November 19, 2013

[Tutorial] Install Android 4.4 KitKat on a GSM Galaxy Nexus

GNex-kitkat-banner

Halloween was a wonderful day for every Android-fanboy this time round as it was when Google released the Nexus 5 and along with it Android 4.4 KitKat. Although, for some (Galaxy Nexus owners), it wasn’t as good a day. Google officially announced that it’s Galaxy Nexus (both GSM and Verizon variants) would not receive any Android 4.4 KitKat goodness. To put it in another way, the Galaxy Nexuses will be stuck on Android 4.3 for eternity; ..and then the good Lord said, “let there be XDA”.

According to XDA Developers, the  following AOSP ROM is quite stable (it is!) with the exception of a few isolated issues like animation and graphical glitches (did not bother us much) which will be fixed in the upcoming releases.

Pre-requisites to flashing this ROM 

  • Back up data and settings using a recommended custom recovery tool, like ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP, as it creates a complete image of the existing phone setup.
  • Ensure USB debugging mode is enabled on the phone, by navigating to Settings > Developer Options (if you don’t see Developer Options, follow this pastie -> http://bit.ly/1h0xTLg)
  • You must be rooted on your current firmware before updating and have a custom recovery installed. We suggest using ClockworkMod recovery.

Downloads Required

Steps involved in updating the phone

  • Connect your Galaxy Nexus to your computer and transfer the files you downloaded onto it’s storage.
  • Power off the phone and disconnect its USB cable from computer.
  • Boot the phone into Fastboot mode by pressing and holding Volume Up, Volume Down and Power buttons together.
  • Once the device reboots, you should see something like this —Fastboot_gnex
  • Use the Volume up and Volume down buttons to navigate to the red banner above the opened up Android to say “Recovery mode” and then press the Power button.
  • In ClockworkMod recovery, perform a full data wipe task by choosing Wipe Data/Factory Reset (use volume buttons to navigate and power button to select the desired option in recovery).
  • Wait until the wipe process completes and then perform Wipe Cache Partition. Let the process complete and then select Wipe Dalvik Cache from advance option. This will prevent ROM related errors or boot loop issues.
  • Once the wipe process is done, return to main recovery menu and select Install Zip from SD card.
  • Then select Choose zip from SD card. Now, locate the Android 4.4 ROM zip file you copied earlier to the phone and select it by tapping Power button. Confirm the ROM installation on next screen and let the installation begin.
  • Then, repeat the previous step for installing Google Apps as well.
  • After Google apps is also installed, go back and tap on reboot system now in the recovery menu. The phone will now reboot automatically. The first boot might take about five minutes to complete. So, don’t worry!
  • Once rebooted, you will be greeted with the Android setup wizard. Set your phone up and enjoy!

Steps involved to get get root access on the 4.4 ROM

  • Install the Nexus Root Toolkit you downloaded earlier. It will extract certain files so make sure you install in within a folder.
  • Once installed, you will be asked to select your device. Select Galaxy Nexus GSM/HSPA+  and the select you ROM as Custom ROM – KK. Then, let the toolkit do it’s thing until you’re greeted with the following dialog box.

NRT_window

  • Under the Root section  tick Custom Recovery if it’s un-ticked and then press Root.
  • From here on, just follow the instructions the pop up on your computer and you’ll be fine.
  • Once, the process ends, you will an up and running KitKat ROM with root access.

Source: XDA Developers

Update1 : Cyanogenmod 11 is now available for the Galaxy Nexus and it installs Kitkat!

For more exciting news regarding the world of technology, check Technologic 101 out on Google+ or on Facebook

May 31, 2013

[News] Apple Replaces iPod Touch 4th Gen With A New iPod Touch 5th Gen

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Apple announced the new, fifth-generation 16 GB iPod Touch that costs $229 — making it a bit less expensive than the fifth-generation 32 GB iPod Touch at $299 and 64 GB iPod Touch at $399, both of which were released last fall. Meanwhile, Apple has stopped selling the fourth-generation 16 GB iPod Touch with a 3.5-inch screen, which costed $199.

The 16 GB device has a black front and silver back. The 32 GB and 64 GB versions are also available in pink, yellow, light blue, and red. The iPod Touch has been popular over the years. Apple has sold 100 million of the touch-screen iPods since their introduction in 2007, according to blogger Jim Dalrymple at The Loop. If you want to get your hands on the 16 GB model, Apple is selling the new variant in its online store starting 31st May 2013. Although rumors persist that Apple is looking at the development of a cheaper iPhone model to rake in a wider customer base. In an analyst note, Citi Research says the tech giant is heading naturally toward less-expensive models, and this “shift” is considered not only a move toward long-term, rather than short-term, profitability for Apple, but for the tech industry as a whole.

Recent image leaks of an allegedly lower-cost, iPhone have surfaced, suggesting that a cheaper, plastic-cased iPhone may also be on its way. Apple has not confirmed that a less expensive iPhone model is in the works, but considering the quiet introduction of a cheaper iPod Touch and the $329 iPad Mini, it may not be an unrealistic expectation.

ImageIf you purchase the 16 GB version of the iPod Touch, however, you will lose the rear-facing camera. The loss of the camera contributes to the slim design of mobile gadget, which weighs about 3 ounces (86 Grams) and is 4.86 inches tall and 2.31 inches wide. The front-facing camera remains, though it doesn’t have 1080p video recording capabilities. Someone who owns the iPod Touch 4th Generation is very unlikely to ever get used to the absence of a camera.

All in all, if you buy the new iPod Touch, you also lose the ‘Loop’ that comes with the 32 and 64GB models of the iPod Touch 5th Generation. If you are looking for an upgrade to your old iPod Touch and want it to be in budget, then you might want to consider this.

For more exciting news regarding the world of technology, check Technologic 101 out on Google+ or on Facebook.

April 13, 2013

[Tutorial] How To Get Facebook Home On Any Unsupported Android Device (Root Required)

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Facebook has relesed their new launcher, Home, available on the Google Play Store. However, it’s currently US-only, and only available on a bunch of devices (for reasons known only to Facebook.)

But if you’re from another part of the world, and want to try it on your device, and it’s not supported yet? Don’t worry. Here’s a small tutorial to help you out. Although, you’ll need to be rooted for it to work.

1) First of all, get the Facebook Home .apk for here

2) Then, go into /system using a file manager of your choice (I used Root Explorer from the Play Store). You’ll find a build.prop text file there.

3) We have to edit the following values –

ro.product.model=”Some unique string”
ro.product.name= “Some unique string”
ro.product.device=”Some unique string”

Replace your device’s unique string with “GT-I9300” (without quotes)

4) Reboot. Install the Facebook Home APK and open it. Boom. That’s it. All done.

As it happens, you don’t need Facebook Home to use Chat Heads. It comes with the Messenger app update. So, if you only want Chat Heads, just update Messenger!

Source: Androsym

#Update1: This method is cumbersome and time-consuming so please follow the this article instead

April 6, 2013

The History Of Windows

Everyone’s heard the news about Windows 8 being a flop by now. Although Microsoft will tell you Windows 8’s initial sales are even more than Windows 7, we at T101 would suggest you take that with a pinch of salt. It’s activations tell us how many actual people are switching to Windows 8. Volume Buyers such as Dell, HP, Acer and others usually account for the initial huge demand of all Windows OSes. So 60 Million licences sold doesn’t necessarily mean 60 million computers are already running Windows 8! We at T101 were amazed to find that every alternate Windows OS was a flop right from Windows 3.0.

Windows 3.0
Rating: Average

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Windows 3.1
Rating: The First Success

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Windows 95
Rating: Average

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Windows 98/98 SE
Rating: Global Success

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Windows ME
Rating: Poor
ME- Mistake Edition?

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Windows XP
Rating: Crazy Success

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Windows Vista
Rating: Total Flop

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Windows 7
Rating: Good

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Windows 8
Rating: Poor

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Now that we’ve finished our little history session, we get to the main meat of this theory and start asking why? The change from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95 is the first place this happened. Although Windows 95 sold like hotcakes, it was the dawn of a new idea. I’m doing all this on a Windows 7 laptop and I wouldn’t upgrade to Windows 8 even if Microsoft paid me to!

We hope this was helpful!
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