Substratum is one of the best theme engines around and was even a good option for non-rooted phones until the Android 9 Pie update stopped it from working. Even so, it's still popular in the custom ROM community, so news of a lighter, more stable version will no doubt be welcome.
Read MoreGoogle says that Android P Substratum theme breakage is intentional and won't be fixed
In a blow to the custom themers out there, Google has responded to the cry for Substratum "support" to return to stock Android. The verdict is that the breakage first spotted in Android P Developer Preview 1 is intentional and that it won't be fixed for the final P release.
Read More33 temporarily free and 52 on-sale apps and games to start Memorial Day weekend
Happy Friday, everyone. The Memorial Day weekend is a few hours away, so before you head out to whatever you're doing, I thought I'd get in a quick app sales roundup! Today's list has some notable items in it, so be looking for those in bold below. Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you all on Monday.
Read More[Update: Petition, Issue tracker] Android P prevents Substratum themes from being used
Substratum is a rootless way to install custom themes on Android Oreo. When it burst onto the scene around September of last year, it instantly became a crowd favorite; people loved the ability to reduce the increasing amount of whiteness Google was shoving into Android. However, it seems like Google wasn't happy with this, as Substratum and custom overlays in general are no longer functional on Android P.
Read MoreCyanogenMod Theme Engine is gone for good, LineageOS removes supporting code
During CyanogenMod's heyday, one of the ROM's biggest features was the Theme Engine. You could download any number of themes from the Play Store to change up the entire system's look. However, the feature didn't make an appearance in CyanogenMod 14 (based on Android 7.0 Nougat), and there hasn't been much talk of working on it since the project reorganized into LineageOS.
Read More[Update: Winners] Giveaway: Win one of 100 codes for [projekt.] development team's Andromeda, the root-less Substratum add-on for Android 8.0 Oreo theming
Ever since the Android community learned that theming might be possible on Android 8.0 Oreo, we've been waiting with bated breath to try it out. Just last week the solution was finally released in the form of Andromeda, an add-on for Substratum that allows you to apply themes without root. And now we've teamed up with the guys at [projekt.] development team to give 100 lucky readers a free code for Andromeda.
Read MoreAndromeda brings Substratum theming to unrooted Android 8.0 Oreo devices
It took a bit over two weeks, as opposed to the promised one, but it's finally here. Substratum support for Android 8.0 Oreo, in the form of the newly released Andromeda app, has been released. It's not quite as straightforward or simple as Substratum is on a supported ROM, but it will give users on Oreo the ability to theme. And, best of all, you won't need root to use it.
Read MoreDeveloper discovers how to turn on Android 8.0's theme support without root, but it's a bit janky
Big news today over on XDA. It would appear that the OMS support added to AOSP made its way into Android 8.0 Oreo, and the enterprising developers at XDA have figured out how to leverage the nascent theming system. That is to say, support for Substratum themes now exists in stock Android as of Oreo, and the Substratum developers have just found a way to leverage that without relying on root, via a bit of privilege escalation and ADB, resulting in an incoming root-less theme management system for phones on stock Oreo, and it could be released within the next week.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
[Deal Alert] Customize your rooted phone with Awesome Navbars, free for a limited period
For those who like to tinker with their Android phones on a regular basis, the Substratum Theme Engine is a great way to style your rooted device with seemingly endless possibilities. It's based on code hidden within Android that's intended for use by OEMs to change themes in their skins, but this app now allows anyone to do this. Additional apps can be installed to work in conjunction with Substratum to change certain aspects of a device's theme, and that's exactly what Awesome Navbars does. It changes (you've guessed it) the Android navbar.
Read MoreLatest Deals
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TCL's highly rated 6-series 4K HDR TVs on sale — 55" for $450 and 65" for $700
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Sony's super-tall Xperia 10 marked down to $300 ($50 off) on Amazon
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The Arlo Pro 2 four-camera kit is on sale for $600 ($200 off) on Amazon
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[Update: $229 and $153 from Motorola] Moto G7 and G7 Play are $270 ($30 off) and $180 ($20 off) at multiple retailers
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Pick up a 128GB T-Mobile Galaxy S10 for $600 ($200 off) from Costco
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Latest Poll
Loading ...Recent Reviews
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Synology's LiveCam app can turn old phones into security cameras, but I wish it worked better
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The Anker Powerhouse 200 is a $350 USB-C battery pack the size of a lunchbox
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The Anker Nebula Capsule II with Android TV is the new portable projector to beat
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The Honor 20 Pro is a stripped down Huawei P30 Pro — in all the right ways
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The OnePlus 7 Pro is the best smartphone you can buy right now
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Latest Roundups
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13 new and notable Android apps and live wallpapers from the last three weeks including Adobe Premiere Rush, Abstruct, and Tor Browser (5/4/19 - 5/25/19)
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[Bonus Round] Daggerhood, SiNKR 2, Word Forward, Ordia, Fort Sumter: The Secession Crisis, and Godzilla Defense Force
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12 best new Android games released this week including Durango: Wild Lands, Terraforming Mars, and Alt-Frequencies
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16 best new Android games released this week including Magnibox, Hamsterdam, and Merge Empire
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[Bonus Round] Hamsterdam, PLAYMOBIL Mars Mission, Onslot Car, pliq: Epic Clash Arcade Puzzle, Dungeon of Weirdos, and Fishing Paradiso
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Recent Apps and Games
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13 new and notable Android apps and live wallpapers from the last three weeks including Adobe Premiere Rush, Abstruct, and Tor Browser (5/4/19 - 5/25/19)
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Spotify does the unthinkable and adds a sleep timer on Android
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Google shutting down YouTube Gaming app on May 30
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YouTube gets smarter voice search and starts playing videos immediately after your query
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Google's Android Messages passes 500 million installs on the Play Store
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Blast from the Past
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1 Year Ago Today
33 temporarily free and 52 on-sale apps and games to start Memorial Day weekend
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2 Years Ago Today
[Bonus Round] Get your hands on another 25 temporarily free and 56 on-sale apps
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3 Years Ago Today
New Images Of Upcoming Motorola Droid Phone And MotoMod Accessories Leak
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4 Years Ago Today
[Rumor] Google Taking Renewed Focus On Battery And RAM In Android M, Dev Preview Expected Again This Year
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5 Years Ago Today
The YouTube Music Service May Be Stalling Because Of Contract Disputes Between Google And Indie Music Labels
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6 Years Ago Today
BSkyB's Sky Apps, Twitter Account Hacked By Syrian Electronic Army [Updated]
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7 Years Ago Today
ViewSonic Set To Debut A 22-Inch ICS-Powered "Tablet" At Computex This June
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8 Years Ago Today
First Video Preview Of Minecraft For Android Surfaces Online, Fans Salivate In Anticipation
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9 Years Ago Today
Where You At: Boost Mobile To Get Its First Android Handset
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