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.

LG says G4’s leather back is made from high-quality cow leather and takes 12 weeks to manufacture

After the world made a big hoopla over the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge finally using “premium” build materials, it’s clear consumers are looking for a little more luxury from their 0 smartphones. No doubt an idea sparked by Motorola’s leather backed Moto X (2nd Gen) options, LG is now following suit for the LG G4.

LG says they’re the first ones to slap leather on a smartphone in Korea and while we’ll just have to take them on their word for it, LG has spent a considerable amount of time and effort to deliver what they call a “sensible luxury.” It takes LG a total of 12 weeks from start to finish, 10 times longer than the production process of the normal rear cover which takes barely 4 days.

Made from only the top layer (epidermis) of high quality cow leather, the back features tiny 0.001 micrometer pores for breathability. The end result is a smooth, soft touch back that should feel unlike any other smartphone on the market, while still allowing heat to dissipate.

Whether or not this luxury option will resonate with consumers — and how much of an extra premium this will add to the phone’s price sticker — remains to be seen. Either way, if you opt for the leather backed LG G4, you can rest assured you’re not getting the cheap stuff.

[LG (Korean)]

HTC’s latest ad is really weird, takes shots at Samsung and Apple [VIDEO]

HTC has a long history of really strange ads. There was Hipster Troll Carwash, and then a bunch of short-films starring Robert Downey Jr. The latest ad is a parody of all the commercials for medical products we see on TV all the time. HTC calls it their fake drug Cellami, which is the cure for “suffering from having to choose between the same old options for a smartphone,” or “Bi-phonal Displeasure Disorder.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=60&v=F3LBOqXTvM0

HTC says one of two things can cause Bi-phonal displeasure disorder: SAD and iOS. SAD stands for Samsung Effective Disorder. iOS, of course, stands for Irritable Operating System. Like all drugs, Cellami comes with a list of side effects. It can lead to “pinched zoom, clogged charge port, permanent thumb loss, and only plastic discharges.” But, if you are currently taking HTC One M9 they are quick to point out you don’t need Cellami. In fact, “your phone is the best!”

I’ve watched this ad a couple of times now and I can’t decide if it’s really clever or really dumb. This is not the type of ad we’d expect to see on TV anytime soon. What do you think of Cellami? Did HTC actually create a good ad, or is this just another in a line of weird videos?

Oppo could be working on a smart watch that takes just 5 minutes to charge [LEAK]

One of the biggest drawbacks of a modern smart watch is that they can’t quite live up to the battery expectations we demand. That’s why Pebble and their week-long battery is a big deal, and why people were likely disgusted at the Apple Watch’s 18-hour rating.

Oppo could change that with the smart watch they’re rumored to be working on. The company is supposedly making a smart watch that can go from 0 to 100% in just 5 minutes of charging. It might not make the battery last as long as we’d like, but to be able to top up in just 5 minutes gives us a lot more flexibility in when and how we choose to charge the thing.

The charging time will be made possible thanks to the company’s next-generation VOOC charger, a solution used for turbo charging their latest smartphones. Since smart watches naturally have much smaller batteries than smartphones then it’s not outside the realm of possibility that they can get such speedy charge times.

As much as we’re hoping this rumor is true, it is still just a rumor. For what it’s worth, we know OnePlus —  a very close ally of Oppo’s — is at least thinking about the possibility of introducing a smart watch. The company sent consumer surveys asking folks what they think about wearables. OnePlus isn’t Oppo, of course, but the two share design and engineering facilities so it’s possible they could be bouncing ideas off each other.

[via Twitter]

 

The Galaxy S6 is here, but does it have what it takes to top our Best Android Phones list?

We have no qualms in saying we love the Samsung Galaxy S6. You need only check out our full review of Samsung’s latest smartphone to see why. But we love the HTC One M9, too (as you will see in our review of that device, as well). Needless to say, when the Phandroid staff put our heads together to rank the best Android phones currently on the market, agreeing on who would hold the top spot wasn’t easy.

Did HTC’s decision to stick with the premium build that won them accolades with last year’s One M8 hurt the case of the One M9? Did Samsung sway us with a sweeping redesign of their flagship Galaxy handset? What about the dark horse, the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge? Those devices were easy choices for the top three spots on our list, but if you want to know their final order you’ll have to head over and see for yourself.

Things are bound to only get more complicated come next month with the launch of the LG G4, the manufacturers answer to Samsung and HTC’s 2015 workhorses. We have a rundown of what to expect along with our complete roundup of top Android smartphones, rumored, and upcoming devices. Visit our Android phone guide for the whole shebang.

Apple and LG tie for best smartphone of 2014 award, Moto 360 takes wearables

Every year at Mobile World Congress, the GSMA — the folks behind the event — vote on the best technology, software and ideas in mobile. This year’s winners might have seemed obvious, but there were a couple of “gotchas” that caused us to take notice.

The biggest shock is that Apple didn’t take home the Best Smartphone award alone for the iPhone 6. They actually tied with LG for the LG G3. It’s sure to be great news for the South Korean manufacturer up against stiff competition from their neighbors Samsung or the folks out in Taiwan named HTC.

Motorola took home two awards for two different products. They won Best Affordable Smartphone (those which cost 0 or less) for last year’s Moto E, and took home the Best Wearable category for the stunning Moto 360.

Other notable wins at the Global Mobile Awards include Gameloft winning Best Game for Asphalt 8, and IFTTT winning the big grandaddy of app awards with their automated web service being voted the best overall app of 2014. Well deserved, we’d say.

As we found when we reflected on the year a while back, 2014 was great. The best part is that 2015 is looking even better with tons more wearables bound to be introduced, great new smartphones on the horizons and more innovations that we have yet to even know about. Be sure to take a look at all of the winners over at the GMA website if you’re curious.

Google takes Apple’s cue and reviews Android apps before letting them into Google Play

Google today made a huge announcement regarding the way they handle app submissions in Google Play. To now, the company has been lax about letting developers upload applications and only looked to remove apps in hindsight if they were found to have violated Google Play’s developer policies.

But it seems Google’s tired of that approach — they’ve gone ahead and created a bit of a walled garden for Google Play not unlike the one Apple employs for their App Store (that is to say, they’re now reviewing apps before letting them into Google Play). Google says this move was made to better protect users and to ensure the quality of apps in Google Play remain top notch.

Google said this process actually started a few months ago, and developers have yet to even notice. Their crack team of “experts” are able to review a large amount of apps in very quick succession so apps still appear in Google Play just mere hours after submission.

This sounds scary at first, we know. It’s a road we never thought Google would take, what with their emphasis on Android being “open” and “free.” But malware, hordes of apps that don’t work, and other toxic material in Google Play is counterproductive to the company’s goal of making Android even more fit for the mainstream than it already is. Example: what workplace is going to want to participate in Android for Work if their employees’ devices are exposed to potentially harmful apps?

Google hasn’t further detailed their review process, though they ensure us that the only thing they’re looking to do is make sure developers’ apps adhere to the developer policies outlined here. This isn’t going to be some Apple-like affair where they turn apps away for “duplicating functionality” or other nonsensical reasons.

To drive that point home, Google also mentioned that they will now be more upfront and clear about why your app may have been rejected or removed from Google Play. Furthermore, they’ve made it easier to resubmit apps for review after they’ve been rejected, so the fear of being exiled from Google Play forever should you make one tiny mistake should now evaporate.

No one is more thrilled to hear that than us, of course, as we’ve been the unfortunate recipients of Google Play banishment in the past.

Our issue was never that our apps were removed in the first place. We’d eventually accepted and corrected our mistakes after having to comb through the developer policy ourselves and simply guess what we were doing wrong. It was Google’s lack of clarity as to why our apps were removed that drove us crazy, and that they didn’t make it easy to rectify the issue after identifying and fixing it didn’t help.

If what Google says is true, then we — and any other developer who has ever been in our shoes — should have a much easier time creating quality apps and uploading them to Google Play, even if it has to go through a very reasonable review period. And in the event that you do make an honest mistake and accidentally violate Google’s developer policies, it should be no sweat off your brow to get it fixed. This is great for developers and users alike, and it’s our hope that Google Play will become even stronger because of it.

PS: Google also detailed a new content rating system based on existing digital content guidelines established in each region. Developers will be asked to submit questionnaires about their apps and games, after which it will be given an age rating by an appropriate ratings board for each region the app is available in (ESRB in North America and PEGI in Europe, for instance).

The questionnaire isn’t required for existing apps right now, though Google notes that any apps without a rating may be blocked in certain countries where distributing unrated content is prohibited. The questionnaire will be required for all new apps and games uploaded to Google Play starting in May. Be sure to get your app situated by submitting questionnaires (available through the developer console) as soon as possible.

[via Google]

Google Now on Tap takes Android’s voice recognition to the next level [VIDEO]

We thought third-party app support would be the coolest thing headed to Google Now this year, but we weren’t even close. Google has announced Now on Tap, a new context-driven element for Google Now that’ll help you figure stuff out, take action and look up information related to what you’re looking at on your phone.

The quick explanation is that you can be inside an app, and Google Now — should you call on its never-ending expertise — can automatically determine what context you’re speaking in, even without specifics. One example was Spotify. You could be listening to Skrillex, and say “OK Google, what’s his real name?” From there, Google Now knows that “his” refers to “Skrillex” and will load up a Google Search that’ll return that exact information.

Another example showed two spouses messaging each other and asking about a restaurant for dinner. Holding the home button — still within that conversation — automatically brings up the restaurant, with reviews and directions for driving there. It’ll also be able to surmise whether you’re talking about a movie within an email conversation, or if you’re trying to find out more information about a specific food item on a menu inside a restaurant’s app.

The most interesting part of all this is that Google claims developers will not have to make any modifications to their apps for Google Now on Tap to work. It just happens, and it’s damn cool.

It’s a little scary, sure — Google Now knows enough about what I’m doing on my phone to provide context-accurate information? That’s sure to raise a big red flag for any privacy nut, but if Google’s privacy policy for using your data on all their other services is anything to go by we aren’t so sure there’s reason to worry.

Privacy aside, Google Now on Tap is very cool, and is perhaps the single biggest addition to the service since its arrival a couple of years back. Be sure to check out the video demos of Google Now on Tap in action in the YouTube clip above, and look forward to being able to try it out on the Android M developers’ preview once it’s ready.

T-Mobile takes $100 off the Nexus 6 [DEAL]

If you were going to buy a Nexus 6 from Google Play, you might want to avert your attention to T-Mobile instead. The company is putting the Nexus 6 up for 0, which is 0 cheaper than it typically goes for.

The great thing about this deal is that you can take advantage no matter which carrier you’re with, as all Nexus 6 units sold in the United States are identical and can be used with whoever you’re with.

Of course, T-Mobile customers have the added benefit of getting it for down and paying a monthly installment to make the day one cost a bit cheaper, but if you were going to buy this thing unlocked we can’t think of a better place to do it right now. T-Mobile has the deal for you right here if you want to take advantage.

Motorola’s Father’s Day deal takes $100 off the Moto 360 through June 9th

Motorola’s celebrating Dads with a nice deal on the Moto 360. They’re letting it go for 0 less than retail, which takes it down to 9.99. This is the price for a new model, too, so you don’t have to be worried that someone else owned it.

This is no doubt a good excuse for the company to move some inventory to make room for a new smart watch. Your Dad (or, just you) might not care about having the latest greatest. If so — have at it!

But if you’re wondering whether something better will be along the way, we’re here to tell you there’s almost a 100% chance Motorola has a new smart watch coming this summer. If you decide you still want to take the plunge you can place an order right here.

HTC reveals 24-carat gold HTC One M9… and takes its picture with an iPhone

HTC has revealed a 24 carat gold version of their 2015 flagship HTC One M9. The device was made to celebrate the end of the UEFA Champions League and the finals. It’ll come decked out in gold plating from top to bottom, and the back will be etched with commemorative logos, dates, venues and finals participants.

But the phone isn’t even the craziest thing here (after all, it’s just an HTC One M9 in gold). What we found more absurd was that someone at HTC took a real life photo of it with — wait for it — an iPhone. You can see the iPhone’s reflection in the rear of the device on the right in the image below:

It’s no surprise HTC hurried to have that post removed from the company’s main Twitter account pronto.

Funny stuff there, though we should all come to realize that people don’t always use their own company’s products 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and 365 days per year. Still, this was a pretty damning slip-up.

[via Twitter]

Amazon takes $40 off the 2nd Gen Moto G today only

One of Amazon’s deals of the day will take off the cost of a 2nd Gen Moto G.  That brings it down to 9.99 from its usual going price. The 2nd Gen Moto G is a very capable smartphone that should provide a comprehensive Android experience on the cheap.

It has a 5-inch 720p display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400 chipset, 1GB o RAM, an 8 megapixel rear camera coupled with a 2 megapixel front sensor, and a 2,070mAh battery. It also now has Android 5.0 Lollipop, in case you were worried you wouldn’t be on the latest and greatest software.

The price tag only lasts until the end of the day, though, so you should hurry and order one if you’re interested. Note that it doesn’t have LTE radios, but at least you can select between global and US GSM versions. Will you be picking one up?

Samsung takes more shots at Apple in new “6 > 6″ ad campaign [VIDEO]

We’re just going to have to face it by now: Samsung will always take shots at Apple, because people will always compare their products to Apple’s. The trend continues in the latest series of advertisements released by the South Korean company.

The theme is that “6 is greater than 6,” which we know is not mathematically accurate. But Samsung, of course, is referring to their Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge being greater than the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+.

The first add ridicules the bitten fruit company for not having an Edge display, which is nary a knock on Apple considering no one else is doing such a thing. The other shames Apple for lack of wireless charging, as well as not having a front-facing camera with a wider angle.

Many will be quick to chastise Samsung for continuing their barrage of attacks on Apple, but these ads are actually tame compared to the stuff Samsung was doing a mere couple of years ago. The simple “our phone does this one thing better than that phone” approach is effective, yet not petty enough that they deserve some flack. Anyway, the videos are sitting above if you’re curious.