Droid Life

Motorola Announces the Moto G, a "Premium" Experience Starting at $179 Off Contract

Kellen — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 07:19:19 +0000

This morning, Motorola officially unveiled their new smartphone dubbed the Moto G. It's every bit as mid-range as we expected it to be because that's exactly the point. Motorola doesn't think that off-contract buyers of smartphones should have to pay $600 to enjoy a premium experience that's capable of running the latest apps and versions of Android. With Moto G, you are looking at a phone with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, HD display, and a price starting at $179 full retail. Yes, we're now talking sub-$200 for a smartphone. In terms of features, the phone runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (quad-core) processor and shows off Android through a 4.5-inch HD display (edge-to-edge). You are looking at an un-skinned Android 4.3 out of the box, with an upgrade to Android 4.4 Kit Kat coming in early 2014. Should you be looking at a downside, there is one major feature missing: LTE. The phone will work great on HSPA+ and even CDMA, but unfortunately, an LTE chip was not included. If you were hoping for some of the customizable options that are included in Motorola's flagship Moto X, you get some of that as well. There are 19 customization items in total, thanks to interchangeable backs called Grip Shells, Flip Shells, and Motorola Shells. It sort of is like a mini-Moto X in a way. The Moto G goes on sale this week in Brazil and parts of Europe. In the following weeks it will land in Latin America, Europe, Canada and parts of Asia. A U.S. launch is expected to happen in January 2014. The U.S. variant will cost $179 for an 8GB model and $199 for a 16GB model. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VunSqD1MOjE[/youtube] Via: Motorola

Android 4.4 Update Rolling Out to Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 7 2013, and Nexus 10 Starting Tonight

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:06:48 +0000

The time has come for owners of both the old and new Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets to update to Android 4.4 aka Kit Kat. The official Twitter account from Google says the updates will begin rolling out tonight, so start mashing those "System Update" buttons inside your Settings menu. As for Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 w/ cellular data, Google states that those updates are taking a bit more time to bake in the oven and will be available "soon!"

Once you see the update, let us know which device you have an how much you are loving Kit Kat! Via: @Android

Video: "Beam Me Up, Scotty" Star Trek Easter Egg Found in Google Now

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 15:57:26 +0000

Google loves Easter Eggs, and users have been sending in tips about them for quite a while. For example, instead of saying, "Ok Google," you can say "Ok computer" or "Ok Jarvis." Little things like that are nice, but this newly discovered one is quite funny. After prompting the search feature by saying "Ok Google," you can command Google Now with the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty." From here, Google Now aka Majel, will spit back the famous quote - in a broken Scottish accent mind you - "I cannot do it, Captain. I don't have the power." Go try it for yourself. [youtube]http://youtu.be/2aUYTvKqwkM[/youtube] Via: PhoneArena

CyanogenMod Installer Hits Google Play, Flashing the Custom ROM Now Easier Than Ever

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 13:39:33 +0000

At the time CyanogenMod announced that it had officially become Cyanogen Inc., and received $7 million in funding, the team made public the idea to bring a CyanogenMod Installer right to Google Play. This installer app would pair with computer software, turning a once complicated flashing extravaganza into essentially a non-hassle one click process. The time has come, and CyanogenMod Installer is now available on Google Play. Steve Kondik, the founder of CyanogenMod, spoke on the Installer's release to Google Play.

Our goal for the installer has always been to allow more users to experience the benefits of CyanogenMod, without the hassles of technical guides and concerns associated with the process.

The corresponding PC client application will go live for users to install later today and is completely free to download. To summarize, once you download the PC software and Installer app from Google Play, hook your phone up to your computer and click "start." Your device will be wiped completely, so make sure to get any important info you have on there into a save place. We ~~have yet to see~~ an official device compatibility list (scratch that, here it is), but you can imagine that given the amount of phones and tablets CM is available for, the list will be quite extensive. We will update this post once the PC software is made available. Should be around 2PM PST. Play Link

CyanogenMod Installer Launches on Play Store

SEATTLE - November 12, 2013 - Cyanogen Inc. today announced the the global release of the CyanogenMod Installer to support the CyanogenMod Project. Available via Google Play™, the application brings all the features from the direct to consumer Android OS to millions of new Android users worldwide with a new and simplified installation procedure.

CyanogenMod has become an enthusiast favorite with over 9 million registered users, and the new installer opens the door for more people to harness the full potential of their Android devices.

Paired with the PC client application, the Installer makes replacing and upgrading your current Android installation as simple as a few clicks.

“Our goal for the installer has always been to allow more users to experience the benefits of CyanogenMod, without the hassles of technical guides and concerns associated with the process.” - Steve Kondik, Co-Founder and CTO of Cyanogen Inc. “I’m especially pleased by the support the community has shown for our initiative and want to thank all those that helped beta test the installer.”

The application and installer are free to download and provide a convenient tool to upgrade your phone to the latest release of CyanogenMod. CyanogenMod provides users with greater customization, performance and functionality than the often outdated Android OS found on their device. Enhanced security functionality such as Privacy Guard protects users’ data from malicious or overzealous applications. The custom DSPManager allows for a system-wide equalizer to get the most out of your media and speakers. With integrated themeing capabilities, users can customize the OS to suit their tastes. The built in over-the-air (OTA) update capabilities ensures that users are never far from the latest feature, bug-fixes, and security updates.

Thanks to Retail Goof, Moto G Press Renders Leak and Full Specs Now Known

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:50:25 +0000

Motorola plans on introducing the world to the Moto G tomorrow morning, but unfortunately for them, a few retailers jumped the gun today. Appearing on multiple UK e-retailer sites, including Amazon, press renders of the G and even the full spec sheet is now public information. Sucks for Moto, but great for us. Unfortunately, as we have known thanks to previous leaks, this device is anything but top tier. The Moto G will be marketed as the perfect entry level smartphone, with a 4.5" HD display, a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 5MP camera, and a body type extremely similar to the Moto X. What is still not known is if Motorola will be able to work in some of the premium software features found on the X, such as the Touchless Control and Active Display. We are leaning towards no, but nothing is confirmed at this point.

Specs:

4.5" LCD 1,280 x 720 display
1.2GHz quad-core processor
1GB of RAM
8GB of flash storage
5MP rear-facing camera
1.3MP front-facing camera
2070mAh battery
Dimensions: 129.9 x 65.9 x 6-11.6mm
Weight: 143g

Be sure to watch Motorola officially unveil this device tomorrow morning right here. Via: The Unwired | Pocket Lint

First Google Fiber Installations Taking Place in Provo, Utah

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:25:45 +0000

Back in April of this year, Google made it official that it was bringing Google Fiber to Provo, UT. Here we are in November, and the first installation specialists are arriving at doorsteps. It was made public that the rollout of the 1Gbps service would be particularly easy in Provo, as Google acquired iProvo, a fiber optic network that was already in place through the city.

In order to bring Fiber to Provo, we’ve signed an agreement to purchase iProvo, an existing fiber-optic network owned by the city. As a part of the acquisition, we would commit to upgrade the network to gigabit technology and finish network construction so that every home along the existing iProvo network would have the opportunity to connect to Google Fiber.

Come on, Google. Portland, OR next, please? Via: @GoogleFiber

Samsung Holds a Whopping 63% Share of Android Devices Worldwide

Eric — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:55:52 +0000

It is no secret by this point that Samsung is the top dog in the Android world, but just how far ahead might be hard to imagine sometimes. There is an easily-calculated reason that Samsung has millions and millions of dollars to throw into marketing and advertising for their devices. A recent survey including units from around the world shows that Samsung accounts for 63% of all Android devices. That enormous share is a share of the largest mobile operating system in the world. The numbers from the survey are crazy, showing that Samsung almost out-gains every other manufacturer by 2 to 1. 8 out of the 10 most popular phones in the world are manufactured by Samsung, including the Galaxy S2, S3, S4 and both Notes. The most popular non-Samsung device is the HTC One. This counts for tablets as well, with the Galaxy Tab 2 series of tablets apparently accounting for almost 40% of tablets worldwide.

As with all statistical studies, you cannot measure every device in the world, but this sample was reported as being 25 million unique devices from just last month. Is this good or bad news for the world of Android? Via: Localytics

Google Glass has a Sign-up Page for All Interested, Your Chance to Wait in Line for an Invite

Kellen — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 11:25:16 +0000

We know that $1500 is a lot to spend on a consumer electronic that is still in its infancy, but if money ain't a thang, and you live life on the bleeding edge of tech, (and have failed to get in on a variety of Explorer invite opportunities) your chance to join the Google Glass party is not over. Google has a sign-up page for their Explorer program that doesn't guarantee a thing, but is a way to get on their list of interested persons. This sign-up sheet also doesn't ask that you create a magically creative video to win a contest or share your life story with Google, it simply asks who you are and why you are interested in Glass. Should they open the program up to new invitees, they may choose you. At that point, get your checkbook ready. But for this sign-up process, no money is required.

And by the way, for those not familiar, we are now Glass Explorers. So we'll have some thoughts and general impressions over the next week or so as we spend some quality time with it. No review will be done since these aren't consumer products, but there is still plenty to talk about. In the mean time, if you have questions for us about Google Glass, be sure to let us know in the comments. Via: Google Glass

NVIDIA Tegra Note Launches November 19, Priced to Sell at $199

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:48:01 +0000

NVIDIA announced the Tegra Note, produced by EVGA, back in September. The device features a Tegra 4 processor, as well as a 7" 1280 x 800 display; lower than what the new Nexus 7 sports for resolution at 1920 x 1200, but the Nexus 7 is also priced a bit higher and the Tegra Note has a couple of other added bonuses. NVIDIA finally announced official pricing and availability for the tablet this morning, which will begin November 19 for just $199.99. The selling features of this tablet are the Note's high-tech DirectStylus, as well as a back-facing 5MP camera that features an HDR mode and the company's Chimera computational photography technology. If you are more of a mobile gamer, then the tablet should fit into your lifestyle just fine, as well. With the Tegra 4, your gaming world is open to plenty of Tegra-optimized titles that you can find on Google Play and inside of the TegraZone application. Again, it launches November 19 for just $199.99, and pre-orders should also open up on Newegg starting within the next day or two.

DirectStylus Comparison

[youtube]http://youtu.be/wtZz4PjcAUk[/youtube]

DirectStylus Demo

[youtube]http://youtu.be/isUBBuDOtX4[/youtube]

Poshmark Hits Google Play, Lets Users Buy and Sell Clothes Right From Home

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:13:07 +0000

For the ladies among us, then you will be happy to learn that Poshmark has made its way to Google Play. The application is based on the idea that buying clothes doesn't need to be all about going to stores and boutiques. You can purchase new clothes from the comfort of your own home and even sell the clothes in your closet that you are no longer wearing. After creating an account, you can browse other women's collections, as well as post your own collections by taking pictures of what you have, then creating cutesy covers for them. On top of just buying and selling clothes individually, there are online "Posh Parties" that take place inside of the app, where users can virtually check out accessories, designer handbags, and party dresses. Features:

Attend a shopping party from anywhere.
Sell items from your closet with just a few clicks.
Shop with confidence with the Poshmark Promise.
Connect with others in Poshmark’s fashion community.

The app is completely free from Google Play, so if you happen to have some nice clothes in your closet that you want to make money on, go check it out. Play Link

Dayframe Launches for Android, Showcases Your Photos From All of Your Networks

Eric — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 09:35:34 +0000

With the holiday season coming up faster than most of us want to believe, sharing moments with family and friends will soon become all we know. What do you do when your photos from family get-togethers are scattered across Google+, Facebook and other social networks? Dayframe, the newly launched photo frame app, wants to help you with that. Photo frame apps have been done before, but Dayframe offers so many options and settings that it is easy to get lost in your personalization settings. Recently out of beta, the app has landed in Google Play with support for Kit Kat's immersive slideshow options. When a photo scrolls across your screen you can interact with it like how you would on that social network, tapping to like photos like you would on Facebook or Instagram. The list of features goes on for a while, but the most exciting one is the price of "free." If you are looking to snag an application to turn your tablet into that special family photo frame this holiday season hit the Play Link below. Play Link

Use Coupon Code "THANKYOU10" Through MotoMaker Orders and Save 10% on a Custom Moto X

Kellen — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 09:10:41 +0000

With Motorola's MotoMaker phone customization service going live yesterday for a number of new carriers including Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, I'd imagine that more than a few of you were trying to decide if the Moto X was finally for you. If you held out since the phone's August launch, then consider using coupon code "THANKYOU10" to shave off some extra cash. Because who doesn't love saving 10%? I just ran through the checkout process to test the code and it does indeed work. Just keep in mind that the box for the code is the absolute last screen you get to during checkout, so be patient. Once entered, you should see 10% come immediately off of your total. And yep, it includes phones at full retail price (pictured above). So there you have it, another reason to consider a shiny, colorful, and all-you phone. Via: MotoMaker Cheers Jaxon!

Camera Awesome Released for Android, "Awesomizing" Photos With Ease

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 08:49:13 +0000

Camera Awesome, one of TechCrunch's top apps of 2012 for iOS, has made its way to Android. The application is a photo editing app + shooter that is known for its "Awesomize" effect, which is comparable to Google's own "Auto Awesome" that you see on Google+. Without having to touch a ton of different toggles and filters, the software can automatically up the brightness, tone in saturation, and make your photos look "good" without much work. Besides the Awesomize effect, there are countless real-time effects to choose from when editing, options to share to any social network you can imagine, as well as different capture modes for its built-in shooter. You can capture high-speed burst shots, panoramas, and HDR images all from within the app.

And as a note to Tegra-powered device owners, your devices will be able to produce some extra effects thanks to that processor. Tegra devices will have the ability capture to slow-motion video, enhanced HDR, and have integrated stylus support. The app costs $2.99 on Google Play, which is right on par with other photo editing apps. But if you are spending money on this, then we are hoping you have already tried Snapseed. Play Link ($2.99)

Google Makes Music for Glass Official, Special Glass Earbuds Coming Soon

Eric — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 08:20:53 +0000

Yesterday, the story broke that if you were anxious and sideloaded the Google Play Music app onto your Glass that it actually worked. Little did we know, Google was only hours away from announcing official support for Music on Google Glass with a Glass Explorer to help tell their story. The Glass team took to its Google+ page to post a video featuring Los Angeles producer Young Guru and his experience using Glass. Apparently, Google has been working on integrating Music into Glass for a while and it shows through this video as well as the announcement of new Glass studio earbuds. Reportedly they will cost $85 and are designed to work with Glass as well as coming with interchangeable caps. The official Music support is not live just yet, but the Glass team said we will not have to wait long. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5XoAkOuWdM[/youtube] Via: +GoogleGlass

Press Render Leaks of LG G2 in White for Verizon

Tim — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 08:03:25 +0000

Late last night, @evleaks posted up a leaked press render of the G2 from LG in White. The device has Verizon branding all over it, and from the previous information we posted back on the 7th, we could possibly see this device hit Big Red's network this Thursday, November 14. Besides this white exterior, which we find quite appealing, this features all of the same internals as the black variant. The G2 sports a gorgeous 5.2" 1080p display, Snapdragon 800, 2GB of RAM, 13MP with full OIS technology built in. It's still a great buy, for sure. When the G2 hits Big Red in White, will you be grabbing one? Via: @evleaks

Google Opens Up App Translation Service to All Developers, Translating Full Apps Made Easy

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 16:06:42 +0000

Google introduced the App Translation Service back at Google I/O, at which point a small amount of Android app developers were allowed to enter a pilot program. Apparently, the service has been a huge success, so Google has decided to open the service to all Android developers everywhere. This service allows for applications to be translated in a variety of languages, which will allow the developer to then market their app to a broader audience. The service is not free, though. Depending on the size of the application (how wordy it is), will determine the price. For small apps, the service will run about $75, while larger apps can cost up to $150. If you are a developer and want to reach more people across the world, then head to your dashboard and get to work. Via: Engadget | Android Developers

Nova Launcher Beta Updated With Transparent Nav Buttons and Notification Bar Support

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 15:25:00 +0000

After the launch of Kit Kat, it was unclear exactly when the developers behind popular third party launcher apps would update their offerings to allow users not on the Nexus 5 to take advantage of that sexy new "translucent" look that Google introduced in Android 4.4. Well, the developer behind Nova Launcher has gone ahead and updated the beta version of Nova, allowing users to get a transparent look, while also taking advantage of custom icon packs. According to the changelog, only a few devices are supported as of this moment, but it's a pretty solid list. Users rocking a Galaxy S3 on Android 4.3, Galaxy S4, Xperia Z, Moto X, rooted HTC One, or any device running Android 4.4 (naturally) can support the transparent look, so that's not bad at all. There were plenty of other bug fixes and changes included, so be sure to check out the full changelog on this post here. If you are rocking Nova, but not in the beta, then go sign yourself up down below. Play Link Via: Nova Launcher

HTC M8, Supposed One Successor, Rumored for Q1 2014 Launch

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 14:42:56 +0000

According to @evleaks, by way of @gadget_pei, we could be seeing the HTC M8, the supposed One successor, on all four major U.S. carriers by the end of Q1 in 2014. We first caught a glimpse of the M8 last week, with what appears to be an oddly-small fingerprint scanner along its backside and wrapped metallic chassis. It should be a good looking device, even sporting HTC's next-gen Sense 6 user interface. You can expect the M8 to come with updated internal specs as well, such a Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB+ of RAM, a hopefully-better (more megapixels) camera sensor, and possibly a display that isn't surrounded by such thick bezels like the One features. It's already almost mid-November, and HTC is pretty good with the hypebeast, so we can expect on seeing more M8 news in the near future. Via: @evleaks | @gadget_pei

Fist of Awesome Bear Punches Way Onto Google Play, Quite the Interesting Tale

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 14:02:49 +0000

When it comes to saving the world, punching a bear with your fist is sometimes the only way you can get it done. In a new title on Google Play called Fist of Awesome, you play as Tim Burr, a woodsman whose family has mysteriously vanished in a world that is now under control from evil blood-thirsty bears. We all knew this would happen eventually, right? It's now up to your fists and your epic beard to bring peace back to the land. As for the gameplay, you have a few basic controls. You can move up/down and left/right by sliding your finger on the screen. On the right side are your action controls. You have a basic punch, plus some other jump kicks and upper cuts. Mastering the jump kick will be a good idea, given you move quite slowly across the screen. In terms of enemies, you will be fighting gangs of pissed off deer, as well as countless bear bosses. And they don't go down easily. The game is $4 on Google Play, but given the work and detail that went into this title, we think it's completely justified. Go grab it and let us know what you think. Play Link ($3.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/gCDDCFXa9pA[/youtube]

Google Glass Update XE11 Brings New Compatibility With Google Play Music

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 13:30:52 +0000

As noted by Phandroid, the newest XE11 update for Google Glass has brought along a fancy new undisclosed feature with it that Google will apparently be announcing soon. Users that decide to sideload the Google Play Music application to Glass, can then control and stream music right through the headset after saying the command, "Ok Glass, listen to..." followed by the name of a song or artist. Once up and running, you can skip, pause, play, stop, and everything you might need while listing to music. If you are a Glass Explorer and want to get this onto your unit, follow these simple directions to get it all working.

Download the latest Google Play Music APK here.
Go to Glass Settings > Device Info and turn on debug mode. Connect Glass to your computer.
Using the Android SDK, issue the command “adb install FILENAME.APK“, where “FILENAME” is the APK’s actual filename on your computer.
Enjoy the tunes!

If you have needed another way to drain Glass' battery faster than it already does, you should definitely try this out. Keep in mind that the bone conduction speaker may not sound great, but with the new version of the Glass hardware that allows for an earbud attachment, your music should sound just fine. Via: Phandroid

Gmail Adding More Quick Action Buttons to Help You Get Things Done Faster

Eric — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 13:00:08 +0000

For a lot of people these days, the email inbox is like Grand Central Station with information coming and going constantly. Google is hoping to make that experience a little bit better for Gmail users by adding in even more time-saving buttons that they refer to as "quick action buttons." Now you can get more done without having to leave the safety of your inbox tab. Coming soon to your Gmail inbox are buttons that allow you to act on the content of the email just through a simple click. Google lists examples like reviewing a restaurant or changing your OpenTable reservation by tapping the little button that appears on the side of your email. Opening YouTube videos and Google Docs documents are also on the list and Google promises they are "continuing to add even more buttons" in the future. Sounds like it could really save some time, as long as you are ok with Gmail knowing the contents of your emails. Via: Google

Google Maps Update Rolling Out Today, Brings Waze Integration to 46 More Countries

Eric — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 12:35:37 +0000

Back in June, Google officially purchased the GPS and traffic application Waze so they could implement it into Google Maps. Luckily for most of us, they were pretty quick on the uptake, eventually adding traffic reports into Google Maps in August. Today, they are looking to expand that functionality to even more people around the world. Google took to their Maps Facebook page to announce this latest update. When it rolls out to you, it will bring Waze traffic reports to 46 more countries and territories. Unfortunately, they do not go into any more specifics on what this update will entail, and since it is a staged rollout, we do not have the changelog to share with you. We will keep you updated as soon as we hear more. Play Links: Google Maps | Waze Via: Facebook

Kit Kat and Nexus 5 Support Battery Percentage Monitoring, No Root Required

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 12:05:09 +0000

Whether you run a custom ROM or have a device from Samsung or LG that supports it, you might have the ability to enable a battery percentage monitor in your notification bar. Since the beginning, this feature wasn't built directly into Android for users to enable, but now with Kit Kat and the Nexus 5 out, it appears Google has finally built it in. The only issue so far is that some minor tweaking is needed to enable the feature. If you have a Nexus 5, and are comfortable using adb, then all you need to do is type a single command and reboot your device. From there, you will see a white-on-white percentage on top of your battery. The issue with this is that you won't be able to see the percentage unless your battery is 50% drained or more to see it. This fact leads us to believe that this is why Google "hid" the feature for now. But still, it's a nice feature for people who like to have a numerical value placed on their battery life in the notification bar. Here is what your battery will look like with the percentage enabled.

A developer on XDA has bundled the simple adb code into an installable APK, so messing with a computer is rendered unnecessary. Simply install the app, hit "Enable," and then reboot. Again, keep in mind that the percentage text is white, so if you have a full battery or anything about 50%, it's pretty useless. If you have a Nexus 5, go for it. Download: Percent_Enabler.apk Via: Android Police | XDA

Could Officially Bringing Google Play to Blackberry Save Their Devices?

Eric — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 11:30:04 +0000

Last month, Blackberry finally brought its once-amazing BBM service to Android. It was viewed as a way for Blackberry to still stay somewhat relevant in today's market, but wasn't received very well thanks to delays to its release. Another problem is that this strategy was not selling any Blackberry devices for the struggling company. If these leaked images from Crackberry are true, Blackberry might be trying to bring Android onto its devices. The photos of a ~~very dirty~~ Z10 are presented without any explanation, but it has certainly started a lot of speculation. They could very well be faked images, but this story does seem to be gathering steam with the start of BBM coming to Android. It is possible at the moment to sideload Android apps onto a Blackberry device, but it is far from official. These shots suggest that the Play Store, as well as official Android app support, could be possibly coming. Could this actually work well for Blackberry? Or is it too little too late?

Via: Crackberry

Video: NVIDIA Showcases Tegra Note Tablet and DirectStylus

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 11:00:28 +0000

Back in September, NVIDIA introduced Tegra Note, a tablet platform and device to show consumers that a powerhouse unit with great features doesn't need to cost much money. The tablet features a 7" HD display, Tegra 4 quad-core processor, 5MP rear-facing camera, full stylus, as well as stereo speakers. It's a great little device, and comes with an even better suggested retail price of just $200. NVIDIA took to the Web recently to show off a few ways to get some major use out of the Note's Stylus, so have a look down below. The device comes running stock Android, and NVIDIA has proven already that they take device updates very seriously. If you think about, this device is just about as good as any Nexus 7 tablet, plus comes with some bonus features and a cheaper price tag. Not a bad offering by any means. Once availability information is finally made available NVIDIA, we will let you know. [youtube]http://youtu.be/3RXLOqxtZxo[/youtube] Via: Notebook Italia

Droid Life Q&A Sessions: Volume 16

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 10:30:59 +0000

The last time we did a Q&A Session was back in September and we are very sorry about that. We know you have plenty of questions that you need answered, so here is your chance. The Nexus 5 is out and about, so maybe you want to get our takes on it? Maybe you need to know which prepaid carrier you should drop Verizon for? You can ask us anything! Well, almost anything. Throw your questions down below in the comments section and we will do our best to field them. On Friday, we’ll grab a handful of the best comments and let the team tackle them. To see all of our previous Q&A’s, check them out here.

Dead Trigger 2 Receives Major Balancing Update, Makes Game a Little Less Challenging

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 09:58:55 +0000

Madfinger launched a massive update for Dead Trigger 2 recently, which brings major game balancing changes that should make zombie slayers happy. For those who found the special zombies rather challenging, Madfinger decided to lower their health, as well as making their special abilities less terrifying. For example, the Kamikaze's explosion damage has been lowered, plus the Vomitron's spitting aim has been dulled as well. If anyone has played the game, you would have ran into these guys, and they were not nice at all. Look below to see the full list of changes. What's New: Gameplay Balancing

Kamikadze - Decrease Damage done by explosion
Vomitron - Lowered aiming capability
Berserker - Decrease HP
ScientFist - Balanced radioactivity damage
Zombies difficulty was rebalanced
Several missions were rebalanced
Inverted y-axis added

BugFixing

Samsung S III and S IV crashes fixed
Broken fonts fixed
Produced chain-saw is visible in Inventory
Inactive boosters are not visible anymore
Pain-Killer upgrade works correctly

While this update will be appreciated by players who were finding the gameplay difficult, I would have much rather seen a update for all of the time you must wait in order to upgrade weapons and characters. Needing to spend $50,000 and wait two days for a shotgun upgrade is insane. Anyone here still playing this game? Play Link

FYI: You can get a 32GB Moto X on Various Carriers Outside of AT&T and Engraving

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 09:29:55 +0000

Back in August, Motorola removed the ability to engrave custom Moto X devices from MotoMaker, but with the launch of the service for all four major U.S. carriers, they have re-added the feature. On top of custom engraving, you can also purchase the device in a 32GB storage on any carrier, not only 16GB. Before this morning, Moto X devices on carriers besides AT&T were stuck with 16GB models, so this is big news for Moto X buyers. As we mentioned earlier this morning, we are still waiting for those sexy wood backs to show up. Before we buy another Moto X, we are definitely holding off for wood. Cheers K!

Falcon Pro Lives - Receives Update to Version 2.0.7, Brings Kit Kat Fixes

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 08:57:38 +0000

With Falcon Pro development currently on hold with the release of Flyne, it appears that the app hasn't been completely forgotten. After the release of Kit Kat, Falcon Pro users noticed that there were issues with the application's font and other various bugs, but the developer has now released a fix for Android 4.4 device owners who still rock Falcon Pro. Inside the update, version 2.0.7, a bold font bug has been fixed, plus a big fix for attaching pictures from the gallery. Anyone on Android 4.4 would have experienced these issues, so if you are on Kit Kat, make sure to go update the app. The update was pushed to Google Play, but it is unlisted as of right now, so searching for it won't do you any good. If your account has a token, then you can also download and sideload the app from this website here. Falcon still can't support new users, so unless you already have a token, you won't be able to use it. Hopefully one day that will all be straightened out. Play Link Via: Falcon

MotoMaker Now Available to All Four Major U.S. Carriers

Tim — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 08:20:45 +0000

This morning, Motorola announced the availability of MotoMaker, the service that helps you customize a Moto X, for all four major carriers in the U.S. Previously, the service was an exclusive to AT&T, but now anyone on either Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T can grab a custom phone starting at $99 on a new two year contract. As of this morning, we still aren't seeing any wood backs for customizing, but that's the next big thing we can expect from Moto. Who here shall be customizing a Moto X this morning? Via: Motorola | MotoMaker

Moto X "Designed by You" MotoMaker Page Goes Live on Verizon's Site

Kellen — Sun, 10 Nov 2013 09:54:30 +0000

Last week, multiple sources confirmed to us that Motorola would make its MotoMaker service available to the Verizon version of the Moto X on November 11. This morning, a landing page for the device with mentions of the phone being "designed by you with more than 2,000 combinations went live, all but re-confirming that tomorrow should be the day. It's currently showing as being temporarily out of stock, but that's likely because everything isn't quite ready yet. If you cruise over to MotoMaker.com, you won't see Verizon yet listed as an option. The page gives us the first looks at custom Moto Xs with Verizon branding on them. The AT&T custom versions have their logo globe towards the bottom, while Verizon is going with their standard "Verizon" logo. It even appears as if Motorola is bringing back engravings for the backside, something that was killed prior to launch while Moto worked on improving the process.

If you have been holding out for a custom Moto X on Big Red, the time has almost arrived. Get your $99 ready. Update: Annnnnnd they pulled it. Via: Verizon Cheers Scott!

This Episode Will Sleep in With You This Weekend

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 23:10:11 +0000

On Wednesday afternoon, we had a special edition of The Droid Life Show, which took place at 2pm in the afternoon instead of our usual 6pm time slot. If the change screwed you up, our apologies, but it was necessary. During Episode 41, we covered everything we could about the Nexus 5 and Kit Kat. We talked about what we love, we talked about what we don't love. Beyond that, Kellen sported some Google Glass and gave us his impressions so far, we chatted up the new Google Experience Launcher, and lots more fun banter.

This Week in the Life of Droid: 11/8/2013

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 15:54:38 +0000

This week was filled with Nexus 5 action and it was a total blast. We received our devices on Monday, and went over all of the tips and tricks you will need to know for unlocking the bootloader and rooting the device. But besides the Nexus 5 stuff, we leaked information regarding Verizon's roadmap, supposedly got a peak at the HTC successor device codenamed M8, and plenty more. If you missed any of the action, check out the highlights down below.

Watch: The Droid Life Show - Episode 41 [Subscribe]
Video: Nexus 5 unboxing.
How to: Unlock the Nexus 5 bootloader.
How to: Root the Nexus 5.
How to: Flash Nexus 5 factory images.
Verizon roadmap looks good, MotoMaker November 11 and One Max November 21.
This could be our first look at the HTC One successor, the M8.
Dev community working hard to improve the Nexus 5 camera software.
Give us thoughts on your new Nexus 5.
Verizon points finger back at Google in regards to Nexus 7 LTE activations.
That sexy Google Experience launcher on the Nexus 5 is a device exclusive.
Samsung promising 4K and foldable displays within a few years.
Moto G announcement set for November 13.
Newly discovered binaries for Galaxy Nexus GPU means new life for dead device.

Have a fantastic weekend, folks!

Galaxy Note 12.2 (SM-P900) Goes Through Bluetooth Certification

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 14:35:49 +0000

The Galaxy Note 12.2 (model number SM-P900) from Samsung popped up in the Bluetooth certification process recently, pretty much confirming we should see this massive device hit the market sometime in early 2014 according to sources. The 12.2" display will feature a resolution of 2560 x 1600, which matches that of the Galaxy Note 10.1 - 2014 Edition. As for the other specs, we should be looking at a tablet that features a Snapdragon 800 processor, 3GB of RAM, Android 4.3 (or Android 4.4 depending on timing with Samsung's TouchWiz optimizations), and of course, an S Pen. It will clearly be large and in charge in terms of specifications. Here in America, we haven't had many tablets over 10.1" see much success, but who knows, maybe Samsung can change that. Via: SamMobile | FCC

Google Posts Up New Nexus 7 TV Spots, "Center Stage" and "In Play"

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:56:42 +0000

Google has been taking to the TV hard with the Nexus 7 campaigns, and for the most part, we really like their commercials. I mean, who else didn't want to shed a tear when we found out Boomer wasn't doing well? There are two new commercials, recently posted to the Nexus YouTube page titled "Center Stage" and "In Play." Take a look and let us know what you think.

Center Stage:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/Ujjzilho6JM[/youtube]

In Play:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/-g0nOgOLQ1E[/youtube]

Question of the Day: What are Your Impressions on the Nexus 5?

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:06:47 +0000

Now that most of you who ordered a Nexus 5 on its release day have had the device in hand for a few days, it's time we start talking about our likes and dislikes. While you wait for our full review - which will come next week - we would love to hear your initial impressions on the Nexus 5. What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? For anyone on the fence about buying a Nexus 5, seeing other opinions might help them either take the plunge or hold off for something else. For the most part, the Nexus 5 is a fantastic device, but it has a few flaws that are impossible to ignore. For starters, the battery and camera experiences are very inconsistent in comparison to other devices on the market. For anyone that doesn't have the ability to be near a charger throughout the day, you might be in for a really bad experience. If you fancy yourself an Instagram fiend, and love taking photos with your phone, then you might be in for a hard time. It isn't all bad, though. There are things about the Nexus 5 that make it a dream to use throughout the day. It has a wonderfully minimal design with a soft-touch backplate, Android 4.4 Kit Kat (an incredible version of the OS), and of course the device screams with a Snapdragon 800 processor and 2GB of RAM. So, if you have had your new Nexus 5 for a few days and want to share your impressions so far, we would love to hear them down below. In addition, if you have any questions concerning the Nexus 5, throw those down below and we will be sure to monitor and answer to the best of our abilities. Have at it!

Friday App Sales: Beautiful Widgets, Devil's Attorney, RAM Manager Pro, and More

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 12:29:29 +0000

There are a few app sales currently taking place on Google Play that can help keep you busy this weekend. Highly rated games such as Devil's Attorney and Choplifter HD are on sale, as well as a few utility apps like RAM Manager Pro and Fast Burst Camera. Even the almighty Beautiful Widgets is on sale for a little over a dollar, so if still haven't purchased that from the OG days, then get on it. Friday app sales:

Coach's Eye ($0.99)
Devil's Attorney ($0.99)
Vintage 8mm Video Camera ($0.99)
WeatherPro ($0.99)
WeatherPro HD for Tablets ($0.99)
MeteoEarth ($0.99)
Daily Workouts ($2.99)
RAM Manager Pro ($1.04)
Choplifter HD ($2.99)
Beautiful Widgets Pro ($1.39)
Fast Burst Camera ($1.99)
NodeBeat ($0.99)

Go grab some apps to keep you busy this weekend.

Limited Edition OPPO N1 With CyanogenMod Shipping in December

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 11:50:10 +0000

Back in September, OPPO announced an interesting partnership with CyanogenMod, one that would allow the custom ROM to be baked right onto the device from the manufacturer, making it the first real device of its kind. The N1 features very unique hardware, such as the back/front-facing camera that is completely flippable. OPPO finally announced availability for the N1 this morning, stating that the device will be available starting in December to anyone looking to order. In terms of specs, the N1 is no slouch. It features a large 5.9" 1080p display, 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 2 GB of RAM, a 13MP shooter and dual-LED flash. Cost of the device is said to be around $570. Who here is thinking about picking one of these extremely unique devices up?

Via: OPPO

Verizon Also Pushed Out Updates to the DROID Mini, RAZR M, Spectrum, Intuition, and Ellipsis 7 - Here are the Changelogs

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 11:05:32 +0000

Verizon has been on a tear so far this month updating many devices, although some of which may not be completely headline grabbing. We still feel its important for the info to get out there for folks to see, just incase you are rocking one of these devices. For example, Big Red approved and pushed out an update to the original LG Spectrum, which is pretty remarkable considering the device received Ice Cream Sandwich around this time last year. So, if you are sporting either a DROID Mini, LG Spectrum, LG Intuition or Ellipsis 7, have a look below for info regarding your updates. Note: The RAZR M also received an update, but Verizon has yet to post a changelog. We shall update this post as soon as it becomes available to the public.

DROID Mini:

Spectrum:

Intuition:

Ellipsis 7:

Via: Verizon

Livestream App Updated, Brings Massive Changelog Including Complete Redesign

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 10:30:50 +0000

Livestreamers, rejoice. The Livestream application received a big update this morning, one that brings a changelog the size of Texas and a completely revamped user interface. Starting today, users can find and follow friends on the service, plus search and discover live events that are taking place on the network. On top of the new social aspects, users can now begin a livestream right from their phones and upload it straight to the web for others to view. For example, you're at a concert you'd like to share with friends or maybe at a secret Apple press conference others should know about - the possibilities are endless. What's New:

Find and follow your friends on Livestream
Search and discover today’s hottest live events on Livestream
Watch, chat, like, comment and share events with your friends
Follow accounts to get notified when they create events or go live
Instantly go live, with adaptive quality streaming!
Post photos, video and text to your events
Chat with viewers while streaming
Instant sharing via Facebook, Twitter, SMS and email
Post, record, like and comment... even when you’re offline!

Play Link

Modders Aim to Fix Nexus 5 Camera Before Google, Release Flashable Zip With All Sorts of Tweaks

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:56:35 +0000

Early reports (and even our own personal experiences) suggest that the Nexus 5 camera, even with its Optical Image Stabilization, isn't exactly on par with other top tier smartphone cameras. We wish that it was, but also aren't exactly surprised as Nexus phones coupled with the stock Android camera app have universally been panned over the years. Google mentioned earlier this week that a fix could be on the horizon, however, modders over at XDA have taken matters into their own hands. Developer Jishnu Sur released a flashable .zip file that replaces the stock camera app with a camera app that enables all sorts of tweaks and potentially improves the camera dramatically. According to Sur, this new camera app turns on Stereo sound recording with the secondary mic, speeds up focusing, adjusts the focus range, has enhanced Smooth Zoom, records 720p through the front camera, and more. Since it's a .zip file that needs to be flashed in recovery, you'll need to have an unlocked bootloader and root, with a custom recovery. We have instructions for each of those here and here. Here is the full changelist:

1) Sound Recording now in Stereo with the secondary Mic. 2) Faster Focusing for the camera. 3) Front Camera also records 720P Videos@ 20 Mb/s. 4) Front camera Audio Bitrate@ 192000 Kb/s. 5) AntiBanding default set to 50Hz 6) Focus Range Adjusted. 7) Enhanced Smooth Zoom . 8) Turned Edge Enhancement ON.

We have yet to test this new camera, but will give it a shot this weekend. Also, there is a stock camera .zip file at the XDA thread below, so if you decide you don't like the modded version, you can always return back to stock. To find files and instructions, hit up the source link below. Via: XDA Cheers Jeff!

Twitter Launches Android Alpha Test Group, Gives Opportunity to "Provide Direct Feedback and Collaborate"

Tim — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:33:30 +0000

Back in August of this year, Twitter launched a beta program, aimed at users who would help the company find and destroy bugs before the official release hit Google Play. Those users have gone through a roller coaster of design changes, irritable features, and countless other little bugs as the Twitter team has been tweaking its Android offering nonstop. Today, the company announced a new Alpha testing group, one that will allow members to provide direct feedback to developers and designers, plus the ability to collaborate directly with Twitter to make the best app possible. For now, the group is first come first serve, and it appears it is all filled up. If you'd like, you can still apply to become a member; you will just need to write a nice message on their Google Groups application sheet. If you are a current Beta tester, then it appears that Twitter is allowing those members to have first access to the Alpha group, so be on the lookout for an email concerning details if you happen to be one. The Twitter app has changed so much in the last few months that I don't exactly know how to feel about it. It went from being sort of a sexy app (complete with hamburger menu), to an app I barely know how to navigate. Hopefully, with the help of all of the testers, they can turn it around. Via: TechCrunch | Twitter

WatchESPN App Receives UI Makeover - Adds Monday Night Football to Tablets, Brings Tasty Hamburger Menu

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:07:12 +0000

This morning, the official WatchESPN app in Google Play was given a major update, which cleans up the UI in a big way and also brings Monday Night Football action to tablet users. As soon as you open the app, you will see that the it now follows the Android design guidelines, and a full hamburger menu has been added to the left side. From the new menu, you can access all of your scores, news on favorite teams, as well as access to live feeds for special events. According to the VP of WatchESPN, the app has been completely reimagined from both a visual layout and content standpoint. In essence, it's a brand new app for sports fans. You can grab the latest update right from Google Play starting right now. Play Link

New WatchESPN App for Android Devices Now Available Free to Download

Adds access to Monday Night Football on Android tablets, ESPN.com on-demand clips
Android users that enjoy sports at home and on the go with WatchESPN will now be able to download a major update to the app for smartphones and tablets in the Google Play store. It includes additional content, performance enhancements and design elements native to the Android platform. “The new WatchESPN app for Android has been completely reimagined from both a visual layout and content standpoint,” said Damon Phillips, Vice President, WatchESPN & ESPN3. “It now offers utility for all sports fans that visit the app with the addition of ESPN.com video clips and highlights. Additionally, newly optimized features and enhancements for Android allow for a more visually compelling viewing experience – which is perfect for an event like Monday Night Football on WatchESPN via a tablet device.” The latest WatchESPN app for Android gives authenticated fans access to Monday Night Football live on their tablet devices starting with Monday’s Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Veterans Day matchup. The new app also introduces ESPN.com on-demand clips surrounding the latest news and must see videos featured prominently on the app homepage and accessible to all sports fans. Live access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS and ESPN Goal Line/Buzzer Beater will continue to be made available to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider, featuring live events from the NBA, MLB, college football, college basketball and more.

Camera-improving Update Now Rolling Out to DROID MAXX, ULTRA, and Mini Owners

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 07:53:20 +0000

The update that should improve the camera performance and squash a bunch of bugs for the DROID MAXX, ULTRA, and Mini - which Verizon detailed earlier this week - is now rolling out to all owners of these phones. Previously, only members of the soak test for each were receiving the update, but as of early this morning, the update has been made widely available. Outside of major improvements to the camera, you are looking at a free 50GB of Drive storage through the update, better 4G LTE connectivity, new NFL Mobile app, updated Touchless Control, and improved wireless charging (MAXX and Mini). To see the full list of changes, hit up this post. We should point out that Verizon's changelog shows the update as build 12.15.10, however, the update is actually 12.15.15 (as seen above). Note: If you are rooted, attempting to install this may be a bad move both because you may lose root and it may cause boot loops. Cheers Lucky Armpit, Jeremy, Javier, Kent, and Elwin!

Nexus 5 Now Available From Sprint, Best Buy, and Amazon Starting at $49.99 On-contract

Kellen — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 07:41:29 +0000

When Google first introduced their new flagship phone at the end of last week, they told us to expect retail availability of the Nexus 5 at outlets like Sprint, T-Mobile, Amazon, Best Buy and RadioShack. As of this morning, they can check off three as the phone is now available with Sprint service at Best Buy, Amazon, and Sprint.com. The thing is, unless you are interested in overpaying for the phone or signing a contract, you should probably consider taking your chances with Google Play inventory and ship times. Remember, part of the beauty of a Nexus phone is that you have the opportunity to buy a phone without a contract at an insanely low price and choose your own service. If you pick-up the Nexus 5 from any of the retailers listed below, you are going to pay $499 to get it without a contract, with is $150 more than Google is selling it for. If you go the contract route, which defeats the purpose of the phone, you will be anywhere from $49.99 to $149.99 up front. You tell me if that makes any sense. Nexus 5 Links: Amazon ($49.99) | Sprint ($49.99) | Best Buy ($149.99) If you have missed any of our Nexus 5 coverage, be sure to check out this stories:

Nexus 5 unboxing.
How to: Unlock the Nexus 5 bootloader.
How to: Root the Nexus 5.
How to: Flash Nexus 5 factory images.
Video: Nexus 5 vs. Moto X vs. Galaxy Note 3 vs. Galaxy S4 vs. Nexus 4.
Prepaid wireless plans to consider for your Nexus 5.

Grab the Official Call of Duty: Ghosts App to Help Optimize Loadouts, Manage Clans

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 16:00:04 +0000

The new Call of Duty is here, and folks who stood in line all day at GameStop for their copy have been playing the newest member of the franchise like crazy. While the new Ghosts title hasn't been rated as highly as previous CoDs, this game is what we have to live with for the next year until its Treyarch's turn yet again. In the meantime, you can now download the official Ghosts app from Google Play, which comes with a lot of helpful features. For starters, you can customize each of your loadouts right from the app, which then syncs with your CoD account. This function makes for breezy on-the-go tweaking. In addition, you can join, create, and manage your Ghosts Clan all from the app. While in the Clans section, you can also communicate with other members of your Clan, which is an added bonus. As a cherry on top, there is even a Clan Wars feature, which lets players "battle for territory against multiple Clans with locations on the Call of Duty Clan Wars map tied directly to Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer game modes." Sounds intense. Go grab it for free off of Google Play. Play Link

Verizon Expands 4G LTE Reach in Bellevue, Ohio

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:28:02 +0000

Not much news has come from Verizon in regards to the growth of its 4G LTE network since reaching its 500+ market count. But today, folks out in Bellevue, Ohio should be seeing a bit more coverage starting right now. Big Red has expanded the network around U.S. 20 and State Route 4, spanning north to County Road 15, south to State Route 547, east to County Road 40/Sandhill Road and west to State Route 269. For Bellevue residents, that's a pretty good chunk of area. What are your thoughts on the quality of Verizon's LTE network lately? Are we still seeing major congestion or has that passed? Feel free to throw opinions down below. Via: PRNewswire

Lookout Teams Up With AT&T, Bringing Anti Virus Software Preinstalled on Android Phones

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 14:48:44 +0000

Lookout announced this morning that they have struck a deal with AT&T, enabling them to bring the anti-virus software preinstalled on all Android devices sold from the carrier. Lookout has a similar deal with other US carriers, so AT&T is just another provider they are adding to the list. Judy Cavalieri, AT&T Mobility vice president of voice and prepaid products, spoke on the agreement and had the following to say.

Our goal is to ensure that we provide our customers with the most comprehensive security, and we are excited to team up with Lookout to help protect our customers.

Thankfully with new versions of Android, users can disable any unwanted apps that are baked into the OS, so if you have an issue with this, you can easily disable it.

Lookout Provides Security and Privacy for AT&T Customers

Lookout now available to hundreds of millions of subscribers nationwide through its carrier collaborations
San Francisco, CA – November 7, 2013 – Lookout Inc., the leader in mobile security, today announced AT&T is delivering the award-winning consumer application, Lookout Mobile Security, to Android customers. Lookout plays a key role in protecting AT&T customers from emerging mobile threats, keeping the important information stored on their mobile devices safe. Lookout Mobile Security will be installed on AT&T Android devices. The surge in mobile device usage has made it more important than ever for customers to take the necessary steps to safeguard their smartphones, data and privacy. According to Gartner, 1.8 billion mobile phones are expected to ship by the end of 2013, a 4.5 percent increase from the previous year[1]. Lookout will offer comprehensive protection against malware and spyware, privacy violations, data loss and loss of the device itself to all AT&T customers who have a compatible Android device. “Our goal is to ensure that we provide our customers with the most comprehensive security, and we are excited to team up with Lookout to help protect our customers,” said Judy Cavalieri, AT&T Mobility vice president of voice and prepaid products. Lookout Mobile Security is available to AT&T customers with Android smartphones and tablets, including the new Samsung Note3. Lookout Mobile Security enables users to find a missing or stolen device, manage phone security and easily back-up precious data. From Lookout.com, people can manage multiple mobile devices and locate a phone or tablet on a Google map. Basic protection with Lookout is free; premium protection is $2.99 per month and is billed back to the user’s AT&T account. “As mobile devices become the dominant computing platform, we are thrilled to be working with AT&T to enhance the security of its devices. This announcement marks a significant milestone for Lookout,” said Tim Roper, vice president global business development, Lookout. “AT&T is a leader in the wireless industry and is passionate about providing customers with the best security and privacy available.

LG G2 Drops to $49 On-contract at Verizon Until November 11 (Whoa: $199 Off-contract at Amazon?)

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 14:30:14 +0000

Update: Forget Verizon for a minute, Amazon is listing the LG G2 as being $199 OFF-contract. Yes, that's $199 for one of the best phones of the year without a contract. I'd imagine it's a mistake, but hey, might be worth attempting to buy. (Edit: AT&T Black G2 is $199 off-contract as well.) Update 2: Amazon has corrected the pricing. If you got in on the deal, now we wait to see if anyone's orders ship. Update 3: Since the Amazon deal is dead, feel free to use coupon code "slick50" during checkout at Verizon to get the phone for free on-contract. Update 4: Folks are pouring in saying that their devices are shipping from Amazon. That's great to hear, and we are excited Amazon decided to honor these deals. If your order was canceled, feel free to call them and state the situation. Some are reporting that they are reinstating orders now. Who here has a new device on its way?

If you thought yesterday's Moto X price cut to $99 at Verizon was a good deal, take a look at the new LG G2 price. How does $49.99 on-contract sound for one of the year's best phones? As you know, we reviewed the G2 and had very few negative things to say about it. It has a class-leading full HD display, powerful Snapdragon 800 processor, great mobile camera, amazing battery life, and all sorts of productivity tools that are actually useful. It's easily LG's best work yet, and is probably one of the reasons we were all so excited for the Nexus 5 to arrive, since it's loosely based on the G2. So the deal is, the LG G2 is $49.99 on-contract from today until November 11. Yes, you only have a few days to get in on this deal action. If you want to buy the phone off-contract, you are looking at $449, which if I'm being honest, is one hell of a deal as well. Most phones this good tend to retail at around $599. Get to it, if you were looking for a new phone that is. Via: Verizon Cheers Louis and R!

Google Glass Receives Monthly Update, Includes Calendar Search and Additional Navigation Commands

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 13:50:29 +0000

Google pushed one of its monthly Google Glass updates to Explorers this morning, which brings a few new features and more bug fixes. The big additions in the XE11 update are new voice commands for when wanting to navigate yourself home or work from wherever you are, as well as a new calendar search feature. When it comes to navigating to home or work, users can simply say "Ok Glass, get directions to home/work" and then you are on your way. This is Google's attempt at integrating personal search right into the system. Google also baked in a new calendar search feature, which can be started by saying, "Ok glass, google what am I doing next week?" From here, your itinerary will be displayed on the screen and you can see what's on your plate for the days ahead. There are a few more little things, but that's it when it comes to new features. For the full release details, check out the via links down below. P.S. Did anyone catch Kellen rocking Glass on yesterday's early DL Show? What did you think? Tell him he looks good, because he is sort of self conscience about it so far. Via: +Google Glass | Google

Best Buy Offering Exclusive Arctic Blue Galaxy S4 for AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint Starting Nov. 14

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 13:15:04 +0000

Beginning November 14, Best Buy will begin to offer an exclusive Blue Arctic Galaxy S4 from Samsung, for three of the four major U.S. carriers. Customers on Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint can pick up this new colorway for an unknown price, but you can expect it to be in the $199+ on contract range. Besides the color, it's the same exact GS4 that we have known for months now. Pre-orders for the Blue Arctic variant will begin tomorrow on Friday, November 8 through Best Buy's online store. Once the 14th hits though, you can pick up the device in any Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile location throughout the country. The Galaxy S4 launched from Samsung in two colors; white and black. If Arctic Blue would have been an option, we'd have jumped on that. It's pretty and sparkly, don't you think? Via: Best Buy

T-Mobile Enables MMS for Google Voice Users

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 12:45:59 +0000

For the longest time, only Sprint has offered Google Voice users the ability to receive MMS messages via a Gmail message. Starting today, T-Mobile has now enabled this same function for Voice users on its network, which is a big positive for anyone on the network using Google's texting service. We are still waiting for Verizon and AT&T to follow suit. Alex Wiesen, a Google employee, posted the following statement on his Google+ profile.

We're happy to announce this week another step towards improving MMS support for Google Voice. T-Mobile has allowed MMS messages from their users to be sent to Google Voice users. Similar to MMS messages from Sprint users, these messages will appear in Gmail, and you can be notified of the message via SMS. We continue to work with other carriers to broaden support for messaging and bring MMS to Hangouts. More good things are coming!

The whole "more good things are coming" is music to our ears, as it means they haven't given up hope on AT&T or Verizon. Let's hope it's sooner rather than later. Via: +Alex Wiesen

Leaked Images Supposedly Show Off HTC M8, the One Successor

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 12:10:47 +0000

The HTC One is beginning to be old news, so it's time we start focusing on the possible future offering from the hurting Android manufacturer. The One showed people that the company wasn't completely out of great ideas, and for the most part, the One is a fantastic device. So, can HTC keep it up with the One's successor, rumored to be the M8, that should be unveiled in the first half of 2014? Thanks to ePrice, these photos could be the first we have seen of the rumored M8, the successor to the One. In terms of what we are seeing so far, it appears that the M8 features a wrapped metal body, instead of the separated metal that we see on the One. As in, there is no plastic band surrounding the device. Beyond this blueish tint metal chassis, it looks like HTC decided to drill an additional hole above the camera along the backside. Could this be a fingerprint scanner? Another camera sensor? It appears to be pretty small for a fingerprint scanner, but that's apparently what others in the industry are leaning towards. Of course, there is just no way to be certain this early in the game. ePrice also posted some rumored specs, which points to the device featuring a Snapdragon 800 chip, 3GB of RAM, and the all new Sense 6.0 skin UI. The pictures don't offer much else, but let us know what you think so far. A full metal chassis would be pretty boss, but just like the One, you should expect this device to be quite heavy in hand. Throw down some ideas on HTC could make a better device down below.

Via: TechRadar | ePrice

Verizon Timeline: MotoMaker November 11, G2 in White, Ultra and Mini in White Too, One Max November 21

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 11:34:13 +0000

Almost a month ago, we first heard a report suggesting that MotoMaker would finally arrive for the Moto X on Verizon by November 11. We can now confirm through multiple sources that Verizon and Motorola have indeed scheduled November 11 as MotoMaker launch day. It has been months since the phone and customization service first launched as an AT&T exclusive deal, with November being rumored as the end of the exclusivity from the beginning. Come Monday, those on Big Red should finally be able to make their own Moto X. We do not have confirmation on pricing, but Verizon dropping the price of the Moto X to $99 on-contract, I'd imagine you'll be able to customize a phone for the same price, since that's how it has worked with the AT&T model. In other Verizon news, we've been told to expect the LG G2 in white on November 14, the HTC One Max around November 21, and white versions of both the DROID ULTRA and Mini around November 22. We tend to see new variants of phones arrive just before the holidays to help with promotions and to spark new life in what can be a fading product cycle. With new colors of popular Verizon phones, that appears to be the case here. Nothing like a shiny new white phone for the holidays, right? Cheers all who sent this in!

Google Hangouts 2.0.122 With SMS Integration Rolling Out to All

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 10:50:27 +0000

The new Google Hangouts with SMS integration, animated GIFs, and location sharing is now rolling out to the masses. First announced last week at a Google+ event, we were told it could be a "few" weeks before the update was officially ready for all. As of this morning it appears as if it is indeed ready since a number of readers have already received it. This is a newer version (2.0.122) than we saw pulled from the Nexus 5 last week, so you'll definitely want to update. Here is the full changelog:

SMS & MMS (Android 4.0+): Send/receive text messages with Hangouts! You can import your existing messages, quickly switch between SMS and Hangouts, and start group MMS conversations
Animated GIFs: send animated GIFs, cute kittens and all
Location: share a location in your conversations
Device, in-call, mood status: share what device you’re on, whether you’re on a call, or your current mood

If you'd like to sideload it, here are some download links. Download Link [mirror] Play Link Cheers Damian, KPageisgreat, jasonlee6342, ThePatrickCraig, and everyone else!

Rayman Fiesta Run Hits Google Play, the World's Greatest Free Runner is Back

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 10:40:16 +0000

Ubisoft launched Rayman Fiesta Run to Google Play this morning, the next installment of the Rayman on Android lineup. The game is pretty much exactly like the first Rayman Jungle Run, except there are 75 new levels to free run through, and it appears the motion graphics were also upped a bit for this release. In addition to the new levels, there are three bosses that are looking to stop Rayman in his tracks, so be on the lookout for them. They aren't nice, by any means. The game costs $3, but with that, you can expect to see no ads and we are pretty sure there are no IAPs. That's a big plus for games these days. We were big fans of the first Rayman, so let us know what you think of Fiesta Run. Play Link ($2.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/jyS26eLmPME[/youtube]

Sony Sheds Light on Plans for Device Updates to Android 4.3 and Android 4.4

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 10:10:25 +0000

We don't have many Sony device owners here, but should at least get the message out for anyone that might be concerned. This morning, Sony discussed its plans to update several devices to Android 4.3, and a few devices to Android 4.4. As for Jelly Bean, it appears that Sony should have the Android 4.3 update available for seven different devices within the next month, which includes the Xperia Z, ZL, Z Ultra, and even the Tablet Z. Once that is all said and done, only five devices (for right now) will receive an update to Kit Kat. The devices that should see Android 4.4 are the Xperia Z, ZL, Tablet Z, Z Ultra and Xperia Z1. Given the nature of updates and carriers, Sony didn't want to get too specific with their dates, but they mention more information will be available soon. Via: Sony

BulkyPix Releases Meltdown to Google Play, Arcade Shooter With Co-Op Multiplayer Mode

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 09:45:26 +0000

[youtube]http://youtu.be/SM4rGgkAd6A[/youtube]

Game publisher BulkyPix, known for big hits such as Dead Effect and Type:Rider, launched another good-looking game to Google Play this morning titled Meltdown. In this game, you play a typical, hardcore arcade hero complete with a big armor suit and waving red bandana. Once you are suited up, you go through 30 randomly-generated levels of bad guy destruction, and equip big weapons that make the jobs even easier. The feature that should have players excited is a co-op cross-platform multiplayer mode, which allows you and three other players to take on the game's villains together. It's a pretty impressive offering for the price of free. Oh, and if you haven't checked out the trailer up top, be sure to; there's some wicked dubstep in there. Play Link

Star Wars: Tiny Death Star Now Live on Google Play, It's "Episode 8-Bit"

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 09:14:55 +0000

Disney launched Star Wars: Tiny Death Star to multiple platforms this morning, including Google Play. In this title, you take command of an 8-bit Star Wars world, where you must construct the Death Star into a thriving metropolis. You hire galactic citizens, put in retail shops, and even create secret imperial levels to do the Emperor's bidding. It's quite the nifty looking game, and it sort of reminds me of the old SimTower game, where you build your empire floor by floor. The game is free to download from Google Play, and if you do so now, you get 50% more "starting bux." Sounds like a good deal, I guess. Try it out and let us know what you think. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/X-c2LVcB2GQ[/youtube]

Sprint Offering Up Free Galaxy Nexus Extended Battery Bundle Thanks to Coupon

Tim — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 08:50:00 +0000

Owners of the Galaxy Nexus can pick up a free extended battery and compatible backplate from Sprint this morning, a $50 package for absolutely free. And yep, there's even free shipping. The battery is the Samsung-made 2100mAh unit, one that most Galaxy Nexus owners should be familiar with. More than likely, supplies will deplete quickly, so go grab it! Use coupon code “BATTERY1" at checkout. Buy here.

Via: DealNews Cheers JB, Mike, Danny, and Greg!

How About No: Motorola Patent Wants to Tattoo a Microphone On Your Throat

Eric — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 08:30:49 +0000

In a case of taking "wearable technology" a bit too far, we have Motorola's latest application for a patent. The latest tech that Motorola is trying to patent wants to cut down on the pesky background noise you have during phone calls thanks to the space between your mouth and the microphone. Moto wants to cut out the middleman here and put the mic directly on your neck: by tattooing it there. What? The idea behind this is a solid one. Vibration coming straight from your vocal chords would make a microphone on your neck pick up pretty clear sounds, but who would go this far? It would connect to your smartphone via NFC or Bluetooth, but it would include a battery as well as a microphone. Moto said that this battery "may or may not be rechargeable," so changing the battery on your neck tattoo might be something you actually have to do in the future. Can we agree this is a bit too far? Via: Engadget

Google Keyboard 2.0 Rolling Out to All, Brings in Kit Kat Features (Updated: With Links)

Kellen — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 07:50:43 +0000

Google started pushing out a big update through Google Play to Google Keyboard last night, one that jumps the version up to 2.0 and brings it on-par with the new Kit Kat keyboard introduced with Android 4.4. Once updated, you'll see the new grey theme, a shortcut to Emoji (though it's not quite Kit Kat Emoji), and the ability to trace out sentences by brushing over the spacebar. If you have not yet received it through Google Play, hang tight, we should have a link for you in a minute. Update: Here are the download links for those wanting to sideload. Download Link [mirror] Play Link Cheers Shawn!

Google Glass

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:45:32 +0000

We're back once again this week with another episode of the Droid Life Show, however, we're running this week's live broadcast at a special 2PM Pacific (5PM Eastern) time slot. Due to a scheduling conflict, we'll miss our regularly scheduled time, but since the Nexus 5, Kit Kat, and Google Glass have been in our possession for a few days, we didn't want to leave you hanging. We definitely have a lot to talk about in terms of these three items. So, join us at 2PM Pacific for episode 41! Today's show kicks off around 2:00PM Pacific (5:00PM Eastern). A live video broadcast will be embedded below closer to the start of the show. Until then, feel free to hang out in the Droid Life IRC room.

Verizon Breaks Silence on Nexus 7 LTE Activations, Waiting for Google to Update Device to Android 4.4

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:55:13 +0000

Verizon released a statement this afternoon, which concerns all Nexus 7 LTE hopefuls looking to grab the device on Big Red's network. Since its launch, the device has been compatible with the 4G LTE network, but Verizon has been reluctant on activating the device to its network, stating that a 4-6 week certification process was holding everything up. Now with the 4-6 week time frame well past us, Verizon states that a "systems issue" that required Google and ASUS' immediate attention has been the source of the hold up. With Google's release of Kit Kat, the company apparently decided to suspend the certification process, and instead wait until Kit Kat was pushed to the Nexus 7, which will then be resubmitted for certification.

During the certification process for the Nexus 7, Google, Asus and Verizon uncovered a systems issue that required Google and Asus to undertake additional work with the Jelly Bean OS running on the device. Since Google was about to launch its new Kit Kat OS, rather than undertake this work, Google and Asus asked Verizon to suspend its certification process until Google's new OS was available on the Nexus 7.

Google stated at the launch of Kit Kat that we can expect other Nexus devices to receive the update after a few weeks, so it could be quite some time before you see Verizon activating the new Nexus 7 on its network. Typical, right? Via: Android Police

Splitwise Makes it Easy for Roommates to Track Expenses and IOUs

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 12:30:41 +0000

If anyone here has ever had roommates, then you may know what a struggle it is keep track of all of the expenses that comes with living together. There are bills that need to be split, road trips that need to be divided evenly, and so on and so forth. Splitwise is an app that can easily keep track of all of the expenses, plus make sure your friends are staying honest with their IOUs. The application recently received a very nice face lift, which went live on Google Play this morning. On top of that, the developers have built in PayPal, so you can all settle your debts with friends directly from the app. The app is free on Google Play, so go grab it and make sure your roomies do the same. Play Link

Google Releases Google Opinion Rewards App to Android, Answer Surveys and Receive Play Store Credit

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 11:18:53 +0000

Google released a new app to Android this morning called Google Opinion Rewards. As the name of the app suggests, Google wants to reward you for giving your opinion through surveys, with those rewards coming as Google Play credits. The app is free (of course), requires you to fill out a quick survey on your self (age, location, sex, etc.), and then takes you through a couple of example surveys upon first launch. Once you are all setup, your first survey should appear or Google will notify you when a survey worth Google Play credit is available. You can also opt-in to surveys that don't reward, however, I'm not sure why anyone would want to do that. Once credit-worthy surveys arrive, a notification should pop up in your notification area. Time limits accompany them, so be sure to finish them in a timely manner. So far, I can't tell exactly how much surveys will be worth, but I'd imagine they'll differ depending on the survey. Anyone interested? The app is U.S. only. Play Link

Video

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zpKBS9pL-o[/youtube]

Google: Experience Launcher Found on the Nexus 5 is an Exclusive

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 11:15:30 +0000

When speaking with The Verge about about the release of Kit Kat and the Nexus 5, Google brought up the new Google Experience Launcher that is found on the Nexus 5, and that you won't be able to find the launcher on any other device - at least for the time being. For now, the launcher is an exclusive to the N5 and Google wants users to pick up the Nexus 5, instead of waiting for them to push it to other devices like the Nexus 4 or even placing it in the Google Play store, which could happen someday. With that said, anyone who currently runs stock Android on a 2012 Nexus 7, 2013 Nexus 7 or Nexus 4, shouldn't expect to see the new launcher come with the OTA update to Kit Kat whenever that starts rolling out. It's kind of a bummer to think about, but Google usually has a reason behind the things they do. This seems like an appropriate time to let you know that you can sideload the launcher and place it on whatever device you'd like starting right here. God, I love Android. Via: The Verge

Samsung Talks Future Innovations, Promising Foldable and 4K Displays Within Couple of Years

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 10:50:34 +0000

According to Samsung, while speaking at its very own Analyst Day, the company is working to break technology restrictions in the world of mobile. Throwing out countless projections over the course of seven different presentations for investors, the company spoke a lot about innovations they are striving to achieve. The main one that Android users should focus on is Samsung's undying belief that not curved displays, but "foldable" displays are the way of the future. In Samsung's briefings, technology barriers should be broken around 2015 and 2016, which will allow them to mass produce extremely high resolution 4K displays for smartphones, as well as displays that are completely foldable.

While we wait for the folding phones, Samsung claims that it will continue to introduce more dense phone displays, starting with a WQHD resolution of 2560 x 1440, featuring 560ppi. Soon after that, we will begin to see the first 4K smartphone Ultra HD displays with resolutions of 3480 x 2160. If you thought people already argued about the merits of 1080p and the human eye, just wait till 2016 rolls around. What has the company very confident moving forward in the flexible display space is that they currently hold 33% of all patents related to the technology, which does give them quite the competitive edge over other manufacturers.

So, let the arguing begin! Do we need 4K displays? Phones that fold? I thought we did away with those when dumbphones died out. It's history repeating itself already. Thrown in your opinions down below. Via: TechnoBuffalo | Samsung

Reminder: The Nexus 5 has a Beautiful Multi-Color LED Notification Light, Take Advantage of It

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 10:19:23 +0000

One of the most underrated features we have come to love over the course of the last 3 Nexus phones happens to be embedded just under the glass, centered in the chin area of each device. Yes, we're talking about the multi-color LED notification light that Google is also quite fond of. Yes, it's also present on the Nexus 5. With that big beautiful light in play, there are apps out there that will let you decide how and when it is displayed. Do you want Sky Blue to show for emails? Red for calendar reminders? Purple for Twitter DMs? Yellow for Hangouts? You name it and it can happen.

To take full advantage of the multi-color light, you'll need an app like Light Flow. There are free and paid versions of Light Flow, with the paid version dropping in at $2.49. Light Flow has been our go-to for a couple of years now thanks to its ever-growing features list, continuous support from the developer, and timely updates for new versions of Android. First and foremost, the app allows you to specify colors for individual notifications depending on the app, which we have shown you here. But if you want the most powerful notification tool for Android that we have seen, this is probably your best bet. You can customize everything from notification sounds to vibration patterns to contacts. Oh, and if you own a Nexus 5, be sure to check the box in Settings>Display for "Pulse notification light." Play Links: Light Flow lite | Light Flow ($2.49)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO58P0RT8Po[/youtube]

Verizon's Galaxy Note 3 Receives First Update, Improves Sound Quality and Connectivity

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 09:54:45 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on Verizon is receiving an update this week which addresses the two complaints we have heard on a consistent basis in our inboxes: connectivity issues and terrible sound quality. Seriously, that's all that is listed. Verizon ~~didn't even bother to give us a new build number~~. The fixes must have been that simple. Edit: The new build number is VRUBMJ7 and should take 5 minutes to install. A couple of readers have already reached out, claiming that the update popped up on their devices, one through Verizon's update tool and the other OTA. Go check!

Cheers KrAzE, David, and Michael!

Android Dialer to Incorporate Google+ Profiles Starting Early Next Year

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 09:44:57 +0000

Back on November 4, but just now catching the attention of the Web, Google announced through its official Android Google+ page that the Smart Dialer featured in Android 4.4 will receive an update that would include the addition of Google+ profiles for those who have Discovery Mode enabled. If you dial a number, it is then cross referenced through Google+, and if found, the attached account's profile picture is then displayed through the dialer. It's a way to help bring media to your device, that way you don't have to look at boring blank contact images. Plus, Google is all about connecting friends.

Coming in early 2014, users who have verified their phone number and have discovery turned on will have their names and Google Profile photos display whenever they call you, or you call them (it’s great if a new friend who hasn’t been saved in your contacts yet calls you).

Google says this feature should show up in early 2014, which is right around the corner. This sounds like a good idea to us. If we are buying into Google's ecosystem, and they are holding onto everyone's information, then it might as well be used to help out once in a while. What are your thoughts? Via: +Android

Verizon Finally Drops Moto X Price to $99 On-contract, $499 Full Retail

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 09:01:06 +0000

A couple of weeks back, Motorola slashed the on-contract and full retail prices of the Moto X at AT&T by $100 to $99 (on-contract) and $479 (full retail) (MotoMaker included). At the time, we questioned whether or not we'd see a similar price drop from Verizon in the near future, since they are selling the exact same phone sans MotoMaker. They had also already dropped the prices of the entire DROID line, but for whatever reason held off initially on the Moto X. Well, the price on the Moto X is now $99 on-contract and the full retail price is $100 less as well, now at $499. If you were considering the Moto X, but didn't like the price, I'm not sure you can do much better than this at the moment. We're still huge fans of Motorola's 2013 flagship, and may be missing it a tad already after taking on the Nexus 5 this week. There is something about the Moto X that continues to keep us coming back for more (Active Display, that beautiful feel in hand, etc.). Our full review is here if you haven't read it yet. Just in time for MotoMaker, right? Via: Verizon Cheers William and Adam!

AT&T Launches Another Big List of 4G LTE Markets

Tim — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 08:44:23 +0000

This morning, AT&T announced a big list of new 4G LTE markets throughout the country, even expanding its reach up to the Fairbanks metropolitan area in Alaska. That makes it the third LTE market in Alaska on AT&T's network, right after Anchorage and Juneau. Check out the full list of new markets down below. New Markets:

Maysville, Kentucky
Galesburg, Illinois
Madisonville, Kentucky
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
St. Joseph, Missouri
Fairbanks, Alaska
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Cumberland, Maryland
Des Moines, Iowa
Big Spring , Texas
St. Cloud, Minnesotta
Macomb, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois

Via: AT&T

Android 4.4 Leaks for T-Mobile's Moto X, In No Condition to Flash Though

Eric — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 08:10:51 +0000

Some fun things have been going down at XDA over the past few days in relation to the Motorola's 2013 flagship phone. The user and developer TheOrangeRemix has somehow come across a very early engineering build of Android 4.4 Kit Kat for the T-Mobile variant of the Moto X and whipped it up into a flashable ROM (build 139.42.62). Motorola said they would be quicker about getting updates onto their phones with these new devices and this is a sign that they are working hard on that promise. Early reports of the intrepid people who installed it on their device report back even more camera improvements. Moto really must have taken the criticism of their flagship to heart and seem to be working to make the camera better. It comes with the new version of Hangouts, new Google Search and all the other new pieces to Kit Kat. One thing missing was the Google Experience Launcher, though the "Home" setting is there for managing 3rd party launchers. We're also not seeing the "Tap & pay" option in settings. While the UI has been changed to the transparent notification bar (previously had transparent navigation area), it seems that Google is keeping that Launcher a Nexus exclusive for now.

We do not, in any way, recommend trying to flash the leaked build of this device onto your phone. This was made to be flashed on the T-Mobile variant with an unlockable bootloader, so Verizon users are out of the loop. Unless you are a developer who knows what to expect you might be in over your head. For now the rest of us have to sit tight and wait. Bets are now open on when Verizon will see this update. They did win the Galaxy S4 4.3 update battle, so who knows, right? Via: XDA Cheers Jigga_Z!

Swype Update Introduces New Keyboard Layouts and Adjustments, New Theme, and More

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 07:51:34 +0000

Swype, one of the pioneers in the gesture typing arena for Android, introduced their latest update this morning along with a handful of new features. Users of Swype can now decide how big, small, wide or tall they would like their keyboard to be (split layouts included for landscape or tablets), change to the new Blackbird theme, type in two languages thanks to bilingual support, or use continuous dictation to see words and phrases appear on their screen as they speak. It's a major update for one the oldies-but-goodies in the keyboard game. If you are still using Swype, be sure to give it a shot. What's new:

-New Swype features:

Bilingual

Split and Mini keyboards for phablets

Punctuation prediction

New theme (“Blackbird”)

Combined secondary and tertiary menus

Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, Telugu

Accessibility support

Search gesture

Bug fixes reported by users

-You can adjust:

Long-press delay

Vibration duration

Keyboard height

Keyboard layouts

Word list font size

-New Dragon Dictation features

Phrase-based, real-time results

Dictation language independent of keyboard language

Play Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2pQmNfOoKU[/youtube]

Motorola's Moto G Live Event Happens November 13 at 6AM Pacific

Kellen — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 07:38:00 +0000

Earlier this week, Motorola sent out a "save the date" for November 13, the day they will unveil their next phone called the Moto G. Today, they have given us an exact time and place to join in on the phone's unveiling: 6AM Pacific (9AM ET) via Google+ event. And that's pretty much it. The event will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a sign that likely points toward this being Motorola's ultra-affordable global offering. We already think we know almost all of the specs of this mid-range phone, so now we simply sit back and wait for a price. To RSVP to the live stream, hit up this Google+ event page.

MotoMaker Opens up to T-Mobile on November 8 According to Evleaks

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 15:03:03 +0000

According to @evleaks, the man who seems to know everything before it's ever made official, T-Mobile customers should see access to MotoMaker starting November 8. Motorola's customization service for the Moto X still remains an AT&T exclusive, but from other reports we have seen, it should be open to all other US carriers by November 11. If all of this pans out, new Moto X buyers can start designing and personalizing their very own smartphones, an idea that Google and Motorola have been running with since its launch a couple of months ago. The only real question we keep asking is, "where is the wood?" Via: @evleaks

How to: Flash Google Pixel Factory Images

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 13:33:28 +0000

Part of the beauty of owning a Nexus device comes through the regular availability of factory images that can be used to return the device to a factory state. If you root, toss on a ROM, and tinker a bit too much, you may find yourself looking for a last resort to save your phone. A factory image can do that. Or maybe you need to wipe your phone clean because you are done with it and need to pass it along to a friend or family member (or in a back alley deal on Craigslist). Again, a factory image can do that. Think of a factory image as stock, out-of-the-box software for your device. Google has been pretty good over the years at making these image files available shortly after they release a new update or version of Android. That situation hasn't changed with the release of Kit Kat (Android 4.4) or the Nexus 5, as Google has already made the N5's factory images available. So for those of you who plan to get dirty with your Nexus and may need a savior down the road, we thought we'd make sure you know how to flash .img files to your Nexus 5. The process isn't difficult, but does require a few adb and fastboot commands. But you are up for that, right? NOTE: These instructions were originally written specifically for the Nexus 5, but they will work for Google Pixel devices as well. All you need to do is make sure you have downloaded the correct factory image file that you want to flash for your particular Pixel device and follow the instructions, replacing file names with the files names in the factory image you downloaded.

Instructions

*In order to flash factory images, you'll need to have the Android SDK set up. Download the latest SDK here. *Flashing factory images wipes your phone completely clean, leaving it at a factory, out-of-the-box state. *You'll also need an unlocked bootloader.

1. Download the newest factory images to your PC.

Download Link

2. Unzip the file and its contents into your SDK/platform-tools folder.

*Make sure they are not in their own folder, but have all been extracted to platform-tools. *We care about platform-tools, because that's where your adb and fastboot are located.

3. From within your platform-tools folder, open a command prompt. 4. Type the following commands, allowing each to finish before moving onto the next:

*These instructions are for the 4.4 (KRT16M) files. If you stumble upon this later, be sure to adjust the filenames depending on the factory images you download. *If using a Mac, be sure to add ./ in front of all commands (ex: ./fastboot reboot-bootloader) *If you are updating a WiFi-only tablet, there is no radio.img to flash. *If you don't want to wipe data, remove the "-w" in the second to last command. adb reboot bootloader fastboot flash bootloader bootloader-hammerhead-HHZ11d.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot flash radio radio-hammerhead-M8974A-1.0.25.0.17.img fastboot reboot-bootloader fastboot -w update image-hammerhead-krt16m.zip fastboot reboot-bootloader

5. If you want to go back to 100% stock with a locked bootloader type:

fastboot oem lock

6. If you want to keep your bootloader unlocked, simply tap the Power button from the START screen. 7. You are now back to 100% stock. Note: At the point where you enter fastboot commands to flash individual files, you can think about running included scripts that will flash everything for you. All factory image files should have a flash all file. This will save you from having to manually enter in each line. I've had terrible luck with the included flash all scripts, but you may have success. Once you reboot to the bootloader, you can try typing "flash-all.bat" if you are on Windows or "./flash-all.sh" if on a Mac into your command prompt. If you go this route, you'll be able to sit back and watch each .img file being flashed. Just remember, you do not want to unplug your phone at any time. And there you have it, flashing factory images.

Updated GPU Binaries Discovered for the Galaxy Nexus, Could Potentially Bring New Life to Dying Device

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 12:46:05 +0000

Big things are taking place over in the XDA forums, as developers are now finding what appear to be updated binaries for the GPU found inside of the Galaxy Nexus. When Kit Kat was announced, it was also stated that the Galaxy Nexus would not be supported, given that the company which made the device's processor, Texas Instruments, was no longer supporting the device's hardware and had taken a leave from the mobile chipset landscape. Since updated code has been found for the GPU, it appears that either Google chose to call it quits for the device intentionally or was just unaware of any further support for the device from TI. Either way, developers are now hard at work on creating an updated kernel that could help solve multiple graphical issues that have been found on the device running the newest versions of Android. If you are a developer for the Galaxy Nexus or are still rocking this device as your daily driver thanks to the loads of custom ROMs available for it, the news of newly found binaries for the GPU should have you quite thrilled. Although, at what point do we say goodbye to a dear friend such as the Galaxy Nexus? The phone is more than two years old, having been unveiled back in October of 2011. We know this device has been the favorite handset of many people, including ourselves for a while, but at some point you just have to let it go, right? Apparently for many users in the forums, that time has yet to come. Via: XDA Cheers oleg and EC8CH!

Here are All the PNG Files From the Kit Kat Easter Egg, Including the Donut Burger and Zombie Gingerbread

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 11:55:43 +0000

A reader of ours was cruising through the systemui folder after decompiling a Kit Kat ROM this morning to check out the latest Easter Egg and found all of the .png files that make up the beautifully colored Android collage pictured above. The collage itself isn't new, but some of the pictures clearly show Google's well-documented sense of humor. They can be seen in the actual Easter Egg, assuming you look closely enough. In the first set of icons, you'll see all of the standard images for each named version of Android from cupcake to donut to Ice Cream Sandwich to Kit Kat. But in the second set, we've got icons named "donut burger," "zombie gingerbread," and "dandroid." The Dandroid logo may look familiar. You'll also recognize the Jandy Cane that can be seen floating around inside the Jelly Bean Easter Egg, and the previously used KeyLimePie icon before Kit Kat took over. Fun stuff; just thought we'd share. Here are the official icons:

And here are the random icons that were tossed in:

You can download a .zip file containing them all here. The files are all 512x512. Cheers Brian!

Archos Unveils 101 XS 2 Tablet, Part of Its New Gen11 Lineup

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 11:15:01 +0000

Archos announced a tablet this morning, the 101 XS 2, the newest member of the Gen11 lineup. The tablet should remind you of the 101 XS that was released last year, a slate that was incredibly thin and somewhat speedy considering its lack of top tier specs. The Xs 2 features a 10.1" IPS display (1280 x 800), a quad-core processor clocked at 1.6GHz, 2GB of RAM, as well as front-facing dual stereo speakers. Not a bad little package, considering the device will go on sale starting at only $279 this December. When purchasing the XS 2, buyers will be treated to the inclusion of Archos' Coverboard, a detachable keyboard that pulls double duties as a screen protector when not in use. It's a fancy design, one that we actually enjoyed on the first model. You can start looking for the XS 2 on the Archos website starting sometime in December.

ARCHOS Continues Redefining the Tablet with Gen11

Designed for speed, high performance, multimedia and productivity, this Google™ Certified 10.1” tablet offers a complete user experience
Denver, Colo – November 5, 2013 – ARCHOS, a pioneer in Android™ devices, announces the availability of the ARCHOS 101 XS 2 tablet, the latest device from its new Gen11 range. Improving on the success of last year’s Gen10, this Google™ Certified tablet includes a Quad-Core 1.6 GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, an HD IPS screen, front facing stereo speakers and dual-cameras. Smartly designed, this feature rich and high performance tablet also includes the innovative Coverboard (introduced in the Gen10 range), a unique magnetic keyboard made to improve content creation. For Speed Powered by a super-fast 1.6 GHz Quad-core processor and 2 gigabytes of RAM, users will experience smooth and fast web browsing and apps. The ARCHOS 101 XS 2 utilizes Dual-Band Wi-Fi, the next generation of Wi-Fi for mobile devices. Dual-Band Wi-Fi is capable of using both the 5GHz and 2.4GHz bands for a more stable, less congested connection that results in faster download and browsing speeds. The ARCHOS 101 XS2 also includes Bluetooth and GPS technology. For Productivity ARCHOS - Gen11 101XS 2 Coverboard The magnetic Coverboard is the perfect tool for typing on a tablet ARCHOS 101 XS 2 comes with the ultra-thin magnetic Coverboard in every box. The Coverboard acts as a comfortable chicklet keyboard, freeing up screen space and enabling users to work faster with Android™ shortcuts for direct access to the main functions. The Triple function Coverboard is more than a keyboard. It is also an integrated protective cover for your tablet screen, includes a Kickstand for easier movie watching and serves as a charging dock for the tablet. The ARCHOS 101 XS 2 also comes pre-installed with OfficeSuite Pro 6, the acclaimed application for viewing or creating Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files. For Multimedia ARCHOS - Gen11 101XS 2 Camera Vibrant screen & amazing audio experience The ARCHOS 101 XS 2 is equipped with an impressive 10.1” IPS screen, making it perfect for playing videos. The 1280 x 800 pixel widescreen resolution provides vivid, sharp images and extra wide viewing angles for an excellent viewing experience. Thanks to its front-facing stereo speakers, the ARCHOS 101 XS 2 delivers a truly immersive experience for movies, music and games. ARCHOS Media Center Apps The ARCHOS Media Center applications include the most complete audio and video codec and format support. Using over 12 years of mobile video and audio experience, these apps are designed to play every file and video available, including true 1080p HD video. The ARCHOS Media Center includes a special video carousel to easily organize and find movie and TV show information by title, series, actor and more. It is also equipped with wireless sharing tools so you can easily access your media wherever you are. Powered by Android™ 4.2 “Jelly Bean” with full Access to Google Play™ Store Certified by Google™, the ARCHOS 101 XS 2 includes full access to the Google Play™ Store, containing more than 1 million Android™ apps and games, as well as DRM support for downloading books, music and movies. The ARCHOS 101 XS2 (tablet with Coverboard included) will be available in the U.S. starting in December for $279 at www.ARCHOS.com. For more information about the ARCHOS 101 XS2 or any ARCHOS products, visit www.ARCHOS.com

First Look: Cover Beta for Android, the Contextually Aware Lock Screen

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 10:53:49 +0000

Cover for Android, the contextually aware lock screen replacement we featured a few weeks back, has now entered closed beta through Google+. We were a part of the first wave and have given it the proper first look to show you what an ever-changing lock screen with a buttery smooth UI looks like. So far, I'm liking what I'm seeing, but it's one of those apps that will certainly get better over time. When you first boot up Cover after installing, you'll be taken through a tutorial on how the app works. It's all pretty straight forward stuff, just be aware that it's going to ask for your home and work address. You could lie and leave those with fake addresses, but it'll be much more accurate with its changes should you input correct locations. From there, Cover will start loading up locations and apps that it thinks you'll use often. There are locations for Home, Work, Car, and Out, all of which are either location or movement-based. The Home location is also time based, meaning you have a location for day time activities and another for night, when you are presumably relaxing on the couch. You can change the wallpapers of each and a few select settings, one of which is a silent mode for when you are sleeping (like Samsung's Blocking Mode). To interact with Cover, all you need to do is grab an icon and drag it to the right. You can either fully swipe it to open into that specific app or "peek" at its contents (for calendar meetings, files, emails, etc.) without having to fully unlock your phone. You can swipe up on the screen to see more apps or swipe to the right to fully unlock your phone to its home screen. It's simple once you understand the directions you need to swipe, but it could become very powerful once it learns from you. To see it in action, check out the video below.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WkVXD5TqQg[/youtube]

Cover Links: Sign-up | Google+ Community | Play Link

Google Launches Helpouts - Hangouts With a Cause, and Price

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 10:25:24 +0000

This morning, Google launched Helpouts, a system built around Google Hangouts where people can receive support and help from real people. If you have a problem, simply type in the question you have, then relevant people who can help answer your question or guide you through an experience are listed. For example, if you need help baking a cake, a hopefully-qualified baker will be listed, whose time can then be bought and they will help you one-on-one over Hangouts. Need help learning guitar? You can bet there are plenty of people that can help you rock a few chords in no time for the right price.

Here's the basic idea on Helpouts as listed by Google.

With Helpouts, you can choose who you get help from based on their qualifications, their availability, their price, their ratings and reviews. You can connect instantly or book in advance. You can get help from individuals or from brands you already know and trust, like Sephora, One Medical, Weight Watchers, Redbeacon (a Home Depot company), and Rosetta Stone. Once you’re in a Helpout, you can do more than just talk—you can share your computer screen, collaboratively edit a presentation, or record your Helpout. And if the experience doesn’t meet your expectations, we offer a full money back guarantee.

For now, the service is closed to those who want to sign up to give Helpouts, as Google is sure to keep an eye on its quality assurance. The last thing they need is unqualified individuals ruining the service's good name and not helping people who are looking for genuine help and paying real money. There is an Android app for the service, which will give you a good idea of what Helpouts can be used for as of right now. Give it a try if you need help and let us know what you think. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/K-VFC9AQM1k[/youtube] Via: Google

Verizon Announces Ellipsis 7 Tablet, Launches November 7 for $249.99 (Updated: With Specs)

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 09:43:12 +0000

Verizon announced its plans to launch the Ellipsis 7 tablet onto its 4G LTE network this morning, starting November 7 at just $249.99. The tablet features a 7" HD display, front-facing camera and 4G LTE, but all other specs are unknown at this time. There is no official word on the processor, display resolution, storage or anything else that might be important to potential customers as of right now. What we do see from press images is that the device appears to be running nearly-stock Android, but you can expect Verizon to have baked in its entire suite of applications, such as NFL Mobile, Navigator (does that still exist?), and all of the other fan favorites. Again, it launches November 7 for $249.99. Update: We've received the full specs for the Ellipsis, which certainly aren't terrible, though a Nexus 7 is still going to be the better choice. You are looking at a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, dual front-facing speakers, VGA from camera, 3.2MP rear camera, 8GB internal storage, microSD card slot, and Android 4.2.2.

Via: Verizon

Google Makes It Easier to Book Hotels From Your Phone

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 09:28:59 +0000

Google's Hotel Finder, a service I use almost every single time I travel, is now better suited for mobile browsing. Google updated the hotel-deal-finding site with a mobile UI that makes it easy to sort by price, hotel class, user rating, and distance. They also show you photos, hotel amenities, reviews, and location on a map with a simple tap or two. Once you find a hotel to book, you can do so via partner sites like Priceline, Booking, Orbitz, etc., or quickly check out using the "Buy With Google" button. So if you are a late booker, simply want a last minute upgrade to new digs, or only have your phone handy for trip planning, feel free to jump in your browser to www.google.com/hotels. And seriously, I constantly use Hotel Finder on trips, along with Google Flights. These are by far my best travel tools and often tip them to friends and family who are booking vacation or even work travel. With Hotel Finder, you can section off areas of a city you'd like to stay in, sort it by hotel class, check quick reviews, and even see photos. With Flights, you can customize a trip and also see clearly which times and prices will work best for you. Outside of Hotel Finder, Flights is my go-to source for flight booking. Via: Google Commerce

Nexus 5 Receives Teardown Treatment, Receives a Solid Repairability Score of 8

Tim — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 08:52:31 +0000

Whenever a new devices pops onto the market, it is the job of iFixit to tear it down, and then report back to the world how easily it is to repair the device. Most times, if you have something go wrong with your phone, there is a possibility you can fix the problem yourself, which would spare you hundreds of dollars for a new phone. Although, if you have insurance, then who cares, right? Beyond knowing the repairability score, we just like seeing these phones go through teardowns, so check out the gallery below of the Nexus 5 courtesy of iFixit. According to iFixit, the Nexus 5 is actually quite repairable. It received a solid score of 8 (10 being easiest to repair), for its use of standardized screws, only mild adhesives keeping the battery place, and a "very modular design that allows for the replacement of worn components." So, if you are a tinkerer, then maybe the Nexus 5 is for you.

Gallery:

Via: iFixit

DROID RAZR HD and MAXX HD Receiving Bug Fixing Update to 9.18.94 and 9.30.1

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 08:26:33 +0000

Shortly after Verizon released the support docs for a new DROID MAXX and ULTRA update, they also posted up documents detailing a new DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD update. The update is not on the same level as the camera-improving update for the MAXX and ULTRA, but since the phone is a year old, we're happy to see it still receiving support. In the update, Verizon and Motorola have updated Backup Assistant to the latest version, made Rapid Charging a thing when the device is powered off, improved HDMI connectivity, and fixed a finicky GPS indicator. Again, nothing major, but an update nonetheless. Be on the lookout for the update over the next few days.

Verizon Approves DROID MAXX and ULTRA Update as Build 12.15.10, Changelog Available

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 08:14:53 +0000

Motorola began the soak test of a new software update for the DROID MAXX and ULTRA this morning, which Verizon has now approved and posted support documents for. The update is indeed of the camera-improving variety, weighing in as build 12.15.10. According to Verizon's changelog, you will see the same exact enhancements to the camera that the Moto X saw, including better sky detection, quicker to fire HDR, improved view finder, and overall color enhancements. Outside of the camera improvements, owners of the MAXX and ULTRA will also welcome in a new 50GB Google Drive promotion. Motorola tweaked the wireless charging UI (for the MAXX), improved 4G LTE performance, updated NFL Mobile, removed Viewdini, improved Motorola Assist, and somehow tweaked Google Voice, though we think they screwed up there. Again, the soak test is happening now, but if Verizon has given the update the go-ahead, it could be only a matter of days before you all see it.

Contest: Win a Nexus 5 Accessory Bundle From Spigen!

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 07:52:25 +0000

Our friends at Spigen have realized the importance of having accessories available at launch for devices like the Nexus 5. Their launch day line-up includes three different screen protectors and three different case types, all in a variety of colors. As long-time followers of the site know, we have been fans of their high-quality and ultra-slim cases for some time, so seeing a handful already available for the new Nexus brings a sparkle to our eyes. So, what do you say we give some away? For the contest, Spigen is handing our three prize packs that include a Neo Hybrid case (in Champagne Gold), a Slim Armor case (also in Champagne Gold), and a GLAS.tR SLIM tempered glass screen protector. That's a combined value of somewhere around $90, all of which will be handed out to three DL readers. Ready? Spigen Links: Neo Hybrid Case | Slim Armor Case | GLAS.tR SLIM Protector

Contest

Prizes: 3 (three) prize packs that include a Gold Neo Hybrid, Gold Slim Armor, and a GLAS.tR SLIM tempered glass screen protector. How to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway Winners: Winners will be chosen at random by our friends at Spigen on Friday, November 8.

DROID MAXX and ULTRA Soak Test With Camera Improvements has Begun

Kellen — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 07:27:53 +0000

Last week, just before the Nexus festivities kicked off, Motorola began inviting owners of the DROID MAXX, ULTRA, and Mini to a soak test for a new software update. The update is expected to be similar to the camera-improving update that the Moto X on each carrier received over the last month. If you were invited to the soak test and accepted your invitation, you should have received the update this morning. With the devices being so similar to the Moto X, we'd imagine that there will also be improvements to call quality, network connectivity, and Touchless Control. To see a gallery of how dramatically the Moto X's camera improved after the update, hit up this post. Assuming the soak test goes well for these phones, we should see a rollout to the masses within a week. Keep an eye out! Cheers J, J, J, J, B, M, and D!

How to: Root the Nexus 5

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 16:45:00 +0000

Now that the bootloader on your Nexus 5 is unlocked, you are probably thinking about whether or not you should flash a custom recovery and root. If you decide that root is for you, we've put together a set of instructions for you to root your device in the old school, manual way. The good news is that you don't have to use our instructions, as there are already at least two automated methods out there that will get you to the same place. We're just a bit old school, I guess, and like to do things the long way.

Instructions

*These instructions assume you know how to use adb and have the Android SDK all setup. If you don't, feel free to use one of the many root toolkits available here, here, and here. *Seriously, if you don't feel like spending the 5 minutes that this tutorial takes, there are automated approaches at all three of those links.

1. First, unlock your bootloader. [Instructions] 2. Download the latest TWRP recovery for the Nexus 5 to your computer. [Downloads] 3. Place the .img file in your SDK platform-tools folder. 4. Plug in your phone in and open a comand prompt from with your platform-tools folder. 5. Type:

adb reboot bootloader (Note: on a Mac you have to use ./ in front of commands.)

6. Once it boots to the bootloader screen type:

fastboot flash recovery openrecovery-twrp-2.6.3.1-hammerhead.img (Depending on when you read this, the recovery.img file name could change Adjust accordingly.)

7. Wait until the recovery finishes flashing and reboot to recovery.

Press Volume Down until you see "Recovery mode," then press Power.

8. You should now be booted into TWRP recovery. 9. Tap "Reboot" and then "System." TWRP should prompt you to root your phone. 10. Follow the on-screen instructions to root, should be swiping a bar from left to right. 11. Your phone will reboot. A notification should appear that reads:

Tap to install SuperSU and root your device.

12. Tap on it and follow the instructions to install SuperSU through Google Play. 13. Once it updates, go into your app drawer and open SuperSU. It may prompt you to update "su." 14. Follow the instructions to update and then reboot when it tells you to. 15. You are now rooted.

Video: Nexus 5 vs. Moto X vs. Note 3 vs. Nexus 4 vs. Galaxy S4

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 15:38:44 +0000

We've unboxed the Nexus 5 and given you a tutorial on how to unlock the bootloader, so in this video, we're taking a look at how it compares in hand and in terms of size to a whole bunch of this year's flagship phones. Since we have most of them in house (outside of the G2), here is how the Nexus 5 stacks up against the HTC One, Moto X, Galaxy S4, Note 3, and Nexus 4. As one would imagine, the build quality isn't on-par with the HTC One, simply because the Nexus 5 is all plastic. But with its weight so low, it feels a lot better in hand, at least in my opinion. If you want the best feeling device of the lot, I'd still go with the Moto X. Motorola really has crafted this phone so perfectly for anyone's hand. Coming from it to the Nexus 5, you can instantly notice the size difference. That doesn't mean the N5 feels bad by any means, in fact, it feels great with its matte finish. In terms of specs, you can't really beat what the Nexus 5 has going for it. It has next-gen or currently top tier everything from its 1080p display to the Snapdragon 800 processor. The only real questions we have are whether or not the camera is any good, and if the battery life can hang with the pros like the Moto X and G2. Those tests will come later, for now, let's look at these comparisons.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJiW-DeB6s4[/youtube]

MotoMaker Reportedly Opens Up for Sprint on November 11, the Same Day as Verizon

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 15:23:28 +0000

Back in early August, @evleaks posted on Twitter that we could expect to see MotoMaker open up to Verizon customers on November 11, which would mean that the device customization service would no longer be an AT&T exclusive. Thanks to a leak of an internal Sprint memo to employees today, it looks like the Now Network will also get access to Motorola's colorful service, with the same launch date of November 11. Unfortunately, the document doesn't detail anything about wood backs or custom engravings (which were removed shortly after going live), but Verizon and Sprint Moto X hopefuls should still be excited. November 11 is one week from today. Ready? Via: Android Central

How to: Unlock the Nexus 5 Bootloader

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 13:36:56 +0000

Whenever we get a new Nexus device, like the Nexus 5, our mind thinks two things immediately. The first is to unbox the device (Nexus 5 unboxing) and let you all see which product is up next for us to review. Once we are finished there, we immediately go and unlock the bootloader. Why? Well, because unlocking the bootloader of a phone puts the device through a factory reset. Rather than setting the phone up and making it all personal, we like to unlock the bootloader so that we don't have to worry about it ever again. Once done, we can then get on about our business reviewing the phone and turning it into our daily driver. Plus, if we decide we want to flash a ROM, root it, or put on a custom recovery, we are all set to do that without issue. If you are interested in any of those things in the future, this is your first step to making that happen. But you should be warned that unlocking the bootloader of your phone "may" void its warranty, at least according to the unlock screen. You can always re-lock it if you'd like or should you run into warranty claims. Ready?

Instructions

*Warning - Unlocking the bootloader of your phone, "may" void your warranty. *First things first, you need to setup the Android SDK so that you can use adb and fastboot commands. There are countless tutorials around for getting this setup, but it's really not that difficult any longer to get this up and running. Simply download the latest Android SDK from Google, unzip the contents of the file, and head into the platform-tools folder where adb and fastboot should be located. Open a command prompt from within there.

1. Enable "Developer options" by tapping 5 or 6 times on the Build number in Settings>About phone. 2. Hit back once and choose Developer options; check the box for USB debugging. 3. Plug your phone into your computer.

4. You'll need to give it USB debugging access (don't forget to check the box). 5. Once you have given your computer debugging access, it's time for commands. Type in a command prompt:

adb reboot bootloader (Note: If using a Mac, it's ./adb reboot bootloader or ./fastboot -insert comand-)

6. Wait for your bootloader screen to appear. Once it does (big Android with START), type:

fastboot oem unlock

7. A bootloader unlock confirmation page will appear. Tap Volume Up to highlight "Yes," and Power to select it.

8. Your phone will then be erased and the bootloader unlocked. Shouldn't take more than a minute or two.

9. Your bootloader is now unlocked and ready for root, ROMs, recovery, etc.

*Note - We did not just root your phone or flash a recovery or really do much. Your bootloader is just now unlocked and ready for you to tinker as you please. You "may" have voided your warranty though.

10. You should be on the bootloader screen showing "Start." Press Power to reboot your phone. 11. During reboot, your phone will go through a factory reset. 12. Once it boots back up, you are done. If everything went correctly, you should see an unlock icon during boot. More on the way!

Nexus 5 Unboxing

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 13:00:40 +0000

Well, the Nexus 5 is in house. At this point, we'll be going all-in on all things Nexus for the next few days as we lead up to our full review. To kick off the coverage though, we're doing the traditional unboxing with some first impressions on the feel and looks of the device. As you can tell, we went "panda" version instead of the all matte black, something I can tell we are already going to have to get used to. For now, enjoy. We'll be right back with more, including the steps you need to take the unlock the bootloader. Because the last thing we want is to see you get your phone all setup and then go, "Oh sh*t, I forgot to unlock the bootloader and will now have to fully wipe everything."

Unboxing

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8Isnd8pa8w[/youtube]

Gallery

Xfinity TV Player Rebranded TV Go, Adds Ability to Watch Live TV

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 12:20:03 +0000

Comcast went ahead and updated its Xfinity TV Player app today, with a complete rebranding to Xfinity TV Go. With TV Go, all Xfinity subscribers can now watch live TV from select networks on any Android smartphone or tablet. Once you open up the new app, that even has a fancy new icon, you will see a new "Live" tab where you can watch some of your favorite shows while connected to WiFi. Verizon customers got the hookup, and Comcast is allowing Big Red users to stream TV over 3G and 4G LTE connectivity as well. All other carrier customers need to be on WiFi. Some of the more popular networks are supported, such as CNBC, A&E, Adult Swim, Watch ESPN, TBS, TNT, etc etc. The list is quite extensive. Play Link

Best Prepaid Wireless Options for Your Nexus 5

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 11:25:29 +0000

With no sign of a Nexus device ever showing up on Verizon's network again, we've heard from a number of you during the whole Nexus 5 lead-up, who claim to be leaving Big Red behind for prepaid pastures. Now that the phone is official, we've also heard from a number of you who are looking for advice or at least information on a few of the most popular prepaid networks. Over the last year, I have actually tested out a few of them, so hopefully with this post, I can help shed some light on what could be an intimidating new arena for many of you.

What is Prepaid?

Before we get into your options, it's probably best to give you a little explanation of what prepaid is. Think of prepaid as no-contract, mostly no-nonsense wireless service. Each prepaid carrier has its own quirks, but for the most part, you pay on day 1 for a month of service, and then get to decide after that month ends if you want to pay for another month or walk away. There are no contracts in prepaid. You pay up front for whatever amount of service you are looking for. And that's the beauty, as you aren't locked in for more than (usually) a month at a time. There are prepaid plans through your typical carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.) and then there are MVNO providers, which are essentially companies who have made deals with big carriers to use their network. So someone like Straight Talk has made a deal with AT&T to offer prepaid service over AT&T's growing network. There is nothing wrong with an MVNO, but they typically don't have the same level of customer service or support as a traditional carrier might. If you like a hands-off approach to your wireless service, then that shouldn't be an issue. With typical wireless service that you may be used to, you are paying for what the industry calls "post paid" service. Post paid essentially means that you have signed a contract for a set number of months or years.

Phones

Chances are that many of you are switching over to prepaid because you are buying the Nexus 5. But should you not want the Nexus 5 yet still want to leave your current carrier, you need to start focusing in on phones and which carrier's networks they are compatible with. Your best (easiest to find) resource, as odd as this sounds, is to hit up Wikipedia for reference. If you want U.S. cellular frequencies for all carriers hit up this reference. If you want a list of U.S. LTE bands hit up this reference. When you buy an unlocked phone, the listing should tell you which frequencies the phone works with. Match it up to those two links I just showed you and you'll know which prepaid services you'll be able to go with. The Nexus 5 works with almost everyone's network outside of Verizon's. You'll get service on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint, with 4G LTE on all of them. To see all of the wireless bands it works on, hit up our Nexus 5 specs page. I know that's the most bare bones instructions for picking out unlocked phones, but it's probably a subject worthy of its own post. All clear?

T-Mobile Prepaid

If you are looking for a prepaid plan from one of the big carriers, look no further than T-Mobile's plans. For one, almost all of their plans are now almost technically prepaid. They let you sign-up for service without a contract at some of the most reasonable prices you'll find in the industry. They have essentially pulled the subsidy cost of phones out of their plans, leaving them below almost any other carrier. When you sign-up for T-Mo service, you don't choose between contract or prepaid plans, it's really just all mostly prepaid (at least in style). But what I think makes them so attractive, is that they don't do overages or try to limit your data consumption as much as carriers like Verizon or AT&T. With T-Mobile, you get unlimited data with all of their plans, but then they limit you on how much data can be used at full 4G speeds in a billing cycle. So depending on the plan you go with, you'll only be given so much high-speed data access. After you hit your limit, you are dropped to 2G speeds for the rest of your billing cycle. At the start of the next cycle, you jump back up to 4G speeds.

So T-Mo has plans ranging (listed above) from $30 up to $70 per month, with varying amounts of high-speed data. At $70 for their top tier plan, you get unlimited talk, text, and 4G speed data. Verizon doesn't come anywhere close to an offer like that. If you don't need that much 4G speed data, they have plans at 2.5GB and 500MB that drop by $10 increments, if unlimited talk and text is still important to you. But if unlimited talk isn't something you care about, there is one plan that T-Mobile offers that should get everyone's attention - the $30 plan. Even if you just want to test the waters to see if T-Mobile service will work for you, this is one to consider. For $30 per month, you get unlimited text and data (with a full 5GB at full 4G speed). The only downside is the limited 100 minutes of talk per month. With that said, for many of you who are considering a move from another carrier, but maybe want to test out T-Mobile's service, this is a great option. Oh, this $30 plan also doesn't play nice with Google Voice initially. For whatever reason, Google Voice and T-Mobile prepaid aren't friends, so in order to get your GV voicemail working, you need to call T-Mobile and have them shut off the voicemail on your T-Mobile line. Once that happens and marinates for a few hours, all should be well again. T-Mobile prepaid plans work with their 4G LTE network. Should you run into service issues at any time, you'll also get T-Mobile support, rather than the hit-or-miss support you can run into from an MVNO. More info at T-Mobile's site.

Aio Wireless

Aio Wireless is AT&T's official prepaid partner. They offer three different plans, all of which can connect to AT&T's 4G LTE network. Like T-Mobile's plans, all of them offer unlimited talk, text, and data, yet they cap your full 4G speeds at certain data amounts depending on the plan. They offer 250MB ($40), 2GB ($55), and 7GB ($70) full 4G speed plans, but will then throttle you for a billing cycle once you hit those amounts. The biggest problem with Aio has to do with a speed cap before you ever get to those pre-set data amounts. Aio is completely up front about this, but you should understand that they limit the LTE download speeds on their plans to 8Mbps. If you are coming from another carrier and saw 15Mbps and above, this could come as a shock. Granted, 8Mbps is still plenty fast, but it's not exactly breaking records or impressing anyone. So you are throttled to 8Mbps to begin with, for say your first 2GB if you choose their $55 plan, and then throttled more heavily once you hit 2GB in a month. I've been using Aio for a few months now and haven't really been bothered by the 8Mbps limit, but some of you may.

One thing to keep in mind with Aio, is the fact that it may not be around much longer. AT&T just introduced them, but there are reports already suggesting they may shut the service down if their Leap Wireless acquisition is successful. If you do sign-up for service with them, this move won't really affect you all that much, you'll just have to find a new prepaid carrier should that happen. But there are plenty, so I can't imagine you'll complain all that much. In the end, Aio Wireless has been a solid player for me, plus you should feel a little more secure about service with them knowing that AT&T is actually in control and they aren't just another MVNO. They also get to use AT&T's massive network, which most would argue is right behind Verizon in terms of reliability and far ahead of T-Mobile. More info at the Aio Wireless site.

Straight Talk

If you aren't willing to give T-Mobile's network a chance and expect Aio Wireless to fold at any moment, Straight Talk is probably going to be the service you look to. Now that Straight Talk connects to AT&T's growing 4G LTE network, there really aren't many better options than this. For $45, you get unlimited talk, text, and data without a contract at up to 2.5GB of full 4G speed per month. Once you hit that cap, you'll be throttled - likely down to 2G speeds for the rest of the billing cycle. And that's pretty much Straight Talk. You have one plan choice (for the most part) at a price that no one else can beat. Now, there are all sorts of horror stories out there that include Straight Talk, but that's probably because it's also one of (if not the) biggest prepaid options in the entire U.S. In my testing I haven't run into issues, plus I also saw much faster speeds than I did with Aio and its capped 8Mbps download limit. Now that a representative from the company has also given us an idea as to when they throttle you, the service should be on your short list.

As I mentioned above, I've been dedicated to Aio for some time, but will likely cancel that line and switch over to Straight Talk now that my testing of all these prepaid services is over with. The value is incredible at $45 per month and without the unusually-throttled speeds that Aio slaps you with. More info at the Straight Talk site.

Target Brightspot

A month or so ago, T-Mobile and Target teamed up to announce a new prepaid service called Brightspot. It was an odd move for T-Mobile since their plans are now technically prepaid, but when you look at the plans compared to T-Mo's it makes sense. This is there way to get additional customers in price points and plan options that they don't currently offer. For example, you can get unlimited talk, text, and data (1GB full 4G speed) with Brightspot for $50, when $50 at T-Mobile would only get you 500MB of full 4G speed data. Then with Brightspot, you can get unlimited talk, text, and data (4GB full 4G speed) for $65, whereas T-Mo has two plans surrounding that at $60 (2.5GB 4G speed data) and $70 (unlimited 4G speed data). So if you didn't quite want to pony up $70 per month for full unlimited 4G data at T-Mobile, you can pay $5 less through Brightspot and still get up to 4GB of full 4G speed data.

I haven't tested Brightspot, but would imagine it's no different in service than what T-Mobile offers directly. You should see access to their LTE network. Oh, and if you are a big Target customer, the $25 Target gift card that you receive every 6 months for sticking with the service is a nice perk. More info at Target's site.

Solavei

There is a pretty good chance you have never heard of Solavei. It's an MVNO that attaches to T-Mobile's HSPA+ network (no LTE yet), offering you unlimited talk, text, and data (4GB high-speed) for $49. It has received some play over the last couple of years, mostly as the new scam affiliate program for internet get-rich-quick con artists. You see, with Solavei, they have a tiered referral program that can net you thousands of dollars per month assuming you can refer friends and family, or setup shop on the internet as an SEO expert with your referral link for all to click. It can be shady, that's for sure if used with an affiliate mindset. And I wouldn't doubt it if you have seen some of these affiliate a-holes spamming up our comments with their Solavei links. But in terms of service for $49, I had no problems in the four or five months I used it outside of T-Mobile's coverage. When the Nexus 4 dropped late last year, I went with Solavei because it was super cheap and no one at the time was doing LTE with prepaid. It uses T-Mobile towers at HSPA+ speeds (which are plenty fast) and again, is only $49. At the time I signed up, it was a steal of deal, but now that almost all other prepaid plans offer LTE and Solavei still doesn't, it probably shouldn't be on your list. Unless of course, you plan to hawk your referral link to pay for you service.

More info at the Solavei site (NOT a referral link).

UPDATE: MetroPCS

As our long-time friend Taylor Wimberly has pointed out in the comments, MetroPCS is another option for those of you who are good with T-Mobile service. They offer identical plans to T-Mobile, but are $10 cheaper on each level. So you can go $40 for 500MB of 4G data, $50 for 2.5GB of 4G data, or $60 for unlimited 4G data. MetroPCS plans also can access T-Mobile's quickly growing 4G LTE network. I have not personally used their service, though it appears to be a great option.

More info at the MetroPCS site.

No Verizon

So you probably noticed that we didn't mention a prepaid service that works on either Verizon's network and there is a reason for that. Verizon does offer prepaid plans, but they don't currently work with their 4G LTE network, so I wouldn't want you to even consider them. Also, unlocked phones won't work with them either (including the Nexus 5), since Verizon operates their 3G over a CDMA network that is all sorts of locked down. In the end, if you want to go the prepaid route, expect to switch over to T-Mobile or AT&T.

Speed Tests

Note - I was able to capture a set of speed tests from three of the prepaid services I tested - T-Mobile, Aio, and Straight Talk. You'll notice immediately in the T-Mobile screenshot that the speeds are terrible. I can't actually say why that is, other than connectivity in Portland isn't great or there is something up with the app testing with T-Mobile's network. I'd say it's the latter. I used to experience a Speed Test issue with unlocked phones, though that was usually with phones running on AT&T's network. On all of the tests I ran (which you can see in the screenshot), the speeds jumped up initially into the 20Mbps range, but fell off towards the end leaving it with unimpressive results. The same thing happened when I ran a test on just HSPA+ as well. So don't necessarily take that to mean T-Mobile prepaid speeds are terrible. It could just be the way the app reacts to T-Mobile's network. Your speeds should be just fine in everyday use. In the other shots, you'll see the Aio 8Mbps download cap was definitely in effect, while Straight Talk managed a much more respectable 24Mbps download speed.

Other Notes

Phone number transferring: If you are going from Verizon to a prepaid plan and want to take your number with you, you should be able to during the sign-up process with your prepaid plan of choice. They almost all ask you if you want to bring your phone number with you. Keep in mind that once you tell them to bring your phone number over, it should cancel your service with your current carrier.
Google Voice: As you all know, I'm a huge Google Voice fan. If you plan on testing multiple prepaid carriers, you may want to think about porting your number over to Voice now, so that signing up only means attaching your new numbers from each carrier to a Google Voice number that all of your friends should already have. Just keep in mind that Google Voice still cannot receive MMS messages (picture messages) and will be folded into Hangouts soon enough. Also, the Hangouts boss has already said that once that happens, you'll get to keep your Google Voice number.
Activation: With most prepaid services, all you need to do is order a SIM card through the prepaid carrier of choice, wait for it to arrive, and then follow the instructions on how to get it setup and activated. That process usually involves entering in the IMEI from your unlocked phone, then inserting your SIM into the phone, and following along online with an activation sequence. It typically only takes a few minutes.
Billing: Since there are no contracts involved in prepaid service, you can decide if you want to manually pay each month or setup an auto-pay. I tend to keep it on manual in case I don't want to deal with re-upping the service at the end of the month.

Wrap-up

Lots of options, right? For me, the prepaid game boils down to a couple of things - how much full 4G speed data you get per month, whether or not that includes 4G LTE, and whose service I trust the most. Almost all of the options I listed above are affordable and offer LTE, so for me personally, it came down to the network I trusted the most. While I love what T-Mobile is doing to shake up the wireless industry, their network didn't hold up as well for me over the last year. I used a T-Mobile MVNO for months and often ran into areas without connectivity here in Portland, a major U.S. city. I've moved my prepaid game over to AT&T because their network is 2nd (in my book) to Verizon in terms of coverage, plus they have LTE in almost as many places. For you that many be different, which is why that $30 T-Mo plan is so damn interesting. If I were just getting into prepaid, I'd most definitely give that T-Mobile plan a shot for a month to see how coverage was in my most often visited areas. If it doesn't keep you satisfied, start looking at Straight Talk. And last, I know there are probably more prepaid options out there, but these are the big dogs, many of which I have tested for a few months at a time. Hope that all helps.

LG "V510" Passes Through Bluetooth Cert, Could be Rumored Nexus 8 Tablet

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 11:08:08 +0000

Spotted by Japan's Blog of Mobile, an LG-made device with model number V510 passed through the Bluetooth certification process recently. If you will recall, the LG G Pad 8.3, which is model V500, was announced back in mid-October, and is now on sale at Best Buy for $349.99. What has us excited is that Google is apparently "teasing" an unmarked Android tablet through Kit Kat promotional materials, but we know the device pictured is not a Nexus 7 or Nexus 10. Could the V510 be a Nexus 8? Given that most Nexus devices are based loosely on pre-existing hardware, without knowing any details yet, it could be safe to assume that a Nexus 8 device would be inspired by the G Pad 8.3. That tablet features an 8.3″ full HD IPS display (1920×1200, 273ppi), Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 4,600 mAh Li-Polymer battery, a 5MP camera, and a microSD slot. It's a beefy little tablet, so seeing a Nexus version wouldn't bring us to tears whatsoever.

Given the nature of Google and Nexus devices, nothing is yet confirmed and it looks like we are back to the waiting game in terms of an announcement. In addition, we are still waiting on word of a new Nexus 10, but who knows, maybe Google will launch both side by side? Wouldn't surprise us one bit. Thoughts? Via: Blog of Mobile | arstechnica

AT&T Confirms Galaxy S4 Zoom for November 8 Launch, $199.99 With Two Year Contract

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 10:30:32 +0000

AT&T announced this morning the availability of the Galaxy S4 Zoom, for the price of $199.99 on a new two year agreement starting November 8. The S4 Zoom is a unique device, to say the least, which features a 16MP back-facing camera, complete with a 10x optical zoom lens. It runs your standard TouchWiz-saturated Android OS, and is much like a Galaxy Camera, but in the shape of a phone. Beyond the camera, it features a 4.3″ qHD display, dual-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, 2330mAh battery, and runs Android 4.2. It isn't the most powerful thing you could fit in your pocket (does it even do that?), but it's a very interesting device regardless. If you just can't wait to preorder this magical device, you can sign up for info here. Via: AT&T [2]

Moto X Wood Backs Still on the Way, Leaked Screenshot Gives us a Quick Peak

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:40:11 +0000

Thanks to @evleaks, we can rest assured that Motorola still has plans on releasing wood backs for the Moto X. We still don't know exactly when, but thanks to a leaked screenshot, we can at least start debating on which option we would choose if we were to buy another Moto X. From what we see listed on the site, there appears to be four choices, which are the same ones Motorola told us to expect; Teak, Ebony, Rosewood, and Bamboo. Selecting a wood back will up the device's price by $50, a price that is right on the money with previous rumors we have seen. When purchasing, it appears that you should still receive your Moto X within the four day time frame, except with bamboo. There appears to be a "delayed shipping" mark on that option, but we don't know the full details on that. While we do wish the wood options were launched right alongside the regular colored backs, this is still a great idea, and we are happy Motorola is sticking to it. Now the only question is, which wood back do we want? Via: @evleaks

This Evolution of the Nexus Phone GIF is Awesome

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:16:00 +0000

That is all. Did your Nexus 5 arrive yet? Via: Gadget Love

Android 4.4 Tip: Screen Recording Takes Screenshots to a New Level

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 08:50:53 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdaCz4U92A8[/youtube]

Does anyone remember how long it took for the Android team to include native screenshot taking without root in Android? I believe it wasn't until Android 4.0 that one could take a screenshot without needing root and a 3rd party application or the Android SDK. We never really could figure out why it lacked such functionality, but now you can take one on most phones by hitting Volume Down + Power at the same time for a couple of seconds. On Samsung devices, I believe it's Volume Down + Home. Either way, it's there and has been there for some time now. Guess what? You now have even more screenshot power thanks to Android 4.4 and its new "screenrecord" functionality. It's glorious, by the way. Google has introduced "screenrecord" as a way for app developers to produce better app overviews that can be loaded into their app listings on Google Play. But for you and I, it's a way for us to help friends better use their phone, show off hilarious footage, or simply mess around as the tinkerers we are. It records in whatever screen resolution your phone displays with a default bit rate of 4Mbps. As you can see in the video above, set to default settings with screen touches on, it does a pretty incredible job. At this time, in order to perform a screenrecord, you'll need the Android SDK and a familiarity with adb commands. I'm sure before long, developers will create awesome screen recording apps, but for now, this is the cleanest way to do it. Actually, there is an app already available, but it seems to be pretty hit or miss at the time. We've talked to the dev, and he's definitely working on making it awesome. For now, you can screenrecord by typing in a simple "adb shell screenrecord" command, which will tell your phone to record a 90-second clip and then store it to your internal storage. There are parameters that can be adjusted, including length, size, and bit rate, however, there isn't currently a way to stop the recording other than setting a time limit and hitting that limit. If you know of a way, feel free to let us know in the comments. Here is the adb command (with phone plugged in, USB debugging enabled):

adb shell screenrecord (ex: adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/test.mp4)

If you want to step it up another notch and specify video length and other parameters, here are some other options to include in your adb command:

An example of an adb command using the time-limit command would look like this:

adb shell screenrecord --time-limit 30 /sdcard/test.mp4

And that's pretty that. Depending on where you told the screenrecord to save to, you can retrieve it, watch it, and then share it with the world. Pretty neat, right? More on screenrecord can be found at the Android Developers site.

Verizon Galaxy Nexus Owners Able to Taste Kit Kat, "Shiny" OTA-Like ROM Now Available

Tim — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 08:42:50 +0000

Last week when Android 4.4 was released to AOSP, developers started their task of bringing the latest version of Android to basically every device they could. It's a reason we still love this hard-working community. With that being said, Verizon customers that still cling to a Galaxy Nexus, learned that their devices' would not be receiving an official update to Kit Kat, and would instead be stuck on Jelly Bean forever. But given that the Galaxy Nexus is one of the most loved devices of all time, it didn't take very long for the developer community to whip up some Kit Kat action for the device. The ROM we suggest giving a shot is called Shiny, and the reason we suggest it is because the developer does very little in terms of modifications to Android. He calls it an "OTA-like" ROM, which means this is a pretty much vanilla build of Android, kind of like exactly what you would see if Verizon actually did push Kit Kat to the device. Sure, we love a ton of customization options and all of that, but try vanilla Kit Kat out and see how it feels. It's a very smooth experience, one that everyone should try at least once. In terms of what you will need, you must acquire several items to complete your quest. You will need a Galaxy Nexus on Verizon running a custom recovery (we recommend ClockworkMod), the Kit Kat zip file found on the forum page linked below, and be sure to download the toro radio zip file, just in case you somehow run into trouble. And as always, when flashing these custom ROMs, please make a backup of your current system. We can't stress how important backups are enough. Who here is never giving up their Galaxy Nexus? Still "living the dream"? Via: RootzWiki

If Steve Wozniak Was In Charge of Apple, They Would Be Partners With Google

Eric — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 08:00:31 +0000

Ah, good old Steve Wozniak. One of the original co-founders of Apple, he loves to run around and be quoted not just on Apple matters, but Android as well. We know that he hated his HTC Thunderbolt and has surprisingly anti-patent war views on the fight going on between everyone in the mobile industry. None of his earlier statements compare to his latest, captured in a BBC interview, that say the relationship between Apple and Google would be a lot more friendly if he were CEO. "I wish to God that Apple and Google were partners in the future," Woz said. The rest of his comments stemmed from that, when pressed about if that could actually happen he said, "I don't know. If I were there, it would be pretty likely." He goes on to mention that there might be business concerns with being so open with Google, but he would want to make it happen. The Woz also shared a sentiment that a lot of people around the mobile industry seem to wish for, "I believe you should have a world where you've got to license something at a fair price," he said. "There are good things I see on Samsung phones that I wish were in my iPhone. I wish Apple would use them and could use them." It seems that if Steve Wozniak had taken over Apple after Steve Jobs' passing, things could be quite different for us, not just in Android, but the whole mobile industry. Instead we have Tim Cook and an Apple that is taking part in this "Rockstar" group filing suit against Google and Android. In your opinion, would Google and Apple working together be a good or bad thing? Via: BBC

Moto X Rooted After Camera Update, Get Your adb Ready

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 07:16:21 +0000

After receiving the latest camera-improving OTA update for the Moto X, almost everyone lost root access and has not been able to get it back no matter which carrier version you own. If you had been waiting patiently for a new root method, the good news is that your time has come. Thanks to his latest work called RockMyMoto, Justin Case has given you the opportunity to your root your Moto X once again, as long as you are willing to download a new root package and hammer out a couple of adb commands. But you are, right? The first two steps involve downloading the root.zip file and installing Cydia Impactor. Once you have those ready to "rock," you have about 8 adb commands to complete in order to root your Moto X. So you'll need the Android SDK and adb setup if you haven't done so already. If you are rooting a phone, I'd recommend familiarizing yourself with both going forward. The adb commands and full instructions can be found at the source link. We've also embedded a video of the process as well. Good luck!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUFB2HjSME[/youtube]

Via: RootzWiki Cheers Jack3D!

Motorola Tells Us to Save the Date, New Website Points to November 13 Moto G Announcement

Eric — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 06:59:54 +0000

We cannot forget that in the middle of the Nexus 5 madness last week, we came across multiple leaks for Motorola's new device, the Moto G. Motorola had its trademark leaked, spec list exposed and we think we even know the price of the phone as well. Early this morning they decided to make it official by telling us to make sure our calendars are clear on November 13. The Moto G popped up briefly on Motorola's website last week before quickly being taken down, but it's back again. There is nothing much to the website other than the rotating M logo that you can find on the Moto X's boot animation and a place to input your email address to be notified of the announcement when it goes live. It makes sense that Motorola only wants to do an online announcement for this phone considering that we are expecting a lower-end version of the Moto X. The 4.5″ 1280 x 720 HD display will cover a Snapdragon S4 quad-core processor, 8GB of storage and a 5MP camera on the rear. We will not have to speculate for much longer though, November 13 is just around the corner. Via: Motorola

Android Distribution Numbers for November: Jelly Bean Creeps Over 50% Mark

Kellen — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 06:54:49 +0000

Over the weekend, the Android team posted the latest round of data collection for their Android distribution chart. Last month we saw Jelly Bean finally creeping towards having a 50% share, a mark that seems to have taken forever to reach. This month, they did indeed crack the 50% mark, with 52.1% of Android devices now running Android 4.1+. Of course, this news comes a day after Google's announcement of Kit Kat (Android 4.4), so while Jelly Bean adoption has risen, we'll get to watch the slow incline of Kit Kat for the next two years. Ice Cream Sandwich dropped to 19.8% from 20.6%, Gingerbread to 26.3% from 28.5%, and Froyo and Honeycomb are hanging on for dear life. Via: Android Developers

This Episode Will Eat Halloween Candy With You This Weekend

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 21:38:01 +0000

On the eve of the Nexus 5 and Kit Kat announcement, four gentlemen gathered this past Wednesday on Google+ for a night of discussion surrounding Android, Google, and corn dog nipple stroking. It was a night we will never forget. On episode 40 of the Droid Life Show, we went over our last thoughts on what to expect from the now-announced Nexus 5 and Kit Kat, plus went over why Ron was actually completely right about Google's own take on its Nexus program. There was no event, there was no hype. Google simply released the device and let the public do the rest. It was interesting and was the last thing we thought the company would do for a major release of Android and a brand new Nexus device. Sorry we ever doubted you, Ron.

This Week in the Life of Droid: 11/1/2013

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:30:15 +0000

Has this been the biggest week of the year in Android? Quite simply, the answer is yes. We have a brand new Nexus device to look forward to playing with next week, a completely revamped version of the world's most popular operating system to learn and master, and the DROID Mini is now for sale through Verizon in the color of Red. Okay, maybe that last part isn't that exciting, but it was still a fantastic week to be an Android lover. If you missed any of the awesome news, check the highlights we have down below.

Have a fantastic week, folks!

Moto G Specs Confirmed Thanks to Leaked Promo Card, Clearly an Entry-Level Device

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 13:36:56 +0000

Thanks to a leaked promo card sent to GSM Arena, we can now wrap up any rumors that were surrounding the Moto G. Yesterday during all of the Nexus 5 madness, @evleaks posted up a tweet about a few of the specs you could expect to see from the device. Frankly, they weren't all that impressive, and today's leak pretty much confirms our stance. For now, we are looking at a 4.5" 1280 x 720 HD display at 329ppi, a Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor clocked at 1.2GHz, a 5MP rear-facing camera capable of 720p video at 30fps, Android 4.3 (that's nice), Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB on internal memory, "long battery life," and HSPA+ connectivity. Given the holiday theme of the promo card, we can expect to see this device around Christmas. Final thoughts before we never bring it up again? Via: GSM Arena

Friday Poll: What's Your Favorite New Feature in Android 4.4 "Kit Kat"

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 12:37:26 +0000

Kit Kat brings a ton of new features for both developers and end users. It could easily be one of single biggest list of changes made to the Android OS since Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich, and we want to know which feature has you most excited. The entire system has received sort of a facelift, with newly transparent on-screen buttons and navigation bar, and plenty of other features like the updated Google Experience Launcher, an updated smart dialer app, SMS/MMS integration into Hangouts, and a whole lot more. If it's something that isn't listed, let us know down below in the comments section. [poll id="277"]

A Look at What's New in the Google Experience Launcher

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 11:45:06 +0000

Yesterday, Google finally announced the Nexus 5, Kit Kat, and all of the other goodies that came with them. One massive change they made is big improvements to the Google Experience launcher, which is just a fancy term for the stock Android launcher that comes on certain vanilla Android devices. If you have a device from Samsung or LG, then you are running a skinned version of the Android launcher, which isn't bad, but just not exactly what Google would call their "experience." We want to go over all of the changes that Google made, so continue on to see what you should expect if you decided to load this onto your very own Android device. Android's stock launcher has always been sort of simplistic, but this newest update basically redefines that meaning. Previously, when you opened the app drawer you would have two sections; your apps and your widgets. Starting with this launcher, like it was before Ice Cream Sandwich and Honeycomb, all you have is your apps in the drawer. They have created a separate section for widgets, which we are quite happy about. The icons are bright and bold, and it gives off an easy-to-see vibe that is enjoyable. To access your widgets section, simply long press on your homescreen and you will be greeted by an entirely new interface. From here, you can choose a custom wallpaper, add widgets to your homescreen, and access the Settings menu for the launcher itself. To add a new homescreen, since you are started off with just one, you can drag one of your app icons or a new widget to the edge of your first homescreen, and you will then see a new homescreen pop up on the right side of your display. Once you see the new homescreen pop up, just drop the widget or icon where you would like it placed. You will then have multiple homescreens for adding all of your favorite widgets and folders. Much like we saw in Jelly Bean, most widgets' sizes can be customized and dragged to fit a certain space you are looking to fill. When moving widgets around each other, they will automatically move and get out of the way of whatever you are trying to place. And don't forget that a simple flick of either a widget or icon can remove it from a homescreen, a feature that was also introduced in Jelly Bean.

In terms of the biggest change you will see, Google decided to integrate Google Now into the launcher, which was previously accessed by opening the Google Search app or hitting on the Google search bar on your homescreen. If you owned certain devices, you could also swipe up from the bottom of your display to access it. With this launcher, simply swipe right to open up Google Now which sits on the left of your main homescreen. It's a very cool feature, and for those that didn't fully take advantage of Google Now, then now you don't have an excuse not to use it.

Other things you will notice are changes to the UI when switching your wallpaper (which has been simplified), a different look and animations when opening and using folders on your homescreen, plus the addition of that "always-listening" Google Search widget they have permanently placed on your main screen. All of the changes they have made make for one exciting Android experience, and as you know, that's what we are all about. If you want to get the latest Google Experience launcher on your device, visit this post here to find the downloads. Trust us, it's worth your time.

Gallery:

Video: Android 4.4 Kit Kat Overview and Tour

Kellen — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 11:31:10 +0000

With Android 4.4 Kit Kat now in AOSP, the ROMs are flowing out to devices. We booted up a 4.4 build on our Nexus 4 early this morning and have now put together a tour of some of the big changes. We had initially thought that Kit Kat wouldn't be the massive overhaul we were hoping, but it turns out that it is somewhere in between. We've got a new launcher, better Google Now integration, new dialer, and some other apps, but a lot of the rest is fine-tuning and polishing. It's a great update that you all need to try as soon as you can, whether that be through a ROM or a Nexus device. The video runs over 13-minutes, and I'm not sure this even touches on it all. Be sure to let us know if you'd like to see anything else! Also, to see the entire list of Kit Kat changes, hit up this extensive post. And if you'd like the Google Home or Google Experience launcher, be sure to dive through this list of installable apps from the Nexus 5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uaHnfb31jM

Secret Google Barge in SF Bay to be "Invite Only" Retail Space, Not Data Center

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 10:13:10 +0000

If you have been following the news surrounding a mysterious Google barge that has been constructed near Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay, then you will know that no one has been able to quite put their finger on what exactly it is. Early reports suggested it was going to be a secretive data center, but now thanks to a "confirmed" source of CBS, the barge is to be used for an "invite only" retail space - complete with a luxurious party deck and exclusive Google X division showrooms. According to CBS, Google will showcase Google Glass, and other various Google X projects to special guests on the barge, with the company's very own Sergey Brin overseeing the project. The barge is apparently constructed entirely of shipping containers, which will allow Google to quickly break it down, and then build it back up wherever they need it. Naturally, not much else is known, as Google is even having certain Coast Guard members who board the ship for regulation purposes sign NDAs. So whatever it is, it's neat.

Friday App Sales: Gangstar Vegas, Monkey Boxing, Kingdom Rush Frontiers

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 09:35:51 +0000

It's time to go grab some new deals on apps and games to take you into the weekend. Today we have a few big titles, such as Gangstar Vegas, ROM Toolbox Pro, and Rayman Jungle Run. To top it off, Ravensword: Shadowlands is on sale, which looks to be an extremely epic title for anyone who is down Medieval-looking titles. Friday app sales:

Monkey Boxing ($0.99)
Siegecraft Defender ($0.99)
Orborun ($0.99)
Gangstar Vegas ($2.99)
Ravensword: Shadowlands ($0.99)
ROM Toolbox Pro ($2.99)
Kingdom Rush Frontiers ($0.99)
My Backup Pro ($2.99)
Rayman Jungle Run ($0.99)
I, Gladiator ($0.99)

Do work.

Verizon Moto X Drops to $49.99 on Contract Through Amazon

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 09:10:05 +0000

Is your mind still set on getting Motorola's latest and greatest on Verizon's network? Well, Amazon is now selling the Moto X for just $49.99 on contract through its website, which is a pretty great deal for a device that we are still in love with. The deal is open to anyone upgrading or setting up a new Individual Plan or Family Plan, so if you were in the market, be sure to check it out. If you ask anyone that owns one, chances are they will tell you that they love their Moto X. It's a solid phone with great performance, better than average battery life, and it simply looks hot. Moto X owners, still loving your phone? Via: Amazon Cheers Frank!

Nexus 5 Inventory Update: Black and White 16GB Sold Out, 32GB Models "Ship Within 2-3 Weeks"

Tim — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 08:41:18 +0000

We are rolling up on 24 hours since the Nexus 5 hit Google Play, so we thought it might be a good idea to update everyone on what inventory is left if you were still planning on picking one up. As of right now, both the Black and White models in the 16GB memory option are sold out, but the 32GB models appear to still be hanging in there for purchase. When they first hit Google Play, it was estimated that the devices would leave the warehouse within 1-2 days after purchase, but now they have dropped back to 2-3 weeks. Waiting sucks, but that's what you have to do sometimes. We ran a poll yesterday, and out of 7,000+ people, 41% of you said you had purchased a Nexus 5. That's a solid number for a device that was only announced through a a few press releases and leaked for a few months straight. Excited to get your hands on a Nexus 5? Via: Google Play

PW3: Patent War 3 is Upon Us, "Rockstar" Consortium Sues Google and Android

Eric — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 07:44:07 +0000

We all thought it was over, thought we were past it, but we were oh so wrong. The patent wars have returned in full force and this time the patent trolls are more well equipped than they ever have been before. After Nortel went bankrupt in 2009, their patent portfolio of over 6,000 patents went up for sale to the highest bidder in 2011. That bidder was the "Rockstar Consortium" which is made up by Apple, Microsoft, RIM, Ericsson and Sony. This group of companies has officially filed suit against Google and a host of companies that manufacture Android devices. This is a patent war. Google understood the threat of this portfolio of patents getting into the hands of groups like Rockstar. Google did bid on the patents, offering up $4.4 billion dollars for it, but the Rockstar group offered $4.5 and eventually ended up winning. Not too long after losing out on Nortel patents, Motorola was purchased by Google, which many believed was a way to secure themselves a large swath of patents. Google is not the only one under attack however. Samsung, HTC, ASUS, LG, Pantech, Huawei and ZTE are all focused in this new attack on Android. The patents in question for most of these companies are archaic ones, coming from the late 90's and early 2000's with vague terms like "navigation tool for graphical user interface" and "integrated message center" being used to describe whole patents. With language like this, Rockstar could take the whole tech world for a ride which Rockstar's CEO, John Veschi admitted as much, "Pretty much anyone out there is infringing." The best part about this whole story, is that Rockstar believes that the companies that comprise it, are not infringing on the patents that they are suing everyone else over. Veschi said “We are separate. That does not apply to us.” So fasten your seatbelts, because this patent showdown will most likely be the biggest one we have seen yet. This could be the "thermonuclear war" that the late Steve Jobs promised to carry out against Android. We will have to see how Google and Android responds. Via: ArsTechnica

First AOSP Android 4.4 ROMS Popping Up, Nexus 4 Included

Kellen — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 07:12:02 +0000

With Android 4.4 hitting AOSP yesterday, it was only a matter of time before the first set of stock ROMs started showing up for our favorite devices. An AOSP Nexus 4 ROM was the first to pop into our inboxes late last night, though we are sure there could be more at this point. For now though, we wanted to share this to get you into the comments and sharing others for other devices. In this ROM, you are looking at the purest of stock ROMs. In fact, it doesn't even have the new Google Home launcher that was pulled from the Nexus 5 dump. So if you want that beautiful new home replacement, you'll have to sideload it just like you did last night. This ROM also doesn't come with Gapps, however, there is a download link for those as well. This ROM really is all about testing out the first build of Android 4.4. You'll see new animations, smooth transitions, new lock screen setup, updated menus here and there, Tap & pay settings, Print settings, and even that lovely new Easter Egg. Here are some screenshots:

To flash, you'll obviously need a rooted Nexus 4 with a custom recovery (Clockwork worked best for me, ran into issues with TWRP). Then at the link below, you'll find both the AOSP ROM file and the Gapps package. That's it. Enjoy! Any other ROMs out there that we should know about? Via: RootzWiki Cheers Joe!

Download: New Google Apps From the Nexus 5 Dump (Search, Launcher, And More)

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 19:44:22 +0000

Well, we've had a chance to pick through most of the apps in the Nexus 5 factory image system dump, so here they are for you to install if you'd like. Most are minor updates, but there are a couple worth looking at, like the new Google Search (it's awesome), Launcher ("Google Home"), Keyboard, and Clock. We've got some screenshots, special instructions for installing the launcher (since it's tricky), and then all of the download links.

To install the new launcher (Google Home), you'll have to install 3 different apps - Google Play Services 4.0, Google Search, and the Google Home .apk. (Cheers to Phandroid for figuring that out.) Oh, if something breaks, don't blame us. These are technically unreleased apps that were meant for the Nexus 5. Some may work, others may not so well. I tested these on a stock, Android 4.3 Nexus 4. Depending on what device you have, you may run into issues. Be warned. Have fun! I think we're about spent for one day.

Downloads

Google Play Services (v4.0.30)
Calendar (v201308021)
Clock (v3.0.0)
Email (v6.0-893803)
Gallery (v1.1.40304)
Gmail (v4.6.1)
Camera (v2.0.001)
Hangouts (v2.0.012)
Keep (v2.0.50)
Google Keyboard (v2.0.19003.893803a)
Google Search (3.0.17.886092)
Google Home (0.9.6.886092)
Wallpapers

Cheers Joe!

Download: Nexus 5 Wallpapers

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 18:22:46 +0000

Now that the Nexus 5 factory image is in the wild, it is being torn apart by the lovely dev community. We already gave you the new Hangouts, so we're following it up with the new Nexus 5 wallpapers. We've got the full-sized versions bundled into a .zip file below, but you can also view the resized versions all individually in the gallery. Download Link (.zip)

Via: XDA

Download: Hangouts 2.0.012 With SMS Integration

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:29:15 +0000

Who wants the new Google Hangouts with SMS? Here you go. Download, sideload, enjoy. Oh, and this is from the Nexus 5 factory image in case you were wondering. Download Link [mirror] Via: +Ron Amadeo

Nexus 5 "Hammerhead" Android 4.4 Factory Image Now Available as Build KRT16M

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:03:20 +0000

The factory image and binaries for the Nexus 5 are now available as Google promised. You'll see that the Android 4.4 build is KRT16M and the codename for the Nexus 5 is "hammerhead," just like we told you months ago. Assuming you own a Nexus 5 (which you don't yet), you'll probably want to keep these files around in case you plan to tinker. A factory image can restore your device to its stock state should you run into any issues.

The binaries are available as well. Android 4.4 Links: Factory Image | Binaries Update: Hangouts .apk with SMS can be found here or in the comments.

Spec Comparison: Nexus 5 vs. iPhone 5s vs. Galaxy Note 3 vs. Moto X and More

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 16:34:55 +0000

Whenever a new flagship phone from almost anyone is announced, we try to toss together a quick spec comparison sheet of it versus the competition, so that you can see what we're working with. Since the Nexus 5 is most definitely in "flagship" territory - it's Google's only phone after all - then we thought it was time. So here is how the new Nexus 5 compares to the iPhone 5S, Galaxy Note 3, Moto X, G2, and more in terms of specs.

(click image to enlarge)

Nexus 5 Orders Already Shipping!

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 15:23:16 +0000

Whoa, Nexus 5 orders are already shipping just hours after some of you placed your orders. Ours have yet to ship, but at least three readers have pinged us with shipment notifications. Assuming you all placed your order with 2-3 shipping, you could have your phone by Monday. Good job, Google, you may have done a launch right. If yours has shipped, let us know which model you ordered and what your shipping parameters were.

Cheers @BillStebbins, @mpetty423 and Droidzilla!

An Update on Hangouts and Google Voice Integration, It's Going to Take Some Time

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 15:01:29 +0000

After Google announced this week that Hangouts for Android would finally have SMS support, the immediate two reactions were, "What about MMS?" and "What about Google Voice?" We know now that MMS support is coming as well, but the move to integrate Google Voice appears to be a bit trickier. In a post to G+, Nikhyl Singhal (Google's product manager of Hangouts) talked about a hurdle that needs to be dealt with before they can securely merge Voice with Hangouts on Android. In other words, it's going to take more time. At this time, the only Google Voice users who will be able to use SMS and MMS in Hangouts are those who integrated Voice with their Sprint lines. For everyone else on Google Voice, support is coming later. Keep in mind that if you aren't using Google Voice, you won't have any issues using the SMS and MMS features in Hangouts. He mentioned that once this all happens, your Voice number will go unchanged. Singhal also mentioned that part of the reason they are taking so long is because of 3rd party apps that are using Google Voice to provide calling and SMS services. These apps are apparently in violation of their ToS and potentially pose a threat to your security should you use them, so they have notified these developers that they must stop using Google Voice services by May 15, 2014. They don't necessarily want to move forward until they have a completely secure service. So does that mean we won't see integration until next May or will it be sooner? Kind of tough to tell. Here is Singhal's message:

- Unfortunately, today’s update does not work with Google Voice numbers unless you’ve enabled Google Voice on your Sprint phone. But rest assured, we’re working to support SMS messages for all Google Voice phone numbers by early next year. And don’t worry, your Voice number will go unchanged. - We hear you loud and clear: you want Google Voice phone numbers outside the US and to support MMS. We are listening and working hard to make this happen, but we need to work with carriers and this can take some time. - Finally, we want to make Google Voice as secure as possible. There are a few third-party applications that provide calling and SMS services by making unauthorized use of Google Voice. These apps violate our Terms of Service and pose a threat to your security, so we’re notifying these app developers that they must stop making unauthorized use of Google Voice to run their services and transition users by May 15, 2014.

And I don't think I need to point this out, but iOS has some Google Voice integration already. Maybe they aren't running into issues with 3rd party developers over there? Either way, it's coming, we just need to remain patient. Via: +Nikhyl Singhal Cheers Josh and Willimus!

HTC on Kit Kat: Coming to HTC One on Carriers Within 90 Days, GPE Within 15 Days

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:40:28 +0000

HTC is already speaking on plans to get Android 4.4 Kit Kat onto its flagship device, the HTC One. According to HTC, the HTC One found on all major carriers in America should be running Kit Kat within 90 days, a pretty impressive feat if they are able to pull it off. As for the international and unlocked variants, users can expect see an update within 30 days from now, and the Google Play Edition owners can look forward to running the newest version of Android within just 15 days. If HTC can stick to this timeframe, we are officially impressed. Via: Engadget

Motorola Announces Devices to Receive Android 4.4 - Moto X and New DROIDs for Sure

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:25:15 +0000

Earlier today, Motorola began teasing the Android 4.4 Kit Kat update for their line of devices. They promised news on their plans, which they have now delivered on. If you cruise over to their device upgrade portal, you can plug in the criteria for your phone and see if it will make the cut. As of this moment, there are few phones on the list. It also appears as if Motorola's is going to skip Android 4.3 and go straight to 4.4. So far we're seeing all Moto X variants on all carriers, including the developer editions. We're also seeing the new DROID family (ULTRA, MAXX, and Mini). What we aren't seeing, are the plans for the RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD from Verizon. The developer edition of the RAZR MAXX HD does say that it's jumping to 4.4, however, that could be an error since the others simply say "Future plan coming soon."

To check to see if your phone will receive 4.4, hit up Motorola's site and follow the instructions. Via: +Punit Soni Cheers Justtyn!

Thursday Poll: Did You Buy a Nexus 5?

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:00:49 +0000

The Nexus 5 is now here, and everyone who was interested in the phone quickly scrambled to Google Play, snatching up their devices as quickly as they could. It seems that a couple of the models are already out of inventory, so let us know down below if you were able to grab one. Seems like a straight question, so let's hear some straight answers. Also, if there is one thing that is stopping you from picking up the Nexus 5, let us know down below. Go! [poll id="276"]

Android 4.4 Being Pushed to AOSP Now, Nexus 5 Factory Image Later Today

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 13:40:29 +0000

You read that title right - Android 4.4 is being pushed to AOSP right now. We typically see Google push source to AOSP shortly after an announcement, so this isn't necessarily surprising. With that said, this is amazing news for our friends in the ROM game. How long before someone can get us a working build? The new branches are kitkat-dev and kitkat-release, which is build number KRT16M for the Nexus 5. The binaries and factory image for the Nexus 5 should be available later today as well. If you were looking for Nexus 4, Nexus 7, or Nexus 10 factory images, you are going to have to wait a few weeks. Those will become available once their 4.4 updates are ready. Via: Android Building

More New Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" Features - The User Side of Things

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 13:00:15 +0000

Shortly after Google announced Android 4.4 "Kit Kat," we posted up the new goodies from a developer perspective. In this post, we're taking a look at all of the user-friendly additions that you'll notice during daily usage. If you were at one time wondering whether or not this update was big enough to justify a name change, this should help you understand why Google went Kit Kat. This is a massive update - one of the biggest we have seen in some time.

In 4.4, you can now activate Google Search by saying "OK, Google." Keep in mind that this is not like the Moto X, even though we have seen some reports suggesting that it is. Your phone cannot be locked - it has to be awake and on a home screen or in Google Now. It's still cool, but not as powerful as it is on the Moto X. From there, you can search to your heart's desire.

If you are Chromecasting items or listening to music, you'll see beautiful new art when your phone is on the lockscreen. There are also some new ways to seek to specific moments while on the lock screen with a long press.

Yes, Emoji are now everywhere. You can even use them in a Gmail message since they are embedded into the new Google Keyboard.

With the new Hangouts, you can combine your SMS, MMS, and instant message conversations. We don't know when the MMS part is coming, but a new update should enable SMS at least. At last, an all-in-one messaging solution on Android! Still no word on Google Voice integration, though.

Quickoffice is apparently now baked into Android. It's odd, since Google has Drive, but hey, options are options.

Multi-tasking has been improved once again, so that it is now faster than ever. Google optimized memory and improved the touchscreen performance to make everything respond quicker. No hiccups to be seen here.

The new phone app prioritizes your contacts for you, based on who you talk to the most. You can also search more powerfully in the phone app by business, contact, or people in Google Apps domains. Yay, for Google Apps folks!

If you are reading, playing a game, or watching a movie, you'll now experience a full-screen mode that hides everything from view. This is greatly welcomed, and also a reason why on-screen buttons are the best. A simple swipe from the edge of your screen will bring it all back.

If you get a call from someone not in your contacts, the new caller ID will automatically look it up and try to find business and local listings on Google Maps. So no more secret or random callers. Pretty sweet, and a super underrated new feature.

Cloud printing from anywhere at any time! You can now print at any time with a printer connect to Google Cloud Print, HP ePrint printers, and to other printers that have apps in the Google Play store.

The other stuff:

Easy home screen switching: If you have multiple 3rd party launchers installed, you can switch between them easily through Settings>Home.
Email app refresh: The stock Email app (not Gmail) received an entire makeover.
Tap-to-pay, built a new way: With a new open architecture for NFC payments, you should be able to make NFC payments with most phones, no matter who the carrier is.
Full-screen wallpapers with preview: Wallpapers now extend through the notification and navigation areas. You can also preview it to see how it looks.
HDR+ photography: With the Nexus 5, you can snap bursts of photos and combine then to get a single HDR shot.
Infrared blasting: If you own a phone with an IR blaster, 4.4 supports the controlling of TVs.
Location in quick settings: Quick access to location settings is now in the quick settings pulldown.
Location modes and monitoring: Users will have better control over location settings. In Settings>location, you can switch between high accuracy and battery-saving location modes. You shouldn't need to toggle GPS, WiFi and other network settings any longer.
Low-power audio playback: On the Nexus 5, 4.4 lets you listen to music for up to 60 hours.
Music and movie-seeking from lock screen: From your lock screen, you can now jump to specific parts of songs or movies. A long press of the play or pause button will let you select.
Step-counting: Fitness freaks, Nexus 5 and an app called "Moves" will act as a pedometer and count your steps.
Chromecast support: Nothing really new here.
Bluetooth MAP support: Bluetooth-enabled cars can exchange messages with your devices.
Chrome web view: Applications that embed web content now use Chrome to render web components accurately and quickly.
Close captioning: Android 4.4 supports closed captioning and subtitles. Head into Settings>Accessibility to access this setting.
Device management: Android Device Manager is built-in, but that's not necessarily new.
Downloads app redesign: The Downloads app no longer looks terrible and matches up to current Android design language.
Secure app sandboxes: Application sandboxes have been hardened with Security-Enhanced Linux.
Touchscreen improvements: Response on the Nexus 5 and 4.4 should be faster than any Android device before it.

Woof. I'm out of breath. How cool is Android 4.4? Via: Android

Sprint is Offering the 16GB Nexus 5 Starting Nov. 8 for $149.99, T-Mobile "In the Coming Weeks"

Eric — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:55:08 +0000

We heard not too long ago that the Nexus 5 would be making its way to Sprint, but the Now Network has made it official. Sprint is the first carrier to announce a release date for the Nexus 5 that has only been out for less than two hours. Starting next friday, November 8, the phone will be available on-contract for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Sprint was also quick to point out that if you sign up for their One Up program, it will only cost you $18.75 a month for your new phone. T-Mobile also wanted to make sure that everyone knew the Nexus 5 would be coming to their network as well. In a press release, they were vague about the date and price of the phone when it came to them, only promising that it would be "in the coming weeks... for an affordable price." We will be sure to keep our ears open listening for a release date. Anyone planning on switching to one these two carriers for the Nexus 5? Via: Sprint | T-Mobile

Kit Kat Description Page Lists MMS Support for New Version of Hangouts (Updated)

Eric — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:41:51 +0000

With each name change of Android, Google usually puts together a nice website that gives people a good run-down of what they can expect in the next update. If you head over to the one that went live for Android 4.4. KitKat today you can get a good description of all the changes upcoming. If you scroll down to the section discussing Hangouts, you can clearly see MMS messages listed in the description. Hooray! Earlier this week, we were a little bit disappointed when MMS was missing from the announcement of the new version of Hangouts, but this makes us a bit more happy. There was no reason to boast about having "all our messages in one place" if MMS was not going to be included, so it is nice to see that Google added that feature in. Now if only they could integrate Google Voice as well, but that might be for the next version of Android. Update: In a G+ post, Android team member Randall Sarafa gave us a few more details on the MMS situation for Hangouts, along with a timeline for release.

- SMS/MMS (Android 4.0+): send and receive text messages in Hangouts! No more chasing conversations across apps, texts will now appear in Hangouts and you can reply right there. We also let you import all of your existing text messages into the app, send/receive group texts and even text emoji to your friends on Android, iPhone, etc. - Animated GIFs: view and send GIFs in your Hangout, you can even send your Auto Awesomed photos (and kitten GIFs, of course). - Location: you can now quickly share your location into conversations. - Device, in-call, mood status: share what device you’re using, whether you’re on a call, or your current mood. Status appears in conversations right alongside the “read up to here” indicator.

He also said to expect the update in a "few weeks." I know that we were all hoping for a "few days," but it sounds like the Nexus 5 is getting this feature as somewhat of an exclusive for now. Via: Google

Moto G a Cheaper Moto X - Features S4 Pro Processor, 4.7" 720p Display, Free on Contract

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:35:18 +0000

According to a new tweet from the infamous @evleaks, the Moto G will be a cheaper Moto X, featuring almost the same specs as the Moto X, but will hit the market free on contract. The device supposedly features a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor clocked at 1.5GHz, an 8MP back-facing camera, a 4.7" HD display, come in either 8GB or 16GB storage options, and feature an LG-made 1950mAh battery. So again, it's pretty much an X, but with a minor downgrade in specs. Without knowing the full picture yet, it's hard to separate the two devices completely. A picture was also posted alongside the tweet of an apparent press render for the Moto G, so this is our first real look at the device. In summary, it does look like a cheaper Moto X. Motorola may have an announcement coming soon, given that we saw the Moto G text pop up on their website earlier this week. We'll keep you posted when more info becomes available. Via: @evleaks

Nexus 5 Shipping Estimates Already Slipping to November 8

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:22:13 +0000

The Nexus 5 went live on Google Play at 11AM Pacific this morning in both black and white, and with 16GB and 32GB storage options. It's now just past noon and we're seeing shipping dates creep out. Initial orders were showing a shipping date of 11/5, but now all Play listings for the new Nexus show a November 8 date. I'd say it's pretty obvious that Google sold through most of their initial stock within an hour. That's impressive. Did you get your order in on time? Play Link

Galaxy Nexus Will Not Receive Android 4.4 "Kit Kat"

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 12:04:16 +0000

For the most part, today is a day of cheer and joy in the tech world. Whenever Google announces a new version of Android and a new Nexus phone, we can't help buy throw our own little party. But if you happen to own a Galaxy Nexus, and plan to hang on to it for a while longer, you'll be disappointed to learn that the phone will not be updated to Android 4.4 Kit Kat. According to the official Google support page for Nexus devices, only the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 will see the update to Android 4.4 outside of the Nexus 5 (which is already running it). The G-Nex has officially been retired.

Update: Keep in mind that the Galaxy Nexus runs a Texas Instruments OMAP processor, and TI isn't really in the mobile game anymore. Can be difficult to support a device when the chipset manufacturer isn't really around. This is tough news to swallow for many of you, but the phone is now two years old. Via: Google Support Cheers Marco!

Google Announces QuickCover and Bumper Case for Nexus 5, No Word on Availability

Eric — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:57:29 +0000

If you were lucky enough to get your Nexus 5 ordered today, your next question will probably be, "How do I keep this new Nexus safe?" There are now two different cases for the Nexus 5 in Google Play for you to choose from. The first is your standard Bumper Case that covers the back in 4 different colors, black, white, red and yellow, for $34.99. Google is offering a QuickCover case like what we have seen Samsung do with their phones. This case will likely replace or cover the backcover with an attachment that covers the front of the device. This case will cost you $49.99 for the extra protection. Do not get your credit cards out just yet though, Google has yet to announce a date. These are only "Coming soon" for now. We will keep you updated as we hear more. Play Links: Bumper Case ($34.99) | QuickCover Case ($49.99)

Motorola Already Teasing Kit Kat Updates, "More to Share Soon"

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:57:16 +0000

Kit Kat (Android 4.4) has only been announced for all of 50 minutes, and already Motorola is teasing their next move involving the sweet Halloween treat. We know that Android 4.4 will begin rolling out to Nexus and Google Play Edition devices over the coming weeks, but is Motorola going to follow-up with an update to some of their new flagships shortly after? Potentially. Remember, this is the new Motorola that has promised to update phones much more quickly than they did in the past. The Moto X has already seen at least one major update across all carriers, so it wouldn't surprise to see Motorola be ready shortly after 4.4 is released. Then again, they have yet to push out 4.3 to anything. We'll follow closely and keep you posted. Via: +Motorola Cheers Thomas and Chris!

Google Announces Android 4.4 Kit Kat, Here's an Overview of What's New for Developers

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:48:06 +0000

The time has come and Android 4.4 Kit Kat is here. This morning, Google announced the next version of Android, which brings a whole ton of new features, so let's quickly go over what all is new for the developers. For the folks who want to know more about the cosmetic changes, don't worry, we have another post coming up. Update: Here is the end-user side of things. More new features than we can even count. In Kit Kat, Google is attempting to make sure every Android device, even entry-level phones, can run the new OS. By streamlining the every single component, we should experience Android in a way we have never before.

Android 4.4 is designed to run fast, smooth, and responsively on a much broader range of devices than ever before — including on millions of entry-level devices around the world that have as little as 512MB RAM. KitKat streamlines every major component to reduce memory use and introduces new APIs and tools to help you create innovative, responsive, memory-efficient applications.

Kit Kat also brings new platform support for NFC-based transactions through "Host Card Emulation." This can be used for payments, loyalty programs, transit passes, and other services.

Android 4.4 introduces new platform support for secure NFC-based transactions through Host Card Emulation (HCE), for payments, loyalty programs, card access, transit passes, and other custom services. With HCE, any app on an Android device can emulate an NFC smart card, letting users tap to initiate transactions with an app of their choice — no provisioned secure element (SE) in the device is needed. Apps can also use a new Reader Mode to act as readers for HCE cards and other NFC-based transactions.

Users can now fully take advantage of Google Cloud Print. By building in printing framework in the OS, you can easily print any type of content over WiFi or Cloud-hosted services.

Android apps can now print any type of content over Wi-Fi or cloud-hosted services such as Google Cloud Print. In print-enabled apps, users can discover available printers, change paper sizes, choose specific pages to print, and print almost any kind of document, image, or file.

Kit Kat intros a brand new storage access framework which makes it simple for users to open documents, images and other files across all of their document storage providers. The standard UI will give a consistent experience to users no matter what app they are using to store files.

A new storage access framework makes it simple for users to browse and open documents, images, and other files across all of their their preferred document storage providers. A standard, easy-to-use UI lets users browse files and access recents in a consistent way across apps and providers.

Google introduced low power sensors, which will allow the OS to monitor excessive sensor usage, to make sure your device's power isn't being consumed unnecessarily.

Android 4.4 introduces platform support for hardware sensor batching, a new optimization that can dramatically reduce power consumed by ongoing sensor activities. With sensor batching, Android works with the device hardware to collect and deliver sensor events efficiently in batches, rather than individually as they are detected. This lets the device's application processor remain in a low-power idle state until batches are delivered. You can request batched events from any sensor using a standard event listener, and you can control the interval at which you receive batches. You can also request immediate delivery of events between batch cycles.

For you health nuts, Google baked in a step counter and step detector.

Android 4.4 also adds platform support for two new composite sensors — step detector and step counter — that let your app track steps when the user is walking, running, or climbing stairs. These new sensors are implemented in hardware for low power consumption.

In terms of a major UI overhaul, Google has introduced a translucent system UI. As we have seen in various leaks, the notification bar is now completely transparent, and there is a slight transparency found around the on-screen buttons.

To get the most impact out of your content, you can now use new window styles and themes to request translucent system UI, including both the status bar and navigation bar. To ensure the legibility of navigation bar buttons or status bar information, subtle gradients is shown behind the system bars. A typical use-case would be an app that needs to show through to a wallpaper.

Android 4.4, KitKat, which comes on Nexus 5, will also soon be available on Nexus 4, 7, 10, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One Google Play edition devices in the coming weeks. A lot of work has gone under the hood for Kit Kat, which is incredibly important to this milestone release. For more info on all of that, plus a more detailed look at what's new in Android 4.4, please check out the Android Developers page by following the via down below. [youtube]http://youtu.be/6QHkv-bSlds[/youtube] [youtube]http://youtu.be/sONcojECWXs[/youtube] Via: Android Developers | Google

Nexus 5 Specs

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:40:05 +0000

The specs on the Nexus 5 aren't going to shock anyone since they were leaked a dozen times over the last couple of months, but we wanted to get them down for you officially. As expected we're looking at a 5-inch HD display, 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800, 2GB RAM, 8MP camera with OIS, 2300mAh battery, and more. We've got it all for you below.

Phone Specs

Display: 4.95-inch Full HD IPS (1920x1080, 445ppi), Gorilla Glass 3
OS: Android 4.4 (Kit Kat)
Camera: 8MP rear facing with Optical Image Stabilization (1.3MP front)
Battery: 2,300mAh (17 hours talk time, 7 hours internet on LTE)
CPU: 2.3Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (quad-core)
GPU: Adren 330, 450MHz
Weight: 4.59oz (130g)
Dimensions: 69.17 x 137.84 x 8.59mm
WiFi: Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Storage: 16GB or 32GB, no microSD slot
2GB RAM
Ports: 3.5mm audio, microUSB, SlimPort enabled
Sensors: Accelerometer, GPS, Compass, Proximity/Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Pressure, Hall Effect

Network (2G/3G/4G LTE)

GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10
WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/19
LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/17/19/25/26/41
Carriers: Officially support on T-Mobile and Sprint; should work on AT&T

Google Officially Unveils the Nexus 5, It's the Slimmest Yet With 4G LTE

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:26:57 +0000

The Nexus 5 is finally official. Google and LG took the wraps off their new flagship phone, while also giving us Android 4.4 Kit Kat. It has been an intense journey of leaks...and more leaks, but we're finally here. The device is mostly what we expected with it's 5-inch HD display, 4G LTE, 8MP camera with OIS, and black or (mostly) white color schemes (full specs). The phone is available today on Google Play starting at just $349 for the 16GB version. If you want to bump the storage up to 32GB, you'll only pay $399. It's quite the deal; probably the best deal in the industry for a top tier smartphone. If you don't want to order through Google Play, you can find it at Best Buy, Sprint, T-Mobile, Amazon, and RadioShack "soon." If you were looking for special Nexus 5 features that you can highlight for friends, look to all that Android 4.4 has to offer (full details), but the camera should also be greatly improved since it has optical image stabilization and a new HDR+ mode. This phone is also incredibly light and thin at 4.59 oz and 8.59 mm. And in case you were wondering, here are all of the bands the phone works on:

2G/3G/4G LTE
GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10
WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/19
LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/17/19/25/26/41

So we're looking at T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T. You can buy the Nexus 5 here. [Play Link]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ0XTJqFLIE[/youtube]

Nexus 5 Now Available on Google Play for $349!

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:01:07 +0000

There she is! Nexus 5! At this time, ~~we're only seeing the black version available with 16GB of storage~~. UPDATE: We have both black and white version now, in both 16GB ($349) and 32GB ($399) of storage. Nexus 5 white: 16GB | 32GB Nexus 5 black: 16GB | 32GB

Deer Hunter 2014 Updated With Halloween Madness, Time to Hunt Zombie Animals

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:49:38 +0000

One of the most popular hunting games available for Android, Deer Hunter 2014, was just updated to bring some exciting new hunting adventures. It's Halloween after all, so it's time to go bag yourself a few zombie animals. Included in the update are zombie wolves, zombie deer, and even awesome new weapons to help you reach your limits after a long full moon-lit night. What's New:

Halloween:

Animals: Zombie Wolf, Zombie Deer and Zombie Alpha Wolf

Weapons: The Headsman and the Headsman Elite

Halloween Mission

Missions available in every region

Hunters encounter random zombie animals and stampedes

Mission includes standard contract hunts and trophy-like hunts in different regions

Region 5:

New Environments: Tundra and Glacial River

New Animals: Polar Bears, Caribou, Bison, Musk Ox and Tundra Swan

New Weapons: Rifles, Shotguns, Assault Rifle, Pistol

All Region 5 firearms now have 7 upgrade levels

Go grab the new update right off of Google Play right now. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/ANXLX-gpZ4M[/youtube]

Motorola and Google Bring In Co-Director of Pixar's Ratatouille for "Windy Day"

Eric — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:30:07 +0000

Last night, I was making dinner before the Droid Life Show was about to go on. I opened my phone to find a little red hat floating around my homescreen. Had I not done some research earlier this week I would have been thoroughly confused, but instead I clicked on the hat and headed into my room for a pretty cool story telling experience. Over the weekend, Moto X users might have seen an app called "Motorola Spotlight Player" waiting to be installed on their device through Google Play. If you have it set up, Google Play installed it automatically which we will get into later.

Once the story starts, you are whisked into a virtual world that is all around you and your Moto X is the window through which you can view it. You follow the story of a little woodland mouse that is ~~cursed~~ blessed by finding this little red hat floating around his section of the woods. As the story unfolds, you can turn and look around in whichever direction you like and the story will still play on. If you have used Google Sky Map before you will have a good understanding of how it works, but it is hard to describe how you look standing in the middle of the room looking through your phone all over the place. It only lasts around five minutes or so, but the story is actually pretty fun and told in a really cool way. The only problem arises in the fact that Motorola installed this onto Moto X devices without asking, if you aren't a fan of the hat floating around your screen, it is not very easy to disable. Moto said they would be looking to bring more stories like this in the future, but only to the Moto X. Any readers watch Windy Day? What did you think? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAJXkZ0WB_o[/youtube]

Niantic Project's Ingress No Longer a Closed Beta, Playable for All

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 10:03:57 +0000

Ever since its release, Ingress has been in a closed beta stage that allowed only people with invites to partake in the game. As of now, the developers have lifted that restriction, and anyone can start playing the game which is downloadable right from Google Play. It still has a healthy community of players, who continue to find and destroy other-worldly portals across the globe. With that said, go grab it and get your virtual reality gaming on! Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/92rYjlxqypM[/youtube] Via: Ausdroid

Motorola is Now Updating the Moto X Camera Through the Play Store

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 09:43:07 +0000

This morning, Motorola pushed an update to the Moto X camera through Google Play. Yes, through Google Play, not as an OTA update. As has been well documented, the Moto X camera at launch was one of the phone's weak points, however, a recent OTA update to all variants dramatically improved its performance. Since then, it appears as if Motorola has made the camera available for updates more regularly without carrier interference. To continually update the app, Motorola is pushing updates through Google Play going forward. If you own a Moto X, you should find an update awaiting you. Here is what's new:

Brightened camera viewfinder so it's easier to see
Enabled Quick Capture for more Enterprise users IT policies
Bug fixes

Play Link We haven't had a chance to test the camera after the update since it just went live, but we're excited to see Motorola taking updates this serious. Google took this route with a number of Google apps over the last year, a move that gives them more control over updates and features. We like it. Cheers Rick and Patrick!

FAA Finally Says That We Can Use Electronics During Takeoff and Landing

Eric — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 09:33:24 +0000

When the Federal Airlines Administration first set the rule that stated people were not allowed to use personal electronic devices when a flight was taking off or landing, there was certainly a reason for it. Mobile devices and the airline industry themselves have both come a long way since then, however, and today we can finally kiss that annoying rule goodbye. In a release today, the FAA said they are allowing passengers to use personal electronics during "all phases of the flight" except for a few "very limited exceptions." It should be noted that in the release, the FAA still strongly recommends using Airplane mode on your device. There is no set deadline for when each airline has to start adhering to this change, but Delta has already put together a plan to make the change by tomorrow. Via: Engadget

Verizon Now Selling DROID Mini....in Red

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 09:12:59 +0000

Verizon is now selling the DROID Mini in red through its online store, for anyone who has been waiting. As a refresher, the Mini is pretty much the DROID ULTRA, but in a smaller and more-compact package. It features a 4.3" 720p display, Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of RAM, a 2,000mAh battery, and a 10MP back-facing camera. It's a little powerhouse, for sure. In addition, it features all of the Touchless Control and Active Display hotness that comes with the ULTRA and MAXX. You can grab one on contract for just $49.99. Via: Verizon Cheers Chris!

Nexus 5 Receives Unofficial Teardown Before Launch

Tim — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:44:26 +0000

Given at how many leaks the Nexus 5 has seen over the past month, the only thing left to do after an unofficial teardown would be a drop test, but that would just be depressing at this point. If some guy took the device we are all waiting to see, and then purposefully destroyed it? Blasphemy. Anyways, we are on the brink of seeing what Google has in store for the Nexus 5 and Kit Kat, but one group decided they were tired of waiting, and decided to open up the Nexus 5 themselves to see if it was filled with chocolate and wafers. Turns out, there is no candy. With the back plate taken off we can't see too much, but enough to be satisfied for now. We can definitely spot the device's 2,300mAh battery, the supposed 8MP camera with OIS technology, and all of the screws that hold the phone together. Maybe a drop test would be more exciting, but again, they make us cringe.

Gallery:

Via: GSM Arena

Sprint Galaxy Nexus Getting Update to Android 4.3 Today

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:42:50 +0000

According to Sprint's support forums, the Galaxy Nexus is getting Android 4.3 today. The build is JRO03U.L700GJ04. No other details were provided, but it should happen before long. Obviously, this is for the Sprint model only and not the Verizon variant. This is the first update the Sprint G-Nex has had since January of this year. That update was to Android 4.2.1. Things are happening! Via: Sprint

Reddit Dude is Back With Android 4.4 Kit Kat Screenshots!

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:32:09 +0000

The redditor who posted up new pictures of the Nexus 5 last night, along with a Q&A, has returned this morning with a series of screenshots taken from the device. The quality isn't great, but I'd imagine the photo upload service he used is to blame. This could be our best view yet of Android 4.4. In the top images, we're seeing a couple of screens that aren't necessarily new. One is the Kit Kat Easter Egg that can be found by heading into Settings>About phone, and then tapping on the Android version multiple times. The other is of the home screen, with the new Google launcher and icon set. You'll notice the search bar says "Say 'OK Google'" - sounds like an always-listening mode for Google searches. We're still not sure if that can be performed with the phone locked, though, so until we hear from Google, it may not have quite the power that the Moto X has.

In these shots, you are seeing the search activated with "Ok Google" plus the widget adding screen. The widget screen shows the transparent app drawer that we are expecting, along with a new frosted glaze over the individual widget buttons. Below, we've got the Google Settings screen, which doesn't look any different outside of a missing "Verify apps" option. There is a view of the Settings screen with "Tap & pay" option, a look at Google Keep for proof, and how previous search results are displayed through the Google Search widget. You'll see the transparent navigation button and notification areas throughout many of the screens, except when the phone is in Settings or apps.

Can you taste it yet? Via: reddit

Nike on Why No Android Love for Fuelband: Lack of Bluetooth LE Support, Too Many Devices, Not Apple

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 08:13:25 +0000

I think it's safe to say that our level of disappointment and frustration peaked after Nike unveiled their newest Fuelband a few weeks back and failed once again to deliver any sort of Android support. This has been a painful journey for those of us who adopted the wearable early, yet continue to use the most popular mobile OS on the planet. Shortly after the original was introduced in 2012, we were told for months that Android support was coming. Eventually, Nike backed away from that stance and has since only said that they are focusing on iOS. The same brief reasoning was given with the new Fuelband SE at its unveiling, however, Pocket-Lint was able to get a few extra details out of Nike VP Stefan Olander. According to Olander, there are a few reasons that Nike has decided to stay away from the most popular mobile OS on the planet (How many times do I need to say that?). One has to do with the lack of Bluetooth LE support, which actually makes some sense since Android 4.3 finally introduced the low energy connectivity to the platform. Olander said, "With 200 Android devices available on the market, Bluetooth LE hasn't really matured for Android yet and so we felt that we couldn't get the most out of an app on Android at this time." Fair enough, not many devices are running Android 4.3 and above, so we'll give Olander that. To make an always connected experience useful and not a hinderance to your daily life, Bluetooth LE support is sort of a must-have. Olander also tossed out the there are too many devices, and the experience is the most important thing, so we're focusing on iOS card. Look, Nike, we get it - there are hundreds of different Android devices out there, many of which are terrible. And sure, the experience on those may not be as good as it is on others, but that doesn't mean you ignore the entire platform. We have already seen companies hand-pick select Android devices that they know their apps or accessories will work best with. Why not start with the Galaxy S4 and HTC One and Moto X? You can fine-tune the experience for those, and then slowly branch out to others if you want to. But ignoring the entire operating system because 200 phones has overwhelmed you? Come on. And last, Olander essentially said that because no one on Android is like Apple, they aren't interesting in working with them yet. He said, "We've worked with Apple for seven years and like that they set the bar high for themselves as well as others. It is about the experience." So in other words, Android is cheap, dirty, and doesn't care how it looks or feels. OK, I could be reaching, but he's putting Apple up on this pedestal of greatness when there are companies making Android phones that are doing just as good if not better work with quality and experience. Olander apparently insisted that they aren't against Android, only that they "waiting for someone to create an experience that aligns with our values." The Bluetooth LE issue makes a lot of sense to me, the others never will. Fitbit and countless other companies are able to deliver incredible products on Android and yet, they aren't even close to being as big as Nike. Whether they are or not, it just feels like Nike is stuck in 2009, where anyone with an iPhone carried themselves like some greater being. Wake up, Nike. Via: Pocket-Lint Cheers Jake!

Dude Takes HD Pictures of Nexus 5, Provides Kit Kat Details in Q&A (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 07:27:49 +0000

We're pretty sure that today is finally the day (PLEASE, be the day). At some point, Google should announce the Nexus 5 and tell us the dirty details on Android 4.4 "Kit Kat," which hopefully also means we'll either by able to buy the device or at least pre-order for a release within the next week. But as we wait for all things to become official, we have one last major leak to talk about. Thanks to a throwaway account over at reddit by the name throwawaynexus5guy, we get a set of better quality pictures of the phone, a screen showing an update to Android 4.4.1, and a Q&A session which gives us a few new details to look forward to learning more about. As far as the pictures go, we aren't necessarily seeing anything new in terms of hardware, however, you can see that the camera housing does indeed stick out a bit from the phone's body. There doesn't appear to be anything else on the phone's back that could protect that, so it's something we'll all need to be careful of once the phone is in hand. Hopefully, Google and LG made that housing rock solid. The only other thing we can really take from the pics, like I previously mentioned, is that an update may be waiting for us out of the box. The redditor who posted these images said that the 139.3MB update that can be seen downloading is an update to Android 4.4.1. He said that the update didn't appear to introduce any radical changes, which seems odd looking at the size of the update.

Now, about that Q&A:

When asked if the phone would have always-on-always-listening features like the Moto X's Touchless Control, he smiled. In other words, you may be able to talk to your Nexus 5 and perform actions just like Moto X owners do.
He mentioned that one of the big new features he noticed was a "complete backup solution" that could save "apps data, saved games, settings for each app, etc."
He said that the phone "doesn't feel cheap like a Samsung device," "feels great in the hand" and is "similar to holding a G2."
He thought that after updating to 4.4.1, that he was prompted with a Google Drive offer that could have been around 100GB of storage.
As far as the camera goes, he didn't test it, but was told that it's an improvement over the Nexus 4, but not on the level of the Galaxy S4 or iPhone.
The display is apparently "great" for the price.
The speakers sounded great, not "tinny" or weak.
He also said he was 99% certain we should see the phone unveiling today.

We could be moments away, assuming Google is ready to pull the trigger. Also, keep in mind that this is info from one guy on reddit, not a final ruling on anything. So, any final thoughts? Update: He's back with screenshots! Via: reddit Cheers Jes!

It's Official: Pandora Now Works With Chromecast

Kellen — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 06:56:00 +0000

Thanks to screenshots uploaded to the Play store for the new Pandora 5.0 that was released yesterday, we sort of knew that the streaming service would soon receive Chromecast support. This morning, Google and Pandora made it all official. So yes, Pandora can now connect and stream through any HD TV as long as it has a Chromecast dongle attached to it. While streaming music on WiFi, and with a Chromecast somewhere in your house, you should see the cast icon appear in the top right of the Pandora app. Tap it, then select which Chromecast you'd like to cast to, and be on your way to streaming through your home stereo system. Keep in mind that you have to have the new Pandora 5.0 that was released yesterday. Play Link

The Droid Life Show: Episode 40

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 21:21:30 +0000

Episode 40 is going down tonight with the return of the Droid Life Show! Who is ready for the ultimate hypebeast show? We all have Nexus 5 on the mind, plus some Kit Kat, so we'll have plenty of it on tonight's get-together. Other than those new goodies from Google that should arrive any day (more than likely tomorrow), we'd like to talk about Phonebloks and Project Ara, new Google Glass, 4.3 updates for Samsung phones, maybe even some new iPads, and more. It should be another good one that you won't want to miss. The show kicks off around 6:00PM Pacific (9:00PM Eastern). A live video broadcast will be embedded below closer to the start of the show. Until then, feel free to hang out in the Droid Life IRC room.

Subscribe | iTunes | Show Page

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bixEgH2y_04[/youtube]

Man's Whose Life was Saved by HTC Device Gets Hooked up With Care Package

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 15:15:55 +0000

Remember that story we posted about an old HTC EVO 3D stopping a bullet and saving a gas station clerk's life? Well, HTC felt it was appropriate to go ahead and send that man a "get well soon" package, complete with a brand new HTC One smartphone and a ton of accessories to go along with it. Looks like we have an official car dock, HTC laptop bag, on-the-go charging unit, a "Hipster Troll Carwash" coffee mug, and something else behind the chargers that is being delivered to the clerk. Very cool of HTC to recognize what happened and to do this. Good move, HTC.

Via: @HTC

Check Out This 3D Nexus 5 GIF

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:39:49 +0000

Mmmmhmmm, pretty. Is tomorrow the day? A typically reliable source tells us that it should be. Then again, this is Google we're dealing with here. Don't forget to join us tonight live tonight on the DL Show as we discuss it all! Via: reddit Update: Apparently this is the 3D render of the phone that was pulled from Sprint's site. (via)

Google Fiber App for Android Updated, Brings DVR Management Features

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:42:49 +0000

For the few of you who are lucky enough to have Google Fiber connected to your house, you can go grab the updated Fiber app that just hit Google Play. Google introduced a few DVR management features, which should help you control the media stored on your storage box a lot better. If you own an iPhone or iPad as well, you will be happy to know that Google also released the Google Fiber app for iPhones earlier today. Here is a look at the full changelog for the Fiber app. What's New:

Easier-to-use DVR
New remote control behavior and Now Playing screen
Improved user interface for smaller screen sizes
Performance improvements
Bug fixes

Anyone here actually rocking Fiber? If you are, I am so jelly of you. Play Link

Google Revamps Nexus 7 Play Store Listings

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 13:13:04 +0000

It may not be the arrival of the Nexus 5, but Google is indeed putting in work on Google Play store device pages. The Nexus 7 (2013) pages have been completely redone in terms of a model selection process. Previously, you had to choose from cards for each model of the Nexus 7 in a sub-section just below the device description, but now, Google is letting you choose the storage size via button, and then LTE (carriers separated) or WiFi from a drop down menu. I don't know that we should necessarily jump to this as meaning the Nexus 5 is going to be here any minute, but we like to see Google make moves in the Play store, especially when we know something is on the horizon. And as htowngtr already mentioned in the comments, this layout would make it really easy for Google to list both white and black models of the N5. Here is the Nexus 10 page for reference on the old design:

It's a change no doubt, and changes are good. Now, Google, just add in our Nexus 5 pages. Play Link

Samsung and Sprint Announce Galaxy Mega and GS4 Mini Availability to Begin Nov. 8

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:39:42 +0000

Sprint announced availability for the Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Galaxy S4 Mini from Samsung this morning, both going on sale November 8. Each device takes advantage of Sprint Spark, and "enhanced LTE network" that is designed to achieve high data speeds by combining three bands of 4G LTE wireless spectrum available on Sprint’s network. If you don't already know, the Mega 6.3 features a Snapdragon 400 processor, Android 4.2.2, an 8MP back-facing camera, an Adreno 305 GPU, and most of Samsung's popular TouchWiz software. As for the GS4 Mini, it is basically a Galaxy S4 in a smaller package, plus it lacks some of the top tier specs and replaces them with more affordable components. There is no Snapdragon 800, no 1080p display, and no 13MP shooter. To top it all off, Sprint also announced the availability of the HTC One Max and LG G2 with tri-band LTE connectivity starting the same day on November 8. If you are a Sprint customers, this are starting to look up for you. Via: Sprint

Woot! Has Almost Every Android Tablet You Can Name On Sale Today

Eric — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:16:31 +0000

Has Christmas come early? Almost every day there is an Android tablet on sale somewhere out there, but never do we see as many in one place as we are seeing with Woot! today. Twenty seven tablets, that's right 27, are being offered up at discounted prices today. It's too big of a sale not to take a look at. Everything from a 32GB Nexus 10 ($329.99) to a 16GB Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10 ($299.99) is on this list. Galaxy Note tablets, ASUS Transformers and even a few low-end Polaroid models are up for sale. However, if you are someone who has to have their presents brand-new out of the plastic, be warned. Almost all of these have either been factory reconditioned or refurbished, if there is any difference between the two. Another perfect opportunity to get ahead of your holiday season shopping just before Halloween hits. Hit the link below for the full list and prices. Via: Woot!

Wednesday App Sales: Rayman Jungle Run, Fangz HD, House of the Dead Overkill

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:59:53 +0000

Tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays; one that is usually filled with ghouls, zombies, and piles of candy. To celebrate Halloween, many developers who have their spookily-themed games on Google Play, have lowered the price of their titles to get people into the spirit. For example, you can grab either House of Hell or Blood of the Zombies for just $2, down from their usual $5 price tag. If zombies aren't your thing, you can also pick up the classic Rayman Jungle Run for only $1, as well as Sine Mora for $3, which is an epic fighter plane game from Digital Reality studios. Wednesday app sales:

Wave ($0.99)
Zoner Mobile Security ($1.99)
Blood of the Zombies ($1.99)
House of Hell ($1.99)
MathStudio ($9.99)
Rayman Jungle Run ($0.99)
Neuroshima Hex ($0.99)
Fangz HD ($0.99)
I, Gladiator ($0.99)
House of the Dead Overkill ($0.99)
Sine Mora ($2.99)
The Walking Dead: Assault ($0.99)
Combo Crew ($0.99)

Go support developers. It's important.

AT&T Launches Six 4G LTE Markets, Still Claims to be Nation's Most Reliable LTE Network

Tim — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:46:12 +0000

AT&T announced another group of newly launched 4G LTE markets this morning, finally including some more west coast love. Seemed like for a while there that only the mid-west was seeing new light ups. The company is still touting its LTE network not only as the fastest in America, but also the most reliable according to third-party data. They are pretty much right behind Verizon's number of total LTE markets, which sits a little over 500. Check below to see the list of new markets. New Markets:

Watertown, Wisconsin
Albany, Oregon
Marion, Ohio
Redding, California
Red Bluff, California
Gallipolis, Ohio

Via: AT&T

Nexus 5 Can't Seem to Stay Out of the Way of Blurry Cams, Surfaces Again and Again

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:18:39 +0000

I don't even know what to write about these leaks anymore. It seems like everyone has their hands on the Nexus 5 these days, only none of them know what to do with it, meaning we haven't had new info in days. It also seems to have far surpassed almost any other phone in recent memory when it comes to unofficial sightings. What is Google waiting for? In today's appearances, we have the phone lying face-up on top of a retail box. People are claiming that it's an "unboxing!" to stir up excitement, when really it's just a blurry shot of the phone with nothing else to talk about. Well, the leaker who posted it did get scared and ask mods over at Overclockers to delete his posts and account after claiming he would leak more throughout the day. So I guess you do at least have some drama. The other shot is from an LG Malaysia service center (pictured below). And that's it.

Oh, it also posted some rather impressive BaseMark X benchmarks for gaming, beating out the LG G2 with a score of 14.17 to the G2's 12.53.

Update: Here is a picture of a dummy unit, because well, we hadn't seen one of those yet.

Via: Overclockers [2] | +Lin Siong Soh | GSMArena

Pandora Releases Version 5.0, Introduces Tablet UI to Android

Kellen — Wed, 30 Oct 2013 07:29:19 +0000

Pandora users - if you still exist - your tablet experience on Android has finally arrived. After a revamped tablet UI surfaced for the iPad back in September as iTunes Radio was launching, we once again wondered when the streaming music service would stop ignoring the most popular mobile OS on the planet and show us some love. Thankfully, we have to worry no longer. The new Pandora 5.0 should work with "hundreds" of different big-screened Android devices. Here are some of the new features to Pandora 5.0:

Enhanced Listening Experience & Personalization – App interface is optimized for larger screens and features upgraded core Pandora functionality, such as adding variety to a station and viewing station details, in addition to the ability to easily shuffle, rename and delete stations.

Deeper Music Discovery & Exploration –Explore more about the artist and album that is currently playing with enriched artist pages that include similar artists and genome traits of the current track playing, plus lyrics, artist biographies and album discographies.

Your Personal Profile & Music Feed – Your detailed timeline Capture your music preferences on this detailed timeline, such as stations created, bookmarked tracks and thumb history and choose to make your profile either public or private. The Music Feed offers a centralized place to view music activity, making it easy to explore what friends and other listeners with similar musical tastes are discovering and enjoying on Pandora.

The Ability to Connect & Share Music with Friends – Social sharing features are now easier than ever to navigate on Android tablets with the updated user interface. Listeners can publish their music activity to Facebook with the Pandora Timeline app, as well as manually share links to favorite stations with followers on Twitter.

So there you have it! We're personally big fans of Google Music All Access, but we'll take a tablet UI for Pandora, even if it is a couple of years late. Update: Is that a Chromecast icon in that screenshot? Since Pandora doesn't officially support Chromecast yet, I think it's fair to assume that it is coming. Play Link Via: Pandora

T-Mobile Prepaid SIM Kits Now Free, With Free Shipping Too

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 17:30:46 +0000

Remember when we told you yesterday that T-Mobile prepaid SIM kits were only $0.99 with free shipping? Well, we have a better deal for you. How does free sound? Those same prepaid SIM kits in full, micro, and nano are now 100% free with free 2-4 day shipping. You may as well order one or two (two is the max per person) if you are at all considering switching off your current carrier in the near future. Remember that T-Mobile is pushing out their LTE network as quickly as possible, plus prepaid plans are excellent for testing out service with phones like say, oh, the Nexus 5. The $30 unlimited text and data (5GB of full 4G speeds) plan is a no-brainer. *Note - Their payment system appears to be having issues, so if you are getting an error, hang tight. I'd imagine that with this kind of deal, everyone and their goat is trying to order a free SIM kit. Via: T-Mobile Cheers Scott, George and Ryan!

Snapseed Update for Android Includes HDR Scape Filter, Here are Some Samples

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 16:39:41 +0000

Earlier today, Google held a small press event to show off major changes they are making for folks who use of the company's social network, Google+. Along with the Google+ announcements, they also showed off an update for their photo editing app called Snapseed. Google purchased this company back in September of last year, and has already made a lot of improvements to the software. Introduced today is a brand new filter called HDR Scape, one that we have pretty much fallen in love with. Now if you didn't already know, I am a major fan of Instagram and sharing photos I take on smartphones with my friends. I decided to give the new HDR Scape filter a try, and have been very impressed with the results thus far. While the filter can sometimes add a bit too much saturation for some shots, it all depends on the type of look for the photo you are going for. In some circumstances, the HDR Scape filter brings just the right amount of warm saturation and newly-introduced contrast that really makes your photos pop. What is great about Snapseed is that you can dial back each little tweak the filter does, including smoothness, brightness, filter strength, and saturation. I placed a few samples down below to showcase what the new filter is capable of after just a few seconds of tweaking. They go from dull, sort of color-lacking shots, to more vibrant and lively displays of an orchard I went to over the weekend. Again, the filter won't work for all cases, but it's not bad every now and then. The photos on top are the before and the photos below are the after. Give the new filter a try by downloading the update for Snapseed down below the gallery.

Gallery:

Play Link

Google Glass Revised Hardware Makes First Appearance, Along With Earbud

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 15:39:16 +0000

Yesterday, the Google Glass team announced that they had created new hardware, and that current Glass Explorers would have the one-time option to swap out their original Glass unit for the new version. The new version of glass will work with "future lines of shades and prescription frames," so if those were a missing piece in your Glass experience, be sure to swap. They also announced a new referral program and an earbud attachment that would come with the new Glass hardware. Today, we're getting a look at the revised Glass along with the earbud. It looks...the same, plus an earbud. I'm not sure I was expecting drastic hardware changes to the new Glass, but I was expecting a little more than this. Maybe I just can't see the changes since I'm not currently a Glasshole, however, we are going to try and change that thanks to the new referral program. Also, the earbud must be an option for those experiencing audio issues with the bone conduction audio. It looks silly, but hey, Glass already looks sort of silly. Who jumped on the referral program with us?

Via: +Google Glass Cheers @zwrose!

HTC US President: Android 4.3 Update for One on Verizon Will be Delayed a Month

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:33:54 +0000

Oh no, another device update on Verizon is to be delayed. If HTC One owners needed anything else to complain about, it looks like your update to Android 4.3 is going to be delayed approximately one month, according to HTC's U.S. president. While the update is currently going live on other carriers' networks, HTC has apparently run into a software hiccup and will need to redo its work. Naturally, Jason Mackenzie says the issue is a bit more complicated to explain than what can fit into a tweet, so we will just have to take his word on everything. We understand the certain unwillingness to be fully transparent on the issue, but he ensures that they are working hard to limit the delay's impact on customers. Sorry, Verizon One owners. This sucks.

Via: @JasonMacHTC Cheers D.B.Evans!

Phonebloks Posts Status Update Video - Talks Motorola Collaboration, Community, and More

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:18:11 +0000

After Motorola surprised the tech world a bit last night with the introduction of their new modular hardware smartphone concept called Project Ara, we were sort of wondering when we'd hear from Phonebloks. After all, Phonebloks was the first to put modular phone design on our radar, and Motorola name-dropped them in their announcement. Today, in a video press release, Phonebloks founder Dave Hakkens talks about his trip to meet Motorola, the sit downs with other companies, early goals for the Phonebloks community, and more. Thanks to the video, you'll see a Motorola Ara prototype (non-working) in the clip to give you an idea of just how "bloks" can fit into a modular smartphone. Remember, the goal is to create an open hardware platform similar to an open software platform. And speaking of open, Motorola has said that it plans to develop this platform in the open, unlike normal products which are held behind closed doors until they are ready for the world. If anything, it should be a blast seeing how far Motorola can take the modular phone idea. Actually, I really just want to see someone hot-swap a camera for taser. That would be brilliant. For Hakkens, the goal is to create a massive Phonebloks community that can work with Motorola to help give the project a voice and ideas. They'll remain independent in funding, but will work together throughout the early stages. Those early stages will feature a modular development kit for developers to get to work. Come on, you have to be somewhat excited about this?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaPf4ZIbDVM[/youtube]

Samsung Shipped 130.1 Million Phones Last Quarter - Beat Apple, LG, and Nokia Combined

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 13:30:42 +0000

Whether you hate it or love it, Samsung has pretty much single-handedly grown Android by an immense amount over the last couple of years. Before the Galaxy S2 and Note line came along, Samsung was just like any other OEM, carrying on much like Motorola and LG, with Apple way out in front in terms of global marketshare. There was simply nothing to compete against the giant. Jump to Q3 of 2013, and Samsung has shipped 130.1 million devices in a single quarter, beating out phone manufacturers like Apple, Nokia, and LG combined. Yes, combined. According to a recently released report from Strategy Analytics, Samsung captured 29% of the globe's phone market, with a 7% jump in shipments over last year's Q3. Somewhat surprisingly, Nokia captured 2nd place with 15.5%, while Apple came in at 8% and LG with 4.4% of the global market. Huawei came in 5th, and unfortunately, HTC was placed in the "other" category. With the rate Samsung is churning out phones (and folks already hyping the Galaxy S5 release), we know they aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but what's the next step? They have dominated global device shipment, so where do they go from here if not higher? Could we see another changing of the guard in the next few years with a different OEM?

Via: CNET | Strategy Analytics *Note - clarified some of the original post to show "shipments" and "phones" rather than "sales" and "smartphones."

Motorola Adds "Moto G" to Website, We Think It's by Accident

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 12:50:20 +0000

Oh, what's that you accidentally posted to your site, Motorola? It looks like the recently rumored Moto G to me. We don't know much about the Moto G, only that some think it will be the even-cheaper version of the Moto X. We've also seen it appear in a trademark filing by Motorola. Tough to tell from this appearance what exactly Motorola has in store, especially since the link to it doesn't work. We'll keep an eye on it. Thoughts? Update: Annnnnnd, they removed it. Via: Motorola

Download: New Google+ 4.2.0 With New Photo Features

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 12:41:47 +0000

A new Google+ update has already begun to rollout as build 4.2.0.55778941, and we're only a couple of hours removed from Google's event. The update changes up a couple of items, most notably the photo area. That's no surprise since today's announcements all surrounded photo and video handling through the social network. If you want to start taking advantage of things like Auto Awesome Movie and better photo searching, feel free to sideload the update through one of the links below. In terms of UI changes, you'll see a new Photo menu once you tap on Photos that includes shortcuts to Auto Awesome, Albums, Videos, Photos of You, etc. You can also easily swipe between Camera and Highlights in the gallery now, and search quicker. Appears to be a solid update. Download Link [mirror]

Play Link Via: Android Spin

Google+ Claims 540m Active Users - Introduces Auto Awesome Video, Better Auto Enhance, and More

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 12:00:48 +0000

Google+ users, get ready for more Awesome. Thanks to updates announced this morning during a live Hangout, you can expect the photo and video experiences through Google's social network to get additional muscle in the very near future. We're talking Auto Awesome for videos, better control over Auto Enhance, new features for Auto Awesome photos, improved editing tools, full-size backups, and more. Here is the overview from the event, with the Hangouts section being covered at this post.

As you can see, Google+ is no longer the ghost town that some use to refer to it as. With over 540 million active users and 1.5 billion photos uploaded every week, it has really grown into a great place for finding people with similar interests, sharing and editing photos, and chatting with folks through live video Hangouts. We're quite active over there these days, so be sure to +1 us when you have a chance.

Photos and Videos

Google introduced new tools to better enhance or find your photos with little effort. Not only did they add new abilities to Auto Enhance, but they increased their library of words that help you quickly find photos with a simple search. They also brought full-sized backups of photos to G+ on iOS, if you care.

For starters, full size backups and background sync are coming soon to Google+ for iOS. This way you can backup your photos as you take them.

In addition, finding your photos is actually fun. We now recognize over a thousand different objects—from sunsets to snowmen—so you can just type what you’re looking for, and find matching items in your library.

Auto Enhance improves each photo you add to Google+, and now you can now dial the enhancements up or down. If you’re already processing your images elsewhere, you can choose to exempt an album entirely.

If you like to edit on the go, then you’ll enjoy Snapseed and its new HDR Scape filter. While high dynamic range (HDR) imaging requires multiple photos to create its effect, HDR Scape can deliver similar results with a single tap.

We’re also adding Analog Efex Pro to the Nik Collection (still just $149). With it you can reimagine your images using classic cameras and processing methods—from toy and medium format to wet plate and vintage.

Auto Awesome photos was upgraded with three new features: Action, Eraser, and Movie. Google provided examples of each, all of which we have included below. Keep in mind that Auto Awesome Movie only works on certain devices running Android 4.3+, but the rest of the new goodness is supported on most devices:

Action. Maybe it’s your child’s first gymnastic meet, or you’re skateboarding with a friend. Action can take their tumble or half pipe trick, and create a strobe-effect photograph.

Eraser. When you’re taking pictures of landmarks, people and cars often get in the way. Eraser can take a sequence of these photos, and erase whatever’s moving to give you a “cleaner” image.

Movie. Movie produces highlight reels from your photos and videos—complete with effects, transitions and a soundtrack—automatically. You can share the movie as is, or dive into the editing process to customize even further.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv1tZm1sHQI[/youtube]

And that's pretty much that. There was a lot covered this morning, so hit up the Google source below to get all of the dirty details, or re-watch the event. Via: Google

Sprint Lights up 45 New 4G LTE Markets in America, Brings Total to 230

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 11:30:47 +0000

This morning, Sprint announced the light up of 45 new 4G LTE markets in America, bringing their total LTE market number to 230. That number has grown quite a bit this year, but the company is still far behind AT&T and Verizon's market counts. Much like T-Mobile, both of these companies have been playing catch up ever since Verizon launched its first LTE city back in 2011. Here is the full list of the new 4G LTE markets on Sprint. New 4G LTE Markets:

Abilene, Texas
Lakeland/Winter Haven, Fla.
Adrian, Mich.
Laurel, Miss.
Albany/Corvallis, Ore.
Lexington, Ky.
Ardmore, Okla.
Martha's Vineyard, Mass.
Athens, Texas
Milledgeville, Ga.
Auburn/Opelika, Ala.
Naples, Fla.
Cape Coral/Fort Myers, Fla.
New Haven, Conn.
Clovis, N.M.
Odessa, Texas
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Paris, Texas
Columbia/Ellicott City, Md.
Pensacola, Fla.
Eagle Pass, Texas
Picayune, Miss.
Elizabethtown, Ky.
Red Bluff, Calif.
Farmington, Mo.
Rolla, Mo.
Fort Polk South, La.
Santa Ana/Anaheim, Calif.
Fort Smith, Ark.
Spokane, Wash.
Frankfort, Ky.
Stevens Point, Wis.
Greenville/Mauldin/Easley, S.C.
Tallahassee, Fla.
Greenwood, S.C.
Texarkana, Texas - Texarkana, Ark.
Jacksonville, Texas
Tyler, Texas
Janesville, Wis.
Valdosta, Ga.
Jefferson City, Mo.
Warner Robins, Ga.
Kirksville, Mo.
Waycross, Ga.
Lafayette, La.

Via: Sprint

Facebook Intros Redesigned Messenger to Android Users, Looks Like a Mash of Kit Kat and iOS 7 (Updated)

Tim — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 11:01:34 +0000

This morning, Facebook is pushing out a newly-designed Messenger app to select Android users, one that is chock-full of butter and improvements. You will notice a new look, one that strongly reminds us of iOS 7 and a few of the leaked Kit Kat screenshots we have seen; we like the way it looks so far. The app also received a few new ways to reach your friends faster. When you see the blue Messenger badge by a friend's picture, that means they are on Messenger and can be reached instantly. In addition, you can also text your friends if they are not signed into Messenger, but just make sure to have your own phone number confirmed so they can text you back through the app. To top it off, an entirely new menu system has been set in place. There are now three columns that the app functions around. There is the contacts column, where you find all of your friends to chat with, including the ones synced on your device, there is your recent messages column, and a Settings column where you handle all of your enabled or disabled settings such as location sharing. You can swipe through each column, which is actually a pretty nifty user experience. And of course, Chat Heads is still there. Facebook has been recently investing a lot of time into its Android offerings, and we say it is about time. Update: If you want to sideload the app before it rolls out to everyone, you can download it here. You may have to uninstall your current version, though. (via) Via: Facebook

Google Announces New Hangouts Features: SMS, Location Sharing, and Animated GIFs

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 10:04:33 +0000

During this morning's Google+ event, Vic Gundotra announced that they will introduce three major new features to Hangouts on Android. The first is SMS integration. Yes, "IT'S HAPPENING." Gundotra didn't say MMS, but at least you'll finally be able to integrate the text experience on your phone with Hangouts, something you have been asking for since Google I/O. We'll also get the ability to share our location with friends through a simple location button tap, and share animated GIFs through chats. There was no mention of Google Voice or calling integration. All of the slides during the presentation say "today," so the update should go live later on. We'll be sure to pass it along as soon as we see it. Update: The official release timeline out of Google is "in a few days."

Watch "A Morning With Google+" Live

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 09:44:11 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al0k1Dia6E0[/youtube]

At any moment, Google should begin their "A morning with Google+" event which is streamed live to the world on YouTube. We'd imagine we will see lots of Google+ talk, new features, both web and app related, and probably not much else. This doesn't exactly scream "Nexus event!" to us. One report already suggests that we'll see Auto Awesome for videos, a feature that has been available to photos on G+ for some time. Other than that, the rest is not confirmed. There is apparently some sort of power outage at the Google-plex this morning, so the event hasn't begun yet. It should start soon.

Evleaks Gives Us Yet Another Nexus 5 Image, Says to Expect It on Sprint

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 09:34:29 +0000

Because we have yet to mention the Nexus 5 this morning, here you go. Thanks to @evleaks, we have another picture of the someday-to-be-announced next Nexus phone from Google, lying down on its back. Oooooooh. Awwwwww. In related news, he has also Tweeted along with the image that we should expect to see the phone on Sprint, whenever it actually becomes official. That's not much of a surprise, since the FCC docs for it showed support for Sprint's LTE band, but we'll take any information we can get our hands on at this point. Sprint isn't the only carrier of course, AT&T and T-Mobile networks will work with the phone as well. And that's all! Feel free to join in on the G+ live event that is taking place any minute. We aren't expecting there to be anything Nexus-related, though. Via: @evleaks

HTC EVO 3D Saves Owner's Life From Bullet Fired During Robbery Attempt

Eric — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 09:00:43 +0000

It has been quite a while since we have heard a story about an Android device saving its owners life, but rest assured your phones are always looking out for you. The latest story of handheld heroics comes from Winter Garden near Orlando, Florida. A convenience store clerk only sustained minor injuries after a bullet fired from a robber's gun hit his HTC phone instead of him. When he was unable to get the safe open, one of the two robbers in his store fired a round that hit what looks to be his HTC EVO 3D instead of his midsection. Apparently he did not know he had been shot until the police arrived and he had complained of chest pains, further investigation showed his ruined phone. No clue if the phone actually saved his life, but it certainly increased his chances. Let's hear it for the already-aging EVO taking a bullet for its owner, making sure they were served until the very end. RIP EVO. Via: MyNews13 Cheers ArrowCool, WCM3, and James!

Motorola's Touchless Control App Receives Update, Introduces "Find My Phone" Command

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 08:25:50 +0000

Ever set your phone down in a room and then completely forget where you left it a few minutes later? Motorola wants to help you find it with their latest update to Touchless Control. With an added "find my phone" command, you can activate an alarm on your phone that plays until you touch the screen. So if you've walked away from your device and can't seem to find your way back to it, simply say, "OK, Google Now...find my phone." The alarm (and screen above) should activate. The new update also fixes bugs and improves accessibility access for the visually impaired. Touchless Control works with the Moto X, DROID MAXX, ULTRA, and Mini. Play Link

Google's Smartwatch With Google Now Only Months Away From Production

Eric — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 07:45:17 +0000

The often leaked and rumored Google smartwatch that supposedly runs Google Now is a lot more real and a lot further along in the process of being made than we expected. The Wall Street Journal, one of the first publications to report on this device, says they now have information that the watch is in "late-stage development" and "could be ready for mass production within months." In addition to this shaky timetable, WSJ also reiterated that this watch's capabilities would be centered around Google Now and syncing with your phone or tablet throughout the day. Apparently Google has been hard at work on reducing power consumption so it would not need to be charged very often. Other than that, this new report had little to share. We heard from our sources a while back that we could possibly see this watch, codenamed "Gem," launch with the Nexus 5, but it seemed pretty unlikely. This report confirms that it might launch a little while after the Nexus 5. After the mixed reviews that the Galaxy Gear received when it launched last month, would you still be interested in seeing Google's take on the smartwatch? Via: WSJ

Falcon Pro Creator Introduces Flyne, A News Reader With Lots of Twitter Integration

Kellen — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 07:18:46 +0000

If you are into Android and Twitter, then you have more than likely heard of Falcon Pro. The app was without a doubt my favorite Twitter app, as it featured a double swiping navigation, beautiful UI, and about as many features as you'll ever see packed into any app. Unfortunately, it's time came to a close far too early since Twitter decided long ago that it wasn't the biggest fan of third party apps stealing its thunder. Falcon Pro's fate was sealed before it ever launched, which is really too bad. So what has the developer of the one of the most talked about apps of the last year been up to? Making more apps of course. Joaquim Verges introduced his newest app last night, called Flyne. It's a reader, more or less, but it uses Twitter to come up with stories in specially selected categories for you to read. Rather than asking for your login credentials and running into Twitter's cap on tokens, Flyne doesn't need anything from you other than a few selections of news categories you'd like it to present. You'll find everything from Android to Music to Food to World news as options. Once selected, Flyne actually pulls from popular Twitter accounts in those selected categories, and then presents you with magazine-style full-feed articles. For example, in the top image you can see that the app pulled in an article from a Droid Life Tweet, but then features the entire article underneath, instead of forcing you to go to the site. Navigating around Flyne is quite similar to Falcon Pro. A swipe from the left gets you into a navigation menu that lists out your categories and how many unread items you have. A swipe from the right gets you a list of articles from a selected category that you can scroll through. You can mark all as read or jump into a particular story from there. Once on an article, you can swipe left or right to get to the next article, tap on links to enter the browser, save favorites for later, or share with friends. If you want to take your experience to the next level, the app has two different in-app purchases that will unlock Feedly and Twitter account integration. So if the articles Flyne pulls in on a free level aren't enough to keep you satisfied, you can essentially turn it into the ultimate Twitter/RSS reader with a couple of dollars. The app also has a night/dark mode and a few settings for caching and refreshing. Play Link

Motorola Introduces Project Ara, A Modular Smartphone Hardware Platform Like PhoneBloks

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 21:58:11 +0000

Remember Phonebloks? It was the modular smartphone project idea that wanted to build phones that could be easily upgraded using modules. The idea was essentially to give users the option to upgrade the hardware in their phones as they need, without having to buy a new phone or throw their current phone away. If a phone were made up of modules for the charging port, processor, display, camera, etc., they could upgrade individual pieces to keep their phones current, powerful, and relevant. So guess what? Motorola has been working on a similar project for a year and it's called Project Ara. In other words, Motorola is going to try to bring the concept of Phonebloks, which most people thought was unattainable and a dream, to life. With Project Ara, Motorola wants to create a free, open hardware platform made up of modules. The thought behind modular design, is that you can "lower barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines." From a consumer standpoint, modular design would let you decide what your phone does, change how it looks, how much it costs, and how long you'll want to keep it. Did you want to upgrade the display from 720p to 1080p? Do it. Did you want to upgrade from a 8MP camera to a 13MP shooter with OIS? Do it. But remember, that you can upgrade individual parts rather than having to worry about buying a new phone with those new specs.

Over the next few months we'll learn a lot more about Ara as Motorola works closely with Phonebloks and "research scouts" to see how people make decisions. They already have some rough designs, which we've featured here, but I get the feeling we'll all want to follow closely and see where this can go. Via: Motorola | Project Ara Research Scouts

Verizon Galaxy S4 Update to Android 4.3 With Galaxy Gear Support is Live

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 21:30:31 +0000

Verizon's Galaxy S4 is now receiving Android 4.3 in a brand new update that went live moments ago. The update was approved this morning, bringing along Galaxy Gear Support, band 4 LTE, and some other tweaks along with the most current version of Android (for the time being) to Samsung's 2013 flagship. We're as surprised as anyone to see this update arrive first on a Verizon phone before any other carrier, but you won't find us complaining. To download the update head into Settings>More>About phone>Software update. Cheers djgrundel, Patrick, and Scott!

WIND Mobile Posts Nexus 5 Registration Page, Along With "Official" Specs List

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:57:44 +0000

A Canadian carrier called WIND Mobile, via its Facebook page, decided it was the perfect time to post up a pre-registration page for the Nexus 5. Sure, the device has yet to be announced by Google or LG, but they are going for it anyways. Not only are folks asked to sign up to be notified when the device goes up for sale, but they also posted the Nexus 5's full technical specifications and dimensions. That's nice of them. According to WIND, the Nexus 5 will feature all of the specs we have seen rumored for a while now. It has the Snapdragon 800 processor, 4.95" 1920 x 1080 display, 2GB of RAM, an 8MP back-facing camera with OIS technology onboard, and of course, Android 4.4. Included along with the specs are the dimensions, coming in at 69.17 x 137.84 x 8.59 mm. Full list is below. Specs:

Screen: 4.95-inch 1920×1080 display (445 ppi) Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Cameras: 1.3MP front facing 8MP rear facing OIS
Weight: 130 grams
Dimensions: 69.17 x 137.84 x 8.59 mm
Operating System: OS Android 4.4, KitKat
Chip Set: 2.3GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor
Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac NFC (Android Beam) / Bluetooth 4.0
Storage / Memory / Ram: 16GB or 32GB internal storage 2GB RAM
Ports & Connectors: microUSB, SlimPort enabled, 3.5mm stereo audio jack, Dual microphones, Ceramic power and volume buttons

Naturally, it appears that the registration page has been pulled for the time being. Canada has been an excellent source of Nexus 5 info today, especially with these alleged snapshots of a warehouse room full of N5s. We know, this situation is now officially out of control, and we hope Google will just go ahead and announce it already. Via: Mobile Syrup | WIND Mobile

Images Allegedly Show LG Canada's Warehouse Stocked With Thousands of Nexus 5 Devices

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 15:12:47 +0000

According to two images and a post over at forum Neogaf, LG Canada's distribution centers have received their shipments of Nexus 5 phones and are simply awaiting the order to have them shipped out. In the top image, we can see stacks of boxes that could be filled with Nexus 5 phones, all of which have LG branding. One even has a Nexus 5 retail package lying on top of it. The other image shows a close-up of the Nexus 5 retail box, which looks similar to the box pictured with a white variant a week or so ago. Again, the source claims that the images come from an LG Canada's distribution center, which currently holds about 30,000 devices. We have no way to confirm this, but it certainly looks like a bunch of boxes of LG phones ready for action. So at this point, do we know what Google is waiting for? Distribution centers have them. The Google Play store page has already been built and mistakenly posted with pricing. We've seen the service manual. Carphone Warehouse is ready to sell them. And official press renders are floating about. Let's do this!

Via: Neogaf | reddit

Verizon Posts Detailed Changelog for Galaxy S4 Update - 4.3, Galaxy Gear Support, Blocking Mode, Other Goodies Included

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:50:17 +0000

Thanks to a changelog posted by Verizon, we now have even more details for the Android 4.3 update that is scheduled to hit the Galaxy S4 over the coming days. We first reported the update this morning, however, Samsung's list of changes didn't quite meet Big Red's usually detailed standards. In the images included in this post, we not only get a deeper look at build VRUEMJ7, but also a Galaxy Gear tutorial for those new to the smartwatch, since the GS4 will support it going forward, and new additions and tweaks you'll be glad to see.

The image above is just a quick look at the Galaxy Gear and how it will work with the Galaxy S4, but you'll get a better feel for it by looking at our full review. You should get full functionality when paired to the GS4, just like you would see on the Note 3. Should we find changes between the two, we'll be sure to let you know. In terms of other goodies, it looks like Verizon caved in on Blocking Mode and has now enabled it on the Galaxy S4. They also brought in Samsung KNOX, updated the phone to Android 4.3, switched Starter Mode back to Easy Mode, removed Viewdini, and fixed some bugs. The update should also enable band 4 LTE, though this list doesn't say it. The update has yet to begin rolling out. It looks like the update is a hefty 329.5MB in size.

Cheers open1your1eyes0!

Google Opens Up Glass Explorer Program to Friend Referrals, Will Intro Updated Hardware as Well

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:41:54 +0000

Back in July, it was reported that Google would soon open up a few more slots for folks to enter the Glass Explorers program. Today, they have officially confirmed those plans, and have launched the ability for select Google Glass users. Going forward, each Explorer will have the opportunity to invite up to three friends to the Glass Explorers program, who will then have the ability to purchase the device and will have it shipped to them, no matter where they are. In addition, as a thank you to current Glass users, Google is offering the one time option to trade-in their current Glass for an updated version of the hardware for free. The new hardware will work with some upcoming prescription lenses and prescription frames that Google will soon unveil. To top it off, it has been reported that Google is bumping up manufacturing of Glass, as to meet the expected consumer launch of Glass in 2014. We have all been waiting, so it's about time. Anyone hoping to get a referral from a friend? We definitely are, so if anyone out there wants to shoot us a referral, we would be extremely grateful. [youtube]http://youtu.be/GHnpt9toFnA[/youtube] Via: +Google Glass

Samsung and the NBA Team Up for This Upcoming Basketball Season

Eric — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 13:10:50 +0000

Earlier this year, near the end of last year's NBA season, Samsung and LeBron James inked a partnership deal that got the Galaxy Note 2 and Samsung brand plastered all over the NBA Finals. This year, Samsung wants to broaden their reach and branch out from one singular player to the rest of the league. Through a press release sent out today, the NBA has officially licensed Samsung as the official "handset, tablet and television provider" of not only the NBA, but WNBA and NBA D-League as well. Mark Tatum, the NBA's Executive Vice President said, "More than ever, NBA fans are connecting with our game across mobile devices, tablets, and televisions," and that Samsung's devices would help them bring that experience to them. Device-exclusive content for viewers is in the works, but Samsung also promised that this partnership would benefit players as well. They will be able to "take their game to the next level" and help fans to engage with them as well. Referees will also be getting Samsung tablets to use ~~so they can stop making so many bad calls~~ to get the calls right. Expect lots and lots of Samsung commercials during your NBA games this season. Via: Samsung

Google Announces Event for Tomorrow Morning...Only Google+ Related

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:41:44 +0000

I think we now know why Vic Gundotra couldn't sleep last night. Tomorrow, at 9:30AM Pacific, the Google+ team will hold a live event to discuss "a few updates." That's fun and all, especially since we've grown more and more attached to G+, but it's not exactly what we were hoping for. Unless it involves Hangouts and Google Voice. Or comes on the heels of the big Android announcement. Still interested in why he pinged Sundar Pichai last night. Maybe there is more? OK, I'm hypebeasting now. Move along. Via: +Vic Gundotra | Event Page Cheers Matt, Dan and Derrick!

Verizon Expands Same-day Delivery Service to New York City, Dallas, Pittsburgh and San Francisco

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:20:32 +0000

In mid-October, Verizon launched a same-day delivery service for new and existing customers ordering phones through its website. The pilot program was first launched in Philadelphia, but today, Big Red announced it is expanding the service to New York City, Pittsburgh, Dallas, and San Francisco.

New and existing customers may choose Same-Day Delivery when ordering online by 10:00 a.m. Monday through Friday with delivery guaranteed by 7:00 p.m. The cost is $19.99 – compared with the priority overnight delivery fee of $14.99. Sunday through Thursday, customers placing their orders after the normal shipping cutoff times (between 4 p.m. and 12 a.m.) will still have the ability to select and receive their orders the next day.

So, here is just another way companies are trying to make life easier. Is it worth the extra $5 for same day? In most cases, we would say "heck yes." Via: Verizon

Amazon Hosting Big Halloween App Sale Through Amazon Appstore

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 12:00:26 +0000

It's that time of the year, where all holiday-themed applications should see cuts in pricing, and Amazon has bundled them all up for easy finding. Taking place on the Amazon Appstore, you can find many titles on sale, some of which should be perfect for any zombie or ghost lovers among us. Not only are Halloween titles for sale, but there are also deals on NBA 2K14, and other non-holiday games. Here is the massive list of apps that are currently on sale through the Amazon Appstore.

House of the Dead Overkill - $4.99 to $0.99
Magicians Handbook - $4.99 to $0.99
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart (Full) - $4.99 to $0.99
Lost Souls - $4.99 to $0.99
NBA 2K14 - $7.99-$4.99
Breach & Clear - $1.99 to $0.99

Big Fish Games – all titles $0.99:

Brink of Consciousness: Dorian Gray Syndrome Collector's Edition
Dark Parables: Curse of the Briar Rose Collector’s Edition
Depths of Betrayal Collector’s Edition
Grave Mania: Undead Fever
Haunted Manor: Lord of Mirrors Collector’s Edition
Hidden Expedition 4: Devil’s Triangle
Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate
Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst
PuppetShow: The Mystery of Joyville
Redemption Cemetery: Curse of the Raven Collector's Edition (Full) (Kindle Tablet Edition)
Shattered Minds: Masquerade Collector's Edition
Shiver: Poltergeist Collector’s Edition
Shiver: Vanishing Hitchhiker Collector’s Edition
Small Town Terrors - Livingston
Time Relics: Gears of Light
Treasure Seekers: Follow the Ghosts Collector's Edition

To pick up any of these titles, simply search for them on your Android phone through the Appstore app or find them online through the Appstore.

Rockstar Finally Releases GTA V iFruit App, Sadly It's Pretty Late to the Party

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 11:25:01 +0000

If you have yet to complete Grand Theft Auto V on your Xbox or PS3, then maybe there is still time to get some use out of newly released iFruit app for Android from Rockstar Games. The app is used as a companion app to the campaign mode in the game, allowing you to teach your dog Chop new tricks, as well as customize personal vehicles in the game. Unfortunately, the GTA V has been out for some time now, and iOS users have been enjoying access to the app since the game's release. If you are like me, and have already completed the game in its entirety, then there is no use in having it any longer. Issues such as this is need to be addressed, especially when we are talking about the world's most-used mobile operating system. Kind of a slap in the face to Android users. The app is free, so go grab it by following the Play link down below. Play Link

T-Mobile Prepaid SIM Kits are Only $0.99 Right Now With Free Shipping

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:58:07 +0000

Considering a switch over to T-Mobile once the Nexus 5 is announced? Then now isn't a bad time to think about purchasing your prepaid SIM starter kit. Not only will an order over the next couple of days ensure that it will arrive on time for launch, but the price has been slashed from its normal $10 spot. T-Mobile is currently selling their prepaid SIM starter kits for $0.99 with free 2-4 day shipping. That's a 90% discount if you were looking for additional reasons to jump on this. For those not familiar with prepaid T-Mobile plans, I'd suggest at least checking out the $30 unlimited data and text plan, because it offers up to 5GB of full speed 4G data. You do only get 100 minutes of talk, but do we really make phone calls anymore? I'm kidding of course, but if you wanted to test out T-Mobile service or at least their data coverage, this is a great option. And while it's not 100% confirmed until Google announces the phone, it's looking like the Nexus 5 will use a micro SIM card. Via: T-Mobile Cheers D.B.!

Motorola Soak Test Invites Rolling Out for DROID ULTRA, MAXX, and Mini

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:00:34 +0000

If you are signed up for the Motorola Forums and own one of the new DROIDs, then you should be seeing an invite to take part in the soak tests the company is going to roll out for the DROID ULTRA, MAXX, and Mini. According to the email, the updates should roll out sometime this week/month, so if you are a current owner of one of those devices, be on the lookout. As for what is in the update, we can pretty much expect it to be the same update that the Moto X received just a little while ago. Inside was an update for the camera, which should increase the quality of your pictures quite a bit, as well as a few other feature updates and performance optimizations. If you take part, and you receive the update, let us know if that's all we should expect to see. Cheers A, R, B, and N!

Verizon Galaxy S4 Android 4.3 Update is Build VRUEMJ7 - Includes Gear Support and Activates LTE Band 4

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:45:28 +0000

Samsung confirmed to us this morning that Android 4.3 updates for the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2, and Galaxy S3 would begin rolling out to U.S. variants as early as today. Since we received a screenshot of the potential timeline for those updates to happen from each carrier, with one showing Verizon's GS4 variant receiving the update today, we have been on the lookout for clues. We think we found it on one of Samsung's support pages for the VZW Galaxy S4. The update may be rolling out today after all. For a moment, the support page on Samsung's site was updated, showing that the phone would receive Android 4.3 along with Galaxy Gear support beginning today, October 28. It has since been pulled and the Verizon support page for the Galaxy S4 only shows the most recent update to build VRUDMI1. But thanks to the magic of computer screenshots, we have the changelog for you below. Update: It looks like Samsung went live with the changelog.

The update will arrive OTA as expected, bumping the phone to Android 4.3. We'll also see Galaxy Gear support and support for Verizon's AWS band 4 LTE. Samsung KNOX support is in there as well, along with a bump to version 2.5 of Group Play. We'll keep an eye out for anything else official, but it does indeed appear as if Verizon is leading the charge with the Android 4.3 update here in the States. Who would have thought? Via: Samsung

FYI: Off-contract MotoMaker Moto X Prices Dropped $100 as Well, Now Start at $479

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 09:22:18 +0000

At the end of last week, Motorola dropped the price of on-contract MotoMaker-designed Moto X devices by $100 to $99 (16GB) and $149 (32GB). Initially, the off-contract or full retail prices surprisingly remained at their original $579 and $629 points, which seemed like an odd move. Thankfully, that has now changed. If you were interested in a custom Moto X but weren't ecstatic about signing up for 2 years of service with AT&T and also wanted a price drop, get your credit cards ready. The Moto X can now be had at full retail for $479 (16GB) and $529 (32GB). I don't want to call those Nexus-like prices, but a flagship-type phone at under $500 off-contract is a pretty damn good deal. Couple that with the fact that you can design it at no extra cost and you've got one of the better tech packages around. Any takers? Or are you now holding out for the Nexus 5 unveiling? Via: MotoMaker Cheers HR!

Samsung: Android 4.3 Updates With Gear Support Beginning as Early as Today for GS4, Note 2 and GS3

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 08:49:31 +0000

We have been discussing when the bulk of Samsung's smartphone lineup could expect to see Android 4.3, which would include compatibility for the company's Galaxy Gear smartwatch. After last week, when an internal document leaked with all of the supposed release dates for the 4.3 updates for each device, Samsung has now confirmed this morning that the updates will begin rolling out as early as today. While each update for each carrier is different, which is exactly what we saw in the leak, at least one of them should start today according to the document we saw last week, beginning with the Galaxy S4 on Verizon. Although, that has yet to be confirmed by Verizon or Samsung. If you would like an unofficial look at what date you should expect to see an update, check out this post. The update will bring Android 4.3 and Galaxy Gear support to each device, as well as Sammy's Premium Suite of software; the exact same goodies you see on its current flagships like the GS4 and Note 3. These goodies include camera software, Multi Window enhancements, Easy Mode, and more. If you start seeing the update to 4.3, let us know.

Samsung Expands Galaxy Gear Compatibility to Iconic Galaxy Smartphones

Premium Suite software package includes Android update, new functionality and KNOX support
Dallas, TX – October 28, 2013 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announced today that the Samsung Galaxy S^® 4, Galaxy Note^® II and Galaxy S^® III will receive the Premium Suite software update in the coming weeks that makes the devices compatible with Samsung Galaxy Gear. Premium Suite timing and features vary by carrier and product, with updates beginning today. Galaxy Gear extends the Galaxy smartphone experience to your wrist and enhances everyday moments with real time updates for quick and convenient access. Now, owners of the latest Galaxy smartphones will be able to stay connected with discreet notifications and tap into the exceptional features of Galaxy Gear, such as hands-free calling, music control and S Voice™ access. In addition to Galaxy Gear compatibility, Samsung’s Premium Suite will bring Android 4.3 and additional features to these premiere smartphones. The update brings the flagship experiences introduced on the Galaxy S 4 to the Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III including updated Easy Mode, Multi Window™, advanced camera options, and additional features with new functionality. All of the smartphones receiving the update are SAFE™ (Samsung for Enterprise), giving users the confidence that their device is suitable for use in the workplace. Additionally, the devices will be ready for KNOX™, Samsung’s comprehensive solution that enhances Android security from the hardware layer to the application layer and allows users to safely and efficiently separate work and personal data on a single device. The Galaxy S^® 4 mini and Galaxy Mega™ will also receive an update in the coming months to be compatible with Galaxy Gear. Timing for Premium Suite and features in software updates will vary by wireless carrier and product. For the most up to date information on update timing and availability by product and carrier, please check with your carrier and visit www.samsungmobileuspress.com.

Monday Poll: White or Black Nexus 5?

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 08:33:29 +0000

Over the weekend, we got a clean look at two new Nexus 5 press renders in both black and white, thanks to @evleaks. A debate was almost immediately sparked over which version of the phone looked better, with some even dubbing the white version the "panda phone." Since it's not fully white with sides and front sticking to the black of the all-black version, the only real difference is the back plate. So, we're curious as to which you all prefer? If you were to buy the Nexus 5 (potentially at the end of this week), would you go all-black or are you leaning towards the white version? [poll id="275"]

Why Couldn't Vic Gundotra and Sundar Pichai Sleep Last Night?

Kellen — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 07:32:25 +0000

It's October 28, one of the oft-rumored potential announcement dates for the new Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 "Kit Kat." While we still have nothing official to share with you from Google, we are a bit curious as to why Vic Gundotra, Google's senior VP of social, was so excited last night for Monday to arrive that he couldn't sleep and needed to ask Android boss Sundar Pichai if he was having troubles as well. The timing of his posts to Google+ on the eve of the week that we had been expecting new Nexus products to arrive has at least caught our attention. Gundotra tossed out two posts, one that read, "Can't sleep. Always happens to me on Sunday nights. Yes working at Google is that exciting," along with another that read, "Hey Sundar Pichai you struggling to fall asleep too?" Pichai responded to him in the comments with "Nope +Vic Gundotra I am fast asleep :) know how to post even in my sleep, yes, Sunday nights are hard." Are they hinting at announcements? Are they really just that excited to be Google employees? Is it just a coincidence that he said this and involved Pichai, who is the head of Android and Chrome, on the Monday that kicks off this particular week? The first post gives off a sort of I'm-just-in-love-with-Google-and-Mondays-are-awesome vibe, but then he sent out the second post to Pichai for added involvement. It could mean that Google execs are gearing up for something big or maybe Vic really does just like talking to other execs at midnight on a Sunday night. There really isn't enough there for us to know, plus with all of the trolling going on lately, this could be Google messing with us. Gundotra does tend to post up teasers here and there on G+, though. The latest rumored data for a Nexus 5 launch comes via @evleaks, who suggests we could see the phone by November 1. If that's the case, then an announcement either today or tomorrow would make a lot of sense. We're still trying to figure out why no press event was involved, but hey, Google rarely does things in any sort of typical way. Hypebeast overload? Via: +Vic Gundotra [2]

NVIDIA SHIELD Receiving Major Update - Brings Gamepad Mapper, GameStream, Console Mode, and Android 4.3

Tim — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 06:00:16 +0000

This morning, NVIDIA announced an OTA update which will be available for all SHIELD owners, one that will increase the device's functionality by an incredible amount. Not only is NVIDIA introducing a ton of new and interesting features, but the device is being bumped up to Android 4.3, sticking to their plans of having the most current versions of Android running on the device. That is something we as the Android community appreciate immensely. In the update, owners of SHIELD can now play almost any game title off of Google Play, using the newly introduced GamePad Mapper; software that will allow you to program a game's onscreen controls to the built-in control buttons and trigger found on SHIELD. One of the key issues that we had with SHIELD was that many titles weren't playable from Google Play. With GamePad Mapper, we can finally stop complaining about not being able to play Need For Speed: Most Wanted and N.O.V.A. 3. Probably the coolest thing about GamePad Mapper is that any profiles you set for your games, can then be shared with your friends so they don't have to go through the pain of making the profiles themselves. In addition, NVIDIA has already set up a ton of titles with GamePad Mapper controls, so a lot of the big titles you already play will come with preset controls. To top it off, if you have some sweet controls for a game that NVIDIA hasn't released, you can send your profile to NVIDIA, which will then be reviewed by their team, which they will then publish for all other SHIELD owners. Pretty nice of them, right?

The next big addition is Console Mode. With Console Mode, you can plug your SHIELD into your HDTV using a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, and then play your games on the big screen in full 1080p resolution. When SHIELD enters console mode, the device's display turns off (to conserve power), and you then use a separate Bluetooth-enabled controller to play your games. It effectively turns SHIELD into a standalone console, which will allow you to play all of your favorite games from Google Play - or your PC using GameStream - on the big screen in your living room in full HD resolution. GameStream is also included in the update, which was announced earlier last week, which is the same PC-streaming software that launched with SHIELD initially. The only difference is that now the software is out of beta, and a few other optimizations have been included.

Last, but not least, users can now place all of their bulky .APK and .OBB files right onto inserted microSD cards. No more wasting valuable internal storage. For now, this is still only available for select apps and games, as it is still up to the developers if they want to allow their apps to be placed on removable storage cards. NVIDIA sent along these few notes on moving data to the your cards, so be sure to look at this if you plan on doing so.

Only apps that the developer opted-in as moveable to external storage can be moved.
SHIELD only supports writing to FAT32 formatted cards. This is a limitation of Android.
32GB cards (or lower) will need to be formatted FAT32. Most cards come pre-formatted FAT32, but for the few that aren’t, they will need to be formatted in a PC.
At this time, 64GB cards (or higher) cannot be written to because they are either NTFS or exFAT formatted. Users can still read files, including music and movies, from their 64GB cards as long as they are NTFS formatted. exFAT is currently not supported on SHIELD.

You can see how with this update, SHIELD's worth has been bumped up quite a bit. Is it enough to make you take the $300 plunge, though? And for all of you current SHIELD owners, how are you liking the update features? [youtube]http://youtu.be/NQ7z9bFZnuI[/youtube]

LG Announces the G Flex, Calls It the First "REAL" Curved Smartphone

Kellen — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 21:45:27 +0000

Three weeks ago, Samsung announced the Galaxy Round as the first smartphone in the world to carry a curved display. After the announcement settled in, the world collectively agreed that the phone was created with one purpose only - for Samsung to say "we were here first." The curve to the Galaxy Round makes little sense since it's along the phone's vertical axis, shows no benefit to a user, and really is nothing more than a race to the front of a new category, even if that category didn't need to exist in the first place. And then you have LG's newly announce G Flex, which they took the wraps off this evening. It's also one of the first in the world to feature a curved display, however, LG has made it clear that they think Samsung's attempt shouldn't even count. In LG's press release for the G Flex, they have called it the world's first "REAL" curved smartphone, touting all sorts of features that actually make sense and could provide some benefit, unlike Samsung's Galaxy Round. With its curve at the horizontal axis coupled with a 6-inch HD POLED (plastic OLED) display, the G Flex offers better sound than any smartphone has before it, provides an "IMAX-like experience" when viewing video, meets the curve of the "average face" with precision, utilizes a curved 3,500mAh battery, and fits "comfortably" in one's back pocket (who does that?). It also features LG's new rear-placed home button, a feature that was first introduced with the G2. If none of that won you over, maybe the "Self Healing" backside will do the trick. Yes, I just said "Self Healing." According to the press release, there is a special coating on the back of the phone that can recover from daily wear-and-tear scratches and nicks. I don't know exactly how that should work, but I want to learn more. In terms of specs, you are looking at a 6-inch HD (720p) POLED display, 2.26GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB RAM, 3,500mAh battery, 13MP rear camera, LTE, and Android 4.2.2 all wrapped in a curved frame that is only 8.7mm thick. The phone is coming to Korea in November and could land in other international markets later on. This could still sound like a gimmick, but at least the phone offers some interesting ideas unlike the curved product out of Samsung's camp. Thoughts?

Gallery

Press Release

LG UNVEILS WORLD’S FIRST “REAL” CURVED SMARTPHONE

LG G Flex Stays Ahead of the Curve to Lead Evolution of Smartphones with Breakthrough Innovations
SEOUL, Oct. 29, 2013 — Setting a new milestone in the evolution of the smartphone, LG Electronics (LG) today officially took the wraps off the LG G Flex, a smartphone curved to follow the contour of the face, the first device to offer such a design in the smartphone market. The latest device in LG’s premium G Series, the G Flex incorporates proprietary innovations from other LG companies in the form of the display and battery that have never been seen before. The LG G Flex also boasts new user experience (UX) features that take advantage of the curved form factor. “The LG G Flex is the best representation yet of how a smartphone should be curved,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G Flex with its distinctive design, innovative hardware and consumer-centric UX represents the most significant development in the smartphone space since smartphone became part of our regular vocabulary.” Form + Function: Design that Understands Human Curves The vertically curved design of the LG G Flex reduces the distance between one’s mouth to the microphone when the device is held against the ear, as traditional telephone handsets used to. The LG G Flex employs a curvature arc that is optimized for the average face, to deliver improved voice and sound quality. The curved form increases the sound level by 3dB compared to typical flat smartphones. The curved design also offers a more reassuring grip and fits more comfortably in one’s back pocket. What’s more, in landscape mode, the display offers an IMAX-like experience, with the result being the most comfortable viewing angle for watching videos or playing games. LG G Flex also features the Rear Key first introduced in the LG G2. Devoid of any buttons on the sides, there is less chance of accidentally powering off the phone and the convenience of using one’s index finger to adjust the volume when conversing is maintained. Innovation Delivered Through Collaboration The development of LG G Flex was only possible through the successful collaboration with sister companies LG Display and LG Chem. The 6-inch display found in the G Flex is the world’s largest Plastic OLED (POLED) display developed and mass produced specifically for smartphones. The ultra-thin, ultra-light flexible POLED display and curved OLED panel are built on plastic substrates instead of glass, giving LG G Flex its unique shape and durability. The POLED display is brighter and more precise thanks to the application of Real RGB, which contains all three sub-pixels — red, green and blue — in one pixel. LG Chem developed the world’s first curved battery technology specifically for application in LG G Flex. The curved battery in the G Flex is designed with LG Chem’s patented Stack & Folding technology, which reduces the physical stress on the battery pack when in the curved form and provides better stability and performance. Despite its thin form, the LG G Flex battery has a capacity of 3,500mAh, enough power for more than a full day of use. User-Centered Technologies Among the several new technologies, the LG G Flex is the first smartphone to apply a “Self Healing” coating on the back cover. The elastic coating has the ability to recover from the daily wear-and-tear scratches and nicks that un-cased smartphones are likely to receive, keeping the G Flex looking newer longer. Users of LG G Flex will have a wider selection in the ability to enjoy in various format of music — MP3, CD quality or 24 bit/192kHz Hi-Fi playback. UX features, such as KnockON, Guest Mode and Plug & Pop, which were positively received when first introduced in the LG G2, can also found in the LG G Flex. The LG G Flex also includes an array of new UX features: - QTheater gives users quick access to photos, videos and YouTube right from the lock screen. By touching the screen and dragging outward along the curved surface with both fingers, the apps appear with the effect of theater curtains being drawn. - Dual Window divides the wide 6-inch screen into two separate windows for more effective multitasking. - Swing Lockscreen alters the image on the lockscreen depending on how the G Flex is held. - Face Detection Indicator displays the LED on the Rear Key in green to confirm status of face detection and focus. - Camera Timer flashes the Rear Key LED to indicate that the countdown has begun. - Urgent Call Alert flashes the LED on the Rear Key in red when several consecutive calls from the same person go unanswered. The LG Flex will be available in Korea starting in November through all three major local carriers. Availability in additional markets will be announced thereafter. Key Specifications (Korean Version): - Chipset: 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm? Snapdragon™ 800 (MSM 8974) GPU: Adreno 330, 450MHz - Display: 6-inch HD (1280 x 720), Curved P-OLED (Real RGB) - Memory: 2GB LP DDR3 RAM / 32GB eMMc - Camera: Rear 13.0MP / Front 2.1MP - Battery: 3,500mAh (embedded) - Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 - Size: 160.5 x 81.6 x 7.9 - 8.7mm - Weight: 177g - Network: LTE-A / LTE / HSPA+ / GSM - Connectivity: BT 4.0 / USB 3.0 compatible / WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) / NFC - Color: Titan Silver - Other: TDMB / Hi-Fi 24bit, 192kHz Playback # # # About LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company The LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company is a global leader and innovator in mobile communications. With its breakthrough technologies and innovative designs, LG continues to establish a number of benchmarks in the smartphone market, while also helping create a better lifestyle for consumers by delivering a wholly enhanced smart-phone experience. As a leader in 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, LG continues its commitment to developing groundbreaking LTE technologies and fulfilling consumer demands with differentiated LTE devices of the highest quality, all of which are based on the company’s wealth of LTE patents and technical knowledge. For more information, please visit www.LG.com.

Nexus 5 Press Renders Show Both Black and White Versions, Could Arrive November 1

Kellen — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 10:40:13 +0000

Thanks to famed tech leaker @evleaks, we now have two new press renders for the upcoming Nexus 5 in both white and black along with a potential release date. As you can see from each included picture, it does appear as if we'll see two variants, which we sort of figured after a couple of previous leaks. Nothing is necessarily new in either of the renders, but this is the clearest picture yet of the white model. We had only seen the white Nexus 5 on a retail box and in a spycam shot a few weeks back. So when will we finally be able to buy the new Nexus 5? According to @evleaks, it could arrive as early as November 1. His Tweet with the white render only said "In white. 11/1." While nothing is confirmed or official at this time, we tend to listen when Evan speaks or provides information about upcoming devices. The man has a great track record. We're still a little confused at why there has been no indication of a press event for Google to unveil this phone and show off Android 4.4. Both products seem worthy of some extra attention, though Google still remains less typical as a tech giant than most. Or maybe the event will happen mid-week as a last minute gathering? Either way, temporarily pencil in this Friday as a potential day for you to spend $349.

Via: @evleaks [2]

This Week in the Life of Droid: 10/25/2013

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 16:00:50 +0000

It was an action-packed week here at Droid Life, filled with more Nexus 5 goodies and plenty of news out of the Samsung camp. The newest rumor is that we could see the Nexus 5 pop up in Google Play on October 31, otherwise known as Halloween. Wouldn't that be the sweetest treat of all? In addition, Google Play version 4.4.21 is now rolling out to all Android users, which includes the beloved hamburger menu. We just can't get enough hamburgers. If you missed any of the action, we have the highlights down below.

Have a great weekend, folks! Stay safe!

Facebook Home Receives Update - Brings Instagram and Pinterest Support, Plus New Icon

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 15:20:01 +0000

Facebook pushed out an update to Facebook Home yesterday, which includes support for users of Instagram and Pinterest, as well as a fancy new Home icon. Other services, such as Flickr and Tumblr, also received support for the third party launcher app. The app still behaves the same, replacing your current lockscreen with a steady stream of status updates and pictures from your friends on Facebook. What was funny to us is that since Instagram now supports ads, will you have to see the sponsored posts on Facebook Home, as well? That remains to be seen. Here is the changelog taken from Google Play. What's New:

Use the Home app just as your lock screen or as your lock screen and app launcher
Updated app launcher
See photos and posts from Flickr, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr on your lock screen

Is anyone using this still? Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/qOfzWQ28A2E[/youtube]

During Quarterly Financial Conference, Samsung Confirms 64-bit Processor is Ready for Mass Production

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 14:37:20 +0000

During a press conference that focused primarily on Samsung's quarterly financials, the company confirmed that its 64-bit processor - the one that execs promised just after Apple announced that the iPhone 5S would sport such a chipset - is now ready for mass production. In addition, we should start seeing the chip be ready for consumer devices in the first half of 2014, which means it is quite possible that this 64-bit processor will be inside of the upcoming Galaxy S5 handset. Without knowing too much on the technical side of processors, the 64-bit processor should allow the addition of more memory inside of the device, something Samsung has had no issue doing already with the Octa chip and the Snapdragon 800 processor from Qualcomm. The Galaxy Note 3 currently features 3GB of RAM, so a 64-bit chip only opens the door for more RAM to be crammed inside. At the end of the day, the hope is to have a blazingly fast smartphone experience no matter what you are doing on it. If we do expect to see this new chip inside of a consumer device, the Galaxy S5 would be a pretty safe bet. Samsung is keen on putting its best foot forward with new Galaxy S devices, so we will just have to wait and see what happens. According to the most recent reports, the Galaxy S5 or a new premium "F" line of Galaxy phones should be announced in early 2014. Exciting times for those who can't get enough of the spec wars. Via: TechnoBuffalo

Samsung's Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Return Rate "Trending Over 30%"

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 13:45:54 +0000

According to a leaked sales document, Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch looks to be off to a very rough start. Seen inside of the document, return rates for the device are going above 30%, a number that is remarkably high for a device that has seen a ton of both positive and negative publicity. Although, most people who reviewed the Gear gave it rather low scores for lacking any real functionality or worth for consumers. That doesn't even cover the fact that it's $300. Samsung is reportedly asking employees that are on hand at Best Buy locations inside of the Samsung Experience centers to dig deeper and start asking consumers exactly why they are returning the device. Once Samsung gains enough feedback, maybe they can either fix its current offering or hope for better results with Galaxy Gear 2. Has anyone here purchased Gear, only to later return it? Are we actually shocked by this high return rate? Via: BGR | Geek

Grab a New 16GB Nexus 7 [2013] Off of eBay for Just $199

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 13:15:34 +0000

Been meaning to land yourself a new Nexus 7, but didn't feel like paying the full $230 for the 16GB model? Well, eBay is currently hosting a sale on the Google-powered slate, 16GB for just $199.99. The tablets are new, unopened, factory sealed for $30 off of the Google Play price tag. Supplies are limited, so you best hurry and pull the trigger before they are all gone. Via: eBay Cheers Joseph!

Sprint's Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 Press Render Leaked

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:50:03 +0000

The sneaky @evleaks Twitter account is at it again today, posting a leaked press render for Sprint's upcoming Galaxy Mega 6.3 smartphone from Samsung. Yep, that thing is a beast of a phablet. Sporting a 6.3" HD display, the Mega 6.3 features a Snapdragon 400 processor, Android 4.2.2, an 8MP back-facing camera, an Adreno 305 GPU, and access to Sprint's 4G LTE network where you can find it. It isn't a top tier smartphone, but for anyone looking to have a massive phone with Samsung's latest proprietary software, then here you go. No official word yet on pricing or availability, but rest assured that once Sprint makes it official, we will have the info for you. If the Mega came to Verizon, would you be interested? Via: @evleaks

"Ghost Toasters - Regular Show" Launches on Google Play, a Great Game from Cartoon Network

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:15:32 +0000

The Cartoon Network, known for airing some fantastic adult cartoons these days, recently launched Ghost Toasters to Google Play for Android devices. The game focuses on a couple of characters you might be familiar with, such as Mordecai and Rigby, but you can play up to 13 different characters, and even get some sweet custom costumes for them as well. The goal in the game is to vaporize as many ghosts as possible. And with plenty of different weapons, the gameplay can stay fresh for quite some time. It's actually developed quite well, with smooth controls and great graphics, so you can feel good about spending the $3 on it. Go check it out for $3, just in time for Halloween. Play Link - ($2.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/Xxwvow9DMZ4[/youtube]

Friday App Sales: The Walking Dead: Assault, Combo Crew, Mobile Doc Scanner, and More

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:39:11 +0000

Time to find some new apps and games to keep you busy this weekend. Today, we have a few popular titles for sale on Google Play, including The Walking Dead: Assault for just a dollar, plus Final Fantasy V is still on sale for $11. Not too shabby. Take a look at the full list below. Friday app sales:

HDR Camera+ ($0.99)
The Walking Dead: Assault ($0.99)
Combo Crew ($0.99)
Mobile Doc Scanner ($0.99)
AIDE Premium Key ($4.99)
Drift Mania Championship ($0.99)
Final Fantasy V ($10.99)
Pacific Rim ($0.99)
GA4: Revenant Rising ($2.99)

Go support those devs!

PlayStation Announces PS4 Companion App, Coming November 13

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 11:09:55 +0000

Sony announced this morning that they are bringing a PS4 companion application to both iOS and Android platforms on November 13. The app will actually be capable of performing a ton of tasks, such as directly accessing PlayStation Network information and features, performing "second screen" features for your console, allow players to spectate on other players' gameplay (that's cool), and will also allow you to use your phone as a PS4 remote control. Those features make the PS4 app pretty powerful, which is exactly what we would expect from a next-gen system. You can get a good look at all of the features down below thanks to Kotaku that will be available on November 13, right before the official launch of the PS4 on November 15. So, who here is picking up an Xbox One or PS4? Battle!

Directly access various PSN features and informationP

Users can access their own profile screen. Users can access/compare their own and friends' Trophy accomplishments. Exchange messages between PS4 systems, PlayStation 3 systems, PlayStation Vita systems, and mobile devices installed with PlayStation App. Access and filter friend profiles. Notify users about their friends' shared activities on "What's New". Notify PS4 users when they receive any new notifications or game invitations. Users can also display their lists of game items.

Browse the official PlayStation website and access informationP

Users can access the PlayStation official website to browse through news, blogs and game information. The language and content of the website will depend on the country the user's Sony Entertainment Network account is registered.

PS4 Second Screen FeatureP

Users can install PlayStation App on to their mobile devices to use as a second screen in supported games. For example on THE PLAYROOM, a title pre-installed in all PS4 systems that requires PlayStation Camera, users can draw pictures on their mobile device screens and flick them towards the TV. The images then appear as a 3D object within the game.

Spectate other PS4 users' gameplayP

When users' friends upload or begin live streaming their gameplay on PS4 systems, the friends' activities are displayed on "What's New" of the PlayStation App screen. When users tap on this notification, they can boot pre-installed applications, such as browsers, to spectate the uploaded gameplay. Users can also post comments on gameplay screenshots, footage and live streams.

Purchase game content on PlayStation StoreP

Users can purchase game content while away from home and download it directly onto their PS4, PS3, and PS Vita systems.

Use a mobile device as a simple remote to control the PS4 systemP

Once installed, users can use their PlayStation App to control their PS4 system as long as both devices have access to the same Wi-Fi access point. For example, users can switch their PS4 system to standby mode, startup their PS4 system from standby mode, and use their mobile phone as a keyboard for their PS4 system.

Via: Kotaku

Samsung Android 4.3 Update Dates for GS3, GS4, Note 2, and GS4 Active Leaked

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:34:05 +0000

Owners of the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, Galaxy Note 2, and the Galaxy S4 Active have been waiting patiently to hear about when these Samsung devices would receive an update to Android 4.3. According to a leaked internal document we scored this morning, we finally have some dates to mark on our calendars. According to the image, Galaxy Note 2 owners on Verizon can expect the update on November 29, while AT&T customers should be seeing it on November 20. Galaxy S4 users on Verizon should see Android 4.3 on October, while AT&T customers should receive it on November 13. Users still rocking their Galaxy S3 on Verizon should see Android 4.3 on November 22, while owners on AT&T can expect it on November 13. Owners of these devices on Sprint and T-Mobile can see the table below. Keep in mind that with Android 4.3, also comes support for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. In addition, do notice that on the document, all of these dates are subject to change. Best to just pencil these dates in and not use permanent marker. For a good look at the dates, see below.

Cheers Hyphnx!

Call of Duty: Strike Team Launches on Google Play, Carries $7 Price Tag

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:20:50 +0000

A big title just hit Google Play this morning - Call of Duty: Strike Team. For $7, you can immerse yourself into futuristic warfare, taking command of a squad that is behind enemy lines. The gameplay looks rather interesting, as you first take control of an aerial drone that places your troops in strategic locations. From there, you then choose which character you would like to play in any given scenario. It adds a sense of strategy, so it's not just balls to the wall FPS action. In addition to the cinematic campaign mode, there is also a survival mode much like you would see on the console version of these games. If you plan on picking it up, you will definitely get your money's worth. Again, it's $7, and you can grab it on Google Play from the via link below. Play Link ($6.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/VbQkwsW8GlU[/youtube]

Nexus 5 US Release Date Tipped for October 31, Canadian Carriers on November 8

Tim — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 09:47:57 +0000

According to the tipsters of MobileSyrup, the same site that posted up early press renders of the Nexus 5, the device that many of us have been waiting for will launch in Google Play on October 31, Halloween. Given that Android 4.4 is named Kit Kat, it sure would be poetic of Google to launch the device on America's candy-filled holiday, but we are still awaiting confirmation from either LG or Google. As for any Canadians that are waiting for this device to cross the border, the same tipsters point to a November 8 launch on carriers in Canada. Whatever day it does finally show up, it isn't soon enough. Via: MobileSyrup

Nexus 4 With LTE Stopped by Bluetooth SIG Yesterday? (Updated)

Kellen — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 08:48:42 +0000

A week or so ago, a rumor surfaced suggesting that Google may introduce a Nexus 4 with LTE alongside the Nexus 5. As you are all well aware, the Nexus 4 originally launched last year without LTE, something many couldn't give Google a pass for. In a day filled with nothing but LTE, the lack of it in Google's flagship smartphone was inexcusable. But what if they were to re-introduce the phone again this year, only this time with LTE on board? According to a Bluetooth SIG filing that dropped yesterday, there may be a chance of that happening. In the filing, we can see a new date of October 24, 2013, along with the mention of a phone under model number LG-E960 being a "LGE LTE Mobile Phone." Yes, the LG-E960 is indeed the model number of the Nexus 4. I think the big question is why bring the Nexus 4 back if you have a Nexus 5 ready to pounce? Well, Google did drop the price of the HSPA+ Nexus 4 to $199 and $249 not long ago, so maybe they are simply trying to offer phones at multiple price points to attract even more buyers. We have no indication of this LTE model selling for that $199 price, but wouldn't that make quite the splash? Google could then sell phones at $199, $249, $349 (Nexus 5 price), and then whatever the 32GB Nexus 5 drops in at - maybe $399. Or maybe it'll go $249, $299, $349, and $399, since LTE modems would raise the cost of the Nexus 4. Still, not bad. Update: As someone at reddit pointed out, it could just be a sloppy Bluetooth SIG posting, as the revision of the phone is 1.1, which is an older build of the Nexus 4. I also checked the old FCC docs and didn't see permissive change submissions or anything that would indicate the phone was now or would be LTE-ready. Then again, why are we seeing the Nexus 4 pop up again at Bluetooth SIG when it has been sold out and long gone from Google Play for weeks? Maybe a filing that has to do with Android 4.4? Tough to tell. Any interest in an LTE Nexus 4?

Via: Bluetooth SIG | reddit Cheers Raj!

Moto X Drops to $99 at AT&T, MotoMaker Orders Included

Kellen — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 08:12:57 +0000

This morning, the Moto X for AT&T has dropped to $99 on new contract for the 16GB version, and that includes custom designed versions through MotoMaker. You could make the closest thing to a DL phone (pictured above) and still walk away at under $100 if you'd like, though we wouldn't exactly recommend that colorway for a 2-year contract. We had previously heard from @evleaks that a price drop of $100 was coming in Q4, so this seems to be right on time. We also saw a price drop to $99 on-contract at Best Buy recently. The 32GB version is now $149, which is a $100 discount as well. No sign yet of the wood backs, outside of a Calvin Harris video or two. Via: MotoMaker

PSA: Google Play 4.4.21 is Rolling Out to All, Enter Hamburger Land

Kellen — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 08:04:08 +0000

On Monday, we got a hold of the newest version of Google Play, dubbed 4.4.21, and handed it out like candy on Halloween. If you decided to hold out and not manually install it at the time (and there is nothing wrong with that), then you'll be in for a treat this morning as the update has started to rollout to all users. We're pointing this out because there is a semi-significant change in how you navigate Google Play starting with 4.4.21. In build 4.4.21, you'll no longer see the action overflow menu up in the top right corner next to the search bar. Also, if you have a Samsung device and hit the Menu button, you'll no longer see options other than Settings and Help. But where did "My Apps" and all of the other goodies go? In a slideout navigation or "hamburger" menu tucked into the left side. For those not familiar, the "hamburger" menu is the 3-stacked lines in the top left that when tapped, pulls out the navigation menu. You have seen it in a variety of apps, so it's not necessarily new to you in general, just in this app. With a simple swipe from the left edge of your device, a menu with My Apps, My Wishlist, and Redeem will all appear, along with a drop down menu that will let you toggle between accounts, should you have more than one. And that's pretty much it. If you still haven't received the update, you can grab and sideload it from here. [mirror] Cheers Patrick!

Thursday Poll: Do You Own an Android Tablet?

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:23:45 +0000

In October of 2012, we asked our readers if they owned an Android tablet. We were sort of shocked to find that 68% of those that voted in the poll said "yes," which was a lot higher than we had expected. But, with so many great options to choose from - such as the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 or a Transformer variant from ASUS, it's a good time to be an Android tablet buyer. It has been a year, so let's ask the same question and see if our results have changed. The new Nexus 7 has been out for a couple of months; time to see if Google has convinced you to empty your pockets on a new Android-powered slate. [poll id="274"]

Google Servers Struggling a Bit, Might Show Sign-in Errors (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 14:35:47 +0000

Experiencing "couldn't sign in" issues with your Google accounts and services at the moment? Try to remain calm, it appears as if Google servers are struggling at the moment. We're currently having no issues, but a number of readers have jumped into our inbox and on Twitter to suggest otherwise. Typically when this happens, Google restores service before long. Hang in there. Let us know when you can sign back in. Update: It's now happening to the DL staff as well. Come on, Google! Update 2: We all good now? Seems fine on our end. Cheers @leelo124 and everyone else!

Nexus 10 16GB is Now Out of Stock on Google Play

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:49:33 +0000

Uh oh, the 16GB version of the Nexus 10 is showing as "out of inventory" on Google Play. Go ahead, say it, "New Nexus 10 incoming!" Feel better? But is it? Well, we think so, assuming Google decides to push out Android 4.4 and the Nexus 5 through either a press release or at some sort of press event. All rumors certainly point to there also being a Nexus 10 involved in the winter get-together for Google. At least, that's what happened last year. So does the selling out of the 16GB N10 mean anything? Probably, since we really are expecting to hear something from Google any day now. Then again, the stock levels on Google Play devices change often, sometimes within a few minutes of showing as "out of inventory." With that said, this 16GB tablet has been gone for almost 24 hours now. We're also seeing the tablet pop up on deal sites with ridiculously low prices on the regular (almost daily), a move that tends to be a sign of something new on the horizon. We should point out that the 32GB Nexus 10 is indeed still in stock, so if you'd like one, now would be the time. Unless of course, Google decides to cut the price drastically to move final inventory, like they did with the Nexus 4 (How awesome was that?). We don't know much about a new Nexus 10, other than we think Asus is going to make it. Is the Nexus 10 on your radar at all? Is a new one? Are you a Nexus 7 guy or do you like a bigger-screened tablet? Play Link

Instagram Previews What Ads Will Look Like

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:41:30 +0000

Back in early October, Instagram announced that the company would be bringing paid advertisements to your feed. There was speculation on what these ads would look and perform like, and today, Instagram is giving their first preview of what users should start to expect when using the app. As we can see in the photo above, ads will be clearly marked "Sponsored," and can also be hidden from feeds. In addition, you can also send feedback on ads, which will help the team provide ads that are better suited to you. The team claims to be working hard with outstanding companies that should bring engaging and creative ads to the network. Instagram says users should start expecting to see this ad in the following week while using the app, and then from there, ads from other companies. Via: Instagram

Vine Updated on Android, Brings Savable Sessions and Time Travel

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:00:17 +0000

Remember Vine? It received an update on Android today, which brings a couple of requested features that should make producing classy vines quite a bit easier. Starting today, you can now save draft videos as sessions, which you can go back to later for further filming and tweaking. In addition, you can "time travel," which allows creators to record a segment, then place it anywhere in between other segments in the same video. This will allow folks the ability to not have to delete segments they wanted to keep, just to get to a single troublemaker segment in a video. Pretty clutch move, Vine.

Sessions — Save any post and come back to it later by tapping the new icon in the bottom right corner of your camera. You can maintain up to 10 open sessions at any time. Time Travel — Remove, reorganize, or replace any shot at any time. Just tap the green bar while you're shooting or "Edit" while you're previewing.

Anyone still using this app? Play Link

Cover is an Invite-only Android Lock Screen Replacement That Contextually Changes to Meet Your Needs

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 11:15:06 +0000

Remember Aviate? That would be the Android home screen replacement that changes depending on the time of day, your location, and a variety of other factors to present you with a home screen setup that makes your life easier. We took it for a lengthy hands-on that you should probably check out if you haven't. But what if you like your home screen or 3rd party launcher, yet would like to have a similar experience on say, your lock screen? Enter Cover. Cover launched this morning as an invite-only lock screen replacement for Android. In a way, it really is like the Aviate of lock screens. Cover works with your location, checks to see if you are driving, or if you watching tonight's game, and then adjusts to present you with apps you may need quick access to. Are you in a meeting? Here are shortcuts to your calendar and Dropbox apps. Are you chilling on the couch watching NFL on a Sunday morning? Here are your favorite sports and Twitter apps. Did you just plugin headphones? Here are your music apps. Do you want your phone to turn on vibrate while at work and then back to volume-on at home? It can do that too. With shortcuts set on your Cover lock screen, a simple swipe from the icon to the right access the app. You can peak at apps if you don't want to fully launch them, but also quickly task switch between others with a hidden navigation bar. Neat idea, right? Again, it's invite-only for the time being, so be sure to jump below and sign-up if this sounds at all interesting to you. Sign-up for Cover.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chUtv1kWIg8[/youtube]

Random Heroes Launched to Google Play, Action-packed Platformer With Tons of Guns

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:53:13 +0000

Nothing like a good old-fashioned platform game to keep you busy while the boss isn't looking. The title is Random Heroes, featuring a ton of different characters to play as, on top of an entire library of guns to kill baddies with. When we say the game features easy to learn with super simplistic controls; that's exactly what we mean. There are a total of four buttons - two for walking, one for jumping, and one for shooting. Those four buttons will take you through a vast world of different levels, as you meet plenty of different bad folks and monsters from a different universe to kill that are trying to take over the world. We can't let that happen. The game is just $1 on Google Play. Go check it out. Play Link ($0.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/GLTyDeyHdNs[/youtube]

Google's YouTube Reportedly Launching Subscription Music Video Service

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:15:13 +0000

According to multiple sources, YouTube is looking to announce a fancy new subscription service, allowing users to check out on-demand music videos on both desktop and mobile platforms. As you should already know, Google recently launched a music subscription service earlier this year at Google I/O, named All Access. YouTube stated earlier this year that they did have a product to unveil later this year, so it is starting to look like a subscription service could be it. Spoken from those briefed on the plans, YouTube will have two tiers for the service; a free tier and a paid tier. The free tier should be on-demand access to full songs, but will come coupled with advertisements, which is kind of like what YouTube already is. The paid tier will be the same on-demand access across all platforms, but you can finally kiss ads goodbye. Billboard, who broke the news, summed up the paid version like this:

Having a paid tier, with all the required licenses for a premium on-demand product, gives YouTube more flexibility in packaging and selling music with fewer restrictions on what it can do with the music.

On a personal note, I remember the days when random users would just upload homemade videos onto the web, and it was a great source of entertainment. YouTube has evolved quite a bit since then, and it is now a money-generating supermachine. Partnered with Vevo and other services, it seems that a monthly subscription service would be the next logical step for the content provider. There is no word on pricing yet, but you can expect it to be around $10 a month according to sources. Thoughts on paying a premium for music videos? Via: Billboard

AT&T Lights Up Four New 4G LTE Markets

Tim — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:45:11 +0000

AT&T announced four new 4G LTE markets this morning, including one in Hawaii. Given our unfamiliarity with these town names, we would say that AT&T is nearing completion of its LTE rollout across the US, but of course, there are always other little patches here and there that still need to be lit up. The carrier teased that a device sporting VoLTE would be announced before the end of 2013, which could hit the market around mid-2014. Given that timeframe, you can expect to see more and more little markets popping up between now and then to ensure that most customers won't be dropped while on a call. And for Verizon customers, don't worry, Big Red is working on the same thing. Here is the list of the four new LTE markets on AT&T. New Markets:

Kankakee-Bradley, Illinois
Laconia, New Hampshire
Gaffney, South Carolina
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Via: AT&T

Samsung Slapped with $340,000 Fine for Faking Online Comments about Competitors

Eric — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 09:15:04 +0000

We all know that the enormous amounts of money that Samsung spends on marketing is one of the reasons why their products are selling like crazy, but who said that money was being spent fairly? Today, Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission announced that it was hitting Samsung with a fine to the tune of $340,000 for hiring writers to post in forums promoting Samsung products. Now, if Samsung was upfront about these writers being hired to talk about how awesome Samsung products were, this would not be a problem. This was not the case, writers were posing as regular forum users who would "highlight the shortcomings of competing products." Taking it a step further, these writers engaged in "disinfection of negative news about Samsung products" and their own brand of Samsung marketing. This was brought to attention of the TFTC because HTC claimed they were the victims of this attack, but HTC was not mentioned by name in the report. Fair or foul? Keep in mind this was a "large number" of writers from advertising companies doing this for Samsung. Is this how you beat the competition? Via: The Verge

Has the Verizon Unlimited Data Keeping Extravaganza Part 2 Begun? (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:40:56 +0000

About a month ago, just as Q3 was coming to a close, a handful of our readers noticed that while walking through the upgrade process with Verizon, that they were able to keep unlimited data and not have to switch over to one of Big Red's new tiered plans. As word got out on that cold September weekend, a flood of upgrades happened since customers of Verizon had been told for over a year that if they upgraded, their precious unlimited data plan would be history. We called it the Unlimited Data Keeping Extravaganza. It was a glorious time. But as that weekend came to a close, the question remained, "Will Verizon honor all of those upgrades and leave everyone with unlimited data?" After all, we see glitches in systems all the time - assuming this was a glitch at all - and companies tend to use that as their excuse to wipe out discounts or in this case, unlimited data plans. But that wasn't the case the first time around, as Verizon confirmed to us that they would honor those upgrades that went down during the weekend. They called it a "software glitch," but were clearly not all that worried about the situation, having locked people into new 2-year contracts.

Update: They appear to have patched the "software glitch" again. Party is over, folks.

As of this morning, a number of readers are seeing a similar situation play out, us included. If you walk through the upgrade process on Verizon's site, it certainly does appear as if you can keep unlimited data (see image below). At no point during my upgrade was I told that I would not be able to keep my $29.99 "unlimited email & web for smartphones" plan. When Verizon's system doesn't have this "software glitch," users will see messages all over the place, notifying them that their plan no longer exists and that it will be going away in favor of something like a 2GB $30 plan.

So as of right now, and according to our experience and dozens of others on Twitter, it appears as if that "software glitch" is back and you can keep unlimited data with an upgrade. With that said, who knows how Verizon will handle this. They already honored upgrades once, we do not know if they would be willing to again. If you'd like to give it a try and missed out on the last extravaganza, the opportunity is yours. Proceed with caution. Also, understand that Verizon would probably love nothing more than for you to lock into a new contract, which this will do. Can we even call this a "software glitch" at this point? Seems like a brilliant move to keep customers, if you ask me. Oh, and don't forget to use coupon code "VZWDEAL" on devices like the HTC One or G2. Let us know how it goes.

A Refurbished 32GB Nexus 10 for $329.99 is Your Woot! Deal of the Day

Eric — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:07:23 +0000

Guess what? We are only a month away from Black Friday, which means we are only two months away from Holiday season! Yes, I'm being that guy, but I also want to help because last year you said you would start shopping earlier. If you need a present for a tech-lover in your life, check out this 32GB Nexus 10 from Woot! The daily deal website has the Nexus 10 and its 2560x1600 display on sale for only $329.99 for today, or until supplies run out. It is a refurbished model, which will turn some people off, but I have had personal experience with Woot! refurbished devices and would recommend them again. If you want to get that holiday shopping early for someone or yourself, hit the link below. Buy Cheers Brad!

In 6 Months, Samsung Has Sold 40 Million Galaxy S4s Worldwide

Eric — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 07:51:29 +0000

The complete domination and saturation of the Android market continues to go to Samsung with the latest comment on Galaxy S4 sales. Speaking to Korean News, Samsung CEO JK Shin reported that the S4 has already pushed 40 million units to people around the world. That is 40 million units in 6 months. Crazy.

While still impressive, these are the kinds of numbers that we have grown to expect from Samsung. It is also worth noting that this number does not take into account the sales of the Galaxy Note 3, which is pretty popular on its own accord. This just goes to show that Samsung seems to have figured out how to manufacture and market an Android product the right way. Do you think the other major OEMs (HTC, Motorola, LG) can match Samsung's success? Or is there only room for one company at the top? Via: SamMobile

Plants vs. Zombies 2 Now Available on Android!

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:13:23 +0000

We thought it was coming tomorrow, but no, PopCap and EA have surprised us with the launch of Plants vs. Zombies 2 on Android today. You can grab it from Google Play this minute for free. After an initial launch on iOS (and a rumor about truckloads of money to keep it off Android), then launches on Android in China and Australia, the wait is finally over. Play Link

Plants Vs. Zombies 2 Finally Launching for American Android Users Tomorrow? (Update: It's Live!)

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:35:17 +0000

PopCap took to its official Plants Vs. Zombies page on Facebook, hypebeasting what could be the release of Plants Vs. Zombies 2 for American Android users. Finally finally finally. It was launched just a little bit ago for iOS, and there were plenty of conspiracy theorists out there saying Apple paid PopCap off to hold back on an Android release. Who knows if that was the case. Either way, here is the little teaser that PopCap posted.

Something big is coming tomorrow… #PvZ2 #ZombieinNY

Now, this could either mean the release of the game for Android in the US, but it could also be something completely different. Possibly just a map pack or something of that nature for iOS that has to do with New York. We won't know until tomorrow. Update: Wow, they did it. The game is now live on Google Play. Go grab it! Please, PopCap, just release it already. No more teasing. No more delays. We want it and we want it now. Via: PopCap

Waking From the Nexus Dream [Opinion]

Ron — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:00:05 +0000

Last week on the Droid Life Show I mentioned that I don't think Nexus devices really matter anymore. With the Nexus 5's release just around the corner, a lot of readers became very defensive of the Nexus program. Call me self-absorbed or too worried about what people think about me (I'm working on it), but I read through every comment on our site and YouTube regarding my statements. After reading through the comments and listening to our discussion on the show again I've decided to try to go into more detail about why I feel this way about the Nexus program. It's not that I hate Android or Nexus phones, but rather that I believe they could mean so much more than they do today. Why Nexus Devices Matter One reason readers insisted that the Nexus program still matters is that Nexus devices are supposed to show manufacturers what Android hardware is capable of. While that was true of the Nexus One, the Nexus program has shifted from a manufacturer providing hardware that they differentiate to the opposite. The Nexus program started with the Nexus One, which featured the first 1 GHz processor and the latest major version of Android, Eclair.¹ After the G1 (which was essentially a Nexus) and the Nexus One, the Nexus program shifted from manufacturers repackaging Nexus hardware to Google repackaging flagship devices from OEM partners.² What this has meant is that Google's Nexus devices are no longer pushing the envelope in terms of hardware specifications, but instead following closely behind their competitors/partners. The obvious response to the problem of Nexus devices not excelling in hardware is to argue that devices like the Moto X prove that Android no longer needs top of the line hardware to run well. While it's true that Android does not need top of the line hardware to run well, it did until very recently. The Nexus 5 appears to finally match current generation hardware (and even exceeds the latest flagships from Samsung and HTC), which is great, but doesn't make it a spiritual successor to the Nexus One. Google is not showing manufacturers what Android hardware is capable of, but still following its partners'/competitors' lead for hardware innovation.³ Another reason some readers believe Nexus devices still matter is that Nexus devices offer pure/stock/vanilla Android. While there was a dearth of devices offering vanilla Android following the original Droid,⁴ Google has changed the game by offering Google Play editions of the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 with stock Android. If you want the latest version of Android faster than the carrier/skinned phones available in stores, GPE phones are a major option. If you're not on a GSM carrier you could also consider the Moto X, which also runs near stock Android. In short, the Nexus program offers top tier devices with vanilla Android, but it is no longer the only way. Some readers insisted that Google uses the Nexus program to offer and promote Google's version of Android.⁵ There can be no denying that every major manufacturer has manipulated and altered nearly every part of Android on their phones to the point where the look and feel of each Android phone changes in varying degrees of subtlety and brazenness. The problem with this theory is that Google doesn't need to show manufacturers what they think Android should look and act like; they know OEMs will just change it. Google also doesn't need to show consumers what stock Android looks like because the vast majority of consumers don't use stock Android.⁶

What Nexus Means Now Since the Nexus One Google has done very little to articulate why the Nexus program exists. We know why the Nexus program was started, but why does it continue today if not to demonstrate Android hardware, compete with features, or to push Google's version of Android? I think the Nexus program exists for two reasons: so Google can develop Android on new hardware (which benefits both Google and its partners) and for developers to have cheap top of the line hardware. Google lets anyone purchase a Nexus device because it knows there is a small market for Android enthusiasts and developers, but it doesn't push for Nexus devices to be heavily adopted instead of flagship devices from its partners.⁷ When I first started getting into Android I treated Google like my sports team. I liked stock Android most and I wanted Google's version of Android to win in the market. I loved Google's plan to essentially transform the American cell phone market into a sort of utopia where consumers chose a device separate from their carrier. It seems like Google's efforts to keep the 700 MHz LTE spectrum open, their purchase of Motorola, and the continued release of Nexus devices are all indications that Google hasn't completely given up on the original dream, but Google has done nothing since 2010 to show that they're serious about disrupting the market as originally intended. When I say that Nexus devices aren't as relevant or exciting to me, it's not because I'm an iPhone fanboy or because I'm out of touch with Android enthusiasts. I have a hard time getting excited about Nexus devices because I'm constantly reminded of what they could be. Google could compete directly with Samsung, LG, Sony, and HTC with Nexus devices made by Motorola running software that is customized for those devices. They could work to get Nexus devices on every carrier and ensure that they receive updates when Google releases them. Nexus devices could also come with software only found on Google's phones to further differentiate and compete with the other OEMs, but instead Google uses Nexus to offer cheap devices to developers and off-contract enthusiasts. Google could own the Android market with stock Android, but instead they've let Samsung become the de facto representative of Android smartphones to the world and Samsung and Amazon the representative of Android tablets.⁸ Perhaps it's time that I woke up from the Nexus dream. It seems unlikely that Google will ever be able to accomplish their goals, especially in America. The carriers continue to have the control of the relationship between consumers and manufacturers and the FCC seems content to let that oligarchy continue. I still want to see Google's version of Android succeed over the versions supplied by Samsung, Amazon, HTC, but it does not appear that Google is interested in winning market share with Nexus devices. The word "nexus" refers to a connection between two things. Google's vision of the Nexus program was to make a connection between consumers and top of the line devices running software and hardware designed by Google without the carriers. The goal was to disrupt the phone market and bring power to consumers, but the program turned into a way for Google to get new development hardware from a manufacturing partner in exchange for early access to the next version of Android. Google was trying to democratize what Apple did with the iPhone and Google failed. Now, the Nexus program serves as little more than a way for Google to continue developing Android on top of the line hardware and selling the devices at a low cost for developers and enthusiasts. Google has continued to develop Android and add great new features and Google services, but this development isn't accomplished to advance Google's version of Android. In fact, vanilla Android's features and services are almost always replaced or sidelined by the manufacturer's services and features. I don't think it's bad that Google makes top of the line devices available to purchase at low prices for developers or enthusiasts who don't need the phone to have service or who are on AT&T or T-Mobile,⁹ but it's a far cry from what I think Nexus devices should be. Endnotes ¹ I can't overemphasize how important the Nexus One was for Google and Android. This device set the standard for what Android devices should look and work like in a way that no Nexus device has done since (except for the Nexus 7). ² HTC released the Desire, a slightly modified version of the Nexus One, a month after the original Nexus' release. With the Nexus S, Google partnered with Samsung to release a redesigned Galaxy S. The Nexus S was released just six months after the Galaxy S first hit the shelves. The Galaxy Nexus followed suit as a redesigned Galaxy S2 with a larger battery and an inferior camera, again six months after Samsung released their flagship for the year. The Nexus 4 was a redesign of LG's flagship phone of the year, the Optimus G, sans LTE support. This year, it appears as though Google is once again using a redesigned version of LG's flagship device, the G2. ³ I'm not saying that it's necessarily a bad thing that Nexus devices follow behind manufacturers, but just that the Nexus program is no longer about Google showing off the latest hardware. That said, Nexus devices have tended to not only be deviations from an OEM's flagship, but deviations with major flaws (usually the camera and battery life). ⁴ There were exceptions like the LG G2x and the Xperia Play. Both devices had minor variations to stock Android. Also, Motorola's previous generation of Droid devices lost a lot of the skinning that was present before the update to Jelly Bean. ⁵ I don't like the phrasing "Google's version of Android." As far as I'm concerned stock Android with Google Play services is the canonical version of Android, but forks and skins have muddied up the terminology. ⁶ It's possible that the Nexus 7 has introduced many more people to stock Android, but we'll never know until Google starts to release device sales numbers. ⁷ Some readers (and journalists) have argued that Google can't compete directly with its partners. Historically device and software manufacturers that try to compete with their partners (Palm is the classic example) fail to maintain those partnerships. Eventually partners are spurned and turn to another platform instead of unfairly competing with the license holder. While that has been true historically, it also appears that the smartphone market has matured and plateaued to a point where there will be no major platform disruptions. It appears as though Android will continue to be the number one used OS with iOS in second. Blackberry, webOS, and Symbian have fallen into obscurity while Windows Phone continues to insist it is the alternative to iOS and Android. Over the next few years I think we'll continue to see OEMs fall and be purchased for parts until the next hardware disruption happens that changes the focus from smartphones to something else. For more on why I think Samsung (and Amazon) can't fork and create a legitimate competitor to Android and iOS, click here. ⁸ Again, it's possible that the Nexus 7 is a major player in the Android tablet space, but Samsung, Amazon, and Google all refuse to give actual numbers. Based on the latest usage studies Samsung and Amazon appear to still dominate the tablet market. ⁹ I know the Nexus 5 appears to be able to work on Sprint's network, but nothing has been confirmed.

Dead Trigger 2 Launch on Android Imminent, Get Your Trigger Fingers Ready (Updated: It's Live!)

Eric — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:55:04 +0000

It is always nice when a game company announces a launch date and sticks to it, unlike some games we know. Madfinger Games, the studio behind the popular Dead Trigger series, said that October 23 was the day that we could expect to get back to killing zombies and they were not lying. Dead Trigger 2 is about to launch on Android fairly soon. Taking to their Twitter account a while ago, they announced that DT2 was now available for download in the Apple Store. Android is "in the coming hours" according to their tweet, so stay tuned. We will keep you updated through this post as soon as we hear it goes live. Start stockpiling your ammo now! Update: It's now live! Go get in through Google Play. [Play Link] Via: Madfinger

Aereo Beta App Released to Google Play, Stream and Record Live TV in Select Markets

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:26:33 +0000

Aereo, a service that allows users in very select markets to stream and record live TV, launched an official Android beta app this morning. The app will allow users to control their cloud-based DVRs, plus stream all of their shows from wherever they are. Although, the service is only in very select markets, and is still continually rolling out to new cities. For now, folks in New York City, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Miami metropolitan areas can access the network. The app is free, and if you have Aereo, go give it a try and let us know how you like the service. We have been very curious about it. Play Link Via: Aereo

Tesla CEO Wants to Bring Android Emulator to Model S, Upgrade Browser to Chrome

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 10:27:53 +0000

Speaking in Munich recently, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, was asked about where mobile developers will fit in on the Model S' software side of things. The car features a gorgeous 17" touchscreen display in the dash, and as of right now, there are a few basic apps like maps and other vehicle controls built in, but the CEO has much bigger plans. According to Musk, once the browser for the car has been upgraded to Google's Chrome, then the company would like to build in an Android emulator, basically allowing any developers to run their Android applications inside of the car. That's right, Angry Birds in the Tesla. He was hesitant on giving any specific use cases for having an Android app running on your car, but we are sure there are plenty. Skip to 37:01 to hear Elon's response to Android apps in the Model S. [youtube]http://youtu.be/MmQb94EF1UY[/youtube] Via: 9to5 Google

ModCloth Launches Android App Onto Google Play, You're Just a Click Away From Fab Fashion

Tim — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 10:00:19 +0000

We know for a fact that we have a few lady readers, so this one is for all of you. ModCloth launched its official application on Android this morning, which means you are now only "a couple of clicks away from fab fashion." That's right, I said fab fashion! With ModCloth, you can browse an enormous inventory of "cute" dresses, vintage clothing, and even home decor. It's free on Google Play, and the developers are touting its strict adherence to the Android team's design guidelines. From the video we see below, it does look smooth and responsive; definitely not a janky app. Have fun, ladies. Play Link Via: TwoToasters

T-Mobile Announces 200MB Free Tablet Data for Life, $0 Down on Tablet Purchases

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:37:49 +0000

Yesterday, T-Mobile told us to mark our calendars for a big UnCarrier announcement involving tablets. This morning, they delivered that announcement, which involves 200MB of free tablet data for life, other affordable tablet plans, and $0 down on the purchases of new tablets. This is the latest move in this UnCarrier world that T-Mobile has attempted to create. So what exactly are we looking at? According to T-Mobile, anyone who owns a data-ready tablet that works on T-Mobile's network can take advantage of free 200MB of 4G LTE data per month "for as long as they own their tablet." And we're not talking about current customers of T-Mobile, we're talking about anyone with a tablet who can connect to their network. For example, if you bought an unlocked tablet like say the new Nexus 7 LTE, you could pick up a T-Mobile SIM and start enjoying 200MB of free data per month with "no strings attached." T-Mobile claims that 200MB amounts to "800 Instagram photos, more than 2,500 emails or stream 200 minutes of music." If you want more data, T-Mobile now offers daily, weekly, and monthly data options. For voice customers, you can get unlimited data (500MB full 4G LTE speeds) at $10 per month. If you want to up that full speed data in 2GB increments, simply add on $10 per month. If you want to go the daily route, T-Mobile is offering 500MB of 4G LTE data for $5. Weekly passes run $10 for 1GB of 4G LTE data. Should you like the sounds of these new plans, T-Mobile wants you to know that you can buy tablets from them at $0 down with monthly payments afterwards. Better yet, if you own a WiFi tablet, but want to take advantage of their new data plans, you can trade it in for a discount on a new tablet. T-Mobile currently plans to sell the Nexus 7 (2013) LTE and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. Thoughts?

T-Mobile Revolutionizes How Customers Buy and Use Tablets with Free Data for Life

T-Mobile is the only major national wireless provider offering customers free 4G LTE data every month for as long they own their device

All tablets start at incredible introductory price of $0 down

Revolutionary Simple Choice plan enables tablet customers to enjoy unlimited data worldwide - at no extra charge

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Oct. 23, 2013 - If you purchased one of the nearly 90 percent[i] of all tablets that only connect over Wi-Fi because you worried mobile connections would mean big monthly bills, listen up.

Just two weeks after upending the wireless industry with its Un-carrier 3.0 moves, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS), America's new No. 1 choice in wireless[ii], is at it again. In its latest Un-carrier move, T-Mobile today announcedTablets Un-leashed, a revolutionary approach to make tablets just as mobile and connected as smartphones.
"Tablets are supposed to be un-tethered like smartphones, but it hasn't worked out that way because people know carriers will charge them an arm-and-a-leg for mobile data," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile. "Carriers figured out a long time ago that they could make money - a lot of money - by forcing customers into restrictive, overpriced data plans. We changed it for smartphones and we're changing it for tablets."
T-Mobile is the only major national wireless provider to make tablets affordable, connected and mobile right out of the box. There's no bait and switch, no trial period and no strings attached. T-Mobile is the only national wireless provider to offer tablet owners up to 200 MB of free 4G LTE data every month for as long as they own their tablet, even if they're not yet a T-Mobile customer.[iii] It's really as good as it sounds - 200 MB of free data on T-Mobile's nationwide 4G LTE network. That means each month customers can send approximately 800 Instagram photos, more than 2,500 emails or stream 200 minutes of music - all for free.
Customers wanting more data can choose from a range of simple, affordable and flexible options - with no annual service contracts, no data overages and a blazing-fast nationwide 4G LTE network. T-Mobile offers daily, weekly and monthly options for adding 4G LTE data. For T-Mobile voice customers, 'always-on' tablet plans start at just $10 a month for unlimited data including 500 MB of 4G LTE data each month. Customers can add even more 4G LTE data in 2 GB increments for just $10 more per month. For customers who would rather have the flexibility of on-demand data, T-Mobile offers daily and weekly passes. Daily passes include unlimited data with 500 MB of 4G LTE data starting at just $5. The weekly passes include unlimited data with 1 GB of 4G LTE data for $10. No caps. No overages. Just simple value. Additionally, postpaid customers who add a monthly Simple Choice tablet plan automatically get unlimited data to include more than 100 countries worldwide, at no extra charge. This means that T-Mobile's home data coverage area for tablets is now larger than AT&T's and Verizon's combined. T-Mobile is driving unparalleled value for tablets across its entire line-up. New and existing customers will get affordable and hassle-free access to the latest 4G LTE tablets at the upfront price of $0 down with monthly device payments. With incredible upfront pricing and great value rate plans, T-Mobile has the lowest total cost of ownership among the top US carriers for tablets. In fact, compared to similar AT&T plans, consumers can save up to hundreds of dollars over two years with T-Mobile's Tablets Un-leashed offer. "By offering free data for life with incredible upfront pricing, T-Mobile is un-leashing customers to fully enjoy tablets as they were meant to be enjoyed - mobile and connected," Legere said. T-Mobile Announces Tablet Trade-In Program and New Device T-Mobile today also announced plans to extend its existing smartphone trade-in program to tablets. Beginning Nov. 1, anyone with a qualifying tablet can bring it into a participating T-Mobile store - even if it's only Wi-Fi capable - and receive a discount on a new tablet. Tablets in T-Mobile's portfolio will include:

Google Nexus 7 (2013), Google's flagship 7-inch LTE tablet, featuring a stunning 7-inch full HD display and virtual surround sound is built to deliver the best of Google in a slim, light and extremely portable tablet. T-Mobile today announced it will offer the Nexus 7 beginning Nov. 20 for $0 down with 24 equal monthly device payments of $16.[iv]

Samsung Galaxy Tab(TM) 2 10.1, with its brilliant 10.1-inch display, lets customers take entertainment, like games, music, movies and social networking, on the go while taking advantage of T-Mobile's nationwide 4G LTE network. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is currently available for $0 down with 24 equal monthly device payments of $19.iv

About T-Mobile US, Inc.: As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: "TMUS") is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The company's advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences for customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. It currently serves approximately 44 million wireless subscribers and provides products and services through 70,000 points of distribution. For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

Via: T-Mobile

High-Res LG Flex Pictures Leak Showing Off 6 Inches of Curved Glass

Eric — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 09:13:28 +0000

Just last week we got early renders of what LG's G Flex might look like when we eventually see it. Flexible and curved displays seem to be the new buzzwords following the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Round and this new LG device. An Argentinian broadcasting station got their hands on the device for an on-air review and sent a few high res photos over to The Verge for us to inspect. As we like to say around here, nothing is confirmed, but we do get a pretty good look at the Flex from these photos. It is still reported as being a 6" screen with a fairly pronounced curve across the horizontal axis of the phone; the exact opposite direction of Samsung's curve. The camera is said to be 13MP, most likely the same one you would find in the G2 because the Flex also features the buttons on the backplate of the device. We do not know any other specs at the moment, but if they line up any more with the G2 the Flex might just start looking like a re-release for the sake of having a curved screen.

The reporter at the Argentinian station says that the Flex should launch in South Korea next month, but no official announcement has been made by LG about this device's existence. Until we hear from them, we just have to live off these leaked photos. If you want to see the whole hands-on video with the Flex and brush up on your Spanish at the same time, hit the video below. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImlQhUlaWho[/youtube] Via: The Verge

Here is Verizon's Version of the Changelog for New Moto X Update 139.15.1

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:38:29 +0000

Motorola began pushing out the much-anticipated camera fixing update to the Verizon Moto X yesterday, mostly to members of their Motorola Feedback Network. They gave us an official changelog which listed out the same set of fixes that similar updates for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mo, and US Cellular variants received, however, Verizon posted their own today. Once updated, Verizon expects you to have a more stable 3G and 4G LTE connection, better voice calls without audio fading, and download files from email without issue. In terms of camera improvements, Big Red says that "Sky Detection" has been improved, HDR will now fire more frequently, and the viewfinder has been improved for more consistent exposure. Again, this is the update you have all been waiting for. Well, until Google introduces Kit Kat.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Arrives on U.S. Soil in November

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 08:14:32 +0000

This morning, outside of Galaxy Gear compatibility news, Samsung announced that their Galaxy S4 Mini will arrive in the U.S. next month (as in November) on Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and US Cellular. US Cellular and AT&T have already confirmed that they will carry the phone, we just haven't seen pricing yet. We have also seen press images of Verizon's variant with massive home button branding, but no official word or pricing either. For those not familiar, the Galaxy S4 Mini is indeed the little brother to the flagship S4. It sports a 4.3-inch qHD display, 1.7GHz dual-core processor, 8MP camera, 1.5GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD slot for expandable storage, and a 1900mAh battery. The S4 Mini runs Android 4.2.2 out of the box with Samsung's TouchWiz skin over the top. Since this phone is the smaller and less powerful brother, we'd imagine pricing will be very respectable.

Samsung Galaxy S 4 mini Coming to the U.S. Next Month

Smartphone offers sleek and compact design with the exceptional Galaxy experience

Dallas, TX — October 23, 2013 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announced today that the Samsung Galaxy S^® 4 mini, a compact smartphone featuring some of the most popular Galaxy S 4 experiences, will be available in the U.S. beginning in November. The Galaxy S 4 mini is just 4.9in x 2.4in and is packed with Samsung flagship experiences like WatchOn™, S Beam™ and advanced camera features. “Samsung continues to provide a wide range of products to fit consumers’ needs,” said Gregory Lee, president of Samsung Mobile. “The Galaxy S 4 mini continues that commitment by bringing the paramount features of our flagship Galaxy S 4 smartphone to a smaller, more compact form factor.” Outstanding Galaxy Features: The Galaxy S 4 mini has some of the best software features from the Galaxy S 4 in a compact form factor to enrich the user experience. -Intuitive Camera Interface: The Galaxy S 4 mini’s 8-megapixel camera has zero shutter lag allowing users to document special moments without delay. The Galaxy S 4 mini is equipped with the familiar and easy-to-navigate user interface found on the Galaxy S 4 and supports numerous shooting modes such as Beauty Face, Best Photo, Sound & Shot, Panorama and more to enhance photos taken by even the most novice photographer. -WatchON: Control your television using the Galaxy S 4 mini as a remote control. Discover a rich TV viewing experience with a Smart Remote that is functional with any IR capable TV or Set Top Box. Users can share content from the Galaxy S 4 mini to a TV effortlessly, as well as look for something to watch in a new way that lets you browse by genre, search by title or receive recommendations based on your interests. -Easy Mode: Helps smooth the transition for first-time smartphone owners by simplifying the home screen layout, camera, calendar, messaging and the internet browser to make the phone easy to navigate. Once a user is more comfortable with their Galaxy S 4 mini, they can easily switch back to the standard home screen interface. -Simple Sharing: Quickly and easily transfer large files, such as videos and documents, to other Galaxy phones with S Beam. Touch the back of the Galaxy S 4 mini to any S Beam enabled phone and share without needing a Wi-Fi^® connection or cell signal. Users are able to simultaneously enjoy music, photos, documents and games with friends through the Group Play™ function. The Galaxy S 4 mini is designed with a beautiful 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED™ (960 X 540) display with 256DPI. The Galaxy S 4 mini will run on Android™ 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) and includes a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor and 1.5GB of internal RAM. It is powered by a removable 1,900 mAh battery and features an expandable memory of up to 64GB to complement the 16GB of standard onboard storage.† The Galaxy S 4 mini will receive a software update soon after launch and will be compatible with Galaxy Gear™, Samsung’s first wearable smartphone experience. Galaxy Gear extends the Galaxy S 4 mini experience to your wrist and enhances everyday moments with real time updates for quick and convenient access. The Galaxy S 4 mini comes in Black Mist and White Frost color options, and will be available beginning next month. Wireless carriers will announce their specific availability, colors and timing. AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular will carry the Galaxy S 4 mini. Accessorize the Galaxy S 4 mini with the S-View Flip Cover, a specially designed flip cover that has a clear window to view a text message or missed call notification, answer or reject a call, and view the battery status. Sold separately, the S-View Flip Cover comes in black and white color options to add style- while protecting the device and providing privacy. Flip Covers are also available without the S-View window in an array of colors including black, white, light blue, and pink.

Samsung, Galaxy, Galaxy Camera, Galaxy S, Samsung Hub, Group Play, Super AMOLED, S Beam, Story Album, S Translator, and WatchOn are all trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc. Other company names, product names and marks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners and may be trademarks or registered trademarks. About Samsung Telecommunications America Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, (Samsung Mobile) a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets, wireless infrastructure and other telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung Extends Galaxy Gear Compatibility to 8 Devices, Including Galaxy S4, Note 2, and Galaxy S3

Kellen — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 07:54:50 +0000

Samsung's poorly reviewed smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, became slightly more appealing this morning with an announcement that it would soon be compatible with 8 new devices. As you may be aware, the Galaxy Gear currently only works with the Galaxy Note 3, something we knocked it for in our review. How good is a smartwatch if it only works with a single smartphone? But times are-a-changing, and the Gear will soon work with the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 to start once each phone receives an Android 4.3 update over the coming weeks. Outside of those popular devices, Samsung has also said that compatibility will be delivered to the Galaxy S4 Mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and S4 Zoom through a separate software update beginning at the end of October. The timing of each update depends on carriers and countries. So even though 4.3 started rolling out to the Galaxy S4 in Germany this month, it could be a while before we see this on U.S. variants. Does compatibility with more devices make the Gear any more appealing to you?

Samsung Extends Galaxy Gear Compatibility to Galaxy S III, S4, Note II, and More
October 23, 2013
Samsung provides more users with enhanced flexibility and freedom via extended Galaxy Gear compatibility
Seoul, Korea - Oct 23, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. today announced that more Samsung devices will be compatible with Galaxy Gear, a perfect companion device that makes mobile communication easier and more enjoyable. Galaxy Gear will be available for use with Galaxy S4, S III, and Note II through the Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) update. The update came first to Galaxy S4 devices in Germany in October. Samsung will also extend Galaxy Gear compatibility to other GALAXY devices – including Galaxy S4 mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8, Mega 6.3, and S4 zoom – through a separate software update beginning at the end of October. Software update schedules for each device will vary by country and carrier. “Extending Galaxy Gear compatibility to more Galaxy devices reflects our deep commitment to continuing to deliver enriched mobile experiences to our consumers,” said JK Shin, CEO and President of IT & Mobile division, Samsung Electronics. “Through a significant effort to enhance and enrich the Galaxy experience, Samsung continues to empower our users in their mobile lives and enable smart freedom with Galaxy Gear.” Samsung Galaxy Gear Galaxy Gear will enable Galaxy S4, S III, and Note II users to make and answer calls and view incoming messages and notifications with just a glance. For a closer look at more important messages, users can simply pick up their master device and the Smart Relay feature instantly reveals the full content. Users can also find major social apps on Samsung Apps to maintain connections to their social networks via Galaxy Gear. With a 1.9 Megapixel camera, users can snap a visual memo by simply tapping Galaxy Gear’s screen. Photos are then easily and automatically saved in the master device’s gallery. Users can enjoy a built-in Pedometer app and use Galaxy Gear to control the music played on their master devices. Of course the device also functions like a watch, with the option to change the face with 10 different clock options and even more options available via Samsung Apps. Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) ＊＊Update schedule and features may differ by country and carrier. Samsung Galaxy S4, S III, and Note II will get the Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) update. For Galaxy S III and Note II, new capabilities provide easier text input, and updated graphics and multimedia, as well as new updates to Samsung features and applications, including: • Smsung KNOX＊, a secure and comprehensive mobile solution for enterprises and consumers. (＊Galaxy S III 3G version will get Samsung KNOX with a platform security only in select countries.) • Smart Switch to seamlessly transfer content from other smartphones to Samsung devices • HomeSync to store, share and enjoy content securely wherever you are • Group Play 2.5 with shared video support About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

Via: Samsung

Moto "G" Trademark Spotted, Could be New Device or Just an Accessory

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 16:41:19 +0000

According to a recent trademark filing sniffed out by Phandroid, Motorola may have something new on the horizon. The name Moto G was granted to Motorola quite recently, but what exactly is the Moto G? Since the launch of the Moto X, Motorola's CEO Dennis Woodside did mention that a cheaper variant of the phone would be in the works soon after the X's launch. Could the Moto G be it? We received a tip last week from an indirect Verizon rep who stated he had been told of a Moto G that was "coming soon," but nothing was provided to substantiate those claims. With this new trademark filing popping up, we can finally start trying to put 2 and 2 together, and hopefully find out more about what Moto has in store. Phandroid speculates that the "G" in Moto G could stand for Google, and that this device could be a Google Play Edition of the Moto X. We're thinking otherwise since we received a tip from a Verizon rep and that it could be coming soon, we find it hard to believe that a GPE Moto X would work on Verizon's network. Again, this is purely preliminary hypebeasting, but it’s never too early to start talking about new devices from the new Motorola. Do you have any takes on what the Moto G could be?

Via: Phandroid | USPTO Cheers D!

Instapaper on Android Reaches Version 2.0 With Design Refresh, Other Missing Features

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 16:05:10 +0000

Fan of Instapaper, the popular iOS read-it-later app that made its way to Android some time ago? Be sure to grab the newest update for the app as it introduces a refreshed design and all sorts of features that probably should have been there ages ago. We're talking pull-to-refresh, video support, and tools for sorting/filtering/managing reading queues. Oh, they also tossed in a new way to paginate your articles by swiping left or right between them. Is that a hamburger menu I see too? Play Link ($2.99) Via: Instapaper

WatchStyler is the First App for Galaxy Gear We've Fallen in Love With

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 14:59:07 +0000

Let's be honest for a minute - useful apps for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch are few and far between. It's kind of a downer that whenever someone talks to me about the device, while I have it on my wrist, that I can't really give them a ton of examples of how it helps me in my day-to-day routine. In addition, the customization ability that would allow anyone to create a look of their own for the watch was pretty poor at launch. It would appear now though, after developers have had some time to work on it, there is a new app called WatchStyler that finally has me impressed. With WatchStyler, you can create your very own watch face, with a number of custom fonts and the ability to choose your own wallpapers. And these aren't preselected wallpapers, but actually images from your own device's gallery. That's major. Once you select a wallpaper, you can choose a clock face - either analog or digital - and then go from there. You can choose to have a battery widget, world clock widget, calendar widget; and the look of each can be customized. After just 5 minutes of tinkering, I was able to create a look I really enjoyed for the watch. If you own the Galaxy Gear or were thinking about picking one up, you have to go download this app.

Samsung Apps Link [mobile only] Cheers Dustin!

T-Mobile Announces Tablet-focused Press Conference for October 23, Will Take Place on Twitter(?)

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 14:44:55 +0000

This afternoon, T-Mobile has announced that they are to host Un-carrier 3.0 Part II live from Twitter. The way it should go down is T-Mobile's CEO and CMO will sit inside of a boardroom, and from there, will answer questions about the company's latest Un-carrier news from media and consumers through Twitter and text messaging. Luckily for those who don't feel like scrolling through endless tweets, there will also be a live audio stream available as well. But what is it that T-Mobile is talking about? According to the e-vite, it is something about "unleashing the tablet." We have no idea what they are referring to yet, but we're assuming T-Mo will let everyone in on its newest plans soon enough. The festivities are set to begin tomorrow, October 23 at 9AM Pacific. Wow, a press conference on Twitter? That's so UNcarrier of you, T-Mobile. Via: T-Mobile

Verizon Moto X Update Rolling Out to Non-Soak Testers Too

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 13:34:31 +0000

If you own the Moto X on Verizon and are not a part of the most recent software soak test, you may be able to pull the update anyway. A number of readers within the last few minutes let us know that they are receiving the update, yet are not a part of the soak group. We have the full changelog at this post. To check, head into Settings>About phone>System updates. Cheers Brent, Dustin, Roth, @AaronWltrs and @arrow2theknee!

Omate TrueSmart Watch Comes Clean, Doesn't Have Google Play or Google Services Support

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:44:55 +0000

The Omate Truesmart, one of the newest Kickstarter smartwatch darlings to crush the $1 million in funding mark, announced some potentially painful news to backers this morning. Originally announced as the "world's first smartwatch with Google Play," its founders have come clean in an update on the product's Kickstarter page, saying that at this time, they do not have official Google Play support after all. Since Android doesn't currently allow for Play store or Google Services support on devices such as a smartwatch, Omate is having to work with Google to try to get it certified. That process could be easy or it could be incredibly difficult; we don't really know at this time. What I do know is that come launch - at least for the October developer editions - users will have to sideload .apk files to get the experience that Omate initially promised because there won't be Google Play or Gmail or Google Maps or any other major Google app. Sideloading apps isn't all that difficult if you know what you are doing, but it's not exactly a great solution. And what if Google tells them, "No"? Well, Omate is going to create the OStore, their own marketplace for apps. Because that's just what we need, another 3rd party app store to trust and potentially download from. Oh, and we would also have to hope that app developers care enough about this product to submit their apps in the first place. While the product is popular on Kickstarter with more than 4,000 backers, that's not exactly a big number of users to a developer. To say that this news is a disappointment would be an understatement. Sure, Omate could work closely with Google and get official support for their smartwatch. But you know what, there is absolutely no guarantee that we'll see that happen. It would certainly make sense for Google to give smartwatches the green light for Google Services, since they plan to enter the wearable market themselves, however, I'm not sure a company like Omate is going to be one to push them over the edge. Maybe that's just me. I hope this all gets cleared up soon. Here is a screenshot that I grabbed this morning from their Kickstarter page:

Here is today's note from Omate:

Dear TrueSmarters, We apologize for any confusion that our initial statements may have caused regarding the Official Google Play Store. TrueSmart is the first of an entire new breed of smartwatches, for you as well as for us, and as we are developing it together we are also learning. Even though Android does not currently allow for official Play Store support for Smartwatch 2.0 devices, Omate is still working closely with Google over Google Play and Google Services issues. We feel that the combined efforts of Google and Omate will allow for Google Play Store and Google Services to be on the TrueSmart and we are fully committed to get the TrueSmart certified and the needed updates released. Until that time we are working to provide you with the OStore and are also working closely with app developers to ensure apps in the OStore will provide the best experience possible. I will personally do my best with the support of the entire Omate Team to promote Omate's vision to strategic industrial partners and with your help we will make it possible. The companion feature (Osmart) is just one of the limitless applications we can implement into the TrueSmart. We will announce great app partnerships when we will start shipping the Developer Edition end of October. In videos and pictures from various developer events we’ve been attending, we have shown Google Play and Google Services are working properly on the TrueSmart engineering samples. However we have to respect Google’s certification process in order to get official access to their services so we must confirm the TrueSmart Developer Edition will not ship with Google Play preloaded on it. If you have pledged the Developer Edition, we consider that you are a Developer (that makes sense to us) and thus you know how to install any Android APK. We rely on you - Developers - to test your existing applications and even create new ones dedicated to this new fantastic Android based wearable platform that the TrueSmart represents. We attended our first Hackaton as a supportive startup this weekend at AngelHack HK. The feedback from backers and developers have been nothing but positive; over the course of our Kickstarter campaign we have changed our specs based on your feedback, your voice counts and we carefully listen our community. As a result we have designed the world's first software running on top of Android dedicated to wearable devices (Omate User Interface a.k.a OUI). We have set a reference design of the world's first Android smartwatch 2.0 running on MediaTek MT6572. Something to be very proud of, and cherish. We are dedicated to ship the TrueSmart on time, on specs and on quality. We still have many challenges to face but we are on track according to our planning even though some features and aspects are not directly linked to Omate's final decision. The road to success is a bumpy one, especially when making industry-changing products. I’d like to thank you for your support and commitment to TrueSmart. Laurent Le Pen (CEO)

Via: Omate (Kickstarter)

CyanogenMod 10.2 Nightlies Now Up for Verizon's LG G2

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 11:51:25 +0000

Members of the rooted crowded running an LG G2 on Verizon can go grab the first nightly builds available of CyanogenMod 10.2. For those unfamiliar, CM 10.2 will bring a vanilla Android-like experience to your device, complete with a ton of customization options and tweaks to make sure you are getting the most out of your device. CM is basically the industry standard of custom ROMs for Android. Again, you will need to be rooted and running a custom recovery on your G2 device. If you have that done, flashing the zip file should be relatively easy for any seasoned flasher. You can download the ROM by following the via link below. Via: Get.cm Cheers Mitch!

Live Chat: Apple's iPad Event!

Tim — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 09:41:40 +0000

If you are in the loop, then you will already know that it is officially "new iPad" day for Apple. At 10AM, the company will unveil its latest slates to take them into the colder months, and we shall how they stack up to Android's finest tablet offerings. You can plan on seeing all of your favorite Apple executives, throwing out big words like "extraordinary" and "gorgeous." Should be a pretty good time. Let's have fun and live blog it. Won't you join us below? Again, the festivities kick off at 10:00AM Pacific (1:00PM Eastern). Luckily for everyone who is able to, Apple is livestreaming the event right here. Once it goes live, we will attempt to embed the feed right here. Until then, let's do this thing.

Galaxy Nexus and Original RAZR Owners, What are You Upgrading to?

Kellen — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 09:00:25 +0000

Can you believe that it has been almost two years since Verizon partnered up with Google to release the Galaxy Nexus and Motorola to re-vive the RAZR line? That period of time in late 2011 was easily one of the most exciting in the history of this site and Android in general. For months, we talked about both (some Rezound talk too), with the Galaxy Nexus (or G-Nex as we dubbed it) eventually becoming the phone of choice for many who were upgrading from the original DROID, thanks to stock Android, the "Nexus" brand attached to it, and the hope that updates would be often and timely. But that doesn't mean that the RAZR (MAXX in particular) wasn't equally as popular. Verizon threw everything they had at these new DROID phones, showing off their kevlar, new version of Blur, and massive battery life. But now that we are two years out from all of that hypebeasting, we know that there are some upgrades on the horizon. If you purchased any phone during the end of 2011, you are likely due. With unlimited data being taken away and unattractive tiered or shared plans taking their place, you have a big choice to make. Do you take an upgrade and lose your unlimited data (could try this trick to keep it)? Do you buy at full retail to avoid a contract and keep your current plan? Or do you pack up and leave Verizon for more open pastures? There are more than a few amazing phones out there to be had, most of which we have reviewed. The Moto X is probably our in-house favorite of the moment, but the G2 and Galaxy Note 3 are easily as good. The Galaxy S4 is still one of the top three or four phones of the year, plus the HTC One and new DROID family are no slouches. I'm not sure that you can make a bad decision on a phone at this point. But what if you want the new Nexus? Well, you would have to leave Verizon in order to use it. But if you leave Verizon, where do you go? Prepaid? AT&T or T-Mobile (we wouldn't recommend Sprint)? We'll have a post this week that details some of your prepaid options, including a few of the new ones like Aio. We have had a number of readers ask for our opinions on all of this, but truthfully, we think the community as a whole can help you make a decision much better than we as a few individuals can. So what we'd like to do is have you take to the comments and tell us what your plan is if you have an upgrade on the horizon. Are you sticking with Big Red (or your current carrier)? If so, are you using an upgrade or buying at full retail? Which phone are you targeting? Are you leaving for another carrier? If so, which one? Going prepaid? Going Nexus? Why? We want it all.

[poll id="273"]

Google Invests $23 Million in FlexyCore to Make Future Versions of Android Smoother

Eric — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 08:56:27 +0000

Google's constant quest to make Android even better for the end user continues on with their latest investment. With the introduction of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, we received Project Butter which was a huge change for how Android handled. The idea being that butter is slippery and smooth, something our favorite mobile OS was in need of after suffering for years with what we tend to call "jank." Google, always thinking they can do more, has gone out and acquired FlexyCore. FlexyCore is a company that specializes in optimizing Android and making it run not just smoother, but better as well. Google apparently saw enough from their DroidBooster app and figured that it was worth bringing them into the fold. Their services and past work are reportedly worth $23 million to Google, as that is the price they paid. Google vouched for them in a quote to GigaOm, saying FlexyCore has "strong expertise in building software to optimize Android device performance, and we think they’d be a great fit with our team." It sounds like the FlexyCore team has already been integrated into the Android team, so work on improving Android could begin pretty soon. Via: GigaOM

Soak Test Camera Update for Verizon Moto X Rolling Out to Testers (Updated)

Eric — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 07:10:02 +0000

When it comes to software updates for the mobile devices on their network, Verizon might just be the slowest moving company on the planet. It was almost a month ago to the day that we first heard about Motorola rolling out an update to the Moto X that would address some of the issues that the camera was having. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and US Cellular have already pushed the update, but those in Motorola's Feedback Network on Verizon might have a surprise waiting for them when they turn on their phone this morning. The main focus of this update (build 139.15.1) is to dramatically improve the camera that so many people had been complaining about since the phone's launch. We have tested the new software against the old and it is a very welcome improvement so far. One interesting thing to note; soak testers were required to check that they would be ok with losing root if they wanted to take part in this test. ~~We are getting reports that after the update goes through, root access is still available~~. ~~It does not look like Moto has patched the exploit that apps like MotoRoot use~~ (read update below). Update: We took the update and were able to keep root throughout (it apparently does patch previous root exploits though, so if you lose it, you are out of luck), but others are reporting boot loops and loss of root. I think it depends on which root method you used. Looking for clarification. Until I can get it from Eric, you may want to hold off. -K Update 2: Eric kept root through the update by using MotoRoot 1.1, the original root method which has since been updated and changed. If you used PwnMyMoto, your results could certainly vary and likely won't leave you with root. We aren't exactly hearing good things, so be careful. -K The update also enhances Touchless Control, improves the Moto Migrate experience, betters call voice quality (fixes choppy audio), and fixes a bunch of bugs. Here is the full changelog:

Unless there is any major hiccups with this update, we could be seeing this update rolling out as the final software anywhere within the next week or so. Cheers A, P, E, N, D, M, J, and T!

Download: Google Play Version 4.4.21, Features Pullout Navigation Bar

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:11:54 +0000

A new version of Google Play is currently circulating, so we figured we should give our readers the heads up and ability to try out the latest update for themselves. This is version 4.4.21, which brings a new navigation menu to the entire application. Much like many other Google apps, simply pull the navigation bar out from the left side of your display to access your apps, wishlist, redeem menu, and other Google accounts. From my 5 minutes with it, we aren't seeing anything else right off. Download it yourself and let us know if you find anything special. Download: com.android.vending-4.4.21.apk Cheers David!

Monday Poll: What New Feature has You Most Excited for the Nexus 5?

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 14:16:44 +0000

There is no denying that people are excited for the Nexus 5. We recently ran a poll asking what the bigger deal was - the Nexus 5, Kit Kat, Google's reported smartwatch, a new Nexus 10, or something else? The Nexus 5 led the poll by a long shot, so now we want to know exactly why that is. What makes the Nexus 5 so special? This Nexus device, as I put it in last week's Droid Life Show, is the first Nexus phone since the Nexus One that really competes against all of the other top tier devices on the market in terms of specs. None of these specs are completely official, but thanks to many leaks and reports we have done, we can pretty much assume that the Nexus 5 will feature a 1080p display, a Snapdragon 800 processor, finally have 4G LTE connectivity, a hopefully-improved camera sensor with possible OIS technology, and of course feature Google's latest Android OS installment, Android 4.4 "Kit Kat." All of these things should add up to one serious Android experience. Tell us down below what has you most excited for the Nexus 5. If it's something other than what is listed in the poll, tell us in the comments section. [poll id="272"]

Benchmark Apparently Points to New 2.5GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon Processor

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 13:17:36 +0000

The smartphone industry is never standing still. It continues to grow daily and there are companies that push forward, innovate, and break bounds with their products. Qualcomm is a major player in the mobile processor game, with the Snapdragon 600 and 800 chips powering today's top tier devices such as the American variants of the Samsung Galaxy S4, Note 3, HTC One, LG G2, and the list can go on and on. In a recently recovered benchmark from AnTuTu, Qualcomm appears to be working on a revised Snapdragon chip (MSM8084), a 2.5GHz quad-core variant, featuring a beefy Adreno 420 GPU. The current Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) is ran at 2.3GHz and features the Adreno 320 GPU. It's some great silicon, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. Naturally, there is no word on when we could see this chip launch inside of a device, but it's always exciting to know that our smartphones will be even more powerful down the road. More power with less juice consumption would be ideal, but we will have to wait and see what Qualcomm delivers.

Via: PocketNow

Recent HTC Exec Comments Point to New Tablet and Future Wearables?

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 12:37:33 +0000

HTC's place as a smartphone maker has been somewhat questioned lately when considering poor sales and rough earnings figures, but the company's lead executives still look to the future and how the company can continue to innovate. In a recent discussion with Financial Times, when tablets were brought up, it wasn't a question of if HTC would launch one, but when.

When the tablet comes out it will be something nice and disruptive. There are a lot of devices to innovate, ubiquitous intelligence is not just wearables.

That was said by HTC's chairwoman Cher Wang, who was seated right next to the company's CEO Peter Chou. So clearly, if her quote is taken literally, HTC is definitely working on some type of tablet and they have high hopes for it. What has us more excited (possibly), is the CEO's mention of future wearables from the company. When questioned on the current offerings from Samsung (Galaxy Gear), Pebble, and other manufacturers, Chou comments that the products are just too gimmicky and don't meet any consumer needs. He states clearly that HTC, if they do end up making a wearable, will need to release a mature and more advanced product in order for it to succeed. Apparently, HTC is currently throwing around a few ideas internally on what would make people focused on their watch and not any other offerings currently on the market. What do you think - should HTC continue its forward progress and push out a new tablet and even a smartwatch? Is there anyway they could make it not gimmicky? Via: TechnoBuffalo

"Headless" Runs Onto Google Play, an Endless Runner Based on a True Story

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 12:12:20 +0000

Everyone loves a good endless runner game, and Headless is a great new choice that hit Google Play this month. In the game, which is surprisingly based on a "true story," you play as a headless chicken that must fly, duck, and dodge obstacles to stay alive. If you run out of blood, which is easy to do with no head, the game is over. The gameplay is smooth and the graphics are quite good. Priced at only $0.99, it's a great way to waste some time if you have nothing better to do than watch a chicken run around with its head cut off. Morbid, but enjoyable nevertheless. Play Link ($0.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/h-TScTNttDU[/youtube]

Qualcomm Sets Up a Sweet Snapdragon-powered Bullet Time Photo Booth

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:24:49 +0000

[youtube]http://youtu.be/oD26Mrf1mck[/youtube]

Qualcomm's Snapdragon team released a video this morning, showing off what its team can do with 130 Snapdragon-powered HTC One smartphones. Bullet Time photo booth, anyone? Using a specially designed rig, each camera lights up when someone or something is taking place inside the booth. Once all is said and done, the images can be stitched together to give off the look of something you would see in The Matrix. It's pretty neat to say the least. If you would like the Snapdragon Booth to come to your town, you can head to their website and vote for your city. Currently, Los Angeles and San Francisco are in the lead. Via: SnapdragonBooth Cheers Jaime!

SEGA to Launch Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and All-Stars Racing Transformed to Google Play

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:55:49 +0000

SEGA announced this morning that two new Sonic games should hit Android later this year, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Earlier this year, the company released a mobile-optimized version of the OG Sonic the Hedgehog game, which totally rocks. SEGA says they are going through the same optimizations for this version, rebuilding the game from the ground up for smartphones and tablets.

Revisit iconic levels packed with enemies and hazards as you zoom along loop de loops in your mission to destroy the devious Dr. Eggman. This definitive remake for mobile devices has been fully built from the ground up, featuring re-mastered graphics and audio, a silky smooth frame rate (60fps) and exclusive game content.

The games should launch in November, and if Sonic 2 plays as good as the first one they launched, then we can't wait. We will keep you posted. Via: BusinessWire

NVIDIA CEO Hints at SHIELD 2, Should be Powered by Project Logan

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 10:25:43 +0000

In a recent interview with Engadget, NVIDIA's CEO Jen-Hsun Huang was asked if the public could expect a new rendition of SHIELD sometime in 2014. Jen-Hsun replied that we should all expect a new SHIELD anytime a new Tegra chip is released, which should actually be fairly soon. NVIDIA already announced that the next Tegra chip, codenamed Project Logan, will be the first Tegra chip based on the same "architectural sophistication" that you see in a PC platform today. Jen-Hsun goes on to state that he would love the next SHIELD device to be the "first customer" of Project Logan, so could we see a SHIELD 2 in time for next year's CES? This past January, NVIDIA unveiled Tegra 4 in addition to SHIELD, but unfortunately the device didn't make it to the mass market until a couple of months ago. With a $300 price tag, and a PC streaming software launched in beta, we know that not many people were standing in line for this device. If SHIELD 2 comes with Tegra 5, and its major bump in specs, would you reconsider your position on this device? Let us know what you would want to see in a SHIELD 2. Via: Engadget

BBM for Android to Start Rolling Out Today in Google Play (Update: It's Live!)

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 09:50:39 +0000

What an event this has been - the launching of BBM for Android onto Google Play. Back in September, the app was supposed to launch onto iOS and Android devices, but hanks to a pirated version of the app which apparently crashed the company's entire server infrastructure (seriously?), they were forced to delay it. Almost a month later, they are ready to give it another go.

This is the news you’ve been waiting for! I am thrilled to tell you that we are about to officially resume our rollout of BBM for Android and iPhone customers around the globe!* In the next few hours, people will start seeing BBM in Google Play, the App Store and in select Samsung App Stores – where it will be free to download. As you know, in just seven hours, about one million Android users were using the unreleased version of BBM for Android. What you don’t know is that more than one million people have found creative ways to “side load” BBM on their iPhone. This is incredible. To help manage this unprecedented pent up demand for BBM, we are implementing a simple line-up system to ensure a smooth roll out.

Update: Here is the Google Play link. So, be on the lookout in Google Play, and when you see it, let us know! Should be sometime today. Finally. Via: BlackBerry

Press Renders Leaked for AT&T and Verizon HTC One Max

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 09:20:18 +0000

When first announced, it was only apparent that the One Max would hit Sprint and Verizon, but thanks to some newly leaked press renders from @evleaks, it appears that AT&T is also getting in on the fun. For those not keeping track, this device features a 5.9-inch Full HD 1080p LCD, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB of RAM, an Ultrapixel (4MP) camera, a 3300mAh non-removable battery, NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, and quite a bit more. Those are good specs, but most were surprised that HTC didn't attempt to match Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 specs, which are pretty much future proof. No word yet on when exactly you will be able to go into retail stores and pick this device up, but we will be sure to keep you posted. HTC announced that the device should hit the US before the year is out. Is anyone still considering this phone?

Via: @evleaks [2]

HTC One Update to Android 4.3 Looks to be Officially Rolling Out

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 08:55:42 +0000

Last week, HTC's US president mentioned that the Android 4.3 update for the One would be live this morning on October 21. Thankfully, to all T-Mo One owners' relief, he wasn't lying. According to the emails we have received so far, the update appears to be rolling out strongly. To get a good idea as to what is in this update, you can expect it to be a lot like AT&T's. There are some enhancements for BlinkFeed such as the addition of Instagram, HTC Zoe updates, and a ton more. You can see the full changelog for the AT&T variant on this post. To check for the update, head into Settings>About phone>Software updates. If your device still has yet to receive it, be patient - it's coming. Cheers @RedmanFL, Rhonda, @Chaz_K, and Jason!

Dead Effect Launches for Android, Features Hungry Space Zombies

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 08:30:11 +0000

Last week, game publisher Bulkypix released Dead Effect onto Google Play. The game is beginning to soar through the ranks, featuring very good graphics and frightening gameplay. It is your typical zombie "kill 'em all" first person shooter, but since we all know that no one can hear you scream in space, we think this game has a fantastic setting. The gameplay is fast and the controls are extremely fluid, but be warned, you need a device capable of some serious computing power to play. It is quite CPU intensive, with the Note 3 even heating up quite a bit during gameplay. But beyond that, there are a ton of customizable weapons, you can choose characters you want to play, and you can just have fun killing the undead. It's Halloween time after all. The big bonus is that this game is free. Yes, there are IAP, so keep that in mind. Let us know what you think. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/a3h-xGi9u0Q[/youtube]

Dead Zebra Now Selling Halloween Edition Android Mini, Better Hurry

Tim — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 08:10:16 +0000

Dead Zebra's Halloween edition Android mini, Trickrtreat, is now up for sale. You can grab it for only $10, but just like all of the other minis, you better hurry if you plan on scoring it on the web. He is a pretty adorable pumpkin character, so we see him selling out quickly. Good luck! Buy ($10) Via: Dead Zebra

We Serve as Your Nexus 5 This Weekend

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 21:40:30 +0000

On episode 39 of the Droid Life Show, which went down this week, we had a lot of Nexus 5 and Kit Kat rumors and leaks to lead the discussion. Those topics only sparked others, like whether or not this next Nexus is important enough and how Google wants us to think about its flagship phone line overall. And are Nestle and Kit Kat trolling the hell out of us? Outside of Nexus chatter, we also talked about losing your unlimited data through a letter from your carrier, how ridiculous it is that Nike continues to drink Android hater-ade, and why the HTC One Max exists. We threw out some apps and games of the moment as well. There is plenty there to take you into the weekend. We'll be back live on Wednesday night at 6PM Pacific!

Hangouts on iOS Gets Google Voice and Call Integration Before Android

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 17:08:24 +0000

Not that I wanted to set you off on your weekend way with irritating news, but yes, the iOS Google Hangouts app just received an update that allows it to make and receive phone calls. The update doesn't incorporate SMS or MMS or voicemail, but does allow you to place calls using your Google Voice number (should you have one) and receive them via Hangouts. We still don't have this type of integration yet on Android, which is incredibly weird to say since again, this is from the company that controls Android. I just updated Hangouts on my iPod Touch to test it and really like how it works. It's incredibly simple to use, especially if you already have a Google Voice number attached to one of your Google accounts. I didn't even have to turn the service on in Settings, though I did check to see how it worked (pictured top right). Once I realized it was on and ready, I fired up a phone call from Gmail to my Google Voice number and it rang right through. I then also placed a call using the new phone dialer icon (pictured top left). Here is the changelog:

See which of your friends is using Hangouts, and who can be reached right now
Call phone numbers from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch (free to the US and Canada)
Make and receive calls using your Google Voice number
Send and receive animated GIFs that play inline
Hangouts will temporarily turn down your music (instead of stopping it) when you receive an incoming message

I'd imagine if this is ready for iOS that we should see it very soon on Android. But then again, maybe Google is waiting to push out Kit Kat before hand? Frustrating. Update: Not that you didn't expect this functionality to come to Android too, but Google's Vic Gundotra did have this to say on Google+, shortly after hearing it from the Android faithful:

Guys, don't worry. We have massive investment in Android. I promise you will be happy soon. Don't get upset because we show some love to Google users who use iOS. There are a lot of them. And they are good people :-)

I'd still imagine we may not see it until Kit Kat is unveiled. Hopefully, that's only a few days or a week away.

This Week in the Life of Droid: 10/18/2013

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 16:30:26 +0000

This week was a big one for Android fans everywhere. These past few days have been full of Nexus 5 and Kit Kat leaks galore! It was pretty intense. Google's upcoming Nexus 5 made a brief appearance on Google Play Thursday night, which means we could be in for an announcement pretty soon, as well as an unveiling of Android 4.4. In addition, we had a lovely Droid Life Show on Wednesday evening, HTC launched the One Max a couple of months too late, Google posted outstanding Q3 earnings, and we could potentially see a white Nexus 5 if images of retail packaging are to be trusted. If you missed any of the action, we have the highlights below.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

ARC Squadron: Redux Launches for Android, a Free to Download Aerial Assault Title

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 15:44:56 +0000

Here is a game that can easily keep you busy over the weekend, called ARC Squadron: Redux, an insanely fast-paced outer space aerial combat title. In the game, you take controls of a customizable fighter ship, out to destroy the galaxy's baddies. But don't worry, there aren't just little baddies to worry about; there are nine different massive boss beasts to destroy, so prepare yourself for an intense experience. The game features a 60 level campaign through more than 20 different environments. Each ship you have can be customized via in-game boosts, plus the occasional IAP to help you upgrade faster. The ships contain up to 8 different weapons, so killing the evildoers should never get dull. The game is free to download from Google Play, but with this type of quality put into a game, you can expect to see some expensive in-app purchases if you want the bigger toys. Check it out and let us know what you think. Oh, did I mention its optimized for SHIELD owners? Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/e7yK2yvaFbo[/youtube]

NVIDIA Announces GameStream for SHIELD, Launches October 28

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:00:47 +0000

Today, at a press event that took place in Montreal, NVIDIA's CEO announced GameStream, a new standard for media streaming technology. GameStream combines the power of NVIDIA's GeForce GTX graphics cards and advanced WiFi technologies to deliver a super smooth, low latency gaming experience for mobile gamers. It's not a device or a service you pay for, but it's the PC game streaming service that is now out of Beta that SHIELD owners have used for about a month or so now. Along with the release of GameStream comes expanded streaming support, including:

Super smooth and fast performance at 60 frames per second.
Enhanced Wi-Fi quality of service in combination with GameStream Ready routers from leading network partners ASUS, Buffalo, D-Link, and NETGEAR.
Improved onscreen navigation and controls

In addition, NVIDIA also announced a new capability called, SHIELD Console Mode, which turns your SHIELD unit into a full gaming and entertainment console on your big-screen TV. "Simply attach SHIELD to your HDTV via HDMI, pair it with a Nyko PlayPad Pro Bluetooth controller, and sit back on your couch and play your PC games with GameStream." SHIELD owners and users of a GeForce GTX-powered machine can expect to take advantage of this on October 28. Stoked? Via: NVIDIA

Friday App Sales: Final Fantasy V, Worms 2: Armageddon, Pacific Rim, and More

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 13:12:19 +0000

Hooray, it's Friday! If you need a couple good games to keep you busy, there are a few deals taking place over on Google Play, including Worms 2, which is a classic. If you are looking for something a bit more epic, then might I suggest Final Fantasy V for just $11? Might seem to be priced high, but that's down from its usual price of $15, a price that fans of the franchise don't have any problem paying. It must be that good. Check out the full list below. Friday app sales:

Worms 2: Armageddon ($0.99)
Star Armada RTS ($0.99)
Final Fantasy V ($10.99)
Pacific Rim ($0.99)
GA4: Revenant Rising ($2.99)
Spartacus Workout Collection ($1.67)
Calls Blacklist Pro ($0.99)

No go forth and support those devs.

A Picture of the Nexus 5 Again...Just Because It's Pretty.

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 12:17:05 +0000

Hello again, Nexus 5. We don't know exactly when you will arrive, but we hope it is soon. Oh, and Kit Kat by itself.

On the Moto X for the dreamers.

That is all.

Android 4.3 Update for HTC One on T-Mobile Should Come Monday

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 11:40:54 +0000

T-Mobile customers sporting an HTC One have been given a little bit of a runaround as of late, when it comes to their Android 4.3 update. It was previously reported by HTC corporate that the update would go live before the end of this month, but that info conflicted with what was said by HTC's US president, who said it was coming this week. Luckily, Twitter exists, which gives customers a way to reach out to companies in a quick fashion. HTC's US president, Jason Mackenzie, clarified and confirmed that the update to Android 4.3 will go live next Monday, October 21. To get a look at what is in store for your One device on T-Mobile, check this post here. Via: @JasonMacHTC Cheers Jason!

Google Sends Out Invite to October 24 Google Play Event (Updated: It's Not the Event You Want)

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 11:01:56 +0000

Well, would you look at that. Less than 24 hours after the Nexus 5 appeared on Google Play for a brief moment before being pulled, Google has sent out an invite to Geek.com for an event to be held at 7:00PM Eastern on October 24 in NYC. The invite shows "Google Play" in the top header, and then mentions joining them for a "night out with Google Play." There will be music, movies, games, and a special performance by Capital Cities. So is this the Nexus 5 event we have all been waiting for? Tough to tell. Update: Geek.com is now reporting that this event will not feature new hardware. So no, this is not the Nexus 5 event. There is no mention of Android whatsoever, or devices or anything new. The invite also doesn't appear to have been sent to any other tech media that we are aware of, so we're not really sure what to think. With the end of October approaching, and rumored Nexus and Kit Kat launch dates coming and going, this seems like good timing for an unveiling. But something also just doesn't seem right. No matter what, it has been marked on our calendars. You tell us - is this the big event? Via: Geek

Canonical Releases Ubuntu 13.10 for Smartphones, Its First "True Mobile" Release

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 10:23:38 +0000

This morning, Canonical announced the availability of Ubuntu 13.10, the first "true mobile release" of the OS. Inside the release, users can finally get a good picture of what the company is bringing to the smartphone game, with a fully-baked UI and core applications that have been developed by a highly experienced community of developers. There still isn't much third party app support, but you will find the basics like a calendar, camera, phone, clock, and browser application. Rick Spencer, Ubuntu’s consumer-facing engineering lead, had this to say on the 13.10 release.

This is a milestone in computing history. The exact same Ubuntu OS runs on ARM phones and modern HP Moonshot ARM servers, and provides exactly the same capability as x86 platforms. Ubuntu 13.10 is a full server-grade OS that offers a mobile experience and is lean enough to support mobile devices, kicking off a new era in mobile security and computing convergence.

Ubuntu 13.10 should be flashable on a couple of Android handsets if we aren't mistaken, so you can follow the via link below if you are interested. Although, this is best left to developers and those that are familiar with tinkering in SDKs and have a working knowledge of adb. Unlike the Ubuntu for Android platform, this is more than just flashing a zip file in a custom recovery. Via: Canonical

Tiny Thief is Amazon's Free App of the Day, Rovio's Newest Game We Actually Like

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 09:50:05 +0000

If you act quickly, well you do have 24 hours technically, then you can grab Rovio's Tiny Thief for free off of Amazon's Appstore for Android. The game is listed on Google Play and other stores for $3 usually, so this is a total steal. The deal is so good that I actually downloaded the Amazon Appstore just for this, so that should tell you something. In Tiny Thief, you play a cute little character, who must go through tons of different levels to collect booty. The levels are very playful, and some are quite tricky. In essence, each level is its own puzzle which you must solve, complete with baddies in each one. It's a great game, and we think it is Rovio's best work in some time. Go grab it if you haven't already. Appstore Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/x-hV0RaqcGI[/youtube]

Sony Develops Wireless Chargers That Can Fully Juice Devices in an Hour

Tim — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 09:25:03 +0000

According to Nikkei, Sony and Rohm are to introduce a new wireless charging device, capable of fully charing a smartphone in just an hour. Sony comments that the, "device uses 10-15 watts and supplies twice the electricity of previous chargers, cutting charging time by half, to around one hour." As of right now, the specifications are being finalized by the Wireless Power Consortium, based on the Qi international standard. Rohm, the company responsible for creating the microchips that will go into the Qi-compatible smartphones and chargers, was able to keep heat production down (which is the general worry of speed charging), even with the amount of power needed to charge a good-sized battery in under an hour. Luckily for consumers, plans to get these chargers and chips into devices, then onto the market is planned for late 2014. We always talk about companies focusing on making a better battery tech, as in bigger batteries for phones, but this doesn't sound too bad to start. Via: Nikkei

Retail Packaging of Nexus 5 Leaks, White Variant Too?

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:47:02 +0000

Ever since last night's Google Play slip-up that showed us the Nexus 5 in all its glory, along with its price and at least one internal storage option, we have been counting the minutes to some sort of official acknowledgement from Google. We still don't have that yet, but we may have another piece to the puzzle - retail packaging. Posted at tech site Underkg.com (and then potentially removed), three images show what could be the retail packaging for Google's new phone, assuming they are even real. The styling of the packaging matches up exactly to the packaging of the new 2013 Nexus 7. The device is shown half-way on the front side, but finishes off on the back, just like with the N7. You have nothing but a Google logo on the front, along with an LG logo on the side (says Asus in the same spot on the N7 box), and the name "NEXUS5" on the back. The only odd thing here is that on our Nexus 7 LTE box, it also says the storage size and has all sorts of regulatory and test logos, like that of the FCC. But this is also not likely a U.S. retail box, so don't take that to mean much. But wait, is that a white Nexus 5 on that box? It certainly looks like it is. At this point, we have yet to see a white N5 in the wild, but Google has made white versions of at least three Nexus phones to date, so it wouldn't surprise us if they decided to provide a white option. In my personal opinion, this white theme is not exactly the way I'd go, with the all white back and black sides. To me, if a phone is white, a white backplate is not enough - you have to at least wrap the entire back and sides in white, should you decide to leave the front black (like the developer edition Moto X). But again, that's just me. The white inner box also looks quite similar to that used with the new Nexus 7. The hypebeasting continues. Thoughts on a half-baked white version? Fake or real?

Update: Anyone remember this picture? We wondered if that was a white Nexus lying face up on top of another Nexus 5. It certainly seems now like it was.

Via: +rohan rao rao | +Ashutos Jain

Kindle Fire HDX 7 Ships Today for $229

Kellen — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:01:55 +0000

The Kindle Fire HDX, Amazon's new flagship tablet with high-end specs, ships today at a starting price of $229. Announced back at the end of September, the new HDX tablets from Amazon are about as good as it gets in terms of tablet hardware, you just need to understand that should you buy one, you are giving up access to Google services (Gmail app, Google Play, Hangouts, etc.). But at that price, with that display, and with Amazon's service powering it all, maybe it's worth it? The 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX comes with a full HD display (1920x1200, 323ppi), 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 800 processor (quad-core), lasts for up to 11 hours of “mixed use,” utilizes a new forked version of Android called Fire OS 3.0 “Mojito,” introduces free 24×7 tech support through the Mayday button, and can connect via LTE on both AT&T and Verizon networks. This is no slouch. The LTE models are still only available for pre-order, but the WiFi versions are ready to rock. To see a spec comparison of the new Kindles, hit up this chart. Amazon Link

Nexus 5 Appears on Google Play! Starting Price of $349 (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 18:23:01 +0000

Sooooo, the Nexus 5 is now showing up on Google Play (name now confirmed). Tough to tell if this is an early mistake or something is about to go down officially. The price shows that it starts at $349 and there is a direct link to the phone (which is not live yet) that shows it will be a 16GB model. There could be a 32GB model as well, but that info isn't available.

Play Link [2] Update: And here is the mega-high-res version.

Update 2: The Nexus 4 is now completely gone.

Update 3: We should point out that the quote under the listing says "Capture the everyday and the epic in fresh new ways." Update 4: And the Nexus 4 has returned.

Update 5: Google appears to have closed up shop now. There are now no real remaining traces of the phone. Did they mean to do that? Probably not. The question now is, are we going to see an announcement tomorrow without any sort of event? If not, how big of a screw-up was that?

Verizon Galaxy S4 Already Rooted After VRUDMI1 Update

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 16:16:54 +0000

Some of you were probably holding off from updating your Verizon Galaxy S4 to the latest VRUDMI1 build until someone had rooted it, am I right? Hold off no more. "Root de la Vega" by @OpenGears (ported to the GS4 by @BeansTown106) is now available for download. It requires Odin and a set of very specific steps to accomplish the task, but I'd imagine you are up for it if keeping root is something of importance. You can find the file and instructions below, but I'd highly recommend hitting up the XDA thread for support. File Download: rootdelavegajfltevzw.7z

Instructions:

How To Enter Download Mode Method 1: in command prompt or terminal enter: adb reboot download Method 2: Pull the battery out, unplug the usb cable, reinsert the battery. Hold Volume Down + Home + Power. Follow the instructions on the screen. Rooting Instructions Remove the external sdcard (if you have one) Boot into bootloader mode (see methods above) Flash VRUDMI1_Root_de_la_vega_jfltevzw.tar.md5 with Odin v3.07 (put in PDA slot, don't change any other settings, click start) Let your device fully boot after flashing has completed Copy the contents of Rootfiles.zip to the root of the internal storage

/My Computer/SCH-I545/Phone/

root_de_la_vega.sh

root_files (folder)

Reboot (very important!) After fully booting delete the files from the internal storage that were added previously

/My Computer/SCH-I545/Phone/

root_de_la_vega.sh

root_files (folder)

Reboot (extremely important!) Reinsert the external sdcard (if you have one) That's all! Enjoy Root!

Via: XDA Cheers Steve and Open1Your1Eyes0!

Archos Unveils Titanium Lineup of Phones, Budget-friendly Devices With Rock Bottom Specs

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 16:00:05 +0000

This afternoon, Archos unveiled a new lineup of smartphones, designed for the budget-minded buyer in all of us. The line is called Titanium, and if you'll recall, Archos also released a Titanium lineup of Android-powered tablets shortly ago. The phones feature some good price points, but after looking at the specs, it might be hard to get excited. There are four new phones in this lineup, the 40, 45, 50, and 53 Titanium. The names play off of the devices' display sizes, with the 40 featuring a 4.0" WVGA display, the 45 featuring a 4.5" FWVGA display, the 50 featuring a 5.0" qHD display, and finally the 53 sporting a 5.3" FWVGA display. The resolutions on these devices won't be anything to brag about, but again, if you are looking for a phone on a budget, then those are the corners you have to cut. Each device runs a slimmed version of Android 4.2.2, complete with Google Play access, as well as some Archos proprietary software. All four phones run a MT 6572 dual-core processor with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. Thankfully, each phone supports microSD cards, which you will probably need if you are only getting 4GB of space to store apps, photos, and music. The camera on each model is a 5MP shooter, with auto-focus and a built-in LED flash. As for batteries, the smaller 40 Titanium model features a 1500mAh battery, while the largest 53 Titanium device has a 2500mAh battery. Needless to say, we still have pretty high hopes for the recently unveiled GamePad 2 the company is working on.

Google Certified Titanium smartphones feature multi-touch displays, dual-core processors, dual SIM support, powerful battery life, HSPA+ and more
DENVER, Colo. – October 17, 2013 - ARCHOS, a pioneer in Android™ devices, partners with MediaTek to release the ARCHOS Titanium smartphone line, with four mid-range fully featured smartphones with affordable prices starting at 99€. Featuring a stylish, easy-grip and slim body design the ARCHOS Titanium smartphones include large high-quality screens with amazing viewing angles, dual sim support with HSPA+ speeds for complete carrier flexibility and 5 MP back cameras for capturing the perfect picture. Fully Google certified, the ARCHOS Titanium smartphone range run Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, include popular Google mobile applications and have complete access to the Google Play store. Real smartphones for daily use, the ARCHOS Titanium Smartphones offer the best user experience with rich and vibrant colored screens and the best in technology. Users now have the flexibility for their phone to be for both personal and work thanks to Dual Sim support. These smartphones make daily life easy with access to more than a million apps via the Google Play store and powerful batteries to take further than just a single day of use. “Our new Titanium smartphones make daily life easy by providing everything you need wrapped up in a powerful, feature rich phone package with a price that is hard to beat,” says Loic Poirier, CEO of ARCHOS. “Thanks to our new partnership with MediaTek and their support, we are able to offer a range of unlocked phones at affordable prices without losing key features.” “MediaTek is delighted that Archos has chosen the MT6572 3G+ platform as the basis for its new Titanium range of smartphones,” said Siegmund Redl, Vice President and General Manager Corporate Marketing, Europe, at MediaTek. “The MT6572 integrates into a single solution a powerful 3G+ dual-core processor with advanced Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and FM functionality. Combining this with support for 3D Graphics, HD capable video and MediaTek’s Miravision display enhancement technology, the MT6572 offers an outstanding user experience on Archos’ Titanium range of smartphones.” Each smartphone will include key features such as:

Dual-Core CPU’s: The built-in Dual Core CPU make for a powerful smartphone that will maximize your social networking, web browsing, gaming and app experience

Dual SIM: Finally, a smartphone that allows the user ultimate flexibility with managing multiple providers simultaneously

5 Mega Pixels Back Camera: Each smartphone features a high resolution camera with auto focus and flash to capture every photo-worthy moment perfectly

3G Connectivity H+ (21 Mbps): Experience speedy downloads and faster web browsing no matter where you are

Micro SD slot: Enjoy a large storage capacity with the built-in micro SD slot and Google Drive 15 GB for free (cloud storage)

Long battery life: The longer battery life eliminates the need to charge your phone every day during normal use eliminating the need to carry a charger with youGoogle certified: Provides users with access to all Google services including Google PlayTM, Google Mobile Services and more than one million apps

A-GPS : Users can get all European maps for free eliminating the need to buy an in-car GPS

Microsoft Introduces Remote Desktop App, Access Your Windows Machines From Anywhere

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:10:15 +0000

Microsoft released a new Android app this morning to help all Windows users remotely access their desktops from anywhere in the world. The app is actually called Microsoft Remote Desktop in case you had any doubts about what it was capable of. It's free, and should work on almost any Android device, phones apparently included. I'd imagine the tablet experience would be much easier to manage, but with oversized phones dominating our lives, we're glad that Microsoft is being open minded about this one. Once you add a PC (I'd walk you through that, but don't have a Windows desktop anywhere in sight), you should enjoy a "rich" multi-touch experience over a secure connection. You can add multiple machines, set some as favorites, and even view high quality video with "improved compression and bandwidth usage" from PC to Android device. Go get it and let us know how well (or poorly) it performs. Features:

+ Access to remote resources through your Remote Desktop Gateway + Rich multi-touch experience with remote desktop protocol (RDP) and RemoteFX supporting Windows gestures + Secure connection to your data and applications with breakthrough Network Layer Authentication (NLA) technology + Simple management of all remote connections from the connection center + High quality video and sound streaming with improved compression and bandwidth usage

Play Link

Cheers Raidy and Eddy!

Official Android 4.3 Update Reportedly Rolling Out to Galaxy S4 Devices, Brings Galaxy Gear Support

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:51:02 +0000

According to reports from Europe and SamMobile, Samsung is currently pushing out the official Android 4.3 update to the international Galaxy S4 (GT-I9505), with a ton of new features included inside. The biggest feature, for anyone who is a fan of Galaxy Gear, is new support for Samsung's smartwatch. Once this update goes live for all, the GS4 and the Note 3 will be the only two devices able to support the wearable. In addition to the support for Galaxy Gear, users will see OpenGL 3.0 support, TRIM support (which should increase the device's output performance), KNOX implementation (bootloader and application security enhancements), improved RAM management, improved display color reproduction, an updated Samsung keyboard, newly released camera firmware, plus a ton of other goodies. The list is actually quite large, so be sure to check out the full changelog by following the source. If the reports are true, and Samsung is finally rolling this update out, this means that the American variants could see the update before long. Once the code is released by Samsung, then each carrier begins their process of approving and testing, which could take some time. At least you can all sleep well knowing that Verizon, above all others, will make sure this Android 4.3 update will run flawlessly on their high speed network. *joke* Even with Kit Kat on the way, it's still a good time to be a GS4 owner. Via: SamMobile

Google Posts Q3 Earnings - Revenues of $14.89 Billion, But a $248 Million Operating Loss From Motorola

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 13:45:49 +0000

Google posted its Q3 2013 earnings today, showing revenues for the quarter of $14.89 billion, a 12% year-over-year increase. The overall business was up 6% quarter-over-quarter and the company now has $56.52 billion cash on hand. Not a bad quarter for Google. If you were looking for bad news, you can find it in the tiny section of their earnings report dedicated to Motorola. Moto brought in revenues of $1.18 billion (down from the $1.78 billion in Q3 2012), which turns out to be a $248 million loss or 21% loss of segment revenues. Obviously, it's still early for Motorola and the new leadership team that Google assembled there. They have clearly spent money on cuts, building out new distribution and manufacturing for their Moto X product, and in other costs associated with turning the company around. Google now has 46,421 full-time employees across the globe (4,259 of which are Motorola's). Via: Google Investors

Time Surfer is the Tiny Wings-like Game Android Has Needed

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 13:10:23 +0000

I always talk about Tiny Wings being a prime example of a game that is available on iOS which I wished would come to Android. There are many game developers that attempt to recreate the gameplay of Tiny Wings, but nothing comes close. With Time Surfer, a game that launched onto Google Play quite recently, I think we finally have a good replacement. In Time Surfer, you play as a little character who is surfing through space, who also has the ability to control time. The gameplay is simple to master - just press on the right side of the screen to bring your character down and press on the left side to rewind time. What's great about rewinding time is that if you hit a jump wrong or if you fall off the edge, you can just rewind time and hit the jump better. Although, your ability to control time is limited and you must refill the powerup with special crystals that you collect through the levels. With the same gameplay as Tiny Wings, but with some added powerups and more unique appearance of levels, it's a fantastic game. Try it out for $0.99 and let us know what you think. Play Link ($0.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/gierZB0MjNc[/youtube]

Get the LG G2 or HTC One From Verizon for $99 With Coupon Code "VZWDEAL"

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 12:35:30 +0000

The new DROID family of phones is not all that's on sale today from Verizon, no sir. The LG G2 and HTC One have also been slashed by $50 to $149, however, you can drop another $50 off of each if you use coupon code "VZWDEAL." Since "Verizon30" was killed off within the last week (R.I.P.), this is now the coupon code of choice until November 3 (when it will see its life come to an end). The "VZWDEAL" code is supposed to take off $100 from phones, but since Big Red already discounted each phone by $50, they are only willing to give you another $50. The Galaxy Note 3 does not appear to be a part of the deal. Apply the code during checkout, profit.

Via: Verizon Cheers Scott!

Nexus 5 Press Renders Leak From Telus, Give Us Another View of a Revamped Kit Kat Launcher

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 11:32:00 +0000

Three purported press renders of the new Nexus 5 have surfaced this morning, thanks to our friends up north at Canadian wireless provider Telus. The images were sent to Mobile Syrup, giving us one of the cleanest looks at the new Google Experience launcher headed for Android 4.4 "Kit Kat." We also get another look at the phone's design, though nothing there is necessarily new. But in the image situated top left, you can see the new Android 4.4 home screen in play. We have transparent notification and navigation areas, along with never-before-seen camera and folder icons. We are seeing the new dialer icon, though, along with icons for Google Play, Chrome and Hangouts. As most of you probably know, the default home screen setup for Android has for years included the stock Messaging app, so seeing Hangouts included could be taken as a sign that we'll get full SMS support in 4.4 forward. We're also seeing the new app launcher icon and home screen indicator. It terms of phone design, the front camera, top circular speaker, volume rocker, and power switch are all on display, but the back remains hidden. No new information in terms of a launch was revealed with this renders, however, we're still focusing on the end of October as a potential unveiling. Seeing anything else? Are you as excited now as we are? How hot does that home setup look?

Via: Mobile Syrup

Rovio's Bad Piggies Updated With 30 New Halloween-themed Levels

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 11:08:26 +0000

Bad Piggies from Rovio received an update today over on Google Play, which includes a gang of new levels, 30 to be exact. These aren't just some boring levels, though - these are spooky Halloween-themed levels. Oh, yeah, it's that time of year again.

Bad Piggies gets a spooky update with 30 fresh new levels! The latest Tusk ‘til Dawn episode introduces you to some creepy new piggies living in a mysterious cake-filled world – with an awesome Major Lazer remix to put you in the Halloween mood!

If you have the brain power, and the patience, go grab the update on Google Play right now. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/YsCpDaSooWA[/youtube]

Nestle Continues to Troll Kit Kat Launch, Convinces Internet of Countdown to October 21

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 10:40:24 +0000

As expected, the Nestle Kit Kat Google+ page continued its fueling of internet conspiracy theorists this morning after it posted up a photo of a Kit Kat bar. Yes, that's all they did along with a message of "The future of confectionery has arrived…" But wait, how is that fueling? Let me attempt to explain how Android enthusiasts have come up with their latest theory, which suggests that this is now a countdown to a new potential Android 4.4 release date of October 21. A couple of our readers, plus another handful of like-minded folks across this fast internet, started this latest theory based on a post from back on October 14, where the Kit Kat G+ page posted up a picture of "007" and mentioned James Bond. Keep the "7" in mind for a minute.

On October 15, a new post went up of a Kit Kat Android bar dancing. Depending on how you look at it, you could suggest that there are 6 bars in this piece of candy. So we just went from 7 to 6.

Yesterday, a post went up with the note "THIS IS IT" shaped out of Kit Kat pieces. You could potentially interpret the S in each word as being a 5 or even look to it as a reference to Michael Jackson who happened to be a member of the Jackson 5. So we've got from 7 to 6 to 5.

And then today, the Kit Kat G+ page posted this image, which is simply a full Kit Kat bar and the words "KIT KAT 4.4." There are 4 bars to this Kit Kat, along with a mention of "4.4." See where we are going with this? It's a countdown!

If the trend were to continue tomorrow with a 3, then a 2 on Saturday, and a 1 on Sunday, we end up at Monday, October 21. Yep, that's the latest theory. We've even seen the word "confirmed" tossed out there. Woof. Update: We've got new items to add to the theory thanks to commenters. There is a Google Ideas event on Monday, October 21 with Eric Schmidt. Not that that means there will be any sort of announcement since it has to do with world matters, but hey, October 21! Oh, the description also says "will explore the nexus between technology and conflict." Nexus! Update 2: Oh it gets better. If you flip the "This is it" picture, the "is" becomes a 21! I seriously can't make this stuff up.

Just yesterday, conspiracy theorists and pattern finders were dead set on October 28. Oh how quickly things can change when you are looking for things that likely aren't even there. Brilliant job, Nestle and Google. You are winning the day. Cheers BiggiePhat and Josh!

According to Leaked Press Render, Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Headed to AT&T

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 10:04:16 +0000

Late last night, a press render of the Galaxy S4 Zoom with AT&T branding hit the web, which means we could be seeing an official announcement from AT&T sometime soon. The S4 Zoom is an interesting device, first unveiled back in June with some mediocre specs for a device that should be a powerhouse. What makes it completely unique is not only its funky design, but its massive 16MP camera complete with 10x optical zoom. It was made with the mobile photographer in mind. Beyond just the camera, it features a 4.3″ qHD display, dual-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, 8GB internal storage, 2330mAh battery, and runs Android 4.2. When it comes to specs, it doesn't match up to any of the other top dogs, but then again, look at it. No idea yet on pricing or availability, but we should see an announcement from AT&T in the near future. Picking it up? /s Via: @evleaks

Dead Zebra Shows Off New Halloween Edition Android Mini, Goes on Sale Oct. 21

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 09:32:34 +0000

Android Mini Collectible fiends should get ready, because a new Halloween edition mini is dropping Monday, October 21. This mini's name is Trickrtreat, and he is pretty adorable. He has a big nice grin on one side, and on the other side has a big frowny face. His name is quite fitting. On October 21, follow this link at 11am EDT and 11pm EDT to try and claim him.

Via: Dead Zebra

Motorola Launches Migration Tool for iOS Users Buying a Moto X on MotoMaker

Tim — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 08:53:29 +0000

For any iOS users that are currently looking to pick up a Moto X through MotoMaker, Motorola released a tool this week that should make the data migrating process extremely simple. If your life's work, such as all of your contacts and important meetings, are stored in iCloud, you can migrate all of that over right through MotoMaker. As soon as you purchase your new device, you will be prompted to migrate data from your iPhone. To do so, just throw in your Apple ID and password, and let the process begin. Motorola's Punit Soni says there is a long way to go to make this process even better for customers, so we are curious as to what we could see in the future. Music and photo transfer? That would be nice. Are there any ex-iPhone owners here that are now rocking Android? Via: +Punit Soni

Google Music Update Introduces "I'm Feeling Lucky" Radio Button to Android and Web

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 08:24:01 +0000

Yesterday, a new version of Google Music arrived through Google Play, but as usual is a staged rollout that likely hasn't hit many of us yet. The update jumps the build number up to 5.2.1233L.870763 and appears to be mostly minor. There is one new addition, though, and that's a "I'm feeling lucky" radio button (also seen in the web player). Based on your listening history, a press of that button will put together a playlist for you that Google feels will satisfy your needs. We aren't seeing anything else new at the moment, but if we do, we'll update this post. If you want to stay official, you can try to grab the update from Google Play. Again, it's a staged rollout so it may not be available to all for at least a few more days. If you want it now, you can grab it below and sideload it. Download Link [mirror] Cheers Kevin!

Verizon Slashes Prices on New DROID Family - DROID MAXX to $199, ULTRA to $99

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 07:34:37 +0000

If you had been eyeing one of Motorola's new DROID smartphones since they were first introduced back in July but were waiting to pull the trigger, you held out wisely. Verizon slashed the prices of the entire family this morning, with the DROID MAXX and ULTRA each seeing a $100 cut. The DROID MAXX can now be had from Big Red for $199 on-contract, down from its starting point of $299. The DROID ULTRA on the other hand is now $99 on-contract, down from its initial price point of $199. The DROID Mini even saw a slight cut from $99 down to $49. We aren't exactly sure why Verizon is slashing prices on these phones this quickly, but hey, we won't complain. We argued that they were overpriced to begin with. For one, the ULTRA probably shouldn't exist, and the MAXX should have arrived at $199 originally like any normal flagship-type device. It just felt like a greasy sales gimmick to offer two almost-identical phones, but then slightly beef up the battery and storage on one of them just to snatch another $100 out of your customers' pockets. We all know that the MAXX is the phone of the three that you should buy. Be sure to read our DROID MAXX review and DROID ULTRA review if you haven't already. Both are solid phones that provide you with a similar experience to the Moto X, but again, the MAXX is the clear choice if you were deciding between the two. The Moto X, on the other hand, is still $199. Verizon Links: DROID MAXX | DROID ULTRA

Cheers Robert and Mike!

Swiftkey 4.3 Beta Arrives - Merges Tablet and Phone Keyboards, Lets You Resize and Move Keyboard as You See Fit

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 07:22:39 +0000

This morning, Swiftkey introduced version 4.3 beta of its popular Android keyboard. This latest build is significant because it builds on Swiftkey cloud by finally merging the Swiftkey tablet and phone keyboards into one app, while also providing users with the power to resize and move keyboard layouts anywhere on a device. As you can imagine on a big screen, this feature could come in handy quite often. As Swiftkey suggests, there could be times when you are using a tablet and need to single-hand type, so a keyboard shrunken and moved to one side of the screen could be beneficial. At other times, you may want to use two-thumbs and type much quicker, so a spread out or traditional style keyboard may work best. The new beta is available for download as of right now. You'll find a download link below. Download Link

With ‘Layouts for Living’, SwiftKey Liberates Your Android Typing Experience

New custom keyboard layouts adapt to any situation
San Francisco, CA, October 17, 2013 — SwiftKey, the leading Android keyboard app, today announced public beta access to its latest version, dubbed ‘Layouts for Living’. The SwiftKey 4.3 update provides users with new keyboard layouts that can be resized and moved anywhere on a device, empowering people to type however they want to, regardless of screen size. Through extensive user experience (UX) testing and feedback, SwiftKey recognized that an increasing lack of distinction between the phone and tablet form factor means users are demanding more flexibility when they type. For example, commuters in cramped trains may want to type one-handed with their left thumb, while a professional writing a document on a tablet may want to type with both thumbs. SwiftKey’s latest update aims to adapt to everyday situations such as these as well as any number of others - it’s up to each user. With Layouts for Living, SwiftKey liberates users with a huge variety of layouts. “Allowing people to manipulate the location, size and layout of the keyboard not only makes it easier to type – it gives our users a more personalized way to interact with their technology and each other,” said co-founder and CTO Ben Medlock. “We are committed to creating world-class user experiences that marry our powerful language technology with interfaces that learn and adapt to each user’s needs.” In addition to being able to size and place the keyboard anywhere on the device, version 4.3 of SwiftKey also includes three preset keyboard modes:

Compact: On many larger phones it can be difficult to enter text and hold the phone with just one hand. This new feature minimizes the width of the keyboard and allows for easier typing with one hand or gesture typing using SwiftKey Flow. It also frees up more of the screen estate on tablets.

Full: Users with large screens can now opt for a full-width keyboard with left-right cursor control keys and a backspace key above the “Enter” key. By placing the keys closer together, this new layout mimics the experience of two-handed typing on a physical keyboard.

Thumb: For people typing on tablets in landscape and with wide phones in portrait the keyboard can be split into two sections, enabling fast, comfortable typing with both thumbs.

Consistent Experience As devices of varying sizes continue to enter the market and the line between tablets and phones blur, a consistent SwiftKey experience is an ongoing priority for our fans. Responding to fan feedback, SwiftKey has merged the phone and tablet apps to give a seamless experience across all device sizes. With SwiftKey Layouts for Living, current and future customers can use one unified SwiftKey app across all Android devices. Leveraging SwiftKey Cloud, which was introduced in SwiftKey 4.2, the app also creates a cloud-based hub for each user’s personal language profile to be shared with any phone or device. SwiftKey Layouts for Living offers a beautiful user experience for all users, across all of their devices no matter the screen size. The SwiftKey Layouts for Living beta is available to the public now and can be downloaded at http://beta.swiftkey.net.

LG G Pad 8.3 Arrives Today at BestBuy.com for $349

Kellen — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 07:03:59 +0000

First announced prior to IFA at the end of August, the LG G Pad 8.3 has now arrived on our shores and in Best Buy's online store for $349.99. The G Pad 8.3 is LG's first tablet in some time, but appears to be a solid entry. With an 8.3" full HD IPS display (1920x1200, 273ppi) and Snapdragon 600 processor, it's as powerful as almost any other tablet on the planet, but is still small enough to be a mobile companion, much like a Nexus 7. It's also similar in build and design to the LG G2, which we can't say enough good things about (our review). And since it's like the G2, the software experience is very similar, meaning it offers “real-life benefits” such as multi-tasking with Slide Aside, Qslide, QuickMemo and KnockON. The device also quickly pairs with any Android device running Android 4.1 or higher using QPair. Here are the rest of the key specs:

Processor: 1.7 GHz Quad Core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600
Display: 8.3-inch, Full HD IPS (1920x1200 pixels/273 ppi)
Memory: 2GB RAM, 16 GB eMMC ROM; microSD Slot up to 64 GB
Camera: 5MP AF BSI
Battery: 4,600 mAh Li-Polymer
Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2.
Size: 216.8 x 126.5 x 8.3mm
Weight: 338g

The G Pad 8.3 is available at BestBuy.com today and will hit a variety of other retailers on November 3. Best Buy Links: LG G Pad 8.3 (white) | LG G Pad 8.3 (black)

The Droid Life Show: Episode 39

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 22:37:05 +0000

The crew is back at its normal time and place tonight for The Droid Life Show, and we have a good one for you. We will be going over all of the new Android 4.4 and Nexus 5 goodies that have hit the web, in addition to HTC's announcement of the One Max and Nike's distaste for the Android ecosystem. On top of that, we will cover the staff's favorite apps and games of the week, so be sure to tune in. The show kicks off around 6:00PM Pacific (9:00PM Eastern). A live video broadcast will be embedded below closer to the start of the show. Until then, feel free to hang out in the Droid Life IRC room.

Subscribe | iTunes | Show Page

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9-eotTegE4[/youtube]

Any.Do Opens Cal Beta on Android, Go Get It!

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 14:31:39 +0000

As of this afternoon, Any.Do has opened up a beta program for their incredibly popular iOS calendar application called Cal. Users of Any.Do's task app know that the design and functionality used in their work is almost unmatched by most apps in the game. All of the beauty and ease seen in Any.Do is carried through onto Cal, which means a minimal and clean white theme and all sorts of features. With this beta, understand that you are testing the app before it officially launches, so there may be bugs or lag in some transitions or features. I'm definitely experiencing some already on my Moto X. No matter what, I think you'll immediately appreciate the look and functionality of Cal within a couple of minutes with it. If you are a calendar addict like me, this is one to pay attention to. Here are some of the features:

Your events will come to life beautifully with smart maps, contacts, apps and social integrations.
Seamlessly connects with all your existing calendar services so you're always up to date (supports Google Calendar, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo, AOL & iCloud)
Each day starts with a fresh & gorgeous photo to celebrate the day in a fun way.
Daily Planning is made simple. By connecting Cal with Any.DO you can check out your Any.do tasks for the day.
It's always someone's birthday. Write on your friends wall, buy a give, make a call, or send them a message. It's really easy.
It's easy to find great places, restaurants & bars nearby for your events.
Scheduling made easy - Simply jump to a specific date from the month view or swipe to next week.
Need a ride? Call an Uber with one click from Cal (available on supported locations)

We just jumped into it, so we're still getting used to the Android version. We'll have more in a minute.

In the mean time, hit up the G+ link below, join their community, and get to testing. Links: Join Any.Do's G+ Community First | +Any.Do | Play Link Cheers Michael!

Consumer Reports: iPhones Are "No Match" for Motorola's DROID Lineup

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 12:36:42 +0000

According to the newest Consumer Reports article filed concerning smartphones, the site's editors have been very impressed with Apple's newest iPhone offerings, but they are still "no match" to Motorola's fresh lineup of DROID devices on Verizon. While they were impressed with a working fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5S, and were happy with iOS 7's addition of Command Center, overall battery life and "smallish screens" are the reasons that Apple's flagships fall to the ULTRA, MAXX, and DROID Mini on Verizon. According to their findings, Google Now and Moto's always listening feature was a serious killer of the iPhones. To top it off, each device features Motorola's Active Display tech, which even we are major fans of. All of this adds up to Consumer Reports rating each of the new DROID phones over both of the newest iPhones. If it was us, we would probably recommend the Moto X instead of the DROIDs, but since battery life is such a major player in these ratings, it makes sense that they went with the ULTRA and MAXX. Via: Consumer Reports

Verizon Galaxy S4 VRUDMI1 Update Rolling Out OTA, Here is the Full Changelog

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 11:43:55 +0000

Yesterday, we alerted owners of the Galaxy S4 on Verizon to a new update that was at the time only available via Verizon's Software Upgrade Assistant. The update jumped users to build VRUDMI1, but without a changelog, we had no idea what to expect other than the phone remained on Android 4.2.2 afterwards. Both Samsung and Verizon have now posted changelogs which we have included in this post. The update introduces Galaxy S4 owners to Samsung's Optical Reader application that allows users to find contacts, addresses, and business cards with "real-time recognition." You can also convert words to sentences from one language to another or search for words quickly in a preview screen. Outside of that new addition, the update improves WiFi connectivity, changes verbiage on a couple of items (Call Block and Factory Reset), and tweaks other apps from S Voice to S Memo. It's not a major update by any means, but does weigh in at around 150MB, according to Samsung. We don't necessarily see anything related to "Security fixes," but I think rooted users should be careful as always. The update is also rolling out to a number of our readers over-the-air at this time. To check to see if the update is ready for you, head into Settings>More>About phone>Software update>Check new.

And here is the changelog according to Samsung:

Here are a few facts to keep in mind:

System update size – 150.3 MB

Estimated software download time – approximately 5-7 minutes

Estimated software update time – approximately 5-7 minutes

Device Enhancements:

eSE Removal

Optical Reader (Stub)

Abbott WiFi Profile Fix

My Video Settings Update

Below new versions of Pre-load application included in SU2:

WatchON

Air View

Samsung Hub

Story Album

S Health

S Translator

Cheers Zach and Jon!

Square Cash Publicly Launched, Could be the Easiest Way to Send Cash Via Email

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 11:36:04 +0000

Could sending money to a friend be as easy as sending an email? Apparently, the answer is yes. Square, the company best known for its little square card readers that many merchants have been adopting for the past couple of years, launched a new program called Square Cash. According to the product manager of the program, sending money via an email is 100% secure, and can be done without the need of an app or creating an account, as long as you have any debit card in the US. The process is super simple - all you do is compose an email to the person you want to send money to, with a cc to Square. Enter in how much you would like to send in the subject line, then send. If it's your first time using the service, you will be prompted to head to Square's website and enter in your debit card number, but after that, all of the info is stored for easy access the next time around. On your friend's end, they too have to enter in their debit card number, and in 1-2 business days, the money is in their account. There is no processing fee, account creation or anything else. Quick and simple money transfer. Square released an application for the service, which basically does all of the work for you, plus has a nice interface. Just put in the amount, which friend's email you want to send it to, and you're done. As for any type of trickery, as in email spoofing, Square insists that the service is 100% secure, but did not go into what steps they took to ensure against evildoers. The need for secrecy is high, considering you wouldn't want baddies knowing what exactly they need to overcome if they would want to take advantage of the service. For now, you are taking Square's word for it on being secure. Another thing to remember is that Google Wallet also has this feature, but of course, you do need to have a Google account and a bank account attached to it. Same goes for many of the other peer-to-peer cash sending services that are currently available. Sound like a cool program? Check out the app on Google Play. Play Link Via: Square

Chinese Manufacturer Set to Unveil Smartphone With 1440p Display?

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:56:15 +0000

In this industry, it is always about the next big thing. No, not Samsung's "next big thing." Last year, consumers focused on 1080p displays and quad-core processors, agreeing that they had to have those specs inside of their next smartphone. As for next year, could 1440p displays be it? According to a recent teaser sent out by China's Vivo manufacturer, its Xplay3S device's display will feature an astonishing 2560 x 1440 resolution, a true first for smartphones. We have seen this many pixels in plenty of high-end tablets, including last year's Nexus 10, but when it comes to phones, major companies have yet to break the 1080p barrier. There are many that argue the difference between 720p and 1080p on a phone, given that the human eye can barely, if at all, recognize any difference. Unfortunately, we don't know the exact display dimensions of this new Chinese device, but we would assume it should be around the 5-6" range. Nevertheless, you shouldn't expect the Xplay3S to hit the States anytime soon. But if any other OEMs are watching, and this device is successfully received by the public, then who knows what could happen. Is 1440p overkill at this point? Should we wait for battery tech to catch up to the high-res displays and processors? You tell us. Via: PocketNow

Contest: We Have Five $25 Google Play Gift Cards to Give Away!

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:17:23 +0000

Since it's a Wednesday (not that there is any real significance there), we thought you'd enjoy a chance to walk away with a $25 Google Play gift card. It has been over a month since we last hooked you guys up with straight Google Play cash, and that my friends, is far too long for you to have to wait. We have five in house that will go to five awesome members of the DL community. As always, we've got a simple contest format thanks to the fine internet contest tool known as Rafflecopter. There are four ways to enter, but you don't necessarily have to do all of them. Pick and choose, do one, do them all, it's completely up to you. The more items you complete, the more chances you have to win. Oh, and U.S. entries only. These are U.S. Google Play cards that are country-locked, as far as we know. Ready?

Contest

Prizes: We have five (5) $25 Google Play gift cards to hand out to five winners. How to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway Winners: We'll choose our winners randomly tomorrow morning at 10AM Pacific.

Netflix Version 3.0 Ready for Rollout to Android, Brings New Life to Struggling App

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 09:13:57 +0000

Thank goodness, the Netflix team is starting to push out a completely updated Android app. Version 3.0 is starting to leak through the cracks, and it is a good update for anyone who has been frustrated over the current version's icky performance. As of right now, the Netflix app stutters all over the place, having a hard time even scrolling through the endless lists of available content. It's a poor experience, but 3.0 should fix that right up. With the newest version, which should be live for everyone on Google Play sometime soon, a completely new slide-out navigation bar has been added, as well as an action bar for access to Settings and logging out. The entire app looks sharper than the previous version, and the playback experience has also received a boost. For any Chromecast users, don't worry, that function is still alive and well. If you start seeing it rolled out, let us all know. Via: Android Police

Verizon Launches Same Day Delivery Pilot Program in Philadelphia

Tim — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 08:39:54 +0000

This morning, Verizon announced an exciting way for online shoppers to receive their newly purchased device(s) faster than ever. With the introduction of a same-day delivery option, customers that order a phone before 10am and select the same-day option, are guaranteed to have their new device before 7pm that evening. The cost for this service is $20, and as of right now, the program is only available in Philadelphia. Verizon claims that they are to push the service to other markets including New York City, San Francisco, and Pittsburgh. The option closest to same-day is Verizon's overnight option for new devices, which currently costs $15. Major online players have been pushing the same-day service for a bit now, with Amazon, Google, and eBay leading the charge for consumers. Verizon's offering is a pretty forward-thinking step if you ask us. If given the chance, would you select same-day delivery for your new Android phone? Via: Verizon

Kit Kat is Having Fun Trolling the Internet Over the Android 4.4 Release

Kellen — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 08:03:02 +0000

For weeks, Nestle's Kit Kat Google+ page has been posting off-the-wall Android-focused pictures of its popular candy bar. From 007 references to using it with hashtags to ripping off its arm and sharing, the photos are quite fun. But things have gone extra wild since October 15 passed and no announcements for Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" or a Nexus 5 were made. As you may know, a "campfire" started rumor that should have never gained traction suggested that October 15 would be the release date. Since that was clearly not the date (we told you numerous times it wasn't), obsessed fans are looking for any sign that could lead to a potential unveiling. And like I said, since the Kit Kat page has gone a little bonkers lately, people are finding those signs. Let's talk about them a bit, so that you can decide what to and what not to read into. On October 15, the Kit Kat page posted the image we have included up top. It's a Kit Kat Android bar waving, but they also tossed out a caption of "Everybody dance now." That could be a potential reference to the C+C Music Factory hit single "Gonna make you sweat" from the 90s that happened to be released on October 18. But if you look deeper at the history of C+C Music Factory, you will find that they were once called the "28th Street Crew." Hold that number for a minute. This morning (or late last night), the Kit Kat page posted the image below which says "This is it." If you were looking for clues, you can look in two ways. The first, is that there were 16 Kit Kat pieces used to create those words. But, if you take the words and look for some sort of pop culture reference, you could take to Michael Jackson's "This is it," which just so happened to be released on October 28. So we have two 28 references within a 2-day period. Is Kit Kat hinting at an October 28 release? Are they simple trolling the world with riddles? I have no idea. What I do know, is that we were told months ago that Google was targeting the end of October to make big announcements around their Nexus line and the next version of Android. That could be the 28th or it could be another day. Either way, we'll be awaiting the arrival of the next Kit Kat post at 3AM. Your thoughts?

Via: +Kit Kat [2] | reddit

Feedly for Android Receives Update, Includes "Support for KitKat"

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:15:48 +0000

And we thought only Android blogs were to blame for the abundance of Android 4.4 hypebeasting, but no, Feedly has jumped into the arena. In a blog post tonight, Feedly has announced the newest update to their popular feed reader application, grabbing our attention thanks to a note that says "support for Android Kitkat." Who knows what they mean by "support" since Google hasn't released anything that we are aware of for developers to use to prepare for Android 4.4 outside of a default SMS API. But hey, we like the enthusiasm! The update also brings a new widget, makes the app 300% faster, and adds more fluid scrolling, better fonts, search for Feedly pro, a new discover section, support for Galaxy Gear, and more. It's actually quite the update, even if the "support for Android Kitkat" headline is stealing the show. Go get it!

New version of the android widget
300% faster start time
More fluid scrolling experience
Better fonts and visual design
Search in my feedly (pro)
New discover section
Enhanced feed search
No auto-refresh on restart
New Facebook SDK integration
Support for Samsung Gear
Support for Android Kitkat

Play Link Via: Feedly Blog Cheers Adam and Jon!

Empty Google Display Appears at Best Buy Store, But What is It for? (Updated: It's Nothing)

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:55:21 +0000

Update: At least three readers have already weighed in, saying that in stores near them these are Chromecast, Chromebook, and Nexus 7 displays. Nothing to get excited about. Carry on with your night. Hypebeast, out.

______________________________________

Well then, is that an empty Google display we are seeing setup in Best Buy stores? Why yes, it appears to be. But what could it be for? Having seen similar tech displays in stores like Best Buy for years, it certainly looks like the type of display that would house phones or tablets. Those little prong stands are used everywhere, from carrier stores to press events as a way to secure devices. But which Google devices could they be preparing to hold? We know that Google is on the verge of announcing something (potentially at the end of the month), more than likely a Nexus 5 phone. There are also rumors suggesting that they could unveil a watch (which we first reported as codename "Gem") and new Nexus 10 tablet as well. Is this display created for these three devices? Or maybe the Nexus 5, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10? Or maybe it's for holding current Google products, like the Nexus 7 and Chromecast and this one happens to be empty? Those are all questions we do not have the answers to. With that said, the guy who posted this picture claims that a Best Buy manager told him it was for the Nexus 5. Take that as you will, obviously. This is the internet after all. And, is that a bowling alley shaped into a tech display stand? Best Buy employees, care to weigh in with your thoughts? Via: +Daniel Benavides Cheers open1your1eyes0!

PushBullet Adds "Push to Chrome" Option, Other Goodies Too

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 16:34:29 +0000

The PushBullet team introduced a regularly requested and incredibly powerful feature this morning to their popular Android-Chrome app combo service. Users of PushBullet can now push directly to Chrome from their Android devices. In the past, you could push files, notes, pictures, lists, and links from Chrome to device or from device to device, but nothing from device back to Chrome. How awesome is that? So now, if you have a picture or saved file or note or list on a tablet or phone, you can push those on over to your Chrome browser in a matter of seconds. Once sent, you should see a notification pop up (pictured below) that is clickable. Should you click on it, you'll find that links open a tab, addresses go right to Google Maps, pictures open, and files are easy to download. In order to enable this new feature, you'll need to update your Android app and also grab the latest version of the PushBullet Chrome extension. We have links for both below. That's not all, though. The PushBullet app can now push pictures and files easier, and also lists.

Links: Play Link | Chrome Extension

Google's Newest Patent Lets Glass Users Capture Things They "Heart" In Real Life

Eric — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:00:55 +0000

You may not have seen someone break out the two-handed heart symbol since the late 90's, but Google is looking to bring it back sometime soon. The list of patents that Google has stored away for their Glass experiment is a long one, but the newest one allows users to signal Glass to save moments by putting your hands up in the heart symbol in front of you. How romantic. This patent was caught sneaking through the USPTO with Google's name all over it. Making this hand gesture in front of the Glass' built in camera will signal the device to snap a picture so you can remember your significant other, beautiful sunset or that delicious burger with ease. There is no telling that Google will ever implement this into Glass, but it would be a pretty cool feature down the road. What other hand gestures could you think of Google Glass using? Via: Engadget

How to: Remove Galaxy Note 3 SIM Cards (Updated)

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:29:32 +0000

This morning, I attempted to remove the SIM card out of my international Samsung Galaxy Note 3 variant and struggled mightily until giving up and going with a pair of pliers to snatch the little guy out. You see, Samsung chose not to spring-load their SIM slot on the Note 3, so you can't use a nail to press the SIM in to release it. It's a weird move, since almost every other phone on the planet has a spring-loaded SIM Slot. It definitely threw me for a loop, causing way too much stress over something as minuscule as a SIM card. As it turns out, I'm not alone in struggling with the Galaxy Note 3 SIM removal process. I took to Twitter to see if there was a personal lack-of-SIM-removal-DNA on my part or a wide-spread dealio and was told that many have struggled to remove the SIM from their Note 3. Some used paper clips, others used mighty amounts of pressure from their now-purple fingers, and a couple worked with extra sticky tape. As much as it makes me feel better than I wasn't alone in the process, I need to point out that we are all fools. Samsung had us covered from day 1, we just needed to dig a little deeper in the boxes that our phones arrived in. You see that little metal paperclip looking thing in the image above? That was included in both my international and Verizon variants of the Note 3. You know what it is? A SIM removal tool (S Pen removal tool originally). It's in the same baggie as the replacement nubs for your S Pen, which you also probably overlooked and never found. Update: To clarify, the metal tweezer tool is officially for changing out nubs and not actually a SIM removal tool. At least it works at removing the SIM card as well! It's a multi-purpose tool in our books and will still save you a trip to the toolbox or with any variety of methods you can think up to remove these things. Once in hand, the little tool can be used to pinch (since it has teeth on one side) your SIM card to help slide it out. It's not a flawless tool or process, but it certainly works and doesn't require a toolbox. Check out the video below to see it in action.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUPWAiCCV6s[/youtube]

Humble Bundle 7 Features 6 Games for Android, You Know the Drill By Now

Eric — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 13:51:58 +0000

It is definitely a good time to be a gamer, even more so if you do your gaming on your Android device. It seems like just yesterday that we had a new Humble Mobile Bundle launch and here we are today looking at the seventh edition of the original Humble Bundle. The recipe remains the same: get some great games from indie developers at the price you choose! Right now the game list stands at 6: Ticket to Ride, Greed Corp, Incredipede, Anodyne, Worms Reloaded and The Bard's Tale. The last two games you get if you pay above the average sale price, which is at the time of this writing $6.60. If you pay above that you also get any games that get added to the Bundle later as well. All the games that come in this Bundle are cross platform so you can play them on your Android device or computer no matter what OS you are running. You can also divide up your payment between developers and charities to make sure that the money is going where you want it. Get your payment in before the average price goes up any more! [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uvyTZLwaus[/youtube] Via: Humble Bundle Cheers EvanTheGamer!

Soak Test for Verizon's Moto X Incoming, Likely the Camera Update

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 13:33:13 +0000

Invites to a soak test of a software update for Verizon's variant of the Moto X were sent out this afternoon, which we'd imagine will be for the camera-focused update that has hit every other carrier variant over the last couple of weeks. As you are all well aware, the AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular variants have all received a similar update, that not only dramatically improves the camera experience (before and after pics), but fixes a number of bugs as well. It's the update you have all been waiting for. Well, until Kit Kat becomes official.

Hi, Thanks for joining the Motorola Feedback Network. We are inviting owners of the Moto X on Verizon to participate in an early preview of a new software release, and provide feedback. If you are not currently using a Moto X, please excuse and ignore this email. Click this link -- XXXXX -- to take the enrollment survey if you wish to take part. Note that you must be a member in good standing of the Motorola Owners' Forums to be included. The registration window could close without notice so please respond as quickly as possible. This is a confidential test under the terms of the Motorola Feedback Network. Do not post any details or information about this on any public sites. Thanks -- please understand that start times are always fluid. We ask for your patience if you register but don't hear from us right away. Matt Motorola Owners’ Forums Motorola Feedback Network

There is no telling at this point when the test will start or when it will be approved and then sent out to all users, but this is a step in the right direction. Verizon Moto X owners, you are next! Cheers D, B, M, N, J and E!

Verizon Begins Deploying AWS LTE Network, 80 Mbps Download Speeds to be had

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 12:56:03 +0000

Earlier this year, Verizon told us that they would begin to deploy their recently acquired AWS LTE spectrum before we hit 2014. That time is now, as Big Red has confirmed to a number of publications that AWS LTE (band 4) is being activated in a number of major markets, New York City being one of them. Most of Verizon's current 4G LTE network operates in the 700MHz frequency, better known to many as band 13. As you know, their rollout of this band 13 network is largely complete, so up to 5,000 AWS sites will go live to help strengthen the network and ease-up on the capacity demand. According to a variety of members over at Howard Forums and a contributor to GigaOm, that deployment in parts of NYC is currently producing wild speedtest results, often topping out at around 80Mbps on the download. Upload speeds are sitting around 15Mbps, so the extra-high download speeds could simply be that few have devices to take advantage and the network hasn't had a chance to come back down from the clouds. Either way, this shows you an early look at how impressive Verizon's LTE network could become as they continue to activate AWS sites. There are whispers of similar results out of Los Angeles and Chicago, but most are seeing these speeds around Bryant park in Manhattan. Keep in mind that you'll have to have a device capable of running in band 4 (AWS) in order to see these speeds. We're pretty sure that the Galaxy S4 is one of them, and would imagine the Galaxy Note 3 would be as well. Verizon said that devices released after the first half of the year could carry this type of connectivity. We'll see if we can't put together some sort of a list. Anyone seeing these impressive speeds?

Via: Howard Forums | GigaOM | Phonescoop Cheers Vic!

T-Mobile Ushering Out Grandfathered Unlimited Data, Switching Customers to New Plans

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 11:39:05 +0000

If you currently own a grandfathered unlimited data plan from T-Mobile, prepare to kiss it goodbye. Come November, T-Mobile will begin ushering customers off of those legacy plans and onto new plans with unlimited voice, text, and data. Specific details on new plan options are receiving mixed reports at this time, however, a Howard Forums member who received a letter detailing his plan's change. He was offered a plan at $45 per month, with everything set to unlimited (though the amount of full speed 4G remains up in the air). The current lowest level Simple Choice plan runs $50 for unlimited everything, with only 500MB of data at full speeds. Reports of these changes first surfaced last week, but a T-Mobile spokesperson has now confirmed to Tmonews that the changes are indeed happening as a means to simplify their plan offerings. They even said that for the vast majority, these new plans will be similar or better at a comparable price. Below is the statement:

Maintaining thousands of rate plans is the norm in the industry, but we think it creates unnecessary complexity. Simple is better, which is why we’re reducing the number of older plans in our systems. We’re giving customers on these plans the opportunity to choose a plan that best meets their needs. For the vast majority, their plan will provide similar or better features at a comparable price.

Here is the letter from Howard Forums:

While that's semi-unfortunate news for long-time T-Mobile customers who loved their old plans, the Simple Choice plans that T-Mo currently offers are some of the best and cheapest in the business. Should Verizon decide to pull a similar move with its grandfathered unlimited data customers, the news won't be so lukewarmly received. And on that note, how long before Verizon pulls something similar? Every wireless carrier in the industry seems to want to follow T-Mobile's lead these days. Dark days could be ahead. Via: Howard Forums | Slickdeals | Tmonews Cheers Scott, Tony, and Justin!

Aviate Launcher Enters Beta on Android, the Closest Thing to a Google Now Home Setup

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 10:30:42 +0000

A few months back, two former Googlers introduced a new 3rd party launcher to Android called Aviate. The app initially launched into private alpha, but as of this morning has been upgraded to private beta. When you think of Aviate, think of how Google Now simplifies, predicts, and reacts to your world automatically, but as a home screen replacement. Aviate wants to "automatically categorize all of your apps, and intelligently rearrange your home screen throughout the day to dynamically give you the apps and information you need most, at precisely the moment you need it." It actually does a pretty nice job of it too. Much like Google Now, Aviate presents information to you, whether it be calendar appointments, the weather, or apps you need based on your current activity. When you wake up in the morning, you are greeted with a layout to help you manage your morning. Once at work, your work "space" becomes available. Should you be driving, a "Going Somewhere" space is revealed to help with navigation or traffic updates.

This isn't your typical 3rd party launcher, though. Aviate won't let you customize a wallpaper, use an icon pack, or setup home screens like you have done for years. Aviate has three pages: one for your current activity, another for categories of apps, and another that lists out all of your apps. You can add widgets that appear in a Google Now style card, setup your favorite apps in a variety of locations, and even change out the big header image you are always greeted with, but that's mostly it. Aviate doesn't want anything to get in your way. The idea is to present you with information as you need it, not force you to go find it.

In the video below, all of that should make much more sense. Play Link [Install app to sign-up]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SecSjVEG7A4[/youtube]

Here are Google's Two New Nexus 7 Commercials, Cute Puppy Included

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 09:06:32 +0000

Google posted these two new Nexus 7 commercials last night, both of which are as good as any of Google's previous spots. We thought you might enjoy them, even if they are commercials. Oh, and no, we still don't think that "today is the day" for any sort of announcement of anything new out of Google.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLrfSLm9lPU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-KTCKvn1cs[/youtube]

Angry Birds GO! Arrives December 10, Actually Looks Kind of Awesome

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 08:36:28 +0000

Angry Birds GO!, the Mario Kart-esque title from Rovio, will officially arrive December 11. The game will be free, as are most Angry Birds titles, and features "high-octane downhill racing, upgradable karts, tons of characters with unique special powers and a fully rendered 3D world." The gameplay trailer below really does remind us of Mario Kart in a way, but also upgraded thanks to better graphics and the ability to upgrade karts or pick-up super powers. There are also at least 12 different characters to choose from, though I couldn't tell you off hand who I would go for, but still know to this day that Yoshi was my boy on Mario Kart. Mark your calendars, Angry Birds may be back in your life at least for a minute or two.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xP12tpJrl8[/youtube]

Nike Announces FuelBand SE With Handful of Useful New Features, Continues to Forget Android Exists

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 08:13:43 +0000

Nike took the stage in NYC this morning to announce their newest fitness product, the FuelBand SE. It's a revamped version of the FuelBand introduced in 2012, but includes all sorts of upgrades in areas that most users (including myself) were asking for. But for Android users, did we finally get official app support? Ugh, is all I have to say there. In terms of new features, the new Nike FuelBand SE has an updated algorithm that took hours of fine-tuning, has also been fully sealed so that you can use it in the shower, and even measures sleep on some level. Nike added in hourly reminders to keep you moving, a double-tap of the button to quickly get to the clock, Bluetooth 4.0 support, and the ability to tag "sessions" so that it can re-calculate your activity (for example, yoga). So, what about Android support? Nike continues to ignore the biggest mobile operating system on the planet. Yes, THE BIGGEST MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEM ON THE PLANET. OK, one more time.

THE BIGGEST MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEM ON THE PLANET.

As we sort of guessed, this new Nike FuelBand SE has a shiny new iOS app already available for download. If you aren't an iOS user, they offer you a web experience. In other words, you still do not get the live syncing of your activity, and instead have to take to a computer on an hourly/daily/weekly basis to get your Fuel points uploaded if you are an Android user. What a joke. We were once promised an Android app. Actually, we were promised for months and months that an Android app was coming before Nike eventually killed it off completely. Since, we have seen Nike and Apple cozy up tightly, swap executives regularly, and give us no sign that Android support will ever arrive. Even though this new FuelBand sounds like a fantastic upgrade, the lack of Android support is a major disappointment. I had already begun self-discussions over switching to the new Fitbit Force - this news may be the nail in the coffin.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moV5osprPlg[/youtube]

Via: CNET

Verizon Galaxy S4 Receiving Update to VRUDMI1, Still Android 4.2.2

Kellen — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 07:34:00 +0000

If you plug your Galaxy S4 from Verizon into a computer and happen to have Verizon's Software Upgrade Assistant installed, you should be prompted with an update. The update appears to be pretty minor, but does jump the build number up to VRUDMI1 from VRUAME7. It is still Android 4.2.2, however. At least one of our readers received the update (screenshot above), and our personal device is showing that an upgrade is available, though we're receiving an error when trying to install it. With the update holding the phone to Android 4.2.2, I wouldn't expect much outside of potential security fixes. So if you are rooted, I'd stay clear until we know more. As soon as Verizon posts the support documents, we'll be sure to pass them along.

Cheers patracy91!

JRummy Releases ROM Installer to Google Play - Quick ROM Flashing, 1-Click Recovery Installs, and More

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 16:52:26 +0000

ROM and recovery flashers, a new tool from long-time site friend JRummy hit the Play store this weekend that you should consider checking out. It's called ROM Installer, and it's similar to the long-lost ROM Manager, but it has support and offers up the "most ROMs available in any app" along with 1-click recovery flashing of the latest recoveries. You are looking at an app that features the newest ROM builds from AOKP, CyanogenMod, Paranoid Android, MIUI, and others. You'll also find the newest versions of TWRP, which will be updated on a regular basis. ClockworkMod Recoveries in both Touch and regular are there as well. The app offers ways to backup and restore, install .zip files, and receive notifications for OTA updates of ROMs and recoveries. ROM Installer is free. Here is the features list:

Many ROMs and ZIPs to download for hundreds of devices
One click install of the latest TWRP, ClockworkMod and ClockworkMod Touch Recovery
Backup and restore your current ROM (nandroid)
Extract apps and data and manage current nandroid backups
Install ZIPs with the easy to use ROM Installer. Install many ZIPs at one time.
Get notifications and OTA updates for ROMs and recoveries
Navigate ROMs and files on the popular ROM hosting website, goo.im

Play Link

SMS Changes Coming in Kit Kat, Google Tips Message App Developers to Make Changes Now

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 14:43:03 +0000

When Google unveiled Hangouts during Google I/O as its first step towards a unified, cross-platform and cross-product messaging client, the tech world took its best guess as to when Hangouts would also power SMS and MMS messages, leaving Google Voice in the dust. We were given confirmation that this would all happen at some point, but here we are some five months later without Google fully going that route. As the arrival of Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" nears, we have seen additional rumors point to this all finally happening, we just still don't know exactly when or how. Will Hangouts remove Messaging altogether? Will full SMS and MMS integration into Hangouts be a Kit Kat-only feature? If the latest post on the official Android Developers Blog gives us anything, it's a confirmation that there are big changes coming to the handling of SMS, MMS, and default SMS apps in Android 4.4. According to this post, Google is asking SMS app developers to make needed changes to their apps so that they can still function properly in Kit Kat. In Android 4.4, only one app can be setup as the "default" and receive the new SMS_DELIVER_ACTION intent and write (send) to SMS Provider. In other words, only one app can be the default for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages. Developers have been asked to setup their apps with the option of being used as the default SMS app. The dirty details on making this change are all laid out at the source link below. It just looks to me that right now, Google wants there to be more power and integration with SMS apps, whether that be Hangouts or something from a 3rd party developer. Rather than 3rd party apps funneling text messages through the stock text app, this sounds as if it will give them the power to send them out by themselves. Goodbye, need for a stock Messaging app? Since I am by no means a developer, I'll have to leave the rest of the speculation on this move to the devs in the building. Via: Android Developers Blog Cheers Ryan and Shane!

No, Verizon, the Galaxy Note 3 Does Not Run Stock Android.

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 13:09:58 +0000

Maybe it's a secret-Verizon-ready Google Play Edition? Or not. Cute Star Wars family, though.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_t5ODfK_Jc[/youtube]

Cheers Damian!

Report: Google Creating "Mobile Meter" App to Reward You For Letting Them Track Usage

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 12:31:34 +0000

According to a report out of Engadget, Google is preparing a new "Mobile Meter" service or app that they want to you use in exchange for compensation or rewards. The app's purpose is to closely monitor your mobile behavior, which of course you would have to opt-in to. Once you opt-in, the service would send your anonymized app usage and browsing habits back to Google, so that they could fine-tune app experiences, make decisions on new products to introduce, or figure out additional ways to continue to make money - that type of thing. Companies like Nielsen apparently already do similar opt-in services that reward users, but when it's Google that's entering the arena, we tend to pay close attention. Unfortunately, we don't know what kind of compensation or rewards that Google would hand out to users, but things like Google Play credits would make a lot of sense. Google would not comment on the rumor. Would you be interested in an opt-in data tracker that could earn you rewards? Via: Engadget

OPPO Looking for Pioneers to Help Tell Their Story With the New N1

Eric — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 11:24:20 +0000

Just last month, OPPO made headlines by announcing that their newest device, the N1, would be the world's first device to ship with CyanogenMod pre-installed. The N1 is notable for lots of other features, including a rotating camera on the top and a touch-sensitive back. Unfortunately for us here in the States, the announcement was in Beijing while most of us were asleep, so OPPO is turning to us to tell the N1's tale. Taking to their website today, OPPO is calling out for Pioneers to enlist in a program that will serve as a form of viral marketing for the company and device. Once chosen, these Pioneers will receive an N1 and be asked to report back each week with a photo and post about how the N1 works into their daily lives. OPPO is not asking for ordinary people however, they want "passionate people with colorful lives full of moments worth capturing." They want to know how the OPPO will "enhance your life" if you want to get in on this program. This all sounds similar to Google's Glass Exporers program, which has been working well for them so far. So what do you say, do you want to try out to be an N1 Pioneer? What activities of yours would you capture with the N1? Via: OPPO

HTC One Max Specs

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 10:30:39 +0000

Shortly after HTC announced the One Max, a couple of readers asked for the full spec list which included dimensions and weight. We've got that all plus more listed for you below. We even included all of the wireless bands that the U.S. variants (Verizon and Sprint) will work on both nationally and internationally.

Specs

5.9-inch Full HD 1080p LCD
1.7Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor (quad-core)
2GB RAM
16GB or 32GB internal storage
3300mAh battery (non-removable)
4MP (UltraPixel) rear camera
2.1MP wide angle front camera
microSD card slot; supports up to 64GB cards
micro SIM slot
HTC BoomSound speakers
3.5mm headphone jack
NFC
Bluetooth 4.0
WiFi: 802.11 a/ac/b/g/n
164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm
217g

Wireless Connectivity

3G CDMA: 800/1900 MHz for Sprint and Verizon
4G LTE Verizon: Verizon: 700/AWS MHz
4G LTE Sprint: Sprint: FDD 800/1900 MHz, TDD 2600 MHz
Global: Verizon: 850/900/1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 14.4 Mbps (global roaming)
Global: Sprint: 1900/2100 MHz with HSPA+ up to 14.4 Mbps

Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" Shows Up in Nexus 7 Screenshot Gallery - Shows New Easter Egg, Clock App, App Drawer, and More?

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 10:14:34 +0000

In an apparent leak out of ZDnet, we may have new Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" screenshots to study for the rest of the day. The leak shows an older build of Kit Kat running on a Nexus 7 (2013) tablet, along with a variety of screenshots from different areas inside the new build of our favorite mobile OS compared to Android 4.3. We have a look at the Easter Egg, more icons in the app drawer, the slightly tweaked Clock app, Settings menu, and the new Downloads app. There is a lot to take in, so we'll continue to update this post as we have more. In the first screenshot, you are looking at the Android 4.4 Easter Egg, though it still says "ANDROID KEYLIMEPIE." According to this leak, you get to this the same way you do other Easter Eggs, by pressing multiple times on the Android version. What's a little odd, is that we are seeing the Kit Kat-style Android logo, but yet the version of the OS still says "KeyLimePie." I'd imagine Google is going to wait until the very last minute or a release build to change that over. All other signs at this point show that we are ready for Kit Kat. In earlier builds of Android 4.4, we saw a giant K with a slice of key lime pie in the background, so again, it seems like we are getting much closer to a release. Once you are there, a long-press on the Android logo takes you deeper into the Easter Egg, which shows a moving mosaic of previous Android versions. It's ugly, yet still somehow pretty and fun. Cupcake, Honeycomb, Gingerbread, and Jelly Bean logos are all present. Update: A couple of readers have noted that there is a message of "swipe down from the top to exit full-screen mode" on the Easter Egg page. It's tough to tell if that's a system wide full-screen mode or just something that relates to viewing the mosaic in the Easter Egg.

Here we have a look at the old app drawer in 4.3 vs. the new app drawer in 4.4. The biggest change we are seeing is an introduction of new icons. We have rounded icons for the Google, Google Settings, Settings and Voice Search apps, all of which were square in 4.3. Nothing else has really changed, but QuickOffice does appear to be a part of the stock experience in 4.4, plus you have G+ photos there as well. In a recent leak from last week, we saw the removal of Gallery, however, it's still present in this build. One thing to note, is the fact that this screenshot still shows "Apps" and "Widgets" at the top of the app drawer, yet we saw both gone in the latest leak of 4.4 running on a Nexus 5. The app drawer also isn't transparent like the other leak. At this point, the leak from last week appears to be the newest build of Kit Kat to date and again, this is an older one.

Here is a look at how the Clock app has changed, including the removal of the half-bold-half-thing Roboto style of text. They also took the Alarm button and moved it up top next to the timer and stopwatch icons.

In the Settings screen, we're seeing global Print settings, along with the previously leaked Tap & pay menu and a Home section. It's looking more and more like 4.4 is going to build mobile payment systems into the OS, for Nexus devices if nothing else. But what is "Home"? Is there an area to configure your home screen setup more intensely? Is this a part of the new rumored Google Experience Launcher?

In this last screenshot comparison, you can see the current Downloads app compared to the overhauled Downloads app for Android 4.4. Talk about a nice change. Rather than the pop-up black and blue menu that offered little, we have a full-blown app that takes on the recent Android design change to grey, along with an action overflow button.

Unfortunately, no pictures of Google Now integration or the home screen were included. Anything else standing out? Via: ZDnet Cheers open1your1eyes0h!

US Cellular Announces Its Own Shared Data Plans, Starting at $50 for 1GB

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 09:30:56 +0000

US Cellular announced its own version of shared data plans this morning, joining Verizon and AT&T in one of the most often criticized new wireless trends of the last couple of years. As with the others, US Cellular claims that having giant pots of data that can be shared between family members and employees is much easier to manage. Of course, no one was actually asking for this type of easy management until the industry took unlimited data away from us all and realized that they could bank off of GBs just like they once did with minute and text overages. So what are US Cellular's new shared data plans? They look something like this:

Unlimited talk and text
Each smartphone will cost you $40 per month; feature phones are $30 per month
Tablets are $10; hotspots are $20
1GB data - $50
2GB data - $60
4GB data - $70
6GB data - $80
8GB data - $90
10GB data - $100

If you have a single line smartphone, with a 2GB data package, you are looking at a monthly bill of $100, which includes unlimited talk and text. With a family of 3, all smartphones, and a 8GB data package, you are looking at a monthly bill of $210. The plans and pricing are identical to Verizon's, so yes, they probably look familiar. US Cellular has said that they will not force existing customers onto these shared data plans.

U.S. CELLULAR UNVEILS SHARED DATA PLANS FOR CONSUMERS AND BUSINESS

Consumers can share data on up to 10 devices; businesses can share on up to 25 devices
CHICAGO (Oct. 14, 2013) – U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) is making it easy for customers to manage their data, voice and messaging services with its new Shared Data plans for consumers and small businesses. With these new plans, customers can build the plan that best meets the wireless needs of their families or employees without having to keep track of multiple plans or accounts. These plans are available now, and existing customers are not required to change to a Shared Data plan. U.S. Cellular’s Shared Data plans include unlimited minutes and messaging and provide customers flexibility in choosing a data plan to match how they use their wireless devices. Customers can share a single bucket of data among their smartphones, basic phones, tablets, hotspots and wireless modems. U.S. Cellular offers the most Shared Data options of any carrier and its plans are the only ones in the marketplace that come with a valuable rewards program that recognizes customer loyalty. “At U.S. Cellular, providing an exceptional wireless experience is our number one goal, and we strive to provide it through our high-quality network along with devices and plans that meet our customers’ needs,” said Joe Settimi, vice president of products, pricing and innovation for U.S. Cellular. “Our Shared Data plans are designed to simplify the way our customers manage their wireless usage and provide choice and flexibility when deciding what is right for them.” Customers can start by selecting the devices, up to 10, that they want on their Shared Data plan. They can then choose the amount of data that matches up with their usage on those devices from plans that start at 300 MB for $40 and go up to 75 GB for $560 per month. Business customers can select up to 25 devices to share up to 100 GB of data for $750 per month. Tethering is included on all plans. Smartphones have a monthly device connection charge of $40, basic phones are $30, hotspots and wireless modems are $20 and tablets can be added for $10 per month. The following chart shows a sampling of some of the Shared Data plans that customers can choose from.
Data only plans are available for tablets, hotspots and modems that start at $10 per month for 1 GB of data. The same monthly device connection charges as above apply. For customers with basic phones, U.S. Cellular is offering “Talk and Text Only Plans” that include 450 minutes and unlimited messaging for individuals for $50 and 1000 minutes and unlimited messaging for families at $100 for two lines and $20 for each additional line. For a limited time, customers that add a tablet, hotspot or modem to their Shared Data plan get the monthly device connection charge waived until the end of 2013. For more information on U.S. Cellular’s Shared Data plans, visit uscellular.com. Additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. See uscellular.com for details. About U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular rewards its customers with unmatched benefits and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier has a strong line-up of cutting-edge devices that are all backed by its high-speed network that has the highest call quality of any national carrier. Currently, 61 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds and nearly 90 percent will have access by the end of 2013. U.S. Cellular was named a J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Champion in 2012 for the second year in a row. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.

Verizon's Galaxy Note 3 Gets Root at the Cost of Completely Wiping Your Device

Eric — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 09:00:49 +0000

The Galaxy Note 3 is one heck of a device (our review). For most there is not much to would change about Samsung's new overisized phone, but for others, the lack of Android tinkering thus far has been annoying. Thankfully, tinkerers no longer have to worry because a root method has been found for the Galaxy Note 3 on Verizon. Over at XDA, designgears took the work that noted developer Chainfire had done and prepared it for the Note 3, giving users a way to reliably root their device. The process is fairly easy - download the needed files, flash them, wait for a few reboots, and your device will be rooted. The only downside is that it completely wipes your device. Everything that is on your phone's data partition and internal storage will be wiped clean and reset during the process (like a factory reset). In other words, if you have been using your Note 3 for more than a day, you'll want to backup everything to your external microSD card. Take that as a warning. If you are willing to take that risk though, hit the link below for download and installation instructions. We have even got a nice video overview walking you through the whole process. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsKvFaPdm5s[/youtube] Via: XDA Cheers Adam, zepfloyd, flosserelli, and Kyle!

New Set of Nexus 5 Images Surface in Russia

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 08:16:56 +0000

After seeing a Nexus 5 prototype leak in a 7-minute hands-on video over the weekend, we were hoping something a little more official or retail-ready would make a new appearance to rid everyone's vision of an unfinished product. Images of a much more official looking Nexus 5 surfaced this morning, rear "Nexus" logo included. The photos were attached to Google+ user Anton Kuznetsov who simply said "From Russia with Love" along with the share. We'd assume that means he is in Russia and happened upon a Nexus 5, running on the country's Beeline wireless network (seen top left). In the pictures, we can see that the phone is running Android 4.4 (thanks to the white notification bar icons), sports the vertical "Nexus" logo up the back, power and volume switches up each side, and matte finish that is quite the fingerprint magnet. We know that the phone...charges...and that blurry cams also still exist for leaking unreleased products. Nothing else new that we didn't see in the leak over the weekend is making itself obvious. I wonder how well it plays Beats Audio? (Kidding.)

Via: +Anton Kuznetsov Cheers +Alexander Ruiz!

Images Leak of LG G Flex With a Huge Curved Display, Because Samsung is Doing Curves Too

Eric — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 07:55:33 +0000

It is somewhat of a joke that we love to toss around here that LG copies pretty much everything that Samsung does or attempt to beat them to the punch. When news like the latest leak from LG appear however, it is really not a joke anymore. If you will remember, the night before Samsung announced the Galaxy Round, LG put out a press release that amounted to "we have curved displays coming soon too!" Now we have leaked renders of a device named the LG G Flex that shows what they meant. There are a few differences though between the Galaxy Round and this G Flex. LG will be sure to make a point that the screen is curved along the horizontal axis, whereas Samsung's is across the vertical (taco phone). The G Flex is also massive, featuring a full 6" display as opposed to the 5.7" of Samsung. Engadget says that we can expect to see this device within the coming month, or we can guess around the time that Samsung launches the Galaxy Round. Are you interested at all in curved displays like this in your phone?

Via: Engadget

HTC Announces the One Max, An Oversized Phone Just to Say "Hey, We Have a Big Phone Too!"

Kellen — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 07:22:04 +0000

HTC made the One Max official this morning. Yes, that same One Max that has leaked regularly since June. There are no surprises to be had here, should you have been following this saga from the beginning. It's like the HTC One, though much less premium, so maybe the One Mini? It's the One Mini Max! Or...why does this phone exist? Oh, because big phones are a thing, and HTC finally decided to join in on the party. We are looking at a phone with a 5.9-inch 1080p display, 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, a 4MP camera (or UltraPixel if you are into marketing gimmicks), BoomSound front speakers, 3300mAh battery, 16GB or 32GB internal storage, and HTC's new Sense 5.5, which is a slightly enhanced version of Sense 5. The back panel is removable so that you can toss in a SIM card or microSD card. The battery on the other hand, cannot be removed. You have a mix of plastic with metal, all sorts of bezels, and oh yeah, a fingerprint scanner. According to those who have used the One Max for a decent period of time, the fingerprint scanner on the backside of the One Max is probably not something you'll use regularly as it will cause more frustration than enjoyment. Unlike Apple's fingerprint scanner which hides itself in the home button and works incredibly well, HTC's One Max fingerprint scanner presents itself on the backside of the device as a giant square that requires a vertical swipe to activate. Oh, that's also after you have already pressed the lock switch to first wake the phone. You can setup three different fingers, a couple of which can launch applications from the lock screen. This just sounds to me like the Atrix approach (a failure) to fingerprint scanners rather than what Apple did (actually innovate). The HTC One Max will be available in October internationally, more than likely on Verizon and Sprint before the end of the year.

First Look

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3nccIJ7L_o[/youtube]

Press Release

The HTC One® gets superised with the HTC One max

World's best smartphone now in 5.9" with new and improved HTC Sense 5.5 ® experience
Taipei, Taiwan, October 14, 2013 – HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today announced the HTC One max, a super-sized smartphone that brings the award-winning design, functionality and performance of the HTC One to fans of larger handsets. A new Fingerprint Scan feature takes convenience to a new level while acclaimed features including HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™, combined with the new HTC Sense 5.5, which are all enhanced to continue to deliver the best overall smartphone experience, now on a larger screen. "The addition of the HTC One max means that we now have an HTC One phone for everyone. The family has been built on quality and game-changing innovations and the HTC One max is certainly no exception," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. "The upgrade to HTC Sense 5.5 will provide our most amazing mobile experience yet, with the HTC One max delivering the size and power required to do everything you want, and more, without compromise." Big and powerful The HTC One max's 5.9" full HD1080p display is perfect for enjoying photos, videos and movies on the go. Smooth and efficient performance comes courtesy of a quad-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 600 processor featuring a quad-core 1.7 GHz CPU enabling jaw-dropping performance, ultra vivid videos and booming sound. Whether you're watching videos in stunning HD, playing games or checking out what's hot online, the HTC One max sounds amazing, looks sharp and keeps working when you need it. The 16GB or 32GB onboard memory can be expanded thanks to a microSD™ card slot, with a massive 50GB of additional free Google Drive online storage being offered exclusively to HTC One max owners. The large 3300mAh embedded battery means that this level of performance will last and last. Even the most intensive users will find the HTC One max is up to the challenge thanks to the optional HTC Power Flip Case, a stylish 1150mAh battery expansion for your HTC One max which offers both protection and extra juice when you need it most. Maximum convenience at your fingertips The average person checks their phone multiple times a day, so the HTC One max welcomes a new era of convenience and advanced functionality thanks to a built-in Fingerprint Scan feature. Located on the back of the device, the fingerprint scanner allows users to lock or unlock the screen and quickly launch up to three favourite applications by assigning an individual finger to each. More content than ever before The HTC One max's Sense 5.5 upgrade comes with a more social, personalised HTC BlinkFeed that can be further refined by customisable topic categories and new integration with premium content providers including Instagram and Google+. Up to 120 articles can also be downloaded for offline viewing, making BlinkFeed even better for snacking on information wherever and whenever you are. Ultimate imaging Featuring HTC's UltraPixel camera technology, HTC Zoe mode, that brings your photos to life, and a 2.1MP front-facing camera, the HTC One max will capture stunning photos and full HD 1080p videos whether you're the photographer, the subject or both. Dual Capture means you can now snap memorable moments and your reaction to them in one extraordinary photo or video by simultaneously shooting with the front and rear cameras. Improved imaging is also introduced through Video Highlights, which combines your photos and videos to create a mini movie complete with the soundtrack and visual theme of your choice. And with the HTC One max, your Video Highlights can now be any length you want. Design at its Best Available in Glacial Silver, the HTC One max shares the same premium design credentials as the rest of the HTC One family, providing an all round exceptional experience. Global Availability The HTC One max will begin rolling out across the globe from mid - end October. See specific regions for details. About HTC Founded in 1997, HTC Founded in 1997, HTC Corp. (HTC) is the creator of many award-winning mobile devices and industry firsts. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC pushes the boundaries of design and technology to create innovative and personal experiences for consumers around the globe. HTC's portfolio includes smartphones and tablets powered by the HTC Sense® user experience. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). For more information, please visit www.htc.com.

Get the Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" Look With These Icons and Wallpaper

Kellen — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 17:10:06 +0000

Ever since we saw the massive leak of Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" from last week which showed new UI elements, we have been awaiting the arrival of mock-ups of the icons and wallpaper from themers. This weekend, a couple of wallpapers and icon sets have emerged, helping us all take a step closer to the next version of Android a little ahead of Google's schedule. Thanks to ALESSIO94x from XDA, we have an all-in-one kit with included wallpaper and four icons (app drawer, phone, Google, and Google Settings) that should get you up and running in no time. His wallpaper, at least to me, best resembles the one seen in the leak, since it has a red bar running across the top. You'll find that kit pictured below in the first two screenshots. [Download] If you want something that's a variation of the wallpaper we saw, then you'll want to take a look at the wallpaper in the screenshot on the far right, which was created by Kuci_06 over at reddit. The wallpaper is similar to what we saw in the leak, but doesn't quite have that solid red bar across the top. I do like the shadowing and vibrant style of it, though. [Download] And last, I went with an icon pack called Éternel instead of the mock-up icons because they seemed to fit nicely with the wallpaper. We featured Éternel last week in our latest Icons and UCCW post. The clock I'm using is a simple UCCW skin I created. You can grab the .uzip here. For those new to the icons game, you'll need a 3rd party launcher like Nova or Apex in order to apply custom icons.

Update: Here is another version of the Nexus 5 wallpaper. [Download] (Cheers Shane!)

Via: XDA | reddit | +Dimitri Scripnic

Nexus 5 Gets the Full Hands-on Treatment in 7-minute Video

Kellen — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 13:21:45 +0000

Hello, massive Saturday leak. Just across the wire, we've got a 7-minute in-depth overview and look at the Nexus 5. We're updating below as we see things, so join in. We'll have more later. Notes:

The device is called "Nexus 5" in the About phone screen. That helps solidify the name, but you just never know with Google. For now or until we hear "Nexus 4 (2013)" used, we'll continue to use Nexus 5.
I'd say it's pretty obvious that this phone is an early prototype and not a finished product. It doesn't even say "Nexus" on the back. It looks a lot like the unfinished version of the phone we saw in FCC docs. Google and LG will obviously clean it up before launch.
This phone is running a "KeyLimePie" build of Android 4.4, but it appears to be incredibly early. ~~None~~ Some of the new Kit Kat UI changes appear (leaked earlier in the week) just not all of them. We are seeing the "Payments" option in the Settings menu. But we aren't fully seeing the revamped home launcher, lock screen, app drawer or new icons for a variety of apps.
Update: It does appear to be the new launcher, but it hasn't been skinned to match the leaks from earlier in the week. We are seeing the new dot page-indicators for home screens, and the Apps and Widgets sections in the app drawer are gone.
The Messaging app is gone, hopefully meaning that Hangouts will become the all-in-one message app.
There is an app called GEL Sub, which could be the new launcher, rumored to be called "Google Experience Launcher."
We're looking at a phone with 16GB of storage.
The video comes to us courtesy of http://smartphones.sfr.fr/, though I'm not sure it was supposed to have gone public yet.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ksOJl0PDDg[/youtube]

Cheers Jordan and Shashi!

Lounge This Weekend

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 22:15:48 +0000

Episode 38 of The Droid Life Show took place at its usual time and place this week, and we had a blast doing it! In this episode, we went over Tato's review of the Galaxy Gear smartwatch from Samsung, knocked on the Galaxy Round announcement, chatted T-Mobile's latest UNcarrier move with Shakira (better than J. Lo?), covered the bases on the leaked Nexus 5 service manual, ran down our top apps and games of the week, and a whole lot more. You can catch us live on Wednesday nights 6PM Pacific!

This Week in the Life of Droid: 10/11/2013

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 16:00:06 +0000

It was a busy one this week, with news aplenty surrounding the upcoming Nexus 5, new devices from Samsung and Motorola, and more leaks concerning Android 4.4. We also posted our full Galaxy Gear review, and learned that Verizon is still completely shameless in regards to where they place their logos on new devices. If you missed any of the action, we have all of the highlights down below.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Playfully Explore the Evolving World of Typography in the New Game Type:Rider

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 14:45:43 +0000

We are big fans of artistic, creative games that sort of reinvent what the mobile game is to the average player. Type:Rider is an interesting game that recently hit Google Play, mixing in educational material, along with fun gameplay, and awesome music. The game itself is gorgeous, as you play as two umlauts, exploring fun levels filled with puzzles and tricky landscapes to navigate. Along your way through the game, you will see various fonts as you move your way through history. As we said, it's a very interesting and smart game. For all of this, you are looking at a price to play of $3.64. Might seem up there, but it's worth your time. Check it out and let us know what you think. Play Link ($3.64) [youtube]http://youtu.be/5diWSBhtMO0[/youtube]

Contest: Win 1 of 2 Nexus 7 (2013) Google Play Cases

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 14:15:24 +0000

We took a good look at the official Google Play cases for the Nexus 7 (2013 edition), and now is your chance to take them off of our hands. This contest will run over the entire weekend, so you will have plenty of time to get your entries in. We have a blue option and a red option, so feel free to throw in your color choice when entering. They are very well-made cases, priced at $50 a pop on Google Play, so why not try and win one for free? Ready?

Contest

Prizes: 2 Nexus 7 (2013) official Google Play cases for two winners. One red and one blue. How to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway Winners: Monday morning (10/14), we’ll randomly choose two winners at 10AM Pacific.

T-Mobile Not Honoring 30% Off Coupon Used on Galaxy Gear

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 13:35:52 +0000

There had to have been a few people that couldn't stop themselves from picking up a new Galaxy Gear watch from T-Mobile, when it was discovered that an online coupon for 30% off was usable, bringing the the device down to just $210. Usually priced at $299, the $90 off seemed like a pretty good deal. Unfortunately, T-Mobile felt that it was a little too sweet of a deal, and has now sent out an email to all of those who ordered Gear, stating that the incorrect price was listed on the device. T-Mobile went ahead and cancelled all of the orders and made sure that your credit cards weren't charged. Here is the message sent out to those that ordered using the coupon code:

Dear T-Mobile Customer, Our apologies. You recently ordered an item that was listed at an incorrect price: the Samsung Galaxy Gear™. We are unable to fulfill this transaction. Rest assured, your credit card has not been charged. You can reorder the Samsung Galaxy Gear at the correct price here. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. Thank you for being a T-Mobile customer. We truly appreciate your business. Thank you, T-Mobile Customer Care

Did you place an order that was affected? Weak sauce. Cheers David and Herach!

AT&T Goes All In With Mobile Share Plans, No Longer Offers Traditional Data Plans

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 13:09:42 +0000

Today, AT&T is ending new customers' ability to select a traditional minutes+text+data plan, and instead will only offer Mobile Share plans. The Mobile Share plans have been around for some time, and pretty much everyone is used to how they work, but here is a quick refresher. Instead of worrying about the minutes you have on your plan, AT&T offers the customer unlimited minutes and unlimited texts, but bundles a selected data plan with the line. They call these "data buckets." Data buckets range in size from 300MB for $20, to 50GB for $500 a month. In addition, the customer must pay a fee to have a smartphone attached to the line; $50 for the lowest tier and then $30 if you are a serious data hog, shelling out loads of money per month for more data. AT&T insists that this move is beneficial to the customer, and that in 95% of use cases, the data buckets best suit the customer's needs. Keep in mind, if you are already on a traditional rate plan, the company is not forcing you to switch or anything like that. This is purely for new customers, not even those who are upgrading. To view the Mobile Share plans, check out the via below. Via: AT&T

If You Pre-ordered the Note 3 Through Verizon, Were You Able to Keep Unlimited Once It Arrived?

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 12:28:54 +0000

Two weeks ago, a "software glitch" in a Verizon system kicked off a weekend full of upgrades for many of you. The glitch was allowing (or at least showing) that upgrades were being processed with unlimited data still intact, something Verizon had killed off long ago. Once the weekend had finished, though, Big Red patched up your path to upgrading with unlimited data, but did issue a statement to us suggesting that they would honor all upgrades processed over the weekend. They would also allow those who upgraded to keep unlimited data. Most of you were able to keep those upgrades and unlimited data as online orders arrived at your homes a couple of days later. But what about those who pre-ordered the Galaxy Note 3 and are just now receiving devices? We've heard from a dozen or so DL readers who seem to be having issues (not all but enough to grab our attention). Galaxy Note 3 orders are arriving, but details in their shipments reference 2GB $30 plans rather than the unlimited data packages they were hoping to keep. Upon activating, they are indeed seeing their accounts change over to tiered data plans. Some have had success switching everything back by calling in to Verizon customer service reps, even escalating to supervisors, while others are hitting dead ends. We are pretty sure that customer service reps were supposed to receive an email that detailed the situation and how to deal with customers who called in asking to have their data plans switched back over to unlimited. At least three readers have confirmed this after talking with reps who were actually in the know. They were successful in keeping unlimited data, even after a temporary switch to tiered. I don't want to suggest continuing to call back into Verizon's customer service department until you get the right rep, but some have had to. We've begun conversations with Verizon to see how we can get you all taken care of, but wanted to start this post to gather all of you who seem to have been bumped onto a tiered data plan. In the comments, please let us know if you have been switched over to tiered and have had no luck getting your unlimited data back. Also, if you were moved to a tiered plan and then managed to get it switched back to unlimited, feel free to provide help in the comments. Let's see if we can't help each other as a community, while we work with Verizon to get this all figured out.

According to Korean News Site, Samsung Could Unveil the Galaxy S5 in January

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 11:50:24 +0000

According to a recent article from South Korean news site Naver, Samsung could look to unveil the next Galaxy flagship device this upcoming January, 2014. But why would Samsung rush production and release of the Galaxy S5, when the Galaxy S4 has only been on the market for less than half a year? Apparently, sales of the Galaxy S4 were not as high as initially projected by Samsung, and if the report is to be believed, launching the next device early could help with that. From what Naver states, Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S5 in January, with the device hitting the global market in February. In doing so, the S4 still wouldn't even be a year old, so it is really hard to imagine that Samsung needs to meet any type of sales figures that badly. The issue is that many people are stuck on a two year contract with the Galaxy S3, and upgrading to the S4 just isn't a possibility for most. It's almost like a dreaded iPhone upgrade cycle, and the Galaxy S5 will be the one most existing Samsung fans would look to upgrade to. According to the source, the Galaxy S5 will feature the teased 64-bit Octa-core Exynos processor, plus a 16MP OIS back-facing camera. On a personal note, while beefy specs sound great, that just sounds overkill these days. It's only October still, but is it already time to start hypebeasting the Galaxy S5? Via: GigaOm | Naver

Friday App Sales: Fieldrunners 2, SketchBook HD, Prince of Persia, and More

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 11:20:36 +0000

Friday cometh, which means the app sales on Google Play shall taketh. There are some good sales taking place, which means your possibly boring weekend just got a whole lot better. If you haven't checked out the Fieldrunner series, you can grab the HD version of the first one, plus Fieldrunners 2 for just a dollar. For all of you creative people, you can grab SketchBook Pro for $2, plus the Prince of Persia for another dollar when you are done drawing on your phone. Sound good? Check out all of the sales down below. Friday app sales:

World of Goo ($0.99)
SketchBook Pro ($1.99)
SketchBook Mobile ($0.99)
Planets Defense ($0.99)
FireJumpers - Wildfire RTS ($0.99)
Prince of Persia Shadow & Flame ($0.99)
The Tiny Bang Story ($0.99)
Farm Frenzy ($0.99)
Fieldrunners HD ($0.99)
Fieldrunners 2 ($0.99)

Go support those devs!

Samsung Registration Page Outs Verizon Galaxy Note 3 Developer Edition?

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 10:43:55 +0000

A reader of ours was cruising through Samsung's product registry site recently to input his brand new Galaxy Note 3 and noticed a listing that should grab the attention of the tinkerers in the building. Listed along with the black and white Galaxy Note 3 variants for Big Red was another listing for a Developer Edition with a "Coming Soon!" note attached. We had yet to hear of Samsung's plans for a developer edition of the new Note 3, but in the past have seen them release phones with unlockable bootloaders sold at full retail prices. Devices like the Note 2 and Galaxy S4 both came in Developer Editions. We still have no official word on a release, but we tend to see a buffer between the carrier launch of a phone and the release of a developer edition. Sometimes we see DEs become available in a matter of weeks; other times it can be months.

I'd imagine the phone would be priced around $699, which is the current full retail of the Note 3 through Verizon. Via: XDA Cheers Luke!

Samsung S4 Mini for Verizon Render Leaked, You Won't Believe What's on the Home Button

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 10:30:38 +0000

Well, there it is - the Galaxy S4 Mini from Samsung for Verizon. If you couldn't already tell that it was for Verizon, then I suggest heading to your local eye examiner as soon as possible. As we can clearly see, Verizon has gone ahead and pimped out this little device's Home button with their gorgeous logo, plus plastered on some logos to the backside, just incase you still forgot who you were paying every month. We haven't seen the Home button logo'd out like that since the Note 2, and we were really hoping they killed that idea. Guess not. Via: @evleaks

Google Play Store Changes Coming November 21, Making Tablet Apps More Visible

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 10:05:30 +0000

This morning, Google announced that they will make a "series of changes" to the Google Play store on November 21 to further improve tablet app visibility. Even though more than 70 million Android tablets have been activated over the years, there is opportunity to do more. The "Designed for tablets" view will be the default view for users browsing Google Play top lists on their tablets. Users will be able to switch views to see all apps or games if they chose, but this should help everyone find apps built specifically for bigger screens without having to work. Google will also mark apps as "Designed for phones" if they do not meet the "Designed for tablets" criteria. The news comes via the Android Developers blog as a reminder for developers to get their apps ready for tablet usage. And I don't want to look too much into the date, but why November 21? What's happening on that day? Via: Android Developers

Sony CEO Won't Put Up Fight in American Smartphone Battle, Claims "It's Not Realistic"

Tim — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 09:44:14 +0000

Well, this shouldn't come as much of a shocker to anyone that is possibly a fan of Sony, but the company's CEO Kazuo Hirai (appointed last year to help turn the company around) announced that the American smartphone market just isn't in the cards for now. According to a recent meeting with several journalists overseas, Sony will look away from both the China and American markets, and instead look to Europe and Japan to help them rise in the global rankings. Considering only T-Mobile is a current carrier of a Sony phone (with a Z1 apparently on the way), again, this doesn't' surprise us one bit. As of Q2 in 2013, Sony held 2% of the global smartphone market, a number that is somewhat depressing when stacked against Samsung and Apple. Nevertheless, Sony isn't throwing in the towel completely in the U.S., but taking a step back and better positioning themselves globally for a future go later down the road. "It's not realistic to try to do everything at once. In the U.S. we'll start gradually," Hirai said. Sony produces good devices, but for Sony to succeed in America, they will need to better market their products and get themselves on the other three top carriers. There is no other way. T-Mobile customers can't be the only ones paying Sony's bills. Via: Reuters

Android 4.4 vs. Android 4.3 - Here are the Changes So Far From the Leak

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 09:12:58 +0000

After this morning's mega-leak of Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" and the Nexus 5, we decided to do some comparison shots of the leak to the most current version of Android 4.3 running on a Nexus 4. If the differences weren't immediately clear in that other post, this should help you see it all. From the new transparent background of the navigation buttons and notification area, to the new icons (and some missing) in the app drawer, there are actually quite a few changes. Sure, they are mostly subtle, but damn do they look good. So in the top image and the one directly below, we are getting a comparison of the lock screens and the swipe action to quickly jump into the camera. As we mentioned before, you can see that Google has added a camera icon to the lower right corner to make it more obvious to everyday users that you can access the camera this way. From the leak, we know that you can grab the camera icon and slide it over, but can also swipe from the edge of the display as you have done in the past. We're also getting our first look at the new transparent notification bar and white icon set. Personally, I'm a fan of the white now that I've seen it next to the Android blue that has been a part of our lives for so long.

In this next screenshot, we get a side-by-side comparison of the home screen setup. This is our first look at the transparent navigation button background, but we're also seeing a new phone icon and launcher button. Google has also done away with the dock separator and instead gone with a home screen indicator set of dots. That wallpaper may be new to Kit Kat as well. According to the leak, users can add as many home screens as they'd like and are not stuck with the 5 that Nexus devices have been locked to for some time. They even mentioned that the device may ship with only a few, but that you can add more later on. We aren't sure if the Camera and Phone icons are the only ones that are going to be allowed in the dock or not, but that would be extremely disappointing if Google locked that area to these two and wouldn't allow you to add in a folder or Gmail, for example. The leak also mentions Google Now accessibility coming in two forms. The first, is your typical swipe-up from the Home button. But their source mentioned that if you are on the farthest home screen to the left, that another single swipe from the left will get you into Google Now. We imagine this being similar to what Motorola was doing with their quick toggles in Blur on devices like the Atrix HD and RAZR HD.

In the next comparison, we're seeing the revamped app drawer, which also now has a transparent background. Missing are the Apps and Widgets buttons up top, so we're not exactly sure how Google plans on handling widgets going forward. Hopefully, we see the long-press-to-add-from-home-screen return. In other changes, we're seeing the removal of Gallery, Local, Messaging, Movie Studio, and Navigation (Currents gone as well, but can be downloaded through Google Play). If Messaging is no longer a part of the experience, does that mean Hangouts will finally become the all-in-one messaging platform we were hoping it would become? The grid size is back to a 4x5, but that more than likely has to do with the screen resolution than anything. The Nexus 4 carried a wider resolution than most, so we saw it switch to a 5x5 grid. Last, there are new icons for Google Photos (formerly G+ Photos), Google Settings, and Google Search.

From the settings menu, the only real difference we are seeing here is the addition of a "Tap & pay" section. These was previously seen as "Payments" in another leak, so we'd assume this has to do with built-in NFC payment apps, more than likely Google Wallet.

And finally, we get a look at the new enhanced location settings menus. We can see that Google is going to give you the power to adjust location modes to either enhance accuracy or work less regularly to save battery life. They are also including a section for recent location requests and giving you quick access to location history.

This seems like quite a bit of change, but part of me gets the feeling that there is far more to see than what these pictures has shown us. What do you guys think? See anything else?

Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 Get the Hands-on Treatment - UI Tweaks Galore, New Pictures of the Phone Too

Kellen — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 08:00:39 +0000

Thanks to a series of "hands-on" photos posted this morning by the folks over at Tutto Android, we now have one of the cleanest and most significant leaks of the new Nexus 5 and Android 4.4. The images just went up this morning, so you can imagine that we are still digging through them. As we stumble across bits and pieces of info, we'll be updating this post. For now, get to looking.

As can be seen in the very top image, a new camera icon has been placed on the lock screen in the lower right corner. It still appears as if a swipe over from the right edge will access it, but this camera icon is also actionable. If you grab the camera icon and drag it to the left, it will open the camera as well.

In these images, we get a first look at the UI changes to Android 4.4, which will be known as "Kit Kat." The navigation buttons now have a transparent background, similar to what we have seen on devices like the Moto X and G2. The launcher button has been changed to a semi-transparent circle with the typical 6 dots inside of it. We're seeing a new Dialer icon, series of dots to show which home screen you are on, and a transparent app drawer (has previously been black). The frequently leaked new notification bar with white icons is also visible and appears to be semi-transparent as well. We're a little confused at how you access Widgets, as they do not appear to be listed in a separate tab up top like they have been for the last few releases of Android. Maybe the long-press to add widgets is returning? New beautiful wallpapers? I think so. Update 1: Where is the Messaging app? Will Hangouts finally become the full-time all-in-one messaging application? Also, Google+ Photos is now just called Google Photos, plus the Gallery app is gone. The Google Settings and Search icons are now round icons, when they used to be square. The folks at Tutto Android mentioned in their post that you can add more than 5 home screens if you'd like, but the phone will ship with only a select few. They also mentioned that Google Now can be accessed with the swipe-up from Home, but you can get there once you are on the far left home screen, and then swipe from the left edge. I imagine this action is similar to what Motorola was doing with their quick toggles menu on devices like the RAZR HD. A source of theirs also claimed that you can launch Google Search from the home screen, simple by saying "OK, Google."

In this series of shots, we get a look at some of the internal settings menu which features a "Tap & pay" section that we had previously seen leaked as "Payments" button. We have a more robust location history section as well, that features different accuracy levels, recent location requests, and a better look at history. In terms of the phone itself, it's exactly what we have seen leaked time and time again over the last few weeks. We can see the front camera placed in the top left corner, along with the circular speaker grill in the center. You have on-screen navigation buttons, but that's no surprise with a Nexus device. This phone is reportedly running Android 4.4 build KRS92B. Update 2: We put together a comparison post of Android 4.3 vs. the 4.4 in these photos. Via: Tutto Android [2]

Google Reportedly Ditching Google TV Brand, Going With Android TV Instead

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 16:40:47 +0000

According to a recent article from GigaOm, an unnamed executive currently working for a manufacturer that partners closely with Google to bring Google TV to the masses, says that Google TV as a brand might be dying soon. Instead, Google will rebrand the platform as Android TV, and basically hopes that it sticks, then continues to grow to more living rooms across the globe. To lend weight to the claim, "Android TV" has been spotted on a few Google TV project team members' online profiles, which could mean Google has an announcement planned for sometime in the future. Of course, no Google spokesperson chose to comment on the rumored name change. With the Chromecast doing well (still selling like hot cakes at Best Buy apparently), a way to work that device in with Android TV could be a real smash hit with consumers. Although, unlike Chromecast, Google TV hasn't seen much of a mass adoption. Any ideas on what you might want to see from a new Android TV? Via: GigaOm

First Look: Nexus 7 (2013) Official Google Play Case

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 15:22:22 +0000

On Tuesday, Google revealed their first official cases for the new 2013 Nexus 7 on Google Play (outside of that zipper thing). The cases are actually designed by Google and molded perfectly to fit their new affordable tablet. They come in four different colors (blue, red, white, and black), are made of soft suede, and carry a premium price of $49.99, which most would argue is far too steep for a flip case. We've already highlighted a number of cases that can be had through Amazon for as little as $5, but just in case you were thinking of going the official Google route, we bought a couple to give our first impressions on.

When you pull out one of these new Nexus 7 cases, the first thing you'll notice is how beautifully designed they are. The two-tone color scheme of the blue and red versions is quite lovely, but they also feature a little specially placed Google flag so you know exactly who made them. The interior is bright, the plastic feels more premium rubber than cheap plastic, and the fit on the device is about as snug as it gets. Actually, take a look at this picture after I tried to remove my N7 from it the wrong way. Whoops!

Once your tablet is dropped into these official cases, it will not be falling out. It takes work to both insert and remove your Nexus 7, which is something I think we can all appreciate. Another thing I immediately noticed was how flush the case came up the side of the device. Rather than overlapping onto the top, it sits just below the edge, so that you won't run into your case during long swipes from left to right or as you hold the tablet in hand. They really do feel like premium flip cases for your tablet, but if you were looking for extra features like sleep/wake or magnets to hold the case closed, you won't find any of that here. There are cutouts for camera, power, volume, and the speakers, though, just none of the other goodies that have become standard are much cheaper options. They feel great with your tablet in, thanks to that fine suede, and also look amazing. That price is just going to be tough to stomach, especially when you find yourself having to reach for your power button each time you open one up.

The rest of my thoughts are in the video below.

Video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v92orlCg0I[/youtube]

Additional Images

Verizon's Galaxy Note 3 has Blocking Mode! (Updated)

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 14:33:11 +0000

Look! Blocking Mode on a Samsung product that was made for Verizon! For those not familiar with Blocking Mode, think of it as a setting built-in to Samsung phones over the last few years that allows you to silence or snooze your phone during a specific time period. The idea is pretty simple, really. During those times where you actually care to get a peaceful night's sleep or are in a meeting, you can turn Blocking Mode on, which would tell your phone to block incoming calls, turn off notifications, and even the LED indicator. Should the thought of your phone shutting down all notifications and calls completely, scare the hell out of you, you can tell it to allow favorites or important persons to pass through. So why throw a little celebration over this feature being included in a Verizon phone? Well, dating back to what I believe was the Galaxy S3, Samsung started including this feature in every single version of its phones. Well, except for on Verizon's variants. For whatever reason, Big Red decided that this feature was either going to eat their network alive or use 300GB of data per month, and had Samsung bury it deep in the OS. They then did the same thing with the Note 2 and Galaxy S4. Seriously, we actually have no idea why they removed such a useful feature that doesn't touch their network, but it happened over and over again. There were work-arounds created to find and enable it, but you shouldn't have had to hack your phone to find and enable a feature that was there from the beginning. As the Galaxy Note 3 launch grew near, we started to wonder if Verizon would allow Blocking Mode. From the screenshot above, it looks like they have seen the light. It should be located in the Device area in the phone's settings. Update: The WiFi toggle has returned too! The ongoing WiFi reminder and removal of the WiFi toggle is now a thing of the past, at least with the Note 3.

Pop some bottles. Cheers Kurtlon!

Instagram Updated to Bring Photo Straightening, Data Usage Controls

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 14:14:54 +0000

An update is rolling out for Instagram today over on Google Play, bringing with it a photo straightening feature and a few data usage controls for video uploading. While it isn't the biggest update we have seen (we would love to see some more filters possibly), it's still on its way to being as refined as the iOS version. You can go grab the update on Google Play right now. Play Link Via: @Instagram

Twitter Releases Tablet-optimized App, Currently Only Available for One Device

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 12:31:56 +0000

Today, Twitter announced a brand new tablet-optimized application for Galaxy Note 10.1 - 2014 Edition tablet owners. Yes, you read that right, it's a complete overhaul of the tablet app for a single device. The Note 10.1 - 2014 Edition hit the shelves in the U.S. starting today, and anyone who has picked one up, can start experiencing the refreshed Twitter app. In terms of what's new, it's your basic Twitter app, but there have been a few features added in to take advantage of the Note 10.1's large display and included stylus. The app supports multi-window, so reading through tweets and browsing on the Web at the same time is now possible. In addition, you will see a brand new Twitter widget for your homescreen, as well as an option to draw on your photos before tweeting them. If you fancy yourself an artist, that might be fun. According to Twitter, we should expect this look to come to additional Samsung tablets and "other Android tablets" sometime in the future. In the meantime, feel free to download and use the leaked version that has been circulating for the past month. Are we surprised that Android users are currently getting the shaft from Samsung and Twitter with this exclusive? No, no we are not. Via: Twitter

Contest: We Have 5 Chromecasts to Give Away!

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 12:01:06 +0000

So, I'm not exactly sure why there are five unopened Chromecast devices sitting on my desk, but I do know that they need to go away. And that means you have a chance to win one. Well, five of you have a chance to win one since there are that many sitting here. Even though the price shock and impulse buy-worthiness of the Chromecast has disappeared a bit since launch, it's still one of our favorite new tech products of 2013. The potential is here, we just need Google to open it all up. This is your chance to get in on that potential without spending a dime. As always, the contest is incredibly simple thanks to this little contest app called Rafflecopter. We've given you four different ways to enter using the form below. Don't feel like you have to do all of them, but the more you do, the better your chances of winning. Ready?

Contest

Prizes: 5 (five) Chromecasts for 5 different winners. How to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway Winners: Tomorrow at 10AM Pacific, we'll choose our 5 winners at random.

Outlook App Updated for Android, Brings Colored Themes and Server-side Search

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 11:10:01 +0000

This morning, the Outlook team launched a major update for their email client on Android, bringing plenty of new features and even some customization options. Starting today, users can finally perform a server-side search, allowing them to track down emails with any words found within the email. In addition, themes have been added, letting you select a custom color from eight pre-installed looks, including green, blue, and pink. To top it off, you can now send emails using an Outlook alias, plus set vacation replies inside of the app. All of these features can be found in the update that is now live on Google Play. What's New:

Server-side search for easy access to all email, not just the ones synced to your phone
Unlimited sync of all email history for full off-line access
Capability to send emails from Outlook.com aliases
Eight new colors to customize the app interface
Ability to set and manage vacation replies
Traditional Chinese language support

Play Link Via: Outlook Blog

HTC One Max Spotted In the Wild, Looks Enormous

Eric — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 10:39:29 +0000

The One Max from HTC is by no means a small secret. The company has done a terrible job at keeping the newest addition to its One lineup hidden from us, but we won't exactly knock them for that - we enjoy it. We first heard of this device because of the reported fingerprint scanner that it will feature on the rear, but since then, we have seen numerous peeks at the the 5.9" device. It may or may not be launching next week, but it seems that at least one Max is already out in the wild. Packing a 5.9" 1080 x 1920 screen into any device is going to make it look big, but adding in your BoomSound speakers on the top and bottom make it look huge. Underneath that we are expecting a 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 and 2GB of RAM to keep everything running smoothly on that large canvas. The WSJ believes that we could see the One Max get announced as early as next week. If people are already using it like this out in public, that could be a pretty good prediction. Via: Phone Arena

Fitbit Unveils Force, the Newest Watch to Help Track Your Activity and Sleep

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 10:02:21 +0000

Fitbit unveiled the newest product in the company's fitness lineup this morning, the Force watch. The device has a sleek, minimal look to it, letting users track their daily activities, while also tracking sleep cycles. The watch automatically syncs to the the manager application running on your device, which then syncs to the online tools Fitbit provides. This includes trackers for calories, steps taken, floors conquered, and a lot more. With tracking comes competition, so competing against your friends that also have a Force is a great way to motivate yourself to get out there and stay healthy. Another thing you have to give Fitbit credit for is its ability to make sure the device works with current smartphones, including ones that run Android. We wish Nike did this with the Fuelband, but we are still waiting for their support. The Force watch will go on sale for $129.95, starting in about 2-3 weeks from many different retailers. See below for more details.

Fitbit Debuts Force – the Most Advanced Wireless Activity and Sleep-Tracking Wristband Yet

Comfortable and stylish, Force is the first and only wristband featuring an OLED display with real-time access to all your activity stats including stairs; wirelessly syncs to leading devices
SAN FRANCISCO - October 10, 2013- Fitbit, the leader in the fast-growing Connected Health and Fitness category, today announced Fitbit Force, a sleek, advanced, high-performance wireless activity and sleep-tracking wristband. Following on the success of Fitbit Flex, Fitbit Force has a highly visible, OLED display that provides instant access to all your activity stats right on your wrist, keeping you motivated throughout the day. In real time, Fitbit shows you: steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, active minutes as well as floors climbed. Force also monitors your sleep, can wake you with a silent alarm, serves as a sleek watch and can even provide incoming call notifications.* Fitbit Force is the first and only in its category to be able to capture and display all of these stats on your wrist, as well as wirelessly and automatically sync them to leading Apple & Android smartphones and your computer, helping you push further to achieve your fitness goals. "The new Force is a must-have tool for all my clients – it's like having a personal trainer on your wrist," said Harley Pasternak, best-selling fitness and nutrition author, and celebrity personal trainer. "I use Fitbit products with my clients because they are easy-to-use, accurate and make people want to move more – and more movement means better health, better fitness and a better body." Fitbit Force Top Features and Benefits

OLED display screen for instant stats and time: Force accurately measures and shows steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, floors climbed and the time on an easy-to-view OLED display on the wristband

Altimeter takes you to new heights: Force contains a state-of the-art altimeter to track how many floors or how high you climb each day

Track active minutes to increase your burn: Along with steps, distance and calories burned, you can set a goal for daily "active minutes," which are moderate-to-high intensity cardio minutes (Center for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes/week)

Sleep monitoring & silent wake alarm: Track sleep quality, including number of hours slept and how many times you wake or are restless; Force also has a silent wake alarm that gently vibrates to wake you and won't disturb your partner

Bluetooth 4.0 allows wireless, automatic syncing: Force stats sync wirelessly to leading mobile phones and tablets so progress is always up to date without having to plug in; Android users simply tap the NFC-enabled Force to a phone to launch the Fitbit app

Receive smart call notifications on your Force: With Apple iOS 7 4S and higher smartphones, you can choose to receive incoming call notifications right on your Force when your phone is nearby

Motivational online & mobile tools: Stay motivated with notifications, badges and leaderboards; cheer, taunt and direct message your friends throughout the day – reach your goals faster with a little friendly competition

Comfortable to wear 24/7: Designed to be comfortable and stylish, Force is also water resistant and can withstand even the sweatiest workout, so you can wear it day and night; plus, Force has a battery life of 7-10 days

Sophisticated, advanced design: Available in two classic colors (Black and Slate), the sleek Force wristband looks good no matter what you're doing

"We are continuously looking for ways to take wireless tracking devices and wearable technologies to the next level, and I feel strongly that Force, with its sophisticated design and instant and easy access to all your daily activity right on your wrist, delivers on the promise of what a next-generation activity tracker should be," said James Park, CEO and Co-Founder of Fitbit. Motivational Online & Social Tools With Force, you set personal fitness goals and can tap into Fitbit's motivational social tools to help reach them, like notifications, badges and leaderboards. New friend-to-friend messaging allows you to cheer and taunt friends directly on your mobile device throughout the day using the Fitbit iPhone or Android app. Fitbit's latest iPhone app just got a new look with a sleek, iOS 7-inspired design, enhanced syncing and simplified navigation. Vibrating notifications on the Force wristband celebrate you as you meet your daily goals. Fitbit also supports its community by integrating with an unmatched number of leading health and fitness apps. Fitbit is the top downloaded app for connected fitness devices on the Apple iTunes store and the Google Play store, and Fitbit trackers have consistently been the #1 selling devices within the Fitness Technology category.** Differentiating Bluetooth 4.0 Technology Force features Bluetooth 4.0 technology, which allows your activity stats to wirelessly and automatically sync to your smartphone and tablet, making it effortless for you to see progress toward the personal fitness goals you set. Fitbit offers in-the-moment, automatic reminders based on your current stats for continuous motivation throughout the day, without ever having to plug in. Force syncs with leading mobile devices, including iPhone 4S and later, iPad 3rd Gen and later, and select Android devices, like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4, Note II and Note 10.1. Widest Variety of Activity Trackers on the Market We're aware that there is no "one size fits all" option in fitness. With the introduction of Force, Fitbit now offers two fantastic wristband options within its family of health and fitness products that motivate you to stay active, live better and reach your goals: · Force is an advanced wristband tracker with a comfortable and stylish design, featuring an OLED display for people who want instant access to all of the best activity stats 24/7 · The award-winning Fitbit Flex is a flexible, interchangeable wristband tracker that offers a slim, minimalistic design for people that are goal-oriented and want more flexibility in accessorizing Fitbit Force ($129.95) is available for order today on fitbit.com and will be available in select retailers in two-three weeks

Dots Update on Android Introduces Endless Mode, $1.99 as In-app Purchase

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 09:29:05 +0000

When I handed over Dots on the Galaxy Note 3 to my better half last week, the first thing she said after playing it for 2 minutes was, "How do I turn the timer off? I just want to play." Well, dear, here you go. The Dots team introduced Endless Mode last night as a $1.99 in-app purchase. As the name suggests, you can just play and play and play and play, until your finger can no longer swoop around dots in square shapes. But that's not all that was introduced. You'll see an even simpler UI (crazy to think that is possible), speed improvements, and a bunch of bug fixes. Go feed that addiction. Play Link

LG Announces G Pro Lite, 5.5" Midrange Device Priced to Compete

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 08:59:25 +0000

This morning, LG announced the G Pro Lite, a device set to compete in the 5"+ category in developing markets. As far as the company's press release detailed, it doesn't appear that the phone is hitting North America anytime soon, and that's probably for the best. The G Pro Lite features a 5.5" display with a resolution of only 960 x 540, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP camera, a solid 3,140mAh battery, no support for LTE, and runs Android 4.1.2. The device also features a few of LG's newest tricks, such as KnockOn, and even a full stylus for taking notes and doodling.

With LG G Pro Lite, we are introducing a competitive device to the masses in the growing large smartphone market,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The market for smartphones with displays over five inches will continue to grow and LG is in a great position to capture these new customers when they’re ready to move up from their current phones.

It's pretty clear that the device wouldn't compete well against any of America's top smartphones, so it's no surprise if the G Pro Lite never finds its way to our shores. LG has yet to release specifics on a price, but given its specs and the company's marketing strategy, we are thinking as cheap as possible. Moving on.

LG G PRO LITE MAKES ITS GLOBAL DEBUT

LG’s Newest Smartphone Combines the Large Display and Large Capacity Battery of LG Optimus G Pro with the Newest Multimedia Features
SEOUL, Oct. 10, 2013 — To fulfill the needs of practical smartphone users who want to enjoy the convenience of a large display, LG Electronics (LG) today introduced to the world its latest device, LG G Pro Lite, with a 5.5-inch display and unique UX features. In addition to its large IPS display, LG G Pro Lite features an equally large 3,140mAh battery, embedded Stylus Pen, stereo speakers and Dual SIM with a dedicated Hot Key. The phone is also designed with an ultra-narrow bezel for an incredible edge-to-edge viewing experience, slim design for optimal one-hand grip and convenient UX features shared with LG’s other premium G Series smartphones. “With LG G Pro Lite, we are introducing a competitive device to the masses in the growing large smartphone market,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The market for smartphones with displays over five inches will continue to grow and LG is in a great position to capture these new customers when they’re ready to move up from their current phones.” The Stylus Pen that is included with the LG G Pro Lite increases the smartphone’s usability. The Stylus Pen allows for quick and accurate handwriting and can be stored conveniently in a slot at the top of the phone. And for customers who are increasingly turning to their smartphones for entertainment, LG equipped the LG G Pro Lite with dual speakers for excellent audio performance with or without headphones. What’s more, LG’s latest smartphone maximizes user convenience with a Dual SIM feature and a dedicated Hot Key to make switching between two SIM cards easier than ever before. LG G Pro Lite comes with LG’s practical and convenient UX that features all the benefits of LG’s premium G Series, G Pro and G2. KnockON powers on the G Pro Lite with two taps to the display, Pause and Resume Recording allows for the recording of short snippets of video which can then be viewed as one continuous file, QSlide controls up to three different apps in one window, QuickMemo gives users the ability to instantly jot memos or notes from any screen without having to open a separate application and QTranslator instantly translates words and sentences from images captured with the smartphone’s camera. LG G Pro Lite will make its world debut this month in Latin America followed by markets in Asia, Russia, China, India and the Middle East. Key Specifications: - Processor: MT6577 1.0 GHz Dual Core - Display: 5.5-inch (960 x 540 pixels) - Network: 3G (HSDPA: 7.2Mbps / HSUPA: 5.76Mbps) - Memory: 1GB RAM, 8GB ROM, MicroSD - Camera: Rear 8.0MP BSI / Front 1.3MP - Battery: 3,140 mAh (removable) - Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 - Size: 150.2 x 76.9 x 9.4mm - Weight: 161g - Connectivity: Bluetooth 3.0, USB2.0, A-GPS, Wi-Fi Direct - Colors: Black, White

Galaxy Note 3 Now Available From Verizon, "Verizon30" Discount Saves You $90

Kellen — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 07:24:40 +0000

Didn't have a chance to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 through Verizon? That's not a terrible thing, since the phone is now available online and in stores. But to make that news even better, we wanted to point out that the "VERIZON30" coupon code that has been active for months still works. So rather than paying the $299 on-contract price, you can walk away with the Note 3 for $209 (plus taxes and activation fee). Not bad, right? If you have yet to decide on whether or not the Note 3 is for you, be sure to read our review.

Oh, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch is also available (our review), though I can't seem to find it anywhere on Verizon's site after spending a solid 15 minutes looking. Not that you should be strongly considering one anyway, but it should be up for sale. If anyone actually finds it, be sure to post a link in the comments. Edit: Link to the Gear. Via: Verizon Cheers Pete and Matt!

The Droid Life Show: Episode 38

Tim — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 00:10:05 +0000

Tonight, the DL crew is back for episode 38 of The Droid Life Show. We will be covering topics ranging from our recent Galaxy Gear review, to Samsung's announcement of the Galaxy Round smartphone. On top of that, we will need to talk about some of the crazy Nexus 5 rumors that have been circulating, plus touch on the full service manual that leaked onto the web. Big things are happenings in Nexusland. The show kicks off around 6:00PM Pacific (9:00PM Eastern). A live video broadcast ~~will be embedded below closer to the start of the show~~ has now been added. Until then, feel free to hang out in the Droid Life IRC room.

Subscribe | iTunes | Show Page

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=054ey-G-pyU[/youtube]

T-Mobile Makes Unlimited International Data Official, Also Takes LTE Network Nationwide to 233 Markets

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 16:50:14 +0000

After letting word slip through a Shakira fansite earlier today, T-Mobile has gone ahead and made their new UnCarrier announcement official. As expected, international unlimited data (2G speeds) and text are now free to "most" Simple Choice plans in more than 100 "Simple Global" countries across this vast Earth. Canada and Mexico are included, in case you were wondering, but you'll also find countries like China and the United Kingdom as well. Customers on Simple Choice plans will automatically see these benefits, meaning they do not actually have to sign-up for anything and will see the global feature added to their plan on October 31. The only global fees you will see going forward will be from voice calls, which run 20 cents per minute. Outside of this major international news, T-Mobile announced that their 4G LTE network is now nationwide and in 233 metropolitan areas, which covers more than 200 million people. They are three full months ahead of their schedule and claim that they have faster speeds than AT&T in 10 of the top 20 metro areas. They also pointed out in a press release that their LTE network covers 91 of the top 100 largest markets by population. Here is a list of T-Mobile's LTE networks. Oh, Shakira too. Multi-year deal.

Simple Global dirty details.

Starting October 31st, eligible Simple Choice individual and business customers automatically get unlimited data and texting in more than 100 Simple Global countries worldwide, and will only pay an industry-low flat rate of 20 cents per minute for voice calls when roaming in the same countries.
And, for customers in the US wanting a saner, more affordable way to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues worldwide, T-Mobile’s announced a postpaid industry-low feature for discounted calling and texting from the US to all Simple Global countries – called Stateside International Talk & Text.
Customers never pay more than 20 cents a minute to any number in any Simple Global country, including mobile-to-mobile calls.
Unlimited calls to landlines in over 70 of these countries at no extra charge. Unlimited texting is also included. Stateside International Talk & Text is available to customers for just $10 a month.

How it works.

Existing Simple Choice customers with qualifying plan option will have global coverage automatically added to their plan by October 31st.
There is no need to add a separate feature or service to your account or call Customer Care before you travel. International roaming with unlimited data and text is now included in qualifying plans at no extra charge.
Global data coverage with capable device; not for extended international travel. Data at up to 2G speeds.

The 100 countries.

Promo video.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIt3RLjDquY[/youtube]

T-Mobile Makes the World Your Network - at No Extra Charge and Now Delivers Nationwide 4G LTE

T-Mobile customers to enjoy unlimited data and texting worldwide - at no extra charge

Also slashes calling rates from U.S. - now never more than 20 cents per minute with Stateside International Talk & Text feature

Announces multiyear partnership with international superstar Shakira
NEW YORK - Oct. 9, 2013 - T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS), America's new No. 1 choice in wireless, is again upending and innovating the wireless industry, delivering unlimited global data at no extra charge in 100+ countries - making the company's home data coverage area larger than AT&T's and Verizon's combined. Tonight, at a concert event for thousands of its customers at New York's Bryant Park, featuring international superstar and new T-Mobile collaborator Shakira, the Un-carrier announced that it is tearing down borders and walking away from the U.S. wireless industry practice of charging exorbitant international roaming rates. "The cost of staying connected across borders is completely crazy," said John Legere, president and CEO of T-Mobile US, Inc. "Today's phones are designed to work around the world, but we're forced to pay insanely inflated international connectivity fees to actually use them. You can't leave the country without coming home to bill shock. So we're making the world your network - at no extra cost." Americans take about 55 million trips to destinations outside the U.S. every year. When U.S. customers use their phones abroad the way they normally do at home, their costs often total $1,000 a day or more. So more than 40 percent of customers turn off data roaming completely. Another 20 percent more say they would if they knew how. The toll these roaming fees take on individuals and businesses is huge. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, wireless customers face a hard choice - use their phone when they need it and pay through the nose, or cut off communications to contain costs. "It doesn't have to be this way," Legere said. "The truth is that the industry's been charging huge fees for data roaming. But what's most surprising is that no one's called them out - until now." T-Mobile tonight announced that it's expanding the home data coverage for most Simple Choice customers to include more than 100 countries, at no extra charge. Starting Oct. 31, these Simple Choice individual and business customers automatically get unlimited data and texting in more than 100 Simple Global countries worldwide, and they will only pay a global flat rate of 20 cents per minute for voice calls when roaming in the same countries. Eligible customers on T-Mobile's popular Simple Choice plan won't have to activate anything or pay an extra monthly fee. And, for customers in the U.S. wanting a saner, more affordable way to stay connected with friends, family and colleagues worldwide, T-Mobile's got them covered, too. The company announced tonight its new Stateside International Talk & Text feature for discounted calling and texting from the U.S. to all Simple Global countries. Customers never pay more than 20 cents a minute to any number in any Simple Global country, including mobile to mobile. Calls to landlines in more than 70 of these countries are unlimited and included at no extra cost. Unlimited texting is also included to all countries. Stateside International Talk & Text is available to most Simple Choice customers for just $10 a month. In network news, T-Mobile tonight also announced that its latest-generation 4G LTE network is now nationwide, reaching more than 200 million people in 233 metros across the United States. "We've not only delivered nationwide 4G LTE months ahead of schedule," said Neville Ray, chief technology officer for T-Mobile. "Our nationwide 4G LTE is right on top of our already nationwide 4G HSPA+ network - which translates to one wicked-fast combined 4G network experience." In recent third-party tests involving millions of results from real customers nationwide, T-Mobile's 4G LTE nationwide network delivered faster speeds than the 4G LTE networks of Verizon and Sprint. In addition, T-Mobile's 4G LTE network already has faster median speeds than AT&T's 4G LTE network in 10 of the top 20 metropolitan statistical areas. In fact, T-Mobile's new nationwide LTE network delivers 4G LTE speeds more consistently than any of the national providers. Making global connections and bringing the world closer together is also a key value for global artist, songwriter and Grammy Award-winning music icon, Shakira. T-Mobile is working with the musical powerhouse to bring that message to people everywhere and announced the collaboration through a new multiyear partnership agreement to include the creation of unique content, fan engagement and exclusive access to her new music. "Today is all about bringing the world closer together," Shakira said. "I'm excited to partner with T-Mobile and look forward to being able to share my music in new and innovative ways." As part of the relationship, T-Mobile will support Shakira's upcoming single and album releases to create unique T-Mobile customer experiences. T-Mobile is breaking the traditional sponsorship mold and creating a unique partnership where the company and the artist will work together to help amplify key messages and initiatives for each other, which will also include a select number of special events for the public and exclusive fan engagement activities. These announcements build on months of momentum since T-Mobile kicked off its Un-carrier consumer movement earlier this year. Since then, the company has enjoyed a groundswell of support from U.S. consumers signing on in record numbers, making T-Mobile America's No. 1 choice in wireless since its Un-carrier launch in late March - with more net new postpaid customers than AT&T, Verizon and Sprint combined. No. 1 choice in wireless based on T-Mobile's net postpaid subscriber additions vs. those of the other major national carriers in Q2 2013. 4G LTE speed claims based on third-party speed testing data. Taxes & fees are additional for services and features. Home data coverage is the area where customers receive data services included in their plan. Global data coverage with capable device; not for extended international travel. See details & included countries at http://www.T-Mobile.com. About T-Mobile US, Inc.: As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: "TMUS") is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The company's advanced nationwide 4G and 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences for customers who are unwilling to compromise on quality and value. Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile US provides services through its subsidiaries and operates its flagship brands, T-Mobile and MetroPCS. It currently serves approximately 44 million wireless subscribers and provides products and services through 70,000 points of distribution. For more information, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

Verizon Galaxy Note 3s Begin Arriving Early, Here is a First Look

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 15:34:45 +0000

Yesterday, we received word from a variety of DL readers whose Samsung Galaxy Note 3 pre-orders from Verizon had left the warehouse en route to their homes. Some of them showed estimated arrival dates of October 10 (launch day), which surprised us a bit since we often see pre-orders arrive a day early. Well, it looks like at least one has made the trek from Big Red back room to customer front door a full 24-hours before official launch. Reader Jason sent over a bunch of pictures of his Note 3, Verizon bloatware and all, for us to check out. As expected...it's a Galaxy Note 3. But in case you didn't believe Verizon when it said that this version of their Note wouldn't sport a VZW-branded home button, these real life pictures of the phone should finally ease your mind. There she is, brand-free. The backside, of course, still includes two Verizon-related logos, but you expected that.

And just for fun, here is a look at the bloatware setup. Verizon and Samsung were kind enough to toss all pre-loaded spam into easily accessible folders at the top of the app drawer. You have bloatware folders for Amazon apps, Samsung apps, and Verizon specific goodies. Settings>General>Application manager>TURN OFF.

Anyone else receive their order? Feel free to drop your first impressions in the comments! Cheers Jason!

Icons and UCCW Episode 6: Banx, Peek, iNex, Shift Clock, and More

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 14:17:59 +0000

It has been a few weeks since we last dropped a batch of icon sets and UCCW skins on you, but feel as if we have enough quality submissions to put together episode 6 of this ongoing, reader-driven series. We had a number of really great icon sets to pick between this time, some of which we are saving for episode 7. The clock skins weren't as bountiful this time around, so until we see more that catch our eye, we had to limit this episode to three setups. Ready to see them? In the top setup, you are looking at the Banx icon set from long-time friend of the site, @JsinLegacy. In Banx, you'll find over 800 insanely pretty icons along with 12 matching wallpapers. We've paired it up with a UCCW clock skin known as Peek, which features both horizontal and vertical clocks. It's subtle, but also adds a nice dimension to a home screen. The wallpaper used is part of Banx.

In the setup you are seeing above, we've got an icon pack called iNex which features over 120 icons and 11 wallpapers. At 120 icons, it may not be as robust as some, but it includes all of the staples. What we really love about iNex, is the fact that it gives you icons both with and without shadows. Shadows on icons are the hot trend right now, but they don't fit all occasions. We've paired iNex up with a fantastic UCCW skin called Shift Clock. It comes in both white and black, and seriously should fit almost any setup. The wallpaper used is from iNex.

In this final setup, you are looking at a wonderful icon pack called Éternel, which features over 277 icons and 6 wallpapers (more on the way). We've paired it up with a super minimal clock called Circles. You'll find four different colorways in Circles that should give all you minimalists something to drool over for a bit. The wallpaper was pulled from Éternel. Icons: Banx ($1.49) | iNex ($0.99) | Éternel ($1.99) UCCW Skins: Peek | Shift Clock ($0.99) | Circles

Be sure to continue to submit your beautiful icon and skin creations to be featured in episode 7! | All previous Icons and UCCW episodes can be found here.

Google Maps Rolling Out New Features, Includes Multiple Destination Directions

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 14:03:43 +0000

The Google Maps team announced a new feature and a couple of tools to help make your excursion planning a whole lot simpler. Starting today, Maps users can place multiple destinations inside of a trip, allowing you to only input information a single time when planning. When selecting directions for either car, walking or biking, just hit the new "+" icon and add another destination to your trip. From there, Google will do the rest. In addition to that highly requested feature, users can now also find their flight, hotel, and restaurant reservations right inside of the desktop Maps application. As long as you are signed into your Google account, accessing this info to help your planning process is very easy. Last but not least, you can now view upcoming events by simply searching for a particular venue or theater. For example, if you search "Warfield San Francisco," you can select "Upcoming Events" and see shows that are making their way through town. It's a great way to keep track of all of the music acts/stage shows taking place right in your own city. These new features are currently rolling out to U.S. users and is currently only available in English. Via: Google

After Tinkering, Galaxy Gear Runs Normal Android Apps Just Like a Smartphone

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 12:39:40 +0000

Are you one of the many who feel that the Galaxy Gear smartwatch from Samsung is lacking application support? As we saw in our review of the device, third party app support is pretty bad for Galaxy Gear, but with some tinkering, you can get full-sized Android apps working just fine on the watch. As detailed by Arstechnica, apps that require no Internet connection work just fine, although you may have troubles finding apps that look decent on the 1.63" display. In terms of what it can handle, the little machine does pack an 800MHz processor, as well as 512MB of RAM, allowing it to work its way through a variety of apps. The crew tested out Candy Crush, a music app, and a few others that worked flawlessly. What's nice about the process is that you don't need to be a rocket science major to figure out how to run ADB on your computer. Once you enable USB debugging, which is right under the Settings menu on Gear, then install the required Samsung drivers on your computer, and pushing apps with a single line command is as easy at it gets. For more info on how to get this set up on your Galaxy Gear, check out the full article by following the via link below.

Is T-Mobile's Next UnCarrier Move to Give You a "Data Passport" and Free Global Data in 100 Countries? (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 12:14:21 +0000

T-Mobile and Shakira have a third UnCarrier announcement to reveal this evening in NYC, but thanks to a Facebook fansite for the artist, we may already know the plan. As seen in the image above that was captured by one of our readers, it looks like free global data is the next step. The image doesn't provide many details, but does reference your T-Mobile data plan as now having a "passport." The next line states that global data coverage in over 100 countries will now be included at no extra charge. The fansite that posted the image also included a link to a virtual autograph with Shakira, which redirects to a "coming soon" page. The site appears to be on hand for Shakira's concert tonight in NYC, with all sorts of access to nearby staging areas. That doesn't necessarily mean the image above is 100% legit, but it certainly helps the idea that it could be. The international tie-in matches the partnership of T-Mobile and an international star like Shakira. With that said, this is all still unconfirmed until T-Mobile makes an announcement. We should know it all by this evening. Update: T-Mobile's website confirms that free global data is coming this month. The rest of the details have not surfaced yet.

Via: @NS_Patriota | Facebook Cheers Matt!

AT&T Expects First VoLTE Device Later This Year, Service Rollout Sometime in 2014

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 11:25:11 +0000

Speaking at a wireless infrastructure conference, AT&T's president of Labs announced that he thinks the wireless carrier could have themselves a VoLTE compatible device by the end of this year, with VoLTE service popping up sometime in 2014. Not that its appearance will be widespread for users, but that general testing and rollout will begin around that timespan. This development is right on the heels of Verizon's same announcement that took place back in August. Verizon's plan is to announce a VoLTE device before this year's end, with the network upgrade taking place around mid-2014. The device will also come equipped with your standard CDMA chip, that way in case a user needs to fallback on 3G calls, they can do so. As we mentioned in a previous post, these first round of VoLTE devices should be "future proof" in terms of network technology. While these two top dogs are in a fast-paced race against each other to deliver future technology to paying customers, T-Mobile and Sprint are taking a slower approach, still working on delivering a decent 4G LTE experience to users across the U.S. It is quite exciting to know that a true VoLTE experience is right around the corner. The question we are more interested in, is which future devices will sport the VoLTE capability on Verizon and AT&T? Via: Fierce Wireless

Archos Announces GamePad 2, Major Improvements and Priced at $200

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 11:00:50 +0000

This morning, Archos announced the next rendition of its GamePad line, the GamePad 2. The original GamePad hit the market in America this past March, after being shown off at this year's CES in Las Vegas. We got some hands-on time with it, but walked away somewhat unimpressed by its low-power processor and less-than-inspiring 7" display. The GamePad 2 is Archos' attempt at reinventing the device, and so far, it is looking like a major step in the right direction. For starters, it does feature a decent quad-core processor, clocked at 1.6Ghz with 2GB of RAM and running a clean version of Android 4.2 on top. In addition, they have upped the display quality, going with a 7" IPS display with a resolution of 1280 x 800. On top of the updated specs, the overall look is better, with a coat of black paint covering the device, instead of the cheaper grey color they used before. Specs:

7" IPS display 1280 x 800
Android 4.2
1.6GHz A9 quad-core processor
2GB of RAM
8GB and 16GB storage options
microSD slot with support for 64GB cards
Front-facing camera
Dual-band WiFi
Lithium Polymer battery

While the specs paint a much better picture for gamers than the first GamePad model, we shall see how the market reacts to another Android-powered mobile game console. Archos states the device should hit the market in Q4 of this year, priced at $199.99. [youtube]http://youtu.be/hwNKTu6zeGY[/youtube] Via: ARCHOS

LG G2 and Moto X Drop to $99 From Amazon

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 10:10:20 +0000

The LG G2 and Moto X were slashed this week at mega-e-retailer Amazon, down to $99 depending on the carrier. If you were at all interested in LG's newest flagship (our review), which is more or less the inspiration behind the next Nexus, then you have a couple of options. Verizon's variant will run you $99 should you sign-up for new service or just $119 with an upgrade. If AT&T is your carrier of choice, you are still looking at a slightly discounted price of $149. For Moto X lovers (our review), the device can be had in both black or white and on Verizon or AT&T for $99 on-contract - and that's both new contracts and upgrades. Moto X Amazon Links: Verizon, Black | Verizon, White | AT&T, Black | AT&T, White ($99) LG G2 Amazon Links: Verizon, Black ($99 or $119) | AT&T, Black ($149)

Bunny Bonker is a Fruit Ninja/Duck Hunt Re-imagining That Looks Better

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 09:45:32 +0000

We stumbled on Bunny Bonker last night in Google Play, thinking that the game looked to have some good potential. We were totally right on the money. It is a free game, featuring some fantastic 2D art, as well as some addictive music. The gameplay is quite simple to understand, yet extremely challenging to master. You are placed in a world that has become overrun with bunnies, and it is your job to wipe the little guys out. The only way to do that is with your fingers, as you tap tap tap your display until you can't tap anymore. After you tap on bunnies, they start flying around the screen and some bunnies are carrying special items. Your only goal is to keep tapping on everything and rack up as many points as possible before time runs out. It's a seriously fast-paced and crazy game. Go try it out and let us know what you think down below. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/0tbzkwYW4pY[/youtube]

Samsung Taps Lionel Messi and "Royals" to Promote Galaxy Note 3 in TV Spot

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 09:10:47 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nwuk90Gc2A[/youtube]

Best soccer player in the world. Check. Hottest single on the planet at the moment. Check. Using homeless children to license said hit single to promote new Kidz Bop Volume 25. Check. Soccer field in the ghetto. Check. Galaxy Note 3. Wait, what?

SwiftKey Updated to Version 4.2.1, Just a Bug Crusher Build

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 09:02:03 +0000

SwiftKey was updated to version 4.2 not too long ago, bringing a ton of new features for third party keyboard lovers. As you would imagine with a major update release, there were plenty of bugs inside, but thanks to SwiftKey's awesome community of users, the development team was able to track most of them down and squash them in the newest 4.2.1 release. The update is now available as a free update through Google Play, or you can still go check out the keyboard for $3.99. What's New:

Fixed the issue with your personal language being lost
Backup & Sync will not keep your phone awake and use all your battery
Reduced network usage when Trending Phrases are turned on
Predictions in right-to-left languages should now be displayed the right way round.
Fixed Evernote return key problems
Restored “^” as m-key secondary in Azerty layout
Spanish punctuation now available on Qwerty layout (if Spanish language is enabled)
Fixed a number of crashes, including: flowing two words together quickly, repeatedly pressing “update languages” button, and a number of others
Fixed some translations within the app

Play Link ($3.99) Via: Swiftkey

AT&T Launches Abundance of New 4G LTE Markets in North America

Tim — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 08:39:56 +0000

This chilly Wednesday morning, AT&T announced 13 brand new 4G LTE markets across America, ranging from North Carolina up to Illinois. It seems like every week for the past couple of months, the carrier launches another group of LTE markets. At this pace, I would say they are right on track to match Verizon, who sits around 500 markets, by the end of the year. From personal experience, AT&T's LTE network still seems much faster and less bogged down than Verizon, so if you are on AT&T, this is great news. Full list of new markets can be seen below. New Markets:

Jacksonville, North Carolina
Lewiston, Maine
Hickory , North Carolina
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
McAlester, Oklahoma
Sanford , North Carolina
Decatur, Illinois
Pontiac, Illinois
Sheridan, Wyoming
Jackson, Wyoming
Gillette, Wyoming
Tuskegee, Alabama
Bloomington, Illinois

Via: AT&T

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Now Available From US Cellular

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 08:26:06 +0000

This morning, US Cellular announced that they are now carrying the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear both online and in stores. The Galaxy Note 3 in Jet Black will run $299 on-contract (after an instant rebate), while the Galaxy Gear will stick to its wildly high matching $299 price. The Gear will be available in both Jet Black and Oatmeal Beige. We have already reviewed both products, drawing complete opposite conclusions on each. In our Galaxy Note 3 review, we found few faults in the oversized phone, and generally enjoyed everything about it. In the Galaxy Gear review, well, this one got ugly.

Oppo Lands Exclusive on MEMS Camera, Nexus 5 Rumor "Inaccurate"

Kellen — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 07:40:55 +0000

Last week, the mems|cam camera module for smartphones made by DigitalOptics became extra famous as it was linked to a rumor surrounding Google's upcoming next Nexus phone, potentially dubbed Nexus 5. We were quick to shoot the report down, as the story seemed like nothing more than media jumping to a wild conclusion or assumption. As it turns out, we were right. DigitalOptics announced this morning that their mems|cam module will first be featured exclusively in upcoming phones made by Oppo. In fact, Oppo is the first OEM partner to place a volume purchase order for the mems|cam. In other words, LG and Google have not joined forces with DigitalOptics. Also, the press release for this news mentions in its closing remarks that "several technology news blogs reported that mems|cam was first being brought to market in another smartphone platform. Those reports were inaccurate." Sorry, folks, no mems|cam in the next Nexus. For those not familiar, the mems|cam is actually quite the interesting camera module that we hope more OEMs decide to pick up for their future phones. A mems|cam captures 6 consecutive images in a matter of seconds from different focus zones and then stores them as a single file. This allows you to later refocus the photo as you see fit, similar to what you can do with a Lytro camera. Granted, the technology used is completely different, but the end result produces a similar experience. All you have to do is tap around on objects in the finished photo, and the picture will refocus on the fly. Outside of refocusing after the fact, the mems|cam also features an insanely fast autofocus.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--October 08, 2013-- DigitalOptics Corporation (DOC(TM)), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tessera Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSRA) announced today that Guangdong Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd (OPPO), a leading Chinese smartphone OEM, has placed the first mems|cam(TM) volume production purchase order. The mems|cam module provides speed, power, and precision advantages compared to VCM (voice coil motor) camera modules and enables highly differentiated features when coupled with DOC's world-class software. "We are proud to announce that OPPO and DOC are exclusive launch partners. OPPO will be the first smartphone OEM to incorporate mems|cam products in volume," stated John Thode, president of DigitalOptics Corporation. "OPPO has an excellent premium brand in China as demonstrated by the September 23 launch of the innovative N1 Smartphone platform. Integrating mems|cam modules into OPPO's best-in-class smartphones will bring an exciting computational imaging user experience that further delivers on OPPO's brand promise." There has been speculation on who would be the first to bring the significant benefits of mems|cam to the mobile imaging market. Last week, several technology news blogs reported that mems|cam was first being brought to market in another smartphone platform. Those reports were inaccurate.

Via: Engadget Cheers Jon!

Samsung Announces the Galaxy Round With 5.7-inch Full HD Curved Display

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 19:30:10 +0000

We're only hours removed from a leak of Samsung's first device with a curved display and the company has gone ahead and made it all official. The device is officially called the Samsung Galaxy Round and is available in Korea in "Luxury Brown." No international availability has been given, but Samsung has said to expect new colors in the near future. Sporting a 5.7-inch Full HD Super Flexible AMOLED display that is curved, the device weighs in at just 7.9mm thick and 154g. In terms of other specs, we're looking at a Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, 3GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage (with SD card support), 13MP camera, LTE, 2,800mAh battery, and Android 4.3. From a software standpoint, the Galaxy Round features special software that can take advantage of its curves. For example, you could tilt the phone to check to see if you have missed calls, the time, or battery life. This sounds exactly like the air gesture baked into the Note 3 and Galaxy S4, which we would prefer over having to actually touch your phone. You'll also be able to tilt the device from side to side to change tracks while music is playing or manipulate the phone through one-handed operation. In other words, this is a Galaxy Note 3 (faux leather stitched back included), but with a curved display and a couple of extra gimmicky features. We still aren't seeing a point. But hey, curved display! Roll me!

Press Images

Hands-on Photos

Video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIEExKSjWi4[/youtube]

Specs

Press Release

Samsung GALAXY ROUND Pioneers the Curved Display Smartphone Experience

New device presents world’s first commercialized full HD Super AMOLED flexible display
Seoul, Korea - October 9, 2013 - Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today introduced GALAXY ROUND, the world’s first curved display smartphone. Samsung has been a mobile display innovator by introducing color TFT-LCD, AMOLED, and Super AMOLED flexible display for its mobile product. With this pioneering curved display technology, GALAXY ROUND blends the latest smartphone screen innovations with unique design features. The sleek and thin Samsung GALAXY ROUND whichequipped with a 5.7” Full HD Super AMOLED with 7.9mm thick and weighs 154g offers a comfortable hand grip feeling to user, and exclusive experiences of curved display. As a result of its unique curved design, users can take advantage of round integration experiences like the Roll Effect that enables user to check information such as date, time, missed call and battery easily when home screen is off, and the GravityEffect for creating visual interaction with the screen by tilting the device. For music, the Bounce UX enables users to control their music. When the GALAXY ROUND’s display is off while the music player is running, a short press to the left of the device will play the previous track while a short press to the right will play the next track. For pictures and videos, the Side Mirror feature enables users to gain access to list of the album content with a left and right tilt. The large screen size of the GALAXY ROUND provides additional benefits to users. Useful One-Hand Operation features bring a user’s most desired controls closer to a preferred side of the screen. The device enables enhanced multitasking capabilities that allow users to fully utilize the larger screen through Multi Window, a feature that enables users to open more than one application on the screen, run simultaneous multiple instances of the same application or to easily share content between applications. Samsung GALAXY ROUND is available in Korea with Luxury Brown, and more color will be available soon. * All functionality, features, specifications, and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation. About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in technology, opening new possibilities for people everywhere. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are transforming the worlds of televisions, smartphones, personal computers, printers, cameras, home appliances, LTE systems, medical devices, semiconductors and LED solutions. We employ 270,000 people across 79 countries with annual sales of US$187.8 billion. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com.

Via: Samsung Tomorrow [2]

Nest Protect Wants to Monitor Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Levels in Your House, Not Annoy You Either

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 17:04:06 +0000

As you guys are fully aware, I'm a big fan of the Nest Learning Thermostat. In fact, I reviewed it randomly back in April and am still fully engulfed in all things Nest to this day. It continues to be my favorite Android accessory, as it allows me to save money (though I'm not sure how much just yet) on heating bills while also giving me the ability to remotely control the temperature of my house from anywhere in the world (including the couch or on a cold Saturday morning in bed). It's also not bad looking. Actually, it's an incredibly well-designed piece of home technology. I can't recommend it enough. So today, the folks at Nest announced their newest product called Nest Protect. Nest Protect is their take on a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide monitor that looks as pretty as their thermostat and can be controlled via Android (or iOS) app, yet introduces a new take on how your home should be protected.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXp-LYBXwfo[/youtube]

Most importantly, the Nest Protect is a multi-criteria detector with heat, CO, and smoke sensors, (photoelectric smoke sensor, CO sensor, heat sensor, light sensor, ultrasonic sensors and activity sensor to be exact) so you aren't getting a low-end detector here. But where it takes home protection out of the box is how it alarms you. Rather than chirping with low batteries or falsely activating at 4AM on a Tuesday night, it notifies you via app or with a subtle early warning of potential danger. Should an alarm actually sound off, you can silence it with a simple wave of your hand in front of it. That means no more opening of windows and running wild through your house with towels while the headache from the smoke alarm only grows deeper. It can act as a night light, by activating a gentle light as you walk underneath it. You'll see a green glow as you turn out the lights to let you know that your batteries will last you through the night or red in case you need to change it for more peaceful sleep. You can even set it to use vocal alarms, since kids have been known to sleep through beeping alarms. And if you already own a Nest thermostat, the new Nest Protect works perfectly with it. Should a carbon monoxide alarm go off, your Nest thermostat automatically turns off your gas furnace, as they tend to be possible sources of poisonous carbon monoxide leaks. Overall, it sounds like another amazing product from Nest. With that said, each unit will run you $129, so assuming you have more than one or two rooms in your house, you may be looking at quite the substantial bill to outfit them all. The Nest Protect will be available in November in both black and white.

Nest Protect: The Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm Reinvented

Safety Shouldn’t Be Annoying, Nest Protect Addresses Nuisance Alarms and Low-Battery Chirps to Help Keep Families Safe Nest Labs Expands to the United Kingdom Palo Alto, California — October 8, 2013 — Nest Labs, Inc. (www.nest.com) announced today breakthrough innovation that redefines what people should expect from their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. These products should keep us safe, not annoy us. Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide™ does much more than just sound a shrill alarm when there’s danger in your home. It speaks to you, telling you where the danger is and what the problem is. And before it sounds a piercing alarm, Nest Protect gives you a friendly Heads-Up warning that you can silence with a wave of your hand – no more swinging towels or brooms to try to quiet a false alarm. It integrates with your mobile devices and even messages you if the batteries run low, avoiding that all-too-familiar midnight low-battery chirp. “With our first product, the Nest Learning Thermostat, we set out to help people reduce home energy use,” said Tony Fadell, Nest founder and chief executive officer. “Now, we’re turning our attention to something that’s also important: keeping families safe in their homes. We’ve all experienced the smoke alarm going off while we’re cooking or searched for the source of that incessant low-battery chirp in the middle of the night. Every time a smoke alarm cries wolf, we trust it a little less, and then – in a moment of frustration – we rip the batteries out to stop the beeping. And that leaves us and our families at risk.” According to a study by the National Fire Protection Agency of smoke alarms that failed to activate during home fires, 73 percent of them had dead, missing or disconnected batteries. Nuisance alarms were the leading reason for disconnected smoke alarms. “Safety shouldn’t be annoying,” said Matt Rogers, Nest founder and vice president of engineering. “It was unacceptable to us that almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. These products are required by law and are supposed to keep us safe, yet people hate them. We wanted to change that, so we created Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide.” Product Features

High-quality smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. Nest Protect is a multi-criteria detector with heat, CO, and smoke sensors that work together to detect danger.

Heads-Up. If Nest Protect sees that smoke or CO levels are rising but have not yet reached emergency alarm levels, it will give you an early warning so it can avoid crying wolf.

Nest Wave. No need to wave towels or climb on chairs. Nest Protect lets you silence nuisance alarms with a wave of your hand.

Mobile notifications. Connect Nest Protect to your free Nest account using Wi-Fi and you can receive low-battery alerts, Heads Up and emergency alarm notifications on your smartphone or tablet. In an emergency, the What to Do feature will remind you of recommended actions and give you one-button access to an emergency phone number.

Nightly Promise. Sleep safe and sound. Before you doze off, Nest Protect shows you its sensors and batteries are working with a quick green glow after you turn off the lights so low-battery chirps don’t rattle your dreams.

Pathlight. Nest Protect offers more than just smoke and CO warnings. Its LED lights can be a night light in your home. When it’s dark, Nest Protect will light your way as you walk underneath it.

Vocal alarms. According to a study by Victoria University, children can sleep through beeping smoke alarms. So in addition to alarm sounds, Nest Protect uses female Voice Alarms to help wake sleeping children in case of emergency.

More sensors, more features. Nest Protect’s sensors include a photoelectric smoke sensor, CO sensor, heat sensor, light sensor, ultrasonic sensors and activity sensor. Together, they analyze smoke and CO levels, see when you wave, and light your way at night.

Wireless interconnect. If you have more than one Nest Protect, they connect so you’ll hear alarms from all Nest Protects in your home, even if the danger is in only one room.

Design. Nest Protect introduces a distinctive square shape with a white sunflower pattern. A black version will be available only atwww.nest.com.

Multiple languages. In the U.S., Nest Protect offers voice alerts in both English and Spanish. Simply select your preferred language during setup.

Better Together  For families that have both the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect, a free Nest user account allows the products to work together. If Nest Protect’s carbon monoxide alarm goes off, your Nest thermostat automatically turns off your gas furnace, a possible source of poisonous carbon monoxide leaks. In addition, the Nest Protect activity sensors improve the Auto-Away feature of your Nest thermostat. New Nest App The Nest app on iOS, Android and the Web can be used to set up, control, and get alerts for both Nest Protect and the Nest Learning Thermostat. Available in English, Spanish and French, the Nest app will be updated with a new design and new features when Nest Protect ships. Pricing and Availability Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide is expected to be on sale in November at Amazon, Apple, Best Buy and The Home Depot for a suggested retail price of $129.00 (U.S.). It will be available in two versions – wired (120V) and battery-powered – and in two colors: white and black. To be first to experience the benefits of Nest Protect, go to www.nest.com to reserve yours today. Independent testing to demonstrate compliance with U.S., Canadian, and European smoke and CO standards is underway at leading test agencies. A version of Nest Protect that will be compatible with wired security systems is expected to be available in early 2014. Nest Protect will also be available in Canada and the U.K. About Nest Nest reinvents unloved but important home products, like the thermostat and smoke alarm. The company focuses on delighting customers with simple, beautiful and thoughtful hardware, software and services. The Nest Learning Thermostat™ and Nest Energy Services offerings address home energy consumption, and Nest Protect: Smoke + Carbon Monoxide™ will help keep people safe. Nest products are sold in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, and are installed in more than 90 countries and the Nest Learning Thermostat has helped save more than 1,000,000,000 kWh of energy to date. Nest is privately funded and based in Palo Alto, Calif. For more information, visit www.nest.com.

Review: Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 15:10:29 +0000

The Galaxy Gear smartwatch from Samsung is the company's first attempt to enter a market in which the industry has adopted as the next opportunity for growth. There isn't anything on the market that is quite like this device when compared to other smartwatches, as it runs a full-color display, has a built-in camera, and supports 70+ third party applications out of the box. It's a brave attempt at breathing new life into a growing market, but did Samsung hit it out of the park? We are about to find out. This is our full Galaxy Gear review.

The Good

Design

In this reviewer's opinion, the best thing the Galaxy Gear has going for it is the overall looks and design. I have argued this point with a few people, with the minority of them feeling that the large-looking device is just a plain ol' eye sore. I couldn't disagree more intensely. From the subtle grooves on the silicone band, to the polished look of the metallic bezels, the watch oozes sex appeal. Unfortunately for the device, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and of course there will be plenty of folks not picking one up simply because they dislike the looks. Although, there are even a few things about the watch's design I would have changed including the ~~nipple~~ camera placement. Either Samsung will need to figure out a way to thin out the sensor in the camera to make it more flush with the band, or they will have to scrap this idea altogether, since fear of scratching the camera's glass in everyday circumstances was a real issue while wearing the device. Besides that though, I loved wearing the device and more times than not, I loved looking at it. To me, a smartwatch that I want to look at and want to touch is paramount. This is something I haven't found with any of the Galaxy Gear's competitors such as the Pebble or Metawatch.

Device Integration

Thankfully, the one thing this device has to do, which is connect to your smartphone (Galaxy Note 3) wirelessly via Bluetooth 4.0, is done flawlessly. Upon initial connection, you simply tap the back of your Note 3 to the charging cradle of the Gear, and it automatically pairs. No insertion of codes or passkeys needed. Once connected, every change you make through the Gear Manager app on your smartphone takes place instantaneously on the watch; whether that be changes to the clock face, application favorites, or anything along those lines. Another way the integration is highlighted is through the camera application. After snapping pictures on the watch, you can easily transfer the photos taken via Bluetooth to the Note 3 for instant uploading to either Instagram, Facebook, or wherever else you feel like posting them. Keep in mind, the camera takes perfectly square photos, so IG addicts take note. Wink wink. With that said, keep in mind that future support for the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S3, and Galaxy Note 2 is on the way. The devices will need to be updated to Android 4.3 in order to utilize the Bluetooth 4.0 radio found inside of them. It's a funky process, and completely limits the sales of the Galaxy Gear, but Samsung insisted on growing its own ecosystem instead of allowing non-TouchWiz users to use the watch. For this simple reason, we are looking forward to seeing Google's take on a smartwatch - one that will hopefully be compatible with all Android devices running a certain version of the OS. Take note, Samsung; this is Android and not iOS. As a community, we don't really take kindly to closed ecosystems.

Somewhere in the Middle

Hardware

As of late, most of the smartphones we have reviewed this year all feature some fantastic specs - with quad-core processors, 2GB+ of RAM, high-res 1080p displays, and the list goes on. None of those are necessary when creating a smartwatch, but when it's priced at $300, you better be getting more than what comes with the Galaxy Gear. This device features a 1.63" Super AMOLED display (320 x 320 resolution), an 800MHz Exynos processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard storage (non-expandable), a 1.9MP camera capable of 720p video recording, Bluetooth 4.0, two microphones, one speaker, and an insanely small 315mAh battery. While the device operates just fine with these specs, and you will probably never notice any "lag" or "jank," is it bad to say we want more? This is after all a $300 device, and you will be lucky to get a full days use out of it when putting it through its daily paces. On top of the small battery, Samsung opted for a full color Super AMOLED display (which also eats at the battery) that you can't view very well in direct light, a camera sensor so small it's practically worthless, and only 4GB of storage that will get filled up in no time if you like snapping lots of pictures and downloading applications.

Camera

Since the camera is here, and it's not like we can remove it, we might as well get some use out of it. When used, the camera is a bit funky, but does get the job done just fine. The shots are what you would expect from a 1.9MP shooter (max resolution of 1392 x 1392), and it should really only be used as a last resort. If you can utilize the Note 3's 13MP camera at the time, then there is no reason to use the shooter on the Gear, since every photo taken needs to then be synced to the Note 3 for uploading to sites and social networks. With that said, if you want to take photos using the watch, then you can expect some lackluster shots to be the result. It features an Auto mode and a Macro mode. Both produce dull and somewhat colorless images, but for some reason, we can't really knock the device for this. It's a camera inside of a watch. For that reason alone, we have to place it in this section and not in the negatives. When you want it, it's there and does work when you need it to. Some samples can be seen below.

Device Interface and Interaction

Samsung did a fairly good job at making interaction with Galaxy Gear simple and easy to learn. The entirety of its interface and control is based on gestures, with swipes and taps commanding your backs and selections. When on the homescreen, you simply swipe either left or right to access favorited applications and modes, then there is also an "app drawer" that carries all of the apps found on the device. When inside of an app or menu, all you have to do is swipe from the top of the screen to the bottom, and it takes you to the previous page. For instance, when you are inside of the camera app, just swipe down from the top and you are returned to the homescreen. If you are on the homescreen then swipe from bottom to top, you are met with the Gear's dialer, which will then allow you to make phone calls through the device via the Bluetooth connection.

In addition to simple swipes to navigate, you can also two finger double tap on the display and be met with your battery status, as well as quick controls for the device's brightness and sound volume. If you two finger long press anywhere on the device, you are met with a multitasking interface that all Android users should be familiar with. All of this works great, but the reason it isn't marked in the "Good" section is because sometimes the device doesn't recognize your taps or swipes, forcing you to retry. It's sort of a pain and you must always make sure your gestures are firm and direct. It's a great interface, but could use some more tweaking to make it more sensitive to your finger's movement on the display.

The Not-so-Good

Existing Application Compatibility

The smartwatch is supposed to be the perfect extension of your existing smartphone experience. You should be able to view incoming emails and text messages, then be allowed to reply to them using the watch without having to touch your phone a single time. In my opinion, that is the watch's true purpose. Given that this is Android, you have to assume that most users are going to be using Gmail for their email needs, and not Samsung's proprietary email application. This idea must have gone completely over their heads, as neither Gmail or Google's Hangouts application is supported on the device. I would say about 90% of the notifications I receive throughout any given day are not supported on Galaxy Gear. For this reason alone, I find the watch to be more useless than useful, and that's a real problem when met with a $300 price tag. If I can't view my Gmail, and I can't view my incoming instant messages, then what's the point? Future compatibility might come, but there is no word on support from Samsung or Google. For now, when those notifications come in, you must "view on device" which then automatically turns on your phone's display and opens up the application that has a notification. Again, this is the Note 3 we are talking about, so pulling that thing out of your pocket is more of a risk than anything else. And isn't the point of a smartwatch to make you less inclined to pull out your phone for everything?

Battery

The Galaxy Gear features a 315mAh battery, capable of holding a charge for a single day of usage. If you want to use the Gear as a daily device, you will need to keep its charging cradle plugged in right next to your bed, as there is no way it will last you any longer than that. The Super AMOLED display is easily the cause of most of its drain, plus the addition of its always-working sensors to notice movements of your wrist. You can disable its sensors, but then you lose even more functionality of the device, as you then have to hit the power button to turn the display on. Thankfully, there aren't many apps available that would also eat up your tiny battery, but still, most people have expressed that they don't want their smartwatch to die after only a single day of usage. At least give us a week or something more than 24 hours. It's just too easy to place the watch down, let it die, then never charge it again.

Application Ecosystem

Samsung announced at the time of unveiling that the Galaxy Gear would launch with around 70 applications. We should have assumed that most of them would be completely useless, only to get used by a very niche crowd. That pretty much sums up what you have to work with when it comes to application availability, with a few good apps and big names thrown into the mix. For starters, it does have some good productivity apps like Evernote and Runtastic, but the majority of apps you see in the Samsung Apps store are just boring. There are plenty of third party clock faces, Snapchat, a Spin the Bottle app, and Path, the only social network app that is currently available and probably will ever be. Will Facebook and Twitter spend valuable resources to produce apps for this platform? We think not. It would have been much nicer to see some great apps launch with the device, but again, if you want good apps then you might as well just be using your smartphone and not a watch.

Price

$299.99 is the price tag placed upon the Galaxy Gear. After the time we have spent with the device, there is no way to justify such a high price point, especially since you could previously buy a Nexus smartphone for the same price on Google Play. Heck, you could even spend the same amount of money and get yourself a portable gaming console like the NVIDIA SHIELD for that matter. With what the watch currently offers in terms of functionality, usefulness, and overall usability, the price would be more suitable around $149.99 in our books. Sorry, Samsung - you were way off on this one.

Device Compatibility

As of right now, the Galaxy Gear is only compatible with a single smartphone on the market - the Galaxy Note 3. If Samsung was looking to sell out of their inventory, this doesn't seem like the best move. While we understand Samsung's want to get people using its smartphones and invested into its ecosystem, for everyone else that might want a Galaxy Gear, they are out of luck. Future support is coming to the Gear for the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2, and Galaxy S3 thanks to software updates to Android 4.3, but there is no official timeframe for those as of right now. In terms of what phone you can use this device with, everyone but Note 3 owners is currently S.O.L.

Gallery

Videos

Apps available for Galaxy Gear [youtube]http://youtu.be/4FigMnl0AT8[/youtube] Overview [youtube]http://youtu.be/JrKxfQYUg_o[/youtube]

Verdict

Should you buy the Galaxy Gear? If you are the owner of a Galaxy Note 3, or a device that is soon to be supported thanks to updates to their firmware, then it's an interesting decision. Sure, the device looks cool and offers a few neat functions, but none of them add up to $300. No way. Then again, if you enjoy adopting first-gen hardware, and companies' attempts at being first-to-market with devices, then go for it. I have to say, if you pay full retail for this device, you will inevitably end up disappointed with your purchase.

Google Posts Nexus 7 LTE (2013) Android 4.3.1 Factory Image and Binaries

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 14:39:09 +0000

The Android 4.3.1 (JLS36I) factory image and binaries for the Nexus 7 LTE (2013) have been posted by Google. This update began rolling out earlier in the week and remains mostly a mystery. But if you want the images to get you back to a 100% factory state, you now have the opportunity. The Android 4.3.1 update has yet to rollout out to any other Nexus device. Android 4.3.1 Links: Factory Image | Binaries

Oh Boy, is This the First Look at Samsung's Device With a Curved Display?

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:53:24 +0000

Famed industry leaker @evleaks tweeted this photo this afternoon with the tag "Do not adjust your display." If this is what we think it is, it could very well be a press render of Samsung's soon-to-be-announced device with a curved display. The device was reportedly confirmed to exist by Samsung's own CEO and other executives, with an expected arrival or announcement happening within the next few weeks. All I can say is, what the...? Why? Are we curving things just to say we curved them? I just assumed the curve would be from top to bottom to make the phone contour to your face as you hold it, not from edge to edge. Or I guess this could sit more comfortably in your hand? I wonder how swiping from edge to edge feels? No details have been given thus far, only this picture. Updated: Here is a second picture under model number SM-G910S @evleaks mentions that this is a Korean deal only, for now. You can also see an LTE-Advanced logo on a similarly textured back to what came with the Note 3:

I'm confused and dying to hear your thoughts. Via: @evleaks [2]

Android 4.3 Update Rolling Out to AT&T HTC One Now!

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:15:44 +0000

The Android 4.3 update for AT&T's variant of the HTC One is now rolling out, according to HTC USA president Jason Mackenzie. We were told that the update would be here in October, but truthfully, weren't expecting to see it arrive this early. The HTC One developer and unlocked versions received a similar update at the end of September, with Sprint units seeing the update last week. HTC appears to be on top of the last couple of Android updates, which is a nice change from their rocky past of updating phones. I guess that's what can happen if you have only a couple of phones to support. To check for the update, head into Settings>About phone>Software updates. The Android 4.3 update for T-Mobile's One variant will rollout some time in mid-October. Verizon One owners should see it before the end of October. Update: Here is the changelog courtesy of AT&T:

Improved notification bar with quick access to many of the most popular settings.
The integration of Instagram™ into HTC BlinkFeed.
The ability to lock the camera focus and exposure on a specific target within the viewfinder.
An updated HTC gallery user experience.
HTC Zoe® updates that include:
- The option to change the file format of Zoe capture to a 3-second MP4 video and one second still JPG photo. This change will significantly reduce the amount of storage space used when capturing Zoe shots.
Updated visualizer features within the HTC Music app.
The ability to add widgets to the lock screen.
New home key secondary functions to quickly access either Google Now or the menu.
New settings for the battery percentage notification.

Via: @JasonMacHTC

So Many Ridiculous Nexus 5 Rumors Today...

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 12:37:51 +0000

You know you are getting close to the launch of a new Nexus product when retailers start trying to steal attention (and raise search engine results) by prematurely posting listings for a yet-to-be-announced device and the trolls start spamming off bait to inboxes of tech media outlets. Today, appears to be the king of days as Nexus 5 rumors are flying around these parts with media outlet after media outlet just blindly posting it all, because maybe it could all be true! (Or there are thousands of page views to be had. Yep.) Let's address a couple, so that you'll stop emailing them to us. :)

Rumor 1!

So the first, which has popped into our inbox about a dozen times already, comes out of PhoneArena who received a "tip" claiming that there will be two Nexus 5 variants, one with 16GB of storage and a 2300mAh battery at a price of $299. The other will have 32GB of storage and a 3000mAh battery at a price of $399. Sounds amazing, right? Would be a nice move by Google, especially with all of the complaining we have seen thus far about potential battery life on a phone with a 1080p display, 2300mAh battery, and powerful Snapdragon 800. But here's the thing, the FCC documents and leaked service manual for the phone do not mention at any time that there is another model with a battery size other than 2300mAh. But the service manual does mention both 16GB and 32GB of storage, so if there were another battery option, wouldn't it make sense for it to mention that as well? Well, it doesn't. In terms of an FCC filing, we can look to two of Motorola's new devices for a potentially similar situation. When the DROID ULTRA and MAXX stopped off at the FCC, they showed up together in a single filing since they are technically the same device except with different batteries. The FCC documents submitted listed both battery sizes. We'd link you to the FCC docs for it, but the FCC is closed for the time being since our government is full of a bunch of morons. Instead, check this image for proof (via). See that, one filing - two batteries listed. Now, if you look below at the FCC docs for the Nexus 5, we have one single mention of a 2300mAh battery size.

Also, we should point out that if you are changing the battery size in a phone, you are also changing the size of the phone. We have yet to see any mention of multiple sized Nexus devices. Previous Nexus devices from Google have never had varying battery or frame sizes outside of the Galaxy Nexus because one version had LTE and the other did not (and it was only 100mAh). From the Nexus One to the Nexus S to last year's Nexus 4, all we saw was internal storage changes, never the battery or size. With the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10, same deal - just storage changes. It just seems so un-Google to release two of the same phone with different battery and phone sizes. Because think about it, you can't toss a battery that big into a phone and not have it adjust the thickness. Again, look at what Motorola did with the ULTRA (7.18mm thick) and MAXX (8.5mm thick). Could Google surprise us all and give us two battery options? Sure, I guess. We just have seen nothing at this point to show any indication of that actually happening. As far as the prices go, $299 and $399 would be dream prices. With that said, Google decided with this year's Nexus 7 that they'd like to make some actual money off of device sales and upped the price of each model over last year's. They may decide not to do that with the Nexus 5 to keep the phone at insanely low price points, but don't be surprised if they come in at an odd $369 and $469 or something, just to help pad Google's pockets a bit.

Rumor 2!

This one is a classic retailer play, which we see time and time again prior to product launches. According to random Japanese retailer Gecko & Co, the Nexus 5 will be released on November 14 in both 16GB and 32GB models. Who the hell is Gecko & Co? Apparently, they are a small enough outfit that they had to help sell their own listing and reputation as being legit because they previously sold the Nexus S and Nexus One. Seriously, go to their site and read for yourself. If that isn't enough to not buy into this listing or its suggestion that November 14 is real, take the picture they posted as another prime example. That's a fake fan-made render that surfaced shortly after a Googler was spotted with the phone during the Kit Kat unveiling. And that "Nexus 5" logo - quick PhotoShop job, and not even a pretty one at that. How out of place does the 5 look? So is the Nexus 5 coming on November 14? It certainly could, but this is simply a retailer who put out an early listing to try and grab your attention. It has succeeded.

Rumor 3!

This last one is more of a PSA than an actual rumor, but I just want to point out that accessory companies are going to start posting up Nexus 5 accessories all over the place with suggested shipping dates. These are by no means official. They'll even include renders of the phone next to cases that will look very official. They aren't. While many of these companies have the exact specs or molds for upcoming products so that they can get accessories ready in time for launch, they'd 100% ruin their relationships with these companies should they post actual images or renders of these devices before they are told they can. They are playing the SEO and marketing game. There is nothing wrong with that, we're just warning you to not look too much into these listing as potential launch dates or official images. And this is not us taking shots at Cruzerlite or Spigen, we're fans of both companies' products.

Rumor 4!

The Nexus 5 will double as a taser. OK, not really a rumor, but we thought it was funny. That's all we've got. We know these rumors aren't going to stop until the phone is announced, but wanted to make sure you were all aware of the wild information that is floating about and how most of it is nothing but questionable. A lot of hypebeasting to be had right now. Cheers to all who sent these in!

Google Announces New HP Chromebook 11, Priced at $280 in a Variety of Color Accents

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 11:05:20 +0000

In partnership with HP, Google released a new Chromebook this morning called the Chromebook 11. The laptop is now on sale through Google Play for just $279.99, featuring some good specs and a unique design that many might find quite appealing. It features an 11.6" IPS display, finely-tuned speakers, is completely noiseless, weighs in at an extra-light 2.3lbs., comes in a variety of colors, and features up to 6 hours of battery life. Not a bad little package. The feature that stands out the most to us is that you can power the laptop using a microUSB, the same exact charger you would use for your Android phone or tablet. With that said, it's the perfect partner for any mobile users that don't want to carry around any extra chargers or power adapters for their many different devices. It is available starting today on Google Play, Best Buy, Amazon, and HP Shopping. Play Link ($279.99) Via: Google Cheers Adam!

Motorola Reportedly Working on 6.3" Device, Plus ULTRA Successor Dubbed "Quantum"

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 10:29:33 +0000

New Motorola rumors are hitting the Web through Meibo, via a trusted source of the site that exposed many of the Moto X leaks and rumors that came true not too long after posting. With that said, the source now claims that Motorola is currently working on two new devices, both of which should hit the market sometime in 2014. The first device is quite large, supposedly sporting a 6.3" display, and is called the Motorola Xplay internally. There is no other indication as to what the device will look like, but with a screen that large, we can safely say that it's going to be big. The second device is reported to be a DROID ULTRA successor, dubbed the DROID Quantum. Much like the rumored Xplay, there is no other info to hypebeast as of right now. Given that the DROID ULTRA is still a fresh device on Verizon, the 2014 timeframe makes sense. Motorola doesn't need to pump out a ton of devices right now, and would be smart to focus on sales of the Moto X, making sure the device is successful. It would be quite interesting to see the manufacturer enter the phablet market, but 6.3" is well over any display size that we think is necessary for everyday usage. What would you like to see from a DROID ULTRA successor or a 6.3" phablet device from Moto? Via: GforGames

Verizon Galaxy Note 3 Pre-orders Now Shipping

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 10:00:09 +0000

Did you pre-order a Galaxy Note 3 through Verizon? Chances are that your device has already shipped and should arrive right on time for the Thursday, October 10 launch. In the past, we have seen pre-orders arrive a day before devices hit store shelves, but Big Red seems to have timed these shipments just right. At least one reader is showing an estimated delivery day of this Thursday. We've already posted our Galaxy Note 3 review which featured nothing but positive remarks for the device outside of our ongoing distaste for Samsung's tired TouchWiz skin (which can mostly be covered). We also aren't personally fans of the size, but if you pre-ordered, you clearly don't mind using two hands with your phone. It really is a great product with an amazing camera that will surely be a joy to use for those who ordered one early or plan to pick one up in the near future. If you want an oversized phone, Samsung's Note products continue to lead the way. I guess now we sit back and see how Verizon handles the flood of Note 3 pre-orders that came with the unlimited-upgrade-extravaganza that went down a couple of weeks ago. They did confirm to us that they would honor upgrades.

Cheers Michael and Kevin!

Official Nexus 7 Flip Cases Hit Google Play in Four Colors, Steep $49.99 Price

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 09:27:30 +0000

Google pushed out brand new "official" Nexus 7 (2013) flip cases to Google Play this morning that run $49.99 a piece. The cases come in four colors: red, blue, white, and black. The red and blue versions are mostly grey suede, though, but have red and blue interiors for pops of color. Each case also features a lower-left positioned Google flag, so you'll never forget who designed your protective cover. This case is the "first tablet case designed by Google" for your new Nexus 7, which features a built-in stand and a body that is "made to the exact specifications of your Google-designed technology." I've got to say, that these are indeed quite pretty cases. The price is throwing me off a bit at $49.99, but we have a couple on order already to report back to you with. Also, don't forget to check out our mega-comparison of various low-priced cases that can be had through Amazon for as little as $5. Play Link

HTC Sense 5.5 Screenshots Show Option to Turn Off Blinkfeed, New Camera Features, Other Tweaks

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 09:20:45 +0000

Thanks to a series of screenshots post by blog Android Revolution HD, we may have first look at HTC's soon-to-be-released Sense 5.5 Android skin. The screenshots show a familiar design language to the Sense 5 that was first introduced with the HTC One, but includes new options to help expand its polish. Most would argue that HTC has one of the better Android skins on the planet, and these subtle changes should only help solidify that claim. In the top series of screenshots, you'll notice one very specific new toggle that was previously left out of the original Sense 5, though most of us believe it should have been there from day one. That would be the option to turn on or off Blinkfeed, HTC's homescreen news and social network aggregator. We actually became Blinkfeed fans over time, but for those who want nothing to do with the vertical scrolling Flipboard competitor, a toggle is a simple yet perfect addition. In the series of shots below, you'll notice that the camera will soon have a "Dual capture" and "Panorama" modes. Dual capture could just be something similar to what Samsung has done, by allowing you to snap photos with both the front and rear cameras at the same time. Panorama on the other hand, is pretty self explanatory. Well, unless you compare it to "Sweep panorama" - anyone guess the difference? You'll also see a slightly tweaked multi-task panel in the shots below that features bigger cards.

In the last series of screenshots below, you'll see new additions to Blinkfeed, an improved keyboard experience with Emoji, and the ability to rearrange the quick toggles pull down menu. And that's pretty much it.

It's tough to tell when we'll see this new Sense 5.5 arrive, but a launch of the One Max next week seems like the perfect opportunity for HTC. As for when we'll then see it arrive on the HTC One, your guess is as good as ours. With the device just now receiving Android 4.3, I'd bet that we're months away from a major update to 5.5. Via: Android Revolution HD

HTC One Max Launch Taking Place Next Week, Will Feature Fingerprint Scanner According to WSJ

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 08:56:29 +0000

Invites are flying out for separate events for the supposed announcement of the One Max from HTC. The events are scheduled to take place in Taiwan on October 18, and another one two days before that on October 16 in Hong Kong. According to e-retailer ePrice, the global launch of the One Max will take place in China on October 15, right before the company holds the press events. We have been reading and writing about the One Max for quite some time now, and according to The WSJ, one of the rumored features of the device can now finally be confirmed. Hearing from one of its sources, the One Max will in fact feature a fingerprint scanner, but there is no word on how baked into the OS the hardware will be. Could it be used for much more than just unlocking your device, such as Google Play purchases or other secured features on the phone? Let's hope so, since we are betting it's going to take a whole lot more than the addition of a fingerprint scanner to make people curious about this device. The WSJ also confirmed that the phone will feature a 5.9" display, an UltraPixel camera, and Sense's BlinkFeed. No shockers there, but it's good to have some confirmation on the info we have been reporting since June. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the LG G2, the One Max's competition, are out and on the market - it's now your move, HTC. Via: WSJ | Engadget

HTC Announces 18K Gold One to Celebrate 18th Anniversary of the MOBO Awards

Tim — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 08:29:32 +0000

HTC UK announced this morning that they are producing just five units of a very special edition, 18K gold One smartphone. You will be happy to know that there is actually a special occasion that warrants the creation of this device, valued at roughly $4430, and that is the 18th annual MOBO awards. Since only five of these are being made, and the value of them is so high, these are now the most exclusive and expensive HTC devices ever made according to the company. The device was made in a partnership with Goldgenie, who has actually been selling gold, platinum, and rose gold HTC One units for a few months now. Sure, they are overpriced and only Trinidad James should think about buying one, but they are always available if you have the resources. Oh, and if you feel like voting for the MOBO awards (Music of Black Origin), then you can do that by following the via link down below.

HTC UK launches a real Gold HTC One^®

to celebrate the 18^th anniversary of the MOBO Awards

HTC UK announces a limited edition Gold HTC One in pure 18ct gold

The MOBO Best Newcomer winner will walk away with the most expensive HTC phone ever produced
London, 8 October 2013 — HTC UK, a leader in mobile innovation and design, today announces the release of the Gold HTC One, created using REAL gold. Produced to celebrate the 18^th Anniversary of the MOBO Awards, this very limited edition phone will be presented to the winner of Best Newcomer category sponsored by HTC at this year’s ceremony in Glasgow on 19^thOctober. Valued at £2,750 and with only five in existence, the limited edition Gold HTC One is the most exclusive and expensive smartphone ever created by HTC. It was crafted in partnership with Goldgenie founder Laban Roomes. To achieve this luxury look, the zero gap unibody of the HTC One on the front and back is plated in 18ct gold. It is polished to give a sophisticated finish and a special MOBO 18 logo is laser etched on the rear of the device. These elements come together to create the ultimate recognition for the prestigious music awards show. The Gold HTC One includes all the performance of the award-winning HTC One, including HTC BlinkFeed™, HTC Zoe™ and HTC BoomSound™, together reinventing the mobile experience and setting a new standard for smartphones. Phil Blair, HTC President, Europe Middle East and Africa said: "The best artists have always been given gold discs to celebrate their success, but today most people listen to music on their phone. We wanted to celebrate that fact. The award winning HTC One is the gold standard in mobile design and innovation, so it was an obvious choice to make it even more special. We're sure the winning MOBO artist will love their unique phone and we will even be giving a lucky member of the general public the chance to get their hands on one soon too." Kanya King MBE, founder of the MOBO Awards commented: “MOBO turning 18 is a huge achievement and a special time for us. The 18ct Gold HTC One phone is a great addition to our coming of age celebrations and helps add MOBO glitz to proceedings!” You can vote for the winner of Best Newcomer and the recipients of the Gold HTC One on the MOBO website at http://www.mobo.com/voting2013/best-newcomer. In the running are:

Daley

Elli Ingram

Etta Bond

Fuse ODG

Jacob Banks

Jahméne Douglas

Krept and Konan

Sam Smith

Shakka

Stylo G

Goldgenie has previously made bespoke phones for Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Kate Moss, but this is the first time they have worked directly with an Android manufacturer. Since its launch, the HTC One has attracted a host of editorial and industry awards which recognise its superior performance and new benchmark in design. Just last week the HTC One collected Gadget of the Year, Phone of the Year and the Design Award at the T3 Gadget Awards 2013. Other highlights include the GSMA’s Global Mobile Award for Best New Mobile Device or Tablet at Mobile World Congress 2013, Computex Taipei’s Gold Medal in Design and EISA award for Best European Advanced Smartphone 2013-2014.

HBO Go Update Fixes Android 4.3 Bug, Finally Works

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 08:05:06 +0000

HBO Go received an update today for "bug fixes," which really means that it finally works with devices running Android 4.3. Since 4.3 starting arriving on handsets, HBO Go users quickly noticed buffering and compatibility issues with the app, rendering it useless. HBO acknowledged that they needed to release a new version that would work with Android 4.3, but as you can imagine, the wait has felt like it has been an eternity. So anyways, go get your update! I've tested it on both my Nexus 7 LTE and Nexus 4 - it works great. Play Link

Yahoo Mail Turns 16 - Celebrates With New Mail App on Android, Introduces Conversations

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 07:48:35 +0000

To celebrate the 16th birthday of Yahoo Mail, Yahoo is releasing new apps on Android, iOS, and desktop throughout the day. The new apps introduce user interface tweaks that utilize conversation views, similar to what you have probably been experiencing in Gmail for years. Conversations, as you know, group your ongoing mail chats so that you can see entire conversations in a single view. But that's not all. Yahoo is made things like search, starring, and deleting into one-click actions that appear when you hover over an email. They are letting you hide the left-hand toolbar, so that you can be more productive (could be desktop version only). Previously reserved features for premium members are now free, including disposable email addresses, enhanced filters and automatic message forwarding. And last, the new apps can take advantage of "visually rich themes, including curated Flickr photos, for your browser, smartphone and tablet."

Video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3fov_RLBqs[/youtube]

Play Link Via: Yahoo

Motorola Handing Out Free SOL Republic Jax Headphones With Moto X MotoMaker Purchase

Kellen — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 07:34:43 +0000

Should you decide that today is the day for you to pull the trigger on a custom designed Moto X through MotoMaker, Motorola will reward you with a free pair of SOL Republic Jax headphones. These in-ear headphones retail for $39.95, plus Motorola is still including free Skips with all orders ($20 value), so you are looking at freebies worth up to $60. The deal is apparently only good for today. Now, normally Motorola lets you choose the color of the Jax headphones to match your design, but it looks like for the promotion they are tossing in a free pair of the "chalk" color. In other words, you are getting a free white pair of headphones, not the matching pair of your choice. If you are still on the fence about this phone, be sure to check out our Moto X review and then read up on the latest camera improvement update. Via: MotoMaker Cheers needa and javier!

Google Hangouts 1.3 Could Introduce SMS and MMS

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 17:45:11 +0000

The image above is just a mockup, but rumor has it that Google will finally bring SMS/MMS support to Hangouts in version 1.3. According to sources who sent images to Android Police, once integrated and the option turned on, users will see a "via SMS" notation to show how the message in Hangouts was sent. There may even be the option to send videos. The current version of Hangouts is 1.2.018. There is no definitive confirmation at this time that 1.3 will introduce SMS and MMS or when we'll see it, but Google told us shortly after the introduction of Hangouts that it would be the future of Google Voice. Adding in the oft-requested integration of text and picture messaging would help complete that promise. Actually, it one-ups Voice since Voice has lacked MMS support on everything outside of Sprint phones. It also helps turn Hangouts into a 1-stop shop for messaging. It certainly seems like the time is right, especially with Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" around the corner. With that said, I wouldn't be surprised if Google held off on announcing SMS integration until they unveil Kit Kat and the new Nexus phone. Then again, if it's ready, why wait? I know that many of you have been waiting impatiently for this feature to arrive. Now that it appears to be close, how excited are you? Via: Android Police

Skype for Android Updating to Version 4.4, Features Quality Improvements and New Tablet UI

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:02:12 +0000

Skype for Android is receiving an update to version 4.4, bringing some major changes for tablet users, and additional improvements for all devices running the application. Tablet users will be greeted with an updated user interface, much like the one that rolled out to smartphones not too long ago. For everyone else, you should notice improvements to video and call quality, display and UX enhancements, as well as additional changes to audio routing. After this update, the app should feel much more refined for everyone. What's New:

Improved call/video quality
Accessibility improvements with full support for TalkBack screen reader
Updates that address incoming call issues, including one that was causing phones to reboot
Additional changes to audio routing
Display and UX enhancements when switching orientation

According to the source, the update should go live in Google Play later today. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/QHIzzQB4Lew[/youtube] Via: 9to5 Google

Google Glass XE10 Update Released With Transit Directions, Links in Notifications

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 14:05:02 +0000

It's the beginning of a new month, so to the three of you who own $1500 Google Glass explorer edition devices, a new update as build XE10 has been released. The update introduces public transit step-by-step directions for buses, street cars, subways, or any other mode available to your locale. But that's not all, you'll be able to tap on links in tweets, texts, emails, and more going forward and also see the images of people you are conversing with in the backgrounds of messages. You should be able to update immediately. We should point out that Google removed all of the Glass factory images with the release of this update "due to a firmware change with XE10: flashing back to an earlier build might brick your device." If you do own Glass, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it after having it for a number of months. Are you still using it? Do you still deal with awkward conversations on a regular basis? Have friends and family become more comfortable with you wearing Glass all of the time?

Via: Google Support | +Google Glass

Popular Strategy Game Clash of Clans Hits Google Play

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 13:57:40 +0000

A new tower defense-like game hit Google Play last week from publisher Supercell, called Clash of Clans. In this title, you build up your customizable village into a fortress that is impenetrable by enemy forces. You can play by yourself, or join online worlds in a multiplayer mode going against other real players, which you can imagine is a bit more challenging. On top of that, you can join other players and create a super clan, building up your online empire. There are countless upgrades for plenty of different units, so if you happen to be into tower defense titles (but more strategy needed), you might get pretty addicted to this one. Check out the full list of features and the trailer down below. Go grab it. Features:

Free to play
Build your village into a undefeatable fortress
Battle with players worldwide and take their Victory Points
Join together with other players to form the ultimate Clan
14 unique units with multiple levels of upgrades
Defend your village with Cannons, Towers, Mortars, Bombs, Traps and Walls
Fight against the Goblin King in an epic campaign through the realm

Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/0Y5-lRHj8Hg[/youtube]

Samsung Reportedly Working on Google Glass Competitor, Dubbed "Gear Glass"

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 12:25:58 +0000

According to a recent tweet from industry insider Eldar Murtazin, Samsung is working to bring Gear Glass, a Google Glass competitor to the market by April or May of 2014. The idea that Samsung wants to monopolize every single tech avenue is no surprise, but could they be any less creative with a name like Gear Glass? We assume Galaxy Glass would have been more fitting, but we digress. Without being anywhere near confirmed, you can bet that Gear Glass would be much like Google Glass. It will be wearable hardware, fitted with a camera, capable of running apps and connecting to your smartphone wirelessly. Given that it's Samsung, you can pretty much assume that the device will only be connectable to Galaxy-branded smartphones and tablets. At least, that's what we would put our money on. Would anyone here be more interested in Gear Glass more so than Google Glass? Via: 9to5 Google | Eldar Murtazin

Google Play Begins Adding HBO Shows, Game of Thrones and Newsroom Included

Eric — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 12:00:15 +0000

HBO knows how to make some good television shows, if only it was not so expensive to access them. Today, Google Play announced that they now feature some of HBO's most popular shows in their TV section and they plan on bringing more. Massively popular shows like Game of Thrones, Newsroom and True Blood are now available for purchase. Episodes are sold individually or in season-long bundles, but the seasons that are here are limited right now. However, Google promises that "many more are coming soon." I just recently got caught up on Game of Thrones so this is exciting news; anyone else interested in these shows on Google Play? Play Link Via: @GooglePlay

Moto X on US Cellular Receiving Camera Improving Update This Month

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:25:43 +0000

We talk a lot about the "four major wireless carriers" in the U.S., often leaving out US Cellular as a potential fifth even though it has typically received all of the same flagship devices that Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have. Obviously, that distinction of being one of the big dogs comes from network coverage, but if you were looking for an alternative to the familiar major players, they tend to keep you covered in the device department. The Moto X is one of those devices that US Cellular received at the same time as the rest. And with other carriers receiving an update for the Moto X that improves upon the camera, along with Touchless Controls, Motorola Assist, and audio during calls, it's no surprise that US Cellular's variant is next up. The update, which we have the details on below, does appear to be identical to the software update that was pushed out to T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T variants of the phone. We don't have a specific date for release, but if support docs are being passed around the company, we'd assume it'll arrive shortly. If you haven't already, be sure to checkout our comparison gallery of pictures taken before and after this new software update.

Cheers ___!

XDA Finds a Way Around Samsung's Pesky Galaxy Note 3 Region Lock

Eric — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:03:38 +0000

The Samsung Galaxy Note line is something of a worldwide phenomenon. Here in the States we certainly have the Note cult, but overseas the phone and tablet hybrid enjoys very good sales. When the Note 3 launched last month, users were quick to find that once they activated their device in one country, it was SIM-locked to that region afterwards. They were understandably annoyed. Luckily the developers at XDA have our back with a workaround for rooted users. It was the noted developer Chainfire that came through with the solution. He found that instead of the traditional SIM lock, Samsung blacklisted all other carriers depending on which country the SIM card was activated in. His solution was to make an app that, when given root access, clears that blacklist and allows the SIM to access other carriers as it should be able to. He also notes that buying a proper SIM unlock code also seems to be working for some users as well. Getting those codes around the internet are fairly easy. The app, named RegionLock Away, has only been tested on Note 3 SM-N9005 and it isn't clear if Samsung will be updating this blacklist in the future. For now, if you are needing to get your Note 3 region unlocked, hit the link below for download and installation instructions. Via: XDA

Samsung Announces New Ultra-Stable 13MP Camera for Smartphones

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 10:15:30 +0000

Smartphone cameras have seen a major improvement over the last two years, with some of the newer flagship devices such as the LG G2 and the Galaxy Note 3 featuring nifty image stabilization that allows users to take fantastic photos. This morning, Samsung announced an entirely new 13 megapixel OIS mobile camera, one that will see mass production starting in early 2014; hopefully just in time for the Galaxy SV. The new hardware is said to be ultra-stable, capable of correcting angular errors by up to 1.5 degrees. In addition, the newest sensor can capture photos in low light that are eight-times brighter than the sensor currently found on the market. The best piece of news to come from the announcement is that Samsung is reportedly working with multiple smartphone manufacturers on the tech, so this new hardware shouldn't be limited to purely Galaxy devices. That's what we like to hear. Via: Engadget | Samsung

Nexus 5 vs. Nexus 4 [Specs]

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 09:55:45 +0000

Thanks to a leaked service manual for the upcoming LG Nexus 5 that arrived over the weekend, there really is very little we don't know about the phone outside of a release date and price. Well, the name "Nexus 5" is still not yet 100% confirmed, meaning Google could end up going "Nexus 4" again like they did with the 2013 Nexus 7. We continue to see references to both names here and there. But either way, we feel as if we have a pretty good grasp on all things new Nexus phone. Below, we've put together the most recent set of specs, pulled from FCC documents and the service manual. None of this is official until Google announces the phone, it's simply info gathered from a number of leaks. We should point out that the service manual was put together for the LG-D821, which most believe is the European model of the Nexus 5. The FCC documents we saw recently, and the device most believe will arrive in the U.S., is known as the LG-D820. Spec comparison:

Here are some additional grabs from the service manual:

So as you are all well aware, there are still no signs pointing to a Verizon arrival. This phone is destined for access to AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile's networks here in the U.S. We aren't exactly sure why Verizon isn't included, but with CDMA still in play, we would imagine that Google needed Big Red's approval for access and was not given it. That's speculation obviously, but with Sprint having a CDMA network as well, we aren't sure what else could be the problem. We still have no firm dates for release, but the end of October is still looking pretty likely.

Samsung 7" Galaxy Tab 3 4G LTE on Sprint Arrives October 11 for $49.99

Tim — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 09:00:25 +0000

Samsung announced this morning that Sprint will carry the 7" Galaxy Tab 3, capable of running the network's 4G LTE starting October 11 for just $49.99 on contract. The tablet comes in two different colors, white and black, plus comes with a few notable specifications. The Tab 3 with 4G LTE runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, sports a 3MP rear-facing camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, features a 7" display (1,024 x 600), a dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 4,000mAh battery. For all of the dirty details, see the press release down below.

Easily Portable, 4G LTE Capable, 7-Inch

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Arrives at Sprint on Oct. 11 for Just $49.99
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Oct. 7, 2013 – A small device can offer big-time productivity for a business and fun for the whole family. So today, Sprint announced Samsung Galaxy Tab^® 3 7.0 will be available on Friday, Oct. 11, with a special introductory price of $49.99 (excluding taxes) with a new line or eligible upgrade and two-year service agreement. Customers will be able to purchase this versatile new tablet in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Sprint Business Sales, Web Sales and Telesales at 1-800-SPRINT1. Initially, Galaxy Tab 3 will be available in White, but a Midnight Black version will also be available for the holidays. The 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 features Android™ 4.2, Jelly Bean, Sprint 4G LTE, where available, a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with video capture and 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. Sprint customers can add a data plan for Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 to their account for as little as $5 per month (excluding taxes and surcharges).Customers can also take advantage of Sprint One Up^SM, a new upgrade program that gives customers the ability to upgrade their smartphone every 12 months. ”You can’t go wrong with the incredible special offer we developed for Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 that allows customers to purchase one of the best tablets available at the easily affordable price of $49.99 and add it to their account starting at only $5 per month,” said David Owens, vice president-Product Development, Sprint. “With a bright and colorful display and access to the Sprint 4G LTE network, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 rounds out Sprint’s robust device portfolio to ensure that we offer a tablet or smartphone that will meet anyone’s needs. Business users will appreciate the big-time productivity features of this easily portable tablet, while consumers will appreciate its portability and versatility for communicating with friends and family, entertainment and gaming.” Simple and Convenient Buying a tablet for the first time? Galaxy Tab 3 makes it easy for a first-time tablet owner or experienced user.

Galaxy Tab 3 has a similar look and feel to Galaxy smartphones, so users find it intuitive to use.

Connect to loved ones from afar using the clear 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera on Galaxy Tab 3 for video chat in Google Talk, Skype and more.

Samsung Hub™ makes it easy to buy music, books, movies and games with a full library of content powered by some of the biggest names in entertainment on Galaxy Tab 3. The apps can also be accessed freely on any Galaxy device.

Enjoy access to more than a million apps from Google Play™. Already own apps on a Galaxy smartphone? Then easily access all those already purchased apps or download more on Galaxy Tab 3.

Enjoy Some Downtime Managing a household and relaxing at home have never been easier. Galaxy Tab 3 includes a variety of features that make it easy to relax and enjoy some free time.

Samsung WatchON™ is the ultimate TV and movie app – recommending programming based on personal tastes. Built with the same IR blaster as a standard TV remote, Galaxy Tab 3 can be used as a universal remote control for almost any TV or DVR, so users can change the channel directly from the tablet. When paired with a Samsung Smart TV, users can enjoy a seamless experience between Galaxy Tab 3 and TV – start a movie on the TV and continue watching it on Galaxy Tab 3.

Galaxy Tab 3 offers a brilliant display, making it a favorite device for game lovers.

Small enough to take anywhere¹ and large enough to easily read, Galaxy Tab 3 makes it easy to relax with a good book or magazine with access to some of the top bookstore apps.

Get Work Done Galaxy Tab 3 is incredibly portable, making it easy for the mobile workforce to get work done when away from the office or meeting with customers.

Polaris^® Office is preloaded, allowing users to edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files from anywhere.

Group Play™ lets users share a game, photo album or presentation in real time with multiple friends on select Samsung devices using Wi-Fi^®.

Samsung for Enterprise (SAFE™) ensures that businesses have the security and control they require to protect the company.

Quickly and easily access corporate email, meeting details, contact information and other critical information.

Securely store sensitive proprietary documents, presentations and other corporate data on a mobile device.

Wirelessly and securely access data from a corporate network while travelling or working in the field.

Employees using their personal smartphones in a company’s Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program remain mobile, secure and compliant with remote management of applications and device features that meet company-specific security requirements.

3G/4G LTE mobile hotspot capability supporting up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously.²

Sprint continues to bring a better wireless experience to customers across the country as it builds out its all-new 3G and 4G LTE network. Sprint now provides 4G LTE service in 185 markets nationwide and is aiming to provide LTE to 200 million people by the end of 2013. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE portfolio and rollout, visit www.sprint.com/network.

Moto X Drops to $99 at Best Buy With New Contract

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:32:36 +0000

If you were looking for a deal on the Motorola's 2013 flagship, the Moto X, Best Buy has you covered with models from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all dropping to $99 on contract. This is the 16GB version of the phone, but it's $100 cheaper than any of the carriers are selling it for at their own stores. It's also cheaper than Amazon is selling it for, with most of their discounts only hitting the $149 mark. Well, you can jump into a Sprint Moto X for $79.99 if you are a new customer. This Best Buy deal covers both upgrades and new accounts. As you all know, we had mostly positive things to say about the device in our Moto X review even if it only has a 720p display and a processor that (at least on paper) leads you to believe it's a year old. The phone feels fantastic in hand, gets solid battery life, and now has an improved camera thanks to a recent software update from Motorola. It's too bad this didn't pop up a week ago when Verizon was letting customers upgrade and keep unlimited data. Maybe Best Buy will price adjust for you.

Via: Best Buy | Amazon Cheers @rysav72!

S-OFF Method Released for Verizon's HTC One

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 08:17:50 +0000

Verizon's HTC One now has S-OFF thanks to XDA members beaups and jduck. The method, called Rumrunner S-OFF, was released this morning and is available for both Windows and Linux users. Since Verizon and HTC shut down the HTCDev bootloader unlock party that One owners were participating in on launch day, this is quite exciting. This also should satisfy the massive multi-thousand bounty that was accruing by the day. With S-OFF, owners of the HTC One on Verizon should be able to fully enjoy their phones the way all Android phones were meant to be enjoyed. Having S-OFF allows for flashing of ROMs, recovery, and any other unsigned code that works with the phone. The full instructions can be found at the link below, most of which look very automated once you have met all of the pre-requisites. Just make sure you have the correct file, which is determined by the software that your HTC One is currently running. If you took the most recent update, you'll have a separate file from those who have held out in hopes of S-OFF. Via: XDA

Moto X Receives Safestrap Alpha, Verizon and AT&T Models Supported

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 07:57:37 +0000

With root access available for the Moto X, ROM flashers have patiently been awaiting the arrival of the next big step - Safestrap. Safestrap master Hashcode, released an alpha build of for the Moto X on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile this weekend, giving tinkerers an early look at their life with a bit more freedom in it. For those not familiar, Safestrap allows you to work around all of the locked-down, secure portions of a device with a locked bootloader. With Safestrap on a phone, you essentially create secondary (or virtual) ROM slots that you flash ROMs to, so that you can avoid breaking something in the system or "stock" slot of the phone. You can create multiple slots to load multiple ROMs on, choose which you'd like to have "Active" at the moment, and generally use your phone as if it were unlocked. The full instructions for diving head first into Safestrap, along with files and background, can be found at the link below. Via: Rootzwiki Cheers Daniel!

HTC One Max for Verizon Poses for Brief Photo Shoot

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 07:17:00 +0000

Carrier partners for HTC and their should-have-been-announced-like-two-months-ago mega phone, the One Max, have managed to avoid the leak train up until this past weekend. Thanks to an Android Central Forums member, we now know that Verizon will at least be one of them here in the States. As you can see in the pictures we have included, the phone is as large as you would have expected, but also takes on a new design change that was absent with Verizon's version of the HTC One. Yes, we're talking about the "Verizon" logo placed front and center between the home and back buttons where HTC previously used their own logo. Other than that, nothing else is really new. The leaker claims that the phone will have a removable back and fingerprint scanner, two things we have seen pictured time and time again. The removable back seems odd, since HTC is incredibly fond of their aluminum unibody design on the One, but maybe a removable back has been a highly requested feature. The fingerprint scanner on the other hand is 100% expected, we just wish it wasn't incorporated through a massive square on the back of the device. As much as we poke fun at Apple, at least they got the fingerprint scanned placement right with the iPhone 5s. To see how the One Max compares to the newly released Galaxy Note 3, hit up this post. So, Big Red customers, who wants one?

Via: Android Central Cheers Damian and Justin!

LG Display Ready to Mass Produce Flexible OLED Panels for Smartphones, to Introduce Products Next Year

Kellen — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 06:53:44 +0000

Flexible displays are all the rage these days for smartphones, with Samsung and LG battling to get theirs to market first and then onto devices. LG, as of late last night, is claiming that their flexible OLED is the first to be ready for mass production. In a press release, LG says that they already have a 6-inch flexible OLED that weighs just 7.2g and is only 0.44mm thick. Typically when LG announces a new panel or technology that is made for smartphones or tablets, we tend to see an announcement of a product that uses the tech within a couple of weeks, sometimes days. With that said, LG did specifically mention that they expect flexible OLED displays to show up in automotive displays, and on tablets and wearable devices in the very near future. Their goal is to take an early lead in this market by introducing new products and enhanced performance and differentiated designs "next year." That sounds to me like a flexible product isn't coming until 2014. Update: Reuters is reporting that LG could announce a phone with a flexible display as early as next month. The press release clearly states "next year," but hey, stranger things have happened. Who wants to start the Nexus 5 flexible display hypebeast story? Should they announce something new, we'll be sure to pass it along.

LG Display Mass-Produce World’s First Flexible OLED Panel for Smartphones

LG Display brings innovation to the smartphone market with cutting-edge panel
Seoul, Korea (Oct. 7, 2013) – LG Display [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220], the world’s leading innovator of display technologies, today announced that it will start mass-production of the world’s first flexible OLED panel for smartphones. This state-of-the-art panel represents another milestone following the company’s commercial rollout of the world’s first 55-inch OLED TV display earlier this year. “LG Display is launching a new era of flexible displays for smartphones with its industry-leading technology,” said Dr. Sang Deog Yeo, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of LG Display. “The flexible display market is expected to grow quickly as this technology is expected to expand further into diverse applications including automotive displays, tablets and wearable devices. Our goal is to take an early lead in the flexible display market by introducing new products with enhanced performance and differentiated designs next year.” LG Display’s flexible OLED panel is built on plastic substrates instead of glass. By applying film-type encapsulation technology and attaching the protection film to the back of the panel, LG Display made the panel bendable and unbreakable. The new display is vertically concave from top to bottom with a radius of 700mm, opening up a world of design innovations in the smartphone market. And only 0.44mm thin, LG Display’s flexible OLED panel is the world’s slimmest among existing mobile device panels. What’s more, it is also the world’s lightest, weighing a mere 7.2g even with a 6-inch screen, the largest among current smartphone OLED displays. In March 2012 LG Display developed the world’s first 6-inch Electronic Paper Display (EPD) based on e-ink which utilizes a plastic backplane. Having previously showcased the world’s first curved 55-inch OLED TV panel at CES 2013, today’s announcement highlights the company’s leading position in advanced flexible display technologies. According to research firm IHS Display Bank, the global flexible display industry will see dramatic growth and become a USD 1.5 billion market by 2016, exceeding USD 10 billion by 2019. LG Display plans to advance flexible display technologies and bring innovation to consumers’ daily lives with the introduction of rollable and foldable displays in various sizes.
###
About LG Display LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is a leading manufacturer and supplier of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panels, OLEDs and flexible displays. The company provides TFT-LCD panels in a wide range of sizes and specifications for use in TVs, monitors, notebook PCs, mobile products and other various applications. LG Display currently operates nine fabrication facilities and seven back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China, Poland, and Mexico. The company has a total of 56,000 employees operating worldwide. For more news and information about LG Display, please visit www.lgdnewsroom.com.

Hello, Nexus 5 Service Manual.

Kellen — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 19:22:04 +0000

Well, here is a bountiful leak on a Saturday night. Take a look at the Nexus 5 official service manual (LG-D821), which gives us just about every dirty detail you could ask for outside of a release date and price. We've included the 281-page document for you below in case you are at home tonight chillin'. We're out and about, but will have more tomorrow. So far, we've got spec confirmations of:

4.95" 1080p display (IPS TFT for those interested)
32GB internal storage (other capacities not specified)
2GB RAM
MSM8974 aka Snapdragon 800 at 2.3GHz
8MP OIS rear camera, 1.3MP front camera
2300mAh battery
Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Proximity/Ambient Light, Pressure
Slimport compatibility
Micro SIM slot
Notification light
Wireless charging
NFC
Bluetooth 3.0 (probably an error)
UMTS/GSM/CDMA/LTE compatibility

LG D821

Via: @autoprime4g | Android Police Cheers Raj, Ben, Derin, Scott, Tony, kitkat and everyone else who sent this in!

We'll Bail You Out This Weekend if You Get Too Wild

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 22:04:58 +0000

This week, the team gathered on a chill Wednesday night to create the 37th episode of The Droid Life Show. It was an antics filled show, complete with virtual sunglasses and plenty of talk on the last two weeks of Android news. We went over our recent review of the Galaxy Note 3, as well as talked about the Galaxy Gear smartwatch from Samsung. As the cherry on top, we touched on all of the new Nexus 5 rumors, plus covered a ton of new apps and games that the team has been rocking.

MotoMaker Coming to Verizon Moto X on November 11, According to @evleaks

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 18:25:07 +0000

According to famed tech leaker @evleaks, we could see the launch of custom Moto X devices through MotoMaker as early as November 11. We don't necessarily have visual proof or word from our sources to help the story, but this man doesn't typically Tweet something if he doesn't believe it to be the real deal. So call it a rumor for now, but November was the time frame tossed around as a potential VZW MotoMaker launch shortly after AT&T was given the exclusive deal in August. We've already taken you on a couple of tours of MotoMaker, so be sure to check out the latest with our build of the green Moto X pictured above to familiarize yourself. Should November be the month for Verizon and MotoMaker, are any of you considering selling your black or white carrier version? Did some of you hold out for this moment? Via: @evleaks

This Week in the Life of Droid: 10/4/2013

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 16:30:02 +0000

It was an action-packed week for the world of Android, with Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear hitting shelves, plus some news popping up for the upcoming Nexus smartphone from Google. We posted our Note 3 review, and we got some quality hands-on time with the Galaxy Gear, with a full review coming sometime in the very near future. As for other news that doesn't center around Samsung, Android 4.3.1 began hitting new Nexus 7 4G LTE devices, and we learned that Instagram is bringing ads to our feeds. If you missed any of this week's top stories, we have highlighted them down below.

Have a great and relaxing weekend, folks!

Friday App Sales: HD Widgets, Bass Booster Pro, Osmos HD, and More

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 14:33:35 +0000

It's Friday, which always means you will need some new apps and games to keep you busy over the weekend. This week, there appears to be some good titles, including a few classics like Osmos HD, HD Widgets, and Rebuild. On top of those deals, there is Bass Booster Pro (an app that will more than likely give you the effect of some Dr Beats in your ears), Glory of Generals HD, and Adventure Bar Story. To see the full list, check below. Friday app sales:

M&M Clash of Heroes ($0.99)
Adventure Bar Story ($1.44)
Bass Booster Pro ($0.99)
GA2: Siege of the Necromancer ($2.99)
HD Widgets ($0.99)
Rebuild ($0.99)
Knights of Pen & Paper +1 ($1.49)
Osmos HD ($0.99)
Giana Sisters ($1.00)
Glory of Generals HD ($1.29)
Reading Trainer ($1.99)

Go support those devs!

Get a Galaxy Gear Smartwatch From T-Mobile for $210 Thanks to Coupon

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 14:09:28 +0000

If you want to score the Galaxy Gear smartwatch for just $210, then you better hurry on over to the T-Mobile website and pick one up. Once the watch is added to your cart, simply apply coupon code "fallfun30" for $90 off of the $299.99 price tag. That's a steal if we have ever seen one. We have one confirmation of the process working, but who knows if T-Mobile will bring a quick halt to this deal. Go get it while you can! Coupon Code: fallfun30 Via: T-Mobile Cheers Jim!

T-Mobile Continues UnCarrier Revolution on October 9 With Help From Shakira

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 13:42:48 +0000

T-Mobile has set a date for new UnCarrier-focused announcements, this time with the help of Shakira - yes, that Shakira. In previous events throughout 2013, T-Mobile decided to kill off contracts, light up over 100 LTE markets, and then introduce an early upgrade program called JUMP! which every other carrier has attempted to copy. T-Mobile's "UnCarrier" approach to wireless service is a bit like prepaid service, but with the backing and support of the network's owner. They have certainly come a long way over the last year, and even managed to add over 1 million new subscribers in Q2. So what's in store for part 3? Well, we just don't know for sure. What else is left after killing contracts and introducing an early upgrade program? All T-Mobile has announced thus far is that we should "get ready" as their "UnCarrier revolution" will continue.

Welcome International superstar @Shakira to team @TMobile. Get ready, the #UnCarrier Revolution continues 2013.10.09

Any guesses? Note: This is a ticketed event. Via: @TMobile

HTC Posts First Ever Quarterly Loss, Looks Like Something Needs to Change

Eric — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 12:52:51 +0000

It is no surprise that more news of HTC's financial woes are breaking. For over a year now, the outlook of the company has been bleak. The falling numbers got a little more realistic today, with the news that for the first time as a company, HTC has posted a quarterly loss. In Q3 of this year, HTC lost a net total of $101 million dollars - not exactly bank breaking, but certainly a bad sign. This news comes on the heels of their flagship phone, the HTC One, launching on Verizon, which is the largest wireless carrier in the US. This is the eighth straight quarter HTC has posted slumping sales, but the first time that it has ever come to a loss. According to the report by Bloomberg, HTC was not even one of the top five phone manufacturers during this time period either. All signs are painting a very grim picture for HTC. This type of news makes it a bit easier to believe that they would try something crazy like adding Windows Phone 8 alongside Android on its devices. What do you think HTC needs to do to get back in the game? Via: Bloomberg

AT&T Announces Moto X Update With Camera Improvements, Rolls Out Today

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 11:18:15 +0000

The much anticipated camera enhancing update for the Moto X that first began rolling out to the T-Mobile variant of the phone a couple of weeks ago is now ready for all AT&T customers. A soak test for the AT&T model actually started popping up on phones earlier in the week, but AT&T has announced that it should be available to the majority of customers today, October 4. Here is the changelog:

Camera enhancements:

Enhanced camera auto-white balance performance and color accuracy.

Improved exposure when taking photos outside or backlit, and improved clarity in low light.

Faster touch-to-focus time and reduced unnecessary refocusing in low light or scenes with continuous motion.

Faster response and improved accuracy when using Touchless Control and easier set up and training of the “Ok Google Now” trigger.

Enhanced transfer of content from old phone to new phone using Motorola Migrate.

Fine-tuned feature that allows you to find phone when it is lost that sometimes prevented a lost phone from reporting its location.

We've already covered this update pretty intensely, with a full gallery of before and after shots for the camera. We also compared the new camera to some of the top phones on the market, including the G2 and Galaxy S4. It's definitely something you'll want to update to as soon as possible. To grab the update, head into Settings>About phone>System updates. The update will like start rolling out slowly today, but will pick up pace and become available to more customers daily. That gives us updates for T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T variants of the Moto X - Verizon is the only one left. Via: ATT

Deal: DROID MAXX Drops to $199 at Amazon for Upgrades and New Accounts

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 11:09:38 +0000

The DROID MAXX is currently available from Amazon for the reasonably low price of $199 on 2-year contract. Verizon is still hawkin' this battery beast for $299 on-contract, so if you have dreamed of kevlar, Active Display, and incredibly obnoxious ringtones (don't worry you can change them), then by all means take a look at this deal. We reviewed the MAXX a couple of weeks back and had very few negative things to say about it. It does all of the tricks we love from the Moto X, but also includes insanely long 2-day battery life, wireless charging, and 32GB of storage. The appearance of the phone is certainly something that won't appeal to everyone, however, cases can easily solve that problem. This is one of Motorola's best phones in a couple of years. Amazon Link Cheers Ryan!

Verizon's Galaxy Camera Receiving Update, VZ Messaging Now Preloaded and Fixes to Setup Wizard

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 10:45:27 +0000

Do we have any owners of the Galaxy Camera on Verizon here? If you raised your hand, your Android-powered cameras are set to receive an update shortly to build JZO54K, which brings a preloaded VZ messaging application, plus some fixes to the Setup Wizard that you are first met with when you activate our device. It's a pretty minor update, but at least we know it's still receiving support from Big Red. Be on the lookout over the next few days for the update. Via: Verizon

Snapchat Receives Update, Brings Snapchat Stories for Hipster Short Film Directors

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 10:25:54 +0000

[youtube]http://youtu.be/88Cu3yN-LlM[/youtube]

Snapchat is based on the idea that you can send short videos and random pictures to your friends, viewable for up to only 10 seconds. After the time runs out, they're gone forever, never to be seen again. That's why we like it. The photos we send hold little to no meaning whatsoever. With the newest update to Snapchat, the development team has introduced Snapchat Stories, a feature that allows you to put together a string of videos and photos, then make it available to a multitude of friends for up to 24 hours. Once you see the trailer above, you will see what I mean about the hipster short film directors. The update is live now on Google Play, so go grab it today. Play Link Cheers Edmond!

Microsoft Reportedtly Asks HTC to Put Windows Phone on Its Android Devices

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 09:52:32 +0000

According to reports out of Bloomberg, Microsoft is holding discussions with HTC in hopes that the Taiwanese manufacturer will bake in Windows Phone right alongside the Android OS on select handsets. In turn, Microsoft will possibly waive the Windows Phone licensing fee, which will then give consumers the option of choosing a default OS on the phones. As weird as it sounds, HTC may try just about anything to turn its fortunes around, after posting less-than-ideal quarterly numbers. Steve Ballmer and a team of high-level executives apparently took a trip recently to Beijing in order to discuss the deal, but there is no word on whether HTC agreed to such an offer or not. When Bloomberg reached out for comment from Microsoft and HTC, both companies declined to say anything on the matter. We could see the potential benefit of dual-booting a Windows OS on an Android device, but to swap Android for Windows Phone completely? You must be joking. Do you think it's a good idea for HTC to take Microsoft up on its offer? What's the worst that could happen? If you are HTC, you can't do much worse financially, right? Via: Bloomberg

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Available From AT&T and Sprint Today

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 09:15:29 +0000

The Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung is available on AT&T and Sprint starting today, but Verizon customers will need to wait just a little bit longer. If you haven't seen our full review of the Note 3, you can see that here. To sum up the review, the Note 3 is a fantastic phone for anyone looking to upgrade to a larger device. The phone is a specification powerhouse, sporting a Snapdragon 800 processor, 3GB of RAM, a 13MP camera that takes amazing shots, a gorgeous 1080p display, and the phone features a ton of useful S-Pen software to go along with the stylus. AT&T customers can pick up the Note 3 starting today on contract for $299, while new Sprint customers can grab it for only $249. Again, if you are into over-sized devices, the Note 3 should be your dream phone. AT&T - $299 Sprint - $249 for new customers Picking one of these monsters up on either carrier?

New Twitter Beta Released With Updated UI, Goodbye Hamburger Menu

Tim — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 08:00:41 +0000

Twitter has gone and updated the Android app's user interface again. Real quickly though, we wanted to point out that the last UI was really nice, and so far, we aren't the biggest fans of the new look. In an update that is now live for beta testers, Twitter has removed the hamburger menu, and instead, navigation now relies on three top tabs, as well as three floating icons along the bottom. One for your gallery, one to access your camera app for quick uploading, and one to compose a new tweet. It will take some time to really see if there was a reason Twitter opted to go against Android's design guidelines, but let's hope it was for a somewhat good reason. If you are part of the beta program, go grab the update through Google Play. Play Link Cheers Chris and J!

Minor DROID DNA Update Approved by Verizon, is Not the 4.2.2 Mega-update

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 07:56:52 +0000

Remember the massive Android 4.2.2 update for the DROID DNA that Verizon detailed for us back in September yet never arrived? Well, Verizon has finally approved an update for the device, but it's not that one. Instead, users will receive a 33MB update to software version 2.07.605.1 710RD, which only adds support for TalkBack. That's it. No Android 4.2.2 or Sense 5 this time around. More info.

Granny Smith is Amazon's Free App of the Day

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 07:35:38 +0000

One of the greatest mobile games ever created (yes, I truly believe that), Granny Smith, is available today for free from Amazon's app store. There has been a running joke around these parts for a year or so over my obsession with this game, so naturally I would tell you that it most definitely is 100% worth installing the Amazon app store to get this deal. That is, assuming you haven't already paid for it on Google Play or beat the game 30+ different times on 10 or so different devices on both hard and easy modes. Yes, I've done that. I'm sick. It's embarrassing. Granny Smith is normally priced at $1.99. You can download the Amazon app store here. Via: Amazon Cheers Heath!

Android 4.3.1 Now Rolling Out to Nexus 7 LTE (2013) as Build JLS36I

Kellen — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 07:09:13 +0000

Talk about a lovely surprise - wake up to find an Android 4.3.1 update showing as available on your Nexus 7 LTE (2013). The update is a 9.4MB file that jumps the N7 LTE up to build JLS36I, however, we have no idea what's new. A x.x.1 update typically doesn't mean much, but we have also seen 4.3 updates that stuck with 4.3 and didn't give us the additional .1. There must be something new. Once we know what it is, we'll be sure to pass it along. At this time, we haven't received word of an update to the WiFi only 2013 Nexus 7 or any other Nexus. We wouldn't doubt it if they all start to rollout shortly, though.

Update: The folks over at this XDA thread have file URLs for those with the LTE model and who want to update. We've pasted them below as well, just make sure you grab the file that corresponds to your current build. If you need help manually installing an update, hit up our "adb sideload" guide.

Sir! I'd Like to Report a Bug for Android, a Fantastic 2D Game That's Post-Crowdfunded

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 14:55:52 +0000

There are always a ton of new games hitting Google Play for Android devices. Every now and then, you come across a real gem, and we think we found one in Sir! I'd Like to Report a Bug. You play as QA tester Reggie, who is not your average hero - He is just a regular guy, who enjoys lounging on his couch and doing basically nothing. What Reggie is about to find out, is that he must save the entire planet from ultimate deletion thanks to some out-of-hand bugs and glitches that are about to destroy the world. The game itself is quite remarkable. It has various forms of 2D art, a killer soundtrack, a very challenging difficulty level, and plenty more aspects that are sure to keep you glued to your device. What is even more interesting is the way the development team is making money from the game. According to the team, the game is completely "post crowdfunded," which means that they allow anyone to download the game in its entirety, with no IAPs. If you enjoy the game, you are then welcomed to donate money through the application, which then goes into an online pool. If the team's goal is met, then they release additional content to the game for free. Pretty cool idea, right? Go grab it from Google Play and try it out. Report back on what you think down below in the comments. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/x8D3dWQ7qiM[/youtube]

Watch ABC Streaming App Adds Support for Few Galaxy Devices, HTC One, and Nexus 4

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 14:20:02 +0000

This afternoon, the official Watch ABC app was updated to allow support for a number of devices from Samsung, the HTC One, and Google's Nexus 4. Previously, a few tablets from Samsung and the Nexus tablets were supported, so if you are into any of ABC's fantastic fall/winter programming, this is big news for you. The full list of newly supported devices can be viewed below. Unfortunately, we don't see the Galaxy Note 3 listed, but hopefully soon for any new owners out there. Newly supported devices:

Nexus 4
HTC One
Galaxy Note
Galaxy Note II
Galaxy S II
Galaxy S III
Galaxy S4

Has anyone here watched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Is it any good? Play Link

Bad News: Instagram Bringing Ads to Your Feed

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:35:23 +0000

A whole ton of weak sauce just got poured all over your Instagram feed. Today on the company's blog, Instagram announced that US users will soon see sponsored posts in their feeds, from brands and companies they do not follow. At first, Instagram will ensure that the photos and video advertisements will be "beautiful and high quality," but I think in general it's safe to say that this sucks.

We have big ideas for the future, and part of making them happen is building Instagram into a sustainable business. In the next couple months, you may begin seeing an occasional ad in your Instagram feed if you’re in the United States. Seeing photos and videos from brands you don’t follow will be new, so we’ll start slow. We’ll focus on delivering a small number of beautiful, high-quality photos and videos from a handful of brands that are already great members of the Instagram community. Our aim is to make any advertisements you see feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favorite brands.

Since the purchase of Instagram by Facebook for $1 billion, it was more than likely only a matter of time till Zuckerburg needed to start making money from that investment. The blog states that these additions to your feed will begin over the next few months, so keep your eyes peeled. What are your thoughts to seeing ads in your IG feed? Lame or super lame? Via: Instagram

Chrome Beta for Android Gets "Add to Homescreen" Shortcuts for Sites and Web Apps

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:31:25 +0000

In the newest Chrome Beta (build 31) for Android, Google added a new "Add to homescreen" option that allows you to create shortcuts to your favorite websites that can be displayed on your home screen. If your favorite websites have been coded properly, some will even show up as apps in your app switcher and direct you to more of a web app experience than just the Chrome browser. To create a shortcut on your home screen, visit your favorite website (like DL), press the action overflow menu, and look for the "Add to homescreen" option. Once you rename the shortcut to whatever you'd like, you should see the shortcut appear.

Google is also testing out a new New Tab page with middle-placed search box, which can be viewed below. This new experience has actually been available in chrome:flags for some time, but Google appears ready to make it the new default. They discovered that many people still visit google.com to do searches rather than using the omnibox and hope that by placing a search box front and center in a new tab will help change that.

The update is rolling out today, so be sure to check for updates or install directly through the link below. Play Link Via: Google Chrome Blog | Chromium Blog

Action Launcher 2.0 Pushes to Beta, Introduces New Quickpage and 1-Swipe Features

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 13:14:18 +0000

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39ZLhDJPR3o[/youtube]

Action Launcher, the popular yet minimal take on a 3rd party launcher, will receive an update to version 2.0 in the coming weeks that introduces two new features called Quickpage and 1-Swipe. Quickpage acts a secondary page that can be added to the right of the Action Launcher home, while 1-Swipe allows you to access both it and the app launcher from anywhere in the system. Think of 1-Swipe as an alternative multi-tasking option. That will all make much more sense once you watch the video above. Version 2.0 is still in testing, so again, the official release won't happen for some time. But if you want to start using these features now, you can do so through the Action Launcher beta program. To sign-up for the beta: 1. Download and install Action Launcher Pro. 2. Join the Action Launcher G+ community. 3. Sign-up for the beta. Via: +Chris Lacy Cheers a3uge!

Google Search Update From a Week Ago Finally has a Changelog - "Ok, Google Now" as a Hotword, Plus More

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 12:08:43 +0000

Remember the Google Search update that started its staged rollout on September 25? You've more than likely had it installed since then, but Google finally published a changelog for it yesterday afternoon. The update is a decent one, since it introduces hotword searches by having you say "OK, Google" at a search screen (hands-free fun!). You'll also see "more beautiful" search results during searches and stay updated on notable people you search for. The rollout has hit full-on-wave, so we'd be surprised if you haven't already seen it. What's new:

New hotword: “Ok Google” (US only)
More beautiful search results (rolling out gradually)
Tell Google to keep you updated about notable people when you search for them

Play Link

Beta Testers: Facebook Home Update Brings Support for Instagram, Pinterest, and More

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:41:09 +0000

If you are part of Facebook's Android Beta program, a new update that is rolling out today allows you to add feeds from Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Flickr to your Home lockscreen. When you wake your device, you will be greeted with great content from the folks you follow, then when you're are done, simply unlock and continue with your day. It's a good addition, one that Zuckerburg said was coming during his interview at Disrupt. To enable, update the app from Google Play and then log into the apps using your existing credentials. Should be pretty easy for all of you tech savvy readers out there. Again, it's only for the beta users, so if you are not a part of that yet, you can find info on signing up here. Play Link Via: Facebook

Disney's Alice in Wonderland Hits Google Play - Help Alice Stop the Red Queen's Evil Plans

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 11:05:56 +0000

Disney launched a new game onto Android this week, a classic title by the name of Alice in Wonderland. In the game, you play as Alice who must work to restore order to Wonderland by becoming the White Queen's newest champion. To help thwart the Red Queen's evil minions, you must explore interesting environments, solve riddles, craft tools, and befriend some of Wonderland's most memorable characters like the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit. The game is free to play, but according to some of the comments on Google Play, there appears to be plenty of IAPs available. If you know of some kids that might enjoy a fun challenge or you fancy yourself a fan of this franchise, then go check it out. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/Txd-dzbw6xU[/youtube]

Nwplying Lets Users Share What They're Listening to Across Social Networks

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:40:04 +0000

Like to push your musical taste upon your friends and their Facebook/Twitter accounts? Nwplying is the new app for you. With Nwplying, you can take any song you are listening to and post it publicly to your social networks, making sure all of your followers know exactly how you get your groove on. From my time with the app, it appears that the service posts the most relevant content to the song, and not an actual mp3 or file on your feeds. Instead, it will post a YouTube video or something legal and shareable instead. For example, I attempted to post Drake's new song "Too Much" on Facebook, and the service wanted to post a live performance of the song he did on Jimmy Fallon. Not the best representation of the song, but it gets the point across. You can pretty much find any song you are listening to on the app, as long as there is a recorded version of it up on the Web that you can share. It's a great way to help your friends find new music and then maybe, once they download it too, they can return the favor. The app is free to download, and so far, accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare appear to be supported; possibly more down the road. Until then, give it a try if you are the sharing type and let us know what you think down below. What are you currently listening to? Play Link

Real Boxing Adds Multiplayer Mode, In-game Betting and Lottery, Plus Additional Language Support

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 10:20:10 +0000

[youtube]http://youtu.be/dwIK_htsBR0[/youtube]

A big update was recently pushed out to Real Boxing on Google Play, bringing a multiplayer mode that allows for an entirely new fighting experience on your device. Thanks to Google Play Services, players can now take on other people across the world in a realtime boxing event for in-game currency and even championship belts. With the addition of a new multiplayer mode, the developers also introduced a betting system, allowing players to make bets on their own fighter before fights. On top of that, there is a new lottery system, new achievements, and language support for four additional languages. It's a pretty massive update, so if you have been playing this game and beefing up your boxer, it's time to see what he's made of. What's New:

Real-time multiplayer mode via Google Play Games on Android mobiles and tablets.
Betting System: players can place a bet on their fight outcome and win in-game currency.
5 Continental Championships plus 4 global Belts to fight for:Bronze, Silver, Gold and the Transcontinental challenge.
10+ achievements to unlock.
Lottery: an additional opportunity for players to boost their chances to win the next fight by buying one of three tickets.
New language support: Russian, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.
Better playability with a number of minor bugs fixed for all platforms.

Play Link ($0.99)

Plants Vs. Zombies 2 Hits Google Play Australia, Should Launch Globally "Shortly"

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 09:19:25 +0000

If you are one of the millions of people patiently waiting for Plants vs. Zombies 2 to launch onto Google Play here in America, the time may be right around the corner. Apparently, the app finally launched in Australia and New Zealand Play stores this week, and Ausdroid has received word that it should roll out globally "shortly." According to an EA rep that spoke with the Australian Android news outlet, PvZ2 is coming soon!

The full global release of Plants vs. Zombies 2 for Android will launch shortly.

Once it finally hits the US, you can rest assured we will let you know. We have been waiting quite some time for this, and are especially less patient considering there was apparently some behind the scenes shenanigans with Apple and EA Games. Shame on you both. Via: Ausdroid Cheers jdhas!

Samsung HomeSync Set-top Box Launches on October 6 for $300

Tim — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 08:42:44 +0000

For those of you looking to upgrade your TV with any number of various set-top boxes available from a multitude of manufacturers, Samsung looks to be throwing its hat into the ring, offering the all-new HomeSync box starting October 6 for $300. "What is HomeSync," you ask? Well, imagine if Samsung took a Google TV set-top box and skinned it with TouchWiz, then only allowed certain Samsung smartphones (four to be exact) to control it. That's what HomeSync basically is. Currently listed as supported devices on Samsung's specs page are the Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 3. The way it works is you plug the HomeSync box into your TV via HDMI, then you can stream mobile content to the TV, share with other devices in your home, connect to the content at anytime no matter where you are, and also run certain applications on your TV such as YouTube, an Internet browser, games, and social networking apps. The box runs Android 4.2.2, features 2GB of RAM, 8GB of ROM, 1TB of storage, and can act as the center of your connected home. Nanda Ramachandran summed up HomeSync quite simply with this statement.

HomeSync is a powerful platform that we envision to be the center of a household’s connected life. We saw an opportunity to create a companion device at home, that seamlessly syncs all of your mobile content wherever you are.

If you are invested in Samsung's ecosystem, then I could see this being quite useful, especially if everyone in your family currently owns a Galaxy smartphone that is compatible. But how often is that the case? For all of the detailed info, check out the press release below.

Samsung HomeSync Brings The Best Features of Your Galaxy Devices to Your TV

Newest addition to the Samsung family is the ideal living room companion to your Galaxy device
Dallas, TX — October 3, 2013 – Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) announced today that Samsung HomeSync™, a household Android™ media center for storing, synchronizing and streaming content across multiple devices, will be available beginning October 6 for $299. With HomeSync you can share, view and control content from your Galaxy device directly on your TV while at home or on the go. “HomeSync is a powerful platform that we envision to be the center of a household’s connected life,” said Nanda Ramachandran, vice president of emerging business at Samsung Mobile. “We saw an opportunity to create a companion device at home, that seamlessly syncs all of your mobile content wherever you are.” HomeSync’s Android user interface is similar to your Galaxy smartphone or tablet and is easy to use. It allows customers to use their Galaxy device as a remote control to browse through various entertainment choices on their TV. HomeSync also provides 1TB (terabyte) of secure storage for up to eight separate accounts and allows each user the option to sync, as well as upload and download mobile content. This means photos taken by one family member at an event or on the road can be seen by another family member either from their TV or another connected mobile device.
“HomeSync is the latest addition the the Galaxy family of products and builds on Samsung’s commitment to delivering innovative devices and advanced technologies to consumers,” said Travis Merrill, vice president of marketing at Samsung Electronics America.
Key features of Samsung HomeSync include:

Perfect Companion for Your Galaxy Device: HomeSync is the ideal companion for the Galaxy S^® 4 or Galaxy Note^® 3. It is also compatible with other devices within the Samsung ecosystem, including the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Note 8.0, Galaxy Note 10.1 – 2014 Edition, Galaxy Camera™, and other devices that use Samsung Link™.

Storage Solution: HomeSync is a storage solution with an expansive 1TB drive that offers both shared and private storage options for an entire household’s core mobile content, such as photo albums, videos, and music libraries, in one secure location.

Real-Time Sharing: Provides access for up to eight separate accounts and allows each user the option to quickly sync and share mobile content in real time, or select specific content to share. Register up to six devices per account so you can access your personal library no matter where you are, no matter what device you’re using.

Access Anywhere: HomeSync provides secure access to your files, photos, music and home videos no matter where you are.

Intuitive Control: Seamlessly control your content on TV with your mobile device – control what’s on screen using your Galaxy smartphone as a remote mouse and use your phone’s keyboard for easy searching, or mirror the HomeSync screen directly on your Galaxy device.

Real Time Streaming: Stream content from a Galaxy device wirelessly to a TV – experience your created content, such as photos and videos, on the big screen then explore your favorite apps and play mobile games in a whole new way on your TV.

HomeSync connects to a TV with an HDMI connection, allowing any TV to be a smart TV. HomeSync features a powerful processor, support for wired or wireless mouse and keyboard, and access to Web browsing, YouTube, apps, games, social networking and more. As part of Galaxy Perks, you may register your Samsung HomeSync and get $50 to spend on movies and TV shows, through Samsung Media Hub. Visit www.samsung.com/us/galaxyperks/homesync

Samsung HomeSync will be available at Samsung Experience Shops™ located in Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile specialty stores, Newegg, Amazon.com and Samsung.com beginning October 6 for $299.

Images of Early Android 4.4 Build Leak - Tweaked Dialer, KLP Easter Egg, Payments Setting, and More

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 08:01:09 +0000

If you had been waiting for a preview or leak of Android 4.4 that comes off as very convincing, today's bundle of images from GadgetHelpline may be just that. The tech site has posted up over a dozen photos of an early build of Android 4.4, showing mostly minor changes throughout the OS, but enough to get Android enthusiasts excited. This also could be a Nexus 5. We should point out that this is clearly a pre-Kit Kat build, as it's labeled as KeyLimePie and also features a KLP Easter Egg (pictured above). This all seems like it would be a lot of work for someone to fake, so let's take a look.

UI Changes

The UI changes are said to be ultra-minimal, which isn't all that surprising as Android in general has matured quite nicely over the last couple of releases. This report does indicate that the notification bar color scheme has changed to white or grey, away from the Android blue that has taken up that space for a couple of years. We first saw proof of this change thanks to a Google screenshot on the Play store. We're also seeing a new dialer with bright blue bottom bar and a white or grey top half. This looks nothing like the allegedly leaked dialer from a few weeks back, which we now believe was more than likely a Kit Kat mock-up served up to a couple of sites as trollbait. In the image below, we're seeing an unchanged app drawer, along with unchanged icons. So again, according to this report, the UI changes are indeed very minimal. Not surprising, right?

Camera and Gallery

The camera UI doesn't appear to have changed either, but this report does indicate that the photo editor has changed or at least has added enhancements. In 4.4, we should see Tilt-Shift, Center Focus, Negative and Posterize effects. We may even be able to adjust the share size of a photo, you know, to make it easier to share quickly to Instagram.

System

On a system and settings level, we're seeing a couple of new options added: Payments and Printing. This report didn't dive into either, but Printing seems pretty self explanatory. And actually, the choice to print from almost anywhere in the OS appeared throughout. Payments is a bit more interesting though, even if we don't know what's on the other side of it. What does Google have up its sleeve there? The rest of the settings shows a KeyLimePie build with a "hammerhead" (aka Nexus 5) reference, and a kernel version built on August 28. So by no means is this thing new, which we already know thanks to the name.

Note: In one of the screenshots above, we're seeing an option for "Manage mobile plan" under the Wireless & networks section. As one reader has already pointed out, this is a setting seen in ROMs like Paranoid Android, so that's something to be aware of. The entire package here looks pretty legit, but that obviously is one red flag, since that option is not in Android 4.3. What do you guys think? Real? Enough to get you excited about Kit Kat? How much can change from this early build to an official release? Via: GadgetHelpline

Target Makes Brightspot Prepaid Plans Official

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 07:01:07 +0000

On Tuesday, we broke news with full details of Target's desire to launch a new prepaid service called Brightspot that would be powered by T-Mobile's network. Late last night, Target made Brightspot official, announcing that it will launch Sunday, October 6 - just as we had reported. The details are also as we had reported, with plans of $35 and $50 to start. The $35 plan includes unlimited talk and text, but no data. The $50 plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data, but you will only see 1GB of full 4G speed data. Target did not announce their $65 plan, but our sources indicate that it will be available through Target.com/Brightspot and includes 4GB of full 4G data. Subscribers of Brightspot will be rewarded with $25 Target giftcards for every 6 months that they keep active service. SIM kits and service can be found inside Target stores in Target Mobile areas. Here is the statement from Target:

Target knows guests are looking for mobile phone programs that offer quality, flexibility and convenience without breaking the bank. On Sunday, October 6, Target will launch brightspot, a pre-paid mobile program that offers unlimited talk, text and web, with up to 1 GB at 4G data, on T-Mobile’s network for just $50 a month. Don’t need unlimited data? No problem! brightspot also offers unlimited talk and text for just $35 a month. Guests can also take advantage of great savings with brightspot. For every 6 months of pre-paid purchases, guests will receive a $25 Target GiftCard. In addition, guests can save an additional 5 percent savings on their pre-paid purchases when they shop with a Target REDcard in store or on Target.com/brightspot.

Android Distribution Numbers Updated for October - Jelly Bean Closing in on 50% Share

Kellen — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 06:38:52 +0000

Late last night, the Android team updated their dashboards to reflect new platform distribution numbers as we head into October. As has been the trend over the last few months, Jelly Bean continues to expand its reach and is now on 48.6% of Android devices (up slightly from last month's 45.1%). That doesn't mean that 50% of the world is on 4.3, but that is a combined number of Android 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, since they all fall under the Jelly Bean name. Ice Cream Sandwich now sits at 20.6%, Honeycomb remains alive at 0.1%, Gingerbread somehow still manages to hold 28.5%, and Froyo remains delightfully chilly at 2.2%. Via: Android

The Droid Life Show: Episode 37

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 22:25:27 +0000

Episode 37 of The Droid Life Show goes down tonight! Due to some traveling, we had to skip last week's show, so you can expect a topic-filled show this evening. Kellen and Tato both have Galaxy Note 3 devices, so you can expect plenty of discussion surrounding the formation of the Note 3 cult, as well as Tim's thoughts on the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. In addition, we will go over all of the recent leaks surrounding the Nexus 5 device, and of course we will give you our weekly app and game recommendations. The show kicks off around 6:00PM Pacific (9:00PM Eastern). A live video broadcast will be embedded below closer to the start of the show. Until then, feel free to hang out in the Droid Life IRC room.

Subscribe | iTunes | Show Page

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeU2gJEtTjk[/youtube]

Google Play Currently Experiencing App Install and Update Issues (Updated)

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:56:48 +0000

If you are noticing issues with app updates or new app installs through Google Play, you are not alone or imagining things. Google Play is currently experiencing issues, though we do not know how severe they are. At this time, we are unable to update or install new apps without receiving an error (pictured above). The web version of Google Play also appears to be struggling. We'll update this post as soon as we know more or once service is restored to normal. Update 3:31PM: We are now able to update and install new apps. How are things on your end?

Leaked Builds of Android 4.3 Update for Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S4 Hit the Web

Eric — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 14:10:54 +0000

Who cares if Android 4.4 aka Kit Kat is just around the corner? Most users on stock firmware are still waiting to get updated to Android 4.3. Samsung made sure that the Galaxy Note 3 would launch with Android 4.3, but so far the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S4 are still on 4.1.2 and 4.2, respectively. Although today, a leaked build of Android 4.3 for both phones have been released for those adventurous Galaxy owners that don't mind flashing sketchy firmware builds. According to SamMobile, Samsung just started testing 4.3 on the older Note 2 and newer Galaxy S4 last week, but this is the third build of 4.3 already. Reports say that the UI that Samsung has moved towards with the Galaxy S4 and Note 3 have made it into this new version of Android. Traces of Samsung Knox and Samsung Wallet are also present in this build, but beware, this is not for the everyday flasher. This is still a very early build of Android 4.3, so installers should be wary of bugs that still need to be worked out. If you are feeling froggy, head to the link below for download and instructions on installation. Via: SamMobile [2]

Video: A Look at the Apps Available for Galaxy Gear

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 13:39:43 +0000

When announced, it was stated by Samsung that the Galaxy Gear (hands-on here) smartwatch would launch with 70+ different compatible applications through Samsung Apps. While we still have our review unit from Samsung, we wanted to highlight a few of the choices future Galaxy Gear owners will have, and how they work. There are a few well-known third party app developers making their creations available for Gear owners such as Evernote, Path, Snapchat, Vivino and plenty more. Downloading new apps to Galaxy Gear is very easy - open up your Gear Manager app on your Note 3 device, then hit the Samsung Apps icon inside. From here, you are met with the usual Samsung Apps store, but a special Gear filter has already been applied, that way you are only met with apps that are compatible with your smartwatch. Down below are some screenshots of Samsung App's user interface.

Once you choose which one you want to download, hit "Install" and it does the rest for you. From there, you can either select to have the app placed in your Favorites or just in your regular "app drawer" on the Gear. For a video demoing some of the available apps for Galaxy Gear, check out the video below. If there is an application in particular you would like us to highlight, let us know down below. [youtube]http://youtu.be/4FigMnl0AT8[/youtube]

MyColorScreen's Themer Hits Google Play, Here is a Full Tour

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 12:40:48 +0000

MyColorScreen's Themer is now available on Google Play for those of you interested in the design sharing site's take on an automated theme application. As of now, it's still in closed beta, meaning you have to sign-up to receive a code that can unlock the app's capabilities. It's also free, so you may as well download and sign-up to get your name on the list. Thankfully, we received a code this morning and have since filmed an entire tour of the app and its features. You'll find all of the details, including that video below. Before we begin, you should probably understand what Themer is, which is a third party launcher that can quickly download and apply themes to your phone in a matter of seconds. In a way, it's similar to what we saw with Buzz Launcher in that it has a store of sorts, which you download and apply themes from. So Themer won't wipe out your Nova Launcher setup - it will instead run as a completely separate launcher. The themes can be marked as a "favorite," previewed, and applied with a couple of simple taps. Each will need to be downloaded upon first application, but they are then stored in a "Downloaded" section in case you want to go back them later. There aren't a ton of themes at this time, but remember that this is a beta. We'd be surprised if there weren't new themes added quite regularly. The app really is incredibly simple to use, but it also delivers immediate results that I think you'll appreciate. For those who love advanced settings, it has an area in Settings for you as well. You can tweak grids, add or remove docks, hide notification bars, and move things around until you are completely satisfied. Again, you can grab the app today from Google Play, but you'll have to sign-up and hope that an unlock code arrives shortly. Play Link

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdgTEjg89Pk[/youtube]

Humble Mobile Bundle Adds Three More Games, QWOP For Android Included

Eric — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 11:34:29 +0000

True to form, the Humble Mobile Bundle that we saw last week has done very well. Charities and indie developers both are enjoying this so much that they have added more games to it. Three more games: QWOP, Karateka Classic and God of Blades have been added to the bundle alongside the five games that launched last week. As long as you pay above the average (which as of this posting is only $4.50), you can get all 8. Users who bought the bundle before today should be getting an email about the downloads for their three new games. If you have never played QWOP on your computer, I suggest you try. It is hilariously fun and should be even more interesting on Android with only touch controls. If you have not purchased your Humble Bundle yet, hit the link below to grab those games. Via: Humble Bundle

Dead Zebra Celebrates China National Day With This Awesome Android Collectible

Eric — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 11:08:56 +0000

We are big fans of Dead Zebra Inc's Android collectibles around here. How could you not be when they continue to put out quality figurines like the one we have today? Today, China and Hong Kong celebrate their national holiday and we have a new Android to celebrate, decked out in the national colors and iconography. This release was originally created for people in the China, but Dead Zebra decided to make some of them available to people who want them over here as well. The set will be extremely limited however, with orders being limited to one per household. Orders open up at 11PM Eastern time tonight, so if you plan on getting yourself one you should be ready. These collectibles have a long history of selling out very quickly. You can buy them tonight from the Dead Zebra Shop

Via: Dead Zebra Blog

Root Explorer Updated to Version 3.1.2, Brings Themes and Custom Icon Support

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 10:25:27 +0000

This morning, the publishers of Root Explorer posted an update to the app through Google Play, bringing a few customization options for users. Starting with version 3.1.2, rooted Android 4.0+ device owners can select from three different preset themes, as well as apply third party custom icon packs. With this addition, you can make the app very personal feeling and keep to your device's overall look. This update is clearly for the OCD person inside all of us. What's New:

The latest update gives you the ability to customize the app even more. With Version 3.1.2 we have added a Light theme and a unique Home Wallpaper theme.
Along with different folder colors and the ability to fully customize icon sets, you can truly make the look of the app different and give it a personal touch.

If you are still rocking root on your device, then go grab the update via Google Play. Play Link Cheers ReturnOfTheMack!

HTC's US Pres Confirms Android 4.3 Update Rolling Out to One Owners on Sprint Today

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 10:00:29 +0000

Owners of the HTC One on Sprint should start seeing an update to Android 4.3 today, according to a recent tweet from HTC's US president. This news is a relief to hear, after reports last week stated that the update would go past HTC's self-appointed deadline of the "end of September." We will give HTC some credit, given that it's only October 2. There is still no official word on when One owners on any other US carriers can expect the update, but it is probably not too far behind this one. If we hear anything, we'll keep you posted.

If you are curious as to what is in the 4.3 update for the One, feel free to look at this post here, as the update is already running on unlocked and US developer editions of the device. Via: @JasonMacHTC Cheers Joe and @Brenduntu!

Is the Nexus 5 Really Going to Feature a MEMS, Lytro-Like Camera With Incredibly Fast Autofocus? Eh, We're Not so Sure.

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 09:28:38 +0000

The Nexus 5 from Google has yet to see an official announcement, but a recent barrage of leaks has started to paint the picture that we could see in an announcement later this month. Thanks to a 10MB log file that the folks at Myce and Android World continue to dig deep into, a new wild rumor has surfaced suggesting that the camera in the Nexus 5 could be brand new technology, with a camera that functions a lot like a Lytro camera only at a reasonable 8MP resolution. The camera module was discovered to have an included sensor under the model numer IMX179, which with a simple Google search returns a .PDF document that we have included below for the mems|cam. What is the mems|cam? Let's talk about it. Actually, before we dive into the mems|cam, we should point out that Sony makes an 8MP sensor under model number IMX179, which is featured in China's Meizu MX3 that recently launched in early September. The 8MP shooter in the new MX3 is no slouch by any means, but it's also not the mems|cam. If you want to see a bunch of samples taken with the MX3 in all sorts of lighting situations, hit up GizmoChina's extensive camera test post. It's not a bad camera by any means, but it's also not some wild new camera tech. So not that I'm trying to spoil today's "Nexus 5 has a Lytro-style camera!" party, but the only thing tying the Nexus 5 to the mems|cam is a model number for a sensor which is produced by Sony. From what I can tell after reading through both Myce's and Android World's report, this is the only number they are going off of to decide that this could be a mems|cam. IMX179 is not even a model number for one of DigitalOptics mems|cam modules (DOC8324C and DOC8324F are) it's simply the Sony sensor they are using in the module. That all make sense? Camera sensor and camera module are not the same thing. But let's assume for a moment that the camera module in the new Nexus is indeed this magical new mems|cam by DigitalOptics, and not just another Sony 8MP sensor. What would it bring to the table? Well, a whole bunch of awesome. As you'll see in the demo video below, a mems|cam captures 6 consecutive images in a matter of seconds from different focus zones and then stores them as a single file. This allows you to later refocus the photo as you see fit, similar to what you can do with a Lytro camera. Granted, the technology used is completely different, but the end result produces a similar experience. To test out how the technology works, we've included a Lytro shot at the top of the post. All you have to do is tap around on objects, and the picture will refocus on the fly. Try tapping the Nexus 4 in the background first. Outside of refocusing after the fact, the mems|cam also features an insanely fast autofocus. I would try to explain how fast, but the video from Engadget at the bottom of this post shows exactly how fast. We also still have Vic Gundotra on the record as saying that Google is "committed to making Nexus phones insanely great cameras." And as some have pointed out, the housing for the camera on the Nexus 5 does look like something new. Maybe Vic and the pictures are hinting at a mems|cam. One can hope. So, is the Nexus 5 going to feature a mems|cam and give us all something cool to brag to our fellow tech friends about? It could, but I don't think we have any real evidence at this point to clearly suggest that it will. What we know for sure is that it has a Sony 8MP sensor inside as model number IMX179. That's sort of it. Via: Android World

AT&T Launches 10 New 4G LTE Markets, Starts Hitting Rural Communities Across U.S.

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 09:14:26 +0000

AT&T is starting to make its way into the deepest parts of America, hitting towns and communities with no more than 20,000 residents, making sure everyone has access to its 4G LTE network. Not all of the towns listed below are super small, but it's clear that AT&T has pretty much hit all of its biggest markets already, and now we will see a lot more "filling out" in terms of where it pops up. If you live in one of these rural markets, enjoy those speeds. New Markets:

Vero Beach, Florida
Cordele, Georgia
Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Picayune, Mississippi
Brenham, Texas
Selma, Alabama
Port Angeles, Washington
Natchez, Mississippi
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Dublin, Georgia

Via: AT&T

Samsung to Announce Device With Curved Display as Soon as Next Week, LG Not Far Behind

Tim — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 08:39:34 +0000

Last month, it was reported that Samsung would announce a brand new device with a curved display during the month of October, and according to a recent statement from Samsung's CEO during a Q3 financial call, the device could be announced as soon as next week. Further speculation points to the idea that it could be an extremely limited curved-display Galaxy Note 3 (review here). This has yet to be confirmed by Samsung, but if that is the case and you thought the Note 3 was already too awkward to hold, imagine it with a curved display. In addition to what Samsung is working on, it appears that LG isn't too far behind in the curved display arms race. In a recent tease to ZDNet, LG states that an upcoming device, either named LG Z or Z1 (sorry, Sony), will feature a concave curved display. This device is apparently already in production, with a launch taking place sometime this month. While the idea of a curved display might be awesome, keep in mind that the entire device or its display will more than likely not be "flexible." Internal components and circuit boards still have a ways to go before you can start folding our smartphones into our back pockets. Although, the curved displays will allow for thinner bezels and a design that is apparently "unbreakable." Should we get excited for a Galaxy Note 3 with curved glass? Via: Unwired View

Houston Zoo Uses Google Glass to Remind Us Why We Are All Scared of Snakes

Eric — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 07:47:37 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smNw0nU5bzg[/youtube] One of the coolest things about Google Glass is that we can see the world from other people's perspectives in a way we never could before. Skydiving, bike riding and all manner of sports look different from Glass' perspective. One view that most people don't want to see, however, is being face first with a 5-foot long Black Forest Cobra as it rears up at you. The snake wranglers at the Houston Zoo got some questions about how they handle their snakes and decided to use Glass to help us experience it. For people who dislike snakes, this video will probably confirm that fear. For people who did not mind snakes, being this up close and personal might change their mind.

Hulu Plus Adds Chromecast Support to Its Android App

Kellen — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 07:13:27 +0000

Late last night, Chromecast cast added another mega-streaming service to their minuscule lineup that up until today, had not changed since launch. Hulu Plus is now officially Chromecast-supported on Android (iOS version coming soon). The update is already live through Google Play, so if you are a Hulu Plus subscriber, you'll want to grab the newest build and begin casting. If you aren't a subscriber, Hulu will give you a free trial to help you decide if $7.99 per month with "limited advertising" is worth it. The cast button should show up automatically at the top of the application (on both phones and tablets) if you have Chromecasts setup in your house. Play Link Via: Google Blog

With HTC Selling Off Remainder of Beats Audio Stake, One Max Will Still Sport Killer Audio According to Beats President

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 15:03:09 +0000

Just last week, it was announced that Beats Audio would be buying back $265 million worth of stock from HTC. With the phone manufacturer still relying heavily on the Beats brand to sell devices, Beats president Luke Woods, confirmed that the supposedly upcoming One Max from HTC will still carry the audio software/drivers onboard. With the phone almost due for unveiling, it would clearly be too late to remove such a feature from the device, but it is unknown whether HTC will continue to license Beats for future devices. Beats president had this to say on the matter with HTC:

They still have a 25 percent investment in the company, and additionally we still have a commercial deal with them, around the HTC One and several new devices coming out this fall. We have a large-format HTC device out in the fall - I don't even know if they've announced it yet – so we're still on that device. We learned a lot of great things with HTC. Right now I can't comment as to whether that relationship will continue or not continue, but for Beats, it's been very productive, because we've done a lot of work [on HTC phones] and I'm very proud of the way those devices sound.

Keep in mind that this quote was clearly taken before HTC sold off the remaining 25% of the company, but the fact still stands that the partnership will continue, for now. From the consumer standpoint, few potential smartphone buyers may want that relationship to continue. If you are into overly saturated bass noise, then Beats Audio on the One from HTC is a real joy, and losing that would be a serious downer for mobile content consumers. Amirite? Your thoughts? Via: Stuff

Target is Launching a T-Mobile Prepaid Service Called "Brightspot" on October 6, Here are All of the Details

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 14:32:56 +0000

This weekend, Target will introduce a new prepaid wireless service called Brightspot. The prepaid service will use T-Mobile's nationwide 4G network (LTE as well), provides customers with 3 different affordable plans, rewards customers with $25 gift cards for continued service, and allows you to bring your own unlocked GSM device or choose from one of many they will have on hand. The rest of the details can be found below. The plans start at $35 for unlimited talk and text without an ounce of data. If you want to use a smartphone and gobble up GBs of data, you'll have to go for either the $50 or $65 plans. The $50 plan gives you unlimited talk and text, but only 1GB of 4G (LTE) data. If you continue to use data after you have hit your limit, you will be throttled down to 2G speeds for the remainder of your 30-day billing cycle. The $65 plan gives you 4GB of 4G (LTE ) data before throttling you down to 2G speeds. Service can be started by purchasing a SIM kit at Target stores or Target.com/Brightspot. Once you have service, you can refill your plan at either of those two locations or by dialing *233 (*ADD). Both $35 and $50 SIM kits will be available in stores, however, the $65 SIM kit is only available online. SIM kits come as either nano-SIM or micro-SIM kits. If you sign-up and use Brightspot service for at least 6 months, Target will reward you with $25 gift cards that can be used in Target stores. As long as you continue on with service, the gift cards will continue to arrive every 6 months. You can also sign-up to be a part of Target's monthly coupon program. We've been told that Brightspot will go live on October 6.

Brightspot Plans

Unlimited Talk and Text: $35, no data
Unlimited Talk, Text and Data: $50, 1GB of 4G speed (throttled thereafter)
Unlimited Talk, Text and Data: $65, 4GB of 4G speed (throttled thereafter)
International Texting: Additional $5
International Calling and Texting: Additional $10

Rewards Program

With every 6 months of paid service, customers will receive a $25 Target gift card – can apply anywhere in-store
Guests will receive gift card via mail within 2-4 weeks from qualifying
Guests can sign up for Target’s monthly coupon program by texting “BRIGHT” to TARGET (827438), providing guests additional savings on categories around the store

How is Brightspot different than other prepaid services?

Interested in signing up?

Sony Smartwatch 2 Available From MobileFun for $170, Actually Pairs With All Android Phones

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 13:22:21 +0000

It's pretty obvious after reading a variety of reviews that were published early this morning, that Samsung Galaxy Gear is off to a rocky start. Most early reviewers aren't fond of its minimal battery life, lack of water resistance, limited app ecosystem, and Samsung's decision to make it incompatible with anything outside of a Samsung phone. Our review will be up this week as well, so we'll have our own personal thoughts to share on all of that (initial hands-on and overview). But in the mean time, we thought we'd point out another smartwatch offering from a major company who has actually been in the game for over a year. Yes, we're talking about Sony's new Smartwatch 2. So why would you consider the Sony Smartwatch 2? Well, this is their ~~second~~ third stab at a smartwatch, so you would hope that they have learned a thing or two after the first couple of go-arounds. The watch works with any Android phone running Android 4.0 and above, unlike the Gear which is currently locked to the Note 3 and a couple of other Samsung phones. The Smartwatch 2 is water resistant (IP57), runs "hundreds" of apps that are available through Google Play (not Samsung's store, like on the Gear), and has a battery that should get you 3-4 days of "normal" use or 7 days with "low usage." It doesn't have a camera or a bunch of fancy colorways, but it is an option - and a semi-affordable one at that. While we are still awaiting an official release to the U.S., plenty of phone and accessory importers/resellers in the U.S. are already selling the watch. MobileFun is one in particular who has the watch at a reasonable price of $170. Other resellers are pricing the watch well over $200. We aren't sure what the retail price will be, but the original Sony Smartwatch sold in the U.S. for $150, so even at $170, you are likely paying a bit of a premium to get it early. Still, it's no $299. We'll have one shortly, so if you are interested in the world of smartwatches, stay tuned and keep an eye out for our coverage.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApW7oknVnLU[/youtube]

Via: MobileFun Cheers open1your1eyes0!

Devil's Ride for Android, Trailer Confirms Dubstep is Work of the Devil

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 12:28:18 +0000

A game recently published onto Google Play called Devil's Ride looks to bring a little darkness and humor to your phone or tablet, with its comical personification of the Devil and his sweet motorcycle. In the game, you take to what appears to be a barren wasteland of sorts, running over all things that get in your way. There are many different level themes, tricks to perform on your fully customizable bike, and power ups to collect. Tyrannosaurus Rex power up included! The game is free to download from Google Play, but it's apparent there will be a few IAP to get power ups quicker if you so choose. The game is vaguely similar to Beach Buggy Blitz, a race against the clock kind of game. Go on and download it with your bad self. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/zzxATt4nBS0[/youtube]

AT&T's Moto X Will Receive Similar Camera Enhancing Update to Build 139.12.54

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 11:25:16 +0000

Last week, we caught wind of an incoming software soak test for AT&T's variant of the Moto X that we assumed would be similar to the update already issued to both the T-Mobile and Sprint models. That soak test has begun rolling out and it does indeed appear to be the exact same update. The changelog shows a build number of 139.12.54, along with mentions of camera improvements, voice quality bug squashes, and enhancements to Motorola Assist and the Lost Device Finder. We haven't received word from AT&T or Motorola on when this update will rollout publicly, but with a soak test underway, it shouldn't be long assuming no major issues arise. To see the dramatic camera improvements that are included in this update, be sure to run through our massive photo comparison of the new and old software. Cheers R!

Chrome for Android Updated, Brings Navigation Gestures and Image Searches Seen Recently in Beta App

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 10:40:43 +0000

Back in August, the Chrome Beta browser for both Android and desktop users received an update that brought advanced image searches and new navigation gestures for mobile. The features was received quite well, and now after testing, the features have been brought over to the stable build of Chrome for Android right on Google Play. The newly added gestures for the mobile app include navigating through all of your open tabs by swiping on the top navigation bar, quickly opening the options menu by swiping on the settings icon, and switching into tab view. It streamlines the experience, and once you get the hang of them, it speeds up your browsing times.

In addition, the advanced image search is easy to manage. If you see an image on either your phone or desktop on Chrome, simply right click or hit the settings button and select "Search Google for this image." You will be shown all relevant results, which is usually pretty spot on. Go grab the update from Google Play if you haven't already. Play Link Via: Chrome Blog

For First Time Ever, Android Tablets Outsold Apple's iPad in Q2 of 2013

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 10:06:31 +0000

According to a new report from ABI Research, Android-powered tablets have finally done the unimaginable; they have outsold the iPad. With a 17% dip in sales for the quarter from Q1, global tablet sales are up 23% year-over-year for the same quarterly period. In addition, the research firm found that 7" models are now the majority of tablets sold, thanks to the iPad Mini (7.9") and all of the various Android OEMs that currently produce 7-inch slates. Revenue for tablets sold through Q2 in 2013 reached $12.7 billion, with Apple taking a hefty 50% of that amount, and the rest going to all other tablet manufacturers. This can't be labeled as a win for any one Android manufacturer in particular, but a win for the ecosystem in general. More than likely, Amazon's Kindle line and Samsung's aggressive approach to the tablet market are to be thanked for this recent outcome. Unfortunately, the report doesn't go into much detail for Android OEM numbers, but this is good news for people who thought that Android could never topple the long-standing king of the tablet mountain. Let's see a show of hands from the people that currently own an Android-powered tablet. Represent! Via: ABI Research

Verizon and Asurion Hosting Open Enrollment on Protection Plans Until December 2

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 09:54:09 +0000

If you missed out on the opportunity to enroll your newly purchased Verizon phone in some sort of protection plan through Asurion, now is your chance to sign-up. Big Red and Asurion are currently hosting an open enrollment for protection plans that runs from now until December 2. You'll be able to choose from all of Verizon's protection offerings like the newly introduced Total Mobile Protection (TMP) or a basic extended warranty. TMP will cost you $10 a month, but is the "most comprehensive" as it includes replacement, support, and security services. From there, you could drop to $8 per month and choose Total Equipment Coverage (TEC), $5.18 per month for Wireless Phone Protection (WPP), or $3 per month for an extended warranty. We see open enrollments like this happen quite often, typically around the beginning of each year. That's not to say that this won't be your only chance to sign-up for a protection plan for the foreseeable future, we just wouldn't be surprised to see this happen again in a few months. But if you need protection and missed your initial opportunity shortly after purchasing your new phone, now is the time to think about signing up. Also, Verizon's site shows a date range that isn't correct at the link below. Once you click "Enroll Now," you'll be taken to an enrollment page with correct dates. We have also verified with Asurion that they are hosting an open enrollment. Does everyone pay for a protection plan from Verizon? Via: Verizon Cheers Brian!

Sony Music Publishes Pinball Rocks HD to Google Play, Puts the Metal Back in Pinball

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 09:07:14 +0000

This morning, Sony Music pushed Pinball Rocks HD to Google Play for Android devices, a game that should leave any heavy music fans or pinball fanatics quite happy. It's your typical pinball game, but given that it has "Rocks" in the title, you can expect to do some intense headbanging throughout. The game features five different tables to rock on, but you can also purchase extras such as an Alice In Chains table, Bullet For My Valentine table, and even a Slayer tablet. RIP Jeff. Raining pinballs. Once you play these tables, the game's soundtrack is then set to that band's music. If you are a fan, then you should get a pretty big kick out of this. It's free to download on Google Play, so if you happen to be a wizard, go grab it. Play Link [youtube]http://youtu.be/2lLQbWgwR2c[/youtube]

Here is Samsung's First Incredibly Odd Galaxy Note 3 and Gear Commercial

Kellen — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 06:37:39 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baTh1jeObRw[/youtube]

It's a little *NSync. It's also a little Step Up 2. It's even a little Diagon Alley. And it's certainly odd. This is Samsung's first Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear commercial. Oh and here is our Galaxy Note 3 review if you haven't checked it out yet.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Review

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 06:01:49 +0000

The Galaxy Note 2 from Samsung was a very successful device, with millions of users falling in love with its massive display, excellent battery life, S Pen integration, and non-stop A+ performance. While the size of the device might scare a few people away, there is now a dedicated group of folks who can't imagine having anything smaller in their pockets. Back in early September, Samsung introduced the newest member of the Note family, the Galaxy Note 3, giving Note 2 members a reason to upgrade and others a chance to reconsider their fear of tablet-phone hybrid category. The key things we kept in mind while putting this review together were the subtle differences between this device and the Note 2. The Note 3 features a larger 1080p display, up from the Note 2's slightly smaller 720p display. The Note 3 also comes packed with a beefy Snapdragon 800 processor and 3GB of RAM, up from the Note 2's 2GB of RAM and less-powerful quad-core processor. Other little things to note are changes to the camera, overall hardware enhancements, and misc. S-Pen software additions. Without further ado, let's get to it. This is our Galaxy Note 3 review.

The Good

Hardware

The Note 3, in terms of specs, is the ultimate beast. For now, it's the top dog on paper, sporting a 5.7" 1080p HD Super AMOLED display, a Snapdragon 800 chipset, 3GB of RAM, a 13MP back-facing camera (records video at 4K), 2MP front-facing camera, 3,200mAh battery, full stylus S Pen functionality, NFC, 16GB and 32GB storage options, runs Android 4.3 with a more-than-likely quick bump to Android 4.4 once it's released, and a USB 3.0 port, all in a somewhat smaller package than the previous Note 2 device. When it comes to specs, we haven't seen anything like this quite yet. Sure, the Snapdragon 800 processor is in a few devices, including the G2 and even the rumored Nexus 5, but the Note 3 packs 3GB of RAM, allowing it superior multi-tasking functionality. While your everyday user may not ever notice the difference between performance in 2GB of RAM and 3GB, the power users among us will no likely be clamoring for all phones moving forward to come with this spec bump. The phone in most cases is fast and very responsive, but at other times, it acts just like any other top-tier Android device with its minor quirks and performance hiccups.

Display

Unlike the Note 2's 720p display, the Note 3 features a 1080p HD Super AMOLED display (386ppi), allowing users to see mobile content in a whole new light. The display is bright, well-saturated with color, and is extremely crisp with text and the tiniest of details. When viewing videos and photos, the experience is exactly as good as you would expect from a 1080p display, although using the phone in direct sunlight is sometimes difficult; you will definitely want to crank up the brightness. In terms of touching the display, it isn't quite as nice as our experience while using the LG G2, where the screen is almost buttery smooth or soft to the touch. On the Note 3, you feel some stickiness, and it picks up grease quite easily, but beyond that it is an extreme joy to look at and touch. The pixel arrangement is an odd diamond shape, similar to what we saw with the Galaxy S4, but isn't technically considered PenTile. It takes a macro lens to notice the arrangement, so don't worry about your naked eye being able to pick any of it up during scrolling or image viewing. This may not be the RGB stripe you'll see from LCD counterparts, but it's as good if not better in some instances, especially when it comes to producing black. You'll also notice how cool it displays whites when compared to other AMOLEDs like that featured in the Moto X. Overall, this is a really nice display that has incredible viewing angles, impressive brightness, and great color reproduction.

Macro for fun - Full resolution.

Camera

The Note 3's camera is a huge plus for the device. It has a 13MP sensor with anti-shake technology that Samsung is calling "Smart Stabilization." We don't think it's true OIS (optical image stabilization), like you'll see found in devices like the LG G2, but could be digital image stabilization. That aside, when shooting on max resolution, photos come out with extreme detail, crisp and clean. It is especially good at taking close-ups and macros, while still getting the job done when it comes to landscapes and wide angle shots. I am very critical of smartphone cameras, given that I adore Instagram, and this device easily passes my tests. Sample shots can be seen below.

Full resolution: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

And while taking pictures is great, don't forget that this device is capable of shooting 4K video (only on Snapdragon 800 variants, which are U.S. carrier variants). Yep, 4K, baby. Before taking 4K video, though, you should make sure you have a lot of space on your memory card. After shooting a 30 second video in 4K, the file was roughly 300MB, so if you plan on using the Note 3 to shoot a documentary or action flick that can be replayed on your $10,000 TV, you will need a few SD cards laying around. The camera comes with plenty of filters and different pre-loaded settings from Golf (yes, reallY) to HDR to Animated Photo to Drama modes, all of which have their own benefits if the time calls for them. Burst mode is included as well, along with face detection software, picture-in-picture video and stills, the ability to take stills while recording video, and enough manual settings (ISO, white balance, and exposure) to satisfy even camera enthusiasts. Samsung's camera software has never been my favorite as it tends to overwhelm, but it gets the job done once you become familiar with it. I will say that I noticed far too often the phone "Processing" after snapping photos. Since I'm coming from the LG G2, which took pictures in a split second, the waiting times seen between photos is a bit unexpected and unwelcomed. The processing between shots wasn't constant, but it showed up often enough for me to notice it (screenshot).

Battery

The Note 3 comes packed with a removable 3,200mAh battery. For having a 5.7" 1080p display, quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM, the battery holds up pretty well over a normal day of usage. For the review I definitely used the phone a lot more than your average user, playing tons of games, taking lots of photos, and running a lot of apps simultaneously. Unsurprisingly, it held up very well to my torturous review regiment. From the mornings when I unplugged the device to the nights when I plugged it back in, the phone always had about 10-20% remaining. Although, when running certain games such as NFS: Most Wanted for a few hours, I would notice significant battery loss. For a game as intensive as that, that's no shocker. To sum it up, I had no issues with the device's battery, so I am pleased to report that.

S Pen software

I was a heavy user of the Galaxy Note 2 after it was first released, but one thing I hardly ever used on that device was the S Pen. I saw the need for some users to have it, but it just didn't seem very practical at times, at least for me. With the Note 3, my opinion of the S Pen and Samsung's baked in Pen software has changed quite bit. I find myself using the pen when I am out and about a lot more often than I ever did with the Note 2, thanks to apps such as Scrapbooker and Pen Window. For example, I was making dinner and the recipe called for a lot of ingredients from the store. I took a screenshot of the ingredients in the Chrome browser app using Screen Write, then I was able to physically check off what items I had in my cart while at the store using the pen. This function is available for Note 2 owners, but that is just my top-of-the-head example for everyday use. Using Pen Window is when I really fell in love. With this app, you can draw windows on your homescreen while in any other app, and then open additional applications inside of that window. For example, if I am in my gallery, but need to chat with my friend on Hangouts, but don't want to close the gallery, I can simply draw a window and place Hangouts inside and have full control over both apps at the same time. It's like Multi-window, but with Pen Window, I can collapse any app I have open into a ChatHead-like popup that I can move around my display. If I need the app again, I can just hit the little popup and I'm back in the app. To get a better idea of what I'm talking about, watch the video down below where I go over all of Samsung's S Pen software. If you were planning on picking up a Note 3, you will need to watch this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-06TPH1sq8[/youtube]

Availability

When it comes to finding this phone in a store near you on launch day, Samsung spared no expense. As of this posting, you can find the Note 3 on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular, all starting sometime within the first two weeks of October. Almost every carrier has the device priced at $299 for the 32GB version (Sprint's model starts at $349). Samsung has been very good about getting its flagship devices into the hands of as many people as possible on all carriers, and the trend continues with the Galaxy Note 3.

Somewhere in the Middle

Performance

Much like we saw with the Galaxy S4, the current version of TouchWiz that is running on the Galaxy Note 3 sometimes hinders the Note 3's performance. The Galaxy S4 received an update after it was released that allowed the device to speed up, and we are hoping for the same thing here. The Note 3 has a next-gen quad-core processor and 3GB of RAM, so there is no reason to see performance issues. It wouldn't be a shot in the dark to blame any type of slowness on Samsung's software. Most of the issues (stuttering, lag, slow app switching, etc.) we have seen come when you are running Samsung's stock home launcher that first appears packed with widgets. Once the widgets are removed, it seems to be more of a fluid experience. But again, with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 800 CPU, there shouldn't be a delay when exiting an app or launching one of Samsung's heavily advertised S Pen features, something we saw quite often. Another frustrating time to see performance issues is in the camera through the previously mentioned "Processing" message when you are taking pictures. Many of the times we snapped a shot in Auto and with ideal lighting, were then met with the on-screen delay while the phone processed the photo. Both Kellen and myself have been met with this issue time and time again, one that we are hoping is resolved very soon. Again, we had zero lag with photo processing on devices like the G2 or Moto X. A phone that comes with futuristic specs needs to perform flawlessly. That's what people are paying $299 on-contract for. Although, take a look at these benchmarks and you will be surprised that this device has any performance flaws at all. But like we always say, benchmarks are never a true way to measure a phone's real-world performance.

Click for full size.

Overall feel and design

Before the Note 3 was finally unveiled, there were numerous rumors and reports on the Web suggesting that Samsung was going to change the look of the Note series. There were talks of seeing a metallic Note 3 or even a curvy looking device, but once we saw how Samsung changed the S3 into the S4, I was certain that the company would go the same route for the Note lineup. Sure enough, Samsung followed the exact same guidelines by making the screen bigger, bezels smaller, device thinner and gave it a more straightforward look, meaning it's not as bubbly or curved as the Note 2. It's a very handsome device and looks quite premium with the metal accents along its sides. In short, it's a hot phone from the front. The Note 3 is massive, though, and for some people that's the initial draw to or away from it. They purely want a big phone. But again, what should impress you about this design is the fact that Samsung managed to fit everything we have already talked about into a package that is actually thinner and lighter than its predecessor. At just 8.3mm thick and at 168g, you are looking at a substantial difference in build. If you can manage a device this big, you'll be impressed by its size.

With that said, the way people feel about the backside might not all match, as I for one don't really care for the notebook-inspired aesthetic the device give off. Samsung decided that to give the phone a better look and feel, they would ditch the glossy plastics seen on the Note 2 and Galaxy S4, and instead place a faux-leather material along the backside to resemble the look of a real leather-bound notebook. It does look and feel sort of nice at first, but once you really get your eyes on it, and start getting your fingers all over it, it just doesn't give off the feeling of a premium material you were led to believe it had. Sure, it's not pure plastic like we saw on the Galaxy Note 2 or the Galaxy S4, but this isn't much better. At the device unveiling, Samsung touted the stitching along the edges of the backplate, but when you look closely, they are nothing more than just "plastic" bumps that resemble stitches. The feeling of the backside does resemble leather, and gives off a good feel, but it's not at all what I had initially imagined. It's just a textured "plasticy" battery cover. While plastic-fake-leather-with-stitching is not the worst thing to look at, it would be nice to see Samsung announce replaceable or premium backplates that can be hot-swapped, if that leather isn't to your liking. We would love for there to be different color options or even material options for that matter, especially after seeing what Motorola has planned for the Moto X. Knowing Samsung, it's almost certain there will different colors of the device, and if you feel like using a Smart Cover, then obtaining a new look will be very easy for you. And don't forget that the third party accessory industry will surely have you covered as well.

The Not-so-Good

TouchWiz

Samsung's custom Android skin, also known as TouchWiz, has needed a design makeover for 3 years now, yet here we are in 2013 with a UI that looks straight out of Android's Gingerbread days. It fails to utilize gestures in menus, uses unnecessary animations throughout that cause lag, has an incredibly complicated settings area (more on that below), and includes so many single-use case add-on features that we're not sure a normal human could take advantage of them all in a two or three year period. The biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world should be able to do better than this. Companies like LG have similarly terrible UIs, except they are at least trying to adapt theirs over time to meet Android design guidelines and to add on subtle, yet useful features. Samsung, on the other hand, appears to be stuck in a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset. Rather than spending some of those extra advertising dollars on an innovative design and intuitive Android skin, they continue to pile on features without a clear way to present, explain, or convince anyone to use them.

Audio jack issues

Unfortunately, much like we experienced with the Galaxy S4, the Note 3 is currently suffering from some type of headphone jack audio issue. I'm no professional sound engineer, so please excuse my crude explanation of the problem. This issue has been documented on various user forums for the S4, so at least I know it's not just my review unit that is having issues. When listening to music through the 3.5mm jack, you are sometimes met with a very weak sound. It's as if the sound of the music isn't "full" or quite loud enough. Then, after a few minutes without touching anything while at full volume, the volume just explodes and you are left deafened by the surprise volume attack. Some people are pointing towards low-impedance headphones being the issue, but I have had the problem on multiple pairs of headphones, in-ear buds, through car decks, and everything else. It's a very frustrating and reoccurring issue that I wish Samsung would find a cure for. Until then, I fear listening to music out of this device because I don't want to go deaf. It might sound crazy, but it's a very real issue that I experienced over the course of time I had the device.

Sticky power button

Whether it is only my unit or a potential widespread issue (Kellen reports no sticking on his international unit), the power button on this Note 3 sticks. The problem seems to arise when I hit the lower end of the button, and then once it's stuck, I just have to repress once or twice to unstick it. When I go to turn off the display, quickly hitting the power button, it will then get stuck and I am met with the Power Off menu. This is annoying. Whether the button just needs to be worked in to prevent the sticking, I don't know. While I hope it's just my unit that might be "damaged," it's impossible to tell at this point until everyone else gets their Note 3s. Let's hope it is only me.

Cluttered Settings menu

The Note 3 has so many features that you can easily get lost inside of the Settings menu. With settings for Air Gestures and Motion Controls, it's just crazy to me that Samsung has not come up with a better way to either a.) label the menus better or b.) display these settings in a more user-friendly fashion. For instance, it would take someone with little smartphone experience quite a long time to navigate and find the correct menus to fix something. Luckily, there is a "search" bar in the settings menu, but when you don't know the name of the particular setting you are looking for, it's rendered useless. The Settings menu is based on four tabs along the top of the display. You have to hit each tab to see their contained settings options, and you cannot slide between each tab with a swipe. That is just silly. LG did the right thing and made it possible for users to easily slide between each tab. If you have already been a user of TouchWiz, none of this will shock you. If you plan on this being your first TouchWiz-powered device, be prepared to navigate yourself through the endless menus upon menus of settings.

Bloatware

Just like any other device you purchase that is tied to a carrier, it comes packed with bloatware. The Galaxy Note 3 on Sprint is no different at all. When added up, the bloat count for the Note 3 is only 13, which isn't nearly as bad as the G2's 20 bloat apps, but it's still just as annoying. When first powering on the device, I was met with app updates for each one, so the initial setup of the device was postponed because of that. Luckily, you can disable any and all of the bloatware you like, so at least Android allows for that. Thanks, Google. We appreciate it.

Speaker placement

Samsung decided to place the Note 3's speaker along the bottom of the device, which is different from the Note 2's placement. The Note 2 had its speaker along the lower-backside of the device, not on bottom. This is an issue because the way you hold the device while in landscape mode, completely covers up the speaker. If you are playing a video game or watching a video, you have to be conscientious of where you place your fingers, as not to block the speaker. That's a serious downer in my book, as I tend to play a lot of games and watch a lot of videos. What I end up having to do is sort of spider grip the backside using my right hand, which actually hurts after a while. This comes off as just improper design testing to me.

Gallery

Videos

Unboxing

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCG685Mc5c[/youtube]

Overview

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjI0L-RSx5w[/youtube]

30+ Tips and Tricks

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPCYuvtgb24[/youtube]

Verdict

The Galaxy Note 3 is priced at $299 on-contract through all major carriers ($349 at Sprint) here in the US. The price isn't surprising, as this is the tippity top of the top tier offerings from any manufacturer in the world. It delivers the best specs a phone has seen to date, fantastic battery life, and is a mobile photographer's dream device thanks to its impressive 13MP camera. Besides the minor inconsistencies in performance with TouchWiz and a few disconcerting hardware issues with my unit (power button and audio jack issue), this is a killer device for anyone who wants a big device. If you are coming off of the original Note or upgrading from the Note 2, you will love this phone completely. It is in every way, shape, and form, a step in the right direction for Samsung.

Links: Galaxy Note 3 deals at eBay | Amazon

Samsung Galaxy Gear Hands-on and Overview

Tim — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 06:00:31 +0000

The Galaxy Gear smartwatch from Samsung, along with the Galaxy Note 3 (review here), were the two biggest announcements the company made during September's Unpacked event in Berlin (and New York City). It was already known that Samsung would more than likely be unveiling a smartwatch at the event, but it was very uncertain as to what it would look like or what it would be capable of. Without getting into all of the leaked images and phony rumors, it's safe to say that we weren't expecting anything this good looking. The Galaxy Gear sports a 1.63" Super AMOLED display (320 x 320 resolution), an Exynos CPU clocked at 800MHz, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of onboard storage, two microphones, a speaker, a variety of sensors, a 315mAh battery, and even a 1.9MP camera built into the strap. It's an amazing little machine, one that pairs quite well to the Galaxy Note 3, and soon some other Galaxy devices once they get updated software. We will be doing a full review this week of the Galaxy Gear, but for now the below hands-on video will have to hold you over. We promise to have the full review up soon, but those impatient types, I can go over a few points right now that will basically sum up what the full review will be.

The display is quite lovely, offering up some great colors and viewing angles, although we wish its built-in wake sensor was more sensitive for when we want the device to turn on with a simple wrist lift. As of right now, you have to over exaggerate your wrist-up motion if you expect the display to come on automatically. It's not bad, but you just look goofy when performing the motion. The battery is okay, lasting about a full day of good usage. While that may sound disappointing, this is exactly what I expected from just a 315mAh battery. I mean really, that's pretty tiny for something with a full color display that you are supposed to utilize dozens of times throughout a day. The camera is okay, but just okay. It's decent for snapping quick pictures of meals or anything not in need of a full-blown camera, but the photos are not worthy of writing home about. It is only a 1.9MP sensor after all. On the other hand, the Snapchat app works incredibly well in a pinch. Taking calls is a lot of fun on Gear, but please don't do it in public; you will look silly. The speaker is loud and the mic works quite well. So far, I have had a fantastic time using the watch, and get compliments quite often when I take it out on the town. For more Galaxy Gear action, check out the full gallery and hands-on video below. That should tide you over until our full review later this week. If you have questions or want us to touch on something specific, shoot it down below in the comments section.

Video

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrKxfQYUg_o[/youtube]

Gallery

Is This a New Picture of the Nexus 5?

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:08:07 +0000

A member of MacRumors forums (of all places) under the name weespeed posted the picture above this afternoon, which he claims is of the new LG Nexus 5. The forum poster mentioned that he was able to hold the device, that it is smaller than the G2, and feels a lot like the Nexus 7. He also mentioned that the display is just "Ok" and not as good as the Galaxy Note 3's, but that it did have small bezels. The phone looks a heck of a lot like the device we have seen in a Googler's hands, at the FCC, and at a high-school party, so it could very well be the newest picture to date. Unlike the FCC screw-up, though, we are seeing the return of the vertical "Nexus" logo that mimics the logo of the Nexus 7. A leak from this weekend gave us the following specs to expect in the device:

Display: 5-inch Full HD display, 442 ppi (potentially 4.97-inch)
Processor: 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snadragon 800
RAM: 2GB
Internal Storage: 16GB (could be another model too, this is what was in the log)
Camera (rear): 8MP (no idea if it has OIS like the LG G2 camera)
Camera (front): 1.2MP
Sensors: accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity, light, barometer, orientation
Battery: 2300mAh (via FCC) and wireless charging
Other: LTE, NFC
Model: LG-D820

What do you guys think? And what is the device laying on top of the Nexus 5? Is that another Nexus 5? Via: MacRumors Cheers Wayne!

TracFone Comes Clean About Straight Talk Throttling, Admits Only 2.5GB High Speed Data Each Month

Eric — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:42:58 +0000

One of the more popular and well-known prepaid carriers, Straight Talk, has always seemed like a good option. Unlimited data, talk and text for only $45 each month is a very enticing deal, but it is also well-known that Straight Talk throttles that data after a certain point. Up until today they have been notoriously coy about what that cut off is, but now we finally have a definitive number. A spokesperson for TracFone, who runs Straight Talk and Net10's airwaves, has finally been quoted as stating the throttling limit on their network. According to the quote, Straight Talk's $45, 30-day plan gets you 2.5GB of high speed data for you to do with whatever you please. After that however, your service gets reduced to 2G speeds. Yes, as in second generation. Straight Talk says that once the 30 day plan is refreshed, customers will get to start using their un-throttled data speeds again. This news is a bit more interesting to readers here now that Straight Talk supports AT&T LTE. This is something to keep in mind if you are planning on switching carriers any time soon. Via: FierceWireless

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Available October 4 at AT&T

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:10:37 +0000

AT&T announced this morning that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear will go on sale both online and in stores on October 4. Previously, AT&T had only confirmed that they would carry each device, while also opening pre-orders. Now we have a firm date, which is this Friday. The Galaxy Note 3 will be available at $299 on new 2-year contract or $35 with AT&T Next. The Galaxy Gear is a flat $299. We have already unboxed the Galaxy Note 3 and also whipped through 30+ tips and tricks for the device, both must-watches if you plan to pick one up this weekend.

Verizon Will Honor Upgrades From This Past Weekend, Unlimited Data Shall be Kept

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 13:32:12 +0000

Well, we heard back from Verizon with regard to this past weekend's unlimited upgrade extravaganza, and the news is going to excite those of you who upgraded, that's for sure. According to Big Red, they will honor orders which were approved over the weekend, allowing customers to retain unlimited data and receive devices at discounted prices. Yep, you read that correctly. Here is the statement we just received:

Over the past weekend, there was a software issue involving some orders for customers seeking to upgrade their devices. A number of customers who were upgrading devices were able to maintain an unlimited monthly data feature while paying a subsidized price. Verizon Wireless will honor those orders that were approved this past weekend, allowing those customers to retain their unlimited plans for the duration of their contract and receive their new device. Verizon Wireless corrected this software issue today (9/30). The company no longer offers unlimited data plans and customers who want to retain existing unlimited data plans, must pay full retail price for a replacement phone.

We still aren't sure why some are seeing cancellations on orders or with 2GB $30 plans in confirmation emails. All we know is that Verizon had a software issue that has been adjusted, yet are still willing to honor "approved" orders. So, there you have it. Thanks, Verizon.

So is Verizon Going to Let You Keep Unlimited Data After Upgrading? (Updated)

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 12:17:03 +0000

We're still semi-waiting to see what the aftermath of this past weekend's unlimited upgrade party on Verizon will be, but wanted to update you on current information. For those who did not choose in-store pickup (decided to have phones shipped) and finalize everything before yesterday afternoon when Verizon patched up what we can only assume was a glitch in the system, we are just now starting to see confirmation and shipping notices go out. At this point, we're hearing about a couple of situations that you should pay close attention to. But before we get into this, know that we have word into Verizon PR and are simply awaiting an official response on how this will all shake out. For now, they've simply told us that they are aware of the weekend's festivities and are looking into a variety of questions that we had. In terms of orders placed with devices shipping, we're hearing a couple of things from readers. The first, simply suggests that orders have shipped with itemized lists showing unlimited data intact. Assuming these orders stay this way and the phones arrive within the next day, we could see upgrades with unlimited data. That would be awesome. With that said, we have also heard from a handful of users whose shipping or order confirmations are indeed showing 2GB $30 tiered data plans even though their initial ordering screens never once mentioned that they would have to give up unlimited data. Below, you'll find two screenshots showing a before and after. Here is what checkout screens looked like (no plan change):

And here is what some confirmation emails are showing (addition of 2GB $30 plan):

Again, we are patiently awaiting official word out of Verizon, but if you receive a confirmation email that shows you now have a 2GB $30 plan, you may want to go ahead and cancel that bad boy. I'm not sure that Verizon could make it any clearer to you that you are no longer keeping unlimited data. If your confirmation email does not show that a new 2GB $30 plan has been added to your account, you may want to consider waiting this one out. In the end, if you lose unlimited data, you can always return your phone and get your old plan back. There may be a re-stocking fee, just FYI. We should point out that this Tweet from @VZWSupport is also scaring all sorts of people:

They have a point, since that is technically how the system works now. However, we received the image below over the weekend from a source, which shows that sales reps did indeed have the option during checkout with a customer to keep unlimited data plans. Call it a glitch or a loophole, it was there and multiple store reps told us throughout the weekend that they were able to process all sorts of upgrades while keeping unlimited data. This wasn't simply a website bug.

Update: We have the official word from Verizon and it's a good one. They will honor orders placed this past weekend, allowing unlimited data users to receive discounted phones and continue to keep unlimited data. Stay tuned... Cheers Gary, Ley, Tyler, Dan and everyone else!

30+ Galaxy Note 3 Tips and Tricks

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 12:09:34 +0000

With the imminent release of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 on carriers across the U.S., today seemed like the perfect day to push out our tips and tricks video for the device. In past episodes of this series, we stuck to a "20+ tips and tricks" limit, but there are so many new features in the Note 3 that we had to extend it beyond 30. And truthfully, these 30+ quick hitters are just the tip of the iceberg - this phone is packed full of features that would probably require two or three more videos to cover. In this 23-minute clip, you'll see everything from managing your lock screen to utilizing the S Pen to the fullest to becoming a multi-task powerhouse with Multi Window. You'll also see basics, tricks for navigating around the settings menu, and even ways to use some of Samsung's air gestures. If you have the time, this is the video that will get you started on exploring one of the most feature-packed phones ever made. Once you are done, be sure to check out our Galaxy Note 3 unboxing.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPCYuvtgb24[/youtube]

If you haven't already, be sure to check out our tips and tricks sessions for the Galaxy S4, HTC One, and Moto X.

Verizon HTC One Receives Update to Build 1.10.605.10 - Fixes Device Lock-ups, Updates Isis

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 11:37:25 +0000

An update for Verizon's HTC One was approved this morning as build 1.10.605.10. The update is minor and only improves device lock-ups while introducing an update to Isis Mobile Wallet. With approval and support docs happening today, we'd imagine that the update will rollout to Ones within the next couple of days. The update is 33.8MB in size. More info.

Agent Makes Your Phone Contextually Smarter With Ease

Eric — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 11:00:10 +0000

One of the most underrated features of the Moto X, and the new DROID line on Verizon in general, is the Motorola Assist app that it comes bundled with. Essentially a slimmed-down version of Motorola's Smart Actions, it allows your phone to react to you when you are driving, sleeping or in a meeting. The only downside is that Smart Actions is exclusive to Moto devices. Agent is an app that can do that and more, plus it is available for all Android devices. Setting actions to happen based on contextual events is nothing new. Ask any of the Tasker app faithful how they have their phones set up to do perform set tasks without touching a single button, and they will tell you its the greatest app ever. The problem is, Tasker isn't very user friendly, requiring users to navigate and operate through complicated settings menus. Agent is the opposite. Just turn an agent on, click a few operations that you want the app to fulfill, and Agent does the rest. Shutting Bluetooth off when the battery is low, silencing your phone for meetings or sleeping hours, and auto-responding when you are driving are just a few things Agent can do. Agent is $1.99 in Google Play, but after using it the price is well worth it. The app offers a lot of functionality and makes it seamless to use at the same time. Hit the link below and get that phone working for you. Play Link ($1.99)

Did the Cheaper Version of the Moto X Just Pass Through the FCC?

Eric — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 10:08:17 +0000

We still have many readers around here who cry that the Moto X is a mid-range device not worthy of its $199 price tag, but Motorola's plans for an even cheaper Moto X look to still be alive. First mention of this device came from Moto CEO Dennis Woodside when he said it would be on the horizon sometime soon. Nearly a month ago, we got further images and information that showed this device could come with interchangeable back plates. Today, we see the actual device, codenamed "Motorola DVX," make its way through the FCC. The FCC filings that were spotted are for a GSM variant of the phone and also a CDMA variant that might be headed to Sprint; or more specifically, Sprint's prepaid networks. Carriers like Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Cricket all use this CDMA network, and Woodside said that this low-priced device would be geared more for prepaid and developing markets. Unfortunately, that is all we learned from the FCC. Usually, when a device passes through this stage, it is not too far off from launching. We could possibly see an announcement and launch sometime before the end of the year. Is this device interesting? Or is going cheaper than the Moto X a bad call? Via: ArsTechnica

Google Unveils NFC-Powered App Vending Machines in Tokyo

Tim — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 09:10:58 +0000

Recently in Japan, Google introduced three new machines that will help Android device users get the latest and greatest mobile games onto their phones without opening Google Play. The units are "app vending machines," powered by NFC. Simply place your device under the display that is built into the vending machine, then watch it do all of the work. For now, the vending machine supports free and paid apps, but it also allows iOS/Windows/Other users to get in on the action. If you wish to try the experience out, the machine will dispense a Nexus 4 with the app you wish on, then after you have had some time to try it out, you need to give it back. Quite interesting. The three machines will be manned by Google employees as they are set to begin taking customers tomorrow morning. Good luck, little app machines. Via: Engadget

Log Shows Android 4.4 Screenshot With Grey Icons, Nexus 5 Specs

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 08:41:03 +0000

A 10MB log file obtained by the folks at MyCE over the weekend has given us a screenshot of the LG Nexus 5 running Android 4.4 under its codename of Key Lime Pie and build KRS74H. As seen in the screenshot, we're looking at a black notification bar with grey icons, similar to what was seen on allegedly leaked pictures of Kit Kat (official name of Android 4.4) and an official Google Keyboard screenshot. Other than that, the Android 4.4 news is light. What we do have, though, is a potential confirmation on Nexus 5 specs, which were gathered throughout lines of text in this log file.

The crew at Android World was able to look through the same log file that MyCE had on hand and was able to figure out what they believe are the official specs of the Nexus 5. According to their findings, this is what we're looking at:

Display: 5-inch Full HD display, 442 ppi (potentially 4.97-inch)
Processor: 2.3GHz Qualcomm Snadragon 800
RAM: 2GB
Internal Storage: 16GB (could be another model too, this is what was in the log)
Camera (rear): 8MP (no idea if it has OIS like the LG G2 camera)
Camera (front): 1.2MP
Sensors: accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, proximity, light, barometer, orientation
Battery: 2300mAh (via FCC) and wireless charging
Other: LTE, NFC
Model: LG-D820

Most of that we already knew thanks to the FCC, but the camera is certainly new news. Will it have optical image stabilization (OIS) or not? From this log, it appears to be an 8MP sensor, which differs from the 13MP shooter with OIS in the LG G2, a device that the Nexus 5 is thought to be based off of. Would Google cut out an OIS camera to keep the price down? Possibly, since Nexus devices are always meant to be on the lower-end of the price model. The rest of the spec line-up sounds as good as can be, but again, isn't necessarily new or surprising info. Is it enough to get your money? I think you know my answer to that question. Via: MyCE | Android World

PushBullet Receives Full UI Makeover - Adds Widgets, View Pushes From Any Device, and More

Kellen — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 07:52:18 +0000

PushBullet, one of our favorite producitivity apps, received a major update today to version 11.1 which introduces a UI makeover and all sorts of new features. For those not familiar, PushBullet originally started out as an app that allowed you to instantly send information to your Android device from the web. You could send a quick list, an address, note, link to a website, or even a file. It has grown over the last year, now allowing you to send information from one mobile device to another, assuming you have multiple Android devices. In today's update, though, you get a brand new UI that turns the app into a modern Android app with hamburger menu (slideout navigation), a way to browse all pushes from any device, and new widgets that work on both home and lock screens. The changelog also says that you can push files with the app, ~~but I have yet to figure that one out unless they mean links and messages~~. Edit: Pushing of files needs to be initiated from the file you want to share. For example, if you want to send an image, you need to be on that image, then press the Android share button, and choose "Push This." You can then send files through the app. If you aren't using PushBullet and own multiple Android devices or constantly move from computer to phone throughout the day, you should be using PushBullet. Don't forget to pick-up the Chrome extension as well to make the experience that much more seamless. What's new:

Completely redesigned and improved UI!
You can now push files with the app
Check out the new homescreen and lockscreen widgets
Browse all of your pushes from any of your devices
Improved push reliability
Added options to send us feedback in the app
And more!

Play Link Cheers Adam!

Verizon Appears to Have Closed the Unlimited Data Keeping Extravaganza

Kellen — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 15:22:58 +0000

Well, our weekend of upgrades with unlimited data appears to have come to a close. Within the last hour, we received word that Verizon systems in stores were no longer allowing reps to select unlimited data packages as options during upgrades. We are also now being forced off of unlimited data while walking through the upgrade process online that previously left our current plans intact. Was fun while it lasted.

The question now remains - will Verizon honor all of these upgrades with unlimited data once phones arrive within the next couple of days? We know that many of you upgraded online, chose in-store pick-up, and then activated the phones with great success over the last two days. Good job on that move, folks. But what about those who upgraded and are having devices shipped to their homes? Those phones will show up on doorsteps within the next day or so. Will Verizon do the right thing and allow them to keep their current plans, exactly as the checkout and online contract-signing process showed? If not, then they better get ready for a whole bunch of returns. Because if your phone shows up and attempts to change you off of unlimited data during activation, feel free to return the phone and get your old plan back. Did you get in on the unlimited weekend bonanza? Update: Some readers are still seeing the option to upgrade and keep unlimited data this morning. Not sure what Verizon is up to, but this deal (assuming it sticks) is probably worth looking into. Then again, we don't know how this is going to play out yet. Will Verizon simply cancel all orders? Will they honor them? Will they switch you off of unlimited? We just don't know.

Verizon Currently Allowing You to Upgrade and Keep Unlimited Data?

Kellen — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 16:41:32 +0000

We left a question mark on that title because we're not exactly sure if Verizon has meant to allow customers to keep unlimited data when upgrading or if there is simply a glitch in the system. But yes, at this time, a number of our readers (including us) have been able to walk-through the upgrade process on Verizon's site and keep unlimited data while purchasing a phone at a subsidized (discounted) price. As you all know, Verizon killed off unlimited data some time ago and has since tried every trick in the book to get those of us hanging onto unlimited plans to give them up. But yesterday, we received a couple of tips suggesting that you could upgrade to a new phone and switch over to Verizon's newly introduced $30 6GB plan (called Verizon Max) that was previously tied to Verizon Edge, without having to actually sign up for Edge. As we looked into it, we walked through the upgrade process and didn't see the option for 6GB at $30, but instead found ourselves at the final steps of checkout with our unlimited data package intact. At no time were we asked to switch off of our unlimited package or told that our plan no longer exists. See the screenshot below.

In previous upgrade attempts, we hit the screen above and were shown a current plan along with a new plan. The current plan showed our unlimited data package, while the new almost always showed that our plan was being changed to a tiered package, usually 2GB for $30. But as you can see, that's not the case here. To make sure we weren't imagining things, we decided to sit tight on this info and see if others were seeing similar results. As it turns out, they are. We have now had at least 5 or 6 readers who have gone through an upgrade process on Verizon's site and been able to keep unlimited data. Well, at least Verizon's website is making it seem that way. We would be semi-hesitant to believe that this isn't a glitch in the system that Big Red won't correct before long. I just hope that they don't catch the bug and try to swap plans around later or when the phone arrives and customers activate them (or swap in a SIM). At this time though, we don't know how that will play out. Not that this makes the situation any clearer, but I did chat with a customer service rep for a few minutes who seemed to believe that with the information I was seeing, that I was going to keep my unlimited data plan. I asked if there was a special promotion going on, and they said that they weren't aware of one. Had I finished checking out, the rep was willing to hang on the line to make sure that everything went through properly. And last, remember that the "VERIZON30" coupon code still works, so $199 phones are $139. Sooooooo, are you willing to upgrade and see if you can keep your unlimited data? At this point, we have had a whole bunch of people see similar results to ours. Is it worth the risk? Update: As of 3:00PM Pacific, it appears as if Verizon has removed the option to keep unlimited data. I guess we'll see how this all unfolds over the coming days. Will they let you all keep unlimited data or not? Cheers Derek, BKShaw23, David, John, and Peter!

Verizon Moto X Developer Edition Now Back in Stock!

Kellen — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 11:55:31 +0000

The Moto X Developer Edition that works on Verizon's network, is now back in stock through Motorola's online shop. The device still runs $649.99, but that of course gets you an unlockable bootloader, 32GB of storage, and the snazzy two-tone black and white paint job. The first time the VZW variant went live, we saw it sell out within a couple of hours. If you have been waiting for new stock to arrive, now is your chance. Go jump on it. And if you haven't yet, be sure to check out our first look of the device in the wild, thanks to a reader. GSM version is available as well. Via: Moto X DE (Verizon) | Moto X DE (GSM) Cheers Steve and Matt!

Verizon is Waiving $35 Activation Fees This Weekend

Kellen — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 10:49:20 +0000

Through the weekend, Verizon is slashing their usually applied $35 activation fee from orders of new phones. While you'll still pay a $30 upgrade fee if you are a current customer, new customers shouldn't be charged the $35 it typically costs to get your new phone up and running on Big Red's network. Also, the "VERIZON30" coupon code still works for those interested in saving 30% off of a new phone.

Via: @VZWnews Cheers Jaxon!

This Week in the Life of Droid: 9/27/2013

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 16:00:26 +0000

Another week has gone by in the world of Android. This week, we were able to get you an unboxing of the Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung, as well as a hands-on with the Griffin vehicle dock for the Moto X. If you plan on picking up the X, or already have, then you will want to check that out. Earlier this week, we caught a glimpse of what could be the look of the new Android 4.4 dialer and messaging applications, but it's hard to say if they are official or not. We are still awaiting word from Google on when we can expect to see the official unveiling of Kit Kat. Hopefully it's soon, as in, we hope it's in October right in time for Halloween and all of the candy goodness. If you missed any of the action, check out the highlights below.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Stay dry!

CyanogenMod's cLock Widget Makes Its Way to Google Play as Chronus

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 15:00:42 +0000

The CyanogenMod ROM has a few great aspects to it, thanks to all of the hard work that third-party developers submit to it. One of the neat apps that gets baked into the custom ROM is a widget by the name of cLock aka Chronus. The widget looks like your average Android clock widget, but it also adds in your upcoming scheduled events, as well as your current weather conditions. It's a clean and good-looking widget, which is now available through Google Play for anyone who wants to use it on their own device. And better yet, it's completely free to download. The widget allows for quite a few customizations, so there is no doubt that you can tweak it to any point you would like. It will be a very valuable asset to your device's homescreen. Go grab it. Play Link

First Look at the Moto X Developer Edition for Verizon

Kellen — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 14:14:11 +0000

There she is, the Verizon Moto X Developer Edition. Orders started shipping a day or so ago and are now arriving on the doorsteps of lucky early adopters. After going live last week through Motorola's shop at $649, the DE Moto X quickly sold out and has yet to return. If you got an order in early, you are in an elite group. At least one of our readers received his today and sent over a bundle of pictures to show its beauty and that "DEVELOPER EDITION" stamp. The two tone black/white combo looks great, at least to us. But then again, we are fans of black fronts on phones with on-screen touch buttons - they just look so clean.

He also sent over pictures of the boot animation, About screen showing Android 4.2.2, and Motorola's "BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED" warning screen that we first saw after unlocking the RAZR HD few months ago. It's the most beautiful text a tinkerer could ever ask to see, especially after dealing with Motorola and Verizon bootloader policies of the last few years.

Anyone else pick up a Developer Edition? Feel free to send us pictures of it. Cheers TJWaterskier!

US HTC President: Android 4.3 Update for Carrier-branded One Devices Slightly Delayed

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 13:44:21 +0000

Any HTC One owners on a US carrier hoping to get in on the Android 4.3 fun, might be waiting a little longer than anticipated. The update already rolled out to the unlocked and developer edition variants of the device, but according to HTC's US president, the update for the device on any carrier might go past the September 30 deadline they set on themselves. In a tweet, Jason Mackenzie of HTC said the following:

3 days left on 4.3 deadline for US/Canada HTC One. Unlocked out! Carrier skus coming, but will slightly miss 9/30. Will keep u updated...

In regards to the DROID DNA, the same delay applies. It was previously reported that the DNA would receive an update to Android 4.3 by the end of this month (September), but apparently that too, is no longer the case. As for a new update deadline, HTC says we can expect it by end of this year. Although, given that Verizon's support page was updated with the upcoming features, we will hope that it takes place sooner rather than later. While no one likes delays, especially in terms of getting new versions of Android, we are sure this is more of the carrier certification nonsense we have seen in the past, especially on Verizon's part. Mackenzie goes on to tell folks to look for more info on the matter next week. For HTC One owners on Verizon, you can be thankful that your device already runs Android 4.2.2, and the jump to Android 4.3 is nothing too major. In fact, you might not even see any real differences between the two. That's food for thought. Via: @JasonMacHTC

Friday App Sales: Modern Combat 4, Doodle Devil, GO Launcher Prime, DocumentsToGo

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 11:47:39 +0000

It's Friday, which means you might need a few new apps or games to keep you busy over the weekend. But don't worry, there are a ton of app sales taking place right on Google Play, so let's see what we have. For starters, the epic FPS Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour is on sale for just $0.99, down from $7. That's a steal. GO Launcher Prime, a very popular third party launcher is also on sale for $4, as well as DocumentsToGo for $10, which is usually $15. Not too bad at all. To see the full list of sales, check below. Friday app sales:

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour ($0.99)
WebSharing File/Media Sync ($0.99)
Talisman Prologue HD ($0.99)
SymbolsKeyboard & TextArt Pro ($0.99)
GO Launcher Prime ($3.99)
Doodle Devil ($0.99)
BusyBox Pro ($1.80)
DocumentsToGo Full ($9.95)
Servers Ultimate Pro ($4.49)

Go support those hard-working developers!

Kingdom Rush: Frontiers Launched to Google Play, Priced at $2.99

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:40:00 +0000

A new game hit Google Play yesterday, one that should be keeping you quite busy over the weekend. It's called Kingdom Rush: Frontiers, the sequel to the first Kingdom Rush game that is still quite successful on Android. It's your standard tower defense title, but with many different twists that bring an original touch to the gameplay. You lead your troops through epic landscapes, then set up upgradeable towers as waves of enemies come crashing in. You will also need to watch out for man-eating plants and even dragons throughout the new worlds. It's dangerous out there. The game costs $2.99 on Google Play, so if you were a fan of the first Kingdom Rush, go grab it. Play Link ($2.99) [youtube]http://youtu.be/ilshnhXtfKQ[/youtube]

Google is Refunding Unused Google Offers Deals, Choice of Cash or Google Play Credits With Bonuses

Kellen — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:04:41 +0000

If you had previously purchased a deal through Google Offers, but forgot to redeem the offer or use it in a timely manner, Google wants to give you a refund for it, plus potential bonuses. We (along with other readers) received emails within the last day, notifying us that we had unused purchased offers that Google will automatically be refunding us for. Starting October 7, Google will begin refunding unused offers in 1 of 2 ways. You can take no action and wait as Google refunds you the cash value of your unused offer back to the credit card used to originally purchase it, or you can take Google Play credit plus a bonus. For example, Google wants to send me $9 for an unused offer, but if I go with Google Play credits, they'll toss in an additional $2. Another reader of ours has a refund of $20 coming, but could get $24 should he decide on Play credits. Sweet deal, right? If you have unused offers that Google has qualified as refundable, you should receive an email like the one pictured below without having to do a thing. To claim the Play credits, you'll see a "Click here" link in your email that automatically sets you up to receive the amount of your refund plus the bonus. The credits should appear within two weeks.

I think I'll take the extra $2, thank you very much. Cheers Shane!

Google Inviting Public to Come Check Out Glass, Hosting Meetups Across America

Tim — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 09:12:23 +0000

If you can't wait any longer to get your hands on Google Glass, the team is hitting the road and stopping by cities all across the nation to set up public demos. During these Glass meetups, you will be able to wear Glass, talk to the Glass team and ask them any questions you may have concerning the device. Just don't ask when it's being released. They won't answer that. The first stop is Durham, North Carolina on October 5 at the American Tobacco Campus. If this event goes well, we hope that Google will post some type of plan for which cities they plan on stopping by. Hopefully they aren't too stingy with it and make plenty of stops. Anyone can attend these events, but space is limited. To RSVP for the Durham event, click this link. Via: +Google Glass Cheers Radgatt!

Chickens are the Inspiration Behind the LG G2 OIS Camera

Kellen — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 08:21:53 +0000

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRKu785g0O0[/youtube]

We're big fans of the camera on the LG G2 - it's insanely fast and is capable of taking pretty fabulous smartphone shots (our full review). But for video enthusiasts, the optical image stabilization is your key to buttery smooth footage. Think of a chicken's head...with a helmet on...doing action sports. That's apparently where LG found inspiration for its camera magic. Well played, assuming no Lizzys were harmed in the making.

HTC and Beats by Dre End Partnership, Beats Buys Back its $265 Million in Shares

Eric — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 07:42:45 +0000

We can't say that we didn't really see this coming. Rumors a few weeks ago leaked that Beats by Dre was toying with the idea of buying out HTC's share in their company and today it actually happened. This morning HTC announced that Beats would be buying the last 25 percent share that HTC still owned in Beats for the sum of $265 million. This marks the end of a two year partnership between the two companies. When HTC first invested in Beats, it was a surprising move, but one that looked like it could have had a lot of upside if done well. Unfortunately for the two, it never really flourished like they hoped and all the consumers got out of it was the Beats software that would come installed on HTC devices. With HTC struggling to push units compared to Samsung, Beats probably wanted to make sure they were separated from that. HTC did say that they would "continue to partner [with Beats] as future opportunities arise." Are you going to miss Beats by Dre? Via: Engadget

Speedtest 3.0 is Now Available on Android

Kellen — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 15:51:18 +0000

Ookla's Speedtest 3.0 app is now available on Android, just as they said it would be. Gone is the 2009 UI, in is an iOS clone UI. Not much else to say, so let's have a speedtest battle. I'm sure you'll have no trouble crushing my HSPA+ and prepaid scores seen above. Drop your screenshots of scores in the comments! Play Link Cheers Marco!