T-Mobile HTC One M8 gets 4.4.3 update, Verizon soon

This update has been floating around for a while now, with Verizon actually hinting that their update to Android 4.4.3 might come out today. As it happens, it looks like T-Mobile HTC One M8 users will be the first to get the update, as Verizon says it needs to “re-spin” the update and might delay the rollout.

For T-Mo users, the update may not have shown up on your notifications yet, but as per GSM Arena, a certified T-Mo HTC One M8 user has let them know (with pictures) that the update is indeed rolling out which includes – among other new stuff – Android 4.4.3. There are major firmware updates that should improve network performance (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/Mobile Network), and new versions of the Camera, Gallery, Settings and HTC Sync manager apps. Lastly, there are also updates to the BoomSound experience, Extreme Power Saving Mode, Motion Launch and Quick Setting. All in all a tasty update for T-Mo HTC One users.

For Verizon users, it seems that mid-September is the latest the update will roll out. According to HTC Americas President Jason Mackenzie and HTC VP for the HTC One M8 Mo Versi, they had to recall the impending update – which should have rolled out today – because of some issues that need to be tweaked. No information was given as to what issues these were, but it unfortunately pushes the update out of August and into September at the earliest.

There is confirmation for Verizon users though, that the update will finally make available the Extreme Power Saving Mode that turns off a number of battery hungry features and allows your phone to last for more hours even on critical power levels. Worth noting that AT&T and T-Mobile units of the HTC One M8 got this feature in May this year.

VIA: Droid Life, TMOnews

SOURCE: @JasonMacHTC / @moversi

Story Timeline

• HTC One M8 shows off red and pink colors


• HTC One M8 gets 4.4.3 update with some 4.4.4 fixes


• HTC One M8's Duo Cam now allows others to refocus your photos

Blur Launcher gives devs a Google Now Launcher playground

Google Now Launcher (or Google Experience Launcher, if you prefer the older name) is seemingly becoming the new fad for homescreen launchers. After CyanogenMod's own spin on the launcher with its CM Home experiment, Klinker Apps, makers of EvolveSMS and Talon, are now making available a new launcher called Blur that expands Google's launcher to make room for third-party developers to join the party.

What makes the GNL/GEL special? In the context of Google Now, it makes Google's context-based smart assistant easily accessible with a swipe gesture from the homescreen, dedicating the leftmost page to Google Now. Developers have taken inspiration from that concept and put their own twist by displacing Google Now, or at least making it optional, and leaving that space open for third party apps and widgets, or cards in Google Now parlance. In a nutshell, this is what Blur Launcher does but it also goes the extra mile by providing an API for other developers to hook into, making the possibilities potentially endless.

Coming from Google Now Launcher, which itself is a modification of the AOSP Launcher, every feature is hidden behind the settings option, revealed with a tap and hold gesture on the homescreen. From there, you can choose which app will be embedded in that special Page. One of the limitations of GNL, which CM Home seems to have chosen to inherit, is that there is room for only one such special page. Blur, on the other hand, gives you up to 5 pages if you want. To get the ball rolling, Klinker provides a page for EvolveSMS and Talon for Twitter, the latter requires a separate add-on to be installed. But there is sort of a way around this "one app" limitation. Blur offers an Info Page, which is a Google Now-like implementation, with a Google Search bar on top and space for cards. Unlike Google Now, however, those cards aren't dynamic and context-based and you will have to choose which cards you want to appear there. You can also move rearrange them as you please. At the moment though, it seems that only the Weather card is working.

But beyond this fancy Page implementation, Blur also offers features that can't be found in GNL or AOSP Launcher that puts it on par with older and more featured Android homescreen replacements. You can, for example, choose the size of both the homescreen and the all apps grid. You can even choose the number of apps allowed on the dock, up to 9 max (the All Apps icon is counted as one). Scrolling effects, icon packs, and gestures are all accounted for. There is even an option for hidden apps and for locking the homescreen icons in place. One note to be aware of, unread badges are not built-in, meaning you won't be able to see the number of unread messages or emails on app icons unless you install and enable and experimental add-on, which requires Android 4.3 or higher. There is even "OK, Google" hotword detection, noted to work only for Android KitKat and later version.

Blur Launcher is definitely an interesting take on an Android Launcher that offers both the simplicity of GNL/AOSP Launcher with the power of third-party pages and cards. Right now, however, the extremely limited choices of those pages and cards make Blur a little less useful. But with an open API, the launcher has the potential to grow exponentially. All it needs now is for app developers to answer its call.

Download: Blur, Blur - Unread, Talon (Blur) on Google Play Store

SOURCE: +Luke Klinker (1), (2)

Story Timeline

• Google Now launcher available in the Play Store to Nexus and GPE devices


• Inspire Launcher: The Google Now Launcher for those who can't get it


• CM Home now in CM nightlies, not a Google Now killer


• More devices getting Google Now launcher support

Sharp unveils “edge-to-edge display” of Aquos Crystal

When Sharp announced that their upcoming Aquos Crystal phone would have “edge-to-edge display”, people’s expectations of what it would look like were heightened. As they have now unveiled the actual phones, it would seem to have met those expectations, as the front panel of the smartphone has super-thin bezels, giving justice to the original description.

The Aquos Crystal is a 5-inch, 1280x720 pixel full HD phone with that will be running on Android 4.4 KitKat. But what has really caught the attention of people is the almost bezel-less front display of the smartphone. In the photos and videos from Buzzup in Japan, the phone is being shown off in all its edge to edge display glory.The previously released Droid Razr M from Motorola was the closest that we came to that kind of display, but compared to this one from Sharp, the borders now seem too big.

But aside from the beautiful display, the Aquos Crystal also has some relatively good specs to offer. It will run on a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.2HGz processor with 1.5GB RAM and 8GB of internal memory. It will have an 8 megapixel main camera and a 1.2MP one for the front-facing camera. It will come out in white, black, pink and blue colors. There is a more powerful version of the Aquos Crystal called the Aquos Crystal X, with a 1920x1080 display running on Snapdragon 801 and having 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory. However this version will only be released for now in Japan and will have red, white and black colors.

Softbank will be releasing the Aquos Crystal in the US by the end of this month while the Crystal X will come out in Japan by end of this year. There is still no announced standard retail price for the smartphone, but here’s hoping we don’t have to break a bank to own this one.

VIA: SlashGear

SOURCE: SoftBank (1, 2)

Story Timeline

• Sharp's new AQUOS TAB SHT21 IGZO tablet gets hands-on demo


• Sharp AQUOS 206SH rocks a five-inch screen and two-day battery life


• Sharp AQUOS 304SH boasts slim bezels on 5.2-inch display

Flappy Bird creator to come out with new game: Swing Copters

Looks like the guys at Touch Arcade got a first look at Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen’s new game called “Swing Copters”. If you feel a bit slighted that some people got to try the new game ahead of you, don’t worry – from the looks of it, those guys will not go far, as the game is heck difficult.

Swing Copters follows in Nguyen’s patented game style – which is cruel and unrewarding, not to mention being frustratingly difficult. These elements are what made that darned bird game so addictive in the first place, and we see the same touches of that in Swing Copters.

The idea is that your dude – complete with spinning propeller on the head – gets airborne and is wildly flying in one direction, where your tapping coaxes him to the opposite side to balance out the flight. That’s difficult enough, but now you have to steer him through swinging gates. The more gates you pass, the more points. But don’t get your hopes up – as with Flappy Bird, one small touch on an obstacle and it all ends in misery.

The game is not out yet, so it is relegated to the “watch this space” category for now. But we fear for all of you casual gamers out there, Dong Nguyen is out for your happiness. In any case that you would want to tip the man for this game, the one “in-app” purchase is to get rid of the ads – unobtrusive enough that you don’t really have to – but just as a pat on the back for the game developer.

VIA: Touch Arcade

Story Timeline

• Flappy Bird developer considering possible return


• Flappy Bird is returning, and it's all your fault


• Flappy Bird is back with more obstacles, multiplayer fun

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact named in user manual

It looks like Sony has an unexpected compact surprise coming soon. While we have been mostly distracted by rumors of the Xperia Z3 and its Xperia Z3 Compact incarnation expected to arrive this IFA 2014, we certainly didn't see an Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact coming. But this won't be an ordinary Xperia tablet as it is clearly marked to be a smaller than usual one.

The revelation comes via the user manual for a Sony Bluetooth Speaker with Magnetic Charging Pad. That charging pad is compatible with many Xperia devices but would require a special attachment for different devices. Under the BSC10A attachment, supported devices include the Xperia Z Ultra, the Xperia Z2 Tablet, and a certain Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact.

Given the unexpected appearance of this mobile device, the rumor mill is still at a loss as to the size of this "compact" tablet. The current titleholder, the Xperia Z2 Tablet, measures 10.1 inches. Naturally the upcoming one would be smaller, but how much smaller? Sony hasn't unveiled a small tablet in a long time but it has quite a number of gigantic smartphones, with the Xperia Z Ultra being the largest at 6.4 inches. This Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact could very well be a 7-inch device, though an 8.9-inch tablet is not yet out of the question.

As to the specs, that part is even more up in the air. But if we use current trends as a basis, we can expect this to sport a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, 2 to 3 GB of RAM, and a 1080p screen resolution. We will most likely see the real deal at IFA in Berlin next month, when Sony will be unveiling its new generation of Xperia devices.

VIA: Techtastic

Story Timeline

• Possible first look at Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 compact


• Sony IFA schedule set, mysterious Xperia device leaked


• Sony Xperia Z3 opens its flaps for a photo shoot leak


• Sony D2203 shown to be a low-spec budget 6.1-inch giant

Sony Xperia M2 Aqua takes waterproofing to budget level

Sony is announcing a new smartphone. Actually, it's partly a rehash of an existing smartphone. The Xperia M2 Aqua is everything that its name suggests: a variant of a mid-tier device that was announced early this year, blessed with Sony's popular dust and water proof ratings.

In all aspects save one, this is the same Xperia M2, meaning that you really get what you pay for. It doesn't boast of high-end specs but just has enough power, with a 1.2 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 and 1 GB of RAM, to get you through the day. The Exmor RS-toting 8 megapixel camera might be decent for taking pictures and videos, but viewing the same from the 4.8-inch qHD, meaning 960x540, screen might not be an equally pleasant experience. Still, the 2,300 mAh battery is sure to last you longer than most high-end devices, especially considering the lower specs. The Xperia M2 itself just started getting is Android KitKat update, but luckily this one comes with Android 4.4 right out of the box.

Of course, the selling point of this model is the new waterproof features. Sony boasts of a score of IP65/IP68, claiming it to be the highest found on a smartphone. Definitely the highest for a consumer-grade one. And Sony definitely takes waterproofing seriously. Just last week, an Xperia Z2, which has an even lower IP rating, was rescued from its watery grave after spending 6 weeks on the seabed and was still miraculously alive. Imagine how much more torture the Xperia M2 Aqua can take. Or you don't have to imagine. Just play one of these underwater games if you ever get a chance to get your hands on one and find out for yourself.

The Sony Xperia M2 Aqua will be available in black and white color options. No pricing detail has been disclosed yet, but availability will start from Autumn this year. Target markets include Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Europe, with no mention of any plans to bring the device to the US.

SOURCE: Sony

Story Timeline

• Sony goes mid-range: Announcing the Xperia M2


• Xperia Z2 in seabed for 6 weeks, still works after "rescue"


• Sony Underwater apps lets you play with your phone in water


• Sony Xperia M2 Kitkat update now rolling out

HTC Butterfly 2 officially announced, but limited availability

As what we have seen in the last rumor, HTC has officially announced that it is bringing the J Butterfly HTL23 to other regions as Butterfly 2. The Butterfly 2 and the Japan edition are the same in specs, except there won’t be WiMAX2+ or LTE Advance support in the Butterfly 2.

Available in Rouge, Canvas and Indigo color, the HTC Butterfly 2 features a Duo Camera system, and HTC BoomSound with dual front speakers – boosted with JBL LiveStage digital signal processing. According to the official specifications, the Duo Camera is using a 13MP f/2.0 camera sensor as primary camera, additional depth information is recorded simultaneously by a separate camera sensor on top. THe secondary camera sensor should be a 2MP camera sensor, if it is the same as the J Butterfly HTL23.

The additional depth information allows you to have more post-photo editing fun, which includes changing the picture focal point (UFocus) or applying special effects with the built in Foregrounder tool. There is also a dual tone flash LED, plus another 5 megapixel front facing camera. The front facing camera is not only good for selfies with higher resolution, but it is also able to capture Full HD video and HDR photos.

Other hardware specs remain the same. The Butterfly 2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz quad core processor (MSM8974AC), comes with 5-inch Full HD S-LCD3 display, IPX5/IPX7 waterproof, IP5X dust proof, 2GB RAM, 32GB internal storage and microSDXC card slot. It is nice to see the microUSB port and headphone jack are designed without using a water resistant cover to achieve the IP57 protection.

HTC Butterfly 2 specifications:

- OS: Android 4.4.x KitKat

- Size: 145.4 x 70.2 x 9.99 mm

- Weight: 151g

- Display: 5" Full HD SLCD 3

- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5GHz quad core

- RAM: 2GB

- Internal Storage: 16/32GB, MicroSDXC card slot

- Camera: 13MP f/2.0 + 2MP Duo camera, 5MP front facing camera

- Dual tone flash LED

- Connectivity: WiFi a/b/g/n/ac / Bluetooth 4.0 / NFC

- Battery: 2700 mAh

- Talk time: Up to 23.9 hours for 3G

- Standby time: Up to 643 hours for 3G

- Others: Barometer sensor, 4G LTE, Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0

Unfortunately, HTC has decided to ship the Butterfly 2 in selected countries. It will be launched first in Taiwan on September 2nd, and then in Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Pricing for Butterfly 2, including the J Butterfly HTL23 is not revealed yet.