We’ve already covered the Target, Walmart and Best Buy Black Fridays earlier this month as their Black Friday ads broke cover to the world. However, there are far more Android-related deals to be had on Black Friday and here are some of the most notable across the nations largest retailers. Don’t forget to sneak a peek at what T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have to offer as well.
When Facebook unveiled its new Facebook Home Android experience set to roll out on number of devices today via Google Play, one of the most talked about features was “Chat heads”. The feature allows users to quickly access Facebook messages and SMS through circular profile pictures that users can access from anywhere in the OS and organize freely on the screen. Today, seemingly as part of its official roll out of Home, Facebook has updated its Messenger app for Android bringing a small piece of Home functionality to all Android users.
The updated version of Facebook Messenger implements the new Chat Heads feature, allowing you to see a small round icon with the face of the person you’re talking to hovering on the display even when you exit the app. When engaged in a conversation in Messenger, exiting the app will automatically create a chat head floating on top no matter where you navigate, allowing you to quickly jump back into the conversation. The chat heads can be arranged freely and dismissed at any time by dragging them off the bottom of the screen.
On top of rolling out the first device to come with Facebook Home stock– the HTC First– Facebook Home will also initially be supporting the HTC One X, One X+, Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, and eventually the HTC One and the Galaxy S4. Expand Expanding Close
Verizon Wireless just revealed a Nov. 29 release date for the Samsung Galaxy Note II.
The news came via an update to the October pre-order announcement, and it further clarified the Android device will be available for purchase in stores and online. The phablet comes in either Marble White or Titanium Grey colors for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
Samsung announced today that it sold a total of 5 million Galaxy Note II units worldwide, following its announcement earlier this month that 3 million were sold. That means the South Korean-manufacturer moved 2 million 5.5-inch phablets in just under a month —surely thanks to its availability in the United States on AT&T. Sales aren’t as high as the Samsung Galaxy S III that competes side-by-side with Apple’s iPhone 5; however, it is interesting that a large chunk of customers want a larger handheld experience. Being available in various parts of Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa, the 5.5-inch device will likely have a strong holiday quarter adding to this month’s strong sales. [Samsung]
Sprint just made things official for its release of Samsung’s Galaxy Note II by announcing in a press release that the device will launch on Oct. 25. Available for $299 on the usual two-year contract or eligible upgrade, Sprint will get both Marble White and Titanium Gray colors. In case you forget, we had hands on time with the 5.5-inch device in August at its unveiling in Berlin. It also looks like Sprint is confirming a launch date for the previously announced LG Optimus G. AndroidPolice reported the carrier confirmed the device, which many believe LG’s upcoming Nexus is based on, will land on Sprint for $200 on a two-year contract starting Nov. 11. The report also noted that pre-orders for the Optimus G will go live on Nov. 1 Sprint confirmed (below):
T-Mobile USA just announced it would soon offer the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note II this fall with an exclusive, preloaded racing game.
Without actually naming the game, T-Mobile said it would include three free levels that are MOGA Mobile Gaming System-optimized. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Note II boasts Samsung’s Exynos 1.6 GHz quad-core processor, which supports LTE networks; and it is the first Samsung smartphone to launch with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
The device notably weighs less than the original Galaxy Note, features a narrower bezel, and it ships in Marble White or Titanium Gray flavors. T-Mobile said it will be available nationwide at its retail stores, select national retailers, and online in the coming weeks. The carrier neglected to provide pricing details, however.
Additional Note II specs include:
2GB of internal RAM
16 GB of onboard file storage with additional support up to 64GB via a microSD card
5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED touchscreen; larger and thinner than predecessor with 16:9 aspect ratio
3,100 mAh battery, which is 24 percent larger than the original Galaxy Note
Redesigned S Pen with rubberized tip and textured grip
9to5Google gave a complete hands-on last month of the Galaxy Note II’s global version, but more information on T-Mobile’s variation is in the press release below.
When Facebook 
