How to Unlock and Root the Google Nexus 9 Tablet

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
How to Unlock and Root the Google Nexus 9 Tablet

If you want to unlock the bootloader and root your new Nexus 9 then XDA Developer Chainfire has got you covered. Unlocking the bootloader and rooting any Android device allows you full control over it without limitation. This said please be careful as full control means the ability to brick your device if your not careful. Follow all instructions exactly and remember that this is for you information and we aren’t liable for any issues that arise from following the instructions.

Unlock and Root the Nexus 9Before Rooting or Unlocking the Nexus 9 Bootloader

  • Backup all files that you don’t want to lose as this will wipe the device
  • Make sure your Nexus 9 battery is at least 50% charged (recommend full charge to be safe.
  • Note: Unlocking the bootloader may void the devices warranty

Step 1: Install Nexus 9 Drivers on your PC

  1. The USB drivers for Nexus 9 are bundled with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Its preferable that you use the USB cable that came with the tablet.
  2. Connect your Nexus 9 to your PC via USB
  3. Wait for the PC to recognize the Tablet and driver installation will begin automatically.
  4. You will see several drivers install including the modem and MTP service.

Step 2: How to Unlock the Nexus 9 Bootloader

  1. Navigate to the settings app from quick menu or app drawer
  2. go to “About Phone” and enable developer options by tapping “Build Number” repeatedly 7 times.
  3. You should now see “Developer Options” under the “About Phone” menu
  4. Tap the Developer option to enable it and select “Enable OEM unlock”
  5. Next enable “USB Debugging”
  6. Download and extract “adb-fastboot.zip” where you can find it on your PC
  7. Connect your Nexus 9 to your PC via USB (If tablet not recognized see Step 1 above)
  8. If all is well at this point you may see a popup asking you to “Allow USB debugging on Nexus 9”, Press “OK” to accept.
  9. Open a command prompt window and navigate to the fast boot files you extracted earlier.
  10. Reboot the Nexus 9 into Bootloader mode by typing “adb reboot bootloader” and pressing enter
  11. if it does not reboot then Power down the Nexus 9 and then turn it on by holding the Volume down + power buttons for a few seconds.
  12. From the Fastboot menu use the volume buttons to navigate to “Fastboot Mode” and the power button to select it
  13. Once you are in Fastboot Mode go back to your command prompt and type “fastboot oem unlock and press enter
  14. On the Nexus 9 press the power up button to continue with bootloader unlock
  15. Once complete the Nexus 9 will reboot on its own automatically.

Step 3: How to Root the Nexus 9

  1. Download “Nexus9-root-SuperSU-v2.18.zip” root package and extract it to you rPC where you can find it.
  2. Copy all files from this to both your ADB folder and Fastboot Folder
  3. Make sure your Nexus 9 is connected to your PC via USB (if you disconnected reconnect it now)
  4. Boot into bootloader(fastboot mode) by again typing “adb reboot bootloader”
  5. Next boot from inject.img by typing “fastboot boot inject.img”
  6. Now to complete the root type “fastboot flash boot patched.img” (flashes the kernel)
  7. Last type “fastboot reboot” to restart the Nexus 9 and when booting up it will be rooted.

Now that your Nexus 9 has an unlocked bootloader and is rooted you will notice a new app in your app drawer. At this point you should check your app drawer for “SuperSU”. If this app is present it means all went well although if your still not sure if its rooted or not you can download “Root Checker” from Google Play and verify root access with it.

If you have any issues with the above bootloader and root process or notice anything that should be added or changed please let me know in the comments below. We should have a video available soon of the process for those that are interested.

Google Nexus Player (Android TV) Review

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Google Nexus Player (Android TV) Review

The “Nexus Player” comes as a media streaming device running its Android TV platform based on Google’s newest operating system Android 5.0 Lollipop. One thing that gives it a boost is the fact that its a gaming console as well. When you first get your Google Nexus Player it will come with the puck style device itself, power adapter, remote control with voice search capabilities, 2 AAA batteries and the quick start and warrant/safety booklet. This said you can also purchase a game pad for the Nexus Player separately for around $35.

Android TV ReviewGoogle Nexus Player Design
As with most Google products it is a very simple looking device made by ASUS that may not even be noticed by people when sitting on your entertainment center. It is all black with a minimalistic all plastic design 4.7 inches in diameter. This may be the smallest device connected to your TV. While all plastic you might think its not very sturdy although it feels very solid in your hand and has a little weight to it so you can feel safe with it sitting on a table top. There is one button on the bottom of the device thats only function is to pair via Bluetooth. There is a recessed cutout on the back of the Nexus Player with the HDMI, micro USB and power outlets.

Google Nexus Player Remote with Voice Search
The remote that comes with the player is an elongated pill like remote that interacts with the Nexus player. The remote control is very simple just like the device itself with only a directional pad, selection button, pause/play button, home and back buttons. At the very top you will notice a button with a microphone on it and this is where you can press and use voice interaction for commands.

Games for the Nexus PlayerGoogle Nexus Player Game Pad
An optional accessory that will not come with the player itself but can be purchased from Google Play is the Game Pad Controller. This is an additional accessory that will cost you $39.99 and looks very much like an Xbox controller allowing you to easily transition to the Nexus Player for gaming. While there still aren’t many games available for the Nexus Player developers like Gameloft are pushing them out quickly (10 Nexus Player Games Available). The Gamepad has dual analogue sticks and analogue triggers making it a comfortable addition for gamers.

VIDEO REVIEW OF THE NEXUS PLAYERS FEATURES COMING SOON

Conclusion
The Nexus Player is a great media streaming device on its own although there are many reasons gamers will want to add this to their list of consoles. The biggest pro to the player is the fact that you can get it for $99 which is much lower than any other console you will find right now. Another thing that may be considered a con is its 8GB of internal storage. That said there is a micro USB connection on the back of the Nexus Player to allow an OTG cable to connect with additional storage that way. Since the device is stationary this is an option that will likely be easy to adopt.

Google’s HTC Nexus 9 Tablet Review

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Google’s HTC Nexus 9 Tablet Review

The Google Nexus 9 tablet is a powerhouse no doubt with its clear HD 8.9 inch screen and unparalleled speed its an appealing competitor for the Apple iPad Air 2 and Amazon Fire HDX 8.9. You will get everything you expect from a high end tablet although is it truly the best one you can buy?

The Nexus 9 didn’t add all of the flashy features that other tablets try to add to make them stand out but instead focused their energy on using the fastest processors and the latest Android 5.0 OS Lollipop. They skipped adding gimmicks like the fingerprint sensors and 3D cameras that less face it, very few people actually use. Their focus is pure Android at its fastest.

Google Nexus 9 Tablet ReviewNexus 9 Design
With Google already having a 7 inch and 10 inch tablet the 8.9 inch Nexus 9 fits in nicely closing the gap between the two. Aesthetically the Nexus 9 looks more like the 7 with its rectangle design and smaller bevel around the screen. The construction is clean, sturdy, and strong. This said we still recommend some sort of case to protect it some.

The Nexus 9 does have a minimalistic design with nothing spectacular added to make it stand out although this seems to be the trend due to consumer responses. Its weight and feel match that of others in its range like the Amazon Fire HDX and Apple iPad Air although its slightly thicker than both.

The tablet is available in several colors ranging from black, white, and gold having a soft back with slightly rounded corners. There is also just enough room around the screen to hold the device without grabbing the screen allowing you to avoid smudges and accidental taps. The Nexus 9 is comfortable to hold although you will need two hands to operate it and will not get by with one unless you have larger hands (I have mall hands). Overall the design while minimal is very impressive.

Nexus 9 Hardware and Performance
With its 64-bit Nvidia Tegra K1 system-on-chip, 2.3GHz dual-core Denver CPU and 192-core Kepler DX1 GPU this is the fastest Android tablet you will find as of today. You will also notice that it is up to date with its 802.11ac Wifi, Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC chips. One down side although expected is the fact that their is no microSD card slot on the Nexus 9, this is to support the fact that Google has cloud based services to store data instead if needed.

Switching between apps and navigating through the tablets screens is flawless and smooth even with many open apps running. You can easily open 10 – 15 apps and not see any decline in speed. This creates a lag free experience on the Nexus 9.

Nexus 9, The good and the bad
The Nexus 9 is the first device to run Android 5.0 Lollipop and promises to get updates quickly as available. The tablet performs in stressful situations easily and functions with a smooth consistent demeanor. However even being one of the best tablets we have had the honor of playing with there are still a lot of bugs with apps on the new OS while developers are trying to update. There is also a few points lost in the fact that their is no SD Card slot allowing a max of 32GB of storage. All this said the Nexus 9 is a premium tablet with great performance and in our opinion is the best Android tablet you can get to date.

Nexus 9 Tablet Price
The Nexus 9 can be purchased directly from Google Play for $399 – $479 for either a 16GB or 32GB Wifi only version respectively. Google has also announced that later this year they will be coming out with a 32GB 4G LTE version for $599. All this said they aren’t the cheapest tablet out there but are still competitive in the tablet game.

Nexus Player Supported Games Already Being Released

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Nexus Player Supported Games Already Being Released

The New Nexus Player that can now be found on Google Play seems to be quite a nice Android TV device with everything you would expect. This said there has been mention of almost no games for the player and this is an issue since its one of the bigger selling points. This said developers are beginning to announce games that will be supported by the Nexus Player.

One of the Game developers that any Android gamer knows is Gameloft and they have announced ten games that will be supported on the Nexus Player. These games were stated to be compatible with the Nexus Player at launch. These games include the following:

  • Games for the Nexus Player Despicable Me: Minion Rush
  • Asphalt 8: Airborne
  • Modern Combat 4 : Zero Hour
  • Modern Combat 5: Blackout
  • GT Racing 2 The Real Car Experience
  • Dungeon Hunter 4
  • My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
  • Wonder Zoo
  • Ice Age Village
  • World at Arms

Since the Nexus Android TV Player is a new device and in most cases people who pre-ordered still don’t have them users should be patient. With game developers like Gameloft making these announcements the smaller guys will likely just take a little more time to get in the game.

You can see from the list above that Modern Combat 5 Blackout, Gameloft’s newest first person shooter in the Modern Combat line is available which should peak some interest. Since this is still technically pre-release we will undoubtedly see an influx of games available on the Nexus Player in a very short time frame.

Get Free Google Play Credits via “Google Opinion Rewards”

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Get Free Google Play Credits via “Google Opinion Rewards”

How to get free Google Play CreditsGoogle’s “Google Opinion Rewards” app is not a new application although its surprising how few people know it exists. Several people have mentioned they have seen mention of it lately and we figure now would be a good time to remind our readers that they can get free credits to use in the Google Play Store.

Google Opinion Rewards is an official Google app that asks users to share their opinions in the form of surveys each week and in return Google will give you credits to spend on apps. You can use the credits (which show in your account as cash money 🙂 to purchase and download apps, movies, music or anything else found on the Android Google Play Store.

The application is easy to setup and you will likely get your first $1 doing a survey that very first day. Setup will take you around 5 minutes just to answer the initial questions to build your profile. The official description is as follows:

Answer quick surveys and earn Google Play credits with Google Opinion Rewards, an app created by Google Consumer Surveys.

Getting started is easy. Download the app and answer basic questions about yourself. We’ll then send you surveys around once a week, although it may be more or less frequent. You’ll get a notification on your phone when a short and relevant survey is ready for you, and can receive up to $1.00 in Play credits for completing it. Questions can range from, “Which logo is best?” and “Which promotion is most compelling?” to “When do you plan on traveling next?”

In some cases you will get short surveys that do not pay out credits, these are in place to help improve the system and give you more targeted surveys in the future. Be sure you answer honestly as there will be questions asked twice to make sure you aren’t just selecting random answers. You will also notice that some questions will talk about something and then just tell you what to answer to be sure you are paying attention. If you answer honestly you will get free Google Play Credits.

How to Get a Nexus 6 Smartphone while Sold Out

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
How to Get a Nexus 6 Smartphone while Sold Out

There has been a lot of speculation on Google and their reasons for not having their new Nexus 6 flagship in stock. The biggest rumor floating around is that carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and U.S. Cellular purchased all of the stock and Google wants to focus more on carrier devices. No matter what the reason, Google has announced that the Nexus 6 will be in stock every Wednesday so that will be the time to jump on Google Play and order your Nexus 6.

The official statement is on the Google Play website on the Nexus 6 device details page. You will notice that no matter what combination of color or storage size you choose that you will have the message “We are currently out of inventory. Please check back soon.” Confirmation that there are Nexus 6 devices available for purchase on Wednesdays comes from the message under that stating:

“We are getting more Nexus 6 devices in stock as soon as possible. To make things simpler for you, we will work to make more devices available each Wednesday and encourage you to visit the site then.

The Nexus 6 will also be available in AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular stores later in November. Please check with your local carrier store for more information.”

Nexus 6 available on Google PlayWe tried Wednesday morning to keep refreshing the order page and never saw it actually allow orders. Our assumption is that if Google’s not lying to us then the orders are literally open for such a short period of time that unless you visit at the perfect moment your out of luck. This said we will take a look next week and see what happens and you can always just pre-order the Nexus 6 from your carrier if you get too frustrated.

If anyone sees the Nexus 6 available anywhere else feel free to leave a comment below. In the mean time we will keep our eyes and ears open to relay any information we find.

Disney Movies Anywhere service now on Android Devices

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Disney Movies Anywhere service now on Android Devices

Disney unveiled their digital movie service on iOS earlier this year after several years of development and its finally now available on Android devices as well. When the Disney Movies Anywhere digital movie service first launched it was integrated rather tightly with iTunes and now with its availability on Android it seems to be the same with Google Play.

Disney Movies Anywhere Android DownloadUsers must have a Disney account to use the service and any movies they unlock will be available on both iOS and Android as well as the DMA website. This service seems to be as seamless as possible cross device as well as user experience. The service covers close to 400 movies from Disney, Pixar and Marvel as well as a free copy of Wreck-it Ralph for new members that sign up and links an account.

Disney’s cross platform launch comes just in time for the launch of Google’s new Nexus Android TV Player. In the past Disney apps in general have been tailored to iOS devices and now has opened up their service to a much larger audience which should prove to be a great decision. We are still however waiting to see if Amazon or Ultraviolet can fulfill their promises of unlocking a single copy in one store with a Blu-ray / DVD purchase still being able to watch it anywhere on any device.

Download the Disney Movies Anywhere app on Google play via the source link below.

Having two young daughters this will be in my personal arsenal of apps. With its rewards program when purchasing digital movies this may actually save me some money in the long run. Of course Disney is a staple in my household and movies like Frozen and Tangled almost being on repeat. I have to say the Disney Movies Anywhere Digital Movie Service is a great addition to Google Play.

How to Access Quick Settings on Android 5.0 Lollipop

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
How to Access Quick Settings on Android 5.0 Lollipop

Google’s newest operating system Android 5.0 Lollipop is finally here and with it comes a quite a few changes with its overhauled material design. Many of the features you have been used to are now accessed differently than before. Some features have just moved while some have been completely reworked.

One of the features that have changed is “Quick Settings” which is the feature that allows you to quickly enable or disable commonly used features like Bluetooth, wifi and screen brightness. Quick settings allows you to make these changes without having to dive all the way into the settings app each time you need to make a change.

Android 5 lollipop quick settingsBefore Android 5.0 Lollipop you could access these settings by swiping down on the notification bar and tapping a settings icon in the top right. You could also access these same settings by swiping the notification bar down using two fingers. This two finger method of accessing the Quick Settings is still present in Lollipop although the settings icon in the first method has been replaced with the User Accounts icon for changing users (a new feature in Lollipop for multi-users).

How to access the Quick Settings in Lollipop?
As mentioned the two finger method does still work although there is a different way to access them as well with the removal of the settings icon. Swipe down on the notification bar with one finger and then repeat swiping again with a single finger and the quick settings will slide down over the notification shade.

Another thing you will notice when viewing the quick settings is there is now a battery percentage icon shown beside the settings icon at the top of the screen. You can tap the battery icon to see your battery stats easily instead of having to go through settings as you have in the past.

Android 5.0 Lollipop “User Accounts” Overview/Tutorial

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Android 5.0 Lollipop “User Accounts” Overview/Tutorial

With Google’s newest Operating system “Android 5.0 Lollipop” they have added a features called “User Accounts”. This adds multi-user support to devices that have the update allowing a true account setup on you tablet or smartphone. This feature was available on tablets as of Android 4.2 although not as robust as it is now and while adding the feature to phones as well with Lollipop we have to say odds are your phone may not need it as badly as a tablet.

Android 5 Lollipop User Accounts TutorialGoogle has integrated three different types of user accounts within the User Accounts setting being Guest accounts, Profiles, and User accounts. This works much like your average computer allowing different security and access levels. The different user account types are as follows:

  • Guest Account – works much like Google Chromes incognito mode in the way that all information and data transmitted is temporary. Every time someone enters into guest mode you can start fresh or continue the previous guest session. This will allow you to let friend, kids and really any random person use the tablet without interfering with any of your settings or cluttering up the device.
  • Profile Account – works much like kids mode on other devices allowing you to give limited access to apps and services. This will come in most handy when you have children that want to use the tablet or phone but don’t want them to have full access to everything. When you setup a profile account you have the ability to enable and disable apps and services as much as you want.
  • User Account – this is the admin user level account allowing all access. You will have full access to all apps and services on the device. Users can download and install apps, arrange home screens, set wallpapers, etc. These settings will be specific to that users account although any changes to Wi-fi or any other system settings will be applied to all accounts on the device.

How to access Multi-User Settings
There are two different ways to access multi-user settings (user accounts). The first way is launching your settings and selecting users from the list of options available. The other way is to open your quick settings and selecting the user icon. You can also quickly switch between accounts from the quick settings as well as from the lock screen.

With different account types you can share your Android device with just about anyone without any risk or worry. Of course you have to have Android 5.0 Lollipop. This said go ahead and share your device with friends, family and even young kids. As soon as we have our Nexus 9 (day or two) we will be adding a video to this article running throughout he user accounts settings and embed it here.

Android 5.0 Lollipop, Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 now Official

Brandon Orndorff
-
0
Android 5.0 Lollipop, Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 now Official

According to android.com all of the rumors about the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 can be put to rest as well as Android L being officially named Lollipop. Its all over android-com now showing pictures of lollipop’s, official images of the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 9.

Finally the rumors are over and we can see the official specifications of the newest offerings from Google. See below for the images of each confirming they are real.

Nexus 9 Features and Specifications
First and foremost the Nexus 9 will come in 3 different colors black, white and a light tan looking color. With a soft grip back and subtle curves, the Nexus 9 tablet strikes a slim profile that’s light and comfortable for work or play. Built with a thin bezel, brushed metal sides, and clean lines, the Nexus 9 tablet is sleek and sturdy looking. The Display is as we already knew an 8.9 inch IPS LCD display and has front-facing HTC BoomSound™ speakers. It has a 2.3Ghz 64-bit NVIDIA Tegra K1 processor and a Kepler DX1 GPU so you can easily move between tabs to check email, watch videos, and tweak documents all at once. As far as the camera it has a 8MP rear camera and 1.6MP front facing camera. The Nexus 9 should also prove to have good battery life with its 6700 mAh battery.

Nexus 6 Features and Specifications
The Nexus 6 will be coming in 2 colors white and black just like the Nexus 5 did. The new phablet will be rocking a 5.96” 1440×2560 Quad HD display at 493 ppi making it a very large phone but if your a fan of the Note line of devices this will be right up your alley. It will also have front facing speakers which is a nice improvement over the 5 as well. The next huge hardware upgrade is its Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 Quad Core 2.7GHz processor to improve multi-tasking and an Adreno 420 GPU giving the best graphics on any Android device to date. We are also happy to report that the camera has been improved ten fold with a f2.0 lens and 13 megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization to capture great photos in daylight and low light. Using advanced computational photography technology and HDR+ as well so this will be the only camera you need on you wherever you go. You will also notice a 2MP front facing camera. The battery is nothing to fool with either claiming 6 hours of use from only 15 minutes of charging. With a large 3220 mAh battery, you get over 24 hours of use from a full charge if all is true.
 

1...456...63Page 5 of 63