Own an Android phone or tablet? Here is the important thing you should know, seriously!

"Root" is the word.

Now, why would you care about it? -You should as there are several advantages of it.

Rooting is the process of allowing users of smartphones, tablets and other devices running the Android mobile operating system to attain privileged control (known as "root access") within Android's sub-system.

Rooting is often performed with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on some devices. Thus, rooting gives the ability (or permission) to alter or replace system applications and settings, run specialized apps that require administrator-level permissions, or perform other operations that are otherwise inaccessible to a normal Android user. On Android, rooting can also facilitate the complete removal and replacement of the device's operating system, usually with a more recent release of its current operating system.

Here are some of the major benefits of rooting your Android phone or tablet.

1. Take complete back up of your device.

Let’s start off with one of the major benefits of having a rooted device: Better backups. With a rooted device, chances are high that you might want to tweak your system, install a custom ROM or install apps that need root access. Since you’re playing around with your system files, it’s always good to have backups of your apps, user data or your whole system. And, besides, it never hurts to keep backups, in case you delete important files by accident.

The most popular app to make backups is Titanium Backup. Although the Pro version costs $6.58, it’s well worth the money. It allows you to make complete backups of all your apps and system data. Restoring them after, for example, a factory reset brings back all your apps and system settings so that you don’t have to bother with installing all of your apps and setting up your device again.

Another great benefit is being able to make a backup of your whole system, called ‘Nandroid’ backup.

Restoring a Nandroid backup is like restoring your Windows computer to exact state of the last performed system backup. So, if you Android device isn’t working properly anymore or if it’s soft-bricked and doesn’t boot up anymore, restoring a Nandroid backup brings you back to the same state of the moment you created the backup. It’s a great safety net when you decide to flash a custom ROM or Kernel, for example. If anything goes wrong, just use your Nandroid backup to fix your device.

2.Over & Underclocking the CPU.

Do you crave performance even though it will sap your battery? What about preserving your battery life over all else? With a rooted device you don’t have to choose, because you can either overclock or underclock your CPU to gain better performance or to gain better battery life respectively.

3. Uninstall any app & gain some extra storage.

When you get your phone, there are pre-installed apps that you are unable to remove. They slow down performance and take up valuable space. After you root your device, you will notice that no app is impervious to your powers of deletion adding a few mb's to your free storage.

4. Faster Android OS updates.

Certain Android phones get updates much later than others or might not even get after a certain period, which is frustrating. However you can manually download and flash the latest version of Android if you have a rooted device – even if your device manufacturer hasn’t released it yet.

5. AdBlocker.

Simple, but oh-so-convenient. Block out any ads on your apps or web browser to avoid sluggish performance and unwanted banner clicks.

6. Track your lost phone even after someone performs a factory reset.

Losing your smartphone or tablet is a huge pain. More so, if someone stole it. There are ways to prevent your phone from being lost or stolen and to track it even without installed anti-theft app, but they are more or less detectable. That means, someone, who stole your device, can simply uninstall any tracking apps or do a factory reset.

With root access, however, you are able to flash (install) a tracking app, such as Cerberus or Avast, deep into your system. This way, Cerberus or Avast will even survive a factory reset. You can even flash a disguised version of the app so that it’s completely hidden in the app drawer.

7. Xposed framework to customize your device.

Xposed is a framework for many available modules that allow you to customize your Android device’s performance and visual appearance. It’s kind of having many of the features that custom ROMs offer without having to flash one. So, if you don’t feel the need to install a custom ROM and only want a few additional features then installing Xposed modules might be the best option for you. Also, it’s super easy to install and set up. However, Xposed also works flawlessly with a custom ROM.

8. Install a custom ROM.

These custom-built versions of Android are the best part of having a rooted device. Simply flash a beautifully creative ROM to your device to customize, add features, and tweak your factory OS for a complete makeover.

There are many other task specific apps which takes advantage of the root to perform certain actions for a better user experience.

Thanks for reading, Cheers!

Peace.

Top 7 reasons you should get a custom ROM installed for your Android phone, today!

A stock ROM is a version of the Operating System that comes pre-installed with the phone that you buy.
Whereas, a custom ROM is an independent version of the Operating System which is customized in some ways to benefit the overall user experience of the phone.

Now, why would you care about them when you already get a pre-installed version of the latest Operating System? - Here's why.

There are several benefits of getting a custom ROM for your phone.

1. Longer OS update support for your Android phone & quicker updates.

Purchased a phone & it's not even six months since the phone launched but the question is whether or not will your phone receive the newly announced Android version?
Most phone manufacturers often stop providing update for the previous models of phones or are very slow in providing the latest Android version.

LG Optimus One (P500) released in October 2010 was launched pre-installed with Android 2.2 Froyo & LG thankfully provided with it's last, then the latest Android 2.3.6 (GingerBread).
But today it has a stable & fully working Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) & 5.0 (Lollipop) is in the works.
It received all the major Android updates released by Google even after 5 years of the phone's launch.

2. Ability to remove all unused apps.

Custom ROM's gives you an option to remove all the unused apps from your phone. Yes even the one's which does not show 'uninstall' button. This helps you free up the storage space & also reduces the RAM consumption of your device.

3. Improves performance.

Uninstalling all the unused pre-installed apps by itself gives a bump in your phone's performance.

Additionally custom ROM's also allow you to overclock the speed of your device which results in increased processing power from your device.

4. Improves battery life.

Like overclocking the device, phone's can be underclocked too which uses comparatively less process power thus saving the battery. (sometimes results in reduced performance).

5. Ability to install custom Mods.

A custom Mod named Halo can be easily added to your custom ROM.

Halo basically brings Facebook Messenger type chat heads to all other apps, thus improving the overall functionality of the apps increasing user experience.

6. Vanilla Google experience.

Custom ROM's are generally based on Vanilla Android experience, the UI you will generally find on Nexus devices. Which is simple & free of sometimes unnecessary skins.

7. Ported apps & ROM's.

Custom ROM's allows you to install & use manufacture specific apps, like Xperia's Walkman, it can be used even if you own a non-xperia device & wish to use Walkman.

Also, you can install ported ROM's. That is, you can get a Xperia based User Interface & apps installed in your Micromax Canvas HD, which gives you a complete look & feel of Xperia devices.

Many more benefits are ROM specific..

Let me know if this helped you.

Do post your queries in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading, Cheers!

Peace,

What's Jailbreak for beginners?

It's been more than a year now since i bought my first iOS device ever, the iPhone 5s.
It came bundled with iOS 7, the first ever redesigned iOS.
Soon after i bought the device, it's jailbreak was released by evasi0n, and since then i have my iPhone jailbroken.

Much aware of the fact that it voids the warranty!!

It was exciting to test out all the new possibilities with iOS and not after a long time i was used to the tweaks i had installed. They did things simpler and useful.
Especially the 5th tweak mentioned below. Completely out of helplessness.

Jailbreak-ing is adding extra sweet tweaks to your iOS device. Or it might be a mere need for some (like me). It gives you the root level access in iOS. (somewhat like rooting an Android phone).

It gives you the ability to add various tweaks to your device.
The list of tweaks and their uses are way too many.

Let me give you a gist with the tweaks I have installed though : (these tweaks are totally what i prefer to have with the mentioned functions)

1. Activator : Adds various gestures based actions. Like i have swiping the button of the screen from right to left shows the app switcher (multitasking) and from left to right locks the screen. There are many many more options within that you can configure to suit your needs.

2.  AdBlocker : I hate ads within the apps and in safari as well. (that's all i can say)

3. BioProtect : Basically using TouchID for all apps. (configurable of course)

4. CCSettings : Gives you many other control center toggle shortcuts, like data on /off, location, 3g/2g, lock screen, reboot, shut down, etc.

5. Color Profiles (the need) : As it seems (told by many Indian Apple authorized service centres), Apple has 3-4 display vendors of which doesn't keep a quality control and thus all these 3-4 vendors provide the displays with different color temperature of the display. So as they said there are three types of displays for iPhone - bluish, whitish and yellowish.
Unfortunately, i have a yellowish tint iPhone 5s, which they consider as normal but looks horrible.
Yeah, so this tweak color profiles, helps you change the color temperature and RGB levels of the display, which helps me make my display look normal.

6. DynamicText : It adds custom text or greetings instead of  " slide to unlock" on the lock screen. It accordingly greets as "Good morning, Vidit"
Looks sweet and personal.

7. Interactive message notification : This adds the quick reply feature with iMessage in iOS 8 to third party messaging apps like whatsapp, kik, line, etc.
Really helpful.

8. NoDelay64 : This disables the delay in showing "slide to unlock" on the lock screen.

9. PortraitLock : It allows you to set the rotation lock for different apps. You simply don't need to unlock the rotation lock for watching videos or while performing other tasks which need landscape viewing.

10. Auxo : It's the best way to use an iPhone so far. Helps in real fast usage of the device.
Check out it's video, words cant describe it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24bqtcatG70

Other great tweaks to check out are Springtomize, WinterBoard, WinterBoard themes, etc.
(these are mainly related to the visual aspects like icons and animations).
I love the stock iOS 8 design so do not wish to tinker with that.

Let me know if this helped you in the comments section below.
Also share your views about various other tweaks and the jailbreak community.
Do post your queries in the comment section below.

Thanks for reading, Cheers!!
Peace.

Here is why you should be picking Android devices from Google's Nexus line-up.

It has been six year since Android's first official release back in 2008, Android has come a long way from being a new operating system for touch devices to capturing around 86% of market for smartphone operating system.
By a chance or then realized by luck i got this opportunity to own one of the Nexus devices, Nexus 4.
First comment on the device after using it for a couple of days was, Want to use Android? Use a Google Android device.
There are few reasons for me to think so about the Google devices, which i realized after months of using the Nexus 4 and a bit of reading.
I am not a technical guy & have absolutely no idea about the technical know-how these devices function, nor am i promoting any device here.
But like all end users, i look for user experience.

I will be talking about mainly two major reasons for going with the Nexus devices:
(Yes, i have used devices of other manufacturers with same or almost same configurations and have had a fair comparison before judging.)

1. The Google standard: Android being under Google, gives Google a deep understanding of the operating system. This helps them select the most suitable hardware standard for the mobile devices which will best support the operating system in order give a complete and the best possible user experience. This reminds me on Johny Ive saying in one of Apple's product introduction video, that, it's the seamless integration between the hardware & the software that makes the device give such a unique & wonderful user experience. Which i believe is the key for Apple as they design both the software & hardware exclusively made for each other. This is what makes the user experience on Apple devices so seamless.
This brings Google to start a new campaign, Android One.
This campaign wholly focuses on improving the Android devices standard, provide great Android experience at cheaper rates & to bring uniformity in user experience. With the increase in competition & the greed for manufacturers to be the number one seller. Low quality hardware are being provided with very cheap handsets as well, which makes it impossible for the users to get the best of Android user experience.
With Android One, the hardware is specified & monitored by Google standards in order to provide the best possible experience at a cheaper rate with mid-range specs. (There are other management techniques used to sell the devices for cheaper rather than low hardware quality.)

2. Update support: The Nexus line devices are the devices to get the latest taste of Android versions for the maximum period. Its been more than two years since the launch of Nexus 4 & it's about to get the Android Lollipop. Nexus devices are the first line of devices to get the latest Android versions.
Also along with Android One program the devices are promised Android updates for two years, just after the Nexus devices gets. This makes the Android One program even more interesting. A Rs. 6,500 android device is promised two years of update to ensure the best possible user experience, whereas, the other devices in the similar price bracket are not ensured a single update (forget about years of updates).

Looking for best user experience within the budget of Rs. 10,000?
The several phones daily launched at cheaper & cheaper rates are tempting?
Hang on & buy the Android One device for Rs.6,500 rather than spending Rs. 10,000 for some other phone. (If & only if you are looking for best user experience)

Or the next best should be the Moto G for Rs.10,000 (approx.) was under Google & is promised the Android Lollipop update (if you are looking for a slight better specs).

A great example of seamless integration between hardware & software & that the numbers in specs don't really matter is iPhone.
iPhone 5s has a dual core 1.3Ghz processor with 1 gig of ram but gives a wonderful user experience with iOS, whereas, many other Android devices offer 2.7Ghz processor with 3 gigs of ram for a much cheaper rates & still not all devices match up to provide the best user experience (talking of non-nexus devices).

Check out the list of Nexus line-up here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Nexus

Also check out current Nexus devices on flipkart.com here:
http://www.flipkart.com/search?q=nexus&as=off&as-show=on&otracker=start

That's it for now, this is Vidit Panchal.
Hope the knowledge shared here is helpful.
Check out my page @ https://www.facebook.com/kenitotechservices