Root Galaxy Note GT-N7000(SAMSUNG NOTE 1) On Android 4.0.3 ICS Without Increasing Flash Counter [How-To Tutorial]

Samsung’s half-smartphone half-tablet Galaxy Note recently received Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich and there is good news for those of you who like to hack their devices: an easy-to-apply method has been unveiled that not only lets you gain root access to your Galaxy Note but also do it so without increasing the flash counter that causes a yellow ! sign to show up at boot time. We’ve prepared a step-by-step guide that you can follow right after the jump!

The news comes straight from the Galaxy Note forum on XDA-Developers – a popular mobile software development community – in the form of a thread posted by developer deathst in which they discuss the method and how to go about applying it.

DISCLAIMER: Redmond Pie will not be held responsible for any loss of data or any damage incurred to your device in the following of this guide. Proceed at your own risk.

Important Note: There are reports of Galaxy Note devices being permanently bricked due to some bug in Samsung’s ICS kernel. To counter this, the developer suggests that you do not take NANDroid backups or restore using one.

Step 1: Download the following files from the official thread [XDA-Developers]:

• CWM.zip
• SU-Busybox-Installer.zip

Place all these files directly under /sdcard on your device’s internal memory.

Step 2: Shutdown your device. Once it is completely shut down, press and hold Volume Down + Power + Home buttons until you see a screen asking you to press to press Volume Up. Press said button to complete booting into Recovery Mode.

Step 3: Select apply update from external storage and then navigate to where you placed CWM.zip. Select it.

Step 4: Your device should now boot into ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery.

Step 5: From CWM, choose install zip from sdcard > choose zip from sdcard > SU-Busybox-Installer.zip

Step 6: From main menu of CWM, choose reboot system now.

If you followed the steps correctly, your Samsung Galaxy Note International GT-N7000 will now be rooted on Android 4.0.3 ICS.

For queries and help with unrooting your now rooted Galaxy Note, please visit the official thread linked to in Step 1.

You may also like to check out:

• Why Should I Root My Android Smartphone Or Tablet?

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Root Galaxy S II On Android 4.0.3 ICS With CF-Root [How-To Tutorial]

News of an imminent Ice Cream Sandwich release for the Samsung Galaxy S II has been lingering for the past couple of weeks now, but it would appear those in desperate wait to install Android 4.0.x on their S II have had their prayers answered by Google.

Of course, no sooner does it break, does one of the talented developers acquire the root. Much like the iOS jailbreak community, which saw a jailbreak for iOS 5.1 just hours after Apple announced the release, Android developer Faryaab has created the method, based on Chainfire‘s popular CF-Roottool.

As per usual, the scoop comes courtesy of the guys over at XDA Developers – a popular hunt of Android enthusiasts, and we’ve compiled a step-by-step guide for those looking to root their newly ‘Ice Cream Sandwiched’ Samsung Galaxy S II!

DISCLAIMER: As usual, Redmond Pie will not be held responsible for any loss of data, nor if your device gets damaged in the following of this guide. Proceed at your own risk.

Since the CF-Root tool doesn’t come with a custom recovery like ClockworkMod Recovery, you’ll need to flash it yourself. Please check out our how to flash ClockworkMod Recovery tutorial for more information.

Step 1: Download the required kernel for your Samsung Galaxy S II:

• CF-Root XXLPQ

Extract the .zip file.

Step 2: If your device is connected to your computer, please disconnect it.

Step 3: Download and launch ODIN v1.85 [XDA Thread]

Step 4: Click on PDA and select the CF-Root-xxx-vX.X.tar which will be located in the file you extracted in Step 1.

Step 5: Switch off your Galaxy S II, and once it is completely shut down, press and hold Volume Down + Power to place the device into download mode.

Step 6: Once in download mode, connect your Galaxy S II to your computer.

Step 7: Make sure you have not checked the Re-Partition option.

Step 8: Click on START and wait for your device to reboot.

If everything has gone as it should have, your Galaxy S II will now be rooted on Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich.

If you have any queries, check out the official thread over on XDA.

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Root Galaxy S3 On Android 4.1.2 [How-To Tutorial]

Samsung has adopted a yearly cycle of releasing new flagships in its Galaxy lineup of Android smartphones, and this year was no exception, brining to Android fans all across the globe the new and fabled Galaxy S4. While the latest king has already taken the throne and caused its predecessor, the Galaxy S III GT-I9300, to step aside in the smartphone arena, there’s no denying the fact that the device still remains a very capable and powerful one, fulfilling the needs of millions of users out there. Another testament to the fact is that Samsung is continuing to bring newer firmware for Galaxy S III International, with the latest one being released just this month, coming with PDA build I9300XXEMC2 and Android version 4.1.2. While the Galaxy S III still has to see an official Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update from Samsung, there are open source, community driven projects available that can let you taste the latest Android on GT-I9300. If you don’t opt that way, you may want to root your device on the latest firmware, for which we offer you this guide.

Before we get to the actual rooting process, allow me to clarify that as of this writing, I9300XXEMC2 is the latest officially available firmware for the international version of Samsung Galaxy S III GT-I9300, distributed by Samsung through Kies. It comes with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and offers improvements over previous versions like faster app launcher redraws, faster launching of applications, improved performance of the Phone and Contacts apps, better RAM utilization, and other general enhancements. The battery life also seems to have improved, but will vary from one usage scenario to the other.

The root method that we will opt for here will make use of Chainfire’s CF-Root, which is arguably the easiest rooting technique for a huge variety of devices by now. Do understand, however, that while this method is tried and tested, we or the developer cannot take any responsibility for any damage to your device as a result of following these instructions. Proceed at your own risk.

Requirements

• Samsung Galaxy S III GT-I9300 (International version) with more than 50% battery remaining, 100% just to be on the safer side of the fence
• CF-Root package for Galaxy S3
• Odin3 v3.07
• Latest Samsung USB drivers (should already be there if you have Kies installed)
• Galaxy S3 USB cable for connection

Procedure

Step 1: Download both Odin3 and CF-Auto Root packages from the link above. Extract the contents of the root package to a location of your choice.

Step 2: Launch Odin3, click the PDA button and select the .tar.md5 file that you extracted from the CF Root package.

Step 3: Make sure that Re-partition is unchecked in Odin3, and that nothing is selected in PIT.

Step 4: Turn off your Galaxy S III an

d put it in download mode by pressing and holding volume down+power+home at the same time, and then pressing volume up for confirmation.

Step 5: With your device in Download Mode, connect it to the PC using the USB cable. If all went correct, Odin3 will detect the device, indicated by a COM address in the top left corner of Odin3.

Step 6: Double check that the correct PDA file is selected and that re-partition isn’t checked, and hit the Start button to begin flashing the rooted kernel.

Step 7: Once the flash is complete, the phone will reboot and enter recovery mode, automatically initiating the rooting procedure. It will reboot once more.

That’s it – your Galaxy S III GT-I9300 is now rooted on the latest XXEMC2 firmware. Enjoy!

You can follow us by "like" our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

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How To Permanently Carrier Unlock Galaxy S III & Galaxy Note II For Free [Tutorial]

One of the biggest hindrances with buying a top-of-the-line smartphone, is the premium price that you have to pay for it. There are usually two ways of how high-end phones are sold; either you pay the full price to the manufacturer and get an unlocked device, whereby getting the freedom to go with whatever network fancies you. Or, you may opt to buy the phone through a wireless carrier, where you pay a much subsidized rate for a big trade-off: getting stuck with that carrier for the term of your contract. In the latter case, the carrier pays the full price to the manufacturer but sells you the device at a much lower rate, and in turn, locks down the smartphone to their network, so you cannot use a SIM card from another network just like that. That’s a generally agreeable rule for most users.

However, there might be cases when you don’t want to remain stuck with the same cellular service provided, especially if there services aren’t satisfactory. There might also be times where you want to travel abroad, want roaming, but don’t want a local carrier that’s partnered to the one you’re subscribed to. Still others might be times when you just want to unlock your phone. Now, these phones are locked via software code, not at the hardware level, so there’s always a good chance that a good device tinkerer will be able to unlock it and let you get a job done for free that would otherwise cause your wallet to go lighter, even if marginally. Well, if you happen to own a Galaxy Note II, or a Galaxy S III, you might be able to network unlock your Android smartphone entirely free of cost!

The method comes courtesy of the folks over at XDA-Developers, who uncovered a hidden menu buried deep in Samsung’s own software that lets you unlock a pre-locked device. There are some factors to consider before attempting this, however. One, it will work ONLY on locked devices – we don’t know what might happen if you try that on an already-unlocked Galaxy Note II. Two, this method has been tested with only N7105 for the Note II, and while it has been reported to work for the N7100 and some Galaxy S III models, they’re not guaranteed. Three, meddling with these areas of your phone is seriously risky business, so proceed at your own risk.

Please note that these instructions will only work if you’re running Android 4.1 or higher.

Procedure

Step 1: On your Galaxy Note II, launch the phone app and press these keys: 

*#197328640#

Step 2: From the Main Menu, navigate to [1] UMTS > [1]Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options.

Step 3: In the Options screen, choose [3] Perso SHA256 OFF. Wait for 30 seconds after making this selection.

Step 4: Go back one step by pressing the menu key, and then back once. You should now again be in [6] Network Lock

Step 5: Here, now choose [4]NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ. Wait for one minute after making the choice.

Step 6: After a minute has passed, reboot your Galaxy Note II.

Your phone should now be unlocked, and ready for use with any carrier. Please note that you will NOT receive any sort of confirmation on the screen, so just put in a different carrier’s SIM and try it out.

For more details and technical assistance, check out the XDA forum thread below.

(Source: XDA-Developers forum thread)

You can follow us by "like" our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Coming To Cricket On June 7

If you’re buying a Galaxy S4, then you’re almost spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding which carrier you wish to sign up with, because all four of the big names in the United States are offering the device. But that’s not the case if you want the handset prepaid — at least not yet.

Next month, however, you’ll be able to purchase the Galaxy S4 on Cricket from $55 down.

The contract-free carrier today announced that it will be carrying Samsung’s latest flagship from June 7, and customers will pay just $55 upfront to start their installment plan, which will then cost as little as $45 per month.

This is a great alternative for would-be Galaxy S4 owners who do not want a two-year contract but cannot or do not want to pay the handset’s full $600 price tag in one go. However, you’ll need to live in one of Cricket’s LTE coverage areas to pick up the device.

Those areas include Las Vegas, Tucson, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Laredo, Corpus Christi, and the Brownsville-McAllen-Harlingen market, Texas.

“The Galaxy S4 redefines the smartphone and we are very proud to offer our customers the highest level of wireless technology on the market,” said Matt Stoiber, senior vice president of devices for Cricket. “Cricket’s three smartphone rate plans start as low as $45 per month1 and give customers value-packed choices for the plan that’s right for them with unlimited music included.”

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9 reason to root android

1. Apps Aplenty

If you've spent much time in Google Play, you know you're not exactly hard-up for good apps. But why settle for good when you can havegreat. Once you're rooted not only can you get more apps, but the apps you have access to can get way down deeper into your phone's brains. In some cases you'll be able to do things that carriers, manufacturers, and/or Google may not want you to do. Some will allow you to do things of questionable legality. For example,Network Spoofer uses your device to set up a fake wireless network. When your houseguests sign in, you can make ever image they see inverted, or all of the text fuzzy. It's a harmless prank, but of course it could (but shouldn't!) also be used for stealing passwords and other nefarious things.

Where do you find all these root-only gems? Amazingly enough, many of them are still in the Google Play app store. Google's much more relaxed about rooting than Apple is about jailbreaking. Some apps, like Tasker, work for factory-shipped devices as well, but get expanded superpowers when you root.

2. The Latest OS Updates

Dammit, why am I always three updates behind. This may be the most common complaint among Android users, less than half of whom have made it as far as Ice Cream Sandwich. Between the Google, the carriers, and the hardware manufacturers, there are a whole lot of shenanigans behind closed doors that determines when (or if) your phone gets an upgrade. Who has the patience?

Android's developer community, on the other hand, is a hardcore bunch. They're often able to get the new OS onto a phone months before the carrier releases the update, often along with a few bonus features. Once you're rooted, you just have to find the OS version you want (optimized for your specific device), and it's generally extremely easy to install the latest and greatest.

3. Ditching the Skin

Android enthusiasts rightly hate the software skins that hardware manufacturers use to brand their devices. They're often bulky, ugly, unwieldy, or just downright not as clean and functional as stock Android. They're also a big reason those OS updates take so long. You're almost always better off without.

So root! Once you do, you can download and install any number of custom-built ROMs (different versions of the Android firmware). Some of them are highly customized and tweaked to add features, and others are basically just stock Android. Cleaning off an ugly skin can be like a breath of fresh air.

4. Bloat Banishment

Android phones are plagued not only with OEM skins, but with a fistful of superflous apps that you don't want and will never use. Generally, they're just things to get you more entrenched in the carrier's ecosystem. The best part? You can't remove them. In Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) devices, you candisable those apps so you don't see them, but they're still there, taking up space. Once you've rooted your phone, you can useTitanium Backup to delete them once and forever. Just be careful you don't accidentally delete something that your phone actually needs, or you'll be sorry.

5. Speed/Battery Life Boosts

Phone starting to get laggy? Or maybe you're having trouble making it through the day on a single charge? Rooting allows you to install customized kernels (the software that enables the OS to talk to the hardware, basically) that are optimized differently. Some are made for low-power consumption, and some are built for speed. You can also use an app like Set CPU, which enables you to overclock or underclock your phone's processor, and set rules for usage.

For example, you can set your processors to go into overdrive when you're playing a graphically intensive game, but have them draw the bare minimum power when the screen is off.

6. Extreme Customisation

Android is already the most customizable mobile OS out there, which is one of its big draws, but if you root your phone you can really go nuts. If you want a total change, you can download custom ROMs that look nothing like Android at all. Want your device to navigable entirely by gestures? No problem, just install GMD Gesture Control (see video). Prefer a sliding keyboard when you're in portait mode, but a tapping, predictive keyboard when you're in landscape.Keyboard Manager will automatically switch between your keyboards of choice whenever you rotate your phone. You can also add features like widgets in your notification bar, or can change the way certain features look or behave, like the lock screen, or notification bar. The sky's the limit.

7. Infinite Features

Beyond just customizing your phone's existing features, rooting helps you pile on all kinds of wonderful new weirdness. You'll love it.

Want to hook up your PlayStation controller to your phone for better gaming? You can. Want to set rules for callers to decide who can and can't call you when? Why not. Maybe your carrier has blocked certain apps, or an app isn't available for the country you live in? There are Market Enabler apps that trick your phone (and Google) into thinking it's on another carrier or in a far off land. Nervous about connecting to the public Wi-Fi? Wifi Protector will keep you safe from all kinds of ARP, DOS, and MITM attacks. Or, you could put the new Android 4.2 camera on your non-Jellybean phone. Accidentally deleted something you wish you hadn't? Undeletemight just save your bacon. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

8. A Free Wi-Fi 

You probably know that your phone can function as a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing you to get your laptop (or tablet, or whatever) online wherever your phone has a data connection The catch? Most wireless carriers charge you $10 a month or more for that privilege, on top of your regular data plan. With a rooted Android device, however, you can simply download Wireless Tether (yep, right from the Android Market), create your own mobile, encrypted Wi-Fi network, and your carrier will be none the wiser.

If you do tether multiple devices to your liberated phone, just make sure you don't go over your monthly cap. Data goes down a lot faster on a laptop.

9. Better Backup

There are apps out there that kiiiiinnnnda back up your phone, but generally it's pretty surface level stuff (contacts, pictures, music, etc.). Once rooted you can go way, way deeper. Grab an app called Titanium Backup. Not only can it back up all of your apps, but it can back up all of the information stored in those apps. So if you've been doing great in Temple Run but you want to wipe your phone and start fresh, you can use Titanium to back up and then restore the game, and you'll be right where you left off. It's a nice security blanket if you're going to be messing around deep in your phone's brain.

In spite of all these benefits, only you know whether rooting is right for you. For some people it's just not worth the time and effort. For others, it's a godsend that allows them to use their phones in a better way and for a longer time. If you decide to take the plunge, read up and make sure you follow instructions carefully. After that, go hog wild. It's your phone, after all.

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What Is Rooting?

     We talk about rooting plenty around here, but here's the high-level look for the few remaining uninitiated. Rooting means gaining root access to your device. When you take your phone out of the box, while there are plenty of settings you can tweak, you can only alter what the manufacturer allows you to. By  gaining root access you can modify the device's software on the very deepest level. It takes a bit of hacking (some devices more than others), it voids your warranty, and there's a small chance that you could completely break your phone forever. But you know what? It's still totally worth it for all the goodies you get access to.

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Linux 3.0.8 Kernel for 2011 Xperia

         Some devices just refuse to die, no matter how long they’ve been around. That said, a team of devoted developers has come together to bring the Linux kernel 3.0.8 to every 2011 Xperia device.  The last official kernel release from Sony (Ericsson) for 2011 Xperia Devices was version 2.6.32.

   XDA Recognized Developer nobodyAtall based this kernel on the ‘M7630AABBQMLZA404033I’ CAF tag, which is ‘the latest tagged release for this arch and is linux 3.0.8.’ The supported devices and the developer behind each one are as follows:

• Xperia Mini by Recognized Developer nobodyAtall
• Xperia Live with Walkman by pcfighter
• Xperia Pro by XDA Senior Member M66B
• Xperia Neo V by XDA Senior Members mechmetal and mikeioannina
• Xperia Neo by XDA Senior Members mechmetal and mikeioannina
• Xperia Mini Pro by XDA Senior Member expeacer
• Xperia Ray by XDA Senior Member iriijo
• Xperia Active by XDA Senior Member mikeioannina
• Xperia Arc by XDA Recognized Developer DooMLoRD

          The kernel for each of the listed devices is available for download and testing from thekernel thread. The kernels for the Mini, Live with Walkman, Pro and Neo and Neo V are said to be bootable and usable, with near 100% functionality, while the rest are still at various stages of development (at the time of writing). More detailed status for each of these kernels can be found in the discussion thread.

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Root for Samsung Galaxy S 4 Works Across Multiple Carriers

                 If you’r ranking about signing up for a carrier- subsidized          Samsung Galaxy S4 here’s a bit of good news: XDA  Recognised Developer Djrbliss posted a rooting guide that is dead simple and works with all variations that use a Qualcomm processor (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.). The technique was originally developed for Motorola devices, and thus is called Motochopper. It will work for Windows, Linux, or OSX. Windows users will need to have the latest Samsung USB drivers. With that prerequisite satisfied, you need only run the .bat(Windows) or .sh (the other OSes) file get your root on.

This was just released few days before, and there are a few things to consider before giving it a spin. Rooting the S4 can be considered a bit risky because there isn’t a clear path for fixing the device if rooting fails. But I image it won’t be too long before someone is able to dump a stock image and get a custom recovery working on the device. And I’m sure you’ve heard the news that at least some carriers will be delivering phones with locked bootloaders (booo!) but that’s never stopped us before. Maybe the same exploit that worked with the Atrix HD will work with these since the processors are cousins?

If you still want to throw caution to the wind, head over to the original thread for a download link and instructions.

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