Install and configure Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0 on Kindle Fire [How To, video guide]

Kindle Fire is set to get powered by Google's mobile OS as early build of Android 4.0 is available for Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet. Kindle Fire users and the one going for Amazon's tablet might get happier with this news. Well, you may be wondering about the procedure for installing and configuring ICS for your Kindle Fire. We are here with some easy tutorials and steps.

Hey, don't get too excited. Some bugs have been reported that come through when the installation of this ROM is performed. However, developers are trying the way hard to fix them as soon as possible. Here's a video from liliputing  that will help you out a lot.

So, shall we start with Flashing?

Perform these first

• Root Amazon Kindle Fire with “FireFireFire bootloader” and “TWRP 2.0 recovery installed”
  How To: Follow this link to install these above things
• Backup of all your important data i.e resources from SD card, contacts, messages, APN, and other such things

Required downloads

• “tryforsdupdate.zip” (recommend version- packaged by XperiaPlayer including SD card fix)
• “gapps_ics_4.0.3_v8.koush.zip” (this will install Google Android Market and other Google apps)
• “Trebuchet.zip” (latest launcher app from CynogenMod 9)
  All the required downloads available here.

How to flash ICS on kindle fire:

1. Boot into TWRP

1. Switch off your Kindle fire and reboot it in TWRP 2.0 mode. 
2. Press power button to switch onPress and hold the power button [you see a yellow triangle with fire icon in middle just press and hold the power button until it turns to orange instead of green] 

          Later about 10 to 20 sec. your device will boot in TWRP

2. Backup system

1. From the appearing tabs first choose the option “Backup” to make a backup of your current system.
2. From the further menu choose the desire items for backup (recommend items- System, data and boot) and tap on the button “Backup now”.
   
3. After the completion of backup process tap on the button “Main menu”.

To restore : If you want to restore any time, just boot the your Kindle fire in TWRP mode and tap on “Restore” button and choose your created backup

3. Wipe DATA

Now in the main menu choose the option “Wipe” and then the “Factory recent”.

After completion of Wiping data press the back button and then again back button or simply the home button to come up to the main menu.

4. Flashing Android 4.0

1. Now tap on the “Install” button to flash the ROM.
2. From the further window choose the file“tryforsdupdate.zip” if appeared or by browsing it manually from your SD card.
3. Tap on the button “Flash” to begin the flash/install.
   
4. You’ll see some texts with progress bar. Here ignore the upcoming error messages and wait until the flash is complete.
5. Now just tap on the button “Reboot System” to boot your Kindle fire into Android 4.0
   

If you want to install the remaining two files the “Google apps” and “launcher app” just come back to the main menu of TWRP and use the steps 7 to 10 and choose these files“gapps_ics_4.0.3_v8.koush.zip”  and“Trebuchet.zip” instead of  “tryforsdupdate.zip”.

Recommend: For fresh installation tap on the button “Wipe Cache/Dalvik” just after installing of last ZIP file.

That’s all. Follow the on- screen prompts to set the basic setup and have fun with your Kindle running with the new Ice Cream Sandwich.
via AndroidFlip

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LG Challenging Samsung: LG Optimus Vu smartphone/tablet hybrid against Galaxy Note

It's not just Apple and Samsung in the factory battle. LG has also tried to come up strong officially unveiling its new 5-inch LG Optimus Vu which a smartphone/tablet hybrid. LG seems to be challenging Samsung's Galaxy Note. LG Optimus Vu has been powered by a stylus-enabled 1.5GHz dual-core LTE handset.


It's just a week before MWC 2012 that LG Optimus Vu is up with official debut which mimics a mini-iPad with its 4:3 aspect 1024 x 768 screen. Like iPad, it uses an IPS panel and also with 650 nits brightness. Optimus Vu has been launched with Android 2.3 Gingerbread. However, the manufacturers: LG is promising ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) within three months.


As with the Samsung Galaxy Note, the Optimus Vu comes with a stylus so as to handwrite notes, annotated images and documents, and sketch out maps and diagrams. A custom memo app takes center-stage, and the pen itself is apparently made of – or at least clad in – rubber for easier grip.


Gingerbread is running on a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core paired with 32GB of internal storage, and there’s an 8-megapixel camera on the back – with autofocus and flash – and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calls. WiFi Direct, HDMI output, DLNA and – in South Korea at least – T-DMB digital TV are all supported.


via Slashgear

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Apple's OS X Mountain Lion: Video Guides and News

We recently came across the news, Apple planning to release new version of Mac OS X: Mountain Lion. Here are some more news and videos collected. All thanks to computerworld.com and Johny Evans, the one behind this blog. After his hard work for some days, he came across some data and a series of video walkthroughs for the new OS, currently available for developers only.

Mountain Lion is certainly coming up with some new experiences ad it introduces Remainders and Game Center to the Mac, along with more features inspired from iPad including Notification Center, Share Sheers, Twitter integration and AirPlay mirroring.


More than that, iCloud integration has powered the new OS X. Mountain Lion also includes document updating and new security feature, Gatekeeper. 

Insanely Great Mac was quick off the mark with its video guide (above), which mainly demonstrates the operating system's AirPlay support for the Apple TV (which doesn't work with every Mac at present).

A nice detailed preview of at least the initial stages of setting up and exploring the OS comes from The Verge (below).

Cult Of Mac has also published its own short, informative two-minute guide to the operating system. This gives us a small glimpse at many of the smaller new software improvements within the OS, if you're looking for a feature overview.

Thanks to Johny Evans and ComputerWorld

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35 free ways to increase traffic

Making a blog or website is no worth if it's not noticed or isn't getting quality traffics. Quality contents does matter a lot but there are lot more things you need to take care of. There are more steps to follow to increase traffic to your website and start getting noticed.

Here are some best ways:

Make Use Of Free WebSites To Promote Your Blog!
1. write related articles on WikiPedia with your blog url in it.
2. make a hubpage for your blog, with a little bit information about your blog.
3. make a wiki page for your blog.
4. make a squidoo lens or more with a link to your site.
5. sign up at 43things.com and write things related to your blog and what you want to accomplish.(you’d be surprise by the number of people, just reading other peoples list)
6.create a myspace page for your blog.
7. create a facebook page for your blog.
8. create a hi5 page for your blog.
9. join blogcatalog and do the same as with mybloglog.
10. use MyBlogLog to create a community around your blog. join other peoples community, so they do the same for you.
11. create an account with Technorati and with every new post, ping it.
12. post related how-to videos on you tube with your blog address on the bottom of the screen or at the end or beginning of the video.
13. use yahoo answers to answer questions related to your niche, leaving your link in the resource box. (believe it or not, 10% of my traffic comes from 20 minutes a week answering questions on yahoo answers)
14.create an account on stumbleupon, and stumble each and every article you write. (one of the best ways to drive traffic to your site for free)
15. join as many forums as possible, especially forums related to your niche

Take Advantage Of Free Tools And Plug-ins!
16. place a “digg it” button right after your post, to make it easy for your readers to digg your post.
17. use a comment notifying plug-in to let your readers know about new comments. believe it or not, most people read more of other peoples comment on your post, than your post itself.
18. use social bookmarking plug-ins to make it easy for your readers to submit your post to social bookmarking site
19. install “tell-a-friend” plug-in to make it easy for your readers to let others know about your post.
20. make use of “all in one SEO” plug-in to make your blog search engine friendly.
21. use a forum plug-in to create a forum for your blogs readers to talk and discuss related issues.
22. use a free keyword tool to find and use good ranking keywords in your niche.
23. use sites like vista print to make free business cards ($5 shipping for 250 free BC which is worth it) with your site url on it and pass it around.
24. make a free favicon to be easily found in your readers favorites file. (people like to find what they want fast. i myself sometimes give up finding a particular article or site in my huge favorite file, simply because i don’t want to spend 5 minuets to go through the whole list. a favicon is like big spot light focused on you between hundreds of other people!
25. use free press release services to gain visibility.
26. Use pingomatic to ping RSS aggregators.
27. use free advertising sources like craigslist and backpage to post ads about your articles or blog in related categories.

Other Bloggers Can Help Too!
28. talk about or if you can interview a trusted person in your niche
29. Leave comments on blogs in related niches or any niche for that matter.(don’t spam, leave genuine comment, as you would like others to do so for you)
30. make a banner ad for your blog and exchange with other interested bloggers.
31. use blogroll to link to other bloggers in your niche in exchange for a link to your blog on their blog roll.
32. ask other bloggers to write a review of your blog in exchange for a link to their site from your site.
33. dedicate a post about a top bloggers in your niche. it will catch their attention and they may link to you
34. whenever appropriate, link to other bloggers articles in your post. they will return the favor.
35. use your best articles to post on other peoples blog as a guest writer (it’ll gain you visibility and new audience)

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iPad 3 specification, display leaked - screen resolution double of iPad 2

Around three weeks remain for iPad 3 to land the tech market. It's iPad 3 obviously flying high and at the peak of all tech gossips, rumors and expectations. Everybody is so anxious to know what the specifications, features are going to be in iPad 3. Is it really worth to be gaining more popularity than iPhone 5?

It's March 7 that we are going to find what and how iPad 3 would actually be if the reported announcements are to be followed. iPad 3 is in everyone's radar that leaks and scoops on specifications are expected to come out. The most recent one is a “confirmation” from MacRumors that the screen resolution of the iPad 3 will indeed be twice that of the iPad 2.

MacRumors has somehow obtained one of the OEM LCD screen displays supposedly used in the production of the upcoming iteration of Apple’s bestselling tablet. Although the display couldn’t be powered on, a close examination through a microscope and a side-by-side comparison with an iPad 2 display confirmed what many speculators have long agreed upon regarding the iPad 3′s resolution.

The iPad 3 is "confirmed" to have a screen resolution that is twice that of the iPad 2.

The new display showed visible clusters of 4×4 pixels, as opposed to the groupings of 2×2 pixels found on the iPad 2. This finding amounts to a linear resolution of 2048×1536, twice the 1024×768 resolution of both the iPad 1 and iPad 2. This also qualifies the iPad 3 for the Retina display designation, which Apple reserves for screen densities that render the individual pixels invisible from a normal viewing distance, e.g. the iPhone 4’s display. And for developers, this means having to double the resolution of the graphics of their iPad apps, pronto.

The iPad 3 is also rumored to have a high-speed A6 processor, with the cellular-enabled models said to support LTE technology. With its Retina display now all but confirmed, are you still on the fence about getting an iPad 3? Or are you already preparing to camp outside an Apple Store while waiting for its release?

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Mac OS X Mountain Lion Roars this Summer

Today, Apple allowed the tech community to test the demo version of the Mac OS X 1.8 'Mountain Lion'. This has brought up anticipation of the Lion soon escaping the Apple's cage and will be roaring the hardest it can. The company hasn't come up with the concrete decision when it might release the new version of the OS but has confirmed that customers won't have to wait any longer than this summer.

This decision of the American tech giant to roll out the newer version of its Mac OS X this summer has certainly notified that the company is focusing more on its software ecosystem - the iCloud platform in particular.

The company also makes it clear that they have no further intentions of merging Mac OS X with its mobile OS platform iOS.


Michael Gartenberg of Gartner research said: "Apple's not merging Mac OS X and iOS. But they are making them feel the same. And that shows that the ecosystem is more important than the device or even the platform."

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Reports: Nokia Lumia 800 launching Feb 14 for $899

Smartphone geeks, and specially Nokia lovers might be eagerly waiting for Nokia's Lumia 800. Here's a good news, it's just a week remaining for Nokia Lumia 800 launch. The Windows Phone handset will reportedly hit the States next Tuesday but could carry a price tag of $899.

The launch of Lumia 800 stands to be the latest scoop on the phone but the consumers are certainly expressing shock over the price. But there's also a thing that the consumers should know that, it's for so-called Lumia 800 "bundle" that includes a Nokia Play 360 Wireless Speaker, Purity HD Stereo Headset, and an in-ear Bluetooth as well as the Lumia 800 itself.

Nokia might be targeting the Lumia 800 bundle for Valentine shoppers but as per the reports and reactions among the consumers that is flowing around, the Lumia 800 is off to a poor start right out of the gate. 

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Chrome Browser now available for Androd

Finally, Google's Chrome browser is now  available for Android. An announcement from Google came out this Tuesday regarding the launch of it's popular browser for Android: Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich".
However, this also means that all Gingerbread (and maybe Froyo) customers anxiously waiting for an official browser from Google to replace the stock version will have to wait for their Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade.
Google will certainly focus on speed and simplicity much like its desktop brother. But it will also sport seamless sign-in and sync so that users can take their personalized web browsing experience wherever they go, across multiple devices. This indicates that users will no longer need the standalone Chrome to Phone App that syncs bookmarks and whatnot from the desktop browser to Android's stock browser.
"With Chrome for Android, you can search, navigate and browse fast -- Chrome fast," writes Google's Sundar Pichai, SVP, Chrome and Apps. "You can scroll through web pages as quickly as you can flick your finger. When searching, your top search results are loaded in the background as you type so pages appear instantly. And of course, both search and navigation can all be done quickly from the Chrome omnibox."
Chrome for Android is currently in beta, and can be downloaded from Android Market here. Users with Gingerbread and below will have to stick with Dolphin, Firefox, SkyFire and others for now. Bummer.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVjw7n_U37A]

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Most awaited Apple's iPhone 5 may land this June

Rumors on release of iPhone 5 is not a new issue. But as per the latest rumor buzzing in the tech market, Apple's next generation iPhone may be closing to it's release. As per the rumors, Apple may be releasing most awaited iPhone 5 this June.


One of the Chinese website states that “The device will be released at its Worldwide Developer’s Conference, which takes place on the 5th of June in California. Last year’s WDC conflicted with E3.”


So, as per me, I am eagerly waiting for this June if the rumors go true. Just want to see what's new about iPhone 5 that's getting everybody to imagine about it long before it's release. 

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Microsoft Windows Phone 8 details leaked, Supports Dual Core

Rumors are in the market, Microsoft may be closing for Windows 8 phones. Well, some details have been leaked a day ago. It seems the new version of Windows Phone have major improvements in the feature.

Windows Phone have always been second best to the Android and iOS. This has made it out of choice among the users. But, as we follow up with the new features in the phone, American tech giant Microsoft may expect some market share with the help of their new launch.

Microsoft’s ‘new’ mobile phone operating system will share a lot of components with Windows 8, the new operating system for computers and tablets, allowing developers to reuse much of their code when transferring apps. Windows Phone 8 is codenamed ‘Apollo’ and is due to be released after ‘Tango’, the next update to Windows Phone 7.

The platform will add support for multicore processors–at a time when Android devices are already moving to quad-core chips–four different screen resolutions, a removable microSD card, and near-field communication, crucial for mobile payments. 100,000 apps are said to be available at launch with native code support, allowing for apps that are more integrated into the devices. Skype may also play a bigger role in the operating system.

Windows Phone 8 is expected to have Near-Field Communication support allowing for contactless payments similar to Google’s recently announced Google Wallet. Microsoft’s NFC support may also allow for quick data sharing between PCs, tablets and smartphones.

There is a support for app-to-app communication, as well as a revamped Skype client that hooks directly into the OS, letting Skype calls behave almost identically to regular, non-VoIP telephony. The camera will now be based around so-called lens apps: Microsoft provides a basic camera interface that can either be skinned by OEMs or overlaid with viewfinders from third-parties.

Enterprise users will reportedly benefit from Exchange ActiveSync support, 128-bit BitLocker full-disk encryption, and a secure boot process.

You can see below a summary of the new features

• Dual core support
• four different resolutions
• NFC support with payment and content sharing with WP8 and Windows 8 machines
• Carrier control and branding of "wallet" element via SIM or phone hardware
• MicroSD support added for expandable storage
• Transitions to core components from desktop, including kernel, network stack, security components and media support
• Simplified porting of desktop apps to mobile
• Zune desktop integration scrapped in favor of new, unnamed syncing app
• Deeper Skydrive integration, including ability to sync data such as music collections
• Xbox Companion app will get Windows 8 partner client
• Native code support, simplified porting from Android and iOS
• App-to-app communication and integration
• Skype client with deep OS hooks that will make it almost identical to placing standard voice calls
• Camera app now supports "lenses" which allow third parties to skin and add features to camera interface
• DataSmart tracks and reports usage via app and live tile
• Gives preferential treatment to WiFi, can automatically connect to carrier-owned hotspots
• Proxy server will compress websites in Internet Explorer 10 up to 30 percent
• Native Bitlocker encryption
• Support for proprietary, custom built apps to be deployed behind company firewalls

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