IOSDROIDSOLUTIONS

Introduction Ever wondered what the whole Android custom ROM scene was about? What is all this talk of installing "aftermarket", custom upgrades on your phone? Who needs it? Why do it? Is it safe? Don't fret - I'm here to explain - the AndroidPolice Academy is now in session. By the way, the word ROM means R ead O nly M emory, but has migrated in the modding community to mean an actual custom OS image that you install into the ROM area of your phone. Also, the word kernel essentially means the heart of the OS - it's the barebones operating system components. Custom ROMs A stock ROM is the version of the phone's operating system that comes with your phone when you buy it. A custom ROM is a fully standalone version of the OS, including the kernel (which makes everything run), apps, services, etc - everything you need to operate the device, except it's customized by someone in some way. So what does the " customized " part mean? ...

Introduction In this tutorial, I will guide you through the easiest and most reliable way to fully and 100% back up and restore your Android phone . By fully back up , I don't mean backing up just your address book or your emails, or your dog. I mean EVERYTHING that resides on your phone with the exception of the SD card - what we will create is essentially a full image of your phone's current state that you can restore to at any time as if nothing happened. This image will be written to your SD card which you are then free to copy around and back up on your computer. In fact, the backup described here is very similar to imaging your computer hard drive before you swap drives - the principle is the same. Here are some benefits of being able to perform full backups: Benefits You can stop worrying about forgetting to or being unable to back up certain components of your phone, such as text messages - Nandroid backs up everything . You can try out new ROMs , switch be...

In this article, I will discuss all kinds of aspects of rooting your Android phone and the benefits that come with it. Maybe you've heard about "rooting" a phone from a friend or read about it somewhere on the Internet. Maybe you even *kind of* know what it is but aren't sure what you can do with it. Or maybe you are already running a rooted phone and looking for more ways you can utilize it. Whatever the case may be, this article is for you. What Is Rooting? First, for the newbies, let me clarify what rooting is. Getting root or rooting your phone is the process of modifying the operating system that shipped with your device to grant you complete control over it. This means you can overcome limitations that the carriers and manufacturers put on your phone, extend system functionality, and even upgrade it to a custom flavor of Android. The name root comes from the Linux operating system world, where the most privileged user on the system (otherwise known a...

Part of Motorola’s Moto X X8 chipset is the always-listening core that activates the phone and Google Now with the magic words “Okay Google Now”. That little neat trick made geeky smartphone-loving hearts everywhere skip a beat and many wanted to get the feature for their not-Moto X Android smartphone. Thanks to Open Mic+ that feature is available to all, ad-free and for the price of none over at the Google Play store (links after the break). Open Mic+ can silently run in the background of the OS and can be activated via “Okay Google”. It prompts Google Now for searches and commands and uses offline voice recognition, saving you data plan some of the sweat. The app also plays nicely with Tasker so you can call out your custom tasks via your voice and some pre-setting. The app, however, raises concerns of being an absolute battery killer as without the dedicated core it can’t possibly be as efficient as the Moto X solution. Get the free app here .

Rockstar has just released the official trailer of the upcoming GTA V blockbuster. The game shapes to be the studio’s biggest project to date. Rockstar has already revealed the main characters – Michael, Trevor and Franklin. Michael is a former bank buster in his early 40s coming back from retirement to earn a few extra bucks. Also in his forties is Trevor, a seasoned criminal and ex-military pilot. Lastly, there’s Franklin, who is in his mid-twenties and is the street hustler. Grand Theft Auto V will be launching on September 17 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Shazam, the popular song identification app, has just been updated to version 4.0 for Android. The latest version promises faster song recognition, as well as a completely new user interface with large screen optimizations for tablets. The new design lets users quickly get song and artist information, including lyrics and quick purchasing capabilites from Amazon. Higher quality album artwork also helps the app look better on larger displays. You can get the new Shazam 4.0 for free here, or for check out the ad-free Encore version.

You may or may not know this but Nokia is behind the maps in most in-car navigation systems (4 out of 5 cars, claims the company) and today Nokia is introducing HERE Auto, which brings their mapping and smartphone prowess to the car. Here Auto is Nokia’s offline navigation solution – turn by turn voice guided navigation for 95 countries (in 2D and 3D, with street level and satellite images). There’s an SDK too, so HERE Auto functionality can be extended with music and social networking apps. HERE Auto Cloud adds online features – quick over the air map updates (downloading only the parts that have actually changed), real-time traffic and road conditions update, recommendations on where to park and eat, where to find cheap gas and even charge up your fancy electric car. Before you leave, you’ll be able to plan the route with the HERE Auto Companion app for Windows Phone and Android (there’s a web app too). The route will be synced with your car, so you can plan the route comforta...