Sprint Galaxy Note Edge and Note 3 now seeing Android 5.0 Lollipop rollout
It seems like every other day we are bringing you news of a Samsung device getting an update to Lollipop. Today Sprint is bringing us two more, as the Galaxy Note 3 and Note Edge are both now receiving Android 5.0 Lollipop.
The official changelog for Sprint’s Note 3 update only mentions one thing, “Android 5.0”. In addition to Lollipop, the Note Edge is also getting factory reset protection and Wi-Fi calling. In other words, we can pretty much expect these updates to be about the same as we’ve seen from other Samsung devices. That means Material Design elements will be less noticeable here than they would be on a stock Android device due to TouchWiz, but you can expect brighter colors, an updated multitasking interface, a new lock screen, and the priority system from Lollipop.
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The update is hitting devices starting today, and comes in at just under 1GB, meaning you’ll probably want to download using Wi-Fi unless you have an unlimited data plan through the Now Network. It’s also worth noting that this will be a staged rollout, as you’d expect, and so don’t be surprised if it takes hours, days, or even longer before it reaches your device.
Deal: Moto 360 champagne gold model with 18mm band now just $260 (update)

Update: Originally Amazon was offering the Moto 360 in champagne cgold with an 18mm band for $272.52 with free shipping, but they are discounting it even further starting today (4/9). The watch is now just $260.
The Moto 360 might not have the greatest battery life or the fastest internals, but it still remains one of the best and most attractive Android Wear watches available on the market. For those looking for an even more premium looking take on the 360, Motorola offers a champagne gold model with an 18mm metallic band that’s normally priced around $330.
Feel the price is too high? Right now Amazon is offering up the champagne gold model for only $272.52, with free shipping! That basically means you’ll be getting this model for only slighter higher than the standard model with a leather band.
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Not sure if the Moto 360 is right for you? Be sure to check out our full review, also check out my look back at the Moto 360 after using it as a personal device for a month. Anyone planning on picking this one up or are you holding out for the rumored 2nd gen model?
Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless added to Google Wallet’s growing catalog of partners

If you’re a Wallet user, Google has just announced a way for you to get your orders much faster. Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless have just been added to the growing list of Google Wallet partners, allowing you to sidestep the hassle of entering in your credit card information every time you need to refill your balance at either of these locations. The integration begins today, so anyone who shops at these two retailers can now easily access their Google Wallet balance to make and accept quick payments through the Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless apps.
Google Wallet’s list of partners is growing, but ever so slowly. There are roughly 60 websites and mobile applications that now support Wallet, but perhaps that list will soon begin to grow at a quicker pace. Google recently acquired some “exciting technology and intellectual property” from the mobile payment system Softcard, which is a payment system built by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. After the acquisition, Google announced that Wallet would be preinstalled on Android devices sold by these carriers.
We’ll certainly begin to see Wallet installed on more devices, and maybe that will help push forward the mobile payment service as competitors like Samsung Pay and Apple Pay begin to generate more hype.
Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless added to Google Wallet’s growing catalog of partners

If you’re a Wallet user, Google has just announced a way for you to get your orders much faster. Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless have just been added to the growing list of Google Wallet partners, allowing you to sidestep the hassle of entering in your credit card information every time you need to refill your balance at either of these locations. The integration begins today, so anyone who shops at these two retailers can now easily access their Google Wallet balance to make and accept quick payments through the Dunkin’ Donuts and Seamless apps.
Google Wallet’s list of partners is growing, but ever so slowly. There are roughly 60 websites and mobile applications that now support Wallet, but perhaps that list will soon begin to grow at a quicker pace. Google recently acquired some “exciting technology and intellectual property” from the mobile payment system Softcard, which is a payment system built by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon. After the acquisition, Google announced that Wallet would be preinstalled on Android devices sold by these carriers.
We’ll certainly begin to see Wallet installed on more devices, and maybe that will help push forward the mobile payment service as competitors like Samsung Pay and Apple Pay begin to generate more hype.
Inateck USB 3.0 Hub quick review
Transferring data from a storage device to a phone or tablet can be a little tedious. Think about what goes into transferring data to a mobile device when using a wired connection: dock the storage device, connect both devices with a wire, install drivers, locate the appropriate folder. Not too easy. The Inateck USB 3.0 Hub, when used in conjunction with a mobile device, wants to make the process of transferring data as short as possible. It reduces the processor to a intermediary-like accessory between the storage device and mobile device.
The design of the Inateck USB 3.0 Hub is compact despite all of its ports and connectors. The accessory has a total of seven ports and connectors to work with; therefore, just about any type of data transfer imaginable is supported here. Inateck included three USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader (with microSD adapter), and a USB 3.0 connector with an on-the-go (OTG) enhancement plug. Connecting to and from the Inateck USB 3.0 Hub is easy, too, because everything is spaced out and not placed tightly.
Place the OTG enhancement plug over the USB 3.0 connector and it is ready to work with an Android device. Take any storage device and connect it to a USB port or the SD card reader. The Android device should then recognize the connection. Select companies bundle file managers with their devices and the Play Store has a number of them. Head into the file manager and locate the storage device. Navigate through some folders and you can seamlessly move files such as pictures, documents, videos, and more between devices.
One use for the accessory that Inateck should mention is powering multiple mobile devices simultaneously. I was able to charge the HTC One (M8), Nexus 9, and LG G Watch all from one outlet that was connected to the Inateck USB 3.0 Hub. That saved two other outlets to now be used for other items. Charging the three devices simultaneously was only slightly slower than it would be if all three were on separate outlets.
Although this review focused on transferring data to and from a mobile device, the Inateck USB 3.0 Hub works just as well with a computer. Why? Because it has three USB 3.0 ports and an SD card reader. Most desktops and large laptops have these features, but ultra-thin machines are leaving them behind. The amount of USB 3.0 ports is now left to about one per device; therefore, the Inateck USB 3.0 Hub can expand that to three. Throw in the SD card reader to transfer photographs and this little accessory proves its value. The Inatek USB 3.0 Hub is available through Amazon for $40, but an ongoing sale has that price down to $20.
[Inateck 3 Ports USB 3.0 Hub with OTG and SD Card Reader – Amazon]
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NYC’s mayor sets the stage for universal broadband
New York City mayor BIll de Blasio is making good on his promise to bring fast and affordable broadband throughout the city. Or at least, he’s getting there. The de Blasio administration has created two high-level positions to help with the push, and it’s also announcing an open call for ideas on how to make the dream of universal broadband happen, BuzzFeed reports. 27 percent of New Yorkers still don’t have access to the internet, according to the latest NYC comptroller report, so there’s certainly plenty of room for improvement. Former Alcatel-Lucent employee Alphonso Jenkins will fill the new role of deputy commissioner of telecommunications planning at NYC’s Department of Information Technology, while Joshua Breitbart, who previously directed field operations at the New America Foundation, will serve as a special advisor for broadband in the mayor’s office. They’ll work together with the administration’s Broadband Task Force to judge the open “Calls for Innovations,” which anyone can submit until June 30.
Last year, when he announced a “Tech Talent Pipeline” to train New Yorkers for tech jobs, de Blasio said his administration would push for more competition in the NYC broadband market. We haven’t seen many changes yet among ISPs, but the city did announce LinkNYC last year, a plan to turn 10,000 payphones throughout NYC into gigabit Wi-Fi hotspots.
New York City’s chief technology officer, Minerva Tantoco, also points out that the new broadband initiatives could help all internet users, not just those without access. “We’re paying significantly more for broadband access than other major cities around the globe,” she told BuzzFeed. “We get slower speeds and potentially pay up to $300 a month depending on your service providers — that’s something that should change even for people who can afford it.”
[Photo credit: Dominic Kamp Photography/Getty]
Source: BuzzFeed
‘WALTR’ for Mac Gains Support for Subtitles and Transferring New Audio, Video Formats to iOS Devices [Mac Blog]
Softorino‘s WALTR app for the Mac, which is designed to make it easy to upload and convert any music or video file to an iPad or iPhone, is getting its first major update today following its November 2014 release.
WALTR will help you drag and drop a wide variety of media files onto your iPad or iPhone, and it supports many different file types, including MP4, AVI, CUE, WMA, M4R, AAC, M4V, M4A, FLAC, ALAC, and MKV. Today’s update brings additional formats, full subtitle support, an updated design, and more.

New formats that are now supported include LV, M2TS, TS (experimental), DV, MPG, MPEG, MPE, MPEG(old types), and WEBM for video and M4B, AIFF, WAV, OGG, OGA, WV, TTA, and DFF for audio. It also supports subtitles in .SRT and .ASS formats.
For those unfamiliar with WALTR, it’s incredibly easy to use. You simply plug in your iPad or iPhone to your Mac, turn off iTunes, and drag any media file onto the Mac app. From there, the file is converted and uploaded to your device within minutes, plus it’s placed into the proper Music or Video app.

WALTR can be downloaded from the Softorino website for free. The software includes a 14-day free trial, after which a single license can be purchased for $29.95.
To celebrate today’s update, Softorino is giving away 15 copies of WALTR to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube Channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the intricacies of international law regarding giveaways, this giveaway is open only to U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway will run from today, Thursday, April 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time through Monday, April 13 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Winners will be chosen randomly on April 6 and will be contacted through email. A response to our email is required within 48 hours or the winner will forfeit the prize and we will pick a new winner.
Google Close to Finishing Android Wear App for iOS
Earlier this year, news leaked that Google was working on an Android Wear app for the iOS App Store, and it appears that the company’s progress on engineering Android Wear devices to work with iPhones is nearing completion.
According to a source that spoke to The Verge, Android Wear on the iPhone works similarly to the Apple Watch, connecting through a companion app and providing functions like Notifications. Google is said to be “close to finishing” the final technical details behind the project.
An LG G Watch R with FaceTime notification from iOS, via The Verge
In its current state of development, Android Wear works along with a companion app on the iPhone and supports basic functions like notifications — as you can see in the photo below. As it does on Android, on the iPhone Android Wear also supports Google Now’s ambient information cards, voice search, and other voice actions. It should also support some more advanced features with Google’s own iOS apps, like replying to Gmail messages.
If Google finishes the project and submits its Android Wear app to the iOS App Store, it is not clear how Apple will react, given that the app would allow Android Wear devices to compete directly with the Apple Watch. Apple allows Pebble and other competing fitness bands to have apps in the App Store, so it may also permit Google to release an Android Wear app, but at the same time, Apple has aggressively cut down on products similar to the Apple Watch in its retail stores.
It no longer sells fitness devices like the Fitbit, the Jawbone UP, and the Nike Fuelband, and over the years, Apple has also had some altercations with Google. Apple used to feature Google Maps on its iOS devices, but moved on to its own proprietary mapping solution several years ago.
Android Wear watches are built on Google’s platform but are available from a number of Apple’s competitors, including Samsung and LG. Popular smartwatches like the LG G, the Moto 360, and Samsung’s Gear lineup are all Android Wear devices.
There is no word on when Google might release an iOS app capable of officially connecting Android Wear devices to iPhones, but it’s possible an announcement could come during the company’s I/O developer conference in late May.
LPDDR4 – everything you need to know

64-bit, octa-core, and nanometers may be grabbing the taglines of the mobile tech world this year, but the latest and greatest mobile SoCs are also packing lightning fast LPDDR4 RAM memory. DDR4 memory has been making the rounds in the high-end PC space for a little while now, and LPDDR4, essentially the mobile equivalent of this standard, is finally here, bringing with it faster memory speeds and lower power consumption.
Read & Watch – Best Android Phones 2015
Breaking down the acronym, LPDDR RAM stands for low power double data rate random access memory, and is the memory used to store short term data used by applications. Unlike its desktop equivalent, low power RAM comes with a smaller bit bus, but this helps when it comes to power efficiency. The number, such as LPDDR3 or LPDDR4, simply marks the generation of the technology, we’ll have to dive down a little deeper into the specifications to see what has changed.

The LPDDR4 specification aims to double data rates (up to 3200 Mb/s) over last generation RAM and to save on energy consumption for mobile devices. Compared with LPDDR3’s one-channel die, LPDD4 was redesigned for a two-channel die with 16 bits per channel, for a total of 32 bits total. This lowers the core’s power, thanks to shorter data paths, and improves operational speed. The bandwidth target is 17GB/s per die, but can still be arranged in a dual-channel configuration to reach much higher speeds.

To save on energy, LPDDR4 chips lower the nominal operating voltage from 1.2V to 1.1V. The standard now also supports an improved power saving low frequency mode, which can bring the clock speed down for further battery savings when performing simpler background tasks.
Micron and Samsung are two of the industry leaders in this technology, and both are pushing their first LPDDR4 products to market this year. Micron has been instrumental in leading the definition and adoption of LPDDR4, working towards meeting consumer demands for faster boot and loading times, while fitting within the tight power constraints of the mobile platform.
Micron Low power requirements are essential for mobile and LPDDR4 is the most energy efficient memory yet.
Micron’s technology tops out the standard with a 2133 MHz clock in the standard’s 2 x16 channel configuration for a transfer rate of 4266 MT/s, which targets the standard’s peak bandwidth of 32 GB/s at x64. Samsung’s latest chip offers a 1600MHz equivalent which tops out at 3200 MT/s and a theoretical bandwidth peak of 25.6 GB/s at x64.
Memory bandwidth is a key specification to keep an eye on here. Although rarely operating at peak levels, this figure tells us how much data the memory can pass each second, which is an important statistic for low-latency gaming or when transferring very large data sets, such as 4K or slow-motion video. These numbers probably don’t mean much on their own, so the table below offers a comparison with previous LPDDR standards.
Related – Samsung switches to LPDDR4 and UFS 2.0 memory, but what does it mean?

The move to LPDDR4 also sees chip capacity take another jump forward. Micron already offers a selection of LPDDR4 memory densities for mobile applications, including 8Gb (gigabit) and 16Gb LPDDR4 packages, i.e. 1GB and 2GB densities. Samsung is also working on high density memory packages. Not long ago the company announced the start of mass production of its 8Gb (1GB) LPDDR4 modules, which will be manufactured on a small 20nm process. 24 and 32 Gb packages are also planned for the future. Fewer components with larger memory sizes allow for lower costs and larger amounts of RAM running with a high bandwidth.
LPDDR4 is architected to meet the power, bandwidth, packaging, cost, and compatibility requirements of the world’s most advanced mobile systems – Micron
While numbers are all well and good, improving the user experience is the ultimate end goal. Faster memory is key as we demand more performance at 2K and push towards 4K displays and demand higher levels of performance from mobile graphics processing units.

New media features, such as slow-motion video, face recognition, and 3D camera capture are also driving up the memory bandwidth requirements. LPDDR4 memory will allow for higher frame rate slow-motion capture and will also enable camera sensors to breach the 20MP mark. Not only that, but moving to more efficient, lower power memory designs can help squeeze extra life out of device batteries.

Mobile SoCs so far confirmed to be using LPDDR4 RAM are Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 and Samsung’s Exynos 7420, which is used in both flagship offerings of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, meaning that this year’s high-end flagships should all be making use of this improved memory technology. LG’s latest flagship, the LG G Flex 2 is also packing industry leading LPDDR4 memory, as well. However, this standard is not expected to become a mainstream mobile technology for mid-tier products until 2017.
Smartphones with LPDDR4 Memory!
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Sling TV now offering HBO
Proclaiming they “continue to give TV lovers the content they want on the devices they already own,” Sling TV’s CEO Roger Lynch announced today that HBO content is now available on the service. Sling TV subscribers who are paying for the $20 per month “Best of Live TV” package, or some Sling International packages, can add HBO for another $15 per month. For that $35 total per month, subscribers will have access to 20 core channels along with access to WatchESPN programming, some VOD options, and eventually three additional streams of HBO content to go along with the main HBO stream.
Lynch went on to say,
“We know Sling TV is the only way most of our customers can watch HBO shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ live. Adding HBO’s live and extensive on-demand content to our lineup highlights our continued commitment to bringing customers the very best programming.”
Sling TV is available on several devices like the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Roku and Roku TV devices, the Xbox One, Android and iOS devices, Macs and PCs.
The addition of HBO to Sling TV comes just in time for the premieres of Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley this coming weekend. You can read the full press release below.
HBO Joins Sling TV Today
- Available across all Sling TV-supported devices: Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire TV Stick, current-generation Roku players, Roku TV models, Xbox One, Android, iOS, Macs, PCs
- Priced at $15 per month when customers sign up for “Best of Live TV” or select Sling International programming packages
- Sling TV to offer customers three additional streams dedicated to HBO viewing
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sling TV today added HBO to its programming lineup for $15 per month, making it the only live Internet TV service to offer HBO’s content on both a linear and Video-On-Demand basis.
“We continue to give TV lovers the content they want on the devices they already own”
In time for the “Game of Thrones” and “Silicon Valley” season premieres on April 12, HBO is now available to subscribers of Sling TV’s “Best of Live TV” core package or select Sling International programming packages. Customers can watch HBO on all Sling TV-supported devices including: Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, current-generation Roku players and Roku TV models, Xbox One, Android and iOS devices, and Macs and PCs.
“We continue to give TV lovers the content they want on the devices they already own,” said Roger Lynch, CEO of Sling TV. “We know Sling TV is the only way most of our customers can watch HBO shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ live. Adding HBO’s live and extensive on-demand content to our lineup highlights our continued commitment to bringing customers the very best programming.”
The new offering features HBO’s main live channel and will include the same VOD library HBO provides on its other platforms; Sling TV will begin adding HBO’s VOD titles today. Sling TV will also provide its customers with access to three streams of HBO, in addition to the single-stream dedicated to its core and add-on packages. Multi-stream functionality for HBO will be added to customer accounts on a rolling basis starting today.
Sling TV’s “Best of Live TV” $20 core package delivers ESPN, ESPN2, AMC, A&E, TNT, HISTORY, H2, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, IFC, El Rey, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, Disney Channel, CNN, Lifetime and Galavision. This package additionally features access to WatchESPN, including ESPN3 and an array of VOD entertainment. Customers can choose to tailor their entertainment experience with the addition of HBO for $15 per month, or with the optional “Sports Extra,” “Hollywood Extra,” “Kids Extra,” “Lifestyle Extra” and “World News Extra” add-ons, each priced at $5 per month. In addition to live channels and VOD entertainment, Sling TV customers have access to content from Maker Studios.
About Sling TV
Sling TV L.L.C., a subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), provides over-the-top television services including domestic and international live and Video-On-Demand programming. It is available on televisions, tablets, computers and smartphones. The Sling TV programming portfolio includes content from Disney/ESPN, HBO, AMC, Turner, Scripps, EPIX, Univision and Maker Studios. Sling International (formerly DishWorld) currently provides close to 200 channels in 18 languages across multiple devices to U.S. households. Sling TV is a next-generation service that meets the entertainment needs of today’s contemporary viewers. Visit www.Sling.com.
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