Android Phone Fans |
- Much application. Such coin. Very Android. Dogecoin Wallet now available on Google Play
- Sony QX10 and Q100 case mounts arrive for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra next month
- Samsung Galaxy S5 with metal body goes into production, Galaxy F to be new ultra premium line? [RUMORS]
- Carbon v2 now available on Google Play, brings an extremely dark Twitter experience
- Watch the Times Square New Year’s ball rise and drop with this official app
- Sony: look forward to new devices — including wearables — in 2014
- Google Play Music: All Access users get invitation to buy Google Glass
- Chromebook popularity soars, outsells Android tablets and Macbooks in the US
- HTC confirms EVO 4G LTE’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update coming in February
- LG LifeBand Touch leaked; looks like some sort of fitness tracker
| Much application. Such coin. Very Android. Dogecoin Wallet now available on Google Play Posted: 31 Dec 2013 04:48 PM PST
In their valiant effort to reach the moon in 2014, the Dogecoin community will be happy to know that Dogecoin Wallet is now available on the Google Play Store. Based off the popular ‘Doge’ meme, which features pictures of a "dog" that is primarily associated with pictures of Shiba Inus (nicknamed "Shibe") and colorful comic sans words of praise, Dogecoin has been gaining a lot of traction the past couple weeks. As the trend continues to skyrocket (moon rocket), the young currencies first Android wallet is born. Dogecoin Wallet is based off of the popular Bitcoin Wallet by Andreas Schildbach and sports the same set of features one would expect in a mobile cryptocurrency wallet and includes an up to date exchange rate tool. No registration is required to get up and running with Dogecoin Wallet. Because security is a must, Dodgecoin Wallet is completely decentralized, operating in a peer-to-peer environment. There’s no need to compromise your wallet’s security by using back-end web services here. When it comes to sending, receiving, and spending your DOGE, Dogecoin Wallet allows offline payments via Bluetooth, sending and receiving Dogecoin via NFC, using automatically generated QR-Codes, and Dogecoin URLs. To request Dogecoin simply tap the request coin button and enter the amount in Doge or your desired currency, such as USD. From there, you can share the request via the Android share menu, have the generated QR code scanned, or tap an NFC enabled device. The send coins button works in a similar method, allowing you to type a Dogecoin address, pull one from your address book, or scan a QR code prior to sending coins to a fellow Shibe (Dogecoin user).     If you’re absent minded with your mobile device or into flashing different ROMs, have no fear, Dogecoin Wallet supports the backup and restoration of your wallet. Once a backup has been made, you can archive the file locally on your phone or choose to archive it elsewhere, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. You get the idea. Of course you can always slap a USB cable up to your phone and manually pull your wallet backup off and save it anywhere you please. Dogecoin itself as a cryptocurrency is a lot of fun and easy to get into. If you’re looking to get started with Doge, I suggest you head on over to the coins official site as well as check out the various getting started guides on Reddit. Much download. Very install. Dogecoin Wallet. |
| Sony QX10 and Q100 case mounts arrive for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra next month Posted: 31 Dec 2013 02:07 PM PST
While Sony’s QX10 and QX100 lens cameras are compatible with most Android devices via the handy PlayMemories app, it was the Sony Xperia Z1 that saw a specialized case to quickly mount the cameras directly onto the phone. Nothing super fancy, it merely offered the Xperia Z1 protection while offering a quick and easy way to mount/unmount the camera portion into place. For those that simply couldn’t do with a smartphone under 7-inches (you’re sick, I tell you), Sony is offering the same case mount for their gargantuan Sony Xperia Z Ultra (either the Sony or Google Play edition). The case will be available in both black or white come January, retailing for around $31. So far it’s only been announced for Hong Kong, but we imagine it wont be too much longer before they’re available via Sony’s online storefront. |
| Posted: 31 Dec 2013 11:56 AM PST
Seems like with every major Galaxy iteration rumors start pouring in that the S3, S4, and now the S5 will finally be the first Samsung device to feature a premium metal construction. And here we are, barely a few months before the Galaxy S5 is made official and Korean news site ETNews is now reporting that production of the all-metal Galaxy S5 has already begun. According to them, the initial prototype designed in Europe has made its way to Samsung’s Vietnam plant for mass production. But that’s not the only Samsung device to go all-metal in 2014. It looks like Samsung could also be prepping a new premium line dubbed the Galaxy F (SM-G900F). This even higher-end Galaxy variant could be one of the first smartphones to feature one of Samsung’s 2560×1600 resolution QHD 2K displays. No word on other specs, but again, this is pretty much speculative for now. We’ll let you know when we hear more. |
| Carbon v2 now available on Google Play, brings an extremely dark Twitter experience Posted: 31 Dec 2013 11:07 AM PST
With so many really good Twitter apps available for Android, it’s no wonder everyone has their favorites. Still, it’s always fun to try something new, and right now the newest kid on the block is Carbon. Yes, the Twitter app that originally debuted back in February, only now it’s it’s been completely redesigned from the ground up. With it’s new sleeker, blacker user interface, Carbon v2 is now finally available for download on Google Play.
So, how is it? Well, you’ll really want to give it a try for yourself. While it doesn’t have the insane feature set of other popular Twitter apps, it makes up for it with simplicity, and ease of use. Users can swipe between timelines, mentions, and direct messages. Nav buttons transform into dots while the app is open (similar to when playing some games or watching a video). And oh, did we mention everything is dark? Like, really dark. To give it a spin for yourself, download Carbon v2 for free via the link below. Let us know what you think.
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| Watch the Times Square New Year’s ball rise and drop with this official app Posted: 31 Dec 2013 08:27 AM PST
We’re just hours away from the calendar turning to 2014, and you’re probably wondering how you can follow along with the world famous New Years’ Ball Drop in the heart of Times Square New York City at midnight tonight. If, for whatever reason, you can’t follow along with the many stations on TV who will be broadcasting the ceremony live, you’ll be happy to know that you can follow along anywhere with the official Times Square Ball app in the Google Play Store. You can watch the ball being raised starting at 6pm eastern, and then circle back six hours later right before the hour hits midnight to watch the legendary countdown and subsequent celebration. Celebrity interviews, music performances and more from the Big Apple will all be served up right to your smartphone or tablet. Find the free app in the Google Play Store. |
| Sony: look forward to new devices — including wearables — in 2014 Posted: 31 Dec 2013 07:27 AM PST
With 2013 coming to a close, Sony is putting a nice big stamp on the year with a recap of all their big device launches this year. From the Xperia Z launched at CES to the Xperia Z1 at IFA Berlin and everything in between, the company has been quite business. We also saw the launch of the Sony SmartWatch 2, as well as the first Sony device to get the Google Play Edition treatment (the Sony Xperia Z Ultra). But what’s in store for 2014? More great phones and tablets, we imagine. But Sony says they’ll be taking the year to explore even more new and exciting form factors, including the “wearables” category that has become oh-so-popular in recent months. Sony was one of the first major players in this space, so it’s only natural for them to continue on that path. That they left the possibilities open to the entirety of the “wearables” category isn’t lost on us. Could we expect some Google Glass-like products from Sony? A new fitness band like the Samsung Galaxy Band or LG LifeBand Touch? Or is Sony just going to continue on the smart watch path? Any number of things can happen, so we’ll let our imagination continue to run wild as we await those things in the year to come. Regardless, it looks like Sony is setting out to make 2014 a great year, and we can’t wait to see what they come up with next. [via Sony] |
| Google Play Music: All Access users get invitation to buy Google Glass Posted: 31 Dec 2013 06:49 AM PST
We didn’t know how often Google would look to take on new Glass Explorers after the initial batch signed up at Google IO in 2012, but the company quickly showed that they weren’t against inviting tons more people to the program over time. Yet another opportunity has come up for those who happen to be subscribers to Google Play Music All Access. Google has offered an invitation to buy Google Glass for anyone subscribed to Google Play Music All Access as of December 31st, 2013. They’re doing it to celebrate the launch of Google Play Music on Google Glass, natch. An invite alone isn’t enough to grant you a pair of Google Glass, of course — you’ll also need to be willing to part ways with about $1,500. That’s no small bill, but it’s worth it if you’re interested in being on the edge of upcoming technology and helping Google improve the platform before its retail release (which is expected to happen at some point in 2014). We imagine those who sign up and buy a pair will be getting the latest revision, which includes a refined design and support for a new mono earbud. You can see our unboxing of the latest Google Glass revision here to get an idea of what to expect. Convinced and/or sold? Go ahead and check your email from Google (ours had the subject “Free New Year’s DJ Mix + Exclusive Google Glass Offer” and it was sent by news-googleplay [at] google [dot] com). |
| Chromebook popularity soars, outsells Android tablets and Macbooks in the US Posted: 31 Dec 2013 06:10 AM PST NPD Group has come out with some new computing unit sales numbers in the US for the period of January 2013 through November 2013, and compared them to sales of units from the same period a year ago. There were some interesting, if not predictable, trends in the numbers. iPads still dominate the tablet wars, Windows notebooks and desktops are still crushing Mac OS equivalents, PC sales are down overall, and Android tablets are growing at a respectable pace.
But one trend in particular caught our eye — Chromebooks are doing damned well for themselves. NPD Group shows that Chromebooks accounted for 9.6% of sales in these categories, outpacing the 1.8% of the share owned by Macbooks and 8.7% by Android tablets. We’d put more weight on the 2.2% of Windows tablets, but that was probably already obvious. Those Chromebook numbers were much higher than last year’s measly 0.2%, which isn’t surprising considering there’s a much larger stable of affordable and interesting devices to choose from. Options from HP, Samsung, ASUS and more give consumers a decent connected computing experience for a pretty nice value. Most folks still need the type of horsepower that only traditional PCs can provide, but this proves that there is a market out there for a platform driven entirely by the web. It’s the “check email, bank statements, YouTube and the latest gossip” crowd that helps Chromebook flourish. 2014 should be even more interesting, with devices like the LG Chromebase showing that Chrome OS can fit on more traditional form factors. You can find the full chart above, and more details about computing device sales from NPD’s research can be had at the source link. [via NPD Group] |
| HTC confirms EVO 4G LTE’s Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update coming in February Posted: 31 Dec 2013 05:54 AM PST
You might think that most folks are waiting on the arrival of Android 4.4 KitKat, but many are still waiting to be stepped up to Android 4.3. One group of owners included in that pile are owners of the HTC EVO 4G LTE on Sprint, and while HTC already confirmed the device would be getting the upgrade we’ve never had a solid timeline to look forward to. Thankfully, HTC’s Jason Mackenzie quieted the requests for an ETA by giving us one: the Android 4.3 upgrade for the HTC EVO 4G LTE will be entering testing in mid-January, and should be rolling out to folks in mid-February. Along with the under-the-hood goods Android 4.3 brings, HTC will also be bringing HTC Sense 5, which includes an enhanced BlinkFeed and new camera features. Of course, that still leaves the issue of KitKat — will it get it or not? We can’t say for sure just yet as HTC hasn’t been interested in giving us any news in regards to that. We haven’t even gotten any news on the upgrade for the international HTC One X which the EVO 4G LTE is based on. HTC will likely be focusing on their 2013 One lineup first, but only time will tell if they’ll have enough time to squeeze their 2012 options into their KitKat upgrade plans. [via Twitter] |
| LG LifeBand Touch leaked; looks like some sort of fitness tracker Posted: 31 Dec 2013 05:37 AM PST
Wearable technology has gained quite the steam in 2013, with the likes of Google Glass and tons more smart watches being introduced. It looks like 2014 is poised to be even better, and LG might be one of the next major players to get in on the fun. Twitter leakster @evleaks has given us a look at the LG Lifeband Touch, a wrist-dwelling device that doesn’t seem to have a heads-up display. The “touch” in its name suggests you’ll be able to interact with it in some way, shape or form using the tap of a finger, but we’re obviously not sure what that interaction would be just yet. This thing would obviously come to market as a fitness tracker, not totally unlike Nike’s FuelBand+, the FitBit, or the rumored upcoming Samsung Galaxy Band. Those devices grab bodily vitals like your heart rate, and tracks how much and how often you move about (be it a brisk walk in the park or a rigorous workout routine). With a render being leaked so close to CES 2014 we’d naturally hope to see it at the big show in Vegas, but we’ll have to wait until LG’s official ceremonies kick off before we’re let in on any secrets. |
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