Yeah we know, we already unboxed the AT&T version of the Samsung Galaxy S4, but we couldn’t help ourselves. This is the Verizon version! Finally in hand! Available today! We also wanted to show it up against the AT&T and Sprint versions, though they are identical other than color and branding (or lack thereof). Really, this was just an excuse to show off a new toy and join in on the fun that early adopters have been experiencing for two days thanks to early arriving pre-order shipments.

Who jumped on this phone? 

Unboxing and Overview

Click here to view the embedded video.

Gallery

Samsung Galaxy S4 on Verizon: Unboxing, Overview and Quick Comparison is a post from: Droid Life

If you were at all disappointed to find out that the “Nexus experience” Samsung Galaxy S4 that was introduced at I/O with an unlockable bootloader, would only work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks, then maybe this news will brighten your mood. Posted to Samsung’s official online shop is a listing for the “Developer Edition” of Verizon’s version of the Galaxy S4 (AT&T version listed too).

The current listing is of the Black Mist model, with 16GB of storage, and all of the other specs featured in this year’s Galaxy flagship. No price is given, but with Verizon asking $650 at full retail for their non-developer edition, I’d guess this will drop in at that same price. That also means that it likely won’t be available with a subsidy (discounted price). 

A date isn’t included in the listing, only that it is “Coming soon!”

We should probably point out that this is not the same as the “Nexus experience” edition. This will not run stock Android out of the box and still should have all of Samsung’s TouchWiz skin atop Android 4.2.2. It will also be on the same update schedule as the regular Verizon version, meaning you won’t see updates any quicker, like you will with the “Nexus experience” version.

For the hackers in the building, this once again is Samsung and Verizon’s attempt at giving you an option. If you want an unlockable bootloader, and a device that can be hacked to your heart’s desire, this would be the one to get. Well, it would have been had Dan Rosenberg not already cracked the bootloader on the regular retail version.

Interested?

Via:  Samsung (AT&T version)

Cheers Open1Your1Eyes0!

Samsung Galaxy S4 Developer Edition for Verizon Coming Soon (AT&T Too) is a post from: Droid Life

Heard of Mailbox? It’s an iOS app that was such a massive success as an email replacement at launch, that Dropbox bought it within a couple of months of its existence. Today, the company launched an iPad version of its popular app, but that’s not what Android users care about. In a sitdown with Read Write, Mailbox’s founder Gentry Underwood said that a presence on Android is next on their list of things to do. He wouldn’t specify a time frame, only that it’s on their radar now that the iPad app is out. 

For those not familiar, Mailbox is an email replacement app that wants to make you more productive while also keeping your inbox down to a minimum (“Inbox zero”), so that you don’t feel so damn overwhelmed every time you open it. Mailbox helps you get there by incorporating swiping gestures that advance beyond what you use them for on Android currently.

For example, as you swipe away an email, you’ll get a different result depending on how long your swipe is and in which direction you take it. So if you want to archive a message, you can perform a quick swipe to the left and you’ll see a green color with a check mark. If you want to delete the message, drag your swipe longer to the right and it’ll turn red with an “X.” Should you swipe to the left, you can tell Mailbox to remind you to check the message at a later date, or even add it to a list should you continue the swipe like you did to delete.

Again, the point is to make you more productive and less stressed.

I’ll say that after spending a little bit of time with it on iOS, I can’t wait for it to come to Android. Can you imagine the power that developers would have with this app and its gestures with Android’s notification system? Your productivity could enter a new level should you not have to enter your inbox.

Keep this one on your lists, folks, it’ll be a good one.

Via:  Read Write

Mailbox Founder Suggests That an Android Version is Next in Their Plans is a post from: Droid Life

While Samsung got done bragging about eclipsing the 10 million sales mark for the Galaxy S4 within a month, this morning, a report out of the Wall Street Journal pegs HTC as having sold “around” 5 million One devices. While that’s short of Samsung’s insane numbers, that’s still a fairly impressive number for a company that we all pegged as being all-but-done and who also suffered supply issues at launch. Keep in mind that their CEO Peter Chou did say that if this phone was not a success and help turn the company around, that he would step down. I’d say that at 5 million in about a month’s time, he could be safe. Then again, the company is reportedly in disarray, with executives and upper management leaving left and right. 

An anonymous exec who supplied these numbers said that “orders are pretty good so far and are still more than what we can supply.” They stated that once component shortages are resolved next month, they’ll really be able to tell if the One is doing well or not.

Keep in mind that both Samsung and HTC have been able to produce these sales numbers without their devices being available on Verizon. The Galaxy S4 became available today, almost a month after the rest of the world started selling it, while the One is currently not in the plans of America’s largest network.

We’re big fans of the One here at Droid Life. In fact, after our lengthy review, I purchased the unlocked version and have made it my daily device.

Via:  WSJ

HTC has “Sold Around 5 Million One Smartphones” Since Launch is a post from: Droid Life

When I took my first glance at the Keyprop on Kickstarter, I’ve got to admit that I initially laughed it off as another silly Kickstarter smartphone-related campaign that I’d probably never think about again. But for some reason, I found myself watching the promo video for it, then looking at the pictures in the posting, saw the use cases, and then couldn’t help but hope it was reasonably priced. Thankfully, it was because this is actually something I could see being pretty useful in a pinch or even on a regular basis. 

Keyprop is a smartphone stand that comes in a variety of colors and fits easily onto your keychange, disguising itself as nothing but another key. It runs $15, and should work on almost any smartphone including the Galaxy S3 and Nexus 4 (iPhones too). The tip of the key has a couple of notches that can either fit inside the charging port of your device or the headphone jack, which helps it stabilize your device in an upright position. You can even adjust your keyring to provide other angles for better viewing. Seriously, it’s kind of brilliant.

It has 8 days to go still and is about 60% funded, so there is no guarantee that this will happen. But for those looking for an always-with-them smartphone stand, give it a view.

Via:  Kickstarter

Cheers garbagedick!

Keyprop is a Smartphone Stand Disguised as Key, Actually Looks Useful for $15 on Kickstarter is a post from: Droid Life

A root method for the Samsung Galaxy S4 on Verizon is already available, which isn’t all that surprising since launch day is today. This is a solid method as it doesn’t require you to fully wipe your device by flashing a pre-rooted factory image nor does it require any skills with adb, so in other words, it’s pretty simple. It does require ODIN, a few files, the flashing of a prerelease kernel, and Dan Rosenberg’s Motochopper. Ready to do this? 

*Note – This entire guide was pulled from this XDA thread. I highly recommend you head there for full support and to give thanks.

*Note 2 – This has nothing to do with the bootloader. We’re assuming that unlock will come at some point, however, this will simply root your device.

Step 1:

1. Download and Install Samsung Official USB Drivers - Link
2. Download and extract ODIN v3.07 - Link
3. Download the VRUAMD2 Prerelease Kernel - Link
4. Download the VRUAMDK Stock Kernel - Link
5. Download and extract the Motochopper Root Exploit Tool - Link

Step 2:

• Boot phone into ODIN mode (See here for how-to)
• Flash the VRUAMD2 Prerelease Kernel using ODIN v3.07 ***in PDA section only*** (See here for guide on flashing)
• Boot back to Android and verifying everything is still working and kernel has flashed successfully

Step 3:

• Verify in Security setting on your device that you have “Unknown sources” checked
• Verify in Developer options setting on your device that you have “USB debugging” checked
• Verify in Developer options setting on your device that you have “Verify apps via USB” unchecked
• Connect your phone to your computer and open “Run.bat” file from the location you have extracted motochopper to
• If successful, after your phone reboots, check if SuperSU has any update in the Play Store
• Open SuperSU app and let the binary update itself to the latest ***VERY IMPORTANT OR YOU WILL LOSE ROOT ON STEP 4***
• Once complete, just open a root application and verify that is able to access root properly

Step 4:

• Boot phone into ODIN mode (See here for how-to)
• Flash the VRUAMDK Stock Kernel using ODIN v3.07 ***in PDA section only*** (See here for guide on flashing)
• Boot back to Android and verifying everything is still working and kernel has flashed successfully
• After your phone boots back to Android, you should now be fully rooted and on the fully original stock firmware as the device came

Via:  XDA

Cheers Open1Your1Eyes0!

How to: Root the Verizon Galaxy S4 is a post from: Droid Life

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is officially available from Verizon as of today both online and in stores. Almost a month after every other major carrier in the U.S. first placed this year’s flagship from Samsung on their store shelves, Big Red has joined in on the fun. For $199 and a new 2-year contract, the 16GB version can be yours in either white or black. Actually, the 16GB version is the only version Verizon is even selling, but keep in mind that the phone has a microSD card slot that supports 64GB cards, so you should have no issues with storage. 

In our Galaxy S4 review, we had very few negative things to say about it. The device is a solid jump from the Galaxy S3 with its 5″ FHD Super AMOLED display, quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, and 13MP camera. It also runs the latest version of Android (4.2.2), something no other phone can currently say outside of a Nexus device from Google. The phone feels phenomenal in hand, at least in terms of size and bang for the buck. It may not be an all-aluminum “zero-gap” housing like on the HTC One, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

If you ordered one or are stopping by a Verizon shop to pick one up, be sure to tell us your initial reactions in the comments.

Via:  Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S4 Now Available From Verizon is a post from: Droid Life

The Droid Life Show returns tonight for episode 25! As far as topics go, Google I/O was last week, Verizon’s hilariously awkward CTIA event was this week, the Galaxy S4 is finally here on all carriers, and we need to have a heated debate over the word GIF. Clearly we have plenty to talk about as usual, so be sure to join us live.

The show kicks off around 6:00PM Pacific (9:00PM Eastern). A live video broadcast and chat are embedded below. 

Subscribe | iTunes | Show Page

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Droid Life Show: Episode 25 is a post from: Droid Life

The Samsung Galaxy S4 on Verizon will finally arrive in stores tomorrow, but if you were looking to beat Big Red’s $199 on-contract price, Amazon is almost always a great place to look. And sure enough, Amazon is already offering the device for $179.99 with 2-year contract for both new customers and upgrades. In the past, we have seen Amazon only offer early discounts to new customers while leaving out upgrades, but that doesn’t appear to be the case this time around. So if you had your sights set on the GS4 (our review), think about this deal.

Amazon Link (Black) | Amazon Link (White)

Cheers Jason!

Amazon Selling Samsung Galaxy S4 on Verizon for $179 for New Customers and Upgrades is a post from: Droid Life

If you are a Chrome user on your desktop computer, be sure to update to the newest version that was released this morning as it includes Google’s new conversational search. We first saw conversational search at Google I/O last week in one of the more impressive demos from the keynote, and have been waiting for its release. 

For those not familiar, conversational search allows you to search for items as if you are having a conversation with your computer and Google Search. You aren’t supposed to worry about using specific keywords or commands – instead you should be able to casually ask for search results. All of the magic happens as you speak to Google Search, but it becomes incredibly impressive once you follow-up initial questions with secondary questions, just as if you were having a conversation with someone. For example (also in the clip below), you can ask for the age of a professional basketball player and then follow that question up by asking which team they play for. If Google’s new search works properly, it should answer both, but the second shouldn’t require you to say their name again.

It also works if you want to track packages, check on upcoming flight times, search nearby restaurants, and even find the distance from your location to a place you have recently searched for. It’s impressive.

At this time, it’s missing the “OK, Google” activation command, but will likely arrive before long.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video: Testing Out Google’s Conversational Search in Chrome is a post from: Droid Life

During the beginning of Verizon’s comical J-Lo themed press event this morning at CTIA in Las Vegas, COO Marni Walden did announce at least one important bit of information. Their 4G LTE network now covers 497 markets, which is 95% of their 3G network. Remember that their initial goal was to cover 100% of their 3G network by the end of 2013, but have since moved the date up to mid-year as LTE build-out has increased dramatically. With 95% complete, I’d say they’ll hit their goal and then some. Back in January they were at 473 markets, so already this year they have added another 20+ along with countless expansions in existing markets.

Is anyone not yet covered by Verizon’s LTE network?

Verizon 4G LTE Now in Over 497 Markets, 95% of the 3G Network Covered is a post from: Droid Life

Sooooo, about that Verizon Wireless press event at CTIA. It was for a Latino-focused mobile network that Verizon has partnered with Jennifer Lopez to launch – it’s called Viva Movil. It was easily one of the more embarrassing and hilarious (for the wrong reasons) press events I have seen in my 3 or 4 years in this business. J-Lo stood on stage after a quick intro, not even hiding the fact that she was ill-prepared and had to turn her head from teleprompter to teleprompter during her drawn out speech over a company that she apparently cares so much for. There was even a moment where she lost track of a question she was attempting to answer, and instead took to explaining how fun it was to pick out colors and fonts for stores. Marni Walden, Verizon’s COO, probably made matters worse though, by starting off the event telling the press in attendance that they wouldn’t have invited them there unless it was for a “big announcement” and that they would have news to Tweet about afterwards. She wasn’t lying, there is plenty to Tweet about. 

Viva Movil will have stores in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and a presence online. Verizon doesn’t actually own any part of the business, they are simply helping promote it and are a launch partner. Viva Movil will be branded as “premium” Verizon store, which is no different than any other third party wireless store you may have visited.

After cruising through their site for a moment, I noticed that they have a decent collection of phones that includes the Galaxy S3, iPhone 5 and RAZR MAXX HD. The minute and data plans are the same as Verizon’s, since everything runs on their network.

I don’t think I need to go into how awkward and confusing the idea of a Latino-focused wireless network is, do I? If you want to find out more, hit up the source link below.

Here are the two highlights from the event:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

More:  Get Viva

Jennifer Lopez Partners With Verizon to Launch Latino-focused Viva Movil Network is a post from: Droid Life

CTIA 2013 is happening this week in Las Vegas and Tim is there in attendance for one reason, because Verizon scheduled a press event to take place, their first in quite some time. We have no idea what to expect once they take the stage, but you can probably think of a few good reasons. Will it be network related? Is their initial 4G LTE rollout complete? Will VoLTE make its first appearance? Or will we finally see the Verizon-branded HTC One? It could be a combination of all of those things for all we know. Verizon has been tight-lipped on this one, so stick with us during our live blog to see what happens.

The event kicks off at 11:00AM Pacific (2:00PM Eastern).

Live: Verizon’s CTIA 2013 Press Event is a post from: Droid Life

Back in April, Google updated Chrome beta for Android to include a full-screen browsing mode along with simpler searches that stay in the search box after you press enter. Today, they are releasing that same update to the stable build of Chrome for Android. Once updated, you’ll see the toolbar disappear as you scroll down pages, giving you a full-screen experience. With a quick swipe back towards the top, it will return. You’ll also get searches that stay in the omnibox (search box), making follow-up searches easier. 

Here is the full changelog:

• Fullscreen on phones – Scroll down the page and the toolbar will disappear.
• Simpler searching – Searching from the omnibox will keep your search query visible in the omnibox, making it easier to edit, and show more on your search result page.
• Client-side certificate support – You can now access sites that require you to use a certificate and Chrome will allow you to select an installed certificate
• Tab history on tablets – Long press the browser back button to view your tab history
• And a ton of stability and performance fixes

I can’t get the update to push through either the mobile or web Play stores, but it appears to be live.

Via:  Chrome Releases

Chrome Stable for Android Updates With Full-screen Mode and Simpler Searches is a post from: Droid Life

Google Drive for Android is receiving a major update today that includes a new UI, document scanner, and editing improvements. In terms of the UI, Google is introduce a card-style layout, similar to what we are seeing across a number of their apps like Google Play and Google Keep. In this new UI, you get to see larger previews of documents to help you discover information quicker.  

Along with the new UI, Google is introducing a document scanner, which allows you take photos of of documents, business cards, etc. and save them for later. Google will turn them into PDF files, but remember that Drive recognizes text in documents so you can search for items embedded later on.

They improved the editing experience as well. After the update, you’ll be able to adjust font types and sizes for a spreadsheet and tweak cell colors and alignment from within the app.

You can also choose to download copies of documents to your device from the action menu inside settings.

Here is the rest of the changelog:

• New grid view makes it easier to find your files
• New quick preview lets you view photos and other files from within the app
• Scan documents, receipts and letters for safe keeping in Drive; then search by contents once uploaded
• Download a copy of files to your local device (Honeycomb+)
• Spreadsheet editor now supports changing fonts, colors and cell alignment
• View properties of files from within the editors
• Bug fixes and visual improvements

Via:  Android Blog

Google Drive Updated on Android With New Card-style UI, Document Scanner, and More is a post from: Droid Life