Android L’s ‘Heads up’ notifications now available for any Android 4.3+ device [DOWNLOAD]

Hey, all you non-Nexus elite. If the Android L Developer Preview (which arrived exclusively for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7) got you feeling down in the dumps with all its glitz and glamor, don’t worry. It appears that many Android devs are working ’round the clock to bring some of those flashy features introduced in Android L — like the all new Heads Up notifications — to our “filthy casual” Android devices.
Fresh out the Google Play Store is “Heads Up! notifications” by Woodblock Without Co.. The developer announced the availability of the app over on XDA (where it can be previewed/downloaded for free) and as the name suggests, Heads Up! brings Android L type Heads Up notifications to any device running Android 4.3+ — Android L not required. This app is not only great for themers who like to hide the notification/status bar using 3rd party launchers, but also for times when your phone goes into full screen media mode (like watching a movie or playing a game).
In fact, the best part about the app is all the many filtering options it provides. You can whitelist only specific apps, or filter out “silent” heads-up notifications and/or ongoing ones. There’s even an option to only display heads-up notifications while in fullscreen mode.
Heads Up! is only a buck on Google Play, but if you’d like to try before you buy, you can always download straight from the developer via XDA here.

Android L’s ‘Heads up’ notifications now available for any Android 4.3+ device [DOWNLOAD]

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Android L’s Material keyboard now available on Google Play [DOWNLOAD]

Google’s early Android L Developer Preview is nowhere near daily driving status (broken apps… broken apps everywhere), but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t a few goodies to be found inside. Earlier today, we posted a veritable smorgasbord of L goodies, including Google’s all new Material redesigned keyboard. Given it’s one of the few apps in Android L rocking Google’s new Material design, it’s probably the most lusted over by Android users not willing (or able to) flash the experimental release.
The apk extracted from the Android L system dump was made available on XDA, but there a few hoops Android users had to jump through to get it up and running. One of those was uninstallation of the regular Google Keyboard (if installed). If sideloading isn’t your cup of tea, some new folks are making the app available via the Google Play Store where it is now available for free as “Android L Keyboard.”
But just like the XDA supplied apk, this too will require users to jump into the keyboard’s settings, selecting the “Advanced settings” option, then choosing “Material” under “Color scheme.” After that, you should be up and running with the cleanest keyboard this side of Fleksy, and 1 step closer to getting a true Material experience on your Android.

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Android L’s Material keyboard now available on Google Play [DOWNLOAD]

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Reflecting on Google I/O 2014: From our Android community to Android everywhere

Being what some would call a bit of a fanboy, making the pilgrimage to Google’s annual developer conference was nothing short of a dream come true. I sit here in the cabin of this airplane, unable to relax and unable to close my eyes like unlike many other passengers during our journey across the country. The truth is, even though Google I/O 2014 has come and gone, the best is yet to come. And that’s what’s truly exciting. Before we talk about the future, let’s revisit and reflect on not only the events, but the experiences over the past few days.
Google provides live streaming for countless sessions as well as their highly anticipated keynote presentation for all to watch and listen to from anywhere in the world. Yes, the keynote is where we learn all of the juicy details about Google’s upcoming products and services, but as I mentioned, you can get that at home.
For me, the true experience of Google I/O comes from the relationships built and social aspect of the conference. Attending Google I/O allowed me to meet some truly amazing people from the Android community that I’ve wanted to meet for years. From big bad famous Googlers, to ex-Googlers, to Android bloggers, and all sorts of friends from far and wide that I’ve only known on Google+ for the past 3 years. Being able to finally meet and hang out with so many of these amazing people made the past few days just truly awesome (Queue everything is awesome music.)
After parties and social aside, Google taught us this year that Android is everywhere and it’s going to get even better as time goes on.
Android One is going to provide low cost phones to remote places of the world where having a capable smartphone is sometimes out of the question. Google has well over a billion Android devices out there right now. The next billion consumers are ready to join the Android ecosystem.
With Android Auto, Google will ultimately make the roads safer by removing some of our technological distractions while we’re on the road. Google’s success with the smartphone market is now being applied to the automobile industry. The connected car is here, now let’s unify the experience.
As for Android TV, Google is really putting the brand into the product this time around. Android TV will provide a rich and unified entertainment experience for the living room. Chromecast is here to stay if you’re interested in streaming content, however if you’re into gaming and apps, you’ll want something a bit more powerful. Android TV is the answer.
Android Wear aims to show the ever expanding wearables space just exactly how Google plans to shape the wearable computer industry. Being able to seamlessly integrate your wearable device into your current platform and ecosystem is very rewarding. In fact, in just two days time I’ve come to love my LG G Watch more than Google Glass, which I’ve had for a year. This could also be the fact that my Glass only lasts 1-2 hours before dying, but that’s a story for another time.
The Android L preview is not only gorgeous (sorry, fanboy remember?), but it brings about many changes to Android that makes the experience easier for consumers. However, the real point here is that Google took a pointer from Apple and released a developer preview months in advance, giving developers time to ready their applications and services. This will result in a more stable final release as well as (fingers crossed) more applications using the new design language, resulting in apps not looking out of place when it comes to matching the new style.
The future of Android and Google’s new plans to unify all of their platforms in design as well as integration show us that the future is going to provide stellar user experiences when Android reaches it’s final form. We’ll no longer think of Android Auto, Android TV, Android Wear, or any other facet of Android. We’ll just think of Android as one large platform spanning across various devices and gadgets. A platform to unify all of the things.
Lastly, I’d like to thank our Rob and Steve for making Google I/O so enjoyable and an experience I’ll never forget. Here’s to the future of Android with Phandroid and Google I/O 2015.

Reflecting on Google I/O 2014: From our Android community to Android everywhere

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T-Mobile LG G3 now up for pre-order, lands in stores July 16

At the end of May, LG officially unveiled their newest flagship device, the G3. Exactly one month later the global roll-out of the handset kicked off, and now just a few days later T-Mobile USA has announced their pre-orders for the handset have now begun, with a launch date provided for good measure.
Announced by T-Mobile on June 30, anyone who is interested in securing their LG G3 pre-launch can now do so, courtesy of the carrier’s official pre-order page that has just gone live. As far as options go, you can choose from the Silk White or Titan Gray color schemes, and T-Mobile has the device pegged with a $598.00 full retail price tag.

T-Mobile says that the device will ship by July 15, which lines up with the announcement that the G3 will be available in participating T-Mobile retail locations across the United States on July 16.

[via T-Mobile]

T-Mobile LG G3 now up for pre-order, lands in stores July 16

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LG G3 Beat goes official in China, purportedly the mini variant of the LG G3

With the LG G3 said to be flying off the shelves in South Korea, it is pretty much a given that LG will want to capitalize on the success of its latest flagship by launching a mini variant. Details of an LG G3 mini have already leaked online earlier this year, but the latest development suggests the G3 mini won’t be as mini as tradition would dictate.
LG has introduced the LG G3 Beat as an exclusive for Chinese carrier China Telecom, and it is being said that the G3 Beat is the G3 mini for global markets. However, the 5-inch display on the G3 Beat is an indication that the phone might not be as small as proponents of mini devices would like, though it isn’t exactly surprising considering the 5.5-inch display on the LG G3 is considerably bigger than flagship devices from the competition.
The QHD display resolution has naturally been downgraded, with the screen now a 720p unit. Other specs include a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera with the laser autofocus sensor from the G3, LTE connectivity, 16GB of inbuilt storage and a microSD slot, and a 2,540 mAh battery. The phone runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat, though it’s unclear just how many software features it borrows from its flagship sibling.
The LG G3 Beat is expected to retail for 2,500 RMB (around $400) in China, though a launch date is currently unknown. It also remains to be seen if LG will bring the exact same device as the G3 mini to other markets, though with the LG G3 just beginning to hit retail on a global scale, it will probably be a while before we find out.

LG G3 Beat goes official in China, purportedly the mini variant of the LG G3

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HTC’s Android 4.4.4 update schedule leaked; One M8 to get the update in July

HTC has been pretty quick in updating its One series of handsets to the latest version of Android. While the company has not yet rolled out the Android 4.4.3 update for the One M7 and M8, a firmware did leak for the former indicating that a roll out is imminent.
Now, it looks like HTC might directly release the Android 4.4.4 update for the One M7 and M8 sometime during the July-August period.
The leak comes courtesy of LlabTooFeR, who has been pretty reliable with information about HTC devices and updates in the past. He also confirmed that some of the older devices from HTC like the One X, 1st generation Butterfly and other low-end handsets have reached their EOL (End-Of-Life) and will not be getting any further software updates.
Regarding the Android L update, LlabTooFeR says that HTC is still evaluating which devices from 2013-2014 would be getting the update. The final decision, however, can only be taken sometime in September-October, since the final hardware requirements for the OS are not yet known.

HTC’s Android 4.4.4 update schedule leaked; One M8 to get the update in July

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Xposed module brings Android L navigation bar to Ice Cream Sandwich and higher devices

Along with a major visual overhaul in Android L, Google has also replaced the navigation bar icons keeping in line with its new Material Design philosophy. The new icons have not really met with great feedback from Android users, but that has not stopped a developer over at XDA forums to write an Xposed module that brings them to Ice Cream Sandwich and higher running devices.
The Xposed module only replaces the stock navigation bar icons in KitKat or lower with the ones that Google has introduced in Android L, and does not replicate the whole functionality of the navigation bar itself.

The module will only work on devices running a near stock build of Android or ROMs that are based on AOSP. You can try out the module if you own an HTC or Samsung based device running Sense or TouchWiz, respectively, but your mileage will vary.
You can download the Xposed module from here, but make sure your Android device is rooted with Xposed framework installed.

Xposed module brings Android L navigation bar to Ice Cream Sandwich and higher devices

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TweaksBox Xposed module lets you customize nearly every aspect of the LG G3

The LG G3 is yet to be available in most of the major markets of the world but development for the device has already started picking up over at XDA forums.
Developer p_toti has released the G3 TweaksBox module for the handset, which brings with it a plethora of customization options and completely eradicates the need of flashing a custom ROM.
The list of features include the ability to modify the navigation bar size and icons, customizing the notification panel background, color and tiles, tinted status bar and more.

The full feature list of the module is absolutely gigantic to post here, so I am just listing down all the various areas of the UI it allows the user to tweak.

• Tinted Bars MOD
• Status Bar Tweaks
• Navigation Bar Tweaks
• Ring Pad Tweaks
• Notification Panel Tweaks
• Quicksettings Panel Tweaks
• Recent Apps Window Tweaks
• Other UI Tweaks
• Calls tweaks
• Messages tweaks
• Lockscreen tweaks
• Notification tweaks
• Camera Tweaks
• Sound tweaks
• LED Tweaks
• Launcher Tweaks
• Misc tweaks

Since the module is still in beta, you might run into some bugs or graphical issues every once in a while but none of them should deter you from using the module on a daily basis.
If you have already managed to get your hands on the LG G3, head over to this XDA thread for the full feature list and download link of the module. You must already have root access on the handset along with Xposed framework installed.

TweaksBox Xposed module lets you customize nearly every aspect of the LG G3

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets now available for purchase in the US

The Galaxy Tab S is the most recent addition to Samsung’s bloated tablet lineup, marking the company’s return to using its vivid (and slightly overbearing) AMOLED displays on tablets. Samsung US started taking pre-orders for both the 8.4 and 10.5-inch models shortly after their official announcement, and now the two tablets are available for purchase from retail channels. 
Samsung is only selling the Wi-Fi variants at the moment — the Galaxy Tab S 8.4 is priced at $399, while the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 will cost you an additional $100, with both tablets available in bronze and white. LTE variants are expected to arrive in the future, though there’s no exact time frame for when that might happen. That will probably be disappointing for many, but it looks like they will have to either wait or make do with having to find Wi-Fi hotspots for connectivity.
The Galaxy Tab S slates are spearheaded by WQXGA (25600×1600) Super AMOLED displays, and also feature other high-end hardware, including an octa-core Exynos 5420 CPU, 3GB of RAM, 8-megapixel rear cameras, fingerprint scanners, and 16GB of storage expandable via a microSD slot, all packed in super thin 6.6mm bodies. You get Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Samsung’s Magazine UX on the software front, with features such as Kids Mode, Private mode, S Translator, Group Mode, Ultra Power Saving mode, Multi Window and more
Buying the Galaxy Tab S from Samsung’s website will see your order shipping in 10-14 days, but you can get either model in only days by ordering from Amazon, where they are available for the same prices.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S tablets now available for purchase in the US

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VivaLnk’s ‘Digital Tattoo’ makes it easy to unlock your Moto X

It has been just over a year since Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects Group first showcased what they thought would be a great new way to unlock your phone: a digital tattoo. Since then, ATAP has moved over to Google from Motorola, but work apparently never slowed down.
The Digital Tattoo is real, what was once just a pipe dream on that D11 stage just over a year ago. The new design, which shares plenty of similarities to that initial effort, features a water-proof “digital tattoo” that you can put on your arm, to make it easy to unlock your device. No more need for passwords or anything like that. It’s produced by VivaLnk, which is a tech company based out of Silicon Valley, and they worked together with Google’s ATAP to bring the project to life. More than that, though, to bring it to consumers.

And that’s exactly what they’ve done, as the Digital Tattoo is available right now for those who want to jump on board. You can head through the VivaLnk source link below to buy a pack of 10 Digital Tattoos; each of which will last you five days. The tattoos are water proof as well.
As it stands right now, the Digital Tattoos only offer support for Motorola’s Moto X (you’re shocked, right?). However, the company does have a link on their site that will let you tell them which device you’re using as your daily driver, and if they see enough desire from a certain device, they say they’ll work on support for other handsets.
With a pack lasting about 50 days, is this something worth trying once, or could you see yourself using something like this for a long time?
[via Android Authority; VivaLnk]

VivaLnk’s ‘Digital Tattoo’ makes it easy to unlock your Moto X

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