‘Friends with Moto’ program gets new deep discounts on the Moto X, Moto 360, and more

In January Motorola kicked off a program that allowed Motorola employees to gives discounts to their friends and family. You could get off a Moto X, or a Moto G for just 9. Today Motorola has announced some new and improved deals for the program. Here’s what you can get:

Moto 360 – 20% off
Leather bands (including new cognac) – 9.99
Metal bands (including new mono-link) – 9.99
Champagne gold finish (including slim band) – 3.99

Nexus 6 – up to 26% off
Choose midnight blue or cloud white
32gb – 9
64gb – 9

Moto X – up to 28% off
Design your own – starting at 9.99 (0 off any configuration)

Moto G 3G – 16% off
Black or white – 0

In order to grab these deals you’ll need to head on over to this link and fill out the form. You’ll need the name of a Motorola employee to fully fill out the form and be eligible for a coupon. It’s cool that Motorola is allowing employees to offer discounts to their friends and family members. Programs like this are what build loyalty among consumers. Will you be trying to get in on this deal?

[via Google+]

Samsung’s committed to using premium materials in more of their products going forward

The talk of Samsung using premium materials in their devices has been going on for a long time. People have been begging Samsung to ditch the faux materials and go with metal and glass. With the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge they finally built a device that looks premium, and they’re not looking back.

At an annual shareholder’s meeting Co-CEO Shin Jong Kyun reiterated Samsung’s commitment to premium materials. They plan to offer more devices with metal casing, slim designs, and high-definition displays. This new focus on quality is important for Samsung to bounce back after being down the last few quarters. It already rose Samsung shares by 1.9% when the new Galaxy S6 devices were announced.

We’re happy to hear that Samsung is taking build-quality more seriously. Manufacturers like HTC and Sony have long out-classed Samsung in terms of premium devices. Samsung has been able to create huge market share with massively successful marketing campaigns and offering tons of different devices. The designs were starting to feel bland, but the new S6 devices have breathed some life into Samsung.

[via Bloomberg]

Google Play celebrates 3rd birthday with deals on apps, music, movies and more

Google Play is another year older, and that can only mean one thing — sales! Google is discounting a bundle of apps, games, music, moves, books and more from Google Play to celebrate their third year of, well, being.

Albums like Drake’s Thank Me Later can be had for just $.99, while all three movies in the latest Batman trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan can be had for .99 each. You’ll also get apps like Runtastic and Facetune for $.10, and the entire first season of Breaking Bad for just .99.

The full list has a lot more so be sure to head to Google Play to check it out, and let us know if you’ll be picking anything up on the cheap while the promotion lasts.

Amazon’s Deal of the Day takes up to 40% off SanDisk microSD cards, flash drives and more

Amazon deals time! Today’s gold box deal puts another dent into the price tag of premium storage. This time it’s from the SanDisk camp, and they’re taking up to 40% off a smorgasbord of storage options.

In the realm of microSD, their 32GB and 64GB Ultra Class 10 cards are down to .99 and .99, respectively. The “Extreme Pro” versions of these classes with UHS-I / U3 classification are a bit more at .99 for 32GB and .99 for 64GB. The difference between the two sets of cards is in speed: the Class 10 Ultra cards read at speeds of up to 48MB/s, while the Extreme Pro cards’ read/write speed hover around the 90MB/s range (which is good for devices that can record video at up to 4K resolution).

Those looking for more full-sized options can get in on these other great deals:

• 32GB Class 10 SD Card for .99


• 64GB Class 10 SD Card for .99


• 128GB Class 10 SD Card for .99


• 16GB Compact Flash Card for .95


• 32GB Compact Flash Card for .99


• 64GB Cruzer USB Flash Drive for .99


• 128GB Cruzer USB Flash Drive for .99


• 128GB Extreme Pro USB 3.0 Flash Drive for .99

Sorry folks, no 200GB or 128GB microSD cards on sale just yet, but considering how new they are we wouldn’t hold out for sales on either of them until at least another year passes by. Head to Amazon to check these out if something catches your eye on the list above.

The next device from OnePlus may be made out of more premium materials

We’re coming up on nearly one year since the OnePlus One was announced, and the phone has held up well. The company has made a lot of mistakes, but you can’t deny the device is one of the best. According to recent rumors the next phone from OnePlus is shaping up to be even better.

The latest rumor about the “ OnePlus Two” is about the build materials. OnePlus chose polycarbonate for the original device, but they may be going with something more premium in the next model. Reports suggest that OnePlus wants the next device to come off as higher-end, of course we’re talking about metal.

The only problem with a metal OnePlus Two would be the potential higher price. Many people loved the OnePlus One for its affordable 0 price point. Metal does make sense if OnePlus is still trying to provide the #neversettle experience. HTC and Samsung are now using metal in their flagship devices. OnePlus is all about competing with the big boys, and this move would certainly do that.

Mobile Roar 88: Galaxy S6 review, Sprint cars, LG G4, and more!

This week we can finally get some closure on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Chris tells us why he will be getting the Edge despite everything he hates about it. We also talk about Sprint’s latest desperate attempt to get customers, the massive LG G4 leak, OnePlus’ plans for 2015, and much more.  Thanks for watching/listening!

Big News

• Samsung Galaxy S6/Edge Review

Quick Hits

• Sprint will send people to your home to set up a phone


• More LG G4 images leak


• OnePlus will be launching two phones this year


• Google starts program to highlight kid-friendly apps


• Windows 10 for phones preview rolls out, gets Project Spartan and bugs

Wins/Fails

• Kevin: Star Wars livestream / New iOS emoji keyboard


• Joe: Joe Dirt 2 / HBO says Periscope could be a piracy tool


• Chris: Galaxy S6 camera / Galaxy S6 battery life

App Picks

• Kevin: Snapseed 2.0 (Android / iOS)


• Joe: Spring Ninja (Android / iOS)


• Chris: Hearthstone for phones

Follow Us

• Joe Fedewa (@tallshmo)


• Chris Chavez (@gamercore)


• Kevin Krause (@youdontknowkev)


• @mobileroarcast

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Mobile Roar 89: Google Project Fi, Galaxy S6 vs iPhone, BB-8, and more!

Previous episodes of the Mobile Roar Podcast

Google is now a wireless carrier. Is that a good or bad thing? We go over everything you need to know about Project Fi. Chris talks about his Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6 comparison, the Xperia Z4 is quietly announced, the OnePlus Two won’t ditch invites, and how the heck does that BB-8 droid work? Thanks for watching/listening!

Big News

• Google Project Fi announced


• Galaxy S6 vs iPhone 6

Quick Hits

• Sony Xperia Z4 announced


• Android Wear update adds drawn emoji, scroll gesture, WiFi, and more


• You’ll need an invite to buy the OnePlus Two

Wins/Fails

• Kevin: Sphero is responsible for BB-8 / new MacBook reviews are in


• Joe: iPhone case with e-ink back / OnePlus hypes availability for year-old phone


• Chris: Double fail: Android and iOS fanboys stab each other during fight / #Rotategate  

App Picks

• Kevin: Clear


• Joe: Hello from Facebook


• Chris: Galaxy Button Lights (Touch key light duration)

Follow Us

• Joe Fedewa (@tallshmo)


• Chris Chavez (@gamercore)


• Kevin Krause (@youdontknowkev)


• @mobileroarcast

Subscribe

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Apple plans to steal more Android customers by accepting their trade-ins

One annoyance for many folks looking to leave the Android camp is that they can’t trade their device in if they plan to do their business at the Apple store — Apple only ever cared to buy back their own phones and tablets. A new rumor suggests that could be changing, though.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple is looking to introduce a trade-in system for folks who might own Android and Windows Phone devices. The process will be just like your typical trade-in at any retail store or carrier: you take your phone in, they give you a trade value based on its condition, and you decide whether you want to keep your device or fork it over for store credit.

You’re probably vomiting at the thought of letting Apple judge the value of a device that wasn’t conceived within their Cupertino halls. Believe me, I’m with you. But the company partners with BrightStar to monitor the trade-in values for their own products, and there’s no reason that partnership wouldn’t extend here (in fact, we’d say it’s almost necessary for Apple to team up with existing trade-in valuation companies to execute this ambitious undertaking).

Apple’s already had themselves an unfathomable quarter, and giving Android users an easier way to transition certainly won’t hurt. Would you or anyone you know be more willing leave Android and give the “dark side” a shot through the sheer ease of being able to swap your hardware at one destination?

Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge owners get more than $500 worth of digital gifts

Samsung had already told us that they’d be serving up a bag of digital gifts for anyone who buys the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and now we have all the details. There’s an insane amount of value here as Samsung has valued the package at more than 0. Here’s a long list of everything you’re entitled to:

• Audible: Three months of Audible membership


• Dragons of Atlantis: Heirs of the Dragon: “Samsung Resource Pack” valued at 5,000 gold


• The Economist: Six months of digital subscription


• Endomondo: Six months of Endomondo Premium


• Evernote: Three months of Evernote Premium


• Fleksy Keyboard: Fleksy Keyboard and Modern premium themes


• Hancom Office 2014: Office editor download for an unlimited period from Galaxy Apps


• The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle Earth: “Samsung Resource Pack” valued at 100 Mithril


• Keepy: Six month Keepy Unlimited to save your kids art, school work and mementos


• Kindle for Samsung: One eBook every month


• LastPass: Three months of Premium for U.S. customers and six months Premium for international


• Life360: Six months premium service subscription


• Magisto: Three months of Magisto Pro HD


• NY Times Breaking News: Three months with a subscription


• OneDrive: An extra 100 GB of OneDrive storage for two years *Offer valid only on devices where OneDrive is preloaded


• PAC-MAN Friends: Samsung customers receive 30 cherries (plays)


• Parallels Access: Six month subscription


• Pocket: Six month subscription to Pocket Premium


• Shazam Encore: Special ad-free version


• VSCO Cam: Download The Minimalist Collection, which includes 10 VSCO Cam® presets


• Workout Trainer: Six months of Workout Trainer Pro+

Not all of it will be of interest to everyone who buys a Samsung Galaxy S6, but there’s enough variety here that you should find something worth taking advantage of. All of it can be had through Samsung’s Galaxy Gifts application that can be downloaded from the Samsung Apps Store. Be sure to check it out as soon as you can.

[via Samsung]

HTC Sense Home brings themes, intelligent widget, and more to the One M8/M7

It’s not Sense 7, but HTC is bringing HTC One M8 and M7 owners a taste of some of the new features touted in the HTC One M9. By updating their BlinkFeed app in the Google Play Store — now officially renamed “HTC Sense Home” — HTC is giving the One M8/M7 on Lollipop the ability to apply a handful of themes we took a look at on the One M9.

Not every theme is available, as some require Sense 7 to function, but there’s enough here that it should wet your appetite until a future software update arrives. But you can get started building your own themes on-the-go, even publishing your favorites for others to download, or following your favorite designers. We also recently told you about HTC’s online tool for building your own themes, so you can check that out as well right here.

Aside from themes, HTC’s Sense Home Widget has also been added. Sense Home Widget is a little folder that intelligently delivers commonly used applications based on your location. It even offers suggestions for apps you haven’t downloaded yet.

HTC BlinkFeed has also been updated (One M9/M8/M7), now pulling in Tumblr feeds if you’d like. Oh, and as Android Forums member SolApathy points out, if you don’t like using the stock HTC launcher (Sense Home) but enjoy BlinkFeed, you can create a custom shortcut to quickly access BlinkFeed in most 3rd party launchers. For more details, head to his post right here.

The lock screen has also received some small, Sense 7 like UI tweaks with a different font style and weather widget that mirrors the HTC One M9. All in all a pretty substantial update, one we didn’t see coming. This, foks, is why HTC threw their system apps on the Play Store: no need to wait around for full system updates to enjoy great new software features.

For the HTC One M9, HTC One M8, and HTC One (M7), you can update via the Google Play Store link down below.

Thanks for the M7 confirmation, Ben!

HTC BlinkFeed (Playboard) | HTC BlinkFeed (Play Store)

It costs more to build a Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge than an iPhone 6

In your years as an Android user, have you ever heard the notion that Android phones are the poor man’s iPhone? That may be true for those on the low-mid range of the spectrum, though anyone with a brain would wretch at the statement as it pertains to top-shelf offerings. Android phones in today’s age are built with components just as high of a quality as those found inside the iPhone, and in some cases even more so.

It comes as no surprise the same holds true for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. According to a yet-to-be-released IHS report seen by Re/Code, the 64GB Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge on Verizon Wireless comes with a bill of materials clocking in at roughly 0. To compare, the 128GB iPhone 6 comes with a cost of 3. It may seem an insignificant difference, but when it comes to maximizing profit margins it adds up (even mere cents on the dollar can affect your bottom line in a big way).

It’s even more interesting to think about the fact that even with increased cost in materials, Samsung sells the Galaxy S6 Edge a bit cheaper than Apple does the iPhone 6. Of course, cost of materials doesn’t factor in the money that goes into paying for labor, research and development and marketing, but it’d be hard for anyone to maintain a straight face and make the argument that Samsung’s phones don’t use quality materials.

Much of Samsung’s increased costs come from the curved display, a component said to add to the total. Samsung’s use of 3GB of DDR4 RAM and a UFS 2.0 storage unit (this is near-bleeding edge stuff for mobile phones) also add a pretty significant amount.

Couple that with a metal frame, reinforced glass on the front and rear, a quality camera and a pretty nice kit of silicon in the Exynos 7 chipset, and you have your recipe for a phone that’s filled to the brim with expensive components and the lofty bill of materials to show for it. If nothing else, you can put your mind at ease knowing Samsung didn’t cut a single corner with their latest smartphones, and that you can trump those iPhone-owning friends of yours the next time they try to dismiss your phone as a cheap ripoff.

Google Play Store 5.4 brings more immersive listings for Lollipop users, rolling out today

It feels like it wasn’t too long ago that the Google Play Store added those fancy colored status bars. It wasn’t that big a deal, just something that was introduced in KitKat. Today, Googler Kirill Grouchnikov is revealing some new changes making their way onto Google Play starting today, but it’s only for users running Lollipop.

Evolution of the Google Play Store’s listings page

Once again, it’s not a big change, just a little something Android fans will get a kick out of. The Play Store now features transparent status bar when viewing listings, going full-on immersive in the latest update (Google Play 5.4). With the hero images for listings slowly inching higher up on your phone’s display, more content can be displayed below without scrolling. And that’s pretty neat.

For those that don’t feel like waiting for the updated Play Store to hit their device, you can download it from us below.

Download: Google Play Store 5.4.10

[Google+]

Android Wear update brings support for WiFi, always-on apps and more

Google has detailed a forthcoming upgrade for Android Wear that allows users to finally break away from their phones. The big change being outed today is full support for WiFi. Whereas before you had to have your Android Wear smart watch connected to your phone via Bluetooth in order to get notifications, you can now instead have your watch connect directly to a WiFi network.

This means that if you happen to leave your phone at home, or simply somewhere far from you (such as a locker at work) you can still get notifications, send messages and everything else you do as long as both devices are connected to the internet.

Google is also bringing support for always-on apps for any app on Android Wear. Your watch faces have already had this functionality, but it can now be implemented for any app. There are many reasons one would want to keep an app always at the ready (such as a list of instructions on how to fix, cook or install something) so this is a much welcome change.

Other changes include the ability to scroll through your notifications timeline by a simple flick of the wrist, an easier and quicker way to gain access to your apps and contacts (simply tap the display) and the ability to draw out emojis instead of having to speak a command. Google says the rollout will happen over the next couple of weeks beginning with the LG Watch Urbane (no real way to buy that yet so we’re not quite sure who that is useful for) so stay on the lookout!

Adventure Time, Clarence, Venture Bros and many more officially headed to Hulu in May

It’s all thanks to Hulu that I’m now the #1 fan of Bob’s Burgers. The video on-demand service is an integral part of my daily watching habits, helping me to discover shows — like the aforementioned Bob’s Burgers — I might have otherwise passed up on regular broadcast television.

If you’re a fan of animation, Hulu just inked a deal with Turner Broadcasting which, aside from bringing TNT and TBS titles to its library, also adds shows from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. We’re officially freaking out now.

This means shows like Adventure Time, Clarence, Venture Bros., and Robot Chicken can all be streamed exclusively on Hulu, as well as other hit shows like The Last Ship or Murder in the First. Blah, blah… ADVENTURE FREAKIN TIME.

Another cool bit of news is shows from Cartoon Network will be found on the Hulu Kids environment and available to stream ad-free. The shows will officially make their way to Hulu on May 1st. Excited yet?

Hulu (Playboard) | Hulu (Play Store)

[Hulu]

2 more LG G4 teasers get us worked up over its Quantum IPS display and f/1.8 camera [VIDEOS]

LG has been teasing the sh*t out the G4. In another round of their quick 15-second ad spots (we already saw the G4’s leather back and UX 4.0 features), the South Korean manufacturer reminds us again that their IPS “Quantum” display will make our eyes bleed, and that their camera has an f/1.8 aperture to capture… you know, buildings and stuff.

You can check them out below but at this point we’re just ready for them to make this thing official like Sony did with the Sony Xperia Z4. Just. Announce it. Already.

OnePlus DR-1 drone is actually real, but it’s little more than a toy [VIDEO]

Looks like our cause for caution regarding OnePlus One’s latest announcement was a bit justified. Just as they confirmed on Reddit, OnePlus has revealed the DR-1, and it definitely is a drone. Only, it’s not the serious spy-right gadgetry you were probably dreaming of when they first mentioned it.

It’s a toy. This thing costs .99, and although it will actually fly for a good few minutes it’s not to be regarded in the same light as something like the IRIS+ Super Drone.

OnePlus is touting this as the world’s smallest remote-controlled drone, though, and they’ll only be available as a limited one time run. Unfortunately the product is already being listed as sold out on their website, and if what they say there is true then there won’t be any other opportunities to snag one in the future outside of something like eBay.

So for all you folks mad that OnePlus was making a new product before shoring up the OnePlus One? Chill out, it’s just a quick little toy that likely took them no time at all to produce and did nothing to take away from the work that still needs to be done on their first ever smartphone.

New survey says Samsung has more customer loyalty than Apple

Customer loyalty is an under-appreciated statistic. The way a company treats its existing customers can make a big difference when it’s time for those customers to buy new devices. Treat them well and they will stick with you, treat them poorly and they’ll ditch you. Apple is always considered to have very high customer loyalty, but a new survey may have proved differently.

SurveyMonkey is a company that tries to define where a brand stands with users. They conducted a survey to gauge customer loyalty from industry leaders. Samsung scored a 35 while Apple scored a 28. Both scores are well above the industry average. Microsoft scored -8 (yeesh). Customer loyalty doesn’t tell the whole story, though.

Customer service satisfaction showed different results. Apple scored 41% satisfaction whereas Samsung was just 25%. These numbers don’t look good for either company. Less than half of your customers being satisfied is not a good thing, especially when the industry benchmark is 75%. Are you satisfied by your Samsung or Apple product? Would you say you’re loyal to either brand?

[via CNET]

Xiaomi’s $205 Mi 4i offers a relatively big punch: 5-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 615 and more

Xiaomi has announced a new Android smartphone aimed straight at the mid-range market. It’s a 5 Xiaomi Mi 4i, and for that reasonable price tag you’re getting a pretty good set of specs that not many in its price range can boast.

Highlights of the device’s specs include a 5-inch 1080p display, Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 615 chipset, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a 13 megapixel rear camera, an 5.1 megapixel front camera and a 3,120mAh battery. It’ll run Android 5.0 and MIUI 6.0, which brings your typical MIUI user experience with the added benefits of Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The device will be sold in India to start with a price tag of just Rs. 12,999 — that’s just over 5 — and will be available in white, orange, black, pink and blue. Flipkart will have the goods for you starting April 30th if you’re interested.

Facebook introduces Hello dialer app with caller ID, business search, and more

After introducing the ability to place voice calls over Messenger just a little over a year ago, Facebook is now introducing a completely dedicated dialer app called “Hello.” The app looks to make your dialer smarter by being able to see who’s calling with intelligent caller ID, the ability to easily block or mute callers, and search for people and businesses all from within the dialer.

Information is grabbed from Facebook where it is continuously synced with the Hello app. Should Hello pull up someone that doesn’t have a number tied to their Facebook account — or you’d simply like to make a call for free using your data connection — you also have the option to place a call using Messenger, also linked inside the app.

The caller ID benefits are clear. There’s nothing worse than receiving a call from an unknown person. The problem is you wont see any info on these callers unless their info is linked to their Facebook account and/or shared with their friends. I found a good majority of the contacts pooled from Facebook didn’t have any phone numbers attached.

But the auto-blocking feature — which blocks calls other Facebookers have blocked — is a nice touch, along with profile pictures and birthdays. So it’s definitely got some things going for it. Download for free via the link below.

Download on Google Play: Hello — Caller ID & Blocking

More rumors point to Huawei being the next Nexus maker

The rumors about the next Nexus device never really stop. Last week we wrote about a rumor suggesting that the next Nexus will be made by an unlikely manufacturer: Huawei. They’ve just surprised us with a gorgeous smartwatch, and now it looks like they could be the next Nexus maker. As Mugatu would say “Huawei, so hot right now.”

The latest rumor comes from Gizmochina, which is based in Huawei’s backyard. They are reporting that this rumor has been “confirmed” by Kevin Yang, the director of China research at iSuppli. Of course, nothing is “confirmed” until it’s confirmed. The choice to go with Huawei would make a lot of sense if Google is looking for a greater presence in China. Xiami and Huawei made huge gains in 2014.

A Huawei-made Nexus would likely do great in China, but how would it do here in the US? Most people here don’t even know how to pronounce Huawei (it’s wah-way), let alone trust them enough to buy a phone. We don’t really know how well Nexus devices sell here anyway. There might not be any significant difference in the US, but the possibility for huge gains in China.

Would you be interested in a Huawei Nexus device?