Samsung
The Story Behind Samsung’s Galaxy S6 And S6 Edge Design Departure
I like how my Samsung Galaxy S3 fits perfectly in my hands, but I am curious how the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S6 would feel like in my hands. Read on to find out the story behind the new design on Samsung’s Galaxy phone.
Find Out How Your Smartphone’s Idle Time Can Help in the Search for the Ebola Cure
The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in partnership with IBM’s SoftLayer cloud-enabled World Community Grid makes use of a virtual supercomputer to help screen millions of chemical compounds to identify new drug leads for treating Ebola. This virtual supercomputer is collectively powered by volunteers’ computers, tablets, and smartphones where the CPU (central processing unit) is being utilized when the devices are idle through the use of a safe and free app installed on these devices.
Currently, anyone with a computer, Android tablet/smartphone, or an Amazon Kindle Fire tablet, can volunteer their device to help in the cause to find a cure for Ebola. On a computer, first, you would need to go to www.worldcommunitygrid.org and register there. When you register, it will provide you the links to download and install the software to your computer.
If you will be using your Android device or Kindle Fire tablet to help this cause (sorry, no iPhones at this time), you can also register on the same site then download the app from the Google Play Store or Amazon App Store, or alternatively, you can download the app first and register from there.
On the app store, search for BOINC then download and install it. When BOINC starts, it will ask you to select the research projects that you want to support. Select World Community Grid, sign in (or register) and make sure you select the Outsmart Ebola Together project.
There are also two Android apps that are re-packaged versions of BOINC:
- HTC Power to Give
- Samsung Power Sleep (lets you participate in only one project, SIMAP; provides a simple alarm-clock interface).
Take note that BOINC will not significantly reduce your battery life or your charging time as it only computes when your device is plugged into a power source (AC or USB) and your battery is charged 90% or more by default. Click here for more BOINC FAQ.
Without your help, the research could take hundreds of years, instead of weeks or months. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s all help find a cure for Ebola now and help spread the word!
Video: Help find a cure for Ebola with your computer or smartphone
Phones That Are Confirmed to Get the Android Lollipop Software Update
Android Lollipop, the Android software version 5.0 formerly simply known as Android “L”, has been reported to have a November 3, 2014 release date. No official date has been announced yet by Google however.
The features included in the update include the following:
- A bold, colorful, and responsive UI design for consistent, intuitive experiences across all your devices
- New ways to control when and how you receive messages – only get interrupted when you want to be
- A battery saver feature which extends device use by up to 90 mins
- Use Android Smart Lock to secure your phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like your wearable or even your car
- Multiple users for phones. If you forget your phone, you still can call any of your friends (or access any of your messages, photos etc.) by simply logging into another Android phone running Lollipop.
- Guest user for phones and tablets means you can lend your device and not your stuff
- New handy controls like flashlight, hotspot, screen rotation and cast screen controls
- Improved network handoffs resulting in limited interruption in connectivity. For example, continue your video chat or VoIP calls without interruption as you leave the house and switch from your home Wi-Fi back to cellular
- Even if your screen is off, you can say “OK Google” on devices with digital signal processing support such as Nexus 6 and Nexus 9
The above are just a few of the features available on the latest upcoming update. Keep in mind that not all Android devices will get the software update at the same time. Here is a list of what phones have been confirmed (or almost confirmed) to get the update:
- Google Nexus 6 will come with Android 5.0 already installed.
- Nexus 5
- Nexus 4
HTC
- HTC One M8
- HTC One M7
- Both phones will get the upgrade within 90 days of the software’s final release.
LG
- LG G3 will get the update before the end of the year (not completely confirmed)
- LG G2 will get the update in early 2015 (not completely confirmed)
Motorola
- Moto X
- Moto G
- Moto G LTE
- Moto E
- Droid Ultra
- Droid Maxx
- Droid Mini
Samsung
- Galaxy S5 will get the update by December 2014 (not completely confirmed)
- Galaxy Note 4
- Galaxy S4
- Galaxy Note 3
- Above Samsung phones not completely confirmed at this time.
References:
“Android 5.0, Lollipop”. Android.com. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
Eadicicco, Lisa (October 26, 2014). “Here Are All The Phones Confirmed To Get Google’s Massive Android Update”. Business Insider. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
Rooting the Samsung Galaxy S III
Rooting your phone means modifying the operating system (OS) that comes with your device enabling you to have complete control over it by giving you root or superuser permissions on the Linux-based OS widely known as the Android OS. This would be like the equivalent of “jailbreaking” the Apple iPhone.
I am no Android expert. However, let me share here the steps on how I rooted my Samsung Galaxy S III (SGH- I747M). [Reference: XDA Developers Forum]
Before starting with the actual root process, make sure all necessary drivers for the Samsung S III are installed correctly. I use Windows 7 on my laptop and when I plugged in my phone, it automatically looked for the necessary drivers. If yours does not automatically download/update the drivers, get the drivers on Samsung’s website.
Also, if you do not have ODIN yet, you will need to download and install it. ODIN is the software that is used for Samsung phones to load updates, ROMS, etc. Click HERE to go to XDA Developers Forum to find links to download ODIN.
1. Download the stock odin tar that has a rooted system image injected into it. Check for download links HERE.
2. Extract the stock_root67.tar from the .7z file you downloaded.
3. Turn on your Galaxy S3 and go to Settings>Developer Options>USB Debugging > check USB debugging > tap OK to the security warning.
4. Turn your phone off.
5. Press Volume Down + Home (Center Button) + Power until the phone boots up to Warning screen.
6. Plug your phone into the USB port on your computer.
7. Open ODIN 3.07 and make sure Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time are checked under Options.
8. Once connected, it will show the COM port. In my case, it was COM 9.
9. Check the box beside PDA and click on the PDA button then select your .tar file.
10. Click Start and wait until it completes the process and the phone reboots.
Congratulations! Now you have finished rooting your Samsung Galaxy S III!
The above process is only for getting a stock, rooted phone with no custom recovery, no plans to flash custom roms, etc. If you wish to do more with your phone, check the XDA Developers Forum for more tips.
To check and confirm that your phone is rooted, download ConnectBot, SuperUser, or BusyBox from the Play Store (formerly Android Market). If you are not able to download these, then your phone may not be rooted properly.
(Above) Screenshot of ODIN 3.07 after the successful rooting process.
Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy S III
I was due for a cellphone hardware upgrade since October 2011, but I just didn’t get it until recently. The reason why I didn’t get the upgrade right away was that I wanted to negotiate my contract first to see if I could somehow get it cheaper. I did get a few discounts for my cable/home phone/wireless bundle when I called in (internet used to be part of the bundle, but I switched over to another provider for that), and thought I would call in at a later time again to try to get a few more discounts. Anyway, since I have been very busy with everything else in my life, I didn’t get a chance to call in again. Now, the Samsung Galaxy S III (S3) is out, and I figured, oh well, just go ahead with it and whatever you currently pay for, just renew the 3-year contract.
I picked up my 32GB Marble White Samsung Galaxy S III on July 3rd, and was in love with it when I got it (currently, the other colour option is Pebble Blue). I was a bit hesitant before that to switch to an Android, since I have been a BlackBerry user for over two years and I felt I did not want to part with my BBM and BlackBerry keyboard. Anyway, I’m fine with it now, although I haven’t actually started using it.
See below for the photos of the unboxing of my Samsung Galaxy S III. I forgot to take a photo of the back of it before I got it armored. Included is a photo of the back of my phone after I got a pink Ghost Armor [www.ghost-armor.com] for it (thanks to Steve L. at the Scarborough Town Centre location for the discount).
The Samsung Galaxy S III is the flagship Android smartphone of Samsung Electronics released in 2012. Like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S II, the S III is a touchscreen-based, slate-sized smartphone, with a significant addition of software features, expanded hardware, and a redesigned physique. In particular, it employs an intelligent personal assistant (S Voice), eye-tracking ability, wireless charging, and increased storage. Depending on countries, the 4.8-inch (120 mm) smartphone comes with different processors and RAM capacity, and 4G LTE support.
Tech-Life in Pink 