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MoDaCo founder Paul O'Brien on console update woes and Glass envy
Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire. After a brief hiatus, our regular smattering of queries is back as MoDaCo founder Paul O'Brien chats carrier lockdowns and brand name clarity. Meet us on the other side of the break for the full gamut of responses.
MoDaCo.Switch for Galaxy S 4 now available in beta... to Indiegogo backers
For about a month now, HTC One owners have been able to enjoy MoDaCo's efforts to mix up the Android experience on the Taiwanese company's handset. But, hey, don't go thinking anyone forgot about Samsung's own flagship device, the Galaxy S 4. Available now to those who backed the campaign on Indiegogo, MoDaCo.Switch is giving the GS4 crowd a ROM to sense what it's like to seamlessly switch between the TouchWiz and AOSP versions of Android OS. It's worth noting that this particular ROM is only compatible with GSM models of the Galaxy S 4, and, as ever, creator Paul O'Brien notes it is a beta after all, so some issues may arise. In other words, backers must install at their own risk -- capiche?
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 29th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought overwhelming support for MoDaCo.Switch on the GS4, new markets for the budget-priced BlackBerry Q5 and a pint-sized Android handset from Acer. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 29th, 2013.
MoDaCo.Switch enters public beta, gives indecisive HTC One owners both worlds
Can't decide between HTC One's native spin on Android and the Google Edition's vanilla build? Now you don't have to: MoDaCo.Switch is now officially available for public beta testing. True to its name, this custom firmware allows users to reboot the phone and switch into a different version of Android, making it easy to enjoy both Sense 5 and Google's stock AOSP Android build independently. It's more than a simple dual-boot, however, MoDaCo.Switch shares apps and data between both builds, which makes using them together a less jarring experience. The Beta still has some limitations of course; MMS and call log data isn't shared between ROMS and there seem to be some issues with fast boot. Still, if you're willing give it a spin, hop over to the adjacent source link to get started.
MoDaCo.Switch for HTC One nearly ready for prime time, beta tester applications now open
It wouldn't surprise us to hear MoDaCo's newly minted HTC One ROM triggered some reactions that could've easily been turned into animated GIFs. And if you were one of the many folks excited at the thought of seamlessly Switching between vanilla Android and Sense 5, then you'll be happy to know creator Paul O'Brien has begun taking applicants looking to put the ROM through its paces. MoDaCo.Switch is said to be "nearly ready for beta testing," and thus we'd recommend filling out the form at the source link below pretty soon -- O'Brien says he'll "be picking a number of people of varying abilities and devices."
MoDaCo.Switch to let HTC One jump between Sense and stock Android (video)
Not sure if you want the regular HTC One or its Google Play Edition? MoDaCo's newly detailed MoDaCo.Switch ROM should let you have both. The custom firmware lets the indecisive run either the Sense interface or stock Android (AOSP) using only one set of data. It's not an ideal experience, even considering the usual risks of unofficial code: users have to reboot to change interfaces, and two ROMs in one will chew up additional storage. However, Switch could still give One fans the best of both worlds when it launches. MoDaCo tells us that a public beta could arrive early next week.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 13th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Clove teased the October arrival of the black Samsung Galaxy S III and a security vulnerability was uncovered for Android's pattern unlock feature. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of August 13th, 2012.
Refresh Roundup: week of March 12th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
HTC One X gets rooted before retail debut
You didn't think the modders that form the very underpinnings of Android's base would let a little unicorn like the One X slide by unscathed, did ya? That polycarbonate überphone hasn't even made it out of the official launch gate and yet, thanks to MoDaCo, it's already been rooted. Sidestepping the usual dense how-to's typically associated with achieving root on non-Nexus devices, our eager beaver hacker's compiled Superboot: a one-step, no fuss boot image that automates the process for you sans the need for adb commands. The hack is said to work with retail versions of the handset and should play friendly with Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems, though it will require S-OFF or an unlocked bootloader courtesy of HTCdev. So if you were tantalized by the possibilities of this quad-core phone, but not quite convinced you could handle another skinned UX, this might help to ease your quandary.
More HTC Endeavor whispers: SLCD display, thin chassis, 32GB and no microSD
Months of rumors about the HTC Endeavor (aka the One X, Edge, Ville) have layered up to provide a pretty complete (if not totally reliable) picture of the forthcoming Tegra 3-powered Android handset. There's room for a few more brush-strokes, however, and one of MoDaCo's tipsters is happy to paint them. We're told the new handset will have a Super LCD display, despite earlier rumors of HTC flirting with AMOLED (again). This could be no bad thing, judging from the stunning 1280 x 720 panel on the Rezound, but the Endeavor is expected to have a larger 4.7-inch screen and hence a slightly lower pixel density. The thinness of the Endeavor's chassis will reportedly be a major selling point, as will be the 32GB of onboard memory that will come as standard. However, this storage won't be expandable -- the tipster says there's no microSD on the back, just a microSIM slot and an 1800mAh battery that may or may not be removable. Again, the provenance of these reports is unknown, but MoDaCo's reports have so far tallied closely with what we saw in a leaked Endeavor ROM. Assuming it's all accurate, will it be enough to give HTC the differentiating leg-up it so badly needs? We're not sure, but we do know that more Beats Audio or a music streaming service won't cut it.
Google Wallet unofficially finessed into Galaxy Nexus, complete with complimentary cash
Galaxy Nexus owners may start looking to their phone whenever that pesky bank account is dying for some hurt. Although Google's latest smartphone doesn't officially support its mobile payment scheme, a few clever developers have introduced a functional workaround. Early reports suggest that Citi MasterCards can't be added (yet), but thankfully, the gratis Hamilton courtesy of Mountain View comes without a hitch. To get started, you'll need to unlock your phone's bootloader and install MoDaCo's custom ROM. From there, a Google Wallet patch must be applied, and its permissions then changed. The process isn't exactly for the faint of heart, but we know our readers are more than capable -- you'll find instructions in the source. Best yet, the crew at BGR verified this newfound functionality by purchasing enough sugar to make our teeth hurt. And why not? After all, it was on Google's dime.
Galaxy Nexus volume bug fix gets early release, official testing continues
Google had promised it was incoming, and now the guys over at MoDaCo have been kind enough to offer up a software fix for the erratic volume antics seen on Europe-based Galaxy Nexii. Paul O'Brien notes that the ROMs he's uploaded -- while based on the official release -- are still in the midst of internal testing, and that flashing your device will wipe its contents -- so fair warning. For those brave, brave early adopters, you can grab both the files and instructions at the source below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Galaxy Nexus gets rooted, forums burst into applause
To root or not to root -- that's never really been a question for Nexus owners. Google's purebred Android phones are by nature developer-friendly and ship with a painless ability to unlock their bootloaders. So, it comes as no great surprise that well-known modder Modaco has achieved this very feat on the Galaxy Nexus, although it is nice to this Ice Cream Sandwich flagship upholding tradition. Whatever your personal computing OS choice, the superboot image file provided at the source will work for you, pushing the superuser APK to your handset and granting you administrator privileges. Retail versions of the phone will likely come locked, so be prepared to wipe your data if you choose to go down this route (pun definitely intended). As always, tinkering with high-end mobile toys comes with the usual associated risks, so proceed with caution. And remember the cardinal rule -- friends don't let friends root their phones.
HTC Flyer Honeycomb ROM leaks, not for the timid tableter
One of the biggest knocks against the HTC Flyer when it launched (besides the extra $80 the stylus would cost you) was that it shipped with a Sensed-up version of Gingerbread, instead of the more tablet-appropriate Honeycomb. But, with the Android 3.1-packing Puccini now official, the Taiwanese manufacturer is working to bring the rest of its inbetweeners up to speed and, as usual, the devs appear to have sprung a leak. There's not much information about the early Flyer Honeycomb beta that just dropped on MoDaCo, courtesy of Paul O'Brien, but it's already packaged up in RUU form and ready for flashing. It goes without saying, this is not for the faint of heart. If you cherish things like stability and reliability (you know, if you're a wimp) it's probably best to hold out for an official release. The bold can download it now at the source link.
Dell Streak gets Honeycomb SDK port, starting to look like a real tablet (update: video)
Dell always told us the Streak was a tablet and not a phone, so it makes perfect sense to see Android's latest version, the tablet-friendly Honeycomb, ported over to its 5-inch slate. As usual with these builds, we're still at a very early stage, with the chap responsible for the hack noting that "no way is this close to release," but it's still rather exciting to see that brand new interface freshening up familiar pieces of kit. And hey, it's not like Dell itself is going to be delivering Android 3.0 anytime soon either, right? Click the source link to keep yourself updated on how this community port progresses. Update: Looks like DJ_Steve got his hands on the build and made a quick video -- check it out after the break. [Thanks, Chris]
Advent Vega nabs Android Market access courtesy of MoDaCo custom ROM
The Advent Vega seems to be gaining some serious traction overseas, but despite the low price, not having access to Google's bona fide Android Market is a huge Debbie Downer. Well, it was. The fine folks over at MoDaCo have cooked up a custom ROM for the 10-inch tablet, and if you've nothing better to do on a Black Friday than tinker with software, the v1.04 build hosted in the source link promises a "full Google experience" including Gmail, Maps with Street View, Talk, Voice Search and even Android Market access. All the steps you'll need to follow are just a click away, so allow us to ask you this: what's the holdup?
Nexus One gets a custom ROM
It's been but a week since the gang at Modaco rooted the Nexus One -- and what do we have here? A quick visit to the self-same forums today has revealed that the handset has a new custom ROM. Based on the 22607 release (in case you're curious), this bad boy sports many new and exciting features, including the Nano 2.09 text editor, wireless tether, Titanium Backup, Busybox 1.15.3, and more. Feelin' adventurous? Hit the source link to give it a go. And make sure you drop us a line and let us know how it goes. (You don't think we're going to be the first to try it, do you?) [Thanks, Jules]
Orange shows small army of Windows Mobile devices
Talk about sensory overload -- MoDaCo got its hands on a bunch of semi-official Orange debuts for a number of devices over the weekend, and we have to admit, we're insanely jealous. Perhaps the most interesting of the bunch, Samsung's "Blackjack" WM5 Smartphone comes fresh on the heels of the i320, offering basically the same functionality plus 3G data and a forward-facing camera for video calling (feeling the heat, Moto?). Also shown were the HTC Breeze and Oxygen, known on Orange as the C700 and C100 respectively; no real surprises here, though we can now confirm that the Oxygen won't be sporting DTV like we had previously heard might be the case. In case that all doesn't have ya impressed, the Hermes (M3100) and Star Trek (F600) showed up for the party, too. Don't know about you, but we're feeling a bit overwhelmed here; excuse us while we lie down for just a few minutes.
