Android Central

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• Verizon to offer smartphone payment plan, but no break on subsidies
• Press adds widgets, several usability improvements
• Adobe to contribute to Google's Blink browser engine
• Xiaomi aims to expand globally, ship 15 million devices this year
• T-Mobile HTC One pegged for April 24 launch in 'select stores'
• OfficeSuite Pro 7 update adds new tools, dual screen support
• HTC One production problems have 'significantly improved,' U.S. brokerage says
• Verizon Droid DNA gets an update to fix SIM card detection
• Unlocked, developer edition HTC Ones again up for preorder from HTC
• EPOCH: A fantastic new post-apocalypse shooter
• Telus Galaxy S4 lands April 27 for as low as $199
• HTC Butterfly gets a new pink paint job for Taiwan
• Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case for Samsung Galaxy S3
• Monday Brief: More Facebook Home, iRadio, the Lumia 720, and more!
• LG Optimus G Pro coming soon in black
• Caterpillar B15 ruggedized handset launches in the UK
• DISH Network gives Sprint a $25.5 billion offer
• ASUS 'Cube' loses the Q, appears for pre-order

Verizon to offer smartphone payment plan, but no break on subsidies Posted: 15 Apr 2013 04:29 PM PDT 'Verizon Wireless Device Payment Plan' for smartphones starts April 21 In an update to a recent announcement of longer upgrade times, Verizon is giving customers who want to upgrade more frequently another option: extending the Device Installment Program to smartphones. Previously only available for tablets costing over $349.99 and the Samsung Galaxy Camera, this plan breaks up the full-price cost of a device into 12 monthly payments (along with a $2.50/month finance charge). Be careful not to confuse this new move with 'unCarrier' plans. Unlike T-Mobile's new plan model, there is no option for a cheaper monthly plan to go along with Verizon's Device Payment Plan. That means if you're making use of the new installment plan, but have an upgrade you haven't used yet, you're basically making two phone payments for one phone. If you like having multiple phones to switch between, or you lose or damage your uninsured phone, this plan could be for you. Many people will likely stick to their traditional -- now once every two years -- upgrades. Is this something you can see yourself using? Hit the comments and let us know. Source: Verizon

Press adds widgets, several usability improvements Posted: 15 Apr 2013 04:06 PM PDT In light of the impending Google Reader shutdown, Press pushes on with new updates Although Google may be pulling the rug out from underneath a lot of reader apps, Press doesn't seem to be bothered by it. In an update to its app today, Press added several new features that will enhance the overall user experience. First are a pair of widgets -- one large, resizable and scrollable widget and one 1x1 widget that simply lists the number of unread stories. The widgets are simple and clean, with a slightly transparent black background. Once you're in the app, there are several more improvements to be seen. You can now continually scroll vertically through news stories, rather than swiping horizontally to switch. There are also several new options when long-pressing in articles to make it easier to star, share and mark articles as read. Press also prominently displays on its app description that the app isn't going away. We look forward to seeing what the developers end up choosing as a new back-end solution to replace Reader.

Adobe to contribute to Google's Blink browser engine Posted: 15 Apr 2013 03:54 PM PDT Director of engineering for the Web Platform team at Adobe Vincent Hardy has announced that Adobe will contribute to Google's new Blink browser engine A week or so ago, we talked about Google forking off WebKit to create their own browser rendering engine. Chrome and Chromium deal with multiprocessor architectures differently than other WebKit based browsers, and because of the big changes and confusion it can cause, they decided to go their own way. Adobe's Vincent Hardy thinks this will strengthen an "already healthy" browser competition, and announced that Adobe will be a contributor to Google's Blink. Adobe has traditionally been a contributor to both WebKit and Google's Chromium project, as well as Mozilla's Firefox, and will continue to do so. By doing so, they "hope will help keep the web open and foster innovation as long as all browsers strive to implement ‘the same web’." We're not sure of how this will affect the web in the future -- things may work out well, or there could be a huge rift between browsers. What we do know is that Adobe is going to do what they can to make their products work on them all. Source: Adobe

Xiaomi aims to expand globally, ship 15 million devices this year Posted: 15 Apr 2013 03:24 PM PDT Selling devices at cost and online-only seems to be a lucrative tactic for at least one Chinese manufacturer Speaking at the D:Dive Into Mobile event in New York City, CEO of Xiaomi Bin Lin made some pretty bold statements about the expansion and plans for the company. Xiaomi, if you've never heard of it (we don't blame you), is a Chinese smart phone manufacturer that exclusively uses its own version of Android on high-end devices, which it generally sells at cost directly to consumers. Choosing to spend practically no money on marketing, sales or retail locations, Xiaomi has been producing phones with the highest specs and selling them for about $400 unlocked to Chinese consumers. Now the company wants to expand beyond just China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Lin expressed that Xiaomi is aiming to hit 15 million devices shipped this year, moving towards a global strategy to sell phones elsewhere. Could this model work in the U.S. and Europe? It's hard to say, as at least here in the states manufacturers generally rely on strong carrier partnerships and huge marketing pushes to sell devices. We'd surely welcome a new player that is willing to come in and mix things up, though. Source: Engadget

T-Mobile HTC One pegged for April 24 launch in 'select stores' Posted: 15 Apr 2013 02:54 PM PDT Pricing hits at $99 down with $20 monthly payments, or $249 on-contract at authorized retailers Everyone has been waiting to get their eyes on any availability information for the HTC One, and it looks like T-Mobile is readying the device for an April 24th launch. Coming by way of a leaked internal documents giving the details, it looks as though "select stores" are going to carry the device at launch, with a big marketing push by the carrier. These select stores will have employees wearing HTC shirts and heavily promoting the device for the first few days. T-Mobile's new "Simple Choice" no-contract plans mix up the pricing as well. The One will set you back $99 down and 24 months of $20 payments, or $579 in total. Authorized retailers like Best Buy still sell devices with typical 2-year contracts, and will have the One at $249 on a "Classic Plan". Some AT&T stores are apparently a bit relaxed on their HTC One sales dates, but if T-Mobile is your network of choice it looks like you won't have to wait much longer. Keep an eye out for official word from your local T-Mobile store to see if it will be one of the select launch stores. You can check out the leaked document after the break as well. Source: TmoNews read more

OfficeSuite Pro 7 update adds new tools, dual screen support Posted: 15 Apr 2013 01:08 PM PDT   Word, PowerPoint, and Excel editors get new tools to make working with documents easier OfficeSuite Pro 7 users should check Google Play, because an update to version 7.1.1222 is now live -- multiple tools and features have been added. The major global change this time around is the new dual screen support. Word documents can now make use of the Oxford Dictionary of English for spell checking, which comes preloaded (other dictionaries can still be downloaded from the Mobile Systems website). Also added was the ability to perform a Google search from within the Word editor, for easy lookup of words and phrases. Tables resize for separate branches in Word is now possible, as is the replacement of existing in-document images. The PowerPoint editor gains links and shadows support, while the Excel editor gets an improved UI and better font formatting, as well as Autofill with cell dragging. Excel sheets can now be reordered too. Adding your own images becomes easier, with the ability to take a picture and insert it directly into Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files. Problems with Mobile Systems' companion app, QuickSpell, has been worked on and compatibility has been improved. If you don't already own this app, but Jerry's recommendation was enough to convince you to jump onboard, you can follow the Play Store link at the top to download.

HTC One production problems have 'significantly improved,' U.S. brokerage says Posted: 15 Apr 2013 10:28 AM PDT HTC reportedly has made great gains in tackling supply issues over the last two weeks It was just over a month ago that reports were coming in of a delayed HTC One launch due to problems sourcing components from manufacturers. According to brokerage firm J.P. Morgan Securities, things are looking up for HTC and its newest flagship. In the last two weeks, parts supply issues have been greatly improving, and revenue projections for the Taiwanese phone company are now expected to increase over fifty percent compared to last quarter. HTC's production progress is being attributed to "new vendor qualification, technology transfer and volume increase." Thanks to these improvements, phone production is expected to increase from 300,000 in March to 1.2 million in April. May looks even better, with expected shipments reaching as high as 2 million units. Some damage has already been done to HTC One sales, where launch delays as long as a month were seen in important markets. Although HTC looks to be getting back on track, analysts still see production problems in the future thanks to difficulties producing the HTC One voice coil motor and compact camera module. With the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 quickly approaching, further manufacturing bottlenecks could mean serious trouble for HTC. Source: Focus Taiwan

Verizon Droid DNA gets an update to fix SIM card detection Posted: 15 Apr 2013 09:51 AM PDT Not much to add here that wasn't in the headline. The Verizon Droid DNA is getting an update today to software version 710RD for what Verizon says is "improvements ... to SIM card detection." And that's it. So if SIM card detection is a feature you find important (and we're willing to bet you do), snag this update as soon as you get a free minute. More: Changelog (pdf); Droid DNA forums

Unlocked, developer edition HTC Ones again up for preorder from HTC Posted: 15 Apr 2013 09:03 AM PDT More SIM-unlocked, developer editions slated to be available April 23 Just a quick heads up that the unlocked and developer versions of the HTC One are once again available for preorder directly from HTC. You'll actually be preordering, as HTC's expecting to have more phones in stock starting April 23 -- eight days from now. The phones had been listed as unavailable for several days last week. You've got two choices -- a 32-gigabyte SIM unlocked HTC One for $574.99, or a 64GB "developer edition" for $650, for those who want to hack the HTC One as much as possible. If you're still on the fence, be sure to check out our HTC One review, and swing by our HTC One forums. HTC One 32GB SIM-unlocked HTC One 64GB SIM-unlocked developer edition

EPOCH: A fantastic new post-apocalypse shooter Posted: 15 Apr 2013 08:13 AM PDT Cinematic quality graphics meet fantastic gameplay in this third-person shooter You have to check a lot of boxes to make a great shooter on a mobile platform. The game has to have a compelling storyline, but also one that is easy enough to follow for most people playing on about a 4-inch screen. It also has to have great graphics, backed up with an appropriate soundtrack. Above all, a game has to wrap up the package into something that felt like it was made specifically for mobile, with gameplay and controls to match. We're looking at a game here that checks those boxes, and then some. Developer Uppercut Games has a winner on its hands, and it's name is Epoch. Read on past the break with us and see what makes this robot-themed over-the-shoulder shooter so great. read more

Telus Galaxy S4 lands April 27 for as low as $199 Posted: 15 Apr 2013 07:17 AM PDT Preorders get phones first, general availability starts May 3 Samsung and Telus this morning announced that the Canadian operator will have the Samsung Galaxy S4 available starting April 27 -- providing you preordered, which you can do starting today. Phones will be in stores on May 3. Telus is selling the Galaxy S4 for $199 with a Canadian-standard three-year contract (and a $50 data plan). If you buy it outright, it'll cost you $700. Telus will have two colors available at launch -- white frost, which you see above, and black mist. An additional, unnamed color will be available later this year. More: Samsung Galaxy S4 hands-on; Galaxy S4 forums read more

HTC Butterfly gets a new pink paint job for Taiwan Posted: 15 Apr 2013 06:46 AM PDT HTC's international 5-incher gets a new coat of paint for Taiwan, due to drop this month This is the HTC Butterfly. It's exactly the same phone that launched late last year in selected international markets, and is in essence the Droid DNA without the Verizon input. Only now, in Taiwan at least, there's set to be this new, pink version released for anyone who desires a large pink smartphone.  The pink Butterfly is reportedly set to drop on April 30. It isn't the first time we've seen a 5-inch+ device get the pink makeover either. Samsung released pink versions of both generations of the Galaxy Note, with the Note 2 having landed -- also in Taiwan -- earlier this year.  Source: ePrice (Translated)

Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case for Samsung Galaxy S3 Posted: 15 Apr 2013 06:18 AM PDT The April 15 ShopAndroid.com Deal of the Day is the Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case for Samsung Galaxy S3. These flexible cases are made from a shock absorbent TPU that are slim-fitting and provide great protection against day to day use and drops. The back of each case features a print of Andy the Android and they're available in a variety of colors to choose from. The Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case is available for just $7.00, 65% off today only. Grab yours while supplies last! Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts

Monday Brief: More Facebook Home, iRadio, the Lumia 720, and more! Posted: 15 Apr 2013 05:34 AM PDT Mobile Nations Podcast Feed Mobile Nations on iTunes Mobile Nations YouTube Iterate 44: Mark Kawano and evangelizing experience   HTC First with Facebook Home now available on AT&T Facebook Home and the HTC First - what you need to know Verizon moves to longer and stricter upgrade times   What’s really going on with Detwiler’s false accusations, and how BlackBerry is handling it beautifully BlackBerry Q10 - Preorders are now open for a lot of carriers CrackBerry NYC Meetup - The Movie!   The Great webOS Nation Giveaway: write a haiku, win one of four AT&T Pre3s LG turning to Firefox OS for developing markets, whither webOS?   Apple's rumored iRadio service rumored to be on the verge of signing Universal, Warner T-Mobile iPhone buyers guide and T-Mobile iPhone users guide Betting against Apple: Why stock swarms only work when we let them Editor's desk: Putting the more in iMore Nokia Lumia 720 – Unboxing and first impressions (Hint: It's awesome) Lumia 920 ‘1314’ firmware gets announced, fixes AT&T phones with connection problems Exclusive first look at Nokia’s double tap to awake and on-screen clock coming to the Lumia 920

LG Optimus G Pro coming soon in black Posted: 15 Apr 2013 05:18 AM PDT Value Pack update rolling out now, brings new camera/playback features The LG Optimus G Pro may yet be the year's best oversized smartphone -- but it's also one that not many of us here in the U.S. have gotten to play with yet. We've been enjoying the 5.5-inch phone in its Korean form for a while now (be sure to check out our review), and there's a strong possibility we'll see it on AT&T in the coming weeks. Today, however, LG's teasing a black version of its latest and greatest (on Korea's U+ network) on Facebook. Looks like it's got the same sort of reflective design on the battery cover, but otherwise everything else is the same. read more

Caterpillar B15 ruggedized handset launches in the UK Posted: 15 Apr 2013 04:56 AM PDT £299 gets you a ruggedized smartphone running vanilla Android 4.1 Not traditionally associated with the smartphone market, construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has launched its own Android phone, the Caterpillar B15. As you might expect, the B15 is a ruggedized handset, bearing a slight resemblance to the Kyocera Torque that recently saw release on the other side of the Atlantic. As is often the case for these kinds of handsets, the Caterpillar B15 isn't packing bleeding-edge hardware, but there should be enough horsepower for most mainstream users. Inside there's a dual-core MediaTek CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 4-inch WVGA display, and on the software side it appears to run vanilla Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. There's also a 5-megapixel camera around the back. The handset is available today from British online retailer Unlocked-Mobiles, priced at £299. There's no word yet on whether any of the major networks plan to range the B15; given Caterpillar's outsider status, we're not holding our breath. Source: Unlocked-Mobiles; via: Eurodroid

DISH Network gives Sprint a $25.5 billion offer Posted: 15 Apr 2013 04:24 AM PDT Satellite provider outbids Japan's Softbank by $5 billion DISH Network and Sprint this morning announced that the satellite TV operator has submitted a bid worth $25.5 billion, very likely scuttling the $20.1 billion deal proposed last fall by Japan's Softbank. DISH's proposal -- $17.3 billion in cash and $8.2 billion in stock -- would give Sprint shareholders $7 per share (actually, a mix of $4.76 in cash and the rest in DISH stock), based on the April 12 closing price. Sprint would then have access to some 45 MHz of spectrum. The two companies have set up a joint microsite for the process, touting that "this combination will create an industry-leading spectrum portfolio and the only company that can offer customers a fully integrated, nationwide bundle of in- and out-of-home video, broadband and voice services. There's a conference call set for this morning to break it down even further. We'll be kibitzing.  Source: CompleteDishSolution.com

ASUS 'Cube' loses the Q, appears for pre-order Posted: 15 Apr 2013 04:03 AM PDT Qube no longer; renamed streaming box due for release Apr. 24 for $140 First announced at CES, ASUS' Google TV-powered streaming box is set to go on sale in just over a week, according to listings at Newegg. What's more, it'll do so with a pretty reasonable $139.99 price tag and a brand new name. The ASUS Qube is no more -- behold the ASUS Cube. With a C. Because that's how you spell "cube." Packaging over on the retailer's website confirms the name change, as does a promo video on its YouTube channel. The Cube runs Google TV with a customized "cube" interface, and support for streaming services like HBO Go and Netflix (not to mention YouTube, of course.) Other key GTV apps like Google Chrome are present and accounted for too. No word on any international release plans just yet, but readers in the U.S. can pre-order over at the source link. Source: Newegg; via: AndroidOS.in

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