Want to be safe on the Internet? Here is a collection of articles that will help you understand the tricks and tactics used by malware writers and that explain how to set up some powerful computer defenses. Read these and you will be well prepared to protect your computer against hackers and cyber criminals.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 are shipping with branding we haven’t seen before. These smartphones are letting the world know that they’re “Powered by Android” as soon as you turn them on, right on the boot screen.
In the past, we’ve seen reports that Samsung was winning the branding war, as most Samsung users think they’re running a “Galaxy” and not Android. This is the nature of Android OEMs as every OEM has their own line or multiple lines of Android products, making it generally hard to determine exactly what you’re using. Is your smartphone a Verizon branded DROID? A Galaxy? An Xperia? Or maybe you’re rockin’ a Transformer. The list could go on and on. Since Android is far from a household name, it would be wise for Google to let consumers know who’s in charge and what product they’re actually running.
What if every smartphone or tablet launching after a certain date had to include proper branding if the OEM wanted their new hardware to play in Google’s Playground? It doesn’t sound too far fetched, right? And, what better way to do it than prominently displaying the official Android logo every time the device boots?
While this does sound like a mandated change from Google, seeing two flagship devices from very prominent Android OEMs both producing devices featuring the “Powered by Android” branding, we reached out to Google for official confirmation yesterday and are still awaiting a response to be certain. It’s also worth noting that the Verizon HTC One M8 is not following suit as the “Powered by Android” branding is missing from the boot screen on their version. We’ll let you know if we hear anything.
AT&T is on a roll. After announcing earlier today that the Galaxy Note 3 was being treated to KitKat, the 2nd largest carrier in the US is back and divulging some important info about their upcoming smartphone/tablet hybrid — the recently announced ASUS Padfone X.
It was all the way back in January AT&T first announced that they’d be carrying the ASUS Padfone X later this year. The problem is, they were mum on many of the hardware details, leaving us to wonder what kind of changes in hardware (if any) the PadFone X would receive that would separate it from last year’s ASUS PadFone Infinity. Turns out, not much. AT&T took to their blog to reveal the PadFone X’s specs, all of which can be found down below.
Size
PadFone: 143.93 x 72.46 x 9.98 mm (150g)
PadFone Station: 250.4 x 172.25 x 11.63 mm (514g)
Operating System
Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Display
PadFone: 5", 1920 x 1080 (441PPI)
PadFone Station: 9", 1920 X 1200 (252PPI)
Camera
PadFone: 13MP Pixel Master + 2MP front-facing
PadFone Station: 1MP front-facing
Processor
2.3Ghz quad-core
Baseband chipset
Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
Internal Memory
16GB (2GB RAM)
Memory Card
microSD™ slot in smartphone extends external memory up to 64GB
Wi-Fi
WiFi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac)
Bluetooth®
BT 4.0
GPS
GPS/aGPS
Battery/HAC
PadFone : 2,300mAh
PadFone Station: 4,990mAh
As you can see, the phone has aged pretty well, offering many of the high-end specs typical of this year’s flagships. For those interested in the PadFone X’s “Design Story,” ASUS North America uploaded a quick overview video. The video covers many of the tablet/hybrids main hardware points, in ASUS’ typical cheesy voice-over style.
AT&T was still quiet on pricing and availability, although they promise to have more details soon. We’ll keep you posted.
We know, some of you were probably wondering if it was ever coming. But good things come to those who wait, and for Samsung Galaxy Note 3 owners on AT&T, today is your lucky day. Announced earlier this afternoon, AT&T has officially announced that Android 4.4.2 KitKat is finally ready, and will be rolling out in an over the air update to Galaxy Note 3s starting today.
Besides all the fun stuff that comes along with the latest version (at least for now) of Android, Galaxy Note 3 owners can also look forward to the following:
Improved user interface: The latest version of Android includes enhancements such as re-styled status and navigation bars, a new full-screen-immersive mode, color emoji support, improved closed captioning support, stronger security and smarter power use.
Default messaging app: Choose a default messaging app when multiple messaging services are installed.
Improved GPS performance
Enhanced music access: Full screen album art and media controls are available from the lock screen when listening to music.
Camera access: The camera can also be accessed directly from the lock screen.
Location menu: An integrated location menu enables users to easily activate GPS and share location details.
Wireless printing: Integrated support for wireless printing available in enhanced settings.
New sound controls: Set sound for specific Samsung applications in enhanced settings.
If your phablet hasn’t prompted you for the update, you can always manually check for the update by going into the Settings app > selecting the “More” tab > then tapping About device > Software update > Check for updates > at which point the over-the-air update will being downloading. Once finished, expect your phone to reboot and once fully loaded, bask in the glory of all things KitKat. Heck, even take a selfie to celebrate. Enjoy!
For additional update instructions, visit the Note 3 support page here.
You’d be hard pressed to find any mention of a bite sized HTC One M8 during the device’s reveal in New York. Just because HTC released the HTC One Mini last year, doesn’t necessarily guarantee they’ll be doing the same this year. For those that were worried, the HTC One M8 Mini has just popped up on Swedish carrier Telia’s list of devices supporting HD voice on their network. Funny, given HTC hasn’t made the phone official (at least, not to the public).
It really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given the new model is reaching new heights, making a smaller variant more necessary than ever for buyer’s looking for something a little more palmable. Don’t forget that recently @evleaks confirmed the phone’s existence, making it’s release all but certain.
Still undisclosed are the actual form factor and whether or not HTC will forgo the “Duo Camera” array on the mini sized version. While the verdict is still out on that one, we can’t wait to see the other improvements HTC has made on the device when it makes its inevitable debut later this year.
Heads up, folks — Amazon has an interest press event set for April 2nd. The company sent invites to members of the press, and the nature of the announcement was teased in a rather obvious way. It consisted of a photo of a couch that had some dropped popcorn littered about, which immediately has us thinking about Amazon Instant Video.
So what could be so big that they’re planning a whole media event for? Recent rumors suggest the company is looking to introduce their own media streaming dongle, one that could resemble Chromecast. It could also be some sort of set-top box. Either way, it’s no doubt something you’ll be hooking up to your TV to watch all your favorite movies and TV shows on.
Some are suggesting Amazon will invite other partners in to play, providing a one-stop shop for video apps of all sorts. At the same time, Amazon will likely look to highlight their own growing library of original content above all else.
We could also see some gaming goodness if this turns out to be a set-top box. Amazon has been rumored to be bringing a gaming unit of some sort, and their purchase of Killer Instinct developer Double Helix certainly doesn’t help them crush those rumors. That said, the fact that the invite specifically mentions “video business” has us cautious to think this announcement will include information about anything other than video streaming.
Peter Larsen, the company’s vice president of Kindle business, will probably be playing some April Fools’ jokes on the day before the event, but they certainly won’t be joking around about their bid to take video to the next level. You can bet we’ll be all ears and eyes next week Tuesday. Now, excuse me while I run to avoid the barrage of comments wondering where the freaking Instant Video for Android app is.
Today’s big news was that Microsoft Office was now available for iPad for those with an Office 365 subscription, but a bit of Android-related goodies were tucked inside the blog posts that you might care about. Starting today, Office for Android (and iPhone, if you care) is being made completely free.
That means you can both view and edit documents from your Android phone, and you won’t have to pay Microsoft $10 per month for that privilege. It’s a key change in the company’s strategy under new CEO Satya Nadella, one that sees Microsoft focusing more on becoming a services and software company aimed at ALL users rather than trying to sell Windows and Windows alone.
The change hasn’t hit the Google Play Store just yet, though we imagine that should happen at some point later today. We’ll be keeping an eye out for its arrival, and we’ll update this post once that happens. It’s in the Google Play Store right here if you want to get it onto your phone before the update hits.
HTC is bringing even more apps to the Google Play Store. This time, the Taiwanese company saw fit to bring the app that controls the HTC One M8′s DotView case to the store, where they will be able to deliver upgrades that will eventually improve the experience and add new features.
The initial release doesn’t do much other than what was delivered with the phone at retail, which gives you a quick, retro-esque look at your time and date, weather, view progress on a timer, get your battery indicator when you are about to run out of juice, and see notifications about missed calls or new messages. You can even answer or decline incoming calls using swipe gestures without having to open the case.
With the app in the Google Play Store, HTC will be able to evolve all of this without users having to wait on lengthy firmware upgrade processes. It’s a trend Motorola made popular with the Moto X and the latest DROID family, and users of those devices have enjoyed the ability to get these new and refined features without having to wait an unbearable wait.
You’ll already have it on your phone if you’re an HTC One M8 user, natch. As for everyone else? Well, it’s a nice way to see some pictures of what the case will actually do for you if you ever decide to buy one. Find it right here, and don’t forget to take a peek at our hands-on with the case to see how it performs in practice.
A few months ago we told you guys about Pressy, a small hardware button that fits into your device’s 3.5mm headphone jack that can perform certain actions based on the button presses you input.
For instance, three quick clicks, can initiate a call, while one long click could turn WiFi on and off. While we’re all waiting for that neat idea to ship, another one has popped up… and you don’t even need to buy a third-party dongle.
QuickClick is the same concept, except it uses your device’s volume buttons to receive commands. It doesn’t differentiate between long and short clicks like Pressy, but you can use a combination of clicks from both volume up and volume down to throw together a ton of different unique actions.
Clicks can be configured to do a large number of things. Here’s a quick list to get you started:
Take a photo or a video
Toggle flashlight on and off
Record an audio
Make a call
Start a message
Launch a Tasker task
Start any of your apps!
Each action also has its own set of configurations such as playing a sound when that action is triggered, play a vibration pattern, and more. It’s a nice alternative to Pressy, so be sure to check it out in the Google Play Store for free.
A nice new accessory is now available for those of you who have been looking for a microSD card reader for your Android phone for one reason or another. It’s the Leef Access, a $10 dongle that inserts itself into your device’s microUSB port. In trying digital times like these where lots of manufacturers are ditching microSD card slots, Leef Access can be a lifesaver.
Not only will it allow you to easily transfer files to and from your phone, it has a secondary integrated microSD card slot for expansion usage. Need more space to store your music? Add it to your microSD card using Leef Access, and hook it up whenever you want to listen to your tunes.
Something like this isn’t totally practical for everyday use, of course — the fact that it protrudes from the device is an off-putting factor for those who keep their phones in their pockets, for instance. But if you absolutely need physical, external storage and your phone doesn’t provide it, there aren’t many better options out there.
Leef has this thing up on Amazon for sale right now if you’re interested, though you’ll have to put up with an inexpensive $4.50 shipping expense as it is not offered under Amazon Prime. Be sure to check it out if you’re interested.
Do you use Cerberus, an Android app and service to help find and track your lost or stolen smartphone? You’ll want to head over to your account right now and change your password, as the company has revealed an unfortunate breach that may have given perpetrators access to your accounts.
An email sent to Cerberus subscribers tells us that username and encrypted passwords have been compromised. Thankfully no other account information was revealed the hackers, including email addresses and any personal information that may have been tied to the account.
And since the passwords were stored in an encrypted format, the hackers likely couldn’t do anything with the information they obtained — in fact, Cerberus believes only three accounts were broken into.
Regardless, Cerberus wants to make sure everyone has peace of mind by prompting users to reset their passwords. You won’t be able to login with your existing password to do this. Simply go to the site’s “Forgot Password” form here to get it going. Once you do that, Cerberus says it’s a good idea to log into your account and check your account logs to make sure no suspicious activity has taken place (such as someone requesting a location or trying to sound the phone’s alarm).
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what occurred with this incident:
The database was not accessed, and passwords are hashed and uniquely salted multiple times there. The hackers likely couldn’t access the accounts.
- The hacker was able to access a legacy log file that contained usernames and SHA-1 hashes of passwords that were generated by the app logins between March 1 and March 21
They then deleted the log file, stopped the legacy logging procedure, invalidated the passwords for the accounts present in the log and notified the users involved
A total of 96564 accounts had their password reset and have been notified with the email communication above. These accounts have not been accessed in any way.
A total of 3 accounts were accessed by the attackers, but Cerberus immediately blocked access to those accounts and reset their passwords. Those 3 users were notified before the others with a different email.
As of March 26, none of the data obtained by the attacker is believed to be released publicly.
That’s the skinny of it, folks. These things happen, and it’s unfortunate when they do, but the most you can ask for is that the developers are responsible enough to provide proper communication and take necessary measures to ensure everyone is protected. That’s exactly what Cerberus did.
Of course, they’ll be looking into ways to improve their security even more down the line to make sure someone like this isn’t commonplace, and have already contacted security experts for a systems audit to see where and how they can improve.
Another mid-range HTC handset has broken cover over in China, with the latest being the company’s first to ship with an octa-core processor. It’s the HTC Desire 616, a 5-inch 720p device that looks like it won’t make it too far out of Asia.
That aside, it looks like it could be a decent device for those in the Chinese market to pick up, as the rest of its specs include MediaTek’s 1.7GHz octa-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera and Android 4.4.2.
Sense is on board, but as of the time of this writing it’s the aged Sense 5 that was featured on the HTC One 2013. The device also curiously features on-screen buttons, a trend that began with the newly-announced HTC One M8.
The 616′s design and build quality seem uninspired, though we’ve come to expect that from a phone that isn’t meant to go toe-to-toe with the great ones of the mobile world. There’s not much else to know about this thing at this time, but we imagine we’ll know more once this device launches (which would probably happen at some point in Q2 2014).
Cyberlink is currently offering a free copy of Photo Director v4 for download, to readers of PC Magazine. To get the program you'll be asked for your name and an email address Once you've supplied these, the download button will appear, as will your licence key for the software. Make a note of the key, as you'll need it later.
Photo Director v4 should work on all recent versions of Windows. The download runs to 135 MB, which is too large for VirusTotal to check, but the antivirus software on my PC found no issues with it.
Note that this offer only lasts until 28th March, so download your copy before it's too late.
This Message Will Self Destruct (TMWSD) "....is a secure messaging service where messages sent are encrypted, securely transferred, and automatically deleted when they are retrieved." Brilliant.
A little more detail from the site: "TMWSD is a secure, auto-deleted messaging service. This means two things: - We encrypt your message before we store it. - The first time the message is retrieved we delete the encrypted content."
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:
2012 revenue: $164.4 million
2013 revenue: $1.88 billion
2014 revenue: TBD
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’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.
An update coming soon to the Google Play Store, Twitter is announcing new photo features hitting both their Android and iOS apps. Twitter’s attempt at making their service “more social,” users will soon be able to upload up to 4 photos in a single tweet. Nice for those that love sharing (and helps keep users from straying off to Instagram for their photo sharing needs).
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.
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.
Improved user interface with Android (4.4 KitKat): The latest version of Android includes enhancements such as restyled status and navigation bars, a new full-screen immersive mode, color emoji support, improved closed captioning support, stronger security, enhanced bluetooth and smarter power use.
Phone dialer app: The phone app now includes the ability to look up contacts directly from the dial pad, see and tap frequent contacts, and search corporate directories easily.
Caller ID: Whenever a call is received from a phone number not in saved in contacts, the phone will look for matches from businesses with a local listing on Google Maps.
HTC BlinkFeed™ app: The new menu gives quicker access to switch content sources and search for custom topics and includes more news sources.
New copy and paste options: Copy and paste allows users to share or Google highlighted information.
New e-mail user interface: E-mail look and feel similar to Gmail and allows in-line editing.
Camera app from lock screen: Click on the camera app icon on the lock screen for quick access to the camera app.
Control music from the lock screen: Jump to specific past songs or videos from lock screen.
Immersive viewing: Immersive mode enables full screen viewing of books, videos, and games.
New clock interface: The clock now has an enhanced analog user interface.
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.
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.
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 — the listing for the developer edition M8 shows Snapdragon 800 as the processor. The HTC One M8 is advertised with a Snapdragon 801.
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.
UPDATE: HTC has reached out to us, letting us know that this was indeed a typo. This phone is essentially the unbranded version as the AT&T model (just like last year’s), and HTC is working on updating the page to avoid further confusion.
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.
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:
Following its popularity with HTC users, HTC will now make HTC BlinkFeed available to other Android devices, launching on the Google Play store soon.
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.
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:
Leave a comment on this article suggesting and requesting apps, games, devices, comparisons, etc… related to health and fitness that you’d like to see discussed and reviewed in this series.
Follow along in our Android Fitness & Health Forum – we’ve just created this community to help people share their challenges, goals, and progress while staying motivated and informed. Help us shape the community while shaping up yourself!
What I plan on doing:
Wearing both a Jawbone UP and Fitbit Force for 30-straight days (different wrists), using them to their full ability, and reporting back the results with full reviews.
Using various apps and devices (suggested by readers in the comments) to plan and track my daily activity and reporting back in organized/themed posts
Making a concerted effort to increase my activity, exercise daily, eat more healthfully, and do (or don’t do) the small things that add up over the course of the month and year.
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:
6.4-inch 1080p HD display
Snapdragon 801 processor
3GB of RAM
128GB of storage
4,250 mAh battery
13 megapixel rear AND front camera
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.
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.
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.
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:
We’ve already invested time and resources on this platform, and we will continue in that direction.
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.
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.
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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