Samsung said to be trying to forge a Tizen/Firefox OS partnership

Reports suggest that Samsung is pursuing a partnership with Mozilla, hoping to bring Firefox OS together with Tizen. At a recent conference, Samsung’s Chief Secretary Wonsuk Lee, noted that a relationship between the two is possible. Not only is it possible, it’s technically feasible.

Both operating systems are HTML5 based, meaning apps written for one app can be used for the other. That also means mobile apps for Chrome could be pinched, though those are currently not optimized for mobile. Both Tizen and Firefox are currently struggling to gain adoption, and foothold, in a crowded OS market.

While both are said to be used for low-end devices, Tizen is also meant for higher-end offerings. That would give Mozilla an inroad to a market segment they previously hadn’t pursued. Samsung, however, is currently dragging their heels with Tizen devices, delaying release of the handsets often.

Furthermore, when Samsung does bring Tizen out of the closet, they are quick to point out that it’s in the early days of development. The OS doesn’t impress those that have seen it, leading many to consider it unready for release any time soon. Samsung is again touting that the first Tizen devices will be released to the world early next year, but we’ve heard that kind of talk before.

Firefox is already available in some markets, and struggles to find a foothold. A partnership with Tizen would bring a partnership that is strong in name, but perhaps limited in functionality. One is new and finds trouble with making itself useful to a world dominated by android and iOS, while the other is often delayed and yet to be tested. If a partnership does occur, don’t expect much from it initially.

Android TV once again pops up with new report suggesting it will be available next year

A new report suggests that an Android set-top box is on the way to our living rooms. Via The Verge, we learn that Google is getting ready to launch a streaming device to run right into Roku and Apple TV, offering services like Netflix and Hulu. It also confuses the space outside of mobile for Google, and convolutes a comment made earlier by Sundar Pichai.

The new device was originally said to offer a Kinect-esque movement sensor, but today’s news doesn’t mention that. It is noted to have a touchpad remote sold alongside the device, which is a strange departure. If this proves to be accurate, Google will have a Chromecast, Google TV, and this Nexus TV device all set for the living room.

When the Chromecast was launched, Google TV was called into question. Would the set-top box live on? Android and Chrome chief Sundar Pichai said both had a place in the living room, though few could see how — or why. Google TV has never found widespread adoption, and the Chroemcast offers everything we need at a bargain basement price. With the Nexus TV (our designation, not official), we wonder what the real plans could be, and where the breaking point is for Google’s living room efforts.

It seems the real angle here could be Android gaming. The report mentions that the device would offer a selection of games, but doesn’t note if the full library offered via the Play Store would be available. If so, the Nexus TV seems to step on more toes, as devices like Shield or Ouya try to find a home with Android gaming fans.

We should also note that this is another in a long line of reports surrounding Google’s Android set-top box efforts. Andy Rubin was said to have shown off a device of this kind behind closed doors at CES, but that was nearly a year ago. We have, to date, seen no official mention of this effort by Google. While we like the idea of an Android set-top device, it has the potential to confuse consumers beyond the one-two punch of Chromecast and Google TV.

Google Play Store update brings in-app purchase markers and a touch of social networking

0

Google has just pushed out an update to the Google Play Store app that can turn out to be a mixed blessing to users. While it does offer a few new conveniences, it also now integrates a bit more with Google’s social networking ecosystem.

The new Google Play Store will feature an indicator telling users if an app, whether free or paid, has in-app purchases or IAP. The indicator doesn’t offer anything more than that, unfortunately. It should, however, give users a heads up that the free app they’re downloading will have some strings attached.

The other new major feature for the Play Store app is an activity feed. Those familiar with digital distribution systems like Steam will be familiar with how one can opt to show others latest purchases, played games, and other forms of activity. That will similarly be the case here to some extent. Users will be able to view and share with others a stream of their activities, though it is not clear whether those will be limited to +1 or reviews only. There is also an amount of integration with Google+, allowing users to view a user’s Google+ profile directly from the Play Store app. It is also unknown if one’s Google Play Store activity will automatically be mirrored on one’s Google+ feed as well, or if there will be certain filters and switches that can be applied.

Google is really playing up the social aspects of Play Store even in its review and rating features. Google has improved the interface to make this communal part of the app ecosystem more prominent and is trying to make it easier for users to leave reviews or star ratings. At the same time, Play Store will be pushing apps and content highly recommended by your contacts in search lists, just in case you happen to enjoy the same things they do.

Google Play Store 4.5.10 is already rolling out to some users, but, as always, it will take some time to reach everyone in all markets.

VIA: Android Police

Samsung may be bringing AMOLED screens back to their tablet lineup

At one time, Samsung tablets were AMOLED, the popular display technology present on their smartphones. Recently, Samsung has moved away form that technology for tablets, instead opting to utilize LCD panels. A new report out of Korea suggests they may be getting back to center, and putting AMOLED back on the tablet map.

Korean site Digital Daily is reporting that Samsung is working on two different AMOLED screens for their tablets. On the heels of their extensive court losses to Apple, it seems they’re going right back at Cupertino with 8-inch and 10-inch AMOLED tablets. Those are also said to be specifically aimed at high-end devices to directly compete with Apple’s two-pronged attack.

Apple’s iPad Mini and Air dominate the 8-inch (7.9, really) and 10-inch (9.7 if you’re counting) categories, even going so far as to be the most popular in the overall large and small tablet markets. While Samsung already has a handsome tablet lineup, their efforts still fall short of Apple’s offerings in regard to overall quality, and it’s obviously something that they’d like to see change.

The difference, of course, is that Samsung is willing to saturate the market with additional devices, while Apple is keen to keep it simple. If Samsung can produce a display nice enough to compete with the popular Retina displays of iOS devices, it could set a standard moving forward. Even if kept to top-tier devices, it rounds out their lineup with a premium tablet to showcase all they can do. Then again, it could prove fruitless.

Android tablet still enjoy a much lower price point that Apple, a point of pride for Android owners. A high-end tablet or tablets would come with a similarly high-end price tag. While the Nexus 10 showed that there is a market for a higher cost, higher specced Android tablet, it’s a very slight niche to fill.

Google joins coalition to curb rampant government spying

Sometimes, it takes a common foe to turn enemies, especially frenemies, into allies. Such seems to be the case here as Google, Microsoft, and Apple join with other tech giants in the Reform Government Surveillance group that seeks to limit the currently boundless government surveillance.

The companies in this coalition, which also includes the likes of Facebook, Yahoo!, and Twitter, have been, in a way, attacked on all sides. On one hand, they themselves have been targets of the US government’s aggressive information gathering. But on the other hand, they have also been lambasted by users and privacy groups for their complicity in such operations. Now they want to set their foot down and give governments, not the the US’, a piece of their mind and some words of advice.

The coalition proposes five principles, which, in theory, are rather common sense. But as they say, common sense is not really that common. Aside from putting sensible limits on government surveillance and imposing some form of checks and balance, the group makes some suggestions that are particular to information technology. The first proposes that governments should allow companies to inform the public about government demands for information. Secondly, governments should not require service providers, particularly those related to Internet services, to host their infrastructure locally just so that the government can have legal grounds to immediately demand access to data.

While the principles invoked here can apply to any country’s government, being American businesses, the coalition does make a special case out of the US, with an open letter to Washington. It remains to be seen if this coalition will be strong and influential enough to effect a lasting change in the current political situation or if it will simply be lost with the many voices that are being ignored.

SOURCE: Reform Government Surveillance
VIA: Engadget

Huawei trademarks PhoPad name, could be another phablet in the works

1

Huawei‘s CEO might have called it quits in the US market, but the Chinese company isn’t slowing down just yet. In fact, it has just applied for a trademark at the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a rather funny-sounding PhoPad name.

Last week, Huawei’s top honcho publicly expressed his frustration at being caught in the middle of the squabble between the US and China. Several US officials have pointed out how Huawei could be easily used as a tool for spying by the Chinese government and have encouraged others to shun the company. While CEO Ren Zhengfei did say it wasn’t worth being involved in the issue, the company has yet to reveal a timeline for their departure. In the meantime, it seems that Huawei will continue to try to fill the US market with its mobile devices.

What the PhoPad truly is remains a mystery. There is speculation that it stands for a phone the size of a pad or tablet. In other words, a phablet. Huawei would hardly be the only one trying to push another name for the growing device form factor. Samsung has also been reported to be vying for an even sillier “fonblet” moniker. And Huawei is definitely no stranger to the device class. Both its current Ascend Mate and the Ascend Mate 2 clock at 6.1 inches. It is still unknown whether the PhoPad will simply be another bigger smartphone or if it will be taking on ASUS‘ budget FonePad line or even the curious PadFone phone/tablet hybrid.

Whatever the Huawei PhoPad really is, it’s likely we’ll get a peek early 2014. Huawei is slotted to still make an appearance at CES next month where we’ll probably get to see this PhoPad alongside other rumored smartphones such as the Ascend Mate 2 and the octa-core Glory/Honor 4 or G750.

SOURCE: USPTO
VIA: Phandroid

Android 4.4.1 changes listed, hides foundations for mirroring to Chromecast

Google has started rolling out the first maintenance update to Android 4.4 KitKat. While most eyes have been focused on Android 4.4.1's fixes to the Nexus 5‘s camera features, lurking beneath the hundreds of changes are clues to the future of Android support for Chromecast.

The folks over at Funky Android have generated a lengthy list of the changes between Android 4.4 and Android 4.4.1, comparing the changes in the source code found in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) repository. While the changelog is quite lengthy, majority of users, especially owners of the Nexus 5, will be interested in how the update addresses the issues related to the smartphone’s camera performance.

CyanogenMod developer Koushik “Koush” Dutta, however, also discovered something both interesting and somewhat discouraging at the same time. Patches in 4.4.1 bear some new Application Programming Interface (API) that can be used for broader mirroring from Android to Chromecast. At the moment, mirroring Chrome tabs is the only officially supported, albeit beta, method.

The discouraging part is that the API documentation says that it is not for use by third-party applications, implying that it is reserved only for Google’s or OEM’s use. We’re still hoping that Google will open up this feature in the long run in order to push Chromecast adoption to a broader range of devices and a wider audience.

SOURCE: Funky Android, Koushik Dutta

Xiaomi Mi3 sales hit 150,000 in latest 10 minute flash sale

0

Xiaomi has been pushing devices in flash sales lately. Details of these sales have been popping up from time to time and it looks like word of another has arrived. This latest had Xiaomi selling 150,000 of the Mi3 smartphone in just under 10 minutes time. While those numbers are comparable to what we have seen from other sales, there was an interesting twist this time around.

Xiaomi managed to sell those 150,000 smartphones in 10 minutes — using a chat app. Specifically, Xiaomi used the WeChat app which is from Tencent. They had announced the details on their official Sina Weibo account and listed an official time of 9 minutes and 55 seconds.

WeChat, as of the end of Q3 2013 is said to have 272 million monthly active users. And if nothing else, this just goes to show the power of the platform, which in this case was used to sell quite a bit of smartphones in a relatively short amount of time. Looking back, the previous Xiaomi flash sale was for Singles Day and had the company sell a total or 380,000 devices.

That included a mix of 110,000 Mi3 smartphones, 110,000 Hongmi smartphones, 110,000 2S smartphones and 50,000 set-top boxes. The key here, this latest flash sale, while interesting given the use of the WeChat app, was not the fastest. The Singles Day sale managed to sell those 110,000 Mi3 smartphones in three minutes time and earlier there was a sale that had 100,000 units going in roughly 90 seconds.

VIA: The Next Web

Samsung “Just for You” teaser tips upcoming Galaxy J release in Taiwan

0

Samsung recently dropped the “Just for You” teaser video on YouTube and it measures in at 22 seconds in length and appears to be offering a look at the Galaxy J. This isn’t the only time we have seen talk of the Galaxy J recently, however this one is from Samsung as opposed to a leak. One key with the video though, this is from Samsung Taiwan, which suggests where the handset is heading.

The video doesn’t reveal much in the way of specifics and shows the outline of the Galaxy J as well as the Galaxy Gear smartwatch. The watch is showing a time of 1PM and a date of Monday, December 9th. Coincidentally, that is the same date and time we saw with a previous leaked Galaxy J image. More to the point here, it appears the Galaxy J will be announced in Taiwan this coming Monday.

Watching the video and you get a few details, but Samsung appears to have this video lined more as a teaser than anything. There is a mention of being “just fast” with a showing of LTE, but otherwise, there was a mention of handset coming soon and further “just” lines including; Just fit, just simple, just elegant and just for you. The video does show the brushed metal back and what appears to be a thin profile. Samsung, perhaps for good measure, also included a diamond sitting on the back.

While this teaser seems to suggest the Galaxy J will soon be announced in Taiwan, this handset isn’t a complete mystery. That doesn’t mean Samsung will have it with an exact match on the specs, but the Galaxy J is already known in Japan. The Japanese variant includes a 5-inch 1080p display and is powered by a quad-core 2.26GHz Snapdragon 800 processor with 3GB of RAM. There is also a 2600 mAh battery, 32GB of internal storage space, a microSD card slot and 12 megapixel rear-facing camera with OIS.

Google Chromecast ranks highest in TIME’s top ten gadgets of 2013

0

In a move that might cause some tech pundits to scratch their heads, TIME Magazine has just named the Google Chromecast as numero uno in 2013's top 10 gadgets. That said, it is also welcome news as this is the first time since 2010 that something other than an Apple device has claimed the top spot.

The Chromecast enjoyed a period of intense popularity after Google unveiled in late July. The size of a USB thumb drive, the Chromecast attaches itself to a TV via a HDMI port which then allows streaming of media to the TV over a WiFi connection. Although the initial number of officially supported media sources was depressingly few, limited in fact to YouTube, Netflix, Google Music, and Pandora at launch, the community still took to the device like bees to honey, attracting interest not only from streaming content providers but also from developers who want to squeeze out every bit of possible functionality from the dongle.

Although the furor has somewhat thinned over the past few months, the Chromecast’s existence still managed to send ripples throughout the tech world enough for TIME to notice. Breaking Apple‘s three-year reign on the list, TIME praises the Chromecast for its simplicity and straightforward functionality. In an age of digital convergence where every gadget can do almost anything or everything, it was refreshing to see something that does only one thing but does it extraordinarily well.

Of course, this is mostly a reflection of how TIME has seen this year’s technology evolve and the list will definitely ruffle a few feathers. At second and fifth are Apple’s new iPads and the iPhone 5s, respectively. The Microsoft Xbox One sits at number six with no mention of the Playstation 4 anywhere. Fortunately, there was enough room for an Android device in the list, with the new Amazon Kindle Fire HDX at seventh place.

SOURCE: Sundar Pichai, TIME
VIA: Talk Android

Google News web app gets a mobile-friendly face-lift

Google is really putting its card-based aesthetic everywhere it can. That design style is now making its way to its browser-based Google News web app, making the service not just usable on mobile device but good-looking as well.

This card design, which could be traced back to Google Now’s arrival, focuses on cleanliness and brevity, offering users a simple interface and presenting just the right amount of information density, with an option to see more at a tap of a finger or click of a mouse. Such a design might be particularly useful in a news site, especially when browsing from a mobile device such as a smartphone. Now users will get to enjoy a better browsing and reading experience on Google News thanks to changes that Google has started to roll out.

But aside from that functionality, Google’s update also brings in some new features. Users will be free to choose between a light and dark theme and can customize the fonts used. They can even choose larger cards to accommodate more information at a glance. Navigation has also been simplified, with a dedicated News icon at the top-left which will reveal a list of both pre-made and custom-made sections. Unsurprisingly, Google has found a way to also include some form of Google+ integration via related social posts.

The changes to the Google News web app will start to roll out to users in the US first, with an international launch promised to come soon. No download or user intervention is required. One just needs to visit the Google News website from Chrome on Android to get access to the new look and features.

SOURCE: Google

CyanogenMod switches on CyanogenMod 11 nightly builds for dozens of devices

The makers of the one of if not the most popular custom Android ROM is proceeding full steam ahead with its transition to an Android 4.4 codebase. Now it has activated the nightly builds for devices that can support CyanogenMod 11.

Last week, the CyanogenMod team announced the first CyanogenMod 11 snapshot, CyanogenMod 11 M1. This snapshot, however, was limited only to more recent Nexus devices. The team did promise that it will soon be enabling nightly builds, and now its announcing which supported devices will fall under which CyanogenMod version. This list accounts for all 156 officially supported devices compatible with CyanogenMod 10.0 and higher.

Dozens of devices, including the Galaxy Nexus, will be receiving nightly builds of CyanogenMod 11, which is based on Android 4.4. But even more than that, Android 4.4.1, which has just started rolling out to Nexus devices, is already being merged into the codebase. This means that the next round of nightly builds will soon include the latest maintenance update as well. Unfortunately, this announcement also spells the end of nightly builds for devices running CyanogenMod 9 or older, to give way to CM 10.2 and CM 11.

The list of devices, which you can read from the source link below, is not yet exhaustive nor is it final. Some devices under CyanogenMod 10.2 are expected to move up to CyanogenMod 11 over the next few weeks. Nightlies are, of course, considered to be raw versions, so they should be installed and used with care and a bit of knowledge of the risks involved.

SOURCE: CyanogenMod

Samsung Galaxy J officially arrives in Taiwan

2

After releasing a short teaser, which some have associated with a Galaxy S 5, Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy J for the Taiwanese market. Bearing hallmarks of a design meant to appeal to Japanese consumers, the Galaxy J is a rather curious device that brings together the best of Samsung’s two top smartphone models.

The Samsung Galaxy J is both enticing and strange, like a device that doesn’t know its place in the world. That it is a smartphone that was launched specifically to cater to the Japanese market and is now available in Taiwan is just one proof of that. That it trumps Samsung’s latest flagship without being a flagship itself is another. That it looks distinctly different from other Samsung smartphones also speaks to its oddity. Design-wise, the Galaxy J is more rectangular than the rest of Samsung’s roster, with the rounded corners being less pronounced. It would be almost heresy to say it, but it almost looks like some other popular phone from some other popular manufacturer from a distance.

The Galaxy J shares the same 5-inch 1920×1080 screen size of the Galaxy S 4, but for the rest of the hardware, it more closely resembles the Galaxy Note 3, except without the S Pen. A 2.3 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage summarize the similarities, which are quite above that of Samsung’s flagship.

Taiwanese buyers will be able to get their hands on a Samsung Galaxy J starting next week for a rather high price of 21,900 NTD, or around $741 when converted. They might be disappointed to know, however, that only the white and red color options are available, with the original color range including one in blue. Still, Samsung has several launch promos in place to entice would-be buyers. It would be interesting to see if Samsung plans to make the Galaxy J available in other markets as well.

VIA: VR-Zone

Google Play Store and Amazon App Store have great Black Friday app offers

If you’re doing a little online app shopping this Black Friday, the Play Store and Amazon App Store have some great deals for you. Both portals have tons of content at a discounted rate, and even offering some free content. The App Store is concentrating on offering discounted games, while the Play Store has a better variety.

For those who use a Kindle device, games are the goal for Amazon this Black Friday. Ranging from $0.99 to $3.99, everything from classic console titles to subtle time wasters are available. Here’s a rundown of the games available for the US:

TMNT: Rooftop RunBattle Bears FortressQuellAngry Birds SpaceAngry Birds Space HDBloons TD 5Sonic The HedgehogHamboFruit Ninja

The Play Store has a wider variety of apps on offer, though not quite as many games. For our money (or lack of, when considering free apps), the Play Store has a better compliment of apps for sale. The Play Store list, for your app purchasing pleasure:

VidTrim ProAgentInstaplaceOfficeSuite Pro 7Smart IR RemoteBeyond PodRoByte Roku remoteReddit ProBattery Widget RebornAnamoly KoreaRipTide GP2Amazing SpidermanHeavy SwordVirtual Tennis ChallengeOrder & ChaosNeed for Speed: Most Wanted

This perhaps highlights the real prowess of the Play Store versus the App Store, with apps such as Agent VidTrim Pro. The Kindle is meant for media consumption, though, so we won’t fault it too much. Either way you go, both have great offers, which should sneak a few bucks away from you this Black Friday.

Pebble smartwatch now available with Amazon

The retail availability of the Pebble smartwatch has been expanding over time. And as of today, it looks like the smartwatch has arrived with yet another retailer. The latest is Amazon and they have the watch available in two colors and as a Prime eligible item.

Those two colors are black and red and the price of the smartwatch is close to what we have been seeing with other retailers (as well as direct with Pebble). Amazon has the black Pebble selling for $149.99 and the red model is slightly less expensive, at $147.49. In addition to the availability, Amazon in included a gift card for those who make a purchase.

Those who pick up either color Pebble from Amazon will get a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card. Basically, while the price of the watch is the same as with other retailers, it looks like Amazon is banking on some going for the Gift Card. Not to mention, the Prime eligibility for the shipping.

Of course, if black or red is not the color you prefer, there are other options available. The Get Pebble website has the watch in the same Jet Black and Cherry Red. They also have Orange and Arctic White in-stock and ready to ship with Grey currently sitting in a backordered state.

While there are more and more smartwatches coming available, the Pebble seems to be a favorite for many. We suspect that is partially due to the lower price. The Samsung Galaxy Gear is $299.99 and the Qualcomm Toq is $349.99. But otherwise, the Pebble also has quite a bit of developer support, which means goodies coming not only from the Pebble team, but also from third-party developers and enthusiasts.

Motorola has impressive Black Friday offers available via website

Prospective Moto X owners have a pretty decent Black Friday deal waiting for them at the Motorola website. Available until Sunday, select accessories are 30% off, and the Moto X itself starts at just $99. That’s a whole lot of customization without having to break the bank.

The MotoMaker site recently opened up for other carriers, and can now be used with a device for any of the four major carriers in the US. If you use Republic Wireless or U.S. Cellular, you can still order the device in black or white. The handset is also getting the Android 4.4 update now, so you won’t get left behind.

As for the accessories, the 30% discount should get you just about anything you want. The exclusions are on some of the more profound and expensive pieces, and one Google offering. The Chromecast is unavailable for order with the discount, as well as the Deck by SOL Republic. The Tracks Air headphones are also excluded (and unavailable as of yet), but the wired Tracks headphones are not.

That leaves the rest of the store for you to peruse and buy from, with a full 30% off. From battery packs to the Moto Skip, it’s all there — and all discounted. You can even get a cool case and Moto X dock, then free shipping if you spend over $75. If you’re into Moto, this is as good as it gets.

NVIDIA SHIELD gets a Black Friday price cut

It looks like NVIDIA is trying to further tempt those who have been considering picking up a SHIELD game system. For Black Friday, or more specifically, for the Black Friday weekend, NVIDIA has lowered the price and is also including a few extras. And just to clarify the weekend timeframe, the Black Friday SHIELD offer will come to a close at 11:59 PST on December 2nd, 2013.

That being said, NVIDIA has cut $50 off the purchase price, which means the console can be picked up for $249.99. Along with that, those making the purchase will get a free SHIELD carrying case, said to be a $40 value, free shipping and two free games. The games include Sonic 4 Episode II THD and Expendable: Rearmed. This specific offer is available direct from NVIDIA.

In addition, the SHIELD is available by way of several third-party retailers including Gamestop, Best Buy and Amazon. Though, any specials will vary by retailer. One example is Gamestop, who are not offering the SHIELD with the case. Gamestop does include a $25 Google Play gift card though. Best Buy on the other hand, does appear to be including the case.

Simply put, if you are shopping for the SHIELD and looking towards third-party retailers, you may want to double check what is included with the offer. That all being said, we have spent quite a bit of time with the SHIELD since it was originally released and because of that we have some hands-on coverage as well as a full review. Not to mention, some additional coverage which can be found in the Story Timeline below, or in the full NVIDIA SHIELD hub.

VIA: SlashGear

HTC One Unlocked and Developer Edition handsets getting Kit Kat

3

The next round of Kit Kat updates has begun. This time, according to details coming from the @HTCUSA Twitter account, the Android 4.4 rollout has begun for Unlocked and Developer Editions of the HTC One. With the Google Play edition having gotten the Kit Kat update last week, this sort of rounds things out for the special editions.

Those carrying either an Unlocked or Developer Edition HTC One should be on the lookout for an update notification. And furthermore, once that arrives, follow the prompts and begin enjoying the goodies that come along with Kit Kat. Aside from bumping the handset to Android 4.4, this update is also going to boost Sense to v5.5.

Otherwise, looking back to earlier in the month, we saw HTC offer a bit of detail on when some of the US carrier branded models could expect a similar update. HTC didn’t offer details for each and every carrier, however they did say the North American handsets would get Android 4.4 Kit Kat and Sense 5.5 by the “end of January.”

HTC did mention Verizon Wireless specifically though. And in this case, it looks like those users can expect a two-step process with the first update being for compatibility. From that point, it looks like the actual Android OS update will be arriving in December.

Bottom line here, while every model One has yet to be updated, it does appear HTC is making some progress. And if nothing else, they do appear to be keeping users informed thus far.

LG G Flex launch event invitations being sent out, will happen December 3rd

The LG G Flex is getting ready for an international launch, with invitations to the event being sent out now. Currently only available in South Korea, the G Flex is a bit expensive at $950 or so, and we’ll be interested to see the final retail cost when it’s launched internationally. The December third event in Hong Kong should give complete details, even carrier support.

It’s believed the G Flex will launch on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint. That leaves Verizon as the lone domestic holdout, though we’d be curious to know why. Verizon has a relationship with LG already, carrying a few devices, including the G2. If not available at launch, we’ll look for a exclusive color or variation for Verizon later on.

Devices like the G Flex and Samsung Galaxy Round are currently considered niche devices, but the G Flex doesn’t seem as novel as the Round. Its self healing back and flexible form factor seems to make for a good real-world use case, but the curve still confounds most. It’s no more resistant to breaks than any other device, so the structure offers no additional resiliency. The self healing back is nice, but that’s the least of concerns when buying a smartphone.

For now, we’ll be interested to see what the launch event has in store for us. The G Flex has a Snapdragon 800, as well as a host of other top-tier features, so we would like to think it will come at the same price point as other devices. Then again, it is a new device in just about every way, which requires new manufacturing techniques.

LG Canada talks Kit Kat for the G2

Earlier in the month there was a leak coming by way of French carrier SFR suggesting Android 4.4 Kit Kat was heading to the LG G2 in December. Well, while we have yet to hear anything confirming that timeline direct from LG, it looks like there may be some news for those in Canada. LG Canada has been talking about Kit Kat on the G2, though, the timeline may not be what many were hoping to hear.

MobileSyrup received word from Court Elliot of LG Canada who has said the update is planned for late Q1, 2014. Or in other words, it looks like the update will be coming sometime towards the end of March. The key there, that is apparently when LG will be giving the update to carriers, which means those in Canada still need some additional details.

Not to mention, that could mean those with one carrier or another may be waiting into April or beyond before Kit Kat arrives. On the flipside, the good news here is the handset will be going from Android 4.2.2 to Android 4.4 — seemingly skipping 4.3. LG G2 users also seem to have it a bit better than those with an earlier LG flagship.

The Optimus G is still running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Looking outside of France and Canada, we still haven’t seen anything from LG talking about a US release for Kit Kat on the G2. But as we often see in the US, the update will come from LG and still need carrier approval before arriving on devices. Basically, the US timeline for Kit Kat on the G2 will likely vary from carrier to carrier.

Angry Birds Star Wars II update adds 40 new levels

Rovio recently updated Angry Birds Seasons and added quite a few new levels. And well, it looks like they have just done the same for the Star Wars version. In this case, that means an update for the free (with ads) and paid (no ads) version of Angry Birds Star Wars II. For this particular update, those playing Angry Birds Star Wars II will now have 40 new levels to work through.

The update for both the free and paid version is live in the Google Play Store and from what we are seeing, this includes 20 new Pork Side levels and 20 new Bird Side levels. And in addition, there was mention of some some secret levels and some new free characters.

20 NEW PORK SIDE LEVELS! Launch an attack on Naboo’s capital city and face the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in the big boss fight!20 NEW BIRD SIDE LEVELS! Face the enemy on the devastated battlefields of Naboo and then continue the battle in space!

As for those secret levels, here users will have to find the hidden maps. Once those have been discovered you will get to unlock 4 new secret levels. The new characters include Padme, Captain Panaka and Zam Wesell. The game was originally released back in mid-September and it was just about a month earlier when we saw the last big update.

That one arrived in early-November and similar to this time, it added new levels and new characters. That last update brought Hologram Darth Sidious, Silver C3PO, Red Battle Droid and Shadowtrooper. Not to mention, the eight secret levels and special reward levels for the characters.

SOURCE: Angry Birds Star Wars II (free), (paid)

Twitter working with startup to offer service offline in emerging markets

Twitter is said to be working with a startup in Singapore to offer their service offline, according to a report by Reuters. The offline access is targeted at emerging markets, where a data connection is not always available or necessary. The company, U2opia Mobile, currently works with Facebook for similar functionality.

The service offers users who enter a code to get Twitter information from nearby twitters using location sharing. It will populate the Twitter feed with popular and trending tweets from others in the area, but won’t allow for viewing of pictures, videos, or other media. More than 11 million users currently take advantage of U2opia’s service for Facebook and the expiring Google Talk.

U2opia uses Unstructured Supplementary Service Data, or USSD. That protocol is for text only, which is what makes it impossible to view pictures and video. In those areas where U2opia is utilized, 80% of people still don’t access data on their mobile phones. CEO Sumesh Menon says their work with Twitter is “hand in glove because Twitter has by design a character limit, it’s a very text-driven social network”.

U2opia’s main customer base remains outside of the US, in emerging markets like South America and Africa. They work with local carriers like Vodafone to supply the service, and get a 30-40% cut from the carrier for access to the service. For Twitter, it’s a war ro grow a service that needs attention to move forward after an IPO that valued them at $25 billion. For consumers, it’s a new way to communicate with the increasingly shrinking digital world.

OmniROM announces OpenDelta OTA updater

Given how young the OmniROM custom ROM project is, it’s bound to be updated far more frequently along its journey towards more stable releases. To keep those updates easy on both the user and the network, the OmniROM devs have worked on an over the air delta updater that tries to keep ROM update sizes to be as small as possible.

As if the initial process of getting a custom Android ROM flashed on a device isn’t harrowing enough, one has to sometimes rinse and repeat when an updated image is released. Several tools have thus been developed to make the update process less intrusive, mimicking the behavior of normal Android OTA updates. But OmniROM’s OpenDelta takes the convenience once step further by trying to minimize what needs to be downloaded as much as possible.

OpenDelta is an open source tool that automatically builds and delivers OTA updates of OmniROM builds. It’s key differentiating factor is that, when possible, it uses deltas when creating the updates. This means that it only includes what has changed between the current and the next version, leaving out those that have not been touched. Depending on the situation, this could drastically reduce the file size of the update that needs to be downloaded. And in case you’ve missed out on several builds, OpenDelta will gather all the related deltas together and create a new one that doesn’t include duplicated information, so users won’t have to worry about huge downloads in this situation. Early OmniROM adopters can access the OpenDelta features via the About section of the system settings.

Given OmniROM’s emphasis on community-driven and open work, OpenDelta is being developed as on open source project. Theoretically, any open ROM can make use of the tool, but OmniROM has a preference for TWRP as the officially recommended flashing utility. OpenDelta is still quite young so some bugs might crop up here and there.

SOURCE: OmniROM

Verizon DROID ULTRA and DROID MINI arrive in white

0

Verizon has added a new color for the DROID ULTRA and DROID MINI handsets. As of today, both handsets are available in white. This new white model joins the previously available black and red and is basically, the same handsets, just in a new color. Simply put, the pricing and the specs each remain the same as had been.

The DROID ULTRA is currently priced at $99.99 on a new two-year agreement, and the DROID MINI is $49.99, also with a two-year agreement. Otherwise, those looking to make monthly payments can expect to pay $18.97 for the ULTRA or $16.81 for the MINI using the Edge program. There is also the option to pay full retail. In that case, the ULTRA would be $449.99 and the MINI would be $399.99.

While these handsets both sport different size displays, the share many of the same features. They each have 16GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM along with a 2 megapixel front-facing camera and 10 megapixel RGBC rear-facing camera with quick capture. They both also have the Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System which means some extra perks.

The goodies that come along with the X8 include Active Display and Touchless Control, both features that are also found on the Moto X. The DROID handsets also have DROID Zap and the Command Center, both of which are exclusive to the DROID lineup. Otherwise, the DROID ULTRA has a 2130 mAh battery and the DROID MINI has a 2000 mAh battery, both of which are said to be able to offer up to 28 hours of run time.

Lastly, the DROID ULTRA has a 5.0-inch display and the MINI has a 4.3-inch display. But of course, the main difference for the DROID ULTRA and DROID MINI is simply the new color, white.