The Latest from Gadget Hacks: Page 239

Google announced that they are selling Motorola to Lenovo for $2.91 billion, seemingly marking the end of their partnership that began 19 months ago.

Flappy Bird is the extremely difficult, overly frustrating, strangely similar, yet highly addictive smartphone game from .GEARS STUDIOS that has catapulted its way to the top of the charts on both Google Play and the iOS App Store—seemingly out of nowhere.

Fresh off the heels of their latest agreement, Google and Samsung may soon be further aligned in their mobile technology outlook. The two tech giants signed a cross-licensing patent agreement, but that doesn't mean that Samsung was just going to start putting out stock Android devices. Quite the opposite really, as we saw from leaks of its new Magazine UX.

If you're spending hours on your phone playing games like Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga, or posting online to Google+ and Pinterest, you're probably being spied on. The latest releases from NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden reveal that the National Security Agency, and its UK counterpart, GCHQ, are mining the ad networks utilized in these apps to collect a trove of information on you.

There are plenty of apps on Google Play for customizing your Samsung Galaxy S3 with wallpapers and new lock screens, but to be honest, you're not really customizing until you root.

More and more, our phones are becoming an expression of us. Whether it's the device we choose, the case it dons, or the ringer it bellows, we like to personalize. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do beyond cases and ringers on your iPhone, unless you jailbreak.

One of the lesser known features brought along by the roll-out of Android 4.4 KitKat is the ability to screen record from within the device. This features isn't overtly obvious, nor is its implementation the most streamlined, but if you were ever looking for a way to capture video of what's happening on your screen, this is now the best way to do it.

Not too long ago, we told you about a new feature within Android KitKat that allowed for video recording directly from the screen of your Nexus 5. Though functional, the method was a bit clunky and involved hooking your phone up to your computer and sending over an ADB command to start the recording.

"Beware of the unknown" is pretty good advice for dark woods and creepy houses. But when you are trying to pimp out your Galaxy S3, you're going to want to delve deep into the unknown. While the Play Store has a ton of great apps, many softModders want to customize their phones with third party apps that are blocked by default.

One of the biggest reasons we jailbreak our iPads and iPhones is to add and change themes. Apple locks down a lot of how we can personalize our devices, and while the stock look is easy on the eyes, sooner or later we may realize how boring it can be. Now, it doesn't have to be.

Earlier today, @DesignGears leaked an unofficial KitKat build for the Galaxy Note 3, and now they've dropped one for our Galaxy S4s, too.

According to the electronics giant, Samsung and Google have signed a global patent license agreement that, according to Samsung's official blog, "covers the two companies' existing patents as well as those filed over the next 10 years."

Update January 27, 2014: Samsung has released a statement to address the flip cover issue, claiming it as a bug with a "fix" coming soon:

As a preventative measure against exploitation, certain Android applications won't work if your device is rooted. Opening one of these apps that detects root will typically end up with a warning and an inability to access its features, like in the picture below.

Texting something as simple as "What up, bruh?" can be transformed into something way more baller by adding emojis, emoticons, GIFs, and textspeak. Some people would even argue that texting is a form of art, similar to Shakespearean sonnets, but it still has a ways to go if you ask me.

We've all heard our fair share of roommate horror stories, or have some of our own, because we never truly know who someone is until we've lived with them. Cohabitation issues generally revolve around things like bills, chores, cleaning, and groceries. Approaching a roommate, especially an adult one, to remind them to do their chores can be an anxiety-ridden and daunting task. After all, we're roommates, not parents!

My sister was playing a game on my dad's phone and the phone froze and asked her to pick a launcher to use ..my sister pushed the wrong launcher and now my dad's phone stuck on the wrong custom settings . How do I put my dad's phone to his original launcher ?

So, you find an interesting article online, but there's something you don't quite understand about it and instinct kicks in. Open new tab. Go to Google. Enter keywords. Search. Find information. Understand.

Rolling out right now are the latest KitKat updates to both the Exynos (SM-N900) and Snapdragon (SM-N9005) variants of the Galaxy Note 3. These over-the-air (OTA) updates will be staged out, beginning with networks in India, South Korea, and Switzerland.

We've all been there. Our phone rings, but we're at a concert or dinner and don't want to spend time sending a text explaining our whereabouts. While ignoring a call is easy, it isn't always the most polite thing to do.

Recently, Mike over on Samsung Galaxy S4 softModder showed how to scroll from the bottom to the top of a page with a single tap, a feature that Apple is well known for, and something I missed very much on my Galaxy Note 3. However, there's always room for improvement.

Clothespins are pretty innocent-looking, but with a mod here and a hack there, that innocence quickly turns into danger. Well, sort of. In this project, we'll be turning an ordinary spring-action clothespin into powerful matchstick and toothpick shooter that can shoot apples and lob fiery darts over 20 feet.

Toast notifications are a type of pop-up alert built into Android, letting us know when an app has performed a certain action. Whether it's Gmail saving a draft or Firefox opening a new tab, toasts are meant to be informational while not being totally intrusive.

Looking for a way to send free text messages.

Closing apps in iOS 6 was different that what is now in iOS 7. Shown in the video below is the old clumsy way of closing apps on the old iPads.

If you're reading this, chances are you're utilizing Xposed Framework to apply unique customizations to your device . We've covered various Xposed mods, like how to how to unlock KitKat's full screen capabilty and make your battery percentage easier to read on the Nexus 7, but today, we're showing you an Xposed module for Xposed.

Modern smartphones can easily handle anything you throw at them, but it's always good to keep a tight grasp of what your phone is actually doing and how well it's doing it. System information can be viewed by looking through your Application Manager, but this process makes it difficult to keep an eye on usage in real time.

Snapchat has had more than its fair share of security failures and mishaps. The photo-sharing company is looking to better address some of these security gaps by adding new features, and today its most recent addition is live: the Captcha.

Those of you using iOS 7 probably know by now that swiping down on an app's preview screen in the multitasking menu does absolutely nothing. Swiping up force closes the app, but down is useless—unless you're jailbroken.

Google's Play Store is packed with some great apps, but since we're the rebellious types looking to fully utilize the capabilities of our Nexus 7s, we're going to need some 3rd-party apps—apps that can't be found in the Play Store. Don't worry, it's not some sketchy way to acquire black-market apps. This function serves conventional purposes, like getting the exclusive Nexus 5 Google Launcher on your Nexus 7. By enabling Unknown sources, we can acquire device-specific apps with ease.

Many of us were left scratching our heads when the iOS 7 update removed the Twitter and Facebook options from the Notification Center. Allowing you to quickly tweet and post Facebook updates, these were features used, and missed, by many—including me.

While browsing the internet on your Samsung Galaxy S4, you've probably scrolled to the bottom of a very long webpage, Twitter feed, or down into the abyss of some other app. Depending just how far down you've scrolled, it can be a test of your patience (and fingertips) scrolling back up to the top.

HTC has started rolling out it's KitKat update (Android 4.4.2) for the HTC One to French carrier SFR, expanding on the original update to it's Google Play Edition devices from November.

Are you tired of your snoopy coworkers and friends lingering over your shoulder as you type in your security passcode? Unless you have the newer iPhone 5S with Touch ID that scans your fingerprint, you've only got a couple of security options—either a 4-digit numeric passcode or a cumbersome password.

Started having problems with my Sprint S3 recently (no root). People try to call and get sent straight to voicemail. No missed call notification is displayed on the phone. Also, some texts don't come through right away and later on they come through multiple times. WiFi connectivity is also fishy... I didn't have any problems before the 4.3 update. I have tried the ##72786# network profile reset with no change in status. I have also tried the #0011# wifi power save disable. No luck.

To say that there are a lot of app switchers and launchers available is an understatement. We've covered a few ourselves, including Loopr and Switchr. But why not check out one more?

The in-fighting between the major US carriers just got a little more interesting. In July of last year, T-Mobile introduced their JUMP! plan, letting customers upgrade their devices after just six months, up to twice a year. Buy a device, split up the price into monthly payments, and pay an additional $10/month to enroll in the service.

Mobile World Congress is just around the corner, and if patterns stay consistent, Samsung will be unveiling their newest member of the Galaxy line, the Galaxy S5.

Most people keep their ungodly sexual desires deep inside, only to be indulged in private on their computers. It makes you wonder... what secrets do your neighbors have? What kind of porn are they watching? And how much and for how long? Thanks to some public (and anonymous) data, you can now find out.

Winterboard for iOS 7 allowed us to use some pretty great-looking themes. Circulus and Space BlueBerry are both great, but a little too "fun" for me. If you want something serious, yet appealing to the eye, then M'flat is for you.