Android Phone Fans |
- Powered by Android branding shows up on the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8
- AT&T reveals hardware specs for upcoming ASUS PadFone X smartphone/tablet
- AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 3 now receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat
- HTC One M8 Mini makes an appearance on Swedish carrier’s site
- Amazon schedules press event for April 2nd; could introduce Chromecast-like video dongle
- Microsoft Office for Android phones to be available for free starting today
- HTC brings Dot View Case app to the Google Play Store
- New App: QuickClick uses your volume buttons to activate quick commands
- Leef Access dongle is a microSD card reader for your Android phone
- PSA: Cerberus breach prompts network-wide password reset
- HTC Desire 616 revealed to be first HTC device with octa-core chipset
| Powered by Android branding shows up on the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 Posted: 27 Mar 2014 05:51 PM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 are shipping with branding we haven’t seen before. These smartphones are letting the world know that they’re “Powered by Android” as soon as you turn them on, right on the boot screen. In the past, we’ve seen reports that Samsung was winning the branding war, as most Samsung users think they’re running a “Galaxy” and not Android. This is the nature of Android OEMs as every OEM has their own line or multiple lines of Android products, making it generally hard to determine exactly what you’re using. Is your smartphone a Verizon branded DROID? A Galaxy? An Xperia? Or maybe you’re rockin’ a Transformer. The list could go on and on. Since Android is far from a household name, it would be wise for Google to let consumers know who’s in charge and what product they’re actually running. What if every smartphone or tablet launching after a certain date had to include proper branding if the OEM wanted their new hardware to play in Google’s Playground? It doesn’t sound too far fetched, right? And, what better way to do it than prominently displaying the official Android logo every time the device boots? While this does sound like a mandated change from Google, seeing two flagship devices from very prominent Android OEMs both producing devices featuring the “Powered by Android” branding, we reached out to Google for official confirmation yesterday and are still awaiting a response to be certain. It’s also worth noting that the Verizon HTC One M8 is not following suit as the “Powered by Android” branding is missing from the boot screen on their version. We’ll let you know if we hear anything. |
| AT&T reveals hardware specs for upcoming ASUS PadFone X smartphone/tablet Posted: 27 Mar 2014 05:34 PM PDT
AT&T is on a roll. After announcing earlier today that the Galaxy Note 3 was being treated to KitKat, the 2nd largest carrier in the US is back and divulging some important info about their upcoming smartphone/tablet hybrid — the recently announced ASUS Padfone X. It was all the way back in January AT&T first announced that they’d be carrying the ASUS Padfone X later this year. The problem is, they were mum on many of the hardware details, leaving us to wonder what kind of changes in hardware (if any) the PadFone X would receive that would separate it from last year’s ASUS PadFone Infinity. Turns out, not much. AT&T took to their blog to reveal the PadFone X’s specs, all of which can be found down below.
As you can see, the phone has aged pretty well, offering many of the high-end specs typical of this year’s flagships. For those interested in the PadFone X’s “Design Story,” ASUS North America uploaded a quick overview video. The video covers many of the tablet/hybrids main hardware points, in ASUS’ typical cheesy voice-over style. AT&T was still quiet on pricing and availability, although they promise to have more details soon. We’ll keep you posted. [AT&T] |
| AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 3 now receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat Posted: 27 Mar 2014 03:42 PM PDT
We know, some of you were probably wondering if it was ever coming. But good things come to those who wait, and for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 owners on AT&T, today is your lucky day. Announced earlier this afternoon, AT&T has officially announced that Android 4.4.2 KitKat is finally ready, and will be rolling out in an over the air update to Galaxy Note 3s starting today. Besides all the fun stuff that comes along with the latest version (at least for now) of Android, Galaxy Note 3 owners can also look forward to the following:
If your phablet hasn’t prompted you for the update, you can always manually check for the update by going into the Settings app > selecting the “More” tab > then tapping About device > Software update > Check for updates > at which point the over-the-air update will being downloading. Once finished, expect your phone to reboot and once fully loaded, bask in the glory of all things KitKat. Heck, even take a selfie to celebrate. Enjoy! For additional update instructions, visit the Note 3 support page here. |
| HTC One M8 Mini makes an appearance on Swedish carrier’s site Posted: 27 Mar 2014 03:02 PM PDT
You’d be hard pressed to find any mention of a bite sized HTC One M8 during the device’s reveal in New York. Just because HTC released the HTC One Mini last year, doesn’t necessarily guarantee they’ll be doing the same this year. For those that were worried, the HTC One M8 Mini has just popped up on Swedish carrier Telia’s list of devices supporting HD voice on their network. Funny, given HTC hasn’t made the phone official (at least, not to the public).
It really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given the new model is reaching new heights, making a smaller variant more necessary than ever for buyer’s looking for something a little more palmable. Don’t forget that recently @evleaks confirmed the phone’s existence, making it’s release all but certain. Still undisclosed are the actual form factor and whether or not HTC will forgo the “Duo Camera” array on the mini sized version. While the verdict is still out on that one, we can’t wait to see the other improvements HTC has made on the device when it makes its inevitable debut later this year. [Swedroid] |
| Amazon schedules press event for April 2nd; could introduce Chromecast-like video dongle Posted: 27 Mar 2014 01:02 PM PDT Heads up, folks — Amazon has an interest press event set for April 2nd. The company sent invites to members of the press, and the nature of the announcement was teased in a rather obvious way. It consisted of a photo of a couch that had some dropped popcorn littered about, which immediately has us thinking about Amazon Instant Video.
So what could be so big that they’re planning a whole media event for? Recent rumors suggest the company is looking to introduce their own media streaming dongle, one that could resemble Chromecast. It could also be some sort of set-top box. Either way, it’s no doubt something you’ll be hooking up to your TV to watch all your favorite movies and TV shows on. Some are suggesting Amazon will invite other partners in to play, providing a one-stop shop for video apps of all sorts. At the same time, Amazon will likely look to highlight their own growing library of original content above all else. We could also see some gaming goodness if this turns out to be a set-top box. Amazon has been rumored to be bringing a gaming unit of some sort, and their purchase of Killer Instinct developer Double Helix certainly doesn’t help them crush those rumors. That said, the fact that the invite specifically mentions “video business” has us cautious to think this announcement will include information about anything other than video streaming. Peter Larsen, the company’s vice president of Kindle business, will probably be playing some April Fools’ jokes on the day before the event, but they certainly won’t be joking around about their bid to take video to the next level. You can bet we’ll be all ears and eyes next week Tuesday. Now, excuse me while I run to avoid the barrage of comments wondering where the freaking Instant Video for Android app is. [via TechCrunch] |
| Microsoft Office for Android phones to be available for free starting today Posted: 27 Mar 2014 12:09 PM PDT
Today’s big news was that Microsoft Office was now available for iPad for those with an Office 365 subscription, but a bit of Android-related goodies were tucked inside the blog posts that you might care about. Starting today, Office for Android (and iPhone, if you care) is being made completely free. That means you can both view and edit documents from your Android phone, and you won’t have to pay Microsoft $10 per month for that privilege. It’s a key change in the company’s strategy under new CEO Satya Nadella, one that sees Microsoft focusing more on becoming a services and software company aimed at ALL users rather than trying to sell Windows and Windows alone. The change hasn’t hit the Google Play Store just yet, though we imagine that should happen at some point later today. We’ll be keeping an eye out for its arrival, and we’ll update this post once that happens. It’s in the Google Play Store right here if you want to get it onto your phone before the update hits. [via iSource] |
| HTC brings Dot View Case app to the Google Play Store Posted: 27 Mar 2014 10:40 AM PDT HTC is bringing even more apps to the Google Play Store. This time, the Taiwanese company saw fit to bring the app that controls the HTC One M8′s DotView case to the store, where they will be able to deliver upgrades that will eventually improve the experience and add new features.
The initial release doesn’t do much other than what was delivered with the phone at retail, which gives you a quick, retro-esque look at your time and date, weather, view progress on a timer, get your battery indicator when you are about to run out of juice, and see notifications about missed calls or new messages. You can even answer or decline incoming calls using swipe gestures without having to open the case. With the app in the Google Play Store, HTC will be able to evolve all of this without users having to wait on lengthy firmware upgrade processes. It’s a trend Motorola made popular with the Moto X and the latest DROID family, and users of those devices have enjoyed the ability to get these new and refined features without having to wait an unbearable wait.
You’ll already have it on your phone if you’re an HTC One M8 user, natch. As for everyone else? Well, it’s a nice way to see some pictures of what the case will actually do for you if you ever decide to buy one. Find it right here, and don’t forget to take a peek at our hands-on with the case to see how it performs in practice. |
| New App: QuickClick uses your volume buttons to activate quick commands Posted: 27 Mar 2014 09:43 AM PDT A few months ago we told you guys about Pressy, a small hardware button that fits into your device’s 3.5mm headphone jack that can perform certain actions based on the button presses you input. For instance, three quick clicks, can initiate a call, while one long click could turn WiFi on and off. While we’re all waiting for that neat idea to ship, another one has popped up… and you don’t even need to buy a third-party dongle. QuickClick is the same concept, except it uses your device’s volume buttons to receive commands. It doesn’t differentiate between long and short clicks like Pressy, but you can use a combination of clicks from both volume up and volume down to throw together a ton of different unique actions. Clicks can be configured to do a large number of things. Here’s a quick list to get you started:
Each action also has its own set of configurations such as playing a sound when that action is triggered, play a vibration pattern, and more. It’s a nice alternative to Pressy, so be sure to check it out in the Google Play Store for free. |
| Leef Access dongle is a microSD card reader for your Android phone Posted: 27 Mar 2014 08:22 AM PDT
A nice new accessory is now available for those of you who have been looking for a microSD card reader for your Android phone for one reason or another. It’s the Leef Access, a $10 dongle that inserts itself into your device’s microUSB port. In trying digital times like these where lots of manufacturers are ditching microSD card slots, Leef Access can be a lifesaver. Not only will it allow you to easily transfer files to and from your phone, it has a secondary integrated microSD card slot for expansion usage. Need more space to store your music? Add it to your microSD card using Leef Access, and hook it up whenever you want to listen to your tunes.    
Something like this isn’t totally practical for everyday use, of course — the fact that it protrudes from the device is an off-putting factor for those who keep their phones in their pockets, for instance. But if you absolutely need physical, external storage and your phone doesn’t provide it, there aren’t many better options out there. Leef has this thing up on Amazon for sale right now if you’re interested, though you’ll have to put up with an inexpensive $4.50 shipping expense as it is not offered under Amazon Prime. Be sure to check it out if you’re interested. |
| PSA: Cerberus breach prompts network-wide password reset Posted: 27 Mar 2014 06:40 AM PDT
Do you use Cerberus, an Android app and service to help find and track your lost or stolen smartphone? You’ll want to head over to your account right now and change your password, as the company has revealed an unfortunate breach that may have given perpetrators access to your accounts. An email sent to Cerberus subscribers tells us that username and encrypted passwords have been compromised. Thankfully no other account information was revealed the hackers, including email addresses and any personal information that may have been tied to the account. And since the passwords were stored in an encrypted format, the hackers likely couldn’t do anything with the information they obtained — in fact, Cerberus believes only three accounts were broken into. Regardless, Cerberus wants to make sure everyone has peace of mind by prompting users to reset their passwords. You won’t be able to login with your existing password to do this. Simply go to the site’s “Forgot Password” form here to get it going. Once you do that, Cerberus says it’s a good idea to log into your account and check your account logs to make sure no suspicious activity has taken place (such as someone requesting a location or trying to sound the phone’s alarm). Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what occurred with this incident:
That’s the skinny of it, folks. These things happen, and it’s unfortunate when they do, but the most you can ask for is that the developers are responsible enough to provide proper communication and take necessary measures to ensure everyone is protected. That’s exactly what Cerberus did.
Of course, they’ll be looking into ways to improve their security even more down the line to make sure someone like this isn’t commonplace, and have already contacted security experts for a systems audit to see where and how they can improve. [via Google+] |
| HTC Desire 616 revealed to be first HTC device with octa-core chipset Posted: 27 Mar 2014 05:43 AM PDT
Another mid-range HTC handset has broken cover over in China, with the latest being the company’s first to ship with an octa-core processor. It’s the HTC Desire 616, a 5-inch 720p device that looks like it won’t make it too far out of Asia. That aside, it looks like it could be a decent device for those in the Chinese market to pick up, as the rest of its specs include MediaTek’s 1.7GHz octa-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera and Android 4.4.2. Sense is on board, but as of the time of this writing it’s the aged Sense 5 that was featured on the HTC One 2013. The device also curiously features on-screen buttons, a trend that began with the newly-announced HTC One M8.         The 616′s design and build quality seem uninspired, though we’ve come to expect that from a phone that isn’t meant to go toe-to-toe with the great ones of the mobile world. There’s not much else to know about this thing at this time, but we imagine we’ll know more once this device launches (which would probably happen at some point in Q2 2014). [Weibo via G for Games] |
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