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Perhaps youve treated yourself to a brand new Nexus 5, or youre eagerly awaiting the moment when the latest flavour of Android hits your handset. However you get hold of Android 4.4 KitKat, youll notice some new features to get to grips with -- if theyre not all to your taste, heres how to undo the changes Google is keen to force upon you.

1. Replace Hangouts as the default SMS app

Hangouts is now Googles all-encompassing messaging solution, covering Web chats, SMS and MMS. Much like iMessage, however, the experience is not quite as smooth and user-friendly as it should be. This being Android, you can set any app you like as the default SMS handler. First of all, download a new app from Google Play -- Chomp SMS and Handcent SMS are two of the most popular choices, but there are plenty to pick from.

Next, choose your default app from Settings > More > Default SMS app -- Hangouts will gracefully relinquish its text messaging duties and stick to instant messaging instead. Make sure you configure the notifications of your new app accordingly to avoid missing any important texts (or getting multiple notifications for every SMS).

2. Reclaim your home screens

KitKat brazenly installs Google Now as the default left-hand home screen (making it one swipe away from your main home screen). There are two ways to get rid of it: one is to switch off Google Now entirely. Tap the menu button (three vertical dots) underneath all of your cards, choose Settings and then turn off Google Now. This means you wont be able to access Google Now from anywhere -- itll be gone completely from your phone or tablet unless you enable it again at a later date.

The other option is to install an alternative launcher. In the same way Android lets you install alternatives for texting, browsing, playing music and doing anything else, you can choose a different app to handle home screen and app-launching tasks. Most of these launchers are free and simple to use, and you can easily uninstall them again if you change your mind: Nova, Apexand Themer are among the most popular options, while KitKat Launchermimics the KitKat look without the Google Now panel. All of these apps have prominent options to enable you to set them as the default launcher on your device. If you install multiple launchers, Android adds a new Home option to the Settings app to help you manage them more easily.

3. Turn off Caller ID

When someone calls you who isnt in your contacts list, KitKat tries to work out who it is, primarily by scanning phone numbers for nearby places on Google Maps. Starting from next year, it will be able to identify individuals too, if those people have agreed to let Google associate their mobile number with their Google+ page and identity.

If you dont want Google to try and identify whos ringing you, open the Settings page from the Dialer app, tap Caller ID by Google and switch it off. The setting to stop people finding you through your mobile number is on the Web: log into your Google Account page, click the View option by the Phone numbers heading, and untick the option to help people find you.

4. Enable lock screen widgets

For variety, heres how to bring back a feature that KitKat disables rather than the other way around. The lock screen widgets popular with many users are switched off by default in Android 4.4, which means you cant immediately add handy widgets for tasks, emails and such-like to the lock screen (though the swipe-right camera shortcut is still in place).

Bringing them back isnt difficult. Choose Settings > Security and then tick Enable widgets -- this refers to the lock screen widgets rather than the standard widgets you add to your home screens. With the feature enabled again, you can swipe in from the left edge of the lock screen to add the widgets of your choice.

5. Not okay, Google

At the moment, shouting "OK, Google" to launch the search function on your KitKat device only works if you have your language set to US English. Presumably it will eventually roll out to UK English in due course.

If you dont want to have the feature available (it can use up battery life for one thing, and be hijacked by a passer-by for another) head to your Google Now Settings page. Untick the Hotword detection option and your handset is then immune from an "OK, Google" call to action.

The Google Nexus 5 is on its way - possibly today - and weve been treated to a host of leaked images and Android 4.4 details to whet our appetites.


It looks as though several people around the world have got their hands on pre-release Nexus 5 handsets, with one enterprising self-starter taking to Reddit to do an AMA about it.

He described the handset for his eager audience: "[The handset] doesnt feel cheap like a Samsung device, feels great in the hand, its similar to holding a G2 but no volume controls [on the back]."

The price is right

He also claimed to be "99% certain" that the pricing would start at $349. Thats about £220 or AU$370.
And the question on everybodys lips: what does the Nexus 5 taste like? "Fresh plastic mixed with finger sweat."

As for KitKat, it sounds as though therell be some kind of cloud-based backup option and voice control.
Not long to wait until we find out weve been had: were expecting the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 to launch later on today.

HTC has confirmed that its 2012 mid-range handset, the HTC One S, will not receive any further Android updates.


The highly-rared device, launched in April last year, will not get Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean or Key Lime Pie after that, and will be stuck on Android 4.1 for ever more.

The 15-month-old handset also wont receive the latest version of HTC Sense, although thatll be of far less significant to most who recently snapped up the device.

In a befuddling statement, the company said it understood some users disappointment, but for some reason thinks the amazing camera and Beats Audio experience already present on the device make up for it.

HTC said: "We can confirm that the HTC One S will not receive further Android OS updates and will remain on the current version of Android and HTC Sense. We realize this news will be met with disappointment by some, but our customers should feel confident that we have designed the HTC One S to be optimized with our amazing camera and audio experiences."

Perhaps something was lost in translation?

It is a somewhat surprising move from HTC as it seeks to win back some of the customers it has lost to the Samsung Galaxy range of smartphones.

Those thinking of buying a new handset from the company may think twice if they believe the device will become practically obsolete after only a year on sale.

In somewhat better news for those already rocking the newest HTC One handset, the company has started rolling out Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean in some international markets today. The latest word we had was that itd be arriving in the UK sometime this month.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is at MWC 2014 making the case for connecting everyone in the world to the internet, and he also dropped a revealing line about his companys pricey new purchase.


Jaws dropped when news broke last week that Facebook spent $19 billion on mobile messaging service WhatsApp, but Zuckerberg may have under paid.

"I think by itself, its is worth more than $19 billion," he said of WhatsApp. "In reality, there are very few services that reach one billion people. It could be the one service that reaches one billion and doesnt become valuable. If we can do a good job at helping WhatsApp to grow, then I think its quite a good bet."

By Facebooks count, WhatsApp is on its way to connect one billion people. Its not there yet, but Zuckerberg seems 19-billion-dollars confident that Co-Founder Jan Koum and Co. can deliver.

The Internet.org equation

Zuckerberg spent most of his time on the keynote stage talking about Internet.org, an initiative spearheaded by Facebook to make the internet affordable and accessible to those in developing nations.

WhatsApp seems destined to play a role in that.

"Im excited [about WhatsApp] because of the Internet.org vision," Zuckerberg said. "By being a part of Facebook, WhatsApp can focus purely on connecting more people. If independent, they would have to focus on building out their own company. What Jan is excited about is for them to connect one, two, three billion more people."

Earlier Zuckerberg noted that in order to connect everyone to the web, Facebook needs to form partnerships "because we cant do it by ourselves." With connectivity, people have access to things like basic financial services, health information and resources like Wikipedia.

Facebooks goal for Internet.org is to "create a sort of on-ramp to the internet," one that can bring non-bandwidth sucking text-based services like Messenger to all corners of the world. Zuckerberg said the venture will probably not be profitable in the short term, but then again the company doesnt seem to concerned about near-term losses for long-term gains.

And the Snapchat question

There was one white elephant in the room someone just had to ask Zuckerberg, and that was whether Facebook will make another run at Snapchat.

"After buying a company for $16 billion, youre probably done for awhile," Zuck quipped.

More pictures of the glossy colourful cases of the rumoured budget iPhone have leaked online.


The rear shells of the budget iPhone, tipped to be called the iPhone mini, have been snapped online again showing off the array of five colours.

As seen here, the budget iPhone is tipped to come in five shades – green, blue, white, yellow and red – and seems to feature a gloss hard plastic casing rather than the brushed aluminium of the latest iPhone 5 handset.

Tying in nicely with the colour scheme of the recently unveiled iOS 7 mobile operating system, the budget iPhone may well more closely resemble the 5th generation iPod touch range.

These aren’t the first budget iPhone images to do the rounds either, seemingly cementing the iPhone mini rumours further.

The latest rumours showed an apparent budget iPhone hands-on video leak online, showing the supposed handset’s plastic body and rounded corners.

Budget iPhone rumours

Expected to be formally unveiled later this year, perhaps in line with the iOS 7 release in the autumn, the budget iPhone will be a mid-range handset to be a more affordable option alongside the iPhone 5S.

Tipped to launch in September, the budget iPhone is said to have the same 4-inch display as the iPhone 5 but will offer reduced top-end specs in an attempt to keep the price low.

That’s also the reason Apple has supposedly opted for a plastic casing rather than the brushed aluminium too. This plastic body could add a few millimetres to the thickness of the iPhone mini in comparison to the iPhone 5, but we doubt this will be a hugely noticeable difference.

The budget iPhone could even touch down alongside the next-generation of the iPad mini. However, if the latest rumours are to be believed, the iPad mini 2 release date may be pushed back due to Retina display issues.

Your smartphone is more precious than your wallet, your keys and in some cases, your actual computer when it comes to sensitive information - but we all have that nagging guilt that we dont do enough to protect our devices beyond perhaps having a four digit pass code.


Thankfully we are here to help with some top-level tips to help make your phone more secure, protecting those all important messages and images that you dont want falling into the wrong hands.

With around 314 mobiles stolen a day on the streets of London, the risk of things getting out is extremely high.

Of course if youre looking to keep your phone safe from international spies, or snooping networks, you can always check out the BlackPhone... but if youre just the average smartphone user who wants to be a little safer, follow some of our tips below.

1. Update your software

Whether you are running iOS, Android or Windows Phone we will always advise you to grab the latest version of the OS available. This can be a little difficult with Android updates often taking a little while to go through manufacturer and network testing but is well worth it.

Part of the reason we suggest grabbing the latest OS is because it comes with all the added bonuses whether its the Control Center of iOS7 or the clear bars on Android KitKat, but also because a lot of security loopholes will have been closed.

These updates dont just pop up in major iterations either; Apple is currently pushing out iOS 7.0.6 in order to close a problem associated with using Apple devices on an unsecured network.

Most manufacturers allow you to set your phone to check for updates automatically, so always make sure this box is ticked.

2. Use a secure lock screen

It seems almost nonsensical in this day and age to not have a basic password on your lock screen, even if it is a basic one. One of the first things wed suggest is to navigate into your devices security settings and enable a pass lock.

There are obvious benefits to having even a basic lock, but whilst face lock of Android might seem fun it isnt the most secure system out there, with many Google devices rating the effectiveness of each security system so you can make an informed choice.

Pattern unlocks and pins are some of the most secure but if you can handle the hassle wed always suggest a full alphanumeric password. Also ensure that any boxes that say "make passwords visible" are also unticked.

If you want to take it one step further then wed also recommend changing your pass code regularly in case someone spots what youve typed in over your shoulder.

3. Install antivirus software

One of the biggest threats that could see data leaked is the less-than-humble virus. The problem isnt as widespread as on desktop computers, and if you dont download dodgy software chances are that within a 2 year contract you wont come across anything malicious, but there is still a credible threat out there.

The problem appears to be less hazardous for iPhones thanks to Apples strict controlling of the App store.

The open source nature of Android makes it a lot more vulnerable, as malicious apps can be sideloaded onto the device without being checked by Google. In both cases this is something that can be countered through the use of mobile Antivirus software.

The likes of McAfee, AVG and Lookout grace both the iOS App Store and the Google Play store for added security, but obviously be careful of any apps that seem a little suspicious.

If youre really worried check out the manufacturers website as most will come with a link to their mobile app.

4. Disable apps from untrusted sources and dont root or jailbreak

Whilst it can often be a nice idea to download and install apps that arent found on the App Store or Google Play Store, these apps tend to be the ones that are less secure. Google, Apple and Microsoft, as well as the likes of BlackBerry, keep tabs on the apps that are on their app portals.

This means apps that contain malicious code are likely to have been removed before you install them.

Rooting your Android phone or jailbreaking your iPhone can also prove really dangerous, especially if you dont know what youre doing. This is because it breaks down your OS and provides you access to the basic code within and if you can get access, malicious code has a much easier route to making changes too.

If youre more familiar with the world of rooting and jailbreaking then youll have taken measures to ensure the security of your device - so make sure youre certain you know what you want when altering your handset.

5. Use lock code apps and vaults

One thing that can be particularly important for protecting vital messages and pictures is to add a second layer of security. If youve got a pass code that somehow manages to get into the wrong hands then all your data could potentially be at risk.

With another app you can then add another layer of security by protecting apps with a second code. Vault apps also allow you to be safe by storing all the files that you want to secure within a dedicated area of your device or on an SD card, as well as being able to wipe the data after unsuccessful log in attempts.

Samsungs new Galaxy S5 features a fingerprint scanner to hide certain parts of your phone too - it might not be the easiest thing to use, but at least you can be doubly secure that nobody can get into the places you want hidden.