Android

When HTC originally unveiled the One A9 last week it announced a price of $399 in the Untied States, but with denotation saying it was a “Limited time, promotional offer.” This evening, the company has come out and confirmed that the price of the device will increase sooner rather than later.

HTC said in a statement that regional sales teams have the ability to set prices independently of other areas, hence why the device is so much cheaper here in the United States than in Europe. As far as that “limited time, promotional offer” goes, HTC says the sale will end on November 7th. At that time, the price of the A9 will increase to $499.99 in the United States.

“The cost of the HTC One A9 is the same worldwide to all distributors and operator partners. For end consumers, HTC’s sales regions are given the freedom to set prices and promotions as they see fit for local market needs. The One A9 price in the US is a very limited-time promotional offer for that region’s online store, as well as select HTC-only franchise stores. The offer is a special promotional pre-sale and is expected to conclude once the One A9 is available on-shelf at major retail and distributor partners.

After the promotional pre-sale offer ends, the new price in the US at htc.com will be $499.99 beginning 12:01 a.m. on 11/7.”

You can read our early thoughts on the HTC One A9 here and decide if it’s worth the money for you.

Google says Android Pay will soon support loyalty reward programs

Chance Miller Oct 26 2015 - 6:25 pm PT

Speaking at the Money20/20 conference today in Las Vegas, Google’s SVP or Ads and Commerce Sridhar Ramaswamy talked of the company’s mobile payments solution and gave updates on future features and adoption so far.

BlackBerry releases the Priv’s pre-loaded Android apps to the Play Store

Chance Miller Oct 26 2015 - 5:46 pm PT

Ahead of the device’s release, BlackBerry today has released the Priv’s stock Android apps to the Google Play Store. The apps mostly all feature tweaks on BlackBerry’s end to give the Priv the feeling of a true BlackBerry device, but just running Android.

BlackBerry today has pushed the BlackBerry Camera, BlackBerry Launcher, BlackBerry Keyboard, and BlackBerry Services apps to the Play Store, as well as MicrosoftexFAT and DTEK. The keyboard app, for instance, includes the classic floating word suggestions that BlackBerry introduced with BB10. As you’d expect, most of these apps aren’t compatible with non-BlackBerry Priv devices, so they’re not incredibly useful at this point in time.

BlackBerry pushing its apps to the Play Store means that it will be able to quickly provide updates to its individual apps rather than having to push an entire over-the-air software update to the device to update one app. Other Android manufacturers like HTC and Motorola have also taken a similar approach.

You can view all of BlackBerry’s apps that are available on the Play Store via this link.

Google adds more train information to Google Flights in Europe

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 3:28 pm PT

While this might not make much sense to North American readers, high-speed trains are commonly a very smart alternative to flights when traveling across the European continent. Due to this, it makes sense that Google would add train information to Google Flights in Europe. Now, when browsing flights in Google Flights, users will be able to quickly see when it might make more sense to go by rail.

Here’s the low down:

Every year, billions of people travel across Europe for personal and professional reasons — often choosing high-speed rail as a convenient option. Now Google Flights makes it easy to compare the time and cost to ride vs. fly when trains are a logical and good alternative to many flight routes in Europe.

We started by adding train options for routes in Italy and Spain. Today we’re excited to announce a partnership with Deutsche Bahn in Germany to bring their expansive, fast rail service to Google Flights.

According to Google, this launch brings train options for 56 destinations and hundreds of routes across Northern Europe. The company says that Frankfurt-Munich and Hamburg-Stuttgart are popular routes, as well as Zurich-Frankfurt and Frankfurt-Amsterdam. As of today, you should be able to see these Northern Europe train options in the app, and even more routes in Italy and Spain, as well.

9to5Toys Lunch Break: 2nd generation Moto G (unlocked) $119, USB power deals, more

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 1:57 pm PT

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Unlocked Motorola Moto G (2nd generation) 8GB white: $119 shipped (Reg. $180) | Amazon

USB Roundup: Aukey 5000mAh Charger + MFi Lightning Cable $15 (Reg. $21), Lumsing 13400mAh Power bank $23, more

Giveaway: Polk Audio’s Omni Whole Home Music System – Soundbar w/ subwoofer and S2 Speaker ($880 value)

Best Buy lands the first major blow in this year’s battle for holiday shoppers

Amazon thinks leaving your house is over-rated, expands Prime free same-day delivery service

Dell Black Friday Ad Leak: Gears of War Xbox One w/ Fallout 4 + controller $300, VIZIO 60-Inch 4K HDTV $800, more

More new gear from today:

Fashion deals at Amazon – extra 20% off fall athletic/outdoor shoes: Caterpillar boots $52, ASICS running shoes $40, more

GoPro HERO4 Session action camera w/ $40 Amazon Gift Card: $275 shipped ($340 value)
Headphones: Audio-Technica Over-Ears $135, JayBird Bluetooth In-ears $102, more
Protect your new iPad mini 4 with this folio smart case: $3 Prime shipped (Reg. $10)
Daily Deals: Garmin Nüvi 5-inch GPS $150, Foscam HD Wireless Plug & Play IP Camera $60, more
Games/Apps: Fallout 4 pre-order (Prime only) $50, Nathan Drake PS4 bundle w/ Destiny $350, iOS freebies, more
$100 iTunes Gift Card for $75 with email delivery from PayPal (25% off), more
The eora 3D scanner uses your iPhone to create 360-degree models of anything
Belkin’s new lightweight QODE Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2 is now available

More deals still alive:

Gift Cards up to 20% off: JCPenney, Sports Authority, more

App Store Free App of the Week: Dr. Panda’s Mailman ($4 value)

proXPN VPN: Premium Lifetime Subscription for $39 ($375 value)
Get started with Google’s Express delivery service: $35 credit for $10
Marvel’s limited edition 13-disc Phase Two Blu-ray collection arrives just in time for the holidays
Freebies: Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack + METRO 2033 eBook + Redbox movie/game rental + More!
Seagate 4TB Portable USB 3 Hard Drive w/ 200GB Cloud: $150 shipped
Netflix November Preview: Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Seven Deadly Sins, Aziz Ansari, more
Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 interface + Sennheiser HD600 + Condenser Mic $400 shipped ($655 value)
TP-Link Archer C7 802.11ac Router + DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $130 shipped ($155+ value)
GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera w/ built-in LCD display: $329 shipped (Reg. $400)
VIZIO 2.1 Sound Stand w/ subwoofer & remote $100 shipped (Orig. $250)
KMASHI 10,000mAh Battery $9 (Reg. $14), 6-Ft. Braided MFi Lightning Cable $8.50, more
Media: Spider-Man Blu-ray Trilogy $14 (Reg. $32), $1 HD movie rentals, more
2.1-Ch. Home Audio: LG Soundbar 120W (refurb) $65 (Orig. $149)
Acer Chromebook 1.50GHz/4GB/16GB SSD: $249 shipped (Reg. $279)
Amazon and Toys R Us give a peek at this year’s must-have holiday gifts
Ticket To Ride goes free on iPhone for the first time in years (Reg. $2)
50% off Fashion Sales: PUMA – Down Jacket $75 (Orig. $150), more
Samsung Smart 4K HDTVs: 40-inch $550 (Reg. $700+), 50-inch $699 (Reg. $1,000+)
Jawbone UP Move Activity Tracker: $20 w/ in-store pickup (Reg. $50)
Display your iPhone 6/s w/ this Mpow Car Air Vent Mount $5 shipped (Reg. $9)
Adjustable iPad mount for $17 Prime shipped (Orig. $30)

New products & more:

Dyson’s pricey 360 Eye robo-vac finally sees the light of day

Use your smartphone as a controller for these AirConsole Mac/PC browser games

The MiniBrew launches on Indiegogo as an iPhone-connected way to make your own beer
Bird of Prey’s prone-style bicycle puts the rider facedown while riding
Garmin drops the bulk and adds color with its new Forerunner wearables
D-Link’s latest surveillance cameras go wide-angle with “less distortion” than the competition
Libratone introduces multi-room audio alongside two new colorful ZIPP speakers
Guitar Hero Live lands on iOS with a new mobile instrument bundle
Gold is Best: This one-off Macintosh is a must see with its walnut enclosure and shiny keyboard
This mini Segway hopes to take-off with its affordable price tag and compact design
You’ll have to hurry to grab one of these limited edition Fallout 4 Xbox One controllers

Google uploads Android Marshmallow factory images for Nexus 6P

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 1:05 pm PT

Google has today uploaded Android Marshmallow factory images for the Nexus 6P, just as devices are starting to arrive for those who were part of the first batch of preorders. This isn’t overwhelmingly exciting news considering the 6P ships with Marshmallow, but it’s great that developers can now manually restore if something goes wrong while tinkering around.

Here they are, direct from Google’s servers:

If you need help installing one of these, feel free to check out our guide to installing Marshmallow factory images.

Hilariously, Google’s factory images site (at the time of this writing at least) has them listed as being for Android 5.1.1. Their build numbers clearly correlate with Android 6.0.0, though, so I’m going to assume this is a simple typo.

Facebook bolstering Android Notifications tab with sports scores, birthdays, more

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 11:49 am PT

If you’re a Facebook user, you’re definitely familiar with the Notifications tab in the company’s Android app. Although it has barely evolved from being a simple stream of your notifications since its introduction many years ago, Facebook has today come out to outline some changes on the way to make it more useful and personalized.
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Some early Nexus 5X adopters complaining of ‘yellow’ screens

Cam Bunton Oct 26 2015 - 10:26 am PT

The latest Nexus phones haven’t been out long, and yet it seems they’ve already caused the tiniest bit of controversy. A handful of early Nexus 5X adopters have been commenting for a few days on a growing Reddit thread, and it seems some units are arriving with a slightly warmer display. A number of commenters uploaded pictures comparing the white tones (which seem yellow) against other smartphones. The one that caught our eye, however, was user graffixnyc who uploaded pictures of a Nexus 5X side-by-side with another Nexus 5X.

What’s interesting here is that you’d expect the color gamut to be exactly the same on both phones, since it’s the same device. However, the Carbon (black) model’s screen was noticeably different to the Quartz (white) one.

It’s unclear as of right now exactly what the issue might be. One seemingly obvious explanation is that it has something to do with the curing process. We’ve seen it with other phone screens in the past, where the glue isn’t dried well enough under the glass, and so gives of a yellow-ish hue. Another explanation, perhaps, is that the different models have screens made by different manufacturers, or are produced slightly differently. There’s also a chance that this is a genuine fault, and if so, Google will need to deal with it.

There are a couple of commenters who spoke to Google reps who agreed to send replacements. Others were told that the 5X does have a ‘more yellow’ screen than previous Nexus phones, and that it’s not a fault, it’s just a slightly different color temperature.

Whatever the problem or solution may be, we’ve heard from someone with knowledge of the matter that Google is actively looking in to it. Let’s hope ‘looking in to it’ leads to a solution being found and Google making a statement of some kind in the near future.

Android Marshmallow stock ROM appears for LG G4 as OTA rollout delayed

Stephen Hall Oct 26 2015 - 7:28 am PT

LG said earlier this month that Android Marshmallow is coming to the G4 soon (possibly quicker than pretty much every other non-Nexus smartphone), but a new post by the Korean company on its Poland Facebook page says that the update have been “temporarily suspended” due to technical issues (via AndroidBeat):

Nicolas, update is temporarily suspended due to technical reasons. We will keep you informed about the changes!

LG V10 going up for sale at AT&T and T-Mobile this week

Cam Bunton Oct 26 2015 - 7:06 am PT

Just a couple of weeks ago, LG announced the phone which will surely make any LG G4 owner ever-so-slightly envious. The V10 is, in many ways, what the G4 could, and should have been. Just in case you were holding on to find out where and when you can purchase LG’s latest flagship phablet, you’ll be glad to know that both AT&T and T-Mobile have announced plans to launch the phone this week.

AT&T confirmed on Twitter that it will begin selling the V10 from tomorrow, October 27:

[tweet https://twitter.com/ATT/status/658636376536125440 align=’center’]

According to the press release, you’ll be able to snag an ATT-flavored V10 for $249 on a 2-year contract from ATT.com. If a 24-month commitment isn’t what you’re after, you can also purchase the device on one of AT&T’s Next financing plans, starting at $23.34 per month.

T-Mobile, on the other hand, has announced that right from the off, it will be offering the V10 with a $100 discount. Starting on October 28 (Wednesday), T-Mobile will be opening online sales for the device at a full retail price of $599. On interest-free financing, that works out at $0 down and 24 monthly payments of $25. It’s the same deal on the company’s phone leasing program, JUMP! on Demand. Those interested can pre-register to be told when it’s available to buy, or just remember to hit the LG V10 page on T-Mobile’s site this Wednesday.

Gigantic 18.4-inch Samsung Galaxy View tablet preemptively leaked, pre-order for $600

Cam Bunton Oct 26 2015 - 6:23 am PT

After being leaked and rumored about for months, the huge Samsung Galaxy View tablet is finally available to pre-order. Adorama is taking pre-orders now, but hasn’t stated when customers should expect to receive their orders, but does state that any pre-orders placed will be shipped to customers on a first-come first-serve basis, and credit cards won’t be charged until the unit ships.

For $599, you’ll get an Android-based tablet boasting an enormous 18.4-inch full HD 1080p display. The Galaxy View runs Android Lollipop and is powered by the Exynos 7580 octa-core 1.6GHz processor. There’s 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, which can be expanded up to an extra 128GB via MicroSD card. Other specs include a 5,700mAh battery, stereo speakers, Bluetooth 4.1 and a 2.1MP front facing camera.

Judging the device based on the promotional images being used to sell the Galaxy View, it’s clear Samsung sees this more as a secondary, portable smart TV screen you can move around your house:

Although specifications don’t exactly scream ‘flagship’, given that its primary use will be to watch Netflix, or any other video streaming service, it should easily be powerful enough to handle it. What’s more, 1080p resolution at a few feet away will still look pretty sharp.

Samsung isn’t the only company to see the need for big tablets this year. Ignoring the comparatively tiny iPad Pro, Alcatel OneTouch teased a 17-inch tablet dubbed the Xess, which it’s expected to reveal in more detail at CES next year.

OnePlus X pricing seemingly leaks as OnePlus 2 invite expiration is extended

Cam Bunton Oct 26 2015 - 2:54 am PT

OnePlus’ next handset has been the subject of many a post in recent days and weeks. Dubbed the OnePlus X, one of the only things we’ve been unclear on is the price. We’ve known all along that it won’t be a OnePlus 2 replacement, but rather, a more budget-friendly phone. A poster leaked by MyDrivers suggests the price will be 1699 Chinese Yuan, roughly $267 USD at time of writing…

HTC One A9 first look: An iPhone doubletake or incredible phone in its own right?

Seth Weintraub Oct 25 2015 - 9:52 am PT

4 Comments

I’ve had the HTC One A9 in my hands for a few days but didn’t want to give my initial thoughts until the Taiwanese smartphone maker pushed an update fix to the Android 6.0 phones yesterday.

I’ll get the obvious out of the way right off the bat: Yes, for better or worse, it looks like an iPhone 6. Sure, HTC invented the antenna strips with the M7 a few years ago and there are significant differences like the size (5-inches, halfway between the iPhone and iPhone Plus models) camera placement at the center top as opposed to corner and oval fingerprint reader instead of Apple’s circle. But the rounded edges speaker grill, colors and other design tweaks look way too much like the iPhone.

In fact, I’ve mistaken the A9 for my iPhone on a few occasions over the past few days and the A9 is black and my iPhone is white/silver! The iPhone resemblance is a big bummer because HTC has long taken pride in their distinctive, if not overly-heavy, phone designs.

Now that that’s out of the way, there are plenty of things to like about the new One A9, including the size as I mentioned before being right in between the two iPhone models. For me, 5 inch screens is the sweet spot, no question. HTC has removed most of everything else around the screen so this is really a svelte phone. The curves feel great in the hand, the buttons are placed perfectly. The power button has a distinct feel so you won’t mistakenly hit it when you are trying to turn up the volume.

New Moto DROID Turbo 2 and Maxx images leak, as rumors emerge of unique Verizon ‘refresh’ plan

Cam Bunton Oct 24 2015 - 8:59 am PT

2 Comments

As Motorola and Verizon’s event to launch the refreshed lineup of DROID Turbo and DROID Maxx smartphones looms, a handful of new details have emerged alongside a new leaked image. The picture above — shared by the usual leakster, Evan Blass — shows both the new DROID models. What’s more, information obtained by Droid-Life suggests Verizon is working on a unique ‘design refresh’ program for customers looking to buy the new DROIDs…

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9to5Toys Last Call: Galaxy Note 4 (unlocked) $300, HooToo Wireless Travel Router $40, more

Stephen Hall Oct 23 2015 - 3:39 pm PT

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 32GB (unlocked): $300 shipped (Reg. $700) | eBay

HooToo Wireless Travel Router and 10400mAh External Charger: $40 shipped (Reg $60)

Get started with Google’s Express delivery service: $35 credit for $10

Acer Chromebook 1.50GHz/4GB/16GB SSD: $249 shipped (Reg. $279)

Best Buy lands the first major blow in this year’s battle for holiday shoppers

Amazon thinks leaving your house is over-rated, expands Prime free same-day delivery service

Dell Black Friday Ad Leak: Gears of War Xbox One w/ Fallout 4 + controller $300, VIZIO 60-Inch 4K HDTV $800, more

More new gear from today:

Daily Deals: Logitech Performance Mouse MX $45, SanDisk 64GB Flash Memory Card for MacBook Air $44, more

Games/Apps: GOW Xbox One bundle w/ Destiny Legendary $349, Flick Kick Football free, more
Gift Cards up to 20% off: JCPenney, Sports Authority, GameStop, Outback Steakhouse, more
Amazon Gold Box – FlashForge 3D Printer Creator Pro $959 shipped (Orig. $1,349)
LEGO Deals: Architecture Big Ben $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $30), Cargo Heliplane $9, more

More deals still alive:

Get a 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air 2 for less than Apple charges for 16GB: $490 shipped (Reg. $599)

proXPN VPN: Premium Lifetime Subscription for $39 ($375 value)

Seagate 4TB Portable USB 3 Hard Drive w/ 200GB Cloud: $150 shipped
iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in Silver or Space Gray: $230 shipped (Reg. $269)
Netflix November Preview: Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Seven Deadly Sins, Aziz Ansari, more
Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard $35 shipped (Reg. $50)
Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 interface + Sennheiser HD600 + Condenser Mic $400 shipped ($655 value)
TP-Link Archer C7 802.11ac Router + DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $130 shipped ($155+ value)
Get ready for Halloween with Best Buy’s $5 horror Blu-ray sale: The Silence of the Lambs, Mad Max, more
GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera w/ built-in LCD display: $329 shipped (Reg. $400)
VIZIO 2.1 Sound Stand w/ subwoofer & remote $100 shipped (Orig. $250)
Bluetooth Sport Earbuds w/ Prime shipping: Aukey Around-Neck $17 (Reg. $30), more
Timbuk2 40% off Sale: Dashboard MacBook Messenger Bag from $59 (Orig. $109), more
KMASHI 10,000mAh Battery $9 (Reg. $14), 6-Ft. Braided MFi Lightning Cable $8.50, more
Media: Spider-Man Blu-ray Trilogy $14 (Reg. $32), $1 HD movie rentals, more
Bluetooth Speakers: Mpow Armor Waterproof $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $36)
2.1-Ch. Home Audio: LG Soundbar 120W (refurb) $65 (Orig. $149)
Amazon and Toys R Us give a peek at this year’s must-have holiday gifts
Ticket To Ride goes free on iPhone for the first time in years (Reg. $2)
50% off Fashion Sales: PUMA – Down Jacket $75 (Orig. $150), more
Samsung Smart 4K HDTVs: 40-inch $550 (Reg. $700+), 50-inch $699 (Reg. $1,000+)
Jawbone UP Move Activity Tracker: $20 w/ in-store pickup (Reg. $50)
Display your iPhone 6/s w/ this Mpow Car Air Vent Mount $5 shipped (Reg. $9)
Adjustable iPad mount for $17 Prime shipped (Orig. $30)
Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (newest model) 2.7GHz/8GB/128GB: $1,080 shipped (Reg. $1,299)
Save up to 70% on Twelve South Apple Accessories: BookBook for iPad Air $45 shipped (Orig. $80), more
App Store Free App of the Week: Dr. Panda’s Mailman ($4 value)

New products & more:

The MiniBrew launches on Indiegogo as an iPhone-connected way to make your own beer

Bird of Prey’s prone-style bicycle puts the rider facedown while riding

Garmin drops the bulk and adds color with its new Forerunner wearables
D-Link’s latest surveillance cameras go wide-angle with “less distortion” than the competition
Libratone introduces multi-room audio alongside two new colorful ZIPP speakers
Guitar Hero Live lands on iOS with a new mobile instrument bundle
Gold is Best: This one-off Macintosh is a must see with its walnut enclosure and shiny keyboard
This mini Segway hopes to take-off with its affordable price tag and compact design
You’ll have to hurry to grab one of these limited edition Fallout 4 Xbox One controllers

PSA: Several early Nexus 6P orders are now shipping

Stephen Hall Oct 23 2015 - 3:15 pm PT

If you ordered a Nexus 6P, this one’s for you. According to various reports across Twitter, Google+, and Reddit, many Nexus 6P orders are shipping this afternoon. From the looks of it (and that includes at least two different Reddit threads), those who ordered the 32 GB aluminum model are getting first dibs…

If you’re one of the lucky few who have a phone shipping this afternoon and you ordered with overnight shipping, you’ll probably see your phone at your doorstep on Monday. The rest of of the Nexus 6P variants — assuming you ordered on launch day — will likely begin shipping out sometime next week.

Yes, the new emojis in iOS 9.1 are coming to Android… eventually

Stephen Hall Oct 23 2015 - 2:36 pm PT

A couple of weeks ago, Hiroshi Lockheimer was formally named senior vice president of Android, Chrome OS, and Chromecast operations. And while his involvement with Android definitely isn’t new, it seems he wants to kick off this position of slightly higher stature on good note.

On Twitter late last night, Lockheimer confirmed that the new emojis from Unicode 7 and 8 — the ones that Apple just pushed to iOS devices in version 9.1 of its mobile OS — are on their way…
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Huawei Honor 7 review: Solid build, great display and elegance in an affordable device [Video]

Cam Bunton Oct 23 2015 - 10:03 am PT

Honor is Huawei’s affordable brand in Europe, and the Honor 7 promises high end design and features, but without the normally associated price tag. It’s all metal, has a full HD display and a fingerprint sensor built in. But it’s not perfect…

Xiaomi reportedly plans to join Samsung in offering iPhone 6s-style pressure-sensitive touchscreens

Ben Lovejoy Oct 23 2015 - 7:40 am PT

Following Synaptics’ announcement that it would be offering pressure-sensitive touchscreen controllers to allow Android manufacturers to offer features similar to 3D Touch on Apple’s latest iPhones, it appears that Xiaomi will be adopting the technology.

It has previously been suggested that Samsung plans to use the Synaptics system in next year’s flagship Galaxy handsets.

The report from a well-known Chinese tipster says that Xiaomi has patented a technology similar to 3D Touch, notes GforGames. It’s unclear whether Xiaomi plans to use the Synaptics controller or has created its own technology.

Mid-tier Samsung Galaxy On5 and Galaxy On7 launched quietly in China

Cam Bunton Oct 23 2015 - 3:49 am PT

In an effort to claw back some market share at the bottom end of the market, Samsung has released a couple of new modestly-specced smartphones in China. With the rise of several Chinese brands offering great handsets at low prices, Samsung has to fight back. The Galaxy On5 and On7 are part of the the company’s attempt to put pressure on the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi.

There’s little here to whet the appetite of the spec-hungry tech fan. Both phones are equipped with similar components, the only real difference between the Galaxy On5 and On7 is the size. The On5 has a 5.0-inch screen, while the On7 has a 5.5-inch screen. Both share the same 1280 x 720 resolution TFT screens, giving pixel densities of 294ppi and 267ppi respectively. Inside, powering the phones, is an Exynos 3475 quad-core processor paired with 1.5GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage (expandable up to 128GB). There’s a 13MP camera on the back and 5MP camera on the front. Samsung’s page doesn’t give full specifications for the On5, but we’re assuming it doesn’t have the same 3,000mAh battery found inside the larger, 8.2mm thin, On7.

One interesting thing to note is the software installed on the phones. Samsung recently got in to trouble in China because of its insistence on pre-installing tons of bloatware which can’t be uninstalled. Because of this, the Samsung page for the On5 and On7 now detail exactly how much space the pre-loaded apps take up (all of which can be deleted). One of those apps, making its way to China for the first time is Samsung Milk , the Korean tech giant’s music streaming services.

No pricing information has been released yet, but given the specifications, it’d be very unlikely if the phones weren’t in the bottom end of the market.

9to5Toys Last Call: LG G Flex 2 (unlocked) $250, LG Optimus Zone 2 for $12, more

Stephen Hall Oct 22 2015 - 3:37 pm PT

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Android Deals: LG G Flex 2 for $249, Optimus Zone 2 for $12, Boost ZTE Speed down to $29, more

LG G3 D850 32 GB unlocked new 32 GB: $240 shipped (Reg. $400+) | eBay

proXPN VPN: Premium Lifetime Subscription for $39 ($375 value)

Bluetooth Sport Earbuds w/ Prime shipping: Aukey Around-Neck $17 (Reg. $30), more

Amazon thinks leaving your house is over-rated, expands Prime free same-day delivery service

Dell Black Friday Ad Leak: Gears of War Xbox One w/ Fallout 4 + controller $300, VIZIO 60-Inch 4K HDTV $800, more

Amazon and Toys R Us give a peek at this year’s must-have holiday gifts

More new gear from today:

Get ready for Halloween with Best Buy’s $5 horror Blu-ray sale: The Silence of the Lambs, Mad Max, more

Games/Apps: LEGO Jurassic World from $30, Lara Croft Go gets its first price drop, more
Logitech K480 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard $35 shipped (Reg. $50)
Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 interface + Sennheiser HD600 + Condenser Mic $400 shipped ($655 value)
TP-Link Archer C7 802.11ac Router + DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem $130 shipped ($155+ value)
Amazon Gold Box – Lucky Brand Jeans 50% off: Classic Straight Leg $50, more
iPad mini 4 Wi-Fi 64GB in Silver, Gold, or Space Gray: $460 shipped (Reg. $499)
iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi 16GB in Silver or Space Gray: $230 shipped (Reg. $269)
Get a 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air 2 for less than Apple charges for 16GB: $490 shipped (Reg. $599)

More deals still alive:

Seagate 4TB Portable USB 3 Hard Drive w/ 200GB Cloud: $150 shipped

GoPro HERO4 Silver Action Camera w/ built-in LCD display: $329 shipped (Reg. $400)
VIZIO 2.1 Sound Stand w/ subwoofer & remote $100 shipped (Orig. $250)
Timbuk2 40% off Sale: Dashboard MacBook Messenger Bag from $59 (Orig. $109), more
KMASHI 10,000mAh Battery $9 (Reg. $14), 6-Ft. Braided MFi Lightning Cable $8.50, more
Freebies: Game of Thrones + Batman Adventures eBook + Cotton Candy + More!
Media: Peanuts Holiday Collection HD Download $5 ($60 value), more
Bluetooth Speakers: Mpow Armor Waterproof $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $36)
Networking: TP-Link AV1200 Powerline Kit $53 (Reg. $80)
2.1-Ch. Home Audio: LG Soundbar 120W (refurb) $65 (Orig. $149)
Acer Chromebook 1.50GHz/4GB/16GB SSD: $249 shipped (Reg. $279)
Ticket To Ride goes free on iPhone for the first time in years (Reg. $2)
50% off Fashion Sales: PUMA – Down Jacket $75 (Orig. $150), more
Samsung Smart 4K HDTVs: 40-inch $550 (Reg. $700+), 50-inch $699 (Reg. $1,000+)
Jawbone UP Move Activity Tracker: $20 w/ in-store pickup (Reg. $50)
Display your iPhone 6/s w/ this Mpow Car Air Vent Mount $5 shipped (Reg. $9)
Save 20% off iTunes Digital Gift Cards: $25 for $20, $50 for $40, more
Adjustable iPad mount for $17 Prime shipped (Orig. $30)

New products & more:

Garmin drops the bulk and adds color with its new Forerunner wearables

D-Link’s latest surveillance cameras go wide-angle with “less distortion” than the competition

Libratone introduces multi-room audio alongside two new colorful ZIPP speakers
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Teardown reveals Nexus 5X is easily repairable, includes Qualcomm Quick Charge chip

Jordan Kahn Oct 22 2015 - 12:52 pm PT

As usual, iFixit has cracked into the latest Nexus device, Google’s Nexus 5X manufactured by LG, to give us our first look at the insides of the device and some insight into just how repairable it will be for owners.

Google’s Android team already filled us in on why it left out Qi Charging on the new Nexus devices (the reversible USB Type-C included is simply more efficient, it said), but we didn’t get an answer on why it didn’t take advantage of Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology. It turns out the device actually includes a chip that supports the feature, the Qualcomm SMB1358, Quick Charge 2.0 IC, as confirmed in the teardown earlier today. And Qualcomm supports the Nexus 5X’s new USB-Type C connector, so it’s still a possibility the feature could be enabled for the device in the future.

But apart from getting a look inside of the device for the first time, the teardown doesn’t reveal many details we didn’t already know. It does, however, show that Nexus 5X is easily repairable compared to much of its competition with a score of 7 out of 10 meaning most components of the device will be easy to swap in and out or fix. The one downside iFixit noticed included a fused display assembly, which it noted means the “glass and LCD will need to be replaced together if one or the other breaks.”

The positives include the fact that several components “are modular and can be replaced independently,” according to iFixit, and that a standard Phillips screw driver, and not proprietary tools and parts like other devices, is all that’s necessary to open the device.

You can check out iFixit’s full tear down here.

Glu’s ‘Sniper X’ first-person shooter stars Jason Statham for its latest celebrity tie-in

Jordan Kahn Oct 22 2015 - 12:01 pm PT

App publisher Glu today announced its latest game for Android, which is also its latest celebrity partnership with actor Jason Statham starring as the game’s main playable character. The free game is a first-person shooter that some players will notice bears a similarity and seems to borrow from some of Glu’s past FPS games including the Contract Killer series.

“As Glu’s first male celebrity partner, Jason Statham’s over 55 million social followers add a new demographic to the company’s celebrity gaming platform,” said Niccolo de Masi, Glu Chairman and CEO. “Mr. Statham’s creative input throughout the game’s development has ensured a unique and authentic action-adventure experience his fans will enjoy worldwide.”

As part of Statham’s elite paramilitary team SPEAR, players work side-by-side to dismantle terrorists and rogue states that conventional forces can’t touch. Enemies of freedom can run, but they can’t hide from Sniper X!

The celebrity tie-in, featuring Statham’s name, likeness, and voice, follows Glu’s successful “Kim Kardashian: Hollywood” game that reports last year said was on pace to take in around $200 million.

Sniper X with Jason Statham is available on Google Play now for Android smartphones and tablets. The game is free to download but includes in-app purchases for in-game items, which is also the approach Glu took for the successful Kim Kardashian game.

Official trailer from Glu below:

[youtube=https://youtu.be/AYkwjYuly2U]

Google Play Store gets major redesign, adds fingerprint authorization in Android 6.0

Cam Bunton Oct 22 2015 - 8:20 am PT

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A short while ago, Google revealed a new redesign for its mobile Play Store which, among other changes, would separate apps and entertainment content. From today, you could see that new design hit, and when it does, you won’t be able to miss it.