Hot Android News Stories
News: Specs Leak for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4
As we approach Samsung's unveiling of the next device in the Galaxy Note series—usually in early Fall—SamMobile has provided some exclusive information of the specs of the next phablet flagship.
News: LG G3 Set for a July 17th U.S. Release
When Korean electronics giant LG debuted its next-generation flagship phone at a London press event 2 weeks ago, the only question that remained unanswered was the timing of its release. As the 5.5-inch qHD phone hits stores in Korea, folks in the U.S. market patiently awaited a stateside debut.
News: SwiftKey, the Smart Prediction Keyboard, Is Now Free and Better Than Ever
I'll freely admit that I'm a SwiftKey diehard. I've used the keyboard since its inception in 2010, and it was one of the first apps I ever paid for back in the days of my beloved Sprint Evo 4G. Since then, I've kept up with all its beta iterations, and have unabashedly installed it on various friend's devices.
News: HTC Starts Rolling Out Update to Its Gallery App
Thanks to HTC's new policy on updating their apps through Google Play, we can now get new features without having to wait for a full Sense OS update.
News: Android Exploit Allows Apps to Film You Undetected: Here’s How to Reduce Your Risk
A recent security risk exposed by software engineer Szymon Sidor has raised a few eyebrows amongst the Android community.
Apple vs. Google: 9 New iOS 8 Features Android Already Had
When Apple recently unveiled iOS 8, many of the newly-added features in their mobile OS seemed eerily familiar to Android users. This is probably because the vast majority of these new features have been available in Android for quite some time.
News: Sony Introduces Slimmest 5.3" Smartphone—The Xperia T3
Say hello to the Sony Xperia T3, a light and slim Android smartphone—in fact, it's the thinnest 5.3" smartphone on the market.
News: AT&T KitKat Update Rolling Out Right Now for the Galaxy S3
Right now, the over-the-air update for the AT&T variant of the Samsung Galaxy S3 is available for download and install. If you haven't yet received a notification to update, tap through Setting -> More -> About device -> Software update -> Check for updates to initiate a manual check. This comes a little over a month after the Sprint variant received its update. Keep in mind that OTAs are staged out, so if you haven't received yours, it's coming. And of course, if you have an unlocked bootloa...
News: Android Update—4.4.3 to Begin Hitting Nexus Devices Today
According to T-Mobile's website, an Android version bump is due out today. While details of specific changes are sparse, the support documentation for Nexus devices very clearly notes a release date of June 2nd for the software. Sprint may have jumped the gun with its own outing of a 4.4.3 update about a month ago, but all indications point towards today's date marking the beginning of a staged-rollout from Google.
News: Moto 360 Design Contest Underway, Offers Free Smartwatch to Winner
With the release date of its round-faced smartwatch drawing near, Motorola is calling on the public to help design clock faces for its new Android Wear device.
FingerSense: The Future of Touch Input
Over the past decade, touch screens have changed the way we interact with our electronic devices. Gone are the days of clicking and pecking at keyboards, with these gestures replaced by swipes, taps, and long-presses on most of our newer devices. From the early years spent swapping out vaccuum tubes and reading light indicators, human interaction with computers has been constantly evolving. Can Qeexo's FingerSense usher in the next era in manual input?
News: Immensely Popular Go Launcher Gets Big Update & Offers Free Prime Until June 1st
With the Galaxy S5's root bounty over $18,000 and climbing, there's still no Superuser in sight. That doesn't mean we can't tweak and personalize our shiny new toys, though. Several customization options are available just by virtue of the S5's Android base, and installing a custom launcher is one of the fastest ways to get a fresh look.
News: Google Camera Update Adds a Self-Timer, Fisheye Effect, 16:9 Photos, & More
Just over a month ago, Google made its camera app available to all devices running Android 4.4 and higher. Originally exclusive to Nexus devices, the app got a UI overhaul and a new Lens Blur mode, but lost some features in the transition.
Data Breach: Spotify Users Need to Update Their Android App Right Now
Adobe, eBay, and iCloud have been hacked...now add Spotify to that list. The company has stated that on May 27th, they became aware of "some unauthorized access to [their] systems and internal company data" but that "only one Spotify user's data has been accessed and this did not include any password, financial or payment information."
The LG G3 Has Arrived: Here's Everything You Need to Know
After lots of anticipation and leaks, the LG G3 has been unveiled. Sporting a gorgeous 5.5" Quad HD display, the first of its class for smartphones, this flagship device is ready to put some scare into Samsung and HTC. It's currently available for purchase from AT&T and Sprint, and for preorder at T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless.
The Nexus Killer: OnePlus One Phone Review
A month ago, we showed you what I, and many around the web, dubbed the "Nexus Killer". That device is the OnePlus One, a low-priced, high-powered, CyanogenMod-run Android device.
News: 11 Hidden Features You Need to Know on Your HTC One M8
HTC's Sense 6 has been out for over a month now with the One M8, and most of you have probably played around with its better known features, like the new Camera app and Harman Kardon audio.
News: All New Samsung Galaxy S5 Active Leaked (Updated)
With rumors of the Active and Prime versions on the immensely popular Galaxy S5 circling the web for the past few weeks, today, we've got some clear proof of the upcoming Active variant.
News: Leaks Show Off the Upcoming HTC One M8 Prime
The HTC One M8 Prime, whose existence leaked not too long ago, now has it's first supposed press rendering, courtesy of @evleaks. Through his Twitter channel and wesbite, we get a clear look at the upcoming "super" flagship's rear panel, and thankfully, it shows a different camera module than the one shipped with the original M8.
News: Xposed Installer Gets New Features & UI in Massive Update
Over the weekend, rovo89 and the guys behind the wildly-popular Xposed Framework released a huge update. Leaving practically no UI element untouched, this new version brings a lot of polish and functionality to the revolutionary root softModding tool.
Update: Sense 6 Rolling Out on Major US Carriers for the HTC One M7
Despite being leaked over a month ago, Sense 6 has now made its official appearance on all major US carriers. This update weighs in at about 668 MB and comes with Android 4.4.2 KitKat, as well as these new improvements:
Game Changer: Cider Will Let You Run iOS Apps Natively on Android
I love Android, and I think its apps are great—the polish that came with the Ice Cream Sandwich update truly put Android design on the map. That being said, one of the more frequent complaints from iOS fans continues to be that apps just "run smoother" and "look better" on iOS than they do Android.
News: HTC-Built Nexus Tablet & Android TV Leaked in Latest Changelog
Veering from common practice, XDA commenter, "the_commenter", discovered a changelog for the upcoming version of Android 4.4.3 tucked away on Google's servers.
One Day Only: Pick Up the HTC One M8 for $99
HTC is gearing up for Mother's Day with a one day only, half-off promotion on their new HTC One M8. Starting May 8th at 12:01am CST, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon customers can pick up the flagship device for $99 (yes, you'll need to sign a contract). You can take advantage of the deal at your local wireless provider's store, big box retailers like Best Buy and Target, or directly through HTC. The promotion will end shortly before midnight, around 11:50pm CST, on May 8th.
News: Leaks Reveal a Bigger, More Powerful Version of the HTC One for September Release
The new HTC One M8 is barely two months old, and we've already got a leak on its predecessor. Dubbed as the M8 Prime, or more likely the One Max (Two?), the larger, faster device should debut sometime in the fall (September is most likely), not too far away from the M8 Mini that's set to release later this month with degraded specs.
News: Leaked Image Suggests the Sony Xperia Z2 May Be Headed to Verizon
The international hit Xperia Z2 may be headed to Verizon if a posted, and quickly erased, image is any indication. Take this information with a grain of salt—I certainly am—but this could be Sony's entrance into the non-GSM realm. The image above was posted to Sony's Xperia Google+ page, and very quickly removed. Compared to the Z2 that's currently on the international market (below), we can see that not only has the Sony logo shifted to the bottom, but a Verizon logo rests squarely along the...
News: Amazon’s First Smartphone Will Have 6 Cameras, 3D Controls, & Free Prime Data
It's been rumored ever since the 2012 release of the Kindle Fire, and now Amazon's first smartphone is set to debut a little later this year.
News: Google Now Will Automatically Remember Where You Parked
The latest update to Google Search, which is rolling out right now, brings automatic parking spot pinning through its Google Now platform.
News: Verizon's KitKat Update for the Galaxy S4 Is Available Now (A Week Earlier Than Expected)
A few days ago, we got word that Verizon's KitKat update to the Samsung Galaxy S4 was scheduled for release on May 2nd, 2014. However, this morning the OTA update was popping up on devices all over the states, ready for download and installation. Galaxy S4 owners on various other carriers have reported a myriad of problems with the new update, such as increased battery drain, missing apps, and the inability to write to their SD cards—most of which we've been able to find workarounds for. Pres...
The Nexus Killer: Your Next Android Phone
After lots of waiting and anticipation, the OnePlus One Android smartphone has been unveiled, and it's ready to take down the Nexus.
News: Verizon Customers, Your KitKat Update Is Just Around the Corner for Your Galaxy S4
As reported by Android Geeks, the Verizon variant of the Samsung Galaxy S4 will finally see its update to Android 4.4 KitKat. Based on the leaked image of an internal Verizon document, the update (OTA) will be released on May 2nd. This comes about two months after all other U.S. variants have seen their much maligned update, including AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
Update: Google's Official Camera with Photo Sphere Is Available for All Android KitKat Devices
Update: May 7, 2014: Google's Camera has seen its first update, with a small yet important addition baked into the app—the ability to take pictures while recording a video. Now, when in video mode, simply tap on the screen to take a picture, while your recording continues as normal. The update to version 2.1.042 is set to hit today, but if you haven't yet received it, apply it manually by downloading the apk here.
News: Android 4.4.3 Update Rolling Out Now for the Nexus 5
It appears that the next iteration of KitKat, Android 4.4.3, is fast approaching. If the past is any indication, today's update to the Nexus 5 software changelog on Sprint's website tells us a new version of Android will begin rolling out within 24 hours. Sprint has broken the news of a forthcoming Android release twice in the past. With 4.4.1 and 4.4.2, a mini-changelog was posted on the Sprint website about a day before Google began pushing updates to its Nexus devices.
News: Just How Unbreakable Is the New Samsung Galaxy S5?
You've been there. Those precarious few seconds between dropping your expensive smartphone right on its face and reaching down to survey the damage. Or maybe you got thrown in a pool while your device was in your pocket, or you dropped that sucker right into the toilet bowl. Heck, I've managed to accidentally wash two devices by leaving them in my pants pocket when throwing in a load of laundry.
News: Dropbox Releases Two New Apps to Help Corral Your Emails & Pictures
Dropbox, the cloud backup tool that is a mainstay on many of our devices, has added two companion apps to its service. Earlier today, we showed you a glimpse into a new testing version of the Gmail app, with features like pinning and snoozing to keep your inbox in check. Now, Dropbox has released Mailbox for Android, about a year after they purchased the company and its iOS app, with a simple goal: taming your inbox.
News: New Google Calendar & Gmail Apps May Be Just Around the Corner
Google I/O may still be a couple of months away, and although we don't expect anything groundbreaking—no new Android versions, just fixes to KitKat—we could be treated to some new apps. No, not Pokémon inspired Maps, rather new versions of Google's Calendar and Gmail apps.
News: Sprint HTC One M8 Receives First Update—Your Battery Life Will Thank You
Although the new HTC One M8 was only released about two weeks ago, owners of the Sprint variant are receiving their first software update this morning.
News: Twitter (Sorta) Buys a Lock Screen
Earlier this morning, Twitter announced (through a tweet, naturally) that it has acquired Cover, roughly a minute after Cover made the same announcement. Cover Lock Screen, a lockscreen replacement app, has been vastly popular during its first year. The app places relevant shortcuts on your lockscreen that adapt to your habits, so whether you're at home, work, or in the car, you'll find the apps you use the most in these situations readily available for you. For more information on Cover, inc...
News: The New HTC One M8 Has Been Rooted
Just short of a week after its release, the new HTC One has been rooted thanks to Android devs beaups and jcase, the same guys that brought us S-OFF for the original HTC One (M7).
News: Sprint HTC One Max to Receive Update to KitKat and Sense 5.5
As a little late night surprise, Mo Versi, Executive Director of Product Management, took to twitter to announce a KitKat and Sense update for the Sprint variant of the HTC One Max. Mo has used tweets in the past to keep customers informed of product updates, and it's a trend we'd love to see from all OEMs. As part of HTC's renewed commitment to keeping devices updated for two full years after release, dubbed HTC Advantage, the One Max will see Android's latest version.