Welcome to the newest member in the house, as the Xiaomi Redmi Pro has received its own set of forums. Head on over to collaborate with other users who plan to pick up the device!...
Sunday, July 31, 2016
[Giveaway] Win a OnePlus 3 With Dash Charge!
One of the most flaunted features of OEMs in recent years has been charging speed, with seemingly everyone looking to demonstrate the fastest and most efficient method of giving your device juice.
The OnePlus 3 launched with a charging solution known as Dash Charge, unencumbered by power heavy tasks...
Evan Blass: Android 7.0 Nougat Releases Next Month with 5th August Security Patch
Serial tipster @evleaks mentioned on his Twitter account that the Android 7.0 Nougat update will be released “next month” (i.e. August), along with the 5th August security patch. He also goes on to mention that Nexus 5 users will not get Android 7.0 Nougat update despite its early release, but the move...
What’s the Worst Thing That’s Ever Happened to a Device of Yours?
At XDA, we know that we should always take precautions to ensure our device is safe. Whether that means carefully following flashing instructions or protecting our phone inside a tough case, we want to make sure our devices reach the end of the day unscathed — or at the very least, functional.
But...
Peiter Zatko is Grading Software Based on Security Flaws
Peiter Zatko, along with his wife, are former NSA mathematicians and they’ve developed a first-of-its-kind method for actually grading pieces of software for security flaws. The system will now give users the ability to “comparison shop” for programs like browsers, applications, and antivirus...
Samsung is Rumored to Announce the Gear S3 at IFA 2016
SamMobile says they have exclusive information about the upcoming Gear S3 from Samsung. If true, the smartwatch will be like its predecessor and have a rotary bezel again, which also implies it will be round again as well. Their sources are also telling them that the Gear S3 will be unveiled at...
Xiaomi Redmi Pro to use OLED Panels from BOE and EverDisplay
When you think of a smartphone with an OLED panel, you almost always assume it’s from Samsung since they are responsible for 90% of the market. Xiaomi decided to go with two Chinese companies for the OLED panels of the Redmi Pro though (presumably to keep costs down). So the OLED panel on Xiaomi’s latest...
DxOMark Reviews the Camera on the Xperia X Performance
DxOMark just published their review of the Sony Xperia X Performance and they felt it was just as good as the HTC 10 and Galaxy S7 Edge. They felt the autofocus was fast, the noise was controlled in low light and it had good stabilization, exposure and white balance. In their experience, HDR failed...
Sony is Negotiating with Murata to Offload Battery Business
Sony has entered into a non-binding memorandum with Murata Manufacturing in hopes to transfer the company’s battery business. The two companies hope to come to an agreement about the deal sometime in October of this year. If everything goes well, the goal is to complete the transfer...
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Off-brand Android: Live TV USB Antenna Review
In my ongoing quest to find and review the most bizarre Android accessories, I kept stumbling across this Android TV antenna. According to the product description, this device will work anywhere...
Friday, July 29, 2016
Emulate Gyroscope on Android With GyroEmu
While a gyro sensor is a standard for high-end phones, there are some devices that lack thereof. Luckily, XDA Forum Member Mourdraug created an Xposed Framework module that emulates this sensor. If you have a device without gyroscope, you can find it useful. For more specific information...
Sony Mobile is Back in the Black with $4 Million in Profit
After closing offices, cutting jobs, and tightening the belt, Sony Mobile is finally making a profit again. During Q2 of last year, the company’s mobile division lost $188 million. Even though their sales were down 33%, Sony Mobile brought in $4 million in profit from its $1.8 billion in overall...
Facebook has 1.03 Billion Mobile Daily Active Users
Facebook has just announced they have grown their mobile user base over 20% compared to last year. Their mobile daily active users are now up to 1.03 billion (which is up 22% compared to last year), and they now have 1.57 billion mobile monthly active users (which is up 20% compared to last year). They...
Swiftkey Suspends Sync Services After Users Start Seeing Suggestions from Other Users
Swiftkey has stopped Sync services for its keyboard after it was reported that a few users started seeing suggestions that did not belong to them. A user reported seeing German suggestions on an English keyboard along with a different person’s email. The error is believed to have been caused because...
The Sorry State of Android Fragmentation: An Example to Understand Developers’ Plight
Fragmentation has been a contentious issue in Android quite literally since the mobile operating system was announced.
Apart from being a cudgel for trolls to use in online flame-wars, the diversity...
Alphabet Announces Impressive Results in Q2 Report
Alphabet also published their financial report this week and this showed the company brought in $21.3 billion in overall revenue for the quarter. This is up from $17.7 billion in revenue that they brought in during Q2 of last year. Of that $21.3 billion in revenue, $5.8 billion was non-GAAP...
LG’s Mobile Division Lost $132 Million in Q2
LG has just published their financial report for the second quarter of this year. The company’s mobile division lost $132 million due to weak sales of the LG G5, which is actually better than how they did in Q1 of this year with a lost of $170 million. However, LG was able to bring in $503...
Samsung Financial Report Show Highest Profit in 2 Years
Thanks to the success of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, Samsung’s Q2 profits are the highest in 2 years. The company brought in $45.2 billion in overall revenue, which is up 5% compared to the same quarter last year. Of that $45.2 billion, $7.22 billion was pure profit and that was...
Prisma to Support Videos in Future Update
Prisma Labs recently launched their popular art filter application in the Play Store and it has become wildly popular since its release. Bloomberg published an interview with the developers this week and it seems like they are working on a feature that will add video support to the app. However, we...
The LG V20 is an Important Device for LG, and They Don’t Have Room to Fall Short Again
Last month, we did a report on the walking of LG’s product design and how it’s been hurting them in sales. The main takeaway from this analysis is that LG is struggling to hit their stride in...
Samsung Galaxy S7 Active Gets Its Own Forums!
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Active makes for a good choice for people looking for a rugged phone with flagship specs. If you purchased an S7 Active, head on over to the forums!
...
Weekly Debrief — The Note7, Nexus Sailfish, and More
It’s Friday which means we are THAT much closer to Christmas! Check out this week’s weekly recap in the form of a fresh new video. You can find the links to the articles that are featured down below.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (Flat) Working Prototype Featured in 11-Minute Long Video
The Samsung Galaxy...
Wikipedia’s Android Client Receives A Massive Update
You probably know Wikipedia well, given we all use it at some point or another.It’s one of the best sites from which you can learn about people, events or places, even if superficially. Now its Android client has been rewritten and features a completely redesigned home screen. As...
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Docs and Sheets for Android Get Add-Ons Support
The Docs and Sheets apps on Android now come with Add-Ons Support. Google has teamed up with eight integration partners as of now to create seamless integrations for Docs and Sheets. These Add-Ons allow you to trigger actions above and beyond the standard Docs and Sheets functionality, like sign documents,...
Samsung’s Android-Powered Clamshell Smartphone, Galaxy Folder 2, Gets TENAA Approval
Samsung does not hesitate to test out new waters, or get back into old in this case, as a Clamshell design smartphone that runs on Android has now arrived at TENAA. The Samsung Galaxy Folder 2, as it is being called, will reportedly pack in a 3.8″ WVGA display with 800×480 resolution, a Snapdragon 425...
Samsung Beats Apple in Smartphone Shipments for Q2 2016
Riding on the success of the Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung has beaten Apple for smartphone shipments for Q2 2016. Samsung’s shipments for April-June came at around 72 Million smartphones, while Apple’s iPhone shipments amounted to 40.4 Million units. However, a point to note is that the new iPhone is set...
What Makes an App Worth Paying for?
Android is home to thousands and thousands of apps and games. But not all of these are created equal.
Some apps truly shine on what they do, while a lot of others try to cash in on the me-too phenomenon. On the other hand, there are apps which have strong ideas but fail on the execution. Whether it...
XDA Subforums Live for Blackberry DTEK50!
With Blackberry releasing their second Android device in the Blackberry DTEK50 (rebranded Alcatel Idol 4), subforums have been created for the device! If you plan to purchase the device, head on over to take a look at the forums!...
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (Flat) Working Prototype Featured in 11-Minute Long Video
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 unveiling is just round the corner, with the device being unveiled officially on 2nd August. We know a lot about the device so far — how it will look like, in what colors it will come in, what hardware will it sport internally and even have a glimpse on how the Iris Scanner...
Beating The Game CLARC
In this XDA TV video, we have something a little different for you. For the most part, it’s a pretty rare thing for anyone to play an Android game from start to finish. If you’re like me, you rarely...
Defining Bloatware: Where Do YOU Draw the Line?
Bloatware. The very word makes Nexus purists cringe and carrier users flee for the hills. Typically this is for good reason, just the word bloatware is disgusting and gets lumped together with the other...
Here’s how to Access Hidden Settings on your Phone
Depending on what flavor of Android your phone is based on, you might be stuck with a settings page that is… a bit of a mess to say the least.
For that reason, Google introduced a search feature in the...
Google Announces New Linux Kernel Defenses for Android
To help keep Android and its kernel more secure, Google has announced a number of new mechanisms within Android. For memory protections, they will mark memory as read-only/no-execute, restrict kernel access to userspace, and improve protection against stack buffer overflows. For attack surface reductions,...
The LaunchKit Team is Joining Google
Yesterday, the co-founder of LaunchKit announced the team behind their products and service would be joining Google’s Developer Products Group. They’ll continue to make tools that helps developers deploy their apps, but it will just be for Google. The LaunchKit tools are now open source, and the LaunchKit...
HERE Maps is Updated with a New Name and New UX
HERE Maps was just renamed to HERE WeGo, and this update comes with an improved UI and user experience. The Find a Route option used to be at the bottom but now the search box says Where to? so you can immediately input your destination. The app is also getting a new transportation option in various...
Nextbit Robin is Now Available in Ember
Nextbit is heavily invested in their first and only smartphone, the Robin. The team behind the phone continues to talk about future software features they want to bring to the device, and now there’s a new color variant to choose from. This version is called Ember, and it is priced just like the others...
Lenovo Announces the Rio 2016 Edition of the ZUK Z2
Similarly to Samsung, Lenovo has just re-released one of their smartphones as a special edition for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This version of the ZUK Z2 is a little different than its original though. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage compared to the 4GB/64GB combo that the original has. It also...
Rumor Says Nintendo’s Next Console uses the Tegra X1 SoC
There have been a number of rumors that claimed the Nintendo NX console would be a mobile platform, but they have mostly been brushed off until this week. Eurogamer claims multiple sources are telling them it will use NVIDIA’s Tegra X1 SoC. This is the same chip that powers the NVIDIA Shield TV, Google...
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Google’s Family Library Now Live; Allows Sharing of Content with Upto Six People
Google’s Family Library is finally rolling out to users in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States. Family Library enables family members (upto 6) to share purchased content in the form of eligible apps, games, movies,...
Android Nougat Beta Build for the Huawei P9 and Mate 8 is Available – Get it Now!
Android Nougat’s fifth developer preview was recently released for Nexus devices, but for the past few months owners of any other non-Google devices have been waiting to get a chance to taste some of that sweet Nougat. We’ve known that OEMs have been internally testing Nougat releases for their devices...
Xiaomi Releases Redmi Pro with Helio X25 and Dual Rear Cameras
Following up on successful products in the low/mid end such as the Redmi Note 3 and in niche markets like the Mi Max, Xiaomi has released the Redmi Pro, the new “Redmi Flagship”. In typical Xiaomi fashion,...
Grace UX ROM for the Galaxy Note 5
So as we all know the Galaxy Note 7 is right around the corner and if you’re curious about the software we might get on the final product, you can try out the Grace UX ROM on your Galaxy Note 5. This...
Bootloader Unlock Script for the BLU R1 HD Prime
Earlier this week the XDA community gained root access to the BLU R1 HD Prime, and now the bootloader has been unlocked. Thanks to XDA Recognized Contributor Tomsgt, all you have to do is execute a simple batch script to unlock it....
LG Display Invests $1.75 Billion in New Generation Flexible OLED
With LG’s latest investment, the CEO of LG Display believes this 6th generation will be a “paradigm shift” to the OLED market. The new production line will be in the company’s P9 plant in Paju, South Korea. It is said to begin mass production in the second half of 2018, and will produce 15,000...
Xiaomi Issues Statement Regarding Mi 4i Explosion Incident
Yesterday, we wrote about an explosion incident that occurred with a Xiaomi device. A seemingly normal office scenario quickly turned into one of panic and confusion as a Xiaomi Mi 4i burst into flames while its user was using it. While the scenario itself is rare when you consider the immense sales...
LG Display Sees 91% Decrease of YoY Profit in Q2
It’s obvious that LG hasn’t had the best year so far and the Q2 financial report from LG Display shows it hasn’t been good for this subdivision either. While their overall revenue only dropped 13% compared to the same quarter last year, the company saw a 91% decrease in operating profit....
Sony Announces Press Event for IFA on September 1st
Sony has been at IFA for a while now so it shouldn’t be any surprise that they’ve just confirmed they’ll be there this year as well. Their press event will take place on September 1st at 13:00 CEST, but it’s known what they will be announcing. Some have speculated that they’ll finally announced...
LeEco Confirms Acquisition of VIZIO for $2 Billion
Thanks to a $2 billion acquisition, VIZIO is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of LeEco. This means that VIZIO will continue operating as they are, and you should still see their products on store shelves under the same brand name. This move is just the latest step in LeEco’s plans of expanding their...
Google Announces New Categories for the Play Store
Within the next 60 days, you’ll see the following new application categories in the Play Store: Art & Design, Auto & Vehicles, Beauty, Dating, Events, Food & Drink, House & Home, and Parenting. On top of this, Google is also renaming the Transportation...
OnePlus Customer Service in 2016: How My Faulty Unit was Handled
Despite telling myself I wouldn’t do so, I bought a OnePlus 3 on launch day. For the first time ever with OnePlus, ordering was incredibly easy with no invites or hoops to jump through. In a little over...
Intel’s Multi-OS Engine Allows Developers to Create Native iOS or Android Apps with Java
Many of us have likely come across on app on a different platform that made us wonder: “why in the world can’t I download this already?”
I’m sure you’ve heard of one such app that’s all the rage lately,...
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Android Pay Appears to No Longer Work with Systemless Root
Several users on our Nexus 5X forum are reporting that Android Pay has suddenly stopped working on systemless root configurations. Users surmise that Google pulled a server side switch that killed the work-around....
Use Gamepads on Android With Game Controller Tester
Modern Android devices are designed to be comprehensive solutions for users. Some of them serve us really well as portable game consoles. Using a gamepad is one way of maximizing your gaming experience. If you plan to do so, XDA Senior Member Catalyst06 has something to offer. The Game Controller...
A Graphical Simple ADB Lands on Linux
A short while ago we’ve covered the Simple ADB tool that brought a nice interface for ABD and Fastboot. This tool worked only on Windows, but XDA Senior Member mhashem6 did a great job adding Linux compatibility. If you’re on Ubuntu or other Linux distribution, give it a shot!...
Motorola Clarifies Monthly Security Update Situation; Still Non-Committal to Monthly Updates
There were reports earlier that Motorola would not commit to monthly security updates for its devices, including newly launched flagships. Motorola then mentioned that devices will receive security updates. However, with this latest statement, Motorola has clarified that security updates will come to...
BlackBerry Officially Announces the DTEK50
The BlackBerry DTEK50 is the company’s thinnest BlackBerry to date. We’ve heard lots of rumors about this device (with TCL manufacturing it) and now we can see it is essentially a rebranded Alcatel Idol 4. As with all BlackBerry devices though, it’s the software and security is where the DTEK50...
Xiaomi Mi4i Explodes While in Use at an Office
Last week, Xiaomi user Ajay Raj Negi posted to the Mi Mobile Facebook page about his phone exploding while in use. The incident happened on July 16, 2016 while he was in his office around his other...
XDA Sub-forums Live for LeEco Le 2, Alcatel Idol 4S and BLU R1 HD!
Three of the most popular current devices can now call XDA their home, as XDA subforums are now available for the LeEco Le 2, Alcatel Idol 4S and the BLU R1 HD!...
OxygenOS v3.2.2 Update Brings Host of Improvements to the OnePlus 3
The OnePlus 3 is amongst the very best that one can purchase right now — an affordable flagship that does kill several other flagships at twice its price point, what more could you want? Well, there’s...
Huawei’s Sales Revenue is up 40% Compared to 2015
Huawei has just published their financial report for the first half of the year, and their sales revenue is up by 40% compared to the first half of 2015. The company continued by saying they have ended G1 with an operating margin of 12%. Huawei attributes this to all three of their business groups...
Google Brings Emergency Location Service to the UK and Estonia
The US Federal Communications Commission believes that reducing the amount of time emergency services take to locate you could save 10,000 lives annually. To help improve this on Android devices, Google has launched its Emergency Location Service for Android 2.3+. Google has launched...
LeEco is Rumored to Acquire the US Company, VIZIO
Most Android enthusiasts might know of LeEco as a company that sells smartphones, but they are actually a huge conglomerate that has a hand in a number of markets. It’s being reported that LeEco could acquire the United States TV manufacturer VIZIO. If true, we could see this acquisition officially...
OPPO Schedules F1s Launch for August 3rd
It had been previously reported that OPPO was going to launch the F1s sometime in August, but at that time a date had not been announced. This week, OPPO has started sending out press invites to select Android publications for this specific event. We can now expect to learn more about the OPPO...
Google Announces Visual Changes to Google Maps
Some visual changes are coming to the Android, iOS and desktop versions of Google Maps. Google says they are now using a cleaner look that will highlight necessary information without overcrowding the map. The new update also allows Google to highlight areas of interest like a hotel, bar or restaurant....
Humble Mobile Bundle 19 Includes Hitman GO, Punch Club and More
Humble Bundle has just announced their 19th DRM-free mobile bundle for Android. This bundle includes Chameleon Run, Ys Chronicles II and Hitman GO if you pay $1 or more. If you pay more than the average, then you get Punch Club, Super Stickman Golf 3 Premium and more to be announced...