Evolution of Galaxy Tab tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab tablets were introduced immediately after the launch of the Apple iPad. It was Korean’s giant answer to the iPad which brought revolution to the world of tablets. The first Samsung android tablet to hit the market was the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Galaxy Tab 10.1

This was quite a revolutionary product at the time. It had beautiful and large 10.1 inch screen with 1280×800 pixel resolution. It had built in 3G to keep you connected on the move. Storage was 16GB which was enough in 2011. It was thinner than the first generation iPad and it sold in huge numbers. This was mainly due to the fact that people were waiting for an android tablet that could give iPad a run for its money.

A lot of people were buying it just because they could watch videos and sports on the move. People like to watch football, cricket, golf on their big screen tablets like Galaxy Tab. You can only enjoy so much on a tiny screen of iPhone and the experience on a Samsung Galaxy Tab is miles better. If you are into sports betting, your experience will be better as you have a bigger display and a bigger onscreen software keyboard to play with. The future of sports betting is definitely mobile, especially on galaxy tab tablets since they too run android operating system. This very OS is on the verge of becoming the most popular operating system.

Galaxy Tab comes with various live streaming betting apps which lets you increase or decrease your bets depending on your favorite team’s ongoing game play. Bettors are able to stream any match or game they wager on. There are some betting apps for galaxy tab that let you listen to audio-only commentary as well which is useful if you are in low data converge area. Pair that with a wearable and you could be best in your business.

Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

After the first generation Samsung Galaxy Tab, the company released Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 along with few other smaller tablets with 8.9 and 7.7 inch screens. These did not get good response from users as Samsung did not increase the RAM which was expected. It was still 1GB which was just not enough to run multiple applications concurrently.

Samsung figured this out and released Galaxy Tab 3 with 2GB RAM. This very model came with three screen options – 7”, 8” and 10.1”. All enjoyed excellent response and sold in good numbers as well.

User experience with the Galaxy Tab tablets improved as the advancements in processors, memory management and operating system were done. For instance, the Android honeycomb had special focus on tablets and this made the tablets more useful. There were apps that were made for tablets’ big screen, resolution and screen real estate in mind and all these things made the end user experience much better.

Create Swap on Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 to boost performance

Samsung got a lot of controversy when they released the Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 android tablet with a gig of memory. While we cannot upgrade the RAM as it is on the chipset, it is possible to get create a virtual memory or a swap that will give you better performance while doing multitasking and memory hogging operations. This process requires you to root your Tab 3 10.1 as you will be making changes in system files.

Create Swap on Galaxy Tab 3 10.1

Here are the steps on how to do it.

1. Create a swap file.
2. Create a script file to run at boot from your /system/etc/init.d directory.
3. Create a android system with 1GB of RAM and 1GB of swap file virtual memory.

And below we have explained the entire steps in detail.

Download terminal emulator from play store. Open it and type in these commands.

su
cd /system
mount -o rw,remount /system
dd if=/dev/zero of=swapfile bs=1m count=600
mkswap swapfile
chmod 755 swapfile

Now, we will be creating a script that will execute at boot everytime you use the tablet. For this, I used an app called quickedit which is available for free from playstore. Make a new file by the name of ‘swap’ and save it in /sdcard.

mount -o rw,remount /system
swapon /system/swapfile

Go back to terminal and type these commands.

mv /sdcard/swap /system/etc/init.d
chmod 755 /system/etc/init.d/swap

Reboot and swap file will be created.

Download Galaxy Tab 8.9 Android 7 Nougat ROM

Android 7 Nougat ROM is available for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 P7310. This tablet was long put into unsupported list by Samsung but thanks to XDA, one is able to get latest android on it. It comes pre-rooted so there is no need to root Tab 8.9 again. It even comes with busy box installed along with initd scripts. Before you move ahead and install this ROM, keep in mind that Galaxy Tab 8.9 Android 7 Nougat ROM is meant only for the Wi-Fi model which bears model number, GT-P7310.

Download Galaxy Tab 8.9 Android 7 Nougat ROM

A custom kernel is also installed along-side this new android 7 ROM for the Galaxy tab android tablet. One of the best features of this new kernel is the ability to overclock Tab 8.9 to squeeze out more performance. It is also possible to overclock the GPU for better gaming performance. Here is the complete list of the kernel.

CPU overclock (1.2Ghz – 1.4Ghz)
CPU voltage control
CPU temperature readings
GPU overclock (400Mhz)
L2 cache optimization
F2FS
SELinux
Voodoo Sound
USB Charging
Updated WIFI driver
ZRAM backports
sdcardfs

Everything is working except for the camera but since not a lot of us use camera on our tablets, this bug really won’t bother us that much. Here are the installation instructions to install this ROM.

* Backup all data. This is not needed if there is nothing important on your tablet.
* Install TWRP 3.0 or newer
* Wipe cache, dalvik cache, system, data
* Install the ROM. You can download it from here.
* Optional steps: Install gapps pico and phh Superuser from here.
* Boot the ROM. Enable on screen keyboard by toggling "Show input method".

Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 CM13 Cyanogen Mod 13 Android 6 Marshmallow ROM available for download

Aftermarket firmware for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is available. It is available in cyanogens mod flavour which means you get vanilla android with no bloatware or skin installed. You get Google’s own launcher that is fast, light and smoother as well. To install the cm13 on your Galaxy Tab 3 10.1, you will need a custom recovery for tab 3 10.1 android tablet.

Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 cm13

Here are the features of this amazing firmware.

Automatic brightness
Change Color profile
Change mDNIe scenario
Enable/disable mDNIe negative mode
Multiuser
Enable/disable capacitive keys
Change capacitive keys width
Buttons backlight on screen touch or key touch only
Smart cover lock/unlock
F2FS and exFAT support
Houdini (allows to install arm only apps on this x86 device)
Updated ZRAM support with LZ4 compression for maximum memory and speed
Updated Xbox Controller driver
Updated interactive CPU governor
Available CPU governors: powersave, interactive, performance, ondemand
Available I/O schedulers: noop, deadline, cfq, bfq (v7r8), fiops
Available battery modes (CM power profiles): power save, balanced, performance

The only thing that is not working with this ROM is chromecast, permissive SElinux and level 1 DVD hardware security.

After the installation of this ROM, you may want to root your android tablet. You can do so by following these instructions.

* Go to ‘Settings/About tablet’
* Tap 7 times on ‘Build number’. Go back. Go to ‘Developer options’
* Tap on ‘Root access’ and select ‘Apps only’.

Here are the installation instructions.

Copy ROM to SDCard
Copy Houdini to SDCard
Copy GApps to SDCard
Boot into recovery
Backup EFS partition
Wipe -> Advanced Wipe -> Dalvik Cache + System + Cache + Data
Install ROM
Install Houdini
Install GApps
Reboot
First start takes a long time .

Custom XDA Kitkat T113 ROM for Galaxy Tab 3 Lite: Knox free Tab 3 Lite 7.0 firmware: Light ROM for Tab 3 Lite 7.0

A custom firmware from XDA that is based on android kitkat 4.4.1 is available for the cheap android tablet, Samsung Galaxy tab Lite 7.0. It is based on T113XXU0APH5 and totally debloated which means you won’t find any useless application on it and thus, more free storage. It knox-free and even has the official Samsung update removed.

Custom XDA Kitkat T113 ROM for Galaxy Tab 3 Lite

This ROM is great for those who are looking for a lite ROM that is non bloated like the stock ROM. Everything is working on this ROM. The developer has removed boot sound and comes pre rooted with super SU. Infact, busybox comes preinstalled on it. Over the stock ROM, scrolling is better and so is the video acceleration and hardware debugging. RAM management is better too.

Installation instructions:

* Install TWRP for Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0
* Copy the zip FyrestoneROM_T113_XXXXX into your SD Card.
* Reboot into Recovery mode.
* Wipe System, Data, Cache, Dalvik.
* Optional – Wipe Internal Storage.
* Install FyrestoneROM_T113_XXXXX.
* Reboot and wait about 5 minutes.

SM-T810 Lineage OS for Galaxy Tab S2

Lineage OS which is based on latest Clockwork Mod 14.1 is available for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 android tablet and it is truly amazing if you are looking for something new. Everything si working except the fingerprint scanner, microphone and compass. Installation instructions are given below.

SM-T810 Lineage OS

If you haven’t run stock Android 6.x, flash that first with odin. (image won’t boot without this step)
If you don’t have Tab S2 TWRP yet, get it from here.
Download the latest version of ROM from here and the Gapps that are located below to your device
Reboot into TWRP by holding VOL UP + POWER + HOME on boot
In case things go wrong make a backup
After the backup has completed return to home and select Wipe and then Advanced Wipe
Now ONLY tick Dalvik Cache, System, Data and Cache
After ticking those, Swipe below to wipe
Once the wipe has completed return to home and select the ROM
After you selected the ROM swipe below to install it
After the ROM has installed flash the Gapps
When all of this is done, reboot into system, wait, and enjoy LineageOS 14.1

How to ROOT
* In LineageOS 14.1 Enable the developer options
* Select Root access
* Select Apps Only. Done

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 overclocking guide

Thunderoar kernel for SM-T113 Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 Wifi is now available that lets you overclock it. This is great since the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite is not a powerful performer. The only bug is that camera would not work after installing this custom kernel. Here are the features of this kernel.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 overcloking guide

Overclocked upto 1650MHz
Deffered Timer
USB Fast Charge
Frandom
Powersuspend for battery life/saving
QuickWakeup for battery life/saving
CPU Boost driver
Dynamic Sync Control
Fsync control on/off
Voltage Tweak
NVS hibernate driver
LZ4 compression support
Snappy compression library (v3)

Added scheduler:
Deadline, cfq,
sio, sio-plus I/O scheduler
Added CPU governors:
darkness, sprdemand, powersave, conservative,
userspace, ondemand, lagfree, adaptive, intelliactive,  minmax

Installation instructions:

* Download the kernel from here
* Choose the latest version
* Reboot into recovery (recommended to make a nandroid)
* Flash the kernel zip and reboot.

Download Sailfish for Galaxy Tab 2 3G P5100 P3100

Sailfish OS is now available for download for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 3G variants and this includes both P5100 and P3100. Its developer clearly states that is not meant for daily use. After installing the Sailfish on your Samsung tablet, follow these tricks.

Download Sailfish for Galaxy Tab 2 3G P5100 P3100

1. Connect to internet via wi-fi/mobile data/USB
2. Browser:
zypper mr -d adaptation0
zypper ar https://sailfish.openrepos.net/sailfish_browser_nightly/personal/main sailfish_browser_nightly
zypper ref sailfish_browser_nightly
zypper dup –from sailfish_browser_nightly
kill -9 $(pidof booster-browser)
3. Warehouse:
zypper ar https://sailfish.openrepos.net/basil/personal/main basil
zypper ref basil
zypper in harbour-warehouse

Prerequisites:
* Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 3G (p5100 or p3100)
* Installed latest Tab 2 TWRP recovery
* Downloaded CyanogenMod 12.1 and Sailfish OS from here.
* The basic linux & android knowledge

Installation:
* Place downloaded cm and sfos to /sdcard
* Reboot to recovery. You are suggested to make a backup from here if you want.
* Wipe and flash CyanogenMod zip, followed by flashing of Sailfish OS zip. Reboot

What works:
* Modem (calls/sms/mobile network)
* Wi-Fi
* Bluetooth
* Audio
* Camera, Audio/Video playback and GPS

TWRP Custom recovery and Root instructions for Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 T116

Custom recovery for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite T116 is available and that will open doors for custom ROMs and all other sorts of hacks. We will also show you how to root Tab 3 Lite 7.0. There is not a lot of development or this android tablet and we one of the few blogs covering about it. Anyway, here is how you download and install TWRP custom recovery on it.

Download TWRP Custom recovery and Root instructions for Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 T116

Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 T116 TWRP custom recovery

* Download the twrp recovery from here – select tar format
* you will be upgrading to v3 manually.
* Download Odin v3.10 from here and copy them to a place you know on ur pc such as Desktop
* Boot your Tab 3 lite to download mode by: pressing “power + home + vol down”
* open Odin.exe and connect your tab and press volume up. At this stage Odin should recognise your device.
* UNTICK AUTO REBOOT or you wont be able to enter recovery. Tap pn AP and go to the recovery you downloaded. Select it. Press on Start to begin the flashing process.
* After Odin flashes the recovery it will tell you Pass. Now, when the screen goes black change and hold HOME + VOLUME UP and this will make you Tab 3 Lite 7.0 enter TWRP.

Root Galaxy Tab 3 Lite 7.0 T116

1. Download Chainfire’s SuperSu flashable zip from here
2. Reboot to recovery and allow TWRP to make modifications to the system partition.
3.1. Select install
3.2. navigate to your supersu zip: /sdcard/* or /extsdcard/*

4.1. select it
4.2. swipe to confirm
4.3. select wipe cache/dalvik and reboot.

Now you have a Custom Recovery and you are rooted.

Download Galaxy Tab S2 T713 stock firmware: T713XAR1APD9 firwmare download links

Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 T713 stock firmware is available for download. This will be extremely useful to recover from a soft brick or if you have messed up the system files and want to go back to factory state. Here are the details of this T713XAR1APD9 firmware:

Download Galaxy Tab S2 T713 stock firmware

* Model Name: Galaxy Tab S2 8.0
* Model: SM-T713
* Country: Cellular South (XAR)
* Firmware Version: T713XXU1APD9
* OS: Android Marshmallow
* OS Version: 6.0.1
* PDA: T713XXU1APD9
* CSC: T713XAR1APD9

Just keep in mind that this Galaxy Tab S2 T713 stock T713XAR1APD9 firmware requires ODIN to flash which means you need a windows computer to flash it. After installing it, it will take you to official Tab S2 android marshmallow firmware which is v6.0.1.

Best latest stable firmware for Galaxy Tab P7510 P7500: Download Jelly Bam ROM for Samsung Galaxy Tab

If you are looking for a stable firmware for your old Samsung android tablet, Galaxy Tab 10.1 to be specific, then look no further than the new Jelly Bam firmware. While this may not give you the latest android version which is Nougat for Galaxy Tab 10.1, it is most stable and reliable. Features of this ROM:

Best latest stable firmware for Galaxy Tab P7510 P7500

– Overall features of AOKP, CM10 and PARANOID –
– Custom JellyBam Settings with preferences –
– Tons of customizations –
– GAPPS Included –
– Hacked youtube with 720p playback –
– Bravia Engine –
– Awesome audio Mods –
– XLoud sound mods –
– Themes and Mods in JellyBam style –
– Latest CM10/AOKP Kernel compiled from sources –
– New Mali driver –
– Exynos HWComposer –
– Lockscreen with x8 Custom app targets –
– New optimus 4x circle lockscreen –
– Ability to customize color and alpha of the optimus lockscreen –
– Bravia Engine libraries –
– Bravia XLoud audio libraries –
– Paranoid Android settings –
– Per-App-DPI Changer –
– Per-App-Color –
– Custom home action and hardware button in lockscreen –
– Quick/Long click on weather and clock actions –
– JellyBam Panel in settings app –
– AOKP and CyanogenMod Settings –
– Mass storage mode –
– Apollo Music Player (Themed) –
– Quick SMS –
– Init.d scripts –
– JellyBOOM script –
– Media quality tweak –
– 3G and GPS Tweak –
– RAM Optimization + Multitasking –
– SmoothScrolling tweak –
– V6 Supercharger included –
– Trebuchet Launcher –
– Touchwiz Launcher with samsung weather widget –
– JellyBam custom Bootanimation by metallaxis –
– Center Clock/No clock/Right Clock –
– Volume Panel (Volume Rocker allows you to change ALL volume levels in one Menu) –
– Lockscreen Weather –
– Lockscreen Vibration on/off toggle –
– Performance/Color Settings –
– Brightness Control Slider –
– Multilang –
– JellyBam Style –

Installation instructions:

Download the latest revision of JellyBam ROM for your device from here
Place the zip into your internal SDCard
Boot into CWM recovery of P7500.
Wipe data/factory reset
Wipe dalvik cache (Inside advanced tab)
Install zip from internal SDCard

That is it, you now have the most stable firmware on your Samsung tablet.

Android 7.1.1 Nougat update for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 P7510, P7500 and T859

Samsung abandoned the first generation Galaxy Tab 10.1 long time back but folks at xda have been taking care of all of its variants from quite some time. Infact, they even released Android 7.1.1 which is also known as Nougat aka the latest version of the android. It is available for the 3G, wifi and T-mobile variants, so GT-P7510, GT-P7500 and SGH-T859 are covered. Its kernel features are listed below.

Galaxy Tab 10.1 P7510, P7500 android 7.1.1

CPU overclock (1.2Ghz – 1.6Ghz)
CPU voltage control
CPU temperature readings
GPU overclock (400Mhz)
L2 cache optimization
F2FS
SELinux
Voodoo Sound
USB Charging
Updated WIFI driver
ZRAM backports
sdcardfs

The developers were able to get everything working except for camera and 3G. Installation instructions are given below.

Backup all data
Install TWRP 2.8.7.0 or newer
Wipe cache, dalvik cache, system, data
Install the ROM
Optional steps:
– Install gapps pico
– Install phh Superuser
Boot the ROM
Enable on screen keyboard by toggling "Show input method"

Since there are no gapps onboard, you should get them from opengapps.org

Download Android 7 Nougat for Galaxy Tab S2

Download Android 7 Nougat for Galaxy Tab S2

Samsung may or may not release Android 7 Nougat for the Galaxy Tab S2 but that has not stopped folks at XDA from churning out a ROM that works on it. In fact, the custom android 7 Nougat ROM has everything working except for the video recording. Also no gapps are installed but opengapps.org are there and you can flash them from the custom recovery of Galaxy Tab S2.

Installation instructions:
* Install image in TWRP (download link to ROMs, SM-T815 / SM-T810)
* reboot to recovery
* install opengapps (I used pico) and supersu to obtain root on Galaxy Tab S2.

There you go – you now have android 7 on your galaxy tab s2 which is the latest version of android right now. If you prefer more stable builds, consider installing cm13 or official android 6 for tab s2 from here.

Again, while almost everything is working, there are couple of bugs. First is unable to video recording and second is pictures are saved with wrong orientation but those are going to bug you only if you use camera. Not a lot of people I know use camera on their tablets so it should not be a big deal. 

Movavi Photo DeNoise Review

We perfectly understand that it can get very frustrating to take pictures of something important and later on, coming to realise that the most of the pictures you took were too noisy. There are plethora of reasons why a photo turned out to be noisy. The most common factor is poor lightning conditions. That said, there are some amazing applications that let you get rid of the noise and the most recommend application is Movavi Photo DeNoise.

Movavi Photo DeNoise for Win
Continue reading Movavi Photo DeNoise Review

Best smartphones and ultrabook for gaming and productivity

There are two types of smartphone shoppers out there. One buy smartphones for gaming and social networking and second category purchase them for doing productivity work on the move. While gaming is best done on an Xbox or Play station, you cannot take them everywhere with you. That is why gamers demand phones with solid graphics that will enable them to play console quality games o the move. In this article we will tell you the best smartphones for gaming and productivity. Same is case with ultrabook laptops in UK that being used by more and more gamers these days.

Best smartphones for gaming and productivity

Ultrabooks are now being used for more and more tougher things these days. There are now ultrabooks for AutoCAD, photoshop, graphics designing and even video editing. But first, let us talk about Samsung phones that great for productivity and gaming. The first phone on our list is the Samsung Galaxy S6 which replaces the Galaxy S5 that has been on sale from the past one year. The S6 brings a much improved processor and an all new design. The Galaxy S6 looks different from any Samsung out there, thanks to its all glass construction and unibody design.

While it has same screen size as the yester year’s model, it packs better resolution, higher storage capacity and more memory. It also comes pre loaded with Microsoft applications like Office suite and OneDrive that will keep you productive on the move. And since it packs the latest graphics processing unit, the Samsung Galaxy S6 can play any game available on the Android play store.

Now let us talk about ultrabook laptops in UK. These are being used by a lot of laptop users, especially for gaming as they are thin and light. While they cost extra, you will be able to find some cheap gaming ultrabooks in UK for 400, and even 500 pounds. Gaming ultrabooks in UK can be bought for as low as 500 pounds in UK. These gaming ultrabook laptops have high quality and can also be used for productivity. Just make sure you buy only the ones recommended by experts.

Our second recommendation is the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Often touted as the world’s best phablet, the Note 4 offers so much more than just being a phone with a big display. Like the Galaxy S6, it offers a quad HD display packing 2,560 x 1,440 pixels but it offers a few extra perks like removable battery and stylus support. One can remove the Note 4’s battery by removing the back panel. The stylus (which is called S-Pen) allows you to jot notes just like you do with pen and paper. Screen of the Samsung Note 4 measures 5.7 inches which is great for doing multi tasking and playing games. You should take a look at the latest Samsung mobile price list to make sure you do not spend more.

Another great smartphone for doing both gaming and productivity is Motorola’s Moto X. It has 5.2 inch display and packs full HD resolution. Like the two aforementioned Galaxy phones, it too comes with top of the line Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 801 processor that hums at 2.5 GHz clock speed. It can practically any game out there with ease. It is a great productivity tool too, thanks to built in LTE, 3G and great display quality. Moto X offers cleaner Android experience. There is no Samsung Touch Wiz interface running on top which is well known for consuming extra resources.

However if you are really tight on budget, consider taking a look at the Asus Zenfone 5. It features a dual core Atom processor and Power VR SGX544MP2 GPU that handles even demanding games like Real Racing and Need for Speed easily. Business users will appreciate its big 5 inch display with IPS technology. The screen is very crisp and great for looking and editing documents on the go. Other nifty features include A-GPS, big 2110 mAh battery and micro SD card slot.

Galaxy Note 3: While the Note 3 has been superseded by Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it still offers an impressive package for businessmen. You get a very powerful octa core Exynos processor by Samsung and a S-Pen stylus support. Stylus is same as the one present on Note 4. The processor is more than enough capable to play any application or game on the Google play store. Like Note 4, you get removable battery which is useful for those who like to use their phone a lot. You can swap batteries on the move and can prolong runtimes.

However if you are into iOS operating system, the best choice is iPhone 6 Plus. The 6 Plus offers a big display with dual window support, allowing users to see a lot of information on the screen simultaneously. The battery, unlike the Note series by Samsung, is not removable. But on the bright side, you get amazing battery life. Microsoft recently made Office available to iPhone and this has increased the productivity value of the iPhone.

If you love windows platform, then we recommend going for the Microsoft Lumia 950XL. It has a massive 5.5 inch full HD display with IPS technology. It offers great gaming performance. And since it is a windows 10 mobile, you get Microsoft Office built in, allowing you to get productive straight out of the box. Windows mobile store has matured a lot over the past few years and offers great gaming titles like Halo and Modern Combat.