Top Apps to Tweak and Improve your Android phone

A list of apps worth considering for users who want widgets and real-time analysis of what is happening inside their Android smartphone. Also includes tools that can tweak CPU settings and speed of your rooted smartphone.

Android is the most flexible and customisable mobile platform today and one has access to a number of apps with multiple uses. If you are one those who is interested in the hardware and wants to know what is cooking inside your Android device, then we have some apps that will not only give you access to system information but also provide certain tools to tweak the system hardware. Of course to change some settings you need to have a rooted Android device, so a word of caution for those who are new to Android devices.

CPU-Z

You probably have seen this on Windows as well where it tells you information about your hardware, processor speeds, clock speeds and more. The Android app gives you information about the following:
- SoC (System On Chip) name, architecture, clock speed for each core
- System information : device brand & model, screen resolution, RAM, storage
- Battery information : level, status, temperature
- Sensors

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System Monitor

This app gives information including OS Build, CPU, Memory, Telephony, Networks, WiFi, Storage, Battery, Camera, Display, Sensors. There are also some monitors including a CPU Monitor which displays a graph of the current CPU load, a Memory monitor which displays a graph of memory usage and a Battery monitor which displays a graph of battery usage. The app also has its own Task Manager, an app manager and a bunch of widgets which give you real-time information right on your homescreen.

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No-frills CPU control

You will require a rooted Android device for this application as it requires special administrative privileges. This allows you to change your CPU frequencies and also to use the highest supported frequency of the CPU which can help in gaining some extra performance.  You can also reduce the frequency of the CPU so that it uses less battery.

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System Info Droid

A simple looking app that gives you system and hardware information about your Android device and it also comes with a widget which provides info about your CPU Temperature, Frequency and CPU Usage. Other features of the app include:

- Processor info (Cores, Max Frequency, Real Time Frequency)
- Device info (Android version, Kernel, Compilation )
- Graphics Processing Unit info (GPU, OpenGL, Vertex and Texture Units)
- RAM Memory info (Total RAM, Available RAM)
- Storage Space info (Internal, External, SD Card)
- Display info (Screen Resolution, Screen Size, Density, Refresh Rate)
- Camera info (Megapixels, Flash Modes, Focal Length, Focus Modes, Effects)
- Temperature info ( System temperature and Battery Temperature )
- Sensors info (Accelerometer, Orientation, Magnetic Field, GPS, Light, Gravity )
- Export your System Report by E-mail
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CPU Tuner

CPU tuner gives you access to control your CPU speed and in turn helps you to have control over the power consumption of your Android device. You can also overclock your smartphone, although it isn’t advisable as there are chances you will damage it. There are also some profiles that can automatically switch on/off services of the device like mobile data, Wi-fi, etc.  This app also requires a rooted Android device.

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How to Dual Boot Ubuntu on Your Android Device

         Canonical has been developing Ubuntu for Devices for a while. Unfortunately, it hasn't exactly been easy to play around with it. However, if you've wanted to try it (and own a recent Nexus device), it's never been easier to dual boot.

Recently, Canonical announced an update to its Ubuntu Dual Boot app—which allows you to run Ubuntu and Android side by side—that makes it easier to update Ubuntu for Devices (the name for the phone and tablet version of Ubuntu) directly on your device itself. This means that not only can you try out Ubuntu without ruining your phone, but you can see all the sweet new changes as they happen without much fuss. Sounds like a win-win for tinkerers.

Disclaimers: Ubuntu for Devices is still in a Developer Preview right now. As such, it is probably not feature complete enough to be your daily driver. Hence why we're dual-booting. Naturally, you should expect some bumps in the road. Additionally, Ubuntu uses HTML5 for its apps, but many "apps" on the platform are actually just the regular mobile sites. Even some of the included ones (like Twitter). At the time of this writing, some "apps" prompt you to install an Android app when you first run them. Don't do this. Ubuntu is not built on Android and Android apps won't run on it. Attempting to install them—or even opening a link to the app—can break things.

 

What You'll Need

To get started installing Ubuntu Dual Boot (and subsequently Ubuntu itself), here's what you'll need:

• A Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (2013), or Nexus 10: These three are currently the only officially and actively supported Android devices. If you don't have one of these phones or tablets, you can check out the list of unofficially supported devices in the user-ported section here. Our guide, however, will focus on these three. They must also be running Android 4.4.2, so if you haven't updated yet, now's a good time.
• Root access: Before you install Ubuntu, you'll need to make sure your phone or tablet already has root. Fortunately, the three Nexuses we're looking at can all use the fastboot oem unlock method. If you're not rooted first, take care of that and come back.
• An Ubuntu installation (Not a Live CD): In order to install Ubuntu Dual Boot, you'll need desktop Ubuntu installed on your computer. Unfortunately, the Live CD version won't allow you to install the necessary components. However, if you have around 25GB of free on a spare drive, you can install it relatively painlessly.
• ADB: You're going to need ADB installed to set up dual boot (and to root your device, if you haven't yet). Fortunately, in most modern Linux distros, you can do so with a simple command. In Ubuntu, open up a terminal and enter the following: sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb
• Around 2.7GB of free space on your device: Ubuntu for Devices is going to need about 2.7GB of space for the OS and related files. If you're low on space, clear some out before you begin.

Once you've got everything set up, you're ready for the main event.

How to Install Ubuntu Dual Boot :-

Canonical has created a (relatively) simple script to install the requisite dual boot app on your Android device. Once you've covered all your bases in the last section, fire up Ubuntu and perform the following:

Enable USB Debugging

First, you'll need to enable USB debugging on your phone or tablet, if it's not already. Here's how to do so:

1. On your tablet, open the Settings app and select "About tablet."
2. Tap "Build number" seven times to enable developer mode.
3. Go back to the main Settings menu.
4. Tap the newly-accessible Developer options.
5. Enable USB debugging.

Once that's complete, connect your tablet to your computer with a micro USB cable.

Install the Ubuntu Dual Boot App

Next, download the Ubuntu Dual Boot installer script from here to your home directory. Then follow these instructions:

1. Open a Terminal window (Ctrl+Alt+T).
2. Run the following command to make the script executable: chmod +x dualboot.sh
3. Execute the script by running this command: ./dualboot.sh

Note: In my tests with a Nexus 7 on a clean Ubuntu install, the script got caught in a loop attempting to execute a curl command (as seen below). If this happens to you, close the Terminal window, open a new one, and run the following command to install the package: sudo apt-get install curl This will install the necessary component. Once that's done, run the dual boot installation script again

Download and Install Ubuntu for Devices

The script will run automatically and reset your device several times. Once it's done, your phone or tablet should boot back up to the Android home screen. From there, open the new Ubuntu Dual Boot app from your app drawer. Then:

1. Tap "Choose channel to install."
2. Select a download channel (Canonical recommends "utopic").
3. Tap "Grant" when asked for superuser access.
4. Once Ubuntu is finished downloading and installing, tap Reboot to Ubuntu.

Congratulations! You now have Ubuntu running on your phone or tablet. Now you just need to access it.

How to Switch Between Android and Ubuntu

Unlike many other dual boot solutions, you don't choose which operating system you want at startup. Instead, once you've booted into Android, open the Ubuntu Dual Boot app and tap "Reboot to Ubuntu". Your device will then restart into Ubuntu. No matter which OS you're in, however, a hard reset will always boot to Android. This is usually performed by holding down the power button for about ten seconds. There's also a Dual Boot app in Ubuntu for switching back to Android if you prefer.

You can also update Ubuntu from either the Ubuntu Dual Boot app in Android, or from the system settings in Ubuntu. However, both methods require you to be in Android to actually install the update, so it's probably best to just boot into Android first when it's time to update anyway.

Waze-You Will Never Be Lost

 So What Does Waze have it for you........

1. Waze built a platform that lets the public share what it knows without the need for gatekeepers or mediators — that is, media. That’s how it keeps content costs at a minimum and scales around the world.

2. Waze does that first by automatically using the technology in our pockets to — gasp! — track us live so it can tell how fast we are going and thus where the traffic jams are. And we happily allow that because of the return we get — freedom from traffic jams and faster routes to where we’re going.

3. Waze does that next by easily enabling commuters to share alerts — traffic, stalled car, traffic-light camera, police, hazard, etc — ahead. It also lets commuters edit each others’ alerts (“that stalled car is gone now”).

4. Waze rewards users who contribute more information to the community — note I said to the community, not to Waze — by giving them recognition and greater access to Waze staff, which only improves Waze’s service more quickly.

5. Waze lets users record their own frequent destinations — work, home, school, and so on — so they can easily navigate there.

6. This means that Google as Waze’s new owner will now reliably know where we live, work, and go to school, shop, and so on. We will happily tell Waze/Google this so we get all of Waze’s and Google’s services. Google will be able to give us more relevant content and advertising. We will in turn get less noise. Everybody happy now?

How could, say, a local newspaper company learn from this ? 

1. Use platforms that enable your communities to share what they know with each other and without you getting in the way.

2. Add value to that with functionality, help, effort (but not articles).

3. If you knew where users lived and worked and went to school — small data, not big data — you could start by giving them more relevant content from what you already have.

4. You could give them more relevant advertising — “going to the store again? here are some deals for you!” — increasing their value as a customer by leaps and dollars.

5. You could learn where you should spend your resources — “gee, we didn’t know we had a lot of people who worked up there, so perhaps we should start covering that town or even that company.”

Moto E : Top Ten reasons to buy....

Priced at Rs 6,999 only, its hard to ignore the all new Moto E as Motorola says that its "priced for all". The company made a big comeback in the mobile phone market with its mid-range wonder Moto G which is still a great buy at its price. Even its higher-end Moto X has been doing great as compared to smartphones from other manufacturers. With the new Moto E, Motorola breaks even more barriers and gives you some exceptional features at a very affordable price. Here are the 10 reasons why we think that you should buy the Moto E.

1. KitKat to boot
It is quite rare to hear that a cheaply priced smartphone runs on the latest version of Android. Companies other than Motorola keep launching new smartphones that cost a lot more than the Moto E but are still unable to launch them with the latest taste of Android OS. Motorola defies that concept and gives you Moto E with the latest version of Android right out of the box. The smartphone features Android 4.4.2 KitKat.

 

2. Android updates

Motorola promises that all of its phones will be among the first ones (apart from Nexus devices) to recieve the latest Android updates. It says that Moto E "will receive at least one software update to bring it up to date with the current KitKat 4.4.3 operating system." Looking at the development of Android by Google, Moto E is likely to recieve even more updates in future as Android becomes even more optimized for low-end phones. Working closely with Google gives Motorola even more advantage in the race to latest Android updates. So far, Motorola has delivered in this matter on all of its Android devices.

3. Specifications

An Android smartphone that costs only Rs 6,999 featuring such specifications is quite exceptional. Even the Indian manufacturers, who are known to launch low-cost devices with good hardware, will find it difficult to tackle Motorola on this front. Also, the way these specs handle KitKat is superb. There is no lag and navigation feels smooth except a few hiccups while browsing heavy sites or gaming. 1GB of RAM gives enough space to run multiple apps at the same time.

4. Build quality and design

Moto E feels just as premium as the Moto G. It has a similar design with a curved back and the glossy front panel. The phone feels solid in hand as it weighs almost the same as its bigger brother. As we have always stressed, the phones with these screen dimensions sizes are the ideal size for a durable smartphone. The phone neither feels too large nor does it feel too small. It's perfect for one-hand operation and is made of excellent polycarbonate plastic that feels smooth and premium unlike other low-cost phones.

5. Battery life

One of the strongest features of Moto E is its battery. The smartphone packs a 1980mAh battery which is excellent for such a low-cost phone. This battery packs enough juice to last a full day of single charge. It is marginally smaller than the one on Moto G which packs a 2070mAh battery but considering the lower-end hardware, the battery on Moto E is more than good enough to keep you connected to your networks throughout the day. Motorola rightly claims that Moto E has the "power to last".

6. Gorilla glass 3 protection and Nano Coating

Motorola surprised everyone at the launch event when it announced that the Moto E features high-end screen protection. Such protection has only been found on premium devices that cost way much more. Moto E comes with the best screen protection which truly makes it "built to last". With such a high-class protection of Gorilla Glass 3 for your screen, you don't need to worry about everyday scratches. Also, Moto E doesn't just have Gorilla Glass 3 protection to help you worry less about your phone. It also features Nano Coating which makes it water resistant to occasional splashes. So even if your Moto E got wet or fell in water, it still has much better chances of surviving as compared to any other phone in its category. Water-proofing features were a thing of premium high-cost smartphones only. Motorola shows that its possible on low-cost devices as well. We will put the feature to a test in our detailed review soon.

7. Screen quality

At 4.3 inches, the screen on the Moto E is the best in its class. Currently, no other phone in its category beats the quality of the display on this phone. The display is bright and at a resolution of 960x540 pixels, it is sharp enough as well. It features a respectable 256ppi (pixles per inch) which makes reading text easy and, photos and videos look great. Even while zooming in on text in websites, the text looks sharp and easy to read. For this price, it is clearly the best screen on a smartphone in its class. It also features smudge-proof coating on the front which keeps it clean of the usual residue left by touches and dust.

 

8. Accessories and support

Just like the Moto G, Moto E comes with a wide range of cases and covers known as Motorola Shells which are sold separately. Users will get a wide variety of colors to choose from. Motorola gives 9 colors for Shells and 5 different colors for its Grip shells, which are designed to provide protection from physical damage. The Shells give your phone a different personality with each different cover. You can buy your desired color shell on Flipkart which is also the lone seller of the Motorola devices in India.

9. Compact and comfortable

Featuring dimensions of 124.8x64.8x12.3 (mm), Moto E is compact and durable. It easily fits into the pockets and is easy to carry around. It weighs 142 grams, which is quite ideal. Just like the Moto G, its ergonomics are designed to fit well in hand. It might be quite thick in the middle but its very slim towards the edges (6.2mm). This gives it a sleek look and makes it extremely comfortable to use. Even the curve on the back makes it easier to hold especially while moving or walking around.

 

10. It's a Moto

Motorola is undoubtedly a trusted mobile phone brand. It has already sold millions of smartphones in India, Brazil and many countries of Europe. Not only does it provide excellent products, it also gives an excellent after-sale support. After-sales support has been a huge problem for Indian manufacturers who are able to provide good devices at reasonable rates. With Moto E, you don't have to worry about such problems. Also with a Motorola device, you can always rely on the company with the best possible Android experience and support.

Moto E is a marvellous smartphone which is tailor-made for users who want excellent value at a very affordable price. It might be missing features like flash and a front camera but looking at its price, it is the currently the best phone that Rs 6,999 can buy right now.

RoboCop 2014 1020p Blu-ray

 RoboCop 2014

    RoboCop is a 2014 American science fiction action film directed by José Padilha. It is a remake of the 1987 film of the same name and reboot of the RoboCop franchise. The film stars Joel Kinnaman in the title role, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson.

In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy - a loving husband, father and good cop - is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer.

 

Director: José Padilha

Writers: Joshua Zetumer (screenplay), Edward Neumeier

Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton |

Box office :

    On the film's opening day in the United States and Canada, it grossed $2,808,698 in 3,372 theaters, ranked #1 ahead of The Lego Movie, The Monuments Men and Ride Along. It ranked #3 for its opening weekend, earning $21.5 million.As of 11 May 2014, it has grossed $58,486,409 and a further $183,734,000 internationally, for a total worldwide gross of $242,220,409.

Critical response:

RoboCop received mixed reviews. On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 49% rating based on 185 reviews, with an average score of 5.5/10. The site's consensus states: "While it's far better than it could have been, José Padilha's RoboCop remake fails to offer a significant improvement over the original. On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average based on selected critic reviews, the film has a score of 52 (indicating "mixed or average reviews") based on 41 reviews.

Direct Download link-- Click here to download

Top Tech Things This Week

Every week the Technology world shows us the reason why we love tech so much. In this ever changing tech world , its almost impossible to stay on top of things. However here is the tech thats worth notice this week.....

1. Lytro Illum

 When Lytro first introduced their light field camera, it looked and worked like a toy.This time around the company has taken a more serious approach to design and optics, also adding better materials and larger sensors. New software and a new way to click pictures lets users think of Lytro Illum as a more usable camera. Or so the company claims anyway. The Illum is currently on Pre-Order for US $ 1599.

2. The HTC One M8

 

 The HTC One M8 has been launched in India, at a price of Rs. 49,900, an impressive price for an impressive handset. The Qualcom Snapdragon 801 powered HTC One M8is not only snappy on the inside its beautiful on the outside. The HTC One M8 brings Lytro’s tech seen in the camera above into a more usable day to day scenario. The HTC One M8 has a dual camera setup that lets users refocus images, after the fact

3. The GL 63 AMG

 As far as vehicles go the new GL 63 AMG takes the centre stage. Announced to be made available in India for a whopping Rs. 1.66 Crore as the starting price, the new GL 63  5.5-litre V8 BITURBO engine, which develops a peak output of 410 kW along with a torque of 760 Nm.

4. The LG Curved TV 55EA9800

 

 Its a massive 55 inch TV with an OLED display that is not only curved but also bendable. Costs are upwards of 6 Lakh, but for those looking to set a trend this might just fit in beautifully in your manor. The 1920 x 1080p display is Fully 3D compliant and comes with a Motion eye camera, an Air Mouse capable Remote and 4 3D Glasses.

5. Budget : Micromax Canvas Doodle 3

 The last spot in this series is taken by Micromax’s new budget entrant. A dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) “phablet” (for lack of a better call sign), the Canvas Doodle 3 is powered by a 1.3GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572) processor alongside 512MB of RAM. Runs on Android 4.2 and features a 5 Mp + VGA camera setup. What makes it really exciting is the 6 inch 480×854 pixel display and a price tag of Rs. 8200....

OnePlus One Vs Nexus 5

Hardcore Android fans are hard to please. We should know. So for a new company to attempt to please the most vociferous of Android users with a high-end phone that also manages to compete on price is ambitious to say the least. But that's what OnePlus, with their One phone, is doing. And if a day or so with the phone is indicative of the overall experience, they might have actually achieved success.

The OnePlus One fits squarely in the super-sized "phablet" category with a 5.5" 1080p LCD screen, and other specs like a screaming Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 13MP rear camera, a 3100mAh battery, and up to 64GB of storage put it near the top of the Android pack. Throw in the fact that the One is running a customized version of CyanogenMod (labeled "CyanogenMod 11S," built on KitKat 4.4), and you have a truly unique combination of hardware and software. It doesn't hurt that the phone is being sold Nexus-style in an unlocked LTE flavor. At $299 for the 16GB model, you've got a device that's worthy of consideration for any hardware junkie... at least on paper.

  

The One looks and feels like a high-end Oppo device, and that's probably no accident: it's a big, smooth slab, with sharp corners for the edge and nowhere else. The rear of the phone has a slight bow outwards like the Nexus 5, making it a little easier to grip than a flatter device like Sony's Xperias. The configuration is pretty standard - you won't find any rear-mounted buttons or swiveling cameras here, just your basic slate layout.
On the front the black screen contrasts with the white and chrome shell (the 64GB model is black), and the capacitive navigation buttons beneath the screen are just barely visible with a blue illumination. These seem a little out of place on a "pure" Android device, especially considering the odd ordering: a pre-4.0-style Menu button on the left, Home in the middle, Back on the right. You activate the Recents menu with a double-tap of the Home button, and slide up to see the Google Now button. Not everyone likes physical navigation buttons, and I imagine that even fewer of our readers will appreciate the non-standard layout. You can change this up in the software - more on that later.

The screen is circled by a chrome-painted plastic ring that's slightly recessed, then the white shell underneath. The MicroUSB 2.0 port is on the bottom, flanked by dual speakers (real dual speakers - this isn't a prosthetic grille like the Nexus 5). The slim and slightly hard-to-hit volume rocker and power buttons are on the left and right sides, respectively, and the only thing up top is the headphone jack. On the back you'll find the camera and dual LED flash in a surprisingly compact chrome module, with classy logos for OnePlus and CyanogenMod, plus the typical model and FCC info.
The physical design is very standard, very sparing, but it works well. The One isn't going to turn heads like the HTC phone of the same name, and it's not divisive like the dimpled Galaxy S5, but it's more than presentable. Screen size preferences vary greatly, and I usually don't go above 5" for my personal machines, but I will say that the thin bezels and 8.9mm body makes the phone much easier to use than it might otherwise be.

The most surprising thing about the OnePlus One is just how solid it feels, for lack of a better word. Compared to the Nexus 5 (which uses essentially the same slate design) it's a rock, and it's close to the admirable build quality of HTC and Motorola. I always think of the Nexus 5 as the phone equivalent of a pony car: it's cheap and powerful, but the build absolutely reflects the purchase price. The OnePlus One feels like it should cost much more than the $300 it does. I know that the decision to forego a removable battery is a divisive one, but I doubt that the phone could feel so solid if the back came off.

Software is CyanogenMod. That's it. If you've used a recent CyanogenMod 11 build, you know what to expect here: stock Android with lots of useful additions and tweaks. The "11S" build has some unique touches, most notably in the lock screen, but otherwise it's a more customizable version of KitKat, with all the speed and stability that this suggests. The Play Store and Google apps are included from the get-go, and though the phone is not rooted out of the box, tinkerers will be glad to know that the bootloader is easily unlocked.

  

The navigation buttons deserve some attention here. Just like CyanogenMod loaded up on a phone with capacitive buttons, OnePlus One users have a choice between the build-in buttons and a somewhat superfluous virtual nav bar, which can be customized to a degree. You can switch between them in the settings menu. When the virtual bar is enabled, the button backlight (which is pretty dim to begin with) turns off, and the buttons basically disappear. It's an interesting approach, but I get the impression that OnePlus is trying to have its cake and eat it too and please all users, rather than making a smaller phone by omitting the hardware buttons. That, or they're simply recycling some Oppo components and letting CyanogenMod handle the software side.

 

 

After a solid day of use, everything seems to be pretty impressive, with one exception: the earpiece. While the One can pull down a reliable AT&T HSPA signal even in my remote area, the speaker above the screen is weak and low even at the highest volume setting. You need to place it almost perfectly over your ear canal to hold a conversation, even in an entirely quiet room. It's also important to note the lack of a MicroSD card slot, which some who "Never Settle" might object to. The 64GB model, which will be available for a very reasonable $350, may mitigate this somewhat.

Here's link to video... Htc OnePlus One Vs Nexus 5 fast boot time test