User Review: T-Mobile

I am an only child, I am also a Student studying Computer Science. Thus, I am my family's tech guy. In 1999 my Dad got his first cellphone for work on Bellsouth. Throughout the years we have stuck with Bellsouth, Cingular, and finally AT&T. For more than half of my life we have been paying one company a large chuck of money each month for cell service. As I got older and became more techy I inevitably because the grand influencer to my Mom when it comes to our cell phone service. I always made sure we had the cheapest, most suitable plan for our family. As of two months ago we were all on a 700 Minute, Unlimited Text/Calls to Mobile family plan. I had unlimited data and both of my parents had 2GB. All together, after a 15% student discount and taxes, the bill was $197 a month.
In March, T-Mobile announced their Simple Choice plans and a whole new model for post-paid wireless in the United States. T-Mobile decoupled the cost of a phone from the cost of service and is creating a competitive market in phone pricing that hasn't really existed large-scale in the US before. While the idea is compelling to me, saving money is more so. My current phone is a Nexus 4 and my contract on AT&T has been up since last August; I was pretty annoyed about paying just as much without getting a subsidized phone realized that the new T-Mobile plans could save us a lot of money. However, my parents contracts don't end until December and its too expensive to have two different cell plans for one family.
This summer I spent two months in Ghana. I realized that this was the perfect time for me to cancel my line with AT&T. I have an unlocked phone so no way in hell was I going to pay AT&T's international roaming fees, and the 2 months savings from not having service would make up the difference of having my own line on T-Mobile until December. I decided I would switch to T-Mobile and test drive the network; If all went well my parents would join me on T-Mobile in December, if not I would go back to their plan on AT&T.

Switching was actually incredibly easy. About 10 days before I was leaving Ghana to return home I went to T-Mobile's website, opened an account (post-paid so I had to do a credit check), and chose a SIM card to be shipped to my house. When I arrived home, I popped out the MTN SIM card I was using in Ghana (by the way, if you ever travel to Africa and need a solid mobile data connection, MTN is the way to go) and slipped in my T-Mobile SIM card. The problem was that I couldn't get it to work. I checked the instructions to see how to activate my new SIM and didn't find anything, Google didn't even help. The I realized I was an idiot and I forgot to restart my phone (you must do this when you swap SIMs in Android). I restarted, the phone connected to T-Mobile's network and I was off!

With my new T-Mobile service I could make phone calls and use data. Really, that's what it did. I mean for the most part very little had changed. The first few days I ran a whole bunch of speed tests, in South Florida I got great results on HSPA+, in more remote locations I got results similar to AT&T. One thing that impressed my was coverage in my house. Depending where I was in my house I got anywhere from 4 to 2 bars and phone calls sounded fantastic. Before, with AT&T I got anywhere from 3 bars to No Service, in fact it was so bad we ended up getting a discounted Microcell from AT&T.

As I mentioned before, I have a Nexus 4. This phone doesn't have supported LTE but it can be enabled with some pretty minor hacks now-a-days. After about 3 days of good service on HSPA+ I decided to see what kind of LTE service I could receive on my Nexus 4. The answer, good - not, great. Driving around South Florida I get an LTE signal just about everywhere - I can't think of a place I don't. However, most of the time I get like 2-3 bars of LTE. In urban areas - Downtown Miami / Miami Beach - I got 4-5 bars, but many places I got 1. The real problem is when I walked inside of a building. Commonly I would get 1 bar or revert to HSPA+. T-Mobile's LTE offering is definitely present, definitely useful, but definitely not as ubiquitous as AT&T or Verizon's. I study at Florida State University and I can say my experience with LTE in Tallahassee is very similar to South Florida. On the upside, T-Mobile's LTE is plenty fast, usually faster than AT&T or Verizon and anywhere T-Mobile has LTE, they are going to have a very fast HSPA+ network to fall back on.

Here is where it gets more complicated. Both of my parents have iPhone 4Ses that they are happy with and they don't feel they need to upgrade yet. The problem is, they are AT&T models and only compatible with T-Mobile's HSPA+ network where it has been switched to 1900MHz. T-Mobile says this switch has taken place in its largest markets. Part of my family switching on T-Mobile depends if their phones will work well on the network or if they will need to buy new ones. So, I had AT&T unlock my Dad's iPhone and I switched phones with him for a day; Now, I had an iPhone 4S on T-Mobile and was seeing how well it worked. The answer is pretty much what T-Mobile said, it worked well in large markets and not-so-much everywhere else. Around South Florida the phone got HSPA+ everyhwere, it didn't fall back to EDGE once. However, I took a road trip up to Tampa and between South Florida and Tampa, the phone spent most of the time on EDGE. Phone calls continued to work great, but data was noticeably slower. Data worked okay for searching google and looking up directions but streaming music and browsing heavy websites were a no-go. For my parents, T-Mobile's 1900MHz network is enough, because it will cover them all around South Florida, but it will be a disappointment when going on road trips. However, since they can always make and receive calls I think they will be keeping their iPhone 4Ses for a while.
Billing and Customer Service

When my first bill arrived, I wasn't shocked. Nothing was out of the ordinary however, they charged me for a few extra days, from when my SIM card arrived at my house, not when I got back from Ghana and actually started using the service. I called customer service and explained why I believed T-Mobile charged me extra and the representative immediately looked at my usage, saw that I didn't use the SIM until a few days (4 to be exact) after it arrived and offered me a full week's worth of credit to my account. I have never had such service with AT&T. Usually with AT&T I am on hold for 15 minutes, the representative says they can't help me, I get placed on hold for 20 minutes in order to speak to the manager and after an argument the manager might offer assistance. With T-Mobile I was on hold for less than a minute and the representative understood my needs and addressed them immediately. In fact, after a week of using T-Mobile, a customer service agent called me and asked how I was liking T-Mobile, if I had any problems or questions, and explained how much my monthly bill would be including taxes and government fees. I feel that the revamped T-Mobile understands that they need good customer service in order to pull off their whole vision.

After over a month of trying T-Mobile with their new Simple Choice plans, I am very pleased. I think T-Mobile offers great service to people living in urban and suburban areas for a very fair price. If you live out in the middle of nowhere, T-Mobile isn't for you; If you don't, why would you pay extra for a network you aren't utilizing? I am not going to say everyone should switch. What I can say, is that for my family, T-Mobile seems like the obvious choice. All-in-all our monthly bill will be $100 a month for three lines after taxes compared to $197 now. If both of my parents get new iPhones our bill will still only be $142 a month. T-Mobile offers great service in our area and we can save $97 a month by switching. If T-Mobile can work for you needs and save you money, try it out, if not, then stay with your carrier now. I have already switched and it was a very easy process and honestly, I sometimes just forget I'm not on AT&T. At the end of the day my phone makes calls and data works just like it should, my new carrier is basically transparent to my phone. I wrote this review because I know T-Mobile has piqued a lot of interest in the tech world and I wanted to share my experience with others who are thinking about switching.

TL;DR I have been testing T-Mobile and it has been a great experience. My family is going to switch in December when their contract ends and we will save $97 a month in the process. If T-Mobile offers what you need for less money, you should give them a try.

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Sony shrinks flagship Z1 smartphone to a more manageable size

Japanese carrier NTT Docomo has announced the Xperia Z1F, a new Sony smartphone based on this year's Xperia Z1. The Z1's standout feature was its 20-megapixel camera with a point-and-shoot-sized sensor, but where that model featured a 5-inch 1080p display, the Z1F's has been shrunk down to 4.3 inches at 720p. Docomo says that this is to achieve a more comfortable grip in the hand, and the resulting device is just a little bit bigger than an iPhone 5S.
At 140g and 9.7mm thick, the Z1F isn't the slimmest or lightest phone around, but its design is remarkably comfortable nonetheless. I had no problem at all using it one-handed, and found it easy to reach all areas of the screen with a single thumb. Android phone manufacturers have demonstrated little desire to cease one-upping each other with bigger and bigger devices over the past few years, and it's refreshing to see Sony produce something more usable.
Despite its relatively diminutive proportions, the Z1F is a high-end device from a spec standpoint; "mini" versions of the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One, in contrast, have compromised on internals. Aside from the aforementioned 20-megapixel camera, the Z1F has a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 2300mAh battery, and runs on Docomo's 150Mbps LTE network. It also maintains the Z1's high-quality, waterproofed glass and aluminum construction, and is available in black, white, lime, and pink.
Unfortunately, the Z1F appears to repeats most of the Z1's mistakes as well, including a less than top-tier display. Although it's sharp enough given the small size, and its color reproduction is vibrant when you look at it head-on, the Z1F shares the same poor viewing angles seen on just about every recent Sony smartphone.
Photos taken with the much-touted camera also exhibited similar processing issues such as artifacting and excessive noise reduction; lighting conditions at the announcement event were less than ideal, but the Z1F clearly struggled with white balance and exposure in places. Shots looked washed out next to that of the iPhone 5S, despite Sony having the superior lens and sensor on paper.
Image quality is still beyond that of most Android smartphones, however, and it almost seems churlish to complain about the display's viewing angles when its size is exactly what many have wanted paired to a top-end device. There's little indication of an international release, however. Docomo calls the Z1F an exclusive model, and the carrier has form when it comes to securing high-end Sony smartphones with small screens — last year'sexcellent Xperia SX never made it out of Japan.

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Fitbit Force brings smartwatch features to a fitness tracker

Fitbit is making its latest device to quantify your activity, the wrist-worn Force fitness tracker, official today. The Force is an evolution of the Flex, Fitbit’s other wrist-worn tracker, and offers an OLED display and altimeter on top of the features included in the Flex. It's very similar to the company's One tracker, but with a wristband so you don't have to clip it to your pants. The Force is available in black or a handsome bluish-gray color (Fitbit calls it "slate") today for $129.95, slightly more than the $99 Flex, which is remaining in Fitbit’s lineup.
With the Force, Fitbit addressed many of the complaints we had with the Flex. The Force includes a new OLED display, which is far more informative than the Flex’s nebulous blinking lights, allowing you to check the time and your fitness stats without having to look at the app. That display can also show incoming call information (name or phone number) when the Force is paired to an iOS 7 device, giving the device slightly more function when it’s on your wrist. Unfortunately, the display is not always on and glanceable — you wake it with the single button on the side of the Force, and you can long-press that same button to start a basic stopwatch timer. It’s no replacement for a Pebble or other smartwatch, but it’s a step forward.

THE FORCE IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING AS THE ONE WITH THE WRISTBAND OF THE FLEX

Different from the Flex, Fitbit designed the Force as a single, contained unit. While the Flex required you to remove the actual tracking unit from the wristband to charge and sync with your computer, the Force has a proprietary charging port right on it, and it can sync with your computer wirelessly with the new USB dongle. It can also still sync with your Android or iOS device over Bluetooth 4.0, so there are fewer reasons than ever to actually take the thing off of your wrist. Fitbit claims that the Force has seven to ten days of battery life with regular use, and that the device is water resistant against sweat and splashes. It’s not designed to go swimming or in the shower with you, however.
The rubber wrist band on the Force is more or less the same as on the Flex; it’s soft touch and doesn’t snag too much on your skin. The two-pronged clasp is exactly the same, for better or worse, and the entire device is light enough to wear all day without becoming irritating. Like the Flex, the Force can be worn at night to monitor sleep habits, and the silent alarm function is calmer and less annoying than on the Flex — it just vibrates quietly at the time you set, and can be easily shut off with the button on the side of the device. That also means that it can be easily ignored since the Force doesn’t have a snooze function. If you forget to tell it that you are going to sleep, the Force will still track your activity and you can manually input the times you went to bed and woke up to see how well you slept in the app.
On top of the better design, the Force adds yet another piece of tracking data to your fitness profile: the new altimeter can measure how many flights of stairs you walked up and down during the day. The device is smart enough to tie this data directly to when you are actually taking steps up stairs — riding up and down in an elevator won’t throw it off, for instance.

THE FORCE IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER FITNESS TRACKERS, BUT OFFERS MORE

Fitbit also recently revamped its apps for Android and iOS, offering a cleaner design that’s easier to use. The Force will sync wirelessly with the iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy S3, S4, Note II and Note 10.1. If you have another Android phone, you will have to sync the Force with your computer first before you can see the data in the mobile app. The Force does have NFC built-in, however, letting Samsung owners tap their phone to it to launch the Fitbit app.
At $129.95, the Force falls on the more expensive end of the fitness tracking spectrum, but its new features make it more functional than other devices that lack displays or wireless syncing. With the Force, Fitbit seems to be matching its already great services and apps with the features that its competitors such as Nike and Jawbone are offering, which is certainly not a bad thing. If the Force is able to live up to all of its promise, it could easily become the fitness tracker to get. Fitbit is offering it for sale today through its online store, and it will be in retail stores in the coming weeks.

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Aereo to release an Android app on October 22nd

Aereo is coming to Android. The service — which allows viewers to stream broadcast TV online — will debut its first app ever just under two weeks from now, on October 22nd, inside of the Google Play store. The service is traditionally viewed through a web browser, and while it's made an iOS-specific mobile site, Android viewing hasn't been supported. Aereo says that the app will be in a "public beta" at first, and that it will require Android 4.2 or higher. The service has continued to aggressively expand as traditional broadcasterspush back against it in the courts, but Aereo's debut on Android is just another sign that it's moving quickly toward making its service widely and conveniently available — something broadcasters won't be happy about.

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Huawei MediaPad 10 FHD has quad-core K3 processor, 1920 x 1200 display (hands-on pictures)

It was barely an afterthought in Huawei's MWC press conference, but the company is also getting ready to launch a seriously high-end tablet. The MediaPad 10 FHD has a 1920 x 1200 display, an 8-megapixel camera, and Huawei's new and impressive K3 processor — and it all fits in a body that's just 8.8mm thick. The device is still in its early stages (reps told us the model on display was hand-made for today's event), but even now it's already impressive. The pixel-rich 16:10 display looks fantastic, with great viewing angles and sharpness to spare. It's running Android 4.0, and we zipped around the browser and Gallery apps, plus a few games, without so much as a hiccup.
The tablet's due to be available in the second quarter of this year, though reps wouldn't say how much it would cost or where it will initially be on sale.

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Aereo to bring live TV broadcasts to Android later this month

The only ways to watch TV on a Galaxy S 4 or HTC One is to download an app from the networks or a subscription service that offers limited on-demand options. Aereo will soon offer live TV broadcasts when it launches its Android app.
Aereo's name may be recognized as a company in a bitter battle with television networks because it broadcasts live over-the-air signals to the web and iOS devices. Courts have so far ruled that Aereo is legal and can continue to operate, but there are legal challenges in the handful of cities in which Aereo service is available. While the two sides fight it out, anyone with an Android 4.2 or later device will soon be able to watch TV on a mobile device.
The Aereo app will be free and compatible with the standard Aereo $8 per month subscription. Subscribers can choose to upgrade to a $12 per month plan that includes 60 hours of DVR storage rather than the standard 20 hours, and new customers will get their first month of service for free. Aereo is available only in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New York City, and Salt Lake City at the moment. The service is "coming soon" to an additional 20 cities listed here.

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Twitter Android app now supports tablets - Samsung tablets

Twitter today revealed that it has developed an app for Android tablets that will finally make tweets showcase content in a format better suited for the bigger screen of Android tablets. The problem is that most Android tablet owners are still unable to use the app at the moment because only Samsung devices can access it.
The Twitter for Android Tablets app launches today with compatibility enabled only for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 - 2014 Edition. Samsung has paid to have an exclusive on the app for the Note 10 and other devices until it arrives on other devices "by the end of the year." For now, Google Nexus 7 owners and any other tablet not bearing the Samsung logo will be unable to see the following features:

- A landscape view that shows a stream of interesting tweets and Content on one panel and trending topics on the other when browsing the Discover section.
- Tap on a tweet loads content - photos, videos, or article snippets - on the right instead of on a new page
- A new widget that displays Twitter content and includes actions like marking items as favorites or retweets
- S-Pen friendly features to edit photos with drawing doddles and annotations over a photo from the gallery.

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SEIDIO VITREO TEMPERED GLASS SCREEN GUARD FOR THE HTC ONE REVIEW

The Seidio VITREO is a tempered glass screen protector for your HTC One that, unlike most plastic screen guards, feels like there’s nothing there while giving your screen some impact and scratch protection. As a reminder, we’re still running a contest for five lucky winners to win a VITREO Screen Guard and a LEDGER flip case, and you still have time to enter.
Also unlike most plastic screen protectors, if you put the VITREO on incorrectly, you can still salvage the installation by pulling the screen guard off and re-positioning it. There are no bubbles on a standard installation as the guard can’t warp to allow them, and no random cat hairs mysteriously materialize to ruin the seal.
While there may be some air, it actually burps out with the included card with no issue. In the picture to the right, you can see the air under the bottom right corner, but roughly ten seconds later most of that was gone by itself.
Installation took about two minutes, mostly due to accidentally putting it too low on my first attempt. The second was successful and required no leaps to get it done. Considering how many plastic screen guards I’ve botched during installation, this was a breeze.
After it was installed, I decided to throw some damage at it and discovered that neither keys, knives, nor pointy screwdrivers made a scratch under normal circumstances. I would have loved to take a hammer to it, but it’s the wife’s HTC One, not mine, and I don’t think her insurance covers damage by mad bloggers.
On the LEDGER flip case it worked like a charm. I’ll have a review of the flip case later, but any open front case is going to work perfectly with the VITREO. The manufacturer page states it will work well with the ACTIVE and LEDGER cases.
Where you run into problems is when you’ve got a super-snug third party case, such as my wife’s snap-on hard skin Hello Kitty case. The case barely fits back on due to the slight additional space required of a tempered glass protector. At the point when the corners are pressed, air bubbles form. I believe the glass is actually being pinched in. Whatever the case, neither the HK case nor the VITREO want to work nicely together and I think that will probably be the case with most form-fitting snap-on cases.
In the pictures below (click to enlarge), you can see the case no longer closes properly, and in the corners of the One’s screen there are bubbles under the VITREO protector. They come out when you remove the Hello Kitty case, though. In short, if you get this protector, you’re going to be somewhat limited in cases you can use.
The VITREO is priced at about $40, which makes it the most expensive screen guard I’ve ever played with. Depending on how valuable the potential protection of your phone’s screen from shattering is, and what case options you’re willing to go with, will determine whether it’s worth it to you. I don’t put phones in with keys, nor do I tie them to strings and drag them behind a bus to get realistic battle damage ala Napoleon Dynamite.
For me, it’s not worth $40. Then again, I’m not a person who breaks and scratches screens. I have friends for whom, even in this price range, this would be a wise investment, as they’ve paid for the same phone over and over and over again.

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ANDROID TIP: HOW TO GET BACK YOUR MISSING MICROPHONE ICON ON GOOGLE KEYBOARD

I recently performed a hard reset on my LG Nexus 4, and something strange happened: after everything restarted and I set my phone up, the microphone icon was gone on my Google Keyboard! I use this all the time to compose quick text messages on the go, or dictate other short snippets of text. It’s more convenient than changing my input method to voice typing, as it only requires a single button tap; additionally, when I’m done speaking, the keyboard pops right back up so I can quickly and easily correct any errors.
I’m not sure why it took my so long to figure this out, but it’s really easy to get back if it goes missing for any reason. Simply navigate to Settings > Language & input > Google Keyboard > Voice input key. Here you can select whether you want the microphone on the main keyboard or the symbols keyboard.
If you’re not running an AOSP ROM, or you’ve got a skinned device like the HTC EVO 4G LTE or the HTC One, you can still download Google Keyboard from the Play Store and access its settings from the app drawer. While this may seem like a simple solution to a minor problem, it took me way to long to figure out – so hopefully I’ll save at least one of you a few minutes.

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HOW TO REPLACE YOUR SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 3′S S PEN TIP

As fantastic as the S Pen for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is, it’s not going to last forever. Eventually, that little plastic nub on the tip of the stylus will wear out, rendering the S Pen and all of its included functionality useless.
A sad day, indeed, but fret not: Samsung has prepared you for such an eventuality. Inside your Galaxy Note 3′s box should be a little bag, containing a metal ring and five cylindrical objects – these are your replacement tips. The metal ring is simply a removal tool, allowing you to grasp the tip of the S Pen and pull it out with little effort and no damage to your stylus.
To begin, take the S Pen out of its holding place in the Galaxy Note 3. Using the metal ring as tweezers (as they’re meant to be used), place the nub into the ring’s groove. Make sure to grasp firmly, but not too hard: if you mistakenly situate the nub into the wrong area and squeeze too hard, you could damage the tip.
Once you’re sure it’s in the correct groove, pull the tip out. It’ll slide out with hardly any effort. Put the old and useless tip somewhere else, find a new one, and insert your new tip using the tweezers. This ensures that you don’t break the tip by applying pressure where pressure shouldn’t be applied.
You won’t hear or feel any click that lets you know the stylus is in place, but as long as you can use the stylus on your Note 3, you’re done. Your S Pen is up and ready to go – you can now resume using your Note 3 to its fullest potential. If you’ve got any questions, let us know in the comments. Hopefully this guide will come in handy for any of you lucky Note 3 owners whose stylus needs a repair.

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Beats to release new streaming music service in the coming months

These rumors have been floating around for over a year now, but it finally looks like they will soon come to fruition: According to The Next Web, Beats says that its new streaming music service, dubbed “Beats Music,” will make itself known within the next several months. According to Beats president and COO, Luke Wood, the service will be accessible on the Web, iOS, and Android, with support for a native Windows 8 app at a later date.
Beats previously purchased MOG, presumably to prepare for this service. However, while MOG focuses on on-demand listening, it looks like the new Beats-branded service will focus on curated playlists.
With news that Beats will buy back HTC’s ownership stake in the company, it looks like this service will launch independently of HTC. That might be good or bad, depending on how one looks at the situation: the streaming music space is extremely crowded, with the likes of Pandora, Rdio, Spotify, iTune, and Google all fighting for a piece of the pie. A new service will need all the support it can get, and HTC is less likely to bundle it with all its smartphones now that it no longer has a controlling interest in Beats.
In any case, I’m still interested to see what the service will look like. It will have to be fairly compelling to get me to switch from Google Play Music All Access, though.

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Dirty Unicorns Android 4.3 EVO 4G LTE ROM released

Dirty Unicorns is an AOSP-based Android 4.3 ROM for various devices by Team D.I.R.T. (Developers In Real Time.) The HTC EVO 4G LTE version has just been updated to support the newest version of Google’s OS and, as of yesterday, went live for download.
In attempting to describe what Dirty Unicorns is like, it’s very hard to not just say: “Hey, like that feature from ROM X? Oh yeah, it’s in Dirty Unicorns. Like that thing from ROM Y? Yeah it’s there too.” I actually am at a loss at the moment to find a significant feature missing from it that’s in another ROM, and plenty of things here that I can’t find in others.
It has the BAMF theme engine, Ribbons, CyanogenMod profiles, apps, and Powerwidget, portions of SlimROM, features from ParanoidAndroid including Halo, multi-user support, a wakelock blocker, Moto X notifications, and a features list that goes on for two pages (depending on your monitor resolution).
The current bug list is that it cannot take screenshots, so if that’s big to you (such as if you’re perhaps wanting to write a review of a ROM and include a screen shot of some of the pages of settings), this may not be the ROM for you. Everything else should work, although drop by the support thread if there are any issues.
If you’re interested in giving it a whirl, grab a copy of the Android 4.3 Gapps, head on over to the Team D.I.R.T. source link below, make a nandroid backup of your current ROM, and install away.
As a word of caution, I do not know if this has an S-ON friendly installer, but judging by the previous version of the ROM it’s probably safe to assume it does not play nice with kernel changes, so be ready to do some S-ON kernel flashing if you’re still locked.

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As Samsung's profits rise, HTC's profits disappear

On the day that Samsung posted early estimates for its billions of dollars in profits related to its smartphones, HTC, the company that it unseated as the leading Android manufacturer, reported quarterly loses for the first time in the company's history. Samsung has reported an estimated profit of 10.1 trillion won (US $9.42 billion) in the third quarter, thanks in large part to the company's strong sales of the Galaxy S 4 and several midrange devices sold in Europe and Asia. Samsung reported a record quarter with profit up from the 8.1 trillion during the same period in 2012.
HTC also had a record quarter, though the milestone was for negative reasons. HTC reported a loss of NT $2.97 billion (US $101.2 million) in the third quarter. It was the first time that HTC reported a loss since the company went public in 2000 and continued a run of declining profits despite efforts to increase sales with a focused device strategy. HTC anticipated better sales from the HTC One but the device has failed to catch-on in the shadow of the Samsung Galaxy S 4, despite glowing reviews.

via: Bloomberg

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CBS debuts Android app with full episode streaming, BlackBerry app coming later

The CBS App previously seen only on the Apple iPhone and iPad is now available for Android. CBS has made its app, which streams entire episodes of popular shows like How I Met Your Mother and CSI, open to any Android phone or tablet running Android 4.0.3 or later. The app also offers bookmarked shows, broadcast schedule viewing, photo galleries, and information about the cast of each program.
CBS has included all of its major shows and there does not seem to be any popular programs absent from the TV listings. However, the timeliness of options is disappointing. Despite CBS.com offering full episodes for every show that CBS has broadcast so far, the mobile app streams only the first episode of its fall shows. Episodes are a week behind what's been seen on TV, which defeats the purpose of using a mobile app as a way to catch-up with someone's favorite shows. Daytime and late night shows are even less current because the time-sensitive shows cannot be viewed until 24 hours after they have already aired.
BlackBerry users will gain the ability to watch TV shows later this year when CBS launches its BlackBerry 10 app for the Z10, Q10, and presumably the Z30. CBS says it will launch the app "before the end of the year." The network also plans to bring CBS Sync and Connect Live, a second-screen app for interaction with a live broadcast, later this fall.
Download CBS for Android

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Android 4.4 KitKat Update Release Pegged for October

Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat update release date rumors are flying around as of late and the latest whispers have suggested a Nexus 5 launch and release sometime in late October. A new Android 4.4 KitKat update release rumor backs that up as October 14th seems to have fallen out of favor as a Google launch date.
For weeks now, Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat update rumors have been emerging at an extremely quick pace, something that tends to happen when a launch gets extremely close. Google has announced the Android 4.4 KitKat update for arrival, the company hasn’t talked about a new Nexus smartphone, despite discontinuing the Nexus 4 last month. Rumors have pointed to an Android 4.4 KitKat launch in October, alongside a Nexus 5 and an Asus Nexus 10, and now, more weight has been thrown behind those rumors.
Artem Russakovskii, editor of Android Police, has offered up some possible details about the Android 4.4 KitKat update release saying that October 31st can now be safely penciled in as a potential release date for the new software. He claims that the rumor is from a month ago so it could be that the date has changed, it could be that Google is still on track. That’s why this is a rumor.
Android 4.4 KitKat rumors have suggested that the software could arrive with the Nexus 5 which is thought to be launching sometime this month with a release shortly afterwards. Google typically gets Android 4.4 KitKat out to its older Nexus devices around the new Nexus smartphone release date so we could definitely see a full-scale Android 4.4 KitKat roll out begin some time later this month.
He also claims that the October 14th date that was rumored for an Android 4.4 and Nexus 5 launch might actually be a date for the Nexus 5′s technical acceptance date, not a launch date. While not confirmed, it’s another sign that we could see the Nexus 5 arrive later rather than sooner.
Whatever the case may be, it’s looking more and more like Google is gearing up for a major launch sometime in October wherein a new Nexus smartphone, the Android 4.4 KitKat update and a new Asus Nexus 10 will be announced and delivered to the public at large. Android 4.4 KitKat leaks point to an incremental update rather than a massive overhaul to the Android operating system. Rumors have suggested some UI tweaks and some additions to the Settings menu including a section called Payments but not much else.
Early rumors suggested that the update could be coming not only to older devices but other form factors as well. Oddly enough, rumors of a Nexus smartwatch have begun to heat up though no specifics other than a codename have been leaked.

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Apple Seeds OS X 10.9 Mavericks Gold Master, Final Release Soon

Apple seeded the OS X 10.9 Mavericks Gold Master to developers signaling that the final release of the new Mac operating system will likely ship within a week or two, hitting the rumored “sometime in October” deadline.
Apple also shipped an update to iTunes, along with the Gold Master, bringing it to iTunes 11.1.1 (11). The iTunes update fixes problems with podcasts deleted in iTunes. It also brings improved stability to the program and makes it compatible with the Gold Master.
A new version of iPhoto addresses issues related to unexpected crashes while launching the photo organizing, editing and sharing app in Mavericks.
Finally, there’s a new version of Xcode, which showed up also bringing compatibility with the OS X 10.9 Gold Master. Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed helps developers create apps for the Mac and iOS.
The iTunes and iPhoto updates will show up in the Mac App Store for anyone already running Mavericks beta. Those running Mavericks will need to get the Gold Master from the developer center instead of seeing it in the updates section of the Mac App Store.
This new release doesn’t seem to offer anything new compared to the last beta release which showed up recently. Instead, Apple ships it as the final build before releasing the official OS X 10.9 Mavericks update on the Mac App Store. We’d only see another new version before that time if a huge bug suddenly appeared not already discovered in the betas. Expect the update to cost either $19 or $29, like earlier updates released on the Mac App Store.
osx mavericks installing in applications folder

OS X 10.9 Mavericks Gold Master Update Process
Don’t let the update process fool you into thinking the download failed. When we clicked on the link to get the update from the Developer Center, the link opens the Mac App Store and takes the user to the code redemption screen. The users must redeem the code as if someone gave the person a gift card. Then the download starts in the Applications folder instead of as an update in the Mac App Store. The download behaves like an App behaves when someone installs it from the Mac App Store. The user will see a progress bar under the Applications folder and/or the Launchpad icon on the Dock. It also shows up under the icon in the Applications folder in Finder. The download will take a while at 5.29GB.

Prediction for Final Release

Given the timing of updates, we expect to see OS X ship within the next couple of weeks. During this beta cycle new versions typically showed up about two weeks apart, although Apple altered that on occasion. We predict a relatively quiet release just before Apple holds an event to announce a new iPad and possibly new MacBooks with Haswell processors. Since all evidence points to those taking place this month, look for the event to come around October 15 to the 22 after the two-week time frame and assuming Apple announces on a Tuesday or Wednesday, their normal days for such events. The last time they launched a major OS X update, the software showed up just before such an announcement giving them something to brag about.

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Clock Ticking to Buy AppleCare+ for the iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s owners who bought the new iPhone at Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint without insurance or a warranty can still add AppleCare or most other warranty options for the next two weeks without paying higher prices or passing on AppleCare+ altogether.
Carriers offer their own insurance and most do not include an option to buy AppleCare+ at checkout, but that doesn’t mean consumers are out of luck.
Read: Top 5 iPhone 5S Warranty Options Compared.
Apple allows new iPhone 5s owners to buy AppleCare+ within 30 days of buying the new iPhone, and luckily you don’t need to go into an Apple Store if one is not close by.
AppleCare+ iPHone 5s Warranty

Apple requires a purchase for AppleCare+ be made within 30 days to cut down on fraudulent purchases that come only after an iPhone 5s is broken.
To buy AppleCare+ for the iPhone 5s after the original purchase owners can take the iPhone 5s into an Apple Store to have an employee check it for any damage. If there is no damage the employee will sell you AppleCare+ for $99.
If you are not close to an Apple Store you can call Apple at 1-800-275-2273 or 1-800-MY-IPHONE to talk to a specialist who will ask you to run diagnostics on the iPhone to make sure it is not already damaged and if it checks out they will sell you AppleCare+.
This option is only available for 30 days rom your date of purchase, so if you bought on release day, you should consider this option now. If you ordered online on release day and the iPhone is still waiting to be shipped, you have until 30 days from the date you receive the iPhone 5s to buy AppleCare+.
AppleCare+ is an extended warranty with coverage for two accidents including drops that crack screens and water damage. It also includes extended phone support for any issues you have using the iPhone.

pile of broken iPhone screens

If you have a problem with the iPhone under AppleCare+ you can take it in to an Apple Store for a replacement or mail it in for a replacement if you are not near an Apple Store.
This is not the only option for iPhone 5s owners. SquareTrade also offers special pricing for iPhone 5s units registered within 30 days of purchase and a monthly payment plan through an app for those past the 30 day mark. SquareTrade delivers similar protection and an option for mail in replacement or the ability to get reimbursed for paying for repairs at an Apple Store.
Users who need further protection from a phone that is lost or stolen should look at carrier insurance programs or at a service like Protect Your Bubble.  Carrier plans require users to sign up within 30 days, but Protect Your Bubble is more open to later sign ups.

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Is Microsoft Finally Allowing HTC to Build Dual-Booting Phones With Windows & Android?

Microsoft is speculated to be inking a deal with Taiwan-based phone-maker HTC to allow the latter to build phones that run both Windows Phone and Android.
“Microsoft Corp. is talking to HTC about adding its Windows operating system to HTC’s Android-based smartphones at little or no cost, people with knowledge of the matter said, evidence of the company’s struggle to gain ground in the mobile-software market,” Bloomberg stated in a report late Thursday evening.

4.-HTC-8x-Image-Courtesy-tech-Central

The move would be seen as beneficial to Microsoft and HTC, both of which are undergoing their own respective struggles and reorganizations. Microsoft is trying to build market share and support for its relatively new Windows Phone platform, and the company has been seen on the offensive lately. Microsoft had announced last month that it would be acquiring Windows Phone partner Nokia, a deal that was reported later to be a preemptive move in the event that Nokia may defect and use Google’s Android OS on its phone in addition to or in lieu of Windows; Nokia alone owns roughly 80 percent of the Windows Phone market share so this is a strategic purchase for Microsoft.
HTC on the other hand is struggling to keep up in the smartphone market with stiff competition from Apple and Samsung, and the deal could allow HTC to differentiate its products from its rivals.
Still, the deal is surprising given Microsoft’s tradition of being secretive about Windows Phone’s intellectual property. The company had gone after phone-makers–including partners like Samsung and HTC–to force licensing fees from these companies in an assertion that Android’s base code violates patents that Microsoft owns for Windows Phone.
Additionally, one of the reasons why HTC–or any phone-maker for that matter–has not built a phone that dual-boots Android and Windows Phone is because “at HTC, devs who work on Android are not allowed to see the proprietary IP in Windows Phone,” according HTC USA PR manager Jeff Gordon on Twitter in response to questions from reporters.
Even at this time, a dual-booting phone is uncertain with the deal. The Bloomberg reports says that talks are in the initial phase with Microsoft either discounting the Windows Phone licensing fees or making it free for HTC to use Windows Phone in addition to Android. This would perhaps encourage HTC to at the very least continue Windows Phone development after some uncertainty was created after the Microsoft acquisition of Nokia, which would mean that not only Microsoft be building and licensing the mobile OS, but it would be competing with hardware vendors like HTC. At this time, it’s unclear if HTC would use the same flagship hardware design and give options for Android or Windows Phone models, or if the company would pre-load both operating systems and allow customers to switch between both.

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LG G Flex: Real Phones Have Curves?

LG’s rumored flexible display smartphone could launch as early as next month with a curved screen in the form of the LG G Flex. Though the display will have a curve in the center similar to what Samsung had debuted on the Galaxy Nexus and the Nexus S, the G Flex will utilize LG’s flexible OLED screen technology. Even though the curved screen will be constructed of flexible materials, it will be fixed on the phone and users cannot bend the phone.
According to a report on CNET, the slight curvature on the phone would allow the large 6-inch OLED panel on the G Flex to wrap to your face more comfortably when you’re holding it up to your face for voice calls.
Aside from the curvature of the screen, details about the phone are scarce at this time and it’s unclear whether LG will use the new rear button placement that was debuted on the current LG G2 flagship, a 5.2-inch device.
Rival Samsung is also rumored to be introducing a variant of its Galaxy Note 3 phablet with a more premium price tag and a flexible display.
Though flexible displays may eventually lead to new form factors–such as phones that can bend, roll, or fold up to take up less space when traveling–at this early stage users won’t get the full benefits to flexible displays. Still, there is plenty to look forward to with a fixed flexible display phone, such as the rumored premium Note 3 and the G Flex, including a screen that’s more resilient to damage if drops so you don’t have a cracked or fractured glass display, and phones that could be lighter and thinner.
Both LG and Samsung have been showing off flexible display prototypes for the last few years at the Consumer Electronics Show and various other industry trade shows, but there have been difficulty in mass producing these screens. It’s unclear if both or either companies are ready now in late 2013. If so, flexible displays could represent the next big thing in phones and tablets moving forward at the premium end of the segment.

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Own a piece of G&E history, and maybe even win an Amazon gift card!

How would you like to own a genuine piece of Good and EVO history? Our own Paul E. King recently listed his HTC EVO 3D – the same one that was also owned by Jenn K. Lee, the founder of both Pocketables and Good and EVO – in the new Pocketables Classifieds.

According to Paul:

The sides of the unit have some drop damage. This phone was ridden hard and put up wet (it never got wet,) when the SD card that was in it finally failed. Oddly, this probably has the original 8GB SD card for Paul’s HTC EVO 4G in it, so there’s potentially a little more bit of G&E history in there.
The unit will come with a couple of batteries, a SEIDIO wall charger, a couple of cases, a screen guard if I can find it, a dock or three. Basically if I reviewed it and can find it and can fit it in the box it’ll go to you. I’m pretty sure I know where the EVO 3D car mount kit exists.

For more information, check out the listing in our new Classifieds (you can look at it using the traditional forum view or the new Classifieds view powered by Panjo).
There’s also still time to earn an Amazon gift card! The first 30 sellers to create a listing in the new system get a $5 Amazon.com gift card. (Start selling by clicking the “Sell an Item” button on this page.) Additionally, three of the first 30 buyers who purchase in the new system will be randomly selected to receive an Amazon.com gift card worth $10.
And on a side note, of course Paul isn’t selling this for $52,110 – but you get extra credit if you know why this number is so important.

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HTC EVO 4G LTE will receive Android 4.3 and Sense 5 after all

You know what they say about rumors: we need to take them with a grain of salt. And as it turns out, the latest HTC EVO 4G LTE rumor has proven false, even though it came from a source that has proven reputable in the past. According to HTC USA president Jason Mackenzie, the EVO 4G LTE will indeed receive Android 4.3, along with Sense 5, before the end of the year.
There is also good news for HTC One owners on AT&T, as well. Yesterday Mackenzie also tweeted that the Android 4.3 update passed carrier certification, so it should start rolling out next week:
The T-Mobile HTC One is still slated to get the update by mid-October, while Verizon customers will have to wait until the end of the month.
I’m really liking the direction I see HTC going here: the struggling Taiwanese manufacturer is not only being more open and transparent about its future update plans, but it’s also actually updating devices that are more than a year old. If you own an EVO 4G LTE, this is absolutely fantastic news – and I hope HTC keeps it up.

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T-Mobile to reveal UNcarrier phase 3 on October 9

As many of you know, I recently ditched my HTC EVO 4G LTE and Sprint for the LG Nexus 4 on T-Mobile. Since then, I’ve obviously become a lot more interested in the nation’s fourth largest carrier and have personally been following what the company has been up to quite closely.
For those not in the loop, T-Mobile has been attempting to turn the wireless world upside down: its UNcarrier phase 1 saw the end of subsidized phone pricing and contracts, and phase 2 saw LTE roll out to 156 million people and the introduction of the “JUMP!” program that allows users to upgrade their phones with little or no money down up to twice every year. I’ve already made my own predictions/wish list about what I hope is in phase 3, but soon no one will have to guess any longer – the carrier will announce the final UNcarrier phase next Wednesday, October 9:
I’ve long thought T-Mobile US should reduce its roaming rates around the world, especially since it is affiliated with other T-Mobile networks in other countries. It might be nice to see reduced international long distance, or even international landline dialing included, like Vonage. In any case, T-Mobile’s tweet certainly makes it seem like it will have something to do with international calling or roaming – after all, T-Mobile doesn’t want us to “miss it for the world.”

What do you think we’ll see in phase 3?

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3.17.651.4 stock, rooted HTC EVO 4G LTE ROM released

If you’ve been waiting for a 3.17.651.4 stock rooted HTC EVO 4G LTE ROM, Captain_Throwback has you covered.
The ROM comes in odexed and deodexed versions, and does not contain the firmware updates, which you can read about here if you’re S-OFF. (You’ll need updated firmware for things such as HD voice to work.)
If you’re rooted and running stock, the developer also has included the ability to update the OTA signatures so that you can flash the update from recovery. Doing that should allow you the same upgrade as someone getting it over the air would receive; however, always make a nandroid backup when doing these things.
Although it ships with the SuperSU binary, you’ll need to go to Google Play and download SuperSU application to get the user interface installed. Without the user interface, every request to run as a root application will eventually fail, much like every run in Robot Unicorn Attack 2.
There hasn’t been a lot of commotion about bugs in the new versions, and even reports that the MMS compression issue may have been fixed. Personally, with just the firmware, I’m seeing slightly better data rates and I think my audio is sounding better when I call my work phone; however, with all that Sprint is doing in my area, it’s entirely possible that coincides with a tower upgrade.
If you decide to flash this, make sure to make that nandroid backup, also be aware that without the firmware updates there’s a chance you’re going to run into some incompatibility so make sure to get those installed beforehand. I haven’t heard any reports that the firmware updates are doing anything but good things to the phone
Head over to the support thread, download it, and give Captain_Throwback a thanks if you’re an xda member
.[xda-developers]

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Hulu Plus can now be Chromecast

For those who have the Chromecast dongle, there’s some good news: Hulu Plus has been updated and can now be cast directly from the Hulu Plus Android application.
While I don’t have Hulu Plus, going by its blog, the application side enables standard remote control functions such as 10-second rewind, closed captioning, and presumably the ability to get lost in the couch. There is also lock screen integration, if you just want quick access to the Hulu Plus play controls.
This is good news for those who have a Chromecast and have been disappointed by the removal of features, such as the ability to cast all the things, as it’s solid evidence that development is actually moving forward on the device after being stuck with very limited choices for the past couple of months in what you could cast.
Hulu Plus has a free trial; however, it’s $7.99 a month after that trial ends and currently includes some advertising.
You can download the app for free from Google Play. Let us know how it works for you since, although I have a Chromecast, I do not have Hulu Plus, nor am I within 10 miles of my Chromecast at the moment.

Download: Google Play

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For those who have the Chromecast dongle, there’s some good news: Hulu Plus has been updated and can now be cast directly from the Hulu Plus Android application.
While I don’t have Hulu Plus, going by its blog, the application side enables standard remote control functions such as 10-second rewind, closed captioning, and presumably the ability to get lost in the couch. There is also lock screen integration, if you just want quick access to the Hulu Plus play controls.
This is good news for those who have a Chromecast and have been disappointed by the removal of features, such as the ability to cast all the things, as it’s solid evidence that development is actually moving forward on the device after being stuck with very limited choices for the past couple of months in what you could cast.
Hulu Plus has a free trial; however, it’s $7.99 a month after that trial ends and currently includes some advertising.
You can download the app for free from Google Play. Let us know how it works for you since, although I have a Chromecast, I do not have Hulu Plus, nor am I within 10 miles of my Chromecast at the moment.

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Google adds one-click Image Search to Chrome desktop and app

When I came to work today, Chrome was closed and not running, which is a fairly odd occurrence on my work machine. I launched it again and was greeted with a new image search feature that has proven pretty neat and captured much of my morning.
Chrome also reportedly squashed 50 bugs in the latest desktop browser update and paid out a lot of bounty money to people who found the bugs.
My initial thought was that the image search might be a useful tool for hunting down the origination of a meme, but I was being lazy and decided to just Google Image Search something I created that also happened to be on the front page of Pocketables at the moment – the image of the Android overflowing with root applications.
Two clicks on lead me to this application using my image as their app’s logo (don’t install it, the permissions are absurd), and this website using it for one of its articles.
This is not a huge deal (unless I was the lawyering kind, or if Pocketables wanted to make a scene), but this puts into the hands of the casual content creator tools to easily locate where their image is being used, and add a new level of non-anonymity to random sites lifting other people’s work without credit – not that you couldn’t do this before by going to the Google Image Search web page, pressing the photo button, and pasting a link to the picture or uploading and checking each photo. Still, having the ability to go to your site and tap each individual image on it and see if anyone else is using it is a pretty sweet blogger or photographer tool.
Image Search has been enabled the beta channels for Android and the desktop. On Android, by long-pressing any image, you will see a context menu pop up with the option to search Google for this image. On desktops, it’s right click and image search.
Now if Google would just add a feature in images to search for the oldest occurrences of a photo in the images database, so we could locate the origination point, Image Search would be significantly more useful.

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HTC EVO Design 4G is now available for $100 with free phone service

If you thought the HTC EVO Design 4G was dead, think again. The device has been resurrected on Sprint MVNO FreedomPop, for only $99.99 with no contract and – get this – no monthly charge for service.

You may have heard of FreedomPop in the past. It’s the MVNO that piggybacks off the Sprint 3G EVDO and 4G WiMAX networks and offers small allotments of free mobile data to compatible devices. It’s a novel concept, but for the first time, FreedomPop’s business model is being applied to smartphones, too.

Here’s how it works: If you buy and activate the EVO Design 4G on FreedomPop, you will get 200 voice minutes, 500 texts, and 500MB of 3G/4G data each month for free. That’s certainly not a lot for power users, but it’s perfect for people who spend the majority of their time on WiFi, use apps like Google Voice for texting, and use VOIP for calling.

If you decide you want more, though, FreedomPop has you covered. For $7.99/month, you can get 500 minutes, unlimited texts, and 500MB data. And for $10.99/month, you can unlimited minutes and texts and 500MB. If you ever need more data, don’t worry – additional data can be purchased on a pay-as-you-go basis for an additional 2 1/2 cents per MB. That works out to over $25/GB, but the service is so cheap anyway that this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Do keep in mind, though, that you are restricted to Sprint’s 3G network or WiMAX – no LTE for you.

Interestingly, the EVO Design 4G is advertised as 12GB, which might make sense if this particular version actually comes with 16GB, but the system files take up 4GB. (Does anyone else think it’s funny that, in the picture, there are no Sprint signal bars?)

In any case, this is an intriguing offer, even if the phone is incredibly outdated. Will any of you pick this up for yourself?

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HTC EVO 4G LTE on Sprint also receives update to 3.17.651.4

Today is a happy day for many HTC users on Sprint: In addition to the HTC One receiving an update to Android 4.3, the HTC EVO 4G LTE is also receiving a minor update to 3.17.651.4. Unfortunately, it’s not Android 4.3 (we already know that’s not happening), but it does bring a few much-needed improvements, including more stability for the HTC Sense user interface and HD voice on by default.

To check and see if the update is available for you, just check in your system settings for HTC software updates. Of course, if you’re rooted, you should accept this update at your own risk – you never know what HTC or Sprint might sneak in there. Additionally, like most updates from Sprint, this is a staged roll out, which means it won’t be available to everyone all at once. If you can’t download it for your phone yet, simply check back again.

If you get this on your EVO, as always, let us know how it’s working out for you!

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Android tip: Turn off WiFi optimization if you’re having trouble using certain apps over WiFi

This might seem like contradictory advice, but if you’re having trouble using certain apps over WiFi on your Android device, it might make sense to turn off WiFi optimization in your phone’s settings.

In particular, I’ve noticed issues with sending texts through MightyText and with using Android Device Manager - both of these apps require a constant data connection, so that remote servers can connect to the device in order to complete certain tasks like sending text messages or determining the device’s location.

The problem with WiFi optimization is that it doesn’t actually optimize your WiFi connection; instead, it optimizes battery usage. This means that, when enabled, your device won’t actually maintain an active data connection all of the time. Rather, it will periodically check into Google’s servers to see if anything new has happened. This makes it difficult to use apps like MightText or Android Device Manager while connected to WiFi.
To solve this problem, simply navigate to Settings > Wi-Fi > Advanced, and uncheck Wi-Fi optimization. To be honest, I have noticed a very slight hit to my battery life on my LG Nexus 4, but the benefits far outweigh the several battery percentage points that I lose. Try it out yourself, and see what you think!

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iOS 7 Problems Plaguing iPhone & iPad Users

While only one major iOS 7 bug has been discovered thus far, a bug that prompted Apple to quickly push out an iOS 7.0.2 update, there are a host of minor issues that iPhone and iPad owners using iOS 7 are complaining about including issues with battery life, Wi-Fi connectivity, their Bluetooth connection and more.

iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners had to wait several months to get it, but iOS 7 finally arrived last week to replace the previous version of iOS, iOS 6. The update, which Apple promised was the biggest update to iOS since the arrival of the original iPhone, was released on September 18th and iPhone and iPad owners quickly moved to update their phone with the operating system’s new look and its new features including AirDrop.

Of course, things didn’t go as smoothly as many had hoped as the iOS 7 release date was marred by a number of download errors which prevented many users from completing the iOS 7 download. Once the download was complete though, users stumbled into a brand new iOS experience, one that is unfortunately causing problems for many iPhone and iPad users.

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HTC One Android 4.3 Update Behind Schedule in U.S.

The HTC One Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update, which was promised for September, by HTC executive Jason Mackenzie, looks like it is behind schedule as the HTC President has confirmed that the updates will slightly miss their September 30th deadline, offering no specifics on when owners on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon might see their upgrade.

On August 19th, Mackenzie assured HTC One owners in the United States that their big Android update was on the way. No, it wouldn’t be the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update that the international HTC One received in the summer but it would be Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, a new version of Android and one that, at the time, was not available on any other HTC One variant.

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iPad 5 Size All But Confirmed by Case Makers

Rumors thus far have all pointed to the iPad 5 design borrowing from the iPad mini design. And while that’s not confirmed, evidence continues to mount with the latest being alleged leaked iPad schematics that have been provided to case makers ahead of the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 launch later this year.

The iPad 5 is one of the worst kept secrets in the mobile world at the moment. While Apple still refuses to acknowledge its existences,various leaks and rumors have all but confirmed it to be the successor to the iPad 4 and a device that will more than likely be coming with a brand new design, similar to the iPad mini.

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Samsung Galaxy S5 Concept Video Brings Metal Future to Life

The Samsung Galaxy S5 launch is likely months away but that hasn’t stopped designers from coming up with their own ideas about how the upcoming Galaxy S4 successor should look. The latest Galaxy S5 concept is one that offers a truly stunning metal design and a flexible display, two features that may wind up being apart of Samsung’s upcoming flagship.

It’s only September and already, the Galaxy S5 rumor mill is churning. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a number of different Galaxy S5 rumors emerge, ranging from whispers about a 16MP camera with Optical Image Stabilization to rumors of a metal design. And now, with Samsung set to introduce a Galaxy Note 3 with an unbreakable, curved flexible display, consumers are wondering if the Galaxy S5 will not only bring a brand new design but also offer Samsung’s Youm flexible technology.

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Nexus 5 Release Date Rumor Needs to Die

While the Nexus 5 release date is rumored for late October, reports suggesting an October 31st release date are off base and misleading as the source of those rumors confirmed to Gotta Be Mobile that the date is merely a placeholder and is based on rumors rather than fact.

Several weeks ago, reports about a possible Nexus 5 release date surfaced thanks to Amazon listings showcasing Spigen Nexus 5 cases and Spigen Nexus 5 screen protectors. Curiously, the listings showed estimated shipping dates of October 30th and October 31st, leading many to believe that Spigen might be working with some inside information and that either October 30th and October 31st might be the Nexus 5 release date.

Those rumors were squashed by Gotta Be Mobile and by a handful of other sites that dug a little further than an accessory listing on Amazon. Spigen confirmed that these dates were approximations based on the Nexus 5 rumor mill. Nexus 5 rumors for weeks have suggested a launch in October, possibly October 14th.

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Former cable TV bigwig hired by Apple to work on 'something big'

Apple two months ago hired a former cable TV executive, it has been revealed on his LinkedIn page.
Jean-Francois Mule has reported on his LinkedIn page that he's now employed by Apple as an engineering director. As with other Apple employees, Mule is coy about his duties at the company, but has sparked some interest from the media, saying on his page that he's "challenged, inspired and part of something big."
Not surprisingly, the Web is abuzz by what that "something big" might be. Did Apple bring Mule on to help it deliver the long-rumored television it's supposedly working on? Is Apple reimagining how cable TV is delivered to the home with Mule's help? Speculation is running rampant.
Still, it's important to note that the comment might mean nothing. Apple is a "big" company, after all, and just because someone says that they're part of something large, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're working on anything that could be groundbreaking.
That Apple has hired Mule, however, is notable. Before joining the company, he was senior vice president at not-for-profit organization CableLabs. In that role, he worked on new television technologies, including apps, that could then be integrated into products sold by vendors.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment on Mule's hiring. We will update this story when we have more information.

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HTC must alter its smartphones to avert US ban, says report

HTC must modify a key technology in its Android smartphones or else face a potential sales ban in the US, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Citing information from "people familiar with the matter," the Journal said on Wednesday that HTC has teamed up with chipmaker Qualcomm to try to revise certain chip technology in its HTC One and other new smartphones. The company is being forced to take such action after the US International Trade Commission ruled last week that HTC violated two patents owned by Nokia.
One of the patents in question refers to the ability to remove errors in radio signals, while the second deals with different radio frequencies. The ITC is expected to make a full decision by January 23, giving HTC just under four months to make the necessary changes to its smartphones to avoid a US sales ban.
The patent case listed only older HTC smartphones. However, the HTC One and other newer devices use the same technology cited in Nokia's claim. Therefore, they would face the same ban if the ITC's current ruling is upheld in January, the Journal's sources said.
Fighting to compete against Apple and Samsung, HTC has seen its sales decline and could be hit by its first-ever loss for the September quarter. The company currently relies on the US for around 20 percent of its shipments, Barclays analyst Dale Gai told the Journal, so a sales ban would inflict further damage at a time when HTC is already struggling.

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Microsoft Surface chief says tablets with ‘multiple aspect ratios and sizes’ on the way

Microsoft gave its biggest hint yet that it’s planning to release Surface tablets in other sizes, when Panos Panay, a senior figure in the Surface team, said the company is working on “multiple aspect ratios and sizes”.

Panay was speaking at a special Surface-related event at Microsoft’s Seattle store this week. Despite plenty of rumors floating around, the computer giant has remained tight-lipped about the possibility of a larger or smaller alternative to its current Surface.

However, when asked at the event whether the company was working on a smaller Surface, Panay couldn’t resist offering up a little something to keep the rumor stew bubbling away.

“We have a lot of great things that we are thinking about and working on, and there are multiple aspect ratios and sizes and awesome things to come from Surface,” he said. “That’s the best answer I have for you.” Whether the company follows Samsung’s lead and launches a vast range of tablets and phablets in different sizes, or simply offers a couple of variants, only time will tell.

The current 10.6-inch Surface tablets, refreshed versions of which were unveiled last month, have a 16:9 aspect ratio, making the ‘long’ screen a little awkward to use in portrait mode for some users. A smaller Surface could launch with, say, a 7-inch screen and a 4:3 aspect ratio. Going by Panay’s words, Microsoft could feasibly roll out larger Surface tablets with a 4:3 ratio, too.

Apple held off launching a smaller iPad for several years, with late CEO Steve Jobs once famously saying that a tablet any smaller than its 9.7-inch device would need to be sold with sandpaper so users could file their fingertips down to size to allow them to touch the on-screen buttons. After Tim Cook took over from Jobs, the small-tablet market took off, with offerings from the likes of Amazon and Google proving a big hit with consumers. Wanting a piece of the pie, Apple launched the 7.9-inch iPad Mini last year. Without sandpaper.

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Apple sold 9 million iPhones over the weekend, updated 200 million devices to iOS 7

In the least surprising news of the week, Apple has announced that it sold more than 9 million iPhones over the weekend, continuing a streak of breaking records for iPhones sold in an opening weekend of availability. Apple's iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S launches combined to sell the record number of devices in a three day period. The international rollout in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, and Singapore topped the 5 million sales of the iPhone 5 released last year.

The introduction of a second new iPhone model predictably raised the number of sales Apple managed to report. The repackaging of the iPhone 5 into a new body with new colors and a lower on-contract price made the iPhone 5C a strong seller. Apple states that the numbers will rise soon as customers who ordered an iPhone 5S or iPhone 5C online will receive their purchases in a few weeks.

More than 200 million iOS devices are now running iOS 7, which prompted Apple to call this the "fastest software upgrade in history." It took Apple nearly a month last year to announce that iOS 6 had reached its 200 millionth update. The same number of devices have been upgraded since iOS 7 launched last Thursday.

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Sprint Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear launching October 4 for $349

Sprint today confirmed it will begin selling the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear companion smart watch beginning Friday, October 4. The Galaxy Note 3 smartphone will sell for $349.99 when purchased with a two-year agreement. The contract price is surprising $50 more expensive than the prices offered by rivals AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, all of whom plan to charge only $299. The Galaxy Gear can be purchased separately for $299 at any carrier. Is the Galaxy Gear worth that much?
The Galaxy Note 3 will be available in white or black color options. The device has a faux leather material that supports a variety of color options when used with an S-View Flip Case. The accessories are not mentioned by Sprint and will be sold separately at a later date. The Galaxy Gear smart watch will be available in Jet Black, Oatmeal Beige and Wild Orange.
Sprint customers in select areas will be able to purchase a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 using the new Sprint One Up program. As we covered last week, One Up is a program that follows the path of T-Mobile's Jump and lets customers spread the payments of a device over the course of 24 months. Buying a Galaxy Gear through the program will lower the cost of a monthly plan and put users on a path to faster upgrades. One Up has yet to launch nationwide, so contact local Sprint stores to check availability prior to purchase.

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BlackBerry agrees to preliminary deal to sell for $4.7 billion

BlackBerry, once the biggest name in mobile and worth more than $200 billion at its peak period in 2007, may soon be sold for less than $5 billion, according to a statement issued by the former smartphone giant. BlackBerry has signed a Letter of Intent to sell the company to a group of investors led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. Fairfax currently owns about 10 percent of BlackBerry's shares.

Trading of BlackBerry's stock was halted last week when the company announced that it had more than $1 billion in unsold inventory, planned to layoff half of its workforce, and would soon exit the consumer smartphone business. Withs stock trading at $8.23 per share when the sale was announced, and rising quickly at the time this article was published, BlackBerry will sell all common shares to Fairfax for $9 per share, valuing the company at $4.7 billion. The current valuation represents a 50 percent decline from the $18 per share BlackBerry once trade after the announcement of BlackBerry 10.

Fairfax's acquisition of BlackBerry is contingent on a due diligence period in which Fairfax will audit the BlackBerry business and finalize a deal. BlackBerry says that it expects to negotiate a deal by November 4, 2013. BlackBerry is allowed to solicit deals from other groups during that period and would pay a penalty of 50 cents per share if it breaks away from the sale.

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Moto X camera stops being terrible after software update (T-Mobile only)

Motorola and T-Mobile have updated the Moto X to address the biggest problem with an otherwise phenomenal product - it's camera. The change is reportedly the "biggest ever seen" through an over the air update, according to Brian Klug of Anandtech.

An update to the Moto X dramatically improves the photographic capabilities of the phone. Prior to the update, the Moto X had a tendency to take lifeless photos with a strange white glare, plenty of noise, and all-around disappointment. The shortcomings were disappointing considering that the Moto X has so much that it does well, but the poor camera overshadowed those strengths in many Moto X reviews, including my own.

Motorola apparently took the criticism in stride and delivered an OTA update that addresses these concerns. The update improves auto-white balance and color accuracy, improves exposure outdoors and in backlit settings (light point from behind a person, perhaps from a window), and reduces the amount of noise in low light scenes. The smoky settings and noisy photos are reportedly gone as a result. In before and after photos posted to Anandtech and Droid-Life, the photos are clearly superior to previous results post update. The only question I have is when Motorola will deliver this critical enhancement to AT&T and other carriers as well.

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Samsung says smartphone cameras will get a big improvement with ISOCELL upgrade

Samsung today revealed a new camera component designed to improve the effectiveness of managing light when taking a photo with a smartphone. The new ISOCELL pixel technology should lead to better photos taken with the next generation of smartphones, and not just on Samsung devices. It might seem a bit early to talk about the next breed of Samsung phones when the Galaxy S 4 is only six months old and the Galaxy Note 3 launches next month; however, Samsung is actually a component supplier to many companies, so we should see this new ISOCELL technology appearing in devices before the next round of high-end Galaxy phones.

ISOCELL increases light sensitivity to improve conditions in low light scenes, and it also benefits from more accurately recognizing how to treat light. You may have taken photos in the past that are bright but not very good because the camera absorbed a great deal of light and the subject looking washed out or overexposed. ISOCELL works to combat that by better managing light absorption and color accuracy.

A drawback to current camera sensors is that decreasing pixel size can lead to crosstalk, a situation where one pixel correctly absorbs light but the pixels around it mistakenly react to it and throw off the resulting image. Crosstalk can lead to an orange flower mistakenly having bright white areas, as seen in the photo at the top of this post. Samsung explains that ISOCELL puts up "a barrier between neighboring pixels" in order to reduce crosstalk by 30 percent. By limiting the amount of mistakes at pixel level, Samsung has increased the probability that a photo will absorb more light but still accurately reproduce the real-world color.

Samsung claims that its switch from Back Side Illumination (BSI) to ISOCELL will allow it to balance out the demands of a high resolution, larger pixel size in its sensor, and being small enough to fit inside a mobile device without adversely affecting design. Samsung is currently developing the S5K4H5YB 8-megapixel camera to be the first to feature ISOCELL. Manufacturers are already testing the new technology and Samsung expects to begin producing the new camera by the end of the year.

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Apple iPhone 5S Touch ID demo: how to setup the iPhone 5S fingerprint scanner

When I activated my iPhone 5S over the weekend and began deciding whether I want to use Touch ID, the security measure that recognizes a user's fingerprint to unlock the display, I had to decide if it was worth the trouble. I typically don't use a lock code on my iPhone but decided it made sense to keep my phone protected like I do on my Android devices. The prospect of swapping a 4-digit numeric code for one of my digits being scanned seemed interesting and quick enough to motivate me to turn in back on. I then asked, "How do you use the Apple iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor?"

Setting up Touch ID is fairly simple with these steps:

- 1. Open the "Settings" application
- 2. Go to "General" and select "Passcode & Fingerprint"
- 3. Go to "Fingerprints" and tap "Add a fingerprint"
- 4. Follow the on-screen prompts

Within a few moments, Touch ID will be enabled and ready to support unlocking a device with a fingerprint. After a few days of use, I can say that Touch ID is a very convenient way of using a smartphone. I ran into a few confused moments when "Try again" appeared on the lock screen because the phone didn't recognize my finger, but only because I held the phone in the wrong hand. Touch ID lets users program multiple fingers to unlock the device, so register each finger to ensure that the phone responds regardless of which finger is scanned.

In recent times, we've seen that Touch ID is not as secure as some may have envisioned, but the odds of someone having the know-how, opportunity, and desire to break into your device through fingerprint replication are very small. The trade-off from added convenience and increased risk seems well worth it unless your phone houses state secrets.

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AT&T will sell Pebble smart watch later this week

Purchasing a Pebble smart watch has not been easy in light of the device's record Kickstarter success and limited supply. Production has ramped up in a deal that saw Pebble appear in Best Buy, and AT&T has announced that it will sell the watch in stores as well. Pebble will be a "carrier exclusive," meaning AT&T will be the only carrier in the U.S. to sell the Pebble in its retail stores and at ATT.com. Customers will be able to purchase a Pebble from AT&T for $150 begnning September 27.

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Gmail Android app hangs conversation view and better multi-select

Like it or not, Google is working to unify the appearance of its many mobile apps, and the new version of Gmail for Android is the latest to see a slight tweak to its appearance in order to fall in line with the other Google apps for Android. The "Cards" interface first seen in Google Now that later trickled down to Google+ and YouTube has found its way to the conversation view in Gmail. Email readers can now see a more clearly-defined separation of messages thanks to some visual changes that create spaces between emails. Users will still be able to see quoted text and follow along the conversation in a more succinct way.

Gmail also improved the way that users select multiple messages. Since Google removed the checkboxes next to emails months ago, users have selected multiple messages by holding down on the left hand side of the screen, where the avatar is displayed, and then tapping other messages marked for archiving, labeling, or deleting. A checkmark now appears over selected messages in order to make it more clear which emails have been marked. There will also be a pesky reminder that

Google is rolling out the Gmail update to Android users starting today. Android 4.0 or later is required to use the redesigned features.

Download Gmail for Google Play

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Motorola expanding into BlackBerry's territory to hire more engineers

Waterloo, Canada, home to BlackBerry's headquarters and a wealth of talent ready to be hired by tech companies, will soon see another major company move into the area. The timing seems fortunate considering BlackBerry's plan to gut its workforce.

Google-owned Motorola plans to increase its presence in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and hire engineers to work for the company. Motorola already has a small team of engineers working in the area, but the company is going on a "hiring spree," according to to The Financial Post. Motorola actually intended to bulk up its team in Waterloo prior to BlackBerry's troubles; however, the announcement that 4,500 BlackBerry workers will soon be out of a job made the expansion well-timed for the company's engineer search. Derek Phillips, an engineering director for Motorola Canada, told The Post:

"We've got big plans and we're very optimistic. We're always looking for places where there's lots of opportunity for growth and it's not always easy to find places that have significant tech talent in a variety of areas, but especially mobile."

Waterloo has established itself a hub of engineering talent thanks to the foundation of BlackBerry, expansion of other tech companies, and a nearby university. Despite that strength, it's still surprising to see Motorola expanding its business. Last year, it was Motorola who shed much of its workforce as it sought to become more financially sound and work to promote new products. In a seven month period from August 2012 to March 2013, Motorola cut more than 5,200 jobs throughout the world. The company appears ready to strengthen its ranks once again.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is region locked, won't work outside of your home continent

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will not allow buyers to use their phones with a SIM card from a carrier outside of their region. In other words, a phone purchased in the U.S. will not be able to use a SIM from a carrier in the U.K., and the same is true when our friends from the other side of the pond venture to the States.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Note 3 in Europe yesterday, and third-party retailer Clove UK revealed that phones it sold in Europe would work only within Europe. Users in North America then reported that a warning with a similar message on the American model reveals that the phone will work only in the Caribbean, North, South, and Central America. As a result, Clove will not ship the Galaxy Note 3 outside of Europe, and many potential Note 3 buyers will be forced to pay exorbitant roaming fees to their carrier rather than use their phone when traveling.
Region-locking a phone is a terrible practice and is particularly annoying when someone attempts to travel. Carriers charge very high data and call rates for international roaming, so anyone who travels for business or pleasure will have to either pay that excessive fee or use a different phone. Samsung's decision to region-lock the device also eliminates the chance for people to buy the phone from a foreign market, where favorable exchange rates or different release schedules might make access to the device cheaper and faster. Samsung clearly isn't interested in business from either type of customer.

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iOS 7.0.2 update closes lockscreen security loop hole

Apple has released an over-the-air update for iOS 7.0.2 meant to fix a security bug that allows anyone to press a few buttons and find a way to get beyond the lock screen and gain access to a user's photos. It was recently discovered that launching the timer app, holding down on the power button, and then cancelling the shutdown process would grant users access to the multi tasking menu and the camera roll, giving someone license to edit or delete photos. This update closes that loophole.

The lockscreen workaround is not the first method for bypassing lock screen security on iOS, and it probably will not be the last. Disabling Control Center access from the lock screen was previously the only way to ensure that the phone remain protected but Apple has made good on its promise to issue a fix for the problem in the near future. Apple iPhone users can better secure their devices by installing iOS 7.0.2 now by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

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BlackBerry predictably announces terrible quarterly results

As expected based on the disappointing news released last week, BlackBerry today announced that it generated $1.6 billion in revenue but had an operating loss of $248 million. However, the losses increase to $965 million because of its plan to charge $934 million worth of unsold inventory. BlackBerry's revenues fell 49 percent compared to money generated in the previous quarter, and 45 percent compared to the same period in the previous year.
BlackBerry's woes are related to the poor performance of its BlackBerry 10 devices. Despite banking on a new generation of software and hardware to survive in an Android and iPhone dominated market, the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 failed to gain enough traction with consumers to strengthen the company. Only 3.7 million smartphones were sold in the recent quarter, and most of those sales were for devices running the older BB 7 OS.
The revenue breakdown includes 49 percent hardware, 46 percent services, and 5 percent software. The hardware struggles have left BlackBerry with hundreds of millions of dollars with unsold devices and encouraged the company to abandon the consumer market. BlackBerry has also entered into a preliminary agreement to sell to Fairfax Financial for $4.7 billion.
BlackBerry canceled its earnings call scheduled for today but CEO Thorsten Heins issued the following statement in its earnings release:
"We are very disappointed with our operational and financial results this quarter and have announced a series of major changes to address the competitive hardware environment and our cost structure. While our company goes through the necessary changes to create the best business model for our hardware business, we continue to see confidence from our customers through the increasing penetration of BES 10, where we now have more than 25,000 commercial and test servers installed to date, up from 19,000 in July 2013.
"We understand how some of the activities we are going through create uncertainty, but we remain a financially strong company with $2.6 billion in cash and no debt. We are focused on our targeted markets, and are committed to completing our transition quickly in order to establish a more focused and efficient company."

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HTC and Beats Audio finalize their divorce

Beats Electronics has repurchased the remaining 25 percent stake sold to HTC when the two companies formed an exclusive partnership for mobile devices with Beats-brand audio settings in 2011. Beats was rumored to want to end the partnership after two years because of a desire to expand into more product areas and take on new investment that HTC, facing its own financial troubles, couldn't support. HTC originally paid $300 million to own 50 percent of Beats Electronics. HTC originally sold 25 percent of its stake for $150 million and most recently sold the remaining shares for $265.

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Virgin Mobile USA to sell iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C next week

Virgin Mobile has announced that it will join the list of U.S. mobile virtual network operators that carry the latest smartphones from Apple. The carrier will begin selling the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C next week. Pricing details have not yet been released, but Virgin sells it will sell the phone without a contract, so customers will have the option to pay full price for the device and be able to use either phone without having to worry about termination fees. (Of course, there will still be a tether of sorts because the phone is tied to Virgin Mobile.)

The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C will be available starting Tuesday, October 1. Customers who sign-up for a Virgin Mobile No-Contract plan can get service for plans ranging from $35 to $55 per month. Virgin operates on Sprint's network and offers 2.5GB of 4G WiMAX or 4G LTE data per month (depending on phone and location). More information is available at virginmobileusa.com/iphone/

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Dolphin Browser moves away from Google and adds new search engines, personalization features

Dolphin Browser, one of the most popular alternative browsers available on Android has forged a series of partnerships that will see it become less reliant on Google for search queries. Is openly resisting the most popular search engine a wise strategy for an Android app? Moving away from Google makes sense for Windows Phone because its users have a higher probability of using Bing, but Android users, like most of the general public, tend to favor Android. That's not a good thing according to Dolphin, which sees the domination of Google on the desktop and mobile more of a U.S. occurrence. Forming an alliance with different search engines elsewhere is the sensible way to go, according to CEO Yongzhi Yang, who said in a statement:
"The U.S. browser market is dominated by Google and Apple. However, the international market for mobile browsing has been left wide open. Dolphin is leading the charge in emerging markets where hundreds of millions of users are discovering content via mobile web for the very first time. These are truly 'mobile-first and only' users that have no context of a desktop experience, which is more prevalent in the U.S."
The latest version of Dolphin switches the default search engine in some countries. Users in Russia will see the app have Yandex as the default search engine rather than Google, Japanese users will search with Yahoo! Japan, and Chinese users will crawl the web with Baidu. The company still has Google set as the default search provider in the U.S., but it has made it easy to switch to different search engines like DuckDuckGo depending on user preference, just as it has done for several months since first introducing replaceable search engines.

Preference also plays a part in the latest update of Dolphin, which adds new theme colors and wallpapers. It also includes unnamed bug fixes, language selection, and the ability to switch between desktop and mobile views. Dolphin is available now for devices running Android 2.0.1 or later.

Dolphin Browser

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Gmail will soon put advertisements and unsent message warnings in Android app

Google may soon put advertisements in Gmail based on data strings found in the latest version of Gmail for Android. AndroidPolice examined the code of the latest app and discovered that several references to Ads, ranging from a new directory to store data to codes that mention how users will interact with ads, appear in Gmail. Ads will be presented in multiple ways and some may be saved or dismissed depending on how the user responds to them.
Advertisements already appear in the web version of Gmail, so it's no surprise that they would eventually find their way to the Gmail Android app. After all, Google is a company built on the strategy of releasing a popular service that reaches mass appeal and then supporting the venture through ads. There's no telling when ads will start appearing in Gmail based on the code, but the Android 4.6 version of the app makes it a near certainty that it's coming.
A few other features are also in the pipeline for Gmail Android users. The app will soon warn users about Unsent messages that are still in the draft folder. This will help remind users about messages awaiting being sent or failed to send because of connectivity issues. Gmail also changes the notification drawer for messages from people with no picture ID. Rather than show a blank box, it shows the first letter of the person's name.

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