Requirements:
CWM Rewcovery
Flash Tool
A computer
A Micromax A116 (obviously)
Steps To Follow:-
1. Install drivers for your phone using Micromax drivers.
2. Extract the Stock ROM folder and replace recovery.img with cwm recovery.
3. Extract and open the SP Flash Tools.
4. In SP Flash Tools, click on Scatter-Loading and the program will ask
you the location of the scatter loading file for your device.
5. In the extracted folder of the stock rom, go to the folder named
"S9201_MP_F4_B1_IN_MMX_0.16_flasher_user" and select the file
"MT6589_Android_scatter_emmc" which is our scatter loading file.
Check only recovery.img, preloader and uncheck all others.
6. Switch off your phone (Remove the battery to make sure it is switched off).
7. In Flash Tool, go to Options and Click USB Mode so that it is
enabled. Click options again and then go to DA Download All > Speed
and finally select High Speed.
8. Click the Download option (present on the right of Firmware
> Upgrade option) and the flash tool will start looking for your phone.
9. Connect your phone now. The Flash Tool will start the flashing
process, the progress of which can be viewed from a yellow progress bar
at the bottom of the flash tool.
**Don't interrupt this process as it can potentially brick your device.
**Make sure no power interruption takes place. (Use a laptop to ensure this).
10. After the process completes, a green ring will appear on your device signalling that the process was successful.
11.Disconnect your phone.
In order to discourage owners from messing with their devices,
companies lock devices’ bootloaders most of the times. But for more
enterprising users like our readers, this is seen more as a hindrance
than a failsafe to rooting and flashing custom ROMs/kernels. Times have
changed now and manufactuers are now waking up to the developer
community’s contribution that has grown exponentially over the years,
and are offering to unlock bootloaders safely. One such company is Sony
(previously Sony-Ericsson) and this guide below will show you how to
unlock your bootloader if you own a relatively recent Xperia device.
I. Before You Begin
1. Unlocking your bootloader will void your warranty. Sony is
particular about this and so are we. Make sure you realize what you are
losing before you take the next step!
2. You will be opting out of over-the-air updates when you unlock your bootloader.
3. Back up anything you feel is important before you proceed.
II. Can my Xperia device be Unlocked?
Sony has been adding devices to the unlockable bootloader list over time and if your handset is listed on this page under the Supported Phones section, your device’s bootloader can be unlocked! Another way to check is:
1. Enter *#*#7378423#*#* on your phone dialer to access the service menu.
2. Go to Service info > Configuration > Rooting Status. Check if Bootloader unlock allowed says Yes in this section.
If you found Yes, then you are in luck and your bootloader can be unlocked!
III. Unlocking the Bootloader
1. Install the Android SDK. Use our setup guide (until Step 4) to do this easily.
2. Download the fastboot driver file from Sony.
3. Extract the downloadinf.zip you downloaded to a folder on your desktop. This folder will now contain a single file called android_winusb.inf; copy this file.
4. Go to c:\android-sdk\extras\google\usb_driver and paste the copied file here. If you are asked to overwrite an existing file of the same name, do so.
5. Find your IMEI number and write it down somewhere accessible. To
find out your IMEI number, type in *#06# on your phone dialer.
6. Go to Sony Mobile’s Unlocking Site.
7. Click on the Yes, I’m sure button to begin the process.
8. Tick both the checkboxes agreeing to Sony’s legal terms and click on the I accept button.
9. You should now be at the Unlock request page. Enter your name, email and your device’s IMEI number and click on Submit.
10. Your unlock code should now be revealed. Write/copy this down somewhere accessible.
11. Power down your device.
12. Hold the Menu button (Xperia arc, Xperia arc S, Xperia neo, Xperia neo V, Xperia pro) or the Search button (Xperia Play) or
the Volume up button (Xperia mini, Xperia mini pro, Xperia ray, Xperia
active, Live with Walkman, Xperia S) and connect the device to your PC
using the microUSB cable already provided.
13. If you are asked to install drivers, point the driver installer to c:\android-sdk\extras\google\usb_driver.
14. Open up a command prompt window and type in the following
commands. To open up a command prompt windows, hit the Windows key + R
to open up the Run dialog box, type in cmd in the Open field and hit Enter.
cd C:\android-sdk\platform-tools
fastboot.exe -i 0x0fce getvar version
[You should get a response back, something like 0.3, which means your phone is connected and detected properly]
fastboot.exe -i 0x0fce oem unlock 0xKEY
[Replace the KEY in 0xKEY with the unlock code you obtained from the Sony website]
Your bootloader should now be successfully unlocked!
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum. This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on
rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your
specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our
Android How To’s, head here.
Good news for all those lucky
users who have bought the Sony’s latest and greates Xperia J smartphone.
A root method has become available for the device and this opens up
doors for the custom development to get to your device. While almost all
the Sony Xperia series smartphones are enjoying root-access, Xperia J
is going to get the same enjoyment with this new root method. In the
following guide, we’ve covered how you can root your Xperia J smartphone
and get the root-only apps running on it. So, let’s get started:
I. Before You Begin:
1. This will void the warranty of your
device. However, you can reinstate the warranty by unrooting your device
if there’s any unrooting procedure available.
2. You must be running 11.0.A.3.28 or
11.0.A.3.18 firmware with locked bootloader. This procedure doesn’t work
on other firmwares.
3. You should have appropriate drivers installed on your PC.
1. Download and place the Root Package archive onto your Desktop.
2. Extract files from the archive to your Desktop.
3. Enable the USB debugging option on your device by heading to Menu>>Settings>>Developer options>>USB debugging.
4. Once enabled, connect your device to your PC using the USB cable.
5. Now double-click on the Runme.batfile you have on your Desktop.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions.
7. And you should be rooted now!
Amazing! Your Xperia J has successfully
been rooted and you now have access to system level files on your
device. This simply means you can go as deeper as to system files and
modify them, this translates into more customization options for you.
If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.
This is part of our Android How To’s.
We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and
tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For
all of our Android How To’s, head here.
Maybe you’ve rooted your Sony
Xperia J smartphone and now want to flash custom ROMs? Maybe you want to
make a backup of your current firmware so you can have peace of mind
while using your device? No problem, this guide shows exactly how you
can install ClockworkMod Recovery on your Xperia J smartphone. CWM
Recovery is one of the best custom recoveries ever made for Android
devices and with its new updates, the user-interface as well as the
functionality has really become much better than before. Follow the
following guide and get the recovery installed on your device:
III. Installing ClockworkMod Recovery on the Sony Xperia J:
1. Place the ClockworkMod Recovery archive onto your Desktop.
2. Extract files from the archive to your Desktop.
3. Enable the USB debugging option on your device by going to Menu>>Settings>>Developer options>USB debugging.
4. Connect your device to your PC using the USB cable.
5. Double-click on install.bat file you have on your Desktop.
6. It’ll install the CWM Recovery on your device.
7. Once the recovery’s installed on your device, reboot your device.
8. And you’re done!
Congrats! You’re now rocking the
ClockworkMod Recovery on your Xperia J smartphone. Before you start
using the recovery, please take a look at the source thread once as there’re some useful instructions given there.
If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.
This is part of our Android How To’s.
We have how to’s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and
tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For
all of our Android How To’s, head here.
Sony's flagship smartphone, the Xperia Z, was rooted
even before the device could go on sale with due credit to the
developers' community. Now ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery can be installed
on the phone. Using the CWM recovery users can perform several functions
such as installation of custom ROMs and system tweaks.
The Xperia Z features a 5in full HD display.
Below are two different methods
to install CWM recovery on Xperia Z: one for Xperia Z with locked
bootloader and the other for unlocked bootloader version.
The custom recovery file, which is built from CWM 6.0.3.0
sources, for Xperia Z with unlocked bootloater is released by XDA
developer, DooMLoRD. The developer notes that the aforementioned
recovery file works only on Sony Xperia Z running on stock firmware
10.1.A.1.350/434 or any ROM based on the same firmware. Head over to the
development page to learn more about the custom recovery release. The CWM recovery 6.0.2.8 for Xperia Z with locked bootloader is shared by XDA developer, krabappel254.
Xperia Z users who wish to install CWM Recovery on their devices, may
follow our step-by-step guide below. Users should have a rooted version
of the phone. Click here for step-by-step guide to root the Sony Xperia Z.
Pre-requisites
1) Install USB Driver for Sony Xperia Z to transfer files between the computer and the Android device.
2) Enable USB Debugging Mode on the phone to connect it with the
computer and use Android SDK with it. [Press Menu>>
Settings>> Applications. From there navigate and click on
Development option and ensure the USB Debugging Mode is turned on.]
3) The device should have ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and Fastboot installed on the phone.
4) As the tutorial might wipe out all the data on the device, create a
backup. If the device has a custom recovery such as CWM/TWERP already
installed, users are recommended to back up the data using the same.
5) Ensure that the battery of Xperia Z has above 80 percent charge.
6) The recovery files and the installation tutorial below are
compatible only with Sony Xperia Z. Applying these to any incorrect
variant is likely to brick the device. Therefore, install the recovery
files accordingly. Steps to install CWM Recovery on Xperia Z with unlocked bootloader
1) Download CWM recovery 6.0.3.0 for Sony Xperia Z to the computer. Extract the downloaded zip file to get the boot.img file
2) Ensure that a working fastboot is already installed on the phone [For guide click here]
3) Turn off the Xperia Z. Then enter into fastboot mode by pressing the Volume Up button
4) Connect the phone to the computer using USB cable
5) Wait until the LED lights up with blue colour. Try few more times if the first attempt fails
6) On the computer, copy the boot.img file into C:Fastboot
7) Open the command prompt on the computer. Go to Windows logo then type CMD in the search box and press Enter
8) Type cd C:fastboot then type fastboot flash boot boot.img
9) Once the action is completed, try to restart the device
The Sony Xperia Z should now have CWM recovery installed. Steps to install CWM Recovery on Xperia Z with locked bootloader
1) Download CWM Recovery 6.0.2.8 for Sony Xperia Z with locked bootloader to the computer. Extract the downloaded zip to get the install.bat file
2) Ensure that a working fastboot is already installed on the phone
3) Double click the install.bat file
4) Plug in the USB cable to the phone to connect it with the computer. Wait until the device is detected by the programme
5) Follow the screen instruction from the programme to continue installation
6) When the installation process is completed, switch off the phone
7) Press the Volume Up or Volume Down button and release for some time when the phone is booting (with LED is green)
8) Boot the device into the custom recovery [Try some more times if the first attempt does not work]
[Source: The Android ROM]
The X10 mini pro has been around for a long time now but with a
bustling developer community, the device has managed to stay fresh and
even has ICS custom ROMs now. This guide below will show you how to get
there by taking the first step – root the Xperia X10 mini pro. Read on
then if you want to do this.
I. Before You Begin
1. This procedure will work on Xperia X10 mini pro running
v2.1.1.A.0.6. If you have a device running some other version, leave a
comment in the Comments section below and we’ll tell you if this works
on that version or another procedure that could work for your firmware.
2. This procedure is designed to work on the Windows (preferably Windows 7) operating system.
3. Back up everything you feel is important before you start with the procedure.
Necessary Downloads
1. SuperOneClick.rar [File attached to the first post of this thread]
IV. Rooting the Xperia X10 Mini Pro
1. Extract SuperOneClick.rar to a folder on your desktop.
2. Enable USB Debugging on your device. To do this, go to Menu > Settings > Applications > Developer Options and tick the USB Debugging checkbox.
3. Connect your device to your PC and if there are any drivers being installed at this point, let Windows 7 do so.
4. From the folder, you extracted above, run SuperOneClick.exe.
5. Click on Root.
Your Xperia X10 Mini Pro should be rooted once the application confirms that your device is rooted!
IV. Unrooting the Xperia X10 Mini Pro
1. Follow the same steps as in Section IV until Step 4.
2. Click on Unroot.
V. Flashing Custom Recovery (Optional)
If you would like to flash a custom recovery image in order to flash custom ROMs, head to the next procedure to learn how to do that. If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum. This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on
rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your
specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our
Android How To’s, head here.
The Sony Xperia Arc comes with a 4.2-inch LCD display, a 8MP
shooter and a 1GHz Scorpion processor keeping things running at its
mid-range speed. The device recently saw an update to Android 4.0.4
officially but there’s no word as yet on whether there will be an
official Jelly Bean upgrade. Until then, there are custom ROMs to try
out and to do that, your Arc will need to be rooted. This post below
will help you do that.
I. Before You Begin
1. Make sure that your device is at least 75% charged.
2. The guide below is designed to work on Windows PCs (preferably Windows 7); sorry Mac/Linux users!
3. Back up everything you feel is important before you begin.
4. This procedure is designed to work on Xperia Arc devices running
firmware v4.1.B.0.587. So make sure this is the firmware versions you
are running before you proceed.
1. Double-click on flashtool.exe you downloaded above and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
2. Copy Lt18i_4.1.A.0.562_Kernel.ftf file you downloaded above to C:\Flashtool\firmwares on your harddrive.
3. Open the Flashtool application after installation and click on the Flash icon (the one with the thunder symbol).
4. You should be presented with two options: Flashmode and Fastboot Mode. Select Flashmode.
5. Choose Lt18i_4.1.A.0.562 and click on OK. Follow the on-screen instructions on how to boot your device into fastboot mode and connect your device. Also, make sure”No Final Verification” is marked.
6. Reboot device.
V. Rooting the Xperia Arc
1. Enable USB Debugging on your device. You can do this by heading to Settings > Applications > USB Debugging and checking the tickbox next to it.
2. Enable installation of non-Market applications. To do this, go to Settings > Applications and check the Unknown Sources tickbox.
3. Enable MSC Mode. Go to Settings > Xperia > Connectivity > USB Connection Mode and select MSC Mode.
4. Connect your device to your Windows PC.
5. Extract the DooMLoRD_v1_Xperia-2011-ICS-ROOT-emu-busybox-su.zip that you downloaded above to a folder on your desktop.
6. From the extracted folder, double-click on runme.bat to run the DooMLoRD tool.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions and wait for the process to be
complete (your device will reboot several times during the procedure).
V. Flashing Custom Recovery (Optional)
If you would like to flash a custom recovery image in order to flash custom ROMs, head to the next procedure to learn how to do that. If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum. This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on
rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your
specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our
Android How To’s, head here.
If you’ve upgraded your Ace’s firmware to the official gingerbread
update you might know that SuperOneClick rooting method doesn’t work
anymore. Luckily there is another method involving installing a zip file
from recovery which I’m going to explain now. This method is actually
better since you don’t have to connect the ace to a computer. You can
root and unroot on the fly. So in this tutorial I’ll be showing you how
to root AND unroot you Samsung galaxy ace!
Caution: In my experience nothing has ever gone wrong with rooting.
There is always that slight chance something can mess up. Use caution
and only do this if you want to. I am not responsible if anything
happens (but I really don’t think anything will happen if you do
everything right) Also rooting voids your warranty but don’t worry, unrooting should give it back like nothing ever happened.!!
Download the two zip files I’ve attached below
How to Root the Galaxy Ace 2.3
1. Copy the Root.zip file (download below) into your sd card. You can even put it in a folder if you want.
2. Turn your phone off
3. Boot your phone into recovery mode. To do that, hold
HOME+POWER buttons. When the screen turns on and you see the Samsung
logo, let go of POWER but keep holding HOME. After the Galaxy Ace logo
shows up and disappears, you should enter recovery mode. You can let go
of HOME now.
4. Now in recovery mode, you can scroll up and down using the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons and select using the HOME button.
5. Scroll to the second option “apply update from sdcard” and press HOME to select.
6. Scroll to the Root.zip file and select it (if you put it in a folder, find and open that folder and then select Root.zip
7. After it’s done installing, select “reboot system now” and wait for the phone to reboot
8. To check if your phone is rooted, go to you app drawer and
look for an app called superuser with an icon of a pirate android with
cross bones. If you see it, your phone is rooted.
Congrats! You’ve officially rooted you galaxy ace!!
Now what if you want to go back to unrooted for some reason , or just for the heck of it?? It’s easy. Very similar to rooting
How to Un-root the Ace 2.3:
1. Download unroot.zip (below) and put in sd card
2. Turn off the phone and boot into recovery (refer to step 3 above)
3. Install the unroot.zip (similar to step 5 and 6 above)
4. Restart phone (incase you’re THAT stupid, refer to step 7 above)
5. Look in the app drawer and if all went well, the superuser icon should no longer be there!!!
Quote:
Note: I've tested the unroot.zip and it works for me. But just
incase it still doesn't work you can use a root explorer and delete some
files to unroot:-
-Open up market and download "ES File Explorer" (or if you have any other root explorer you can use that).
-Open ES files explorer, tap menu, go to settings, go to the "Root
settings" section and enable "Root Explorer" and "Mount file system"
(you have to be rooted to do this)
-go back and tap Favorites in the top left corner and select "/". Now go
to system/app/ and find and delete "Superuser.apk". PLEASE BE
CAREFUL!!! dont delete anything other than the files I mention.
-go back to system/ and open the "xbin" folder and delete the following files and ONLY THESE FILES!!!:
1. busybox
2. sh
3. sqlite3
4. su
5. su-v1
6. su-v2
7. su-v3
-restart phone
Your ace is now un-rooted! It’s that simple. Hope I’ve helped! I’m not
sure this method works for froyo, but there are plenty of tutorials for
rooting froyo ace as well.
Note: the root and unroot zip files are not mine. Got them from some nice people on the internet and then renamed them!
The Galaxy Y Pro and the Galaxy Y Pro Duos are some really
affordable handsets that have a major advantage over other Android
phones in their segment – a full QWERTY keypad. In case of the Galaxy Y
Pro Duos, users have the added advantage of using two SIMs
simultaneously which would make carrying two different devices
unnecessary. We’ll show you how to root both of these devices without
breaking a sweat in the following guide.
I. Before You Begin
1. You need to have updated drivers from Samsung. You can install these automatically by installing Samsung Kies.
2. There’s no real need to back up anything as this will not need a data wipe, but do so just in case you run into problems.
3. Download the Universal GB Root file.
II. Rooting the Galaxy Y Pro and the Galaxy Y Pro Duos
1. Enable USB Debugging on your device. You can do this by heading to Settings > Applications > USB Debugging and checking the tickbox next to it.
2. Connect your device to the Windows PC.
3. Put your device in USB Storage Mode and copy the universal_gb_root_v15.zip
file you downloaded above to the topmost folder on your SD card. You
can put your device into this mode by selecting USB Storage when your
device prompts you for the type of connection when connected.
4. Disconnect the device and power it down.
5. Put the device into Recovery Mode. To do this, hold Volume Up
and the Home buttons simultaneously and press the power button. Now,
hold all three buttons until the device boots into Recovery.
6. From the Recovery Menu, select ‘apply update from SD card’. Use
Volume Up and Down to navigate and the Home button to select the desired
option.
7. Navigate to universal_gb_root_v15.zip and select it by pressing the Home button.
8. Wait until you see the message ‘Install from SD complete’.
9. Select ‘reboot system now’.
Your Galaxy Y Pro or the Pro Duos should be rooted once you reboot
the device. Check for the Superuser app in the app drawer or download Root Checker
from Google Play to know root status. To take things further, like
installing custom ROMs and other things, you might want to flash
ClockworkMod Recovery which you can do so by following our guide located
here.
All thanks go to StoneBoyTony on XDA for this easy-to-use solution!! We suggest you donate or at the least thank him on the XDA thread if you liked this procedure. This is part of our Android How To’s. We have how to’s on
rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your
specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our
Android How To’s, head here.
IMPORTANT: THIS TOOLKIT SUPPORTS 14 DIFFERENT S3
VARIANTS AT THE MOMENT SO MAKE SURE YOU SELECT THE CORRECT MODEL FOR
YOUR DEVICE IN THE MODEL SELECTION SCREEN OR INCORRECT RECOVERY/BOOT
IMAGES WILL BE DOWNLOADED WHICH COULD SOFT BRICK YOUR DEVICE.
NOTE: As this update is soo big and pretty much every file from
previous versions has changed an Auto Update to V7.0 is not possible
because the update would be the same size as the full download and I am
not permitted to host that size file on my server. Please download and
install the full version from the link above. Donator codes will still
work on the current version and enable future Auto Updates and donator
features.
NOTE: As the exe files are not Digitally Signed with a Microsoft
Certificate they 'may' get picked up as potentially harmful by Antivirus
Programs and deleted on first run. If this happens restore the file and
exclude it from future scans to use it. This seems to happen mostly on
AVG Free and Norton which is why I switched to BitDefender which is much
better.
IMPORTANT: ONLY FLASH ROMS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR YOUR PHONES
MODEL NUMBER AS FLASHING AN INCORRECT ROM CAN POTENTIALLY BRICK YOUR
DEVICE!
Credits: ChainsDD for Superuser, Chainfire for SuperSU and modded
cwm, koush and the clockworkmod team for cwm touch, twrp team, ausdim
for cwm port to I9305
2. USING MSKIPS' SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 UNIFIED TOOLKIT
a. Download the Samsung Galaxy S3 ToolKit package and run to install the
ToolKit to your PC. The installation will also create a Shortcut on
your desktop for easy access. You have the option to include or exclude
the drivers files at installation so if you already have your drivers
set up and are just updating the ToolKit then you can untick the drivers
if you wish.
b. Once the ToolKit is installed make sure your phone is booted and
plugged in via USB cable and double click on the 'Samsung GS3 ToolKit'
shortcut on your desktop to run it.
c. You will be asked if you want to check for an Update. If you type
'yes' this will download and check the latest version numbers against
the versions in the ToolKit. If there is an update available then you
will have the option to download and install it (donator feature).
d. You will now be presented with a Model Selection Screen to choose the
Model/Build that you are currently on. Type the number that corresponds
to your desired selection. For example type '06' for GT-I9300 ELLA
build. If you cannot find the build your device is using then type 'h'
to select the HELP option to get more info.
e. The Toolkit will now locate and download the recovery/boot image pack
for your chosen Model. This is a new feature so the Toolkit is not
limited to how many Models can be added and it cuts down ALLOT on the
download size. After the zip file has finished downloading it will be
extracted to the correct folders and the files checked to make sure
everything is ok.
f. When you enter the Main Menu you will see 'Adb Mode' at the top. If
you have installed your drivers correctly then you will see your devices
serial number under the text with 'device' next to it. If you see this
then your device is connected and you can carry on.
NOTE: If you haven't installed the drivers and don't see a serial number
at the top then this is the FIRST thing you want to do so the Toolkit
can operate properly.
g. Each option in the ToolKit has full information on what it is and how to use it.
The first thing you need to do is to install the drivers. These are
needed so that you can communicate with the phone via the PC and perform
the tasks that the ToolKit offers.
NOTE: If you have Kies installed then it is advisable to uninstall it first to avoid conflicts.
a. Make sure your device is booted into Android and the USB cable is unplugged.
b. Select Option 1 in the ToolKit to install the Samsung USB Driver
pack. This should install all the neccessary drivers you need.
C. While the drivers are installing make sure that USB Debugging is
enabled on your device via the Settings, Developer options Screen.
d. After the drivers have been installed connect the USB cable and the
PC should detect the device and install the correct drivers. This will
also happen when you enter Download Mode and Recovery Mode for the first
time.
e. If you want to check the drivers then go to your Control Panel on
your PC and open the Device Manager. With the USB cable connected you
should see a device listed as 'Samsung Android Phone' or something
similar and a driver attached to it.
3. FLASHING A ROM, RADIO, KERNEL OR ZIP FILE VIA CWM TOUCH RECOVERY
a. Download your chosen Rom, Radio or Kernel from the Development Forum,
then make sure your phone is booted up as normal and connect your usb
cable so it goes into MTP Mode. Copy the .zip file (DO NOT UNZIP IT
FIRST) to the 'Internal Storage' part on your phone. Do not copy it to a
Sub Directory as it will be harder to find when flashing it.
b. Enter CWM Touch Recovery (shut down the phone then hold down the
'HOME' + 'VOLUME UP' buttons and press the 'POWER' button for about 5
seconds).
c. Select 'Install zip from sdcard' and select 'choose zip from sdcard' if the file is on Internal Memory.
d. Scroll to your zip file and select. Then select 'Yes' in the list to start flashing.
e. When flashing is finished press the BACK Button to go back until you
get to the Main Menu and then select 'reboot system now' to reboot your
phone into Android.
3. FLASHING A ROM, RADIO, KERNEL OR ZIP FILE VIA TWRP TOUCH RECOVERY
a. Download your chosen Rom, Radio or Kernel from the Development Forum,
then make sure your phone is booted up as normal and connect your usb
cable so it goes into MTP Mode. Copy the .zip file (DO NOT UNZIP IT
FIRST) to the 'Internal Storage' part on your phone. Do not copy it to a
Sub Directory as it will be harder to find when flashing it.
b. Enter TWRP Touch Recovery (shut down the phone then hold down the
'HOME' + 'VOLUME UP' buttons and press the 'POWER' button for about 5
seconds).
c. Select 'Install' and select your file from the list if the file is on
Internal Memory (for External Memory select it at the top).
d. Swipe your finger from left to right at the bottom to confirm the flash.
e. When flashing is finished select Reboot System or go back to Home for more options.
--------------------------------------------------------------
4. FLASHING A ROM, RADIO OR KERNEL VIA DOWNLOAD MODE USING ODIN
Odin can be used to flash image files or parts of your phone. You can
flash something as simple as a boot image or a complete system.
Everything is packed in a tar or tar.md5 file on your PC and flashed via
Odin which is a Windows OS program.
a. Make sure you have your tar file stored on your PC.
b. Reboot your phone to Download Mode [shut down your phone, then hold
down the Home + Volume DOWN Buttons and press the Power Button for about
2 seconds until a Warning screen appears. Press Volume UP to continue
to Download Mode.
c. Connect your phone via usb and the first box at the top under ID:COM
should turn blue and have some text in it. If you are using Download
Mode on your phone for the first time then you will notice drivers being
installed to use it.
d. The site or page you downloaded the file from will usually give you
instructions to set Odin but if not you want to load
boot/recovery/system files to the PDA location and have 'Auto Reboot'
and 'F.Reset Time' ticked and nothing else.
e. Click on 'Start' to start the flash. You can see what is happening in the text box in the lower left.
How to get into Recovery Mode
1. Unplug the USB cable.
2. Shut down the phone.
3. Hold down the 'HOME' + 'VOLUME UP' buttons and press the 'POWER' button for about 5 seconds to enter Recovery Mode.
How to get into Download Mode (For Odin)
1. Unplug the USB cable.
2. Shut down the phone.
3. Hold down the 'HOME' + 'VOLUME DOWN' buttons and press the 'POWER'
button for about 2 seconds until a WARNING! Screen appears. Press the
'VOLUME UP' button to enter Download Mode.
ChangeLog: (previous changelogs to the new unified version can be found *HERE*)
ToolKit v7.0 (10th January 2013)
+International and Snapdragon Toolkits have been unified into a single Galaxy S3 Toolkit
+Rewritten how the Toolkit works to keep all tasks common to other Toolkits in a seperate executable
+After model is selected the Toolkit will now download ONLY the files needed to cut down on install size
+Seperated all supported devices by model number
+Added support for new S3 variants
+Added support for latest builds on all models
+Updated all cwm and twrp recoverys to the latest version and given each model its matching recovery
+Updated SuperSU files by Chainfire to 0.99
+Added new root methods
+Added flash zip file by sideload function in recovery
+Fixed many functions and made other functions more accessible and easier to understand
+Added Instant Reply donation link to get codes out to people much quicker without waiting for a manual response
+Previous Snapdragon and International Toolkit codes will still work with the new unified version
+Soo many more changes to integration and operation I cant list them all
Now that you have rooted your Galaxy Xcover, there may come a
time when you need to unroot it, like when you are getting it into a
service center for any reason or selling it. The guide below is just
for those times and will get you back to stock in no time.
I. Before You Begin
1. This guide will only work if you have followed our procedure on rooting the Galaxy Xcover. Trying it after rooting with any other may brick your device!
2. Back up everything you feel is important.
3. Make sure you have your device charged to 75% or more before you begin.
II. Necessary Downloads
universal_gb_unroot_v10.zip [Download link available in this post]
III. Unrooting the Galaxy Xcover
1. Connect your device to your PC in USB Mass Storage Mode and copy the universal_gb_unroot_v10.zip to your SD card.
2. Disconnect your device and power it down.
3. Press and hold the Volume Up + Home + Power buttons until your device boots into recovery mode.
4. Use the Volume Up and Down keys to navigate and highlight apply update from sdcard and press the home button to select it.
5. Locate and select universal_gb_unroot_v10.zip to begin flashing the file.
6. Select reboot system now once you see the install from sdcard complete message,
Your Galaxy Xcover should be unrooted at the end of the procedure. If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below.
The Xcover is a device that was released back in 2011 and
apart from being sturdy with resistance to dirt and water, came with
Android 2.3 on board. Samsung, as usual, hasn’t been too keen on
releasing updates for this now low-end device and seems to ignore the
fact that users want more from their devices as days go by. But the
developer community hasn’t been idle and as a first step, this device
can be rooted to at least install root-requiring apps that enable
customizing your device a bit more than what it is at stock. The guide
below will show you how to do just that – root the Galaxy Xcover.
I. Before You Begin
1. Make sure your device is charged to 75% or more to prevent unwanted shutdowns.
2. Back up all the data you feel important before you start.
II. Necessary Downloads
universal_gb_root_v25b.zip [Download link available in this post]
III. Rooting the Galaxy Xcover
1. Connect your device to your PC in USB Mass Storage Mode and copy the universal_gb_root_v26b.zip to your SD card.
2. Disconnect your device and shut it down.
3. Press and hold the Volume Up + Home + Power buttons and let them go once your device boots into recovery mode.
4. Use the Volume Up and Down keys to highlight to apply update from sdcard and press the home button to select it.
5. Locate and select universal_gb_root_v26b.zip to flash the file.
6. Once you see the install from sdcard complete message, highlight and select reboot system now.
Your Galaxy Xcover should be rooted once it reboots!
IV. Unrooting the Galaxy Xcover
If you want to unroot your Xcover, our guide on the same should help you. If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below.
Today we will tell you How to Update Galaxy Xcover 2 S7710 XXAMB5 Android 4.1.2 Official Firmware..If you have installed official updates through ODIN then it will be so easy. This is only for Galaxy Xcover 2 S7710.If you are doing it first time please pay attention. This Guide is only for Galaxy Xcover 2 S7710. If you are installing it first time please read the instructions carefully.We have prepared more guides on Galaxy Xcover 2 S7710 in which we have tutorials about How To Update Galaxy Xcover 2 S7710 .If you are interested in other Samsung updates, DO check Our Guides.
Samsung Galaxy SL has been lucky
enough to get a custom recovery for it and that too the ClockworkMod.
It’s an awesome custom recovery that once flashed, takes place of stock
recovery and provides far more and better features than the stock one.
Flashing it on your Galaxy SL shouldn’t take more than a few minutes and
our guide below will help you to do that. So, get ready to flash a
custom recovery on your Galaxy SL smartphone.
I. Before You Begin:
1. You must have rooted your device before doing this procedure. Check out our How to Root the Samsung Galaxy SL procedure to root your device.
2. This should replace your current recovery with the CWM Recovery.
Maybe you’re looking to run some
root-only apps on your device? Maybe you want the freedom that your
friend’s having with his rooted Android device? No problem, we’ll help
you root your device. The Samsung Galaxy SL can be rooted using the
popular SuperOneClick app and this guide walks you through all the steps
to root the device. So, follow it and get your device rooted.
I. Before You Begin:
1. Be aware that rooting your device will
void its warranty. However, unrooting should help you reinstate the
warranty provided an unrooting procedure’s available there.
2. This works on Windows based PCs only.
II. Downloading Required Files:
1. SuperOneClick (Download the latest version of the app)
III. Rooting the Samsung Galaxy SL (GT-I9003):
1. Download and place the app archive onto your Desktop.
2. Extract files from the archive over to your Desktop.
3. Turn ON the USB debugging option on your device by heading to Menu>>Settings>>Applications>>Development>>USB debugging.
4. Once enabled, connect your device to your PC via USB cable.
5. Run the SuperOneClick app by double-clicking on its executable file.
6. Click Root button in the app and it’ll start rooting your device.
7. Once it’s done, reboot your device.
8. You’re done!
Awesome! Your device has been rooted and
you should be able to find the Superuser app in your App Drawer. Your
phone is now ready to be loaded with root-only apps!
Samsung recently rolled out the Android 4.1.2 XXMD6 Jelly Bean
official update to the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus with model number P6200. The
XXMD6 Jelly Bean is an unbranded version of firmware and can be
installed using Samsung KIES server. Also, users from supported regions
can manually update their tablet with the latest official build using
Odin flashing tool.
Android 4.1.2 XXMD6 Jelly Bean firmware is released for Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus.
Galaxy Tab 7.0
Plus users who have already updated their device and are currently
looking for a root method may follow our step-by-step guide. The
tutorial includes installation of ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery and
rooting the Galaxy tablet. Both the recovery file and Superuser file
used for rooting have been released by XDA developer acme1974. Head over
to the source page to learn more about the release.
1) Install USB driver for Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus to transfer files between the Android device and computer.
2) Enable USB Debugging Mode on the tablet to connect the
Android device with the computer and use the Android SDK with it. [Press
Menu>> Settings>> Applications. From there navigate and
click on Development option and ensure the USB Debugging Mode is turned
on.]
3) As the tutorial might wipe all data of the phone, create a backup.
If the device is having any custom recoveries such as CWM/TWRP already
installed then backup data using the recovery.
4) The device should have above 80% battery charge.
5) The Galaxy tablet should be factory unlocked and not locked to a particular carrier.
6) The tablet will lose manufacturer's warranty once it is rooted,
but users can reclaim the warranty by unrooting the device later.
7) The recovery file and the Superuser file work only on the Samsung
Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus P6200. As applying these to any incorrect variant
might brick the device, verify the model number of the Galaxy device by
selecting Settings>> About device>> Model number. Files required to download
Download recovery.tar.rar file
Download Superuser-3.1.3-arm-signed.zip
Download Odin3 v3.07 Steps to install CWM recovery on Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus P6200 Step-1: Extract the recovery.tar.rar file using winrar/7zip/winzip or any other extracting tool Step-2: Extract the Odin3_v3.07.rar Step-3: Copy the Superuser-3.1.3-arm-signed.zip file to the external SD card of the tablet Step-4: Switch off the Galaxy tablet. Then boot the device into Download Mode by pressing and holding Volume Down and Power buttons together. A warning message will appear. Now press the Volume Down button to continue to enter Download Mode Step-5: Run Odin on the computer Step-6: Connect the Galaxy tablet to the computer
using USB cable while it is in the Download Mode. Wait until Odin
detects the device. When the tablet is connected successfully to the
computer, the ID: COM port will turn yellow. The successful connection
will be indicated by an Added message in Odin.
If the Added message does not come, then try the USB port at the back
of the computer. It that too does not work, then re-install USB driver
Step-7: In Odin, click the PDA button and select recovery.tar.md5 file Step-8: Verify the Auto Reboot and F.Reset Time checkboxes are selected in Odin. But uncheck the Re-Partition option Step-9: Double check everything and then finally hit the Start button in Odin. The installation process should begin now Step-10: When the installation process is completed,
the tablet will reboot automatically. Once the home screen appears on
the tablet, unplug the USB cable from the device to disconnect it from
the computer Steps to root Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus P6200 on Android 4.1.2 XXMD6 Jelly Bean by installing SuperSU Step-1: Reboot the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus into the recovery mode by pressing and holding the Volume Up and Power buttons together Step-2: In recovery mode, select install zip from sdcard then select choose zip from sdcard.
Then navigate to the Superuser-3.1.3-arm-signed.zip file. Select it
using the Power button and confirm installation by selecting Yes on the next screen Step-3: Once the installation process is done, return to the main recovery menu and reboot the tablet by selecting reboot system now.
As the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus boots up successfully, it should
be rooted successfully on Android 4.1.2 XXMD6 Jelly Bean with CWM
recovery installed on the device.
To ensure the above root method is installed and working properly, download Root Checker app from Google Play Store.
[Source: Honai of Android]
You now don’t need a separate
projector to enjoy movies with your family on big screen, all you need
is the Samsung’s Galaxy Beam smartphone. You might be wondering how a
smartphone could replace a projector, but this smartphone exactly does
it. The smartphone is equipped with a projector so you can enjoy all
your videos, pictures and games on the big screen. Since it drains out
battery very quickly, the phone’s got two high-capacity batteries to
make your experience uninterrupted. Being an Android device, the
smartphone can be rooted and in the following guide, we’ve compiled all
the steps you should follow to root your Samsung Galaxy Beam. Let’s get
started:
I. Before You Begin:
1. This is gonna void the warranty of your device (until you unroot it).
2. You must have drivers for your device installed on your PC. You can get them from here.
1. Place both the files you downloaded to your Desktop.
2. Extract files from the Odin archive to your Desktop.
3. Double-click on the Odinexecutable file and it should launch.
4. Turn OFF your device.
5. Reboot it into Download mode. This can be achieved by pressing and holding the Volume DOWN+Home+Power buttons together.
6. Once in Download mode, connect the device to your PC via USB cable.
7. In the Odin, click on PDAand then select the Rooted Kernel (.tar) file you placed on your Desktop.
8. Hit the Startbutton and sit back and relax.
9. Once it’s done flashing the file, the device should reboot.
10. And you’re rooted now!
Brilliant! Your Galaxy Beam has been
successfully rooted using the rooted kernel. Some of the cool root-only
apps are waiting for you right in Google Play, give them a try!
If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.
If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below.
The Galaxy SIV is here - but does it pack enough of a punch?
Recommended award
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the most hotly anticipated smartphone ever
from the Korean brand, and with a glut of top end features, it's the
most powerful and desirable device Samsung has created yet.
One of
the most impressive things about the phone is the fact the size hasn't
changed from its predecessor - the Galaxy S4 comes in at 136.6 x 69.8 x
7.9mm (5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 inches), meaning there's no extra heft to try
to work with in your palm.
However,
despite this fact, the screen on the S4 has been increased once more,
to a whopping 5-inch display with Full HD resolution. This means the
same amount of pixels you'd have seen on a TV that cost well over £1,000
four years ago is now riding around in your pocket.
Let's
not pretend that Samsung is a pioneer in this area though: like a great
many features of the Galaxy S4, the phone borrows a lot from the other
top smartphones of the moment. Both the Sony Xperia Z and the HTC One
have screens that rock the same resolution, but neither of them have
the jaw-dropping clout of the Super AMOLED HD screen on offer here.
On
top of that, there's a much faster processor packed under the hood,
ample storage space for media thanks to an expandable memory card slot,
and the likes of 4G, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and pretty much any other connection you care to mention on board.
Samsung
has tried to supplement this with a tranche of software upgrades too,
meaning a more powerful camera, a better way to communicate with your
friends and consume media, and interestingly a big push into health
through dedicated apps too.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 costs the same
as the HTC One, give or take a pound or two, on contract. This will
still put it around £35 per month, which isn't too bad for such a high
design.
But
before we dissect all the possibilities the phone has to offer, let's
look at the design. As we mentioned, it's impressive in its form factor,
thanks to the sub-8mm thickness, and at 130g it manages to still be
light without shaving off so much heft that you feel like you've got a
flimsy piece of plastic.
That's
probably the biggest compliment we can pay the Samsung Galaxy S4 -
where its predecessor felt a little bit cheap in the hand, the S4
manages to bring a much more solid build and better construction to
boot.
So while the "faux metal" band makes a comeback on this
model, it looks a lot more premium. And there's very little flex in the
chassis when you hold it tightly, which was another problem with the Galaxy S3 at times.
That
doesn't mean that the phone is completely remodelled from the S3 - it's
very similar in appearance, so much so that a number of people asking
to see it during our review thought we were palming them off with our
old S3. The polycarbonate chassis remains, but that brings with it the
faithful battery cover, which conceals a removable battery and microSD
slot.
We're
not so fussed about the battery being able to drop out of the phone -
so few people carry around a spare battery, and nowadays portable
charging blocks are becoming so cheap and light that they make much more
sense too.
We'd almost prefer something like the Sony Xperia Z,
which has a refined and packaged chassis but doesn't need a removable
battery: it makes use of a slot instead for the memory card. This
integrated nature would make for a slightly more premium feel to the
phone.
However, it's a small gripe with the S4, as while the cover feels flimsy, it's better than it was on the S2 and the S3, and they both sold like hot cakes.
In
the hand, the Samsung Galaxy S4 feels much better than any other
Samsung phone we've held (apart from the gargantuan smartphones the
brand used to make - the i8910 Omnia HD
might have been built like a brick, but it felt wonderful to hold). The
screen's spread towards the sides of the phone means a much narrower
bezel, and the effect is certainly impressive.
It
might look very similar to the S3, but when you take the Samsung Galaxy
S4 up close, you really start to appreciate the nuances.
We'd say it feels a lot more like the LG Optimus G
range now - when we first picked it up, we were struck with how similar
it felt in terms of sturdiness and the polycarbonate construction to
the LG Optimus G Pro.
That's
no criticism, as the device was well built too, but it has a similar
rounded feel. This is intriguing given the history of the two companies,
and shows more of a leaning towards the plastic shell from the Asian
brands in general.
Buttonry
has barely changed from before - the power button has been shifted
slightly on the right-hand side, and is now much easier to hit. Samsung
has clearly taken some lessons from the Galaxy Note 2, which has a really well positioned power/lock button.
The
volume key is less easy to hit, and could be lower down in our eyes,
but the travel on both of these buttons is satisfying, and you'll always
know when you've hit them.
The plastic used on the home key has
been upgraded too, with a more solid feel under the thumb when you press
down to get back to the main home screen. The two buttons flanking it
give you access to menus or take you back from whence you came, and
while both are easily hidden, they light up nicely with an even glow
when called into action.
There are loads of sensors on the front
of the phone above the screen, including cameras to track your eyes, a
2MP camera for HD video calling and a proximity sensor for knowing where
the phone is in relation to your ear. On the white review unit we had,
their presence looks rather ugly either side of the generous earpiece,
but on the darker models this is less of an issue.
The
other notable addition to the design of the Galaxy S4 is the infra red
blaster on the top of the phone. This enables you to control your TV,
satellite box, DVD player, amp and even air conditioner. Again, this
isn't a new feature, but it works well in practice, and despite being
small is powerful enough indeed.
Other than that, there's not a
lot more to say about the design of the phone, as it's just a little
underwhelming. We know it's unfair to lambast a brand for not
overhauling the design every year, but in the One X and the One, HTC has proven that it is possible to offer up a new design each time around and still keep things attractive.
Looking
so similar to the Galaxy S3, you can't help but feel Samsung has gone a
little too Apple and created something more in keeping with the Samsung
Galaxy S3S - a minor update to a great phone to keep those coming out
of contract happy that they have a premium phone to upgrade to.
We
do implore you to get the phone in your hand before making a judgement
though - while it's not got the best design on the market when it comes
to materials, it's a big step forward compared to the Galaxy S3 and
allows for a grippy and easy-to-hold phone, with a whopping screen
inside.
To just dismiss it for being plastic would be doing the S4
a disservice as it has so much more going for it than that, but it's
worth remembering that to a lot of people, the way a phone looks is as
important as how much RAM it's got on board and how fast the CPU is - if
not more so.
Screen
The Galaxy SIV is here - but does it pack enough of a punch?
The Samsung Galaxy S4 has an all-new screen, and we'll state it now:
the Samsung Galaxy S4 has the best display you can find on a smartphone.
It's
the same Super AMOLED technology used in other Galaxy smartphones, but
this time it's been cranked up to Full HD resolution, which is 1920 x
1080 pixels, if you're asking.
This uses the same PenTile matrix
that's drawn so much criticism for Samsung over the years, as some state
that Samsung is using too many of one colour of pixel, or sub-pixel
(the colours within each pixel) is too basic – all of this has meant
that older Galaxy smartphones have had something of a blue or green
tint, or been a little low-resolution when viewed (admittedly really)
close up.
The Samsung Galaxy SWell, and you'll forgive us for saying the same thing that we did last year with the Galaxy S3,
close up now there's no way you can see any jagged edges or elements
within the icons. It's simply superb, and makes everything from web
pages to video look brilliant.
The Samsung Galaxy S2And
there's no worry about the tints of old, nor the criticisms levied at
Samsung for making over-saturated screens, as often people have claimed
that the colours look too strong on these devices thanks to the OLED
technology used.It is a feature of the technology, and not just
because of the high contrast ratios on offer, but with the Galaxy S4
Samsung has added in a mode to make the colours look more natural,
should the user so with to have it that way.
The Samsung Galaxy S3This method does drop the brightness somewhat, and that's already lower than you might find on the HTC One
but that extra brightness isn't needed thanks to the contrast ratio we
mentioned earlier. One of the strengths of OLED technology is that when a
pixel is displaying a black image, it's completely off, and therefore
draws less power and looks darker. Compared to LCD screens, which have a
backlight to light the colours in front, this means that the blacks
will never be as black as found on an OLED.So, as we said,
there's nothing to want for with the Super AMOLED Full HD screen found
on the Samsung Galaxy S4. It might not be as high resolution as the HTC
One, simply because it's larger with the same amount of pixels, but
viewed up close you'll struggle to find a flaw with it.
The Samsung Galaxy S4You
can change the brightness from the notification bar by sliding your
finger up and down the screen - but if you want to make things easier
you can just tag the Auto button and have the Galaxy S4 working away at
deciding the optimum brightness for you.What's new here is the
ability to customise the auto level - so if you like things a little
lighter or darker, then you can choose such a thing. It's a good way to
manage your battery even easier.
Another feature, which is both
good and bad, is the improved capacitive technology used in the screen.
This is designed to ape a feature brought by Nokia on the Lumia 920,
which enables you to wear gloves and still use the phone - which will
be a key feature to those in colder climes, or like to wear gloves for
sport or similar.
However,
while this works well for gloves, it does over-power the screen
somewhat, in that when you're holding your finger over the screen
looking to scroll up and down when you're read a certain paragraph, it
will sometimes register a press when you've no intention of doing so.
It's irritating to say the least, and something that we hope Samsung
irons out with future software updates.
Aside from that, there's
not a thing that we can criticise the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen for in
any way, as it's as close to perfect as you can get on a smartphone -
making it a great device for so many more functions as a result.
Interface
The Galaxy SIV is here - but does it pack enough of a punch?
The interface on the Samsung Galaxy S4 isn't an officially new
release of TouchWiz, the Korean brand's name for its Android overlay,
but it does bring a whole host of new features to the Galaxy range,
working best on the S4.
It's built on top of Android Jelly Bean
4.2, which means there are several significant upgrades from the
previous version, found on most of the other top-end Galaxy devices and,
crucially, ahead of the likes of the HTC One and the Sony Xperia Z.
One gets the feeling Samsung has delayed Android 4.2 for the Galaxy S3
simply so it can offer differentiation with the new model – things like
split menus mean you feel like you're greeted with a different phone,
despite both the S3 and S4 doing roughly the same thing.
So,
for instance, in the drag down notification bar, you're now greeted
with two icons in the top right-hand corner; one takes you to the
internal settings from anywhere in the phone, and the other gives you
quick shortcuts to turn elements within the S4 off and on.
This is
an idea Google pushed with the new iteration of Android, and works
well. However, it's a little redundant here, as the phone already has
these in a long line in the notification bar. You can also edit these
quick toggles too, so it means that you'll rarely push the other button
to get the full list.
Android 4.2 promises further smoothness upgrades too, and while this works on the likes of the Nexus 4, we're not sure what it's really added with the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Considering
that this phone is running the quad-core Qualcomm 600 chip, clocked at
1.9GHz and combined with 2GB of RAM, we would have expected this phone
to run faster than anything we'd ever seen before.
While that is
true for the most part, it's only a touch more than we've seen on the
Galaxy S3. Apps will open and close faster, but elements like the time
taken to open the multi-taking menu (triggered by holding down the home
key from anywhere in the phone) still take a beat to activate.
It makes us hanker for the octa-core processor that other parts of the world are getting - the reason being that 4G
can't apparently be added to that chip very easily, so we have to make
do with a quad core option. It's not as simple as saying that other
version is twice as fast, as it's essentially two quad core chips doing
different tasks when needed, but there's no doubt that the other version
is faster.
In case you're wondering, there are two versions of
the Galaxy S4: one with the Exynos 5 octa-core, and this one (model
number GT-1905) that has the Qualcomm Snapdragon quad core. This version
is clocked at 1.9GHz, which means it runs faster in general - however,
the octa core has two sets of four cores, with one for day to day stuff
and the other for heavy lifting, such as photo processing and such.
While
we're miffed we don't have the option of this other version (it's
smashed the benchmarks in many tests) there are questions about whether
the battery will hold up as well as the device flicks between the two
quad core processors inside - it could improve efficiency or deplete it,
depending on the implementation, so perhaps bigger isn't always better.
The
general Android / TouchWiz interface is still the same as ever: this
means that you can throw as many widgets and apps all over the seven
home screens that you like. It's still a great way of doing things, and
since Android Jelly Bean has been used you can now flick items out of
the way just by dragging them onto the screen and holding them in the
place you want.
What is interesting is that Samsung still hasn't
added the functionality to drag and drop app icons on top of one another
to create a folder. We're pretty sure Apple is trying to patent such an
idea, but given rivals have managed to use this method (such as HTC
with the One) we'd have expected Samsung to do the same.
It's not
a big deal, but having to drag an app to the top of the screen, create a
folder, name it, then drag other apps in is a bit of a hassle.
One
area that has been changed massively from S3 to S4 is the lock screen.
Firstly, there's a new way to mess around with this UI: where once you
could only touch the screen and watch the water ripple around, now you
can choose to have your finger trigger a little light that hovers under
your finger.
Combined with the S4's improved screen technology
that's been super-boosted, in terms of sensitivity, to enable you to use
gloves with it, you can now hold your finger a centimetre or so above
the display and watch the light flicker along under your digit. It's not
a big thing, but one that we found ourselves constantly playing with
like tiny children.
The lock screen, thanks to the Android 4.2
update, now enables you to have widgets on there before you open the
phone, enabling music control, remotes to display and messages to
preview.
While there are some useful implementations of these (the
music player is really handy to have, and can be resized by dragging
the track list up and down) others, like favourite apps, really don't
help as much. You can still thankfully have all the lockscreen
shortcuts, which means you can interact in the same way as before. To
open the phone into a widget you just tap it then swipe below. We
initially wanted to criticise the phone for this, but after a few days
it really becomes second nature.
We
would say the blocky nature of the UI really isn't attractive. It
basically adds a load of features into a previously simple experience,
which may or may not please some people. Thankfully, all this is
switched off by default - and you can even have your own message saying
hello every time you open the phone.
It's clear that Samsung has
toed the Google line in using Android 4.2 on the Galaxy S4, as this lock
screen functionality is straight from the search giant's design board
(with a few Samsung design ideals placed on top).
It's also
present in the menu system, which, rather than one long list of all your
options, is divided into four screens: Connectivity, My Device,
Accounts, and More. It's a neat way of packaging things all up, but it
can be hard to hit the categories on the top given the size of the
screen.
The interface on the Samsung Galaxy S4, to the uninitiated
or the Galaxy S2 user looking for their next upgrade, is great. It has
loads of innovative ideas and works blazingly fast. We can see why some
people find TouchWiz a little cartoony and convoluted at times, but in
our eyes this is a great combination of power and simplicity in a
smartphone.
Messaging
The Galaxy SIV is here - but does it pack enough of a punch?
The messaging experience on Samsung smartphones has never been the
strongest, and thankfully it's getting better and better with each
iteration. We'd go as far as saying that it's actually GOOD on the
Samsung Galaxy S4, and that's coming from a place of wanting to throw
the Galaxy S3 out a window once or twice when the email client doesn't connect properly.
Let's
start with one of the most important points: the keyboard. The previous
Samsung versions have been woeful, with bouncy word prediction,
inaccurate typing and cramped conditions.
Thankfully
with the S4 Samsung appears to have realised this and made a larger
option, and thanks to the larger screen you've even got a row of numbers
on the top so you don't constantly have to keep pressing 'Shift' to get
them up each time. We did a lot, though. Just to let you know.
There's
also a Swype-a-like option on board, and while the jury is still out on
whether this is more efficient that tapping away, we found it to be
more accurate thanks to the larger amount of space afforded by the
5-inch screen.
We still instantly downloaded another option
(SwiftKey might be underpinning a lot of what this keyboard is about,
but the native option is still preferable in our eyes, as it takes less
customisation at the start.)
Text messaging is still a key part of
the Samsung Galaxy S4, and has been slightly upgraded; where there was
just a conversation view with bubbles before, you now get little contact
pictures next to each person, which adds a touch of personality to an
SMS conversation. Yes, again it's not a new experience, but it works
well on the phone.
You've also got a larger capacity for text
messaging than before - where you could only write a missive that was
480 characters or less before converting to a (costly) MMS in previous
versions, now you can have over 5 messages' worth before such a function
kicks in.
Email
The email client on the Galaxy S2
and Galaxy S3 was rubbish, and we've mentioned that already. However
Samsung has taken something of a mallet to that functionality and
interface with the S4 and significantly upgraded it. While the S3 came
close to working as it was supposed to after nearly a year on the
market, the S4 comes out of the gate swinging, if you'll forgive the
mixed metaphor.
This
means a much cleaner UI that makes it much easier to quickly glance and
see who sent each message, a slide-across bar that takes you to your
inboxes (should you have multiple accounts on the phone) and even the
chance to have priority senders and a combined inbox.
So far, so very similar to the recent iOS update (which was similar to the HTC option before it, it should be noted).
But the key thing is here that the client, which was built to be powerful but ended up flawed, now works as it should.
We
can easily set out of office messages, set priority accounts that we
need to panic about (although the process there is a little convoluted
and won't let you search an Exchange server to get the addresses you
need - nobody should have their CEO's email saved as a contact, but if
they email you then you would listen).
ChatON
There are
other options for messaging of course: for instance, ChatON is present
once more (Samsung's attempt to bring a WhatsApp/BBM/iMessage rival) and
brings functionality like being able to send walkie-talkie voice
messages to one another as well as pictures and messages, but there are
so few people using it regularly that it won't be long before you hide
it from the menu screen unless you happen to have a lot of chatty
Samsung friends.
This is something of a shame actually, as it's a
decent platform. You can add a profile pic, send files and the like over
a data connection without having to faff with email, and the range of
customisation options and UI both work very well for the most part.
Once
again, Samsung has shown that it has seen a problem in its older phones
and corrected it accordingly - it might not be market leading but there
wasn't a point where we felt that communication was harder with the
Galaxy S 4, and that's all we're looking for in this scenario.
Calling and contacts
The Galaxy SIV is here - but does it pack enough of a punch?
Contacts are very similar to before on the Samsung Galaxy S4, but
this is no bad thing. Laid out in an easy to read format and manageable
ways of connecting the right people together, this is a perfectly
passable way of looking for the people that matter to you.
The
main thing that we like is the ability to smart dial. This means that
when you open the number pad you can enter the name as you would have
done on predictive text all those years ago - so 3-2-3 would be the
command to bring up 'Dad', for instance.
It's
a slick way of getting around the contact list. It's hardly new - most
phones pack it as an option now, and those that don't (iPhone) sorely
miss it - but it saves you monkeying around in the main contacts list.
That
said, the experience there is very good. If you've got the likes of
Exchange, Facebook and Google accounts set up on your phone then chances
are you'll be able to see a host of names here to play with. We're sad
that Twitter was taken out of the experience, as it was helpful to have
on the Galaxy S2 by enabling you to see friends' Tweets in their contact profile.
However,
if you're not savvy enough to work out how to stop every person you're
following on Twitter displaying in your contacts' list, then you would
have hundreds floating around there.
(By the way, it's a simple
tap of the menu button and selecting 'Contacts to display' where you can
choose which service will supply the people to chat to. You can
customise this too, meaning you only have certain services coming
through, which means you can choose to just have the likes of Facebook
and Google, where most people will store contacts.
Pro tip: hit 'Settings' and then tag 'Only contacts with phone numbers', which will clean up your phone book no end).
Beyond
that, there's not a lot more to the Samsung Galaxy S4 contacts
interface that really makes it stand out - it doesn't have the ability
to parse through albums on social networks or update you with people's
musings through statuses, but to many that's more of a hindrance. And to
those where it's not, you can head on over to the HTC One to see how all that works.
The
interface is simple, it's damned easy to navigate to the people you
want (using the alphabetised list on the right-hand side and then using
the slider to get more exact) and the result is instant when opening a
contact.
You
can link contacts together easily by going into the name and hitting
joined contacts, then selecting other profiles from social networks to
bring everything into one place. Samsung still hasn't mastered the art
of suggesting these links in one big batch, so expect a lengthy time
spend doing so when you turn the phone on.
One big change we're
not sure we're in love with: every contact that doesn't have a picture
drawn in (from the likes of Facebook or Google+) will have a stock
smiling male cartoon face - it's meant to be cutesy, but it can come
across a little creepy when it flashes up onscreen from an unknown
number.
Another oddity with the Samsung Galaxy S4 is the ability
to use high res pictures to populate contact images - other handsets
enable you to define that any social network, Facebook in particular,
will always display HD pictures when you connect a person in your phone
book to the social network profile.
It might sound like a minor
thing, but when high-res pictures flash up during a phone call, it makes
the phone feel a lot more premium, which is rarely the case with the
Galaxy S4, which will only do so if you've linked Google+ or tagged them
in your own photo.
Calling
Calling on the Samsung Galaxy
S4 carries on from its predecessor - namely in being excellent. It's got
a slightly narrow earpiece range, which means that you have to be
careful where you position it in relation to your ear, but that's a
really minor quibble as the overall effect is impressive and works well
thanks to some clever volume management.
The S4 has noise
reduction built in, and many people commented how clear the the sound
was over the airwaves. The S4 supports HD voice as well, which is
carried over the 3G/4G networks (depending on your provider) so you'll
always get the best clarity on offer.
In
short, this phone worked well no matter where we were. Dropped calls
should be a thing of the past on all handsets, but that's not always the
case; however, with high end handsets there's no reason to think it
should happen, and the power of the S4 to keep hold of signal is
impressive.
In fact, the signal strength was regularly impressive,
making very few trips down to the dreaded 'no bar' icon that means you
might have a connection but, hey, you might not. Nobody enjoys that
smartphone lottery, right?
There are a number of extra bells and
whistles to play with here too which offer varying success. You can set
something called 'Adapt Sound' which asks you to pop in a pair of
headphones and listen to a range of sounds at different frequencies,
thus tailoring the output to your ears.
You
can also choose to have 'Clear Sound' or 'Soft Sound' during the calls,
but when we tried these modes all we got was a slight variation in
volume. There are other tricks that are more useful in call, like being
able to turn noise reduction on and off and being able to boost the
volume when needed.
Otherwise, it's the same great calling
experience we've come to expect from the Samsung Galaxy range, even down
to the three options that come up when you end a call (Message, Call or
Video Call) so you can get in touch with the person if you've forgotten
pertinent information. Although video call never works, let's be
honest. Even Apple is starting to wonder...
In short, the Samsung
Galaxy S4 is one of the best phones for actually, you know, phoning, out
there. It's size isn't horrendous next to the ear and people can hear
you - and vice versa. Job done.
