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With hectic schedules, it can be hard to keep track of everything in your news feed. That's why we created the TalkAndroid Daily Dose. This is where we recap the day's hottest stories so you can get yourself up to speed in quick fashion. Happy reading!!
Editorials
Are in-app purchases for free-to-play games effective?
Guides
Here's how to get the Google Now Launcher on any Android phone or tablet
Apps
Motorola Active Display app gets buzzy with latest update
Carriers
The all new HTC One for AT&T leaks in silver
T-Mobile LG G2 KitKat update rolling out through PC utility
Gaming
Amazon offering a slew of apps for free, savings total more than $15
Google sits third as the world's most admired company as Apple leads the pack
Phones
The all new HTC One for AT&T leaks in silver
Lenovo's Ashton Kutcher-influenced smartphones will arrive later this year
T-Mobile LG G2 KitKat update rolling out through PC utility
The Galaxy S 5 will sport three new battery saving technologies
Amazon Spain and UK-based retailer, Clove, list Galaxy S 5 price
Sony says "once-a-year" flagship strategy is dead
Xiaomi announces 15 million MI2 Smartphones sold so far
Updates
T-Mobile LG G2 KitKat update rolling out through PC utility
Wearables
Samsung's Gear Fit awarded "Best Mobile Device" of MWC 2014
Miscellaneous
California Court: Using maps on your phone while driving is legal
LG takes shots at HTC and Apple while hinting at metal phones in the process
Come comment on this article: TalkAndroid Daily Dose for February 28, 2014
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Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a platformer with classic sensibilities, a new take on the match three puzzle, an unbearably cute physics game, a dudebro version of Asteroids, and a math puzzler.
[Bonus Round] Foxtrot, Caveboy Escape, Lightomania, Roid Rage, And Fives was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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More and more developers these days are using the Play Store to get beta versions of software into the hands of willing users. The system works well, so it's nice to report that another well-known app is taking advantage of it. Yelp now has an Android Beta Testers Google+ community that, if you join, will grant you access to the latest features before everyone else.
You may know the drill by now, as the screenshot above repeats the same steps most communities of this type require.
Yel p Launches Official Play Store Beta Program, Calls On All Eager Testers To Join Via Google+ Community was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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Google doesn't provide an obvious user-facing way to get locally saved media files from your phone to your TV using Chromecast. It's a bit annoying, but whatever, we have options now. There's AllCast for starters, but if you would prefer not to have to deal with yet another app, Solid Explorer has added the ability to stream files directly from the file browser. All you need is the latest version and a separate plugin.
Solid Explorer v1.5.7 Adds Chromecast Support Via A Separate Plugin, Multiple Bug Fixes, And More was written by the awes ome team at Android Police.
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Users with great big ebooks have reason to celebrate today – Google has doubled the file size limit for Google Books uploads to 100MB. The change came with little fanfare, just a small update on the Google Books support page listing the new limit as 100MB per file.
Most books are, of course, nowhere near that large, but you can add any non-DRM'd PDF or EPUB file to Google Books. Files can be added on the web or from Android, just remember the 1000 file limit.
Google Doubles Play Books File Size Upload Limit To 100MB Per File was written by the awesome team at Android Police.
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Remember the interactive film Windy Day that graced Moto X displays around the world? The next interactive film heading to Motorola's flagship is Buggy Night. While we have no idea what the storyline is based on the trailer (which you can watch after the break), it clearly looks like it will be as entertaining and intuitive as Windy Day. Buggy Night is listed as coming soon; however, expect it to surface without warning just as Windy Day did.
Hit the break for the Buggy Night trailer.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Let us know in the comments if you have Buggy Night.
Come comment on this article: Moto X's Windy Day leads to Buggy Night, coming soon (but without notice)
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The premise of the Project Ara/Phonebloks partnership is incredibly promising and exciting. A modular smartphone with swappable parts is a dream for many, and it seems like the dream is becoming reality. The latest update video from Phonebloks shows off the history of Project Ara, and where the team started.
Now that the Advanced Technology and Projects group is working under Google instead of Motorola, we might see Ara grow even faster. We're going to be seeing a development conference in April, where the company will be showing off the alpha version of the device. The developer kit will also be released for manufacturers to get started on modules. And if the base price really is $50 without modules, this project really might succeed.
Obviously, we're all excited about Project Ara. Creating our own phone, with each module hand picked to our taste, is something we've wanted for a very long time. We're sure you're just as excited as us about this, so tell us what kind of modules you want to see for Ara!
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LG's Chul Bae Lee had plenty to say when being interviewed by a Russian technology site. Lee is the company's leader over at the design center, so he is a pretty credible source to be saying all of this. On the subject of metal phones, Lee questions why HTC has not been very successful if metal is a huge demand. Also, he claims LG is considering the introduction of metal; however, no time frame is provided. Lee then switched gears to Apple and metal. He says that Apple's iPhone has poor reception due to metal interfering with the wireless signal. And finally, Lee assures everyone that LG will not produce a very thin metal smartphone like Huawei since battery life would take a huge hit.
Lee also talked about the success of the LG G2′s design. In a pre-release survey, about 50% favored the placement of the volume and power buttons on the backside. In return, LG was very happy and continued to run with the design (as if they had a choice at that point). Lee also feels that reviews for the G2′s design have been respectable.
Source: Hi-Tech@Mail.ru
Via: Phone Arena
Come comment on this article: LG takes shots at HTC and Apple while hinting at metal phones in the process
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Ashton Kutcher joined Lenovo as more than just a celebrity endorsement. He's not just a pretty face Lenovo can toss around. The guy is smart, having studied biochemical engineering (though leaving before graduating). He also keeps up to date with technology and even has his own investment company. His role at Lenovo is quite involved.
This partnership with Lenovo brings together my love of technology and design that makes your life better. I can't wait to dig in and help Lenovo develop future mobile computing productsAshton KutcherLenovo
In fact, the next thing he will be doing is designing an entire line of Lenovo devices. Though the hardware will be standard, Kutcher is in charge of creating a better user experience with these special edition devices. Lenovo CMO David Roman says, "He not only sees himself as an engineer, but he is an engineer. If he sees a problem, he wants to solve it."
It's actually exciting to see what Ashton Kutcher comes up with. I don't usually get excited about celebrity news, but it'll be interesting, to say the least. And with Lenovo now owning Motorola, we'll have to watch closely where Lenovo goes and gauge what it means for our beloved Motorola. Are you excited to see what Kutcher has up his sleeve? Tell us in the comments!
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#MWC2014 has come and gone, leaving behind it a trail of highly anticipated mobile releases. With big announcements from Samsung, LG, Sony, and more, we're running down our favorites. If you missed any of our coverage throughout the week, these are the smartphones (and smartwatches) you need to know about.
Samsung's smallest new offering perhaps made the biggest splash. Winning "Best Mobile Device" honors at the show's close, the Gear Fit takes Samsung's Tizen-based smartwatch platform and couples it with fitness tracking sensors to measure heart rate, add up daily activity, and track sleeping habits. Particularly impressive is the Fit's build, which features a curved Super AMOLED display as part of a compact watch design. [HANDS ON ]
The Android phone that everyone wished Nokia would make turned out to be anything but. Still, despite the device's mediocre spec sheet, the Nokia X should not be dismissed entirely. The announcement of the phone, along with the concurrently announced X+ and XL, is a bold move by the company. Their primary focus, however, remains Windows Phone with Android relegated to budget models. [HANDS ON ]
Our surprise favorite of Mobile World Congress 2013 got a sequel this year, and the result was no less impressive. The second-generation YotaPhone takes the dual-screen concept introduced by the original and ratchets it up a notch. While its specs won't blow anybody away, an improved design supporting the YotaPhones signature eInk secondary display make the device another strong contender for best of MWC 2014. [HANDS ON ]
The Samsung Galaxy S5 might not have been the phone many wanted and expected, but it was one of Mobile World Congress' most major announcements. A little under a year since Samsung unveiled the successful Galaxy S4, an upgraded model debuted in Barcelona with a bigger display, faster processor, and "glam" design. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Samsung even included a fingerprint sensor in the new device. Actually unexpected: a heart rate sensor with readings only a fingertip away. [HANDS ON ]
While we await LG's followup to their G2 announced last year, a device introduced at last year's Mobile World Congress saw a refresh. The LG G Pr0 2 enters as the company's primary contender in the phablet category. A massive 6-inch display is paired with some of the most powerful hardware you will find in a smartphone. While the sheer size might be a turnoff for some, the device lays the groundwork for a truly impressive LG G3 unveiling later this year. [HANDS ON ]
Samsung manages to get a third spot on our list with the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo. These updates to the company's Galaxy Gear smartwatch seek to improve upon Samsung's first attempt at wearable tech while further refining the experience. This includes a switch to Tizen, an operating system developed in part by Samsung, dropping the Galaxy brand in the process. The original Galaxy Gear wasn't a great performer for Samsung but the company would appear dedicated to turning those fortunes around. [HANDS ON ]
Sony had some updates to their Xperia Z line of flagship devices on hand, including the Xperia Z2 and Xperia Z2 Tablet. The Xperia Z2 smartphone is particularly impressive with a list of specs that would please any power user and a sleek design featuring waterproof construction. Sony wasn't shy about showing the handset's ability to take a swim and suffer no major damage, as has been a running theme for the company's smartphone lineup. Sony has yet to make a real splash with consumers (pun intended). Perhaps the Z2 could change this. [HANDS ON (Xperia Z2), HANDS ON (Xperia Z2 Tablet) ]
HTC makes our list more as an honorable mention. The Desire 816 isn't the followup to the HTC One that fans have been craving, but it's yet another example of HTC's commitment to quality design. The new Desire 816 (as well as 610) won't do much to challenge devices like the Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G Pro 2, but the announcement should tide us over until HTC is ready to roll out the big guns. [HANDS ON ]
Disagree with our list? Think we left something off? Let us know your favorite finds of Mobile World Congress 2014 and sound off in the poll below.
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