Android Phone Fans |
- Amazon invites customers to try Kindle Fire HDX free for a month
- Nexus 5 and 7 (2013) LTE now available at T-Mobile retail stores starting today
- Sprint Note 2, T-Mobile Galaxy S3 (Non-LTE) get Android 4.3
- HTC updates us on Android 4.3 and 4.4 for HTC One for Verizon, Droid DNA too
- Subscribe to Phandroid in Google Play Newsstand!
- Google Wallet Card now available to order, arrives in about 10 days [UPDATE]
- Google gives a new sneak peek at Glass GDK, new Glassware apps [VIDEO]
- Google unveils Google Play Newsstand; combines Magazines and Currents into one app
- Snapdragon 805 is official; 2.5GHz quad-core application processor and a 40% more powerful GPU
- Note 3 owners get a $50 Google Play credit until January 6th, 2014
- Samsung Galaxy NX now shipping for $1,700
- Motorola commits to bringing KitKat for DROID RAZR HD, DROID RAZR MAXX HD, and DROID M
| Amazon invites customers to try Kindle Fire HDX free for a month Posted: 20 Nov 2013 06:16 PM PST It’s definitely a unique sales model, that’s for sure. There’s no question Amazon’s Kindle Fires are a great value for the money. Where Amazon has always given Kindle buyers a no-hassle, 30-day money back guarantee on their Kindles, things just got really interesting now that they’re practically giving them away… sorta. It looks like Amazon fired up a new program where special VIP customers are receiving invitees to try out the Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 or Kindle Paperwhite free for 30 days. No upfront cost, no commitment to buy, and free shipping. It’s just you, your new Kindle Fire, getting cozy on a bear skin rug, next to a warm fireplace. At least, that’s how Amazon envisions it. Amazons hoping at the end of the 30 days, We get what Amazons up to. Not having a storefront where customers can walk in and test out their tablets for hours on end puts them at a disadvantage versus the competition (Apple). Placing a Kindle Fire in your lap free of charge is an interesting workaround and sounds just crazy enough to work. No word on the criteria of Amazon customers that can/will be invited, but we’ll let you know if we hear more. |
| Nexus 5 and 7 (2013) LTE now available at T-Mobile retail stores starting today Posted: 20 Nov 2013 03:41 PM PST You might remember last Thursday when the Nexus 5 officially became available for sale via T-Mobile’s. That was for pre-order and Google’s latest flagship wouldn’t be shipping until the 20th. Today the Nexus 5 has arrived at T-Mobile retail locations around the US, which means you can finally hop on over to your local retail location and physically walk out of the store with a Of course, when buying a new device with T-Mobile versus the Google Play Store you pay less upfront, but in the end it will cost you more. The Nexus 5 from T-mobile is $42 down, and $17 a month for 2 years. That’s about $450 for the 16GB, a full hundred bucks more than you’d pay versus buying on Google Play (and $50 more than the 32GB version). The Nexus 7 for T-Mobile? Well, it’s not so bad. At $0 down and $16 a month for 2 years, it adds up to a grand total of $384 — only $34 more than you’d pay on Google Play ($350). Don’t forget T-Mobile also gives tablet users 200MB of data, something that can definitely come in handy when out and about. Still, when a friend or family member is looking for their next smartphone, getting them to plop down $400 — as “affordable” as that may sound to you and I — isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Guess that’s why we have high-interest credit cards, isn’t it? |
| Sprint Note 2, T-Mobile Galaxy S3 (Non-LTE) get Android 4.3 Posted: 20 Nov 2013 01:38 PM PST Although Android 4.4 rollout news has dominated headlines as of late, some folks are still wondering when they’ll be able to step up to the last version of Android Jelly Bean — that is, Android 4.3. We have some news for a couple different groups of Samsung’s customers in that regard, thankfully. For starters, the Sprint version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is now getting its Android 4.3 upgrade. Alongside the under-the-hood and minor changes Android 4.3 brought, this upgrade brings us Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch compatibility, Samsung KNOX security features, new camera features and more. We’re not sure how big this thing is, but getting on WiFi and charging your battery wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world before trying to pull it down. Sprint has the full instructions if you need help. The T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S3 is also getting that same upgrade, though you should note that only T-Mobile’s non-LTE model (the T999) will be treated to the new goods. Those with the T999L version, the one with LTE radios, will have to wait just a tad longer. You can accept this upgrade over-the-air, but there’s a manual download and installation tool available on T-Mobile’s website if you don’t want to go through all that. Be sure to read all the instructions thoroughly and carefully before proceeding, |
| HTC updates us on Android 4.3 and 4.4 for HTC One for Verizon, Droid DNA too Posted: 20 Nov 2013 01:33 PM PST HTC has been putting their best foot forward this year, updating their customers on the status of Android updates via social networks like Twitter. The smartphone maker once again took their HTC USA Twitter page to discuss Android updates, specifically when it came to the Verizon Wireless version of their popular HTC One flagship and its cousin, the HTC DROID DNA. HTC One (Android 4.3) First line of business was the status of the delayed Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for the HTC One on Verizon Wireless. According to HTC, 4.3 will now be a 2-step process. The first involving a compatibility update pushing out as early as this week. After that, One users can expect 4.3 at some point in December. A little later than HTC’s originally planned late October rollout, but then again the HTC One on Verizon was the only variant to launch with Android 4.2.2 (and those cool quick settings). HTC One (Android 4.4 KitKat) HTC was also quick to point out that the delay of 4.3 will have no impact on the timing of Android 4.4 KitKat. Currently, HTC plans to deliver KitKat by the end of January, yet we can’t help wonder why they’re even bothering with 4.3 when 4.4 will get pushed out a few weeks later. It’s possible things had already been set in motion and there was no turning back. HTC Droid DNA When it comes to the awkward HTC Droid DNA (a great phone for sure, but wasn’t considered a flagship), HTC promised it would see Android 4.4 KitKat and the updated version of Sense 5.5 by the end of Q1. That’s kind of a ways off, but it sounds like around the time we’ll see other OEMs begin to release KitKat for their devices as well. Android 4.4. KitKat for everything else As for HTC Ones on other carriers? Remember, KitKat for the HTC One Google Play edition is due out any day now (HTC said it’s already been delivered to Google). Unlocked and HTC One Developer Editions sold direct from HTC are said to see KitKat before the end of November, with carrier models before the end of January. Still up in the air is the HTC One Max and HTC One Mini, two devices HTC says they’ll update us on at a later time. If you find yourself getting frustrated about HTC’s update timeline, just remember they were the first OEM to push out Android 4.3 back towards the beginning of October. Seems like they’re going the extra mile to ensure their customers are content in their Android updates, even if they may not even know why they want ‘em in the first place. |
| Subscribe to Phandroid in Google Play Newsstand! Posted: 20 Nov 2013 12:36 PM PST Earlier today, Google announced that Google Currents and Google Play Magazines would be combined into one convenient app. For those new to the experience, Currents lets you get all the news you care about from all your favorite sources — including Phandroid — in one easy to reach place. With the new release, we felt now was as good a time as any to remind you that you can find us in those parts of the world in one of two simple ways:
And that’s it! You’ll get all the latest Android news, reviews and videos sent straight to your phone or tablet. Be sure to take care of that if you haven’t already, and give Google Play Newsstand a try in the Google Play Store (it’ll replace the Play Magazines app) if you’re curious about the whole thing. |
| Google Wallet Card now available to order, arrives in about 10 days [UPDATE] Posted: 20 Nov 2013 11:41 AM PST If you’ve really been wanting to use Google Wallet but are bummed because your device doesn’t have NFC, you still might be in luck. Google has silently begun offering their new Google Wallet Card and it’s accepted everywhere MasterCard is (unlike tap-to-pay). The Google Wallet Card works the same way as a normal pre-paid debit card. When swiped the card will take the funds from your Wallet balance, or you can withdraw cash through an ATM. Adding funds via bank account is free, but adding funds through a connected credit card will cost some money. Essentially what we’re looking at here is Google’s answer to PayPal (which also offers a free debit card upon request) or those prepaid credit cards you see all the time at grocery stores. It’s easy to request a card and best of all it’s free. Just login to wallet.google.com and at the top of the page you’ll be greeted with a banner to request the new Wallet Card for yourself. Google says it takes up to about 12 days to receive it in the mail, after which you’ll need to activate it through the site or via the Wallet app. Sorry to our overseas friends, this is US-only for now. [Request a Google Wallet Card here | Google Wallet Card FAQ]
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| Google gives a new sneak peek at Glass GDK, new Glassware apps [VIDEO] Posted: 20 Nov 2013 11:14 AM PST We’ve got a little something for both Glass developers and users here, so listen up. For the former group of folks, Google is showing off their new Glass GDK, which will give developers a hefty suite of tools to create all the Glassware (Glass apps) they can handle. They obviously want to get developers equipped with the tools as soon as possible as they try and get a nice catalog of apps built up for a release that should be going down early 2014. A full GDK Preview will be out soon for those who can’t wait to dig in, but the presentation above should whet your whistle while you wait for those goods. Highlights include the ability to write Glassware apps that work offline, deeper access to Glass hardware and sensors, and more. As for users, Google also revealed some new Glassware apps from GolfSight, AllTheCooks, Strava, Spellista, IFTTT, and more. All of it can be found in the 37 minute YouTube clip above, and you can get your hands on them for yourself later today by visiting the MyGlass site right here. [via Google] |
| Google unveils Google Play Newsstand; combines Magazines and Currents into one app Posted: 20 Nov 2013 09:03 AM PST Google has just officially unveiled a new app that will combine Google Play Magazines and Google Currents. Dubbed Google Play Newsstand, the app will not only feed you content from your favorite magazine subscriptions, but also from your favorite sources you already have setup in Google Currents. The app does a good job of allowing you to split views between your magazines and content from Currents, but you can also get it curated in the same spot by strolling through the “Read Now” section of the app.         Having a tough time finding content? A handy search button is there if you’re looking for something specific, and Google will pull up all relevant news sources — whether it’s a magazine subscription or a Currents source — right there. You can also hit the Explore tab and find some great suggestions for many different topics. It’s already available for download in the Google Play Store, so swing by and give it a whirl if, for whatever reason, you’ve been waiting for something like this. |
| Snapdragon 805 is official; 2.5GHz quad-core application processor and a 40% more powerful GPU Posted: 20 Nov 2013 08:55 AM PST The folks at Qualcomm have officially announced the latest addition to the Snapdragon family. This release is for the Snapdragon 800 family, and brings with it a lot of improvements that should have people clamoring for this hot piece of Silicon. It’s called the Snapdragon 805, which hints toward this being a slight upgrade. There’s nothing “slight” about this jump compared to the 2.23GHz Snapdragon 800 currently sitting inside phones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Nexus 5, though. For starters, the Snapdragon 805 will feature a faster 2.5GHz quad-core Krait 450-based application core. It will also house the new Adreno 420 GPU, which Qualcomm claims is 40% more powerful than the Adreno 330 found within the base Snapdragon 800 configuration. Beyond all that, it also features increased memory bandwidth at about 25GB per second. All that power enables the Snapdragon 805 to support resolutions up to 4K, which some industry folks are trying to get known as UltraHD. While it’ll be quite some time before a smartphone or even a tablet is able to natively display 4K content, this should be great for those who are planning to hook their devices up to any 4K televisions they are planning to buy in the future. It’ll obviously take some time before we start to see these things inside consumer-ready devices, but Qualcomm suggests the first devices with Snapdragon 805 will begin shipping in the first half of 2014. In the meantime, we’d be happy just to see more phones with current Snapdragon 800 chipsets launch by the end of this year. |
| Note 3 owners get a $50 Google Play credit until January 6th, 2014 Posted: 20 Nov 2013 07:59 AM PST So you’ve bought your Note 3 and want to load it up with awesome games, apps, music, books, and movies, eh? Is some of that content only available by forking over a bit of cash? Good news — you won’t have to dig into your own wallet to pay for them! Samsung has started a promotion that will net any Samsung Galaxy Note 3 owner $50 in Google Play Credit. Getting free Google Play credit is nothing new, as we’ve seen other devices offer $25 in the past. But $50? That’s a crap ton, and should keep you swell for quite some time. So what do you have to do? Simply head to Samsung’s site for the promotion, enter all the details they ask for (including your device’s IMEI, your email address, phone number and more), and you should be greeted to $50 in your Google Play account almost instantly. The offer is for both new and existing customers, and will last until January 6th, 2014. You should have plenty of time to get your credit, even if you don’t get your device until Christmas. Go ahead and hit the source link to claim your credit. [via Samsung] |
| Samsung Galaxy NX now shipping for $1,700 Posted: 20 Nov 2013 06:55 AM PST Android-based cameras have always excited us. The Galaxy Camera, while not quite as nice as some other point-and-shoots within its price range in the area of picture quality, offered a unique software experience that not many other cameras could keep up with. That’s why we were drooling over the Samsung Galaxy NX when Samsung first announced it. If you don’t remember, it’s a mirror-less interchangeable lens camera that provides photo performance comparable to a DSLR. It runs Android, and it looks downright awesome. Our drool dried up when we saw that outrageous price tag, though — $1,700, and that’s not including any extra lenses you might want to scoop with it (it comes pre-equipped with compact pancake lens for wide-angle shots). If the price tag didn’t scare you off, though, you might be happy to know that the device is now shipping from Amazon. Photographers can expect some serious muscle here, with The Galaxy NX coming with Android 4.2.2 and TouchWiz on-board, and features a 20.3 megapixel APS-C sensor, 8.6FPS of continuous shooting, 1/6000 shutter speed, and Samsung's hybrid auto-focus system. For software performance, the NX touts a 1.6GHz quad-core application processor, a 4.8-inch HD display, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage (expandable via microSD card slot up to 64GB), Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi N, aGPS with GLONASS, and more. It’s a pretty decent device under the hood, so you should have plenty power to do whatever you need with all the photos you end up taking. Be sure to find it at Amazon and order one if you’ve been waiting for this bad boy to launch. Looking for hands-on video with this thing? Look no further. |
| Motorola commits to bringing KitKat for DROID RAZR HD, DROID RAZR MAXX HD, and DROID M Posted: 20 Nov 2013 06:19 AM PST Motorola shocked the world yesterday when they announced they’d be the first OEM to bring Android 4.4 KitKat to the masses. That happened on the Motorola Moto X, and on Verizon’s version, no less. We’re still waiting on word about Motorola’s latest DROID phones, but it seems the company is looking to take things up a notch — they are now promising Android 4.4 for Verizon’s 2012 DROID phones. Specifically, the Motorola DROID M, Motorola DROID RAZR HD, and Motorola DROID RAZR Maxx HD are all being lined up to receive the upgrade to KitKat at some point in the future. Motorola wasn’t interested in giving us a timeframe for those devices, but we imagine it won’t be much longer than a few months before we can get our hands on the chocolatey goodness. That said, it’s wise not to expect the update quite as fast as it arrived on the Moto X, and it will probably be lower on their list of priorities compared to the Motorola DROID Maxx, Motorola DROID Ultra, and Motorola DROID Mini. Still, the fact that 2012 phones are being pegged for the latest version of Android is something to applaud. [via Motorola, thanks to everyone who sent this in!] |
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