A couple of weeks ago, Dan Rosenberg announced that he had unlocked the bootloader of the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S4, but that he wouldn’t release his method until Verizon’s variant was also out in case they tried to patch it. With Big Red’s version arriving on doorsteps of pre-orderees, Dan had a chance to test his method thanks to a “helpful tester” and came out successful. According to a Tweet sent by Dan this morning, he successfully booted a custom recovery onto the Verizon version of the device and that he is looking forward to a release. 

Should your Galaxy S4 arrive in the coming days, or you decide to pop into a Big Red store to pick one up, be on the lookout for this method. We’ll be sure to pass it along the minute it becomes public, as there is no telling how long it’ll take for Verizon to issue a patch.

Take us away Diddy, “Can’t nobody take my pride, can’t nobody hold me down, ohhhh no, I got to keep on rootin’!”

Via:  @djrbliss

Cheers Mark!

Dan Rosenberg Appears to Have Conquered Verizon’s Galaxy S4 Bootloader, Boots Custom Recovery is a post from: Droid Life

Did you happen to lose root or still have not yet rooted after updating the Galaxy Note 2 on Verizon to build VRAMC3? Developers released an updated rooting method for the device over the weekend, easily working its way around VZW’s OTA patch. Running the program is extremely simple as it is completely automated and just takes a couple of clicks if you are running Windows 7. It is also available for Windows 8, Linux and Mac users, so it should be a fun and easy process. 

You will need Java installed on your computer and a completely stock device. If you are ready to get your root on, head on over to the thread to download the needed file.

Via: XDA

Cheers Lakers1moretime!

Rooting Method Updated for Verizon Galaxy Note 2 After VRAMC3 Update is a post from: Droid Life

The first alpha builds for Paranoid Android that have the new HALO feature baked in have been out for a week now, but one thing they seriously lacked was the ability to handle multiple notifications. Well, it appears the addition of this feature is just about ready for launch and have been previewed in a new video found on YouTube. 

HALO allows users to access any system app notification while inside another app. No more backing out of apps to view notifications and reply to friend’s messages. Everything is handled through HALO. Once this is launched, multiple notifications will be handled with an easy swipe of your finger. Watch the video and then stand up and clap for the developers of PA. This feature looks slick.

All I can say is, I want it right now.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers JetBlue!

Video: Preview of Paranoid Android’s HALO With Multiple Notification Support is a post from: Droid Life

Owners of the unlocked GSM variant of the HTC One (that means it’s not locked to a carrier) can start flashing some CyanogenMod hotness. Official nightly builds are beginning to hit servers on the web, so start prepping that device. CyanogenMod will bring vanilla Android 4.2.2 with a hefty ton of customizations such as navigation bar tweaks, notification bar tweaks, and the list could go on forever. 

If you are sporting an unlocked HTC One, you can download the builds as soon as they hit servers here.

Via: XDA

Cheers Darshan Shah!

CyanongenMod Nightlies Popping Up for HTC One GSM Variant, Oh Sweet Vanilla is a post from: Droid Life

Over the weekend, the first alpha builds of the 3.50 Paranoid Android ROM hit the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. Starting today, all of you Galaxy Nexus owners can get in on the fun too. What makes Paranoid Android so special is that it features the fancy new Halo feature, something we have been chatting about for the past week. With Halo, you can have a system-wide Chat Head-like feature for your most recent notification. It’s new, sexy, and very cool. 

To download the build, follow the via link to XDA down below. Be on the lookout for a hands-on video with Halo sometime later today.

Via: XDA

Cheers Will, Jeremy, and Mike!

Builds of Paranoid Android 3.50 Now Up for Verizon “toro” Galaxy Nexus is a post from: Droid Life

Last night, Wil Wheaton broadcast to the world through Google+ that he was struggling to fully root his HTC One. He was able to unlock the bootloader (likely through HTCDev), but them found the entire process of putting a recovery or rooting it to be quite difficult. He eventually gave up, leaving for the night after five hours of work with some parting words about how much he loves his “GNEX” and despises the UI of the One. So what happened after he ran off to bed? Koush came to the rescue. 

With the release of Wil Wheaton Recovery, anyone (including Wil) can root the AT&T or T-Mobile versions of the HTC One. All you need to do to get the process going is to flash this new Wil Wheaton recovery.img in fastboot, boot into the new recovery, and then reboot to Android from the new Wil Wheaton Recovery, where it will ask you to root the device. Tap “Yes” when prompted, and you will be rooted.

It doesn’t look like Wil is awake yet, so we’ll try to update this post with his much-anticipated response.

Via:  +Koush | +Wil Wheaton

Cheers Matt!

Wil Wheaton Struggles to Root His HTC One – Koush Does It Instead, Names Recovery After Him is a post from: Droid Life

Details are still scarce as to what exactly is going on, but there are plenty of teasers on Google+ and YouTube taking place, showing proof of concept for a new “multi-window” feature that is to be baked into the Paranoid Android ROM. Please allow me to try and explain. Imagine a Chat Heads-like function for every application on your device. That is what they are working on. 

From what they have said on their G+ page, this will be a marriage (that’s what we’re calling it) between multi-windows and Chat Heads, allowing users to access apps/messages while they are doing anything else on their device. For example, if you are playing a game that takes up your full screen, then get a message on Gtalk, a window will pop up allowing you full control over Gtalk while still inside your game. This functionality will work for any app on your phone. Facebook, Skype, uploading photos to Dropbox, or anything else you might need to do on your phone.

If this sounds exciting to you (it certainly should), you can expect alpha builds to start popping up for Nexus devices within the next couple of days according to the video’s uploader on YouTube. In the mean time, below is a video showing off the initial concept, but how it actually works and looks will be different according to the uploader. Once builds go up, we will link you to them.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: +Paranoid Android

Cheers Chris and everyone else who sent this in!

Paranoid Android to Introduce New Multi-Windowing Chat Head-like Feature in Upcoming Alpha Build is a post from: Droid Life

After word got out late last week that Google Glass was “unlocked” and “rooted,” a Googler took to his Google+ page to shed some light on the subject. As he points out, the folks that have Google Glass in their possession right now paid a very hefty price to be so fortunate. Each unit cost $1500, so in Google’s eyes, the device should be easily unlocked and hackable. 

Stephen Lau, a Glass team member, put it rather bluntly in saying, “we intentionally left the device unlocked so you guys could hack it and do crazy fun shit with it.” Here is the full message he posted on Friday.

Not to bring anybody down… but seriously… we intentionally left the device unlocked so you guys could hack it and do crazy fun shit with it.  I mean, FFS, you paid $1500 for it… go to town on it.  Show me something cool.

Gotta love those Googlers.

Via: +Stephen Lau

Google Left Glass Unlocked Intentionally, Wants You to “Do Some Crazy Sh*t With It” is a post from: Droid Life

From the same man that unlocked Motorola’s bootloaders, instructions are now up for Galaxy S4 owners to gain root access using the same method. If you have a U.S. S4 variant, powered by a Snapdragon processor, then this exploit should work just fine for you. 

The process couldn’t be any easier, requiring users to simply download a zip file and then pressing a couple of buttons. If you were looking for root on that new Galaxy S4 of yours, this is the way to go.

Instructions:

1. Extract the entire contents of the zip file.
2. If you are using Windows, ensure you have installed the latest Samsung USB drivers available for your phone.
3. Ensure USB Debugging mode is enabled on your device.
4. Connect your device to your PC via USB.
5. If you are using Windows, navigate to the extracted directory and execute “run.bat”. If you are using Linux or OS X, navigate to the extracted directory in a terminal and execute “./run.sh”.
6. Approve the ADB connection from your PC on your device.

Download: http://vulnfactory.org/public/motochopper.zip

If you have any questions or issues, head on over to the XDA thread for your troubleshooting needs.

Via: XDA

Root Exploit Published for Samsung Galaxy S4 Devices Powered By Snapdragon Chips is a post from: Droid Life

I will admit, it is nice to start talking about custom ROMs for Motorola devices again. After a breakthrough on the unlocking of Moto bootloaders, developers have been hard at work to bring their ROMs to a new line of devices. Today, we are featuring RageHD for the DROID RAZR HD on Verizon, developed by BigDaddyHicks and his team. 

This ROM looks to bring a smoother experience to users, with a de-bloated (thank goodness) and zipaligned system, you will be flying though apps. PIE controls have been added for an extra-classy way to control your device, Goo Manager has been installed for easy updates, plus battery tweaks were performed to increase your device’s daily lifespan.

To top it off, there is already a theme available for the ROM called Metallic Blue which is shown above. Pretty snazzy looking.

Features:

• Deodexed
• Debloated
• Zipaligned
• Pre-Rooted
• Adb Insecured
• Adrenaline V3 Boost (Thanks to ImbaWind)
• Loopy Smoothness (Scrolling Smoothness Tweak)
• Full Init.d Support
• PIE Controls (LMT Launcher)
• DSP Manager
• Goo Manager Updates
• Amazing Battery Saving Tweaks
• Tons Of Awesome build.prop Tweaks

To download and install, you will need your bootloader unlocked and a custom recovery installed. If you need to do that still, look here on this post. If you are already unlocked and ready to rock, follow the via link below.

Via: DROIDRZR

Cheers MichaelFranz!

Custom ROM Friday: RageHD for the Motorola DROID RAZR HD is a post from: Droid Life

If your Android device is rooted, but you don’t have time or the energy it takes to flash a custom ROM, then check out SoftKeyZ. With this application, it allows the easy changing of navigation buttons, without the need of a custom ROM. No more middleman! 

The app costs $2 on Google Play, while coming full with a large set of different buttons to choose from. There are text buttons, the buttons found on the HTC First, and also different colors for each one. It’s fancy, so go check it out.

Play Link ($1.99)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers Open1Your1Eyes0!

SoftKeyZ Allows Rooted Users to Easily Change Their Navigation Buttons is a post from: Droid Life

From the same man that unlocked some of Motorola’s heavily guarded bootloaders, a new root method for DROID Bionic owners running the new Jelly Bean firmware has been released. Unfortunately for most of you, it is for folks running Ubuntu because due to technical reasons, a Windows version is currently impossible. 

Root is acquired by running a modified version of Motorola’s own Motoshare software and some customized files. If you fit the bill as a Bionic owner on the new firmware and have yourself a running Linux workstation, go follow the via and get your root on.

Via: Droidrzr

Cheers Jim!

Jelly Bean on DROID Bionic Root Method Released, Instructions For Those Running Ubuntu is a post from: Droid Life

Click here to view the embedded video.

Remember a story of ours from back in March that described the “HTC” logo between the Home and Back buttons on the HTC One as being used as an actual button thanks to a custom kernel? Pundits argued for days whether or not this was actually feasible, but we like to give developers the benefit of the doubt, since well, most of them are insanely smart people that amaze us on a daily basis. Sure enough, over the weekend, developer tbalden released a kernel that does in fact turn the HTC logo on the One into either sleep/wake or menu buttons. 

He currently has two versions, the first (top) pairs Home with the HTC logo to act as sleep/wake counterparts. Tap Home and your device will wake, tap the HTC logo and your phone will go back to sleep. The second version (below) simply turns the HTC logo into a menu button, which is simply put, brilliant. Since HTC went with the oddest navigation setup in the history of Android, a menu button might just make it bearable.

At this time, both kernels are a work-in-progress and are by no means flawless, from what we can tell. But over time, I’d imagine developers will fine tune this into being a standard ROM feature.

If you have an HTC One already and are interested in trying this out, hit up the XDA thread below for instructions.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via:  XDA

New HTC One Kernel Maps “HTC” Logo to be Sleep or Menu Button is a post from: Droid Life

Welcome to Custom ROM Friday. Today, we are featuring CleanROM for the Galaxy Note 2 from developer scrosler. There is only so many ways to describe a custom ROM, so who better to sum up their work than the developer themselves? Here is the basic idea behind the ROM - “CleanROM is targeted to the towards the user that wants a stock ROM experience with the ability to choose the features and functions they want, demand performance and expect stability!” 

Seems, legit, right? On top of having a completely stable and performance-enhanced build, users are able to choose which add-ons and modifications they want to use. For example, features such as Samsung’s multi-window are beefed up to allow any app to be compatible, as well as the unlocked ability to WiFi tether. As a cherry on top, the developer also threw in some additional ringtones and fonts for the device.

Below we have placed some features that should certainly get some excited, as well as a link to where you can download the ROM.

Notable Features:

• International N7105XXDMB6 Jellybean 4.1.2 Base
• Multi Window Control to add or remove any app you want!
• WiFi Tether Unlocked!
• Unsecure boot image with init.d support!
• Samsung Find My Mobile capable!
• Long Press to skip music tracks with screen off!
• Additional Ringtones and Fonts!
• Performance and Stability that is nothing short of Legendary!

To download CleanROM, head to the full XDA thread here.

Overview of CleanROM via YouTube:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers everyone who submitted a ROM!

Custom ROM Friday: Scott’s CleanROM for Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is a post from: Droid Life

Click here to view the embedded video.

How many times over the years do you think we have seen the question “How do I unroot?” pop up in the comments or our inbox? Without an official count, I’d say we’re hovering around 52,342…wait 52,343 now. With warranty claims or new OTA updates seemingly always on the horizon, you get where we are going with this, right? As much as we like to root phones and tablets, there are plenty of occasions that require you to return your phone back to somewhat of a factory state. 

Enter Matt Groff’s Universal Unroot application that was released to Google Play, today. Assuming you already have root access (if you don’t, then why are you attempting to use this app?), Universal Unroot will unroot your device with the tap of a single button. As you’ll see in the video we have included up top, this app should work on a variety of phones (mostly Motorola devices seem to have been tested). Should your device come back with an error and not unroot, hit up the Play store listing and email him so that he can work on compatibility.

We reached out to Matt to see exactly what is being removed during this process and he said that it “unroots all possible locations and names of the su binary and all versions of Superuser.” So there you have it.

Unroot without the hassle.

Play Link ($0.99)

New App Claims to Unroot Any Android Device With a Single Tap is a post from: Droid Life