R
Robert Nazarian
Guest
We might still be hungover from CES, but the Android news never stops. Things are really starting to heat up with rumors surrounding the HTC One successor and the Galaxy S 5, but don’t count Sony out as they are readying The Xperia Z2 for Mobile World Congress. Motorola dropped the extra cost of the wooden Moto X to only to $25, and will offer a few more styles. Google made their first big step towards home automation with the purchase of Nest. When will YouTube’s new music service come out and will the FCC bless a Sprint/T-Mobile merger? It’s time to get caught up and get ready for another exciting week.
Guides
The 5 Best Android apps for managing your budget [January 2014]
Accessories
Grip Shells are Now Available Adding Even More Customization to the Moto G
Apps – New
Talon released in the Play Store, a Twitter app from the makers of Sliding Messaging
Swim by American Red Cross now available in Google Play
CyanogenMod’s GalleryNext Photo Gallery App Now Available as Beta in the Play Store
Samsung releases Sochi Winter Olympic Games app
Level is a visually pleasing finance app that links to your bank account
Apps – Updates
Motorola Assist update brings hands-free texting
Latest Pandora update adds personalized station recommendations
Spotify Announces Free Streaming With No More Time Limits On The Desktop
Carriers
Verizon’s bill size leads all carriers, T-Mobile appropriately the cheapest
AT&T Chooses Samsung Smartphones to Test Out VoLTE Ahead of Rollout
AT&T Customers to Get Special Deal When Beats Music Launches on January 21st
AT&T’s Galaxy S4 Active Updating to Android 4.3 Starting Today
AT&T offering Moto X and LG G2 for free on contract
Sprint’s One Up program is already being killed off in favor of the Framily Plan
Sprint to add “Sprint Live” home screens to Android devices
Sprint comes out of the corner first with LG G Flex available on Jan. 31
Banks say $50 billion deal to merge Sprint, T-Mobile could work
Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Mega and Galaxy S4 mini to receive Wi-Fi calling
Sony Xperia Z1S now available from T-Mobile, $22 per month with $0 down
According to T-Mobile: More than 80,000 People Have Posted Carrier Break Up Letters
T-Mobile opens pre-registration for the LG G-Flex
Verizon’s Galaxy Note 3 in Rose Gold will have a $100 rebate, other phones too until January 26
Latest leak says Nexus 7 finally ready to debut on Verizon
LG G Pad 8.3 heading to Verizon, says frequent leaker
Chromebooks
Chromebook 11 re-appears in Play Store, overheating issues fixed
Gaming
R.B.I. Baseball 14 set to hit consoles and mobile devices this spring
New augmented reality game based on ENDGAME coming late 2014 from Google’s Niantic Labs and James Frey
RoboCop official app released and you don’t have to spend a dollar
Square Enix drops Final Fantasy VI on the Play Store for $15.99
Google acquires digital device maker Nest for $3.2 billion
More information surfaces on YouTube’s new music service
Google Drive adds activity stream to show recent changes
Google Chrome 32 update includes Chrome OS-style UI for Windows 8, tab indicators
Google Implements Data Compression and Bandwidth Management To Chrome For Android Plus More
Google adds ability to star contacts in Gmail
Google Now integration with Chrome getting closer, now available in latest Chrome Canary build
Walter Isaacson, Jobs’ biographer, says Google innovates more than Apple
Google X in talks with FDA to develop glucose-reading smart contact lenses
Google working on Android fitness API
Google is still working on Chromoting, a remote desktop application
Google Glass
Woman ticketed for driving with Google Glass gets cleared
Hardware
Benchmark scores prove dominance of upcoming NVIDIA Tegra K1 chip
Samsung demoed foldable display prototype with VIPs at CES
Huawei CEO confirms three upcoming processors, 64-bit octa-core chipset is one of them
Phones – BlackPhone
BlackPhone will sport a secure version of Android called PrivatOS and will debut at MWC 2014
Phones – Bluebird
Bluebird announces rugged handset that runs Android or Windows Phone variant
Phones – Geeksphone
First photos of Geeksphone Revolution leaked
Phones – HP
HP to re-enter smartphone game with Slate 6 and Slate 7 VoiceTab next month in India
Phones – HTC
HTC M8 rubber case leaks, suggests a fingerprint scanner is incoming
HTC One successor on schedule for March release with larger screen and twin sensor camera
HTC One prototype gets a detailed look
HTC One X and One X+ won’t get any more Android update after Android 4.2.2
Android 4.2.2 with Sense 5.0 begins rolling out for HTC One X+
Phones – Huawei
Huawei Ascend Mate 2 will cost $445
Huwaei Ascend G6 to be a cheaper alternative to the Ascend P6
Huawei’s Ascend P6 S launches following series of leaks
Phones – LG
LG G3 With QHD Display Set to Release in May
LG D830 spotted online once again, more specs revealed
Sprint comes out of the corner first with LG G Flex available on Jan. 31
T-Mobile opens pre-registration for the LG G-Flex
Flexing the LG G Flex too much could result in a serious case of the bumps
LG Officially Announces Gold and Red Limited Edition LG G2s
KitKat Update for the LG G2 Could Arrive This Month
AT&T offering Moto X and LG G2 for free on contract
QuickWindow Cover and Knock Feature Coming to the LG G Pro
LG likely updating their devices directly to Android 4.4 KitKat
LG Optimus F3Q leaks again, causes QWERTY keyboard fans to rejoice
Phones- Motorola
Wood-backed Moto X price cut to $25, more options coming
The Moto X to Officially Launch in Europe in February
AT&T offering Moto X and LG G2 for free on contract
Google Play Edition of the Motorola Moto G shows up in Google Play Store
Dual-SIM Moto G now available in Australia
Motorola sending KitKat update to Droid Maxx and Droid Ultra
Phones – Nokia
Nokia’s Normandy Shows Up Without Protective Shell
Nokia Normandy press renders leak showing phone UI
Leaked screenshot from Nokia Normandy reveals freak-hybrid OS combination
Phones – OnePlus
OnePlus One eyeing mid-2014 release, design may rival Apple’s iPhone
Phones – Oppo
Mid-range Oppo Neo officially announced, set to cost $215
Phones – Pantech
Pantech to release Vega Iron 2 in April
Phones – Samsung
Galaxy S 5 could have a 2900mAh battery with rapid charging
Insider claims to confirm several Samsung Galaxy S5 specs
Samsung’s Galaxy S 5 reveal may be in New York City in March, but it could be in London too
Samsung Air Gesture and Air View to improve in 2014 thanks to better hardware
Samsung GT-I9405 appears in Zauba database
Galaxy Note 3 (SM-N9005) now getting Android 4.4.2 KitKat officially
Verizon’s Galaxy Note 3 in Rose Gold will have a $100 rebate, other phones too until January 26
10 Million Galaxy Notes Sold in Korea
AT&T’s Galaxy S4 Active Updating to Android 4.3 Starting Today
AT&T Chooses Samsung Smartphones to Test Out VoLTE Ahead of Rollout
Galaxy Note 3 Neo gets FCC approval, nearing official announcement
Sprint’s Samsung Galaxy Mega and Galaxy S4 mini to receive Wi-Fi calling
Phones – Sony
Sony “Sirius” to Debut Officially as the Xperia Z2 at MWC
Sony Xperia Z2 to sport 5.3-inch display and 23MP camera?
Pictures of upcoming Sony D6503 leak
Sony unveils two mid-range phablets, the Xperia T2 Ultra and Xperia T2 Ultra dual
Sony Takes on the Affordable Market with Its Xperia E1
Sony Xperia Z1S now available from T-Mobile, $22 per month with $0 down
Sony confirms Android 4.3.3 coming for Xperia SP, T, TX and V in the next month
Phones- Xiaomi
Xiaomi rumored to be working on a $50 smartphone
ROMs
OnePlus One eyeing mid-2014 release, design may rival Apple’s iPhone
Security
BlackPhone will sport a secure version of Android called PrivatOS and will debut at MWC 2014
Starbucks app stores personal information in plain-text format
Smart Glasses
Vuzix Inks Agreement With Unnamed Partner to Make Smart Glasses Stylish
Tablets
First tablet with Sharp’s MEMS display should arrive before July, will rival LCD and OLED
The Acer Tab 7 features Android Jelly Bean and is ultra-cheap
Huawei MediaPad 7 Youth2 aims to compete in the affordable tablet market
LG G Pad 8.3 heading to Verizon, says frequent leaker
Image of Verizon’s Nexus 7 leaks, there really is no branding (finally)
Nexus 10 specs leak with image, but it is likely just a hoax
Samsung officially announces the budget-friendly Galaxy Tab3 Lite
Updates
Galaxy Note 3 (SM-N9005) now getting Android 4.4.2 KitKat officially
Motorola sending KitKat update to Droid Maxx and Droid Ultra
KitKat Update for the LG G2 Could Arrive This Month
AT&T’s Galaxy S4 Active Updating to Android 4.3 Starting Today
Android 4.2.2 with Sense 5.0 begins rolling out for HTC One X+
Sony confirms Android 4.3.3 coming for Xperia SP, T, TX and V in the next month
QuickWindow Cover and Knock Feature Coming to the LG G Pro
LG likely updating their devices directly to Android 4.4 KitKat
Miscellaneous
Support for Ubuntu Touch ending on Galaxy Nexus, 2012 Nexus 7, Nexus 10— Nexus 5 support will not come
Samsung’s “White Glove” program aims to convert celebrities into Galaxy users
Motorola hires Disney Research employee, will join the department behind Moto X
‘Nextbit’ team of superstars promises to “build something bigger” for mobile
Facebook ready to fragment on mobile platforms in 2014
VIDEO: Don’t text and drive, Seriously
Samsung, Apple dominance of U.S. smartphone market continues to grow in Q4 2013
Decision from Supreme Court pending on whether police need warrants to search cell phones
Samsung applies for “Galaxy S Value” trademark
Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Weekly Recap for January 13 – January 19, 2014
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