We can do it to hundreds of thousands of phones in a short timeframe. None of the networks protects users very well. Mobile network is by far the weakest part of the mobile ecosystem, even when compared to a lot attacked Android or iOS devices.

This is quite disappointing. Though many of us choose to have a tier of texting or data – nearly 100% of us have some sort of voice plan incorporated. In case you don’t know which carriers use GSM networking technology, they include AT&T, T-Mobile, the select states with Cellular One, and many others: Yes this means you guys on Big Red and The Now Network are in the clear!

To make matters worse, compromised phones would be completely under the hacker’s control. Text messages or phone calls can be carried out easily and at any time. And until GSM carriers patch the security vulnerability, subscribers are all at risk. Fortunately, it will only take some updating of outdated software. There is no timeframe advertised to the public, but I’m sure it will be first on their “To-Do” lists (if not done already). We should all thank Mr. Nohl and those at the conference for discovering this vulnerability and restoring security to the airwaves.

[via Phandroid]

The geek behind the scenes of the hack says that it turns off FOTA by modifying the device manager. To start out you have to download the needed files and then unzip them via the link on the XDA-forum post. Once downloaded they need to be put into a folder called TitaniumBackup on the SD card. Obviously, you will need TitaniumBackup to get this done.

Once the files are in the folder, launch TitaniumBackup and restore DeviceManagerService 2.3.4. the OTA updates will then be blocked so you can tweak all you want without worrying your hard work will be lost to an unwanted update. You can verify the update be checking settings-about my nook-version number. That version number should be 9.9.9.

If you want Google Wallet on your Nexus, you can now get it with a very simple port that does not require you to jailbreak your smartphone according to Gottabemobile. The port allows the installation the Google Wallet app by installing the code as an APK. The only thing the end user needs to do is turn on the ability to download and install apps from places other than Android Market.

The big limitation to this method of installation is that it is region locked so it may not work outside the US. Installing the app on the Nexus using this method will allow the user to get the free $10 on their virtual card when they sign up with Google. If you have a Nexus, let us know if this works for you for making a purchase.

[via SlashGear]

The hack is a simple one for any root user – just use the app disable feature we mentioned earlier to turn off the Google Search app. That’s Settings > Apps > All > Google Search, and tap “Disable”. The downside is that the Google Search app ceases to function, so the immediate utility is kind of shot. But armed with this information, modders should be able to disable the search bar selectively soon enough, just like they’ve been able to re-insert the Search button into the navigation area.

Before you ask: no, there’s no new information concerning the Galaxy Nexus coming to America. But more and more information on Verizon’s LTE model is leaking out, including fully baked retail units. We should be seeing some kind of announcement very soon. We hope. In the meantime you can try one of the many Ice Cream Sandwich and CyanogenMod 9 ROMs that have sprung up for dozens of devices.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : GALAXY Nexus

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : Verizon

Announced Date : October 18, 2011

Release Date : December 15, 2011

Also Known As : Nexus Prime

Display

• Screen Size : 4.65 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x720
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 5.33 Inch
• Width : 2.67 Inch
• Depth : 0.35 Inch
• Weight : 135 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1750 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 4.0.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• AMR
• MID
• MP3
• WAV
• WMA

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : OMAP 4460

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 32 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution : 5 MP

Camera Features:
• Auto focus
• Flash
• 1080p Video Recording

Sensors:
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light
• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

Network Technology:
• GSM
• CDMA

GSM Band:
• 850
• 900
• 1800
• 1900

Device Connectivity

Wi-Fi:
• 802.11b
• 802.11g
• 802.11n

Bluetooth:
• Bluetooth 3.0

Location Features:
• Compass
• GPS
• Cellular location
• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

NFC :

As you’d expect, tapping it brings up the search dialog, just as the dedicated search buttons on previous Android phones would do. Google hasn’t exactly excised search from Android 4.0 altogether – in fact the homescreen now has a persistent search box across the top, that’s carried over all five panes – but this dedicated key makes it a little easier.

Sometimes it’s the little tweaks that can make the most difference to daily use, and this could well be one of them. No word on when exactly Paul might release the mod at this stage, but he tells us it will be “very shortly.”

For those of you who were hoping for a full-on competitor to the XOOM or Galaxy Tab 10.1 for a single C-note plus shipping and handling, lower your expectations now. The TouchPad was made to the standard of the original iPad, and as such, is a little behind the times, with just 16GB of on-board memory (no SD card) and a relatively low-res 1024 x 768 screen. What’s more, since Google has declined to open-source Honeycomb, the best that the CyanogenMod team can do is the latest version of Gingerbread, a useful and stable OS that is nonetheless designed for a much smaller screen.

All that said, there’s definitely a lot of fun and utility to be squeezed out of Android on the TouchPad. In my experience just about all of my standard apps work without a hitch, and the small number of issues I have had are nags at worst. For example, the YouTube app cannot display video in portrait mode, but the more desirable landscape mode works just fine. There are some formatting issues stemming from the TouchPad’s resolution, which is a rarity for Android phones and tablets – a few apps scrunched up to smartphone dimensions, leaving huge areas of blank space on the 10-inch screen. But in most cases it, dare I say, just works.

Tablets were made for information consumption, and on that score CyanogenMod and the TouchPad are a wonderful combination. Using Dolphin Browser HD I had a web browsing experience that’s the rival of any Honeycomb tablet, and apps like Kindle or Pulse were a joy to use on such a large screen. The hardware itself helps here – the TouchPad’s screen is an IPS LCD, making for decent reading even in outdoor light at the brightest setting. Video from Netflix and HBO GO was equally impressive, though Flash videos could not properly display full-screen.  With a little adjustment using Thumb Keyboard, I was typing even faster than I do on my smartphone.

With a few notable exceptions, Cyanogen works wonderfully on the hardware. Audio, Bluetooth, even the TouchPad’s vibration feature all work without complaint. Basic functions like the face button (which defaults to a Home button) and power and volume keys behave just as you’d expect them to. Even the notification light and light sensor are working, along with the camera, though the later is so poor you probably won’t make use of it. It’s a shame that the voice recognition is too muddled to be of any use, but the only practical exception is Wifi – more on that later.

Ever since it was ported to the Nook Color, CyanogenMod has included a section in its menu called “Tablet Tweaks,” and they are indeed quite useful. The most important addition is moving the notification bar to the bottom of the screen and adding the standard menu/back/home/search buttons, which would be tricky on the TouchPad’s spartan button layout. The effect is definitely reminiscent of Honeycomb, if not quite so pretty. The notification bar is permanent by default, but can be hidden and returned for full-screen video or games.

Performance is good, not great. There’s noticeable slowdown in the transitions between screens, but strangely, videos and live wallpapers seem to do just fine. A great part of the TouchPad’s hardware is the Beats-certified speaker that points directly out from the screen, turning the tablet into a connected boombox in a pinch. It’s louder and clearer than any smartphone speaker, and listening to Pandora or Google Music is a satisfying experience.

It’s not all sunshine and roses. There are some serious Wifi connection issues present, usually resolved by a reboot, and the battery lasts only about half as long as it does on the TouchPad’s native WebOS. It’s a good thing, then, that the complicated install process leaves WebOS intact – you can choose between Android and WebOS every time you boot up. While this isn’t as elegant as some of the virtualized solutions proposed, it allows you to take advantage of the rock-solid and beautiful interface of WebOS while still having access to the Android apps you’ve grown accustomed to.

CyanogenMod for the TuochPad is still in early alpha 2.1, and given their reputation, I fully expect the dev team to iron out the Wifi and power issues eventually. Though the install process is not for the faint of heart (command lines – ugh) it shouldn’t present a major challenge to anyone who can install a custom ROM on a standard Android phone.

What’s really exciting is the prospect of an open-sourced Ice Cream Sandwich, which I have no doubt will make it onto the TouchPad eventually via the CyanogenMod team or someone else. For those lucky enough to get in on the early sales and skilled enough to install it, that means a mid-range Ice Cream Sandwich tablet for just a hundred dollars. Keep your eyes peeled for the inevitable TouchPad ports after the AOSP Ice Cream Sandwich source code drops.

Check out CyanogenMod 7.1 in action on the HP TouchPad below:

Sony’s e-reader line hasn’t reached the lofty heights of the Barnes and Noble Nook or Amazon Kindle just yet, but it’s got its fair share of fans. The video shows one running Android with full access to a launcher (in this case ADW) and the 6-inch device’s touchscreen and face buttons make for a pretty good replication of the standard Android interface despite the slow black-and-white screen. The video’s creator takes great care to note that not everything works, including everyone’s favorite avian abuse simulator Angry Birds.

Check out the video below:

If you’re interested in picking up a Reader PRS-T1 as a hacking platform for yourself, it’s currently going for about $150 at retail. Between this, the various Nook flavors, the upcoming Amazon Kindle Fire and the just-released HP Touchpad version of CyanogenMod 7, the community of Android modders has never had more options for cheap, hack-friendly tablets. We’ll be updating you with an install method just as soon as we can track one down.

Hardware accelerated video is also now functional, which means smooth playback of 720p HD video locally stored on the tablet itself, as well as high-quality YouTube playback. Obviously there’s WiFi support, along with the accelerometer, audio system and more.

The intention is still to provide a dual-boot system, capable of loading either Android or the original webOS of the TouchPad. Unfortunately there’s no public ROM for owners to try out themselves; that’ll be ready when it’s ready, the Cyanogenmod team insists.

Of course getting CyanogenMod working on your TouchPad isn’t the only reason why you may have purchased the ultra-inexpensive tablet, reading John Scheible’s analysis of the situation should give you a handful of reasons why an Android user may have jumped on the situation. It’s time to take a check though of what it could basically feel like to roll with the Cyan flavoring of Android via some basic benchmark tests. A mister fattire from RootzWiki took a few minutes out of his otherwise busy day to rack up these tests for you!

The closest to average scores for Linpack were as follows:

[multithread]
MFLOPS 70.958
Time: 2.38 seconds
Norm Res: 3.24
Precision 2.220446049250313E-16

[single thread]
MFLOPS: 44.333
Time 1.89 Seconds
Norm Res 5.68
Precision: 2.220446049250313E-16

Then there’s some information on Quadrant and frames per second tests:

~28fps on the fractal thing ~6fps (!) on the staircase ~60fps (!) on the planets, & 25 fps on the DNA.

And the final score is thus: 2753.

Mister fattire reminds us of course that all of this is for fun for so many more reasons than one, and to take it all with a grain of salt and pepper.

Certainly John Sheible isn’t looking back at his multi-pad purchase with regret as CyanogenMod 7 makes this tablet a fully functional and fully awesome Android tablet to behold! Touchscreen support is working, accelerometer is working, and all graphics drivers are ready to roll. And if you’re feeling adventurous, you can get internet over a USB cable like the rest of the weirdos using alternate means for internet. You’ll be working hard on your unique 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor, appearing to work faster here than it ever did in review units before Android was planted.

Also note that with this release comes dual-boot to both Android and webOS, this meaning of course that you wont have to uninstall this tablet’s original operating system to get the newly minted CyanogenMod 7 build working inside. As for the touchscreen issues, which appear to be at the forefront of development woes here on the device as far as Android goes, the CyanogenMod developer in the video does not reveal the driver that was used to make this build work, but does note that it was originally, of course, another CyanogenMod build that made it happen.

Stay tuned as we ramp up to a final build.

[via Liliputing]

The developers of this application, namely Perry Nguyen, are rather against the idea that this sort of functionality hasn’t been added per a request at Google Code for such an ability to be active. He’s decided to create an app that costs $0.99 and adds a big ugly white box in the middle bottom of your display, disappearing after you’ve activated the single ability this app activates 10 times. In addition to being able to hid e your Honeycomb status bar, you’ll be able to do so with a slightly offset button should you be using Samsung’s TouchWiz UX as there’s a button in this same location to bring up some quick launching min-apps in that particular tablet UI.

You can pick this app up on the Android Market if you wish, and you MUST remember that it will not work unless you’ve achieved root on your tablet device. Should you try the app out without root or on an Android handset instead, not much of anything will occur. The developer of this app also has several other Android control apps that work with the basic functions of your Android device to give you the top experience you expect from a device you want utter dominance over.

[via Android Market]

Android tablets should by now be in their prime, right? Not especially. While nearly every manufacturer under the sun has indeed released an Android tablet of some sort, you’ve got to consider the fact that Honeycomb, Android’s tablet-specific OS, is less than a year old itself. Of course you don’t see the iPad’s numbers on here, but given the amount of apps currently available for the Android tablet-specific world of Honeycomb at the moment, the TouchPad had a pretty good chance of catching up pretty quick.

But this quick? Ten days and the TouchPad has a HIGHER tablet traffic share than Android did 10 days ago. Android remains on top here in this chart, but look at those gains! As our source James Kendrick of ZDNet notes, this chart shows traffic and not sales, but Jumptap assures us that the sales are certainly reflected in the end.

Now the next question is: what will happen to these numbers when the TouchPad has Android running reliably and eventually works with CyanogenMod 7?

We shall see!

[via ZDNet]

The developers over at SDX have been hard at work, we can now use a modded version of the app where they have removed the root check so all devices will be able to enjoy movie playback. This version should also work with all supported devices running Android 2.2 and above so those on older Android are also in luck.

As always make sure to backup or save the previous version just to be safe, otherwise uninstall and install the new modded APK and you are good to go. For the few not wanting to use the modded APK and have rooted devices and rented movies didn’t play, you can also go to the YouTube app and watch them through “rentals” in YouTube as Google has yet to implement the root check into it — just a tip! Head on to the source for more details.

Modded Video App Download

[via Droid-Life]

Apparently, the hack is just about 100% functional. The only thing that doesn’t work is the instruction manual and multi-disc games. I never read the instructions anyway so that isn’t a huge loss for most of us. The work isn’t done yet though, yifanlu still has some stuff to work on.

The hacker notes that there still needs to by a GUI written to convert ISO to APK. The time frame expected for that feat is a day. This is good news for fans of old-school gaming that want to play PS1 titles on the smartphone. The unlock and hacked bootloader for this phone should be landing soon.

[via Phandroid]

The hack isn’t something nefarious unless you count cheating in your games as nefarious. The hack involves more than just changing the clock settings. Game devs long ago blocked that simple cheat. The tiny hacker won’t give up the full details on how she exploits the system.

She is giving game devs time to patch the flaw before offering the details. However, her hack has been independently verified to work. It’s nice to see that some little hackers like to give devs the chance to fix flaws rather than just teaching anyone how to take advantage. The hack apparently works on both Android and the iPhone.

[via PCWorld]

The company behind the app is an Israeli security firm called Zimperium. The app has a series of tools that will help the hacker find networks that are unsecure and then find machines on that network that are vulnerable to certain exploits and make executing those exploits as simple as hitting a button. The app is dubbed Anti for short and will be offered free with a $10 corporate upgrade.

The app allows the user to scan for WiFi networks, open networks, and run a traceroute to find IP addresses for servers. Once the target the user wants to attack is found they can execute attacks like Man-in-the-Middle using vulnerabilities in out of date software. Zimperium says that the terms of use for the app will limit it to being used only for white hat testing. Hackers are known for adhering to rules and user agreements so all should be fine. Not.

[via Forbes]

Several geeks took Android 3.1 and made their own ROMs for the A500 with two of them being dubbed HoneyVillian and Minimalist 3.1. The leaked version of Android is official with multiple language support and Google apps available as well. You can download Minimalist 3.1 here and HoneyVillain here. If you are the sort that just likes the essentials Minimalist 3.1 might be the ticket for you.

The maker of that ROM says that everything is stripped out other than essentials for speed and stability. The author also notes that most of the frameworks were deodexed to allow the users to make custom skins and other mods as they want. If you applied the ROM early on you might want to be sure you have the updated version that fixes an error that didn’t set permissions for superuser access.

[via Netbooknews]

The maker does note that he sent the VillainROM 1.0 software to another forum member and it was able to unlock the phone and worked as expected. As with any custom software, you individual mileage may vary and what works for one S II might not work for them all. Be sure you can fix your device before you try to use the software. To use VillainROM 1.0 requires the use of ODIN and the ROM is flashed as a PDA image.

The author notes you don’t check anything else for the install other than PDA, and there are apparently other options so be sure you pick the correct one. The ROM is based on XWKE2 and has tweaks installed to allow for future mods to the ROM . The author also notes that people applying this update should not try to use Villain Tweaks or problems will ensue. Let us know if you are able to use VillainROM 1.0 successfully.

[via XDA-developers]

The ROM itself doesn’t actually root the Galaxy S II, but it will allow owners to push the su binary and Superuser APK required for root. It also disables the flash-recovery script, replacing it with a call to /data/local/custom-scripting.sh.

It’s not the first root – one method was released at the tail end of April – but we’re definitely excited to see more modders turn their attention to the Galaxy S II. While the phone itself impressed us in our review, we also saw plenty of potential as a platform for custom ROMs.

We have had no reported examples of any 3rd party malicious application misusing information from the Skype directory on Android devices and will continue to monitor closely. Please rest assured that we do take your privacy and security very seriously and we sincerely apologize for any concern this issue may have caused.

So Skype assures that at this juncture, there has been no breach to warrant concern. But to be on the safe side, what that means is that Skype is going to put a pair of eyes on the situation to make sure of it. That’s a wise move. And in addition, Skype is adding 3G connectivity to the Skype for Android app worldwide, promising no issues with worldwide calling.

A pretty high bar to set. With most exploits coming from outside the United States, it’ll pretty much be a full time job to not only balance keeping quality high via 3G, but to make sure the bad guys don’t find a way through in the process. Then again, that’s what all companies should be doing. So, it’s just a matter of if it’s important to them. And it look like by the action Skype is taking, that it is.

[via Android Trek]