Android Phone Fans |
- You can turn you Oppo Find 7a into a OnePlus One with CyanogenMod 11S
- BREAKING: Flappy Bird rises again, coming to Android this August
- AT&T HTC One M8 update fixes broken Google Drive promo, introduces Extreme Power Saving Mode
- Straight Talk now offering 3GB of 4G LTE data on AT&T or T-Mobile networks, same low $45 a month price
- Unlucky OnePlus One winner finds empty box on his doorstep [VIDEO]
- Native iOS apps can now run on Android
- Motorola Alert hits Google Play, could save your life in an emergency
- LG G3 leaked in press shots showing refined brushed metal design
- After rave reviews, Monument Valley brings its impossible cube gameplay to Android devices
- Yahoo buys messaging app Blink, promptly shuts it down
- Samsung gearing up to release Google Glass competitor this fall
- Vic Gundotra pens Google+ patent for free calls to preferred circles
- Sony sells 39 million Xperia handsets as mobile division shows strong growth
- ZTE Concord 2 now available online for T-Mobile, MetroPCS next week
| You can turn you Oppo Find 7a into a OnePlus One with CyanogenMod 11S Posted: 14 May 2014 05:06 PM PDT We’ve known for a while now that the Oppo Find 7a and the OnePlus One were close cousins, sharing the same production facilities and even sharing a vast majority of the same internal hardware. Well, it seems you can make them share the same software too with a little bit of good ole fashioned Android tinkering. During my review of the Find 7a, I mentioned that I was quite disappointed that the Find 7a shipped with Android 4.3 and I wasn’t a huge fan of Color OS either. I also mentioned that the Android community would most likely step, doing what they do best, bringing all sorts of goodies over to the Oppo’s latest. Well, it’s happened. You can now flash CyanogenMod 11s from the OnePlus One onto your Oppo Find 7a. What works and what doesn’t work? It’s still a bit too early to tell, seeing as I just figured out this feat was possible a few minutes ago on my Oppo Find 7a. I’m still in the midst of testing, but wanted to share with my fellow Android enthusiasts that this is entirely possible. I’ll update this post as we dig through the “OppoPlus One7A” to see what works and what doesn’t. What works: What doesn’t work: If you’d like to jump in feet first, you’ll first need to flash a custom recovery on your Oppo Find 7a, such as TWRP. Then, you’ll need this ROM which was pulled from the OnePlus One (which I modified to remove device checks). Be sure to make a backup first as uncharted buggy territory most likely lies ahead. Good luck! Edit: You’ll need the OTA to fix sound. Here’s the modified OTA with device name checks removed. Thanks Patrick for the system dump! |
| BREAKING: Flappy Bird rises again, coming to Android this August Posted: 14 May 2014 04:18 PM PDT Stop the presses! Back in March, Flappy Bird developer Dong Nguyen told the world that Flappy Bird — the game that killed time, destroyed lives — would one day return the Google Play Store, just not anytime soon. It appears we now have a better idea of when to expect the game to make its triumphant return to mobile, thanks to an interview with CNBC. In the interview, Nguyen says he’s working on a new, less addictive version of the game that will introduce gameplay element: multiplayer. If that doesn’t sound even more addictive, I don’t know what does. The game is set to release in August. We now return you to your normally scheduled programming. |
| AT&T HTC One M8 update fixes broken Google Drive promo, introduces Extreme Power Saving Mode Posted: 14 May 2014 03:51 PM PDT A few weeks back, we told you guys about an a strange bug involving that AT&T variants of the HTC One M8 that prevented users from redeeming Google Drive’s 50GBs free offer. HTC promised a fix was underway and true to their word, a new software build 1.58.502.1 is currently rolling out to One M8′s on AT&T and it successfully irons out whatever kinks were preventing users from taking advantage of the promo. Once the update has been applied, users can jump into their Settings > About > Software information to verify they’re running the correct build number (1.58.502.1) after which the 50geebees is all theirs — well, almost. Next the Google Drive app will need to be reset in order to gain access to the 50 free GBs. Here are the steps:
And that’s all there is to it. HTC apologizes for the convenience this may have caused their users and if you’d like to read the statement from HTC regarding the issue (and fix), you can find it on their HTC Advantage page here. UPDATE: Oh, and the update appears to have introduced HTC’s Extreme Power Saving Mode for the AT&T version, bringing it up to speed with its Sprint counterpart. Neato.
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| Posted: 14 May 2014 01:26 PM PDT At $45 a month for unlimited talk, text, and 2.5GB data, there’s really no question Straight Talk’s prepaid service offers one of the best values this side of T-Mobile. Operating on either T-Mobile or AT&T’s networks, the MVNO has officially announced that they’re bumping up their previous 2.5GB of “unlimited” data to 3GB — 10 times more data than what the other guys are offering for the same price. It was only recently that, after years, Straight Talk finally came out and admitted to throttling users after using 2.5GB of data. A good thing too, as we may have never known about the new 500MB bonus on top of that. The network you’ll be using — either T-Mobile or AT&T — depends on the smartphone you bring, just keep in mind you’ll need a nano SIM to take advantage of 4G LTE on T-Mobile (such as an iPhone 5s, HTC One M8, etc.). To grab a SIM and start your service, simply hit up your local Walmart or visit the link below to pick one up online. |
| Unlucky OnePlus One winner finds empty box on his doorstep [VIDEO] Posted: 14 May 2014 11:51 AM PDT Yesterday, we told you guys how the folks at OnePlus were shipping “Smash the Past” winners the One phone-only. No SIM tools. No chargers. No cables. Turns out, it wasn’t as bad as it sounded. It was merely an effort by OnePlus to ensure the phone got to winners without delay, given the shipping materials and accessories wouldn’t have been ready on time. No biggie. But today, an unlucky OnePlus One winner got a little less than he was expecting, finding only an empty box on his doorstep instead of the OnePlus One he expecting. The “winner” posted the unboxing video onto YouTube where all the shipping tape still remained on the box and to be fair, there was a note congratulating him on his new OnePlus. While it’s entirely possible the phone could have been swiped during transit (it happens), we think it was more likely to have been a hiccup by the folks at OnePlus. As a new startup, OnePlus warned us they’d likely make a few mistakes on the way and we have little doubt they’ll be working to fix this situation. What do you guys think of this snafu? Understandable? Or unacceptable? Video below. Thanks, DatGuy! |
| Native iOS apps can now run on Android Posted: 14 May 2014 11:25 AM PDT The huge gulf in available applications between Android and iOS has shrunk dramatically over the past several years, but there still exists a slight bias on the part of developers toward Apple's smartphone platform. On top of this, iOS exclusive services like FaceTime and iMessage can leave many an Android user standing on the outside looking in when taking into account friends and family choosing an iPhone over a Google-based device. For those tired of feeling cutoff , for those sick of waiting for the latest app craze to be ported to Android, there is finally an answer. Well…sort of. Researchers at Columbia University's Software Systems Laboratory have developed an "operating system compatibility architecture" that makes it possible to run native iOS apps on an Android device without modifying the code or performing an sort of optimization. Dubbed Cider, the interface layer is more than a simple virtual machine or emulator. Using compile-time code adaptation, Cider can translate — for lack of a better word — the foreign code of an iOS app in a manner that allows Android’s kernel to run the app natively. Diplomatic functions allow for foreign apps to interface with native software and hardware elements of an Android device. As seen in the video demonstration above, Cider is far from perfect. While it indeed makes quick work of running iOS apps, performance and responsiveness are definitely hindered. It's not a perfect solution, but as a proof of concept it is pretty compelling. So what does Cider mean for the average Android (or iOS) user? At this point there is still work to be done and it could be quite some time before the system trickles out to the general public — if it ever does. Expect both Apple and Google to respond should Cider move beyond the realm of computer science experiment. In a marketplace largely driven by exclusive software and features, it's almost a guarantee that Apple will not be happy with the idea of their native iOS apps running on a piece of Android hardware. |
| Motorola Alert hits Google Play, could save your life in an emergency Posted: 14 May 2014 11:22 AM PDT While yesterday’s newly announced Moto E may have skimped out on a few hardware specs to help keep costs low, it’s the software where the phone truly shines. Featuring Motorola’s stand back and let Android do its thing approach, the phone features a mostly stock Android 4.4 KitKat experience only with the inclusion of a few key Motorola apps. We’ve already told you guys about Motorola exclusive apps like Active Display or Touchless Control, but with the release of the Moto E, Motorola is introducing their latest application — Motorola Alert. The app’s package name probably describes it best: “com.motorola.bodyguard.” Motorola Alert works by sending location-based alerts to a circle of friends/family of your choosing. This can be set to alert a parent when their child arrives safely at home, or when alert wife when her husband has left for/arrives at work. For more emergency situations, blasting your location in the event you’ve been kidnapped or suffered a snake bite out in the woods should help provide some peace of mind for its users. The will continue updating your friends and family with periodic status updates to help conserve battery. The best part about the app is it’s unbundled from Motorola’s OS and completely free to download on Google Play. While we’d love to see this on other Android devices, the app remains a Motorola Moto E exclusive at the moment. Motorola says to expect compatibility with the Motorola Moto G and Motorola Moto X in the near future (as well as the Motorola Moto X+1 whenever that drops). Perhaps Google can introduce a similar app in the near future?
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| LG G3 leaked in press shots showing refined brushed metal design Posted: 14 May 2014 10:00 AM PDT With the LG G3 expected to be officially announced on May 27th the beans have been spilling at a rapid rate. Only days ago we got a look at some spy shots of the device followed by an official tease from LG. Now the first press renders of the phone in three different color schemes have made their way online. As with earlier leaks, the phone — seen here in gold, black, and white — has a brushed metal motif that equates to a fairly premium-looking handset. Appearances might only be skin-deep, however, as current speculation says this brush metal design is achieved without the use of any actual brushed metal. Much like the awful faux-leather finish that has graced a number of Samsung devices, the G3 is expected to feature a polycarbonate construction that mimics the look (and, to a lesser extent, feel) of a different material. For those playing along at home, the G3 is rumored to feature a 5.5-inch Quad-HD display, Snapdragon 805 quad-core processing, 3GB of RAM, and a 13MP camera. All this in a package, that judging by what we have seen so far, keeps as compact as possible. Particularly of note is the bezel around the display (or lack thereof). It's not quite an edge-to-edge display, but it's getting there.    [via PhoneArena] |
| After rave reviews, Monument Valley brings its impossible cube gameplay to Android devices Posted: 14 May 2014 09:52 AM PDT UsTwo’s “Monument Valley” is one of those games that can only be described as a work of art. Beautiful, almost surreal visuals, and a dreamy atmosphere — it’s not wonder the game garnered over 500 thousand downloads since launching last month for iOS. The game utilizes a variety of impossible architecture to trick the eye with optical illusions (like the impossible cube). UsTwo combines this puzzle gameplay with beautiful, high-res visuals and a wonderful pastel color pallet to bring the game to life. Really, it’s unlike anything you’ve ever played on mobile. The best part is after months of beta testing, the game is finally ready for its debut on Android. At only $4, you could do a whole lot worse with your money. What are you waiting for? Monument Valley can be downloaded via the Play Store link below.
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| Yahoo buys messaging app Blink, promptly shuts it down Posted: 14 May 2014 09:01 AM PDT Yahoo is continuing its acquisition spree under the direction of CEO Marissa Mayer, scooping up messaging app Blink for an undisclosed sum. Meh Labs, creator of Blink, announced the acquisition via the app’s official site before promptly opting to shut the service down. The deal is being dubbed Yahoo's latest acqui-hire as the company was more interested in wrangling the talent pool behind Blink than pushing the messaging platform to the next level. Blink saw modest success in a crowded field of similar apps, its biggest competitor being Snapchat and services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, which continue to add features to cater to fans of now-you-see-it-now-you-don't messaging. Blink isn't completely offline as of now but will soon vanish as quickly as the self-destructing messages passed between users. If you are a current user looking for an alternative, Snapchat was recently updated with a host of new messaging features. [via Blink] |
| Samsung gearing up to release Google Glass competitor this fall Posted: 14 May 2014 07:32 AM PDT Now that Samsung's thirst for smartwatches has been temporarily satiated with the release of the Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo, and Gear Fit, the Korean company is turning its eyes — quite literally — toward their next piece of wearable tech. A report from Business Korea reveals that Samsung plans to launch a Google Glass competitor dubbed Gear Glass this September alongside the Galaxy Note 4. The plan follows a pattern that started last year when Samsung introduced their first smart wearable, the original Galaxy Gear, simultaneously with the Galaxy Note 3. That particular device turned out to be a bit of a learning experience for Samsung. After a poor reception and even worse sales, the company's wearable strategy was quickly rethought and a group of followup smartwatches was unveiled only months later at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Gear Glass is said to run on the same Tizen operating system that powers the Gear 2 family and should feature a design not far from what we have grown familiar with thanks to Google's pioneering innovation with their own Glass. A single eyepiece will rest within range of the wearer's right eye. An earpiece will also be featured on the same side. Otherwise, little is known about the hardware and design of Gear Glass (though a recently uncovered patent reveals one possible design, pictured above). You can expect Samsung's smart glasses to feature integration with the company's line of Android-based Galaxy smartphones, but to what extent is unknown. At a bare minimum it wouldn't be unrealistic to expect a device that offers the same complimentary experience as the Gear 2. One Samsung patent suggests we could even see an "air keyboard" that would utilize gestures for typing. It will be interesting to see if Samsung also incorporates features similar to those that have debuted with Google Glass such as voice commands and functions related to the built-in camera. Pricing also remains a question, but it might not be too hopeful to expect Samsung's Glass to retail for slightly cheaper than the $1500 buyers currently need to shell out for Google Glass, which recently entered open beta for US residents. [via Business Korea]
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| Vic Gundotra pens Google+ patent for free calls to preferred circles Posted: 14 May 2014 06:52 AM PDT It might be true that Vic Gundotra is leaving Google, but his fingerprint (and signature) is still seen on patents passing through the USPTO, the latest of which imagines a Google+ that better integrates with your mobile carrier. The patent could lend some credence to rumors that Google intends to have the Android team swallow the G+ team. The 25 page patent application, titled “Integration of Carriers with Social Networks“, primarily describes new ways that Google+ could soon operate more closely with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and other service providers. The most interesting? Automatic creation of a “preferred calling group” Google+ Circle that bypasses typical “Carrier to Carrier” free minutes promotions and allows you to set a number of Google+ contacts – regardless of their mobile carrier – as contacts you can call freely without the use of your plan minutes or additional fees. Not enrolled in G+? Google would use this as an opportunity to connect you with friends and family using your phonebook in your carrier’s account. Wouldn’t that process be made much easier if it was programmed directly through the Android OS and the Google+ app for Android? Being Un-CarrierMobile carriers use calling circle promotions (ex: Verizon-to-Verizon) for two main reasons:
I say “perceived” switching costs because most people won’t ever do this math. They’ll simply know that Mom, Dad, and a few of their buddies have Verizon and they don’t want to lose that Verizon-to-Verizon promo. But what if Google promoted free Plus-to-Plus calling for one of your circles through, say, T-Mobile (regardless of carriers)? It may seem like a long shot and their is no evidence to suggest any partnerships like this are in the works, but it’s this exact thinking by the likes of T-Mobile and HTC that made Android possible. If you’ll remember, other carriers and manufacturers were uninterested in creating and participating with Android because of its potential to break the status quo. As we all know, the status quo sucked, but was lucratively sucky for the likes of Verizon and Nokia. Android needed champions like T-Mobile and HTC who could challenge the status quo because they needed a shift to survive. The straits aren’t so dire here, but there are still lots of barriers to break down. Whereas the past 5 years have seen exponential improvements in hardware and software, the next 5 years of mobile tech growth will be more about services and integrations. Once that ball starts rolling, they’ll be no stopping it. Where’s G+ Going?Contrary to the slew of misleading rumors calling Google+ a failure that Google hopes to sweep under the rug, I believe you could already consider G+ a success, albeit one with plenty of hills left to climb. This patent indicates Google is still very much thinking of Google+ as a huge opportunity that they want to give increased visibility and integration within the Android and greater Google ecosystem. And knowing the numbers behind web and mobile use as it relates to social networking, Google+ isn’t something Google would give up on so easily. One missed opportunity I simply can’t shake: they should have creatively rolled Google Reader into Google+… even if merely existing on its own little News tab like in the mockups above. Rather than converting this highly used content discovery system into G+ users, they abandoned them, causing a mass exodus that offered absolutely no value to Google’s other company goals and initiatives. An institutional failure and complete disaster in my opinion. While the increased integration with Google+ throughout their product portfolio initially caused some serious backlash (YouTube comments, Google Play Store Reviews, etc…), I’ve found that connectivity to be convenient and refreshing. It begins to remove the anonymous veil that has so long protected trolls, spammers, and bullies on the web and potentially offers a personal value and reputation system to web-based interactions that was not previously possible. Right now we’re still skimming the surface. Is privacy a concern? Yes. Should people be able to opt-out of these forced integrations? Absolutely. But in my opinion the Internet as we’ve known it has been a wasteland of “you-cant-see-me-so-i-can-say-whatever-i-effing-want-and-get-away-with-it” for far too long. Not to mention, landing on any number of sites and finding a “Sign in with G+” has been a distinct pleasure. Also worth noting: the images submitted in the patent also show a mock Google+ layout with some interesting additions to the sidebar: News, Videos, Gadgets & Games, Questions, and Music among other items. This doesn’t forecast anything, but interesting nonetheless. Keep in mind that this is a continuation of a patent filed several years ago. We’ve yet to see any fruits of this labor, but similar to a recent Facebook Phone patent that popped up, perhaps this expresses a renewed interest suggesting something similar is around the ccorner. |
| Sony sells 39 million Xperia handsets as mobile division shows strong growth Posted: 14 May 2014 06:28 AM PDT Sony's latest round of handsets has given the company some hope amid declining profits and forecasted losses. Reporting on the company's earnings for the fiscal year ending March 31st, Sony revealed smartphone sales of 39.1 million. The figure represents strong year-over-year growth in the 20 percent range, up from 33 million for the fiscal year 2012. The growth of Sony's mobile business has no doubt been spurred along by a recent run of stylish and powerful Android smartphones like the Xperia Z1, but the number of units sold still pales in comparison to the competition. Consider that Samsung is boasting sales of 10 million Galaxy S5 handsets in only 25 days. That is one-quarter of Sony's total sales for a year in one-twelfth the amount of time. Sony recently launched their Xperia Z2 and is expecting more growth for their mobile division in the coming year, forecasting an additional 10 million sales for the fiscal year 2014 — a total of 50 million. Despite this and the success of the recently launched PS4, the company-wide outlook isn't as chipper. Sony expects a net loss of some 50 billion yen over the next year, suggesting the company hasn't turned the corner quite yet. [via Sony] |
| ZTE Concord 2 now available online for T-Mobile, MetroPCS next week Posted: 14 May 2014 05:00 AM PDT The Moto G isn’t the only affordable smartphone looking to make a splash this year. Today, ZTE is throwing their hat in the ring with the all new ZTE Concord II — now available online at T-Mobile and next week for MetroPCS. According to ZTE’s press release, they’re one the fastest growing smartphone OEMs in the US and the Concord II is yet another great option for cellphone buyers on a budget. The Concord II features solid build quality for an entry-level smartphone thanks to aluminum wrapping around its sides and a 4-inch Gorilla Glass 2 display. As for the rest of the hardware specs, here are the other main bullet points.
Although a little light on the specs, the ZTE Concord II will only set you back $0 with 2-years of monthly payments. ZTE mentions the Concord II comes with a nearly stock Android experience (albeit Jelly Bean) which further adds to the appeal. You can find the manufacturer’s latest low-end offering via the link below. |
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