Best Android customization projects of 2015
Did you get the chance to look at rooting your device last week? We are excited to get around to root apps, tools, tips and tricks moving forward on our Android customization series. But first, we’ll take some time to celebrate the holidays.
It’s Christmas Eve, whether you celebrate this holiday or not, it is still a time that most can get together with family and friends to enjoy some time off of work or school. Many of you will be receiving a new Android device as a present – whether you are setting up a new device, or just spending some time with your existing one, I hope you get some time to customize your device to get the most out of it. We’re here to help.
Join us as we recap our best Android customization projects of 2015.
Before we begin
Unlike all of our previous Android customization posts, you will need nothing more than your Android device to get started today. Each of the following tutorials will include the details of the additional apps or accessories you will require to follow along, but I’ll tell you now, Tasker was big players in our series.
Five best Android customization projects of 2015
With a new post on Thursday of each week, there were a few great projects to choose from this year. Rest assured, this is not my list of my favorite projects, these are the ones that you, the readers, viewed the most in 2015. Let’s take a look at our top 5 posts and an honorable mention. As a point of interest, #1 below has more views than #2 through #4 combined, it must be important. Enjoy!
#5 – Modify or disable auto-correct on your Android keyboard
A few of these tutorials on the list are what we might call “beginner’s tutorials.” Don’t let that scare you off, you may know the basics, and even some of the advanced stuff, but I try to always add a unique perspective or at least a trick that is not usually so well known.
In the case of our quick tutorial to disable auto-correct, we also explored changing theme color, long press delay timing and more.
Check it out: Modify or disable auto-correct on your Android keyboard
#4 – Customize your mobile experience with Chrome Flags
As many are certain to point out, Google’s software is mostly in a state of beta in one way or another. This remains true of the Chrome web browser as well. Google offers up a hidden menu of beta options called Flags, which are available in Chrome on your PC and Android device alike.
Most Chrome Flags activate pretty geeky features and all are subject to removal at any time. Some graduate to full fledged features, so be sure to try them out now as a means to vote them up. My favorite is the #max-tiles-for-interest-area flag, that allows you to tone down Chrome’s RAM usage a little.
Check it out: Customize your mobile experience with Chrome Flags
#3 – Send SMS through your PC or WiFi tablet
Released in the early days of Hangouts handling SMS messages for Google Voice users, a few of the apps on our list have since been discontinued, and apparently Hangouts is following suit. The concept is simple, you want to send an SMS from your computer or WiFi only tablet, these apps and services can make it happen.
We focused on services that send SMS on behalf of your connected Android phone, either through built-in SMS tools in Android or by essentially remotely controlling your phone. Check out Airdoid, Pushbullet and more to see what the fuss is all about.
Check it out: Send SMS through your PC or WiFi tablet
#2 – Lock screen Widgets on Android Lollipop
Google made some significant changes to the lock screen on Android 5.0 Lollipop. Having previously launched native widgets on the lock screen after years of requiring alternate apps to make it possible, many were very upset to see them quickly removed. We actually covered this topic a number of times, with the runner up fix done using one of our all time favorite customization apps, Tasker.
Our #2 top customization project in 2015 used an app called Notifidgets. It is a simple app, in concept, simply build a template using existing widgets, which then displays as a constant notification. As you are aware by now, enable Android to show notifications on the lock screen and you are set. You see why we used Tasker to do the same, but Notifidgets also allowed us to use another favorite, Zooper Widget.
Check it out: Lock screen widgets on Android Lollipop
#1 – How to regain storage space by cleaning the cache on your Android device
Another of those “beginner’s tutorials,” we went a little beyond just simply pushing the basic clear cache button on this one. The thing is, even with modern devices reaching 128GB of internal storage space, the average device is still barely more than 16GB. Compounded by the removal of microSD slots on many devices, storage space is truly at a premium.
Keeping your device clear of junk files is one of the easiest ways to get the most out of your device, and clearing cache is really pretty simple.
Don’t forget, we have more than one trick tucked away in the tutorial, not just your normal everyday storage cleanup. Check it out and be sure to join the conversation, add your best storage management tips and tricks.
Check it out: How to regain storage space by cleaning the cache on your Android device
Honorable mention: Improve battery life on your Android device
I hope it is absolutely no wonder that battery management tutorials were popular with you this past year. New devices are shipping with ever better charging technology, but fewer are shipping with improved life and removable batteries. It seems that in all regards 2015 was about fine-tuning our Android devices, which makes perfect sense to me.
Our top battery life story walked through most all of the built-in vanilla Android features and tools to view battery consumption. The idea was simple, by keeping tabs on what apps are up and running, when they’re running and for how long they run, we can reasonably assume what apps are trouble.
Of course, the on-device Android battery tools are not all that great if you really need to get down and dirty, so we took it to the next level, we used ADB, we built alarms with Tasker and more. Hope you enjoy.
- Build real-time battery drain warnings using Tasker – Android customization
- How to create an advanced battery log using Tasker – Android customization
- How to create a basic battery log using IF and Box – Android customization
- Android customization – improve battery life, use ADB logcat to find battery hogs
- Android customization – improve battery life, identify battery killer apps
- Android customization – save battery by managing Location services (without root)
What’s next
As always, I hope you enjoyed this Android customization post. I admit that you learned nothing new here today, and I imagine next week will be fairly similar to this one, being New Year’s Eve and all. Be sure to stay tuned in the new year though, we rooted our Nexus 7 and we’re itching to show you some cool tools.
Once again, we wish you all the very best for the season. Happy Holidays to all, Merry Christmas to those that celebrate it.
What was your favorite Android customization project this past year? It doesn’t have to be one of our projects, just looking to share the best cool stuff that Android has to offer.
- Create your own voice activated reminders using Tasker – Android customization
- Schedule a delayed SMS message with Tasker – Android customization
- Build a custom control panel using Tasker Scenes – Android customization
- How to use Tasker’s Variable Split command – Android customization
- Build an automated time card for work, school or… whatever, part 1 – Android customization
Nintendo’s first smartphone game will sell clothes as in-app purchases
We’ve all heard that Nintendo is teaming up with DeNA to release a handful of mobile games, the first of which has already been announced. While the game, called Miitomo, has yet to launch, a small amount of details have been trickling in over the weeks regarding the game’s premise. We know it will be a free-to-play title, and we know it’s not really a game at all – it’s more of a communication tool using Nintendo’s Mii characters. That may not be the best news in the world if you’ve been waiting for a legitimate port of Super Mario 64 or Yoshi’s Island for mobile devices, but hey, we still don’t know all the details yet. Recently, the president of DeNA, Isao Moriyasu, sat down with The Wall Street Journal to answer some questions about the upcoming title and the partnership with Nintendo.
When asked how Miitomo will be different from other social networking or messaging services, Moriyasu told The Wall Street Journal:
Miitomo places more emphasis on entertainment. The process of discovering new aspects of your friends via Miis can be quite fun. One distinct aspect of Miitomo is how you can configure your Mii to have it look very similar to yourself. Communicating with friends who actually look like your friends in real life is a distinctly different feeling from text-based communication. We’re thinking of linking the game with users’ Facebook friend lists. I think it could be fun connecting with friends people don’t often communicate with.
Obviously Nintendo and DeNA are in this for the money, though, which raises the question as to how the two companies will be able to monetize such an application. “Communication will be central to the game”, Moriyasu explains, “but I think various elements could be added on— like mini-games users can play with their friends. As for monetizing, there are various possibilities, but at first we plan on selling clothes users can buy for their Miis.”
Moriyasu also says that the title will have a “distinct Nintendo feel” that will give users a “certain comfort and nostalgia.”
Miitomo is set to launch sometime in 2016, though we still haven’t heard word of an exact release date.
Fujitsu spins out its PC and mobile divisions
Much in the same way that Sony got rid of its PC division last year, Fujitsu has announced that it’ll do the same in 2016. The outfit’s leadership has revealed that its laptop and desktop firm will be spun out into a new wholly owned subsidiary, Fujitsu Client Computing Limited, on February 1st. In addition, the firm will do the same to its mobile arm, tossing it out to become the newly-formed Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited.
As Fujitsu itself says in the release, commoditization of PCs and phones makes differentiation difficult. That’s business-speak for the PC industry is dying, and you can now knock out a half-decent mobile device for $50. Those two factors combined mean that there’s very little profit to be made and when firms like Samsung are bleeding, Fujitsu has no chance. Spinning these businesses out into their own separate entities is an easy way to get rid of a painful, loss-making division without admitting that’s what you’re doing.
There’s another element to this story, and that’s what this decision means for the combined fates of Toshiba and Vaio. At the start of December, we brought you rumors from Japan that scandal-ridden Toshiba and Fujitsu would spin-out and merge their PC divisions together with that of Vaio under the latter’s brand name. Fujitsu has either begun the merger process a little earlier than its new frenemies, or it simply believes that it can do without them.
Source: Fujitsu
The UMi Zero 2 is coming in the second quarter
In case you don’t know, UMi is a small chinese smartphone manufacturer. The company has been hard at work preparing a new handset called the UMi Zero 2, which features an e-ink display on the rear side.
Today we received word that the handset will be released in the second quarter of 2016. We also got ahold of some specifications including a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display with a QHD resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels. Powering the handset is a Helio X20 processor from MediaTek backed with 4GB of RAM. The handset will also include a front-facing camera and a dual rear-facing camera setup along with 64GB of internal storage and a super durable 2.5D glass screen. The design of the handset appears to be made of nearly all aluminium. The images also show an ultra-slim profile and a front mounted home button, but things could change between now and the official launch.
According to sources, the UMi Zero 2 will be kept budget friendly and cost an affordable $299 off contract.
Via: GizChina
Come comment on this article: The UMi Zero 2 is coming in the second quarter
LG V10 proves its popularity in the US with 450,000 units sold in 45 days
The LG V10 is one of the best Android smartphones you can buy right now, and apparently many folks in the U.S. agree. According to The Korea Herald, LG says it has sold upwards of 450,000 V10 units in the United States roughly 45 days after the initial launch of the phone. This translates to about 10,000 units sold per day, which is surely an impressive feat.
The company said the handset has proven most popular with the younger generation, with about 37% of its buyers falling between the ages of 25 and 34. This is perhaps partially due to the ease of creating high quality video content on the V10, and the fact that it’s the first smartphone to employ a manual video recording mode.
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As a refresher, the LG V10 features a 5.7-inch IPS Quantum Display with 2560 x 1440 resolution and a secondary 2.1-inch display that can be used for app shortcuts, notifications and much more. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, 4GB of RAM, and comes with 64 gigabytes of on-board storage with microSD card expansion up to 2 terabytes. It has one of the best cameras on the market, and as previously noted, has a Manual Video Mode for more granular control when taking video.
What are your thoughts on the V10? Let us know your thoughts.
Sony will ensure ‘The Banner Saga’ comes to PS Vita
Now that Sony has more or less given up on first-party support for the Vita, indie games have become the portable system’s lifeblood. It should come as no surprise, then, that when The Banner Saga developer Stoic announced it was putting its Vita port “on the back burner” due to budgetary concerns, Sony took note. It’s partnering with indie publisher Versus Evil to continue work on the Vita port, and assumedly absorbing some of the cost (and potential profit). The news comes from Sony’s Gio Corsi, who handles third-party developer relations for the company.
Great news! We’re partnering with @vs_evil to continue work on #BannerSaga #Vita. More news in 2016. Happy Holidays! pic.twitter.com/txbawVDqpb
— Gio Corsi (@giocorsi) December 23, 2015
The Banner Saga is a strategy RPG framed within a epic norse-inspired story. It launched to critical acclaim and commercial success on the PC, Mac and mobile in 2014, and is due to hit PlayStation 4 and Xbox One next month. It’s actually the first part of a longer story, with The Banner Saga 2 due for release on PC and consoles next year.
Via: Gamasutra
Source: Gio Corsi (Twitter)
China’s moon rover is alive and analyzing moon rocks
Turns out China’s Jade Rabbit (Yutu) successfully came back from the dead after a serious malfunction in 2014. In fact, the rover has recently beamed back data that could reveal more about the moon’s younger years when there were small volcanic eruptions all over the place. See, the Chang’e-3 probe that served as its ride to the moon in 2013 landed on a “relatively young” impact basin visible from Earth, giving Yutu the chance to collect samples that are only 3 billion-years-old. The samples brought back by the Apollo missions were as old as 4 billion years.
Since the rocks in the probe’s landing basin aren’t mixed with debris, the rover was able to gather pure samples resembling the composition of the moon’s volcanic bedrock beneath the lunar surface. Various ground teams of researchers have determined that it’s quite rich in titanium dioxide and the mineral olivine. They say this proves that moon rocks aren’t all the same and are much more diverse and complex than we thought, since the Apollo samples had a different mineral makeup.
Bradley L. Jolliff, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis which helped analyze Yutu’s data, explains that the results are significant because “The diversity tells us that the Moon’s upper mantle is much less uniform in composition than Earth’s. And correlating chemistry with age, we can see how the Moon’s volcanism changed over time.” Considering it’s believed that the moon formed from a piece of our planet that flew out when it collided with a Mars-sized celestial body, the data could shed more light on the Earth’s past, as well.
“diff[Image credit: CNSA/CCTV]
Sprint’s 2-year contract option may not be going away afterall
Earlier this year, Sprint reported that 2-year contracts would be going away at the conclusion of 2015. However, according to a new report, this may not be the case for the U.S. carrier.
2-year contracts are clearly coming to an end, but then again, maybe not for Sprint subscribers. Sprint wants to ensure that its users have options when it comes to paying for their phone and data. When signing up with Sprint, users have the choice to pay for their device upfront for retail price, pay with installment payments, sign a 2-year agreement, or if you have an iPhone, sign up for the new iPhone forever offering.
We should be hearing from Sprint in the coming days to know exactly what the carrier’s plans are moving forward. So let’s just keep patient.
Source: FierceWireless
Come comment on this article: Sprint’s 2-year contract option may not be going away afterall
Leaked image exposes the full body of the Xiaomi Mi 5
Xiaomi Mi 5 leaks have been off the charts the past few days, and today we have a glimpse of yet another one. This leak reveals an actual image of the Xiaomi Mi 5.
According to the leaked image, the Xiaomi Mi 5’s design will be mainly made of metal. It will have extremely thin bezels on the sides and include a tactile home button at the front. The home button will also house a fingerprint scanner. A USB Type C port looks to be at the bottom of the device for charging, but it’s a little unclear due to the angle the shot was taken from. The Mi 5 also contains two speaker grills located at the bottom of device.
In addition to the leaked photo, we also have bits and pieces from the Mi 5’s design patent. You can check them out in the gallery down below.
Source: Weibo
Via: GadgetzArena
Come comment on this article: Leaked image exposes the full body of the Xiaomi Mi 5
Santa Claus is coming to town: Google Tracker live
You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why — okay, you know the rest by now. Today’s the big day, it’s Christmas Eve and Santa is already in route. For those looking to track Santa with their kids – or if you just really, really love Christmas – Google’s tracker is now live and ready to go!
This year the tracker has received a few tweaks and upgrades to the interface, showing you a customized map that tells you where Santa is, where he has been, and how far away he is from you. There’s also info on how many gifts he’s delivered, and more. Once again, there’s also support for Chromecast, so you can watch Santa deliver presents on the big screen.
Aside from tracking Santa, Google’s Tracker also includes the new game “Code Boogie” which teaches the basics of programming through activities such as making an elf dance. There are also a few other activities including a Present Drop game, a tool that lets you translate holiday greetings and phrases into different languages, and plenty of other activities to keep the kiddos happy.
As a Google fan, the Santa Tracker is certainly a no-brainer, added by the fact there’s so many extras shoved in. For those that prefer the official “NORAD endorsed” option, however, Microsoft and Norad have once again teamed up to offer their own Santa Tracker as well. This “official” option isn’t quite as loaded with extras, but you can check it out here if you’d prefer.
AIVAnet 