Android Phone Fans |
- Red HTC One M8 headed to Verizon [LEAK]
- HTC One M8 receives Extreme Power Saving Mode and camera enhancements update in Canada
- Samsung Galaxy S5 vs HTC One M8 camera showdown at AndroidForums.com!
- AT&T HTC One M8 owners can’t redeem 50GB of free Google Drive storage until May
- Latest LG trademark suggests the G Watch won’t be their only smartwatch
- New Google Maps Street View feature lets you travel back in time
- Amazon Prime Instant Video to get exclusive access to treasure trove of HBO content
- More Samsung Galaxy K (Galaxy S5 Zoom) pictures leak, and it doesn’t look bad
- Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 available in the US May 1st, pre-orders begin tomorrow starting at $199
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown turn-based strategy game coming to Android soon
- OnePlus One size and specs draw inexplicable anger
- You’ll have to smash your current phone for an early chance to buy the OnePlus One
- OnePlus One price and release date revealed; starts at $299
- Are you buying the OnePlus One? [POLL]
- OnePlus One officially, finally and fully unveiled
| Red HTC One M8 headed to Verizon [LEAK] Posted: 23 Apr 2014 03:15 PM PDT
Our friend @evleaks is tipping off a new color variant of the HTC One M8, coming soon to Verizon Wireless in a flashy red paint job. The aluminum smartphone is only currently available in silver or gun metal gray varieties on Verizon, so the addition of a bright red version should liven things up a bit. We see OEMs do this all the time, an effort to keep the blogs buzzing about their latest flagships. Seeing as how last year’s model also launched in a variety of colors, we’d say there’s a good chance we’ll also see the M8 in blue and gold at some point in the future. We’ll keep an eye out. [Twitter] |
| HTC One M8 receives Extreme Power Saving Mode and camera enhancements update in Canada Posted: 23 Apr 2014 02:45 PM PDT
Our Android brothers and sister in Canada are now receiving a nice little software update for the HTC One M8. The folks at MobileSyrup have received reports — and screenshots — from Canadian One M8′s getting hit with software build 1.55.631.4, which aside from camera and gallery enhancements, introduces HTC’s Extreme Power Saving Mode for the handset.
The Extreme Power Saving Mode was actually included in overseas versions of the One M8, but had to undergo FCC approval before it could be added to devices here in the states. Something to do with ensuring the phone was able to still make emergency calls while in a low-power state. The feature is actually very similar to the one we find in the Samsung Galaxy S5, introducing an extremely simplified homescreen which, no doubt, limits background apps. This could prove helpful in those emergency situations when you need to keep your phone on, but still want to receive/make phone calls in a moments notice. No word on when the update will hit more US-based HTC One M8s (apparently, the Sprint M8 on 1.54.651.8 already has Extreme Power Saving mode), but we’ll keep you updated. Get it? I’ll be here all week… |
| Samsung Galaxy S5 vs HTC One M8 camera showdown at AndroidForums.com! Posted: 23 Apr 2014 12:43 PM PDT What good is a 16 megapixel ISOCELL camera sensor if you can’t share the results of its might? That’s why folks have filed into the Samsung Galaxy S5 section at AndroidForums.com to share off all the great shots they’ve been taking with the device’s camera.
The thread is chock full of users posting all the samples you can handle. Whether you’re still on the fence about a purchase decision or just want to take it all in, you should head over there right now (make an account if you haven’t already) and check it out. (And post some shots of your own if you have them!) Want even more? How about this awesome head-to-head showdown forum member mach1man did, pitting the Galaxy S5′s camera against the HTC One M8. You may think he’s doing this for the sole purpose of showing off his awesome jeep, but the further you go the more interesting things get (including low light shots inside, full high-noon sun shots, overcast shots, and more). Head over there, view all the shots and let us know who you think takes the camera crown. That’s not all that’s going on, though. Check out some of these other awesome threads bulging with friendly discussion:
We’ve merely scratched the surface of everything that’s over there, so don’t waste any time in checking all of it out. AndroidForums.com’s Galaxy S5 section is the place to be if you have a question about the phone, have some awesome news to share, or just want to kick back and chit chat with fellow enthusiasts who own the device. Do yourself a favor and make sure you’re part of the conversation. |
| AT&T HTC One M8 owners can’t redeem 50GB of free Google Drive storage until May Posted: 23 Apr 2014 10:52 AM PDT
As part of HTC Advantage, the Taiwanese manufacturer’s ‘benefits package’ offered to customers who have recently purchased one of their new handsets, HTC was offering 50GB of free Google Drive storage. A generous amount of cloud storage for sure, but one that currently excludes AT&T branded One M8s. Why? Well, we can’t be exactly sure what the problem is. HTC is calling it a “minor technical error” but hopes to have the promotion up and running by mid-May.
Still unclear is if AT&T One M8 owners who are already using Drive will need to do any additional steps to activate the promo, or if everything will be handled behind the scenes. We’ll keep you posted. |
| Latest LG trademark suggests the G Watch won’t be their only smartwatch Posted: 23 Apr 2014 09:57 AM PDT
LG’s first smartwatch will be the Android Wear-donning LG G Watch, but that might not be the only one by the South Koean on tap for an eventual release. A new trademark over at the USPTO tells of an “LG W Watch,” listed under the typical categories of fitness apparatuses and devices that communicate with your smartphone. The trademark doesn’t deliver any other information, though that’s hardly a surprise with these things. With that, we’re left up to our own imagination to figure out what, exactly, is coming. The focus on fitness would suggest the device might not be quite as big as the G Watch, and instead will be a Gear Fit-like option for those needing a good workout companion. If not that, then we imagine LG could look to create a more affordable option that doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as their flagship unit might. All of this talk is still premature, though — at this point we’d be happy to see the LG G Watch rolled into town before the summer months drag on (which rumors say will happen as soon as July). |
| New Google Maps Street View feature lets you travel back in time Posted: 23 Apr 2014 09:11 AM PDT
Street View at its core is already a fun way to pass a good half hour, and now Google’s made it even more interesting. They’ve introduced a new “time travel” feature that’ll let you see what a particular Street View image looked like several years back. The feature obviously won’t cover every single Street View image available, but Google’s offering up some special time lapses. Whether it’s the construction of the Freedom Tower in NYC, the difference between winter and summer on an iconic Italian road or the construction of Brazil’s stadium for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, you’ll be able to access a time lapse with images dating back to 2007 to see how it’s changed over time.
There might be some other surprises waiting to be explored, but these are the only ones Google saw fit to mention. You’ll know you can go back in time on photo if it has a clock icon in the upper left corner, so get over there and explore. [via Google] |
| Amazon Prime Instant Video to get exclusive access to treasure trove of HBO content Posted: 23 Apr 2014 08:05 AM PDT
Suddenly, Amazon’s recent price hike for Amazon Prime makes a whole lot of sense. The company has just announced a multi-year deal with HBO that will deliver much of the cable network’s past content to Amazon Prime Instant Video users. The library is pretty impressive to start, with the first content scheduled to drop as early as May 21st. Here’s what you can look forward to in the near-immediate future:
Of noteworthy mention is the fact that more current HBO hits — such as Veep and The Newsroom — are currently missing, though Amazon says shows from newer series will be available for streaming approximately 3 years after their original airing date. Notice I didn’t mention Game of Thrones? Because the press release didn’t make mention it either, leading us to believe that HBO hasn’t include their most popular show since the Sopranos in this deal.
That’s not confirmed, though, so we’ll be reaching out to Amazon and HBO to see if we can get a beeline on its whereabouts. Don’t hold your breath waiting for it to come, though — they do have to keep something to get people to stay subscribed to their premium offering. All told, Amazon Prime probably isn’t worth HBO Go alone but if you’re already a subscriber and you’ve accepted the price hike, then this is a nice added bonus that should bring much entertainment to your living room. On a slightly related note, if you have an Amazon Fire TV you’ll be happy to know that they’ve finally confirmed the arrival of an HBO Go app. No word on its arrival date just yet, but we imagine it won’t take longer than what it’ll take for the shows mentioned above to be made available for Prime users. [via Amazon] |
| More Samsung Galaxy K (Galaxy S5 Zoom) pictures leak, and it doesn’t look bad Posted: 23 Apr 2014 06:56 AM PDT Samsung is gearing up to announce a follow-up to last year’s Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom next week, and more new photos of the thing have leaked. We don’t get any front-side shots of the Samsung Galaxy K, though we imagine those who are interested in this are more concerned about what’s sitting on the back.
That nice, big zoom sensor is right where it should be, and while it doesn’t fit flush inside the rest of the chassis, it looks a lot more natural than the wavy shape of last year’s model. The device appears to be sporting some sort of clear case in these photos. We’re assuming that’s not standard with the device as the first leaked shot of this thing didn’t have such a case. It looks bulky because of it, but the device actually seems to have the slim form factor Samsung is expected to promise.
Not in the know about what they’re announced April 29th? Here’s everything we know about its specs so far:
Not the most ground-breaking device in terms of performance, but we imagine those interested in this device only care about the imaging equipment attached to its backside. All eyes will be on Singapore next week, so circle back for the full details once they’re finally made available. |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 available in the US May 1st, pre-orders begin tomorrow starting at $199 Posted: 23 Apr 2014 06:25 AM PDT
Quick heads-up for those of you looking to get one of Samsung’s latest affordable tablets from the Galaxy Tab line. They have announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 will be available in the United States starting May 1st, with pre-sales for the new slates opening up as early as tomorrow morning. This line comes in at three size options — a 7-inch version will run you $199, 8.0 runs you $270, and 10.1 runs you $350. The devices don’t quite stack up to Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro or Note Pro lineup, but for those prices you are getting some very decent internals:
Where to buy it? You’ll have to fancy either Samsung.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry's, Office Depot, OfficeMax, PC Richard and Son, Sears, or Tiger Direct if you want to buy one. Not a bad set of retailers.     Samsung also reminded us that 4G-equipped versions of these devices will be headed to all 4 major carriers starting this summer, though exact size options will vary from carrier to carrier. |
| XCOM: Enemy Unknown turn-based strategy game coming to Android soon Posted: 23 Apr 2014 05:37 AM PDT 2KGames is doing due diligence in making sure anyone and everyone can get a chance to play one of the best turn-based strategy games to come out in recent years. We’re talking about XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the contemporary reimagining of a series that practically defined the genre. In this game, you’re the commander of XCOM, a global entity tasked with protecting the world’s nations and their people from alien threats. You’ll command full squads of fearless soldiers, research alien weaponry and biology for new breakthroughs, manage the construction and efficiency of your home base, and play a balancing act to save as many countries as you can (hint: you’re going to lose somebody). Speaking to its quality, the game averages an 89/100 on Metacritic and was met with tons of perfect review scores from reputable publications. The news today? It’ll finally be coming to Android, and it may be here sooner than you think. The official word is that it’ll be out “soon,” but game designer Jake Solomon tweeted — supposedly in err — that the game would be out tomorrow. That tweet was quickly dismissed, though, so there’s no telling if it was a legitimate error or if 2K just wants to surprise everyone.
Either way, this is definitely one game you’ll want to watch out for if you’re into this sort of stuff. It likely won’t be cheap, with the iOS version clocking in at a whopping $20. It’s a little steep for mobile, but you have to understand what you’re getting here — a very, very deep experience with countless hours of fun (or frustration depending on your level of patience). Adam Sessler might have bowed out of the industry, but his take on the iPad version is no less truthful now than it was when it first launched. Be sure to take a look at the video above to get an idea of what you’re in store for when this game finally makes its way to Google Play. [Twitter via PocketGamer] |
| OnePlus One size and specs draw inexplicable anger Posted: 23 Apr 2014 02:26 AM PDT The CyanogenMod based OnePlus One phone has just been announced along with a pretty crazy price and equally crazy promotion. But what we find craziest is a bizarre backlash against a specific OnePlus One spec announced: the dimensions.
Last month the company released a promotional image of the OnePlus One covered by the Sony Z1, insinuating the OnePlus One had smaller dimensions.You can see the OnePlus One barely peeking out from the sides – so we knew it would be slightly wider – and based on the angle of the picture no assumptions could be made about the thickness or height. After all was said and done, here are the dimensions of the OnePlus One compared to some key competitors:
It’s taller and wider than both the Sony Z1 and Oppo Find 7 and also taller than the Galaxy Note 3. Suddenly, for some inexplicable reason, that’s cause for chaos and a reason for disbanding the fabric of the universe. You can find a prime example of this on a thread titled “This company is founded on lies” on the OnePlus Forums and a discussion of the same on Reddit. This isn’t an isolated incident, either: across many different forums and sites we’ve seen a multitude of people bash the company for being unfair, misleading, and lying about the OnePlus One in regards to the dimensions and specs. Unless this is a targeted attempt by OnePlus One’s competitors to discredit and troll the launch, I’m not sure where all the hate is coming from. Let’s get a few things clear:
Don’t like it? Don’t buy it. The complaint is so absurd that I’m finding it hard to rule out some type of foul play. I’m really excited about the OnePlus One and I’m sure our OnePlus One Forums will be heating up in no time. I’m not very excited to see people breaking their phones for a chance to get One, but I’ll just sit on the sidelines and hope someone tosses me an invite. Hint, hint? |
| You’ll have to smash your current phone for an early chance to buy the OnePlus One Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:01 AM PDT Talk about the OnePlus One at AndroidForums.com | Pricing and Availability | Are you buying?
In case you didn’t catch wind of it in our OnePlus One announcement post, we finally have an idea how many units are going to be available for its April 25th launch, as well as what you need to do to get it. OnePlus is inviting people to apply for a chance to smash their OnePlus One, only 100 of which will be available. This is off-putting for sure, but OnePlus intends to sweeten the publicity stunt by making the device just $1 for those lucky 100 souls. Not interested in smashing your phone? Worried you won’t be able to get one? There may be hope yet. OnePlus is giving the winners an invite code of their own to distribute. You’ll have to pay full price for the OnePlus One ($300 for the 16GB version and $350 for 32GB), but that comes with the added trade-off of not having to defile your current piece of mobile tech. You’d better start buttering the palms of OnePlus One enthusiasts everywhere, because there’s no telling how long it’ll take to get more chances to buy this phone. Read all about the device right here, then head to the OnePlus One Phone Smash site if you don’t mind putting your current device to rest. |
| OnePlus One price and release date revealed; starts at $299 Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:01 AM PDT Talk about the OnePlus One at AndroidForums.com | How to buy it | Are you buying?
So we know what it is and what it looks like, and we’ve even had the displeasure of knowing how you’ll be able to get one. Need pricing and availability information? Here it is laid out nice and neat:
And that’s that, folks. While that 100 unit cap is small, those users will also be treated to an invitation of their own to distribute to eager consumers (though they’ll have to pay the full retail price for that privilege). We imagine OnePlus won’t drag their feet on making more invitations available either through contests or the Phone Smash program, though, so relax and be patient if you don’t end up being lucky enough to grab one right away. Understand all that? Then be sure to head here and read more about the OnePlus One with CyanogenMod. |
| Are you buying the OnePlus One? [POLL] Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:01 AM PDT Talk about the OnePlus One at AndroidForums.com | Pricing and Availability | How to buy it
We’ve finally learned everything we need to know about the OnePlus One. Everything is peachy keen aside from an annoying purchase process. It can be had as cheap as $300, a price tag that certainly cannot be matched by any other device in its class. The question is simple then — are you buying one? Sure, you have to be lucky enough to be one of 100 people selected to smash their phone for a chance to buy the OnePlus One for $1 (or be diligent enough to pry an invite away from someone who has been selected to purchase the device right away), but for its cost-to-performance ratio it’s probably considered just a small nuisance in the grand scheme of things. Read up on everything, then circle back to drop your vote in the poll below. Don’t forget to follow that up with a comment if you wish to share the reasoning for your eventual decision. |
| OnePlus One officially, finally and fully unveiled Posted: 23 Apr 2014 01:00 AM PDT Talk about the OnePlus One at AndroidForums.com | Pricing and Availability | Are you buying?
OnePlus One SpecsHere’s everything that’ll be packed inside:
OnePlus One Software and FeaturesThat last one is the big kicker, because it’s the software where OnePlus and CyanogenMod’s values truly shine. Their boisterous condemnation of carrier bloatware and unnecessary features were paramount to creating a device users would want. Well, that and a device that packs as much cutting edge silicon that it can inside a 5.5-inch frame.     CyanogenMod features all the key staples of the existing after-market ROM, except it has a different, special coat of pain designed specifically for the OnePlus One. A staggering thousand or so themes will be available for you to customize with thanks to the built-in themes engine. Secure encrypted texting between other CyanogenMod or TextSecure users ensures privacy. Privacy Guard lets you control which apps get access to which data. We’ll even be treated to a feature that allows you to activate your phone’s voice commands without having to touch it. It’s all part of CyanogenMod’s latest commitment — to be open, secure, and extremely customizable. Seems they hit all the marks on this one. OnePlus One Pricing and AvailabilitySo when? Where? How much? And how to buy it? Thankfully they aren’t pussyfooting with that information. The device will be coming to     Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the United States. The 16GB Silk White model will run you an absolutely insane $299/€269, while the 64GB Sandstone Black can be had for $349/€299. We honestly thought they’d go with the $399.99 price point to stay under their goal of delivering a device that costs less than $400, but this is a whole different level of value. Unfortunately the “how” of it all is still based on an invite only system. Aside from the handful of users who have already gotten an invite code through a recent OnePlus One forum contest, users will be able to get a chance to “smash” their phone. Dubbed the OnePlus One Phone Smash, the company will select 100 users — at random — to smash their phones and buy the OnePlus One. Doesn’t make sense if you were planning to trade your current phone in to pay for the device, right? That’s why those same 100 people will be able to grab it for a mere dollar. Anyone beyond that will need an invite for now, so you’d better make friends with one of those 100 lucky people as they’ll be the only ones with invite codes to buy the phone at full price. It’s not the most popular system among our readership, but hey — for what you’re getting at the cost you’re paying, there’s little else to complain about. |
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