Top 15 Apps To Install After Rooting Your Android Device

Rooting your Android device is an attempt to unleash its full potential, break it free of the chains that bind it. If you’re wondering why you should root your device, you should see our guide on the top 10 reasons to root your Android device. Assuming that you have root access on your device, you might now be wondering what more you could possibly do with it. Because root alone is just a state and you’re not accomplishing much with that. So here are 15 of the best apps that you might need, or you may want to try after you get root access on your Android device.

Titanium Backup

We cannot stress how useful and essential this app is. It will help you backup / restore your apps along with their data, coupled with the ability to freeze system and non system apps.

Download Titanium Backup (Free)

Download Titanium Backup Pro (Paid)

ROM Manager

The one app that you can be sure you will find on almost every other rooted Android device. And why not? This app lets you keep the ClockworkMod recovery for your device up to date, allowing you to flash it as well when launched for the first time. Helps you make Nandroid backups (backups of the entire ROM) and manage them by allowing you to delete a backup or rename it etc. Moreover, if you want to install a custom ROM and are not comfortable doing that through the recovery, you can always install it using ROM Manager, and if the ROM is supported by ROM manager, you can even download it straight from your phone and be notified of any updates of the ROM that may follow.

Download ROM Manager (Free)

Download ROM Manager Premium (Paid)

Market Enabler

Are you missing some apps in the Market? Market Enabler will sort this issue out for you. There are some apps (especially paid apps) that cannot be seen in the Market depending on the region you’re in, where your mobile network identifies that region. With Market Enabler, you can spoof your network to be recognized as any you may choose from its list. The fake network provider can be set to last till your device is rebooted or you can set the app to fake it on boot.

Download Market Enabler (Free)

ShootMe

Unlike iOS, Android does not have a built-in function for grabbing screenshots. While custom ROMs like MIUI or the official HTC Sense 3.0 ROMs have begun offering screen grabbing as a stock function, not all devices and ROMs have this option by default. ShootMe is easily one of the best screenshot tools for your Android device, allowing you to take screenshots by shaking your device, speaking loudly into the mic or by simply blocking the light sensor.

Unfortunately, the app was recently taken off the Android Market by the developer due to reasons he probably knows best. However, since the app was free, there are APK files scattered around the internet, a link to one of which is provided below.

Download ShootMe (Free)

CPU Master

CPU Master is your control room for managing overclocking and underclocking. Here you can set the minimum and maximum frequency of your device’s processor and assign a scaling governor as well. You can also enable Profiles, but that requires the Pro version of the app. If, however, however you do decide to spend a few bucks on an overclocking solution, we would advise you to go for the popular and tried SetCPU. Unfortunately, SetCPU has no free version on the Market, so if you’re not too much into profiling and all, CPU Master (Free) will easily cater for your overclocking needs.

Download CPU Master (Free)

File Expert Or ES File Explorer

Honestly, it was a very hard call to make between the two file managers. Both offer you root-level access to the file system allowing you to modify and play around with the system files. While both boast an FTP server, allowing you to browse your phone wirelessly through a computer, ES File Explorer goes ahead to offer a cloud service as well.

Download File Expert (Free)

Download ES File Explorer (Free)

FTP Droid

 FTPDroid is your simplest solution for wireless access to your Android device’s data and event better, it gives you access to system files as well. FTPDroid is easy and very quick to set up and sticks to what it does best without luring you into the charms of aimless tweaks and settings.

Download FTPDroid (Free)

Quickboot (Reboot)

This app here is a must-have for all those with rooted devices, but on stock ROMs. See, stock ROMs do give you the option to reboot or power off your device, but they lack the advanced power menu that most custom ROMs include these days. However, many of you may not want to move to a custom ROM, and that is exactly why apps like Quickboot exist. It will allow you to reboot your device straight into the bootloader or recovery, thereby removing the need for holding down those button combinations and messing up each time.

 Download Quickboot (Free)

Juice Defender

The ultimate savior of your battery! Juice Defender is the most tried and tested power management app out there for your Android device, designed to enhance your battery life by managing your phone smartly through schedules, triggers and however you may choose to set the app up. This app will definitely make a visible difference to your device’s battery life.

Download Juice Defender (Free) | Plus (Paid) | Ultimate (Paid)

Bird Bar

With Bird Bar, you now have access to your notification panel, even when in a full screen app (such as the Camera and most games). 

Download Bird Bar (Free)

Download Bird Bar Premium (Paid)

Chainfire 3D

Ever wished you could play those awesome Tegra Zone games on your non-Tegra Android device? With Chainfire3D, that is now a possibility. The app here plays around with the OpenGL rendering on your device via configurable OpenGL drivers, enabling your device to play all those Tegra based games out there. 

Download Chainfire3D (Free)

Download Chainfire3D Pro (Paid)

Battery Calibration

One of the simplest yet most useful tools on the Market, Battery Calibration is a must-have tool for users who frequently change ROMs and usually don’t have their devices charged to 100% while they do so. This can cause your battery to be misread, giving you a lower than usual battery life. You can correct that manually by fully charging the phone and wiping the battery stats file via a custom recovery, but that is a hassle that most users would want to avoid. With this app, you will be notified when your phone is fully charged, and when it is, just hit the big Battery Calibration button to wipe battery stats.

Download Battery Calibration

SD Maid – System Cleaning Tool

This small little app here will take care of all the dead files, temporary files, caches, history etc. on your Android device and make sure that your device stays squeaky clean.

Download SD Maid

ScreenCast Video Recorder – Free

ScreenCast is way better than ShootMe when it comes to capturing screencasts. The app records your screen in real time and the result is almost as smooth as when you go through the device itself. So if you ever wanted to record your Android screen (while playing games, for e.g.), you can do so via ScreenCast. The Free version only lets you record up to 30 seconds. For more, you’ll have to buy the Pro version.

Download ScreenCast Video Recorder FREE (Free)

Download ScreenCast Video Recorder (Paid)

AdbWireless

If you’re a geek at heart, whether you just rooted your Android device or it’s been a while, you would possibly know about ADB and some of it’s basic usage. If you do, this app here will rid you of the need to connect your device via USB in order to execute ADB commands. As the name of the app suggests, you can do all that wirelessly.

Download adbWireless

By: Unknown On 01:18

Continue Reading

QUBI: A new Android powered media center for YOUR TV

There are already some serious players in the industry fighting for control over your living room—whether it’s the Roku, the Apple TV, or the Xbox. However, with the growth of devices keen to extend the potential of the humble TV, whether it be by adding gaming capabilities or media streaming options, it’s a little too easy for certain devices to excel at one thing rather than be a great all-rounder. This is where upcoming Kickstarter project, Qubi, features, hoping to do everything you could want, all in one stylish package.

Combining an Android gaming console, local and streaming media center, as well as access to Google Play, Qubi hopes to simplify the entire process for those wanting just the one device under their TV set.

Thanks to the flexibility of Android, Qubi will be able to access all the streaming services that smartphones can already handle, such as Netflix, Hulu+, Pandora, Spotify, and many more. It will also be able to work with Android based gamepads such as the Nyko Playpad, PowerA’s Moga, and Steelseries Free. Plus, there will be a remote, specifically designed for the Qubi, and offering convenient shortcut buttons as well as a backlit QWERTY keyboard.

That’s where Qubi could shine above other existing products—the sheer ease in which you can browse through its Launcher interface, making it a breeze to access all of your entertainment products. It looks set to be the kind of interface that young and old should be able to figure out, ensuring that more time can be spent gaming or watching movies on Netflix, rather than stumbling through an awkward menu system. It’s hard to know whether Qubi has the momentum to truly compete with set top boxes like the Roku, but one thing is for sure: the interface looks fantastic.

That doesn’t stop Qubi being aimed at more technically minded folk, either, however. The code behind the project is available as one of the backer rewards, for those keen to get more actively involved.

With just over three weeks to run on the Kickstarter campaign, it’s early days for Qubi, but also the ideal time to chip in. With a selection of Early Bird offers, potentially saving investors some valuable funds, it’s definitely worth taking a look at.

By: Unknown On 09:47

Continue Reading

Samsung silently launches the Galaxy Core Plus

Back in May of this year, Samsung launched a phone in several Asian and European markets called the Galaxy Core. It had a 4.3 inch screen that pushed 800 x 480 pixels, it had a 5 megapixel camera, and under the hood there was a 1.2 GHz dual core processor and 1 GB of RAM. Today, on Samsung’s Taiwan website, a new device has appeared called the Galaxy Core Plus. So what’s been upgraded? Surprisingly … nothing. In fact, there’s only 768 MB of RAM in the Core Plus compared to 1 GB in the regular Core. About the only thing that’s “good” about the Core Plus is that it ships with Android 4.2 whereas the Core ships with Android 4.1.

Why is Samsung pulling this kind of bullshit with consumers?

We’ll never really know because we don’t have regular meetings with their product managers, but I have a feeling this device was created for logistical reasons. Right now, Samsung sells two devices with 3 GB of RAM, the Note 3 and the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition. That’s enabled thanks to the use of six 768 MB chips. Samsung would rather maximize their output of 768 MB chips than make both 768 MB chips and 512 MB chips, thus explaining (in my mind at least) why the Core Plus exists.

Should you buy the Core Plus? At 7,990 TWD ($270) you’re better off trying to find a used Galaxy S III and then slap a new battery in there. Shouldn’t be too hard in Taiwan given the number of places that sell second hand hardware. I know because I saw those places with my very own eyes earlier this year.

By: Unknown On 09:38

Continue Reading

Samsung launches Galaxy Core Plus with curious step backwards in specs

When is a smartphone upgrade not an upgrade? When it's the Samsung Galaxy Core Plus, which has quietly launched in Taiwan. Although it does use Android 4.2 where the original Galaxy Core ran 4.1, it's carrying just 768MB of RAM and 4GB of expandable storage -- both steps down from the 1GB of RAM and 8GB of space inside its months-old predecessor. Android Beat speculates that Samsung is maximizing its production efficiency with the downgrade; it may be using the same 768MB RAM chips that it also makes for high-end devices like the Galaxy Note 3. Whether or not that's true, it's clear that not much else has changed. The Plus still includes a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 screen, a 5-megapixel rear camera and a front VGA shooter. While the new handset is relatively cheap at NT$ 7,990 ($270 US) off-contract, we'd rather hunt around for a used example of its older, more advanced sibling.

By: Unknown On 09:36

Continue Reading

Samsung Galaxy S5 Rumors: Company Reportedly Working On New Device With Wrap-Around Display

Samsung Galaxy Round may be joined by another device in the Galaxy family that will utilize the same flexible display technology. (Photo : Samsung Tomorrow Official Global Blog)

Samsung Electronics Co. is working on plans to release a new installment in the Galaxy lineup of smartphones sometime next year with a display that wraps around on its edges so that users can read messages or monitor the stock market while looking from an angle.

According to two sources from Bloomberg who are familiar with the plans, the phone will use an upgraded version of the Samsung technology called "Youm," which currently is featured on the curved-display Galaxy Round handset. The two sources requested to remain anonymous since the plans haven't been released by the South Korean giant to the public just yet. The three-sided display would be used in the S or the Note series of flagship smartphones from the company. According to the current plans reportedly in development, each side of the three-sided display will operate independently.

Currently, Samsung is locked in a smartphone rivalary with Apple Inc. to see who can introduce more innovative devices as they brace for a slowdown in the high-end smartphone market. Currently Samsung sells about one of every three devices. Apple is developing new iPhone designs inculuding bigger screens with curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure, according ot a person familiar with the matter said about plans from as late as November 10.

"Samsung is the dominant player," Lee Do Hoon, an analyst at CIMB Group Holdings Bhd in Seoul, said by phone Thursday to Bloomberg News. "That gives it a competitive advantage over Apple in the race to make phones with bendable displays."

Currently the device is simply the subject of rumor as the company hasn't yet announced anything official. As a result there isn't yet a set timeline for the release of such a device.

Are you interested in this new smartphone design from Samsung? Comment and share your thoughts with us below.

By: Unknown On 09:33

Continue Reading

Xolo Play Tab 7.0 Unboxing

Today we unbox the Xolo Play Tab 7.0, the Tegra 3 based gaming-focused tablet that launched a while back. Xolo Play was the first phone from the Indian manufacturer to sport a decent build quality and the Tegra 3 processor. It was clearly focused at gaming and Xolo wants to take it further into the hands of tablet seekers, with the 7 inch Xolo Play Tab. This is pretty much a Nexus 7 2012 repackaged with better materials and a different display. So, how does it look and perform in real? We give you a preliminary look into it in our unboxing video, with a quick overview of the hardware and software, watch -

As you can see from the video above, the box contents are pretty sparse.

Box contents

• Xolo Play Tab 7.0
• In-ear headphones with mic
• micro USB cable
• Travel charger
• Information booklets

The Xolo Play Tab has a pretty huge bezel on the front and resembles a lot of the Nexus 7, like how the Xolo Play smartphone resembled a lot of the HTC One X. The 7 inch display has a resolution of 1280×800 which is pretty sub standard these days, but we can’t complain with the price it comes at. There is a 2 MP front facing camera at the top left of the bezel, which should make for a comfortable field of view in portrait as well as landscape.

The back is made of metal, with textured plastic on the sides. The metal is great for improving the overall build quality but the sides curb our enthusiasm for the product. You might have seen us getting impressed over the sides on the video, but it was snowballed into a bad impression after a few minutes with the device. The plastic on the sides is supposed to be grippy, and it is, somewhat, but only you try to hold it in one hand, it starts to slightly slip. This is way better than the slippery sides of other 7 inch tablets, but still far from ideal. The buttons for volume and power are made of the cheapest quality plastic, which is a huge turn off for an otherwise neatly built tablet. But is it all about the build and design? Not at all, this tablet is focused on gaming and hence we will be letting you know how it is, on those aspects, do keep an eye on our YouTube channel for that.

More pictures of the box contents -

By: Abhishek On 06:34

Continue Reading

Google Glass to get music-related features including song search and streaming via Google Play

As Google accelerates its efforts to make Google Glass wider to the available public, it is adding more features to create a more complete experience on Glass.

The New York Times reports that on Tuesday, Google will release a set of features to let users interact with music on Google Glass. Users will be able to search for songs, scan through saved playlists and listen to music, all by issuing vocal commands to Google Glass.

This probably explains why Google introduced a “mono earbud”for the updated version of Glass that will be released to its Explorer program later this year. The New York Times also says that Google will be introducing a set of earbud headphones for Glass, which will go on sale by the end of this month for $85.

Google Glass will stream music through Google Play when a user names a song or artist. Ed Sanders, the director of marketing for Google Glass, said in a statement to the newspaper that Google is “building a great music experience on Glass” with these new features.

Google has been updating Google Glass before the release of the device to its Explorer program later this year, and an official accessory store quietly came online at the end of last month.

By: Unknown On 00:37

Continue Reading

Google Updates Glass for 2014 Launch

Google Updates Glass for 2014 Launch

 

As tech giant Google is still in the development process and needs to carry out a hackathon, it seems unlikely that a full launch of Google Glass will occur in the beginning of 2014. But even without an official release date, it is safe to say that Google Glass will be available in 2014.

To some people it seems as though Google Glass has already been released, with tons of developer kits out in the wild and numerous reviews already being posted. In reality however, the final version of Glass has yet to come out.

It has been a busy week for Glass as Google released an update for its software  and the company began sending out invitations for a hackathon meant to perfect Glass prior to its official launch. Since the current version of Glass will end up being different from the final product, Google will allow trade-ins early next year so that people have the latest hardware and software for the device.

Software Updates

The latest update for Glass's software, XE11, brings upgrades to Google Calendar integration, navigation, screencasts and setup. All of these updates are meant to smooth out the software, with the intent of making it as clean as possible before Glass hits store shelves.

Google Calendar has been upgraded to allow users to say "OK Glass, google my agenda" or "OK Glass, google what I'm doing next week" in order to attain information regarding their upcoming events. A big change involves Maps, as the software now accepts pre-existing "Home" and "Work" locations as appropriate destinations.

The current tutorial for new users has been replaced presumably with the one Google wants to use at launch. Future Glass customers probably won't receive the personalized setup extended to the developer units and current users can see the new setup tutorial by initiating a factory reset.

Screencasting has been improved as Glass users will now be able to stream content to a nearby Android  device that has the MyGlass app installed. Technically this feature has always been supported but it has been made easier with the addition of a dedicated screencast button.

Hackathon Before Launch

The next phase of Google Glass development will be centered around a hackathon, according to Google's press release from earlier this week. "We'd like to give you a first look at the next phase of the Glass Developer Platform during an exclusive, two-day hackathon in San Francisco," the invite reads. "Not to worry if you don't live near San Francisco. The announcement will be recorded and we'll share the video after the event."

With Venture Glass announcing that its line of prescription, sport, and fashion lenses for Google Glass will be available in early 2014, some consumers are hoping that implies a full launch of Glass before the second quarter.

As Google is still in the development process and needs to carry out a hackathon, it seems unlikely that a full launch will occur in the beginning of 2014. Instead, it seems more likely that a retail version of Glass will come out mid-2014. However, Google is expanding its Glass Explorer program, allowing three friends of current explorers to receive units. Even without an official release date, it is safe to say that Glass will be available in 2014.

By: Unknown On 00:24

Continue Reading

Review: HTC Desire 500

NEW DELHI: Android users are spoilt for choice at every price point now. Which is why every manufacturer of Android phones needs to take a very close look at what the competition is offering and at what price. Desire is the name HTC gives to its mid-range offerings and this phone, the Desire 500, looks decidedly mid-range too.

It has a glossy plastic shell (in white or black) with the screen taking up most of the front. It has HTC's Sense interface which most people are comfortable with. It also includes BlinkFeed, HTC's Flipboard-like addition to the home screen which pulls information/ news from various sources.

We feel that at this kind of price, it's not about out-and-out performance but more about usability and features. For starters, the HTC is a nice size to hold. It has more than adequate performance on tap and the interface never feels laggy. The cameras take good quality photos and the battery life is decent too (about a day). We wish that it included 1080p video recording (it only does 720p from either camera), better quality materials (instead of the smudgefriendly gloss) and more internal storage (only 1GB is available to the user out of the box).

While the Desire 500 does nothing wrong, it doesn't excel in any area either. Would you really want to spend that much and get a 'small' 4.3-inch screen? Get Lenovo's dual SIM P780; 5-inch 720p screen, 1.2Ghz quad core processor and way better battery life for Rs 18,000. If you could spend about Rs 25,000, Lenovo's K900 (quad core, unibody, 5.5-inch full HD screen) is a steal. And finally, LG's new G Pro Lite Dual (Rs 22,000) also whips the Desire 500 in terms of overall features.

SPECIFICATIONS

1.5Ghz quad core, 1GB RAM, 4GB + microSD, 4.3-inch (800 x 480 pixels) LCD, 8MP rear + 1.6MP front cam, Android 4.1, 1,800mAh battery, 123 grams

Price: Rs 21,290

Positive: Good performance for a mid-range dual SIM Android, smart design

Negative: Glossy back panel, no 1080p video recording, low resolution display, too expensive

ALSO SEE

Lenovo P780

1.2Ghz quad core processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB + microSD, 5-inch (1280 x 720) IPS, 8MP rear + 1.2MP front cam, Android 4.2, 4,000mAh, 176 grams.

Price: Rs 18,000

By: Unknown On 10:27

Continue Reading