T-Mobile rolls out much-needed security update for the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and Note 5
T-Mobile is currently in the process of rolling out a vital security update to its carrier-branded variants of the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and Note 5 located in the United States. This upgrade transports a much-needed patch for the incredibly irritating MMS bug found present on a number of smartphones running Lollipop, along with several bug fixes, stability improvements and speed optimizations.
The full changelog can be seen below:
- The security of your device has been improved.
- Device stability improvements, bug fixes.
- New and / or enhanced features.
- Further improvements to performance.
As is the norm, this update is being distributed in stages. To see if it’s ready for your device head into Settings, scroll to the bottom and tap on “About Device”, hit “System Updates”, then select “Check for updates”. Alternatively, you can wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to install the update.
Come comment on this article: T-Mobile rolls out much-needed security update for the Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and Note 5
[Deal] T-Mobile offering $75 off flagships from Samsung and LG
T-Mobile today announced that it will be offering discounts on off-contract purchases of the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, and LG V10. With the holidays just around the corner, these discounts come just in time. All you have to do is add the off-contract version of the device to your cart, and apply promo code DEAL75OFF at checkout.
Some of these are actually really sweet. For instance, the Galaxy S6 recently got a price cut, bringing the device down to just $580 off-contract, no doubt because the rumored Galaxy S7 is getting closer and closer. But by applying that $75 discount, you can pick up a brand spankin’ new flagship for just $505. Or, if you’d prefer LG’s all-new V10, you can snag it from T-Mobile for a meager $525, down from $600. And don’t forget about the promotion that gets you a free battery and microSD card as well!
On the more expensive side of things is the Galaxy Note 5, costing about $100 more than the LG V10 at $625, down from its original price point of $700.
Anyone plan on picking one of these handsets up?
source: T-Mobile
Come comment on this article: [Deal] T-Mobile offering $75 off flagships from Samsung and LG
iOS and Android are both great. Here are some reasons to consider switching to Android.
I know I am going to get my fair share of hate emails and comments from this post, but I beg you try to keep an open mind when reading through this article. I understand that the whole Apple iOS versus Google Android debate is a heated topic for many, and expect comments on both sides of the fence. Let’s try to keep the comments civil.
I am going to do my best to explain why Android is a great alternative to iOS and try to avoid the whole Android is better than iOS debate as best as I can. I think both platforms are successful and by no means are Google or Apple struggling for cash. Monetarily you can say both are pretty darn successful. Apple is worth more money based on market value, but Google has more market share. I know that I will have a decent amount of bias towards Android, since I do use Android as my primary platform, and I also write for a website called AndroidGuys.
But it is in my nature to look at all things with an open mind: I am a scientist at a biotech in San Diego, and it is my job to investigate and offer answers with actual information to back it up. Any good scientist uses the Scientific Method to ask questions, investigate, acquire knowledge, and to use evidence to develop conclusions based on results. Once a conclusion is developed it is my job to test it and to prove it.
In my immediate family we are split 50/50 in what mobile software we use. My father uses an iPhone 6S+ and my older brother uses an iPhone 6 at my recommendation. Both of them started with the Apple iPhone, and are the type who prefer to stick with what works and to stay within one ecosystem. iPhone’s have great cameras, software, design, build, customer support and more. Just because I use Android doesn’t mean I force it on my own family.
My mother uses a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, and I use a a wide variety of Android devices like the Nexus 6P, 5X, Asus Zenfone 2 and the Doogee F5. My older sister uses an iPhone 5S, and she also uses an Android LG G2 too. So even in my own family, we are split 50/50 on what platform we use.
My devices
So let’s put the debate of what is better behind us. Let’s just take a look at Android and why it is a good alternative to iOS.
Let’s start with the most important factor: Price
iPhone 6S 4.7″ 16GB – $649
iPhone 6S+ 5.5″ 16GB – $749
Whether you buy an iPhone on a 0% financing plan, two-year contract, or in full, you’re going to pay a heck of a lot of money. Because Apple is the only company who makes the iPhone, the price stays relatively unchanged throughout the course of its one-year life cycle. Apple owns a monopoly on its products and can charge accordingly. It’s quite rare to see any technological device hold its value so well, but the iPhone does it regardless. And it even has incredible resale value. Apple controls its mobile market share by not making iOS accessible to other manufacturers.
Samsung Galaxy S6 5.1″ 32GB – $679.99
Samsung Galaxy Note 5.7″ 32GB – $699.99
Nexus 6P 5.7″ 32GB – $499.99
Nexus 5X 5.2″ 16GB – $379.99
There are dozens of Android device manufacturers. There are so many that I can’t even find an accurate count on the web. I listed the biggest Android device manufacturer in Samsung, and I also listed Google’s pure Android Nexus devices. Android phones can be expensive too. It’s difficult to do a direct comparison to iPhones, because the Samsung S6 line has been out since the Spring, while the iPhone 6S and Note 5 line have only been out since the Fall. Internal hardware varies greatly from device to device too.
The prices for the Galaxy line devices are clearly almost identical to the iPhone, with the Galaxy devices offering more base storage than the iPhone. Google’s own Nexus devices are $180-300 cheaper than the iPhone which means you can save money with pure Android devices. On top of the initial MSRP savings, Android prices drop much faster, but at the same time have terrible resale value. Overall, the upfront fees can be much cheaper when buying an Android device.
Letv 1s 5.5″ 32GB – $238
Nuu Mobile Z8 5.5″ 16GB – $249.99
Nu Mobile Z8
Who? Who the heck is Letv and Nuu Mobile? I know you have heard of Motorola, but the Letv 1s and the Nuu Mobile Z8 are example devices that come unlocked with fantastic features. They also run the same Android software that the more expensive devices like the Note 5 and S line run. You haven’t heard of Letv because they are focused on the Chinese market.Nuu Mobile is a up and coming Android device manufacturer with a small budget and can’t afford to blast advertisements around the world.
And just because these devices are cheaper, doesn’t mean they lack in hardware.
Letv 1s
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Screen
CPU: MTK6795 64bit Octa Core 2.2GHz
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM
Camera: Dual Cameras, front camera 5.0MP camera, back camera 13.0MP
Nuu Mobile Z8 5.5″
Main Features:
Display: 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Screen
CPU: 1.7 GHz Octa-Core Processor, MediaTek MTK6752 64-bit
System: Android 5.0
RAM + ROM: 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM
Camera: Dual Cameras, front camera 8.0MP camera, back camera 13.0MP
Android software is easy to use, is secure, can be customized, and Google apps are loaded with features
Again, I’m not here to argue that Android is better than iOS. Both email, text, make phone calls, browse the web, play videos and music, and take pictures incredibly well. There is no arguing that both platforms do the basics with ease.
The iPhone just works. I know it does. But that doesn’t mean Android devices don’t work. Many of us, me included, got started with iOS. I bought the first iPhone on the day it was released and waited in line for every subsequent release until the iPhone 5. I made the switch to Android when I took the time to evaluate the software with an open mind. Android is as safe as iOS and iOS is as safe as Android. Both Apple and Google make security the top priority for their software. Don’t buy into all of the misinformation out there about one being safer than the other.
The other sad truth is no software is bug free. Both Android and iOS have their fair share of bugs which is the reason why they release updates.
Google Search
Just “Google” it. Google’s search tools are so powerful that many of us have swapped the word “search” for the company name Google. The dominance of Google search is so overwhelming that the name Google has become a verb. We don’t say just Apple it, Yahoo it, or Microsoft it. Many of us say just “Google” it because Google has become synonymous with searching and researching unknowns. It like calling tissue “Kleenex”, lip balm “Chapstick”, or cotton swap “Q-Tips”.
Google owns the market share when it comes to searching, and Google Search is native to Android devices making it a super powerful tool. Yes you can download Google Search software onto iOS devices, but there are benefits to being native. You can “Google” directly from any screen on an Android device, while it constantly keeps you up to date on weather, stock prices, news, parking location and more through Google Now.
Google Photos
Arguably the best feature about Google Photos is that you have unlimited storage for FREE. Once backed up, you can access your photos from anywhere you have an internet connection and a web browser. You no longer need to worry about saving your most precious memories on back-up hard drives with Google Photos.
Here are some other great features taken directly from the app landing page:
VISUAL SEARCH
Your photos are now searchable by the places and things that appear in them. Looking for that fish taco you ate in Hawaii? Just search “food in Hawaii” to find it – no tagging required.
FREE UP SPACE ON YOUR DEVICE
Never worry about running out of space on your phone again. In Settings, just tap “Free up device storage” – photos that are safely backed up will be removed from your device’s storage, but will still be available in Google Photos.
BRING PHOTOS TO LIFE
Enjoy automatically created montage movies, interactive stories, collages, animations, panoramas, and more from your photos. Or you can easily create them yourself – just tap +.
SHARED ALBUMS
Get everyone’s photos and videos in one place, across iOS, Android, and the web. Privately sharing all the photos you took – and getting the ones you didn’t – has never been easier.
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive
Google has its own answer for word processing, spreadsheet editing, presentation building, file storage and collaboration all for the price of nothing. Most of us learned how to use these tools using Microsoft Office, but Google created its own powerful tools and they are native to Android as well. Just like with Google Photos, all Google Docs are accessible from tablets to smartphones to desktops. And Google Docs is also compatible with Microsoft file types, while offering almost all of the same powerful features.
An alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides offers a great and free way to make presentations.
Google Docs is an online word processor that lets you create and format text documents and collaborate with other people in real time.
Google Sheets is a web-based spreadsheet application that allows you to store and organize different types of information, much like Microsoft Excel.
Project Fi
Project Fi is Google’s answer to cellular service. It isn’t Google’s own network – they have partnered with providers to offer its own affordable plan. Only select Nexus devices(Nexus 6, 6P and 5X) can access Project Fi, but it is a strong reason to give consideration to Android. Project Fi is still very new so this reason is highly debatable. But here are some reasons to consider it:
Project Fi is a combination of Sprint and T-Mobile
Project Fi coverage map
What’s included in the Fi Basics?
What happens if you go over your data budget?
You can bring your own number to Fi
Like any other provider, you can simply transfer your number when you sign up.
Android Wear
Wearables are taking hold in the marke,t and Android is at the forefront. Yes, Apple has its own watch too, which is great in its own right, but there is much more selection with Android. Tag Heuer, Fossil, Asus, LG, Samsung, Motorola, and Huawei are some of the major manufacturers of Android Wear devices, and the list continues to grow. With Android Wear you can monitor your activity levels, open apps, search and text using just your voice, get notifications, see the time and more.
Android Wear watches feature always-on displays, so you’ll always see important info like time, calls, and alerts. Respond to messages right from your watch, even when your phone isn’t with you.
Works with your Android phone or iPhone
Android Wear requires a phone running Android 4.3+ or iOS 8.2+. Supported features may vary between platforms. Visit g.co/wearcheck on your Android phone or iPhone to see if it’s compatible.
Android Wear is native to Android and is a great reason to consider Google’s software as an option.
You should consider Android if you don’t use it already
No I don’t work for Google, even though sometimes I wish I did. Google employees get get free food and drinks just for showing up to work! I have been to the Google campus, and they even let guests eat and drink for free. I hope Google let’s me hangout at its campus again some day in the future. It truly is an experience I will never forget.
Instead, I work for a biotech and research neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia, and the like. We get free coffee and tea, but I am not complaining. Nothing is more gratifying to me than working to solve unmet medical needs.
It’s my job to look at problems objectively, to ask questions, to research and to develop conclusions based on evidence.
In no way am I arguing that Android is superior to iOS, or vice versa, but I am offering reasons why you should consider Android if you are not using it now. There are fantastic devices like the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or the Nexus 6P that offer the latest and greatest hardware, or there are fantastic alternatives like the Letv 1s or Nuu Mobile Z8 which offer great hardware for budget conscience users.
The software is also incredible and better yet, the applications Google provides are completely free to use.
If you would like to learn more, head on over to Google.com. No you don’t have to switch to Android – there are plenty of great features on iOS too.
My favorite Android commercial.
The post iOS and Android are both great. Here are some reasons to consider switching to Android. appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Watch T-Mobile CEO John Legere festively throw shade at rival carriers
T-Mobile is getting into the holiday spirit by producing a gleefully aggressive music video that flips the bird to Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T. It’s an interesting move, but we should almost expect it at this point. After all, the T-Mobile CEO John Legere has been building something of a celebrity status out of his own audacity. Like him or hate him, his strategy seems to be working. Watch the video below.
Just a few years ago, T-Mobile looked like it was on the ropes. Failing ad campaigns and a dwindling subscriber listings left some theorizing that the nation’s fourth largest carrier wasn’t long for this world. The company knew it had to change, and that change came in the form of their new CEO (as well as extensive HR restructuring). Legere immediately took to the public stage with all the swagger of a rock star and the arrogance of an underdog who doesn’t know when to give up.
See also: John Legere becomes a superhero in T-Mobile’s #DefeatDuopoly campaign video
To Legere’s team, it seemed like the whole point of contracts was to lock subscribers into plans even after they had become unsatisfied with them. In a move of business acumen and PR genius, Legere spearheaded a corporate shift that axed contracts, pushed unlimited data plans, and paid subscribers to switch from the competition. And it worked. People liked the idea of a contractless carrier. T-Mobile (now the third-largest carrier in the nation) is cashing in their recent momentum by heckling the competition like a high school sports team.
In a musical number sure to draw sympathy from those currently being gouged by major carriers, the “Un-carrier” CEO playfully bashes T-Mobile’s competitors with a rewritten holiday medley. Instead of Santa Claus and the Little Drummer Boy, we get lyrics like “You better watch out / You’d better change fast / Consumers won’t let your duopoly last / Un-carrier is coming to town.”
I won’t spoil anything else for you. Worth a look and a laugh even if you’re not a T-Mobile fan. When you’re done watching, let us know what you thought in the comments. Also, what’s your opinion of Legere and his unconventional business tactics?
T-Mobile will give Verizon customers a year of Hulu to switch
T-Mobile announced a new phase of its Un-carrier Unwrapped holiday promotion on Thursday. The company already offered Sprint customers $200 to change carriers and tempted AT&T subscribers with a steeply discounted 128GB iPhone 6s. Now, Verizon customers who switch to T-Mobile’s Simple Choice postpaid plan will receive a year-long Hulu subscription (with limited commercials, valued at $100). Additionally, switchers will receive up to a 50 percent discount on all in-store accessories. The promotion runs until Sunday, December 13th. You can find full details, rules and restrictions over at T-Mobile.
Source: T-Mobile
T-Mobile giving Verizon customers 12 months of free Hulu for the holidays
T-Mobile is on a never-ending quest to court customers away from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, and that’s incredibly apparent when you take a look at all the holiday promotions the Un-carrier has launched so far this season. The carrier announced that it would give an extra $200 bill credit to Sprint customers who switch for a limited time, only a few days after giving the gift of unlimited data to all its Simple Choice postpaid customers. Then T-Mobile announced it would give AT&T customers up to 50% off some of the nicer accessories on T-Mobile’s website. Fast forward to today, and T-Mo is finally going after Verizon, the United States’ largest carrier.
As part of its Un-carrier Unwrapped promotion, T-Mobile has announced that it will give Verizon customers 12 full months of Hulu streaming when they switch to the Un-carrier, no trade-in required. This promotion is available from Friday, December 11th through Thursday, December 17th. After you sign up for one of T-Mobile’s postpaid Simple Choice plans, you’ll get a text message with a $100 Hulu subscription gift code, good for 12 months of Hulu’s Limited Commercials plan.
In addition, Verizon customers can also save up to 50% on many of the accessories on T-Mobile’s website. A full list of discounted products can be found here.
See also: 10 best video streaming apps for Android
This is certainly great news for Verizon customers who have been thinking about switching. Not only do you get a free year of Hulu, you can also stream all of your favorite Hulu shows for free without using up any mobile data thanks to T-Mo’s recently-announced Binge On feature. If you’re a Verizon customer and want to switch but feel like you’re stuck in a contract, don’t worry – Big Red customers can also take advantage of T-Mobile’s Carrier Freedom that will get them up to $650 per line to cover Verizon’s ETFs or balance owed on their smartphones.
Interested? Follow the source link below for all of the details.
T-Mobile offers Verizon customers one year of Hulu to switch services
T-Mobile today announced it will give Verizon customers one year of Hulu for free if they switch wireless providers. Worth roughly $100, it’s a limited-time deal that runs from December 11-17.
To qualify for the promotion, Verizon customers will need to port their phone number into T-Mobile and select a Simple Choice plan. As part of the rate plan, subscribers will also gain features such as Music Freedom and Binge On. The former allows for unlimited access to streaming music through more than 40 services while the latter offers up DVD video streaming from various services. Neither the music nor the video will impact the monthly data allotment.
Customers who switch are also eligible for credits up to $650 per line to cover Verizon’s early termination fees (ETFs) or any balance due on the Verizon phone with a trade-in.
In addition to the Verizon deal, T-Mobile is discounting select accessories by 50 percent.
The post T-Mobile offers Verizon customers one year of Hulu to switch services appeared first on AndroidGuys.
T-Mobile tempts Verizon customers to switch with a year’s free Hulu and 50% off selected accessories
It would seem that T-Mobile is once again gunning for Verizon. Back in May, it was with the #NeverSettle promotion that allowed Verizon customers to experience the Un-carrier network via a trial. Now it’s enticing Verizon customers with the lure of a year’s subscription to Hulu and a 50% discount on financed accessories if they switch to T-Mobile’s Simple Choice postpaid plan. With no trade-in necessary.
This ‘Holiday Gift‘, as T-Mobile calls it, is available for Verizon customers who switch to the magenta network between December 11 – 17. Eligible accessories for the 50% discount range from smart watches, Bluetooth speakers, headphones, fitness trackers, among others.
T-Mobile’s outspoken president and CEO, John Legere, isn’t one to miss an opportunity to prod one of his rivals, and here he says that:
“Verizon customers put up with a lot of sneaky tricks from Big Red these days. Overpriced data, shocking overage penalties and no early upgrade option – just to name a few. So while Verizon spends billions of dollars on TV ads screaming that ‘better matters’, we are going to show their customers why the Un-carrier is better with a real gift.”
Besides a year’s free Hulu plus subscription and the 50% discount on financed accessories, Verizon customers will also be able to take advantage of T-Mobile’s Unlimited LTE video streaming via the Binge On service. And, if the Verizon customer is still mid-contract, they will qualify for T-Mobile’s Carrier Freedom service to help cover Verizon’s Early Termination Fee’s (ETF’s), with up to $650 on offer per line. Tempted?
Source: T-Mobile
Come comment on this article: T-Mobile tempts Verizon customers to switch with a year’s free Hulu and 50% off selected accessories
T-Mobile Offers Verizon Customers Free Year of Hulu to Switch
T-Mobile has announced a fourth “Un-carrier Unwrapped” holiday promotion that offers Verizon customers 12 months of Hulu’s Limited Commercials plan for free, a value of $7.99 per month or $96 annually.
The offer is valid for Verizon customers that switch any phone number to a T-Mobile Simple Choice postpaid plan between December 11 and December 17.
Verizon customers who switch to T-Mobile will receive a text message with a $100 Hulu subscription gift code, enough to pay for more than 12 months of Hulu’s Limited Commercials plan.
Verizon customers can combine the offer with T-Mobile’s Carrier Freedom promotion, which provides up to $650 towards a balance owing or to pay off early termination fees (ETFs) with an eligible device trade-in.
T-Mobile is also offering Verizon customers that switch up to half off its lineup of financed in-store accessories:
That could mean as much as a $125 discount on the hottest mobile gifts, like the latest smartwatches, UE Boom and JBL Bluetooth speakers, top-of-the-line headphones, Fitbit fitness trackers, Guitar Hero Live for iOS and more.
This limited time offer is part of T-Mobile’s monthlong “Un-carrier Unwrapped” holiday promotion that offered three months of free unlimited LTE data to Simple Choice customers, a $200 bill credit for Sprint customers and $200 off a 128GB iPhone 6s for AT&T customers.
Discuss this article in our forums
Sprint’s new promotion could lure in up to 50,000 customers from T-Mobile
You may have heard of Sprint’s 50% promotion where any subscriber of AT&T and/or Verizon could get 50% off their current monthly invoice just by moving to Sprint. As of today, Sprint is bringing back the promotion and additionally adding T-Mobile to the offering.
By adding T-Mobile, analysts are predicting that 50,000 current customers of T-Mobile will move to Sprint. T-Mobile is the nation’s third largest carrier making the deal available to anyone on the nation’s top three most populated carriers.
Tech analysts from Jefferies made the following statements:
“Given the inclusion of T-Mobile in Sprint’s new half-off promotion, we reduce our postpaid handset net add estimates from 950k to 900k to reflect a modest potential impact…While it is too early to ascertain the impact of the 50% off promotion, the T-Mobile counter promotion could be an indication of early success, though we view this more a misstep by TMUS than a market inflection.”
In response to Sprint’s promotion, T-Mobile’s CEO made some comments on twitter and the company fired back with a deal of their own. Those who had port their number from Sprint to T-Mobile were able to claim a $200 credit towards each line. However, the deal lasted only one day and has now closed.
As for Sprint’s deal, customers of all three major U.S. carriers will have until January 6, 2016 to redeem the 50% off. And in case you were wondering, Sprint’s current deal that covers early termination fees up to $650 per line, will remain active during the 50% off period. Now may be the best time ever to switch to Sprint!
Source: FierceWireless
Come comment on this article: Sprint’s new promotion could lure in up to 50,000 customers from T-Mobile
AIVAnet 
