Verizon Lumia 1520 variant leaked in China, teases 20MP PureView camera and Zeiss lens

Verizon branded Lumia 1520 variant leaked in China, teases 20megapixel PureView camera and Zeiss lens

An oversized smartphone with Zeiss optics and PureView camera technology? We wouldn’t expect anything less from Nokia, but it’s nice to see the rumors roll in, all the same. Noted Weibo leaker Houdabao has managed to get his hands on a large Lumia device with a PureView 20-megapixel camera, Zeiss optics and Verizon branding. The post describes the devices as a “big big Windows Phone,” which sounds an awful lot like the rumored Lumia 1520. The speakers and camera flash are in slightly different locations than the leaked image we saw earlier this month, but we’re willing to chalk that up to carrier variations. Nokia hasn’t said anything official just yet, but rumors suggest that the device will be officially unveiled later this month.

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Via: WPCentral

Source: Weibo

Verizon branded Lumia 1520 variant leaked in China, teases 20megapixel PureView camera and Zeiss lens

An oversized smartphone with Zeiss optics and PureView camera technology? We wouldn’t expect anything less from Nokia, but it’s nice to see the rumors roll in, all the same. Noted Weibo leaker Houdabao has managed to get his hands on a large Lumia device with a PureView 20-megapixel camera, Zeiss optics and Verizon branding. The post describes the devices as a “big big Windows Phone,” which sounds an awful lot like the rumored Lumia 1520. The speakers and camera flash are in slightly different locations than the leaked image we saw earlier this month, but we’re willing to chalk that up to carrier variations. Nokia hasn’t said anything official just yet, but rumors suggest that the device will be officially unveiled later this month.

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Via: WPCentral

Source: Weibo

GetGlue’s Android app adds redesigned TV guide with streaming video listings

GetGlue's Android app adds redesigned TV guide with streaming video listings

GetGlue reworked its iPhone app recently to feature not only a new design, but also add more content sources, and now those features are also available on Android devices. The service is moving beyond check-ins of what users are watching and now provides personalized advice on what to watch. Those recommendations blend currently airing broadcast TV with commonly used online services like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, among others. There are also curated lists of suggestions and the newly refreshed show pages along with the ability for users to post their own memes, videos and news. The only feature that didn’t make the jump from the iPhone is the ability to link up with DirecTV satellite receivers for remote control, but otherwise it’s all here.

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Source: GetGlue Blog

GetGlue's Android app adds redesigned TV guide with streaming video listings

GetGlue reworked its iPhone app recently to feature not only a new design, but also add more content sources, and now those features are also available on Android devices. The service is moving beyond check-ins of what users are watching and now provides personalized advice on what to watch. Those recommendations blend currently airing broadcast TV with commonly used online services like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, among others. There are also curated lists of suggestions and the newly refreshed show pages along with the ability for users to post their own memes, videos and news. The only feature that didn’t make the jump from the iPhone is the ability to link up with DirecTV satellite receivers for remote control, but otherwise it’s all here.

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Source: GetGlue Blog

Nokiasoft comes full circle: Microsoft’s play for ultimate control will redefine the Windows ecosystem

Nokiasoft comes full circle Microsoft's play for ultimate control will redfine the Windows ecosystem

The “soft” in Microsoft isn’t what it used to be. A score ago, the company was certain the software-licensing business was the one it wanted to be in — Apple decided to hold its cards a lot closer to the chest, and it cost the company dearly for years. Meanwhile, Microsoft made a lot of cash with Windows, and it still does. But the tide is turning. Two of the last three Windows operating systems haven’t generated the kind of crazed mindshare that a company needs to remain relevant over the long haul, and at some point, one has to wonder if Microsoft will be able to inject a bit of life into its stodgy, outmoded self by grabbing the reins on the hardware side.

In fact, that’s exactly what Microsoft wondered, as it casually announced a plan in June of 2012 to affront scores of OEM partners with its Surface initiative. In an instant, Microsoft dove headfirst into the hardware game, and regardless of how it wanted the public to perceive the move, the truth was impossible to hide: this was Microsoft telling Acer, ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and the rest that it could no longer trust their design chops to keep its revenue on the up and up.

In February of 2011, well before it transformed the Surface from a big-ass table into a slate that almost no one wants to buy (Microsoft’s words, not mine), the company managed to procure a huge ally on the mobile front. The Nokia / Microsoft alliance was monumental. This was Nokia’s formidable hardware being exclusively used to push Microsoft’s fledgling Windows Phone OS. At once, Nokia loyalists found hope, and those praying for a coalition with Android were dismayed. Little did we know: that partnership marked the end of the original Microsoft, the end of the original Nokia and, in my estimation, a complete rerouting of the Windows roadmap. This week’s acquisition simply makes it all the more official.

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Nokiasoft comes full circle Microsoft's play for ultimate control will redfine the Windows ecosystem

The “soft” in Microsoft isn’t what it used to be. A score ago, the company was certain the software-licensing business was the one it wanted to be in — Apple decided to hold its cards a lot closer to the chest, and it cost the company dearly for years. Meanwhile, Microsoft made a lot of cash with Windows, and it still does. But the tide is turning. Two of the last three Windows operating systems haven’t generated the kind of crazed mindshare that a company needs to remain relevant over the long haul, and at some point, one has to wonder if Microsoft will be able to inject a bit of life into its stodgy, outmoded self by grabbing the reins on the hardware side.

In fact, that’s exactly what Microsoft wondered, as it casually announced a plan in June of 2012 to affront scores of OEM partners with its Surface initiative. In an instant, Microsoft dove headfirst into the hardware game, and regardless of how it wanted the public to perceive the move, the truth was impossible to hide: this was Microsoft telling Acer, ASUS, Dell, Lenovo and the rest that it could no longer trust their design chops to keep its revenue on the up and up.

In February of 2011, well before it transformed the Surface from a big-ass table into a slate that almost no one wants to buy (Microsoft’s words, not mine), the company managed to procure a huge ally on the mobile front. The Nokia / Microsoft alliance was monumental. This was Nokia’s formidable hardware being exclusively used to push Microsoft’s fledgling Windows Phone OS. At once, Nokia loyalists found hope, and those praying for a coalition with Android were dismayed. Little did we know: that partnership marked the end of the original Microsoft, the end of the original Nokia and, in my estimation, a complete rerouting of the Windows roadmap. This week’s acquisition simply makes it all the more official.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of August 26th, 2013

Mobile Miscellany week of August 26th, 2013

If you didn’t get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we’ve opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought convincing signs that BlackBerry users are moving away from physical keyboards, along with a new budget Android smartphone for MetroPCS and a stumbling block that’s holding up AT&T’s acquisition of Alltel. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that’s happening in the mobile world for this week of August 26th, 2013.

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Mobile Miscellany week of August 26th, 2013

If you didn’t get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we’ve opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought convincing signs that BlackBerry users are moving away from physical keyboards, along with a new budget Android smartphone for MetroPCS and a stumbling block that’s holding up AT&T’s acquisition of Alltel. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that’s happening in the mobile world for this week of August 26th, 2013.

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Nexus 4 price drops by $100 to $199 for 8GB, $249 for 16GB

The cheapest unlocked stock Android phone you could buy just got even cheaper: Google has dropped the price of the Nexus 4 8GB to $199 from the original price of $299, and the 16GB model to $249 from $349. It’s fast approaching the anniversary date of the latest Google phone, so the timing is about right for the discount. However, we do wonder if this means a replacement is nigh. After all, Google has yet to introduce the next Nexus successor, and we certainly don’t think the Moto X is all the Mountain View company has to offer. Until then, the Nexus 4 is pretty much the best deal for stock Android lovers who wish to be untied to a carrier. So if you feel like snatching one up now, you had best hit the source link before, you know, it sells out again.

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Source: Google Play Store

The cheapest unlocked stock Android phone you could buy just got even cheaper: Google has dropped the price of the Nexus 4 8GB to $199 from the original price of $299, and the 16GB model to $249 from $349. It’s fast approaching the anniversary date of the latest Google phone, so the timing is about right for the discount. However, we do wonder if this means a replacement is nigh. After all, Google has yet to introduce the next Nexus successor, and we certainly don’t think the Moto X is all the Mountain View company has to offer. Until then, the Nexus 4 is pretty much the best deal for stock Android lovers who wish to be untied to a carrier. So if you feel like snatching one up now, you had best hit the source link before, you know, it sells out again.

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Source: Google Play Store

Google tightens Android app rules for device interference and in-game purchases

Google Play Store at Google IO 2013

Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent or shady behavior in Android apps, and we’re witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company’s new guidelines more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can’t modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can’t install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won’t necessarily stop rogue code from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning.

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Google Play Support

Google Play Store at Google IO 2013

Google occasionally updates its Play Store rules to weed out inconsistent or shady behavior in Android apps, and we’re witnessing one of its larger clean-ups today. The company’s new guidelines more explicitly ban device interference: titles in the Play Store can’t modify settings or other apps without permission, and they can’t install bookmarks or icons that pitch a third-party service. Google is also adamant that any in-game purchases of virtual goods must go through its billing system. As usual, new apps have to follow these guidelines right away, while developers with existing apps have a 30-day grace period to make any changes. The policies won’t necessarily stop rogue code from sneaking into the Play Store, but Google can at least say that it gave fair warning.

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Google Play Support

MoDaCo.Switch for Galaxy S 4 now available in beta… to Indiegogo backers

MoDaCoSwitch for Galaxy S 4 now available in beta to Indiegogo backers

For about a month now, HTC One owners have been able to enjoy MoDaCo’s efforts to mix up the Android experience on the Taiwanese company’s handset. But, hey, don’t go thinking anyone forgot about Samsung’s own flagship device, the Galaxy S 4. Available now to those who backed the campaign on Indiegogo, MoDaCo.Switch is giving the GS4 crowd a ROM to sense what it’s like to seamlessly switch between the TouchWiz and AOSP versions of Android OS. It’s worth nothing that this particular ROM is only compatible with GSM models of the Galaxy S 4, and, as ever, creator Paul O’Brien notes it is a beta after all, so some issues may arise. In other words, backers must install at their own risk — capiche?

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Via: Android Police

Source: MoDaCo

MoDaCoSwitch for Galaxy S 4 now available in beta to Indiegogo backers

For about a month now, HTC One owners have been able to enjoy MoDaCo’s efforts to mix up the Android experience on the Taiwanese company’s handset. But, hey, don’t go thinking anyone forgot about Samsung’s own flagship device, the Galaxy S 4. Available now to those who backed the campaign on Indiegogo, MoDaCo.Switch is giving the GS4 crowd a ROM to sense what it’s like to seamlessly switch between the TouchWiz and AOSP versions of Android OS. It’s worth nothing that this particular ROM is only compatible with GSM models of the Galaxy S 4, and, as ever, creator Paul O’Brien notes it is a beta after all, so some issues may arise. In other words, backers must install at their own risk — capiche?

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Via: Android Police

Source: MoDaCo

T-Mobile brings Simple Choice plans to business customers on August 26th

TMobile brings Simple Choice plans to business customers on August 26th

Coming August 26th, T-Mobile will make its Simple Choice plans available to business customers, effectively severing the tie between the cost of devices and mobile service. The pricing structure is geared to customers with six lines or more, with rates that start at $20 per line for unlimited talk, text and 500MB of overage-free / throttled data. Keeping in line with its approach on the consumer end, business users can then pay for additional data, starting at $30 for an extra 2GB and going up to $50 for unlimited 4G data (and 2.5GB of limited hotspot use). T-Mobile is hoping its new approach will be popular with the BYOD crowd, but it’s also performing a balancing act with a subsidized Simple Choice Classic plan that runs an additional $20 per month. Meanwhile, companies with less than six lines can tap into T-Mobile’s small business plans, which parallels the pricing that individuals pay.

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Via: Android Community

Source: T-Mobile

TMobile brings Simple Choice plans to business customers on August 26th

Coming August 26th, T-Mobile will make its Simple Choice plans available to business customers, effectively severing the tie between the cost of devices and mobile service. The pricing structure is geared to customers with six lines or more, with rates that start at $20 per line for unlimited talk, text and 500MB of overage-free / throttled data. Keeping in line with its approach on the consumer end, business users can then pay for additional data, starting at $30 for an extra 2GB and going up to $50 for unlimited 4G data (and 2.5GB of limited hotspot use). T-Mobile is hoping its new approach will be popular with the BYOD crowd, but it’s also performing a balancing act with a subsidized Simple Choice Classic plan that runs an additional $20 per month. Meanwhile, companies with less than six lines can tap into T-Mobile’s small business plans, which parallels the pricing that individuals pay.

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Via: Android Community

Source: T-Mobile

Google Fiber has Vudu integration on its set-top boxes, Android app

Google Fiber has Vudu integration on its settop boxes, Android app

The Google Fiber Android app got an update today that adds support for Vudu, adding another over-the-top video service along with Netflix and YouTube. The support pages for its Vudu setup seemingly date back to August 5th, but we haven’t heard anything about the launch from either company. According to the changelog, the update will allow viewers to search for and view content across their TV and mobile screens, although the iPad app hasn’t received any update yet. Also new to the Android version are channel shortcuts in the main menu for faster switching back and forth. The addition should bring Ultraviolet digital copies to Google’s TV service, although the support page notes users will have to login to Vudu separately on each set-top box. That is, assuming they’re lucky enough to live in a place where Google Fiber is available.

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Source: Google Play, Google Fiber Support

Google Fiber has Vudu integration on its settop boxes, Android app

The Google Fiber Android app got an update today that adds support for Vudu, adding another over-the-top video service along with Netflix and YouTube. The support pages for its Vudu setup seemingly date back to August 5th, but we haven’t heard anything about the launch from either company. According to the changelog, the update will allow viewers to search for and view content across their TV and mobile screens, although the iPad app hasn’t received any update yet. Also new to the Android version are channel shortcuts in the main menu for faster switching back and forth. The addition should bring Ultraviolet digital copies to Google’s TV service, although the support page notes users will have to login to Vudu separately on each set-top box. That is, assuming they’re lucky enough to live in a place where Google Fiber is available.

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Source: Google Play, Google Fiber Support

Google Play ‘Package File Invalid’ error acknowledged in support page, no fix yet

Google Play 'Package File Invalid' error acknowledged in support page, no fix yet

An updated version of the Google Play app began rolling out to handsets a few days ago without much fanfare, but now it’s getting more attention for unpleasant reasons: a glaring bug. Some users wielding the latest version of the marketplace have reported seeing a “Package File Invalid” error when downloading or updating select apps, and now Google has acknowledged the software hiccup in a freshly-created support page. Mountain View says there aren’t any workarounds for the glitch as of now, but it’s “currently investigating a permanent solution.” There’s no ETA for a fix just yet, but Page and Co. promise they’ll update the listing with developments.

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Via: Android Community

Source: Google Support

Google Play 'Package File Invalid' error acknowledged in support page, no fix yet

An updated version of the Google Play app began rolling out to handsets a few days ago without much fanfare, but now it’s getting more attention for unpleasant reasons: a glaring bug. Some users wielding the latest version of the marketplace have reported seeing a “Package File Invalid” error when downloading or updating select apps, and now Google has acknowledged the software hiccup in a freshly-created support page. Mountain View says there aren’t any workarounds for the glitch as of now, but it’s “currently investigating a permanent solution.” There’s no ETA for a fix just yet, but Page and Co. promise they’ll update the listing with developments.

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Via: Android Community

Source: Google Support