Android 4.3 Leak review

A couple of days ago a system dump for the Nexus 4 led to all of us being able to run Android 4.3 before it even was released by Google. The real question lies now in how well it runs and whether I would recommend flashing it to your phone. After all, I've been running it since the moment I found out about it so I have had a little bit of time to experience everything it has to offer. I'm also going to preface my review by saying that the system dump that we have seen on the Nexus 4 which is also the same as the one which became available for the Galaxy S4 Google Edition a few weeks ago (Build JWR66N) was compiled more than a month ago, on June 15th. That being said, it is very likely that these are not the final build that will be coming out as an OTA in the coming weeks.

Android 4.3 "finally" leaks for the Nexus 4

Ever since the leak heard round the world that involved SamMobile coming into possession of an Android 4.3 ROM built for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition, Nexus 4 owners have been screaming "what about me?". Last night +Jeff Williams found that a Nexus 4 he had purchased on Craigslist from a Googler was actually running Android 4.3 and so the comment threads ensued. He is suddenly a Google+ celebrity in a way simply because he got lucky enough to purchase a Nexus 4 running the coveted unannounced OS. Fast forward a few hours involving him getting assistance from developers around the world to perform a system dump (read: Nandroid) and allow the developers to get their hands on it so that the rest of us might also be able to get this show on the road. Fast forward a few more hours and the developers have done it, there is a flashable version of the Android 4.3 OS available on XDA developers. Click here to see the thread

New IndieGoGo Campaign that deserves your attention (Root 101)

I was scanning through one of my favorite android sites, android authority, today and found something rather interesting that I think you should know about. I still am a little in shock that it's coming into existence and it may be one of the best crowd-funded projects I've ever seen. A very young company by the name of Tronity is undertaking the task of building the first tablet to be shipped with root capabilities and it seems as though the bootloader will also come unlocked, although I'm not 100% sure. They're calling this tablet the Root 101 and what makes this story even more impressive is that you can reserve yours now for $169.

The "leaked" scroogled commercial and why Microsoft can shove it. [Editorial]

Okay, so here's the deal. It seems that either yesterday or a few days ago a new "Scroogled" commercial was "leaked" by Microsoft and is making its way around the interwebs. If you haven't seen it yet, waste 61 seconds of your life right here:

HTC One vs. Samsung Galaxy S4

The two biggest phones this year so far and possibly for the rest of 2013 are the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4. For those who have an upgrade coming up this year or spare cash burning a hole it their pocket, it means choosing between these two fantastic devices. Most of you, at this point, have probably figured out that I am not a part of a major Android/Tech blog meaning that I don't get to contact the manufacturers for test devices to try for myself and share my views with the world. However, many people have been asking about my opinion between these two devices and since there is plenty of material out there I am willing to draw a conclusion on the subject.

Facebook Home - To use or not to use, that is the question.

Well, I have to say that for the first time I am both impressed and happy with something that was produced by Facebook. They have truly produced a fantastic set of apps that show off what Facebook has to offer. With that being said, I couldn't stand having it on my phone for more than an hour before I uninstalled it to get back to my default launcher.

MORE RINGTONES!!

Do you guys ever feel like you don't have enough ringtone options? Even with the 30 or so ringtones that are provided to you by the maker of your smartphone software, you might feel like your good options are pretty slim and so then you're stuck between one or two that you're constantly switching between. That's why I'm here for you.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is Official! Here's what you missed

Unpacked 2013 was tonight and boy did Samsung put on quite a show. I didn't know what to expect, but I was surely impressed by everything that I saw. To start the show they brought back our friend Jeremy, the Richie Rich character from the unpacked commercial, the keeper of the box. If you haven't seen that commercial then check it out:

LG Optimus G ROM being Ported to the Nexus 4, Dev seeking help

In the world of Android, developers are always working hard to get AOSP ROMs working on their devices. A lot of devices, particularly those with locked bootloaders, are full of obstacles between them and working AOSP ROMs. One developer, Aerys, on XDA developers, has made a point to go in the complete opposite direction of the road more traveled. He is attempting to port a stock ROM designed for the LG Optimus G (the phone on which the Nexus 4 was based) to the Nexus 4, itself.

Email Privacy. [Opinion]

We all have email accounts. If you didn't, it's likely you wouldn't have seen the post directing you to this article on the social network that you frequent. Have you ever actually read the end-user agreement that comes with your email account?

Where's My Droid [App Review]

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of different apps similar to this being featured in Android Blogs. I'm not going to throw anyone under the bus but this is the original "Find your Phone" app for android and it does a great job. 

Android features I want to see in May in Android 5.0 KLP [Android 4.3/JB 3.0]

Of course we don't know for sure that Key Lime Pie will be numbered 5.0 or even that the next version of the Android operating system will be called Key Lime Pie. One thing is for sure, though; Google will be announcing it in May at Google I/O. Since my introduction to Android at version 2.2 (froyo) Android has come a very long way but there is still room for improvement, there always will! (Apple might think they have had the perfect OS since day one but that's a different story). At any rate, there are some pointers that I have for Google when it comes to the next version of Android.

UPDATE: It is highly expected that the next iteration will be Android 4.3 Jellybean. This doesn't change much for me in terms of expectations, how about you?

Android 4.2.2 - What can I tell you so far? [Updated 2/14 11:20AM EST]

With the release of the newest and greatest version of Android today, everyone is excited and they want to know what it includes. I will keep this article up to date as I discover more and as more is released officially but here is what I have found so far.

The Nexus 4 (And Straight Talk)...One week later

The most popular article on my site, by far, is my review of the Nexus 10 a week after I had owned it. The Nexus 4 deserves the same kind of attention and now that I have finally gotten my hands on to one, I will give it its due in the one week later review.

[Rumor] LG to stop production of Nexus 4 (updated)

It has been reported recently that LG has halted to production of the Nexus 4 to work on other projects. Up until now I've defended Google on the Nexus 4 debacle but I am about to change my tune a bit.

The Nexus 10, 1 week later.

A lot of the big bloggers and Android enthusiasts get a new product and write up reviews the day they pop it out of the box. The community, of course, eats it up because we all love to read about the new things that are out in the world! But what about when you've had it for a week, and the hype has died down a little?