Tag Archives: before

Verizon GALAXY S 4 bootloader unlocked before release

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For those who have been following the ongoing news regarding Samsung’s GALAXY S 4 and the bootloader, we have good news. After AT&T’s model was found to be locked down tight a few developers quickly addressed the problem and hacked the bootloader on the GALAXY S 4. Now just days before Verizon‘s flavor hits the streets the same dev has already got custom recoveries up and running on the handset. Rejoice Android modders.

GS4_Verizon_Black_400x400_large1_HERO_1

The popular developer Dan Rosenberg confirmed this should work on Verizon’s model but didn’t release the method so the carrier couldn’t close the loophole. Now that the phone is out and in the wild, shipping to those who’ve pre-ordered, and in the hands of a select few he’s already tested and confirmed the method works.

The news was announced yesterday on Twitter but Dan isn’t making too big of a deal over it. Once Verizon’s GALAXY S 4 goes up for sale Thursday, the 23rd, he’ll probably release a one-click unlock method for everyone to enjoy. From here we can load a custom recovery, hack our devices, flash CyanogenMod and other ROMs with ease. So this is certainly good news.

So for those who ordered the Verizon GS 4 and have one coming soon, or if you plan to run down Thursday to a local shop and get your own, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing the bootloader can be unlocked. For now at least. Most likely an update will be coming shortly that will close it. If rooting and unlocking the bootloader matters to you, you probably will want to wait on updates once you have the handset. Stay tuned and we’ll update once the details and method have been released.

– Thanks to all who sent this in!

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Xbox One – Where have we heard that name before?

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Xbox One

Interesting name. And so far this is making Google TV look like a bad dream.

We're keeping up with the Xbox news over at WPCentral.

    




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How many times can you open and close NVIDIA Shield before it breaks?

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NVIDIA Shield

That's a big display, and a hinge that's a big point of failure — but the good news is it should last a while

Stating the obvious here, but you're going to be opening and closing NVIDIA Shield a lot. You don't have a choice. To use it, you've got to flip open that 5-inch display, exposing the controls underneath and giving you a screen to work with. And that opening-and-closing mechanism also was one area NVIDIA focused on since we first saw a prototype in January. The hinge has been made more robust, NVIDIA told us at its headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif.

But just how many times can you open and shut this thing before it gives out?

More: Hands-on with new NVIDIA Shield

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Pantech Vega Iron 1080p HD phone leaks before tomorrow’s reveal

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While we’ve been seeing nearly all manufacturers jump on board this new 1920 x 1080p full HD train for their smartphones, a few are a little late to the game. Today we’re seeing more reports and some leaked images of an upcoming device from the folks at Pantech. This device is reportedly to be called the Vega Iron, and rocks a full HD display and other top-tier specs.

Pantech-Vega-Iron-Full-HD-black

Pantech’s new Vega Iron is aiming to take on the likes of the Samsung GALAXY S 4, and even LG’s 5.5-inch Optimus G Pro over in Korea. According to the details being made available this smartphone will be announced tomorrow, April 18th to the world. Pantech has a few devices in the US that are budget friendly, but we’d love to see their flagship devices make the trip across the pond and be available stateside.

According to UnwiredView the Pantech pictured above (and below) has some pretty impressive specs to go along with that display. We’re expecting a 5-inch 1920 x 1080p full HD display, Qualcomm’s 1.7 GHz Snapdragon 600 series quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, 4G LTE, 32GB of storage, a weak 2,150 mAh battery, NFC, and even a 13 megapixel is all on board. Sounds nice right?

Screen Shot 2013-04-17 at 3.10.20 PM

Reports suggest this new flagship smartphone will be announced tomorrow running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, but will quickly be updated to the absolute latest and greatest 4.2 JB in the coming weeks. It even offers a micro-SD card slot for expandable storage. This is shaping up to be a pretty impressive phone, and we can’t wait for more details. Hopefully it will become available outside Korea.

[via UnwiredView]

Android Community

HTC One launch vid disappears, but not before claiming it’s ‘everything your phone isn’t’ (video)

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HTC One launch vid disappears, but not before claiming it's 'everything your phone isn't'

We’ve commented before on how HTC always seems to come in second to Samsung — not because it has inferior hardware, but because its marketing budget is comparable to what’s fallen between the cushions of Sammy’s sofa. We might be seeing the beginnings of a new advertising strategy from HTC, however, as the company appears to have collaborated with Funny or Die to put together comedic promo for the HTC One, likely hoping the internet will do the rest of the PR work. A spoof of The Bachelorette, hosted by James Van Der Beek Dawson Leery, the scene depicts the leading lady deciding on her next handset. The HTC One obviously wins, given it’s competing with feature-lacking phones — or rather, people dressed up in phone costumes. We can’t find the vid on Funny or Die (but it has found its way onto YouTube), and assume it’s been pulled before a proper release, and AdAge reports that it’ll start showing up on some websites today, and in a bunch of movie theaters from April 26th. Whether it’s actually funny is up to you, so check out the full skit below.

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Via: CNET

Source: YouTube

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US Cellular testing a ‘try before you sign’ program

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US Cellular has begun testing out a new trial program. One that will allow perspective customers to test out the network before they sign a two-year commitment. This program sounds interesting enough, but at the moment it is limited to a select few markets. The testing is being done in Knoxville, Tennessee; Medford, Oregon and Rocky Mount, North Carolina and could be expanded if this trial period goes well.

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US Cellular hasn’t offered any details in terms of when the trial period will come to a close, however they have given some details on the program itself. It all seems simple enough, basically, those considering a switch to US Cellular would be able to use a device on the network for one full week.

The carrier is saying that customers “deserve to know what to expect from a wireless network” before they sign. Hence the one week trial period. After all, one weeks worth of regular usage should be enough time to tell you whether you will see sufficient service in the area where you live, work or play.

On that thought, while US Cellular may not be as big or as talked about in comparison to other US carriers, they do have a decent selection of devices. They recently launched the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and have even announced that pre-orders of the GALAXY S 4 will go live on April 16. US Cellular also has the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III which are currently priced at $ 299.99 and $ 99.99 respectively.

[via Fierce Wireless]

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US Cellular letting users ‘test-drive’ service for one week before buying

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US Cellular Galaxy S3

No commitment service coming to a limited number of markets at launch

One of the so-called "second tier" carriers, U.S. Cellular, is hoping to wrangle in more customers by launching a "test-drive" promotion to let users try out the service for one week before buying it. Initially launching in just a few markets, users can sign up at a participating store to try out the carrier's network without a commitment. This may come as some surprise considering that U.S. Cellular doesn't offer contracts anyway. But in almost every case a handset purchase will be required to use the network, which can be a tough sell if you've never used (or even know someone who has used) the network.

It doesn't cost a whole lot for U.S. Cellular to run this promotion, and it may net them a few more customers going forward. If you're interested in trying the promotion, hit the source link below to see if you live near one of the very few test markets.

Source: U.S. Cellular; Via: FierceWireless

    




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GALAXY S 4 rooted before release, Octa-core only for now

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While the Samsung GALAXY S 4 flagship smartphone is up for pre-order in a few select markets, it’s still not available to the public. However, that hasn’t stopped those awesome developers at XDA from already rooting the device. It appears that the GALAXY S 4 has already been rooted, but this is only for the Exynos 5 Octa 8-core version.

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According to reports by AndroidAuthority the Galaxy S 4 has been rooted before release, or at least a system and guide for rooting, and once it hits shelves users will be able to root their own smartphones. As stated above, this is only for the Exynos 5 Octa model, and not for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 version.

Most markets in the UK and USA will be getting a quad-core Snapdragon 600 series GALAXY S 4, while other regions will be getting Samsung’s 8-core CPU. For those with the 8-core model, this should work, but for all other regions we’ll have to wait for an additional exploit to root the US flavor of the GALAXY S 4.

As usual, you’ll want to proceed with this type of activity at your own risk. Once you get the smartphone in your hands of course. We’ll be sure and update once we get more details or see a root exploit for the US and UK Qualcomm model, but for now this is only for the 8-core flavor. Get all the details and files from XDA linked to below.

[via XDA Developers]

Device Specifications and Information
Device Info

    Device Name : Galaxy S 4
    Manufactuer : Samsung
    Carrier : NA
    Announced Date : March 14, 2013
    Release Date : TBA
    Also Known As :

Display

  • Screen Size : 5 Inch
  • Resolution : 1080×1920
  • Screen Type : Super AMOLED
Dimension & Weight

  • Height : 5.37 Inch
  • Width : 2.748 Inch
  • Depth : 0.31 Inch
  • Weight : 130 Grams
Battery & Power
    Battery Type:
  • Lithium Ion
  • Battery Capacity : 2600 mAh
  • Talk Time : NA
  • Stand By Time : NA
Software
    Android OS:
  • 4.2.x
    Audio Playback:
  • AAC
  • AAC+
  • AMR
  • MID
  • MP3
  • WAV
  • WMA
    Video Playback:
  • h.263
  • h.264 / AVC
  • 3GP
  • MPEG-4 (MP4)
  • WMV
    Messaging:
  • SMS
  • MMS
  • IM

Hardware

    CPU : Exynos 5410
    CPU Clock Speed : 1600 Mhz
    Core : 8
    Ram : 2000 MB
    Internal Storage : 32 GB
    Front Facing Camera :
    Camera Resolution : 13 MP
    External Storage:
  • MicroSD
  • MicroSDHC
    Camera Features:
  • Auto focus
  • Flash
  • 1080p Video Recording
  • 720p Video Recording
    Sensors:
  • Accelerometer
  • Ambient light
  • Proximity
    QWERTY :
Cellular Network
    Network Technology:
  • GSM
    GSM Band:
  • 850
  • 900
  • 1800
  • 1900
Device Connectivity
    Wi-Fi:
  • 802.11a
  • 802.11b
  • 802.11g
  • 802.11n
  • 802.11ac
    Bluetooth:
  • A2DP
  • Bluetooth 4.0
    Location Features:
  • Compass
  • GPS
  • Cellular location
  • Wi-Fi location
    FM Radio :
    NFC :


Android Community

Galaxy S4 root apparently achieved before launch, only for Exynos 5 Octa model

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samsung galaxy s4 10 aa 600

The Galaxy S4 is already available for pre-order in some markets, but it will be a few more weeks until we see it in stores. Even so, it looks like a first root method for Samsung’s 2013 flagship handset is already available.

Xda-developer forums senior member as i9000 has posted instructions that will help Galaxy S4 buyers root their devices once they’re shipped.

However, there’s a small problem with this root version, as it will apparently only work on the GT-I9500, which happens to be the Exynos 5 Octa Galaxy S4 model. Most markets will receive (at least initially) the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Galaxy S4 version (model number GT-I9505,) which will need its own root. We’ll be back with more details on that version when it’s available.

We’re not encouraging you to root your Android devices and install any custom software on them, and you’ll be the only person responsible for whatever happens with your handsets and tablets during such processes. If you do decide to go the root way, make sure you exercise caution and follow the available instructions (see Source link below,) especially if you’re not comfortable performing such tasks. Backing up the data on the device is also in order before rooting the device.

Will you use the Galaxy S4 as-is right out of the box, or will you root and further customize your experience?

The post Galaxy S4 root apparently achieved before launch, only for Exynos 5 Octa model appeared first on Android Authority.

Android Authority

Galaxy S4 user interface walkthrough available before launch

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samsung galaxy S4 logo aa 600

In addition to benchmarking the Exynos 5 Octa-based Galaxy S4 version (model number GT-I9500,) Sam Mobile also took the handset for a hands-on spin looking at several elements of its user interface including the Home screen, the Gallery app, the Camera app, the Settings and the simpler side of using the Galaxy S4, the Easy Mode version of TouchWiz.

The publication says that while the handset comes with a new TouchWiz version on top of Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean – TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 – Galaxy S3 owners will be very familiar with the overall interface when switching over. Apparently the new UI is “more of an evolution than a revolution,” although you’re going to discover “an overall new fresh look,” that will offer many changes.

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Looking at the Gallery app, the site noted that it’s somewhat more limited than the Galaxy S3’s and Galaxy Note 2’s similar app. Apparently there’s no way of changing preview stiles like on the Galaxy S3, but there’s a new “Content to display” feature that lets users choose what kind of display to show, and even import it from other sources such as Facebook, Dropbox and others.

galaxy-s4-exynos-5-octa-user-interface-gallery

In its turn, the Camera app has been completely redesigned. The application is similar to the Galaxy Camera app, although it also features “tons and tons” of new features including Dual Camera, Sound & Shot, Drama Shot and Story Album (in case you have no idea what these features are, check out our previous coverage on the Galaxy S4’s software features).

galaxy-s4-exynos-5-octa-user-interface-camera

The Galaxy S4’s Settings will apparently make you feel like “you are using a completely different operating system instead of Android.” That’s certainly on par with Samsung’s lack of acknowledgement for Android – during the Galaxy S4 media event, the company hardly spoke about the phones actual operating system and instead focused on its own stuff. Getting back to the Settings section, you’ll notice a new tabbed interface that comes with demos ready to help you use a certain feature.

galaxy-s4-exynos-5-octa-user-interface-settings

The Easy Mode is a TouchWiz feature that lets users access a simplified user interface, which could be suitable to those smartphone users not comfortable with touchscreen-based UIs. The Easy Mode was seen before in the Galaxy S3 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update, but it’s apparently not as good looking as the Galaxy S4’s.

Sam Mobile apparently worked with a GT-I9500 version that was running the latest test firmware, although changes may still appear by the time the device hits stores. The same publication made available several elements of the Galaxy S4 firmware, including wallpapers, ring tones and the full system dump, in case you’re interested in experiencing the Galaxy S4 environment before the phone actually launches.

Are you buying the Galaxy S4 later this year?

The post Galaxy S4 user interface walkthrough available before launch appeared first on Android Authority.

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