- 4,430,981
REGISTERED - 31,011
ONLINE NOW
May 23, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
With the Galaxy S III firmware leak, it was expected to see some of it ported to other devices. It began with the porting and removal of S-Voice, only to see its triumphant return. With the trouble that has brought, perhaps its time to check out a less dramatic, but still totally awesome port. Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 owners now have access to the Galaxy S III TouchWiz launcher.
XDA Forum Member Smando has brought the SGS3 TouchWiz Launcher port to the Galaxy S II. The launcher looks really nice and is pretty slick. Unfortunately, it only works on Samsung based ROMs, so those running AOSP can’t taste the Galaxy S III goodness just yet.
The launcher comes in a recovery-flashable update.zip, so installing is a breeze. Users then have two options: They can either choose the stock launcher with a 4×5 layout—4 columns and 5 rows—or a modified one that’s 5×5. The release has already received some updates to get some things fixed such as the layout of the widgets page. However, users will still get force closes on some 4×4 widgets, so it’s not perfect quite yet. This is still a great way for Galaxy S II users to check out the Galaxy S III’s software goodness.
For additional information and downloads, hit up the original thread.
In today’s Quick Take of This Week in Development, Jordan covers all the noteworthy articles from the XDA Portal. As Jordan discusses, the most important articles were about the Samsung Galaxy S III. This weekend the Galaxy S III was rooted, official stock firmware was leaked, Samsung S Voice was ripped, and the first custom ROM was released. In related news, the older Samsung Galaxy S II and Note have a serious bug that could brick your device.
Jordan then talks about CM9 Alpha arriving for the Droid X2. Finally, Jordan mentions our new Pro Tip series on XDA TV. All said, this is another video you don’t want to miss!
May 20, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
It’s almost assumed that when the stock firmware is released for a highly anticipated device, developers will jump through hoops to make it work for their devices. As is the case with the Samsung Galaxy S III firmware, which was leaked yesterday. Developers have been getting their hands on it to give the users of their phone some SGS III love. Of course, it is assumed that the first thing to start making its rounds around the forum would be Samsung’s S Voice.
Originally posted for the International Galaxy Note by XDA Senior Member Zanr Zij, which showed that S Voice worked on the Note and probably many other Samsung Galaxy S devices, the S Voice has begun slowly making its way from device to device as users figure out whether or not it works for them.
Fortunately, XDA Senior Member dolcedavinci was brave enough to give it a shot and found out that the proprietary Samsung app actually does work on the HTC One S. And of course, this means that it doesn’t require any Samusng-specific framework and will likely work on many, many other devices as well. Installation is simple, just install the apk and give it a whirl.
For additional information, check out the Galaxy Note thread where you’ll find the download link to the apk for S Voice. You can also check out the One S thread to see it working for the HTC phone. Since you can just install the app like any other apk, and thus uninstall it easily, there’s no risk in trying this for yourself on your own device!
May 18, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
While mounting NTFS may not be the first feature users line up for when buying an Android phone, it can certainly be useful at times. For those out there who may be thinking of mounting an NTFS USB key or hard drive to their Android devices, you actually now have an app for that.
XDA Forum Member Kwull has release NTFS Mounter that does what it says and automatically mounts NTFS drives when plugged in. Currently, the app is known to support the Samsung Galaxy S II I9100, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, and the International Galaxy Note. However, to work on these devices, the user must be running a rooted ICS ROM with a kernel that has the fuse driver. For people who don’t feel like looking, you can use the CF-Root Kernel by XDA Elite Recognized Developer Chainfire on the Galaxy S II. Says Kwull:
2. The app installs ntfs-3g if it does not exist in the system
3. App receives MEDIA_NOFS event and tries to mount all unmounted /dev/sdXXX devices as NTFS volumes
4. Does not mount NTFS formated SD card, yet
One of the most interesting planned features is to one day allow users to format their external SD cards using NTFS. This will eliminate the low file size limit in FAT32, and may even help performance in certain cases.
To get started, visit the original thread.
May 6, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
Users and developers alike are still getting used to Ice Cream Sandwich. And while the adaptation period has taken a little longer than with prior versions of Android, progress is being made in getting used to the new OS and its new tools. Developers and themers alike often have to compile and decompile apk files in order to apply their themes and modifications. However, many have had issues decompiling Samsung ICS system apk files.
Luckily, those working on the Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 now have a modified version of APKTool. XDA Forum Member xtremesv found and tested a modified version that is capable of editing the Galaxy S II system.apk file and similar files, which have been the bane of many themers and modders. The functionality and usability of APKTool hasn’t been changed much, but has been expanded to allow users to work with these difficult files a little bit more easily. Says xtremesv:
Some people are still having problems de/compiling system apks on Samsung ICS builds, most of the errors arising are related to “bad magic values”. I googled a little and managed to find a modded Apktool. I’ve tested it and it has worked fine so far with many apks (e.g. framework-res, TouchWiz30Launcher, etc).
That’s not all though. Some apk files require a little special attention. So if the modified APKTool doesn’t decompile an app, you may have to decompile it with the original APKTool provided by xtremesv, and then recompile using the modified APK Tool. A little complicated? Yes. Does it work? You betcha. Additionally, since the modified APKTool wasn’t designed specifically for the Galaxy S II, any users having difficulties with ICS apks may want to give it a shot as well.
If you’re having problems with ICS apk files and are looking for solutions, check out the original thread for more details.
While many folks seem to enjoy the MIUI look and feel, not everyone wishes to run the actual ROM itself. Often times, users end up going back to the ROMs designed more specifically for their phones. However, some end up missing the look and feel of MIUI. These problems have been eased by porting the MIUI Music Player and a root-enabled version of its File Explorer, but overall device look and feel is most heavily influenced by the launcher.
For users of the Samsung Galaxy S II, you can now have the MIUI look and experience without actually running MIUI thanks to XDA Senior Member ZACQ8, who brings the launcher from MIUI’s official website to devices running TouchWiz-based ICS ROMs.
The mod itself, which is an easy to install .apk, brings the MIUI launcher to the stock TouchWiz experience by giving users the MIUI Control Panel, from which users can opt to use the MIUI Launcher and even a few other fun settings. Once set, you’re good to go, and any MIUI themes you have downloaded will be usable.
The only issue? Well, it’s not a permanent setting and you will have to go back and set it after every reboot. For most, that’s no big deal. While it was originally meant for Galaxy S II, it’s not impossible to believe that this may work other ICS TouchWiz ROM. Since it’s just an .apk, there shouldn’t be any real danger in attempting it on other ICS TouchWiz devices to see if it works for you as well.
If it’s the MIUI experience you want without the MIUI ROM, check out the launcher thread to get started.
April 17, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
Kernels are wondrous and, for many, mysterious pieces of software to install. By just changing the kernel, users can have access to overclocking, battery saving, undervolting, a number of schedulers, and other fun features. If a kernel is messed up, it can affect anything from the battery life and camera functionality, even down to WiFi not being able to connect with incompatible or broken modules. Kernels are very important, but in most cases, unless you’re the kernel dev, there aren’t really many ways to access and tweak the settings of the kernel. Until now, that is.
Bringing even more good news to SGS2 owners, XDA Senior Member xan and XDA Elite Recognized Developer gokhanmoral bring an application that will gives Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 users the opportunity to see and change kernel functions to their liking. Unfortunately, users need a supported kernel to use this, but the developers have provided the documentation to gain support from kernel devs and thus give end users more kernel control than they have ever had. With the Apache Licensing giving regular developers the opportunity to make their own applications based on the app, pretty much any and all developers can get on the action.
The application is shaping to offer great functionality, such as the ability to modify things such as GPU frequency. The application is still in beta, however, so there are even more features to come. That said, this is an awesome application already and any future releases will only add even more functionality.
For additional information, screen shots, download links and more, check out the development thread.
April 17, 2012 By: jerdog
The Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-i9100 was one of the most celebrated phones of 2011 and is still very highly regarded today, with over 10 million units sold. While many of the owners of this device have been happy, they’ve been eagerly awaiting the official update to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Samsung has been gradually rolling out these updates, but previously this has only gone to carrier-branded phones. Now Samsung UK lets us know that they have been working extremely hard at getting the update out to all of their devices, including those purchased unlocked:
Samsung UK has been working as hard as possible over the last few weeks to get Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) rolled out to all our Galaxy S II customers. We can confirm that ‘XEU/sim-free’ and all network upgrades are now complete except for Orange and T-Mobile which will follow as soon as possible, pending software testing and approvals. Thanks again for your patience.
This is certainly good news. If you would like to learn more, head over to the discussion thread.
April 16, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
Android development can be a tough hobby to jump into sometimes. While some Android devices have a number of guides telling users how to do everything from theming to ROM building to kernel development, there are other devices that just don’t have that kind of support for aspiring new developers. Thankfully, the gaps are being filled by those who have the patience to teach. Now, aspiring developers for the Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 can get in on the fun as well thanks to XDA Senior Member superatmos, who has begun writing guides on a number of development topics from ROM building to kernel compiling.
The guide is a work-in-progress, but there are already a couple of great tutorials to get new devs started. The second post in the thread guides users through completely deodexing a ROM, which opens it up for themes and further modifications. The following post runs the full gamut of compiling a kernel from setting up the toolchain and getting the kernel and initramfs ready for compiling, all the way down to the actual compiling process. The only part currently missing from the trifecta is ROM building, but superatmos says it is coming soon.
Additionally, users are already asking questions and doing some experimenting of their own, such as attempting to deodex ICS .APKs. Even if you only show up for the first few posts, it’s worth reading through the whole thread just to learn from other users’ experiments and mistakes. For additional information, the full guides and more, check out the development thread. As always, be sure to make a backup before testing anything you make.
April 15, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
One of the most irritating things about the Google Play Store, is trying to install an application, only to be thrown back by things like country restrictions. Granted, some apps wouldn’t work in some countries anyway, but there’s quite a few out there that have nothing to do with your geological location, which would work perfectly fine if downloaded.
This is a problem that XDA Senior Member Deeco7 is looking to solve with a modified Google Play Store .APK which, among other things, removes country restrictions. This allows anyone, anywhere to download what they want—as long as their phone is compatible, that is.
The mod, which is posted in the Samsung Galaxy S II I9100 forums, has had mixed reviews so far. For many users, the modified Play Store works just fine but many others are experiencing minor bugs. XDA Senior Member xinfinityoO has released a 2nd modified Google Play Store apk for users to try out, which has also had mixed success. Deeco7 has been diligent in updating and attempting to fix such problems, and only time will tell if all the errors can be fixed. Currently, the .APK is based on the latest version (v3.5.16) and Deeco7 has fixed a few bugs already. The best way to avoid these bugs is to follow the installation instructions provided and to check out the thread to see how other users have troubleshooted the issues.
For additional information, screen shots and download links for both xinfinityoO’s version and Deeco7′s version, check out the original thread. Be sure to make a backup of your Vending.apk before attempting, so you can restore if needed.
April 12, 2012 By: PoorCollegeGuy
There’s comes a point in the development of every device that users and devs alike will start rooting through their device—pun intended—and find and modify previously unknown files. Often times, these uncovered files don’t do much at all, but occasionally a diamond in the rough is found and brings some real benefits.
This is the case for the Samsung Galaxy S II I9100. XDA Senior Member Crescendo Xenomorph has stumbled across sirfgps.config within the system files that seems to have some bearing on GPS. The interesting part is, none of the current GPS enhancement mods even touch this file. Testing is still being conducted, but preliminary results show that modifying the SiRF file may yield faster and more accurate GPS locks.
Results are still mixed, and users are still trying out the various variables and seeing what each one does, but the progress and testing support from the Galaxy S II community has been nothing short of impressive. While no users have reported that their houses burned down or phones exploded, there are a few who aren’t getting the results they wish out of their modding and testing.
For additional information, check out the original thread. You’ll need to read through the whole thread, as the download links, what others have modified, and most of the information is spread out over the course of many pages. As usual, be sure to make a backup before attempting to modify this, just in case you need to restore it to stock values.
April 10, 2012 By: Will Verduzco
We all like customizing our Android devices. In fact, for many of our 4.4 million members, that is the main reason we chose Android in the first place, rather than going with some unnamed fruit company. It is in this customization that we make our mobile devices truly our own. Many prefer to do the customization with themes and other mods, but sometimes it can go even deeper.
We’ve covered methods of customizing ROM installations in the past using the Aroma Installer. The installer, which is similar to nLite for Windows power users, allows end users to customize how exactly their ROM of choice is installed. However, this requires both a porting effort to your device and implementation into the target ROM. Unfortunately, this leaves many users out in the cold. Furthermore, other users would like a modular ROM that can be tweaked well after installation.
Luckily for Samsung Galaxy S II owners, however, XDA Recognized Developer D4rKn3sSyS has released a CyanogenMod 9-based ROM that includes some modular functionality. Using the built-in control app, you can easily modify things such as battery style, LCD density tweaks, enabling or disabling system sounds, switching recording video format, switching USB mode (UMS or MTP), and much more.
D4 ROM goal is to offer the maximum stability possible, and easy-to-user features, like changing LCD density, Recorded video format and so on. But it’s main aim is allow user to choose what mods he wants, and enable them with just a tap.
Have in mind, that what differs from this rom, is not the base, but the options that can be added via OTA. Some of the features are:
*OTA App for adding features on the air, like:
-Battery Styles
-MP4 / 3GP Recording
-MTP / Mass Storage
-Sound Management
*Minor inbuilt tweaks
*Custom bootanimation
And more
Those lucky SGS2 owners looking to get started with D4 ROM should head over to the ROM thread.
The ever popular Fruitcake Maker also known as ROM Factory has been quietly making its rounds around XDA over the last several months, and as it’s been gaining momentum as a fun and useful tool for devs and users alike. However, it was only a matter of time before this tool starting hitting bigger and better phones. XDA Senior Member samcripp, creator of ROM Factory, has been bringing the application to new devices,the popular Motorola Atrix 4G and the Samsung Galaxy S II I9100.
For those who don’t know what ROM Factory is, it is an application that will take the /boot and /system partitions on your phone and create a perfectly functional, fully flashable update.zip out of them. There are a million and one uses for a tool like this, and users and devs alike are grounded by nothing more than their imagination, but the obvious two that come to mind are helping with ROM development and creating flashable backups.
Because the tool basically takes a copy of the /system partition, any modifications such as themes or tweaks are copied as well so developers can actually mod their ROM and then just use the ROM Factory to pump out a ROM with all the needed tweaks, ready for immediate flashing. Similarly, once a user gets their ROM customized how they like it, they are only a couple of clicks away from making it ready to re-flash at any time. Pure win.
Additional information, download links, change logs, screen shots, and pretty much anything else you could possibly need can be found in the Atrix 4G or the Galaxy S II threads.
YouTube
Follow
Like
Google+
