Android Phone Fans |
- Verizon tries prepaid again with new AllSet service plans, here are the details
- Best Android Tablets [March 2014]
- Oppo Find 7 teases a 50MP camera, check out the amazing sample photo!
- HTC One’s KitKat update gets pulled in UK
- Samsung claims they didn’t pay for Ellen’s Galaxy Note 3 selfie during the Academy Awards [UPDATE]
- LG G2 on T-Mobile now receiving Android 4.4 KitKat over-the-air
- Report: Apple hiring HTC engineers as they prepare to launch new iDevices in Taiwan
- Samsung Chromebook 2 official, brings decent specs for decent price
- Project Ara presented on video at LAUNCH conference; new details revealed
- Nokia X app store ported to Android 4.1.2+ (but you probably don’t want it)
- Samsung to hook Galaxy S5 owners up with over $500 worth of premium apps and subscriptions
- HTC drops another “all new HTC One” teaser video, this time talking about metal
- Android / Windows Phone dual-boot hybrid in the works; would you buy one? [POLL]
- HTC Watch movie service being laid to rest March 31st — download your stuff before it’s too late
| Verizon tries prepaid again with new AllSet service plans, here are the details Posted: 03 Mar 2014 05:23 PM PST Verizon Wireless is giving their prepaid wireless plans a little overhaul in hopes of entice new customers looking for service on the cheap. AllSet is their latest stab at prepaid, allowing customers to buy their data a la carte, on top of a unlimited calls and text, providing they bring their own (Verizon) phone. Here’s how it works. First, you start off with the basic $45 smartphone prepaid plan that includes unlimited calling and text messaging and 500MB of data (1GB of DATA when enrolling in auto-pay) — and here’s the kicker — on Verizon’s 3G network. Sorry, folks. No 4G LTE to be found here. After that, additional data (dubbed “Bridge Data”) can be purchased in chunks where it will remain on an account until it’s been completely exhausted. If not, the data actually carries over to the next month. Pretty neat. Here’s the data pricing: Bridge Data
Once again, purchased data does have an expiration date, meaning data sippers can’t shouldn’t expect to use 500MB over the course of 3 months. In theory, the best deal is the 1GB or 3GB data chunks which can roll over for 3 months. After adding up the numbers, you’ll find Verizon’s new AllSet plans are still a little bit on the pricey side. For instance, unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of Verizon 3G data still runs about $55 (if enrolled in auto-pay). Taking a quick look at the competition and you’ll find T-Mobile offers nearly the same plan for $60 a month and 2.5GB of high-speed 4G LTE data. If AT&T’s coverage is more to your liking, Straight Talk will sell you unlimited talk/text and 2.5GB of 4G LTE on AT&T’s 4G LTE network for barely $45 a month. The choice is yours. |
| Best Android Tablets [March 2014] Posted: 03 Mar 2014 04:36 PM PST Last week we talked about what the best Android phone to buy this month was and highlighted the top announcements from Mobile World Congress 2014, and now it’s time to go over the best Android tablets your hard-earned money can buy in 2014. The year is already off to a hot start with the latest announcements out of MWC2014, so we should be seeing some exciting movement on this list before too long. With that said, let’s get to the action! 5 – LG G Pad 8.3
We had to make room for a new tablet on the list this month, so the LG G Pad 8.3 sees itself sliding back to 5th place. That’s still a pretty good mark, though, as the G Pad 8.3 is a pretty good tablet. Dated internals such as the Snapdragon 600 processor do hurt its case at the point, but if you can forgive that and realize that this thing is slim, sleek and powerful in all the other right areas (and often goes on sale for less than $300) you’ll know why we’re still excited by it. 4 – Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 EditionNot helping the Note 10.1 2014′s case is the fact that Samsung has some other, newer kids on the block. Regardless, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition is still worth a long, hard look at retail. It features a 1.9GHz Exynos 5420 processor with 3GB of RAM, 16-32GB of storage, an 8 megapixel rear camera, a 2megapixel front camera, an 8,220mAh battery, and a 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600 display. We’re still waiting on key upgrades to Samsung’s UI that will fix some nagging bugs we’ve experienced, though perhaps that’s in order for the KitKat upgrade Samsung has in the works. 3 – Amazon Kindle Fire HDXThe HDX line of Kindle Fire tablets is the latest in Amazon’s series. This changes the game up quite a bit by Amazon’s standards, a company whose modest first step into the tablet arena has since been bested with better offerings each year to follow. The HDX comes in 7-inch and 8.9-inch flavors, giving users a decent balance between screen real estate and portability. The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX includes 2560 x 1600 resolution, storage options of 16-64GB, 4G LTE, a quad-core 2.2GHz processor (likely a Snapdragon 800), and more. As we all know by now, though, it isn’t the specs Amazon is hoping will win your hearts. It’s the deep integration with their various services, including Prime Instant Video, MP3, Cloud Storage, Kindle e-Books, the Amazon Appstore, and a whole lot more. Content is king in Amazon’s world, and it’s something they have been very good at for quite some time. This is definitely one of the better buys, especially for a starting price point of $229. 2 – Nexus 7 2013This 7-inch ASUS-made wonder slides back to number 2, but it’s hard ignoring that nice 7-inch 1920 x 1200 display (323 ppi), quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset clocked at 1.5GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16-32GB of internal storage, 5 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, dual-band WiFi N, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and more. That you can get it for just $230 is a big reason why it’s near the top of our list, and its guaranteed 1 — Samsung Galaxy NoteProSamsung completely outdid themselves on this one. And you might also say they outpriced themselves, as well. $750 is the cheapest you can have a Samsung Galaxy NotePro, but it’s probably worth it if you can scrape up the cash. That’ll get you a minimum of 32GB of internal storage, a 12.2-inch 2560 x 1600 display, 3GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera, 2 megapixel front camera, 9,500mAh battery and more. The device definitely isn’t for everyone. Its unwieldy display size and lofty price tag might scare away potential buyers. But if you’re in need of some serious horsepower that runs Android and can get any job done, this is it. It’s on sale right now at Amazon. Honorable MentionsSamsung Galaxy TabPro (8.2, 10.1 and 12.2) These devices are like “more affordable” versions of the TabPro, except without the S Pen. But they’re still quite pricey and have specs that anyone can be proud of. Each have 2560 x 1600 resolution, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and more, though the 10.1 has Samsung’s 1.9GHz quad-core processor while the 8.4 has Qualcomm’s 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800. No matter which way you slice it, though, these tablets pack some serious heat. Amazon Kindle Fire HD It’s not quite as powerful as the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7 or 8.9, but the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD still holds its own where it counts. Amazon couldn’t care less about the profit from device sales here, though, which is why it’s so cheap at a starting price of just $140. As with the HDX, it’s all about apps and services for Amazon. Specs include 1280 x 800 resolution, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8-16GB of internal storage, 10 hours of battery life and more. Samsung’s Note series has become the go-to for performance and features in the tablet space, so the more weildy of the bunch — the Note 8.0 — deserves a bit of recognition in the top 5. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0′s HD resolution and quad-core chipset are quite nice, and that all-important S-Pen functionality pushes this as one of the better “small” tablets to consider at the point of sale. This is the latest product from ASUS that will allow you to transform your tablet into a netbook. The Transformer Pad TF701 is a 10.1-inch 2560 x 1600 device with NVIDIA’s Tegra 4 processor on board. This powerhouse also includes a 5 megapixel rear camera, a 1.2 megapixel front camera, HDMI-out and more. And when you dock the tablet inside the dock, you’ll get a combined 17 hours of battery life (which is much more than any of today’s Netbooks can claim). Samsung Nexus 10 It fell out of the top 5, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth talking about. We’re honestly amazed at how long this tablet has been able to live, though the sleek stock Android build and future-proofed internals (Cortex-A15 processor, 2560 x 1600 display and 2GB of RAM don’t hurt) has kept it in the limelight for quite some time. It’ll probably remain a good buy until Google eventually decides to replace it. Tablets to look forward toHere are just a few tablets to look forward to in the weeks and months to come. None of them are available for purchase yet, and some aren’t even official, but it’ll give you a good idea of what to expect and should hopefully make the purchase decision easier once they’re here later this year.
And that’s only what we know of for the first half of 2014. This tablet train isn’t slowing down with news that Android has surpassed iOS tablets for the first time ever, and we’re excited to be on-board for the ride. What say you?You wouldn’t be alone in saying 2013 was a bit of a disappointment when it comes to tablets, with many manufacturers looking to appeal to budget consumers. But 2014 is looking to change all of that, and it’s the level of innovation discussed in all the devices above that could propel Android tablets to the same elite high ground that the phones have reached. Feel any differently? Be sure to let us know in the comments! PS: don’t forget that you can talk all about these tablets, and more, over at AndroidForums.com. Be sure to make an account and join the millions of folks currently driving some very healthy discussion over there. |
| Oppo Find 7 teases a 50MP camera, check out the amazing sample photo! Posted: 03 Mar 2014 04:12 PM PST Bigger is better. At least that’s what Android OEM Oppo might have you believe. We’ve already seen in a previous teaser the manufacturer teasing a 2K display for their upcoming flagship, the Oppo Find 7. Now, today we’re learning they might also be planning something equally big for it’s imaging hardware tech: a 50MP camera. Yes, folks — five, oh. An image, apparently taken by Oppo with an Oppo Find 7 (how’s that for a “leak”?) was uploaded to Chinese microblogging site Weibo, weighing in at 9.7MB and carrying a resolution of 8160 x 6120. Yikes. We’ll have to see what else Oppo is planning for the Find 7 when it becomes official on March 19th in Beijing. Until then, click the image for the full size version and let us know if you’re impressed, or if MP are nothing but a number. [GizChina] |
| HTC One’s KitKat update gets pulled in UK Posted: 03 Mar 2014 03:49 PM PST HTC One owners in the UK might be left scratching their heads after the Android 4.4 KitKat update was mysteriously pulled by the OEM due to “issues.” This is after the update began officially hitting handsets last week, and although no word on specific bugs was given, HTC did confirm the suspension via a response to an inquiry on Twitter. Those keeping a watchful eye on the manufacturer’s software updates page will notice KitKat is still listed as in its “integration” phase, still awaiting an official push to handsets. Any readers in the UK who have already updated and noticed any bugs? Anyone who’s received the update and everything still working hunky-dory? Thanks, Jason! |
| Samsung claims they didn’t pay for Ellen’s Galaxy Note 3 selfie during the Academy Awards [UPDATE] Posted: 03 Mar 2014 02:26 PM PST In case you missed it, last night was the 86th annual Academy Awards hosted by everyone’s favorite daytime talk show star, Ellen DeGeneres. You may remember our post from last night where — as many of you noticed — Ellen was live tweeting from the event using a large, pleathery Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Like anyone paid to endorse a product, this didn’t mean the Note 3 was her daily driver, made apparent by the fact that while backstage, Ellen was back to tweeting from her trusty iPhone. The fact that the Note 3 made an appearance for the event didn’t really strike us as odd given Samsung was a paid sponsor of the Oscars — even airing the first two Samsung Galaxy S5 commercials during the show. While we may not ever actually see the official bill ABC left with Samsung, you may find it interesting to know that the Korean manufacturer is actually denying paying for the epic selfie moment during the live show. According to Samsung, they didn’t actually pay Ellen anything to show off the phablet or take the much publicized mid-show “selfie” using the device. Samsung’s official statement? The entire thing was completely “organic.” Of course, we should note that Samsung did say that because they were so pleased with Ellen being a Note 3 fan, they were now donating $3 million to Ellen’s favorite charities. So, while the talk show host didn’t directly benefit from using the device during the awards, money was paid out. We saw a lot of great actors take home the Oscar last night, but if there was an award for “Best PR speak from and Android OEM” — perhaps it should have went to Samsung? There’s always next year…
[TechCrunch | WSJ] |
| LG G2 on T-Mobile now receiving Android 4.4 KitKat over-the-air Posted: 03 Mar 2014 01:42 PM PST It was last week Android 4.4 KitKat became officially arrived for the T-Mobile LG G2 but with a small caveat — it was only available via LG’s desktop tool. That means for a vast majority of users (you know, the less technical ones) a good portion of LG G2 owners had no idea an update was available, or even how to apply it in the first place. No worries, the 147MB update to software version D80120a is now available over-the-air on T-Mobile. This means that everyone else finally gets to enjoy the latest Android dessert which, aside from bringing the new features introduced in Android 4.4.2 KitKat, promises a new auto-brightness setting as well as other user experience improvements. The update is officially ready to be pulled onto devices right now, with a prompt notifying users of the update arriving on March 6th (and available up until March 25th). For those that don’t feel like waiting, you can manually check for the update by jumping into your Settings app, selecting the “General” tab, scrolling down and selecting About Phone, followed by Update Center > System Updates > Check Now. After that, you’ll be on your way to enjoying the lightest version of Android yet and neat new features like KitKat’s “Immersive Mode” and more. For more on KiKat, check out our announcement post here. [T-Mobile] |
| Report: Apple hiring HTC engineers as they prepare to launch new iDevices in Taiwan Posted: 03 Mar 2014 12:12 PM PST After facing supply constraints during the launch previous flagship — the HTC One — we were hoping the Taiwanese manufacturer would have an easier time with this year’s model. Once again, it appears HTC might just can’t catch a break, with one of the world’s biggest smartphone makers encroaching on their home turf — and they’re hiring. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal Apple is gearing up to release more devices than ever before in Asian regions like China and Taiwan, poaching hundreds of engineers and supply chain managers from rival OEMs. This could leave HTC high-and-dry when it comes finding talent to help build upcoming flagships like the HTC M8 (One 2014). We should point out that Apple’s hiring also affects other smaller OEMs as well, so this isn’t exclusively an HTC problem. But given HTC is an obvious source of engineering talent in Taiwan) — and the fact that Apple reportedly directly reached out to their engineers via LinkedIn — it’s easy to imagine they’d get hit pretty hard. Seems it takes a lot more than simply coming up with a great smartphone design and cutting edge features — you gotta be able to market it, build it, and keep your people. If nothing else, this helps shed a little light on some of the hurdles smaller OEMs face when going up against manufacturing juggernauts like Samsung and Apple with near endless resources. Let’s hope everything works out in the end, we’d love to see HTC (or anyone else for that matter) put a little more heat on the big guys this year. [via iSource] |
| Samsung Chromebook 2 official, brings decent specs for decent price Posted: 03 Mar 2014 11:09 AM PST Ready for a new Chromebook option? The latest comes from Samsung, who has launched their second generation Chromebook for those looking for something a bit different (and cheaper) than typical notebook experiences. The Samsung Chromebook 2 will come in two sizes: one will stretch 11 inches at 1366 x 768, while the other is increased to about 13 inches and also comes with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The only other difference is only in price, with the smallest option slated for a $320 price point, and the bigger one coming in at just $80 more. So what are you getting for all those bucks?
Also obvious is the new design language — they’ve gone with the same stitched fake-leather backing that we saw on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. It looks quite nice from where we’re sitting, though we’ll have to get our dirty paws on it to see how we like it in person.         Samsung’s also touting over $100 in premium services, including a year’s worth of premium membership to AirDroid for managing your Android device over-the-air, Wunderlist Pro for organizing your tasks, and LittleBridge.com for learning English. While beautiful, powerful devices like the Chromebook Pixel are great for showcasing the sheer power of Chrome OS, it’s these more affordable options by the likes of Samsung that have helped push Chromebooks to the bit of growth it’s already seeing. The platform soared to the tune of owning 21% of notebook market share in 2013, which is no small feat. Let’s hope even more of that growth is in-store for 2014, with other manufacturers hopefully jumping into the fold.It’s all headed our way this April, though Samsung didn’t have any solid date to offer just yet. [Samsung via ChromeSpot] |
| Project Ara presented on video at LAUNCH conference; new details revealed Posted: 03 Mar 2014 09:56 AM PST As we barrel toward a hopeful 2015 launch of Google’s Project Ara, we’re starting to itch for more than just photos and loose talk about the project. Thankfully, Google is getting a bit more comfortable with the details and is starting to bring this thing from within their super-secret Google X labs over in Mountain View. Project Ara was presented at the LAUNCH startup conference last week, with one Googler giving us a hands-on look at an early prototype. In the clip — from the 6 minute mark through to the 29 minute mark in the video above — we’re given a look at the metallic frame that will hold all of the modules that will be available. We’ve learned some very interesting details from the video, such as which modules can go where, who can make the modules, and customization opportunities. Here are just a few of the key highlights:
It was a very interesting interview that I suggest all Project Ara enthusiasts watch. It won’t be long before developers and manufacturers are let in on some low-level details about how all of this will work, as Google has scheduled the first Ara developers’ conference for April. It’s an online only affair, but it means they’re deep into development and on pace to bring a consumer-ready product by the time their 2015 launch window rolls around. We’re pretty excited, in case you can’t tell. Let us know if you share that same sentiment in the comments below! |
| Nokia X app store ported to Android 4.1.2+ (but you probably don’t want it) Posted: 03 Mar 2014 09:04 AM PST We’re not sure why you’d want Nokia’s app store — their primary source for downloading apps on the new Nokia X family — on your Android device, but you can get it if that’s your prerogative. The always-helpful folks of XDA have ported the Nokia Apps store to any Android device running Android 4.1.2 or higher. So what can you find in there? Well, apps and games. Not many of them, natch. And everything in there can also be had from the Google Play Store. But if you want a piece of Nokia on your device without having to buy the underpowered Nokia X devices, this is the way to go. The app store app itself isn’t the most beautiful piece of development we’ve ever seen, but it looks like it gets most of the job done for those who just want a quick and easy repository for downloading popular apps. We’d be much more interested in getting some of Nokia’s own-built apps onto other devices, such as Nokia Here Maps, Nokia MixRadio and the Nokia Launcher, but perhaps that’s another task for another day. Of course, those in the reverse position — Nokia X owners longing for Google Apps and Google Play support — are already in luck, as the device has been hacked and rooted to be able to run these things without an issue. Click here to find out how to take care of that, and if you’re interested in getting the Nokia Apps store onto your Android 4.1.2 device you can find all the details you need over at XDA. |
| Samsung to hook Galaxy S5 owners up with over $500 worth of premium apps and subscriptions Posted: 03 Mar 2014 08:20 AM PST Samsung’s always included some pretty good incentives for buying their flagship smartphones, whether it be credit to buy movies and music or extra storage space for Dropbox. They’re taking things to a whole new level for the Samsung Galaxy S5 launch, though, as the company has announced over $500 worth of premium apps and subscriptions. Dubbed Samsung Galaxy Gifts, there’s a little bit here for everyone. The list is massive so let’s just jump right into it:
It’s no surprise to see Samsung has more fitness apps than anything else on this list considering their continued commitment to promoting healthy lifestyle. You might not need anything and everything on this list, but it’s free so be sure to give them a shot once you get your Galaxy S5 in-hand (which should be happening as early as April). Be sure to find all the full details over at Samsung’s site. |
| HTC drops another “all new HTC One” teaser video, this time talking about metal Posted: 03 Mar 2014 07:12 AM PST Excited for the launch of the all new HTC One on March 25th? So is HTC, obviously. That’s why the Taiwanese company has started hyping the device up with these technical translation teaser videos. The first one sort of (but kind of didn’t) told us about the changes to the front-facing BoomSound stereo speakers. Now, we’re getting a taste of metal. Of course, HTC didn’t actually reveal any useful information in the video — the bits with the phone were pixelated and the commentary track was replaced with awesome-sounding guitar riffs. The company is leaving it up to our imagination until the big unveiling later this month, though countless leaks (including a whopping 12 minute hands-on video) are helping us do that without an issue. The video’s sitting up above and waiting for your drool, so hit the play button and see for yourself. |
| Android / Windows Phone dual-boot hybrid in the works; would you buy one? [POLL] Posted: 03 Mar 2014 05:58 AM PST It’s always a good day when you can enjoy the best of both worlds, but that luxury isn’t always available to us in the world of mobile devices. Only recently have tablets been able to come with multiple operating systems that the user can easily switch between. But what about phones? Thankfully, one Indian firm is about to address that. Hot on the heels of Karbonn’s announcement that they’ve secured a licensing deal from Microsoft to make Windows phones, the Indian company revealed that they’ll be looking to introduce a smartphone that can boot both Android and Windows Phone on the same device. There aren’t many details about the device right this moment, though we know they’ll be targeting a June 2014 launch. Karbonn’s track record seems rather solid, with the company maintaining a lengthy line of affordable Android phones and tablets for sale in their home turf of India. They certainly aren’t the most amazing phones out there, but they seem to have established themselves as a very capable company that India natives can be proud of with this innovative step. There are many questions to be had, for sure. Will this work? Will this work well? How easy is it for the user to switch between Android and Windows? What kind of specs will it have? We don’t even have a name for the thing yet, so we’re still a bit of ways away from having even a fraction of those questions answered. Still, we couldn’t be more excited to see a manufacturer tackling this challenge. There is one question we can ask all of you, though: would you buy one? I know I’ve always been intrigued by Windows Phone, though its immature apps marketplace and a lack of diverse options in the ecosystem have made me hesitant to give it a solid shot. This could definitely be the one device with a “window” big enough for me to climb through and see what the other side has to offer. Hit up the poll below to let us know if you’d be willing to grab one of these (assuming the price isn’t anything to worry about). [via India Times, TechnoStall] |
| HTC Watch movie service being laid to rest March 31st — download your stuff before it’s too late Posted: 03 Mar 2014 05:18 AM PST There’s some unfortunate news for those who preferred to get their digital movies from HTC’s storefront HTC Watch. The company has announced that they’re retiring the service on a global scale, and that it will no longer be available after March 31st. If you don’t remember, HTC initially shut HTC Watch down in countries with “low engagement,” though the UK and United States didn’t fall under that category. It’s not surprising that the closings hit the rest of the countries, either. We’d be surprised if we heard a majority of people would pour money into a service available on just one platform opposed to many other options on all platforms. Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu and even Google Play Movies and TV are all more viable options considering they have apps on most devices, smart TVs and on the web. So what will this mean for those who gave business to HTC? Well, you can download all your movies to your smartphone up until March 31st. You’ll even be able to buy new ones up to this date, though we imagine no one will be opting to do that with an impending doom. Can’t find the HTC Watch on your smartphone right now? HTC urges folks to give them a ring and they’ll be happy to help you out. Let’s see if HTC will take this opportunity to use the “HTC Watch” name for other purposes. |
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