Pathik Shah

How Google Could Eliminate the Amazon Threat to Android

Google is supposed to be focusing on Apple, which is currently dominating the tablet market with the iPad. Instead, it has been forced to fend off another major threat to Android – the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Kindle Fire is the biggest threat to Google, which has been trying to minimize the fragmentation of Android, and ironically, is the most popular Android tablet yet. Even so, Google has been completely locked out of the Kindle Fire ecosystem, so it probably won’t see a dime of revenue generated by the Kindle Fire.

Google is rumored to be working on a Nexus tablet to compete with the iPad, but apparently, the Nexus tablet will be an inexpensive $199 Android tablet powered by ICS which will compete with the Kindle Fire.

If Google is indeed working on such a tablet, it should stop right away.

Launching a $199 Android 4.0 tablet will not only severely impact sales of all other Android tablets and alienate its device partners like Samsung and HTC, but it will also mean Google taking a financial hit. Amazon itself is losing $10-$20 per tablet, and hopes to make money by selling Kindle content.

Here’s what Google should do instead:

Make it extremely easy to install Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on the Kindle Fire. Launch a one-click flashing tool to flash an Android 4.0 ROM on the Kindle Fire.

This would not only give it back control of the Android ecosystem, but it would also be a huge hit to Amazon, which would continue to lose money on each Kindle Fire sold with no direct way to make it back.

I ‘m not getting into the technical specifics of how it would work; I’m sure Google can figure it out.

In case it can’t be done officially, Google can always bankroll such a project or help XDA developers develop such a pure Android 4.0 ICS ROM for the Kindle Fire.

This way, Google won’t alienate its tablet hardware partners, it won’t lose money selling cheap tablets, and it can focus on its main enemy – the Apple iPad.

Install Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on Samsung Galaxy S 2 II

The guys at sammobile have released an Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM (alpha) for the Samsung Galaxy S 2 II I9100.

You can download it using these links:

Download Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM I9100XXKP8

To install Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich on your Samsung Galaxy S 2, you will need:

- Samsung USB Drivers (Samsung Kies)
- ODIN Client
- Stock Android 2.3.5 ROM

How to Install Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich I9100XXKP8 on Samsung Galaxy S 2 II

Install Samsung Kies from the official website – Samsung Kies

Make sure the USB drivers have been installed properly with Kies. Now close Kies and make sure Kies isn’t running in the Task Manager.

Download Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM I9100XXKP8 (via XDA)

Extract all the files (ROM + Odin client) from the file (password: samfirmware.com)

Start ODIN client as administrator, and select these files:

PIT – u1_02_20110310_emmc_EXT4.pit
PDA – I9100_CODE_I9100XXKP*_CL42141_REV02_user_low_ship.tar.md5
PHONE – MODEM_I9100XXKP*_REV_02_CL1092599.tar.md5
CSC – GT-I9100-MULTI-CSC-OXAKP*.tar.md5

Also select these check boxes:

Re-Partition
Auto Reboot
F.Reset Time

On your Galaxy S 2, go to Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging > Enable it.

Now switch off your phone and enter download mode.

To enter download mode, hold the Volume Down + Menu Key and press the Power button.

After you see the yellow Download mode screen, just connect it to your PC via USB.

You should now see the ID:COM section turn Yellow and the message box display ADDED. If you don’t, repeat the whole process.

Click on the Start button to begin the flashing process.

In 5 minutes, your Samsung Galaxy S 2 should reboot with Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich installed.

Note: It’s not risky, but still proceed with caution. I’m not responsible if you brick your phone.

For more details, visit XDA

How to Install Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread on Samsung Galaxy S 2 II

How to Upgrade Samsung Galaxy S 2 II to Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread

The guys at samfirmware recently released a leaked Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread ROM for the Samsung Galaxy S 2. There are two versions available – the stock 2.3.5 ROM and the Darky 2.3.5 ROM.

Today, I flashed the Stock Android 2.3.5 ROM on my Samsung Galaxy S 2. The battery life has improved considerably, and so has the sound. It’s fucking awesome.

To install Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread on your Samsung Galaxy S 2, you will need:

- Samsung USB Drivers (Samsung Kies)
- ODIN Client
- Stock Android 2.3.5 ROM

How to Install Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread on Samsung Galaxy S 2

Install Samsung Kies from the official website – Samsung Kies

Make sure the USB drivers have been installed properly with Kies. Now close Kies and make sure Kies isn’t running in the Task Manager.

Download the Android 2.3.5 stock ROM from samfirmware.com

Download Android 2.3.5 Stock ROM

Extract all the files (ROM + Odin client) from the file (password: samfirmware.com)

Start ODIN client as administrator, and select these files:

PIT – u1_02_20110310_emmc_EXT4.pit
PDA – CODE_I9100XXKI3_CL577579_REV02_user_low_ship.tar.md5
PHONE – MODEM_I9100XXKI3_REV_02_CL1062028.tar.md5
CSC – GT-I9100-CSC-MULTI-OXAKI3.tar.md5

Also select these check boxes:

Re-Partition
Auto Reboot
F.Reset Time

On your Galaxy S 2, go to Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging > Enable it.

Now switch off your phone and enter download mode.

To enter download mode, hold the Volume Down + Menu Key and press the Power button.

After you see the yellow Download mode screen, just connect it to your PC via USB.

You should now see the ID:COM section turn Yellow and the message box display ADDED. If you don’t, repeat the whole process.

Click on the Start button to begin the flashing process.

In 5 minutes, your Samsung Galaxy S 2 should reboot with Android 2.3.5 installed.

Note: It’s not risky, but still proceed with caution. I’m not responsible if you brick your phone.

So, I just got a new Nook Color. The first thing I did after I got it in my hands, was rooting it and installing Cyanogen Mod 7 (Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread).

Here’s how I did it.

How to Root Nook Color 1.2 and Install CyanogenMod 7 (Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread) on the Nook Color

1. Create a bootable Clockwork Mod SD card

You will need to write a CWM image on your card to create a bootable ClockworkMod SD card.

Check out this guide here:

Making an updated bootable ClockworkMod SD

2. Copy Manual Nooter to the SD card

Download Manual Nooter 4.5.18

Copy the ZIP directly to the bootable CWM SD card you just created.

Check out this guide here:

ManualNooter 4.5.18 (For Stock 1.2)

3. Root your Nook Color using Manual Nooter

Turn off your Nook Color
Insert the bootable CWM card with Nook Color
Connect the USB cable to your PC and the Nook Color

You should boot into CWM recovery mode.

Select Install ZIP from SD card
Browse to the Manual Nooter ZIP and install it.

After the installation is complete, you will have a rooted Nook Color.

4. Install Cyanogen Mod 7 (Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread on Nook Color)

Download the CyanogenMod 7 ROM for the Nook Color (Stable Mod)

Copy the ZIP to the SD card

Reboot into recovery mode again, and this time, flash the CyanogenMod 7 ROM ZIP.

Install ZIP from SD card > CyanogenMod 7 ZIP.

When you reboot after the installation is complete, you should be running CM 7 on your Nook Color.

How to Install Android 2.3.3 Cyanogen Mod 7 Gingerbread on LG T-Mobile G2X – Complete Guide

A nightly build of Cyanogen Mod 7 is now available for the LG T-Mobile G2X. You can install Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread on your LG T-Mobile G2X by flashing it with the CM7 ROM.

Some background: The LG T-Mobile G2X was launched with the stock version of Android 2.2 Froyo, but will receive an official updrage to Android 2.3 Gingerbread soon. But if you can’t wait for it, you can install Cyanogen Mod 7 (Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread) on your LG G2X. It’s still a work in progress, so try it at your own risk.

How to Install Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread on LG T-Mobile G2X

1. First of all, you need to root your LG T-Mobile G2X. You can use SuperOneClick to root it, if you haven’t already.

Follow this tutorial – Root T-Mobile G2X Using SuperOneClick

2. Next, just install ROM Manager from the Android Market on your G2X.

3. Download the latest build of the CM7 (Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread) ROM for the LG T-Mobile G2X.

Download CM7 for LG T-Mobile G2X

Copy the CM7 Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread ROM to the root of your SD card.

4. Start ROM Manager and select the Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery option to flash a recovery image.

(Note: In this case, the developer recommends flashing the clockwork recovery using NVFlash – Flashing instructions)

5. Once you are done with this, start ROM Manager and click on Flash ZIP from SD Card.

Select the ROM you copied to your SD card and check the Wipe Data/Cache and Backup options.

Your LG T-Mobile G2X should reboot in a few minutes, running Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread (CyanogenMod 7).

Check this XDA thread for Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread CM7 on LG T-Mobile G2X for more details.