CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-20 23:09:26 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 29 +1s)

When Google announced the new Plus experience at last week's I/O conference, the desktop experience rolled out right away, including the controversial multi-column layout. The 41 new features from the desktop version finally made their way to Android today, with the rollout of Google+ 4.0. +Marvin Ferrell gives you the highlights.

2013-05-20 20:29:30 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

This past week was probably the most exciting week this year at RootzNews, as we covered Google's 2013 I/O superconference. +Jeff McIntire gives you the highlights from the array of updates and unveilings that Google provided, including some game-changing announcements.

2013-05-20 08:27:48 (5 comments, 5 reshares, 11 +1s)

If you own an international Galaxy S3 and like to run stock firmware on it, but you want to live on the edge for a while, you can now flash a test build of Jelly Bean 4.2.2. +SamMobile has the leaked firmware available to download, and +Jeff McIntire has the story.

2013-05-17 18:27:42 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

The wildly popular Google I/O superconference is nearing its end, and though many felt it was a very exciting event, some others were expecting more from it (especially from the hardware front and/or an announcement about the next version of Android). +Marty Eich wants to know what excited you the most or what made you say "meh" about this year's I/O, and poses this week's Friday's Big Question to you.

2013-05-17 18:18:34 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 6 +1s)

Do you own one of the two powerful new Sony flagships, the Xperia Z or the ZL? If so, you might be interested to know that AOKP has merged official support for the devices into its github, and official nightlies should begin Saturday. +Jeff McIntire has the details.

2013-05-16 22:27:33 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 17 +1s)

Do you wish Google had announced a new Nexus 7 tablet and a new version of Android at I/O? If so, you might be interested in a pair of rumors that indicate a possible launch for both in July. +Jeff McIntire examines the evidence.

2013-05-16 16:31:25 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Yet another revelation from Google I/O's keynote address is the update Google announced to its core search business. In addition to updates that make Search work in an almost conversational manner, Google has added some cards to its Google Now deck. +Derek De La Cruz explains some of the new features in Google Search.

2013-05-16 15:48:19 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 12 +1s)

While there was no new hardware announced (aside from a Google Edition of an existing device) and no new version of Android introduced, Google had a great deal to share during yesterday's keynote address that kicked of I/O 2013. One of the updates Google announced is for its popular Maps service. The Chrome-specific update will introduce a host of new features and a new interface when it goes live this summer. +Kevin Ethridge gives you the highlights, including a way you could receive a preview of the new Maps before it officially launches.

2013-05-16 03:26:36 (22 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

Google+ Messenger, Google+ video hangouts, and Gtalk have long been separate entities, defying all logic and confounding many users who just wanted to see everything on one platform, with just one client app. The day has finally (sort of) arrived, since Google announced its new cross-platform messaging service called... wait for it... Hangouts. Naturally, this was one of the highlights of the keynote address at I/O, and +Derek De La Cruz explains the new Hangouts in more detail.

2013-05-16 00:40:26 (7 comments, 2 reshares, 8 +1s)

Remember the article +Russell Holly posted late Tuesday night about the Galaxy S IV Google Edition? If you've been following events at the I/O conference earlier Wednesday, you know the rumor turned out to be true. There are some details that weren't clear Tuesday night but were revealed during Wednesday's keynote address, as +Jeff McIntire explains.

2013-05-15 21:23:48 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 13 +1s)

The new services and new apps just keep rolling out today, almost too many to keep up with. One update that few saw coming was made to Gmail, which now includes Google Wallet integration. Does that seem like an odd match to you? As you might surmise, the foremost implication of this combination is simple - you can now send and receive money through Gmail. Obviously, the details are a bit more complex, but that's why we have +Derek De La Cruz to walk you through it.

2013-05-15 21:19:07 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

Honestly, it's just music to our ears. Today's keynote address was just about as exciting as it could be without a new tablet or new Android version announcement. One reason for this is that enormous overhauls of Google's most popular apps have come right in sync with their respective announcements. Foremost among these just might be the new Google Play Music app, which also comes with a new subscription service you can try for free for 30 days. If you want to keep the service and commit before June 30, it will only set you back $7.99 per month. Of course, the subscription service only scratches the surface of the new Play Music, as +Mike Lewis explains.

2013-05-15 20:32:44 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 8 +1s)

Our Google I/O 2013 coverage kicks off in the wake of the keynote address with one of the most developer-focused aspects of the presentation, namely the introduction of new APIs to be included in Google Play Services. The new APIs give developers new ways to use your location data (with your permission, of course), ways to interact with users via Google's Cloud Messaging Service, a social gaming platform, and... (+Max Moss explains).

2013-05-15 03:24:13 (19 comments, 7 reshares, 15 +1s)

Late Tuesday night, +Russell Holly posted an article alleging that Samsung and Google will announce a Galaxy S IV edition that will run stock Android instead of Samsung's proprietary TouchWiz Nature UX. The device, referred to as the Galaxy S IV Google Edition, is expected to be announced Wednesday morning (PDT) during the keynote address at Google I/O. +Jeff McIntire considers the implications...

2013-05-14 18:44:13 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

Are you a developer who has unfairly received 1-star reviews for your apps due to user error? Have you developed a theme and had a user try to flash it on the stock ROM (or get a "missing assets" error or an "improperly compiled" error) then leave a 1-star review claiming it doesn't work? Do you wish you could respond to that user and point out that he or she failed to read the instructions before installing? Google has updated the Play Store to allow you to do just that, no longer restricting this feature to early testers. Also, if a user reports a legitimate bug, developers have the means to respond directly when it has been fixed. +Derek De La Cruz explains in more detail how this new feature works.

2013-05-14 17:33:40 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

If you've been eagerly anticipating the release of NVIDIA's Project Shield since its unveiling at CES 2013, you can now pre-order the device, sans the "Project" moniker. While it seems rather amusing that NVIDIA calls its 5-inch 720p display "retinal quality," it's hard to view this device as anything less than exceptional, especially when it only costs $349. +Derek De La Cruz gives you more specs, and details on how to pre-order the world's first Tegra 4 device.

2013-05-14 16:58:02 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 6 +1s)

Do you know anyone who still uses a BlackBerry? The platform still has a strong following in business circles, and its popular BBM app has long been a mainstay with BlackBerry users. Today, BlackBerry announced that its popular messaging app will be available for Android and iOS this summer. If you work for Microsoft or are one of the few who use Windows Phones, you might want to consider jumping ship, because you're left out of the party. In case you aren't familiar with BBM, +Mike Lewis will get you acquainted with it and you will see why it's so popular with BlackBerry users.

2013-05-14 01:38:30 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 6 +1s)

Hot on the heels of Google's announcement of its cloud storage restructuring comes this interesting post from its Developers blog: mobile-optimized sites with corresponding Google+ pages can keep their users engaged with a related-articles recommendations feature powered by the popular social platform. +Jeff McIntire explains how this new feature works, and what it means to the readers.

2013-05-14 00:00:49 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 10 +1s)

Are you confused as to why your Gmail account has 10GB of free space for email messages but your Drive account with your pictures, documents, spreadsheets, presentations and other files only starts at 5GB of storage? If so, you'll no doubt be glad to hear that Google is making a change to the way cloud storage is allocated between the two (as well as Google+ Photos). +Derek De La Cruz provides the details.

2013-05-14 05:26:02 (4 comments, 3 reshares, 4 +1s)

If you are excited for Samsung's latest and greatest flagship but are locked into Verizon, you might be a mite jealous of your friends on AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint or even U.S. Cellular (perhaps less so of AT&T customers with their locked bootloaders). If you're counting the days until you can get one for yourself on May 30, it turns out you don't have to count that long. Verizon moved its availability date one week earlier, as +Kevin Ethridge explains.

2013-05-13 20:26:11 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 7 +1s)

With Google's annual I/O event only two days away, I'm sure most of you are just brimming with anticipation for what goodies Google will be unveiling. Of course, we already have some spoilers and some rumors, but there is still much we don't know about it. With all the media hype surrounding this event, though, it's easy to lose sight of what the conference's true purpose is: to foster third-party development around Google's ecosystems. +Jeff McIntire touches on this in his latest editorial.

2013-05-13 20:13:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Last week was another exciting week at RootzNews, including stories about what to expect from this week's I/O conference, reviews on some protection options for your Nexus 7 and Nexus 4, and a major system dump leak for an HTC device that users of many other HTC devices stand to benefit from. +Jeff McIntire brings you the highlights.

2013-05-12 01:55:05 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 29 +1s)

Thanks to +Android Police's resident app surgeon +Ron Amadeo, Google Games is all but official. Amadeo revealed the following features that we'll see "out of the box:" online multiplayer gaming with chat, cloud-based game progress saves, achievements and leaderboards. The only thing left to find out is which games will be announced as supporting Google's social gaming platform when it's unveiled at I/O in a few days. +Jeff McIntire examines the implications.

2013-05-10 21:56:03 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 3 +1s)

Few, if any, events attract more attention among Android enthusiasts than Google I/O. Sure, we have our annual cycle of the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the Mobile World Congress in February, Samsung and HTC launch events in March/April and the Big Android BBQ and Nexus phone unveiling in the Fall. However, no one event fires up our imaginations and the rumor mill months in advance like Google's I/O superconference, and +Marty Eich wants to know what you would most like to see Google announce next week. He also lists some of the most common rumors in this week's Friday's Big Question.

2013-05-10 21:50:24 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 10 +1s)

International carrier-unlocked HTC One owners yearning for their Cid fix now enjoy official CyanogenMod nightlies support, thanks to the efforts of CyanogenMod developer codeworkx. You'll have to be patient while the buildbot finishes compiling and uploading the ROM zip on http://get.cm/?device=m7, but until then +Jeff McIntire can whet your appetite with the details.

2013-05-10 12:40:01 (35 comments, 4 reshares, 13 +1s)

Remember when we posted that the next Nexus 7 will be powered by a Snapdragon processor instead of NVIDIA's Tegra chipset? Yesterday, a memo by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has come to light indicating that the Snapdragon of choice will be an APQ8064 S4 Pro (of course, ZDNet pegged this particular Snapdragon for the 2013 Nexus 7 back in February).

This might not even be the most interesting spec included in this latest rumor, though. Also included in the spec list are a 1920x1200 Full HD display, and several even more interesting specs as explained by +Jeff McIntire.

2013-05-09 22:36:42 (1 comments, 6 reshares, 5 +1s)

Do you own the Droid DNA and want to take a break from Sense-based ROMs? If so, you now have three options, since unofficial alpha builds of  AOKP and PAC have joined that of CyanogenMod 10.1 on the DNA. +Jeff McIntire gives you the details, including what works and what doesn't work on these alpha builds.

2013-05-09 21:07:59 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 2 +1s)

Do you like to use Flipboard as your source for news and Twitter feeds? Would you like to create your own magazines to share with your friends? If so, you might want to download Flipboard 2.0 for Android, which allows you to do just that. You can now enjoy the perks of being your own editor, as +Mike Lewis points out...

2013-05-09 20:18:23 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

It seems that every day new launchers appear on the Play Store, each one having a bold, new approach to customizing your homescreen. For traditionalists though, two of the most popular launchers continue to be Nova and Apex. The latter received a major update today, bringing a host of new features, especially for Pro users. +Mike Lewis explains and lists the major new features for you.

2013-05-09 20:45:25 (5 comments, 3 reshares, 6 +1s)

Do you still run stock TouchWiz your Galaxy Note 2 or your Galaxy S 3? If so, May might be a good month for you, according to a rumor posted on a Facebook page for Galaxy Note 2 enthusiasts (you know, the one you use your Facebook Home launcher to access ;)). +Kevin Ethridge gives you the details about a certain update rumored for these devices...

2013-05-08 21:47:41 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

For the first time since the Ice Cream Sandwich days, the +CyanogenMod team has seen fit to label its latest build a "release candidate." The stability-focused build is rolling out to devices today, and it might become the last 10.1.0 milestone before the 10.1.x builds start rolling out (you know those guys never seem to stop, right?). +Jeff McIntire gives you the details along with a couple of Full HD wallpapers.

2013-05-08 20:16:38 (8 comments, 4 reshares, 10 +1s)

Do you own an HTC Butterfly or Droid DNA, or has your search for the ideal phone ended for now because you found the One for you? If so, you might be interested to know that a system dump of Sense 5.1 (Android 4.2.2) for the Butterfly has been leaked, and porting efforts are already starting to flutter about. +Marvin Ferrell gives you the details, even naming one developer who is already working on a port.

2013-05-08 19:58:38 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Do you find tablets harder to protect because of their larger surface areas? If so, you might consider getting a case for protection, but what kind of case? How far are you willing to go to protect your tablet, especially if you need to use it in harsh environments or if you share it among your family? +Derek De La Cruz reviews one of the more elaborate cases, the Otterbox Defender for the Nexus 7.

2013-05-08 18:48:14 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

Do you own a Nexus 4? If so, how often do you worry about the glass on the front or back being damaged? Are you willing to sacrifice aesthetics for extra protection against drops? Do any of the cases out there strike an effective balance between design and protection? +Derek De La Cruz reviews the Ballistic Shell and Gel case to answer that last question.

2013-05-07 20:11:17 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 9 +1s)

Google announced an update to hits Hangouts On Air feature on its Google Plus page, bringing some major improvements with it. If you like watching RootzLive, you should notice these improvements the next time you watch it, since the update was released today. +Jeff McIntire explains which features have received much-needed improvements.

2013-05-07 18:47:07 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Did you get the Kingston Wi-Drive to simplify file sharing among your devices? Did you wish you could get the same functionality without the predetermined storage limit? If so, Kingston's new Mobilite Wireless card reader and external battery may be your answer. Limited only by your collection of SD cards and flash drives, it shares your files among up to 3 devices simultaneously. It also doubles as a portable battery charger, as +Derek De La Cruz explains.

2013-05-07 18:22:15 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Are you a naval strategy enthusiast? If you've been waiting for a game that will let you build your own fleet, choose the weaponry each of your ships is equipped with, and watch your strategy play out in battle, Leviathan Warships might be your new favorite tablet-based game. We encourage you to read +Marvin Ferrell's first-look review.

2013-05-07 17:15:29 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

If you own a Sprint HTC One and are patiently waiting to rid your phone of Sense, an early alpha build of CyanogenMod 10.1 is available for testing, as long as you don't need a fully-functional daily driver. If you're feeling froggy, jump over to +Marvin Ferrell's article to find out more.

2013-05-07 16:53:48 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 11 +1s)

HTC device owners have long known that the manufacturer puts a security feature not seen in any other devices called S-On. This feature protects the system, bootloader and kernel partitions on your device. For example, if you have a Droid DNA and want to flash a custom kernel, you either have to be S-Off (the security feature would be disabled in this case) or you would have to flash the boot.img via fastboot (assuming you unlocked your bootloader).

For years, there has been some confusion in the rooted HTC community about the difference between unlocking your bootloader and achieving S-Off on your device. Most experienced rooted users know the difference, but many users don't. +Koushik Dutta recently posted an explanation here on G+, but then it became clear that unlocking the bootloader on the HTC One accomplishes more than on past devices (which he also explained in another G+ post).... more »

2013-05-07 16:39:41 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Did you know there was an Android tablet powered by an Intel Atom chipset? Sure, there have been some phones out there for a while with Intel's chipsets, but you might not have known that the Asus Fonepad (notice we didn't say Padfone ;)) was powered by a 1.2 GHz Intel® Atom™ Z2420.

In any event, those of you who have a Fonepad might be interested to know that a stability-focused update is available for your device now. If you haven't already received it OTA, you can manually apply it (make sure you use the correct update file for your particular model, though). +Derek De La Cruz provides the details.

2013-05-07 16:02:59 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 6 +1s)

After years of struggling to produce a killer phone capable of making a major impact in the U.S. market, Sony might finally have its hits in the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. Equipped with a 1080p display and a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro (not to mention a 13MP ExmorRS rear camera), they're specced and priced very competitively with the Galaxy S IV and the HTC One. Be sure to read +Derek De La Cruz's article to find out just how competitive they are (emphasis placed on the water and dust-resistant Xperia Z).

2013-05-07 15:43:10 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 4 +1s)

Every now and then, we feature themes and icon sets designed by some of our outstanding themers, of which +Nathaniel Webb is one. Known primarily for his Elegance themes on the Play Store (where he is known as artvandelay440, he has now made his debut in the world of icon sets and launcher themes. +Deidein JustReboot takes a closer look at Nathaniel's new Spectra theme for Apex, Nova and ADW. Also, bonus points for anyone who tells us in the comments below where the name "artvandelay440" comes from (hint: "artvandelay" and "440" each come from a different inspiration).

2013-05-05 21:13:49 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

The past week on RootzNews was packed with compelling news, bookended by bad news and good news about the Galaxy S IV, depending on which carrier you use. If you're paranoid, it doesn't mean everyone's not out to get you - actually, it could mean you've taken an interest in Paranoid Android's latest game-changing feature, HALO. Also, Google Glass was featured prominently in three articles and we featured an in-depth analysis of the schedule Google released for I/O 2013. +Jeff McIntire comments on the highlights.

2013-05-05 03:36:29 (14 comments, 8 reshares, 74 +1s)

If you were intrigued by Friday's article about Paranoid's latest innovation HALO, you now have the opportunity to download a test build and try it out for yourself. Paranoid Android took to Google+ Saturday night to announce the availability of test builds for the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (both GSM and WiFi versions), the GSM Galaxy Nexus and the Oppo Find 5. +Derek De La Cruz covers the story to whet your appetitie...

2013-05-05 00:12:53 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

In addition to contract-free coverage and monthly payment plans for new devices, T-Mobile customers can now enjoy another benefit from the "Un-Carrier." Whether you rate your interest in Major League Baseball as a home run or just a base hit, you can enjoy a year of free premium content through the MLB At Bat 13 app, which would otherwise set you back $19.99. +Derek De La Cruz explains how to take advantage of this offer.

2013-05-04 23:27:24 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 5 +1s)

If you own an original AT&T Galaxy Note and you tend to stay on stock, or on a custom ROM based on an "official" (non-leaked) build of TouchWiz, you'll be glad to know that you can finally get your Jelly Bean fix, including some of the toys that used to be enjoyed only by your friends who have the Note 2. +Derek De La Cruz provides some examples, and walks you through the update process (hint: you won't get it OTA).

2013-05-04 22:22:45 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

As indicated by +Steve Kondik on his latest G+ post, the T-Mobile variant of the Samsung Galaxy S IV is already due for official +CyanogenMod nightly support (nightlies should appear sometime today). +Jeff McIntire gives you the details, including an exciting feature particular to this device's build of Cyanogenmod. UPDATE: Official nightlies are now available for the T-Mobile (jfltetmo) and Canadian (jfltecan) variants on http://get.cm

2013-05-03 22:39:57 (1 comments, 7 reshares, 5 +1s)

For many of you who own an HTC One, you barely have it out of the box, yet there are already custom ROMs available for it. +Marvin Ferrell takes a look at one for the Sprint variant, called Stock With Goodies and posted by RootzWiki member flex360.

2013-05-03 22:07:01 (25 comments, 2 reshares, 16 +1s)

As previously mentioned, new rumors have surfaced that LG will give an encore performance producing a Nexus phone for Google. Is LG worthy of being tapped once again by Google, given the supply shortages and quality issues of the Nexus 4? +Marty Eich considers Friday's Big Question.

2013-05-03 21:05:48 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 9 +1s)

Another day, another LG Nexus 5 rumor - this time, the Korea Times (a well-known rumor magnet) claims that Google will once again tap LG to manufacture its next Nexus smartphone. +Jeff McIntire provides details and commentary on some of the rumored specs...