CyanogenMod releases CM11 M6 based on Android 4.4 for 50 devices

Hello frnzz..... hope u all doing gr8 *-*

recently cyanogen team released an update , jus go 4 it :)

Custom ROM developers CyanogenMod have released a new update for CM11 called M6 which is based on Android 4.4. The new update is available for 50 devices which will be updated right at the time of release.

If you love fiddling with custom Android ROMs then you must definitely be familiar with CyanogenMod. The team has started seeding its latest M6 release of CyanogenMod 11 which is based on Android KitKat 4.4. The new update currently supports about 50 devices including the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Samsung Galaxy S, S2, S3, S4, and Note 2, LG Optimus G, G2, G Pro, HTC One and HTC One Mini. More devices will be added soon.

With this new update, the CM team has also announced that it will abolish its old stable/release candidate system and will replace it with milestone versions every two weeks. Currently the new milestone updates are being released every four weeks. Now this will be decreased to an interval of two weeks. The CM team says that the Milestones are just as usable as the Stables they replace, with the added benefit of offering a fast, predictable lane for patches to go out. Users who seek a stable version of CM should go for the latest available milestone for their device, while the ones who prefer having the latest update can stay on the Nightly releases which will contain the latest features but not quite stable.

Here is the official change-log for CyanogenMod 11 M6:

• Quiet Hours – Fix longpress QS tile option
• Voice+ – Integrate into settings (under Wireless and Networks > ‘More’)
• Blacklist – Add provider permissions
• Lockscreen – Fix custom wallpaper crashes and album art issues
• Display – Consolidate screen-off animation options (remove checkbox)
• Bluetooth – Upstream updates and fix issues with audio routing to select car makes/models and disconnect issues
• MultiSim – Additional support patches (15+) and UI/UX modifications
• Lockscreen – Disable elements when in custom lockscreen
• Quick Settings – Options to show smaller tiles; add BT device name to tile
• Quick Settings – Fix QS tiles layout in landscape mode
• Usage Stats – Fix screen on stats after boot
• Resolve memory leaks in Frameworks
• Settings – Show ‘eject card’ action for USB storage
• Theme Engine – Introduce new Engine capabilities (chooser to arrive in nightlies this week)
• Parallel Shutdown – Decrease shutdown time
• Address security vulnerability for icons
• Downloads – Add pause/resume support
• Trebuchet – Hidden apps and labels support
• Remove parallel boot dexopt from stable/cm-11.0 branch
• And more (all changes from Mar 29th to April 30th)

Check the official device list over here

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Android Silver

Rumours of a new Android programme, Android Silver, have been swirling for some time — but it seems that Google's latest big idea is much more than the support service we'd initially heard about.

Multiple sources say that Silver is going to be a very big deal indeed — and that could be good news for phone fans and a big blow to Samsung.

What is Android Silver?
Silver is a bit like a more advanced Nexus programme, but instead of working with one manufacturer on one device, Google will work with multiple firms on multiple devices.

Google supposedly wants to help manufacturers to deliver a premium Android experience, so participating firms will get help from Google with their development and marketing costs, and their devices will get preferential treatment when it comes to software updates.

There will be Android Silver kiosks in shops and an Amazon-style video support service for Silver users, but the existing Nexus programme will be stopped.

Why is that good for me?
It should mean a wider choice of high-end Android devices at reasonable prices, and those devices will be free from the bloatware, unwanted apps and over-the-top customisation that plague some firms' handsets.

That's because participating firms will have to agree not to mess around with stock Android in much the same way Microsoft's Signature programme banished bloatware from participating PCs.

The devices must "closely adhere to Google specifications" and will "sharply limit the number of non-Google apps that can be pre-installed on devices" or ensure that phone owners will be able to uninstall them.

It also means that you'll be able to buy handsets without wondering if you're getting the most up to date version of Android or whether the firm will bother supplying Android updates after a few months.

What's in it for the manufacturers?
Money — as much as $1 billion of it. Silver should help the smaller players compete with the 500lb gorilla of Android: Samsung. Companies that don't have Samsung's massive R&D and marketing budgets will be able to benefit from Google's deep pockets.

The downside, however, is that by becoming part of the Silver programme the manufacturers may find it harder to differentiate their products from one another: If the rumours are correct and Google is specifying the hardware as well as the software (as it does with its own Nexus devices) there won't be much the manufacturers can do to make their devices different from their rivals'.

Who is taking part?
LG and Motorola have been named as the most likely candidates for initial devices. Others are expected to follow.

When is it going to happen?
We don't know. The leaks are based around documents from the tail end of last year and the rumours of a new Nexus 10 tablet at this summer's Google I/O suggest that if the Nexus programme is being replaced, it isn't happening imminently.

Google is already cracking down on the way Android is presented, though: Both the HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5 boot screens feature the words "powered by Android".

Why is Google doing this?
Control. By limiting what manufacturers do with Android, Google can ensure consistency and quality across devices — something that isn't always the case at the moment. By working more closely with manufacturers, Google can ensure that Silver customers get the best possible Android experience.

That sounds sensible enough, but there's another theory doing the rounds: Silver is anti-Samsung insurance.

Google gives away Android because it wants users' data and Samsung's dominance is a threat to that: Samsung's plans to eventually drop Android are well documented, and if it forks or drops Android that will leave an enormous hole in Google's data gathering.

By putting the Android brand at the centre of multiple firms' marketing and helping those firms better compete with Samsung, Silver could be an attempt to minimise the damage Samsung could do. If Silver is successful, it might just persuade Samsung to stick with Android for longer.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 4 could have a flexible , three-sided screen

Oh yea what u heard is r8 !

worldz 1st flexible phone is coming up v.soon !

so letz check wat it is ?

There are only so many times you can make a device bigger and more powerful before people start to get bored, or at least that might be Samsung's thinking if the latest rumour about the Galaxy Note 4 is true.

According to ZDNet Korea the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 may be equipped with a "Youm" flexible display, which is thought to be a more advanced version of the technology used in the Galaxy Round's display.

Perhaps even more interestingly the same site claims that "industry insiders" have told it that the Galaxy Note 4 will have a three-sided display, which would likely mean the sides of the phone would also have a small readable screen.

Three times the fun?

If this pans out then it's a huge design change for the Note line, which makes us a little skeptical that it actually will happen.

Then again, Samsung has already claimed the Note 4 will have a "new form factor" and it's been experimenting with curved screens for a while.

Plus a curved screen patent from Samsung popped up earlier this year. If it really wants them to take off then equipping a major handset like the Note 4 with one might be its best shot.

LG has experimented with curved screens too.

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LG G Watch...??

Eager to see what one of the first Android Wear-powered smartwatches will really look like? Now is your chance.

LG just launched a new teaser site showing off its upcoming G Watch, which is expected to launch sometime this quarter running Google's new operating system for wearables. The square-faced watch sports a "minimal and sleek design" and will come in either "champagne gold" with a white band or "stealth black."

In terms of features, the watch promises to give you "useful information when you need it most," such as directions and calendar reminders. It will be voice-activated, letting you simply speak the phrase "OK Google" to do things like search the Web, set a reminder, or send a text.

The G Watch will also be water- and dust-resistant, so you won't have to worry about it getting ruined in the rain or rough conditions. Unlike Samsung's Gear smartwatches, the screen on the G Watch will never go to sleep, meaning it will always display the time when you look down.

The site lets you drag your mouse over an image of the G Watch to get a 360-degree view of the high-tech timepiece in both color options. At this point, there's still no word yet on pricing, availability, or specs like screen dimensions and battery life.

Meanwhile, Google is working with a handful of other companies on Android Wear-powered devices, including Asus, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek, Qualcomm, and Fossil Group. Android Wear is now available to download as a Developer Preview

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Comparision about s5 vs m8

For smartphone fans around the world, things really started to get interesting over the past couple of months. First, Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S5 flagship smartphone in late February, revealing a smartphone that was quite impressive and touted a number of great new features, but failed to live up to the hype stirred up by dozens of rumors. Then, HTC unveiled its own flagship phone, the HTC One (M8), and launched it the very same day.

We called HTC’s new handset the best Android phone on the planet when we published our in-depth HTC One (M8) review. But now HTC’s flagship handset finally has some serious competition in the Galaxy S5.

The new M8 and Samsung’s Galaxy S5 went on sale within weeks of each other and there is little question that these two smartphones are the best all-around Android phones in the world at the moment. But when it comes to wearing the crown, there can be only one.

So, which next-generation flagship smartphone is the best in the business right now?

Last year, BGR took a long hard look at both the Galaxy S4 and HTC One after having used both devices for several months. The goal at that time was to determine which flagship handset was the best Android phone in the world.

In some ways, it was a close call and the Galaxy S4 clearly bests the One in several areas, not the least of which is the phone’s incredible display. But when all was said and done, the HTC One was the better phone. It looked better, it felt better, and performance in most scenarios was on par with the S4.

In 2014, HTC improved on last year’s One in every way imaginable.

I published my in-depth HTC One (M8) review last month and I made it quite clear how impressed I was with HTC’s latest effort. 2014 is shaping up to be another boring year for smartphone lovers, but the M8 managed to stir up some real excitement.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is hardly a slouch. The handset is also better than its predecessor in every way, with a bigger display, upgraded internals and several new features that look to add real value and address serious pain points shared by smartphone users across the globe.

Pitting these two great smartphones against each other and picking a winner was no easy task.

In some key areas, these two flagship Android phones are pretty evenly matched. I found battery life to be comparable, for example, with both handsets lasting beyond a full day with each charge. What’s more, both the S5 and M8 feature enhanced battery-saving modes that can extend battery life by several hours in a pinch.

The HTC One (M8) and Galaxy S5 are also pretty evenly matched when it comes to performance.

In most areas of the user experience, there is no discernible difference between these two phones in terms of zipping around through apps and multitasking. On paper, however, the S5′s Snapdragon processor is clocked at 2.5GHz with the M8′s is clocked at 2.3GHz in most regions.

As a result, the AT&T version of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 that I tested scored an average of 34,914 on the AnTuTu benchmark X test. HTC’s M8 scored 33,632 on the same test.

There are other ways that the new One and the Galaxy S5 are comparable. For example, the Galaxy S5 is water-resistant and can survive a dunk in up to 3 feet of water. While HTC doesn’t like the One (M8) as being water-resistant, a recent test on captured on video suggests that the M8 can be submerged for several minutes and still work fine.

Of course there are also many areas where one of these two phones clearly outclasses the other.

Starting with the user experience on the outside of the devices and then moving inward, there’s really no reason to discuss the design, build or materials that make up these phones for very long. They aren’t just in different leagues, they’re playing different sports.

The HTC One (M8) is the most gorgeous smartphone I have seen to date. The metal housing is sleek and ergonomic, the design is phenomenal and the fit and finish are unmatched.

Meanwhile, the back of the Galaxy S5 is tacky plastic and the design isn’t much different from most slab-style smartphones on the market.

Around front is where the Galaxy S5 shines, both literally and figuratively.

The display on the Galaxy S5 is, in a word, stunning. We have come to expect the best from Samsung when it comes to screens but somehow, time and time again, the company surprises us.

Such is the case with the Galaxy S5, which includes a display that found a way to top the Galaxy Note 3. The Note 3 screen, you might recall, had previously been the best smartphone display we had ever seen.

Pitch black blacks, insanely vibrant colors and class-leading contrast make the viewing experience on the Galaxy S5 sublime. Samsung truly did an amazing job with this AMOLED panel. The HTC One (M8) display is stunning as well, but it’s certainly no match for the S5.

What lies beneath those display panels is a different story.

Samsung and HTC have both put a tremendous amount of time and resources into the software that powers their phones. Both devices run KitKat, the latest version of Android, but the software has been heavily modified with new interfaces, apps and services.

Beginning with Sense 6 on the HTC One (M8), HTC focused on simplifying its software on the new One. It also made the software’s appearance much flatter and used various bright colors to distinguish one stock HTC app from the next.

The TouchWiz interface on the Galaxy S5 has also undergone some changes, though it resembles the previous version of Samsung’s software much more closely than Sense 6 resembles earlier builds. Recent reports suggest that Samsung is working on a bigger redesign, but there’s no telling if or when we might see it.

Both updated Android versions feature great new functionality and they also improve upon old features. But Samsung’s handset definitely outshines the HTC One (M8) when it comes to a few key intersections of hardware and software.

First off, the Galaxy S5 captures better quality photos than the M8. Forget that the S5 camera is a 16-megapixel unit and the M8′s Duo Camera captures 4-megapixel photos — pictures taken with the Galaxy S5 are more clear and have better color reproduction.

The effects enabled by the depth data HTC’s Duo Camera collects are great, but the image quality simply can’t compare to Samsung’s new camera.

Another area where the S5 has a clear leg up on the One (M8) is fitness. While the M8 does include a simple step-tracking feature with Fitbit preinstalled, Samsung’s S5 has a built-in heart rate monitor and Samsung’s own S Health software.

Finally, Samsung’s Galaxy S5 includes a fingerprint scanner in the home button for added security, while HTC actually went the other direction, having ditched print reader on its last One-branded phone, the HTC One Max.

Fingerprint readers are hardly a necessity and there are some security implications for the more paranoid among us, but Samsung’s scanner works very well — just as well as Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, in my experience.

In many areas, the HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5 are pretty evenly matched. In some areas, they are not.

Samsung’s latest smartphone clearly has the edge when it comes to camera quality and fitness functionality, and the new Super AMOLED HD display is absolutely amazing.

Meanwhile, the design and materials on the HTC One (M8) outclasses the S5 by a mile.

So in the end, the same deciding factors that tipped the scales in HTC’s favor last year have again made the Taiwan-based company’s flagship phone the best Android phone in the world this year.

The simple fact is that these two handsets are very evenly matched, but the gaps in areas where the M8 has the edge are much wider than they are in areas where the Galaxy S5 has the edge.

Samsung’s display on the S5 is phenomenal, but the HTC One (M8)’s LCD 3 screen is pretty impressive as well. Samsung’s display is clearly better, but but the margin by which it is better is actually pretty narrow.

The Galaxy S5′s fitness features are better than the M8′s as well, but there’s nothing remarkable that the S5 does and the M8 cannot do. The camera on the Galaxy S5 is also better, but many people have seen good results with the M8′s camera.

HTC and Samsung’s software is somewhat evenly matched as well. Both custom Android builds offer some great and unique features, and both have fantastic new extreme battery saving modes that I love. I will say, though, that the look of Sense 6 is far more sleek, modern and sophisticated than TouchWiz.

When it comes to design and materials, there is no wider gap than the one that exists between the HTC One (M8) and Samsung’s Galaxy S5.

In a way, it’s as if Samsung approached the S5 like it would a mid-range television. The display is the only thing that matters — the hardware that surrounds it is merely a delivery mechanism.

HTC took a much different approach. It created a smartphone that is remarkably easy to adore. It’s unique and gorgeous, and it screams “high-end.”

Both approaches have their merits, but HTC’s leaves users with a phone that has it all: looks, materials, performance and great software. Go with the S5 instead, and prepare to make big compromises in two of those four categories.

Neither phone is a bad choice by any means, but only one can be the best Android phone in the world — and right now, that’s the HTC One (M8).

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Amazon's first smartphone to feature 4 front-facing cameras for 3D effects

Some gr8 things being shared over after long , so plz hang on dont leave !
like us on facebook : Droid Xperts  and join our group for latest updates : Pirate dev's of Android

so guess what Amazon is releasing its 1st smartphone with 4 front cams !

The much-awaited smartphone is said to be announced by June and launched by September this year, according to reports.

Amazon, which has already stepped into the tablet-market is now looking to compete in the smartphone category as well. And, looking at its high-quality Kindle Fire tablets, Amazon might come out with an even more impressive smartphone. Leaked photos of the upcoming smartphone from Amazon are now doing rounds on the internet. 

The photos, which show an early prototype, have been leaked by the tech-site BGR. The smartphone seems to be packed in a protective case which hides the actual design of the phone. 

Wall Street Journal had recently reported that Amazon might release the smartphone in June. It also revealed that the phone will be capable of displaying 3D content without any requirement of special glasses. The smartphone is said to incorporate retina-tracking technology "embedded in four front-facing cameras" to display a 3D hologram-like effect.

Amazon's smartphone will have to compete with the likes of Samsung which recently launched its flagship smartphone Galaxy S5. It will also have to watch out for Apple's upcoming iPhone 6.

So far, what we know about Amazon's smartphone is that it will feature a 4.7-inch 720p display even though one would expect a 1080p display to start of with these days. When it comes to the hardware inside, it will most likely feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 2GB of RAM. It will run on Android which is most likely going to be the customized version just like its Fire OS featured on its Kindle devices.

The most interesting feature revealed by the leaked photos is the total of five front-facing cameras. Four of them are located in each corner which point to the 3D feature of the smartphone. While BGR has claims that these cameras will follow the position of a user's face and eyes to display things in a 3D perspective, TechCrunch says the 3D feature will be "very limited out of the box" and instead of tracking eyes of a user, the cameras will actually track a user's head position. The tech site also adds that the screen which is technically NOT 3D, will actually "stimulate" a 3D effect. 

Amazon is looking forward to recruit third-party developers  to increase its number of third-party apps which will also take advantage of the phone's 3D surface.

WSJ says that Amazon has already shown the device to key developers in San Francisco and Seattle, which means that the smartphone is likely to launch with third-party support. It also says that Amazon plans to announce the device by June and ship it by the end of September.

join us on fb & g+ for more  !

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have a gr8 day O:) 

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More On Android 4.4.3

The Android 4.4.3 update has been making headlines especially after several users reported problems over the Android 4.4.2 update. According to recent reports, the update will focus on addressing bugs and maintaining features instead of adding new functions. Recent information also suggested that the first devices in line to receive the update are Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and HTC One. 

According to a report by Android Geeks, looking at the line of first toreceive the update, it appears the upcoming Android OS will focus on bug-fixing instead of introducing major applications. Android Police also reported that Google has started dogfooding for Android 4.4.3. This means the software has "entered internal testing outside of the core Android team." 

Android Police also indicated in the report that Android 4.4.2 aka KitKat MR2 has also been provided to 1% of employees at Google. This includes the people not part of the Android unit. Remember that Android 4.4.1 and Android 4.4.2 updates went by KitKat MR1. At the moment, only Nexus devices have access to dogfooding. However, the update should be available over Google Play Edition platforms soon including Moto X. 

It is best to wait for announcements for users of other Android devices. Google always prioritizes the Nexus line like Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 7 2013 and Nexus 10. Google Play Edition often follows suit. These devices include Sony Xperia Z Ultra, Moto G, Samsung Galaxy S4 GPE, HTC One M8, HTC One M7 and LG G Pad 8.3. 

Android Police gave the upcoming Android 4.4.3 update with a 9/10 confidence rating. Google's next major update could be the Android 4.5 Lollipop. The company's I/O conference will be this June. People expect the company to announce the update by then. According to a report by Liliputing, Google has started concentrating on a new Android Runtime (ART). Other expected features from the update include increased speed and better battery life. 

Google has yet to release official announcements about the Android 4.4.3 and the Android 4.5

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Millions of Android Devices Vulnerable to Heartbleed Bug

Millions of smartphones and tablets runningGoogle Inc. (GOOG)’s Android operating system have the Heartbleed software bug, in a sign of how broadly the flaw extends beyond the Internet and into consumer devices.

While Google said in a blog post on April 9 that all versions of Android are immune to the flaw, it added that the “limited exception” was one version dubbed 4.1.1, which was released in 2012.

Security researchers said that version of Android is still used in millions of smartphones and tablets, including popular models made by Samsung Electronics Co., HTC Corp. and other manufacturers. Google statistics show that 34 percent of Android devices use variations of the 4.1 software. The company said less than 10 percent of active devices are vulnerable. More than 900 million Android devices have been activated worldwide.

The Heartbleed vulnerability was made public earlier this week and can expose people to hacking of their passwords and other sensitive information. While a fix was simultaneously made available and quickly implemented by the majority of Internet properties that were vulnerable to the bug, there is no easy solution for Android gadgets that carry the flaw, security experts said. Even though Google has provided a patch, the company said it is up to handset makers and wireless carriers to update the devices.

Long Cycle

“One of the major issues with Android is the update cycle is really long,” said Michael Shaulov, chief executive officer and co-founder of Lacoon Security Ltd., a cyber-security company focused on advanced mobile threats. “The device manufacturers and the carriers need to do something with the patch, and that’s usually a really long process.”

Christopher Katsaros, a spokesman for Mountain View, California-based Google, confirmed there are millions of Android 4.1.1 devices. He pointed to an earlier statement by the company, in which it said it has “assessed the SSL vulnerability and applied patches to key Google services.”

Microsoft Corp. said yesterday that the Windows and Windows Phone operating systems and most services aren’t impacted.

“A few services continue to be reviewed and updated with further protections,” Tracey Pretorius, director of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, wrote in an e-mailed statement.

Apple Inc. didn’t respond to messages for comment.

Mobile Risk

Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile-phone company, said yesterday no other devices are impacted.

“Verizon is aware of the OpenSSL security vulnerability referred to as ‘Heartbleed,’ and we are working with our device manufacturers to test and deploy patches to any affected device on our network running Android 4.1.1,” spokesman Albert Aydin wrote in an e-mail. “Other mobile operating systems we offer are not affected by this vulnerability and we have no reason to believe that the issue has resulted in any compromise of Verizon customer accounts, websites, or data.”

The Heartbleed bug, which was discovered by researchers from Google and a Finnish company called Codenomicon, affects OpenSSL, a type of open-source encryption used by as many as 66 percent of all active Internet sites. The bug, which lets hackers silently extract data from computers’ memory, and a fix for it were announced simultaneously on April 7.

Broad Fallout

The reach of the vulnerability continues to widen as Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) and Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) said earlier this week that some of their networking-gear products are affected and will be patched. The Canadian government has ordered websites operated by the federal government that use the vulnerable version of OpenSSL to be taken offline until they can be fixed.

The vast majority of large companies protected their systems immediately and the push is now on to make smaller companies do the same, said Robert Hansen, a specialist in Web application security and vice president of the advanced technologies group of WhiteHat Security Inc.

Hackers have been detected scanning the Internet looking for vulnerable servers, especially in traffic coming from China, though it’s difficult to know how many have been successful, said Jaime Blasco, director of AlienVault Labs, part of AlienVault LLC. Many attempts have hit dead ends, Blasco said.

German Users

More than 80 percent of people running Android 4.1.1 who have shared data with mobile security firm Lookout Inc. are affected, said Marc Rogers, principal security researcher at the San Francisco-based company. Users in Germany are nearly five times as likely as those in the U.S. to be affected, probably because there is a device that uses that version of Android that is popular there, Rogers wrote in an e-mail.

Still, there are no signs that hackers are trying to attack Android devices through the vulnerability as it would be complicated to set up and the success rate would be low, Rogers said. Individual devices are less attractive to go after because they need to be targeted one by one, he said.

“Given that the server attack affects such a larger number of devices and is so much easier to carry out, we don’t expect to see any attacks against devices until after the server attacks have been completely exhausted,” Rogers wrote in an e-mail.

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Android 4.5: Project Hera Details Leak Hinting at Chrome and Search Sync

Google's Project Hera could see the search giant bring Chrome, Android and search a lot closer in Android 4.5 (Lollipop)

Google could be about to make a radical change to the way it mobile operating system Android looks and works with Android 4.5 (codenamed Lollipop) set to unify Chrome, Android and search.

Google is expected to launch the next version of its Android software at the company's developer conference- Google I/O - in June and according to leaked details, Google is planning a significant overhaul to the interface.

The details relate to an internal Google experiment called Project Hera. Liam Spradlin on Android Police says that from what he understands, Project Hera "essentially represents Google's effort to unify the experience users have in Android, Chrome, and Search all on your Android-powered device."

Multitasking

The main visual improvement Hera will bring is to the multitasking experience on Android. Currency Android offers up a stative view of recently used apps, but Hera will introduce a new HTML5-style interface where users will quickly be able to carry out certain actions without fully opening the app.

"This would mean that apps with functionality carried out over the web could plug into Hera for easier, more ephemeral experiences on Android," Spradlin says.

Android Police

Hera would also allow for more integration between search, Chrome and your smartphone or tablet, allowing for actions carried out in your Chrome desktop browser to be carried over to your smartphone automatically. Again details of how this will work are unclear but it has been a goal of Google and in particular Sundar Pichai to make the move from desktop or laptop to smartphone much smoother.

One example given is when users sign up for a new website and need to confirm their email address. With Hera, users will be able to quickly switch to the multitasking view where a pop-up button will allow them to quickly confirm their email address without opening the app fully.

HTML 5

Full details of how Hera will work are not yet known, but Android Police believes its will be built on Google's Chromium platform, and will match the design of a system-wide Android overhaul which the company is planning for Android 4.5.

However what could be the biggest improvement with Hera is the ability to easily plug HTML5 functionality into Android apps, bringing a much more immersive experience on your smartphone. It would mean that HTML5 apps - as seen on smartphone platforms like Tizen or Firefox OS - could work natively on Android.

This could radically alter the Android app eco-system and give Google a significant advantage over Apple. 

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Android on Laptops..??

With Windows 8, Microsoft wants one operating system that works well both on both desktop PCs and tablets. Google, meanwhile, has chosen Android as its tablet and smartphone interface while developing Chrome OS for laptops. So what happens when you put Android on a laptop with a touchscreen, like with the Lenovo Ideapad A10?

Not Quite Android

Many smartphone makers choose to put custom UI skins on Android. Usually, I’m not a fan of that. But on laptops, it’s a necessity. Android isn’t made for laptops, so to make it usable with this form factor, things need to change. Which is why Lenovo has introduced things like a custom dock which mimics the Windows Launch Superbar.

Android also needs a keyboard which steps away from the traditional Windows and Linux keyboards, with special buttons for common Android features like apps drawer, multi-tasking, etc.

But the downside of all this is that these are, in the end, cosmetic changes—the limit of what a company can do without moving beyond the core challenges Android faces as a laptop OS.

Apps, Apps, Apps

The big problem for Android is that its apps are not made for use in a laptop or desktop setting, they are made with the intent of being touched. While some of them translate decently to a keyboard+mouse interface, they still don’t match up to what you would get on Windows. And this is especially found wanting in the quality of the programs.

No office suite, for example, matches up to what you get in Microsoft Office on Windows or Mac. Kingsoft Office and others are decent, but the mobile versions are not as robust as desktop alternatives. Try working with tables in the word processor or try a spreadsheet file with macros and the limitations of mobile office suites come to the fore.Then there’s the complete lack of support for professional applications. Adobe Photoshop Touch or any other image-editing app on Android doesn’t hold a candle to their desktop counterparts.

But perhaps the most damaging thing for Android is that its mobile browsers aren’t as good as Chrome or Firefox on desktop. By default, these mobile browsers are set to load pages in mobile mode. With a few small hacks, you can set it so that the browser always fetches the desktop version of any website, but what makes Chrome and Firefox so great on desktop are the many extensions and plug-ins that make them a flawless interface to the internet. Without those, we might as well be using Internet Explorer, and that’s the same kind of limitation you feel when you use Chrome Mobile or Firefox Mobile on Android.

Bad Multi-tasking, Great Multimedia

The other thing that irks the Android laptop user is the lack of true multi-tasking. While floating windows have bridged the gap to an extent when compared to what you’d get on Windows or Linux, it’sstill not as good as the desktop operating systems.

Where Android does score is in its vast Play Store and all the goodies that brings. You have access to the full Google Play Music library of music, the Play Movies library of films and TV shows, and the Play Books library of novels and magazines. As a multimedia device, Android outshines Windows quite easily.

There’s also the added benefit of the Play Store and its collection of great casual games.

What Android Needs To Be A Laptop OS

So the question is, what would Android need to do to make it a great laptop operating system? The biggest thing missing, in my opinion, is bringing great desktop apps to this OS through the same Play Store. Just like you install Chrome for smartphones, there should be an option to install Chrome Desktop for the same touchscreen devices—this app, however, would need to be made for keyboard usage.

Apart from the apps front, a focus on true multi-tasking would be great, but that seems more unlikely. Instead, hardware manufacturers giving more RAM in Android laptops makes more sense, as features like floating windows take the brunt of turning Android into a desktop interface.Finally, much like there are homescreen replacements for smartphones, it would be great if there were third-party apps or downloadable elements that customised your Android to be used for laptops rather than tablets—i.e. turn the focus from touch-based input to keyboard+mouse input.

As things stand today, however, Android is a long way away from incorporating these features. As such, it’s not yet ready to be a laptop operating system, so your choices are still limited to Windows, Linux, Mac and Google’s other operating system, Chrome OS.

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5 fantastic free Android apps that do amazing things the iPhone can’t

When it comes to smartphone platforms, there’s plenty to enjoy on iOS and Android alike. The “iPhone vs. Android” debate is obviously a heated one among enthusiasts, but most people will acknowledge that both platforms have advantages and disadvantages compared to the other. Many pros and cons leave room for debate, of course, but one thing is certain when it comes to third-party development: Google’s Android platform gives app makers far more freedom to explore new functionality than Apple’s iOS software.

We have written about great Android apps that do amazing things the iPhone cannot twice now in the past.

In the first edition of this series, we wrote about Cover, Swype, Profile Scheduler, Android Stocks Tape Widget and Smart Launcher. Then, in the second edition we covered five more outstanding apps: Event Flow Calendar Widget, DashClock Widget, Aviate, Tasker and AirDroid.

AirDroid, by the way, remains one of our favorite Android apps of all time. If you haven’t yet checked it out, you really should.

Now we’re back with part 3 of this ongoing series, and we’ve got five more fantastic apps for Android users to check out if they’re looking to extend the capabilities of their handsets in ways that iPhone owners simply cannot.

Dodol Launcher

The curiously named Dodol Launcher is described by its creator Camp Mobile as an app for customizing the decor of your Android interface.

In simple terms, Dodol lays the groundwork for users to apply any one of a huge number of custom themes to their Android phones. And we’re not just talking about simple wallpapers here, we’re talking about completely changing the look of your device with a new layout, new icon packs, new widgets and extended functionality.

The app’s description states that “thousands” of high-quality themes are available to Dodol users, and they all include custom icon packs and unique graphics. Also included are various skins for Dodol’s special widgets, which include a memory cleaner, quick settings, a battery widget and a customizable wide settings widget for adjusting things like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ringer profile and more.

“Your phone will become a piece of artwork itself with the totally new wallpapers and icons,” Camp Mobile says on the app’s settings page.

Oh and before you ask, the Dodol theme pictured in the photo at the top of this post — which happens to be my personal favorite — is called “Dark Chic,” and it’s free.

Dodol Launcher is free in the Google Play app store.

Hello SMS

It seems like there are a million mobile messaging services out there right now, and new ones pop up each day. There is one thing that most popular options do not do, however: Take standard SMS into account.

Hello SMS serves two main purposes. First, it completely replaces your Android phone’s messaging application, funneling all of your standard SMS, MMS and group messages into an app with a gorgeous tab-based UI that might just be one of the most enjoyable mobile messaging interfaces we have seen so far.

Beyond that, the app lumps in a typical data-based mobile messaging service that provides free unlimited international messaging to all users.

There are plenty of great messaging apps out there for the iPhone, of course, but obviously none of them have the ability to also take over iOS’s in-built messaging app and replace it with a gorgeous new design.

Hello SMS is available now as a free download in the Google Play store.

Weather Underground

Weather Underground? But… Weather Underground also makes an iPhone app!

Indeed it does, but Weather Underground’s Android app is a perfect example of software that features terrific functionality on Android that its iOS counterpart simply cannot achieve.

Beyond providing users with exhaustive current weather and forecast information, the Weather Underground app for Android does two awesome things that no iOS weather app in the App Store can do.

First, it allows users to add one of several weather widgets to a home screen, providing detailed weather information that is updated on a configurable schedule.

Want to always see the current weather conditions without taking up precious home screen real estate? Weather Underground’s app also allows Android users to display the current temperature in the notification bar along with an icon representing the current conditions. This way no matter what screen you’re on, you can always see the weather.

Weather Underground is completely free and it can be downloaded from Google’s Play store.

AppLock

There are plenty of iPhone apps that can hide certain data such as photos and videos behind password protection, but what if you don’t want to deal with a brand new third-party app just to view hidden content?

AppLock is a terrific Android utility that can protect a wide range of standard Android apps by requiring users to enter a password before accessing them. This password is in addition to the standard PIN or passcode people might use to secure their Android devices.

By using AppLock, users gain a second layer of security to help ensure no one can access their private data.

From the app’s description:

☞ AppLock can lock SMS, Contacts, Gmail, Facebook, Gallery, Market, Settings, Calls and any app you choose, with abundant options, protecting your privacy.
☞ AppLock can hide pictures and videos, AppLock empowers you to control photo and video access. Selected pictures vanish from your photo gallery, and stay locked behind an easy-to-use PIN pad. With AppLock, only you can see your hidden pictures. Privacy made easy!

★ With the help of App Lock, you may:
Never worry about a friend borrow your phone to play games again!
Never worry about a workmates get your phone to have a look again!
Never worry about private data in some apps may be read by someone again!
Never worry about your kids may changing phone’s Settings, paying games, messing up it again!

AppLock is a free download from the Play app store.

The Pirate Bay Browser

Regardless of your opinion of The Pirate Bay and torrents in general, it’s hard to argue that blocking access to apps that deal with The Pirate Bay isn’t a characteristic of a closed ecosystem.

While iPhone users may never be able to access apps like The Pirate Bay Browser in Apple’s App Store, Android users looking to access the popular site have plenty of options and this might be one of the best.

The Pirate Bay Browser does exactly what you think it does: it provides people with access to The Pirate Bay, one of the most popular torrent directories on the planet. Users can see popular torrents along with associated details, and links can be opened in the bittorrent client of your choosing right from within the app.

The Pirate Bay Browser is completely free in the Google Play store.

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