Samsung Galaxy S2 tips and tricks

That’s right; you read correctly, today we’re diving into the time machine with the Samsung Galaxy S2 to find out some tips and tricks. If you’re like me, unfortunately you don’t budget for a new phone or tablet each time a new cycle is announced by the companies.  So, here’s to the Samsung Galaxy S2! A wonderful phone with some wonderful features and (thankfully) still getting the update love from a very dedicated community!

Hey there Galaxy S2. Why don't you come out for a quick dusting off? / © QDL/AndroidPIT

Give your screen a check-up

If you’ve got a stuck pixel on your screen or just wondering how your phone is handling in general, you can easily activate the LCD Test Mode for the Galaxy S2.

 © AndroidPIT.com

To get into this mode, simply head to your phone dialer and put it *#0*#. From here, you can choose from a different assortment of tests that you can perform on your device to make sure that everything is up to snuff.

Stop viewing mobile versions of popular sites

One of my biggest pet peeves is jumping to a website on my phone and then being transported directly to their mobile version of the site. Unfortunately, this modified version usually lacks a ton of the content that you’re actually going to the site to find. Thankfully, the Galaxy S2 has a nice built in tool that will take care of this for you.

 © thehandheldblog.com

By typing about:useragent into the URL bar of your browser, a window will pop up asking you what you’d like your device to pretend to be. Do you want websites to think you’re browsing from the desktop? No problem. You can even spoof being on an iPhone, if that’s really your cup of tea.

Take a screenshot. Seriously.

As intuitive as it may be for some people, I run into a countless number of people who despite owning their device for years still have no idea how to take a screenshot. I even had one friend have another friend take a picture of his screen and then send it to me when he had a problem with it. Just a little bit of over-kill, eh?

Anyway, for the Galaxy S2 in order to take a screenshot you just need to hold down the Home button and then press the Power button once. You’ll hear a nice little shutter  sound effect and the screen will be saved in the ScreenCapture folder in your Gallery.

USB it up.

One of the most used features for myself was the ability to attach USB devices to my Galaxy S2. To do this, you need an adapter cable and from there it’s basically just plugging in everything to your S2. This will allow you to use your USB devices, such as mouse, keyboard and even USB thumb drives.

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Just keep in mind that there isn’t a whole ton of power coming from the S2, so some USB items that require a huge draw to work (such as external hard-drives) might not work.

….and another Easter Egg.

Just like what we brought for the Galaxy Note 2, there’s a little easter egg hidden away on the Galaxy S2.

Just like the Galaxy Note 2 one, head to Settings > About this Phone. This time, tap the Android version about 5 times and you’ll be surprised by a hidden image.

As always, this is not an exhaustive list but a few pointers that we thought were worth mentioning. What are some of your favorite features of the Samsung Galaxy S2?

Quick access for your apps

If you’re got a countless number of apps on your device, sometimes it isn’t as easy to find the right one when you need it. A new app called Quad Drawer has attempted to tackle this problem for quick access without replacing your current launcher.

© AndroidPIT

Structure

After you start Quad Drawer for the first time, you will be presented with a list of all your installed apps. There are several sorting functions, which can be enabled and disabled quite easily. By default, the apps are sorted by “Most Used”, but can also be sorted in an alphabetical manner as well.

Apps can be sorted by a bunch of different criterias. / © AndroidPIT

Smart App Prediction

The focus of Quad Drawer is done by using T9 predictive text (yup, the T9 from the cellphones of yore). The keys from 1 to 9 are used for writing texts, but is done quite smoothly with a good predict function for the desired applications. Furthermore, you don’t even need to write the full app name for the prediction to work.

By default, the app uses a T9 predictive keyboard to search for apps. / © AndroidPIT

To launch the app that you’ve searched for, just tap on the app itself or press the “Start” button that is a part of the predictive keyboard (right in the middle). Best of all, if you’re not a huge fan of the keyboard as it is, you can head into the settings and choose the regular Android keyboard.

Tons of options

Quad Drawer can be configured quite easily to fit your wants and needs. As mentioned above, you can configure the way that apps are displayed and what type of keyboard you can use. In the settings, you also have the choice between using a dark or light design. You can even show the number of times you’ve launched an app, which is shown within Quad Drawer (this applies only to apps that have been launched from within Quad Drawer).

© AndroidPIT

Universal Access

A more practical option is to set a “Floating” icon. After you activate this, you get a nice little icon (similar to Facebook chat heads) that you can move around on your screen. This icon provides quick access to Quad Drawer which can be accessed everywhere, even from within other apps.

A Floating Icon is available that give access to the Quad Drawer app anywhere. / © AndroidPIT

Conclusion

The idea behind Quad Drawer is ingeniously simple. Thanks to the simple design and a very precise prediction function, you can easily find and launch apps in a flash. This is especially great for people who have a ton of apps on their device and have trouble finding the app that they want to use.

Quad Drawer is available from $0.99 in the Google Play Store. A great price for the functions that this app provides.

(translated by Sterling Keys)

Source: Google Play Store

Galaxy Note 3 to have 3450 mAh battery?

Due on September 4, the Note 3 could have a massive 3450 mAh battery, if a tip-based report proves accurate.

After the Moto X and the G2 launched, the Honami and the Note 3 are left to duopolize the rumor mill. Here’s a fine example: according to the folks at Phone Arena report, a person who has seen an engineering sample of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 tipped them that the upcoming device would feature a massive 3450 mAh battery.

Judging from the scarcity of details in PA’s report, we reckon that the tip landed anonymously in their inbox, so we wouldn’t put too much trust into it.

With that said, 3450 mAh sounds like a reasonable specification for a 5.7-inch device. Last year’s 5.5-inch Note 2 featured a 3100 mAh unit, and assuming that Samsung manages to increase internal space on the Note 3, it should be able to fit a bigger battery without making the device too thick or too heavy.

If the Note 3 does indeed come with a 3450 mAh battery, it will vie for battery supremacy with the 3500 mAh Droid Maxx and the 3200 mAh HTC Butterfly s. We think we’ll see the Note 3 launch on September 4, so there’s a decent chance we’ll see more credible leaks about its battery and other specs in the following weeks.

The current consensus is a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP camera with OIS, and Android 4.3 out of the box.

- See more at: http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-note-3-battery-leak-255032/#sthash.0OkCJ0hZ.dpuf

BlackBerry will either Sell, Merge or Privatize

It seems the rumors we reported on just days ago are true: BlackBerry has officially confirmed in a press release that it is looking at a variety of ''strategic alternatives'' to attempt to save the flailing Canadian manufacturer. The alternatives include a merger, outright sale of the company, or privatization. These moves come as the smartphone maker tries to push further adoption of the BlackBerry 10 operating system.

BlackBerry are looking at strategic alternatives to save the company. / © Blackberry

The press release announced the company's Board of Director's have appointed a Special Committee to ''explore strategic alternatives to enhance value and increase scale in order to accelerate BlackBerry 10 deployment. These alternatives could include, among others, possible joint ventures, strategic partnerships or alliances, a sale of the Company or other possible transactions.''

Taking such drastic steps to push an OS seems a bit extreme, but nothing else has been helping BlackBerry lately, and getting the platform more widespread would of course bolster device sales. We're anxiously awaiting the Android version of the BlackBerry Messenger app, which the press release also mentions. This messenger release will spark some additional interest in the platform, but won't necessarily lead to more smartphone sales.

Are BlackBerry's days numbered without drastic measures? / © AndroidPIT

The company formerly known as Research in Motion has been suffering greatly lately, announcing a $84 million quarterly loss a month ago and plummeting stock prices. As a New York Times reporter memorably stated at the time: ''Apple sells as many iPhones in a week as BlackBerry 10s were shipped over three months." Not the kind of thing you want people remembering.

So will a merger, privatization or other joint venture benefit BlackBerry, or is it too little, too late? It's impossible to know at this early stage, and indeed, there is no way to be sure any of the strategic alternatives will actually occur. It is just an exploration for now. But if a viable option arises, it would seem certain that BlackBerry would jump at the opportunity. They certainly couldn't do any worse than they are at the moment.

Supposed ‘non-final’ press render of the HTC One Max leaks

We have seen a number of leaks regarding the HTC One Max as of late so lets keep it rolling. Today’s leak is supposedly the a non-final press render of it. From images we saw last week, it isn’t going to look much different than the One so it really isn’t hard for someone to fake. To me the image in itself looks okay, but Senior Global Online Communications Manager Jeff Gordon says it’s fake. @evleaks has a pretty good track record, and if this in fact fake, their reliability is still somewhat intact since they did say it’s “non-final”.

Whatever the situation is with the image, we can point out some interesting things such as the lack of a Beats logo on the back. You will also notice their are separate volume keys (like the One Mini) instead of one rocker (like the One) and the LED flash is below the lens rather than next to it. Because of the larger size of the device, the BoomSound speaker (only the bottom one shown) is much wider than it’s siblings. Either way, this render is probably not too far off from what the real Max will look like. Stay tuned.

Apple wins key patent case against rival Samsung in US

Apple and Samsung are engaged in several legal battles over patented technology

Apple has won a key patent case against rival Samsung at the US International Trade Commission (US ITC).

The US ITC upheld a 2011 decision which found that Samsung had infringed Apple patents in the production of mobile phones, media players and tablets.

The US ITC has ordered that Samsung devices affected by the ruling are banned from the US.

But that ban is on hold while US President Barack Obama reviews the decision.

The President has 60 days to assess the US ITC's findings, although analysts say he is unlikely to overturn the commission's decision.

"We are disappointed that the ITC has issued an exclusion order based on two of Apple's patents," Samsung said in a statement.

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The noose is tightening. Apple step by step actually is gaining leverage against Samsung”

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"The proper focus for the smartphone industry is not a global war in the courts, but fair competition in the marketplace."

Apple hailed the decision, placing it in the context of the tech giants' global patent battles.

"With today's decision, the ITC has joined courts around the world in Japan, Korea, Germany, Netherlands and California by standing up for innovation and rejecting Samsung's blatant copying of Apple's products," said the company.

Two patents
The ruling applies to two patents.

The first is the so-called "Steve Jobs patent", named after the company's founder, which involves touch-screen technology.

The other patent is related to the audio socket on devices.

"It's another significant victory for Apple," intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller told the BBC, "especially because the famous Steve Jobs patent is a pretty foundational patent."

Four other patent infringements asserted by Apple were turned down by the US ITC.

Ongoing battles
Apple and Samsung have been fighting patent battles for years and across 10 countries.

The fight has escalated after Samsung overtook Apple last year to become the global leader in smartphone sales.

Apple logo
Battles between Apple and Samsung have escalated as Samsung has eaten into Apple's market share
In Washington on Friday, a federal appeals judge heard testimony in a separate patent case between the two companies relating to a decision last year, in which Samsung was found to owe Apple $1bn (£645m) for infringing on patents.

That penalty was later struck to $450m, but Apple appealed against the ruling. A verdict in that case has not yet been issued.

Separately, last weekend President Obama issued the first presidential veto in 26 years relating to a US ITC decision.

That veto overturned a ban on older models of Apple's iPhones and iPads because of its "effect on competitive conditions in the US economy".

Friday's ruling is widely seen as a victory for the company.

"In a way. the noose is tightening. Apple step by step actually is gaining leverage against Samsung," says Mr Mueller.

Yahoo is getting a new logo

(CNN) -- Under CEO Marissa Mayer, Yahoo might still be trying to shed its image as a relic of the 1990s Internet era.But hey, it's getting a new logo!
Yahoo announced Wednesday that it will unveil a new corporate logo September 4 -- the first such change since the company was founded 18 years ago. The new look will retain the current purple color scheme and, yes, its trademark exclamation point. Yodel away, Yahoo fans.
"Over the past year, there's been a renewed sense of purpose and progress at Yahoo!, and we want everything we do to reflect this spirit of innovation," Chief Marketing Officer Kathy Savitt wrote in a blog post. "While the company is rapidly evolving, our logo — the essence of our brand — should too."
To build some buzz around the new logo, the Internet company will display a different variation of the logo on its homepage and throughout its network in the United States for each of the next 30 days. The first example, shown above, opts for a more streamlined look, although the second "O" is larger than the first, reflecting -- in Yahoo's words -- the company's " fun, vibrant, and welcoming" character.
The variations on the new logo -- this video clip offers a potential preview -- also will be showcased each day onYahoo's Twitter account (#dailylogo).
Mayer has been working to reinvent the struggling Yahoosince she took over leadership of the company in July of last year. In the past 12 months Yahoo has bought more than 16 startups, including the popular Tumblr blogging platform, and reinvigorated its older brands such as photo site Flickr.
Under her reign, Yahoo's stock price has climbed from $15 to almost $30 (it's currently at $27), although some analysts remain skeptical about the company's long-term fortunes.
Yahoo's rebranding follows similar logo changes by other aging Internet giants, including AOL, eBay and Microsoft.
"The new logo will be a modern redesign that's more reflective of our reimagined design and new experiences," Savitt said.