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- Verizon CEO Reportedly Open To Eliminating Contracts
- Watch the Facebook Home announcement
- Facebook announces ‘Faceook Home’ replacement launcher for Android [Video]
- The HTC First Is Real, Launches April 12 Running Facebook Home [Video]
- Purple Galaxy S III to hit Sprint on April 12th, $99 with mail-in rebate
- WiFi-only Samsung Galaxy Camera on the way to US stores and will arrive “later this month”
- iHeartRadio update adds “Perfect For” and alarm clock functions
- Samsung introduces the Galaxy Trend II and Galaxy Trend II Duos smartphones
- Chinese HTC One smartphone to feature dual-SIM support and microSD slot
- Five top live wallpapers for Android [April 2013]
| Verizon CEO Reportedly Open To Eliminating Contracts Posted: 04 Apr 2013 03:29 PM PDT
With T-Mobile generating buzz after announcing its new Simple Choice Plans, it appears other wireless carriers are taking notes. During a company event Wednesday in New York City, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said he’s open to the idea of ditching contracts. McAdam has been monitoring what T-Mobile customers have been saying and even said that if Verizon customers started asking for no-contract plans, he’d consider getting rid of them. However, as the saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words”. While no-contract plans sound great, there is a potential downside. With T-Mobile’s new plans, removing contracts means customers have to pay anywhere from $5 to $20 per month per device over 24 months to make up for the lack of a contract. Source: PCMag
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| Watch the Facebook Home announcement Posted: 04 Apr 2013 01:41 PM PDT
Earlier today Facebook announced their new “Facebook Home” launcher app that will be available for most Android devices and the HTC First, a new smartphone that will be loaded with Facebook’s new launcher out of the box. If you were not able to watch the live announcement while it was streaming, it is now available for review. In addition to getting more insight from Zuckerberg on Facebook’s reasoning for pursuing this path, the video includes lots of screencasts of the new features and functions of the launcher. Along with Zuckerberg and other Facebookers, Ralph De La Vega, President of AT&T Mobility, and Peter Chou, CEO of HTC, also make appearances to showcase the new HTC First smartphone. If you want to see how the Coverfeed or Chat Heads will work, hit the break to view the whole 40 minute video of the event.
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| Facebook announces ‘Faceook Home’ replacement launcher for Android [Video] Posted: 04 Apr 2013 11:57 AM PDT
As expected, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the HTC First Facebook phone today, but he also introduced a complete home replacement for many popular Android phones (and eventually tablets). It’s called Facebook Home, and according to Zuckerberg, “It sets the tone for your whole experience.” Although the new launcher will work with all the apps that are installed on your phone, it changes the focal point to people as opposed to apps. The Coverfeed allows you to scroll through updates with large photos. You will be able to quickly see all the comments and respond inline. You will also find a notification pane that includes SMS messages and other important posts.
Chat Heads allows you to utilize Facebook Messenger or SMS while using any other app. You can simply carry on a conversation without closing the app. Floating pictures of your friends appears on the screen, and you can move them wherever you want. If you want to converse with any of your friends, just tap their picture to start chatting via SMS or Facebook Messenger.
You will also find a major change when it comes to notifications. They are now sorted by friend instead of apps. It’s all about telling you what your friend is doing rather than if an app has something to tell you. In a sense, your phone becomes one huge newsfeed. Check out more in this video… Click here to view the embedded video. The rumors leading up to today were that Facebook would fork Android, but Zuckerberg praised the openness of Android and said, “You don’t need to fork Android or modify the OS to do this.” Facebook is offering Facebook Home to all manufacturers as far as making their phones compatible to it or by releasing phones that have it pre-installed. Some partners already signed up include HTC, Samsung, Sony, Huawei, and chipmaker Qualcomm.
Since it was announced that some phones already on the market would be compatible, it’s unclear whether an over-the-air update is necessary to enable this compatibility. These phones include the Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, the upcoming Galaxy S 4, the HTC One, and the One X+. If you have one of these phones, you can simply download the app from the Play Store when it becomes available on April 12, which is the same day the HTC First will become available. Tablet support is on the way, but no timeframe was given.
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| The HTC First Is Real, Launches April 12 Running Facebook Home [Video] Posted: 04 Apr 2013 11:36 AM PDT
Facebook held its official event today announcing Facebook Home and revealed the HTC First, the first smartphone to run Facebook’s new UI. As mentioned previously, Facebook Home runs on top of Android and users will still have access to Google Play. You can pre-order the HTC First exclusively on AT&T starting today for $99 under a new two-year contract. It officially launches April 12 and here are the specs:
Ahead of the HTC First release, AT&T uploaded several videos showing how to use different Facebook Home features. You can watch them below and let us know in the comments if you’re interested in buying the First. Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video. Click here to view the embedded video.
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| Purple Galaxy S III to hit Sprint on April 12th, $99 with mail-in rebate Posted: 04 Apr 2013 09:54 AM PDT
If you were excited about that purple Galaxy S III we told you about not too long ago, we’ve got a bit more information for you. We originally reported that the device would be available exclusively on Sprint sometime in April, and the latest leaks are pointing to April 12th. It’ll be available for $99, which is in line with the other Galaxy S III models Sprint offers, but does involve a $50 mail-in rebate. Either way, it’s a bargain for one of the best devices of last year, especially in such an eye-catching color. Who’s planning on picking one of these up when they’re available? source: Engadget
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| WiFi-only Samsung Galaxy Camera on the way to US stores and will arrive “later this month” Posted: 04 Apr 2013 09:45 AM PDT
We certainly have a soft spot for the Samsung Galaxy Camera, but there are more than a few of you out there that loathed the fact it was a feature device for only a few wireless carriers. To that extent, Samsung has come out and confirmed it will release a WiFi-only version of the connected camera for those of us out here in the States. In case you’ve forgotten, the Galaxy Camera features a 1.4GHz quad-core chip, 1GB of RAM and most importantly, a decent 12MP camera complete with 21X optical zoom. The difference between the WiFi-only version and the cellular version: the WiFi-only version will run customers about $450, compared to $500 for the AT&T HSPA+ version and $550 for the Verizon variant. Hopefully with the loss of the cellular chip, we’ll see a reduction in the overall weight of the device. Expect to see the WiFi Galaxy Camera to hit stores “later this month”. In the meantime, hit the break to see Sammy’s full presser.
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| iHeartRadio update adds “Perfect For” and alarm clock functions Posted: 04 Apr 2013 09:41 AM PDT
Fans of online music and radio streaming service iHeartRadio may have noticed an update was available this week. Clear Channel Radio added a couple new features to help keep pace with other popular music service apps. The first of these is a “Perfect For” function that lets users pick a mood or activity and get suggestions from a list of curated stations. iHeartRadio will provide four stations to select from based on choices like “A Traffic Jam” or “Drinking Coffee” or “Chilling Out.” The second new feature is an alarm function. In its traditional function, the app’s alarm clock works just like a clock radio, enabling users to have their favorite station awaken them from their slumber. The alarm clock is smarter than that though. It can also be programed to turn on when specific shows on certain radio stations start. One use for that function could include turning on the app when a particular call-in contest is running so as not to miss your chance. If you want to give iHeartRadio a try, use one of the download links below to grab the free app.  
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| Samsung introduces the Galaxy Trend II and Galaxy Trend II Duos smartphones Posted: 04 Apr 2013 09:26 AM PDT
Samsung has officially taken the wraps off its two newest additions to the Galaxy family today by announcing the Galaxy Trend II and Galaxy Trend II Duos smartphones. Each device are on the fringe of being a low-end device featuring a 1.2GHz dual-core chip, 4-inch WVGA display, 3MP camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, microSD card slot and 1500mAh battery— all in a Jelly Bean package. There’s no word yet on how much the device will cost or when it will arrive in stores, but we suspect Samsung will have all those deets for us sooner than later. source: Samsung Galaxy Trend II | Samsung Galaxy Trend Duos II
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| Chinese HTC One smartphone to feature dual-SIM support and microSD slot Posted: 04 Apr 2013 09:01 AM PDT
Sure the world is certainly counting down to the awesome HTC One smartphone’s imminent release, but it appears the Chinese variant will be slightly different than the other variants. A new image and accompanying specs have surfaced regarding the 802w variant of the One smartphone that’s headed for Chinese mobile providers. The information highlights this variant of the device will come arrive with dual-SIM support and an expandable microSD-out slot. Additionally, the device will not feature the zero-gap aluminum build that makes the device so appealing– but rather another cheaper quality material instead (aka plastic). Now while many of you may be upset at this notion that the Chinese variants will be slightly different, there are some potential theories for why this is. While China is by far and away the largest country in the world, many parts of the country are considered to be “emerging markets”—- meaning $600 premium devices are almost certainly inaccessible to folks living out in that market. With that in mind, HTC may be realizing that China is a key market to sell the device in, but must do so at a cost-effective price, so it reduced the on-board storage size and changed the build of the device— thus making it much more affordable and appealing to folks out in China. As cool as it is seeing this device in its real form, those of us out in the States or Europe shouldn’t expect a similar variant to hit our shores anytime soon. source: HTC Source
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| Five top live wallpapers for Android [April 2013] Posted: 04 Apr 2013 08:29 AM PDT Live wallpapers are one of the most unique features to Android, and for good reason. Sometimes still pictures get a little boring, so why not spice your home screen up with something flashy and interactive? We’re going to go over a few of the best live wallpapers available for your device in this guide. As a disclaimer, live wallpapers will likely drain your battery a bit more than a static wallpaper, and some phones can get a bit bogged down by the more intense wallpapers. It’s best to experiment and see which ones work for you to give you a nice balance between form and function. Lets get started.
The Nexus live wallpaper was one of the first live wallpapers introduced by Google. It’s not too over the top, but it’s definitely eye-catching and shows off what the inside of your Android device looks like. Unfortunately, the Nexus live wallpaper doesn’t come preloaded on too many devices anymore, but that’s where this app comes in. The Nexus Revamped wallpaper stays true to the original Nexus neural network but throws in a ton of extra customization options. You can change the colors and speed of the particles, the color or image of the background, set different reactions for when you touch the wallpaper, etc. Just about anything you want to change about this wallpaper, you can. There’s even a few performance options you can tweak to make it work on just about any phone. The pro version, which is only $1.50 in the Play Store, adds in a few other tweaks, such as turning the live wallpaper static when your battery drops past a certain level, changing particle custom colors, and changing the particle behavior based on your phone’s battery level. If you’re a fan of tweaking your device, this live wallpaper should be right up your alley. Play Store Download Link (Paid)
The Nexus 4 Dot live wallpaper is a modernized version of the original Nexus LW. It comes preloaded on the Nexus 4, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us shouldn’t be able to enjoy it, right? The wallpaper is made to mimic the glassy finish on the attractive Nexus 4, and does a pretty good job. Like the Nexus Revamped wallpaper, this app also offers quite a few customization options to make sure your wallpaper matches whatever setup you’re currently using on your home screens. The default black/grey/white color screen looks fantastic, but if you’re in the mood for something a little more colorful, there are plenty of options to pick from. You can also change the speed of the twinkling effect of the shapes, and you can even change the glistening squares to circles. And, if you really want to get into nitty gritty controls, there are options for controlling the FPS of the live wallpaper. Plenty of options make this a great live wallpaper. The app is free in the Play Store, but has some ads in the settings menus. You won’t have to worry about the ads leaking onto your homescreens, but if they really get in your way, you can use an in-app purchase to permanently remove the ads.
The aniPet Aquarium Live Wallpaper is definitely one of the busier live wallpapers you can use, but if you like eye candy, you’ll definitely want to give this one a go. This wallpaper lets you manage your own virtual aquarium behind your app shortcuts and widgets and is probably the best conversation starter on this list. The app supports up to 20 fish in your aquarium, with the full version offering 180 different species across 20 categories of fish. There are even customization options for controlling the size of each individual fish, which is some pretty incredible attention to detail. In the paid version of the app, which only costs $2, feeding the fish (which is done by tapping the screen to disperse some fish food, a very neat feature) will cause them to slowly mature and grow up and get larger. Mature fish can even have baby fish, and there’s an option you can turn on where the fish will die if you don’t feed them often enough. If you’ve been wondering if you’re responsible enough to take care of a pet at home, that option is a great way to find out. This live wallpaper blurs the line between wallpaper and game, but that’s definitely not a bad thing. If you’re itching for something ridiculously customizable and interactive, this LW should be at the top of your list. Play Store Download Link (Paid)
Sometimes, you don’t want something too flashy on your homescreen. Simplicity can be a good thing, and the Bubble Live Wallpaper fits that category nicely. This live wallpaper features a handful of floating bubbles on the screen (surprise, surprise) which you can tap to pop, or just watch them float around behind your widgets. Of course, no Android app worth its salt isn’t without a few customization options. Bubble lets you change the theme of your entire wallpaper, from the colors of the background to the colors of the bubbles. If you’re in a really creative mood, you can select a specific picture to put inside your bubbles. You can even enable rotation to speed up or slow down the bubbles floating on screen, and there’s a few battery saving tweaks, including 3D hardware rendering and adjusting the amount of bubbles on screen. If you want some wallpaper that’s a bit more serene, I’d suggest giving this app a whirl. It’s ad-supported, so it won’t cost you anything.
Maybe you like the thought of live wallpapers, but you like to keep a personal touch on your homescreens with pictures of your friends, family, or possibly your favorite cat. This is the internet age, and we completely understand the importance of cat pictures, so we’re here to show you Photo FX Live Wallpaper. The developer has also made popular apps like Color Splash FX and Camera Zoom FX, so they’ve had quite a bit of experience with creating quality applications that focus on your photos. As the name suggests, this live wallpaper consists of displaying slideshows of your personal pictures as your background, complete with different animations, frames, and slideshow options. The pro version of the app adds in 100′s of effects to filter over your photos in the slideshow, as well as different photo slideshow appearances, like collages and photo grids, and even some custom gestures for the wallpaper. Best of all, the pro version of the app only sets you back $2. It’s a pretty nifty, flexible app that consumes surprisingly little battery. Play Store Download Link (Paid) The Play Store is full of live wallpapers, so there’s plenty more to pick from than just these. These are just a few that top my list. Are there any of your personal favorites that didn’t make the list? Let us know.
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