Google finally gives us a changelog for Android 5.1, headed to T-Mobile Nexus devices today

We’ve been seeing Android 5.1 Lollipop appear on a few Android One devices for quite some time, but Google has remained quiet about it. We heard about a couple of changes early on, and now Google has come out to detail them in an official changelog.

For starters, they’ve confirmed the addition of new WiFi and Bluetooth dropdowns in the quick settings menu in the notification pane. We also know that a ton of bugs were fixed, though Google didn’t care to detail any of them.

So what about the stuff we didn’t already know? For starters, Android 5.1 Lollipop finally brings native support for dual-SIM devices, which is sure to be great news for those in markets where dual-SIM devices are the norm. Google’s also bringing proper HD Voice support, with the first devices getting HD Voice love being the T-Mobile and Verizon Nexus 6.

Finally, Google’s new Device Protection feature will make it so that a phone you mark as lost or stolen will need your Google password to get into, even if the person with the phone somehow performs a factory reset. Neat stuff, there.

So who’s getting it? And when? We’re sure Nexus devices are first in line, and we already know T-Mobile’s Nexus 4, Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 -are slated to receive rollouts as soon as today (with all of them having the same build number of LMY47D).

If you have one of those devices you’ll do well to charge your battery and get on WiFi to start checking for the upgrade. Others will have to wait until more rollout information is shared by Google and carrier partners, and we’ll be sure to report anything as soon as we hear more.

[via Google, T-Mobile 1|2|3]

Sprint’s Nexus 6 is getting Android 5.1 today

T-Mobile’s Nexus devices were the only ones known to be getting Android 5.1 the day Google announced it, but Sprint is now throwing its hat into the ring. The company has announced that their Nexus 6 will be getting the upgrade today.

As we’ve seen in Google’s official changelog, there isn’t much new here. We have improved toggles for WiFi and Bluetooth, more security for devices that have been lost or stolen, support for dual-SIM devices and support for VoLTE / HD Voice calling.

Beyond that this should greatly improve the overall performance and user experience with a ton of under-the-hood stuff at work. Sprint also noted a couple of important fixes of their own:

• Enhancements to sending MMS messages in the UK


• Fixed duplicate SMS messages being sent

And that’s about it. You’re looking for version LMY47D, so be sure to charge up and get on WiFi to check for it. Note that the update is going out in stages so if you don’t see it right away then you’ll simply have to wait.

[via Sprint]

 

AT&T’s Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is also getting Android 5.0 Lollipop today

After Samsung Galaxy Note 4 owners on AT&T were treated to Android 5.0.1 Lollipop earlier today, it appears Galaxy Note 3 owners are also joining in on the fun. We’ve received reports of the Galaxy Note 3 also receiving Lollipop under build number LRX21V.N900AUCUEOC1. Just like on the Galaxy Note 4, the update weighs in at around 1GB, so it’s pretty hefty. Makes sense too given this is one of the biggest firmware updates to happen to Android in quite some time.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Software Update Includes:

• Songs, photos, apps, and even recent searches from one Android device can be immediately enjoyed across all of your Android devices.


• New User Interface look and feel, more fluid motions


• Priority mode to only allow certain notifications to get through


• Battery saving features and remaining time left to charge or deplete indicators


• Smart Lock to secure phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like a wearable or car


• Most frequently used settings available with just two swipes down from the top screen

Since the update just started rolling out in phases, it may take a little bit longer before it reaches your device. If you don’t feel like waiting for the update to ping you, you can jump into your Settings app and select the General tab, then scroll down to About device > Software updates > > and Check for updates to pull it manually (once it becomes available, of course).

[AT&T]

Thanks, ZP15!

Is Google unveiling their wireless service today?

Google hasn’t been shy enough not to reveal that they’ve been working on launching a wireless service, but the company has understandably been a bit hush on the details. But if the Wall Street Journal’s information is accurate we could be seeing Google’s first unveiling as soon as today.

Previous rumors and information suggest Google will enlist T-Mobile and Sprint for the airwaves necessary for wireless service, though it won’t be your typical MVNO experience. We’re told to expect innovative cellular capabilities such as the ability to seamlessly hop from one network type to the next without any hiccups, and for the phone to automatically detect which network performs better in any given area. Leveraging WiFi calling will also be an area of focus for Google.

More details about the service leaked earlier this month thanks to the revelation of an app called “Project Fi.” It told of wireless service that could be switched between multiple different devices without switching SIM cards, data buckets where you only pay for the exact amount of data you use, the ability to opt-out of cellular data sharing and other cool features that most carriers have yet to explore.

It’s important to remember that Google’s not expecting to become king of wireless overnight with this move. Their desire is to help push cellular technology forward much in the same way that they’re doing for cars and broadband landline internet here in the United States. Good on them to think about the greater good, we’d say, and we can’t wait to see what exactly they have planned for its supposed launch later this year.

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+]

Deal: Amazon has the Kindle Fire HD 7 for $79 today only

Quick heads-up on an Amazon deal that might delight those in the market for a tablet. The company is putting their own Kindle Fire HD 7 on sale for .

That’s down from its usual price of 9, and it’ll get you a 7-inch 1280 x 800 tablet with a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of internal storage, front and rear cameras with 1080p video recording, and quick and easy access to Amazon’s ecosystem of movies, books, music, apps, games and more.

It won’t run circles around many tablets, but for it should prove capable enough for whatever you need it to do. Go ahead and order one from Amazon right here if you’re interested.

The Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, and HTC One M9 are all on sale today, which one did you get?

Today is the biggest day of the year for 2015 flagship phones. The best from Samsung and HTC are both now available to purchase online and in stores from all major U.S. carriers. That’s right, the  Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, and HTC One M9 are all launching on the same day. This makes the decision for which one to buy all the more difficult. Here’s where you can buy them right now:

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6

• AT&T


• Sprint


• T-Mobile


• Verizon

Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

• AT&T


• Sprint


• T-Mobile


• Verizon

Where to buy the HTC One M9

• AT&T


• Sprint


• T-Mobile


• Verizon

Will you be buying any of these new devices today? Which one will you choose? These three devices will arguably be the most popular devices of 2015. It all starts today. Let us know below which one of these devices you are planning to buy!

Facebook’s F8 Developer Conference is happening today at 1PM Eastern, here’s where you can watch live

Facebook’s developer conference is going on today folks. I know, grumble grumble, Facebook hate. But as much as you might not like the social network, they’re still pretty big and have made significant strides in the past couple of years to move beyond the likes and shares to become a tech juggernaut. We saw their first big movement with the purchase of Oculus Rift, one of the biggest players in virtual reality who were responsible for getting the world excited about the technology again.

Want to follow along? Facebook’s streaming all their announcements live right here starting at 1PM Eastern. If you can’t quite cut a block of time out of your schedule to watch live we’ll certainly be bringing you any pertinent news to spawn from the event. For everyone else, grab the popcorn!

Here’s where you can buy the HTC One M9 online for Sprint, AT&T or unlocked today

March 27th has finally arrived, folks — this is the day you can buy an HTC One M9. We’ve already asked which of the two big heavy hitters for 2015 you’re buying, and if you voted for HTC’s pride and joy then here’s where and how you can buy it. There are two routes you can go:

Without contract

T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T variants for the HTC One M9 in Gunmetal Grey and Silver are available for 9.99 each. The developer edition, which ships with an unlockable bootloader, can be had in those same colors for the same price. There’s also the network-unlocked edition that will come in Grey, Silver and Gold options for

With contract

Only AT&T and Sprint are offering the device with contract for shipping today. T-Mobile will offer it at some point down the line, while Verizon has no current plans to offer the device through HTC’s online store (though we know they will be holding an early April launch of their own).

AT&T has it for 0 on a two-year contract or .64 per month through AT&T Next 24. Meanwhile, Sprint will offer it for the same price on-contract, and per month for 24 months through Sprint Easy Pay.

You can take a look at all of these options by starting at HTC’s online storefront right here. Let us know if you order one!

Reminder: Google I/O 2015 registration opens today at 9am Pacific, and here’s what you need to know

Here’s a quick reminder for any developers hoping to get in on the fun in San Francisco for Google’s annual developers’ conference: registration opens today at 9am Pacific. It will be hectic as Google I/O has consistently sold out within hours (and, in recent times, minutes) of ticket sales going live, but things will happen a bit differently this year:

• Registration will run three days — between March 17th and March 19th.


• Registering for a ticket does not guarantee you a ticket. Applicants are selected at random once the aforementioned registration window closes to give people a fair shot of going to the event.

This is a much saner route than years prior where Google would open the floodgates and only those lucky enough not to be smacked in the face with frustrating server issues are allowed to purchase a ticket.

The best thing you can do to prepare right now is to make sure your Google / Google+ profile information is all accurate and up-to-date. Google has used Google+ information as default registration details in the past so let this serve as a good reason to finally update that old profile you abandoned a while back. Google might also be making use of Google Wallet for payment, so be sure your payment sources are all up to date and ready to go.

Other than that, grab some coffee and start smashing that F5 button promptly at (or even a bit before) 9am Pacific. This new registration system doesn’t mean people won’t be eager to sign up. Servers might crash. Hair might fall out. People might die. OK, that’s a bit melodramatic, but prepare for anything because only so many people can be packed inside the 6,000-person venue known as the Moscone West, and there will be a lot more than 6,000 people trying to stamp their tickets to the event when it kicks off May 28th.

[via Google I/O]

Official: Sprint gets the LG G4 June 5th, pre-sale starts today with 3 free goodies

Sprint has announced that they will be getting the LG G4 June 5th. The carrier is among the first to offer up solid availability. They’ll have a few different options for upgrading depending on what works best for you:

• Sprint Lease: LG G4 will be available through Sprint Lease for down at signing and per month. (Note that Sprint will always own the device and there will be no option to keep it if you end service).


• At the conclusion of the lease period, customers in good standing have several options, including returning the LG G4 and leasing another device or purchasing it.


• Sprint Easy Pay^SM: Well-qualified buyers can purchase LG G4 with down (plus tax), no finance fees and 24 easy monthly payments of (SRP: 0; excluding taxes; service plan required).


• Purchase LG G4 for $ 9.99 with a two-year agreement.


• Purchase LG G4 for 9.99 without a contract.

You can pre-order as soon as today, and doing so will net you some goodies, including a 32GB microSD card, a spare 3,000mAh battery and a charging cradle. You should also check out our LG G4 review if you’re still on the fence, but here’s a quick spoiler: you definitely couldn’t go wrong making this your smartphone of choice for 2015.

[via Sprint]

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!

Official: Nexus 9 gets Android 5.1 Lollipop update today

Google’s been trolling Nexus 9 owners for quite some time by bringing out maintenance upgrades while others were long enjoying Android 5.1. Well, the trolling stops here — Google has announced that the upgrade is officially rolling out to the big tablet from today onward.

Android 5.1 didn’t bring any amazing changes, though it did squash a great deal of bugs that fell under Google’s radar when Android 5.0 Lollipop was first released. These changes should contribute to better battery life and an overall smoother device.

We’re not sure when the rollout will begin or if it’ll be staggered, but we’re sure there will be flashable OTA files to get you going on the latest and greatest before too long. For now, keep smashing that update button in the Settings menu!

[via Twitter]

Today Only: $130 for the Moto 360 at Woot.com

One of the best Android Wear smart watches currently available is on sale today at Woot.com! It’s the Moto 360, and the blowout daily deals site has it for just 0, though that price tag comes with the stipulation that these are factory reconditioned units.

Still, 0 is a pretty low price if you don’t mind springing for a first generation smart watch. Unfortunately it’s no longer the new kid on the block, with options like the LG Watch Urbane taking its thunder and a sequel rumored to be on the way soon.

Regardless, it’s not a bad smart watch at all for this price and it still holds rank as a top tier wrist dweller even this far into 2015. Be sure to read our Moto 360 review if you need a closer look before plunging, but act fast since the sale only lasts through the end of the day or until stock is depleted, whichever comes first.

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+]

Deal: Transcend microSD cards are up to 40% off at Amazon today only

Amazon’s most common daily deal is back. Transcend is the featured brand for flash storage this time, with a nice handful of SD and microSD cards going for cheap.

We’ve got 32GB and 64GB Class 10 UHS-1 microSD cards going for .99 and .99, respectively. The same breed of storage in full-sized SD flavor go for .99 and .99, respectively. They all have up to 45 megabytes per second transfer rates, which should be more than enough for recording up to 4K HD. They both include an SD adapter for use in devices or computers that don’t support the smaller standard.

There are also high-end Class 10 UHS-3 SD cards in 64GB and 128GB going for .99 and .99, respectively. These guys boast a read speed of 95 megabytes per second, and a write speed of whopping 60 megabytes per second. Rounding out the list is a selection of USB thumb drives, SATA 3 drives and a 128GB USB 3.0 external SSD. Be sure to get your orders in before the end of the day, because prices are sure to shoot back up once the calendar turns.

Get $200 in free stuff when you buy a Huawei smartphone today

Huawei has announced that their latest budget phone — the Huawei P8 Lite — is now available in the US. You’ve probably already seen our hands-on with the thing, as well as a look at the TalkBand B2 fitness band that’s also coming today. You can buy one right now by heading over to their website, though you should make yourself aware of a very sweet deal before you go through checkout.

The company is offering off the cost of any smartphone on their online storefront, as well as a free Bluetooth speaker and Net10 service. That bundle naturally applies to the newly-available Huawei P8 Lite. You’ll also get a free snap-on case for the Huawei P8 Lite.

The catch? This deal is only available within the next 72 hours, so you’ll want to buy one in the immediate future if you’re ever planning to. To recap, Here’s everything you’ll get for buying a Huawei P8 Lite for 0 today:

• Huawei P8 Lite Android Smartphone


• Free Case for the Huawei P8 Lite


• Free Bluetooth speaker


• Free worth of Net10’s wireless service

That’s about 0 worth of goods for just 0, so if you’re even remotely considering the P8 Lite you won’t want  to pass this up. Be sure to find all of it over at GetHuawei.com.

Boost Mobile starts selling the LG Volt 2 and LG Tribute 2 today

Boost Mobile has announced immediate availability of 2 of LG’s latest smartphones. It’s the LG Volt 2 and Tribute 2, which are 2 smartphones that don’t come close to the stature of the LG G4 but will go much easier on your wallets.

The Volt 2 is a 5-inch 720p device with some decent cameras in a 5 megapixel front sensor and an 8 megapixel rear counterpart. It also has the 64-bit quad-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 410, 1GB of RAM, LTE, 8GB of storage with microSD and will ship with Lollipop. That package will run you just 0.

Taking things down a notch is the LG Tribute 2, which sports a 4.5-inch display with 854 x 480 resolution. It enjoys a 5 megapixel rear camera, a VGA front camera, Snapdragon 410, 1GB of RAM, LTE, 8GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD) and also ships with Lollipop. That’s enough of a downgrade to make it cheaper than its bigger brother.

Want one? They’re up for sale on Boost’s site right now, though you could also call in or head to your local Boost location if you prefer those routes. Find the appropriate links straight ahead.

Buy the LG Volt 2 for 0

Buy the LG Tribute 2 for 0

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?

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S5 is receiving Android 5.1.1 Lollipop today

T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have gotten Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, and now yesteryear’s counterpart is in line. Android 5.1.1 for the Samsung Galaxy S5 is rolling out starting today, with folks able to pull it down over-the-air and through Samsung Kies.

There’s no word yet on what, exactly, is different. Our hope would be that the device will receive Camera RAW support like the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are currently enjoying, but we’ll have to wait for further reports and testing to see if that’s on tap. At the least we can expect improved performance and other enhancements, as well as bug fixes galore.

Be sure to download it and report back with your impressions once you’ve gotten it loaded up!

[via SamMobile]