Lollipop coming soon to Motorola 2013 and 2014 devices

Owners of Motorola devices made in 2013 and 2014 have reason to be excited, a software engineer for the company has confirmed that Android Lollipop will be rolling out to your hardware ‘soon.’

First of all: peace! :-) There is so much anger floating around this topic, I just want to reassure we're working really hard on it, and, as promised, our Moto products from 2014 and 2013 will be updated to Lollipop really soon.

– Luciano Carvalho Google+

We can’t be sure what version number of Android Lollipop will roll out to which devices. Motorola has a great track record with Android updates and they already have the latest Android 5.0.1 Lollipop out to their flagship devices, including the Moto X (2014) and back to the Moto G (2013) GPe.

While there is no exact time frame for the release, the same announcement recommends that all 1st generation device owners check for an update to the Motorola Update Services app, free from the Google Play Store. If the update does not show, or shows as not available for your unit, don’t worry, it’ll be there soon.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit is a reference to a Motorola Android 5.0.2 Lollipop soak test, available to only certain devices in a short list of locations around the globe. So far, we’ve only really seen a 5.0.2 reference for the 2012 WiFi Nexus 7, which still has not received an OTA Lollipop itself.

Amazon is currently offering the Nexus 9 for $50 off

Many users tend to think that Google’s Nexus 9 is too expensive. If you’ve been waiting for the next promotion to arise so you can get your hands on one, now may be your chance. Amazon has the Nexus 9 in both storage options and both colors at a $50 discount. That means the 16GB model is only $349.99, and the 32GB model is $429.99. Both colors and both storage options are currently available, so you may want to act fast before they sell out. Additionally, the Nexus 9 is eligible for free shipping, sweetening the deal a bit more.

If you’re in the market for a new Android tablet, this may be the one for you. The Nexus 9 is fast, has a nice sharp screen, loud front-facing speakers and has a battery that can get you through multiple days on a single charge. If you’d like some more information on the tablet, head to our full Nexus 9 review.

We’re not quite sure how long this deal will last, but you better hurry before the deal is over!

Buy now on Amazon

New MDK for Project Ara released ahead of second developer conference

Google has just released the second version of their Module Developers Kit (MDK .2) for Project Ara, which expands on how developers should go about creating new modules. We weren’t planning to see anything regarding the new MDK from Google until their next developer conference, which will be held on January 14th in Mountain View, California. Google will definitely expand on the MDK during the conference, but for now, we get a sneak peek at what’s to come in a few days.

One addition to the Project Ara undertaking is a new contactless connection system between the modules and exoskeleton that save space, reduce overall cost and will increase the overall durability of the device. What’s more, the team also introduced a new software protocol called Greybus which will better handle the communication between modules and the exoskeleton. In a future update, Ara owners will be able to manage the functions of the modules using a dedicated Ara Manager app on their devices. The app will also give users more advanced module details, and will allow users to swap the modules whenever they’d like.

We’re also getting a bigger overview on the Ara Module Marketplace, the online shop where Ara users will go to buy new modules directly from developers. Like we’ve reported in the past, the Ara Module Marketplace will be controlled by Google when it comes to payment processing. Google will also ensure all modules are safe to use for the public.

Jide’s Ultra Remix Surfaces, wants to provide Window(s) to productivity

From this angle (or any, really) one might be hard pressed to see anything other than a Microsoft Surface.

Many believe that the motivation behind Microsoft’s Surface line of tablet PCs is to inspire OEMs to make similar, competitive products. This was especially a relevant point in the early days of Windows 8 when manufacturers were still focused on laptops with the slate form-factor primarily embraced by RT products. While inspiration may be the main ingredient, it’s questionable just how enamored Redmond will be at the sight of Jide’s Ultra Remix tablet. The bigger cause of concern? Hard to guess: the design itself or the fact it’s running Android.

This curious creation is the brainchild of a trio of former senior engineers at Google: Jeremy Zhou, David Ko, and Ben Luk. They, along with a team comprised of former staff at Sony, Baidu, Amazon, and even Microsoft itself (among others). The Remix appears to be little more than a geek’s fantasy of running Android on a Surface, but the hardware doesn’t disappoint either. In addition to the kickstand (which can be positioned at either 40 or 80 degrees), it also has an 11.6 inch, 1920X1080 screen and a 1.8 GHz Nvidia Tegra 4 on-board. Add to this 2GB of RAM, 16GB or 64GB of on-board storage, a pair of 5 megapixel front/rear cameras and dual-band Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n). It is only 860 grams and sports an nice 8100 mAh power cell. And let’s not forget the pre-requsite magnetic keyboard (replete with touch pad) and magnetic charging port.

Running on this familiar-looking piece of kit is a variant of Android 4.4.2 called Remix OS. The mobile software platform makes use of a taskbar to facilitate multi-tasking (just like Windows), which interestingly seems to have chosen Lollipop’s system navigation buttons. The OS also allows for apps to be ran in a phone-sized state thus avoiding the stretched out form factor that typically occurs when running them on an optimized screen resolution/size. And, just like Windows, you can have multiple… windows open. Given the similarities, it actually would be most-fitting should Jide work in a licensing agreement with Microsoft to have Office for Android pre-installed.

When the Jide Ultra Remix tablet hits China it should retail for around $349 (16 GB) and $449 (64GB) and be offered in a variety of color options. A US/UK release is expected in Q2 or Q3. Suffice to say, it does look nice and provided it has decent build quality, could actually present a challenge not only to Chromebooks, but to larger Android tablets that offer bigger screens yet the same basic Android interface present on all non-forked devices.

Samsung officially launches 6.3mm thin, 5.5 inch, octa-core Galaxy A7

The Samsung Galaxy A series of phones has been slowly growing. Samsung launched the Galaxy A3 and the Galaxy A5 at the end of October, and the A5 went on sale in China at the end of November. The A3 and A5 became available in the USA at the end of December. Now just a couple of weeks into 2015 and Samsung has added another model to the A series, the Samsung Galaxy A7. It is a 5.5 inch device, with a HD Super AMOLED display, that measures just 6.3mm thick. Samsung is calling it “one of the slimmest Galaxy smartphones equipped with premium hardware.”

If you have been following the news and rumors of the new A series, then the A7 won’t be much of a surprise to you. The phone had been expected to appear soon, and there have been various signs that it would be launching in Asia around now. Most of the leaked details where right about the A7. The only real surprise is the choice of processor package. All the models will use an octa-core processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM, however depending on your region you will either get a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC or a 32-bit Exynos 5430 SoC.  The Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC uses four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.0GHz. This technically makes the CPU a big.LITTLE processor as the cores are heterogeneous, in that they don’t all offer the same performance, however they are all in fact Cortex-A53 cores. The Samsung Exynos 5430 uses four 32-bit Cortex-A15 cores, clocked at 1.8GHz, coupled with four Cortex-A7 cores clocked at 1.3GHz.

The single SIM versions of the phone offer full 4G LTE support, whereas the dual-SIM version only offers 3G. The latter will use the Samsung Exynos 5430, while the processor found in the 4G models will depend on where you are in the world.

Besides the octa-core processor and 2GB of RAM, the Galaxy A7 has 16GB of memory and a 2600mAh battery. As for optics, the A7 offers some of the same features from the A3 and A7. There is a 13MP rear facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera with advanced selfie features such as ‘Ultra Wide Shot’ and ‘Auto Selfie’ modes. The latter allows you to take a photograph using only a voice command or a wave of the hand.

The A7 runs Android 4.4 KitKat and includes all the normal bells and whistles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The LTE versions also include NFC. There is no current information about a possible upgrade of the Galaxy A7 to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Galaxy A7 will become available globally during the next two months, but there is no official word on pricing. The A3 costs around $330 in the US, while the A5 costs around $410. It is likely that the A7 will cost around $500 (+/- $25).

Samsung’s A series covers several different size and performance points. The A3 is a 4.5 inch quad core device with 1GB of RAM and a 1900MAh battery, the A5 is a 5 inch quad-core device with 2GB of RAM and a 2300mAh battery, and the A7 is a 5.5 inch octa-core handset with 2GB of RAM and a 2600mAH. All three models in the A series come with 16GB of internal storage and a micro SD slot

AT&T joins Verizon in claiming Title II status when it helps them financially

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As we have discussed on a number of different occasions, broadband companies (wired and wireless) continue to publicly blast the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for trying to classify their companies under the umbrella of Title II. Meanwhile, all Title II does is simply give the FCC power to actually help consumers against blatant violations by those broadband companies.

Speaking of blatant violations, AT&T is in trouble with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over their promise to give customers “unlimited data” only to then throttle those customers whenever they reached an unknown and rather random amount of data every month. In some cases, customers saw their speeds drop by nearly 90 percent.

As the FTC noted in their original complaint against AT&T, customers on tiered data plans were using significantly larger amounts of data than unlimited data customers yet saw no drop in speeds.

“AT&T promised its customers ‘unlimited’ data, and in many instances, it has failed to deliver on that promise. The issue here is simple: ‘unlimited’ means unlimited.” - FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez

Another big complaint against AT&T by the FTC was that the throttling language was hidden in the contracts from those on unlimited data plans so when those customers would cancel their contracts because of the throttling, AT&T would then hit them with significant early termination fees.

But AT&T has an answer for the FTC. According to AT&T, the FTC doesn’t have the jurisdiction to regulate their company. Why? Because AT&T is a “common carrier” internet provider under Title II.

Wait….what?

AT&T is essentially admitting that they will use their Title II status to simply dodge charges of throttling customer data. As Engadget notes, AT&T is claiming that since it is a common carrier company that provides voice services, it is exempt from the FTC’s jurisdiction over data and that the FCC has the actual jurisdiction.

Doesn’t this sound familiar? Oh, that’s right. Verizon also invoked Title II classification when it allowed them to make billions in Washington DC, New Jersey and other states. By some reports, Verizon made as much as $4.4 billion in additional revenue from this classification.

The Verge

What makes this case even more odd is that, as Ars Technica reports, didn’t AT&T just settle with the FTC over mobile cramming charges? AT&T agreed to pay $80 million for violations that did involve data.

Either way, it looks as if AT&T will get hit with a fine by the FCC if they somehow get themselves out of trouble with the FTC.

Nvidia confirms November Lollipop update for Shield tablet

In an effort to get the newest Android update out of the lab and into their customers hands as quickly as possible, Nvidia has confirmed that Android 5.0 Lollipop will be rolling out to the Nvidia Shield tablet this month!

In order to give us a preview of what to expect, Nvidia has posted a video onto Youtube that showcases the tablet running Android 5.0 Lollipop. Aside from giving us a brief look at the device running Lollipop, there are also numerous references to the above mentioned November update. Another notable point is that the update is running on an LTE version of the Shield tablet, which may or may not be an indicator of which version of the tablet will get the update first.

The Nvidia Shield tablet is (in our humble opinion) one of the best tablet experiences you can get your hands on, and it’s great to see that it’s already being given priority for a prompt update to Android L after only just debuting a few months ago. With Android Jellybean and Kitkat already commanding a whopping 80% combined total on Android devices, it would appear that Android L is already on track to be an even bigger success in terms of adaption time.

Project Zero: The Galaxy S6 is rumored to be what (cyber) dreams are made of

We still don’t know if Androids dream of electric sheep (dessert yes), but it’s safe to say we do know what keeps Samsung up at night. Between increasingly tough competition, growing consumer unrest, and a disastrous 3rd Quarter earnings report, Samsung is definitely aware of its bedroom boogeyman.

Steps have already been taken, hence the Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edgeall have metal frames, almost as if the Korean giant finally acknowledged consumer demand for premium materials to go with the premium specs and premium pricing. Taking a step even further last week, it announced the Galaxy A3 and Galaxy A5, two mid-range devices made of all metal.

In just a few short weeks, 2015 will be upon us, and with it, the build-up for the Galaxy S6. The S5 failed to deliver in many ways: no QHD screen (outside of Korea at least), no metal, no major design revision, no OIS. Now that the Note 4 is out of the way, techies are looking to the future. To say that the S6 is going to be the zero hour for Samsung’s future is an understatement. It had better be…Amazing. And yet, if early rumors are anything to go on, it definitely will be.

Will the Galaxy S6 finally give us that ‘big redesign’ the GS5 didn’t?

Sammobile, one of the web’s most astute Samsung fan-sites, has uncovered a venerable trove of information related to the Galaxy S6, referred internally as Project Zero.Yesterday its sources indicated the product is being designed from the ground up with a brand new vision, and today more details have emerged. Here are some of the highlights, though please take them with a few dashes of iodized NaCl as nothing has been confirmed:

• Screen: Quad HD, 2560X1440 display, though nothing has been offered about screen size. 5.3-5.5 inches might be logical given the LG G3’s size.
• Camera: IMX240 sensor; (same as the Note 4), with Samsung toying between 16 and 20 megapixels, possibly the 16 with OIS. The front camera will be 5mp.
• Storage: 32, 64, 128GB variants. Yes 16GB has purportedly been eliminated, something not even Apple has done.
• CPU Variant 1: Exynos 7420 Octa-Core 64-Bit with possible internally developed LTE modem. Presumably for Korea and select markets.
• CPU Variant 2: Snapdragon 810 64-Bit. Presumably for most markets including North America, Europe, and most of Asia.
• Additional: Broadcom BCM4773 chip that will integrate various sensors including GPS together on one chip to reduce battery drain.
• Model Variations: SM-G920x, SM-G925x (replace x with the regional/carrier letter of your choice). To define x, see Sammobile for the full listing of product codes.

Will the GS6 follow the Note 4’s example with a metal frame? Or perhaps instead go all-metal?

Assuming even one or two of these spec details prove to be true, the phone already sounds amazing, and we can almost guarantee it will be running Lollipop. A blazing fast 64-bit CPU, QHD screen, 128GB of memory, all coupled with a presumed brand new design (hopefully using metal) and it’s quite possible that at this point next year, Samsung will be laughing at everyone for having the foolishness to point out its 2014 fiscal fall. Add this to rumors circulating about a 2015 Galaxy Note 10.1 (will it be metal?!) and next year can’t come soon enough.

Of course it goes without saying that these are early days and so we wouldn’t get our hopes up too much just yet. After all, past Galaxy S handsets have had numerous crazy rumors, and often enough less than half of them come true. What do you think about these purported specs? Decent? Killer? Would you upgrade to the Galaxy S6, providing the majority of this proves true?]

SOURCE: Android Authority

Samsung’s Find My Mobile service is safe – says Samsung

Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, used for tracking and locking misplaced smartphones, had reportedly been having a few problems with hackers. Although Samsung insists that no user data has been put at risk, neither before nor after an update to address the problem.

The issue was fixed last month, but Samsung has today taken the time to address the situation in a little more detail.

According to Samsung, any hacking of its service would require a very specific set of circumstances to occur. In this scenario a hacker would only be able to make the device ring out and wouldn’t be able to do anything else or access any data stored on the phone. Here’s how the exploit worked:

1. The attacker occupies a way to send a link containing malicious code
2. The Find My Mobile user sets up Find My Mobile Remote control ‘ON’ at his/her device
3. The user enters up his/her ID and password and logs on Find My Mobile website
4. The user clicks the link in email/instant message/SMS sent by attackers

That does seem like a rather specific set of circumstances and one that is unlikely to have affected many people. Even so, the threat of someone hacking into a service that can track and disable your phone is certainly cause for concern.

Fortunately, the exploit has been patched anyway, so Find My Mobile users don’t have to worry.

As part of new HTC promo, get the Nexus 9 for just $199 today only!

Editor’s Note – the site appears to not be fulfilling orders properly. We’ve reached out to HTC for clarification. Thanks guys!

The holidays are nearly upon us, and for those looking to provide the perfect gift for a techie, HTC has your back. Starting today and running through the next 9 weeks, HTC Will offer up a “Hot Deal” promotion every Tuesday at 9am PDT for those in the United States. The promo items in question will vary each week.

So what does HTC have in mind for the very first hot deal? Nothing short of offering up the HTC Nexus 9 for 50% off RIGHT NOW! Yes, that’s right, $199 for the 16GB model, versus the original $399 pricing. The catch? Supplies are limited, so jump on it now! Once initial stock is out, they’ll continue to offer the Nexus 9 for $50 off instead — until 9PM PDT tonight.

Interested in learning more about the Nexus 9? Be sure to check out our full review:

So what are you waiting for? For those that tried to buy, where you able to pick one up at $199? For those that didn’t, did you at least take up the $50 off offer?

SOURCE: Android Authority

Xperia Z2 Android 4.4.4 update brings PS4 Remote Play, Hi-Res audio, and more

Sony has begun rolling out its Android 4.4.4 update (build 23.0.1.A.0.167) for the Xperia Z2 and Z2 Tablet today, which contains a whole host of new tweaks and features to play with.

While the move on up to Android 4.4.4 doesn’t change much on its own, Sony has used the update to throw a load of new features at its slightly older flagship model. Including: PS4 Remote Play, Hi-Res audio playback, new camera features, and some more general changes to the handset’s software. Let’s take a quick look at all the goodies.

PS4 Remote Play has just made its way to Sony’s range of Xperia Z3 devices too and allows users to stream and play games from their PS4 directly to their Sony handset with their wireless Dualshock 4 controller. Sony’s Hi-Res Audio enables PCM and DSD file playback, DSEE HX MP3 enhancement, and also includes pre-set EQ settings for a selection of Sony headphones. The update also contains Sony’s latest Smart Social Camera app features, such as Sound Photo, AR fun, Multi camera and Face in.

Furthermore, Sony has made a couple of tweaks to the general operating system. Ultra STAMINA Mode makes an appearance, allowing users to squeeze out a little extra battery life by disabling certain functions. Sony has also added in Quick Settings, Smart screen rotation, Record Screen, and smartwatch remote Bluetooth Unlock features. All in all, this is a pretty substantial update.

The Xperia Z2 Android 4.4.4 update is already live in several corners of the world, including South-East Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Other regions should see the update head their way in the coming days.

Verizon and AT&T will allow cross-carrier VoLTE calls

The VoLTE roll out in the United States has been staggered at best due to limited availability. Consumers with the ability to use VoLTE can place HD Voice calls, 1-way or 2-way video calls and use voice/data services at the same time. Unfortuately, VoLTE only works when both parties have supported devices from the same carrier.

When Verizon announced VoLTE availability, customers could only use such service if both the sender and receiver had two devices, either the Samsung Galaxy S5 or the LG G2. AT&T offers VoLTE only on the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and only in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin. T-Mobile offers VoLTE on the Samsung Galaxy S5, Galaxy Light and Note 3 and the LG G Flex.

Now, AT&T and Verizon have agreed that they will soon have VoLTE interoperability between their customers at some point in 2015. This means that customers of AT&T and Verizon will have the ability to send VoLTE HD Voice calls to customers of the other carrier. Although VoLTE HD Voice calls will be the first part of the interoperability, other features will also be added by both carriers in the future.

As Verizon pointed out in their press release, engineers from both companies are working on this project and must go through extensive testing in lab environments and then onto field trials.