This week we're seeing a lot of updates of existing apps to new shiny iOS 8 alternatives, but the other platforms are getting a lot of love as well. Here's some of the apps you might of missed during the iOS 8 rush.
Compile Your Own Kernel From Source with Comprehensive Tutorial
One glance at any developer section of any device forum on XDA and you’ll find countless custom kernels handcrafted by XDA members. For the newcomer, this could be quite the treasure trove among the interwebz for them to play with. However, as much fun as they can provide, they could also be quite daunting to the aspiring developer who simply does not know where to start. If you feel this may be you, you should definitely check out XDA Senior Member Eliminator79’s kernel compiling tutorial.
Eliminator79 has written a great tutorial teaching you how to compile a kernel from source with a slight focus on Sony devices–although this tutorial can also be used for other devices. The tutorial is broken down into seven main parts being:
- Installing Ubuntu (within Windows OS)
- Downloading the source code
- Installing libraries
- Preparing the toolchain
- Adding features to the kernel
- Compiling
- Testing the kernel
Additionally, for the visual learners, Eliminator79 has included screenshots and examples of code to accompany each step of the way.
If you’re keen on learning how to compile your own kernel from source or are simply curious as to what the process is behind it, then head over to the kernel compiling tutorial thread to get started.
The post Compile Your Own Kernel From Source with Comprehensive Tutorial appeared first on xda-developers.
First look at the Samsung Galaxy A5
The Samsung Galaxy Alpha is one good looking phone, and that’s probably one of the best things we can say about it – it feels and looks like a premium phone, albeit having some middling specs. The rumored “A Series” smartphones from Samsung are expected to follow in the trail of the Galaxy Alpha, the first of which has arrived in the SM-A500, to be marketed reportedly as the Samsung Galaxy A5.
The Galaxy A5 will be the first in the three devices expected to come out of this series. It was expected to carry a metal body, taking from its predecessor, but that is not the case as it seems. Sam Mobile quotes an insider that says the material will not be plastic or metal, but something that “feels cold in the hand”. We expect it to be a cheaper alternative to metal – retaining the premium look but should not be as expensive to produce.
The specs will roll out this way – a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor, a 5-inch HD Super AMOLED display, a 13MP/5MP camera combo, 16GB of internal storage space, and Android 4.4 KitKat including the new version of TouchWiz seen on the Galaxy Note 4. The device will also have a 2,330mAh battery, which should last you through the day, or thereabouts.
This is, from first look, a for real mid-tier device – although Samsung hopes that the premium “feel” will set it apart from the others in this niche. We sincerely hope that the A Series would throw up a surprise or two, seeing that Samsung has way too many devices on the mid-range level. What do you guys think?
SOURCE: Sam Mobile
Instapaper app updated, now free to download with IAP
Instapaper is one of those apps that you really would appreciate in these modern, mobile-centric, fast-paced times – it allows you to store articles for reading, offline and formatted for easy reading. You know, those articles that litter your timeline on your social media platforms, those things that are interesting but you just don’t have enough time to go through at the moment. It used to be that Instapaper – for a fee – allowed you to store those for your downtime reading. An app update now brings Instapaper free, with in-app purchases.
It seems that Instapaper is going the “freemium” path with this new app update that includes text-to-speech, a layout redesign, and user profiles. The text-to-speech allows the app to “read” your stored articles to you when reading is not an option – like when commuting or driving. The layout redesign combines the various in-app feeds into one single feed.
Also, the new updated version introduces user profiles – either public or private. This means that users can share their profiles and if public, other users can see and read the articles you’ve stored within the app. Pretty nifty.
The developers point to the competition – free to download app Pocket, which basically does the same things – as their main inspiration to make the move to the “freemium” market. “When Pocket launched with a great, free product, it became harder to justify a paid product when we had a solid free competitor,” said betaworks General Manager Brian Donohue, which acquired the app in 2013. Tell us in the comments if this is a move that will make you jump over to Instapaper from Pocket. Download it at the source link.
SOURCE: Google Play Store
Google’s App Indexing brings search engine power to locating apps
Remember those heady days of 1998 where a lot of us were so amazed at the way the Google search engine could find virtually anything on the intarwebs? That was a result of ground breaking search indexing algorithms that placed Google on top of the search engine pile. Fast forward to now, and Google is set to apply the same algorithms so that your apps will show up in related searches better. Sounds yummy, right?
Google says that app information and content exist generally in silos, and generally the opinion about Google Play Store’s search function is pretty much negative. App Indexing will allow apps to appear in search engine results, making a way for app developers to engage their public better.
As an example, cyber-savvy people tend to have restaurant apps installed in their phones BUT still rely on search engine results for more relevant information. App Indexing connects the information on the search engine result page to a relevant app that you already own, and could encourage you to view the search engine result straight on your app.
That’s very good news for app developers, full stop. No wonder Google is very excited about this new feature. The mothership is encouraging developers to add the deep linking feature to their apps so that they could be the first to piggy back on this search engine innovation.
SOURCE: Google
BombSquad is an explosive party game to share with friends
How does a party game that allows Android devices to take part look like? What does it need to bring to the table to be fun and engaging? Pardon the obvious pun in the title, but we feel like BombSquad – a game designed by Eric Froemling – really hits the nail on the head as a cooperative party game that users will have no problem picking up from the get go.
The game mechanics may be simple – but they’re challenging enough to not push users to the edge of boredom. Skill in the game will shine through, and people who have played the game before will have familiarity as an advantage. BombSquad is a bomb game, hence the name, and players expectedly will use bombs to blow up other players. There are power-ups galore and different bomb types with special abilities. You get the picture, right?
Bombsquad takes game design to absolute fun as it allows players the ability to sprint, jump, punch, and grab each other. Translate this to a gaming party and it is all boisterous enjoyment for everyone. If you’re thinking however that the game could become stale at some point, you will be right – but the developer has got you covered. Bombsquad has a slew of different game types to keep gameplay fresh and interesting, including football, tower defense, and other games where you can blow enemies up.
The game was previously only available for iOS devices, and then on the OUYA gaming console, before finally landing on Android. It’s a free download right now via the Google Play Store, with in-app purchases. You should get all your other friends who have Android devices to download the game so that the party can begin.
SOURCE: Google Play Store
Samsung targets Android enterprise integration with Knox
Android was designed with open-source, open-market viability in mind – so it was, by design, low in “private sandbox” security features. This is something that makes the platform a very risky one for those in enterprise security. Enclosed architectures like BlackBerry OS and iOS have legitimate advantages here in one sense, but Samsung is belatedly trying to join the party with its KNOX B2B (business-to-business) apps.
Samsung is taking a tiered approach to KNOX, with a free downloadable “My KNOX” app for an enterprise with employees who use Samsung devices – the app is compatible only to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy Note 4 for now. Together with the app, there’s a two-level subscription service for device security – the first being KNOX Express.
KNOX Express offers basic security features, including KNOX Workspace which is a secured “sandboxed” container that keeps your enterprises data safe. It also features KNOX EMM, a cloud-based solution that makes it easy to deploy proprietary information and apps without the additional cost of taking devices into the office personally. All of this is upgraded when you try the KNOX Premium subscription.
KNOX Express starts out free for every device, but KNOX Premium charges USD$1.00 per device. BlackBerry and iOS are understandably ahead of the game in this market, but do tell us what you think about it. Would your business need something like this for Android devices?
SOURCE: Samsung
DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store
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