Forums Added for the US Carrier Variants of the HTC One (2014)

Earlier today, HTC unveiled its next generation flagship, the HTC One (2014). While the specs weren’t really a surprise to anybody, the M8 is still the culmination of what many believe to be the ideal Android-powered device. After all, the M8 offers top-level flagship specifications, a gorgeous screen, a decent battery, class-leading build quality, and utterly fantastic industrial design.

While we’ve had forums in place for the international variant of the HTC One (2014) for quite some time, it’s now time to create forums for the US carrier variants as well. Are you looking forward to getting your hands on a version of the M8? Let us know your thoughts on the device in the comments below, and be sure to check out the forums for the US carrier variants while you’re at it:

• Verizon HTC One 2014A


• Sprint HTC One 2014


• AT&T HTC One 2014


• T-Mobile HTC One 2014

XDA Xposed Tuesday: Gesture Control – XDA Developer TV

Gestures are everything. Controlling your device with simple swipes and swoops will save you time. You no longer have to search in your cluttered app drawer to find your favorite apps. Now, you can just two finger swipe left to open your Chrome browser. But how to you get these swipes programmed? Maybe an Xposed Module will help.

In this episode of XDA Xposed Tuesday, XDA Developer TV Producer TK reviews an Xposed Module that allows you to launch your favorite apps from with Gestures. XDA Senior Member FemBlack created the Gesture Navigation Xposed Module. TK shows off the module and gives his thoughts, so check out this Xposed Tuesday video.

Be sure to check out other great XDA Developer TV Videos

• XDA Xposed Tuesday: Quick Access – XDA Developer TV


• XDA Xposed Tuesday: Xposed LED Control – XDA Developer TV


• XDA Xposed Tuesday: Wanam Kit AOSP Mods – XDA Developer TV


• XDA Xposed Tuesday: Google Experience Launcher (GEL) Settings – XDA Developer TV


• XDA Xposed Tuesday: Physical Button Music Control – XDA Developer TV


• Android Basics 101: Understanding Xposed Framework – XDA Developer TV


• App Development: Xposed Framework for Android – XDA Developer TV

Give Your Eyes Some Rest With Eye Relax

Those of you who spend lots of time staring at the screen while working or simply relaxing after a long day know how important is to keep your eyes in the good shape. The easiest way to do so while using a computer is to take short breaks every once in a while, and let your eyes rest. But how do you figure out the time required to take a break without simply forgetting about it?

The answer is quite simple: Eye Relax by XDA Recognized Developer kevdliu. Eye Relax is a simple application that automatically sets a countdown timer for 30 minutes and notifies you when your eyes need to rest. The default break time is half a minute, but you can set your own interval after supporting the developer and purchasing the inbuilt option.

The application is pretty simple, but the idea behind it is quite useful. Your eyes will thank you for keeping them in the good shape and you can forget about premature visits to your optometrist for the time being.

If you are addicted to XDA, perhaps you should take a break from reading this article and visit the application thread to download Eye Relax.

Access Your Favorite Apps Directly from Your Lock Screen

OEMs often what you can do by default using their firmware. This often results in the loss of a certain feature, which can be annoying. Loading a custom ROM is not always an option because sometimes phones are locked and don’t allow users to flash custom firmware.

Lucky, Xposed Framework allows you to modify stock and custom ROMs with hundreds of modules available here on XDA. One such module was recently developed by XDA Recognized Developer kevdliu. Quick Access allows you to open your favorite applications directly from the lock screen. For example, you can launch your favorite music player or calendar without unlocking your phone or tablet.

A few things are required to make this module work with your devices, but everything is explained in the thread. This module really helps to save you the time, especially on ROMs without such a feature built-in. To try this module, ensure that your device is rooted, Xposed Framework installed, and that the module enabled in the Xposed installer application.

You can get the newest version of the module by visiting the original thread.

Add Enter Key to Hangouts with Smali Editing

The Hangouts app is loved by some and hated by others, who prefer the good old fashioned Google Talk. Unfortunately, Hangouts has a few issues that are quite annoying, such as the lack of a return key when returning messages. But fear not because with a bit of patience and a willingness to learn and some new tools, you will be able to change Hangouts to be more usable.

To do this, you need APKtool and a guide written by XDA Recognized Contributor CNexus. To make the necessary modifications, you need to have the Hangouts application extracted from your device. Keep in mind that Hangouts is updated from time to time, so you would need to repeat the process after every update. After decompiling the application, you need to enter few Smali lines and compile it again. With a little dose of luck, your Hangouts application will show your onscreen keyboard’s enter key rather than the smiley key.

To learn more about the process, head over to the original guide thread.

Replicant Devs Discover Backdoor in Samsung Android Devices

You may recall that about five months ago, we touched upon a study demonstrating how OEM modifications are the primary cause for most “Android” security issues. Unfortunately, we offer yet another example of OEM-caused security issues—but this time, it’s not because of an OEM skin or bloatware. Rather, this is a potential vulnerability at a far deeper level: proprietary modem software.

The OEM in question is none other than Samsung, the Android ecosystem’s largest and most successful device manufacturer, and the backdoor itself comes as proprietary radio software. This software is responsible for communicating with the modem hardware, and is capable of implementing RFS commands. These RFS commands are then able to perform I/O operations on the device’s storage.

No big deal, right? I’ll just load CyanogenMod and be done with it. Wrong.

Since the cause is a proprietary radio software, changing to an aftermarket ROM will not solve anything, so long as the ROM uses Samsung’s proprietary blobs. In fact, the Replicant team used Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III devices running CM10.1 to demonstrate how this was ROM-agnostic.

Currently the list of known affected devices includes the Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Tab 2, Galaxy S III, and Galaxy Note II, but it’s highly likely that many other Samsung devices are vulnerable. Furthermore, this also seems to affect the Samsung-built Google Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus, as this is a back door at the radio software level, rather than as a part of an OEM skin. Whatsmore, on certain devices, this incriminated process runs as root.

While it is entirely possible that there is a legitimate reason for this backdoor, it’s hard to envision a scenario where one would be necessary. As such, it would be great to hear Samsung’s official statement on the matter. Until then, perhaps it would be a good idea to look into fully open source projects like Replicant, or at the very least, building an aftermarket kernel capable of blocking (and logging) RFS command requests.

You can learn more by heading over to the source link below.

[Source: Replicant Project | Thanks to Ruelle for the tip!]

Blur or Dim Images with Tholotis

Few things tell us more than an image. Our brains decode image much faster than other forms of information such as text, sound, and so on. Even when meeting new people, first impressions are largely based on visual cues. Android is no different, and the XDA community is home to lots of themes, mods, and wallpapers to make our favorite operating system look better.

You can do countless things with image, but you require good software to apply some effects or filters. Sadly, most of this software is available only on traditional computers, and can’t be done with a phone. It’s a shame because nowadays, Android devices are capable of doing almost everything from make calls to controlling cars. If you ever wanted to play with your images directly on your device, XDA Recognized Contributor Chris95X8, made a simple application that allows you to dim, blur, and save the modified images on your phone. The app is very minimal, and can do wonders with your favorite wallpapers to make them even better.

You can find Tholotis by visiting the application thread. So if you are interested, pick your favorite image and make it even more beautiful with ease.