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Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 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!
Refresh Roundup: week of May 14th, 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!
Refresh Roundup: week of May 7th, 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!
Cyanogenmod 9 struts its stuff on HTC's One X
So you've procured yourself HTC's new super slim, 4.7-inch halo phone: the One X. By now, you probably have the device set up just the way you like it: applications configured, widgets in place and Adele ringtone set. But there's just something else left to do, isn't there? If (like some of us) you're a smartphone user who just can't leave well enough alone, you'll be excited to learn that a build of Cyanogenmod 9 for the Uno Equis has been made available via the MoDaCo forums. The ROM will deliver that stock Android experience, and all those CM9 accoutrements, to those that don't fancy the panache of Sense 4.0. The forum post does caution that the One's camera, and hotspot functionality, aren't currently working, so interested parties best proceed with caution. If all that doesn't phase you, grab a cup of coffee, get the Android SDK all warmed up and take this ROM for a spin!
Refresh Roundup: week of April 2nd, 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!
Ice Cream Sandwich leaks for Samsung Galaxy Note (update)
For its part, Samsung has been none too coy about the upcoming Android 4.0 release for the Galaxy Note. So far, we know that it's set for a Q2 debut and will pack a new set of S Pen apps, but if you've longed to jump into the frozen goodness a bit early, today you can rejoice -- a leaked build of Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung's fabulous phablet has reared its head in the forums of RootzWiki. Curiously, the file is available only as an EXE, so you'll want to exercise a bit of due diligence with this one. That having been said, comments in the forums are quite enthusiastic.Update: Now that Ice Cream Sandwich is out in the wild, the community is already circling back to provide a rundown of what more timid users may expect. Most notably, Samsung's Premium Suite for the Galaxy Note isn't included in this build, and while TouchWiz is said to crash upon first boot and with the addition of a Google Play account, reports suggest that these are one-time glitches. Otherwise, much of the system is said to be in excellent shape. As for the EXE that we'd mentioned, it's an Odin one-click file that's designed to make the installation rather painless.[Thanks, Tyler]
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!
CyanogenMod disables root access by default, now requires user configuration
Holy crap! CyanogenMod, the custom ROM of choice for many power users, will no longer offer root access upon first install. Now before you panic, let's make this part clear: everyone so inclined may still enable superuser access -- for ADB, apps or both -- from the Developer Options menu. The biggest change, in fact, is that CyanogenMod is making a significant departure from the majority of custom ROM developers, which offer root access to all users by default (and often without their knowledge). The move is an attempt by CyanogenMod leaders to make the platform more secure, and given the number of ROMs that are based on CyanogenMod (or glean its packages), we wouldn't be particularly surprised to see this feature become more commonplace amongst other custom Android ROMs. To learn more about the rationale of the project leaders, be sure to hit up the source link below.
Refresh Roundup: week of February 13th, 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!
Refresh Roundup: week of February 6th, 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!
Android 4.0.4 ROM leaks for Verizon's Galaxy Nexus
A little gem known as Android 4.0.4 wriggled its way onto the interweb last week, and while it was geared specifically for Sprint's Nexus S 4G, a similar version has just cropped up for the CDMA / LTE Galaxy Nexus from Verizon. While it's only available for tenacious users who've unlocked their bootloader, it seems that a host of improvements are on deck for the official release. First and foremost, the ROM is said to be noticeably faster, with the speed gains also extending to the web browser and the device's boot time. The release also packs a new radio file that (at least from user impressions) offers more seamless transitions between the CDMA and LTE networks. All in all, the rest of the changes are rather minor, but if you'd like to join the bleeding edge, you'll find everything you need in the source link below.
CyanogenMod Compiler project allows Android tweakers to easily make custom blends
Ever wish that building your own personal ROM was as simple as placing an order at Starbucks? Well, an intrepid coder known as lithid-cm has taken that vision one step closer with the CyanogenMod Compiler (CMC), a command line utility that allows armchair mixers to remove unwanted features and then compile their own special blend of CyanogenMod. While CMC's functionality is currently rather limited -- which allows users to eliminate languages, wallpapers and tweak themes -- the developer will introduce new installation / removal features and additional plug-in support in future releases. The software is early alpha stage, which means its creator needs the help of others to identify and resolve the rough edges. So, if you aren't afraid to get your hands a bit dirty, CMC seems quite worthwhile. Just don't blame us when you break something.
Team Win Recovery Project 2.0 goes gold, tells your volume rocker to kiss off
It took a little longer than we would have hoped, or initially anticipated, but Team Win Recovery Project 2.0 is finally here and ready for mass consumption. Ever since we got our first glimpse of the touch-based recovery tool back in September, we've been eagerly anticipating the ability to flash ROMs, back up our Android phones and wipe our Dalvik cache without the need to rely on our volume rockers for navigating menus. The finger-friendly ClockworkMod alternative is compatible with both tablets and phones, but the list of officially supported devices is reasonably small at the moment. It does, however, include the Nexus S, the Kindle Fire and the TouchPad. If you need a refresher of what TWRP (that's pronounced "twerp") 2.0 looks like, check out the video after the break and hit up the source to download it now.
CyanogenMod team bails on Samsung Vibrant, cites inability to dial '911' as cause
CyanogenMod developers responsible for the Samsung Vibrant have abandoned support for the phone after efforts to enable 911 emergency access turned fruitless. The team suggests the issue can't be overcome without source code from Samsung, as all means to resolve the issue with open source code have failed. While it's no doubt an unfortunate revelation for Vibrant owners, the move is certainly the most responsible route for developers and users alike. Absent any intervention from the Korean manufacturer -- which has previously shown love to the CyanogenMod project -- it appears that the Vibrant has met an impasse for the time being.
Samsung delivers kernel source for T-Mobile Galaxy S II, developers can now collect all three
Developers, start your engines. T-Mobile's version of the Samsung Galaxy S II was the slowest in the family to get the official kernel source. It's here now, though, arriving on Sammy's site a whole four days after the phone's release; this isn't an eternity by any means, but its counterparts had the source available no later than the actual launch date. No matter the reason, make your way to Samsung's official site to dive in and make some magic happen. [Thanks, Aubrey]
Sony Ericsson lends hand to FreeXperia devs, shows love for CyanogenMod 7.1
Turns out, Sony Ericsson is really coming around to the understanding that Android phones are not a one-size-fits-all proposition. After taking notice of the FreeXperia team's tireless efforts to bring CyanogenMod 7.1 to certain SE devices, the company is now "pulling a Samsung" by lending its support to the cause. The firm has provided the group with approximately 20 phones, along with debugged and rebuilt camera library binaries to ensure a proper user experience. Not stopping there, Sony Ericsson hopes to make these bits available to all developers under a special EULA in the near future. Of course, the company continues to remind its users that it doesn't specifically condone unlocking the bootloader -- which still results in a void warranty -- even though it's willing to help you do just that. [Thanks, Thorsten]
TeamWin demos TWRP 2.0 recovery manager for Android, scoffs at your volume rocker (video)
It's pronounced "twerp," but don't mistake TeamWin's Recovery Project for a run-of-the-mill chump. The software is intended as a touchscreen replacement for ROM managers such as TWRP 1.0 and ClockworkMod Recovery. In addition to the all-important backup, restore and install functions, the utility now provides a full GUI for touch input that's fully customizable with XML themes. As a particular boon, developers will have the option to design custom installation processes unique to their particular ROMs, which is a lovely (though very metaphorical) cherry on top. As you'd expect, the software supports both phones and tabs, and if you're interested to see more, just check the full demo video after the break. According to the developer, the utility still needs some work before it's ready for prime time, but it's rather nice to see the group stay productive as it matures. [Thanks, Ian]
HTC HD2 keeps spry with Mango RTM and custom ROM, looks to clear final hurdle (video)
You likely know the HTC HD2 as the phone that just can't be held in the past. While it started life with Windows Mobile 6.5, it's since met better fortunes with Android, Meego, and most recently... NoDo. Now, after the leak of Windows Phone Mango RTM, things are about to heat up once again. First, we've come across a video that clearly shows the HD2 gobbling up version 7720 of this tropical fruit without missing a beat. Also, xda-developers members YukiXDA and xboxmod are preparing to release their own concept ROM based on this release. Both projects are currently held back by the OS's inability to properly recognize the phone's microSD card, but that seems to be the final step before a full scale release. If you're interested, check the video after the break and make sure to bookmark the source link. Life is about to get a whole lot more interesting for your HD2.
Advent Vega gets unofficial, GPU accelerated Android 3.2 port (video)
The surprisingly cheap, Tegra 2-powered Advent Vega just keeps getting better and better, thanks in large part to a dedicated community of developers and hackers. In May the £199 (about $329) tablet got its first taste from the Honeycomb pot, now Android 3.2 has been ported over and it's sporting full, native GPU acceleration. (Hip, hop, hooray!) There are some bugs, neither Bluetooth nor the camera are working yet, but for the most part it seems like a worthwhile hack for a slate that packs impressive hardware, but ships with a depressingly outdated OS. Check out the video of it in action after the break and hit up the source link to download the ROM.
Windows Phone Mango RTM leaks into the wild, offers tropical sweets for the daring
For those who've longed for Twitter integration and multitasking capabilities on your Windows Phone, the folks at xda-developers have a weekend project you're bound to flip over: the final version of Mango has leaked, and it's available for download today. Internally, it's known as build 7720, and it requires the post-NoDo update dubbed 7392. Alternately, users of Mango beta versions 7661 and 7712 may hop on board, too. If you've got a couple hours to spare, a full list of instructions -- along with the operating system itself -- is included in the source. So far, the software has been confirmed to work on the HD7, Mozart, Trophy, Focus, Arrive, Venue Pro and Optimus 7. As always, proceed at your own risk, and best wishes for your tropical getaway. [Thanks, Leonidas]
