You can officially buy the HTC One M9 in the US starting tonight

After initially launching in Taiwan last week, we learned of HTC’s plans to make available their new flagship — the HTC One M9 — on April 10th here in the states, coincidentally the same day the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge hit the market. While it’s true, April 10th is the day the One M9 will be available in carrier stores, you can actually pick up the phone a lot earlier than that if you’re willing to pay full price.

HTC announced today that they will begin selling the HTC One M9 directly from their site this Friday, March 27th. Sales will officially go live tonight at midnight 12:01 ET time but if paying 0 is too much right now, you’ll also have the option to finance the phone interest free for 12 months from HTC.

The HTC One M9 comes with HTC’s new “UH OH” Protection guarantee which allows you to replace the phone within 12 months after purchase date should any damage befall the device, or even if you decide to switch carriers down the road. If you don’t get a replacement during this time, you’ll receive a 0-off coupon for next year’s HTC One M10 just for being so careful.

For everyone else waiting around for carrier availability, you can pick up the HTC One M9 as scheduled on April 10th at T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T, or Verizon, and at retailers like Costco, Target, Amazon and Best Buy. HTC says carrier versions will also be available on their site if you’re looking to go that route, as well as new accessories for the M9 like their 2nd-gen HTC Dot View case or IP68 water resistant HTC Active Pro case. Head to HTC.com for more details.

If you’re still on the fence, you can check out our “Everything you need to know about the HTC One M9″ post here, or a handful of reviews we compiled from around the net (international model) right here. As always, you can join the HTC One M9 discussion over on AndroidForums.com.

LG changed their mind, will launch the quirky LG AKA outside of South Korea starting next week

Originally designed exclusively for South Korea, LG has announced that they’ll soon be bringing their quirky AKA line to new markets, starting first in Hong Kong. The phones definitely have personality, something we never thought we’d say about a smartphone. Each LG AKA features a different character that peeks out from the top of their own accessories, showing off their own unique personas. There’s 4 characters total, which LG describes as:

• Eggy (yellow) who falls frequently in love


• Wooky (white) ever-so-impulsive


• Soul (navy) music lover with a soft-heart


• Yo-Yo (pink) who is always on a diet

It’s more than just cartoon eyes and cases, with the characters woven into the phone’s wallpapers, ringtones, and widgets. With soon to be global release of the device, LG has also added something they’re calling an “emotional UX element.” Essentially, users can further customize their AKA’s eyes with glasses or different eyebrows. They’ll even be including stickers and an “Art Toy” figurine which can be digitized by snapping a picture of it, then adding it to selfies or other photos taken by the phone.

The phone isn’t a high-end powerhouse, but it isn’t exactly low-end either, with the same laser auto focus found on the LG G3, as well as LG’s touch & shoot and gesture shot camera features. Here’s everything you’ll find in the LG AKA:

LG AKA specs

• 1.2GHz quad-core processor


• 5-inch HD IPS display


• 16GB internal / 1.5GB RAM / microSD slot


• 8MP rear camera with Laser Auto Focus / 2.1MP front facing


• 2,610mAh (removable)


• Android 4.4 KitKat


• 138.7 x 71.9 x 9.9mm


• 135.5g (without font slide cover) / 157g (with front slide cover)


• 4G LTE connectivity


• Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 4.0 / NFC / A-GPS / USB 2.0

The LG AKA was first introduced in South Korea towards the end of 2014, where it would later receive an iF Design Award for it’s quirky design. Apparently, customer feedback and sales have been so good, that LG decided to bring launch it elsewhere. The LG AKA will be launching in Hong Kong next week, then soon China, Taiwan, Singapore, and eventually Turkey. LG said they’ll announce new markets once they’re ready.

T-Mobile Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge shipments starting to pop up for some lucky pre-orderers

Did you happen to pre-order a Samsung Galaxy S6 or Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge from T-Mobile this past Friday? If so, be sure to start checking your doorsteps: some lucky souls are starting to receive their shipment early.

One lucky XDA user posted shots of the unit he was lucky to receive as early as 8am Saturday morning. Early shipments aren’t unheard of, especially when it comes to T-Mobile. The company typically sends them out as soon as they can, though Samsung’s wishes of a global April 10th launch might mean this is simply an error.

Either way, if there is even the tiniest chance that your device could go out sooner than expected then you won’t want to miss it, so keep your eye on your doorstep leading up to the big day (and that goes for the rest of you non-Magenta users, too).

Start checking your inbox: Google IO 2015 invites are starting to arrive

If you signed up for Google’s big IO raffle, you might want to start checking your inbox: invites are now starting to roll out. It appears those who haven’t been accepted won’t receive an email saying so, and there’s a chance Google is sending invites out in waves (after unclaimed tickets become available) so don’t lose hope on getting one.

Those who have received invites to purchase a ticket have a limited time to do so (the first batch of invites are all saying by Thursday, March 26th) so it shan’t be long before Google knows how many more tickets they can issue. You’ll need 0 handy to pay for the ticket, though if you’re a student you can be admitted for just 0. Let us know if you’ve received one!

Google Play’s new search box with integrated hamburger menu button is starting to roll out

Quick, open up your Google Play Store! Seeing the old version with a search button in the upper right? Close the app (force close it if you need to) and open it again. You’ll likely see that a new search box is neatly squared at the top of the app. This is opposed to the old small search button that existed in the upper right of the status bar and could be hard to miss for some.

This new update should make it easier for folks to find the search box and begin looking for all the apps and games they crave. Inside the search box is a hamburger menu button that will bring up the standard Google Play menu for switching between different categories, sections and menus.

You’ll see the white box fade away as you dive deeper into Google Play’s goods, but a search button will persist at the upper right as you scroll through apps and descriptions. Press it and it’ll expand to bring the search box right back up. Intuitive, beautiful and easy — just how we like it.

This is a server side switch so there’s no updated APK to download. Let us know if you’re seeing it in the comments, and be sure to leave your thoughts on the new design while you’re at it!

5 Nintendo games coming to mobile starting in 2015, Android likely included

Nintendo announced in their most recent earnings call that they have a plan to launch 5 new games for “smart devices” by Spring of 2017. The first title is slated to launch this year, with others sure to be littered throughout 2016 and the early parts of 2017.

Nintendo didn’t confirm any platforms they’d be targeting, but we imagine Android won’t be left out of the fun. It’s the biggest smartphone operating system by market share, after all, and if there plans were exclusive to Apple it’s likely they would have mentioned so.

So what’s coming? Early murmurings tell us not to expect direct ports of existing Nintendo games, and there’s no guarantee anything they’re planning will take their cue from existing intellectual properties, either. Whatever the case is, Nintendo says they’re expecting to promote each game strongly and support them like the “hits” they want them to be.

The one thing we do know is that there’s no need to worry that Nintendo will be bringing some heat. The company’s track record for producing and developing quality games is near flawless, and considering they’re one of the few console makers who have their attention focused exclusively on games there’s no reason to believe they won’t do much of the same for their mobile efforts. We’re likely to hear more at E3 2015 next month, which our friends from Wii U Daily, PS4 Daily and Xbox One Daily will be attending in full force.

[via Wii U Daily]

Hyundai is the first car manufacturer to offer Android Auto in a production vehicle, starting with the 2015 Sonatas

It’s been possible to get Android Auto in your car for a couple of months now, but we’re still waiting on the first car to offer the smart vehicle system as standard. Wait no more: Hyundai has announced that they’re taking those honors with the 2015 Sonata.

The best part is that you can get the goods even if you already own the 2015 Sonata. Official Hyundai dealers can help you get the update as soon as today if you stop in, though if you don’t mind waiting you can apply it via a simple software update over USB later this summer.

HYUNDAI IS THE FIRST AUTOMAKER TO LAUNCH ANDROID AUTO (PRNewsFoto/Hyundai Motor America)

Android Auto requires a phone with Android 5.0 Lollipop for the deepest level of integration, so if you don’t already have it then you should look into options — official or otherwise — for updating whichever phone you have. Here’s a quick summary of everything Android Auto does to help make your time on the road safe:

• The Google Now card-based experience provides suggested locations and travel times based on the user’s searches, calendar entries and home and office locations, as well as weather information and “now playing” information for music streamed via the phone


• App software (navigation, streaming music, etc.) is automatically updated because the apps live on the phone


• Natural voice recognition with Google voice actions


• Owners can easily bring their personal reminders, suggested destinations, calendar appointments and music preferences with them when they get in their car


• Android Auto automatically pairs with the for phone calls through Bluetooth when connected for the first time via USB


• Android Auto has familiar interfaces that are easy to use and have almost no learning curve

Let’s hope others will follow suit soon enough.

[via Business Wire]

Here’s where to watch the Google IO live stream online today starting with the 9:30AM PST keynote speech

It’s May 28th! Aside from it being the awesome day known as Thursday, it’s also the day that Google IO kicks off this year. We’re on the ground in San Francisco and ready to not only take it all in, but bring you the latest news and all the coverage you can handle.

But what better way to be made privy to all the details than to see it all for yourself? As usual, Google will be live streaming much of the goings-on at the Moscone West this week, and you can watch it right here on our Google IO Live portal. The fun starts promptly at 9:30AM Pacific — that’s 12:30PM Eastern — with a keynote speech scheduled to run 2 and a half hours.

Beyond that, Google will be live streaming many of their code sessions, workshops and Q&A events. You can expect video archives of nearly everything shortly after the event has concluded, too. Whatever you do, though, you don’t want to miss the keynote so be sure to carve some time out, give your bosses a fair notice and let the games begin!

Check your inboxes: Project Fi invites are starting to roll out

If you signed up to be notified about Project Fi’s availability and wanted to sign up as soon as the service was ready, you’ll want to check your inbox — Google is starting to send out the first batch of invites.

If you aren’t aware, Project Fi is the company’s new wireless service built on the backs of Sprint and T-Mobile’s networks. It features a simplified and sensible data plan, a flat rate for talk and text, and cellular technology that’ll automatically and seamlessly make sure you’re on the best available network. You can find out more in our original post about the official launch right here.

So what’s it like to be whisked into this new program? Things are as Google announced for the most part — they ask you how much data you want (after reminding you that any unused data will be refunded to you) and ask you if you want to buy a Nexus 6 or use an existing one. You sign up with all your relevant details and once you receive your phone and / or SIM card you’ll be good to go.

There is one unfortunate caveat that we didn’t foresee, though — porting your Google Voice number over to Project Fi will essentially nuke your Google Voice account. There’s a long list of features that won’t be supported if you port your number:

• Making and receiving calls using Google Talk, Google Voice apps, or Obihai devices


• You won’t be able to use Google Voice for texting or visual voicemail


• Text, voicemail and call history is no longer saved in Google Voice


• If you’ve already turned on Google Voice text messages and voicemails in Hangouts, they’ll continue to be available only in Hangouts


• These Google Voice settings aren’t available: spam filtering, call recording, call switch, conference calling on the fly,  caller ID (incoming), and outgoing caller ID (anonymous Caller ID).


• As part of signing up for Project Fi, Google Voice apps and the website won’t be available.

That’s a pretty long list. What it does come with are the absolute basics you’d expect, which is an archive of your prior calls, texts, voicemails and voicemail greeting.

That said, you aren’t required to port your Google Voice number over to sign up for Project Fi so you’re just as free to choose a new phone number while continuing to use Google Voice as you always have. It’s important to remember that many of the aforementioned features are standard features of Project Fi so you’re not actually losing much functionality — you just won’t have the functionality within the Google Voice bubble.

We’re not sure why Google had to make so many sacrifices to make this happen — and you can be certain we’ll ask — but be sure to consider everything carefully before you make any sudden moves. Knowing all that, if you have an invite and have every intention of giving Project Fi a spin let us know in the comments below!

[via Reddit]

ASUS ZenFone 2 officially launching in the US starting tomorrow

It’s been quite a few months since we first saw the ASUS ZenFone 2 officially unveiled at CES 2015 earlier this year. Today, ASUS unveiled the phone again, but this time they were finally ready to talk about availability. Starting tomorrow, May 19th, the ASUS ZenFone 2 will officially be available to order from major online retailers in the US and Canada, starting at 0.

If you’re looking for something a little higher-end than the 0 base model, ASUS will also has the nicely equipped 0 model which comes with a 5.5-inch 1080p display, quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB internal storage, and a 13MP camera. The phone also comes in a plethora of colors — red, black, gray and silver — with weird (but very cool) 3D patterns.

It’s pretty much the best value in mobile hardware we’ve ever seen and easily undercuts the competition like the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge which will run over ,000 for a similarly equipped model. The unlocked North American version of the ASUS ZenFone 2 will be available at fine retailers like Amazon, B&H, Groupon, and Newegg. Who’s buying?

T-Mobile will update the LG G3 to Lollipop (again) starting at midnight

T-Mobile is gearing up to push out an over-the-air update to the LG G3 that finally brings the device Android Lollipop. You might be scratching your head wondering why this is news you’ve heard before. Back in early April, T-Mobile began pushing out Lollipop to the LG G3 (build D85120b), but later pulled that update for unknown reasons.

Now they’ve got an entirely new build they want to push out the LG G3, and the update starts tonight at midnight. T-Mobile Senior Product Manager Des Smith confirmed the news on Twitter, saying this new update will carry the build number D85120e (up from April’s 20b).

Whether you received the initial Lollipop update or not, every will be getting this one which is likely to roll out in waves, so don’t freak out if you don’t see the update right away — it’s coming.

[Twitter]

Android Wear 5.1.1 hits the Moto 360 starting today

Google has announced that the Moto 360 is now receiving its Android 5.1.1 update. Aside from being on the latest version of Android, this Android Wear update delivers always-on apps, gesture support for UI navigation, and WiFi support for devices that have the necessary radios.

Of course, if it’s taking a while for your watch to pull the update down it likely means it hasn’t been greenlit to receive it yet. Fret not, though, because it should make its way there eventually. Let us know how you’re liking it if you’re lucky enough to be in the first wave!

[via Google+]

Google adds vertical Street View to Maps starting with Yosemite’s El Capitan rock wall [VIDEO]

Google Maps’ Street View feature was once reserved for the simple purpose of helping people find their way through busy city streets, but it’s changed over the years. We’ve gotten views of national landmarks, parks, inside the White House and even coral reefs underwater.

And now there are vertical views of some of the world’s biggest rocks. The team partnered with expert rock climbers Alex Honnold and Lynn Hill to deliver vertical imagery of the entire height (3,000 solid feet) of Yosemite Park’s El Capitan (and no, it has nothing to do with Apple’s latest Mac OSX update).

The views really are breathtaking, and it’s a great way to check out the exhilaration known as rock climbing without having to do it yourself, which is especially great for someone like me who is deathly afraid of extreme heights.

The video above is cool and all, but you should give it a go on Google Maps for a truly neat experience. Nothing will ever come close to climbing up the real deal, of course, but this is as good as it gets otherwise.

[via Google]

Sony Xperia Z3 on T-Mobile is receiving Lollipop with Band 12 support starting at midnight

Sony Xperia Z3 owners on T-Mobile are in for a treat tonight. Starting tonight at midnight, the Xperia Z3 will begin receiving its update to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

According to T-Mobile product guru Des Smith, the update brings Band 12 support to the device, making it one of the few to support T-Mobile’s 700 MHz A block spectrum. We had a feeling Lollipop was around the corner, with T-Mobile’s software updates page essentially telling us as much a few weeks ago.

Charge up your devices and get them ready, as an Xperia Z3 Compact owner who recently received Lollipop on his device I can attest, you’re in for one helluva upgrade.

GM will bring Android Auto to Cadillac starting in 2016 cars

Android Auto is spreading to more and more devices, and another fleet of vehicles is confirmed to be in on the fun. GM has announced that Android Auto would head to their Cadillac cars starting with the 2016 run, which launches at some point this summer.

The upgrades will come as part of an enhanced CUE — or Cadillac User Experience — update that will feature new functionality and improved performance. Of course, you’ll need to make sure you have a phone with Lollipop by the time the cars arrive as Android Auto is only available on Android 5.0 or higher.

[via GM]