Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 Qualcomm Snapdragon 600-Powered Gets Rooted

Following reports that the Exynos 5 Octa flavor of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone has been rooted, info on a similar move made on the Snapdragon 600 version of the device also emerged online.

The root was achieved on the Galaxy S 4 GT-I9505 running under XXUAMD2 firmware (dated April 2, it seems), and proof of that has been published on the XDA-Developers forum. In fact, the necessary tools to root the handset have already been made available for download, in the form of a .tar.md5 file, which can be flashed on the smartphone as PDA using Odin (repartition should not be checked).

As this post on Google+ reads, the one thing that is uncertain for the time being is whether the aforementioned firmware version will be loaded on the handset when it hits shelves (which would make the phone rootable from day one).

Samsung Galaxy S4
Image credits to Samsung

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This is How to Transfer Files from Ubuntu to Android

The following tutorial will teach Ubuntu users how to transfer files from their Linux operating system to an Android powered device (phone or tablet) using a tool called gMTP.

If you are a Linux fan, it’s a very good chance that you also own an Android powered devices, such as a tablet or mobile phone. We know that copying files from your Android device(s) should be an easy thing, but sometimes it’s not. That’s way we thought of writing this short but helpful tutorial, which will teach you how to easily transfer files from your Ubuntu installation to your pretty Android mobile device. So, enough with the chitchat, let’s get started, shall we? Open a Terminal by hitting the CTRL+ALT+T key combination and type the following command to install  a few necessary packages:

sudo apt-get -y install mtp-tools mtpfs gmtp

You probably know the drill already: hit the Enter key after typing the command above, enter your password when asked and wait for the installation to finish. Now, when the installation is completed, close the Terminal window and connect the Android device to the PC or laptop, using the USB cable it came with (yes, the one used for charging your device). On your Android device (tested with the default Android OS), drag down the status bar and tap the USB icon. Make sure that there is a check mark next to MTP (Media Transfer Protocol), not PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol).

On your Ubuntu desktop, open Unity, search for "gmtp" - without quotes - and launch it by clicking on the icon. Click the” Connect" button and you should see the contents of the storage of your Android tablet/smartphone.

Default interface gMTP
Image credits to gmtp.sourceforge.net/

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Facebook Home for Android Now Official

Today, Facebook announced a new set of applications for the Android operating system, called Facebook Home and set to bring a new social experience to devices running under Google's mobile OS.

The new set of apps will arrive in the Google Play Store and will be available for download for users with the current Facebook app for Android. Just as previous rumors suggested, Facebook Home will work as a launcher on Android, with a homescreen experience focused on Cover Feed, which will deliver a feed of stories and photos from friends. There will be no chrome, no logo, but only content for users to enjoy.

Additionally, there will be a new messaging app available as part of Facebook Home, called Chat Heads, which will enable users to engage into conversations while still remaining focused on what they were doing. Facebook Home will arrive on Android phones on April 12, and will be released on HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II at first, with HTC One and Galaxy S 4 expected to receive it soon as well, while also set to land on tablet PCs in a few months.

Facebook Home for Android
Images credits to Facebook

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Intel NUC Ultra-Small PC with Haswell Core i5 CPU Ready

The NUC (next unit of computing) mini personal computer from Intel will, like so many other PCs, be upgraded as soon as Chipzilla launches its newest CPU series, in June or later.

NUC is Intel's attempt to start making a name for itself on the market for full-feature PCs, even though it is actually a barebone. The problem with the current configurations is that they are just too expensive, even five months after they first debuted. The ones equipped with Core i3 CPUs sell for $280 / 280 Euro to $310 / 310 Euro, while the ones using Celeron CPUs are priced at $170 / 170 Euro. Ideally, when Intel launches new Haswell CPUs, or upgrades the NUC with Ivy Bridge Core i5 chips, the prices would stay the same, or maybe even go lower. Knowing Intel's habit of bullishly sticking to its prices, however, we fear there is just as high a chance for the tags to go even higher. It is LogicSupply that said the update was coming, and we don't have a reason to disbelieve the claims as of yet.

Since only the chips will be replaced, the hardware will be the same small mainboard, a pair of DDR3 SO-DIMM memory slots, an mSATA solid-state drive, a mini PCI Express Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module, two HDMI outputs and 1 Gigabit Ethernet. There is another barebone model, called DC3217BY, which has a single HDMI output and replaces the Gigabit Ethernet for Thunderbolt. Curiously, analog audio is absent from both (DP or TB ports for audio output are employed instead). And with having to buy memory and an SSD on top of everything, the final NUC prices will reach $330 / 330 Euro to $470 / 470 Euro, which makes one wonder why not buy a tablet instead. Then again, the NUC is much stronger, runs Windows and is quite small itself (4.59x 4.41 x 1.55 inches / 116.6 x 112 x 39 mm), so it should still charm people.

Intel NUC
Image credits to Intel

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ASUS Rampage IV Extreme Black Motherboard

Anyone who saw the ROG Rampage IV Extreme knows just what kind of overpowered motherboard it is, even among high-end platforms.

The Republic of Gamers (ROG) brand is basically defined by overkill really. Still, whether in spite or because of that overkill, the hardware usually has no trouble selling. Occasionally, this makes ASUS think it is a good idea to refresh them, like now: the ROG Rampage IV Extreme has been colored black, and given the name Rampage IV Extreme Black. The PCB and most everything on it (not counting the silver/grey contacts, of course) are black, with just a few red accents thrown into the mix.

For those not familiar with the Rampage IV Extreme, the motherboard supports Core i7 Intel CPUs (LGA 2011 socket, X79 chipset), 64 GB of memory (quad-channel DDR3 memory), four-way SLI/CrossFire multi-gpu setups and overclocking. Pricing and availability are still to be announced. via Cowcotland.

ASUS Rampage IV Extreme Black
Image credits to Cowcotland

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