Remember that leak of Android 4.2.2 (JDQ39) we saw over the weekend for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus? Well thanks to a little help from XDA member oldblue910, the download is now available for you to install. Now it’s unlikely that this is the final version of the build, but that doesn’t mean you can enjoy a little 4.2.2 goodness. You don’t need to be rooted, but if you are, you need to be running 100% stock Android 4.1.1 (JRO030) in order to apply the update.
It’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything major out of the Cyanogenmod team, but if you’ve been itching for something new to flash, you’re in luck. They’ve just announced that CM10.1-m2, which is a build more stable than a nightly but still not quite a full stable release, is available for a handful of devices. Popular devices like the Nexus lineup, Galaxy S III, and HTC One X are among the first to get the builds, but others are sure to follow.
If you like to stay on the more bug-free types of ROMs, this is going to be one you’ll possibly want to test drive. If you’re the type who has to flash something new every day… well, you were going to try this one out regardless. Be sure to post your bug reports to help get the kinks worked out for the final builds.
source: CM Blog
Great news for Nexus users, AOSP is pushing Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 binaries for several devices in the Nexus product lineup. The build, JDQ39 (tag: android-4.2.2_r1), is the same as the one currently being rolled out to Nexus devices.
As listed on the Google Developers site, binaries are available for the following devices:
Who says innovation isn’t any fun? Certainly not the geeks working over at the all inspiring Googleplex! Once again Google finds a new way to amaze and excite us in the worlds of both mobile gaming using wireless sync. How does it work? Google has developed a way to use a combination of HTML5, CSS3, WebSockets and the Google App Engine to allow players to enjoy a game utilizing the Chrome Browser without additional plugins. Amazing, right? You bet it is!
The technology behind the gameplay is only the beginning, because it’s both smooth and responsive over a high speed internet connection. I found the game to be reliable and entertaining, and at the same time physically and mentally challenging.
Google appears to be working on an experimental Linux 3.8 kernel for Android after creating a new public kernel repository. It’s built from the standard Linux kernel with modifications added by the Android team.
There are several reasons this experimental kernel is good news: Support for the Flash-Friendly-File-System, support for open source NVIDIA Tegra and Samsung Exynos DRM drivers, and a lower memory footprint. Having a smaller memory footprint is by far one of the most anticipated as you really can’t go wrong with additional memory for apps.
As far as what version of Android this 3.8 kernel will debut in, we aren’t quite sure yet. Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean on the Nexus 4 features the 3.4 kernel while version 3.0 and 3.3 are in other Jelly Bean powered devices.
Source: Android Central
Many people who hear the word “wallet” connected to an app’s name may immediately jump to the conclusion that it can be used to make payments. That makes sense since Google has been playing up their Google Wallet app despite the reluctance of carriers to allow it on smartphones. Samsung announced today their own “Samsung Wallet” app that is in development to address some of the other stuff kept in a wallet besides credit or debit cards. The new app will keep track of tickets, boarding passes, and discount or loyalty cards. Samsung also indicates the app will have built in location awareness so it can let you know whether you have a card or discount available when you are near the retailer that issued the card. » Read the rest
With the announcement of the HTC One still fresh in everyone’s mind, the mobile giant has decided to keep the hype going by announcing the release of their IR API in their latest OpenSense SDK. HTC is hoping to attract developers that can start utilizing the IR blaster in the HTC One for more real-world applications other than just changing the channel on your TV. There are some great applications that can be made to fully utilize the IR such as, controlling a DSLR camera, unlocking real estate lock boxes, or even controlling a toy helicopter. This looks to be a promising development for the HTC One and might just give the aging IR technology the boost it needs to become more than just a form of communication between your remote and TV.
Source: HTC
A couple of days ago Canonical announced Ubuntu for Tablets with a promise to release a developer preview on February 21st and the developer has delivered on the promise as the developer preview is now ready to be downloaded. Canonical says that the developer preview is intended for development and evaluation purposes and those who flash the images to their Nexus devices shouldn’t expect all of the bugs to be out nor all the bells and whistles of the retail version to be present. You can download the image for your device and find the instructions for how to flash the software to your device at the source links below. Let us know in the comments if you’ve flashed Ubuntu for your Nexus device and what your experience has been like so far.
Google has just posted a new changelog that shows all the new features and enhancements made to Android 4.2 Jellybean. Along with the lock screen widgets, redesigned clock, and quick settings in the notifications bar there are even more tweaks that have been included in the latest version of Android. Some of the lesser known updates include added tweaks to TalkBack such as the ability to enable it from the power menu, ’Gesture Mode’ to reliably navigate the UI using touch and swipe gestures in combination with speech output, and BrailleBack for full braille services. Hit the source link for the full list and let us know what changes you like most in the comments below.
Source: 4.2 JellyBean Changelog
Do you have an HTC Droid DNA, One XL, or One S? A few developers over on XDA have been hard work on a new little trick for you that will achieve S-Off on your device. All you need is a working ADB and fastboot to work with, as well as your locked device. Droid DNA users will also need SuperCID, which could be an issue if you’ve accepted the latest OTA update, but the developers have already promised a fix in the works for those users. Like always with experimental stuff like this, bricks can happen. If you’re not comfortable doing it, you shouldn’t do it at all. With that being said, if you’re ready to get your hands dirty, hit the link below to dive in.
source: XDA