The HTC DROID DNA, which could easily be considered Verizon’s best available phone (our review), can be had for free thanks to a new coupon code and referral program that Big Red is running through May 21. All you have to do, is click through on the source link below, type in your email address, and wait for your coupon code to arrive (should take only a couple of minutes). Once you have it, you can print out the code and redeem it inside a Verizon or store, or use it during checkout through their online shop. 

Verizon is currently charging $199 on new 2-year contract for the DNA, so this promo will save you almost $200. In order to receive the phone for free you do need to sign a new contract.

The promo also allows you to refer friends who are not currently Verizon customers. Should you refer them, Verizon will give you $25 per.

Keep in mind that the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available starting May 23 and that there is still a chance that Verizon carries a version of the HTC One down the road.

Via:  Verizon

Cheers Albert!

[Deal] Verizon Handing Out Free DROID DNA Coupon Codes is a post from: Droid Life

An Android 4.2.2 build that features Sense 5.1 has leaked for the HTC Butterfly. The entire dump is actually available for download if you’d like to start playing around with it. I know I’m curious to see if devs can do anything with it for the HTC One and DROID DNA (brother phone of the Butterfly), though there are no guarantees that that will happen. 

In this new build, the Android version is blocked, but you can tell from the secondary notification shade with quick toggles that it’s at least 4.2. In HTC’s version of the toggle panel, we’re seeing a quick setting for brightness along with the standard shortcut for Settings. After that, you have WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode, Power Saver, Auto Rotate, Data, Sound profiles, Hotspot,and Screenshot shortcuts. Other than this panel, it’s tough to tell what other things differ from the current Sense 5.0 and Android 4.1.2. Will we get lock screen widgets? With notifications handle better with one-finger swipes? This is one of those situations where the video below isn’t giving us all of the answers, so we’ll have to see what devs can come up with.

If anything, this should at least mean that a 4.2.2 update with new Sense is on the way to the DNA, though we’d be surprised if that landed before 4.2.2 for the One.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via:  RootzWiki | XDA

Cheers Andrew!

Video: HTC Sense 5.1 and Android 4.2.2 Leak for the Butterfly is a post from: Droid Life

Verizon is currently hosting a “Red Hot Deal Days” event from today through May 12 (this Sunday), so if you were in the market for a new Big Red smartphone, now wouldn’t be a bad time to look. Well, assuming you aren’t interested in the Galaxy S4, since that won’t be out until May 30. But if the GS4 isn’t on your radar, you’ll find deals on the RAZR MAXX HD and regular RAZR HD, RAZR M, Incredible 4G LTE, Blackberry Z10 (hah!), and more.

The DROID line is headlining this show, with the RAZR MAXX HD at $149 on contract, RAZR HD at $49, and RAZR M and Incredible 4G LTE for free. The Samsung Galaxy S3 (16GB model) is also there for $99 on new 2-year contract.

Keep in mind that Amazon will beat almost all of these prices, starting with the RAZR MAXX HD at $99 on contract.

Via:  Verizon

Cheers Adam!

Verizon Hosting “Red Hot Deal Days” – RAZR MAXX HD for $150, RAZR M for Free, Galaxy S3 for $99 and More is a post from: Droid Life

Is the HTC One ever going to arrive on Verizon? We still don’t know for sure. There have been certification sightings of a device with similar specs to the One, along with a couple of reports out of AllThingsD which suggest a One variant is indeed on the way. HTC’s verified Twitter account said the opposite, that it’s not coming to Verizon, though, but quickly deleted that Tweet, causing some controversy. With all that said, HTC still isn’t ready to announce anything, though they did mention this morning during a Q&A with Yahoo that once they do announce a product with Verizon, they’ll be sure to make a big deal out of it. 

Tom Harlin, HTC’s director of public relations, had this to say in response to a commenter who asked if the One is ever coming to Big Red:

There are tons of rumors online but we haven’t made any official announcement about HTC One coming to Verizon. The DROID DNA continues to be the HTC hero smartphone at Verizon. It launched in late 2012, it’s features still compete with products in 2013. When we announce our next product with Verizon, we’ll make a big deal about it so you’re all aware.

While Tom didn’t divulge anything in particular, one could take his comments about making “a big deal” about their next product to mean we won’t see another low-end phone like the Incredible 4G LTE, and will see something a lot closer to the One. I’m still not sure the One will ever arrive on Verizon. If anything, I’d put money on the phone being a follow-up to the DNA, just like HTC did last year with the One X and One X+.

Via:  Yahoo

HTC: When We Announce Our Next Product With Verizon, We’ll Make a Big Deal About It is a post from: Droid Life

If you own a DROID DNA, you should be receiving a new 32MB update at any moment. According to the wave of emails that populated our inbox moments ago, a number of you have already received and installed it. At 32.9MB, it should only take a few minutes to complete, assuming you are on LTE.

The update has one purpose – to fix the SIM card error that has plagued the phone for some time.

To check to see if the update is available, head into Settings>About>Software updates.

Cheers Zepfloyd, Rick, Jason, dh, Damian and Daniel!

DROID DNA “SIM Card Error” Update is Live is a post from: Droid Life

Verizon has approved another update this morning, only this time it’s for the HTC DROID DNA. The update is incredibly small and only contains improvements to make SIM card detection better. That’s it. The update is 33MB in size.

More info.

DROID DNA Receiving New Update to Improve SIM Card Detection is a post from: Droid Life

As of this morning, the DROID DNA has disappeared from Verizon’s website. Naturally, one jumps to, “It’s reached end of life because the HTC One is one the way!” But is that the case? Well, we don’t actually know for sure at this point. 

What we do know, is that if you search for the device, you’ll come up completely empty. There are still some traces of it, though. For example, if you head into Verizon’s search box, type “DNA” and then let the search box process that before hitting “Enter,” you’ll see a mini-card appear for the device. However, should you click on it, you’ll be taken to a standard shopping page that lists out all of Verizon’s categories of products.

You can also cruise over to droiddoes.com and see the device listed at the very top of all DROID devices. Should you enter its page, you’ll even see a “Shop” button. Again, when clicked simply takes you to the categorized page of Big Red products that has replaced the DNA page. And finally, if you enter Verizon’s smartphone page and check the box for “HTC,” you’ll only find four options at the moment, none of which are the DNA.

So, is this a sign that something new is on the horizon? Well, we have heard from friends of ours at Walmart that the DNA has been killed off and will be replaced by some sort of HTC One variant. They were at one time expecting this to happen in March, though we heard this morning that Walmart has now pushed all One variants out to April, which makes sense since HTC confirmed an April release. Also of note, @evleaks Tweeted this morning that he is on board with the One coming to Verizon.

Update:  Reader Joe contacted Verizon’s sales team and was directed to this pre-order page for devices. He was told that stock for the device goes in and out and can be ordered here. Sure enough, the device is listed there. That said, we have heard from a number of readers who work directly or indirectly for Verizon and have said that stock of the phone has been depleted for some time from their stores.

Update 2:  Received another tip suggesting that the missing DNA is simply because of a SKU change to ADR6435LVW2 and has not been discontinued. They were not sure what has changed in the new model, but did say that the new version should be shipping now to stores.

Update 3/31:  The device is now back, but likely did go through a SKU change. The device ID used to be 6103 on Verizon’s site and is now 6691.

I’ve reached out to Verizon PR to see if this is nothing more than an “out of stock” situation or if the phone is indeed gone for good and will report back. Keep in mind that we’re just kicking off a weekend, so we may not hear anything until Monday.

If it is simply on back-order or out of stock for the moment, completely removing the device from your website seems like a terrible move. At least tell people up front that it’s on back-order and will be returning. Don’t make them contact the sales or inventory teams to find out the stock status of a phone they would potentially buy. If the iPhone 5 was sold out, they would make a notation on the iPhone page saying when stock will return, not completely kill off the sales page.

Cheers david and Shawn!

DROID DNA Disappears From Verizon Site, Making Room for the HTC One? (Updated: It’s Back) is a post from: Droid Life

When HTC first introduced the Butterfly last year, as one of the first devices on the planet to sport a 5″ 1080p display, our attention was grabbed immediately as it was identical to a device we had been tracking for months, codenamed the “dlx.” As you all know now, the “dlx” turned into the DROID DNA on Verizon and was indeed identical in specs to the Butterfly. Well, thanks to satisfactory sales numbers of the Butterfly, HTC CMO Benjamin Ho recently mentioned to a Taiwanese publication that they are planning a sequel. Naturally, our minds then wander into the land of DROID DNA follow-ups – perhaps the DLXPLUS? 

We have written about the DLXPLUS a handful of times now. Thanks to HTC insiders and stops off for certifications, the device appears to be headed to Verizon with identical specs to the HTC One, which Big Red passed on. We’re talking a 4.7″ 1080p display, 2GB RAM, UltraPixel camera, and new HTC Sense 5.0 with BlinkFeed, BoomSound, and Zoe.

It seems a bit silly to jump to the new Butterfly being the little sister to the DLXPLUS, but they were so similar last year, that we can’t help ourselves.

There is no current time table on a release for the DLXPLUS on Verizon, but a couple of reports suggest that it should arrive within the next two months, well after the HTC One has made the rounds.

Are you willing to stick it out and pass on the Galaxy S4 to get a hold of Verizon’s One-ish variant?

Via:  Engadget | Android Beat

Cheers androidian!

HTC Planning to Release a Butterfly Follow-up, New DROID DNA Too? is a post from: Droid Life

Over the weekend, the status of an HTC One coming to Verizon took a turn for the worse. After reports from both us and AllThingsD suggested that Big Red would carry HTC’s new flagship even though it was left out of their press event for the device, the official HTC USA Twitter account came out and said as plain as day that the device “will not be available on the Verizon network,” and that HTC fans should turn to the DROID DNA as an option. 

Then today, AllThingsD returned to back their original report, claiming that you should not believe everything you read on Twitter, because some times official folks aren’t always in the know. They also pointed out that the Tweet from @HTCUSA has since been deleted, which may or may not be a sign of a mistake made by the controller of this Twitter account.

So what do we make of all this? Is the One coming to Verizon or not?

We know this – HTC Tweeted over the weekend that the One was not coming to Verizon and then proceeded to delete that Tweet after it caught some traction around the tech media world. What we’d also like to point out, is that if you go back to March 11, you’ll see a variety of Tweets from the same account that all suggest that the One is not coming to Verizon. These are all still live and have not been deleted. That could mean a variety of things, so we’ll hold off from speculating.

One thing we’re pretty sure we know, is that a device made by HTC with identical specs to the One is headed to Verizon. It’s currently carrying the codename “DLXPLUS,” model number HTC6445LVW, and has already passed through Bluetooth SIG. It’s coming, it’s in testing, and it’ll likely be incredibly similar to the One. Will it be branded as the “HTC One?” I’ve said all along that I would be surprised to see this as a part of the One brand and instead feel as if it will be a part of Verizon’s DROID brand.

So at this point, it’s still up in the air as to whether or not this phone will be One or DROID branded, but I think it’s safe to say that a device very similar to the One is still coming, it just won’t be here for a couple of months.

Via:  AllThingsD | @HTCUSA

HTC One: Coming to Verizon or Not? is a post from: Droid Life

Yesterday afternoon, in response to a question about the HTC One’s availability on Verizon, the official HTC USA account essentially shot down any chance at the device arriving in the near future. This news comes on the heals of a report out of AllThingsD, which suggested that there would be a Verizon HTC One after all, but that it wouldn’t be for a couple of months as Big Red needs to finish up their extensive testing on it. A day after that report, we also caught wind from a source out of Walmart, who gave us a document showing that the big box retailer was expecting an HTC One variant to arrive this month that would replace the DROID DNA. We remained skeptical at the time, and you can see why. 

But while HTC has done their best to shut down One-Verizon rumors, we do know that a new Verizon device is in testing with almost identical specs to the One. It’s currently carrying the code name “DLXPLUS,” which is very similar to the DNA’s codename of “DLX.” This device has already cruised through Bluetooth SIG and popped up through HTC insiders. If it’s not a One, don’t be surprised if it’s called the DROID DNA+ or something of that nature.

There are no current rumors of a release time frame, but we’d imagine it won’t be too far out. Then again, you would think HTC would want their flagship One out before Verizon does their own song and dance. The One isn’t expected to arrive until April.

Via:  @HTCUSA

Cheers Jigga_Z!

HTC USA: One Will Not be Available on the Verizon Network is a post from: Droid Life

Remember how disappointed you were the day that HTC announced the One and that the only major carrier across the globe that had decided to pass on it was Verizon? Thankfully, your disappointment may be short-lived, as reports yesterday suggested that Big Red would indeed carry a variant of the One, but that it would arrive later after it passed through testing. Or will it arrive right on time?

According to a Walmart wireless department document that crossed our path today, the mega-market is expecting Verizon’s variant to arrive in March (this month) alongside those headed to AT&T and Sprint. Once it does, the One will replace the HTC DROID DNA on shelves.

So what do we think? I’m not exactly sure what to think. My mind keeps saying, “If this phone was coming to Verizon this soon, why wasn’t it announced back with all other carriers?” But I guess you never know, maybe Verizon and HTC were continuing talks and weren’t ready to mention anything back in February.

I was also wondering if Walmart hadn’t simply mixed up the HTC One for T-Mobile, but when they specifically claim that the this Verizon version will replace the DNA, you can almost throw that idea out.

So…are you ready for Verizon’s HTC One? Before saying “yes!” – let’s let this sit for a few days and see what happens.

Cheers ___!

Walmart Document Shows HTC One Arriving on Verizon This Month, Replacing the DNA is a post from: Droid Life

A developer on XDA has been hard at work, porting HTC’s newest Sense 5 software to the DROID DNA. Currently, it has some bugs that need working out, but nothing that makes it unusable. For instance, if you had big hopes for HTC Zoe on your DROID, that is currently unavailable. But no worries, the developer is plugging away on fixes. 

Beyond bugs, you will have access to that brand new BlinkFeed that HTC introduced, Android 4.1.2, and a Beastmode kernel. Before anyone asks, yes you must be rooted and running a custom recovery in order to flash this zip file.

You can see a preview of this ROM below, although I will have to warn you that the camera work is awful.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: XDA

Cheers Tim!

Developer Ports Sense 5 ROM to DROID DNA, BlinkFeed in All of Its Glory is a post from: Droid Life

Back in early February, we caught wind of a new HTC device that appeared to be headed to Verizon under the codename “DLXPLUS.” For those not familiar with the naming convention, think of the DROID DNA as the “DLX.” At first, we were hoping that this would be Big Red’s version of the HTC One because the purported specs matched up exactly, but since we know now that the device is landing everywhere but there, we’ll assume this phone must be something somewhat different. Will it be the DROID DNA+ or perhaps the DROID ONE (not likely “One”)? 

Over the weekend, a device under the model number HTC6445LVW stopped by Bluetooth SIG to pick up a certification. While there isn’t a mention of the codename “DLXPLUS,” we’re sort of assuming here that it’s the same device. The DROID DNA runs under the model number HTC6435LVW and codename “DLX,” so it would make a lot of sense for 6445 to be the next in line. Also, the “VW” in the model number stands for Verizon Wireless, in case you were wondering.

In the previous spotting of the DLXPLUS, we got what are being reported as potential specs, all of which match up to the One. The device should have a 4.7″ 1080p FHD display, 2GB RAM, Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor clocked at 1.7GHz, 2.1MP front camera, 13MP rear camera (or is it a 4MP UltraPixel?), 16GB internal storage, Jelly Bean, and Sense 5.0.

It would have been foolish for Verizon to completely pass up on HTC’s newest device, even if they only think they can only sell phones branded as DROID, Galaxy, and the iPhone. But one way to make it fit their needs, is to brand it “DROID,” slap a fun name on it, and then promoted it their own way outside of HTC’s One campaign.

Verizon folks, there is still a chance that you get a device similar to the One, it just won’t be called the One.

Via:  Bluetooth SIG |  Blog of Mobile

Verizon’s HTC6445LVW Cruises Through Bluetooth SIG, “DLXPLUS” or Big Red’s HTC One Equivalent? is a post from: Droid Life

Yep, we have a brand spankin’ new flagship to talk about, so that means a spec comparison is in order. The HTC One, which didn’t garner a lot of bragging from HTC on a spec front during its unveiling, really is quit the beast in terms of hardware. On paper, because phones are all so powerful these days, it may not seem like a giant leap forward, but it certainly feels like a solid jump over anything else on the market today.

With its brand new Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, brilliant 1080p display and new camera tech called Ultrapixel, it has at least a handful of components that no other phone currently has.

Below, we have a chart that compares it on paper to the Nexus 4, DROID DNA, and Galaxy Note 2.

And after you check it out, be sure to remember that specs don’t always win battles. HTC knows this and has offered an entire suite of software enhancements that should help it stand out from the crowd this time around. Be sure to read my thoughts on it all.

Spec Comparison: HTC One vs. Nexus 4. vs. DROID DNA vs. Galaxy Note 2 is a post from: Droid Life

A couple of weeks ago, the DROID DNA received somewhat of an S-OFF through the work of a phone repair shop who had a special tool that they would use on your device should you be willing to pay at least $45. It really wasn’t all that practical. And hopefully, no one actually used the service, because a much simpler S-OFF method has been released tonight by beaups and jcase of TeamAndIRC. 

The method asks that you have adb and fastboot up and running, are rooted and have superCID. If you are into tinkering with your phone at all, I hope you at least have the adb, fastboot and rooting part already taken care of. If you do not have superCID, there is a 2nd link below to get you there before proceeding with S-OFF.

Once you meet the requirements, a file download followed by a handful of adb commands with a reboot here or there will get you to S-OFF and a phone that is much less a pain in the rear to flash ROMs and kernels to.

All of the instructions can be found at the links below.

This method also works for the One XL and One S.

Via:  XDA [superCID info]

Cheers Derek, Max, kevlar, and Dave!

DROID DNA Finally Receives S-OFF is a post from: Droid Life