Lollipop continues: Galaxy Note 4 preview, Galaxy S5 firmware

Samsung fans are surely excited and well teased beyond their limits thanks to SamMobile's unending exclusives on how Android 5.0 will look and behave on the Korean OEM's 2013 and 2014 flagships. After the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy Note 3, and the Galaxy S 4 (also in its GPE incarnation), we now turn our eyes to the latest and, some say, the greatest, the Galaxy Note 4. Fans of Google's new Material Design language will probably feel right at home, though much work is to be done, if it's to be done at all.

One of the things Samsung is notorious for is TouchWiz and how its custom Android skin greatly diverges from Android. But ever since the Galaxy Note PRO and the Galaxy S5, Samsung has tweaked the design considerably, shifting to a flatter aesthetic that happens to mesh well with Google's newly acquired design sense. This can be seen in this early build of Android Lollipop for the Galaxy Note 4, where Google's Material Design and Samsung's new TouchWiz seem to blend well in some areas. Of course, it's pleasing to see Samsung actually adopting Material Deign for its own apps, which goes a long way towards unifying the Android experience again.

Still, there is a lot of work yet to be done, especially with custom apps, like S Planner, for example. And there are some cases where even Material Design cannot hide Samsung's idiosyncrasies, like in the pull-down notification panel and the half dozen tabs in the Settings up. But at least those adhere to the new design guidelines and won't look out of place, even if they still look crowded.

In the meantime, Galaxy S5 owners might have something more to be excited about other than a leaked video and screenshots. Apparently, the Android 5.0 update has begun its slow trek to the early 2014 flagship and SamMobile was able to capture the firmware and shared it with others. The firmware was built for Polish models, but those with the same SM-G900F number might also be able to use it, at their own risk of course.

As to when others will be getting the update, French carrier SFR is once again on the scene. But remember that their timetables sometimes hit, sometimes miss, so take it with a grain of salt. According to SFR, owners of the Galaxy S5 will receive their just desserts this month, but Galaxy Note 4 owners might have to wait until January for their sweet.

VIA: SamMobile (1), (2), SFR

Story Timeline

• Samsung gives second preview of Lollipop for Galaxy S5


• Android Lollipop build on Samsung Galaxy S4 leaked


• Android Lollipop previewed on Samsung Galaxy Note 3


• Preview of Android Lollipop on Galaxy S4 GPE leaked

Krashlander- Ski, Jump, Crash physics game hits Android

A new game is available for Android gamers that combines skiing with physics game play, crashing, and robots. The game is called Krashlander and it has players flying down mountain slopes and jumping over all sorts of crevices to attack the robots that destroyed your world.

The game offers unique physics powered touch controls and is a skill-based game. It has a minimalist design and players can enjoy rag-doll crashes. This game was previously on iOS and was a top ten title on that platform.

The game has been updated since launch to fix an issue where the tutorial box was partially visible at the top of the screen on high-resolution devices. The last update was on November 30 and the game is 28MB in size.

The current version is 1.1 and Android 2.3 or higher is required to play. So far the game has had 50-100 installs, but if the popularity with iOS gamers is any indication that should grow quickly.

SOURCE: Google Play

Wire: what Skype would have been like if built today

Skype co-founder Janus Friis has a new project afoot with Wire, a new communications platform that technically does not really rival his former company, but actually improves on it. Built for both mobile and desktops, it is a cross-platform tool for exchanging messages, pictures, HD audio and other rich media, with a more modern UI but a more solid infrastructure behind it.

Wire can be used both for individual, personal messaging, as well as group chats. All conversations will be synced across all devices you use, from smartphone to tablet to laptop to desktop computer. The team that worked on this app comprises various product and technology leaders from Apple, Nokia, and Microsoft so you can expect a more dynamic and technologically sound app. Maybe this is what Skype would be like if it had been built today.

While it still does not have Skype's video calling capability (which is one major reason why some users still actually use it), you can make audio calls on Wire, using an in-house developed audio technology. Hopefully, this more solid way of calling will get rid of the call quality and connection problems that Skype users experience on a regular basis. But we can also expect Wire to have video calling soon, especially if they want to catch up with its competitors.

So do we really need a new communications platform with all our Hangouts, Vibers, LINES and all? Well, it never really hurts to have new competition in the market. The design is elegant and will probably appeal to younger users who are used to swiping and pulling down, rather than those who rely on navigational aids. If you want to try it out, you can download Wire for free from the Google Play Store.

SOURCE: Wire

Use the Front Earpiece as a Second Speaker on the Note Edge

Speaking as an owner of a phone with a rear-facing speaker, I can tell you just how ridiculously small and weak any media playback sounds. Maybe it’s because we’ve all been conditioned to experience high quality sound playback in recent years with superb sound products and features *ahem* HTC One *ahem*, but hey, it’s 2014. So this is probably why it was a bit surprising that the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, the new innovative phablet with its screen curved alongside the right edge, had its lone measly little speaker on the rear.

XDA Senior Member sshafranko however, was right on the case and developed a mod which activates the device’s front earpiece as a secondary speaker for media playback. The effect of this is not only increased volume and uninhibited speaker playback, but as sshafranko describes it, an “almost surround sound type of effect”. There are three variants available for download, being:

1. Surround sound effect with default volume level


2. Surround sound effect with medium volume level


3. Surround sound effect with high volume level

A flashable ZIP package reverting the effects of this mod has also been provided in case you don’t like the result or something goes wrong. It should be noted that this mod was developed to be compatible with the T-Mobile version of the Galaxy Note Edge, so it’s unknown whether this will work with other versions, although, it has been tested to work on the Sprint variant as well.

This is a much welcomed mod for a device with rear-facing speakers, so if you’ve been waiting for this, head over to the Galaxy Note Edge Surround Sound Mod thread to get started.

The post Use the Front Earpiece as a Second Speaker on the Note Edge appeared first on xda-developers.

Ski Challenge 15 game gets new race modes

Fans of skiing or racing games that want to hit the virtual slopes can download a game called Ski Challenge 15 that is on Google Play right now. The game is available at no cost and includes ten downhill courses that are designed to be just like actual downhill courses.

Available courses include Beaver Creek, Groden, Bormio, Wengen, Kitzbuhel, and Garmisch. 3D graphics and different weather conditions make the game more challenging to play. The game also has an online mode, ranking lists, and tournaments.

The tournaments allow you to play against players from around the world. Players can set up their racing skis and the game has lifelike physics. A helmet camera mode makes for realistic experience and there are different controls.

The updated game supports World Championship play, player versus player racing, and the ability to choose your gender. The top ten racers in the virtual world can be distinguished by their jerseys. The game is supported by in-game purchases.

SOURCE: Google Play

Opera for Android gets bookmark sharing

One of the best features for anyone who uses multiple computers is the ability to share your bookmarks on several devices. This is one of the best features of desktop browsers like Chrome and others. Android users have the ability to share bookmarks with a new version of Opera for Android.

The updated browser goes a step further than just letting you see your own bookmarks on multiple devices; it allows you to share them with friends as well. The updated Opera for Android allows you to share an individual bookmark or a folder of them with anyone.

Sharing is done by tapping the Bookmarks entry on speed dial, tapping manage and then selecting the bookmarks. A share button beside the trash icon allows you to share them with a name of your choosing.

Bookmarks can be shared via Android Beam and Bluetooth to social networks. The shared bookmarks are placed on a webpage that can be accessed by any browser out there. The updated browser also has a bunch of other fixes and tweaks thrown in as well. You can download the update right now.

DOWNLOAD: Play Store

KEMCO’s Revenant Saga classic style RPG now out on Android

A lot of RPG fans are getting more and more attracted to games that emulate the classic pixel art style of the old Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda games that they used to play during their youth. Maybe that is why developers like KEMCO are putting out games like “Revenant Saga”, a new RPG game that tries to get the classic look while adding some new elements of their own.

The developers describe Revenant Saga as a game that blurs the lines between good and evil – which should mean that this will not be your straight up RPG trope of good guys fighting bad guys. The normal interface seems to be in the usual casual RPG style, until you see the game break out into some nice 3D visuals during combat.

The gameplay potential for this RPG is huge, what with KEMCO allowing your character 999 levels to climb – that’s some level up goal right there. There’s a new mechanic in combat where your character can transform into a more powerful form, but transforming habitually has its downside as well. Even the equipment and the loot – usually the biggest draw for an RPG player – has perks and disadvantages, so you will have to think your way through this.

The game is already available via the Google Play Store for a small-ish download price of USD$3.99. If this feels like something you want to sink your teeth into during your downtime, check out the download link below.

DOWNLOAD: Google Play Store

Story Timeline

• RPG standout The Witcher arrives on Android as board game


• The Shadow Sun is an epic RPG, now on Android


• Kabam, Marvel team up again for upcoming free-to-play RPG