We're so heavily reliant on our smartphones nowadays when out-and-about, that when we're stuck somewhere with limited or no connectivity, it's almost as if the rug has been pulled from beneath us.
This Custom ROM Comparison For Android Helps You Find The Right One For Your Device [Database Chart]
One of the great things about using Google's Android over one of the rivaling ecosystems is the access to after market firmware releases. If you're not a fan of the stock offering, you can always download an alternative ROM, but while having so many options out there is in the best interests of consumer choice, it does make things a little bamboozling, particularly for the newbie. Thanks to the work of XDA-Developers member Nimrodity, who has curated a massive database of ROMs and their various features, you can not only find out which ROM is best for you before downloading, but also date of release, build version and other useful information.
Google, it's fair to say, likes to make a song and dance of its announcements, and with the company's Google+ event having taken place today, Hangouts has been afforded a pretty healthy update. Vic Gundotra announced all of the details, and if you're a regular Hangouts user, you'll be pleased to know that there's now support for animated GIFs and location sharing, as well as one or two other nice additions. Catch all of the details after the break.
Google has wrapped up its Morning with Google+ event, and the Internet is abuzz with news and reviews surrounding the announcements. Amongst several other features, Google’s social network is getting a slew of new photo and video enhancement features, that intend on not just making the sharing experience better, but put Google in a position where the Mountain View company can compete directly with dedicated filter and photo-enhancement apps that are available for Android and iOS. Let’s take a look at what they announced for Google+ today.
Last month, Samsung dropped its Galaxy Gear smartwatch, and although Pebble's Kickstarter-boosted effort is credited as the main reason for the uptake in big-company interest on wrist-worn tech, it's fair to say that the South Korean company doesn't have a great deal of competition at this moment in time. According to a report over at The Wall Street Journal, though, this could soon be about to change, with Google apparently just a couple of months away from finalizing a smartwatch of its own.
The great thing about Google's Android, is that it's inherently hackable, and even those bits of exclusive software specific to one device invariably wind up dissected and ported through to other smartphones and tablets on the market. The Galaxy Note 3 may well be Samsung's latest premium handset, but the Galaxy S4 remains the flagship, and with so many more consumers in ownership of this summer's blockbuster, it's good to see work being done to bring the Note 3's exclusives over to the main event. The latest feature to make its way to the S4 is the camera app, and thanks to the work of the guys at XDA-Developers, installing it on your own handset is fairly painless. Details, as ever, can be found after the break.
Amid celebrating an unprecedented success in the gaming industry, it must have slipped the mind of the folks at Rockstar that its GTA 5 iFruit app for Android was still pending, and despite having released the iFruit app for iOS users in the middle of last month, it's taken a full six weeks for the Android version to manifest. With the launch having passed and GTA Online now well and truly establishing itself, the release of GTA iFruit seems a bit of a futile gesture, but nonetheless, it's now available over at the Google Play Store.
Getting online isn't always the easiest thing even when you happen to be in some of the largest and most technologically advanced cities in the world, so it's no great surprise that getting a good cellular data connection in Jakarta, Indonesia isn't a walk in the park. Thankfully, that's where Wi-Fi comes in.
If you've been patiently waiting for BlackBerry to give you access to its BBM service on iOS or Android then you're in luck, because the Canadian firm has now opened its instant messaging system up to anyone, allowing existing users to invite their friends to join them on what was once the world's up and coming instant messaging service.
Just when things seemed to have quietened down on the Nexus 5 front, it seems that we have just been treated to not only confirmation that a white version of the handset will be made available, but also an idea about when it will either be announced, or made available. Or perhaps both?
