After watching just about every other carrier-connected variant of the original Moto X updated to Android 4.4.4, owners of the T-Mobile version of the handset are now receiving the latest flavor of KitKat. The phone never really released on the magenta-hued carrier and was instead sold by Motorola at full price as the “T-Mobile edition,” so perhaps that’s why the update took so long.
Samsung is halting its laptop efforts in Europe, which also includes the release of Chromebooks in this specific market as well. Earlier in the year, Sony announced that it was selling off its VAIO business to investment firm Japan Industrial Partners. Unlike Sony’s decision, Samsung’s change in direction appears to only apply to its European business.
The new Moto X isn’t the only Motorola-made smartphone heading to Verizon. In fact, we’ve been hearing that the company has multiple handsets coming to the Droid-toting carrier. Pictured above is an alleged photo of the “Droid Turbo,” a Motorola phone rumored to be exclusive to Big Red. While it’s yet to be formally announced, word around the campfire is that the Turbo will feature an impressive 5.2-inch Quad HD display, a 2.65GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 and a shutterbug-friendly 20-megapixel shooter.
The 2014 edition Moto X is rumored to hit carriers within the next few days, however you can also purchase the device directly from its maker. Orders for Motorola’s new flagship smartphone through the company’s Moto Maker platform are now reportedly in route to consumers. So if you ordered the soon to be former Google company’s latest handset, you might want to check on its status.
Samsung announced a new accessory today that should compliment its large selection of mobile devices rather nicely. Priced at $20, the Samsung Power Sharing Cable lets owners of select Galaxy devices transfer power to another compatible smartphone, smartwatch or tablet. To manage use of the Power Sharing Cable, Samsung has put together a specialized app that’s now available in Google Play.
From flip phones to flagships, LG makes a lot of handsets, so how about another device from the South Korean electronics manufacturer? The company’s mid-range Vigor is on its way to AT&T and will be available to purchase on Friday, September 26th for $50 with a new two year service agreement, or for $13.96 or $16.75 per month under the carrier’s Next program. However, if you’re not interested in re-upping or making payments, you can buy the device outright for $350.
Google will soon list a price-range for in-app purchases on items in Google Play. Hopefully this new policy will help reduce the number of misrepresented software lurking in the Play Store. In some cases apps, especially games are listed as free, but later reveal subscription fees and pricey in-game items that can be purchased with real world cash.
Today, Google updated its Chrome OS beta channel to version 38.0.2125.71, which introduces a bevy of fixes. In addition to resolving some bugs, the new software closes some security holes and adds a few performance enhancements.
Long before the smartphone became commonplace, flip phones reigned supreme. Now almost extinct, every so often a prominent electronics maker quietly releases one in select markets. Keeping this tradition going, LG recently announced a blast from the past, a brand new flip phone called the Wine Smart, which surprisingly runs Android 4.4. KitKat.
The Nexus 9 is definitely happening. Court documents recently confirmed that development of an HTC-made slate is currently underway and according to The Wall Street Journal the search giant decided to go with the Taiwanese firm to prevent manufacturing partners like Samsung from having too much power over its Android platform. When it comes to smartphones, HTC has an impressive resume loaded with high-end devices, but the company has struggled to find a winning formula in the highly populated tablet space.
The second-generation Moto X is coming to Verizon on Friday, September 26th for $100 on a two year service agreement, according to an alleged company communication obtained by Phandroid. This almost lines up with recent claims that Big Red would start offering the device on September 25th, so perhaps the carrier ran into a small delay.
Wether it be Android Wear or Tizen calling the shots, Samsung already has a lot of smartwatches on the market and it’s rumored that the South Korean electronics maker is currently working on a new high-tech timepiece that can process mobile payments. According to Business Korea, this unannounced smartwatch will reportedly rely on a fingerprint scanner to verify its wearer’s identity, and will use a payment processing platform developed by PayPal.
Currently available in the US and UK, Google Glass could soon be on its way to Canada. A Glass explorer recently received a replacement unit and noticed that his wearable was accompanied by a new regulatory informational card for Canada. The bundled literature advised that Google’s wearable had been approved by Industry Canada for use within the country.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 4 are now up and running at multiple wireless carriers and to further motivate consumers to buy its new flagship smartphone, Samsung is running a new trade-in promotion that guarantees $200 for your old device. In order to take advantage of this offer, you need to pre-order the Note 4 from any carrier or retailer and trade in a working smartphone between now and October 16th.
Samsung may have switched some of its devices over to premium metal materials, however this change doesn’t mean the company is migrating all of its hardware to a high-end build. The South Korean electronics maker is reportedly developing a new family of devices known as the Galaxy A series. Pictured above is an alleged shot of the Samsung Galaxy A5, which carriers the model number of SM-A500.
With the exception of its highly successful PlayStation 4, many of Sony’s consumer electronic brands have been struggling lately. So it came as a bit of a surprise when the company revealed development plans for its own smart eyewear. Referred to as SmartEyeglass, it almost looks like a leftover set of 3D glasses from Sony’s Bravia TV division, but instead it’s the company’s answer to Google Glass.
News Corp. recently issued a letter to the European Union blasting Google’s search and advertising practices. The correspondence also requested that the EU enforce stricter policies against the software company. News Corp. chief executive Robert Thomson wrote that Google was “willing to exploit its dominant market position to stifle competition.”
After months of crazy marketing gimmicks, invite purchase systems and secret handshakes, the OnePlus One will be up for pre-order starting in October. Today, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer announced plans to make ordering its “flagship killer” a lot easier and also gave an explanation of why it used an unconventional invitation-based purchase system in the first place.
Today, Google announced a couple of updates for its office software suite that should increase productivity for frequent users. The search giant has added a new formatting feature to Docs, Slides and Drawings that automatically creates bullet points or numbered lists after typing an applicable character at the beginning of a paragraph. For example, if you type an asterisk followed by the spacebar, Docs will automatically add a bullet point to that particular segment.
The Galaxy Note 4 became an official product two weeks ago at IFA in Berlin and today US carriers are providing pre-order and launch details for Samsung’s new extra-large smartphone. Each carrier appears to be doing things a little differently, with Verizon and AT&T opening its pre-orders tomorrow, and T-Mobile accepting reservations on September 24th.
Today, Google, Dropbox and the Open Technology Fund announced Simple Secure, a new non-profit organization focused on making open source security tools easier to use. The group recognizes that several effective consumer-focused security options currently exist, however it also points out that these platforms have poor adoption rates because they’re too confusing for people to use. Stating that security measures like two-factor authentication are often avoided and viewed as a hassle.
Remember those StyleSwap covers that OnePlus announced a couple of months ago? You know, the ones that were supposed to go on sale last month? Unfortunately, the young company ran into some production issues that have resulted in the cancellation of the product as a whole.
Educators in the city of Boston already have an established relationship with Google and today the company has furthered this connection by donating $185,000 worth of school supplies to teachers in Massachusetts. The search giant recently partnered with the DonorsChoose, a non-profit crowdfunding charity organization the lets teachers request materials needed for their classrooms.
If your employer uses Google Apps, you can now install new software from Mountain View’s business-centric catalog without the need of an administrator. To start digging around for new third-party apps to use, click More,” and select “More from Apps Marketplace.” While employees will have access to a stockpile of new applications by default, admins can fine-tune settings to display which apps are available to their staff.
