TalkAndroid Weekly Recap for February 10 – February 16, 2014

[Guest Robert Nazarian]

 

Things continue to heat up regarding the Galaxy S 5 and the HTC One successor. We are only one week away from the GS5′s unveiling, and we already have a good idea of what the hardware and software will look like, but will there be a version with a 2,560 x 1440 display? LG decided to make a little noise before MWC with the unveiling of the G Pro 2. Will one week really give them any kind of a boost? Flappy Bird is gone for good, but the clones will live on forever. Is Dennis Woodside’s departure from Motorola a good or bad thing? And is Nokia readying a higher-end Android phone? It’s time to get caught up and get ready for another exciting week.

 

Accessories

 

HTC Double Dip lets you customize a case for your HTC One

 

Apps – New

 

Bolt, another free VoIP service hits Google Play

 

Chorus brings ability to play music on multiple Android devices

 

Creator of DashClock releases Muzei, An artistic daily live wallpaper for your enjoyment

 

 

Radiohead team releases PolyFauna app for Android and iOS

 

AcDisplay app brings the Active Display feature to your Android KitKat device

 

Samsung releases new alarm app that allows you to dedicate processing power to science

 

Apps – Updates

 

Apple is at it again, Themer gets pulled from the Play Store for copyright infringement for 1 (out of 200+) theme

 

Themer is back in the Play Store

 

Google Play Music updated to 5.4, brings a host of fixes and features

 

Aviate update brings “Listening Space”

 

Dayframe 2.1 brings back Chromecast support

 

Carriers

 

[Deal] Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 free on AT&T

 

User agent profile for Sprint’s Galaxy S 5 appears, sports a 1080p display

 

Soak test with Android 4.4.2 rolling out for Sprint Moto X owners

 

Sprint rolling out Android 4.4.2 KitKat to its Galaxy S 4 today

 

Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE won’t receive Android 4.3 OTA, HTC is working on a manual update

 

T-Mobile is changing its JUMP! plan to allow unlimited upgrades and include tablets as well

 

T-Mobile 4.4.2 update for Moto X ready to be pushed to devices

 

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S 5 (SM-G900T) allegedly found in UA profile

 

Android 4.4.2 now pushing to U.S. Cellular Moto X devices

 

Verizon Wireless replaces Share Everything with the new More Everything plan

 

Press images for Verizon’s 2014 Galaxy Note 10.1 leak

 

Nexus 7 LTE to finally and officially land on Verizon Wireless this Thursday

 

Nexus 7 LTE receiving update that adds network compatibility for Verizon

 

Picture of Verizon’s LG G Pad 8.3 leaks

 

Chromebooks

 

Google and VMWare working to help users get Windows access on Chromebooks

 

Chromecast

 

Google adds Chromecast support to most embedded YouTube videos

 

Koush teases Android mirroring to Chromecast in AllCast update

 

Google completes rollout of Google Play Services 4.2, Chromecast compatible apps can now be released

 

Chromecast offers fireplace display option while casting Google Play Music for Valentine

 

Gaming

 

ASUS is readying a handheld gaming device called the Gamebox

 

Forgot to download Flappy Bird? Just play it through your web browser

 

Flappy Bird is gone because you were too addicted to it

 

The memory of Flappy Bird lives on thanks to over 174 indie developers

 

Honest Android Games helps you find games with fair pricing

 

Rovio teases a “big adventure” with new Angry Birds game

 

Rovio takes wraps off Angry Birds Stella

 

‘The Room 2′ launches in the Play Store

 

Google

 

Google may require OEMs to ship with the latest version of Android for Google Apps access

 

Google Voice Search now understands ‘call my wife’, ‘call mom’, and more

 

Google Play Store returning error 403 for some users when downloading an app

 

Google’s Nest acquisition is now official and complete

 

Google developing 10 gigabit Internet

 

Google adds indicator for In-App purchases to its Play Store website

 

Google+

 

Google+ adding Valentine’s Day themed effects to Auto Awesome photos

 

Google Glass

 

Check out this person installing Google Glass onto his prescription glasses

 

Virgin Atlantic Airlines testing Google Glass for check-in process

 

Hardware

 

Samsung to expand processor market share by shipping more Exynos tablets in 2014

 

ARM’s Cortex-A17 processor will make midrange smartphones and tablets much faster

 

Nvidia Tegra to concentrate on ‘superphones’

 

Phones – Geeksphone

 

Geeksphone ‘Revolution’ to be released Feb. 20, will dual-boot Firefox OS and Android

 

Phones – HTC

 

Bluetooth SIG listing shows what could be the HTC M8 heading to Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile

 

New HTC M8 picture leaks, could be legitimate

 

Another photo of the HTC M8 leaks, now with less bezel

 

New HTC M8 photos leaked

 

HTC working on a “music-centric” smartphone, could arrive by summer

 

Leaked photo of HTC’s “Desire 8″ shows off a beautiful mid-range device

 

HTC Double Dip lets you customize a case for your HTC One

 

Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE won’t receive Android 4.3 OTA, HTC is working on a manual update

 

Phones – LG

 

LG G3 could include eye or fingerprint scanner

 

LG G Pro 2 is official

 

LG G Pro 2 will not get released in the U.S or European markets before April 2014

 

LG G2 Mini (LG-D620) passes through Bluetooth SIG

 

LG G2 Mini is on tap for February 24 at Mobile World Congress

 

LG announces the L Series III, full showcase coming at MWC

 

Phones -Motorola

 

Motorola extends $70-off deal for all Moto X models

 

T-Mobile 4.4.2 update for Moto X ready to be pushed to devices

 

Soak test with Android 4.4.2 rolling out for Sprint Moto X owners

 

Android 4.4.2 now pushing to U.S. Cellular Moto X devices

 

Want to convert your Moto G to a GPE device? MotoTool All in One can help

 

Phones – Nokia

 

Nokia to debut first Android smartphone at Mobile World Congress

 

Nokia could have more Android phones in the pipeline

 

Nokia X gets priced in Vietnam

 

Nokia X “Normandy” full specs leaked ahead of launch

 

Phones – Oppo

 

Oppo Find 7 could be unveiled March 19 in Beijing

 

Oppo Find 7 to have two versions, will be released on March 19

 

Phones – Samsung

 

Is Samsung teasing a new UI for the Galaxy S 5

 

Screenshot from Galaxy S 5 confirms new circular icons

 

Design for Galaxy S5 finally leaks, includes display size

 

Galaxy S 5 display to be bezel-free with fingerprint scanner utilizing bottom left and right sides

 

Galaxy S5 box leaks, showing off QHD 5.25 inch screen, 3 GB of RAM and a 20 megapixel camera

 

User agent profile for Sprint’s Galaxy S 5 appears, sports a 1080p display

 

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S 5 (SM-G900T) allegedly found in UA profile

 

O2 Germany teases Samsung Galaxy S5

 

Next generation Galaxy Notes could use handwriting actions on the lockscreen

 

Samsung to offer a smartphone with a bent display this year followed by a bendable display next year

 

Sprint rolling out Android 4.4.2 KitKat to its Galaxy S 4 today

 

Galaxy Mega Plus with quad-core CPU arrives in China

 

Samsung Galaxy Star Trios, with three SIM slots, now available in Brazil

 

Phones – Sony

 

Sony holding press conference at MWC on February 24

 

Sony D6503 ‘Sirius’ Xperia Z2 spotted in video with new lock screen

 

New Sony D6503 “Sirius” Photos Leak

 

New image of the Sony Xperia G and its specifications leak

 

Phones – Vivo

 

Vivo Xplay 3S delayed until late February

 

Phones – Xiaomi

 

Xiaomi Mi4 hardware specifications leak

 

Xiaomi announces the $130 Redmi smartphone

 

Xiaomi announces the Hongmi 1s, a decent handset powered by the Snapdragon 400 chipset

 

ROMs

 

Privacy Guard receives new feature in CyanogenMod 11

 

Smartwatches

 

Huawei to unveil smartwatch and smartphone at Mobile World Congress later this month

 

Flappy Bird port Tiny Bird for Pebble rises

 

Pebble software engineer explains appstore and 2.0 situation for Android

 

Qualcomm Toq updated to add Activity Tracking, Activity and World Clocks

 

Qualcomm releases first Toq SDK

 

Samsung still unsure about Galaxy Gear 2 pricing

 

Samsung likely to announce the Galaxy Tab 4 and Galaxy Gear 2 at MWC

 

Tablets

 

Nexus 7 LTE receiving update that adds network compatibility for Verizon

 

Verizon’s Nexus 7 LTE update Binaries and Factory Image released

 

HTC could manufacture the Nexus 10 followup

 

Picture of Verizon’s LG G Pad 8.3 leaks

 

[Deal] Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 free on AT&T

 

Press images for Verizon’s 2014 Galaxy Note 10.1 leak

 

Samsung makes high-end Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 and TabPRO 10.1 available in US

 

Leak points to three new tablets as part of the Galaxy Tab 4 series

 

Samsung likely to announce the Galaxy Tab 4 and Galaxy Gear 2 at MWC

 

Samsung SM-T530 and SM-T330 pass through the FCC, 10.1 and 8.0 Galaxy Tab 4 tablets

 

Updates

 

Latest images of KitKat notification bar on Samsung devices evidence of improved relations?

 

T-Mobile 4.4.2 update for Moto X ready to be pushed to devices

 

Soak test with Android 4.4.2 rolling out for Sprint Moto X owners

 

Android 4.4.2 now pushing to U.S. Cellular Moto X devices

 

Sprint rolling out Android 4.4.2 KitKat to its Galaxy S 4 today

 

HTC promises to keep new flagships in North America updated for at least two years

 

Sprint’s EVO 4G LTE won’t receive Android 4.3 OTA, HTC is working on a manual update

 

Nexus 7 LTE receiving update that adds network compatibility for Verizon

 

Verizon’s Nexus 7 LTE update Binaries and Factory Image released

 

Wearables

 

Samsung reportedly working on “K Sport” device

 

Miscellaneous

 

Thanks to licensing deals, Microsoft is Android’s biggest fan

 

HTC will turn to cheaper phones to make larger profit

 

Samsung developing a service named Context that shares user data with developers

 

LG G2 leads the way in screen-bezel ratio, iPhones sit far behind

 

A4WP, PMA agree to create wireless charging standards

 

Icon Helper for icon packs streamlines the request process between users and developers

 

Microsoft possibly looking into bringing Android apps to Windows Phone

 

Latest SquareTrade study puts Apple, Samsung, Google devices in top 10 for breakability

 

Dennis Woodside leaves Motorola for Dropbox

 

Lenovo CEO says Chinese, emerging markets will return Motorola to profitability

 

Queen’s University files patent lawsuit against Samsung over “Smart Pause” feature

 

Most iPhone users admit “blind loyalty” to Apple when upgrading devices and won’t consider other options

 

Smartphone shipments passed the 1 billion mark in 2013, Android smartphones accounted for almost 800 million

 

Android powered coffee table preparing for release

 

HTC teases repair service on Twitter

 

Samsung and Apple can’t reach agreement in mediation, will head back to court next month

 

 

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