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Qualcomm announced its Toq smartwatch last year and made it available for sale back in December 2013 for a price of $350, which was quite expensive. However, Qualcomm has now cut $100 off its original price bringing it down to $249. The timing may not be a coincidence after we heard a report that HTC might unveil a smartwatch based on the Qualcomm Toq at MWC 2014. With a price tag of $249, the Toq smartwatch is a dollar more expensive than its competitor, the Pebble Steel. The Toq smartwatch features a color touchscreen display that is always active and on while lasting for a couple of days between charges due to a Mirasol low power display fitted to the device. Wit…

Earlier today we found out that the Galaxy Gear’s successor would not be Galaxy-branded and it would be joined by the Gear 2 Neo. In that same leak, we also saw what the two devices would look like. And thanks again to @evleaks, here is the Gear 2. This time it has an orange wristband (as does the current Galaxy Gear). Below the display is likely a home button. And above, it looks like the bulky camera from last year’s design has been absorbed into the main structure. Samsung Gear 2, 2014 pic.twitter.com/ylMAK5xzvs — @evleaks (@evleaks) February 22, 2014 Source: @evleaks Come comment on this article: Samsung Gear 2 leaks again today, this time with …

That was quick. Right after the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo leaked this morning (and tonight), Samsung has made both smartwatches official in Barcelona. While they look strikingly similar to the original Galaxy Gear, there have been some changes inside and out. But the biggest change is that Android is no longer under the hood. Samsung’s very own Tizen is. What does this mean for device compatibility? Well, Samsung says that it will work with various Galaxy devices right away. Despite not running Android, Samsung has announced CNN, Weather Channel, and Garmin among others have created an app for their Tizen-powered smartwatches. A dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz is running …

No, that is not the ‘HTC One Max 2′ you are looking at. That is an unidentified Huawei phablet sitting next to the company’s upcoming smartwatch. The reason I say unidentified is because while the MediaPad X1 is coming, its design doesn’t quite match this. Above is a premium aluminum device that is almost identical to what HTC’s devices look like. The MediaPad X1; however, looks like the front is all plastic. The image, posted by @evleaks, was attached with a comment saying “WOW-wei” and I agree with that proclamation. If Huawei keeps up this kind of design language, people will certainly give them a look (as will HTC when they serve Huawei with a lawsuit). WOW-w…

There’s a handy new app in the Play Store that does you the favor of backing up tons of your important information automatically, just in case something bad happens to the app you’re typing in before you can back it up yourself. Type Machine acts as a service that automatically records all of the text from whatever app you’re using, functioning as a pretty powerful “time machine” in case your app crashes or you just want a history of what you’ve typed in case you change your mind, like in an extremely long email. It works by setting itself up as a service, which then keeps an eye on whatever you type. It stores your typed messages in its own app, letting you filter …

With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That’s why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day’s hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!! Carriers HTC One on AT&T and T-Mobile gets Android 4.4 update approval, set to roll out soon Sprint launches WiFi Calling, access starts today for two devices T-Mobile adds $15 Stateside International Talk & Text offer to avoid unforeseen roaming fees US Cellular to release the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update to its Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 3 today Verizon takes another step toward Android 4.4.2 up…

In the past, there has been some controversy surrounding Facebook’s policy that applies to accounts of deceased members. Before now, after a Facebook member passed away, the only people able to view the deceased person’s account are his/her Facebook friends, regardless of his/her former privacy settings before he/she died. Now, the privacy settings on the person’s account will remain, so that if the user’s settings were more or less limited, their wishes before death will be honored. A recent Facebook blog post stated, “We are respecting the choices a person made in life while giving their extended community of family and friends ongoing visibility to the same con…

Here’s an interesting piece of information to develop over the weekend. On Twitter, @evleaks posted an image of the Galaxy Gear 2 and Galaxy Gear 2 Neo smartwatches. After some of his followers felt that they could not clearly see the small image, he posted another one (above). Then, after that, he explained that the two watches will not be Galaxy-branded. It seems that Samsung’s smartwatches will be leaving the Galaxy nest in order to make their own name. Why? Perhaps Samsung wants to spawn the Gear name into a series of wearables. Remember, they could also be unveiling the Gear Fit on Monday. For the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, it looks like like Samsung is not overhaulin…

According to a new report, the successor to the YotaPhone might be unveiled at the MWC 2014 which is set to take place on February 24. The first generation of Yota phone was unveiled at last year’s MWC in Barcelona featuring a dual screen and was up for sale back in December 2013. While the exact specs of the device is not known yet, the YotaPhone 2 should feature a larger dual screen, consisting of an LCD touchscreen on one side while an E-Ink display on the other side with full touch capabilities. The first generation YotaPhone featured a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 LCD display, a 4.3-inch 640 x 360 E-Ink screen, 1.7GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 2GB RAM, 1…

Following the original YotaPhone, which started selling in December 2013, a new-generation device may be unveiled at MWC 2014. Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru reports that the new smartphone is expected to be better than its predecessor in every way. The YotaPhone 2 may be announced as soon as February 24th, although there aren’t many details about the smartphone yet. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Facebook on Friday announced a new privacy change that will affect the accounts of users who pass away. Instead of only letting deceased users' friends access their accounts as it did before, Facebook will now keep those accounts' default privacy settings unchanged. In other words, a dead person who had a public profile will have their profile stay public even after death, Facebook revealed. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Google has released a public beta of the Google Cast extension for Chrome, in order for those who are interested to get a peek at what is upcoming for the extension. The beta release will get new features before the stable release. Right now, it doesn’t seem like there’s that much new to offer, but that will surely change in the near future. If you’re interested, you need to go to the Chrome extension link that is in the source link, and you’ll be good to go once you disable the stable release, if you have it installed. Source: Android Police Come comment on this article: Google releases public beta of Google Cast extension for Chrome Visit TalkAndroid for …

The Mobile World Congress rumors are flying, and we won’t see them start to slow down before the event begins next week. Sony has released a short video teaser for their MWC event, which says that we’ll see “something extraordinary” on Feb. 24. We should expect to see either the Xperia Z2 smartphone or the Z2 tablet— if we see both, then we wouldn’t be surprised either. Stay tuned for live updates on every bit of information coming out of MWC in Barcelona next week. Hit the break for Sony’s video below. Click here to view the embedded video. Come comment on this article: Sony teases new Xperia device ahead of Mobile World Congress Visit TalkAndroid for…

Great news, HTC One owners! (At least some of you.) If your carrier is AT&T or T-Mobile, the Android 4.4 KitKat update has officially been approved, and will be set to begin rolling out shortly. This information is provided by HTC Executive Product Manager @moversi. Hit the break below for more. T-Mobile HTC One Owners! We have received technical approval for 4.4 OS + Sense 5.5! Expect the OTA out shortly! Thank you for your patience — Mo (@moversi) February 21, 2014 Another Great News! We have received AT&T’s technical approval for the HTC One w/4.4 + Sense 5.5. Looking to get the OTA out soon. Thanks! — Mo (@moversi) February 21, 2014 …

ASUS showed off their Transformer Book Duet TD300, a convertible tablet with a long name that ran both Windows 8 and Android 4.2.2, at CES just last month. The tablet looked pretty cool, giving you the best of both Android and a more traditional Windows operating system, and it could switch between the two on the fly. Unfortunately, it’s looking like the TD300 won’t ever make it past the design phase. According to a Chinese publication, ASUS has cancelled the TD300, citing resistance from Google. It was originally slated to be released in the second quarter of this year to US markets, but apparently there was something about it that Google really, really didn’t like…

YouTube announced that they are in the process of rolling out some changes to their video network’s interface that will help users navigate the site more easily. The layout is center aligned, the header is sticky, and the guide sidebar is now a “hamburger”-Android-style menu that includes your playlists, subscriptions and more. Playlists also take more of a presence in the new layout, with your guide now featuring all of the playlists that you have created, as well as playlists from other channels you have liked. Source: Google System Blog Come comment on this article: Youtube has a new, cleaner interface Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, …

CBS is one of a number of broadcasters enraged that Internet TV startup Aereo is still in business. At one point, the company said that it would discontinue its over-the-air broadcasts if Aereo was permitted to keep operating. Aereo, as many will recall, allows users to stream TV to their computers and mobile devices for $8 per month, and it skirts standard licensing fees by pulling free TV transmissions out of the air with physical HD antennas and then piping them over the web. While broadcasters have sued the startup in an effort to shut it down, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves's recent comments suggest he doesn't think his company would really suffer at all if Aereo wins in cou…

Fitbit is recalling its Fitbit Force smart fitness wristband following skin irritation reports from various users, after initially offering replacement devices or refunds to those people affected by the unexpected skin rashes. The company will reimburse buyers, and plans to release a new Force model that will hopefully not cause similar side effects from sustained wear, TechCrunch reports. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Congratulations, Sprint customers — you have access to Wi-Fi calling... but only if you own the Galaxy S4 mini or the Galaxy Mega. Engadget brings us word that Sprint will enable Wi-Fi calling in the coming weeks for both the S4 mini and the Mega, which will hopefully be the first of many devices to get this feature added. Wi-Fi calling essentially lets you have unlimited calling as long as you can hook up to a Wi-Fi network, which is why some carriers have been reluctant to allow it since it could cut into their voice service revenues. Of course, T-Mobile has had Wi-Fi calling available in some capacity for years so Sprint isn’t exactly breaking new ground here. All the …

http://androidforum.us/data/MetaMirrorCache/925afa6a3c60446e7272074325d8c517.png Getting a popular messaging app is one thing — monetizing it is another. BlackBerry has already said that selling ads on BlackBerry Messenger will be at least one part of its strategy to make money from BBM and on Friday the company announced another part: stickers. Stickers are basically little cartoon characters that replace the traditional emoticons in your BBM chats and make them more colorful and expressive. Interested buyers will be able to find stickers in the BBM Shop, a new in-app mobile store that's currently in beta. In a lot of ways the stickers sound like in-app purchases that f…

One of the less enjoyable parts of living in a city comes when you go to your car and see a brightly colored parking ticket envelope slapped onto your windshield. Sure you can always contest your parking tickets but doing so means you'll have to waste a lot of time filling out paperwork or going into traffic court. This is one reason why a lot of parking tickets simply go unchallenged. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

If you can't beat them, join them. At least that's what Amazon is hoping its brick-and-mortar competition will say as it extends an olive branch to retailers that could be beneficial for everyone involved. The Wall Street Journal reports that Amazon is currently in talks with several popular brands, such as Ralph Lauren and J. Crew, along with ten major retailers to start showing listings of their merchandise on Amazon.com. According to the Journal, "Amazon wouldn't sell the goods directly; the listings would be links to the retailers' own sites." Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

The Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 Android/Windows tablet/laptop may never move past concept phase, Digitimes says, citing Chinese publication The Economic Daily News, as Google is apparently forcing Asus to dump its freshly announced dual-OS device. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report

Not surprisingly, we can now count DirecTV CEO Mike White among those who oppose Comcast's proposed Time Warner Cable acquisition. During the pay TV provider's earnings call on Thursday afternoon, White was asked to share his feelings on the merger that would see two of the country's largest TV and Internet providers merge into a single giant. According to an account from The Wall Street Journal, White said that the deal would create "unprecedented media concentration in one company," and the combined entity would have an "effective monopoly" in two-thirds of the United States. Dish chairman Charlie Ergen had previously said that there would be some benefits to the Comcas…

The quality of Netflix streaming has tanked over the past several months at several ISPs because Netflix and the ISPs have been wrangling over who should pick up the tab for all the added traffic being generated by Netflix's HD video streaming service. ISPs such as Verizon and Comcast have been asking Netflix and bandwidth providers such as Cogent Communications to pay additional fees that will help them deal with added traffic loads. Netflix, meanwhile, has asked ISPs to peer directly with its new video content delivery network as an alternative to charging additional fees. Continue reading... Via BRG - Boy Genius Report