Found 244 articles
04
Feb
Jelly-Bean-Logo

Stock Android Isn't Perfect: Jelly Bean 4.2 Edition

Posted by in Features, Jelly Bean 4.2, Stock Android Isn't Perfect
Last Updated: February 7th, 2013

A few months ago I wrote "Stock Android Isn't Perfect," an article where I turned my usual harsh UX critique on stock Android, instead of just picking on TouchWiz and Sense all the time in my reviews. The article went over pretty well, and even got a few responses from Googlers! I didn't cover everything that was wrong with Android, though, and there have been a bunch of updates since the original article, so it's about time I wrote a sequel.

So we're officially making this a series now, and it'll serve two purposes: One, there's a new version of Android out, and more things to complain about; and two, to give credit where it's due, because, since I wrote that article, a lot of things have been fixed.

02
Feb
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Google Pushes New Android 4.2.1 Code To AOSP (JOP40G, 4.2.1_r1.2) - Here Is The Developer Changelog

Posted by in Android OS, Development, Jelly Bean 4.2, LG, News, Nexus 4

Earlier this week, we got wind of a new OTA build JOP40G possibly hitting the Nexus 4 soon. I thought this update would finally be the elusive Android 4.2.2 that we've been hearing about, but it looks like that's not the case.

Yesterday, Google pushed some new open source code to AOSP (Android Open Source Project) marked with 2 new tags: android-4.2.1_r1.1 and android-4.2.1_r1.2. The build number corresponding to the 4.2.1_r1.2 release is - you guessed it - JOP40G (with mentions of JOP40F and JOP40E along the way too) - the same one we thought would be 4.2.2.

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The dates you see here are commit dates, not dates the commits were made public (which was Feb 1st 2013)

What's New?

31
Jan
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CyanogenMod Gets Cease & Desist On 'Chronus' Name, Wants To Crowd-Source A New One [Updated]

Posted by in Android OS, Development, News

Update: The CyanogenMod team has chosen a new name: cLock. According to the Google+ post, the new name was chosen by virtue of its simplicity.

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In a post to Google+ titled "Pitfalls of being so big" earlier this evening, the CyanogenMod team informed followers that CM had been served with a C&D (Cease and Desist) request regarding their Chronus clock widget.

For those unfamiliar, Chronus is CyanogenMod's acclaimed lock screen (or home screen) clock widget, introduced last December, that displays the time in Android 4.2 fashion along with configurable calendar and weather information.

Specifically, the "entity" serving the C&D seems to have issue with the widget's name, which is similar to the entity's own "Cronus." CyanogenMod's post emphasizes that while the team does not agree with the C&D claim, they do not have the time or resources to fight it so, naturally, they're looking to crowd-source a new name for the clock.

30
Jan
2013-01-30_11h54_29

Sprint Begins Pushing Android 4.2.1 OTA (GA02) To Its Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Drops Kernel Update As A Bonus

Posted by in Galaxy Nexus, News, Samsung, Sprint

A couple weeks ago, we got wind of a download that seemed to be the final version of Android 4.2.1 (GA02) for the Sprint Galaxy Nexus. Today, not only is that confirmed, but the OTA has begun for Nexus warriors on the Now Network. The update brings the newest flavor of Jelly Bean and all that entails, including Photospheres, Daydream, lockscreen widgets and more.

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The release comes about two and a half months after the initial launch of Jelly Bean 4.2 (counting by the launch of the new Nexuses. It's about three months since the initial announcement). While not too bad when compared with updates for the rest of the phones in the world, it's still a stark reminder of just how long going through carriers and adapting to different radio versions takes.

28
Jan
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Chainfire's SuperSU Reaches Version 1.0, Adds Customization Options And System App Conversion

Posted by in Applications, News

Those of you in the habit of rooting and/or flashing custom ROMs are likely familiar with SuperSU, one of the most popular Superuser options available. Developer Chainfire has just released the long-awaited 1.0 version of both the standard and Pro apps to the Play Store. In addition to the usual bug fixes (many of which affect newer HTC devices), there's a bevy of new appearance customization in the app settings. You can choose between five different app icons (or none at all), three different Holo themes, or a manufacturer-friendly system default.

wm_2013-01-28 14.46.29 wm_2013-01-28 14.45.11 wm_2013-01-28 14.45.38 wm_2013-01-28 14.45.58

Some more substantial changes include the ability to move the app to the /system folder without using an external file manager.

21
Jan
lagfix

Having Lag Issues On Your Device? 'LagFix' Aims To Make It Perform Like New Again

Posted by in Applications, News

I have a confession to make: I haven't been using my Nexus 7 that much over the past few weeks. Why? Because it has been suffering from horrible lag. Everything was peachy keen up until the Android 4.2.1 update, but that's a different story for a different day. For now, the lag is the important bit.

LagFix is for rooted devices only.

Then we stumbled across a new app called LagFix, which – get this – fixes lag issues on many devices, like the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, Nexus 4, One X+, and more. Of course, the lag thing is a common issue, and is likely caused by a "well-known TRIM bug," which basically means that storage is "not properly TRIMmed when needed." So that's what this app does.

21
Jan
1weatherapp

OneLouder Apps' 1Weather Hits v2, Brings New UI, Tablet Support, Android 4.2 Lock Screen Widgets, And More

Posted by in Applications, News

Almost one year ago to the day, OneLounder released what is still one of my favorite weather apps: 1Weather. It's a fantastic looking app that delivers useful information about the weather conditions in your area, both current and extended. And, as of today, the app has been updated to v2, which brings a handful of new features to this already-fantastic app:

  • Tablet support
  • Refined UI
  • Optimized radar section
  • Added map pin
  • Improved ongoing notifications
  • Lock Screen widgets

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The tablet layout is both intuitive and informative, highlighting the most pertinent information on the main screen: current temp, wind speed, humidity, hourly forecast, and more.

20
Jan
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[Weekend Poll And News Roundup] When Are You Planning On Making Your Next Android Phone Purchase?

Posted by in News, Polls

Buying a smartphone is a lot like telling a joke - timing is everything. Purchasing a Galaxy S III a few months ago was probably fine and dandy, but today, everybody sort of knows we're closing in on the next round of product announcements for 2013.

When do I buy? Which announcement do I wait for? Do I buy as soon as my contract expires, or sit on my upgrade until something new comes along? It's easy to get paralyzed into a sort of gadget anxiety - where you never commit to buying anything, because who knows what could be coming next.

16
Jan
jb-new-logo

Sprint Galaxy Nexus Android 4.2.1 OTA Update (GA02) Available For Download Right Now From Google

Posted by in Device Updates, Galaxy Nexus, Jelly Bean 4.2, News, Sprint

The official OTA update to Android 4.2 for the Sprint Galaxy Nexus has just hit Google's servers, and you can grab the build (GA02) right now. Here's a direct download link, originally found on XDA. Sextape at SXTP Developers posted yesterday indicating that a leaked version of this build would end up as the final OTA release. Here's the detailed build info:

post-build=samsung/mysidspr/toroplus:4.2.1/JOP40D/L700GA02:user/release-keys

md5: 4a023ce78c17c8256dfec8ae0615707f

File size: 102,838,616 bytes

So, now you're wondering how you go about flashing this build, right? Well, you can do it now, but it's not a one-step affair. I've placed instructions below, but proceed at your own risk - the OTA update will probably be going out through Sprint fairly soon, too.

15
Jan
1

Google Confirms Bluetooth A2DP Audio Streaming Fix For The 'Next Release' Of Android 4.2

Posted by in Google, Jelly Bean 4.2, News

While Android 4.2 may have brought a number of enhancements, it also brought its fair share of issues to the platform. Among those, there has been a real problem with Bluetooth – especially when it comes to A2DP streaming audio. Basically, audio lags and cuts out constantly, making a streaming experience far more frustrating than enjoyable.

Good news, though – Google has just confirmed that this issue will be fixed "in the next release," which should be Android 4.2.2. Here's to hoping this fix also has a positive effect on other Bluetooth devices – like game controllers and the like (most of which simply don't work on 4.2).

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