Android and Me |
- T-Mobile is giving away 730 Galaxy S4s to celebrate the announcement of JUMP
- HTC to unify Butterfly, One brands – updated HTC One coming later this year
- T-Mobile announces new upgrade program, new plans, and new phones
- Fresh Meat: 10 new Android apps worth checking out
- AT&T Optimus G Pro get Value Pack update, new features
- Rumor claims Nexus 5 based on LG G2, coming early October
- DROID Mini, Ultra and MAXX pose for a lineup; ready for an August 8 launch
- Verizon HTC One set for launch, makes obligatory appearance at FCC
- Leaked DROID MAXX ad mentions 48-hour battery life
- Google Maps gets fresh redesign, new features
| T-Mobile is giving away 730 Galaxy S4s to celebrate the announcement of JUMP Posted: 10 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Two year contracts have been a staple of the major carriers here in the US, but with T-Mobile’s recent un-carrier efforts, their contracts are a thing of the past. And as AT&T and Verizon lengthen their upgrade times from 20 months to 24, T-Mobile is busy unrolling Un-carrier 2.0, which includes their new JUMP program. JUMP is a service that you pay $10 a month for, and 6 months after signing up, you can upgrade again to any phone you like. You hand in your old phone and stop paying for the payment plan on it entirely. Then, you can upgrade in the same way twice a year, whenever you want. That fee also includes theft, loss, and damage insurance, so you’re protected from damaging, losing, and not liking your phone. Part of the reason they introduced this is because they say two years is too long to wait. CEO John Legere went on about how ridiculous it is, and we agree. Now they’re starting a social media campaign called #Hate2Wait, which allows people to tell T-Mobile why they hate to wait for their two year contracts to expire. And the best part about this campaign is that they’re giving away some devices. Samsung Galaxy S4′s to be exact, and a whopping 730 of them. One for every day you wait in a two year contract. To win one, you’ll have to tell your story of why you think two years is too long to wait for an upgrade on Facebook or Twitter/Instagram/Vine, mentioning T-Mobile along the way. You’ll need to use the hashtag #Hate2Wait and use any media you like, whether it’s text, photos, or videos. You could win a Galaxy S4, or if you’re the first prize winner, you’ll get the phone, a year of service, and have your story featured in a national ad campaign by T-Mobile. You should definitely enter and tell T-Mobile why you hate to wait. Hit the source link to check out the rules and to submit your story. And hey, tell us too! We’d love to know. Why do you think two year contracts are simply too long? |
| HTC to unify Butterfly, One brands – updated HTC One coming later this year Posted: 10 Jul 2013 01:24 PM PDT The Verizon HTC One receiving FCC approval is certainly big news, but three new HTC rumors should be considered if you were planning to purchase the HTC One this summer.
No. 1: A rumor out of Pocket-lint claims that an updated HTC One is scheduled to hit the market later this year. No details regarding specs are given, so it’s unclear how much of an upgrade this new device would be over the current HTC One. It could be another case of an HTC One X+ over the HTC One X. Or, the source may simply be referring to the HTC One Max, which is expected to launch in the next month or two. No. 2: The source also claims that the 2014 follow-up to the HTC One is currently being referred to as the HTC M8. While the name doesn’t say much, HTC is using a variety of different code names when working with external sources in an effort to keep rumors and device leaks to a minimum. No. 3: Pocket-lint is also reporting that HTC is looking to consolidate the HTC Butterfly and HTC One line of phones. The HTC Butterfly was introduced last fall in Asia and was altered slightly when the phone came to Verizon as the Droid DNA. The rumor suggests that HTC will kill off the HTC Butterfly line and move the polycarbonate-clad device under the HTC One name. With the HTC Butterfly S already announced, the consolidation work is not expected to kick in until early 2014. How does this affect your purchasing decision, if at all? |
| T-Mobile announces new upgrade program, new plans, and new phones Posted: 10 Jul 2013 12:17 PM PDT T-Mobile is going through some big changes yet again in its re-imagining of the company. With their un-carrier efforts to get rid of contracts and make payment plans accessible to people to buy new phones. Today, at their event, they have announced some new programs for their customers. Their new upgrade program is called JUMP! This unique program will allow customers to upgrade their device up to twice per year. This means that in the time frame of a standard two year contract, you’ll be able to buy four devices on T-Mobile. For a $10 monthly fee, you’ll be able to trade in your device for a new one at the same or lower price as it is available, stop paying the monthly fee on the old device, and upgrade again six months later. After those 6 months, you’ll be able to “JUMP” twice every calendar year, at any time you want. It’s pretty impressive for those who love switching phones, and it’s fairly cheap too. And best of all, this program also includes protection against loss, theft, and damage. Hit the source link for more info about the program! They have also announced new Simple Choice plans for families. Not only are they cheap, as T-Mobile likes to make them, but they have a kicker: they have no credit check. This means that those with bad credit can get plans regardless. You can get four lines with unlimited talk and text, with 500MB of data a month for $100 a month. T-Mobile has been expanding their LTE network as fast as possible, with some lofty goals. They promised to cover 100 million people by the summer, but by this point, their LTE network covers 157 million people in 116 markets. By the end of the year, they are promising covering 200 million people, and we don’t doubt that they can reach that goal. And lastly, they are announcing two new LTE-capable devices. The Sony Xperia Z is the newest Sony flagship, which is both dust proof and waterproof. They are also launching the Nokia Lumia 925. And for owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1, they will be releasing an update to enable LTE connectivity. T-Mobile just keeps getting better and better as they drift further away from a “normal” US carrier. They have been bragging nonstop about how people are just “breaking down their door” and switching from other carriers. We love where they’re going, and hope it continues and the other carriers follow suit. Do you like what T-Mobile is doing, and are you interested in JUMP? |
| Fresh Meat: 10 new Android apps worth checking out Posted: 10 Jul 2013 11:27 AM PDT New apps need lovin' too, right? Every day there are thousands of new entries on the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We’ve shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and launch them to new heights. So, we're bringing back our weekly column Fresh Meat that highlights new apps with less than 100k installs. Browse our new Android app picks below and let us know which ones you enjoy. eBay Now
Description: Delivery in about one hour from local stores in New York City, San Francisco and San Jose. Whatever you dream up, now you can make it happen. You don't even have to be home—eBay Now will deliver to you at your work, your neighborhood bar or anywhere you're hanging out. US TV & Radio Free
Description: US TV allows you to watch many free United States television channels on your Android smartphone/tablet. Supports almost all popular USA television channels including CNN US, CNN International, BBC UK, BBC News. More channels added daily. Record your favorite program in real-time without any quality loss. Scientific 7 Minute Workout
Description: Scientific 7 Minute Workout is the newest and most-advanced HICT (High-Intensity Circuit Training) app for Android! High-Intensity Circuit Training workouts are aimed at burning the most fat in the least amount of time (it isn’t called high-intensity for nothing); reducing the amount of time you workout to accommodate busy schedules; and using bodyweight as resistance, meaning no equipment is required other than a chair. Floating Touch
Description: Assistive touch comes from iPhone, but Floating Touch is specially designed for Android. Floating Touch is a button that floats on your screen over other apps, and you can move it anywhere. Floating Touch contains most commonly used switches of the Android system and all installed apps. You could control your device or open your favor app easily without exiting your current app. Numberbook
Description: No need to worry about annoying salesmen or tolerate unwanted calls. Numberbook will give you the chance to search for any number’s owner in the world through your mobile phone. NBA Summer League 2013
Description: NBA Summer League is here! Experience NBA Summer League with the official application from the NBA on both your Android phone and tablet device. AVG Uninstaller
Description: Do you have apps you hardly ever use? Do you know which ones eat up the most storage space, mobile data and battery power? We all love to download apps, but we often end up hardly ever using them. And we don't realize they could be draining our battery, mobile data and storage space—all of which can affect our phone’s or tablet's overall performance. WhatStat
Description: Using WhatsApp all the time? Curious who texts you the most? Do you want to know whether that crush is actually interested in you? Find out now! Get insight into your relationships and learn who starts the most conversations, which days you are the most active and at what time you have sent the most messages. Interested in how many messages you have sent this month or week? WhatStats tells you all! Pearltrees
Description: Pearltrees is a free app to collect, organize and share all your interests in one place. Its unique visual interface lets you organize and retrieve all the things you like from anywhere. Leverage the Pearltrees community to discover amazing stuff related to your passions and enrich your account with those you like best. With Pearltrees you can cultivate your interests wherever you are. NFL Fantasy Cheat Sheet 2013
Description: The official fantasy cheat sheet of the National Football League. Featuring NFL content in addition to the latest player news, injury reports, depth charts, IDP, keepers, ADP, AAV and VBD. Calculate rankings based on your league scoring system. |
| AT&T Optimus G Pro get Value Pack update, new features Posted: 10 Jul 2013 11:16 AM PDT The LG Optimus G Pro is a pretty amazing device. It features the same 5.5-inch screen size as the Galaxy Note II, but with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. And with a Snapdragon 600, it’s a pretty darn impressive piece of technology. But unlike the Galaxy Note II, it wasn’t as New Tools:
Enhanced Quick Remote Function:
New and improved communication and notification functions:
The improvements to the home button LED notification light and the Quick Remote function for LG TVs will be appreciated, but the new smart features are a bit familiar, aren’t they? All three functions (Smart Video, Dual Camera and Pause & Resume Recording) have been available on the Galaxy S 4 since launch. Yes, LG’s Smart Video was announced the day before the Galaxy S 4 launched, but that feature had been rumored for a long time. It’s a little bit of a ripoff. We can’t say that it’s a bad thing, though. The bottom line is that the LG Optimus G Pro will become a bit better of a device, and its owners will get some fancy new features to play with. A bit of imitation won’t hurt. LG Optimus G Pro owners, are you happy with this update? And everyone else, do you think it’s OK for LG to take tips from Samsung? |
| Rumor claims Nexus 5 based on LG G2, coming early October Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:49 AM PDT Just months after the Nexux 4 hit shelves, we started hearing rumors about the next Nexus. All of them claimed that LG would make the device. Funnily enough, LG said that it did not want to make a new Nexus with Google. LG’s PR department later clarified that the company would not be against making a new Nexus device. We now have another rumor coming through the mill. This time, we’re hearing that LG will be producing the next Nexus and that it will be based on the Optimus G2. Think about it. The LG Optimus G and Nexus 4 were developed at the same time and shared the same specs. The same could be done with the LG Optimus G2 and Nexus 5. We saw a few leaks of the Optimus G2 recently, and it sure looks great. It even uses on-screen buttons! The only confirmed spec for the Optimus G2 is the Snapdragon 800 processor, which LG stated early on. But the rumor also claims that the device will have a 13MP camera with optical image stabilization, 2GB or 3GB of RAM, a 2,700 mAh battery, a 5.2-inch full HD IPS display and LTE-Advanced support. We can only hope that any LTE support makes it to the Nexus 5. And the device will launch with Android 4.2.2, which makes sense considering how LG is not so great with updates and released the Optimus G with Ice Cream Sandwich. This all might be speculation, but it’s reasonable. And considering we haven’t heard a peep about another manufacturer making a Nexus device, this would make the most sense. Could the new LG Optimus G2 be given the Nexus treatment and released as the Nexus 5? Are you going to get the next Nexus device with Key Lime Pie? |
| DROID Mini, Ultra and MAXX pose for a lineup; ready for an August 8 launch Posted: 10 Jul 2013 09:13 AM PDT Motorola’s plans for the second half of the year remain a bit mysterious with all of their marketing attention going toward the Moto X for the time being. That device seems to be the more Googley future of Motorola, but they are not completely forgetting their past with these additions to the DROID line that has been nearly synonymous with Motorola and often Android itself in the U.S. for the last few years. We know even less about these devices than the Moto X. Obviously the design language for the line hasn’t undergone any serious changes and the familiar carbon fiber patterned Kevlar is present across all three. The MAXX as we just saw this morning will apparently offer a somewhat mind bending 48 hours of battery. According to leaked photos the Ultra will sport a 10MP camera. The Mini, hold onto your seat, will be smaller than the others, but exact dimensions are unknown. Assuming this lineup is to scale it’s safe to assume it’s in 4.3-4.5-inch range with the other two closer to the increasingly common 5-inch mark. Finally based on the earlier MAXX leak we also know that it should be arriving on August 8 with presumably both of its siblings debuting along with it. Busy times for Verizon with their One also due any time now. So which of Motorola’s offering are you most interested in? The Moto X with it’s Google DNA, but perhaps less than flagship specs or is one of these DROIDs more up your alley? |
| Verizon HTC One set for launch, makes obligatory appearance at FCC Posted: 10 Jul 2013 07:52 AM PDT New FCC documentation shows the Verizon HTC One has been cleared for use in North America. According to the FCC documents, the PN07310 features WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC and Verizon-friendly LTE (band 13).While there are no clues regarding the Verizon HTC One’s launch date within the FCC documentation, the government’s seal of approval is typically the last official hurdle that needs to be cleared before a device shows up on store shelves. Based on historic data from previous FCC sightings of HTC phones, the Verizon HTC One could go on sale before the end of July. It’s been over a month since it was announced that the HTC One would head to Verizon, so we doubt HTC and Verizon would want their customers to wait any longer than they need to. Also, HTC just posed a Vine of the red HTC One. There’s no evidence that the red HTC One will be made available on Verizon, but we happen to think it would be the perfect fit.
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| Leaked DROID MAXX ad mentions 48-hour battery life Posted: 10 Jul 2013 07:01 AM PDT As smartphones have progressed, we’ve continued to realize that they simply don’t have big enough batteries. The only manufacturer who has really paid a lot of attention to the problem is Motorola, namely with their MAXX phones. With the new DROID MAXX on the horizon, we’ve all been wondering what the battery life will be like. If a leaked ad for the phone is to be believed, the battery life should be pretty swell, by golly. While the storyboard for the ad is mostly just a commercial script, the one thing that’s drawing attention is the mention of “48 hours of worry-free battery life.” That’s a tremendous battery life for a smartphone; it’s better than anything we’ve ever seen, in fact. As this is a MAXX phone, it would make sense for it to lead the charge (pun intended) in the war on too-short battery life. Combine that 48-hour battery life with what are looking to be extremely powerful internals, and you’ve got a recipe for an incredible smartphone. Would you buy a DROID MAXX if it turns out there is truth in advertising? |
| Google Maps gets fresh redesign, new features Posted: 10 Jul 2013 06:26 AM PDT We’re going on two months now since Google I/O where Google took the wraps off their new version of Google Maps. Since then, the web version has been in beta testing, and the mobile application has been in development. Now, the mobile app has finally come to fruition with a new update that overhauls the existing Maps app. The most obvious change with the update is the new UI for the app. Google has finally brought it up to snuff by fully implementing the Holo design throughout all areas of the app. You have a new cards-esque UI for different areas of the app including the search bar, which brings up handy suggestions. As a whole, it strongly reminds us of the ever-gorgeous Google Now app with the Holo UI flowing seamlessly through it.
Alongside the Holofied redesign, the update also packs in some new features. The first of these is Explore, which is a replacement for the existing Local feature. Explore allows you to find places nearby, like restaurants, cafes, bars, attractions, events and more. Tapping on a local place will allow you to see reviews, photos, contact information and other information, including a “Featured by Zagat” collection. It looks to be a bit more fleshed out than Local, which is good to see; Local could be a bit bare bones at times. Like the rest of the app, this features a Holo design with the cards UI. The final big change comes to Navigation, which was in desperate need of an update. An updated UI was included but the major changes are in functionality. The new navigation system features live traffic updates, incident reporting and new dynamic rerouting for things such as construction zones or accidents. This is going to be a huge boon, and we’re guessing that Google’s acquisition of Waze helped to bring some of these new features to life. That’s about it for the update. Although there are probably other miscellaneous changes throughout the app, Google didn’t feel them noteworthy enough to list them in the change log. If you don’t have the update yet, don’t worry. It will be rolling out to Android 4.0.3+ users in the next few weeks. What do you guys think of the changes? |
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