the risks that go along with taking medicine.

I mean, it’s a risk for me to drive to work each morning. It’s a risk to fly. I could go on and on. However, it’s more of a disclaimer than anything, and a heads up to BE CAREFUL. Additionally, once rooted with full control of your device, it opens your device up to the slim possibility of someone taking control over it like a hacker at a mall, bar, etc. However, there are measures to prevent this once a little research is done after you’re rooted.

 

Things to consider and/or to do before rooting 

So you know what rooting is, the benefits of it, and are aware of the risks. Now what? I’m not going to lie, there’s going to be some work involved if you’re new to this.

• I can’t stress it enough: Google is going to be your friend. Search rooting your device. Do you have an older device? Maybe start with that one first. Then read, read, and read some more. Reading and doing your homework on your device prevents the risks we discussed earlier. The more you read, the more you’ll know going in and what to expect.

• Stick to reputable websites that come up on your searches – ones you’ve probably already come in contact with before and visit frequently. When you run across terminology that you don’t understand, read up on that also. You’re essentially teaching yourself here.

• XDA is an excellent source and usually has everything you need in one place that’s dedicated just for your phone. All of your questions have been asked and answered in there before, trust me. All you need to do is search. Granted it can be a little intimidating at first, but most forums for devices have a General section with a “Newb” thread, or two.

• Did I mention reading? I’ve found that if you read enough, most sites you visit about rooting your device will become repetitive. It’s at that point that you should feel comfortable with what to expect in rooting your device.

• Have a ‘backup’ plan. What happens if you’re not successful rooting your device? What if it ‘hangs’ in the process? If you don’t know what to do, you didn’t read enough in the beginning. At the very least you should already have a backup saved of your stock ROM/OS. Additionally, you should know exactly how to recover that backup and/or your factory settings should something go wrong. Most phones have a fail-safe that you can enter to go back to stock, access a backup, etc. At the very least, you should have a backup created before you begin and you should know how to access your recovery mode as well as the steps to get you back up and running. Whenever I create a backup, I test that backup to see if it’ll load properly.  After all, what good is a backup if it can’t load? Yes, it’s time consuming but you can’t be too careful, and honestly, if you’re not prepared to invest a little time, then rooting is probably not for you.

• Make sure you’re looking at the most recent process to root your device.  When you search, filter by date and at least pull a set of instructions from the past few months, or the most recent you can find. Methods change over time, and often times those newer methods make it easier on the user to root. Make it easy on yourself and pull those latest instructions.

• Read all instructions carefully – very carefully. Do not assume anything if you’re halfway knowledgeable in rooting. Read each step, and make sure it makes sense to you before you begin. Read the instructions multiple times and do each step one-at-a-time – slowly.

• Speaking of slowly – don’t be in a hurry! It’s not a race. I know the adrenaline can get going, but take your time and be thorough. Again, do each step slowly and read each step carefully. Also, finding a guide that includes pictures will help tremendously.

• Do your homework and read user comments. Most of the time, the steps you find to root your device will come in the form of a blog or forum. Read the posts under it. You’ll be surprised at how much additional you’ll learn from other users that are in the same situation as you – and reading those that are successful will give you confidence.

• Ask questions. The good thing about the Android Community is that most of us are willing to help each other out since we were once newbies. In those forums and blogs, ask questions. Most of the time you’ll get a quick answer.

 

Yay! I’m rooted.  Now what? 

Let me just say this: If you don’t know why you want to root, then you probably don’t need to root. Read the section again about the benefits of rooting above, and do some research to make sure you know why you want to root.

• First thing’s first – create a backup. You’re rooted and up and running with no issues so create that backup. Most devices, upon root, will have a modified recovery system.  Know exactly how to access that system (you may have to search the exact way to access it) and get familiar with it. Once familiar, create a backup. Test that backup, and if it loads properly you can now proceed with having fun. Also keep in mind that when you change recoveries (usually going from stock to rooted), your backup you made on the previous recovery will not work on the new one.

• Know exactly how to access your recovery should you need to do so at any given time. This includes if the phone is off, or on. Also, some phones allow you to access what’s called a ‘Download Mode’ which requires you to have your device plugged into a laptop or PC. This mode is then used to push an OS onto your device via your PC or laptop. Believe me, one day you’ll have to use one of these types of recoveries. Scary, yes. But valuable that you’ll be prepared.


• Read some more. Each phone is different, so read what’s available to you now that your device is rooted. As mentioned, this could include custom ROMS and/or kernels that allow you to get better battery life and other nice features. Also check out the apps that will work for all rooted devices that allow you to make tweaks to your device mentioned earlier.


• Remember to not be in hurry with whatever you do with your phone once rooted. You have complete control and rights to everything on your phone, and one slip-up and it may not work properly.


• Spread the knowledge. Once you’ve learned the ropes, help others.

 

Summary 

Hopefully this guide has helped you become more comfortable with the process of rooting. Again, it’s not meant to sway anyone in any matter. It should simply be used as a resource so you can make your own decision. There are many benefits of rooting, but if it’s not worth the risk then you obviously shouldn’t do it. Good luck, and happy rooting.

 

Disclaimer: Talk Android cannot be held responsible if any damage is done to your device.

 

Glossary of Terms

 

Root – Admin access gained for a device or the process of gaining admin access for a device.

XDA (XDA-developers.com) – A website with very valuable information specific for your device in blog and forum format.

ROM – Essentially an operating system, including the kernel.

Kernel – Heart of the operating system. It keeps everything running.

Best Launcher apps

Best Launcher apps for Android tablets

In November 2012 Android fans were treated to news that Android’s share of the tablet market was growing much faster than previously projected. No doubt there will be many new owners of Android powered tablets once the 2012 holiday season passes. These new owners, or folks who have had a tablet device for a while, may be interested in trying out a new “launcher” for the tablet. For those not familiar with launchers, and I was one of them before I started working on this comparison, the launcher is the basic interface for the device. It controls things like the “grid” where apps are placed, how apps and widgets are accessed, the possibility of creating groups of apps, or automatically rearranging apps on a homescreen.

Readers may have run across references to manufacturers’ interfaces, like Touchwiz or Sense or Motoblur. These are launchers specifically included on devices to replace the stock Android launcher. In my case, I am testing on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, so I already have Samsung’s Touchwiz launcher installed.

For this comparison, I decided to take a look at some of the launchers we have covered here at TalkAndroid during the past year or that may show up at the top of the list when you search the Google Play Store for a launcher.

 

Action Launcher



Just released, Action Launcher Pro tries to focus on making it easy to quickly access your apps. The key to this effort is an app drawer that slides in from the left hand side of the screen. From the main homescreen, the app drawer can be accessed using the button in the upper left corner or just swipe the screen from left to right. If you have additional homescreens configured, the app drawer can only be called up with the button on those additional screens. The drawer is a scrollable listing of all apps with quick access via an alphabetical key down the side. Just find the app you wan to launch and tap on it. The drawer will slide back out of the way. Interestingly enough, Action Launcher does not use the same app drawer to select apps to be added to the homescreen, opting instead for a more traditional dialog box.



There is also a “covers” feature to improve access to frequent uses of an app, like top web pages for a browser or frequent people for contacts, though I have not been able to get that configured. Action Launcher also has a quick access icon to the Google Play store. Unlike some of the other launchers, it does not appear a dock is available. As you may note from the screenshot above, Action Launcher Pro has a solid bar along the top of the screen. Users can drag and drop icons onto one another to create groups and opening a group enables the ability to modify the name of the group. Action Launcher Pro is available for $3.99 in the Google Play Store. A free, feature-limited edition is not available.

ADW.Launcher



The next launcher to take a look at is ADW.Launcher, which is one of the older launchers available even though updates were on hiatus for a while. As we will see in this review, ADW.Launcher is one of several that share certain core components along with look and feel qualities. When initially installed, ADW.Launcher does a nice job of walking you through some of the basic settings and explaining what they do. Groups can be easily created by dropping one icon on top of another. Unlike some of the other launchers, I have not found any way to rename groups.



At least on an Ice Cream Sandwich device like what I am testing on, trying to drop an icon or widget where one is already located will be prevented. However, long pressing on a widget does provide a drop down menu with options to remove, resize, manage or share. ADW.Launcher does provide a dock along the bottom of the screen to keep favorite apps handy when switching between homescreens. A nice trick to use with the docks is to drag a group onto the dock to have quick access to several apps.

A paid version, ADW.Launcher EX is available for $3.00 with a promise of more special effects and settings to customize your tablet.

Apex Launcher



Apex Launcher is another launcher in the same family as ADW.Launcher based on the appearance. Once installed, you do not get a walkthrough of features and settings. Like ADW.Launcher, you can long press an app icon for some edit options. With Apex Launcher you can also long press on a group for options or to rename the group. Renaming the group can also be accomplished with a careful touch of the name when the group is open.



When moving app icons or widgets around on the screen, Apex Launcher will shift existing icons around to make space. One item I did appreciate was the much more subdued Google Search and Voice Search. Like ADW.Launcher, you can have a dock along the bottom of the screen and groups can reside there.

For more customization and animation options a paid version, Apex Launcher Pro, is available for $3.99.

Chameleon Launcher for Tablets



Fans of a widget focused device will probably like Chameleon Launcher for Tablets as the widgets drive the interface. This concept is so ingrained, Chameleon will not let you have an app icon actually reside on the homescreens, forcing them to a dock along the bottom of the screen. When first started, Chameleon does provide a walkthrough on how to setup the widgets. I did have to figure out on my own that the app dock is scrollable despite the icons at each end, one for the app tray and one to call up the homescreen selector. The dock does not stay on screen though, with each homescreen getting its own dock. Pressing the icon on the left end of the dock, the screen selector/editor, gives users access to configure when the different screens are used, one of the selling features Chameleon cites as a differentiator.



I will add that I probably had more issues with Chameleon that any of the other launchers. Getting widgets to update was difficult at times and app icons would inexplicably disappear from the dock. Chameleon Launcher for Tablets is available for $3.99 with no free testing version available.

Go Launcher HD



Any time I do a search on Google Play for launchers, a name that pops up all over the results is Go Launcher. For tablets, they have developed the Go Launcher HD for Pad version. When initially launched, Go Launcher HD provides a brief overview of some of the features available.

Go Launcher HD provides the ability to drag and drop icons to create groups and they are fairly easy to edit. However, icons will not shift themselves around to make room. When adding an app icon or widget to the homescreen, Go Launcher HD displays a horizontally scrolling list of apps along with top of the screen with alpha selectors. It functions in much the same manner as the Action Launcher app drawer. However, Go Launcher HD uses the standard app drawer when opening an app.



The power of Go Launcher HD lies more in some of the applications that have included in addition to the interface tweaks. One feature Go Launcher HD provides is the ability to create gestures to launch apps. Just hit the pointing hand icon in the top right to bring up the dialog. You can add a new gesture by drawing the gesture and associating it with an app or just draw one of your existing gestures to launch the app previously configured.



On the negative side, the dock is not scrollable as far as I could tell.

Go Launcher HD for Pad is free in the Google Play Store.

Holo Launcher HD



Holo Launcher HD is similar to ADW.Launcher and Apex Launcher in trying to bring a Jelly Bean like experience to non-Jelly Bean devices. Groups, the dock, and edit options are all essentially the same. One small item is the absence of Google Search and Voice Search icons on the homescreen. I did notice on my screen that icon labels were overlapping onto the icons immediately below them. This is not a problem if you can keep the icons separated by a blank row, but if your homescreen is cluttered with icons it can become a distraction. Hopefully this is a problem unique to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 I am using.



Holo Launcher HD is free. A $3.99 Plus version is available that provides additional customization options.

Nova Launcher



Yet another launcher trying to mimic Jelly Bean to some extent, Nova Launcher is pretty much the same as Apex Launcher and Holo Launcher HD. Some improvements from a more standard launcher like Touchwiz, but nothing really paradigm-shifting. Like Apex and Holo, you have the ability to drag and drop to create groups, icons will shift out of the way, and groups can be placed in the dock. One feature I did find useful was the ability to bulk add several apps to a homescreen at once. When you open up the app drawer, which opens full screen, you have a button in the upper right to “Select Multiple.” Tapping that lets you select several apps at once and either save them to the homescreen or create a group for them to go in.



Nova Launcher is free in the Google Play Store and Nova Launcher Prime, their premium version, comes in at only $4.00.

Which is right for you?
Out of the seven launchers I used during the past week, four of them are very similar. ADW.Launcher, Apex Launcher, Holo HD Launcher, and Nova Launcher are all very similar. They use the same round indicator for groups, provide a dock for quick access to favorite apps when shifting between screens, and give users some control over colors, fonts, and other theme qualities. Of these four, only ADW.Launcher can be used on a tablet running anything less than Android 4.0. At least initially, I found myself gravitating to Apex Launcher, though Nova Launcher makes a strong case for itself with features like the bulk app adding.

Action Launcher is new to the game and it shows. In use, I found the app drawer that slides in from the side to be very nice and effective in quickly accessing apps. It would be nice to see that ported over to some of the other launchers. In the alternative, Action Launcher needs to get on the ball in fixing some of the glitches users are finding, allow apps to be pulled from the drawer to the desktop, and implement some other features like a “fixed” dock that other launchers contain. For the time being, unless you really like being on the cutting edge, it is hard to recommend Action Launcher.

Chameleon Launcher takes a unique approach to the interface, opting to focus on the use of widgets. For me, this was very difficult to get used to. For those readers out there who use widgets heavily, this make be a good replacement in order to get the ability to have the screens change depending on certain criteria like time of day or wifi network. I found it to be very limiting. Chameleon Launcher will work on Android 3.2 or better devices, so some users with older tablets can give it a try.

From an interface standpoint, Go Launcher HD is very similar to the ADW/Apex/Holo/Nova launchers. Go Launcher HD differentiates itself through the use of additional features like gestures. Owners of older tablets will be glad to know the minimum requirement for Go Launcher HD is Android 2.2+. A search of the Google Play Store reveals lots of add-ons and themes for Go Launcher HD. Clearly it is a very popular choice amongst users.

The Final Word
If you are looking for a widget-focused launcher, you might want to give Chameleon Launcher a try. Others will find they are pressed to reconsider the paradigm they use when tablet is in hand. Action Launcher is still a bit on the immature side. It possesses a lot of promise, but for now I would have to pass on it while watching for further developments.

That leaves us with the group of ADW.Launcher, Apex Launcher, Go Launcher HD, Holo Launcher HD, and Nova Launcher. Owners of older tablets will be limited to ADW.Launcher or Go Launcher HD. For those users, Go Launcher HD is probably the better choice due to some of the additional apps and whiz-bang features that are included. Users with newer tablets running at least Ice Cream Sandwich can throw the others into the mix. Both Go Launcher HD and Nova Launcher would make good choices for these users.

As you may have noted, most of the launchers are free for a basic version. It should be no problem to download a launcher and give it a try for a week if you are willing to put up with selecting which launcher to use when pressing the home button on your tablet during the testing period. In the meantime, with all these new features available, I’ll be working on figuring out how to use some of the new capabilities to make my tablet experience a little more effective.

Best Android keyboard

Best Android keyboard replacements for phones and tablets [January 2013]

Keyboards are important. They’re easily the most used application on your Android phone, so having one you actually like can go a long way towards enjoying your phone. Sometimes, you’ll get stuck with an OEM keyboard that you don’t really care for; that’s where this guide comes in. We’ll go over all the best keyboard replacements for your device to help you pick one the right one for you.

 



Swype

Swype came along and really turned text input on its head. Instead of tapping out letters, you simply trace those letters along the keyboard and Swype fills in the words for you. It’s a weird concept, and it takes some practice to get used to it, but it can be a much faster input method than traditional typing, especially with one hand. At first, you might be a little skeptical about how well it works, but the prediction and recognition is excellent and is usually better than most stock keyboards. Swype is also constantly adding new features to keep that prediction and recognition up to par with the competition, too.

Is this the keyboard for you? If you type one handed often and don’t mind trying out new things, Swype is one of the best keyboards available. It’s unfortunately not available on the Play Store, so if you’re weird about installing third party applications, you may want to pass on this one. (Although as long as you’re only installing trusted applications, this should never be an issue.) If you’re trying to use Swype on a tablet, it does offer a moveable keyboard and split keyboard layout for tablets larger than 7 inches, but unfortunately for tablets like the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire, the keyboard mirrors the phone layout, which can be uncomfortable depending on how your hold your device. The same application works on both phones and tablets, and it’s free, so it’s worth at least testing the water to see how you like it.

Swype Beta Website



Swiftkey

Another extremely popular keyboard that’s constantly on top of Google Play’s best selling charts, SwiftKey boasts insanely accurate text prediction and correction. It learns from your text messages and emails and adapts to how you type to help correct your mistakes and even predict the rest of your sentences for you. And, believe it or not, it’s extremely accurate with its predictions, almost to the point of being creepy. If you type certain phrases often, after typing the first word or two, SwiftKey will automatically suggest the next few words to fill in the rest of the phrase. SwiftKey has also encroached on Swype’s territory a bit by introducing some text-swiping features called SwiftKey Flow.

Is this the keyboard for you? If you’re a fast typer who relies on autocorrect and word prediction, SwiftKey is going to become your new favorite app. After a week or so of using it, it almost starts to read your mind and speeds your texting and tweeting way up. Again, though, if privacy is a big concern to you,  you  may want to pass on SwiftKey. It does collect quite a bit of information to learn about your typing style to better tailor predictions and corrections, and some people may not want a company to have that much information. There are also two separate applications Swiftkey offers; one is for phones, one is for tablets. If you’re looking for a single keyboard with one install to use across devices, you may want to look at other keyboards on this list.



Play Store Download Link



Play Store Download Link (Tablet Version)



Go Keyboard

The Go Dev Team makes arguably the best replacement applications and widgets for Android phones, and their popular Go Keyboard is no exception. It doesn’t do the swype input quite as well as Swype, and it doesn’t do predictions quite like Swiftkey, but it beats them both by a mile in another category: customization. The Go Team brags that there are over 60 themes for their keyboard, and it supports several different languages and keyboard sizes. There’s even dedicated Emoji support baked in to the keyboard, if that’s your thing. It’s absolutely full of features that you won’t find in another keyboard.

Is this the keyboard for you? If you’re a constant ROM-flasher who wants everything customized a specific way, or if you’re just tired of the aesthetics of traditional keyboards, the Go Team has you covered. No other keyboard gives you the kind of options that Go Keyboard does, from the colors to picking between QWERTY keyboards of T9 keyboards. It also supports several different tablet sizes, designed specifically for 5″, 7″, and 9/10″ tablets.



Play Store Download Link



Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard

Maybe you don’t like fancy keyboards. Maybe you’re the kind of person that wants what Google intended, plain and simple, with nothing else complicated on top of it. The freely available Ice Cream Sandwich Keyboard on the Play Store is exactly what you’re looking for; no unnecessary bells and whistles, just the plain keyboard with Google’s standard predictions, options, and attractive holo theme.

Is this the keyboard for you? If you want a keyboard that just works, that’s easy to figure out, and doesn’t require twenty minutes to set up, then yes. There’s a few tweaks for autocorrections and punctuation and things like that, so technically it’s a little more featured than Google’s AOSP keyboard, but it stays true to what Google intended. There’s no gimmicks here, and no privacy issues. Type away.



Play Store Download Link



Perfect Keyboard

Perfect Keyboard takes a different approach to typing. Instead of the traditional landscape keyboard layout, it splits itself into three separate pieces with half the keyboard on one side, half on the other, and a numpad in the middle. The thought behind it is that it reduces the strain on your thumbs to stretch to some of those hard-to-reach keys in the middle of the keyboard, which is especially useful on some of the larger phones we’re beginning to see. It does also offer quite a bit of customization, including setting different keyboards for both landscape and portrait, different themes, and being able to set a picture as a custom background.

Is this the keyboard for you? If you have a hard time reaching some of the keys on your keyboard, definitely give Perfect Keyboard a try. There’s a learning curve at first, but after playing with it for a few days, it’s will easily speed up your typing. It’s also pretty handy for typing on a tablet, since it lets you type just like you would on a phone without having to reach your hand halfway across the screen. That customization across devices is where Perfect Keyboard really shines over the rest of the keyboards on this list.



Play Store Download Link

There are enough keyboards to try out in the Play Store to keep you busy for months. Some of them offer a few niche features that may appeal to you, but these four offer the biggest features better than most other keyboards available. Did we miss one of your favorite keyboards? Hit us up in the comments section and let us know what you’re using.

How to backup apps

How to backup apps and app data on your rooted or non-rooted Android phone or tablet

 



We’ve all been in a situation before where we needed to either factory reset our phone, send it in for a warranty replacement, etc. Not a big deal by itself, but you’ve got 3 stars on 80% of Angry Birds levels, and who would want to lose that accomplishment? You want to be able to keep that data forever. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to do, and this guide will help you get started. You’ll even be able to start transferring some app data to new phones when you upgrade.

 



Carbon – No Root Method

Carbon is an application by popular developer, Koushik Dutta, who has also developed ClockworkMod Recovery, ROM Manager, and a recent Superuser application. Needless to say, he’s made some extremely useful applications that are very widely used. Carbon is no exception, and it allows any device running Android 4.0 or higher to back up their applications and data without root. All you’ll need is your device, a computer, and your USB cable. (It’s worth noting that according to its Play Store page, Motorola devices are not supported due to a bug on Motorola’s part.)

First off, you’re going to need the free companion desktop application to use the backup features (for non rooted users only).  There are versions for Windows, OS X, and a Linux shell script, so regardless of what kind of computer you’re using, you’ll be able to take advantage of Carbon. If you’re using Windows, you’re also going to need specific drivers for your phone. There’s a link on the download page (above) with a list of drivers for easy access and installation, and just about every major OEM is covered. OS X and Linux users don’t have to worry about the driver issues.

Once you have that all set up and running, start the Carbon desktop app, connect your device via USB to your computer, and start Carbon on your phone or tablet. Wait just a few seconds, and Carbon will be fully enabled so you can start backing up your apps. You can now disconnect your phone/tablet from your desktop and utilize the app itself. You won’t have to reconnect your phone/tablet again, but if you reboot your device you will have to connect it again to re-enable the app. It’s an inconvenience, but a minor one when you consider this is the only option for backing up app data for non rooted devices.

There’s a few cool features and tricks you’ll probably want to take advantage of while using Carbon, though, so poke around and look at some settings before you back up your massive stockpile of apps. Let’s say you really only want to back up your Angry Birds data, but you don’t mind re-downloading the app from the Play Store first. If you swipe up the bottom tab in Carbon, you’ll see a check box that gives you the option of backing up only the app data, and it does exactly that; your bigger apk will not be saved, but the data that goes along with it will be saved. You’ll have to download the app from the Play Store before you can restore that data, but if you want to save some storage space on your phone or SD card and don’t mind the extra step, that can be a pretty helpful option. There are also quick options to select and deselect all available apps in this window.

If you don’t mind going for the paid version of Carbon ($4.99), you’ll get a really cool feature; the ability to back up your data to cloud storage. Carbon supports Dropbox, Box, and Google Drive, and it can seamlessly get your data on your favorite cloud service. That’s extremely helpful if you’re switching over to a new phone without an SD card, or just to make a backup in case you were to ever lose your phone.

So let’s fast forward a bit and say you’ve got your warranty exchange, you’ve finished your factory reset, or you just brought your shiny new phone home after upgrading. Restoring those applications is quick and easy, and all you’ll have to do is download Carbon from the Play Store. After downloading, run Carbon, connect it to your computer again, and you’ll be able to restore all of your apps and data. That precious Angry Birds is still completely intact. You’ll never have to worry about losing data again.

You can also use Carbon as a rooted user  and you don’t need to bother with the desktop companion software. Everything else works the same, but I prefer the next option, Titanium Backup because it’s more feature rich, but Carbon is still a great app.



Play Store Download Link



Play Store Download Link (Premium)



Titanium Backup – Root Method

Carbon is useful, and if you can’t or don’t want to root your device, its backup capabilities are fantastic. If you are rooted, however, it’s hard to beat Titanium Backup’s extremely rich feature set. It essentially works the same as Carbon but with a bit more flexibility and automation. It also works on any device that can be rooted, regardless of manufacturer or OS version.

First off, with Titanium Backup, you must be rooted. There’s no way around it. If you need some help on that, we do have a guide to rooting to get you started and answer most of your questions. If you’re already rooted, just download and install the app and start it. It will prompt you for root permissions, which you will want to grant, of course, and you’re ready to start backing things up.

Titanium Backup has three tabs you’ll be looking at; an overview page, a backup/restore page, and a schedules page. For this guide, we want that middle tab to start backing up applications. You’ll see a long list of every single application that’s installed on your phone, including system applications and data. This is the biggest difference from Carbon, and it’s extremely important to remember. Backing up and restoring system applications and data can cause serious problems. As a general rule of thumb, it’s much safer to manually sign back into accounts and adjust settings instead of restoring a backup for those settings. In some cases, restoring system data will be fine, but more often than not it will cause problems. Restoring system data from one device to another will definitely cause problems.

Now that we’ve got that friendly disclaimer out of the way, tap the “Click to edit filters” button above your app list. For safety, we want to uncheck the boxes under “Filter by type” except for the User option. Only the User box should be checked, and the System and Uninstalled box should be blank. Tap your green checkmark at the top right of the screen to go back to your app list that’s been completely filtered to only user apps and no system apps. Here you can manually select which apps to backup and restore, so if you really only wanted to keep data for your games when moving to a new device, it’s easy to do so.

Now let’s say you want to run a full backup for your apps. That button on the top right of the screen, next to the magnifying glass, is your “batch” button in Titanium Backup, and that’s where the magic happens. Tap that and it will give you a long list of actions you can take. For this backup, we want to run the “Backup all user apps” action. This pulls up a list of your user apps where you can individually check each app you want to back up, or you can simply select all of your apps. After figuring out what you want backed up, tap the green checkmark at the top right and the batch action will run in the background.

Restoring your apps again is pretty much the same thing. When you go to your batch actions list, scroll down a bit until you find the action for “Restore all apps with data.” This list will show each app you’ve backed up so you can batch restore everything you need, data included. The free version of Titanium Backup will make you press a yes dialog box for each app you want to restore, so it’s not totally automated, but the paid, premium version does it all behind the scenes. And, like Carbon, you can set up schedules to back up at specific times and, if you opted for the paid Pro Key, sync your local backups to cloud storage. So if you’re in one of those situations we mentioned earlier, like moving to a phone without an SD card or just making backups in case your phone is lost or stolen, Titanium Backup supports the same three major cloud storage services for backing up your data.



Play Store Download Link



Play Store Download Link (Premium)

Like always, there’s plenty of Android apps available that do what Carbon and Titanium Backup can do, (although Carbon is the only app that can fully backup nonrooted devices) so if neither of these seem like your cup of tea, it’s easy to find an alternative. Both of these apps have relatively simple, easy to use designs that most users can figure out to do something that we’ve all needed to do once or twice with our phones.

How to receive MMS

How to automatically receive MMS picture messages

If you’re like me, then you probably love to text on your Android smartphone, but may have one major complaint when it comes to texting on our Android smartphones: receiving those coveted picture messages. Sure you may get the MMS notification, but when you try and check for the message, you are likely stuck with either having to physically force the picture message to download or worse— forcing the download only to not see the photo appear. Well cry no more friends as we will be giving you a simple and brief guide on how to relieve yourself of the pesky inconsistency when it comes to receiving those coveted attachments within an MMS message. Oh and believe us— you’ll be glad you did once you hit the break.

 

Requirements

• Stock Messaging app or third-party alternative (such as Handcent or GoSMS)


• A minute or so of your time

 

Enabling the MMS messages

• Open the messaging client of your choice


• Enter the Settings option (Stock Messaging/GoSMS apps: Menu –> Settings | Handcent: Menus –> Settings –> Retrieve Message Settings |


• Simply check the Auto retrieve button

Stock messaging app



Handcent



GoSMS Pro

Now once completed, your phone should automatically retrieve the MMS content as soon as you receive the new message notification, so you should be good to go moving forward and