Samsung Galaxy S4 now getting Android 4.4 KitKat update in India

Samsung has started rolling out the promised Android 4.4.2 KitKat update for the 2013 flagship Galaxy S4 (GT-I9500). The update has reportedly hit Indian phones according to a post on XDA Developers , but we can confirm that not all Galaxy S4s are seeing it at the moment. Samsung had started seeding the KitKat update for the Exynos 5 Octa-powered S4 earlier this month.The Android 4.4.2 update is shown to clock in at 353.59MB, so it’s advisable to latch on to a strong Wi-Fi connection before attempting the download. Besides the native Android changes, the Galaxy S4 obviously gets a few TouchWiz UI improvements and changes as well.

 

A glimpse of the new UI

We had already got a glimpse of what Samsung had in store with the KitKat update through a leaked build earlier. The final update confirms the changes in UI and white icons in the notification bar, new settings for the launchers, and full-screen album art for the currently playing track on the lock screen. Samsung says it also improved system stability with the update.S4 users will also get to choose their default SMS app when rebooting after installing the update. In addition, Samsung has made changes to the default keyboard, especially in landscape orientation. With KitKat, users will also have granular control over the location services. You can choose to opt for a power-saving mode when not using location actively or employ all sensors when using the Maps app or for navigation. You will also see settings for wireless printing and tap to pay for mobile-enabled payments.

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Root Galaxy Note 3 (3G) on N900XXUDNB2 Android 4.4.2 Stock Firmware [GUIDE]

Samsung recently rolled out the latest Android 4.4.2 bug-fix update with build number N900XXUDNB2, for the international (3G) variant of Galaxy Note 3 (SM-N900) in several countries, starting with Russia.Those who have already updated their Galaxy Note 3 (3G) to the newest KitKat stock firmware can follow our step-by-step guide to root the same via CF-Auto-Root with Odin flash tool.

NOTE: Rooting is essential to install third-party root apps, custom ROMs and latest system tweaks for optimised performance of your handset. Though rooting any device will void its hardware warranty, it is possible to restore the warranty status by reinstalling the latest official firmware.

Endroid Information reminds its readers that it will not be held responsible for any device damage during or after root installation. Users are advised to proceed at their own risk.

Downloads Required

• CF-Auto-Root for Galaxy Note 3 (3G) 
• Odin v3.09 

Steps to Root Galaxy Note 3 (3G) Running on Android 4.4.2 N900XXUDNB2 Stock Firmware

Step 1: Extract CF-Auto-Root and Odin 3.09 files using WinRAR , 7-Zip  or WinZip .
Step 2: Power off the Galaxy Note 3 (3G) and boot it into Download Mode by pressing and holding Volume Down, Home and Power buttons together until a construction Android robot icon with a warning triangle appears on screen. Then keep tapping Volume Up button to enter Download Mode.
Step 3: Launch Odin on the computer as Administrator.
Step 4: Connect the Galaxy Note 3 (3G) to computer with USB cable in Download Mode. Wait until Odin recognises the device and the ID: COM box will turn yellow with the COM port number. Furthermore, when the device is connected successfully, a message saying "Added!" appears on screen.

Step 5: In Odin, tap AP button and select the CF-Auto-Root-t03g-t03gxx-gtN900.tar.md5 file.
Step 6: Ensure Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time options are selected in Odin. But, the Re-Partition option must be unchecked.
Step 7: Verify the step 5 and step 6, before clicking Start button in Odin. When you hit Start, the root installation process will begin.
Step 8: After the root installation process completes, your phone will reboot and soon aPASS message with green background appears in the left-most box at the very top of Odin. It is now safe to disconnect the USB cable and remove the phone from computer.

Troubleshooting

• If the device fails to reboot into recovery mode or root the device, then repeat the entire tutorial once again.
• If the issue still persists, perform the tutorial once again; but disable or uncheck "Auto Reboot" option in Odin.
• Remove the battery to completely shut-down the device.
• Now boot the phone once again into Recovery mode manually (press and hold Volume Up, Home and Power buttons). This will restart the root installation process on your phone.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 (3G) is now rooted on official Android 4.4.2 N900XXUDNB2 official firmware. It is now possible to install any app that requires root permission.

Alternately, download and install Root Checker  app from Google Play Store to confirm the root status of the device.

[Source: XDA ]

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Google Now Launcher officially arrives for Nexus, Play Edition devices running Android 4.4 KitKat

Always wanted a Google Now-flavoured Android experience? Google has now released its Google Now Launcher on the Play Store. The catch, however, is that the launcher will work only on a Nexus or Google Play edition phone or tablet running Android 4.4 KitKat. You can get the launcher from the Google Play Store.The launcher released officially by Google will give you quick access to Google Now, right on the home screen. You will only need to swipe right to enter Google Now from your first home screen and view your cards. The “always-on” voice command of Nexus 5 is not available for the Nexus 4, but you can still hit the voice icon on the persistent homescreen search bar to search or perform activities. You can also swipe up from the on-screen navigation buttons to reach Google Now.Using the voice commands, you will be able to not just access data from the Internet but you can also ask your phone to fire up apps, send a message or even play a song. The Google Now experience will also bring along full-screen viewing and larger viewing area and even the wallpaper extends across the phone.The Google Now launcher is currently limited to a few devices that includes Nexus ones and Google Play Edition devices, which is bound to make a lot of people unhappy. Earlier, the KitKat experience on these devices looked and felt slightly different from the one on Nexus 5.The opacity of the top bar, larger icons and new wallpapers and even easy accessibility to Google Now were missing from it. The official release should change this, though there’s no word on whether it will be available for other devices which are running Google Now. As you may know by now with Android KitKat, the launcher is actually a stub app within the Google Search app (better known as Google Now), which activates the launcher functionality.

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HTC One Android 4.4.2 KitKat Update Set to Continue in the US

After a missed deadline in January to deliver Android 4.4 KitKat to the HTC One, the company quickly announced a new site dedicated to news on updates, and shortly thereafter delivered KitKat to Sprint and Verizon users.However, until today the official software upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat and the new Sense UI 5.5 for the HTC One on AT&T and T-Mobile was still missing. Today though we’ve just learned the update has been approved by both carriers, and should roll out to all users soon. An HTC rep took to Twitter to confirm AT&T, and T-Mobile have both approved the update for launch.

Confirming both AT&T and T-Mobile have approved the KitKat and Sense 5.5 release, we can expect them to rollout on both networks to all users over the course of the next few days. As usual, with these types of updates, we can expect a slow and staged rollout. This means you may not get it today, or tomorrow, but it should arrive within the next few weeks.Like we’ve seen with both Sprint and Verizon, this will be the absolute latest and most up-to-date version of Android direct from Google. That being Android 4.4.2 KitKat with all the fixes and patches available today. Then of course HTC is adding some new UI features with Sense 5.5, and fixing device-specific bugs.There’s a new do not disturb mode, the gallery and Blinkfeed have been redesigned and improved throughout, and HTC put tons of effort forward regarding the camera. Mainly for indoors and low light situations, post update users can expect a better camera experience all around.Obviously we can expect a staged rollout after AT&T and T-Mobile get everything finally ready to roll. Users of these devices should be on the lookout for the update to arrive any day now.For those with the HTC One Max, the HTC team recently confirmed on Reddit that they’re targeting a March release date for that large 5.9-inch smartphone, not to mention it’s live now in other regions.. Stay tuned and we’ll update you as any new details or issues arise.

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Android 4.4.2 (KOT49H) KitKat Google Edition ROM Available for Galaxy S4 LTE I9505

Recognised XDA contributor, Danvdh has released a custom build for the LTE variant of Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505), powered by quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor. The custom build is based on the latest official Android 4.4.2 KOT49H KitKat firmware for the Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition with model number GT-I9505G.

The developer has added a few optimisations to the ROM and necessary tools to give it the features of an AOSP ROM. As Google Edition does not use open source proprietary, features like Bluetooth and camera should work way better out of the box.

Android 4.4.2 Google Edition ROM is available for Galaxy S4 LTE I9505.

Android 4.4.2 Google Play Edition ROM features

Latest 4.4.2 Google Edition (Extremely clean ROM base made by me)

No rom branding - I don't flash my name around in the settings menu anywhere, keeping it stock AOSP 

Rooted

Ktoonsez kernel

Busybox

CM Manual brightness values (minimum brightness of 10 (down from 40) available on the slider

Improved CM Autobrightness values (Samsucks autobrightness disabled)

removed home button lag

ART compatible

Inverted phone app (The way it should have been!)

Inverted contacts

Inverted 4.4.2 mms with quick reply from source + odexed for speed (stock mms optional flash)

Inverted 4.4.2 email from source

Google edition gallery can now delete from ext storage

Zip aligned

No extra bloat

Nova launcher (lightest launcher available, lots of features, only 3mb!)

Ships with latest xposed

Gravity box module included (This will give you a TON of extra tweaks only found in AOSP roms, and they work!)

Status bar tweaks

Notification panel tweaks

Battery icon

Hardware key assignments

CRT on/off

Expandable volume panel

Advanced reboot menu

Transparency settings

Disable/Enable CRT

Lockscreen quick pin unlock

Customize lock screen targets

Adjustable clear all recent apps button

Enable all rotations

XuiMod module

List view animations

AOKP Animation control

Battery bar

CM weather widget

Fast, simple and built from a clean 4.4.2 system dump by myself

To know more about the Google Edition ROM features and changelog, navigate to the development thread.

Galaxy S4 users who wish to install Android 4.4.2 KOT49H KitKat AOSP Google Play Edition ROM on their devices may follow our step-by-step guide.

IBTimes UK reminds its readers that it will not be held liable for any damage to the device. Before following the guide, users are advised to verify their devices meet following set of requirements.

Pre-requisites

1) Install USB Drivers for Galaxy S4 to transfer files between the Android device and the computer.

2) Enable USB Debugging Mode on the phone to connect it with the computer and use Android SDK with it. [Navigate to Settings>> About phone. Tap on Build Number several times until a message appears saying 'You are now a Developer.' Now enable USB Debugging Mode by navigating to Settings>> Developer Options.]

3) As the tutorial might wipe out all data of the phone, create backup. If the device is having any custom recovery such as ClockworkMod or, TWRP then backup data using the same.

4) If the Android phone powers off due to lack of battery during the process, it could damage the device. Therefore, the Galaxy S4 should have charge above 80% battery charge.

5) The phone should be rooted and have latest version of either ClockworkMod recovery.

6) The Android 4.4.2 Google Edition ROM works only with Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505. As applying this to any incorrect variant might brick the device, verify the model number of Galaxy S4 by navigating to Settings>> About phone>> Model number.

7) After flashing the ROM if the device gets stuck on Booting animation or experience boot loop then perform wipe cache partition and wipe dalvik cache for a few times before rebooting the device.

8) Once the ROM is installed, users are advised to give 10 minutes to the ROM after the device boots up for the first time for better user experience.

How to install Android 4.4.2 KOT49H KitKat AOSP Google Edition ROM on Galaxy S4 LTE GT-I9505

Step-1: Download Android 4.4.2 Google Play Edition ROM for Galaxy S4

Download link: danvdh-GE-4.4.2-02182014-INT.zip

Step-2: Connect Galaxy S4 to the computer using USB cable then copy the downloaded ROM file to the internal storage of the phone. But do not extract/unzip the file

Step-3: Unplug the USB cable from the phone and switch it off

Step-3: Place the phone into CWM recovery mode by pressing and holding Volume Up, Homeand Power buttons together. Release all the buttons when the custom recovery menu appears

Note: In recovery mode, use Volume buttons to scroll between options and Power button to select the desired option.

Step-4: Create a Nandroid backup of the existing ROM which can be restored later if the new ROM does not work or users wish to go back to the previous ROM.

Select backup and restore, name the file and confirm the process. Go back to main recovery menu when the backup is completed

Step-5: Perform a Factory Reset. This will wipe all data from system partition, which means the device will lose installed apps data and all the other system files [Factory Reset does not delete contents from internal or external storage.]

Select wipe data/factory reset and confirm the process

Also find format/system option and confirm the process

Step-6: Install the ROM on Galaxy S4

Select install zip from sdcard then select choose zip from sdcard. Now browse to the location where Android 4.4.2 ROM file is saved. Select it and confirm installation

Step-8: After the installation process is completed, return to the main recovery menu and reboot the phone into normal mode. If you are asked to fix root, deny that process and select No

Step-9: After the phone boots up successfully, give the ROM a few minutes to settle

Step-10: Launch the app drawer and open the Xposed app, press the Framework Button and confirm installation of the framework

Step-11: Reboot the Galaxy S4. When the device finished rebooting, launch again Xposed: Open the Module Menu and enable Gravity box. Then reboot the phone again

The Galaxy S4 should now boot into normal mode and run Android 4.4.2 Google Edition ROM. Head over to Setting>> About phone to verify the software version of the device.

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Tmo HTC One update to Android 4.4.2 KitKat finally here

Apologies for grabbing this so late, but for those of you who haven’t already downloaded and installed it, 4.4.2 is finally here for the Magenta-flavored HTC One. It landed late last night, very inconveniently while I was in the middle of travelling to Barcelona for this year’s MWC conference.

As for the update, it marks the start of HTC’s campaign to ensure that all future devices will support the latest software updates, and will receive them for two years after launch. In theory, it’s fantastic for those of you who hate having the uncertainty of whether or not there will be an update to your device’s OS.

If you haven’t already had a notification for the update, head in to your settings menu, and check for software updates manually.

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