October 2013 -- XDA Developers

Android 4.4 KitKat (KRT16M) Source Code Released, Factory Images and Driver Binaries Available for the Nexus 5

Will Verduzco October 31, 2013

Remember when the Nexus 7 (2013) launched, there was drama surrounding the delayed release of factory images for the device? Thankfully, the same is not the case for the newly launched Google Nexus 5. Factory Images and Driver Binaries are now available for the device. Furthermore, the source code to Android 4.4 is also available to those...

New in Android 4.4 KitKat: Everything You Need to Know

Will Verduzco October 31, 2013

So the long awaited Google Nexus 5 is finally here. And with the new device, comes a new version of Android: version 4.4 "KitKat." About two months ago, Google announced the name of their latest version of Android. However, not much was said about the OS, and what would be different from 4.3 Jelly Bean. This comes...

BREAKING: New Runtime Compiler in Android 4.4 to Possibly Bring Better Performance in Future Releases

Will Verduzco October 31, 2013

Android 4.4 KitKat ushers in several new and exciting features, many of which we talked about last night. One new and unexpected feature addition, however, appears to be a different real time compiler engine. In addition to Dalvik, references to ART have appeared under Android's Developer Options menu. Not too long ago, Google purchased the French...

Google Nexus 5 Finally Released! Go Get Yours Now!

Will Verduzco October 31, 2013

After a seemingly endless barrage of leaks and rumors, it's finally here folks. The Google Nexus 5 is now available for purchase on the Google Play Store. Now pause for a second, go and order yours, and then make your way back here. Don't worry, we'll wait. As expected, the device is a powerhouse, featuring a quad-core...

Android App Review: Secure Your ‘Recipe’ with Safe N Secure Notepad – XDA Developer TV

Jimmy McGee October 31, 2013

If you’ve ever handed someone your phone to someone, whether to show them a funny picture or if they ask to check it out, you know the terror that runs through your mind thinking of what they could stumble upon: your usernames and passwords for different sites, your special ‘recipe,’ your mistress's phone number, anything. Well,...

Dead Trigger 2 Tegra 4 Graphics Mod (for non-Tegra 4 Devices)

egzthunder1 October 31, 2013

Some things simply have fantastic timing when it comes to releases. Halloween is the day when we bask in all those creepy monsters and nightmare-ish creatures that come out only during the night. In order to better celebrate this wonderful, candy stuffing holiday, we came across a small tutorial that should make your gore-craving inner...

Android 4.4 KitKat to Target Wearables, Ease Fragmentation, and Improve Support for NFC and Lower End Devices

Will Verduzco October 31, 2013

The Google Nexus 5 is so close that we can almost taste its KitKat-laden goodness. But while the device itself has been leaked nine ways 'til Tuesday, relatively little has come to light about the device's OS, Android 4.4 KitKat. We've seen a few leaked images here and there, but we've not heard much about the...

Easily Mute Your Camera Shutter without Root

Will Verduzco October 30, 2013

Sometimes, silence is golden. This especially holds true when you're trying to capture prized memories of loved ones. Naturally, having a camera shutter make a sound would ruin the moment and turn a candid into something a bit more staged. We've covered a few ways of muting your camera shutter in the past. However, these have...

What’s New on the Nvidia SHIELD? – XDA Developer TV

Jimmy McGee October 30, 2013

Just over three months ago, Nvidia released the Nvidia Shield to the world. XDA Developer TV Producer Jordan got his hands on it and did an unboxing, review, and a couple gameplay videos. However, there were admittedly some hiccups for Nvidia in their first foray into device manufacturing. Luckily for us, Nvidia took our “constructive” criticisms...

USB Reverse Tethering Guide, No Software Required

Will Verduzco October 29, 2013

Usually when you think of the word "tethering," you think of using your mobile device's data connection to provide the glorious Internet awesomeness of memes and lolcat images to your desktop or laptop computer. Often times, however, you may find yourself in need of Internet access on your mobile device in an area lacking WiFi...

Galaxy Note II MultiTool Brings Plethora of Tweaking Options

Will Verduzco October 29, 2013

If you've ever longed for a multipurpose toolkit that does it all on the Samsung Galaxy Note II, a new offering from XDA Recognized Contributor dr.ketan may be exactly what you're after. OK, so the toolkit won't do everything, but it should be enough to get most new users started and well on their journey towards device customization. The...

A Morning with Google+ Event Highlights: SMS and Location Sharing in Hangouts, New Features for G+ Photos

Will Verduzco October 29, 2013

About an hour ago, the Google+ team held an event where Vic Gundotra discussed the past, present, and future of various products tied in some way to Google+. While the much anticipated Google Nexus 5 was not announced (sorry guys), we learned more about the growing momentum of Google+, changes to the Google Hangouts experience, and...