LG G Flex self-healing power demoed in promo video

In addition to having a flexible display and a somewhat flexible chassis, the LG G Flex also has one feature many smartphone users would love to have on their devices: a back case with self-healing powers.

The company has posted the video above on its Korean YouTube channel, in which it shows the phone’s self-healing power in action. As you can see, after being continuously scratched, the back plate heals himself in just a few minutes, even after being repeatedly scratched in the same place.

LG is yet to explain how the technology works, but in the description of the YouTube video it did say that only light scratches that occur normally during every day use can be fixed, while recovery from deeper scratches or drops may not be possible.

There are various technologies out there that could be used to offer a self-healing material for use in smartphone and tablets, and we can only assume that more device makers will adopt some of them in the near future – LG is certainly on the right track.

We’ll tell you more about exactly the LG G Flex fixes itself once we find out more details about it ourselves.

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Nexus 5 16GB black out of stock, all other models still available for order

Compared to the fiasco that was the Nexus 4 launch, the Nexus 5’s debut has been considerably smoother. While we have seen small stock shortages and a continued push back on shipping dates, most Nexus 5 buyers have found that the Play Store ordering process was pretty painless.

As strong demand continues to exist for the Nexus 5, how’s the stock holding up? For the 16GB black model, it’s now completely out of inventory — at least in the United States. We can’t say how long the model will be unavailable, though we wouldn’t be surprised if it returns to being listed for sale in relatively short order, albeit with a shipping wait of a month or more.

Google is a genius company in a lot of ways, but their product launches are generally one area where things never quite go right. It’s nice to see that with the Nexus 5, they are finally getting things figured out.

Right now all other models of the Nexus 5 are still available, but the shipping times vary depending on the model.

For the 16GB white model you are looking at a wait of 4-5 weeks before it ships, for the 32GB black it’s 2 – 3 weeks, and the 32GB white model ships by November 26th.

Google is a genius company in a lot of ways, but their product launches are generally one area where things never quite go right. It’s nice to see that with the Nexus 5, they are finally getting things figured out. Still, even the best product launches are bound to have some stock shortage issues. Let’s just hope that some folks aren’t still waiting until late spring or early summer to get their hands on the latest Nexus (we’re looking at you Nexus 4).

Still haven’t decided whether or not to pick up the Nexus 5? Check out our video review below for a better idea of what to expect from the handset:

For those that have already ordered (or attempted to order) the Nexus 5, how did the experience go? Any mishaps or was it smooth sailing throughout the entire ordering and shipping process?

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Android bug that affects 99% of devices detailed

With the help of a number of software researchers, the details of the Android exploit Bluebox reported earlier this week have been uncovered.

The specifics of the widespread Android bug we previously reported on have, since security firm Bluebox revealed its existence to the developer community earlier this week, remained mired in mystery. It was understood that a malicious application could abuse Android’s signing mechanism – the operating system’s safeguard against infectious apps purporting to be legitimate – to pass as an APK update from Google, Samsung, or any number of companies, but the methodology required to do so was unclear.

With the help of a number of software researchers, the details of the exploit have been uncovered. Apparently, the most widely distributed versions of Android rely on a flawed archive (ZIP, JAR, and APK, as the term relates to Android) verification mechanism that allows potentially harmful code to avoid detection. When examining an application signature, Android checks files in a particular order. It’s possible, then, to trick the operating system by including a modified file before the original. When Android goes to verify the archive, it sees the original, unmodified file with the valid signature, and so allows malicious files to install and execute.

Which devices are not affected? What can you do?

A few distributions of Android are not vulnerable to this type of attack. The Galaxy S4 received a fix, and Cyanogenmod project lead Steve Kondik recently committed a patch to all distributions of the third-party firmware. In addition, Google is reportedly working on an update for Nexus devices, though the company has declined to comment officially.

What should owners of smartphones with older versions of Android do to avoid viruses and adware? Not much, really. Presumably, Google’s ensured the Play Store’s automated malicious code scannerhas been updated to check for the exploit; the company’s been aware of this bug since February, and so has had plenty of time to take preventative measures. In truth, the security hole represents the biggest threat to users of third-party app stores and pirated applications – usually, these are not so thoroughly vetted for malicious code. However, people who wish to protect themselves have a few options. Those with phones no longer supported by the manufacturer can install the latest Cyanogenmod nightly build for their respective device. Owners of the latest Android smartphones should see firmware with a security fix soon, though how soon is another matter. Finally, Nexus folks should see something from Google at some point in the future.

Is this bug cause for anyone to panic? No, not really.  As long as you’re conscientious about the source and appearance of your applications and updates, you’ll be perfectly safe

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Developer releases flashable camera app for Nexus 5, aims to improve device’s photo-taking abilities

With a low-price tag, a powerful Snapdragon 800 CPU, and a Full HD 4.96-inch display — there’s a lot to love about the Nexus 5. Of course, there are also going to be a few sacrifices when buying a handset that’s about half the price of a typical flagship.

According to most early reports, the Nexus 5 suffers from some of the same issues as the Nexus 4: namely weaker battery life and a camera that isn’t as good as other high-end Android devices. The good news is that some of the Nexus 5’s camera issues might have to do more with the stock camera app, and are not just shortcomings with the 8MP shooter.

Hoping to take the Nexus 5 camera experience to the next level, developer Jishnu Sur has now released a flashable .zip that replaces the stock camera with an app that has quite a few special features including faster focusing, the ability to record 720p @ 20Mb/S on the front cam, an adjusted focus range, and enhanced smooth zoom.

In order to get the new 3rd-party camera app up and running, you’ll need to have an unlocked bootloader with root access. You will also need to flash the file via some form of custom recovery. In other words, this mod isn’t for those who are unfamiliar with the Android modding scene. Then again, if you own a Nexus device, this probably isn’t a problem for you.

So how much better do things look with the new camera app? Most posters over at the XDA forum say that the camera is noticeably sharper in most types of shots, though the difference isn’t exactly night and day.

While we haven’t had the opportunity to test it out for ourselves, we have posted one side-by-side photo, originally from XDA forum member krazyAttack. The image on the left was taken with the stock camera app.

For those wishing to try out Sur’s camera app for themselves, you can learn more about the project by heading over to the XDA Developers forum.

Has anyone flashed this yet — if so, what do you think? Is there a noticeable difference based on your experience with it?

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CyanogenMod 10.2 vs Paranoid Android vs AOKP: features shown in handy infographics

An Android fan took to reddit and imgur to post three handy infographics detailing the most important features of three prominent custom Android ROMs, including CyanogenMod, Paranoid Android and AOKP.

Whether you like a stock Android experience, a default user interface from an Android device manufacturer or a custom ROM, you certainly should check out these three ROMs to see what they have to offer.

We have extensively covered custom ROMs, keeping you updated with everything that happens in the Android modding ecosystem, and showed you comparisons of our own between some of these custom ROMs.

That said, in the following images (credit: reddit user wamen_noodles) , you’ll be able to see the different and similar features between CyanogenMod 10.2, Paranoid Android and AOKP. The set of images will be especially useful if you don’t know which one to pick.

CyanogenMod 10.2 features

Paranoid Android features

AOKP features

Naturally, we’re not advising you to pick either one of the custom ROMs shown below, and we’ll remind you that it’s up to you to decide whether you want to install any of them on your devices – that means you’re the only one responsible for whatever happens to your smartphones and/or tablets during such procedures.

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Two new Nexus 7 ads hit the web, they are great, as usual

When it comes to advertising, Google’s been doing a great job, better than most Android manufacturers we’d say. Relatable, sweet, feature-focused, and snappy, clips like the Camping TV ad for the original Nexus 7 or the Fear Less spot for the second generation have contributed to the growth of the Nexus range from a niche device to a formidable crowd-pleaser.

Here are two more great Nexus 7 TV ads that you might begin to see over the following weeks. Google highlights the simplicity and convenience of consuming media and apps on a tablet, be it a Shakespeare play or a frantic shoot-em up game.

Speaking of ads, Black Friday, the crazy start of the holiday shopping season is just around the corner. Expect a big marketing push from small and big players alike. Looking forward to anything in particular?

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App permissions exposed with Clueful Privacy Advisor

App permissions are very important in the world of Android. They tell you what your applications are doing and what they need from you in order to function. For instance, an SMS app needs permission to access your SMS messages in order to function. An app by Bitdefender Antivirus called Clueful Privacy Advisor that’ll help you learn about permissions and which apps use which permissions. To watch the review, click the video above. Otherwise keep reading for our full review.

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Functionality

So here’s what this app does. Every app you download had a set of permissions. Permissions are essentially parts of your phone that can be accessed. Like your contacts, SMS, internet, and more can be accessed by apps so they can function. This app shows you what every other app on your phone uses in terms of permissions.

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How can I use this?

And that’s the full purpose of this app. Your apps are divided up based on how much of your privacy each app violates and you can go through and see which ones are the worst. It gives you options to share apps that are particularly bad to warn your friends or you can uninstall them on the spot. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it works.

Considering how simple the app is, you can use it for a whole bunch. You can uninstall high risk apps if Clueful can find any of them. You can learn what each app on your device is actually doing on your device. For instance, you can see all the ridiculous things that Facebook does. You’d be surprised what your apps are asking for. From there, you can decide whether or not to remove them.

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The good

• The app is very, very easy to use. You open it, and start browsing your app permissions.
• Categories of risk and individual explanations of what each permissions does makes learning permissions easy for those who are not so tech savvy
• It’s free and we love free apps.
• Uninstalling apps that are too risky is as easy as tapping a button.

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The bad

• There are no advanced user options. We would’ve liked to have at least an option for root users to disable individual permissions to make an app safe without uninstalling.

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Final Thoughts

Everyone who owns an Android phone should know what permissions are, how they work, and what apps use what permissions. This app does an amazing job of breaking down permissions and explaining them to people who might not otherwise stumble upon the information on their own.
While we wish there were more advanced features like permission disabling for root users, the app is otherwise a great pickup. To grab it, click the button!

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Nexus 5 black vs white comparison: what’s your choice?

The Nexus 5 is here. It has great specs, runs pure Android, and comes in black or white. We already gave you our first impressions of the white version, and showed you how the white model holds up to impact in our Android lawn drop test. Now the all-black version is finally in our hands, just in time for a quick comparison with its immaculate sibling.

Starting with the front, the two versions of the Nexus 5 look almost identical, sharing the same understated, yet modern appearance. The distinctive curves of the top and bottom, along with slim bezels, frame the bright Full HD display, without ever drawing the eye. It’s almost like Google wanted to make the phone as unobtrusive as possible, so what really matters, the software, can shine.

The only decoration is the white speaker grill on the white version – it’s a nice accent that spices up the design, though for some it may be distracting, at least in the beginning. There’s also a notification LED on the bottom of the phone, that’s white-only out of the box but can be customized using a specialized app.

Onto the sides, both versions are black, but there’s a difference – the white version features a glossy black, that’s somehow prone to fingerprints and fine scratches, though you probably won’t look at the sides that often; the black version features on the sides the same soft material found on the back. It’s slightly easier to grip, but also susceptible to absorbing oils.

The back of the white version is pleasing to the eye, especially thanks to the contrast with the black ring around the camera. It’s made of a hard plastic that’s somehow similar to the material on the 2012 HTC One X. It’s smooth, feels solid, and more premium than the glossy plastic on some other phones.

The black model on the other hand is covered in a rubbery plastic that gives it a very nice grip and feel in hand. If you handled the Nexus 7 (2013), you’ll know right away what the black Nexus 5 is all about. The vertical Nexus logo and the LG logo are embossed and have a glossy texture, spicing up the otherwise unassuming design.

The white Nexus 5 is more elegant, but wear and tear will probably be more visible on it after a few months of use. The hard plastic is also less grippy than the soft touch on the all-black model, butterfingers be warned.

On the other hand, the utilitarian all-black Nexus 5 won’t turn as many heads, but many will appreciate its stealthy allure and firm grip. As with all soft touch surfaces, oily fingers will leave unsightly marks on its back, though they are usually not permanent.

Did you buy a Nexus 5? Do you plan to do so? If so, what’s your favorite version and why? Tell us in the comments and vote in our poll.

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