How to install official Android Oreo on the Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge (Exynos)

Official Android Oreo for the Exynos Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge started to roll out yesterday. When Samsung releases updates to devices, they release them by CSC (Country Specific Code). The update has been rolled out to the BTU CSC, which is the United Kingdom unlocked version.

This is the first release of Android 8.0 Oreo for Exynos Samsung Galaxy S7 devices and it brings a bunch of new features and improvements. On top of all the new features that come with Android Oreo, such as picture-in-picture mode, notification channels, background app optimizations, notification snoozing, and more, there are also plenty of Samsung-specific changes with Samsung Experience 9.0. This update also contains Samsung's Bixby.

With Samsung Experience 9.0 comes a new keyboard with stickers and GIFs built in, the App Pair feature from the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which was previously for the S7 Edge only, and much more. The build comes with the latest April security patches. The update also brings native support for Overlay Manager Service (OMS), the theme framework behind Substratum. Before, the Sungstratum plugin was necessary to apply custom themes, but now you should transition over to the Andromeda plugin which is more stable.

If you are using another CSC values and want this update, you can install it using our guide below. This will require an unlocked bootloader and TWRP. It has been over two years since the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were released, so you probably shouldn't have to worry about voiding your warranty, which unlocking the bootloader will do. However, keep in mind that unlocking the bootloader will trip Knox and make it so apps like Samsung Pay and Secure Folder will not work.

Install Android Oreo on the Exynos Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge

How to install TWRP on your phone:

1. Go to Settings and then About Device. Click on Build Number 7 times to enable Developer Options. Go to Developer Options and enable USB debugging and OEM unlock settings.
2. On your Windows PC make sure you have ADB installed first. Open the command prompt on your computer and type the command adb reboot bootloader.
3. Download Odin 3.12.7 and the TWRP images for your phone. This is for the Galaxy S7 and this for the Galaxy S7 edge. Use the latest version on the list.
4. Open Odin and select the AP tab and select the TWRP files for your device.
5. Click start. Once you click start you will not be able to undo the bootloader unlock. This will trip Knox and make it so Samsung Pay and Secure Folder will not work.
6. Your phone will reboot to the system.

How to install Android Oreo on your device with TWRP:

1. Download the files linked below. You are going to want to extract the zip file for the system. For the Magisk v16.4 and no-verify-opt-encrypt-6.0 zip files, don't extract them and transfer all the files to your phone.
2. Open CMD on your computer and type adb reboot recovery
3. Select once TWRP opens, select restore then the files you extracted onto your phone.
4. Once they restore, you are going to want to go back to the home screen of Odin and click the install tab.
5. S7 Edge users, ignore this step. S7 users, flash the S7oreoboot.zip, no-verify-opt-encrypt-6.0, and Magisk v16.4.
6. S7 Edge users flash no-verify-opt-encrypt-6.0 and Magisk v16.4.
7. One you flash those, select wipe cache/dalvik.
8. Go back to the home screen then select wipe. Slide the bar at the bottom that says "Swipe for Factory Reset." This will erase your data, but if you do not do this, your phone will not boot properly. Then once it is done, click reboot system.
9. After this you will be running Android Oreo and rooted with Magisk v16.4.

System restore files for the S7
S7 Oreo Boot Image
System restore files for the S7 edge
Magisk v16.4
no-verify-opt-encrypt-6.0.zip

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Facebook Messenger is getting redesigned soon, and it’ll have a dark theme

Despite recent privacy concerns of Facebook, both the main application and Messenger are still incredibly popular. But despite the popularity of these apps, they've gained a reputation for wreaking havoc on battery life and RAM usage, partly because they are overloaded with too many features and gimmicks like stories, AR filters, recommendations, and more. Recently, Facebook executives recognized that Messenger had become too bloated, and promised that a simplified experience would be coming very soon.

Following on their word, CEO Mark Zuckerberg, during Facebook's F8 conference, announced that a simplified Facebook Messenger redesign would be coming very soon. The new interface—which was only shown off on its iOS variant—looks a lot more streamlined than the current version. While it maintains most features like the heavily criticized Messenger Day, it supposedly organizes features better. The app's interface has been simplified to 3 tabs, and the actual chat screen has been uncluttered and cleaner. Facebook Messenger now looks a lot more like a simple chat application without sacrificing much functionality.

Among other things, the app is set to receive a dark mode which is appreciated since it's easy on the eyes. Unfortunately, the redesign will not be rolling out to iOS or Android devices now, but it has been promised to come very soon. So, if you're a Messenger user, you should be looking forward to the rollout of this redesign. As is the norm, we'll probably see a staged rollout of the app over the course of this month, though you'll easily be able to sideload the latest APK once it's available.

Via: The Verge

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Autodesk SketchBook goes free so anyone can draw on Android

It used to be difficult to find a high quality drawing application on Android with a robust set of features that people have grown to expect. Now, we have options including MediBang Paint, Sketch, Adobe Illustrator Draw and a few others. One of the standout options available has been an application called SketchBook from the company Autodesk. The application was free to download but required you to pay $2.99 to unlock the Pro Tools via an in-app purchase. Since the market is maturing and the competition is heating up, Autodesk has announced they are removing the $2.99 in-app purchase so that SketchBook is completely free.

The features that SketchBook offered for free were nice and that's why it was able to amass over 10 million downloads since it was first released. The company decided to monetize the application by limiting some of the features that it offered. For instance, the free version only lets you import an image with its Scan Sketches feature at a maximum of 1280 x 1280 pixels but this was increased to an unlimited size once you paid for the in-app purchase and unlocked the application's Pro Tools.

With the latest update that was just pushed out yesterday, everyone will have access to those features that were locked behind the Pro Tools in-app purchase. This includes things such as the ability to use a customizable canvas size, over 130 preset bushes, predictive stroke and unlimited undo drawing tools, straight, circular and ellipse rulers, gradient and flood fill and more. You can find a full list of the features here that the old (free) application used to give you along with what the new free version gives you today.

Screenshots source: Autodesk

So if you gave up on SketchBook from Autodesk in the past because it had features locked behind an in-app purchase then you may want to give it a download now to see how things have improved.

SketchBook - draw and paint (Free, Google Play) →

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Iran bans Telegram over “national security” concerns

Just last month, Russia blocked the messaging application Telegram by way of restricting access to about 15.8 million belonging to Amazon and Google's cloud platforms. This meant that not only was Telegram banned, but a number of other websites using these hosting services were caught up in the crossfire as well. Now Iran is blocking Telegram as well, but it doesn't appear it will turn out as messy as it did in Russia. Iran isn't going to be blocking IP addresses, rather the installing of the application.

Without blocking IP addresses, it's a wonder just how well Telegram can actually be blocked in the country from its 40 million users. Iran has been pushing the closed-source, state-owned Soroush messaging application, which citizens fear may be spying on its users. What's more, some of its built-in stickers and emoji are less than tasteful. One example is a woman carrying a sign which says "Death to America." In order to block free competitors (like Telegram), the National Cyberspace Center of Iran withdrew Telegram's license to operate in the country. Not only that, judiciary website Mizan quoted a court order saying, "All Internet providers in Iran must take steps to block Telegram's website and app as of April 30." It's unknown to what extent it will be blocked, and if other websites will be caught in the crossfire in the future just like in Russia, but the ban comes just days after government officials were also barred from using it.

This isn't the first time Iran has banned a social media platform. Earlier this year Iran temporarily banned both the aforementioned messaging application and Instagram, citing that they were doing so to "maintain peace" after they were used extensively to communicate during anti-government protests. They were later unblocked after the protests had died down. For now, users should still be able to install the application through a VPN and use it safely, but it's unknown how the ban will change over time.

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Source: Reuters

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Xiaomi Mi Box Android Oreo update may roll out soon as beta testers receive update

At this year's Mobile World Congress we saw a number of great devices unveiled. Sony, Samsung, Nokia and more had something special to show, and this year even Xiaomi joined in—though with a different kind of unveiling. The Xiaomi Mi Box was seen running Android Oreo, despite the fact that the Android TV box still hasn't even received an official update to Android Nougat (other than a buggy beta build you have to flash yourself). Now it appears that the Android Oreo update may finally roll out soon, as beta testers on Reddit are now being upgraded to a version that is interestingly not labeled as "beta."

Credits: /u/dragnu5

Note that the update is only out for beta testers, but the fact that it's out in the first place and isn't marked as beta bodes well for the future. What's strange is that the Xiaomi Mi Box is getting the update before the Nvidia Shield, even though Nvidia supported their device more in terms of software updates and additional features. This is apparently because of the UI changes in Android Oreo on TVs, where Nvidia feels that they have to fix some of the changes that Google has made.

How the new Android Oreo TV interface looks

For those wanting to get in on the beta program on the Xiaomi Mi Box, you're out of luck. The beta program enrollment ended a year ago, meaning that those who want to officially beta test the update won't be able to. What's more, it's unclear if you'll actually be able to receive OTA updates officially, so even flashing the beta build of Android Nougat and updating that way may not be a sure-fire method of actually getting the latest update. In other words, you're just going to have to wait and hope that an official build is released or this build is leaked like with the Android Nougat beta.

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Here’s how Sprint will market its merger with T-Mobile to customers

With the new T-Mobile/Sprint merger just being announced last Sunday, people have a lot of questions. We have exclusively obtained a document including the talking points that Sprint would like their employees to use for answering questions concerning the merger. This document also reveals some more in-depth information about the merger. You can read the talking points for yourself below (click to enlarge).

When customers ask about the merger they are supposed to say "We're very excited that Sprint and T-Mobile have agreed to merge. This is terrific news for customers." It also states that the new T-Mobile will have a "faster, more reliable network at lower prices and with better value."

These talking points are going to be used for when a customer visits the store and asks about the merger. Some people might be wondering if their prices are rising or if their service is going to get worse. They really want to reiterate that "nothing changes for now." Even though this announcement was made and forms are being filed, the United States Government still needs to approve the merger to complete it.

A different source who also has a relationship with the companies has told us the merger is set to complete in June 2019. That matches the H1 2019 estimate that both T-Mobile and Sprint had mentioned in their press releases. It could take time after that for both T-Mobile and Sprint to change customers over and port their customer databases to the new T-Mobile.

This document also gets more in-depth about the merger and what the companies will be doing to merge. It states that T-Mobile will file a registration statement on a Form S-4 that will contain a join consent solicitation statement from T-Mobile and Sprint. If you would like to view a copy you can view it on sec.gov once they are available. These are mostly for investors and security holders, but might be interesting for those who want to know more. More of this information is available in the first popup window on allfor5g.com.

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Chatbot support rolling out soon to the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+ Messages app

Chatbot support will soon be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S9's default Messages app. So far this seems to only support AT&T devices, but it is very likely to be rolled out to more carriers and devices soon. This is a feature of RCS, which is the same technology behind Google's upcoming Chat service. We have obtained screenshots of the feature from the SamCentral Discord Server and XDA Recognized Contributor Venom0642.

Discord member KenC first noticed this last week when he updated to a leaked version of Android 8.0 with the May Security patch. What he found was that the chatbots allow you to communicate with a company to help with shopping, planning trips, receiving the news, checking into flights, and more. You can do all of this without the need for a separate app. AT&T seemed to have released this for some Samsung devices in March, but they have added more chatbots. It doesn't seem like any other carriers support this yet.

So far, this supports 1-800-Flowers Assistant, 385Scores, CNN, HereWeGo Chat, JustAnswers 24-7 Experts, SkyScanner, SnapTravel, Stye Inspire, and Walgreens. These all allow you to communicate with the companies for information or questions. All of these accounts are verified too so you don't need to worry about scammers when communicating with Chatbots.

Venom0642 was able to install the latest leaked build of Android 8.0 with the May security patch and gain access to Chatbots. He was able to talk to the CNN Chatbot and get us some screenshots below. The CNN bot allows you to request daily news on certain topics and also get messages with breaking news.

All of this seems like a great addition to RCS and we are excited to see what happens in the future. With Google's announcement of Chat, this feature could be rolling out to Google Messages soon also, though we won't know until that actually happens.

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