KitKat Update Rolling out for Sprint Galaxy S4 Owners
Looks like it could be a very happy Valentines Day for you guys rocking a Samsung Galaxy S4 on Sprint. Sprint has announced that the rollout of the the Android 4.4.2 KitKat update has begun today. The update will jump to software version L720VPUFNAE.
In typical fashion the update is rolling out in phases beginning today and is expected to be completed by March 9th. We have read conflicting arguments on if manually checking for the update really does any good or not. It doesn’t hurt to try, right? Head into Menu > Settings > More > System Update> Update Samsung Software > Check Now. Be sure you have ample charge on your device, a solid Wi-Fi connection and some time for the update to download. If you do happen to pick it up let us know in the comments. Particularly the file size as Sprint failed to mention that one.
Source: Sprint / Samsung via AndroidandMe
[LEAK] Android KitKat for the Galaxy S4 and Note 3 are coming and this is what the status bar will look like
Knock, knock. Leak. Leak who? Leak from Eldar Murtazin, that’s who! Eldar Murtazin has been on top of some very important leaks the last few weeks including ones regarding the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the apparent demise of the Nexus line of devices. This time his leak comes in the form of the above picture which is allegedly the status bar for Samsung’s Android KitKat update. Naturally, that would be the Android KitKat for the Galaxy S4 and Note 3 that is imminently due, and no doubt also to be featured on the Galaxy S5 to be announced at MWC 2014.
Pure white is definitely an interesting choice, particularly if you have a white background, but it looks like it adheres to the standard KitKat interface that we have seen on all the devices that have already received Android 4.4. Murtazin also tweeted earlier today that this change to the standard white icons “means a lot for TouchWiz‘s future” which suggests that Samsung may be finally playing Google‘s fiddle after the two were at loggerheads regarding Samsung’s Magazine UX and treatment of native Android apps. This can only mean good things for Samsung and, in turn, TouchWiz, which has been increasingly disparaged for its memory space hogging and general operation.
What do you think about the status bar leaked today? Think this is Samsung turning over a new leaf with Google? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: Twitter (1), (2) via Phone Arena
STM cases for Galaxy S4 review: the STM grip and STM harbour 2
STM Bags is a name that most people will associate more with premium quality laptop bags and sleeves than with smartphone cases, but STM does have a few cases for the Samsung Galaxy S4 which we’re going to take a look at today. The cases in question are the STM grip and STM harbour 2, both hard shell cases with slightly different characteristics, so let’s ive in and see what’s what.
STM grip
As its name suggests, the primary characteristic of the grip is, well, for superior gripping purposes. It’s back is covered in ridges which create a much better surface for getting a good hold on your device and the material is a plastic which has a rubbery finish making it the perfect texture for something that needs to be grippy. The case itself is made from polycarbonate which ensures that the case is rigid and tough, but also very light.
The grip is extremely easy to apply as the Galaxy S4 just slips in and clips into place. Ample room has been given to all ports and access points, though I did notice the volume and home buttons are a little close to the edge of the alcoves they’re in. Even so, there’s enough room to operate the buttons correctly.
The grip also has enough of a lip on its front to protect the screen in the event of a screen first drop. While the grip looks sturdy enough to protect your Galaxy S4 from normal daily rigours and the occasional waist-high drop, it probably isn’t a prime candidate to protect your device from an earth-shattering leap of faith. That said, the grippy nature of the case will hopefully help in that respect to stop that eventuality even occurring.The price of the STM grip is $19.95 AUD which is a fair amount for a solid, protective case and one which shouldn’t break the bank.
Rating: 4/5
STM harbour 2
The harbour 2 is a slightly different case to the grip, and yes, as you might have guessed from the spelling of “harbour”, STM Bags is actually an Australian-based company that has now gone global. The name “harbour” actually refers to the ability of the harbour 2 to still allow your Galaxy S4 to dock with other devices; how it does it is devilishly simple.
As you can see in the above image, the harbour 2 has a hinged section which allows it to bend away. Being able to do this has multiple benefits including being able to use it as a makeshift stand, or being able to dock your Galaxy S4 with whatever specialized device you have. Since the harbour 2 is made from thermopolyurethane (TPU), it is a little bit stiffer than the grips polycarbonate shell, so the hinge actually acts as an aid when putting your phone into the case, allowing you to slip in in the bottom and closing it to seal the device in. That said, as functional as the hinge is, I do worry that over time that the hinge point will eventually wear out and simply separate the bottom section from the case.
Unlike the grip which had open button ports, the harbour 2 utilizes closed button covers. These seem to be well made and don’t appear to put too much pressure on the buttons as some cases are liable to do. The remainder of the ports have plenty of clearance and aren’t impeded by anything, though if you have a set of headphones that has a particularly chunky audio adapter, you might not be able to fit your adapter into the jack of the harbour 2 as it leaves only a small diameter gap for use.
Much like the grip, the harbour 2 also has an extra lip on its front to prevent any screen damage during falls, and it feels like more of a heavy duty case than the grip courtesy of its thicker case and greater coverage of the phone. I also think it’s a better looking cases thanks to its two-tone colour scheme; both cases are available in 4 different colours. The STM harbour 2 is slightly more expensive than the grip at $29.95 AUD, but obviously it does offer a little more protection and a little more functionality than the grip.
Rating 4/5
Conclusion
So there you have it: two very solid cases from STM Bags which do the job admirably depending on what you’d prefer your case to be able to do. The grip is a great, light case for the people who are a bit prone to letting their phone slip whereas the harbour 2 is a slightly more functional case which is a bit more protective.
If you’re interested in either of these cases, you can visit their respective product pages (links below), or if you wanted to find out about STM Bags or any of their other products, you can visit their website here.
OtterBox Preserver case for Galaxy S4 review
The first thing that I noticed about the OtterBox Preserver case for the Samsung Galaxy S 4 is that the size difference between it and the defender case is negligible. Which is great if you’re upgrading, however the cons in moving up are; the back is plastic rather than the grippy rubber of it’s little brother, the back isn’t curved, so it may feel a bit awkward at first, and it doesn’t come with the incredibly stylish belt clip.
In comparison to other waterproof cases, the plugs for the headphone and charging port covers are really nice and easy to open and close, but not to the point of them popping open on their own. However, I did notice that the foam covering the inside of the charging port cover sticks up a little too high, when inserting the device into the case you’ll want to put the bottom in first or you risk ripping that foam off.
When you’re securing the back onto the case, you’ll notice a lot of resistance, there’s a nice gasket going around the inner edge of the back plate. All of the holes are covered by reassuring plastic covers attached by what appears to be more rubber gaskets. The speaker covers are mesh on both inside and outside, presumably with some sort of black magic trapped in between to prevent moisture from getting through.
Opening the case will be frustrating at first, it will make you want a tiny little crowbar you might even be worried that you’re going to damage the case, but once one of the clasps releases, it’s fairly easy to liberate the phone without worrying about accidentally throwing it across the room.
The volume and power buttons are just as stiff as you’d expect from the OtterBox brand, although the home button isn’t quite as hard to depress.
The one thing I was worried about with the size and fortitude of the case was maintaining the functionality of the IR blaster, but it actually seems to work better and more consistently than with any of the other cases I’ve used. As far as the functionality you might expect to be hindered, for the most part, the device behaves the way you’d expect. Speaker and mic during phone calls are acceptable although the earpiece buzzes on low tones. The camera doesn’t seem to be impeded at all, they did the right thing separating the sensor and flash windows. The only one of the port or sensor covers that doesn’t quite live up to expectations is the proximity sensor, it seems to always think your face is next to the device. Literally the moment you tap “call” or “answer” the screen shuts off leaving you to fiddle with your home key to startle the device awake if you need to utilize the display while on a call.
All-in-all, if you’re in need of a waterproof case, and you don’t mind the size of the OtterBox Defender series, At an MSRP of $89.99 this is a totally viable option. It doesn’t offer the color customization options you’ve come to expect from the defender series as the case is only 2 pieces, but to have complete protection is a give and take.
The good:
- The size is comparable to their Defender series
- Strong build quality
- Very small amount of functionality lost
- The price, Sub $100 to protect your $600 phone
The Bad
- The proximity sensor issue might be a deal-breaker for some
- Slight sound distortion from earpiece speaker
The post OtterBox Preserver case for Galaxy S4 review appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Air Wireless refreshes no-contract offerings
Aio Wireless on Tuesday rolled out new, no-contract service plans for customers. Effective immediately, the three plans range from $40-$60 per month, however all of them include unlimited voice and messaging. In addition to these affordable rate plans, customers who sign up for automatic payments (Auto Pay) can save $5 per month on their wireless bill.
- Basic Plan: $40 ($35 after Auto Pay credit) unlimited voice/text/data, including 500MB of high speed data (same price as before but double the data)
- Smart Plan: $50, ($45 after Auto Pay credit) unlimited voice/text/data, including 2.5 GB of high speed data ($5 less/month plus an extra half GB of data)
- Pro Plan: $60, ($55 after Auto Pay credit) unlimited voice/text/data, including 5 GB of high speed data ($10 less/month with 5 GB of data)
In terms of hardware, Aio is offering new customers some great prices on devices. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Amp is $49.99 (normally priced at $129.99) while the Samsung Galaxy Express costs $199.99 (normally priced at $249.99). The Samsung Galaxy S4 is also on sale, selling at $529.99 instead of the normal price of $579.99.
Aio Wireless is a subsidiary of AT&T Inc with retail locations in Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Washington, Michigan, and New York.
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Samsung intros Black Edition Galaxy S4, S4 Mini for Russia
Samsung on Friday introduced new versions of the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 Mini for the Russian market. Dubbed the “Black Edition”, these are gorgeous black on black designs with faux leather stitched backs.
Launching, for now, in Russia, the Black Edition feature the exact same hardware as their standard counterparts. Pricing is listed at roughly $660 (U.S.) for the Galaxy S4 Black Edition and $460 for the Galaxy S4 Mini Black Edition.
It is not clear whether these models will launch outside of Russia nor whether they’ll come to any U.S. carriers.
Samsung, Samsung via SamMobile
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Samsung announces Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition, now with Faux-Leather
When the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was released with a faux-leather back cover, many wondered whether consumers would appreciate the departure from Samsung‘s normally plastic affairs. Well, they have, or at least Samsung believes they have, as Samsung has just announced the Samsung Galaxy S4 Black Edition, and also the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Black Edition, which replaces the original plastic back cover with a faux-leather one a la the Note 3.
Predictably, there are no hardware differences between the original devices and these Black Editions, besides the back cover of course, though according to the product page, they are being shipped with Android 4.2.2 instead of the latest Android 4.3 version. The devices were spotted on Samsung Russia’s website and are being offered for $660 USD for the Galaxy S4 and $460 for the Galaxy S4 Mini; there are no additional details yet on whether the Black Edition line will make it anywhere else internationally or if there will be any other colours offered.
What do you think about these new Black Editions and their faux-leather backs? Do you prefer this over the original plastic back covers? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: Samsung (1), (2) via Phone Arena
Google Tells Samsung to Stop Making Storage-Clogging Apps
The Galaxy S4 came out last year, and it ended up being one of the most purchased devices on the market. The phone is loaded with all kinds of apps and features not found in other phones. Features that improved the experience, and features that were useless and stupid. The drawback of having these bloated apps and features, is that very fact: bloated. This causes of course some lags, as well as battery drains; so why put such features or apps if not needed?
According to certain sources, Google met with the Sammy boys and told them to stop developing these storage-clogging apps and features. Instead, work on apps that are more pure to the Android experience. Thank you Google. Yes, the Galaxy line are nice devices with some nifty features, but there are many features and apps that no one will ever use. But Google also told them to stop doing this simply because they want more control of their Android system. They are hating that Chinese manufacturers are running Android on their devices, but using their own UI’s and not placing the Google core apps into those devices.
Not only will Samsung consider dumping or altering the Magazine UX interface in future devices, but, more importantly, new Samsung devices will spotlight Google’s suite of apps to get movies, music and other content at the expense of its in-house developed software, which was once a proud showcase of Samsung’s evolution as a mobile industry leader.
The source was also quoted in saying that, which is a very good thing, because that Magazine UX was pretty laggy when we tried it at CES. Wasn’t appealing to us as well, so we will see what happens with future Samsung devices. Let us know your thoughts about this.
Rumor: Nexus line coming to an end in 2015?
If true, this may be sad for many, but according to @eldarmurtazin on Twitter, Google will be killing off the Nexus line by next year in favor of Google Play Edition devices.
The Nexus program has been around since January 2010 when the HTC Nexus One was announced. All Nexus devices have been pure Google Android, with no custom skin on top of them. Highlights of the Nexus program have been that the devices have “usually” been unlocked, were “usually” sold directly by Google and have been the first to receive software updates.
While it may seem this is the natural progression, killing off the Nexus line once phones started shipping with stock firmware, in my opinion, I don’t think that Google is ready to kill it just yet.
One thing that people have praised the Nexus program for is that it has offered the choice of an off-contract at a reasonable price. Besides the Moto G, which isn’t in the same class as the Nexus 5, there is no GPE device that is that inexpensive. The HTC One is $599 from the Play Store and the Samsung Galaxy S4 is even more expensive at $649. Besides the only GPE tablet, LG’s G Pad 8.3, and the Moto G, there are no reasonably priced GPE devices.
Devices like the Moto X have proved that selling a cheaper device is possible, but who knows if Samsung, Sony and HTC will ever release a high-end GPE device that is also relatively inexpensive.
With comments from Android director of engineering Dave Burke (from the August 2013 article from The Verge) that states they’re “halo” devices meant to educate the rest of the ecosystem, I’m not sure I believe the death of the program.
“Basically what Nexus allows us to do is set the standard … [we can] demonstrate how Android runs and hopefully influence other device manufacturers to take what we’ve done and do even better,” he said in that interview.
There was also another reason for its existence, that Google needs hardware on which it can develop Android and Burke said “as an engineering team creating a mobile platform — we can’t do that in the abstract. We need to do it on a real device that we’re carrying with us.”
Well, anything is possible, but only time will tell if Google is putting an end to the Nexus. That being said… where’s that new Nexus 10?
via Twitter
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Galaxy S4 S-View Flip Cover with Wireless Charging Available for $55 on Amazon
The Galaxy S4 S-View Flip Cover shined new light on covers with that little flip door, so much that they became a hot commodity in the past year. Now there is a slightly newer version that allows you to wirelessly charge your device using that Qi charging technology. Samsung already made this cover available to users with a Galaxy Note 3, and adding the Qi feature to the backplate was one of the smartest things they could’ve done.
You can snatch up the flip cover for the pretty low price of $55 dollars over on Amazon. If you have been waiting to purchase this cover, now is the time to do so. Hit the link down below to head over to the Amazon page. Let us know if you purchased one.
Source: Droid-Life
AIVAnet 