Walmart Stories April 8
Walmart’s cheap Android TV streamer picks up new update w/ February security patch
The most affordable Android devices are usually the most neglected when it comes to updates, but Walmart’s Android TV streamers seem to be the exception. Another update is now rolling out to Walmart’s Onn Android TV device with the February 2022 security patch and more.
Walmart Stories February 15
Walmart’s Onn Android TV streamer gets another update w/ January 2022 security patch
Super-affordable Android devices are not hard to find, but all too often they’re essentially abandoned immediately with very few updates. Last year, Walmart debuted the most affordable Android TV streamers ever under its Onn brand, and yet another update that delivers the latest January 2022 security patch.
Walmart Stories December 6, 2021
The almost-absurdly cheap Android TV streaming devices from Walmart deliver a pretty solid experience on the whole and, to the retail giant’s credit, update support has been relatively good. This week, Walmart is rolling out a new update to its Android TV devices with a new security patch and better HDR handling.
Walmart Stories November 15, 2021
With retail’s biggest day of the year around the corner, Roku has just announced its new “Roku LE,” a super-affordable streaming device that’s designed just for Black Friday.
Walmart Stories October 9, 2021
Walmart has dropped the price of its Android TV streamers by $10, now starting at just $15
Google’s Android TV platform got a notable boost earlier this year when Walmart announced two Onn-branded Android TV devices that had the lowest price we’ve ever seen in that ecosystem. Now, Walmart is further slashing prices, now starting these devices at just $15.
Walmart Stories September 11, 2021
Walmart Onn box gets Android TV update w/ new security patch, freezing issue fixes, more
Walmart introduced the most affordable Android TV device to date earlier this year, and as we covered, they’re pretty decent. However, update support is always questionable on super-cheap devices, but it seems Walmart is up to the task as the first notable update for the Onn Android TV box has just rolled out.
Walmart Stories June 29, 2021
Walmart’s 4K Android TV box supports HDR, but not Dolby Vision
Android TV has a new budget champion in the incredibly affordable $30 Walmart “onn” box, but details on what HDR formats the device supports have been unknown to date. Now, we’ve got answers.
Walmart Stories June 25, 2021
Here’s how the remote included with Walmart’s Android TV box works on Chromecast w/ Google TV
Walmart just launched a duo of Android TV streaming devices that are pretty standard but have two compelling selling points. For one, they’re both super cheap, and as a second point, the remote included with Walmart’s Android TV streamers looks really nice. In case you were curious, it does indeed work with the Chromecast with Google TV, but in a limited capacity.
Walmart Stories June 21, 2021
Google’s Android TV platform has been around for nearly seven years, but it’s only taken on traction in the past two or three. The reason? Primarily, hardware has been hard to find and, more specifically, affordable hardware. That’s why the Walmart “onn” 4K streaming box is so important — it’s one of the most affordable Android TV devices to date.
Walmart Stories June 9, 2021
It’s been absolutely no secret that Walmart has been working on a duo of Android TV streaming devices, but the lead-up to launch has been a little odd to say the least. Now, though, Walmart has officially started selling its onn-branded Android TV streamers, and we’ve spent a few days with one of them, too.
Walmart Stories June 4, 2021
In a notable technology push, Walmart is giving 740,000 US employees a Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro that’s preloaded with a new internal app to help customers. This Android phone will also be available for personal usage.
Walmart Stories June 3, 2021
Thanks to leaks and listings that have oddly been left public, we know that Walmart is working on two of the most affordable Android TV devices in the US. Now, we’re finally getting a release window for these Walmart Android TV streamers.
Walmart Stories June 1, 2021
Based on some early listings and a few leaks, Walmart may soon start a wave in the Android TV space with super-affordable “onn” branded streaming devices. Now, ahead of release, the Walmart Android TV devices have started showing up at some retail stores for purchase.
Walmart Stories May 31, 2021
Up until this past year, Google’s Android TV has lacked the cheap hardware that pushed competitors like Roku and Fire TV to the masses. Now, Walmart is looking to wage a war on price by debuting an ultra-cheap $25 Android TV streaming stick.
Walmart Stories May 27, 2021
Leaks have hit the web over the past few months regarding Walmart’s upcoming “Onn”-branded Android TV box, but now we’re getting a clearer picture. AFTVNews has managed to get its hands on the unreleased device, showing off the physical hardware in detail, including its retail packaging.
Walmart Stories May 6, 2021
Earlier this year we covered the first appearance of a self-branded Android TV streaming stick from Walmart, and tonight, the product has appeared on the retailer’s website. While it’s missing some crucial details, it shows off the design in full.
Walmart Stories May 4, 2021
Walmart’s ‘Project Storm’ cloud gaming platform may copy GeForce Now if it ever comes to life
The cloud gaming market came onto the scene in a big way throughout 2019 and 2020 with the debuts of Stadia, GeForce Now, Amazon Luna, Shadow, and Microsoft xCloud, but there was one more contender that didn’t see the light of day. Walmart was working on its own cloud gaming service known as “Project Storm” that, as revealed in new court documents, would have worked a lot like GeForce Now.
Walmart Stories March 15, 2021
Android TV, by way of Google TV, is set to be a big deal in 2021, and it seems that Walmart is set to get in on the action. After bringing Android to its affordable tablets, the Walmart Onn brand is now set to use Android TV to power a streaming stick.
Walmart Stories May 18, 2020
Last year, Walmart took on Amazon’s Fire Tablet with affordable Android tablets that included the Google Play Store. After first appearing on our radar last month, Walmart has officially launched a new pair of tablets dubbed the “Onn Pro” series. Here’s what they bring to the table.
Walmart Stories April 29, 2020
Walmart prepares new Onn tablets w/ Android 10 because originals will never be updated
Last year Walmart debuted a competitor for the Amazon Fire Tablet using its Onn brand and pretty pure Android. They were alright. The security was really bad. Now, it looks like Walmart is preparing successors to its original Onn tablets, this time with Android 10 out of the box.
Walmart Stories November 11, 2019
Walmart’s cheap Android tablets now support TWRP, thanks to laughable security
Earlier this year, we took a quick look at some of Walmart’s super-affordable Android tablets under the Onn brand. They’re decent at best, but now they’re getting an upgrade, thanks to TWRP support. But that is also revealing some laughably bad security.
Walmart Stories June 4, 2019
Cheap Android tablets are everywhere, and they’re largely garbage. However, with Amazon’s $50 Fire Tablet on the market, there’s at least one decent option to compete against. Recently, Walmart debuted its own cheap Android tablets, and I’ve been checking one out in person for the past few days. Here are some quick thoughts on why it’s a halfway decent alternative to Amazon.
Walmart Stories May 22, 2019
Earlier this year it was reported that Walmart was working on bringing its own Android tablets to the market to compete with Amazon’s popular Fire tablets. This week, those tablets have finally gone on sale with the Walmart Onn tablet starting at $64.
Walmart Stories April 2, 2019
Even though the retail giant dropped its partnership with Google Express earlier this year, Walmart hasn’t stopped its collaboration with Google Home. Today, Walmart is announcing a new Google Assistant integration which gives users the ability to quickly order their groceries using just their voice.
Walmart Stories March 15, 2019
Android tablets have largely been disappointing over the years, but the advantage for many of them has been pricing. Now, Walmart is reportedly working on two Android tablets.
Walmart Stories January 24, 2019
Google Express shopping loses support for products from Walmart
When you order products online, it’s likely from Amazon. Google Express has slowly been built up as a competitor to Amazon for certain cases, and a huge reason for that was thanks to a partnership with Walmart. Now, though, Walmart has disappeared entirely from Google’s shopping platform.
Walmart Stories June 1, 2018
Walmart launches $50/month online shopping service for people who hate online shopping
In what may be the most bizarre launch so far this year, Walmart has launched a premium shopping service using an unlikely mix of old and new technology …
Walmart Stories October 3, 2017
We’re just a day away from Google’s big hardware event, and one of the products we’re looking forward to most is the compact Google Home Mini. The $50 assistant looks great, and now it’s just popped up for pre-order through Walmart.
Walmart Stories December 9, 2015
Since the launch of Android Pay, retail giant Walmart has refused to accept the mobile payment option, saying instead that it only matters that consumers have a payment option that is widely accepted. Today, however, Walmart has announced its own mobile payment solution called Walmart Pay that is compatible with both iOS and Android.
Walmart Stories October 19, 2015
The Moto G has always been a great deal but it hasn’t been paired with the best budget carriers to date. In what might be a big holiday seller for mid-tier users, Sprint subsidy Virgin today began offering 3 new Android smartphones including the Moto G 3rd gen. for $150, the HTC Desire 626s for $130 and Huawei Union at $80.
The standout here is the Moto G which I absolutely loved (with a few caveats) which retails at $180. The 5-inch phone is pretty close to flagship level last year with a few missing bits. The 5 inch screen is perfect sized but the lack of NFC payment options might be a turn off. It shares the camera of the Nexus 6 and it is IPX7 waterproof to 3 feet for 30 minutes. Hopefully Virgin won’t mess with the almost stock Android and provide timely updates (fingers crossed)
That $30 you save you can pay your 1st month of usage on the 3 gig 4G of data plan (see plans below). While Sprint’s network may not be the strongest in all areas, I’ve found it to be improving rapidly lately.
The Moto G will almost certainly be the first Android 6.0 device on Virgin and at $150 down and $30/month a great gift idea for the kids/parents/grandparents out there. Alternatively, if you want to use an Android device like an iPod touch (without a carrier) this is the first $30 discount we’ve seen. expand full story
Walmart Stories May 15, 2015
Virgin Mobile Android devices get new plans w/ more data through Walmart
Virgin Mobile, which offers a number of prepaid Android devices, is introducing a few new plans for its smartphones sold through Walmart.
Data Done Right Single Line and Multi-line Data Sharing plans are available exclusively at Walmart and are currently available on seven different 4G LTE2 smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S5. All phones come pre-loaded with the Virgin Mobile application, which provides data buy-ups and international add-ons with one touch, directly from the device. Every Multi-line plan also comes with a free mobile hotspot feature, making it even easier to share data across Wi-Fi enabled devices.
The new Data Done Right single line plans are reduced by $5 over previous offerings and include 500MB more high-speed data before throttling users. The plans start at $30/month for 300 minutes talk with unlimited text and data, and go up to $40 for unlimited everything.
There are also new multi-line plans that include an extra 2GB of high-speed data and range from $65/month for 2 lines to $115/month for 4 lines with 6GB of shared high-speed data on the low-end plan up to 14GB shared on the $115 plan.
The new plans will become available this Monday, May 18. You can check out the selection of devices here.
Walmart Stories March 25, 2015
Half of a 2012 FTC report on Google’s business practices has been “inadvertently disclosed” in an open records request by the WSJ. Bizarrely, what was leaked was every other page of the report. MarketingLand’s Danny Sullivan has been busy reading the report and tweeting some of the things revealed by it.
The FTC eventually concluded that Google had not violated antitrust laws by favoring its own services over that of rivals, but found it was “a close call.”
[tweet https://twitter.com/dannysullivan/status/580634396618698752/]
Google did, for example, promote its own services in search results … expand full story
Walmart Stories November 27, 2014
From 9to5Toys.com where we are rounding up all the best Black Friday deals we have two huge headliners on the almost never discounted Nest product line (that Google picked up along with iPod-father Tony Fadell earlier this year):
The Nest Learning Thermostat (2nd generation) for $199 shipped. That’s $50 below list and the best price we’ve ever seen.
You can find it at Amazon, Best Buy, Lowes and Abt for $199 for a limited time.
The Dropcam Wireless HD Video Monitoring Camera can be found for $99.99 with free shipping. That’s $50 below list and the lowest price we have ever seen on this cloud-based camera/recording system.
Available for $$99 ($50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy.
With a 107° degree field of view and 4x zoom, Dropcam keeps you connected with people, places and pets in sharp 720p HD video.
Head over to 9to5Toys for the Best Black Friday deals on the web. A little more background on Nest: expand full story
Walmart Stories March 3, 2014
Since its initial release last year, the Chromecast has added support for a plethora of apps and services, including Plex, Vevo, Songza, and many more. Last month, Google announced the Chromecast SDK, which it said would make supporting the device even easier for developers. Online streaming video service Vudu has now announced that it too will soon support Chromecast with that SDK.
On its website Sunday, the WalMart-owned company stated that both its Android and iOS apps will soon receive updates that add Chromecast support. The company also adds that streaming will be available through Chrome on Windows and Mac, although that has been available since day one.
There are no details available as to when we can expect the Android and iOS Vudu apps to be updated, although we can’t imagine it taking too long. Rdio and Beats Music are also expected to add Chromecast support soon, so it’s clear that the SDK is going to help beef up the app selection significantly.
Walmart Stories November 27, 2013
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.
Walmart Stories November 19, 2013
Our expectations are always tempered when it comes to the wireless carriers and Black Friday specials as its been a long, long time since I can remember a deal that made my jaw drop. With that in mind, Verizon Wireless’ 2013 Black Friday ad has hit the airwaves thanks to BlackFriday.com but it won’t knock your socks off. Thankfully, it will help those of you looking to pick up a DROID RAZR HD for free or a Motorola DROID Ultra for $99 with a two-year agreement.
Walmart Stories November 12, 2013
Ah yes, winter is in the air and along with it the promise of Black Friday shopping deals. I’ll just get right to it and say if you’re in the market for a Galaxy S 4…you should hold off and take a look at the Walmart and Target deals coming up in a little under two weeks.
Walmart Stories September 20, 2012
Walmart apparently sent a memo to store managers on Sept. 19. announcing plans to stop selling Amazon’s line of Kindle products.
“We have recently made the business decision to not carry Amazon tablets and eReaders beyond our existing inventory and purchase commitments,” said Walmart in the memo. “This includes all Amazon Kindle models current and recently announced.”
Reuters, which cited the memo and an unidentified source “familiar with situation,” first reported the news:
In the memo, Wal-Mart said the decision was consistent with its overall merchandising strategy. While Wal-Mart dwarfs other retailers in overall sales, it trails Amazon and others online and has been stepping up efforts to increase its presence there. Consumers who buy Kindle tablets such as the new Kindle Fire HD can shop on the devices for more than just digital books, pushing Amazon into further competition with stores.
The publication did not provide additional details, but Walmart.com currently reflects the reported change. When searching for “Kindle” on the national retailer’s website, no Kindle-related products appear in the queue. It is unclear if Walmart’s website ever offered the tablets, however.
Walmart Stories August 21, 2012
We told you last week that Google was readying physical gift cards for Google Play content, and the company made things official today by announcing the cards will roll out to Target, GameStop, and RadioShack retail outlets in the coming weeks. The cards will be available in $10, $25, and $50, and they will initially only be available in the United States at the retailers mentioned above and through Walmart.com later this month.
-Explore millions of songs from top artists, thousands of your favorite movies and TV shows, the world’s largest selection of eBooks, and much more. Play your purchases instantly on the web or on the go — no need for wires or syncing.
-Shop for all the Android apps and games you love with your Google Play gift card. You can even use it to purchase extra levels, add-on packs, and virtual currency.
Walmart Stories April 16, 2012
Earlier today, Walmart published a press release on its corporate website announcing that Google’s Vice President of Local, Maps and Location services Marissa A. Mayer has been nominated for the company’s Board of Directors. In addition to an announcement claiming she’s “very excited” about the nomination on her Google+ page, Mayer made a full statement in the press release:
“I am very excited to be nominated for the Walmart board… I have long been a customer and admirer of the company. Walmart is an amazing story of entrepreneurship and, as one of the world’s most powerful brands, touches millions of lives every day. I look forward to contributing to Walmart’s continued growth, success, and innovation in the years to come.”
Walmart will vote to elect Mayer at its Annual Shareholders’ meeting June 1. The company’s full press release is below: expand full story
Walmart Stories April 2, 2012
We knew it was coming since January when Google confirmed the Galaxy Nexus would launch on Sprint after first releasing exclusively on Verizon. According to a document sent to The Verge from an anonymous Walmart employee, the device will launch April 22 at Sam’s Club. There will not be many surprises when it finally does launch, as leaked ads in January revealed a 1.5GHz processor, opposed to the 1.2GHz packed in Verizon’s variant. Other than that, we will likely see a device that is identical to Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus, but Sprint—unlike Verizon—will support Google Wallet. expand full story
Walmart Stories February 20, 2012
It looks like Barnes & Noble plans to release a new 8GB model of its Nook Tablet that is only available in a 16 GB version for $249. The proof comes from documentation acquired by The Verge, and as the publication pointed out, it is pretty much safe to assume the new 8GB Nook Tab will come in closer to the price tag of its biggest competitor the Amazon’s $199 Kindle Fire. At the launch of the Nook Tablet, B&N CEO William Lynch claimed the Kindle Fire is “deficient for a media tablet” due to its 8GB of storage (6GB available for user content). According to the document, the 8GB Nook Tablet will be landing in Walmart this Wednesday, Feb. 22.
