Everyone expected an update to the 2014 Moto X, but Motorola launched two new phones: the Moto X Style and the Moto X Play for 2015. We're looking at the latter here, which sits between the Style and the new third-gen Moto G for price.
Moto X Play review: UK price & availability
The Motorola Moto X Play is on sale now starts from £279. That sits it between the new Moto G, which costs £159, and the Moto X Style priced at £359. It also means that it's close to the price of the new and impressive OnePlus 2 smartphone, which was also unveiled on the 28 July and is priced at £239 (16GB) or £289 for the 64GB model. It's going to be a big competitor to the Moto X Play and Moto X Style, as it too has high-end specs and features with a mid-range price tag. It's worth noting that the Play is much cheaper than the 2014 Moto X, which came in at a rather high price of £420, and now sells for about £350.
Motorola Moto X Play review: Design & build
Motorola may not have focused as heavily on design with the Moto X Play as it did with the Moto X Style, but it's still a good-looking phone in our opinion, and we really like the new design of the area around the camera and Motorola logo. The rear cover pops off like the Moto G's which means it's easy to personalise the phone with other covers. If you configure a Moto X Play on Motorola's website you can choose between 12 colours for the rear, a black or white front face, plus an accent colour which colours the camera surround on the rear and the front speaker grilles. It doesn't cost any extra and you'll have a phone that won't look identical to everyone else's. Of course, you're more likely to find a discount from other retailers selling the black or white 'base' models.
It weighs a reasonable 169g and is 10.9mm thick at its thickest point, but it's curved to make it feel comfortable in the hand so it doesn't feel like a bulky phone at all, particularly thanks to its thin bezels surrounding the screen. Unlike the cheaper Moto G, the Moto X Play is merely water repellent, rather than waterproof. This means it should cope with the odd splash (as most phones can), but it won't survive being dropped in the bath. When you remove that cover there's nothing to see or do: the 3630mAh battery is captive. On the top edge is a centrally mounted headphone jack, plus a removable all-in-one nano SIM and microSD tray. For the UK model, the second nano SIM slot is blanked off. We don't know why Motorola chose not to make it a dual-SIM model, but this gives the OnePlus 2 another advantage over the Motorola. The microUSB port is on the bottom edge. Like the new Moto G, the Play does not have stereo speakers at the front. Only the bottom grille hides a loud speaker - but even that sounds pretty good for videos and games (not so much for music). One disappointment is the plastic volume rocker and power button. These are all on the right-hand side but are made from plastic and lack a premium feel. The volume rocker rattles, too.
Motorola Moto X Play review: Display
The display is a brilliant 5.5in 1080p Full HD screen, which is the same specs as the iPhone 6 Plus. The pixel density of 403ppi can't quite beat the higher 520ppi of the Moto X Style's 5.7in display, but it's great quality nonetheless and you'll enjoy using it to watch movies and play games. Some will feel let down by the switch to IPS technology fgffrom AMOLED which the previous Moto X used. However, the Play's screen is very good. Colours are vivid (we measured 90 percent of sRGB), and it's also really bright at 678cd/m2, which means it's easier to see what you're photographingd when outside in the sun. Adaptive brightness is off by default so you'll probably want to make that your first change in Settings. You can also switch from the default 'Vivid' to 'Realistic' colour - this seems to be an option added to appeal to those who prefer the more vibrant hues of AMOLED displays. Whether you're in or out, playing games, watching videos or just sending an email, the screen is a pleasure to use. It doesn't offer the power saving features of AMOLED dqwwwhen you're using the Moto Display feature though (see software below).
Motorola Moto X Play review: Specs & performance
Inside the Moto X Play you'll find Bluetooth 4.0 LE connectivity, but there's no 802.11ac Wi-Fi like there is in the Moto X Style and even was in the 2014 Moto X. There is GPS and NFC, though. A mid-range 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor crunches the numbers, with Adreno 405 graphics and 2GB RAM. We found games such as Real Racing played fantastically smoothly on the Moto X Play, and it's no different when navigating around Android Lollipop. If you care about benchmark results (which you shouldn't put too much faith in) then here's the
moto x play review india moto x play review youtube moto x play review gsmarena moto x play review ndtv moto x play review phonearena moto x play review the verge moto x play review cnet moto x play review android authority moto x play review engadget moto x play review camera moto x play review uk moto x play review android central moto x play review anandtech moto x play review battery moto x play review canada moto x google play edition review moto x play review gsm moto x play review mobilesyrup moto x play review price moto x play review reddit moto x play review techradar moto x play review verge moto x play review video moto x play review 2015lowdown:
After the game that went on for months, Google has finally declared its next robot iteration are going to be named when the sweet treat candy. So, currently M is for candy.
Marshmallow was one among the extremely speculated name that matches Google’s language of sweet treats like – Cup Cake, Eclair, Froyo, cake, Honeycomb, frozen dessert Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat and Lollipop. It beat different probable names like clay, mousse, and our terribly favorite Malai Barfi.
The company disclosed the name on its developers diary and aboard conjointly disclosed the ultimate robot vi.0 SDK which will be offered for transfer via the SDK Manager in robot Studio. it'll bring access to final robot Apis and latest build tools.
“Today with the ultimate Developer Preview update, we’re introducing the official robot vi.0 SDK and gap Google Play for business enterprise your apps that concentrate on the new API level twenty three in robot candy,” Jamal Eason, Product Manager, robot writes during a blogpost.
Marshmallow brings new platform options like fingerprint scanner and Doze power saving mode, however together with that conjointly offers new permissions model.
Google Play is additionally did to just accept API twenty three apps via the Google Play Developer Console. At the patron launch later this year, the Google Play store are going to be updated so the app install and update method supports the new permissions model for apps mistreatment API twenty three.
“Classes for detective work and parsing bar codes ar offered within the com.google.android.gms.vision.barcode namespace. The BarcodeDetector category is that the main workhorse — process Frame objects to come a SparseArray sorts,” he additional adds.
Google has conjointly revaled its new field sculpture kind of like the droid seen on top of.
Needless to mention, robot candy brings new app permissions, custom Chrome Tabs, fingerprint support and improved power management.
Take a glance at a number of its cool new options declared earlier this year:
App Permissions
The App Permissions got a serious overhaul and Google can permit users to determine that permissions they require to permit or revoke, supported once those specific functions ar used. in contrast to this implementation, wherever users have to be compelled to conform to all app permissions on initial install and conjointly for updates, in robot M, users can get notifications soliciting for permissions only they're employing a specific perform in Associate in Nursing app.
Google has known eight parameters as well as location, camera, contacts then on, to assist you provide permissions for these. therefore as an example, in WhatsApp if you would like to send a voice message, the App Permissions tab can crop up, asking you for permission to use the electro-acoustic transducer. you'll conjointly revoke the permission later if you therefore want. Also, app updates will not raise you for permissions off the bat, unless you're employing a feature that wants you to grant that exact app some permission.
Web Experience: Custom Chrome Tabs
The web browsing expertise with the Chrome browser conjointly gets an endeavor within the arm. Chrome Custom tabs, a brand new feature, which will allow you to embrace webviews among a selected app, while not the necessity to modify to the Chrome browser on your phone. The Chrome browser can run atop your app (in case you click on any link among the app). options like automatic sign-in, saved passwords, autofill can work on the apps seamlessly. conjointly the Chrome Custom tab can take up the colors and fonts of the app it's being opened among, to create it look like a seamless expertise. in theory it appears nearer to Facebook’s Instant Articles, with the distinction being that the Chrome Custom tabs can cause you to want {you ar|you're} among the app that you just are browsing.
App Linking
Android presently supports the app linking system, conjointly called Intents, which provides you the selection to open a selected internet link {in a|during a|in Associate in Nursing exceedingly|in a very} applications programme or an app. Before, if you had a Twitter link in say your inbox and you clicked on that, you bought a prompt asking if you would like to open the link in your browser or among the Twitter app, that is put in on your phone.
Android M can let developers add in Associate in Nursing auto-verify feature among their code, which is able to facilitate open the link among the individual app (provided the app is put in on your phone). within the background, the robot M OS can verify the link with the app’s server and post-authentication can proceed to open the link among the app itself, while not asking you wherever you would like to open the link.
Android Pay
This feature can allow you to create your payments mistreatment near-field communication (NFC) and host card emulation techniques for tap-to-pay services. you only got to unlock your phone, keep it close to Associate in Nursing NFC terminal and your payment is finished, while not gap any app. Google says after you add in your card details, a virtual account range is formed to create your payments. Your actual card range isn't shared with the shop throughout the group action.
According to Google, robot Pay are going to be pre-installed on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile devices and can be accepted in around 700,000 stores within the North American nation that settle for contact-less payment. robot Pay can replace the Google billfold app. robot Pay may also be wont to create in-app payments provided developers integrate Pay into their apps.
Fingerprint Support
Android M can standardise the fingerprint sensing element support and it's operating with varied phones to create a customary API to travel with their sensors. you'll use your fingerprint to authorise Associate in Nursing robot Pay group action, unlock your device or create Play Store purchases.
Power management
Android M can feature a sensible power-managing feature referred to as Doze. This feature works by material possession system optimally manage the background processes. The OS keeps a tab on the motion detection sensing element and if there's no activity for a protracted time, the system shuts down some processes. Since it's within the Doze stage, the system will still get activated by alarms and high priority notifications. in line with Google, this feature has helped increase the standby-time on the Nexus nine by nearly two occasions over the robot five.0 Lollipop.
Android M will support USB Type-C for charging. And considering USB Type-C is contains a bi-directional port, you'll use this port to either charge the phone as welll as charge another device.
Apart from these main options, a number of the opposite enhancements embrace a higher implementation of Copy/Paste perform. therefore in robot M, you may get a floating toolbar simply on top of your choice with the Cut, Copy, Paste choices. Direct Share feature can allow you to share pictures or links along with your most often shared contacts or apps, employing a single click. Volume controls will offer you a computer menu, a feature that's common on the gas OS. After the guessing game that went on for months, Google has finally announced its next Android iteration will be named after the sweet treat Marshmallow. So, now M is for Marshmallow. Marshmallow was one of the highly speculated name that fits Google’s nomenclature of sweet treats like – Cup Cake, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat and Lollipop. It beat other probable names like mud pie, mousse, and our very favourite Malai Barfi. The company revealed the name on its developers blog and alongside also revealed the final Android 6.0 SDK that will be available for download via the SDK Manager in Android Studio. It will bring access to final Android APIs and latest build tools. “Today with the final Developer Preview update, we’re introducing the official Android 6.0 SDK and opening Google Play for publishing your apps that target the new API level 23 in Android Marshmallow,” Jamal Eason, Product Manager, Android writes in a blogpost. Marshmallow brings new platform features such as fingerprint scanner and Doze power saving mode, but along with that also offers new permissions model. Google Play is also made ready to accept API 23 apps via the Google Play Developer Console. At the consumer launch later this year, the Google Play store will be updated so that the app install and update process supports the new permissions model for apps using API 23. “Classes for detecting and parsing bar codes are available in the com.google.android.gms.vision.barcode namespace. The BarcodeDetector class is the main workhorse — processing Frame objects to return a SparseArray<Barcode> types,” he further adds. Google has also revaled its new lawn statue similar to the droid seen above. Needless to say, Android Marshmallow brings new app permissions, custom Chrome Tabs, fingerprint support and improved power management. Take a look at some of its cool new features announced earlier this year: App Permissions The App Permissions got a major overhaul and Google will allow users to decide which permissions they want to allow or revoke, based on when those particular functions are used. Unlike the current implementation, where users have to agree to all app permissions on first install and also for updates, in Android M, users will get notifications asking for permissions only when they are using a particular function in an app. Google has identified eight parameters including location, camera, contacts and so on, to help you give permissions for these. So for instance, in WhatsApp if you want to send a voice message, the App Permissions tab will pop up, asking you for permission to use the microphone. You can also revoke the permission later if you so wish. Also, app updates will also not ask you for permissions off the bat, unless you are using a feature which needs you to grant that particular app some permission. Web Experience: Custom Chrome Tabs The web browsing experience with the Chrome browser also gets a shot in the arm. Chrome Custom tabs, a new feature, that will let you include webviews within a particular app, without the need to switch to the Chrome browser on your phone. The Chrome browser will run atop your app (in case you click on any link within the app). Features such as automatic sign-in, saved passwords, autofill will work on the apps seamlessly. Also the Chrome Custom tab will take up the colours and fonts of the app it is being opened within, to make it seem like a seamless experience. In principle it seems closer to Facebook’s Instant Articles, with the difference being that the Chrome Custom tabs will make you feel like you are within the app that you are browsing. App Linking Android currently supports the app linking system, also known as Intents, which gives you the choice to open a particular web link in a web browser or an app. Before, if you had a Twitter link in say your inbox and you clicked on it, you got a prompt asking if you want to open the link in your browser or within the Twitter app, which is installed on your phone. Android M will let developers add in an auto-verify feature within their code, which will help open the link within the respective app (provided the app is installed on your phone). In the background, the Android M OS will verify the link with the app’s server and post-authentication will proceed to open the link within the app itself, without asking you where you want to open the link. Android Pay This feature will let you make your payments using near-field communication (NFC) and host card emulation techniques for tap-to-pay services. You just need to unlock your phone, keep it near an NFC terminal and your payment is done, without opening any app. Google says when you add in your card details, a virtual account number is created to make your payments. Your actual card number is not shared with the store during the transaction. According to Google, Android Pay will be pre-installed on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile devices and will be accepted in around 700,000 stores in the US which accept contact-less payment. Android Pay will replace the Google Wallet app. Android Pay can also be used to make in-app payments provided developers integrate Pay into their apps. Fingerprint Support Android M will standardise the fingerprint sensor support and it is working with various phones to make a standard API to go with their sensors. You can use your fingerprint to authorise an Android Pay transaction, unlock your device or make Play Store purchases. Power management Android M will feature a smart power-managing feature called Doze. This feature works by letting system optimally manage the background processes. The OS keeps a tab on the motion detection sensor and if there is no activity for a long time, the system shuts down some processes. Since it is in the Doze stage, the system can still get activated by alarms and high priority notifications. According to Google, this feature has helped increase the standby-time on the Nexus 9 by almost two times over the Android 5.0 Lollipop. Android M will also support USB Type-C for charging. And considering USB Type-C is has a bi-directional port, you can use this port to either charge the phone as welll as charge another device. Apart from these main features, some of the other improvements include a better implementation of Copy/Paste function. So in Android M, you will get a floating toolbar just above your selection with the Cut, Copy, Paste options. Direct Share feature will let you share images or links with your most frequently shared contacts or apps, using a single click. Volume controls will also give you a drop-down menu, a feature that is common on the Cyanogen OS. features of android 6.0 features of android 6.0 marshmallow features of android 6.0 marshmallow features of android 6.0 features of android 6.0 features of android 6.0 features of android 6.0 marshmallow
Installation instructions: You need to be once on CyanogenOS 12 - Unlock bootloader - Flash custom recovery - Wipe Data / Factory reset - Flash Euphoria-OS Zip - Flash GApps - Reboot
ROM OS Version: 5.1..x Lollipop Based On: CyanogenMod
Thanks to: Euphoria-OS Team blazze11 - for bootanimation and drawables TechXero - for letting us use his server eurochild - for providing us awesome graphics Special Thanks to sufoalmighty
XDA:DevDB Information Euphoria-OS, ROM for the YU Yureka
Contributors Men_in_black007 ROM OS Version: 5.1.x Lollipop ROM Kernel: Linux 3.10.x ROM Firmware Required: Unlocked Bootloader Based On: AOSP
Yu Yureka can now be updated with the latest version of custom Lollipop update, thanks to the release of Android 5.1 based CyanogenMod 12.1 ROM from the industrious XDA Developer, varun.chitre15.
The new CM12.1 ROM follows the recent release of Cyanogen OS 12S update (click link to see tutorial) for the flagship handset and it is mandatory to ensure that your smartphone is already running the Cyanogen OS 12S update, before you start flashing the CM12.1 ROM on the handset. Android 5.1 CyanogenMod 12.1 ROM hits Micromax Yu Yureka: How to installXDA DevelopersInterested users may browse for the original CyanogenMod source code via github and also find the necessary Yu Yureka kernel source code for CM12 ROM here. The Android 5.1 CyanogenMod 12.1 ROM can be installed either via TWRP or ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery, using the step-by-step guide posted below. XDA DevelopersIBTimes UK reminds readers it will not be held liable for any damage to device during or after the Android 5.1 Lollipop firmware installation. Users are advised to proceed at their own risk. Pre-requisites
The instructions given in this guide are meant for the European variant of MicromaxYu Yureka only. Verify device model number by navigating to Settings > About Phone.
Ensure the phone has at least 80% battery charge to prevent unexpected device shutdown (due to battery drain) while installing the 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. In Recovery, choose Backup and Restore and tap Backup.
Enable USB Debugging mode via Settings > Developer Options (if running Android 4.0 or above) or Settings > Applications > Development (if running Android 2.3 or earlier).
Ensure that the device is rooted with CWM recovery installed and its bootloader is unlocked.
Downloads Required Android 5.1 CyanogenMod 12.1 ROM for Micromax Yu Yureka Google Apps Steps to Install Android 5.1 Lollipop on Micromax Yu Yureka via CyanogenMod 12.1 ROM Step 1 - Download Android 5.1 CyanogenMod 12.1 custom ROM for OnePlus One on the computer. Step 2 - Connect and mount the phone's USB mass storage on computer with USB cable. Step 3 - Now, copy the downloaded CM12.1 ROM zip file to the root folder on the phone's SD card. Step 4 - Power off the phone and disconnect its USB cable from computer. Step 5 - Boot the device into Recovery Mode by pressing and holding Volume Up, Volume Down and Power buttons together for around 7 to 8 seconds. Step 6 - Once the phone enters CWM Recovery, perform a full data wipe task by clicking Wipe Data/Factory Reset. Use the Volume keys to navigate between options and Power button to select an option in the Recovery Mode. Step 7 - Perform Wipe Cache Partition and wait until the process completes. Step 8 - Perform Wipe Dalvik Cache as well. To do this, go to 'advanced' option and then click Wipe Dalvik Cache. This will help in preventing boot loop issues or any boot ROM related errors during firmware installation. Step 9 - Then return to the main recovery menu and choose Install Zip from SD card. Step 10 - Click Choose Zip from SD card. Use volume keys to navigate to the CM12.1 ROM zip file that you copied earlier to your phone's SD card and choose it by tapping the Power button. Confirm the ROM installation on next screen and the installation process will begin. Note: Repeat Step 9 and Step 10 to install Google Apps (Gapps) as well. Step 11 - Once the ROM and Gapps installation completes, go to "+++++Go Back+++++" and select Reboot System Now in the Recovery menu. The phone will now reboot and the first boot may take about five minutes to complete. So, please be patient. Your Yu Yureka is now running the latest Android 5.1 Lollipop via CyanogenMod 12.1 custom ROM. Go to Settings > About phone to verify the firmware version installed.
How to Download and Manually Install Android 5.0 Lollipop on Android Devices
1. Download and install the latest Android SDK on your Windows computer. This installs two programs, ADB, and Fastboot, which can be accessed through the command terminal on your PC, as a part of the software development kit. 2. Add the SDK folder to the PATH by following these steps:
Right click My Computer and click on Properties.
Click on Advanced System Settings.
Click on System Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables.
In the Window, select Path, then click on Edit, and then type in the name of the directory where you installed the SDK, and remember that each entry is separated by a semi-colon.
3. Enable USB debugging on your device. First, go to Settings > About Phone > Software information. 4. Tap Build number seven times. 5. Go to Settings > Developer options. Tick USB debugging. 6. Download the correct factory image for your device.
7. Extract the image on your computer. 8. Connect your device to your computer over USB. 9. Start the device in fastboot mode. The easiest way to do this is to hold a key combination while powering up the device. For Nexus 5, hold the volume up, volume down and power buttons while powering on the device. The full list of key combinations for different devices is here. You can also boot into fastboot mode using the ADB tool: With the device powered on, go to the command terminal and execute the following: adb reboot bootloader If needed, unlock the device's bootloader through your computer using the command terminal and executing: fastboot oem unlock 1. Open a command terminal and navigate to the unzipped system image directory. 2. Execute flash-all.bat, which was a part of the unzipped image file. This script installs the necessary bootloader, baseband firmware(s), and operating system. For this to work, you need to have added the folder where ADB and Fastboot are installed to the system's path as described in step 2. 3. When this is done, Google recommends that you lock the bootloader for security. You can do that by booting the device in fastboot mode while still connected via USB, and using the command terminal to execute: fastboot oem lock. That's how you can install Android 5.0 Lollipop on your Nexus device. We still recommend that you just wait a while until the OTA update arrives on your device.
Important: Be warned that there is a WhatsApp calling scam doing the rounds. Read up, be wary and spread the word. The latest version of WhatsApp, v2.12.19 is the one you've been waiting for: it does not require someone with WhatsApp call feature already activated to call you. All you need to do is hit up the WhatsApp website and download v2.12.19. You will need to have Unknown Sources enabled in your device's security settings first though (don't forget to turn Unknown Sources off again afterwards), but then all you do is install the downloaded app and you'll see the three tab view below with the ability to make and receive WhatsApp calls.
Enable Unknown Sources in your Security settings. On stock Android, you'll find this option at Settings > Security > Unknown sources
Get someone who already has the WhatsApp voice calling feature enabled to call you.
Once you answer the call, three tabs will appear at the top of your WhatsApp interface - calls, chats and contacts. This means voice calling has been enabled.
The calls tab will show you a detailed call log and in any chat with a WhatsApp contact you'll find that the dialer icon at the top now makes calls direct via WhatsApp and not the regular dialer. We've tested the latest version with several phones and they all worked first try, so it looks like the wait is finally over and WhatsApp voice calls are here for everyone. Have you got the WhatsApp feature feature yet? Will you now turn to WhatsApp as your default
TEN WhatsApp Tips And Tricks That You Should Know TODAY
1. Hide "Last Seen" Timestamp
By default, WhatsApp shows a "last seen" timestamp, telling other users the last time you were on WhatsApp. Some of you may want to disable this timestamp, for privacy reasons. You can disable this timestamp on both iOS and Android. If you’re an iOS user, you’re in luck, since all you need to do is go into Settings > Chat Settings > Advanced and set Last Seen Timestamp to Off.
If you’re an Android user, you won’t have access to this setting from the app itself. Instead, you’re going to have to rely on a third party app such as Hide WhatsApp Status. The app disables your WiFi and data connection when you open WhatsApp. Once you exit the app, your WiFi and data connections are reactivated, WhatsApp will sync, and your messages will be sent.
2. Backup And Restore WhatsApp Chats
WhatsApp makes automatic backups of your chats, but you can also make a manual backup. On iOS, it’s Settings > Chat Settings > Chat Backup, then tap Back Up Now. On Android, just go into Settings > Chat settings and tap Backup conversations to create a backup. This won’t backup your media, so you’ll need to use a file manager to copy the media folders in /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media.
There’s no way to restore chats directly from WhatsApp, so if you want to restore a backup you’re going to have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp. When you start WhatsApp after the reinstall, you should be prompted to restore your most recent backup. Just follow the procedure and your chats should all be back.
3. Lock Your WhatsApp
Everyone, at some point or another, has probably had to deal with friends or family taking a sneak peek at their WhatsApp messages. Thankfully, if you’re using WhatsApp on Android or BlackBerry, there are apps that can help secure your WhatsApp from prying eyes. If you’re using Android, there’s WhatsApp Lock, while BlackBerry users will want to check out Lock for WhatsApp.
Basically, both of these apps work similarly: when you use them, WhatsApp will be protected by a PIN (in the case of WhatsLock) or a password (in the case of Lock for WhatsApp). Either way, once you have things set up, the people around you shouldn’t be able to take a sneak peek at your WhatsApp any longer.
4. Create Shortcuts For Important Contacts
Want to speed up your WhatsApp communication? How about creating a shortcut to your favorite Whatsapp contact or group straight from your homescreen? On Android, this is as simple as long pressing on the group or contact you want to create a shortcut for. When the menu pops up, just tap on Add conversation shortcut. This will create a shortcut to the contact or group you have chosen right on your homescreen.
This behaviour isn’t available on WhatsApp for iOS, but you can use a third-party app such as 1TapWA to have similar functionality on your iPhone. Since it’s an app, 1TapWA also has some extra features such as an image editor and an action scheduler.
5. Stop WhatsApp Images from Appearing In Gallery Or Camera Roll
Having WhatsApp images in your Gallery or Camera Roll can be very annoying; maybe the images are somewhat private, or you just don’t like having these images clutter up your Gallery or Camera Roll. You can fix this on both iOS and Android. On iOS, it’s pretty simple; just go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and then turn the WhatsApp switch off.
On Android, you have to create a .nomedia file in WhatsApp’s images or video directories. To do this, you need a file explorer such as ES File Explorer. Navigate to the images or video folders. Tap the New button in the lower left, pick File and create a file named .nomedia. This will stop the Gallery from scanning the folder.
6. Change Your WhatsApp Phone Number
If you’ve changed phone numbers but kept the same phone, you don’t need to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp just to change numbers. There’s a setting within WhatsApp that will let you migrate your WhatsApp account to a different phone number.
Go to Settings > Account > Change number. Enter your old phone number in the top field and then your new phone number in the bottom field. Then press Done. Verify your new phone number, and all your chat history, groups and so on will be migrated to the new number.
7. Install WhatsApp On An Android Tablet
WhatsApp is built for phones and is intelligent enough to know when you’re trying to run it on a tablet, but there are ways around this. Firstly, you need to grab the latest version of the WhatsApp .apk. Visit the official site with Chrome or Firefox and request the desktop version of the site, which will allow you to download the .apk directly. Then download SRT AppGuard. Install both.
Run AppGuard first. Select WhatsApp from the Dashboard then press Monitor. Once AppGuard is done setting up the monitoring, scroll down and disable read phone status and identity under Phone calls. WhatsApp should now run on your tablet. To activate WhatsApp, you can just use your landline and have WhatsApp call you with the three-digit verification code.
8. WhatsApp Chat Heads On Android
One of the best things about Facebook Messenger is its chat heads functionality. We’ve talked about bringing chat heads features to SMS before, but now you can also have chat heads for your WhatsApp conversations too, using WhatsApp Chat Heads. As the name suggests, the app works alongside WhatsApp to add chat heads for your conversations.
The chat heads are somewhat customizable, and you can have specific LED colors, notification sounds and chat head colors for each of your contacts. One thing to be aware of, though, is that the app requires root access. Plus, it’s also still in beta, so you may encounter some small issues here and there.
9. Get Messaging Statistics On Android
This will definitely interest you if you’re a statistics geek, or simply someone who’s interested in finding out you and your friends’ WhatsApp habits. WhatStat provides information for metrics such as your top friends, friends’ and groups’ most active times of the day as well as message distribution for both one-on-one and group chats.
WhatStat presents all this information in easy-to-understand visualisations that will make perfect sense to anyone. No more having to pay specific attention to who initiates conversations or what a good time to message someone is; WhatStat will do that all for you.
10. Get WhatsApp notifications On Desktop
If you’ve ever missed a WhatsApp message while working on your desktop, you’ll know how annoying it can be. If you’re using Android, there are a few ways to make sure that you never miss a WhatsApp message again. You can use Pushbullet, which includes notification mirroring alongside a lot of other features, but if all you want is notifications on your computer, check out Desktop Notifications.
Just install Desktop Notifications on your Android phone, then install either the Chrome or Firefox extensions depending on your choice of browser. Link the extension to the app using the code provided and you’re good to go; you’ll now get WhatsApp (and more) notifications on your desktop.
How to Decompile and Recompile Apk(anroid Application ) by using Apktool
REQUIREMENTS: 1. Basic Terminal Knowledge 2. Java JRE here 3. 7zip here 4. Notepad++ here 5. Apktool & Baksmali/Smali + Signer for all GB/ICS/JB ROM v2 here
::::Extract Apktool to folder directory::::
Windows XP: C:\Document and Settings
\your computer name\here
Windows 7: C:\Users\your computer name\here
1. Copy and paste framework-res.apk to apktool folder 2. Copy and paste Apk you want to edit to apktool folder. For example: Settings.apk
3. Now Open Command Prompt.bat (CMD)
[Install framework-res.apk and Decompile apk] Code: apktool if framework-res.apk [Press Enter] apktool d Settings.apk [Press Enter]
4. Now you will see a decompiled folder with a name Settings
5. Now you can start editing png, xml, smali file etc.. 6. After editing is complete, Now Recompile it.. Code: apktool b Settings [Press Enter]
7. After Recompile is complete, go to Settings folder, Open dist folder and open Settings.apk
by using 7zip 8. Open Original Settings.apk which is on the apktool folder by using 7zip 9. Now Drag & Drop META-INF folder and AndroidManifest.xml from Original Apk to Modded Apk which is on the dist folder.
10. Finally, push back your Modded Apk into the system/app or push manually by using Root Explorer/Root Browser or make a Flashable Zip.
How to Run Android Apps Inside Chrome on Any Desktop Operating System
Recently, Google made the first batch of Android apps available for Chrome. It was only a matter of time before some clever users gave that power to everyone. Now that time has come. Here's how to install (nearly) any Android app on any operating system.
Obvious Disclaimer: This is still eight million kinds of broken and absolutely nothing here comes with a guarantee. In addition to apps that are in no way officially supported, you're also going to be messing around with low-level stuff in Chrome. This is probably not something you should attempt on a work computer, nor should you expect this to be simple or bug-free. This process is the opposite of both those things. You will need Chrome 37+ for the following guide.
Glossary
This process is pretty new, so to make things simple, we'll define a few terms first:
ARC: The App Ru ntime for Chrome (or ARC) is the piece of software that allows Android apps to run in Chrome. In the same way that ART currently run Android apps in Android itself. By making a modified version of the Android runtime for Chrome, Google can allow developers to add support for Chrome without rebuilding their apps from the ground up.
ARChon Custom Runtime: ARC is officially only designed for Chrome OS at the moment. To get around this, developer vladikoff created the ARChon Custom Runtime, which not only allows Windows, OS X, and Linux to run Android apps, but also removes the limit on how many can be run.
Google Play Services: We've discussed what Google Play Services are in the past. As we've explained before, app developers can plug into these APIs to get pre-written functionality. Think of them as plugins that Google gives to developers for their apps. In the context of this article, we'll be talking about apps that may or may not be supported in Chrome based on whether or not they include functionality from Google Play Services.
Unpacked Extension: Extensions normally come from the Chrome Web Store or prepackaged in a .CRX file. For the purposes of Android apps, we're going to use unpacked extensions. These are folders that contain all the files for an extension (or, in this case, Android APK). They function the same as extensions, but are not wrapped up in a single file.
Step One: Install the ARChon Runtime
Chrome OS uses a specialized runtime that allows Android apps to run natively inside it. This means that it's not an emulator or virtualization stack, but a proper runtime. In layman's terms, Chrome OS is using the same type of engine that Android uses to run software directly. So instead of a Genymotion-like situation where you have a whole Android phone running on your computer, here you can launch Android apps from the Chrome launcher.
To begin, we'll need to download the ARChon Custom Runtime. This is necessary to run Android apps in Windows, OS X, and Linux. While you can technically run Android apps in Chrome OS, you're currently limited to one of four apps. The methods in the rest of this article will run alternative apps by spoofing the signed key on those apps, but if you want to run any app you'd like, download ARChon. Here's how:
Open your extensions page in Chrome by going to Menu > More Tools > Extensions
Enable Developer mode in the top right corner, if it is not already enabled.
Select "Load unpacked extension."
Choose the folder containing the ARChon runtime you unzipped earlier.
The ARChon runtime will now be running as an extension in Chrome. You may see a couple warnings like the following on the extensions page. However, these are normal and shouldn't affect your ability to run Android apps.
Next, you'll need some Android apps to run. This is a little complicated, since Android APKs are not properly packaged for Chrome. However, with a little elbow grease (or some help from your friendly neighborhood internet), you can get some of them to launch. Whether they function properly is an entirely different matter.
Step 2: Install Existing Android Apps
The quickest, most dead-simple way to get some working Android apps is to find some online. Forums like this subreddit are already working on getting some functional. However, this is a far cry from the 1.3 million apps on the Play Store. While most of those will probably remain out of your reach due to incompatibility issues, we'll also look at how to (try to) create your own.
Disclaimer: Distribution of modified apps is, generally speaking, some degree of copyright violation. In practice, there's little distinction between downloading a pre-modified app, and downloading the regular version and modifying it yourself. For this reason, it's unlikely any developer of a free app will be too concerned if you download a pre-modified app to play around with. However, downloading a modified paid app is piracy. Please support developers and don't download modified versions of paid apps without paying for them. And, while it should go without saying, don't write a bad review or criticize the developer if an app is broken in Chrome. You're on your own here.
Some helpful internet users have created a growing list of apps that work in Chrome. You can find download links in that document, or find more in communities currently working on Chrome APKs. Once you have a .zip file containing one of these modified APKs, here's how to install it:
Unzip the file and place the folder (likely named something like "com.twitter.android") in a place you can easily find.
Open the Extensions page in Chrome.
Click "Load unpacked extensions."
Select the folder with the modified APK you downloaded.
The app will now appear in your list of Chrome extensions. If you're a particular fan of Chrome apps, you might also notice that a shortcut has been added to the Chrome app launcher. Depending on how it was packaged, it may have a benign Android icon and the package name instead of a proper app name.
(Optional) Step 3: Repackage Your Own Android Apps for Chrome
There are a few ways to make and tweak APKs so that they can run on Chrome. These methods are also under active development, so if you're reading this later, there may be even easier ways that have been developed to convert them. For the sake of completeness, we'll go over how to install the chromeos-apk tool, as well as how to convert them manually, should you need to do any extra tweaking.
Windows:
Download the node.js .msi file (not the .exe) from here.
Install node.js.
In a command prompt, run the following command: npm install chromeos-apk -g
That's it. You now have the chromeos-apk tool ins , talled on your machine and can call it from any folder in the command line. You can skip ahead to the section below on how to use it.
OS X/Linux:
The chromeos-apk tool was originally developed for Linux and OS X devices. Here's how to install it there:
In a terminal, run the following command: sudo apt-get install npm
(Ubuntu only): Run the following command: sudo apt-get install lib32stdc++6
Unzip the tar.gz file you downloaded from the above link.
Per the README file, open a terminal to the unzipped folder containing node.js. And run the following commands in order:
./configure
make
make install
Run the command: sudo npm install chromeos-apk -g
To make sure you're updated to the latest version (now or in the future), run: sudo npm install -g chromeos-apk@latest
How to Use the Chromeos-apk Tool
You now have the chromeos-apk tool installed on your machine. To use it, first you'll need to acquire an APK. If you're trying to convert a free app, you can use this tool to pull an APK directly from the Play Store. You can also use this tool to get an APK from an app installed on your phone. Many file managers and backup utilities like ES File Explorer and Titanium Backup can also pull APKs on your device.
Once you have your APK, it's super simple to create a Chrome-friendly version. Open a command prompt or terminal in the folder where you have the APK stored, then do the following:
Run the following command: chromeos-apk [NAME OF APK]
Example: chromeos-apk com.evernote.apk
If prompted, enter the package name of the app. This can usually be found in the URL of the Play Store listing. For example, in this URL, the portion after "?id=" is the package name. In this case, "com.evernote".
You now have a modified APK, ready for Chrome! You can install it using the same instructions in Step 2 earlier in this post. Namely, open your extensions page, click "Load unpacked extension," and choose the folder you just created.
At the time of this writing, the chromeos-apk tool still only gets the app working. It won't remove the key (which allows you to run more than one app at once), nor does it fix the app icon. We'll handle that in the cleanup section.
Alternative: Convert APKs Manually
If you can't (or don't want to) use the command line utility to modify APKs for Chrome usage, you can repackage them yourself. You'll still need to download chromeos-apk from Github here. You'll also need an APK for the app in question, so use the methods described in the section above to get them. Then, follow these steps:
There is a folder named "_template" inside the chromeos-apk tool you downloaded. Make a copy of this somewhere else (preferably near the APK you downloaded).
Copy the APK into "_template > Vendor > chromium > crx". There should be a README file in the correct folder that says "APK goes here." in the correct folder.
Rename the "_template" folder to the package name. The package name can usually be found in the Play Store listing URL after "?id=".
Modify the "manifest.json" file in the mai n folder of the package. This is considerably easier to do with an app like this.
Add the app's package name (like "com.pandora.android") to the "package name" field.
Add the app's regular name (like "Pandora") to the "name" field.
Delete the entry named "key", which will have a very long, seemingly random string for a value.
Save the modified JSON file a s "manifest.json" and replace the existing version with the new, edited one.
Download the app icon from Play Store.
On a Play Store listing page like this one, right-click the icon image.
In the URL bar, change "w300-rw" to "w128". Hit enter.
Right-click the new image and save it as "icon.png" in the main folder of the modified template folder.
Congratulations! You have just manually modified an APK to run in Chrome. The entire process isn't terribly complicated, it's just time consuming if you're altering each app manually.
You'll also note that none of this process involves changing the app itself. The APK sits inside an elaborate wrapper. Either it works or it doesn't. Time will tell if Android ap ps can or will be targeted for desktop use, but for now the floodgates are open to tinkerers if you really want to try them out.
The new CM12.1 ROM follows the recent release of Cyanogen OS 12S update (click link to see tutorial) for the flagship handset and it is mandatory to ensure that your smartphone is already running the Cyanogen OS 12S update, before you start flashing the CM12.1 ROM on the handset.
If you’re an Android user, you won’t have access to this setting from the app itself. Instead, you’re going to have to rely on a third party app such as Hide WhatsApp Status. The app disables your WiFi and data connection when you open WhatsApp.
There’s no way to restore chats directly from WhatsApp, so if you want to restore a backup you’re going to have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp. When you start WhatsApp after the reinstall, you should be prompted to restore your most recent backup. Just follow the procedure and your chats should all be back.
Basically, both of these apps work similarly: when you use them, WhatsApp will be protected by a PIN (in the case of WhatsLock) or a password (in the case of Lock for WhatsApp). Either way, once you have things set up, the people around you shouldn’t be able to take a sneak peek at your WhatsApp any longer.
This behaviour isn’t available on WhatsApp for iOS, but you can use a third-party app such as 1TapWA to have similar functionality on your iPhone. Since it’s an app, 1TapWA also has some extra features such as an image editor and an action scheduler.
On Android, you have to create a .nomedia file in WhatsApp’s images or video directories. To do this, you need a file explorer such as ES File Explorer. Navigate to the images or video folders. Tap the New button in the lower left, pick File and create a file named .nomedia. This will stop the Gallery from scanning the folder.
Go to Settings > Account > Change number. Enter your old phone number in the top field and then your new phone number in the bottom field. Then press Done. Verify your new phone number, and all your chat history, groups and so on will be migrated to the new number.
Run AppGuard first. Select WhatsApp from the Dashboard then press Monitor. Once AppGuard is done setting up the monitoring, scroll down and disable read phone status and identity under Phone calls. WhatsApp should now run on your tablet. To activate WhatsApp, you can just use your landline and have WhatsApp call you with the three-digit verification code.
The chat heads are somewhat customizable, and you can have specific LED colors, notification sounds and chat head colors for each of your contacts. One thing to be aware of, though, is that the app requires root access. Plus, it’s also still in beta, so you may encounter some small issues here and there.
WhatStat presents all this information in easy-to-understand visualisations that will make perfect sense to anyone. No more having to pay specific attention to who initiates conversations or what a good time to message someone is; WhatStat will do that all for you.
Just install Desktop Notifications on your Android phone, then install either the Chrome or Firefox extensions depending on your choice of browser. Link the extension to the app using the code provided and you’re good to go; you’ll now get WhatsApp (and more) notifications on your desktop.
3. Now Open Command Prompt.bat (CMD)
4. Now you will see a decompiled folder with a name Settings
