Backup Your EFS Partition with Wanam’s App

ROM flashing seems to be an easy task even for Android newbies. Unlucky for some of Samsung users, the EFS partition can be accidentally wiped, leaving your precious smartphone unable to register with any mobile network.

To prevent yourself from EFS-related misfortune, you can backup the EFS partition, thus backing up your IMEI in the process on certain devices. XDA Recognized Developer wanam created an application that can backup this partition in several formats. A copy is saved on your SD Card, from which you can grab the backup and place it on other storage media.

The application works on most Samsung devices. The only requirement is root access. The application can also be used to restore the EFS partition when something goes wrong and you are left unable to get a mobile signal.

As you can see, ROM flashing is not always an easy ride. If you are not careful, your phone can quickly turn into a plastic paperweight. Don’t let this happen! Head over to the Samsung EFS IMEI Partition Backup forum thread to download the application and make a copy of your important data. More information regarding tool can be found in the application thread.

The post Backup Your EFS Partition with Wanam’s App appeared first on xda-developers.

Android Community Weekly Digest: Nov. 30, 2014

The weekend was mostly likely a frantic one, with all the food, the shopping, and, of course, some much needed family down time. But it ain't over yet! Cyber Monday fast approaches and you are most likely trying to recover some energy, and maybe some money as well, in preparation for that, so we'll make this as quick and as painless as possible. Presenting Android Community's Weekly Digest covering November 24 to November 30, 2014, a.k.a. The Thanksgiving Edition.

Android Community Deals

We are launching a new venture with StackSocial to bring the sweetest deals on gadgets, accessories, and toys to match your digital lifestyle, and we've started off with 10, yes TEN, deals for Black Friday. But don't worry if you missed that chance, as there will be a lot more to come. Head on over to the DEALS section of Android Community (or click this link) to see what's up for grabs. We will be highlighting some of the more interesting ones each week, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for them.

Android Community Deals is brought to you in cooperation with StackSocial. Generated revenue helps fund this site. Deals are curated by StackSocial and are not representative of the opinions of the Android Community staff.

Black Friday Frenzy, Cyber Monday Madness

By now everyone, even those outside the US, knows how crazy shops get during this season and naturally, there were many, many promos and deals to be had. But fret not if Friday passed with nary an item in your shopping cart, because there are still a few bits and pieces left when Monday dawns. Motorola will be kicking off its 2nd gen Moto X discount, Amazon still has the Fire Phone at $199 and is still selling the Chromecast at a reduced $23. A lot of other deals are still in effect until Monday, so better not stow away those cards yet for one last holiday hurrah.

India: the market's new darling

After getting a foothold in China, It seems that the industry is slowly shifting its eyes towards India. Google fired the opening salvo by launching Android One on three local manufacturers. But instead of taking the market by storm, it seems that the new breed of smartphones is meeting some cold reception, thanks in no small part to Google overlooking the local smartphone business culture. Other smaller players are also trying to take a stab at the market. Xiaomi's Redmi Note makes its debut in India, with Fleksy bundled inside. OnePlus has just announced its still invite-only India launch in partnership with Amazon India. But surprisingly, Cyanogen, Inc., the very same people who make the CyanogenMod 11S OS on the OnePlus One, revealed an exclusive deal with India's Micromax, much to the confusion and dismay of the Chinese startup. We are likely to see more of this drama unfold in the coming days.

Moto 360 and its new look

Not exactly a holiday discount, but Motorola has finally made available the silver and gold metal straps for the round smartwatch, giving it an even classier facade. In addition to that, it has also made available for purchase both the Horween leather and the metal straps so that owners of the Moto 360 can now mix and match as they please, without having to spend on another unit.

Bits and Pieces

• See Android Auto in full detail at the LA Auto Show

• T-Mobile finally adds Google Music to its free-flowing Music Freedom service

• OUYA reaches 1,000 games! And be sure to check out our Gaming portal for more games, both new and updated old

Our Favorite Android, iOS, and Windows Phone Apps of the Week

A smartphone is only as great as its apps, and developers were hard at work again this week to make your pocket computer just a little bit better. This week iOS saw a swell of platform-only apps whereas Android was a little light. I also came across an amazing language-learning app for Windows Phone that's giving me only mild OS jealousy. Take a look at this week's new smartphone superpowers.

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Avoid Obstacles and Keep Going in LineBox Game

There’s a game for every occasion, whether you want something with a well crafted story, a strategy game that requires patience and planning, or a casual game for when you’re bored and want to pass some time. LineBox, a game by XDA Forum Member lakrsv, falls in that last category–but definitely not in the last place.

LineBox is a minimalistic game where you control a small block. Your goal is simple: get the highest score possible by avoiding obstacles on your way. To do so, you can swipe up and down (or tap) to change your block’s position. The game gets harder as you go, but you can fortunately pick powerups on your way to help you break your high score. You’ll find some that will increase your speed and give you a good leap, and others that will decrease your block’s size, allowing you to dodge obstacles more easily. The latest update (released just a few hours ago) also adds a new powerup that will increase the gap between obstacles. Additional powerups are planned in future updates as well.

To add to the fun, you can also compete with your friends via the leaderboards (note that since this is provided by the Google Services, you’ll need those installed and a Google+ account; this is only necessary if you want to view the leaderboards, you can still play the game without them). Achievements will also be arriving in a future update.

If you’re looking for a game that’s simple to pick up but still provides a great amount of fun, then LineBox is exactly what you want — visit the LineBox forum thread to get started straight away.

The post Avoid Obstacles and Keep Going in LineBox Game appeared first on xda-developers.

How to Install and Use MultiROM – XDA TV

The great thing about XDA is you can find all these great custom ROMs. There are so many in fact that sometimes you want to have access to a couple so you can change depending on your mood. And while you can just flash those everytime, what if there was an easier way?

In this episode of XDA TV, rirozizo shows you MultiROM Manager using his Nexus 4. MultiROM is an unique customization that you can place on supported Android phones and select which ROMs you have installed you want to run. Rirozizo shows off how to install the MultiROM feature. He shows you how to add available ROMs. He shows the user interface. He talks about MultiROM at length. If you wanted to know more about MultiROM, check out this video.

Resource Links:

• MultiROM Manager


• MultiROM Nexus 4 XDA Thread


• SlimKat Nexus 4 XDA Thread


• FireFox OS (FFOS) Nexus 4 XDA Thread

Be sure to check out other great XDA TV Videos.

Check out rirozizo’s YouTube Channel.

The post How to Install and Use MultiROM – XDA TV appeared first on xda-developers.

Watch Android Auto And Apple CarPlay Go Head-To-Head

The team at 9to5Mac managed to get their hands on a 2015 Hyundai Sonata, a car that's particularly special in its ability to run both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay side-by-side. Thankfully, they did what every good gadgeteer should with the opportunity: an extensive comparison video.

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Alcazar Puzzle to challenge your noodle in android game

Puzzle solving games on mobile devices are not as simple or as popular as say, match 3 or endless runners. But a certain sector of the mobile society prefer this type of game that will challenge their brain power even while having fun. Alcazar Puzzle would like to state its case as to why you should add it to your game collection.

The object of the game is pretty simple (on paper at least): enter a room, visit the square to solve a puzzle, and then leave. There are over 40 kinds of puzzles that you can choose to exercise your logical and mental skills. And they're not something you can bluff or guess your way out of them. Each of them has a unique solution to each problem or puzzle, and you will arrive at the end of it with patience and perseverance. Unless, you're a super genius, in which case, this should be easy peasy.

While there are only 40 levels to complete, there are hundreds more that will be available when you make your in-app purchases. And the game developers have also promised the game will have no ads that can interrupt your thought process, because you don't need the distraction of having those ads pop up while you're in the middle of an intense game.

So if this is the type of game that can get you through that difficult day at work, you can download Alcazar Puzzle for free from the Google Play Store. The in-app purchases range from $0.99 to $4,probably worth it if you're a puzzle fan.