DEAD TRIGGER review

DEAD TRIGGER

If you haven't heard of DEAD TRIGGER or of it's developer MADFINGER Games you're in for a treat.  If you're into FPS games especially if you dig zombie games then you're really in for a good time.  I'd suggest going ahead and downloading this amazing and free game (WARNING: IAP are there but not required).  It's easy enough to use with the on screen buttons but with my MOGA Pro controller it is only better although using the main launch screen still requires touching the screen to move around but I'm ok with that as the game play uses the MOGA to it's fullest.

The game play is smooth and has a good story line to it.  In essence you start in a city in despair.  You have to go on missions to collect supplies, maintain a position and hold of hordes and also to find survivors in order to gain money and points.  The more you level up the more weapons and add-ons you can get.  Also the more you level up the more you can upgrade your weapons.  Every day you start the game you are welcomed with a daily reward of some free chips and even gold sometimes to use and win some extra goodies.  Besides the must do main quests there are other side missions there is an arena to test how long and how many points you can gain in an endless onslaught of the undead.  A nice addition is the ability to have your game play saved online so you can download it to any device and continue where you left of which not many games do.

Overall I have been thoroughly enjoying this game.  There's just nothing like destroying an endless bevy of walkers with a plethora of style of weapons to choose from whether it's a pistol, shotgun, machine gun or even the classic chainsaw or even a special alien gun for blasting the zeds away.  Even without a controller this game is fun so if you have some free time to kill and some space left on your device go give this fun game a go.

Xposed Framework by rovo89

"ROM modding without modifying APKs"

Those who are accustomed to modding and trying out ROMs on their devices may be familiar with Xposed Framework but for those who aren't this is a definite app that you should check out.  By itself it does nothing but with some of the modules it changes everything.  If you've used it before make sure to click the link above to get the newest APK as it's an all in one app now that makes using Xposed much easier as everything is right there for you.  As you can see in the photo on the right this is what now shows up when you first open the app.  From here you can open up right into framework and install or update if this is the first time you've used the app or if there is indeed an update.




If this is your first time (or if you've updated) you will have to reboot and once you do you can pull up the modules tab.  Here is where you can check to use any of the modules you've installed. Once checked you will need to reboot again to enact the module with Xposed. Some of the modules you will be able to click on the description in Xposed and if there's a user interface built in to that module/app (which some do not have) then it will bring you directly there where you can then start choosing what mods you want.  Some mods will require a reboot per setting change (as in Nottach's Xposed app) while others will only require the initial reboot once you've checked the app.

Another nice addition rovo98 has added to Xposed is a download section where you can easily find modules for your device.  This will also show if there's an update to the framework app itself (not just the framework's app_process and XposedBridge.jar files but the app itself) or even if an update is available to one of the modules you're currently using (if supported).  Also it will show you what modules that developers have allowed to be downloaded/updated by Xposed are currently installed because as you can see I have a few more installed than are showing on the downloads page.  There are a slew that show available to download (it's showing me with an additional 55 modules I can download).  So there's definitely not a lack of choices of what you can do.  There are some that are device specific but some of the options may work on any device.

As always folks backup backup backup (in recovery) before doing any modifications because you never know what may "break" things and make your device somewhat to completely unusable.  When you initially install the framework a disable zip is also downloaded to your files so you can also just flash that to completely disable Xposed.  So as I have done just go in small steps enabling and modding so you can know what is breaking things and you can simply just not use that tweak.  So for all you modders and tweakers out there check it out and enjoy even on stock ROMs as I have done because you don't have to use your device as the OEM's say you should.

Pressy - The Almighty Android Button

Pressy

(on KickStarter)

The little button that could.

I normally wouldn't write about something that isn't out yet but there's an incredible hype going with this product (and with good reason).   Along with the actual button you can get a keychain holder to hide it away if you want to use our headphones.  This little bit of niftyness adds a much needed extra button that can be used for so many different things and also multiple things (depending on how long or how many times it's clicked).

From the photos and videos I've seen the app looks to very clean and easy to use and I know we all love a good simplistic UI.  Plus there's a plethora of options of what each kind of press can do.  It could severely cut out lots of time doing simple tasks we do multiple times a day from turning on the flash (which I know rooted users can do with the screen off but now it's possible without root) to calling or texting that one person you are in contact with all day to just opening an app or a setting (muting, wifi, data, etc etc) or even taking a photo or video.  There's so many options I'm not sure what I'll do with mine when I get it.  In addition to all these actions you can set Tasker to initiate actions with Pressy for even more ideas and I'm sure eventually developers will start to incorporate Pressy into their apps using the API.  So things can only get better with this already amazing little device.

 On top of options of what it can do there are a few option of colors.  There's the basic black but also blue, white and red.  If you want to pay a little extra there's even a gold edition.  To top it off they just added a special KickStarter Edition in KickStarter green.

So I know I'm getting one but now it comes down to which one.  I'm looking at either the white or blue myself since I personally like blue but have a white phone so that's my next decision but either way I will be definitely backing this project that's way beyond needing it anymore.  Although the more funding they receive the more features they are looking to be able to implement.  So head over now and take a look.  You'll be glad you did because I know I will be.  Just can't wait to get that little guy in the mail and now to start thinking of all the things I want to make it do especially since I am a Tasker user but that's a whole other story.

It's been awhile...but I'm back.

So I got my new S4 which I've been enjoying immensely.  So needless to say I've been a little busy playing with my new toy.  I'm at a point now where I'm somewhat done modding it and am quite comfortable where it stands.  At first I was very displeased that my carrier didn't and still hasn't carried the 32 GB version but I've come to terms with that and I just haven't been able to have all the apps I like but then again I'm quite the app hoarder and love having lots of choices of games to play on my phone especially with that new beautiful and crisp 5" screen.  So hopefully now that my toying around has been satisfied I can start doing some more blogs in my spare time between the work thing and the at home/family thing.

Trident Aegis Case for the Galaxy S4 review

Trident Aegis Case

(or from Amazon where I got mine)

I previously had the same style case for my Galaxy S2 and loved it so naturally I found myself having to order one for my S4 as well as some other cases because for a phone this nice you just can't have enough choices for your protection.  It's a great case and doesn't add too much bulk.  It feels pretty good in the hand but ultimately it wasn't the case for me out of the ones I bought.  Very nice indeed though.  The case fits perfectly on the device and there's no wiggle room.  Everything aligns nicely as you can see.  

All the buttons were easy to use and had no issues at all with using them.  Quite possibly my only gripe would be that the Aegis on the S2 had more of a grippy feel on the back while the back on the S4 Aegis case was very slick.  I do think this case would look much better on the darker variants of the S4 as for me the white phone in this case just doesn't look good for me.  My preference is just that too because the case is made very well and if it holds up anything like the one on my S2 it'll last long beyond the time of upgrading to your next device.

New Trent iCarrier (IMP120D) Review

New Trent iCarrier

(12,000mAh External Battery Charger for Smartphones and Tablets)

So if you haven't noticed lately I really like external battery chargers.  They're so great for on the go and I have yet to be disappointed by any I've gotten from New Trent.  The iCarrier is no exception to that and it's a beast of a battery coming in with 12,000 mAh it just keeps charging and charging and being that I love gaming I love to kill a battery and this let me keep at it while barely putting a dent in the battery.

I love the design of this one as it's something a little different than just an all black battery with a nice blue trim around the edge to give it a little something extra in my opinion.  It also comes with your standard USB cord for charging your device or the battery unit itself as well as coming with a very nice felt carrying bag to keep everything together.

The light setup on this battery is slightly different than others I've tested but it comes with a high, medium and low (so about 4,000 mAh per light) and of course the power light.  When on you can quickly check the amount of power left in the battery by simply tapping the power button and it will show you how much is left.

As with most of the larger capacity batteries I've dealt with this one also comes with the standard 1A port for smartphones and the 2.1A port for tablets.  Turning the device on and off is easier than some I've dealt with and the way the button sits it won't be turned off easily on accident though so no worries about not charging when you think you are.  Plus a nice feature I haven't noticed on many chargers I've tried is that it turns off immediately when you unplug your charging device whereas most take a few seconds or sometimes much longer which uses that precious battery power.

This is light enough you can actually carry it in a pocket which I have (although you may need a longer USB cord) especially a cargo pocket while my phone sits in my top pocket or while I just hold it and use it while it charges.  I even sometimes hook it up and play some games which is one of my biggest battery killers most days so having an extra 12,000 mAh is pleasant because even after a few days of using the battery as my only charger when I'm not home (and I just leave my device on the charger at night while I sleep) I have only managed to kill about half of the battery on this monster of a charger.

So to say I'm pleased is an understatement in this case.  Having smaller batteries can be okay but this may be the one to remain in my carryall daily bag along with my gaming controller and other random daily bits because even though this thing does take some time to recharge (and I just put it on a spare charger I have to recharge it overnight) it lasts me days and that's something I like.   So if that seems like something you need I'd definitely look into this haus...you won't be disappointed.

MOGA Pro Controller Review

MOGA Pro Controller

So I'm quite the avid gamer and have quite a few games that are quite involved.  Therefore I started looking into controllers for using with my Android devices and after searching and reading quite a bit I decided to check out the MOGA line of controllers and the Pro was the best choice for me and has proved to be quite so.  I've had it now for about two months and am always pleased to use it in gaming and others around me are always amazed when I take it out for a gaming session on the go.

It comes not only with the controller but also a charging cord and even a nifty tablet stand which I have used even with my phone although the controller itself has a mount built in for holding devices even of the Galaxy Note size.

MOGA has released their SDK so developers can develop their apps to be controller friendly and it's shown.  Some of the bigger name developers realize many people enjoy gaming on the go and the need for a controller as on screen controls really just don't cut it when it comes to games that are quite involved especially with the likes of shooter games (which are some of my personal favorites).  Not only are developers of shooting games making their apps MOGA friendly so are other gaming developers such as SEGA with games from the Sonic series that they've ported to Android and EA with games like the Need for Speed series. (MOGA developers).  All are truly a joy to play especially with the added ease of a controller.

The controller is easy to hold even with a device in the holder.  It has great grip and all the buttons work as they should without any hesitation or sticking.  It's just like holding an XBOX controller which I've always enjoyed playing.  Thanks to such an amazing controller I've been able to thoroughly enjoy and play much easier and therefore zip through otherwise very aggravating gameplay.  As I said before not all games are exactly made for ease of use on a touchscreen (albeit playable just not easily).

There are currently enough games to make the controller definitely worth the price.  There are as of right now 81 games that are MOGA compatible.  As of right now I currently have about 10 games and have tried a few others that just weren't something I saw myself playing on a daily basis and therefore deleted the app although playing with the controller was of no issue.  I look forward to getting more games as the controller has made playing games really awesome and totally worthwhile without the anger of not getting through a game because it's just not as fluid as using the MOGA Pro.

So all in all I highly recommend if you're into gaming and own an Android device whether it's a tablet or a phone or phablet that you should look into getting this amazing piece of electronics.  I almost had only wished I had held out for the MOGA Boost series.  I may end up getting one sometime in the future as it will be another great addition to my collection of Android accessories.

New Trent iTorch (IMP52D) Review

New Trent iTorch

(5,200 External Battery Charger for Smartphones)

After having received my new charger just in time for a weekend camping trip with the family and lots of charging to be done as my phone is my primary source of taking photos.  So off we went without worry as I had a new charger and while you may think that 5,200 mAh may not be enough for a weekend getaway it was definitely sufficient.

I was able to not only charge my phone twice (once for each day camping) but I got to play with another nifty feature that comes with this little charger which is the laser pointer.  It has quite the range on it and relatively no affect on the battery as I played with it for some time.  It really didn't serve me any purpose other than just something to play with but would make great for business persons in need of something to not only charge their mobile device as well as have something for a presentation in their business meetings.  The battery will shut off automatically if you don't plug something into it and once charged and you unplug you device it will also shut down automatically as well.  Also shutting off manually is quite easy compared to some other external batteries and will shut down in a few seconds whereas some take 10 - 15 at least to shut down.

With this nice little charger you not only get your typical USB charger cord but you also get an adapter for the Galaxy Tab and beyond that you get a very nice felt carrying bag to make not only keeping everything together but makes carrying everything so much easier.  Like other New Trent products it also comes with easy to read LED indicators showing how much battery is left on the charger in 25% increments.  Altogether I have to say I am very pleased with the iTorch and it served me well as I see it serving me well for much longer.

New Trent iGeek (IMP99D/NT99D) Review

New Trent iGeek
(11,200mAh External Battery Charger for Smartphones and Tablets)

I received this on May 21st and has been a great little addition to my collection.  And quite a collection it is becoming and for that I need to stay charged.  For that task I have been pointed to the iGeek and it has been great.  I've been able to charge whatever device I have with me on the go without worry of finding a plug which means being chained to a wall which for most smartphone users just doesn't work.  We need our devices to always be at the ready and that requires energy.

With this device I can charge a smartphone and a tablet and even two smartphones if you have something newer that can use a 2 A power supply.  The iGeek comes ready with 1 A and a 2.1 A charging ports and an adapter for Samsung tablets.  I've been able to charge my device a few times off each full charge of the iGeek.

It's simple to use with both charging ports plainly marked as well as the port for charging the device itself.  The button turns on the battery with ease while turning off requires holding the power button for about 10 - 15 seconds which I take as they did intentionally as to not turn it off while in your bag and therefore your device won't charge.  It's the ONLY thing I have found to be somewhat of an annoyance but something I have overcome as I don't have to worry about my phone not getting charged due to accidentally turning off the battery.  The lights on the iGeek are easy to read as each light shows a 25% incremental battery charge and the power button lights up for on and off for being off.

In conclusion if you're looking for a spare battery don't buy one specific to your device...get an iGeek and charge all your devices.  It's small and lightweight so you won't notice it bogging down your bag and you won't have to worry about changing out a battery (if you have a removable battery that is).  You won't have to worry about buying another spare battery anytime soon as this will cover all your needs.

Facebook Home

I've been playing around with Facebook Home as I found a work around to get it to work on any device (link to XDA below) and I can confirm it's working on my USCC variant of the Samsung Galaxy S2 (SCH-R760) running CyanogenMod 10.1 and while it's aesthetically pleasing and runs very well I don't see it being a permanent home replacement app.  I've used many home replacement apps and ever since 4.0 I've been using Apex Launcher (recently purchased the pro version which is amazing and totally worth the price but that will come in another blog post).  I really like the main page and swiping between posts.  Double clicking to like a post or picture is really nice and very intuitive.  However making Facebook a permanent home on my phone doesn't make sense to me as I use it mostly for groups I can see this being phenomenal for those whom Facebook takes up most of their time on their Android device.  Everything is very smooth and viewing pictures is simple by just touching and holding to view the photo in it's entirety instead of it scrolling through.  I really wish they would implement some of this amazing UI fluidity and beauty into their actual app for those of us who don't care to replace our current home apps (especially for those into using widgets and such to make their "home" not only theirs but beautiful and work for them).  Overall I believe Facebook hit a home run with this for those who are social networking junkies (most specifically Facebook junkies) whom don't do much else on their phones...but for the average user this will not take off.  Either way give it a go to at least check it out...that's how I roll at least.

~Peace~

Tree

[MOD] Facebook Home "unlocked" + *working* chat heads [NO ROOT!]

Beautiful big pictures behind status

Double click to like status/photo

Long press to see full photo

Samsung Galaxy S4 teaser

Samsung has started with a slew of commercials for the S4 showing the various new goodies that TouchWiz and the new NatureUX.  Not all the features will be used by all but they can certainly be fun.  I have to say that I am pretty excited about getting this.  I currently have an S2 which I had upgraded from the Galaxy S Mesmerize.  A few of these features require that other users have the same device (for now) but I'm sure they will be added in updates in suite packages to older feature phones such as the S3 and the Note 2.  I'm personally excited about the upgraded hardware as well as the software features.  If you're coming from an S3 it may not seem like a big bump but honestly it will be a good choice in a phone regardless of what you're coming from.  I will be enjoying the upgraded camera mostly as I take a lot of shots of the family and the kids more than anything with nature shots close behind.  Though I am somewhat limited on choice as I'm with a regional carrier (U.S. Cellular or USCC) which has excellent service their relationship with Samsung is thankfully decent now so we get phones on par with the national carriers.  I am truly looking forward to this upgrade even though my S2 is still a decent device I am, and always will be, a tech junkie but I think I will be happy with this for the full term of 22 months without feeling the need to use upgrade acceleration to get a phone earlier.  I'll want to deep inside but I won't have to.  I'll have 4G, NFC, a processor that will handle anything I can probably throw at it and a good sized battery and screen to boot.  So without further ado here's the first of many commercials to come from Samsung:

A New Blog For An Old Love (A.K.A. - Technology)

I've long loved putting my thoughts out into the world.  Whether it be on paper or via a blog or just social networking in general.  I say it's about time I started a blog for something I've been a long time fan of...technology.  It started a long time ago thanks to my father whom also loves geeky things.  I remember the family's first computer...a GE HeadStart III.  It was top notch for it's time and we loved it.  Ever since I've had an affinity for technology and my how far it's come over the years.  I've been through a LOT of computers since and a few of them were pieced together from multiple computers and over time I've given up on most of them.  Gaming systems I haven't been through as many as I had the original NES and then didn't get anything until the original XBOX although I had friends with all the systems in between.  Then came the smartphone era which I've thoroughly embraced.  I think the only thing holding me back a lot is funding...as I'm a father a lot of my money goes to supporting the family so I really only get one (maybe two) big purchases a year and lately those have been dedicated to new smartphones or a laptop.  I am hoping to finally get a tablet and a smart TV but first things first I have a certain Galaxy S4 that has caught my eye and my S2 is slightly jealous.  So this blog is a first of many involving probably mostly things Android but will try to cover other things as well.  I've tried so many apps (free and purchased) so I have a good starting place.  Plenty of posts and hopefully some videos as well to come soon.

-Tree-