Android Central |
- Congratulations to the winner of the 24ct. Gold HTC One!
- Uber offering $20 fare discount for using Google Wallet
- Platform numbers for June 2013: Android 4.x on the rise, 2.3 holding strong
- Sprint's Galaxy S4 getting an OTA update, apps-to-SD support and Samsung Knox are notable additions
- SoftBank expects $21.6 billion Sprint investment to close July 10
- CSR Racing Nexus 7 giveaway: We have a winner!
- Twitter updating with DM sync and new search features
- Motorola Droid Ultra appears again in a new set of leaked press renders
- Garmin developing a HUD accessory for your smartphone
- Your 'I can't believe I missed that' Galaxy S4 tip of the day
- Samsung Galaxy S4 now available on MetroPCS
- Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case for Nexus 7
- Review: Samsung Galaxy S4 Active for AT&T
- How to get lock screen widgets on the HTC One with Android 4.2
- Last chance: Win a 24-carat Gold HTC One from Goldgenie and Android Central!
- HTC One with Android 4.3 gets Bluetooth 4.0 certification
- LG holding an event in New York, drops plenty of clues that we'll see the Optimus G2
- Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available on C Spire starting July 8
| Congratulations to the winner of the 24ct. Gold HTC One! Posted: 08 Jul 2013 03:18 PM PDT
Nothing makes us happier than being able to do cool things like partner with Goldgenie to give away a 24ct. gold plated HTC One. With the same great internal hardware we've come to know and love from HTC, coupled with a shiny 24ct. gold plated finish, this One is sure to stand out in a crowd. Almost 6,000 of you entered to win this beauty, and now is the time to announce the winner. Congratulations enel, and enjoy your new gold HTC One!Everyone take a moment and wish the winner well, and watch for more great contests right here on Android Central, because we love giving stuff away as much as you all like winning it. 
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| Uber offering $20 fare discount for using Google Wallet Posted: 08 Jul 2013 03:06 PM PDT
A seamless payment system joins the simple car service with a new discountBlack car and taxi service Uber is rolling out a new offer today encouraging users to link up their Google accounts and pay for their car fare with Google Wallet. Following an update in late June that introduced the ability to sign-in simply with Google Wallet to the service, new users of Uber can now get a $20 discount on their fare for paying with Google Wallet. Existing users aren't left in the cold either, and are offered a $10 discount for using Wallet. Uber has attempted from the start to make the process of calling a car and paying for the ride as seamless as possible, letting everything be managed by a smart phone app. This is one more step in that direction, as Google Wallet makes it easy to switch between different cards tied to a single account, and keep your payments all in one location. You can grab a download of the Uber app from the Play Store link above, and link up your Google Wallet account in just a few taps from the settings. 
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| Platform numbers for June 2013: Android 4.x on the rise, 2.3 holding strong Posted: 08 Jul 2013 01:51 PM PDT
ICS and above now accounts for 61.2-percent of active Android devicesGoogle has just released its monthly "Platform Version" numbers for June, which give a snapshot of what version of Android is running on active devices in the world. The data is collected by looking at users who access the Play Store over a 14 day period surrounding the end of the month, in this case ending collection on July 8th. Here's how the numbers break down:
The growth in devices using 4.x comes from a large increase in the install base of Jelly Bean, as the number of phones and tablets accessing the Play Store on Ice Cream Sandwich has actually decreased from month to month. The distribution of Android 1.6 and 3.2 are nearing extinction, sitting at just 0.1-percent each. Hit the break for a couple more chart breakdowns of Android usage. 
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| Sprint's Galaxy S4 getting an OTA update, apps-to-SD support and Samsung Knox are notable additions Posted: 08 Jul 2013 01:37 PM PDT
The 357MB update may hold a locked bootloader as a requirement for Samsung Knox support -- hackers bewareThe Samsung Galaxy S4 on the Sprint network is seeing a general rollout of the MF9 update, and it has a few welcome changes baked in. Users who have already received the update have noticed the following changes:
The first and last items on the list will get the most attention from the community, we're sure. As of now, nobody is certain that the bootloader is locked, but speculations are running high and the bootloader was updated along with the modem and kernel. A locked bootloader could very well be a requirement for Knox support. The apps-to-SD card support will be a welcome change, as Samsung has caught some heat for the amount of free space left on the device compared to the amount advertised. You can see a tutorial on how this works right here. If you're rooted or have a custom recovery installed, you won't be able to install this OTA. You'll need to revert back to factory settings or wait it out for the custom version from your favorite developer. If you're into the whole root and ROM thing with your Sprint S4, you might even want to wait until the bootloader's lock status is confirmed. For everyone else, the OTA will come the normal way, and you'll be faced with a 357MB download to install. For more information and discussion, see the links below. Source: XDA; via Android Central forums 
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| SoftBank expects $21.6 billion Sprint investment to close July 10 Posted: 08 Jul 2013 12:40 PM PDT
Clearwire shareholders also finally approve buyout by SprintUpdate: Clearwire has just released an official statement as well regarding its agreement to be purchased by Sprint, indicating that the minority shareholders of the company "overwhelmingly approve" the transaction. 82-percent of the shares not affiliated with Sprint or SoftBank cast their votes in favor of the transaction, finalizing a deal that will have Sprint buy all shares of Clearwire it does not already own for $5.00 per share. Original: Following regulatory approval of the merger by the FCC, SoftBank has released a statement today indicating that its strategic investment of $21.6 billion (JPY 1.8 trillion) in Sprint is expected to close on July 10th, 2013. While this isn't a complete confirmation, SoftBank feels it is confident enough in the timeframe to release an official statement. The deal will mark a huge investment, giving the Japanese carrier a 78-percent stake in Sprint and hopefully bringing new life into the nation's third-place challenger. We can expect Sprint and SoftBank to quickly put the money to work on furthering its LTE rollout, as well as its overall network improvements. Together with new spectrum from the shutdown of its iDEN network and finally securing Clearwire's assets, Sprint certainly has a lot going for it. 
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| CSR Racing Nexus 7 giveaway: We have a winner! Posted: 08 Jul 2013 12:30 PM PDT
A 16GB Nexus 7 is on its way to one lucky contest entrantLast week we opened up a contest in conjunction with the folks over at CSR Racing to give away a Nexus 7 to one lucky reader. After over 700 comments on the post, we've found a winner! Congratulations to Robi-K, who now has a 16GB Nexus 7 on its way to his doorstep for answering the prompt with the following response:
Thanks to everyone for participating! 
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| Twitter updating with DM sync and new search features Posted: 08 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT
'Direct messages now sync across all your devices,' says TwitterTwitter has announced a handful of new updates to its social platform today, including synchronization for direct messages and new features in search. Twitter says the new features will roll out "gradually" and that you'll need the latest version of the app — which is just now being pushed to Google Play — in order to take advantage of them. In addition to giving you access to all your DMs across all your devices, Twitter user search has been updated to include full biographies and related user accounts. Accounts in searches now appear as large blocks with additional info, and you can swipe to the left to view similar users. The new features are live in Twitter version 4.1.2 for Android, which is now available on the Google Play Store. You can grab it from the link above. Source: Official Twitter blog 
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| Motorola Droid Ultra appears again in a new set of leaked press renders Posted: 08 Jul 2013 11:00 AM PDT
More pics, more carbon fiber, more capacitive buttons!More Verizon Droid Ultra images for your viewing pleasure, this time with a clear shot of both sides of the device. According to habitual leaker @evleaks, this is the Droid Ultra. Plenty of carbon-fiber, capacitive buttons, Big Red's name and of course the DROID branding leave little doubt that Verizon isn't yet ready to end the Droid line. While there are no real clues to the internals, we expect this will have specifications in line with the rest of the 2013 high-end phones -- 1080p screen, quad-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and a big ass battery to keep it all running. Today's leak also mentions a new camera technology -- RGBC. Supposedly, the camera on the Droid Ultra will have an extra component to help with white balance and exposure, meaning better pictures in different lighting situations. So far, Verizon and Motorola have been quiet about the new Droid models. We expect that to change soon. We'll know more when someone decides to officially announce things, and until then we can all speculate based on the leaks. Source: The Unlocker 
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| Garmin developing a HUD accessory for your smartphone Posted: 08 Jul 2013 09:23 AM PDT
Device offers navigation directions, speed data, traffic information and more -- all displayed in your field of visionGarmin has sent out a press release about an upcoming product that has a cool factor off the charts. This small HUD (Heads-Up Display) unit connects to your smart phone via Bluetooth, and beams pertinent navigation information on to a small screen attached to your car windshield or to an included reflector screen. Using the Navigon app for Android (starting at $29.99, price based on included maps), the Garmin HUD can tell you directions, your speed, ETA, traffic and safety tips, and even offer lane assist to help keep traffic flowing at busy highway interchanges. Along with easy to see turn indicators, the Garmin HUD will help keep your eyes on the road instead of on your phone's display. To round out the features, the HUD even offers USB power pass-through to keep your phone charging while using the system for navigation. Not yet officially available, the device has not yet received FCC certification. Garmin must be pretty confident that the unit will be approved, as they are sending out press releases. The unit will retail for $129.99 and be available online this summer from Garmin. We're curious to give this one a closer look. See the full press release after the break, and follow the link below for more information. More: Garmin 
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| Your 'I can't believe I missed that' Galaxy S4 tip of the day Posted: 08 Jul 2013 08:56 AM PDT
At last count, we found some 37 pieces of thin, clear plastic protecting the (also) thin plastic that is the body of the Samsung Galaxy S4. They're on the side. They're on the top. On the bottom. They're not all that difficult to remove, but it's easy to miss one. And that's the smartphone equivalent of toilet paper stuck to your shoe. One of the trickiest protective pieces is hiding in plain sight. Be sure to check the camera housing on the back on the phone. There you'll find a clear sticker. It's not affecting images, as it's got a cutout for the lens itself. But it will start to collect dust and dirt (which actually is how we first saw the damn thing), and nobody wants that. So give your Galaxy S4 a once-over and make sure you haven't left any plastic strips behind. Nobody wants to be that guy. 
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| Samsung Galaxy S4 now available on MetroPCS Posted: 08 Jul 2013 07:44 AM PDT
The Samsung Galaxy S4 (see our review) is now available on MetroPCS. The no-contract carrier is offering the S4 for $549 plus tax. You can then choose from any of the 4G plans, which start at $40/month. These include unlimited talk, text and data. If you're a devout MetroPCS customer and have been patiently waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S4, your wait is finally over. Who's getting one? Full press release after the break. 
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| Deal of the Day: Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case for Nexus 7 Posted: 08 Jul 2013 06:44 AM PDT
The Cruzerlite A2 TPU Case is available for just $10.00, 50% off today only. Backed by our 60-day return policy and fast shipping. Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts 
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| Review: Samsung Galaxy S4 Active for AT&T Posted: 08 Jul 2013 06:05 AM PDT
It's a more robust Galaxy S4, with flood insurance thrown in for good measureIf there's one picture that sums up the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active for AT&T, this is it. Drops of water, artistically (more or less) sitting atop the Android smartphone. It cares not that several hundred dollars worth of electronics are flirting with a phone's worst enemy. In fact, the Active seems to welcome it. Samsung has taken what arguably is its best Galaxy S yet — that'd be the proper Galaxy S4 — and in nearly the same breath, announced a more robust version. These are fraternal twins. Same overall look and feel, but with a few important differences that also ensure you won't mistake one for the other. In the United States, the Active is an AT&T exclusive, sold alongside it's ever-so-slightly older brother. So is one a better buy than the other? 
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| How to get lock screen widgets on the HTC One with Android 4.2 Posted: 08 Jul 2013 04:33 AM PDT HTC's got its own unique way of doing lock screen widgetsThe Android 4.2 update for the HTC One brings new features galore, including lock screen widgets, now a standard Android feature. But HTC's doing things a little differently in this area, and if you don't know where to look, then you might overlook it completely. 
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| Last chance: Win a 24-carat Gold HTC One from Goldgenie and Android Central! Posted: 08 Jul 2013 04:26 AM PDT
OK, boys and girls. You've marveled over the 24-carat gold-plated HTC One — now it's time for you to win one of your own. Yes, we're teaming up with Goldgenie to bring this one-of-a-kind Android smartphone (valued at $2,403/£1895) to one lucky Android Central reader. Here's what Goldgenie founder and CEO Laban Roomes had to say when his company announced the gold phone last week:
And now, we're delighted to announce we're working together to give one away. Read on for the full details, and click here to learn more about the 24-carat gold-plated HTC One and Goldgenie's HTC One customization service. Update July 8: We've closed the comments and will pick a winner shortly. 
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| HTC One with Android 4.3 gets Bluetooth 4.0 certification Posted: 08 Jul 2013 02:46 AM PDT
Google Play edition handset spotted at Bluetooth SIG with new Android versionAt this point it's no great secret that Android 4.3 is right around the corner, and that among other things it'll bring Bluetooth 4.0 support as a standard OS feature. So it's just as unsurprising to see the the Google Play edition HTC One dropping by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group with support for version 4.0 of the wireless standard. The device detailed in the certification listing is referred to as "PN071xx_Android 4.3_G" — that's the HTC One's model number, and the "G" likely denotes the Google Play edition as opposed to the common-or-garden HTC One running Sense 5. (After all, that device has only just been updated to Android 4.2.) The listing also shows AVRCP 1.3 support, another Bluetooth feature said to be coming in the next version of Android. For more on what's new in Android 4.3, check out our walkthrough of the pre-release build which recently leaked out for the Google Play edition Galaxy S4. Source: Bluetooth SIG; via: Engadget 
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| LG holding an event in New York, drops plenty of clues that we'll see the Optimus G2 Posted: 07 Jul 2013 07:39 PM PDT
G thinks we're perfect just the way we are, and they want us to know it would be great 2 have us in New York on August 7An invite to LG's latest shin-dig in New York next month just arrived in our inbox, and in case anyone wasn't sure what to expect the whole kit is covered with the letter G and the number 2. That can only mean one thing, and it happens to be the thing every LG fan on the Internet is waiting for -- The Optimus G2. Since they announced that their next flagship handset will be equipped with a Snapdragon S800 processor, plenty of people have been excited, to put it mildly. The available features of the S800 that LG stressed in an announcement last month give people plenty of reason to look forward to the G2. Besides the raw power of Qualcomm's newest quad-core beast, other equally impressive features like Ultra HD video recording and playback (that's four times higher density than 1080p), screen output at resolutions up to 2560 x 2048 pixels, and 1080p HD over Miracast wireless. It's clear that LG will be billing this as an ultimate entertainment device, and with these specs they probably should. You can bet we'll be there with bells on, and hopefully we'll see the Optimus G2 and get a little hands-on time with the next generation of mobile technology. There's a very nicely done teaser video after the break as well, and it's sure to get all of us excited to see what's next from LG. 
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| Samsung Galaxy S4 will be available on C Spire starting July 8 Posted: 07 Jul 2013 06:38 PM PDT
The nation's eighth-largest carrier picks up Samsung's latest flagship just fashionably lateRegional carrier C Spire will begin to carry the Samsung Galaxy S4 starting tomorrow, July 8th, according to materials on its support site. As pointed out to us by a reader, in its product discussion forums a C Spire representative posted that the device will hit stores (and presumably online as well) starting Monday, linking to Youtube videos showing off the handset's features. The post doesn't indicate pricing unfortunately, but given the way it has priced similar devices such as the Galaxy S3 in the past, we could expect it at $199 on-contract for the 16GB model as is the case with other carriers. If you're a C Spire customer you'll want to keep your eye on this one to get it right away. On a related note, those looking to pick up the HTC One from C Spire should be able to do so soon as well, as the carrier has a "coming soon" registration page up. Source: C Spire; Thanks, Jeff! 
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