HTC One with stock Android arrives June 26 for $599

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds, Software,

The HTC One is a highly impressive Android device, but many users wish that they could get the beautiful hardware with stock Android Jelly Bean software. Luckily, that wish is becoming reality, as Android head Sundar Pichai announced during his D11 talk that the HTC One with Nexus UI will go on sale on June 26th on the Google Play store, and will work on both AT&T and T-Mobile.

Be sure to check out our HTC One review as well.

LG Nexus 4 now available in white

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds,

The LG Nexus 4 is arguably the best Android phone on the market right now (if you don't care about LTE,) but if you were bored by the black hue, you can now get it on the Google Play store and T-Mobile in white. In fact, if you buy it from Google Play directly, you also get a free bumper case thrown in for good measure. It should be stated, though, that the only difference here is the color--otherwise, it's the same Nexus 4 that was released over six months ago, running the latest version of Android, Jelly Bean 4.2.2.

Read More | Google Play Store

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini announced, packs 4.3-inch display

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds,

Today Samsung announced the Galaxy S4 Mini, a smaller take on its flagship Galaxy S4 Android smartphone. The Galaxy S4 Mini isn't really that "mini," though, since it ships with a 4.3-inch display that is larger than that of the iPhone 5--we'd say this is more of a mid-range display size, but, hey, to each their own. Additionally, it's not as powerful as the full-sized S4, as the Mini has a 1.7GHz dual-core processor and 1.5GB RAM. An 8-megapixel rear camera is paired with a 1.9-megapixel front shooter, and on the inside you get 8GB of storage (which you can expand with a microSD card.) Once nicety is that the Galaxy S4 Mini ships with Android 4.2.2, which means you get the latest and greatest right out of the gate. Pricing and availability has yet to be announced, but we're that that we'll find out next month. In the meantime, let us know if you're going for this one in the comments.

Read More | Samsung

iOS 7 to see radical redesign making it ‘black, white, and flat all over’

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Rumors, Software,

Apple is set to reveal iOS 7 at WWDC in two weeks, and sources have provided details on radical interface changes made to Apple's mobile device software. 9to5Mac reports that Jony Ive, Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design (in charge of both Apple hardware and software design,) has led the charge in giving iOS an entirely fresh coat of paint.

People familiar with the matter are describing iOS 7 as "black, white, and flat all over." In other words, the skeuomorphic textures are going away in favor of a new black and white interface that does away with a lot of the over-the-top shininess and glossiness.

For the upcoming operating system, which Apple says will be unveiled at its June Worldwide Developers Conference, Ive has not simply picked areas of the software design to tweak. He has essentially made his mark on every corner of the operating system, according to descriptions from sources, all while mostly keeping the essence of what has made iOS so ubiquitous.

Click to continue reading iOS 7 to see radical redesign making it ‘black, white, and flat all over’

AT&T enabling FaceTime over cellular for unlimited data customers beginning next month

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,

AT&T will finally be lifting its almost 3-year ban on FaceTime (and other pre-installed video chat services like Google Hangouts on ANdroid) for its customers on grandfathered unlimited data plans. Over time, AT&T has made stock video chat apps available on its cellular network only to customers on tiered data plans, or its newer Mobile Share plans, while unlimited users looked on in disappointment. That all changes starting next month, when customers with LTE devices get access to pre-installed video chat services:

For video chat apps that come pre-loaded on devices, we currently give all OS and device makers the ability for those apps to work over cellular for our customers who are on Mobile Share or Tiered plans. Apple, Samsung and BlackBerry have chosen to enable this for their pre-loaded video chat apps. And by mid-June, we’ll have enabled those apps over cellular for our unlimited plan customers who have LTE devices from those three manufacturers.

So if you've got an iPhone 5, you're in luck. If you are on an older iPhone 4S or iPhone 4, you have a bit more of a wait ahead of you. In fact, it appears that even if you have a current LTE device that isn't made by Apple, BlackBerry, or Samsung, you've got a wait ahead of you. Recent buyer of the awesome HTC One? Sorry:

Throughout the second half of this year, we plan to enable pre-loaded video chat apps over cellular for all our customers, regardless of data plan or device; that work is expected to be complete by year end.

We've been getting reports that some AT&T customers with unlimited plans and LTE devices are already seeing FaceTime over Cellular enabled.

Read More | The Verge

Mophie Juice Pack Plus more than doubles battery life of iPhone 5

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Smartphones,

Following up on the Juice Pack Helium ($71) and Juice Pack Air ($92), Mophie has announced the Juice Pack Plus for iPhone 5. This is the highest-capacity iPhone 5 battery case offered by Mophie, the company that made these accessories a common purchase for Apple smartphones. On the inside of the Juice Pack Plus you'll find a 2100mAh battery that the company says will add a whopping 120% of extra battery life to your iPhone 5, which is good enough for 10 additional hours of talk time, 12 hours of Wi-Fi Internet usage, and 12 hours of video playback.

The Mophie Juice Pack Plus is available in black right now, with white and Product (RED) versions shipping within the next two weeks. All models cost $120.

Google announces Samsung Galaxy S 4 with stock Android Jelly Bean, drops June 26th for $649

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Handhelds,

Google has announced a new version of the Samsung Galaxy S 4 during the opening day Google I/O keynote, which runs the latest stock version of Android Jelly Bean. This means that the specialized smartphone sports the Nexus experience. It's compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile LTE networks, completely unlocked. The bootloader is unlocked as well, and the device sports 16GB of on-board storage, expandable with a microSD card. One major benefit is the promise of immediate system updates to newer Android versions, thanks to the stock Android being used. Since the phone has no contract, it won't be cheap. The stock Android Jelly Bean version of the Galaxy S 4 will go on sale on Google Play on June 26th for $649.

Mother’s Day Giveaway: LG Optimus G Pro

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Announcements, Smartphones, Features,

That's right, we are giving away a brand new LG Optimus G Pro for Mother's Day! After all, it's time to thank the moms in your life for their hard work, and the LG Optimus G Pro is just the phone to do that with. In fact, here are a few reasons why we think she'll love it:

• The LG Optimus G Pro sports a 13 megapixel camera, letting mom capture all those important and impromptu family moments, and includes features like VR Panorama, Cheese Shutter, and Time Catch Shot.
• It's got a 5.5-inch display. That puts it almost in tablet territory. Mini tablet, if you will. So watching videos, reading books, and surfing the web are done without having to suffer through tiny fonts.
• The device has almost no bezel. That keeps it thin and easy to hold, despite the larger display size. Very comfortable in the hand. 

The LG Optimus G Pro can be had for $199.99 with two-year contract from AT&T, but we are giving you the opportunity to win one right here from Gear Live, courtesy of AT&T. So, how do you enter to win? Simply use the widget below to keep track of your entries! We've got a lot of ways for you to enter, but don't check off any that you don't actually perform. If you do, you'll be eliminated:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

By the way, if you wanna pick up an Optimus G Pro on your own, AT&T is currently selling them for $199.99 with two-year contract.

See also: LG Optimus G review

T-Mobile sells over 500,000 iPhone 5s in under a month

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Despite being the last major carrier to pick up the iPhone, T-Mobile is still seeing massive success thanks to the Apple smartphone. In fact, the company revealed that it has sold over 500,000 iPhone 5 units since the device went on sale on April 12th, less than a month ago. On that day, T-Mobile locations had lines out the door, which is almost unheard of for the carrier. Technically, the iPhone 5 went on sale after the end of the first quarter, so those 500,000 sales weren't accounted for. We will have to wait until next quarter to see how the iPhone is affecting T-Mobile revenue.

Read More | T-Mobile

Nokia Lumia 928 outed in Vanity Fair

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, Handhelds, Microsoft,

We've been keeping tabs on the Nokia Lumia 928 for a while, but it has never been confirmed in any official capacity until today. The Lumia 928 quietly made an appearance in a two-page advertisment spread in Vanity Fair, as well as on a simple page on the Nokia Web site. It appears that the 928 is focusing on the camera:

Nokia exclusive PureView technology, with Optical Image Stabilization and high-end Carl Zeiss optics let you capture and share amazing blur-free photos and videos, even in low light conditions.

As expected, Verizon Wireless will be the carrier for the Lumia 928. Expect a nice, official unveiling to take place a week from today, on May 14th. We aren't expecting the internals to be too different from the Nokia Lumia 920.