Shortly after announcing that the “Nexus experience” edition of the HTC One would retail through Google Play for $599, HTC went ahead and raised the price of the unlocked Sense-filled version that’s available through their own shop from $575 to $599 to match. They didn’t give reason for the price hike, but one would assume they weren’t interested in selling the exact same phone at different prices, especially since the one with the lower price is the version running their own in-house team’s software. Slap in the face, a bit? 

To potentially make up for the sudden jump, they are currently offering a $25 Google Play gift card with all purchases of the unlocked HTC One. So in a backhanded way, it’s like you are still getting the phone for $575.

Keep in mind that Amazon is running a 1-day sale (today) for the AT&T and Sprint variants of the One in both black and silver/white. You can grab the One from either carrier for $79.99 as a new customer or $99.99 with an upgrade. Sure, they aren’t unlocked, don’t have an officially supported unlockable bootloader, and you’ll have to sign a two-year contract, but at least the price is enticing.

Via:  HTC

Cheers Justin W!

After Raising Price $25, HTC Now Offers $25 Google Play Gift Card With Purchase of Unlocked One is a post from: Droid Life

Tomorrow, Amazon is hosting a 1-day sale that features the HTC One at some of the lowest price points we have seen to date. Both Sprint and AT&T models, in both black or white, will drop to $79.99 for new customers and $99.99 for upgrades to celebrate Father’s Day. If you were looking to make the One your partner in crime for the next two years, you may want to have credit card in hand when this deal goes live.

Update:  These deals are now live. Go get ‘em!

AT&T Links:

• HTC One in white/silver [Amazon]
• HTC One in black [Amazon]

Sprint Links:

• HTC One in white/silver [Amazon]
• HTC One in black [Amazon]

If you don’t feel like waiting until tomorrow, know that the Sprint versions can already be had for $79.99 if you are a new customer. Upgrades will run you close to $150.

Again, the sale starts on June 14.

Amazon Hosting 1-Day HTC One Sale: $79.99 for New Customers, $99.99 for Upgrades (Updated: It’s Live) is a post from: Droid Life

Since day 1 with my unlocked HTC One, I have experienced issues with the lock screen of the device, and for the life of me could not figure out the problem. Well, until today, thanks to the Play store release of Floating Notifications. During the initial launch tutorial for the app, the developer made reference to an HTC Sense 5 bug that was breaking the lock screen if a user enabled any of the services under the Accessibility setting. As someone who uses a Pebble, and it’s pairing app that requires an Accessibility service to be turned on, this was the exact root to my problems. 

The video below demonstrates the issue, but I’ll explain it anyway. You see, the traditional Sense 5 lock screen requires a swipe up anywhere on the screen or the dragging and dropping of your dock app shortcuts in order to unlock. With an Accessibility service turned on, the entire thing breaks. With a service turned on, all you need to do is touch your screen with a single finger and the device becomes unlocked. No swiping needed.

Where my blood boiled, was when the device would automatically answer incoming calls should I receive one and pull the phone out of my pocket. On almost every occasion, the phone would answer calls before I could even flip it over to see who was trying to reach me. Also, even if the phone was lying on my desk, the broken lock screen would make it almost impossible to decline a call.

This issue affects anyone who wants to pair their Pebble to their One, or who use apps like Floating Notifications that requires an Accessibility service to be turned on. It’s a pretty significant bug, to say the least, and one that I’m surprised HTC has ignored for this long. Then again, maybe they were unaware of the fix for all this time, just like I was.

I should point out that WidgetLocker can be installed to fix the device from unlocking with a single tap, though the dialer will bypass third party lock screens when receiving calls, so it won’t fix that problem.

You can try using Pattern or PIN options through Sense 5, but that adds another step to accessing shortcuts and such (sort of defeats the purpose). It also doesn’t fix the incoming call bug.

We were able to replicate the issue on a Sprint HTC One as well, so it’s not just the unlocked version. We weren’t able to test it on an AT&T version, though I wouldn’t be surprised if the issue was there.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tip: Turning on Accessibility Options in Sense 5 on the HTC One Breaks the Lock Screen is a post from: Droid Life

On Friday, both the HTC One and DROID DNA received tools that provided each device with S-OFF. Yes, finally after all these months, the DROID DNA has been conquered. There are a couple of tools available, one called Moonshine that requires Linux, and another called Revone that can be used on any operating system. Revone is still being pushed as a “developer early access preview,” so there are likely going to be bugs or issues along the way. If you don’t want to deal with potential issues, feel free to try Moonshine. If you don’t have Linux, know that we had a reader toss Ubuntu on a USB drive to use the tool and was able to finish the entire process in under 30 minutes. You can do it, young one.

Plenty of links below for each, so get to unlocking. 

Moonshine Links:  Moonshine | XDA [2]

Revone Links:  XDA (DNA) | XDA (One)

Cheers Ben, Owen, Max, Freddie, Nick and Greggles!

DROID DNA and HTC One S-OFF Tools Available is a post from: Droid Life

If you were hoping to see HTC send out a competitor to Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 3, then you might want to get a load of this. Above is a blueprint made by a non-HTC source, showing off an alleged device supposedly known internally as the T6 and soon to hit the market in Q3 as the One Max. The device will attempt to steal the Note 3′s thunder, bringing with it a massive 5.9″ 1080p display, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, currently labeled as the “dream CPU” for any mobile device. 

Beyond those two tantalizing specifications, it is rumored the device will come shipped with either Android 4.3 or Key Lime Pie, along with HTC’s UltraPixel camera, a 3,300mAh battery, BoomSound speakers and a very thin bezel.

According to the source, global release for the One Max is set for some time in Q3, right around when we can expect Samsung’s new Note device, pitting the two head to head in a battle for all out phablet (sorry, boss) dominance.

Please, let us know your thoughts down below.

Via: Mobileaks

Rumor: HTC T6 aka “One Max” to Launch Q3, Boasts 5.9″ 1080p Display and Snapdragon 800 CPU is a post from: Droid Life

Talk about a deal, AT&T is currently hosting a package that includes the HTC One (in either black or silver) plus a Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker for a combined $99. The phone itself typically runs $199 on contract, while the speaker is also $199. So for $300 less than what you would buy them for individually, you can have them together. Not bad, right? Oh, you also get to choose between four different colors with the speaker (pink, black, red, or white). 

Now, keep in mind that you have to sign a new 2-year contract with AT&T. But at this point, you already understand that if you want to get cheap deals on phones. It’s not like HTC and AT&T are going to sell you one of the hottest phones of the year without a contract for $99. If you were in the market for a new phone though, and an AT&T subscriber, this has got to grab your attention.

You probably have read it already, but our HTC One review will certainly help you with your decision.

Update:  Annnnnd, out of stock.

Via:  AT&T

[Deal] HTC One 32GB Plus Beats Pill Speaker for $99 From AT&T is a post from: Droid Life

Over on the HTC store, the unlocked variant of the One has seen an increase in price, from $574.99 to $599.99. There is no official word on why the device got a $25 bump in the tag, but we are looking towards this being related to matching the upcoming “Nexus Experience” edition, which is to launch on June 26 for $599.99 on Google Play. It certainly would have not made much sense for HTC and Google to offer the “Nexus experience” for an additional $25 over the original Sense version, especially if they plan to allow owners of the Sense version to remove Sense for the stock experience. 

Both the unlocked and Nexus Experience variants are 32GB models, so this seems to make the most sense. The NE edition will work on AT&T and T-Mobile’s networks, so anyone deciding on which version to buy will basically only have to choose if they want vanilla Android or Sense 5.0 on their device. Options are good, even if those options are now more expensive than they were a couple of days ago.

Via: HTC

Cheers Miguel!

Unlocked HTC One Sees Price Increase From $575 to $600 is a post from: Droid Life

According to HTC Russia boss Kormiltsev Andrey, the HTC One update to Android 4.2.2 is currently scheduled for a mid-June rollout. In fact, Andrey hasn’t been shy about making the announcement through Twitter. He has been replying to his followers for the last 10 hours or so, making sure they are clear that he is indeed talking about the One and its Android 4.2.2 update. While this is good news for One owners, you can probably already imagine the complaints that will come down once the Nexus experience launches, is then updated to Android 4.3, and the Sense version of the One is stuck an update behind. 

But no matter what, 4.2.2 is a much needed bump. This isn’t an entire overhaul of Android by any means, but it does make notifications more powerful and introduce lock screen widgets. There are a number of other new features in 4.2, but HTC’s skin will likely wipe them out.

So, mid-June is a week or so away. We would assume the international variant will receive the update first, along with the unlocked and developer editions. Carrier versions could be a bit later, if history tells us anything.

If you’d like to see what Android 4.2.2 has to offer, be sure to check out this video.

Via:  @Kormiltsev | PocketNow

Android 4.2.2 Update Headed to HTC One in Mid-June According to HTC Russia Head is a post from: Droid Life

For those of you that own either a Galaxy S4, DROID DNA or HTC One, the official Hulu Plus app was updated today for your device specifically. After the update, while watching your movies and shows, look for the new “hq” button, allowing for full 1080p streaming right to your device.

While this will undoubtedly raise your data usage, if you are on a tiered plan, I would highly recommend being on WiFi during use.

What’s New:

Now offering even higher resolution playback for the following devices:

• Samsung Galaxy S4
• HTC One
• HTC Droid DNA

During playback, look out for the “hq” option. You’ll feel like you have bionic retina implants minus the deductible and waiting for its invention.

Also includes fixes for some playback issues for certain LG phones and other devices.

Play Link

Cheers David and WinDroidGuy!

Hulu Plus for Android Updated, Brings 1080p Playback for HTC One, Galaxy S4, and DROID DNA is a post from: Droid Life

If there was one thing you could harp on the HTC One when it launched, it would be that it only came with Android 4.1.2, which was a version behind AOSP and other competing phones. We’ve heard rumors that 4.2.2 is coming to the One here and there, but thanks to the Android Revolution crew, we can get a sneak peek as to what Sense and Android 4.2.2 will look like together. 

One of the biggest additions to the overall experience is Android’s quick settings being added to the notification center. Finding them is easy, they can be accessed from the top right corner just like in stock 4.2.2. A battery percentage meter can now be added to the notification bar at the top of the phone, a highly requested feature that HTC decided to give to us. This ROM isn’t an official update by any means, but it gives us a good idea of what the newest version of Android could look like on the One.

If you want to see the other new features watch the full video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cheers Dr0me!

Video: HTC One ROM Gives Us a Peek Into What Android 4.2.2 Might Look Like is a post from: Droid Life

The HTC One for Verizon may not be coming out for another couple of months, but other carriers already have it in customer’s hands and are pushing out updates. If you have the One on T-Mobile, you can start checking for a small update to pull down to your device. 

The update is only 18 MB and the single thing listed in T-Mobile’s changelog is “Visual Voicemail performance.” Even with the tiny update, T-Mo won’t let you start the process unless your battery is above 50%, just in case. The roll out is scheduled for today, so if you really need your Visual Voicemail to be fixed, keep checking throughout the day.

Via: T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s HTC One Sees Small Update, Available for Download Today is a post from: Droid Life

With a release time frame of “this Summer” for Verizon’s newly announced HTC One, there are probably many of you that just realized which device you are now waiting for. The question is, who is going to wait for its release or who has already bought something else thinking it would never come? The Galaxy S4 is arguably this year’s top smartphone, but it too just launched on Verizon, almost a month behind the other top U.S. carriers.

For those who think the One could be outdated by the time it comes out on Verizon, we would have to disagree. The One is an exceptional device with great looks and fantastic specs, ones that should easily last you a couple of years if you must purchase the device on a new two year agreement.

Sound off down below on if you will be waiting for HTC’s 2013 flagship device on Big Red.

Monday Poll: Will You Wait for the HTC One on Verizon? is a post from: Droid Life

Verizon has confirmed it, the HTC One is official for their 4G LTE network and arriving “later this summer.” No other details were made available this morning, but the speculation can be put to rest. The phone is coming, though we don’t know an exact date or price.

Also, this confirms that the name will be HTC One, not DROID DNA+ or something along those lines.

Who’s excited?

Via:  @VZWNews

HTC One on Verizon is Official, Coming Later This Summer is a post from: Droid Life

New details have emerged out of the HTC camp regarding today’s announcement of a “Nexus Experience” HTC One. Two main points were brought up when speaking to The Verge, the first concerning the device’s hardware buttons. They will remain on the device, with the Android OS being built around them. Exactly like how they are currently, Google Now will be accessed by long pressing the home button and then double tapping the home button will bring up Android’s multitask windows. 

The second and most important piece of new information concerns current HTC One owners that might feel a bit left out by this announcement. HTC is currently “examining the best way to support early adopters of the One,” who would potentially prefer an AOSP experience to Sense UI. That’s right, current owners of the One may be given stock Android if they so choose.

How and when HTC intends to roll out such a change is still to be determined, but this is a great sign that HTC is open to their customer’s opinions and desires. As of right now, the only way we could think of that they could accomplish such a task is to basically release a vanilla Android ROM for people to download and flash. Either way, we like what we’re hearing.

Any HTC One owners in here that can’t wait to flash some stock Android?

Via: The Verge

HTC to Possibly Allow Existing One Owners to Remove Sense UI From Their Device? is a post from: Droid Life

The “Nexus experience” device appears to be all the rage these days, grabbing headlines left and right. After Google announced the first in this new category at Google I/O as the Samsung Galaxy S4 “Nexus experience,” HTC decided they would like to be a part of this elite crowd as well. This morning, Android leader Sundar Pichai announced the HTC One “Nexus experience” to an applause from tech enthusiasts across the globe. It’s a move I think many of us have hoped for all along – you know, the latest flagship devices running stock Android, receiving timely updates, and having no part of a manufacturer skin.

It’s a dream, right? Mostly, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have questions, concerns, and other thoughts in general. Here are a few that immediately come to mind.

The point of this new program

This new “Nexus experience” program is an interesting one, to say the least. Is the point to show that a strength in partnerships between Google and OEMs still exists now that they own Motorola? Is it simply to offer the best hardware with a “Nexus” or stock experience? Is it all about having choices? It certainly isn’t about affordable choices, that’s for sure. I certainly don’t think it’s about selling millions of stock Android devices, though the success of the program will remain to be seen for now. No matter what, we’ve never been one to be negative about choices, so to that I say, “Thanks…Google.”

Timing of releases

I understand that this new “Nexus experience” program is brand new, but to Google and whoever your partners are going forward, let’s not release these phones a month or two after the regular editions have dropped. There are such things in the tech industry as “early adopters,” and we don’t like it when a better version of what we just bought is released weeks later without us having any knowledge of it. So either announce “Nexus experience” editions during your device’s initial unveiling, or at least release them at the same time. I personally, now have an unlocked HTC One that will become a paperweight thanks to today’s announcement of the “Nexus experience” One.

Prices

The prices of these new “Nexus experience” phones are arguably higher than they should be (HTC One at $599, Galaxy S4 at $649). While these are not “Nexus” devices made specifically for Google, meaning the manufacturers still want to make a buck or two off of sales of them, selling them at the same price as one would find from a carrier is a bit much. I get that they are giving us “options,” but when you aren’t tying them to a carrier, you should be able to sell them for much cheaper. Also, since part of the cost of the skinned versions of your phones likely includes all of the time spent fine-tuning your custom skin and software enhancements, I sort of feel like charging the same price for a phone without all of that is sort of a rip off. Shouldn’t there be a discount for the bare bones model? Even shady car dealers have done it this way for years with cars and options.

Updates, where are they coming from

We understand that these “Nexus experience” devices are in essence, Google’s take on how these devices should perform, meaning they should also receive timelier updates than skinned versions of the same phones. But where are these updates coming from? Are they coming directly from Google, or do we have to wait for manufacturers to approve new updates once Google has released them? According to a blog post from HTC, it sounds like updates will indeed come directly from Google. Here’s to hoping those updates carry the same importance as they do on Nexus devices.

Please CDMA, just die already

Our comments were flooded immediately after today’s announcement that HTC and Google have teamed up for a “Nexus experience” One with, “No Verizon? That sucks.” And yes, it does suck. But thanks to the CDMA networks behind carriers like Verizon and Sprint, we may not ever see “Nexus experience” devices. Carriers get to decide what phones are whitelisted for their CDMA networks, unlike GSM networks who have to allow anything capable of running on them. That’s why these new devices from Samsung and HTC work great on both T-Mobile and AT&T. Our only chance for a “Nexus experience” on Verizon, is one that is VoLTE and doesn’t have to touch their CDMA network at any time. But who knows how many years away we are from that happening.

Nexus program lives on

Sundar Pichai confirmed during his interview today that the Nexus program is not dying even though we are seeing a couple of “Nexus experience” devices. Their goal with the Nexus program is to push the platform forward, and that will continue on. So with that it mind, be aware that we are likely to see a new Nexus phone this winter, if history tells us anything. So if you were thinking of picking up one of these new “Nexus experience” phones, it may not have everything that the next Nexus will offer.

Please Google, fix your camera software

Both the Galaxy S4 and HTC One have been praised since launch for having two of the best smartphone cameras ever made. They both have their issues, but for the most part, there are few phones that carry as many tricks as these two. With that said, they won’t have any of these tricks once they ship with stock Android. Both HTC and Samsung use their own camera software on their skinned phones, but with a stock “Nexus experience,” we’re going to be stuck with Google’s stock Android camera software. As we have mentioned time and time again over the years, Nexus cameras always produce some of the poorest quality shots of any smartphone. At this point, I think we’re done blaming the sensors being used and are instead fully on the stock-android-camera-software-sucks bandwagon. It’s time, Google, to fine-tune your camera software, especially if you are going to sell phones known for their cameras.

In the end, these are the phones to have

When it’s all said and done, if you are an Android enthusiast or one that constantly begs for a stock Android experience with timely updates, these are the phones you should be considering. Sure, the Nexus program itself has always been the way for Android elitists to go, but with the Nexus 4 lacking LTE, we know that many of you passed this time around. But with the “Nexus experience” program launching, you no longer have an excuse, assuming you are willing to spend $600 on a new phone. On June 26, you’ll have the choice of the top two smartphones on the planet, with stock Android, updated by Google, at your fingertips.

I’m sure I’ll have more thoughts as we close in on the June 26 launch date for both devices. Until then, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new “Nexus experience” program. Love it? Hate it? Don’t understand it? Changes you’d like to see?

A Few Thoughts on This “Nexus Experience” Program is a post from: Droid Life