Android Phone Fans |
- Candy Crush Saga: KING crushed by poor stock IPO
- LG Optimus G will jump from 4.1.2 to Android 4.4.2 KitKat this summer
- Twitter update brings enhanced photo features including friend tagging
- HTC One Mini now receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat on AT&T
- Google I/O 2014 registration opens April 8th, applicants to be randomly selected
- You can now order the unlocked and developer edition HTC One M8 [UPDATE]
- Google Play Music for Chrome adds browser uploads, mini-player via Labs option
- HTC plans to make BlinkFeed available to other Android devices soon
- 30-Day Android Fitness Challenge (post your favorite apps!)
- ZTE Nubia X6 is a spec junkie’s dream come true, but you’ll probably never be able to get it
- Watch the HTC One M8 get tortured in this knife and hammer test [VIDEO]
- HTC One M8 Mini rumors begin to form
- Sony says “no thank you” to Android Wear for their smart watches
- HTC One M8 teardown reveals complicated assembly
- HTC One 2013 Google Play Edition now available for just $500
| Candy Crush Saga: KING crushed by poor stock IPO Posted: 26 Mar 2014 06:05 PM PDT For King Digital (KING), makers of the insanely popular game Candy Crush Saga, the story gets thicker but not sweeter. The company’s Initial Public Offering was today, dropping quickly from $22.50 to $20.50 per share and eventually closing at $19- a loss of 15 percent. The initial valuation placed the company’s worth at $7.1 billion, which if you ask me, is absolutely absurd. At the end of the day (literally) the company is still worth over $6 billion on paper. Here is my personal problem with such a high valuation:
For some companies, projecting future revenue based on past revenue is logical, but Candy Crush Saga won’t likely be around (or as popular) forever, so making the next big game needs to be a priority for the company. One look at Flappy Bird shows how unpredictable the mobile gaming industry can be; just as one game can quickly take flight, so can another see profits fly south for the season. We’ve seen this with game maker Zynga, owners of popular games such as Words With Friends and Draw Something, whose stock peaked at $14.60 in 2012 and has since battled a downward spiral placing them under $5 since 2012. There is no doubt that the gaming industry is huge and lucrative, but it can also be high risk. I imagine, with “please the stockholder” pressure on executives, they’ll be hard at work trying to create King’s next big game success. Or perhaps, like Mark Zuckerburg and Facebook, they’ll just buy it with their newfound billions. Even companies with long and proven histories in the gaming industry find it difficult to sustain long-term success. Look at Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo who recently launched the PS4, Xbox One, and Wii U in hopes of capturing the next generation of consoles: the verdict is still out. Look at companies like Electronic Arts, Glu Mobile, and Take-Two Interactive who have popular flagship brands such as Madden, Deer Hunter, and Grand Theft Auto: all of which have lower stock prices today than one decade ago. A decade is a long-time. Being relevant in the gaming industry for a decade is a success in and of itself. What makes me think KING can be successful for the long-term? Nothing. What makes me want them to succeed? Sure as hell not this. I don’t have an intimate understanding of King’s inner workings. I’m also not a stock market guru and you shouldn’t take anything I say as financial advice. I’m just speaking my mind, but I think I’m coming from a place of logic, and the stock market seems to agree. I think they’ll continue to agree. Regardless of where the stock is today and where it goes, one thing is for sure: everyone involved with the company since it’s inception likely just got a ridiculously large payout. Do you think King, Candy Crush Saga, and the games they produce in the future will continue to be successful? Where will they take the company next? And perhaps most importantly, do you even care? |
| LG Optimus G will jump from 4.1.2 to Android 4.4.2 KitKat this summer Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:40 PM PDT LG’s original flagship device (and a reference point for the Nexus 4), the LG Optimus G will forever hold a special place in our heart. As one of the first Android devices to run Qualcomm’s quad-core Snapdragon S4 processors, the phone has held up quite well over the years. In fact, the Optimus G (both variants) is still one of our favorite Android devices to date. And that’s saying something. Perhaps that’s why it never sat very well with us to watch as the once great Android device was so quickly abandoned by the OEM that built it (and a reason why we’ve been leery about LG’s support ever since). When the Optimus G debuted back in November of 2012, it was running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Not a big deal, as Jelly Bean only debuted a few months before that during Google I/O. It wasn’t until March of last year that we finally saw the Sprint version updated to Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean (AT&T’s would get the update a month later), but haven’t heard a word since. Not a good look. Now, with Android 4.4.3 KitKat looming on the horizon, many LG Optimus G users — at least those who care about these sorta things — are feeling duped. But keep a stiff upper lip, as we’ve got some new info from French carrier SFR, suggests we could see the phone go out with one last bang. According to SFR, they’ve received confirmation from LG that the Optimus G will, in fact, be soon receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The update is scheduled to arrive at some point this summer, just keep in mind that’s in Europe. There’s no telling how much longer it could hit devices here in the states, or if the phone even sold enough units to warrant an update. In any case, we’ll take this as good news (and hope) that KitKat for the phone is somewhere on the horizon. Oh, and LG. If you’re listening, do your customers a solid and update the phone. For old time’s sake. [via GSM Arena] |
| Twitter update brings enhanced photo features including friend tagging Posted: 26 Mar 2014 02:25 PM PDT
We suppose the real news comes in Twitter’s other latest feature: photo tagging. Upon updating the app, Twitterers can tag up 10 friends in a single photo a la Instagram, Facebook, Google+, etc.. Again, it’s more social move, but one we didn’t see coming from a service that was refreshingly unlike the other guys. What’s next, raising the 140 character limit? Download the update (when it drops) via the Play Store link below. Download on Google Play: Twitter |
| HTC One Mini now receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat on AT&T Posted: 26 Mar 2014 01:48 PM PDT Just because HTC’s been busy, oh you know… launching their brand new flagship device for 2014 doesn’t mean they forgot about their current customers. Take owners of the HTC One Mini which, starting today, are seeing Android 4.4.2 KitKat rollout to their devices on AT&T. The update also brings along with an updated version of HTC’s customer user interface (Sense 5.5), as well as other enhancements like an improved dialer, BlinkFeed app, and various other KitKat goodies. Here’s what HTC One Mini users can expect.
If you haven’t been prompted, as always, you can jump into your Settings > Software update to begin downloading. Additional update instructions can be found here. Godspeed. |
| Google I/O 2014 registration opens April 8th, applicants to be randomly selected Posted: 26 Mar 2014 01:15 PM PDT Every year it’s the same thing. Google I/O registration opens, and in a mad frenzy to apply, the server crashes and for many, they find out they’ve missed their opportunity to attend one of the single biggest events of the year. Lots of tears and bloodshed, but this year Google is doing things different. Today, the Google Developers Blog officially announced when Google I/O 2014 registrations will open: April 8th – 10th. Now that you’ve got that marked in your calendar, you’re no doubt ready to call in a “sick day” to make sure you don’t miss your shot. Don’t bother. As mentioned previously, Google is handling registration a whole lot different this year. Instead of first come first serve — the selection promise will be completely random. This means you can apply anytime between April 7th through 9th, and you’ll have the same chances of getting in as the guy who applies right when it opens (5AM PT to be exact). Neat huh? Google has also officially launched their new Google I/0 2014 site, but at the moment seems to be experiencing technical difficulties. For those enrolled in college, tickets will run $300, while “normals” get a ticket for $900. Google I/O 2014 kicks off June 25th – 26th, in beautiful San Francisco. Hit up the link below for more info. |
| You can now order the unlocked and developer edition HTC One M8 [UPDATE] Posted: 26 Mar 2014 12:39 PM PDT HTC won’t be keeping people on the edge of their seats wondering if there will ever be a developer edition of the HTC One M8. The company has quietly listed the device online, and you can order it right now if you have $649 to spare. It’s nearly the same as all the other HTC One M8 devices we’ve been talking about as of late, except it comes with an unlockable bootloader and no carrier bloatware. There is one weird exception, though — We’re not sure if that is an intentional change or just a typo by whoever set this page up, but you know we’ll be knocking on HTC’s door to find out. In the meantime, know that the device is confirmed to be fully compatible with AT&T’s network here in the states, including HSPA+ and 4G LTE.
Looking to take the plunge? You can find everything you need right here, but don’t expect it to ship for another couple of weeks. |
| Google Play Music for Chrome adds browser uploads, mini-player via Labs option Posted: 26 Mar 2014 12:27 PM PDT It was back in November of 2011 that Google first launched “Google Music,” their all new music service to that would finally give iTunes a run for its money. Since then, we’ve seen the services go through a lot of changes. Eventually, the service would become known as Google Play Music, introducing a completely overhauled user interface, as well as Google’s new all-you-can-eat music streaming service dubbed “All Access.” One thing that’s never changed: that dreaded music upload tool for desktops. Getting music from your computer onto Google Play Music was never a fun, thanks to the finicky upload application that seemed to only work when it wanted to. We’ve known since the end of last year that Google was at least toying around with the idea of introducing music uploads via the desktop browser, but now they’re finally making things official. For the most part.
The new feature is only available in the labs section of Google Play Music, and only on the Chrome web browser. Once enabled (you can turn it on here) simply dragging and dropping songs into the Chrome web browser will upload them to your Play Music library, easy peasy. For more robust music collections on your desktop/laptop computer, you can set up Google Play Music to add music automagically (click the “Add Music” button in the upper right when the Play Music site is open in your browser). Also added was a handy mini-player, allowing you to skip through your library without searching for the tab in Chrome, as well as the ability to download music directly from the web. Google promises that these new features are just the beginning of what they got planned for Google Play Music and we couldn’t be happier. [Google+] |
| HTC plans to make BlinkFeed available to other Android devices soon Posted: 26 Mar 2014 10:20 AM PDT It’s not often a manufacturer wants to extend an olive branch to anyone but their own consumers, but HTC is daring to break the mold with their latest move. In a statement to the press, the Taiwanese company acknowledged the popularity of BlinkFeed, and felt compelled to make the launcher available to non-HTC users in the near future:
Odd move indeed, but perhaps there’s a deeper cause here. For starters, what better way to try and sway people to your brand than to show them what they’re missing out on? BlinkFeed could be the gateway that some consumers need to be interested in the rest of what HTC is offering. The latest version of BlinkFeed rests on HTC Sense 6.0, which comes pre-installed atop Android 4.4.2 on the all new HTC One M8. It isn’t a huge departure from the norm compared to previous versions of BlinkFeed, though HTC did add a refined user interface, introduced more news and feed sources, and increased performance across the board. This type of move is definitely encouraged, regardless if it’s a genuine goodwill gesture or the result of a guerilla marketing tactic needed to help restore HTC to former glory. Whatever the case may be, though, it’s already in the Google Play Store for HTC One M8 owners, and we’ll be watching it like a hawk in the weeks and months to come. |
| 30-Day Android Fitness Challenge (post your favorite apps!) Posted: 26 Mar 2014 10:17 AM PDT I’m terribly out of shape. The weather is about to get warm. New Year Resolutions have crumbled into dust. But it’s time to change all that with the 30-Day Android Fitness Challenge, where Hershey’s KitKat and Android’s KitKat face off in an epic angel meets devil battle for our conscience. This challenge initially started (and failed) about a month ago, when I couldn’t decide between getting a Jawbone UP or Fitbit Force. Since then a lot has happened in wearable tech including the announcement of Android Wear, Moto 360, and the LG G Watch. Along with Google Glass, Samsung Gear 2, Samsung Gear Neo, and other breaking-the-mold devices, developers continue creating rich experiences in the health and fitness space. It seemed like the perfect time to turn my quickly declining nimbleness into an exploration of Android as it relates to the possibilities and opportunities in fitness and health. I hope you’ll join me. This is your time! Participating takes absolutely nothing except a willingness to try some cool stuff and see how it goes. Membership to this exclusive club is free and so anonymous that you’re the only person that will know you’re in it. It’s hard to get the ball rolling, but once you find that reason to start, you can’t be stopped! What you can do:
What I plan on doing:
Don’t forget to join in on the challenge in our Android Fitness & Health Forum, follow me on Google+, and leave a comment with suggestions and requests for this series! |
| ZTE Nubia X6 is a spec junkie’s dream come true, but you’ll probably never be able to get it Posted: 26 Mar 2014 08:45 AM PDT ZTE decided they wanted to go and pull out all the stops for their latest smartphone, which has just been revealed as the ZTE Nubia X6. The company is not typically known for deliver the most compelling options in the world, but this list of specs will wake you up this morning better than any cup of coffee ever could. Here’s what they’ll be stuffing inside:
All for about $640, no less. The device also comes in a lesser specced model, though we’re no yet sure where that baseline lies. Unfortunately this thing likely won’t be seeing the light of day outside of China, but if you happen to be making a move to Hong Kong in the near future then you’ll definitely want to track this one down. Consider making it your next smartphone if you can’t help but to have the most ridiculous suite of specs available. [via Engadget] |
| Watch the HTC One M8 get tortured in this knife and hammer test [VIDEO] Posted: 26 Mar 2014 07:52 AM PDT Are you a glutton for punishment? Are you a sick human being who enjoys watching innocent electronics being tortured? Well the video sitting right above is just for you. TechSmartt has taken the all new HTC One M8 and put it through their knife and hammer test, giving us a good idea of the device’s durability. Test items range from a set of keys scraping across the front and rear, to a hammer being driven deep into its sternum. It was nothing short of cringe-worthy. So How does it hold up? Well, let’s just say as long as you have a light case to protect its backside, the phone should hold up just fine in day-to-day use. Just don’t be too careless with it — this thing isn’t easy to repair. [via AndroidForums.com] |
| HTC One M8 Mini rumors begin to form Posted: 26 Mar 2014 06:07 AM PDT We’d be lying if we said we didn’t think HTC would create a couple of spin-off devices based on the newly-announced HTC One M8. Rumors are already getting started, though, with @evleaks suggesting the HTC One M8 Mini is already in the works. The “Mini” fad is one that seems to have exploded in popularity with all major manufacturers, though it hasn’t been without its pitfalls. For starters, “mini” usually means beefy internals are compromised for a more attractive price tag. It also doesn’t help that the “mini” versions of these phones are still often quite large (we could barely tell the difference between the original HTC One and HTC One Mini). We long for the moment when one of these OEMs break the status quo and bring us a mini device that’s as powerful as the flagship. Sony was one of the first to do this with the Xperia Z1 Compact, and Motorola’s DROID Mini wasn’t terrible alongside the rest of the devices in that family, but that’s not nearly enough to satiate us. The spin-off train might not stop there, though, with the same leakster teasing an “ HTC One M8 Ace,” as well. There’s no telling what this device would be in terms of specs or size, but the last time a company brought out a device with “Ace” in its name we wanted nothing to do with it. Take that for what you will. |
| Sony says “no thank you” to Android Wear for their smart watches Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:49 AM PDT We’d hoped many current smartphone manufacturers would consider using Android Wear for future devices in their stable, but it looks like one prolific OEM won’t be joining the bandwagon. That OEM is Sony, who has revealed to CNET that they won’t be interested in using Android Wear for their SmartWatch platform. Sony feels like they built something solid enough on their own, and they want to continue their own vision in future iterations of their product. Sony Mobile US boss Ravi Nookala revealed as much in a recent interview:
Despite that, though, Sony says they’re excited about Android Wear, and hope to see its emergence push the entirety of the wearables movement forward. This doesn’t mean Sony will never consider making an Android Wear platform, but perhaps it’ll take a little more than announcements of a couple of fancy smart watches to get them to hop on board. It’s a strange move by the Japanese company who is usually on-board for these things. We’d expected a stance like that out of Samsung of all people, but even they are billed as one of the first partners creating Android Wear products. Whether Sony’s move is the right one remains to be seen, but it’s too early for assumptions in a market that’s only just begun. |
| HTC One M8 teardown reveals complicated assembly Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:28 AM PDT Planning to grab yourself an HTC One M8 (announced just yesterday) without accidental insurance coverage? You’ll want to think twice about that — the latest teardown by iFixIt reveals that the device is one of the hardest to repair in recent years. The repair specialists dug into the thing the moment they got it, and found a ton of components were very difficult to access thanks to HTC’s zero-gap unibody aluminum construction. Specifically, copious amounts of glue and tape make it difficult to repair one of the most commonly broken components — the display. They also mention that it’s impossible to open the device without damaging the rear of it, and that the battery’s new home under the motherboard makes it virtually impossible to replace. They did award the HTC One M8 a couple of points on grounds of durability, though, noting that this tight construction should hold up well over time. You can read the full disassembly notes over at iFixIt’s website if you’re interested, and perhaps it’ll persuade you to ponder some insurance options if you weren’t already. |
| HTC One 2013 Google Play Edition now available for just $500 Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:08 AM PDT With great power comes great responsibility, and with the launch of a sequel comes a price drop for the device that came before it. We’re talking about the HTC One 2013 Google Play Edition, which has received a nice price drop to just $499 over in the Google Play Store (a $100 difference since yesterday). Despite the improved internals of the new HTC One M8, the HTC One 2013 is still a fantastic device. The Snapdragon 600 processor inside still runs stock Android like a champ, it has that same beautiful display, and that metal construction looks and feels just as great as it did yesteryear. The HTC One M8 Google Play Edition won’t be shipping for another 2-3 weeks, and it’s also $200 more expensive, so we’d understand it if some of you opted for this aged model over the new hotness that was announced yesterday. If you happen to want one at this point you can place your order over at Google Play. It leaves the warehouse in 1-2 days with free ground shipping. |
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