Android

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZqRhbiokow&feature=youtu.be]

Following the launch of WiFi-only models of the new Galaxy Tab 4 series in May, today AT&T announced an LTE variant of the Galaxy Tab 4 8.0 will arrive for its customers today. You’ll be able to get the tablet through AT&T for $270 on the usual two year contract or for $0 down and $18.50/month for 20 months on the company’s instalment plan. The instalment plan brings the total cost of the tablet not on contract up to $370.
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Google now flags Flash content in search results on Android/iOS devices, saving clicks

Ben Lovejoy Jul 15 2014 - 5:03 am PT

If you’ve ever been frustrated by visiting a website on your smartphone or tablet and finding it won’t work because it uses Flash, you’ll welcome the latest Google initiative: it is now flagging Flash content in its search results, warning that the site may not work on your device.

Starting today, we will indicate to searchers when our algorithms detect pages that may not work on their devices. For example, Adobe Flash is not supported on iOS devices or on Android versions 4.1 and higher, and a page whose contents are mostly Flash may be noted

As Google notes, Android abandoned Flash support as of Jelly Bean due to reliability, security and performance concerns. Adobe has been forced to issue a succession of security updates to Flash, the most recent being two emergency updates earlier this year. Google says it hopes the move, coupled to Web Fundamentals and Web Starter Kit initiatives for developers will encourage the use of HTML5 in place of Flash.

Android 4.4.4 now rolling out to Verizon’s Droid Maxx, Ultra and Mini

Mark Hearn Jul 14 2014 - 4:15 pm PT

Android 4.4.4 has slowly found its way to several off-contract devices and it looks like its time for the latest version of KitKat to make its way to some carrier-connected handsets. If you’re the proud owner of a Verizon Droid Maxx, Ultra or Mini, you’ll want to check your device for an over-the-air update or manually initiate the software push by tapping Settings>About phone>System updates>Download.

Chromecast support now available for Popcorn Time for Android

Mark Hearn Jul 14 2014 - 2:22 pm PT

Controversial torrent streaming application, Popcorn Time has added Chromecast support for its Android app. This comes just one week after the software’s development team pledged streaming support for Google’s popular media dongle. If you’re not familiar with Popcorn Time, it’s like a black market version of Netflix’s video streaming service that uses peer-to-peer tech to get the job done. People often use the software to watch movies and TV shows that are still in only available in theaters, which of course is rubbing the motion picture industry the wrong way.

120 Sports now available for Android

Mark Hearn Jul 14 2014 - 10:14 am PT

After a brief exclusive run on iOS, 120 Sports is now available for Android users. Backed by Time Inc (the owner of Sports Illustrated), the online network features live and on-demand content from a variety of different sports leagues by crunching the action into two minute video clips. The company claims its new app offers over 10 hours of live programming every day, which should make the service appealing to cord cutters who miss regular news breaks from places like ESPN.

Samsung reportedly launching all-metal Galaxy Alpha smartphone next month

Chance Miller Jul 14 2014 - 9:26 am PT

According to a new report out of Korean news outlet ETNews, Samsung is preparing to launch an all-metal device as early as next month called the Galaxy Alpha. According to the report, Samsung intends to heavily market the device as a competitor to Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6.

According to industry insiders on July 13, the Galaxy Alpha, which Samsung will launch next month, is a premium smartphone made of a metal. It is forecast to counter the iPhone 6 scheduled to be released in September. It appears that Samsung will rebound from its recent poor performance with a new smartphone lineup, not the Galaxy S or Galaxy Note Series.

Future Galaxy Note devices may sport an S Pen powered by ultrasound

Stephen Hall Jul 14 2014 - 9:02 am PT

The Galaxy Note has, since its inception, sported an ‘S Pen’ stylus for interacting with its larger, phablet-sized screen. But a new patent published by Samsung in South Korea suggests that this little accessory may be moving away from using a digitizer and toward being ultrasound-powered (via SamMobile).

How to install Android L developer preview on HTC One (M7)

Jordan Kahn Jul 14 2014 - 8:19 am PT

After Google made its new Android L developer preview available to Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 last month, it wasn’t long before we saw an unofficial port to other devices. First we got the Nexus 4, and now a user at the xda-developers forums was able to get the developer preview up and running on an HTC One (M7).

Not many expected to see a HTC One (M7) port, but XDA Senior Member ssrij and a team of developers managed to port the Android L Developer Preview to this former flagship device… The port is still in alpha stage, and some things simply don’t work. Running Android L on first generation HTC One was made possible thanks to ramdisk and kernel modifications, so it might not run as it should. However, the Developer Preview was made to show people how the Android L will look like and what functions we should be expected.

You can expect lots of stuff not to work at the moment, including: WiFi, Bluetooth, data, camera, and sound, but the developers are working to fix some of the issues with the initial alpha release for the M7. More info on the original forum post here.

NVIDIA reportedly working on new Tegra K1 Android gaming device capable of playing PC games

Mark Hearn Jul 14 2014 - 7:43 am PT

NVIDIA is reportedly working on a new Android-based gaming platform capable of running PC-level games, according to BBC News. The unannounced device will be powered by the chip maker’s new Tegra K1 processor and it will be able to stream games to televisions via an HDMI-out port and a “budget-priced” controller accessory. In addition to being able to connect to a TV, NVIDIA’s new rig will support mobile gaming and native Android apps, similar to the company’s existing Shield system.

Leaked screenshots show off revamped Play Store designs – bigger, bolder, clearer

Ben Lovejoy Jul 14 2014 - 4:26 am PT

Here’s what the Google Play Store is likely to look like when it gets its ‘Material Design’ revamp based on the new look and feel of Android L. Google has already started rolling out the new design language on the web in the form of new pages for Docs, Sheets and Slides.

The screenshots were obtained by Android Police, which says that the redesign of the Play Store is “well underway” …
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Samsung suspends contract with Chinese supplier over child-labor allegations

Ben Lovejoy Jul 14 2014 - 3:55 am PT

Following allegations that one of Samsung’s suppliers in China was using child labor despite passing three separate Samsung audits, the company has now suspended its contract with the supplier. It says that if the allegations are substantiated, it will permanently cease doing business with the supplier.

Samsung’s 2014 Sustainability Report originally claimed that no instances of child labor had been found, but China Labor Watch said that it had found examples of child labour at a Samsung supplier in Dongguan, China, with several children found to be working 11 hours a day …
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Wear Mini Launcher brings an application drawer to your Android Wear device

Stephen Hall Jul 11 2014 - 3:49 pm PT

If you have your hands on an Android Wear device, you might know that getting access to the third-party apps you have installed can be quite cumbersome — it definitely requires digging through a few menus to reach them. And most likely, this wasn’t an oversight by the Android Wear team. It wouldn’t make sense to simply have a mini Android smartphone on your wrist, and the Mountain View company instead decided to put Google Now front and center for controlling the device’s functions.

Nova Launcher updated with new design and animation options inspired by Android L

Chance Miller Jul 11 2014 - 2:03 pm PT

The talented TeslaCoil developers this afternoon updated their insanely popular Android app Nova Launcher with a variety of new features and enhancements. We just told you how to install Android “L” on your Nexus 5 or Nexus 7, but if you don’t have one of those devices or don’t want to put up with the bugs, today’s Nova Launcher update will certainly keep you satisfied.

Microsoft Research releases Climatology, a climate monitoring app for Android

Mark Hearn Jul 11 2014 - 1:09 pm PT

Microsoft’s list of Android apps has just grown by one. The company’s research team recently released Climatology, a climate tracking application that provides weather information from all over the world. Driven by tech developed by Microsoft’s environmental scientists, the company says it’s releasing Climatology to help make research information available to a broader audience.

Here’s how to try Android L on the cheap before its official release

Mark Hearn Jul 11 2014 - 11:58 am PT

Just when you started getting used to KitKat, Google changed things up and announced Android L. Mountain View’s latest mobile operating system won’t officially be available to the masses until the fall, however there’s a way to check out L before its big debut and we’re going to show you the easiest ways to do it.

Leaked photos provide first look at alleged Xperia Z3 smartphone

9to5 Staff Jul 11 2014 - 11:38 am PT

A handful of leaked photos have surfaced online this afternoon that provide a first look at what is allegedly the Sony Xperia Z3 smartphone, which is expected to launch later this year. The photos were posted by users on the Chinese discussion forums Digi-wo and Weibo, showing off the Chinese version (model number L55t) of the upcoming smartphone.
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HTC updates Dot View app with new wallpaper personalization options, more

Chance Miller Jul 11 2014 - 9:55 am PT

One of HTC’s biggest selling points for its One M8 flagship is the Dot View case, and today, the company rolled out an update to the companion app with a handful of new features. The biggest change is the addition of themes for wallpapers. HTC has bundled 18 themes into the app that you can now set as the case’s wallpaper. You can also choose your own custom image, although some of them may not look quite right.

LG G3 now available at Best Buy for $99 alongside $50 gift card promotion

9to5 Staff Jul 11 2014 - 9:42 am PT

If you are looking for a good deal on the LG G3 smartphone, you will be happy to hear that Best Buy has started carrying the handset for $99 on a new two-year service agreement. That is $100 off the regular on-contract price of $199 that carriers AT&T, Verizon and Sprint are charging, plus you have the option to score a $50 Best Buy gift card on top by activating any new smartphone through July 12th.

To be eligible for the $50 gift card, you will need to fill out this form when activating your LG G3 smartphone. Best Buy carries the LG G3 in metallic black and silk white on AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, so there is no reason not to purchase the handset through Best Buy versus directly from the carriers. You can read about this deal in full on 9to5Toys. If you spot an even better deal, let us know in the comments.

Android

Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S ads focus on multitasking & Super AMOLED’s contrast ratio

Jordan Kahn Jul 11 2014 - 9:16 am PT

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbrM7XqVuJw]

While it’s not taking on the iPad directly this time around, Samsung has posted another set of ads for the Galaxy Tab S showing off the device’s Super AMOLED display and the device’s side-by-side app multitasking features. Like it’s been doing with all of its US ads for its Galaxy devices, Samsung focuses on features the competition, namely the iPad, doesn’t yet have.
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LG G3 ‘Prime’ with LTE-A capabilities gets pictured in Korean advertisement

Stephen Hall Jul 11 2014 - 8:03 am PT

The LG G3 ‘Prime’ has been widely rumored, and now a Korean mall advertisement seems to all but confirm its existence (via GforGames). Following the announcement of the standard G3, Samsung came out intending to trump LG with the introduction of its slightly more powerful Snapdragon 805-powered LTE-A variant of the Galaxy S5. And since then, rumors have swirled that LG has a ‘Prime’ version of the G3 up its sleeve.
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How to enable Google’s new Chromecast mirroring feature from (almost) any Android device

Jordan Kahn Jul 11 2014 - 7:57 am PT

If your Android device is not yet a supported device for Google’s new screen mirroring feature for Chromecast, a new workaround might enable the feature for your device ahead of official support.

Earlier this week Google officially started rolling out support for mirroring Android from a smartphone to a TV via the company’s $35 Chromecast HDMI streaming stick. After tapping a new “Cast Screen” button in the Chromecast app on Android, your entire display will be mirrored to the larger Chromecast connected screen. Unfortunately the feature is currently only available to a limited selection of 14 devices including popular handsets from Samsung, HTC, LG. etc.

Today, XDA-developers point us to a root-enabled app that will trick the Chromecast app into thinking your device is supported:
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Sprint begins accepting orders for LG G3 smartphone (Updated)

9to5 Staff Jul 11 2014 - 6:57 am PT

Sprint was expected to begin accepting pre-orders for the LG G3 smartphone this morning, although it appears that the U.S.’s third-largest carrier has decided to make the handset available for purchase ahead of time. The smartphone can be ordered from the Sprint website right now in an exclusive gold color, starting at $199.99 with a new two-year service agreement.
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New ‘iWatch’ watch face brings parallax to Android Wear

Stephen Hall Jul 11 2014 - 6:20 am PT

The Play Store will soon be flooding with hundreds of watch faces for Android Wear, but this one is somewhat special. This is an “iWatch” theme based on the iOS 7 space background, and it comes from the same developer who made the “premium” watch face we told you about last week.
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T-Mobile customers reportedly receiving LG G3 orders early

Mark Hearn Jul 10 2014 - 3:48 pm PT

America’s four major wireless carriers are all accepting pre-orders for LG’s G3, however some lucky T-Mobile customers are reportedly receiving their new smartphone early. The magenta-hued network is scheduled to start selling the device to the public on July 16th, so receiving the device almost a week early is pretty sweet.