R
Robert Nazarian
Guest
Google made a splash this week with the release of the Google Cast SDK, which should bring a flurry of new Chromecast compatible apps. If that wasn’t enough, they released the Bright Red Nexus 5 causing those that already bought the white or black version to salivate. It looks like Samsung will actually unveil the Galaxy S 5 at Mobile World Congress, but will it sport the specs that everyone is expecting? Rumors continue to swirl regarding HTC’s One successor (codenamed M8), but the M8 mini is looking to grab a little attention as well. The most popular app over the last couple of weeks has to be Flappy Bird, but it’s about to be pulled from both the Play Store and iOS App Store. Why? And when the hell is Google I/O going to be announced? It’s time to get caught up and get ready for another exciting week.
Guides
7 top lock screen replacement apps for Android [February 2014]
Reviews
[App Review] Quixey, the search engine for finding the best Android apps
Seven Days with the new Beats Music app
Apps – New
Get your fill of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi with the official NBC Olympics app
EverythingMe Launcher goes official in Google Play
Holification Nation releases beautiful new Instagram app
Firefox teases its upcoming Android launcher
DO Launcher brings Sense 5′s launcher to any device
Apps – Updates
Apex Launcher gets updated, features app sorting, updated notifications
Talon for Twitter updated to version 1.3, includes a huge list of new features
Sony releases updated Xperia Gallery app with KitKat support
Google Search app updated, Google Experience Launcher rebranded to Google Now Launcher
Google Search update brings new commands and Olympics cards to Google Now
Google Drive update brings along a tiny widget for document scanning, animated GIF support
Hangouts receives update that fixes SMS and MMS bugs
Google Play Newsstand makes the update cut
Dayframe update brings support for the Chromecast
cloud.tv temporarily pulls Chromecast support from Dayframe
cloud.tv is offering a refund to customers who bought the Dayframe Prime feature last Thursday
Droid Zap updated to work on all Android devices running 4.0 and higher
Carriers
Aio Wireless lowers rate plan pricing
Moto G coming to Aio Wireless on Valentine’s Day
Boost Mobile offering $35 plan with unlimited data for 6 months after buying an LTE device
SoftBank/Sprint to meet with FCC today, T-Mobile may be on slate
Sprint adds Push-To-Talk support for six new devices
UK carriers Three and EE to join forces to build out LTE network
T-Mobile continues Tebow fun with bloopers and behind the scenes videos
Ting drops pricing on rate plans in celebration of two years in business
US Cellular Moto X will receive Android 4.4.2 beginning today
U.S. Cellular expected to offer the Motorola Moto G on February 10 [update - now official]
Verizon Moto G receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat starting today
Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 gets leaked
Verizon launches Smart Rewards program, offers points for monthly plans, bill payments, and more
Verizon HTC One receiving Android 4.4 KitKit update starting today
Verizon provides loyalty plans for customers in good-standing
Nexus 7 with 4G LTE coming to Verizon next week
Verizon to close Vodafone deal on February 21, ‘One Verizon’ will be formed as a result of the takeover
Contests
Win a red Google Nexus 5 by telling Google what you’re passionate about
Chromebooks
Toshiba Chromebook now available for $299, some retailers for $279
Chromeboxes
Asus announces a new Haswell Chromebox
Google announces a new $999 conference call system centered around a Chromebox
HP announces its own Chromebox, arriving this spring in the U.S.
Chromecast
Google opens the Google Cast SDK, Chromecast now open to all developers
Koushik Dutta’s AllCast app now updated to support Chromecast
Dayframe update brings support for the Chromecast
cloud.tv temporarily pulls Chromecast support from Dayframe
cloud.tv is offering a refund to customers who bought the Dayframe Prime feature last Thursday
UK retailer aiming to launch Chromecast on March 1
Gaming
Captain America: The Winter Soldier tie-in app coming next month
Genes in Space is the first app that helps cure real life cancer
300: Seize Your Glory sails into Google Play
Angry Birds Stars Wars II updated to put Han on carbonite
Gameloft offering massive selection of games for only $0.99
Flappy Bird creator to remove game from app store, cites frustrations, pressures
LEGO City My City builds a home in the Play Store
Google Now introduced into Chrome Beta
California state officials call for Google to move mystery barge
Google adds 30 new holiday calendars to Gmail’s Calendar
Google, Cisco agree to cross-licensing patent deal
Jelly Bean breaks 60% in latest distribution numbers, KitKat still sitting under 2%
Despite new friendship, Samsung’s Magazine UX rankles Google’s nerves
Chrome apps may soon work without the entire Chrome process running
Google will own $750 million in Lenovo after the Motorola deal finalizes
FTC approves Google’s acquisition of Nest
Tim Cook calls out Google on Motorola and Android’s “crappy” tablet experience
Google+
Google+ Photo Editor updated with HDR Scape and Zoom
Google Glass
New York Police Department is testing the use of Google Glass for criminal investigations
Google Glass vulnerable to JavaScript exploit
Hardware
Expect significant upgrades in smartphone screen technology this year with ‘Quantum Dot’ LCD’s
Qualcomm looks to dominate internals of smartphones with new RF components
Phones – HTC
HTC’s M8 could ‘look strikingly like’ the HTC One
Image of the HTC M8 (One 2) surfaces on Twitter, shows dual camera
New HTC M8 photo leaks. this time it’s the front of the device
HTC M8 may feature an upgraded 5MP camera
Could HTC offer a more stock Android experience in the near future?
Image of HTC’s BlinkFeed for the M8 leaks
Specs for the HTC M8 Mini leak
Verizon HTC One receiving Android 4.4 KitKit update starting today
Phones – Huawei
Huawei P7 “Sophia” shell and design leak, shows extremely small bezels and some sharp corners
Photos of Huawei Ascend P7 appear online
Image surfaces showing supersized 7-inch smartphone from Huawei
Phones – LG
LG G3 may see an official launch around May or June to compete with the Galaxy S5
LG G Pro 2 to have smart listening app and high powered speaker system
LG G Pro 2 camera to feature 4K video recording, HD slow motion, and ‘OIS Plus’
LG G Pro 2 bezels 0.4mm thick, screen accounts for 77.2%
LG could announce the G Pro 2 on February 13, before MWC
The Korean LG G2 receives Android 4.4.2 with support for ART onboard
LG Optimus G Pro will receive the KitKat update in Q2 2014
Phones – Motorola
US Cellular Moto X will receive Android 4.4.2 beginning today
Verizon Moto G receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat starting today
Motorola Moto G launched in India, will be available for sale starting tomorrow
U.S. Cellular expected to offer the Motorola Moto G on February 10 [update - now official]
Moto G coming to Aio Wireless on Valentine’s Day
Phones- Nexus
It’s real – red Nexus 5 now available in Google Play Store
Phones – Nokia
Nokia X (Normandy) to be released in India this March under Asha lineup
Nokia X benchmark hints at 3 megapixel fixed-focus camera and Android 4.1
Phones – Samsung
Samsung schedules Unpacked 2014, Episode 1 event at MWC, most likely Galaxy S 5
Updated S Health app shows Samsung is choosing a flatter interface
Another Korean securities firm offers up Galaxy S 5 specs
New details leak about the Samsung Galaxy S5 specifications
Galaxy S 5 to sport a swipe fingerprint scanner that’s built in-house
Samsung to stage a quiet launch event for Galaxy S5, and don’t expect a quad-HD screen or iris scanner
Galaxy S 5 shows up in AnTuTu benchmark with 1080p display and other humdrum specs
Two Galaxy S5 variants benchmarked on AnTuTu, specs very different
Screenshots for updated S-Voice app shown off
Samsung teams up with Swarovski to give the Galaxy Note 3 some bling
Samsung upgrades Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 mini with new “Black Edition” versions
Samsung could push Android 4.4 to the Galaxy Note 2, S 3, and Others
Could a Galaxy S4 Neo be in the works?
Samsung might launch an LTE version of the Galaxy Grand 2
Samsung will offer the Galaxy S 5 Zoom this year
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo gets a price tag in Indonesia
Phones – Sony
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact having light bleed issues from camera flash
Sony ends support for twelve older smartphones, including Xperia S, ion, and go
Smartwatches
Pebble Appstore for Android is “coming very soon”
Pebble releases beta version of app store for Android users
FIFA and Silver editions coming soon for Sony’s SmartWatch 2
Galaxy Gear gets a $120 discount in India, but expect a global wide price slash
HTC looking to enter smartwatch game in 2014
Patent by LG reveals snap-on smartwatch concept
Tablets
HTC said to be making a “high-end” Nexus tablet that will ship Q3 of this year
Nexus 8 could arrive in April due to disappointing Nexus 7 2013 sales
Nexus 7 with 4G LTE coming to Verizon next week
Samsung Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO 12.2 US pricing revealed
NotePRO and TabPRO available in the US later this month
Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 gets leaked
Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 hits the FCC with AT&T LTE bands inside
Samsung shows strong growth in global tablet market in fourth quarter of 2013
Updates
US Cellular Moto X will receive Android 4.4.2 beginning today
Verizon Moto G receiving Android 4.4.2 KitKat starting today
Sony ends support for twelve older smartphones, including Xperia S, ion, and go
LG Optimus G Pro will receive the KitKat update in Q2 2014
The Korean LG G2 receives Android 4.4.2 with support for ART onboard
Verizon HTC One receiving Android 4.4 KitKit update starting today
Samsung could push Android 4.4 to the Galaxy Note 2, S 3, and Others
Miscellaneous
Lenovo attempted to buy Motorola in 2011, mistakenly spoke with Motorola Solutions execs
Get Android themed Valentine’s cards, wallpaper from Android Foundry
comScore releases December 2013 U.S. smartphone market share report
As Sony sells VAIO PC business, smartphone sales rise
Samsung wants iPhones banned at the Winter Olympics
Motorola schedules event for Mobile World Congress
Wozniak suggests Android powered Apple makes sense
Cisco, Samsung sign cross-licensing patent deal after doing so with Google
Justice Department closes investigation of Samsung patent activity
HTC and Nokia sign a patent and technology collaboration agreement
Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Weekly Recap for February 3 – February 9, 2014
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