Performing a factory or hard reset of any device regularly will
improve performance and clear up certain bugs that may have been
lingering from dodgy apps, previous firmware update hiccups or just
prolonged usage and lag. Considering just how many Galaxy S4 and even Galaxy S3
owners have said that they're happy to stay put with their device in
the face of the underwhelming Galaxy S5, refreshing the Galaxy S3's
performance seems pretty timely. Here's how to do it (it also works on
the S4).
Which reset option to choose?
You have a couple of options when it comes to resetting your device. Firstly you can choose between a basic factory reset, which I consider to be done via the settings menu on the device and a hard reset
which is done via a hardware button combination and the recovery menu –
it gives you more options for wiping data, cache and partitions. The
other thing you need to consider is whether you want your full system
reinstalled after the reset or just your apps and personal data.
This is the quick and easy reset option and will wipe your data from
the device but not affect your SIM or SD card if you have either of them
installed. No reset will affect your SIM contents but some people are a
little paranoid regardless, so if you're one of them just take it out
first (along with your SD card if you like). Then go to settings,
''backup and reset'' and hit ''factory data reset'', then ''reset
device'' and ''delete all''. You can achieve the same result using the Android code *2767*3855# from the dialer.
When it comes to phablets the Samsung Galaxy Note variants are the
best ones around and no device or set of devices have managed to
dethrone them.
The problem is whenever one of these devices is released, it usually
carries a price tag that scares even the most fervent admirers. The
latest Galaxy Note 3
came out at a price of $299 on most major carriers in the United States
and $349 on Sprint which is a bit too much for a gadget. This is of
course on a 2 year contract.
If you’ve always wanted to get a
Galaxy Note 3 then there is some great news for you. Following the
release or impending release of the Galaxy S5, the price of the Note 3 has dropped. Of course, this is on the web.
Don’t bother going to your network provider and asking why the price
hasn’t gone down. Instead you want to go on Amazon and look for the
device. Sprint’s version of the phone is now going for $149 on a two
year deal.
Despite this price, it is still cheaper than the deal with your
network provider. The phone comes in black and white variants and it is
best to secure this deal now since we don’t know how long the promotion
will last.
Do you think that this is an attractive price for the Galaxy Note 3
and would you upgrade at this price? Please leave us a comment below and
we will get back to you.
Here at Android Authority we’re eagerly awaiting the launch
of Oppo’s latest handset in just over a week’s time, and to feed our
addiction, some new picture of the smartphone, along with some specs,
have appeared on the Red Dot Design award website. Strangely, the
listing appears to have subsequently disappeared
from the Red Dot website, so we can assume that it was posted a little
too early. Even so, that doesn’t stop us from having a peek at Oppo’s
sleek design.
According to the Red Dot description, before it was removed, the
phone has a metal frame and the “glass and the frame will become
seamless”. There’s also a “crescent-shaped” LED notification light built
into the bottom of the phone, as you can see in the image below.
The Oppo Find 7 is also shaping up to be a decent piece of kit in the hardware department, with Oppo already teasing
a 2560×1400 display version of the handset, alongside a more
standardized 1920×1080 version as well. The product description also
mentioned that the Find 7 would contain a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
quad-core processor and that it would support TD-LTE 4G wireless
networks. There’s also further confirmation of the 5.5 inch display with
a resolution of 2560×1440, and the mention of a 13 Megapixel camera.
Sadly the specs listed seem to quash last week’s rumor of a 50 Megapixel camera, unless the two different versions of Oppo’s new handset will also ship with two different camera variations as well.
What do you make of the Oppo Find 7’s looks and specs? Are you excited for the handset’s official unveiling on March 19th?
The two hottest smartphones of the moment are clearly the Samsung
Galaxy S5 and the Sony Xperia Z2. Tech sites, social media, and blogs
are teeming with comments favoring one device over another. The
difference between them may be small, but for people planning a purchase
in the following months, it’s important to know which is better.
So, what’s the hottest Android device of the moment? What would you pick between the Galaxy S5 and the Xperia Z2? Join us in the discussion, vote in our poll, and sound off in the comments!
By adding the PRO moniker to its latest line of tablets, Samsung was
making it clear that uncompromising performance is what defines its
latest series. The smallest of the bunch may quite easily be the best
mid-sized, but not mid-range, tablet currently available. Here’s our
in-depth review of the Samsung Galaxy TabPRO 8.4!
At a glance
Pros
Absolutely stunning high resolution display
Nice light weight
Expandable storage
Can be used as TV remote
Very quick performance
Cons
Touchwiz still lacking
Battery can withdrawn quickly if used in a demanding fashion
Design
When it comes to design, the TabPRO 8.4 looks a lot like a blown up
Galaxy Note 3. With the flat profile all around and slightly rounded
corners, it’s an unassuming design, until you get to the back, which
features the same faux leather plastic that was also first introduced
with the Note 3.
In the first article of the Android Design Corner series
we looked at the very basic definition of design, and where Android’s
current state fell within those terms. But that was simply an
introduction. Today we go beyond the basic definition and begin to lay
the foundation for what design really is.
Google released a new update to Google Play Games that bumps the app from version 1.1 to version 1.5, adding a couple features along the way, but nothing truly groundbreaking.
When Google first launched its games service it let you join
multiplayer games right from the Google Play Games app, and the latest
update goes a tiny bit further. Now you can view all you game invites
from within Google Play Games, making it easier to see all the games
your friends want to challenge you to play.
Speaking of friends, the new version of Google Play Games lets you
see who among your friends are playing certain games. The page for each
game now includes a section for the people in your Google+
circles that shows you who is playing that particular game, or at least
has the game. That way you can tell if you’re going to like a game or
not simply based on who among your friends is playing it.
Finally, there’s a few changes to the app that are relatively minor.
Setting, for example, is no longer part of the action bar, instead
Google moved it to the sidebar. The sidebar now also says “Find Games”
instead of “Recommended Games,” and includes a new “Matches” option that
shows all your game invites.
Otherwise, the new Google Play Games is essentially the same as the
version that was available yesterday. There’s nothing groundbreaking to
make you use it if you haven’t before, or to make those who do use it
want to use it less. It’s just a nice update for existing users that
adds one nice feature and a few welcome changes.
Do you use Google Play Games? Or do you mostly play single-player games on your phone?
Following last month’s Note 3 KitKat update for Sprint and US Cellular
users, we have now received several tips that confirm the Android 4.4.2
update is now starting to roll out to T-Mobile customers as well.
From the sounds of it, not much is new here, just like what we’ve
seen with other KitKat-based GS4 and Note 3 upgrades. While we don’t
have an official change-log just yet, the most obvious change is that
you get KitKat and all the new features that come with it. There are also a few minor visual changes, like the new all-white status bar icons.
The most obvious change is that you get KitKat and all the new features that come with it
If you have yet to receive a notification letting you know an update is waiting, you can always check manually by going into Settings> About Device> Software Update.
Just keep in mind that it may take at least a few days to reach
everyone, so don’t be too shocked if your device says you have the most
current update available. So how about it, have you received an update
for Android 4.4.2 KitKat on your T-Mobile Note 3? If so, how did the
installation go and are there any other changes worth mentioning? Let us
know in the comments! Thanks to Lance and xtriker360 for both sending us a tip!
The latest Sony’s Smartphone has been introduced at MWC (Mobile World
Congress) -2014; this premium flagship is Sony Xperia Z2 which is a
successor model of the Sony Xperia Z1.The all new Sony Z2 is 0.2 in
larger than Xperia Z1, even though it is quite light and much thinner as
compare to its predecessor.
Here's everything you need to know about Sony's upcoming
Xperia flag-bearer, which was just launched at Mobile World Congress in
Barcelona.
Z1 DNA
The Xperia Z2 looks and feels a lot like its predecessors the Xperia
Z, Z1 and Z1 compact: there's a similar mix of glass and metal, the
former on both the front and back and the latter at the sides, and the
two elements are joined seamlessly (even more so than on the Z1). Sony's
engineers have done a top notch job: it's every bit as well put
together as an iPhone 5S. And
it's just as water- and dustproof as its Z forebears. The Z2 can be
submerged for up to 30 minutes in up to 1.5m of water, so neither the
British weather nor your bathtub pose any danger.
There are a number of differences from the Z1, naturally. The screen
is 5.2in rather than 5in but thanks to a skinnier bezel the phone feels
the same size in your hand, and the edges are a little more rounded. The
handset's pretty thin on the whole, in fact: 8.2mm.
The Z2 will come in four different colour finishes: black, white, dark silver and a Cadbury-esque purple.
While most manufacturers have turned to metal as the primary material
for their top of the range smartphones, Samsung has remained resolutely
committed to plastic (or “polycarbonate” if you want to be all
lah-di-dah about it). This was true of the Galaxy S4 and it’s true of
the Galaxy S5 – although the newer model represents a definite evolution
in build quality and looks.
Yes, the S5 has a plastic body, but the matte, dimpled soft-touch
feel is a level above the smooth, shiny S4’s exterior. It’s also a more
solidly built phone overall, with less creaky flex in it and, more
importantly, full protection against dust and water. So the verdict here
is: yes, the S5 is still a plastic phone – but it’s a better class of
plastic phone. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S5
Screen: As you were
While there had been rumours
that Samsung would equip the Galaxy S5 with a 2560 x 1440 quad HD
screen, but as it turned out the company stuck with trusty 1080p. And we
can’t really fault them for that: full HD is plenty of pixels for a
smartphone – on the S5’s 5.1in screen it works out to a pixel density of
around 432ppi.
The S4 also has a 1920 x 1080 screen, albeit one that is a little
smaller at 5in (which gives it a slightly higher pixel density of
441ppi).
Both screens use AMOLED technology, but we haven’t yet had a chance
to compare them directly to see if the S5 can offer any noticeable image
quality improvement over the (already excellent) S4. We’ll have to call
this one a tie for now, pending the arrival of our S5 review sample. Winner: undecided for now
Power stations
Both
phones have 2GB of RAM and a choice between 16GB and 32GB of expandable
storage (there’s also a 64GB S4), but the Galaxy S5 (unsurprisingly)
comes with a faster processor than the phone it’s replacing: a quad-core
Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 running at 2.5GHz opposed to the S4’s quad-core
Snapdragon 600 running at 1.9GHz.
There’s talk of a possible octo-core Exynos S5 arriving in the near
future (there’s an octo-core version of the S4 too, although it’s not
available in the UK), but Samsung has yet to confirm anything.
While we haven’t had a chance to benchmark the Galaxy S5 yet, it’s
clearly going to have the beating of its predecessor on the processing
power front. The only question is by how much.
In terms of battery life, the S4 sports a 2600mAh power plant while
the S5 offers 2800mAh. Given the slight increase in screen size and
power we’d imagine battery life will work out fairly similar, although
we’ll have to run some real-world tests to find out for certain. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S5
Photography class
The camera is another area
where the S5 offers a steady improvement over its predecessor: instead
of a 13MP sensor, it has 16MP. Both cameras offer 1080p video, but the
S5 ups the stakes with a 4K option as well as supporting 120fps (at
lower resolutions) for slow-motion shooting. While we’re obviously a fan
of new tech, 4K video is something that very few S5 users will be able
to watch back – at least for a while.
Samsung claims the S5 camera’s autofocus is the fastest on any phone
currently available (as quick as 0.3 seconds) and that it also has an
improved high dynamic range shooting mode, the effects of which are
previewed when you’re composing shots. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S5
Feature face-off
Samsung
is always loading its Galaxy S phones with interesting (some might say
gimmicky) features, and the S5 is no exception: the biggest new
additions are the fingerprint scanner (worse than the iPhone 5s’, better
than the HTC One Max’s) and the rear-mounted heart rate monitor, which
works with an improved S Health app to boost the S5’s fitness tracking
credentials.
It also offers the same S Voice speech-activated search as the S4, as
well as the same Smart Screen eye-tracking and Air View finger tracking
capabilities that let you quickly scroll though photo galleries and the
like without touching the screen.
Both phones run on Android 4.4 KitKat (the S4 after an upgrade) and feature Samsung’s TouchWiz UI laid on top. Winner: Samsung Galaxy S5
Verdict
Well,
you probably don’t need to read this section to work out that the S5 is
a better phone than the S4 – Samsung wouldn’t have released it
otherwise. The performance difference may end up being fairly small (we
won’t know until we’ve fully tested the S5) but in terms of features,
design and build quality the S5 is comfortably better than the phone
it’s replacing.
Of course, it’ll also cost you a fair bit more, and if you’re in the
market for a bargain the S4 remains a very impressive smartphone indeed.
After all, it’s only a year old and at the time of its launch it was
arguably the most powerful phone in the world.
With Samsung officially unveiling the Galaxy S5 at Mobile
World Congress, we finally have confirmation of the Korean company’s
next flagship smartphone.
Read on for all the details.
Samsung isn’t shy when it comes to loading its top-of-the-range
phones with headline-grabbing specs, and the Galaxy S5 is no different.
Centre stage is its quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor, which runs at a
blistering 2.5GHz. This chip, paired with 2GB of RAM, means the phone
shouldn’t have any bother smoothly running any app you throw at it. One
thing to note: it isn’t 64-bit – that’s probably going to be a feature
of next year’s Samsung flagship.
The phone comes with Android 4.4 KitKat and a new version of
Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. There’s no word yet on whether or not a
stock Android Google Play or Nexus edition will be be available.
Meanwhile, a 2800mAh battery should give the S5 enough juice to
easily last a day (Samsung claims 21 hours of talk time), and as with
previous Galaxy S phones it’s swappable.
You also get a choice between 16GB and 32GB of expandable storage
(you can add up to 64GB extra via microSD), and there’s a microUSB 3.0
port for quick transfer speeds.
On the connectivity front, there’s both 4G LTE (supporting the speedy
Category 4) and fifth generation Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 2X2 MiMo, plus a
feature called Download Booster which uses both Wi-Fi and 4G
simultaneously to download files more speedily.
Considering the company "Apple " to keep the rear camera currently
available smart phones in the new style of " iPhone ", which is
fashioned to be launched this year under the name " iPhone 6 ." A
source familiar with the "Apple " that the company intends to provide
the phone " iPhone 6 " camera background accurately 8 megapixels , the
same precision available in camera phones , " iPhone 4S " and " iPhone 5
" and " iPhone 5 C " and " iPhone 5 S. , " to do some upgrades in the camera. The source added that the developments "Apple " in the camera will
focus on the power of the camera in the imaging places the dark , where
will receive sensor stronger and aperture lens allow the passage of as
much of the light and installed an optical image (OIS) developed , in
addition to the lens is made of sapphire , made by the company. The source pointed out , via an account on the social site Weibo
Chinese , that would be the type of sensor and CMOS Stsnah " Sony " ,
while the rest of the components of the camera will make my company, "
LG " and " Sharp " . And those statements come at the same time in which the earlier
reports that "Apple " model tested for 10 megapixel camera with a
supplied phone " iPhone 6 " , which is a camera that filters received a
new company took over the development of JSR Japanese . In another window , a picture leaked on the Internet purportedly of
the front of the phone " iPhone 6 ", which is the part that appeared
different in design from the rest of the old models of phones "Apple "
smart . The back of the front part of the phone without the side edges , which
increases the measurement of the screen without having the company to
increase the overall size of the device, where the image shows that the
new version of the same size as a phone " iPhone 5 feed ." The
" Apple " did not reveal yet any information about her new smart , but
some reports confirmed the possibility of launching the phone in two
versions , including a copy bearing screen with the largest measurement
of phones " iPhone " current, characterized by the measurement of the
screen no more than 4 inches .
Microsoft is reportedly looking to bring Xbox Live to Android and iOS, possibly bringing achievements and cross-platform play to more smartphones and tablets.
The second device in a new trio of budget-friendly smartphones
launched by Lenovo at MWC 2014, the S850 does manage to impress in some
key aspects. Here’s our first look and hands on with the Lenovo S850!
KitKat upgrade love is coming to a couple more T-Mobile devices. The T-Mobile LG G2 is ready to update now and T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is expected as soon as Monday.
We can’t stress enough just how nicely designed the Xperia Z2 really
is, both in terms of look and feel. Sony’s new handset is a sleek,
sturdy feeling device, with softer, curved edges, which really helps the
device sit comfortably in your hand. The Xperia Z2 maintains a very
similar appearance and the same dual glass finish as Sony’s previous
flagship smartphones. The handset’s water resistance works a treat too
At MWC 2014 Nokia finally gave the world what many folks having been asking for, Nokia handsets that run on the power of Android.
Unfortunately, none of three Nokia Android devices are exactly what we
think of when it comes to a typical Android device, due to a very
customized Android-based UI and the lack of Google apps
Google
should already be preparing for its annual I/O event which is slated to
happen on June 25th of this year. Naturally, the rumour mill is going
into overdrive with speculation about what Google has in store with
regards to its Nexus tablet, which is rumoured to be the Nexus 8
When Samsung finally presented the Galaxy S5 on Monday, the entire tech world was quick to classify the new ‘flagship’ as boring, lacking innovation and offering barely anything new in comparison to its predecessor, the Galaxy S4. That’s why we’ve taken a closer look today and compared the two Samsung smartphones to see if it is worth upgrading
Will a SanDisk 128GB MicroSDXC card work in your phone or tablet
Officially, SanDisk has only announced support for the Samsung Galaxy S5. But technically, SanDisk’s 128GB card should work in any device that supports the MicroSDXC standard (buy/use at own risk). We went through the painstaking effort of documenting every single device that SanDisk claims is compatible with the 128GB card.
