• CES
  • AMARTS
  • Electronic Kid
  • Useful-news
  • Forum
  • Fellowship
  • E-Library
  • All
gravatar

Android Phone Fans

Android Phone Fans


Google Play Store 5.0 with even more Material Design rolling out to devices [Download]

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:31 PM PDT

Google_Play_Store_5.0

As we move closer towards Android L’s impending announcement, more and more core Google apps are getting the Material Design treatment. Google’s Material Design update for the Play Store leaked a few weeks back, now it seems that Google is ready to unleash their latest rendition of the Play Store upon the masses. Version 5.0.31 began rolling out to devices this evening and as you would expect with a big version bump, the update focuses on Google’s new design language and user experience (#PraiseGrouchnikov).

First things first, the Play Store icon itself has been updated to a more flatter design. In material Design Fashion, the entire Play Store sports newly colored categories that align with Google’s Material Design color palette, which are incredibly bold and bright. The What’s New section for apps is now highlighted and front and center when you tap ‘Read More,’ meaning there’s no need to scroll furiously to the bottom to read the change log. You’ll also notice a new hamburger menu icon on the side as well as a newly sidebar that includes a flatter icons.

Screenshot_2014-10-09-21-57-17 Screenshot_2014-10-09-21-57-30 Screenshot_2014-10-09-21-57-44 Screenshot_2014-10-09-21-58-42 Screenshot_2014-10-09-22-15-58 Screenshot_2014-10-09-22-15-42 Screenshot_2014-10-09-22-15-26 Screenshot_2014-10-09-22-16-09

Besides the cosmetic changes you see above, the Google Play Store 5.0 update feels very snappy and flows quite nicely. Of course a lot of that feel could come from all of the new animations and transitions that are flowing freely through the app.

If you don’t want to wait for the Google Play Store 5.0 update to hit your device, we’ve snagged the APK for you to sideload. Enjoy!

Download Google Play Store 5.0.31

HTC One M8 EYE with 13MP camera now available for pre-order in China, launches Oct 15th

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:08 PM PDT

HTC One M8 EYE China

There was one device we were surprised to find no mention of during HTC’s Double Exposure event yesterday — the HTC One M8 EYE. Leaked back towards the beginning of this month, the phone was a modified version of HTC’s One M8, only it traded the 4MP OmniVision OV4688 camera sensor, for a 13MP Sony IMX214 (the same camera as the newly announced HTC Desire EYE).

Well, it seems the One M8 EYE is now official, with the phone just popping up out of nowhere on HTC’s Chinese website without an official announcement or press release. Just like the HTC Desire EYE, HTC puts their new EYE Experience camera front and center on the landing page, supplying an October 15th launch date and pricing of about $652.

Unless you currently reside in China don’t grab your wallet just yet — we don’t imagine this will arrive stateside anytime soon.

[HTC]

HTC One M8 already receiving Android 4.4.4 update with EYE Experience in Europe

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 05:29 PM PDT

htc-desire-eye-experience-face-tracking

During yesterday’s Double Exposure event, HTC talked in great detail about their all new EYE Experience, their brand new updated camera app that will come with the HTC Desire EYE. During the event, they also mentioned their current flagship devices — like the HTC One M8 and HTC One M7 — would soon see a system update bringing these futures later this month.

HTC EYE Experience

Not much time has passed since then, but it seems the update is already making the rounds in Europe for the international version of the device. The update (software build 3.28.401.6) weighs in at 252.01MB and officially brings the firmware on the HTC One M8 to Android 4.4.4. For those willing, you can manually install the update where it’s already been posted to XDA. For rooted users, both LlabTooFeR and Mike1986 are supplying their versions of the update via their own custom ROMs.

As is usually the case, we expect the HTC One M8 Developer Edition to receive the update next, followed by carrier versions here in the US. Let’s hope since not much has changed, it doesn’t get held up by a lengthy review process.

Nexus 6 is reportedly launching this month, are you ready for it?

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 04:04 PM PDT

Nexus 5 unboxing featured

If last year’s sudden Nexus 5 launch wasn’t a big enough clue for you, we’d say we’re not too far off from Google announcing a followup sometime this month as well. They didn’t give a specific date, but according to 3 sources out of The Wall Street Journal, Google is planning just that, with the Nexus 6 — Google’s new phablet — being made official any day now.

Running with Google’s recent naming scheme, the Nexus 6 is fixin’ to be an exceptionally large smartphone that will help Google compete in the phablet market, one currently dominated by the likes of Samsung and soon, Apple (if they can keep up with demand). There was no mention of pricing, but it’s interesting that recent Nexus 6 leaks show a phone identical to Motorola’s Moto X (2nd Gen), only larger and with the Nexus name on the back. Typically, Google contracts an OEM to build an entirely separate model (usually with cheaper parts to help keep costs down). It’ll be interesting to see if any corners were cut and if not, what the unlocked pricing will look like.

Apple is planning an October 16th event and with rumors of Google also announcing a Nexus 9 tablet along with the Nexus 6, it would make sense for Google to try and get a jump on Apple by announcing their new product portfolio a day before (or the day of?) the event. But that date is closing in fast and without hide or hair of any invites being sent out to press, expect another lowkey blog post for the Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 like Google did with last year’s Nexus 5.

Motorola Droid Turbo will come equipped with a massive 3,900mAh battery

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 02:45 PM PDT

Motorola EQ40 Droid Turbo battery

Earlier this week, a mysterious Motorola device tried to sneakily make its way past the FCC undetected. While initially thought to be the Motorola Nexus 6, its reported size hinted more towards the rumored (now leaked) Motorola Droid Turbo. Inside the FCC filing we found the typical tests and paperwork, but there was also mention of an accessory list which, in addition to revealing the device coming with Motorola’s Turbo Charger, listed the part number for the device’s battery (EQ40).

As many of you saw, yesterday, the Motorola Droid Turbo was finally exposed thanks to its leaked user manual, giving us an early look at its relatively uninspired 2010 design. While the user manual was a great resource for us, it didn’t actual specify the exact battery capacity, only saying it would have a “high capacity long lasting battery.”

Fast forward to today where a resourceful young man tweeted out a battery for the Motorola Droid Turbo on a Chinese parts website — the same EQ40 model number from the FCC filing — and you wont believe its reported size: 3,900mAh. Sweet, Jehoshaphat.

While a higher resolution 2K display is sure to take a toll on battery life, we were confident the Droid Turbo would, at the very minimum, match the 3,500mAh battery of last year’s Motorola Droid Maxx. Maybe a 200mAh more — tops. But this? This is madness. Just as a quick comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has a nice sized 2,800mAh battery, topped by the Sony Xperia Z3 at 3,100mAh.

With Project Volta arriving with Android L and the Motorola Droid Turbo likely one of the first devices to receive it (if it not launch with Android L), expect a phone that could outlive any other. How’s that for a killer feature?

[Twitter]

Verizon’s Xperia Z3v is a souped up version of Sony’s flagship, arrives October 23rd [VIDEO]

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 12:37 PM PDT

Sony Xperia Z3v Verizon Wireless

After rumors hinted as much, Verizon is here to finally make the Sony Xperia Z3v official. The phone, which is an exclusive version for their network, packs all the things you loved about the regular Z3, only brings a few additional hardware improvements to the table.

Most notably, Verizon’s version of the Z3 comes equipped with wireless charging and a slightly larger 3,200mAh battery (oddly enough, Sony says it’s still 3,100mAh). Everything else is your standard Xperia Z3 with a 5.2-inch 1080p display, 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, 3GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, micro SD card slot, 20.7MP camera, and Sony’s trademark water resistance. Weird thing is, looking over the press images, it seems the body is actually the Xperia Z2 (no rounded edges) — the same one we saw leaked many moons ago.

Verizon says they plan to launch the phone on October 23rd for $200 with a 2-year agreement with the Sony SmartWatch 3 also joining the device later this month.

[Verizon]

Samsung’s Protection Plus Mobile Elite warranty protects you from drops and spills for 2 years

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 11:51 AM PDT

Samsung Galaxy S5 water logo wm DSC05776

Samsung has a new warranty for US customers that might be worth looking into. They’re calling it Protection Plus Mobile Elite, and for $99 ($129 for the new Galaxy Note 4) you’ll get some pretty good protection in case you happen to commit a terribly unfortunate accident. The coverage lasts for two years, and gives you up to three replacements for anything that happens to your phone. The list includes:

  • Drops
  • Cracked screens
  • Water damage
  • Mechanical failures
  • Electrical failures

Of course, those replacements aren’t given without you having to pay a “service fee” (deductible) per claim. It’s $95 per claim for a Note 3 or Note 4, and $75 for anything else. Samsung promises 24/7 phone support and replacements within two days, to boot.

Compare all this to typical carrier insurance programs which charge you at least $8 per month and ask you to pay a typically more expensive deductible of about $100 in the event that your phone is accidentally damaged. The value sure seems to be there, though we’re not sure how we feel about three maximum claims over the entire course of the protection plan.

Samsung has the full details over at their website, including an FAQ that should answer any questions you have about the plan should you decide you want to get it. Whether you feel it’s a good plan or not, it’s yet another option for protecting what most consider a very expensive purchase.

New Hangouts for Chrome OS and Windows app can work independently of a browser [VIDEO]

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 08:55 AM PDT

Google has just announced a new upgrade for Google Hangouts that folks on Windows and Chrome OS will no doubt get a kick out of. The upgrade brings a few cool new features, particularly for those who don’t fancy having to open a browser to chat with friends and family.

For starters, you can now use the app independently. It opens as a neat looking out-of-the-way widget on your desktop and will show you notifications for incoming Hangouts messages and calls. You can move the widget wherever you want to make sure it’s never in the way.

hangouts desktop

The app also enables voice calling to any phone in the world as we’ve already been enjoying with the Hangouts Dialer app on Android. With that you’ll also get Google Voice integration if you’re still using that service for messages and voicemail.

Note that this app is different from the Hangouts for Chrome extension you’ve probably been using to this point. The download is already here so give it a try as soon as you can if this is something you’ve been waiting for. Find a quick demo of the update in action above.

[via Google]

Sprint WiMax will officially shut down November 6th, 2015

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 08:55 AM PDT

sprint-store1

Looks like America’s first 4G WiMax network will be shut down soon. Sprint has confirmed that they’ll look to sunset the currently operational WiMax network on November 6th, 2015. Sprint’s WiMax network was the first one advertised as “true” 4G (technical specifications at the time would have argued with that), and it did bring substantial improvements over traditional 3G data.

WiMax was quickly supplanted by LTE as the dominant technology, though, which is what caused AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to begin their rollouts with the technology. That, coupled with Clearwire’s inability to efficiently build the WiMax network out in times of financial turmoil, eventually caused Sprint to jump onto the LTE bandwagon and essentially spell its impending doom.

There aren’t many consumers still on Sprint’s 4G WiMax as they stopped putting the radios into smartphones, tablets and hotspots from mid 2012 onward. And for those who are on WiMax phones at this point? Sprint’s prepared to give you several sufficient options for upgrading to newer technology:

  • Continue using the phone without WiMax functionality
  • Terminate service (contract termination fees will not be assessed if you are still under contract and decide to go this route)
  • Get a free LTE device (we assume you won’t be able to get a top-end phone without paying top dollar).

It’s also worth noting that MVNOs who use Sprint’s WiMax networks will also be affected, though many of those MVNOs already offer access to LTE and should be offering similar transition options. It’s been a wild ride, WiMax, but ultimately you just weren’t up to scratch. Let’s hope the

AT&T confirms they’ll exclusively offer the HTC Desire EYE by holiday season, plans to carry RE camera

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:55 AM PDT

htc-desire-eye-front-screen

AT&T seems to be the one carrier who won’t hesitate to try something new. The company has confirmed they’ll be exclusively offering HTC’s latest phone announced just yesterday — the HTC Desire EYE — as well as the RE camera. The former is expected to be on store shelves by holiday season which is rather quick turnaround. Unfortunately HTC didn’t sound as sure about the RE camera as they only designated its launch window as “later this year.”

It’s too early for pricing and availability information for the Desire EYE, though we already know that the RE camera is coming in at a starting price of about $200. The former is a smartphone that places a ton of emphasis on the front-facing camera.

Whereas most phones are fine enough with 2-5 megapixels, the HTC Desire EYE slaps a 13 megapixel beast on the front. That sensor is accompanied by dual-LED flash to make sure lowlight situations aren’t as big of an issue as they typically are with front-facing sensors. Who’d ever thought selfies would get so serious?

The RE camera is a new product category for HTC — an activity camera that you can take on hiking trips, underwater snorkeling shenanigans and more. It’s set to rival something like the GoPro line, with much of its uniqueness coming with the ability to automatically sync photos and video with an Android or iOS device and edit all your memories with HTC Zoe (which is now available on all Android devices).

More information regarding the launch of these two devices ought not be far out so we’ll be keeping a close eye on the newswire and rumor mill for more details. Will you be picking either of these up once they’re available later this year?

[via AT&T]

Is this our first look at Material Design for Google Now?

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 06:52 AM PDT

Despite inconsistencies in design language between their current apps, we fully expect Google to update most of their major Android apps with a Material Design coat of paint for Android L’s release. We may have gotten our first look at one of those apps today. A Googler inadvertently posted the photo you see below to Twitter, which appears to be a shot of Google Now loaded up with traffic cards. The Tweet the photo was posted in has since been deleted.

Evidence of Material Design exists in a couple of different areas. For starters, we now see a hamburger menu button on the left side of the Google Search box. That button is nonexistent on the current version of Google Now. We’re not sure what Google will use it for (easy access to different types of searches?) but it’s there.

google now material design

We also see that the overflow menu buttons for individual cards are now placed on the outside of the card at the upper right corner, and are placed in horizontal orientation. Finally, the voice icon looks a bit different — this one has a hollowed microphone as opposed to the solid one seen in the current app’s design. [Update]: Looks like the hollowed microphone icon has always been there, and serves as a reminder for microphone input being disabled.

Some may think that the green-hued cards in the screenshot above is also another element of Material Design shining through, but it may just be that Google’s using green headers for traffic and navigation cards and will stick to the white that we’re used to for most other things. Of course, with so little to go on anything is just as good as a guess so we’ll have to wait for more details or the official update to rollout before getting a better idea of what’s in store.

[via Reddit]

Become an Android programming master with this amazing deal

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 06:43 AM PDT

android-programming-bundle

How do you turn $19 into a never-ending revenue stream? You invest that money in this Android fundamentals programming bundle.* Yes, for less than twenty bucks you can gain access to close to 10 hours of educational content, including over 105 lectures, that will help your learn and master everything you need to know to start publishing your own apps on the Google Play Store.

Learn & Master Android Programming Fundamentals – $19

What's that, you say? You have absolutely zero programming experience? You won't need it where we're going. This set of lessons is designed for the absolute beginner and covers the ins and outs of creating and designing applications for Android in precise detail. The best part (other than the price)? You need only an internet-connected device and web browser to get started. Also included are working files so you can practice the concepts of each lesson as you go.

With these courses you will discover how to manipulate Android APIs, take advantage of system resources in your apps, and add animation and graphics. Concepts also include interfacing with device sensors, reading and writing to internal storage and SQLite databases, and more.

The total package would typically be valued at $99, but you'll save 80% when buying through our AndroidArea.com deals site. For less than the price of dinner and a movie you will be well on your way to creating the next big app craze for Android. That's a hard deal to turn down.

* no guarantee you will create the next Flappy Bird or otherwise earn boatloads of cash off of your app creations

Samsung adds two more ads to their TV campaign as they delay UK launch

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 05:55 AM PDT

With the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 worldwide launch scheduled to go down late next week, Samsung is loading up on more ads to make sure everyone knows about its arrival (you know, if the “our phone was big first” barrage against Apple wasn’t already enough). The ads are quite vanilla in nature, meaning they won’t make you laugh, smile, or attempt to market the phone using combative advertisement. They simply make you want the thing, and that’s about all we can ask for at this point.

This new crop of ads might make the wait for UK folks any longer. Samsung originally targeted an October 10th release date in that region, but the company had to delay their plans by a week. That’s not enough to put up a big stink about the issue, but I’m sure it does irk some folks who were planning to spend some personal time with the device over the weekend. Plans for other regions remain the same, though, including North America’s launch on the very same day.

note 4 ad still

[via Twitter]