While Google Hangouts has a few flaws, there are countless things it does right. Besides group messaging, video calling is probably one of the most compelling features of Google’s new messaging app. We’ve taken video calls out for a spin a few times and it’s worked flawlessly in nearly every situation. The only time the service did [...]]]> While Google Hangouts has a few flaws, there are countless things it does right. Besides group messaging, video calling is probably one of the most compelling features of Google’s new messaging app. We’ve taken video calls out for a spin a few times and it’s worked flawlessly in nearly every situation. The only time the service did not work was when we tried a video call with a friend who owns an iPhone on AT&T. We could take a jab at Apple, but the issue lies with AT&T’s policies regarding video calling on its 3G and 4G network.

As of now, Apple, Samsung and Blackberry are the only companies which have approved pre-installed applications which can operate on AT&T’s Mobile Share or Tiered plans. But things are about to change. Starting in mid-June, those same applications will also be able to make video calls on unlimited LTE plans with all pre-loaded video chat apps gaining access to AT&T’s network by the end of this year.

It’s nice to see AT&T change its stance on video calling, but we’re sure you’d agree that they’re a little late to the game.

Last night, Google’s Vic Gundotra took to Google Plus to write that he was having a hard time falling asleep because he was excited about something that was set to happen today. This morning, like clockwork, a huge update for the Google Plus Android app was released with photography, location and discovery enhancements, putting the [...]]]> Last night, Google’s Vic Gundotra took to Google Plus to write that he was having a hard time falling asleep because he was excited about something that was set to happen today. This morning, like clockwork, a huge update for the Google Plus Android app was released with photography, location and discovery enhancements, putting the app on par with the website which was revamped at Google I/O.

Probably the biggest changes in the new Google Plus app for Android are the photography features. At Google I/O, Google introduced several useful new utilities for Plus that made your photos look better, and made them easier to share. The new Android app focuses on three major areas of photography, and automates them all.

The first area is editing. Google Plus’ new auto enhance feature does just what it sounds like. By tweaking a few simple things, like contrast or adding some smoothing, your photos are automatically improved when uploaded to Google Plus. You don’t have to leave them auto-enhanced, but in my experience, Google Plus actually does a fantastic job. Also related to photo editing, the new Plus app includes built-in Snapseed editing, for those that want more control over the changes made to their photos.

The second photography related feature is auto highlight. After a long day of photo taking, Google Plus will go through the photographs that have been auto-uploaded to Plus, and find the best ones, making it easier to share highlights. Auto highlight is a neat feature, especially for those days when you’ve taken a ton of pictures, and don’t have anything in particular you want to share.

The last major photography feature is auto awesome. Auto awesome goes through your photos, and makes things like animations and panoramas, which Google apparently considers Awesome. Until we spend more time with auto awesome, we won’t know just how awesome it really is. It could certainly turn out to be a neat feature.

Outside of photography features, the new Google Plus app has made some changes to location sharing, and content discovery within the app. With the locations tab in the new Plus app, if users are sharing their location, you’ll see exactly where they are, in either a list view, or a handy map view. To bolster content discovery, Google has added auto-hashtags to posts from the Android app now. With posts being auto-tagged, more of Google Plus will be categorized, making it easier to find content relevant to your interests.

There have been some issues in rolling out the update to Google Plus, but rest assured, they are being worked on. Once you get your hands on the new update, let us know how you like it either in the comments, or on the Android and Me Google Plus page.

Back when Hangouts was still a rumor, we were under the distinct impression that it would unify off all of Google’s messaging services. The cold hard truth is, Hangouts is merely a replacement for Google Talk. It didn’t do much to alleviate the confusion of Google’s various messaging apps, and has even stripped some well [...]]]> Back when Hangouts was still a rumor, we were under the distinct impression that it would unify off all of Google’s messaging services. The cold hard truth is, Hangouts is merely a replacement for Google Talk. It didn’t do much to alleviate the confusion of Google’s various messaging apps, and has even stripped some well liked functionality, like desktop calling from Gmail.

Fortunately, Google isn’t even close to being finished with Hangouts. We’ve already heard that SMS integration is a high-priority for the Hangouts team, and now we know that not only is desktop calling making a comeback, but tight Google Voice integration is on the horizon.

In a Google Plus post from this morning, Google’s manager of real-time communication products, Nikhyl Singhal, explained the status of desktop calling from Gmail, which was lost in the move to Hangouts, and the future of Google Voice. According to Singhal, inbound and outbound calls are being worked on. For now, users can still take advantage of inbound calling in Voice, and stick with the old Talk in Gmail. Other than that, users are stuck playing the waiting game.

Singhal also took a moment to address Google Voice a little more in-depth, saying that, “Hangouts is designed to be the future of Google Voice, and making/receiving phone calls is just the beginning. Future versions of Hangouts will integrate Google Voice more seamlessly.”

Hangouts may not be the unified messaging service we were originally hoping for, but it’s being worked on. By the end of the year, I imagine Hangouts will finally combine Google Talk, Google Voice, Google Plus Hangouts, SMS and MMS messaging into one handy app. Until then, things may get little rough while everything is being ironed out.

The HTC One is one of the most respected Android devices on the planet. Yet, quite a few people seem to think the Galaxy S4 has a slight edge thanks to its removable battery and microSD card slot. The new HTC J One (KDDI’s variant of the HTC One for Japan) may not sport [...]]]> The HTC One is one of the most respected Android devices on the planet. Yet, quite a few people seem to think the Galaxy S4 has a slight edge thanks to its removable battery and microSD card slot. The new HTC J One (KDDI’s variant of the HTC One for Japan) may not sport a removable battery, but HTC has managed to cram in a microSDXC card slot, which gives the 32GB device the ability to store an extra 64GB of data. Unfortunately, the hardware components needed to include microSD card support have forced HTC to chop up the aluminum frame of the HTC J One (note the back-panel latch in the image above). The thickness and weight of the device also had to be increased by 10% (69 x 138 x 10.5mm at 157g compared to 68.2 x 137.4x 9.3mm size at 143g).

A 10% bump in thickness and weight may not sound like much, but the difference is certainly noticeable. The HTC J One is 33% thicker than the Samsung Galaxy S4. How many of you would be willing to compromise the HTC One’s current size and weight in order to gain expandable storage?

Welcome back to Android Gaming Weekly, our weekly recap to focus on new releases. We still plan to cover upcoming releases and games we’re playing, but this column is dedicated to new games you can install and start playing right now. Check out our top picks and let us know if you have any suggestions for [...]]]> Welcome back to Android Gaming Weekly, our weekly recap to focus on new releases. We still plan to cover upcoming releases and games we’re playing, but this column is dedicated to new games you can install and start playing right now. Check out our top picks and let us know if you have any suggestions for next week in the comments below.

Sonic The Hedgehog

Description: The Sonic game which started it all is now optimized for mobile devices! Race at lightning speeds across seven classic zones as Sonic the Hedgehog. Run and spin through loop-de-loops as you collect rings and defeat enemies on your mission to save the world from the evil Dr. Eggman. This re-mastered mobile version of the SEGA Genesis classic features the full “Sonic The Hedgehog” game, plus exclusive features.

Sonic The Hedgehog $2.99SEGA of America PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

You Don’t Know Jack

Description: Download the Spike TV Video Game Awards’ “Social Game of the Year” to your Android phone or tablet. You Don’t Know Jack is the #1 game in the world that contains both fart noises and trivia about Shakespeare. This free-to-play mobile version includes hundreds of full episodes of everybody’s favorite quiz show trivia game, with new, topical episodes added every week!

YOU DON'T KNOW JACK FreeJellyvision Games Inc PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Carmageddon

Description: Carmageddon is the original freeform driving sensation, where pedestrians (and cows!) equal points, and your opponents are a bunch of crazies in a twisted mix of automotive killing machines. The game features anarchic drive-wherever-you-like gameplay and over-the-top surreal comedy violence. It’s the racing game where racing is for wimps.

Carmageddon $1.94Stainless Games Ltd PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Daddy Was A Thief

Description: Bank staff is usually friendly and polite. This time something went wrong! Gain as much money as you can! Hurry! Everyone try to catch you, but you are clever, aren’t you? Find combo speed boosts, shortcuts and grab power-ups to survive.

Daddy Was A Thief FreeRebel Twins PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Zombie Derby

Description: Do you have the drive to survive? Americans have two favourite things; cars and guns. And no stinking zombie apocalypse is going to change that. Take control of your car to see how far you can get and how many zombies you can kill – and if you can actually escape with your brains intact. Four cars are available to get you to the final fort, each capable of holding progressively more loot. Ranging from the simple Redneck pick-up and the classy Hunter and to the tough Sledge and frankly-silly Harvester, you’ll enjoy throwing these bodged-up jalopies at the lines of the undead.

Zombie Derby FreeHeroCraft Ltd PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Can Knockdown 3

Description: Challenge your aim, hone your precision, and push your puzzle-solving skills to the next level in this insanely addictive game. This installment takes the critically acclaimed Can Knockdown series to all new heights- the physics-based carnival gameplay you know and love- and adds unique puzzles, adrenaline-charged challenges, and even more explosive action!

Can Knockdown 3 FreeInfinite Dreams PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Cross Craze

Description: CrossCraze is a classic crossword puzzle game where you place letters on a board to form interlocking words. Play against the computer or with a friend. Frustrated by the time-wasting and cheating found on online game apps such as Scrabble, Words With Friends and Wordfeud? CrossCraze lets you choose a computer opponent to match your own skill level. It will never cheat, never take more than a moment to move and never abandon a game before the end. How refreshing!

CrossCraze FREE FreeORT Software PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Toy Defense 2

Description: Toy Defense 2 is the long-awaited sequel to the multi-million-download hit Toy Defense! Set in WW2, this action/strategy game is packed with more levels, amazing new features, a big selection of fighting units for each world, and more intense action than ever. Take part in various missions in a range of theaters of war, from the picturesque beaches and forests of Normandy to the deserts of northern Africa. The most epic battles of WW2 await you!

Toy Defense 2 $1.85Melesta Games PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Dark Avenger

Description: Enter the dungeon and hack-n-slash your way towards immortality! The highly anticipated dungeon crawler arrives on mobile! Evil has awoken from its slumber. Our heroes must rise and send the forces of darkness back to the depths of hell. Choose from three heroic classes: Templar, Archer, or Mage. Equipped with enhanced, intuitive controls, you will experience the game like never before!

Dark Avenger FreeGAMEVIL Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Attack of the Wall St. Titan

Description: A giant robot, built to destroy and subjugate the masses. Reprogrammed by an anonymous hacktivist to turn on your evil corporate creators, you are the Wall Street Titan. Occupy Wall Street with a giant robot fist! Selected by Indie Game Magazine as one of the best mobile arcade games of 2012!

Attack of the Wall St. Titan FreeDark Tonic PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

COMING SOON

When Google announced the Nexus Experience Galaxy S4 (which shall henceforth be referred to as the NES4), information on exactly which hardware variant Google was using for the device left something to be desired. We know that it includes 16GB of storage, has a removable battery, a microSD slot, appears to retain its physical [...]]]> When Google announced the Nexus Experience Galaxy S4 (which shall henceforth be referred to as the NES4), information on exactly which hardware variant Google was using for the device left something to be desired. We know that it includes 16GB of storage, has a removable battery, a microSD slot, appears to retain its physical button configuration and has access to T-Mobile and AT&T LTE. By process of elimination, we’re fairly certain at this point that the NES4 is merely a software modded T-Mobile Galaxy S 4.

What makes us think the NES4 is a T-Mobile Galaxy S 4? Good question. After poking around online, in my own personal research, I found that the T-Mobile Galaxy S4 is the only variant of the device capable of supporting all the necessary bands for T-Mobile and AT&T. Both AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s Galaxy S 4 variants are essentially the same phone, but AT&T has some locks in place that keep the S4 stuck on AT&T. I wasn’t positive how these locks worked, or if that even was the case, but research from AnandTech’s Brian Klug seems to confirm and explain why the SGH M919, or T-Mobile Galaxy S4, is most likely the same device as the NES4.

SGH-M919 has always included support for LTE on Bands 2, 4, 5, and 17 (that's 1900 PCS, 1700/2100 AWS, 850 Cellular, and 700 Lower B and C) and WCDMA on Bands 2, 4, and 5. At another level, this is the same hardware as the AT&T variant but without the arbitrary RAT (Radio Access Technology) locking that AT&T has put in place to restrict use of Band 4 WCDMA which T-Mobile needs for a good experience. This translates to that support for AT&T and T-Mobile LTE and WCDMA. That also means Snapdragon 600 (APQ8064AB) and no Exynos 5.Brian KlugAnandTech

The chances that the NES4 is an entirely new model of Galaxy S4 are slim to none. There’s no way Google is having Samsung manufacture a new model of GS4, just to keep the same exact hardware configuration. Hugo Barra, who was spotted walking around I/O with the device, said the software wasn’t finished yet. Another good sign Google simply took an existing device and is working away on it.

At this point, you may be wondering what this means for you. If the NES4 really is an SGH M919, then a simple software flash should turn your T-Mobile S4 into Nexus Experience device, complete with updates directly from Google and all. If the NES4 is an entirely different device, which again, we don’t think it is, then you’d be out of luck. There are still AOSP ROMs for the T-Mobile S4 as it is, so it won’t be that big of a change either way. Still, for someone like me who doesn’t mess with custom ROMs much anymore, an Odin flash to a Nexus Experience device where Google will take care of the updates sounds very nice. Especially on a device that can be bought with T-Mobile installation plans, not $650 upfront.

We’ll be following news around the Nexus Experience S4 closely, so stay tuned for more.

Looking for your this-day-is-really-dragging-on-and-I-need-something-to-entertain-me-for-five-minutes Friday reading material? Look no further. Word is, Google has programmed a bunch of Easter eggs in their new Hangouts app that feature everything from a, “shy dino,” to “My Little Pony.” I was skeptical, even after seeing posts about the Easter eggs on Google Plus, but as it turns out [...]]]> Looking for your this-day-is-really-dragging-on-and-I-need-something-to-entertain-me-for-five-minutes Friday reading material? Look no further. Word is, Google has programmed a bunch of Easter eggs in their new Hangouts app that feature everything from a, “shy dino,” to “My Little Pony.” I was skeptical, even after seeing posts about the Easter eggs on Google Plus, but as it turns out they’re all real.

Some of the codes are actually useful, like color coding all your different windows (bikeshed). And some are, well, we’ll just go with less than useful (ponies). Try them all out and let us know which ones you like best. I’m a big fan of the Google Now style background you get from the Konami code. If you’ve found any others, be sure to share in the comments. You’ll find all the codes in the image above.

While Samsung has managed to manufacture and ship over 6 million Galaxy S4s so far, HTC has been struggling to ramp up production of its flagship HTC One due to low yield rates of the Ultrapixel camera sensor. According to analysts, HTC was only able to manufacture 750,000 units of the HTC one in April, but May numbers [...]]]> While Samsung has managed to manufacture and ship over 6 million Galaxy S4s so far, HTC has been struggling to ramp up production of its flagship HTC One due to low yield rates of the Ultrapixel camera sensor. According to analysts, HTC was only able to manufacture 750,000 units of the HTC one in April, but May numbers were projected to increase dramatically. Today, Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia has confirmed that the company’s supply issues have greatly improved, allowing production of the HTC One to double in the month of May. HTC plans to continue to increase the production capacity of the HTC One even further in the months to come to meet strong consumer demand for its flagship phone.

Our capacity is expected to rise significantly starting from mid-May. We are optimistic about our high-end sales during April and June.Jack TongHTC

If you own a current HTC phone and have no plans of upgrading to the HTC One any time soon, we have some good news for you. The HTC Butterfly will be the first device to be updated to Sense 5. The update will give Butterfly owners access to BlinkFeed, Video Highlights and other new features which are currently exclusive to the HTC One. HTC has confirmed that global variants of the HTC One X, One X+ and One S will also be receiving the Sense 5 update, but timing details have yet to be released.

Will you be waiting around for HTC to release the Sense 5 update for your phone?

Rumors suggested that a white Nexus 4 might appear at Google IO, and they were right. We obtained the elusive white Nexus 4 and we can confirm it’s a carbon copy of the previous Nexus 4, just with a different color casing. That might not be the most exciting news, but we also learned the [...]]]> Rumors suggested that a white Nexus 4 might appear at Google IO, and they were right. We obtained the elusive white Nexus 4 and we can confirm it’s a carbon copy of the previous Nexus 4, just with a different color casing. That might not be the most exciting news, but we also learned the white Nexus 4 would hit the Google Play store on June 10th and it would be accompanied with Android 4.3.

Most of us expected Google to announce Android 4.3 at yesterday’s big keynote, but it sounds like the next version of Android was intentionally bumped from the show. Sources at Google say they wanted to demonstrate their ability to roll out new services and APIs without upgrading the Android firmware, and it appears they made their point.

Not much is known about Android 4.3, but we expect it to be a rather minor update. The developer API level should be bumped up to version 18, with support for Bluetooth Smart (and possibly OpenGL ES 3.0), and that’s about all we know. We are unable to confirm this, but we assume that Android 4.3 will be pushed out to all current Nexus devices (4, 7, 10) when it goes live next month.

The Nexus 4 might not be the most exciting device on the block anymore, but it’s still a damn good value with a starting price of $299.

New apps need lovin’ too, right? Every day there are thousands of new entries on the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We have shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and launch them to new heights. So, we’re bringing back our weekly [...]]]> New apps need lovin’ too, right? Every day there are thousands of new entries on the Google Play store, but many go unnoticed and never receive the attention they deserve. We have shown in the past that this community can discover great apps and launch them to new heights. So, we’re bringing back our weekly column Fresh Meat that highlights new apps with less than 100k installs. Browse our new Android app picks below and let us know which ones you enjoy.

Saga

Pitch: Saga is the easy way to keep track of where you go and what you do with no need to check in. Live your life, and let Saga write your digital autobiography. Saga is the automatic lifelogging app for everyone. Download Saga and start building your lifelog today, with next to no manual input from you.

Saga — Automatic Lifelogging FreeARO PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Contactive

Pitch: Contactive unites the functionality of your address book with the knowledge of the Internet. It collects information from your social media networks, publicly available sources, and Contactive’s Global Directory to show who’s calling before you even answer the call. Always have something to talk about. Get a cheat sheet of your contacts’ latest updates in the moment that matters.

Contactive FreeContactive PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Trek Episode Guide

Pitch: The Trek Episode Guide immerses Star Trek™ fans in an authentic LCARS style interface introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation™ television series, and provides a compendium of all Star Trek episodes and movies, with detailed plot descriptions and HD images (where available).

Trek Episode Guide FreeAppGlu PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

AppGratis

Pitch: Bringing you daily free apps plus discounts up to 90% off. AppGratis is free and finally on Android! Top rated worldwide, already loved by over 10+ million iOS users.

AppGratis FreeiMediapp PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

We Heart It

Pitch: Discover inspiration and images you love every day! We Heart It is the place to find the most beautiful images of everything you love, inspired by millions of people from around the world! Save a collection of quotes, view pictures that match your mood, find images for an art or fashion collage, and get updated on news through images of the latest styles, for free!

We Heart It FreeWeHeartIt.com PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

WeatherSignal

Pitch: WeatherSignal lets you use your cell phone as a mobile weather station. The app makes use of native phone sensors to display local atmospheric readings, which are then displayed on our live-updating weather map. By using WeatherSignal you are becoming a part of the most ambitious weather crowdsourcing project in the world – helping to record weather patterns on a more localised level than ever before.

WeatherSignal Freeopensignal.com PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Schemes

Pitch: Schemes is a simple tool that allows you to send scheduled messages via SMS, Facebook, Twitter or Email (Gmail only!). Whether you want to send that happy birthday text at midnight (or a minute before midnight if that’s your thing), Tweet about your favourite time of the day, make a Facebook status without your friends on the other side of the world missing it, or send that important business email right on the hour, Schemes will do it for you!

Schemes - Scheduled Networking FreeOx Apps PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

AudioBox

Pitch: Your media collection is now truly portable! Stream from anywhere, it doesn’t matter where your files are stored. Upload and stream from the cloud, directly from your desktop or from the most popular cloud services. Mix your favorite tracks in custom or smart playlists, even if they are stored on different cloud sources.

AudioBox™ FreeiCoreTech, Inc. PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Paul

Pitch: PAUL learns your preferences and creates your personalized profile. PAUL will preload the videos and songs you want BEFORE you want them, so there are no delays when you want to view them. Plus, PAUL can do all the work over WiFi only, incurring no data charges.

PAUL the app FreeInmobly PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE

Clutch

Pitch: Clutch combines everything you need to shop with your phone – wallet, daily deals, trending and hot products, shopping searches, personalized collections, price comparisons and gifting – with the ability to make purchases and deliver them anywhere, with a few taps. Clutch is the only mobile app where you can get the best deals, give the best gifts, and discover and share these finds with your friends and family in a single place.

Clutch FreeClutch Shopping PLAY QR POWERED BY APPAWARE