ICS phones

How to save battery of Android ICS phones?

If you are an Android fan, you know that most of the android smartphones nowadays arrives with pre-installed applications such as Office Suite as well as Google Talk. Since these are system applications, it is not possible for anyone to uninstall them. But yes, you can do so if you have rooted your android smartphone.
 But now with the latest version of ICS released, it is very well possible to disable the stock apps and that too quite easily from the device settings. No need to uninstall them!! Just disable them and enable them back when needed by just changing the settings.
Why do we need to disable the stock apps?
There can be a wide number of reasons for why we need to disable stock apps. For users who makes use of default apps such as Go Contacts as well as Go SMS and even SMS Manager, they really does not require the stock apps to simply run on the background which might result in battery draining as well as the device performing slower than before. Even multiple sign-in problems can also be an issue for disabling the stock apps in android device.
                                   
How to disable stock apps in ICS
For disabling the stock apps in android ICS;
•    You will have to first click open the android device settings
•    Then you will have to navigate towards the Applications section also known as Apps section
•    Inside the Apps section, you will have to tap the ‘All’ button that is represented on the right hand corner
•    If you are making use of android device with a smaller screen display and resolution, they will have to swipe the screen from right towards left for seeing the option denoted as ‘All’
•    Now you will have to choose the app that you wish to disable
                                        
•    Then tap it to open the details page of the app
•    On the details page, you will see two options denoted as ‘Force Stop’ as well as ‘Disable’
•    You will have to go ahead and click on the ‘Disable’ option
•    Now you will be prompted with a message asking you to confirm the disabling since the related apps might misbehave for making the changes
•    For confirming, click on the OK button
Now the stock apps are no longer functional and will be hidden in the app drawer of the application launcher. You can go back and reverse this process when you need these applications to get activated again. Click Enable to get them activated again.
This is how users can disable stock apps in android Ice Cream Sandwich. ICS is definitely giving android users more options.

  Samsung Galaxy S II Gets Official ICS Update OTA Android 4.0

 

The Samsung Galaxy S III is making it count big in big times as it’s launched in 28 countries today and will arrive in 145 countries with pre order record breaking with 12 millions handsets pre ordered in all parts of the world. That’s the happening news around the world of Samsung but wait a minutes; does that mean that Samsung has totally forget Samsung Galaxy S II handset? No it isn’t. Being the first device to come out with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwichupgrade and world witness the love of Ice Cream Sandwich on this smartphone in the month of March itself. Users in various countries of Europe like United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Finland, Ireland, and Switzerland and Africa region received this update a month back. SamsungIndia has released the upgrade right today and this is available via Over the Air upgrade available right from the users handset.

Earlier this update was available to the users via Samsung KIES in India too but oflate this has been release via OTA upgrade as well. Interestingly the Samsung Galaxy S II GT I9100G, a variant of the international version available only in India has received the ICS upgrade.
How to Upgrade

So if you are a Samsung Galaxy S II handset owner and looking to upgrade then on your handset tap on Menu > Settings > About Phone and then select the Update option. At update you need to tap on Check Now option and it will then say Update is available. Tap on continue and this will begin the process of upgrade. Once done your phone would be restarted automatically and updates would be applied.
Also please ensure that you are on the stock Android version of your Galaxy S II and if you are on the custom ROM firmware then this upgrade will not show on your device. Also you should proceed with this upgrade when you are connected to a Wi Fi as in 3G or 2G it will take more than 2 hours of your time and it’s not recommended process of upgrade.
Galaxy S II users in India do lets us know were you able to upgrade?

 How to Update Galaxy S2 GT I9100G with Official ICS 4.0.3 XXLPQ Firmware

 

For all those Samsung Galaxy S2 GT I9100G users who are from India can now enjoy the latest firmware of ICS 4.0.3 firmware Officially as Samsung Electronics has finally pushed the latest update via OTA and via KIES. Over a period of this article, we will be checking out on what are the list of pre requisites one has to follow and then followed by which we will be checking out on a detailed guide to install this firmware in your S2.This all new update for Galaxy S II I9100G is dubbed as XXLPQ and ropes in the goodness of ICS 4.0.3 firmware.

Disclaimer: Neither AndroidAdvices, nor SONY should be held responsible for any damage caused to your device which is a very unlikely if you follow all the mentioned instructions mentioned in this article.

Since this update is a bootloader free update, anyone with their Galaxy S II GT I9100G can apply with this update.

Caution: Galaxy S II I9100 users should not apply this update as this update is strictly for unlocked Galaxy S II GT I9100G devices.

Rooting information: Be rest assured as applying this update won’t root the device. Just in case if you have already rooted the device, the rooting access will be revoked once you update your S II with this XXLPQ 4.0.3 firmware update.

Express Pre Requisites:

•    Data in Galaxy S II GT I9100G should be backed up with the help of below mentioned manual steps. You can also alternatively backup the data using the KIES PC Suite.

SMS – Use “SMS Backup & Restore app”,

Contacts – Sync with the Gmail application,

Call Log - Call Log and Restore

Images, Songs, Videos, Files – Copy to internal / External SD Card,

APN and MMS Settings – Note down from the path “Applications > Settings > Wireless and Network > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names”

•    Enable USB Debugging in your Galaxy S2 GT I9100G from the path “Settings > Applications > Development > USB debugging”. The option of USB Debugging should beticked as shown below,

•    Battery charge left in your I9100G Galaxy S2 should be a minimum of 60% to ensuring that the device doesn’t get turned Off in the middle of firmware update.

Special instructions for Users on Custom ROM Firmwares:

Just in case if you are on any of the custom ROM firmware, then you need to get into therecovery mode and clear all the cache and wipe the data. Recovery mode in Galaxy S II I9100G can be entered by holding the Volume Up button + the Home key button (the middle button). While holding these both buttons, turn ON your device. In recovery mode, select “Wipe data/factory reset” & “Wipe Cache partition”. Additionally, select “advanced” and clear the Dalvik cache too.

•    Download the ICS 4.0.3 XXLPQ Update Zip from here to your computer along with theodin. Once downloaded, open Odin in your PC and then turn Off your Galaxy S II I9100G so that it can be then entered in the download mode.

•    Download mode in Galaxy S II GT I9100G can be entered by pressing Volume down Key, Center button, and holding both simultaneously press the Power Button after which a green robot will be shown indicating the Download Mode has been entered.

•    Connect your S II I9100G to the computer while keeping Odin opened, once connected you will see that the ID : COM section is turned Yellow indicating that all the drivers have been installed successfully.

Note: If ID : COM section doesn’t turn Yellow, you need to check with two things which are mentioned below,

•    Install the USB Drivers in your computer &

•    Go to the Path “Settings > Wireless & Network > USB Settings” and ensure that “Samsung KIES” option is ticked before connecting the phone to the computer.

•    Click on “PDA” tab to select “I9100GXXLPQ_I9100GODDLP7_I9100GDDLP5_HOME.tar.md5” and once you select it, click on “Start” to start the process of firmware update.

•    As soon as the device is updated successfully, the device will be restarted. As soon as you see the home screen or language preference setting options, you can then disconnect the device and turn Off the device in the recovery mode.

•    Recovery mode in Samsung Galaxy S II I9100G can be entered by holding the Volume Up button + the Home key button (the middle button). While holding these both buttons, turn ON your device.

•    In recovery mode, select “Wipe data/factory reset” & “Wipe Cache partition” for clearing out all the cache data present in your device.

Note: At any point of time just in case if the process of firmware update gets stopped due to any reason, all you need to do is restart the process from the start by re inserting the battery