14
May
1

Modaco Toolkit Enables Easy Multi-User Support For Rooted Phones Running Android 4.2

Posted by in Android OS, Jelly Bean 4.2, News

Multi-user support is one of the most interesting additions in Jelly Bean 4.2, but you can only get it if you're using a tablet. It makes sense - phones are rarely shared between more than one person, while tablets are naturally shareable. Even so, it would be nice if Google gave users the option. But thanks to modder extraordinaire Paul "Modaco" O'Brien, there's a relatively easy way to enable multi-user mode on smartphones. It's detailed on the Modaco blog, but all you need to get started is a phone running Android 4.2 and root permissions.

n4-usersadd1 n4-usersadd2 n4-userswitchmenu

First, download and install the Xposed Framework, a Swiss army knife for modders and the basis of this modification.  Next, download the Modaco Toolkit, a module for the Xposed app.

04
Mar
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Koush's Open Source Superuser App Goes Live In The Play Store

Posted by in Applications, Development, News

In an almost superhero-like act, Koushik Dutta (a.k.a. Koush of ROM Manager fame) has pushed his completely rewritten Superuser app to the Play Store just 15 days after first announcing it on Google+. This version introduces several improvements upon the original Superuser. In the last two weeks, the feature list has grown to include fully functioning multi-user support, secure PIN protection, and support for the x86 and ARM architectures. Additionally, the interface has been revitalized with a clean looking Holo theme and a tablet UI.

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Koush didn't stop there – he also added a feature to make root-seeking apps more visible.

03
Mar
2013-03-03_22h34_37

ASUS Is The First To Roll Out Android 4.2 To A Non-Nexus Device, Starting With The TF300T In The U.S.

Posted by in ASUS, News, Transformer Pad 300
Last Updated: March 13th, 2013

It's been over four months since Google officially announced Android 4.2 and slightly less time since the initial round of new Nexus devices running it went up for order. Much like the gunshot that kicks off the 100-meter tortoise race, that launch signaled the silent contest to see which manufacturer could get out a non-Nexus update first. Today, we have our winner: ASUS, with a shiny new version of Jelly Bean for the Transformer Pad (TF300T).

The manufacturer has also promised that there will be updates to its App Locker, Virtual Keyboard, Lock Screen, and Setup Wizard applications. Initially, the update will only be available via OTA for U.S.

19
Oct
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[Exclusive] Android 4.2 Alpha Teardown, Part 3: The New Work-In-Progress Gallery And More Multiple User Stuff

Posted by in APK Teardown, Exclusives, News
Last Updated: December 28th, 2012

We're back with yet another edition of our Android 4.2 teardown! We previously showed you the new Gmail, the Quick Settings prototype, and all sorts of security features. Today we're looking at some seriously fun stuff, including a sneak peek at the new Gallery design.

Pending some kind of breakthrough, we'll probably end this series at an even trilogy. There isn't much more to cover after this. And remember, this is a Teardown, not a list of confirmed 4.2 features. None of this is guaranteed to ship in 4.2 and I'm certainly not claiming it will.

The New Gallery

Update: HOLD EVERYTHING.

30
Jul
Android1

Multiple User Accounts Are Coming To Android: Miles Of Code Is Already In AOSP, And Some Of It Is Quietly Working On Devices Right Now

Posted by in Android OS, APK Teardown, News
Last Updated: October 8th, 2012

Multi-user support is one of the few remaining things a desktop OS can do that Android can't. The "coffee table tablet" use case would greatly benefit from a multi-user setup, as would an enterprise user who wants to keep work and home separate. It's been a top 20 item on the Android bug tracker since the debut of Honeycomb, so there is certainly demand for it.

As we've seen from my previous experiments in sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, Google likes to leave breadcrumbs in shipping products for the astute observer to find, and the multi-user situation is no different.