Hasta La Gadget!

There’s never a shortage of source built custom ROMs, and one has just been released for the HTC Incredible S. If you’re not familiar with this smartphone, it was released in early 2011 with Android 2.2 Froyo pre-installed. The magic of source built custom ROMs is that they bring goodies from the latest Android update even if the devices are not officially supported. An official CyanogenMod 11 Android 4.4 KitKat custom ROM is now available for the HTC Incredible S, and its not the only legacy device that has received a ROM, only recently we saw the three year old Motorola Defy receive some KitKat love.

Given the fact that it is a custom ROM after all, and an unofficial build at that, there are bound to be a few bugs here and there. As of now, both cameras are not working but majority of the features are, such as the GPS, Wi-Fi, SD card mounting, Bluetooth, audio and more. 3D hardware acceleration works as well, so the device should perform smoothly on this custom ROM. Flashing custom ROMs is a risky job, if you don’t know what you’re doing you can end up bricking your device and it would entirely be your fault. So only proceed once you know what you’re doing. The ROM and installation instructions are available here.

Unofficial CM11 Android 4.4 KitKat ROM For HTC Incredible S Released original content from Ubergizmo.

Google’s formal announcement of Android 4.4 KitKat took place last week. Android enthusiasts around the world are definitely wondering when the update is going to be rolled out for their devices. Google will release KitKat for supported existing Nexus devices over the next few weeks, whereas OEMs are gradually outlining their own roadmaps as well. Sony today revealed its Android 4.4 KitKat and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean upgrade roadmap, however since software rollouts are phased, timing and availability may vary by country and carrier.

Starting next month, from the Xperia Z smartphone lineup, the Z, ZL, ZR, SP, Z Ultra and Z1 will receive the Android 4.3 update along with the Xperia Tablet Z. Since the company has already mentioned that a number of its devices are going to jump from Android 4.1 to Android 4.3, today it confirmed that Xperia T, Xperia TX and Xperia V will be making the jump. Sony also confirms that the first raft of Xperia devices to get the Android 4.4 KitKat update include the Z, ZL, Z Ultra, Z1 and the Xperia Tablet Z. The company doesn’t say anything about timing though, it says that updates about specific release times for these products will be provided “as things progress.” Don’t get your hopes up for an immediate release, it may take well over a couple of months before the update is finally rolled out.

Sony Reveals Android 4.4 KitKat And Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Upgrade Roadmap original content from Ubergizmo.

We’ve yet to hear from Google about the launch event of Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat. Obviously the primary event is going to take place here in the U.S., probably in California, but it appears that there’s a separate press conference planned in Tel-Aviv, Israel on November 5th. It is not immediately evident if Google is going to take part in this press conference, but LG appears to be involved. The invites show off a generic looking smartphone with a KitKat bar stuffed in it, its most likely a hint of what to expect from the press conference.

It may simply be a regional announcement of Google’s brand new smartphone built in collaboration with LG, and the internet search giant’s latest update to its mobile platform. Ronlight Digital, a distributor of LG products in Israel, confirms that the press conference is related to Android 4.4. So there’s really no guess work involved here, with regards to what can be expected from the press conference. Though it does point towards the possibility of an official announcement coming from Google prior to November 5th. Just recently it was rumored that the Nexus 5 will be announced on November 1st, Android 4.4 is going to be announced alongside the smartphone. [Image via Gadgety]

Nexus 5 And Android 4.4 Being Announced Separately In Tel-Aviv On November 5th original content from Ubergizmo.

Google is expected to make a major Android related announcement later this month. It is on track to unveil Android 4.4 KitKat, which is expected to bring a number of major changes. It appears that Google is also working on a redesign for Google Play Store. Leaked images show a redesigned Google Play Store for Android version 4.4, to be absolutely clear, its not Android version 4.4 but the app version of the Play Store. It can not be said for sure if this redesigned app will be released alongside the next major Android update.

One major change shown off by the leaked images is the replacement of Google Play Store’s existing overlay menu system with a slide-out navigation menu. This isn’t something entirely new, Google has favored this navigation menu in a number of its mobile apps, so it doesn’t really come as a surprise to see that it might do the same with Play Store for Android. With a number of major options being moved to the slide-out menu, the overlay menu seems to only include the Help and Settings menus. Apparently this redesigned version is already being tested on Android 4.4 devices, which could mean that its being tested out on the yet to be released Nexus 5 smartphone. Still, it not known right now if Google plans on rolling out Play Store version 4.4 prior to the release of Android 4.4 KitKat. [Images via AndroidPolice]

Screenshots Of Redesigned Google Play Store Leaked original content from Ubergizmo.

The Nexus 5 is without a doubt one of the most highly anticipated smartphones of this quarter. Google is yet to officially announce the device, though given the fact that Nexus 4 is no longer available through the Play Store, its only a matter of time before the Nexus 5 is made official. Spigen, a mobile accessory manufacturer based out of South Korea, has already started teasing Nexus 5 cases. The teaser image doesn’t exactly reveal much in terms of design, but it does resemble the device we’ve seen in purported leaked pictures of the next generation Nexus smartphone.

Earlier today we picked up on a rumor which claimed that Nexus 5 will be announced next week, on Tuesday October 15th to be precise. Its merely five days away and Google is yet to roll out invites for the event, so at this point in time this date hasn’t been officially confirmed. The Nexus 5 is expected to come with top tier specifications, such as the quadcore Snapdragon 800 processor from Qualcomm and a 5 inch full 1080p HD display. It is also going to be the first smartphone to ship with Android 4.4 KitKat, the next major update to Google’s mobile platform. The 16GB Nexus 5 will reportedly be priced at $299 off contract.

Nexus 5 Cases Already Being Teased original content from Ubergizmo.