HTC First: Facebook Home, 4.3-inch display, LTE, $99 on April 12

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

During today's Facebook Home announcement, HTC and AT&T announced the HTC First, a new smartphone set to launch in just over a week that was built from the ground up to run Facebook Home as its main interface. Aside from being the, um, first phone to launch with Facebook Home built-in, it'll also be the first smartphone to ship with Instagram pre-installed (although the Samsung Galaxy Camera does, too, but it isn't technically a phone.) The phone itself is a beautifully simple device from a design perspective, and on the inside runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor keeping things humming along, and status updates flowing across the 4.3-inch display. It also runs on AT&T's 4G LTE network, which Ralph de la Vega made sure to pimp as the fastest LTE network in the country. You'll be able to pick up the HTC First on April 12 (hey, the same day that the iPhone 5 hits T-Mobile!) for $99.99 in the US, and you'll have a choice of four colors: black, white, sky blue, or red.

Read More | HTC First

Facebook Home: Turn your Android device into the ultimate Facebook smartphone

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Software,

This morning Facebook revealed a new Android-based mobile initiative called Facebook Home. Mark Zuckerberg was on hand to talk about what would happen if your phone was made to be about "people, not apps," and the result is Facebook Home.

While many assumed that Facebook would be releasing its own hardware device (despite our assurance that it wouldn't!), Home is, instead, a suite of Facebook apps that work together to put Facebook front and center across your entire Android device, making it feel like a "Facebook Phone." For example, in the Coverfeed app, it takes over both the Android homescreen and lock screen, and then provides a regular stream of updates from your friends--all without you tapping a Facebook app icon or even swiping to unlock. From the home screen you can even comment and like the updates that flow across your display.

Click to continue reading Facebook Home: Turn your Android device into the ultimate Facebook smartphone

Try out BlackBerry 10 on your iPhone or Android smartphone

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Internet, Software,

Curious about how BlackBerry 10 stacks up against iOS, Android, and Windows Phone? You can now check out how it works right on your smartphone browser for a glimpse of BlackBerry 10. This will bring you into a web app that simulates the look and feel of the BlackBerry 10 OS, which will allow you to get a feel for the new BlackBerry hotness. Of course, being a web app, it isn't as smooth as actually picking up a BlackBerry Z10 and using that, but it's still a cool idea from BlackBerry to get people familiar with its new offering.

Read More | BlackBerry Glimpse

iPhone 5S reportedly set for summer release

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

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is set to launch the iPhone 5S this summer, and that the company is just about ready to start production of the handset that will be "similar in size and shape to its current one", which has been indicative of all the S model iPhones since the debut of the iPhone 3GS. If the report is accurate, it also marks the return of the iPhone to its summer release schedule, which it diverted from with the introduction of the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5, both of which saw fall releases. It could be that Apple is bumping up the release schedule of the iPhone, similar to what we saw with the short timeframe between the third-generation iPad and the fourth-gen model. Many will complain if that's the case, but us? Bring it on.

Read More | WSJ

AT&T still playing catch-up, finally adding HD Voice later this year

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Broadband, Smartphones, Corporate News,

I have a bridge to sell you if you think AT&T's announcement had nothing to do with T-Mobile's hard push of its new HD Voice to its upcoming iPhone customers. AT&T Senior VP of Network Technology, Kris Rinne, was chatting it up at the VentureBeat Mobile Summit in Sausalito, California. She stated that the telecommunications company will support the HD Voice technology later this year in 2013. Nevermind that smartphones like the iPhone 5 have had HD Voice capabilities since October 2012.

@jason_diaz AT&T never implemented full rate AMR, much less AMR-WB, which is required for HD Voice.

— Neal Gompa (ニール・ゴンパ) (@Det_Conan_Kudo) March 27, 2013

Rollout of newer technology has historically been AT&T's Achilles Heel; it took them over a year to include Internet tethering for the iPhone 3GS, despite carriers across the globe supporting it at launch. AT&T finally included the internet tethering, only after the iPhone 4 launched, with several deal breaking caveats such as forfeiting "unlimited" data plans and exorbitant pricing for data that customers are already paying for. On the brighter side, dropped calls will soon be in HD.

Read More | AllThingsD

HTC One launches on AT&T and Sprint on April 19th

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds,

The HTC One is set to officially launch on April 19th on both AT&T and Sprint, starting at $199.99 with two-year contract for the 32GB model. If you prefer the 64 GB variant, you'll have to go with the AT&T model…yup, the 64 GB HTC One is an AT&T exclusive. Despite an unforeseen delay, the HTC One is still set to beat the Samsung Galaxy S 4 to the market, and also comes in $50 cheaper. If you wanna get your pre-order on, you can put your money down with AT&T beginning on April 4, or on April 5th if you're going with the Sprint model.

64 GB HTC One is an AT&T exclusive

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

If you were hoping to pick up a the 64 GB model of the HTC One, it looks like you'll need to grab it from AT&T. AT&T has posted a video promoting the HTC One on its official YouTube account, which clearly shows that the 64 GB model is exclusive to the carrier, while the 32 GB version is not. Since the One has no internal expansion slot for a microSD card, you are stuck with what you get, and if 32 GB is just too cramped for you, the AT&T model seems to be your only hope. That's unfortunate, as exclusive handset configurations in the smartphone market don't seem to help anyone byt the vendor who has the exclusive, consumers be damned. Check out the promo video after the break.

Click to continue reading 64 GB HTC One is an AT&T exclusive

T-Mobile USA to launch iPhone 5 on April 12, LTE in 7 cities

Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

T-Mobile, the fourth largest US carrier, has officially announced that it will carry Apple's iPhone, beginning on April 12 with the iPhone 5, 4S, and 4. T-Mobile was the the last remaining holdout of the the big four, that includes Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, to sell the iconic smartphone. The delay was due to a variety of reasons, one being the economic ramification of the iPhone potentially outselling other handsets that are heavily branded by T-Mobile, which the carrier heavily relies on. The iPhone 5 will be able to run T-Mobile's LTE which, coincidentally, finally went live today in 7 cities: Washington DC, San Jose, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Houston, and Baltimore.

The unique twist is how T-Mobile will manage to sell both the iPhone and the other handsets it carries. T-mobile will allow customers to pay the full price or pay $20 installments over 24 months with a down payment of $99 and will not be requiring a two year contract. Along with this announcement, T-Mobile will also sell the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S in certain markets with HSPA+. Despite its small LTE markets, T-Mobile boasts very competitive service plans that might entice new customers to defect from other carriers. Example, $70 for unlimited calling, data and text. One perk for the switch is that T-mobile is marketing that it will be the only carrier with HD Voice deployment on the iPhone 5. Now the iPhone 5 will officially sell on an equal playing field in the US. Pre-order starts now.

Read More | T-Mobile

Pandora now available for Windows Phone 8 with free, ad-free listening through 2013

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Microsoft, Music,

As we reported months ago, Pandora has finally come to Windows Phone 8. Even better, Windows Phone 8 users get free ad-free listening for the rest of the year, a feature that typically costs $3.99 per month, or $36 per year, known as Pandora One. A few weeks back, Pandora also announced a monthly 40-hour listening cap for free users, so this makes Pandora on Windows Phone 8 the best bang for your buck--provided you want to use a Windows Phone. One other cool feature is that Pandora integrates in with the Windows Phone Kid's Corner feature. When in Kid's Corner, Pandora doesn't show or play any explicit content. You can download it now.

Read More | Windows Phone

Apple releases iOS 6.1.3, fixes passcode bypass, new Japan Maps, ruins jailbreak

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

Apple has just released iOS 6.1.3 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The update brings a fix for a security bug that allows the home screen passcode to be bypassed through Passbook, as well as major map improvements in the Japan region. Jailbreakers beware, though, as it seems that Apple has also closed the software loophole that allows for the untethered jailbreak of iOS 6 in this version. If you're ready to update, head to the Settings apps, and then go into General, and select Software Update--or, just connect your iOS device to your PC or Mac and fire up iTunes.