It’s been a busy week at Pocketables, as we continued to absorb Google I/O and catch up on some reviews. It was easy to miss a few newsworthy HTC One items, but luckily, we’ve gathered up the most important nuggets for you below.

Google Wallet is now officially available on the HTC One.

If you were missing Google’s mobile payment app on your new HTC One, we’ve got good news: it’s now officially available for the HTC One on Sprint. You can download it from the Play Store right now, and Pocketables reader Mikesan was even able to set it up, buy some breakfast at McDonalds, and confirm that it’s working properly.

There’s also good news if you’re carrying around the Samsung Galaxy Note II on Sprint or US Cellular, or the Galaxy S4 – Google Wallet’s available for you now, too.

The HTC One has reportedly sold 5 million units.

Even though HTC seems to be on shaky ground, the Wall Street Journal has reported that the company has already sold 5 million units of the HTC One. According to an unnamed HTC executive, “Orders are pretty good so far and are still more than what we can supply. This is partly due to the shortage of components. When the issue is resolved next month, we will have a better idea if it’s doing really well or not.”

Granted, this isn’t quite on the same level of Samsung, which has reportedly sold 10 million units of the Galaxy S4 already. However, at the same time, HTC has been plagued by supply shortages and other problems, so this is actually really good. Maybe Peter Chou won’t have to resign, after all.

Thanks, Bill!

“Google Experience” HTC One might arrive this summer.

If you were excited by Google’s announcement at I/O that a stock, pure Android version of the Galaxy S4 would go on sale soon in the Google Play Store, you’d probably be even more excited about HTC doing something similar. Granted, HTC officially went on record shortly after Samsung’s announcement, stating that there were no plans to do anything similar with the HTC One. However, sources from within HTC have confirmed that, due to all the buzz Samsung has generated, HTC execs may have changed their mind.

This is still all a rumor, and until HTC says otherwise, it’s probably best not to get your hopes up. But at the same time, an unlocked, Sense-less HTC One that’s updated directly by Google does sound pretty sweet.

HTC might release a bigger variant of the HTC One.

Speaking of rumors, how would a bigger, better HTC One sound? Even though HTC seems to be convinced that 4.7-inches is the perfect screen size for a smartphone, sources within HTC are saying that the manufacturer is considering releasing a variant with a screen between 5 and 6 inches. All other specs are supposedly exactly the same, except for the larger screen.

Again, HTC is said to be capitalizing on the success of Samsung’s larger screens in the Galaxy S4 and Note 2. If this were true, it would seem that HTC is doing a bit more following than leading, but in any case, this is all just a rumor at this point. It’s one we’ll be sure to keep our eyes on, though.

HTC is giving some users $25 to compensate for shipping delays.

Last but not least, if you ordered your HTC One directly from HTC, check your email. HTC is sending its direct customers an email with instructions on how to redeem $25 in Google Play credit, in order to compensate for all those delays at release. That’s not shabby at all!

[Engadget | Ubergizmo | Geek | Pocket-Lint | Android Central]

The post HTC One news roundup (May 19-24, 2013) appeared first on Pocketables.

The idea here is that you’ve got a credit card-sized USB cable that can be taken with you wherever you go. If you’re at a friend’s house and they don’t have a charger, as long as you’ve got your wallet, you’ve got a charge if they’ve got a free USB port somewhere.

ChargeCard for micro USB vs credit cards

First, you’ll  notice that the ChargeCard for micro USB is not the size of a credit card. It’s slightly smaller, and almost as thick as three credit cards stacked on top of each other. This means you’re not using one credit card width for storage, you’re using three.

It’s also not quite as wide as a credit card, which is useful if you’re attempting to reclaim the space, but a little bit off-putting if you’re pulling out a stack of cards with it in it. It’s not terrible, but just doesn’t seamlessly become a credit card.

The next thing you’ll notice is that, although the large USB portion of the card is tucked away pretty nicely, the micro USB portion sticks out and is uncovered and open, which is a lint collector’s dream.

If you walk around with the ChargeCard for micro USB in your wallet and that’s in your front pocket, you’re probably going to need to clean out the Android-side as the micro USB specs don’t cover keeping dust out.

Overall though, if you’ve got a free credit card pocket in your wallet, you can point this face down and probably create a nice seal to prevent lint loading.

ChargeCard for micro USB doesn’t work ideally for every situation

It works absolutely brilliantly if you need to charge your phone off of a laptop, which is the scenario you’re presented with in the advertising.

If you’re over at a friend’s house with a desktop, you might end up having to rig phone support to use this properly, as you’ll have a somewhat heavy phone attempting to dangle precariously off of the tower.

Additionally, as the ChargeCard for Micro USB allows for data syncing, most Android devices will only pull half an amp when they detect they’re plugged into a computer. You’ll need something like FastCharge AC Widget in order to force many Androids to pull a full amp and charge at a reasonable rate.

The ChargeCard for micro USB also begs the question of whether the thing even needs to be almost as large as a credit card. If you’re not going to take the whole footprint, did you even need to take most of it, since you’re only dealing with four wires?

It seems it would have been a much more handy (if less neatly named) device if it were just the inside portion that ended in the micro USB side. It might be a bit more difficult to fish out of the wallet, but it would free up some space and provide a point to point you wouldn’t have to bend. Or maybe even use the footprint of a credit card bay and have the USBs on the “toes.” Something like a U shape with the tips being the charging points.

ChargeCard for micro USB limited appeal

It’s a neat device, but it’s only useful if you carry a wallet and no other bags. Personally, I’m known to carry a bag of tech around that even the ChargeCard couldn’t help alleviate. I also find it fairly simple to have a cable laying around most times. But even if you have nothing but a wallet you carry, I have 6-inch USB to micro USB cables that take up only slightly thicker of a footprint.

I can’t imagine someone living in an area of the country where you have a car handy at all times would need this, but it might be an incredibly useful tool for the international traveler, which I believe is what the original story I heard about the card involved.

As a note, this claims to be the world’s only mobile USB cable, which may upset some people I met in Atlanta who made a USB belt so there would never be an incident such as the ChargeCard was meant to deter. I don’t know if they ever did anything with it or planned to, but there was that.

The ChargeCard for micro USB is available from the manufacturer for $25 and shipping is free worldwide. It’s made in the USA, and it’s pretty sturdy feeling, even if it doesn’t quite look it.

The post ChargeCard for micro USB review appeared first on Pocketables.

And the drama continues. After Sprint received a $25.5 billion buyout offer from Dish, besting Softbank’s offer by $5 billion, and Softbank called Dish’s proposal unrealistic, we’ve now received word that Dish is saying a Sprint merger with Softbank could raise national security concerns. Apparently, Dish took out a full-page color ad in the New York Post, comparing SoftBank’s acquisition of Sprint to the 2006 Dubai Ports World controversy, when it became known that some ports along the eastern seaboard of the US were to be purchased by foreign interests.

Dish stated, “In an ever advancing world, ‘ports’ may change, but keeping them in American hands never should. Don’t outsource our national security.” Virginia Republican Morgan Griffith also said, “I’m always concerned when we are putting our national infrastructure … into the hands of foreign companies.”

For what it’s worth, in the interest of full disclosure, Verizon is 45% owned by UK-based Vodafone, while T-Mobile is owned entirely by German-based Deutsche Telekom. Dish Network also outsources some of its call centers overseas.

In any case, SoftBank isn’t letting down, and is even allowing the US government to choose one of the 10 directors to its board, if it is allowed to proceed in acquiring Sprint. Furthermore, the director that the US government chooses will be in charge of overseeing national security issues.

Things are certainly getting heated between Softbank and Dish, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that I just want Sprint to get acquired by whomever will help speed up the LTE rollout the most. Seriously – I’m sick of 12kbps download speeds on 3G (no, that’s not a typo).

[Reuters via The Verge]

The post Dish sparks national security concerns over Sprint’s takeover by Softbank appeared first on Pocketables.

I tested it with the Sense dialer on my HTC EVO 4G LTE, and attempted to break out of the call block box by using other methods such as voice dialing, clicking on phone numbers in my Google Voice inbox, and using a couple of random apps that auto-dial their support lines. The end result was that, in every case, I was unable to dial a number in any circumstances other than what was allowed. I think it does the job.

The app includes a widget that allows you to toggle the blocked call feature on and off with just a press, or a tap and a code, depending on how many obstacles you want to place in front of a person and the phone dialer.

Why would you want the Block Outgoing Calls app?

You’re at a family picnic, your nephew has exploded and discovered that you have the world’s most awesome phone capable of playing whatever it is that kids are playing. One tap and it’s safe to give to him and not worry he’ll be making calls to any of your contacts.

But no, seriously… soulmates… that’s what you said Justine… wait.. not Justine? who did I dial?

Alternately, you can block certain numbers in case you don’t want to accidentally dial them after appletini number four.

In a business or parental setting, you can give out a phone that’s only capable of dialing home, grandma, the Charleston office, and 911. Your usage, and the alcohol you’re ashamed to admit you imbibed last night, may vary.

Wrap up

Block Outgoing Calls is $0.99 and available in the Play Store.

If you want to try before you buy, you can also find a trial link on XDA, which is where the screenshots I’m posting came from – but remember, if you try it, $0.99 is not going to break the bank generally and developers need money for cat food.

Alternately you can purchase it and, if you don’t like it, get your money refunded in 15 minutes. You’ll know pretty quickly whether this is an app for you.

Download: Google Play

The post Block Outgoing Calls app lets you loan your phone in peace appeared first on Pocketables.

Other execs who have left recently include:

• Jason Gordon, HTC’s Vice President of Global Communications
  
• Rebecca Rowland, HTC’s Global Retail Marketing Manager
• John Starkweather, HTC’s Director of Digital Marketing
• Eric Lin, HTC’s Product Strategy Manager

Lin even tweeted:

To all my friends still at @HTC – just quit. leave now. it’s tough to do, but you’ll be so much happier, I swear.

Speculation is currently running rampant as to why so many people are leaving HTC, but one thing is for sure: this is not a coordinated effort by the competition to try and break the company. Instead, these execs are heading to a variety of different companies like AT&T or Microsoft.

Some possibilities include:

• Lower morale due to the horrible failure of the HTC First (the Facebook Home phone)
• HTC exec Peter Chou apparently makes snap decisions without fully considering long term consequences.
• Supply shortages have plagued the launch of the HTC One.
• The writing could already be on the wall, considering Samsung has already sold 10 million units of the Galaxy S4 in its first month after release.

What is your speculation regarding this mass exodus of HTC’s leadership? It started to look like things may have been turning around for HTC, so it’s disconcerting to see this story, for sure. Is there any hope left?

[The Verge]

The post HTC hemorrhages top execs under uncertainty about the company’s future appeared first on Pocketables.

But before we get to my actual opinion of the microphone, though, let’s take a quick look at the specs.

• Microphone type: condenser electret
• Polar pattern: unidirectional/cardioid
• Frequency response: 100Hz – 15kHz, -3dB
• Maximum sound pressure: 110dB
• Distortion: 3% THD at 110dB, 1kHz
• Windscreen: built-in
• Size: 30mm/1.18-inches x 47mm/1.85-inches x 10mm/0.39-inches (W x L x H)
• Weight: ~15g/0.52-ounces

While it’s specifically designed for iOS devices (iPhone, iPod, or iPad), iRig says that it’s also compatible with most Android smartphones and tablets. It specifically lists the Google Nexus S, HTC Desire HD, Samsung  Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, Galaxy S III,  Galaxy W, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Galaxy Tab 7+. In my own tests, it seems to work on the HTC EVO 4G LTE (without the “real time monitoring,” though), but it doesn’t seem to function at all on the ASUS Nexus 7.

iRig does note that the bumper-friendly mini-jack connector fits the majority of iPhone and iPod touch cases.

iRig also says that most Mac computers starting from late 2008 are compatible with the exception of the Mac Pro line. To check if your Mac is compatible, you can select About This Mac > More Info > System Report > Audio, and then check that “External Microphone / iPhone headset” is appearing on the list of included features.

I did get some weird behavior on my Chromebook Pixel, which is to be expected and could be due to any number of factors (Chromebooks aren’t officially supported by iRig, and I’m on the beta channel). When plugging it in to the headset jack by itself, it did not seem to function (I tested by recording a video directly to my private YouTube channel). However, when I plugged in a headset, the Chromebook started to record from the microphone, although again I did not hear the “real time monitoring” that iRig claims this device is capable of.

While using it to record audio on my EVO 4G LTE, I was generally impressed by the quality of the microphone, although it’s not the best I’ve ever experienced. My voice sounded much clearer than it did when using the built-in microphone in my phone, and the Hi/Lo settings seemed to work as intended. I am, however, a bit concerned about how well this microphone is able to pick up sounds at a distance. Even when using the Hi setting, recording quickly degraded as I moved further away from the microphone. To be fair, the included instructions do recommend that you always point the microphone directly toward the sound source for the best result, but it’s also advertised as “great for business applications like recording meetings,” along with lectures and speeches, when it’s not always possible to position the microphone ideally. I fear its performance would suffer in these instances.

It does, however, seem great for short podcasts, interviews, voice memos, or even simply enhancing the audio quality of a conference call over Skype or Google Hangouts. Again, you’re not going to get the absolute best possible audio quality from this microphone in all circumstances (why would you expect that, considering the price?), and for that reason, I’m not sure I would have used this full time back when I co-hosted the CrowdGadgets podcast. But still, for shorter voice recording needs – and even the quick podcast here and there – it will certainly get the job done.

A nice added touch that is definitely appreciated for those who are using for longer recordings is the included table stand. This can hold your phone or tablet in landscape or portrait mode, and it’s strong enough to sturdily hold even my heavier Nexus 7. (I might actually end up using this simply as a desk stand, without the microphone!)

iRig does provide free Android and iOS recording apps, although to unlock all features, you need to upgrade to the premium version, which is on sale now for $3.99. (I’m not sure what the normal price is.) To be honest, I didn’t mess around with the app much, because I think the premium version should be included with your purchase for free. It puts a sour taste in my mouth that iRig expects you to pay more for its software after shelling out a good chunk of change for the microphone already.

Speaking of the price, I feel it’s a bit expensive for what is offered here. iRig charges $40 for the microphone and the stand. The latter is just a piece of plastic that probably cost less than $1 to manufacture, and the microphone is on par with those that cost around $20. It’s not a bad microphone by any means, and the form factor is nice, but for $40 it should blow me away just a little more than it does right now.

So, in conclusion, I give iRig MIC Cast credit for its small, pocketable design, the inclusion of a headphone jack for real time monitoring (even though that didn’t really work on my devices), and a sturdy table stand. I’m knocking some points off for its price and the fact that premium versions of its apps aren’t included with your purchase.

Would I spend $40 on this myself? Probably not. I think you can find better microphones at this price point. However, you might not be able to find microphones with the same portability and convenience this one offers, so it’s up to you whether or not you’re willing to shell out the cash for that or not.

The iRig MIC Cast is available for $39.99 from IK Multimedia.

The post iRig MIC Cast review appeared first on Pocketables.

Meanwhile, the new flagship HTC product – the HTC One – along with many other HTC devices are working fine, and some people who own the EVO 4G LTE (both rooted and not) are working properly with it, too.

Speculation has run fairly rampant about it being the fault of release-day phones, certain batches of the EVO 4G LTE interacting badly with Google Navigation, or root/unrooted/ROM status, but there is still no official word on what’s happening.

The issue seems to affect devices at random, and other manufacturers’ flagship phones that went from ICS to Jelly Bean, so it’s not just HTC for once.

Various methods of working around the issue include viewing the navigation map in 2D mode as opposed to the overhead 3D, performing a full factory reset, locking the orientation of the phone, uninstalling and reinstalling Maps, and throwing salt at witches. For some these seem to work, and for others it’s just a wild goose chase.

The problem even persists for some between AOSP and Sense-based ROMs, although some users report that switching seems to fix the issue – at least for a bit.

There’s no solid reason ever given as to why it works on some phones and not on others. HTC’s not offered any reasons, and people calling in to Sprint generally get told both that this is a known issue and that it’s not a known issue and to bring the phone in to a repair center.

Unfortunately, replacing the phone seems to be the only way to get it to work, which is a pretty drastic thing to do considering other navigation apps work perfectly, if not as seamlessly.

In my circle of EVO 4G LTE owners whom I know personally, half have the problem, and half do not. None were launch day phones or the first batches, and none have anything user-related in common.

So, if you’re having navigation issues, it’s not you – it’s your phone. Unfortunately there’s no solution that can be offered at the moment, other than to complain to your carrier and get a replacement, and keep doing that until you get one that works. But in case you’ve found something else that works, though, please let us know.

Update - Due to baby brain (ie screaming newborn) I forgot to include the actual description of the problem: When Google Navigation crashes the screen will go back to the home screen, the navigation icon may or may not stay up, and you’ll still be given the voice directions for a while. After some indeterminate time the voice navigation will stop without warning.

Alternately the nav screen will freeze, and the voice will stop.

The post Google Navigation is still broken for many on the HTC EVO 4G LTE appeared first on Pocketables.

The RHA SA950i headphones are designed to deliver professional audio in a compact and lightweight form factor. Featuring 40mm titanium-coated mylar drivers, a detachable 1.5 meter fabric braided cable, adjustable chrome sliders for a better fit, and gold plated connections, it certainly seems like a lot of thought went into the design of this headset. And since RHA offers a three year warranty – a lot longer than is standard in the industry – it’s obvious that RHA believes in its product and is willing to stand behind it.

But is it right for you?

First, let’s talk specs: the frequency range is 16-22,000Hz, the impedance 32ohms, the rated maximum power is 300/100mW, and sensitivity 113dB. If you’re anything like me, these numbers don’t actually mean much. So let’s talk about my everyday experience with these headphones.

Arguably the most important question to ask when considering any headset is, “How does it sound?” While I’m not really an audiophile, these do sound great. I’ve been using them for several weeks now, and am continually impressed by the quality I’m hearing out of such a lightweight and inexpensive pair of headphones. It doesn’t really matter what I’m listening to, either – from podcasts to classical to Macklemore’s “Thift Shop,” it all sounds great. Bass is deep, high notes sound nice and crisp, and you can really crank these up without getting the distortion that some cheaper sets might give you. I’m told the great sound is due to the titanium-coated mylar drivers, but again, I’m not very technical when it comes to headphones, so I’ll just believe that.

It is worth noting that these aren’t as effective at noise cancellation as, say, my Jabra REVO wireless bluetooth headphones that Paul happened to review. However, at the same time, these are lighter and less bulky. I don’t think they’re really designed to be that effective at noise cancellation, so I’m not going to fault RHA on this.

It’s also worth pointing out that the detachable cable is the same type as the RHA MA450i earphones that I reviewed last month. In case you missed it, the fabric braided cable basically makes the headset a thousand times more valuable to me than other higher-priced earbuds. It doesn’t actually feel like a headset cable at all, but rather a very thin shoelace, or something similar. What this means for practical everyday use is that the cable really doesn’t get tangled up very much, and when it does, it’s extremely quick and easy to untangle. It straightens up quickly, even after several days of being wrapped around the headphones. Put simply, this feature alone is enough to make this headset really stand out from the competition, and I’m surprised to see that most other headphone manufacturers have not adopted this yet.

The included microphone hangs at just the right height, making this a great compliment to both my phone and my Chromebook, especially when I talk on Google Hangouts. It includes some basic multi-click controls for calls, music, and volume functions – these are designed by RHA to work with all iOS products, including the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Since I live my life in the Google ecosystem, not all of these functions worked for me, but again, I don’t fault RHA for that. As long as I can answer calls and pause what I’m listening to, I’m set – and that works great on my HTC EVO 4G LTE.

I’ve also got a big head, but these have no trouble fitting comfortably. That’s worth mentioning, because those of us with big heads often do have trouble finding headphones that we can comfortably wear over long periods of time. These stretch out and extend down far enough to fit me just right. They’re also extremely light weight, coming in at just 105 grams, which is less than a quarter of a pound. The cushions around the ear pieces are just icing on the cake – these were definitely designed with comfort in mind.

I should also say that so far I enjoy wearing these a bit more so far during the warmer times of the year, as they don’t make me feel as hot as some other, bulkier, heavier headphones. If you live in Antarctica, or you insist on keeping your air conditioning set to sub-zero temperatures, this might not be a big deal to you.

Overall, I’m impressed at the quality, design, sound reproduction, and even the warranty that’s provided for the RHA SA950i headphones. And at the price they’re sold for, they are a downright steal. If you don’t believe me, just read the Amazon reviews for yourself.

The RHA SA950i headphones can be purchased for $59.95 with free shipping from Amazon.

The post RHA SA950i headphones review appeared first on Pocketables.

Those of you who decided to opt for the GSM unlocked developer version of the HTC One should start hitting your update buttons. The device is receiving a small OTA update that weighs in at 17.14MB, bumping the software version up to 1.29.1540.16.

This is definitely not the much-anticipated update to Android 4.2.2, and the changelog lists only a single “system enhancement.” Since the actual update is so small, and there’s nothing else listed in the changelog, it’s safe to assume that the update does not bring any new features, and is instead just to fix a few bugs.

Of course, whenever a new update comes out, there could always be new bugs, so be sure to let us know if you notice any changes on your own device after applying this update. And, as always, if you’re rooted take this at your own risk. Luckily, since the bootloader is already unlocked, it’s really easy to regain root in case you accidentally lose it with this update.

[Droid Life]

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Thanks for all of your feedback on last week’s Hangouts launch. I wanted to quickly talk about 1) making/receiving phone calls in Gmail, and 2) Google Voice support more generally.

1) Today’s version of Hangouts doesn’t yet support outbound calls on the web and in the Chrome extension, but we do support inbound calls to your Google Voice number. We’re working hard on supporting both, and outbound/inbound calls will soon be available. In the meantime, you can continue using Google Talk in Gmail.

2) 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.

This is certainly great news, and it’s what many people were actually expecting already before Hangouts officially launched. However, while this specifically addresses many of the concerns I raised last week, I still would have preferred to see the new Hangouts app a bit more polished before launch.

It’s also still unclear whether or not Google will continue to support all of Voice’s extra features when the merge with Hangouts is complete, such as selective call forwarding, call screening, and call recording. Right now, none of this is available in Hangouts – you can only receive calls and add phone call to video Hangouts. All in all, it’s very clunky right now, but I’m confident Google will make everything much more seamless soon. I just hope that we don’t lose any more features in the process.

[Google+ via Google]

The post The future of Google Voice is Google Hangouts appeared first on Pocketables.

Longtime Pocketables reader and commenter Fifth313ment recently wrote in to tell us about a problem he’s noticed with his phone ever since the Google Play Services system app was updated during Google I/O. The problem seems to be linked to Google’s new location APIs, and it’s affecting mainly HTC users.

As Fifth313ment (a.k.a. Brandon) describes it:

Something happened with HTC phones and the recent Google Now and Google Play Services updates. I personally believe it’s the Google Play Services Location API that is having an issue. This causes all network location services to stop functioning on the affected phone.

In Google Now, it will persistently tell you that Google location services are off and need to be turned on, even if everything is already on. GPS will work with only GPS on, but if GPS is off, location will not function – even if you’re on WiFi. Apps like Flixster, HTC Weather, and Google Now won’t be able to find your location and will report errors. Many of the affected users are using mostly HTC phones, and it seems to have started Friday or Saturday night for most. Many have tried cleaning caches, uninstalling apps, etc., but mine was only fixed with a hard reset.

Some quick searches will reveal discussion threads around the internet about this very issue, including at Android Central and even Google’s own product forums. A Google employee has chimed in to say that the issue is “still on our radar,” but as usual there’s no estimated time frame for an official fix.

Right now, the only solution seems to be a hard reset, but if you’re willing to live with the problem for a little while, Google might be able to roll out a fix. In the meantime, let us know: are you affected? If so, what’s your device, and what ROM are you running?

The post New Google Play Services causes location errors on some HTC phones appeared first on Pocketables.

This news comes just several weeks after we asked whether HTC’s most recent financial are finally starting to turn the company around. As we know, the HTC One had a rocky launch due to supply shortages, and there were even rumors that HTC’s suppliers weren’t taking the company seriously anymore. Obviously, this seems to be changing.

HTC’s still not even in the same ballpark as its largest Android competitor Samsung, but the HTC One has generally gotten very good reviews from critics and consumers alike, with many giving the HTC One a slight edge over Samsung’s new flagship, the Galaxy S4.

Of course, only time will tell if HTC is really headed toward a full recovery, or if this is all just a bunch of false hope. Personally, I’m rooting for HTC to keep it up, but we will see.

[Focus Taiwan via ZDNet]

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Sprint announced today that it closed its transaction to acquire US Cellular’s spectrum and customers in select Midwest markets, including Chicago, Springfield, Champaign, and Effingham in Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; and Benton Harbor, South Bend, and Fort Wayne in Indiana. According to Sprint, “[t]he additional spectrum will significantly increase Sprint’s network capacity and further improve the customer experience in these markets.”

We first reported on this in November last year, and the acquisition will affect around 420,000 US Cellular customers. Sprint and US Cellular have already started the process of notifying affected customers, and the two companies are offering special incentives to get US Cellular customers to switch to Sprint devices and plans with little or no upfront costs. US Cellular will not charge early termination fees for anyone in these markets who cancels their service.

Sprint has set up a special site for affected customers at sprint.com/uscellular, where current US Cellular customers in the affected markets can receive a $50 bill credit and waived activation fees when moving to Sprint.

According to US Cellular, all US Cellular retail locations in the affected area will be closed soon, with five stores in the Chicago area remaining open for only 90 days in order to provide limited account support, such as making cash payments. However, current customers can continue to use their US Cellular service until notified by Sprint that they must transition their service to Sprint. The transition to Sprint’s network will not happen automatically – customers have to be proactive about this.

Personally, I have several opinions about this transaction: First, I live in the affected area, even though I am already a Sprint customer. However, data speeds, call quality, and general network conditions have steadily declined over the previous three years, to the point of being almost unusable at times. The Sprint’s acquisition of US Cellular does not include any network equipment like towers or backhaul – Sprint is just purchasing the rights to use spectrum, and US Cellular’s existing customers. In other words, an already struggling network is about to get almost half a million more customers, which could cripple it even further. I doubt Sprint will be able to duplicate all of US Cellular’s current coverage in this area on its own, in the time it has available now. To me, this spells disaster.

Additionally, Sprint and US Cellular both run on CDMA networks. US Cellular customers can seamlessly roam onto Sprint, and vice versa. Why is Sprint making all US Cellular customers be proactive about switching devices, when it could just as easily push a PRL update to all existing US Cellular customers that will cause them to use the new network? It doesn’t make any sense, and will only make existing US Cellular customers angry.

Are you in the affected markets? What do you think?

[Sprint | US Cellular]

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We’ve known for some time now that the HTC EVO 4G LTE would most likely receive the new Sense 5 UI in a future OTA update – HTC confirmed that the One X, One S, and a few other devices would be getting this update, and so far the EVO 4G LTE has followed an identical upgrade pattern to the One X. However, it was a bit unclear which features would actually make their way to these older HTC devices, as HTC specifically noted that “some features enabled by the new HTC One hardware will not be available in the software updates.”

But according to developer LlabTooFeR on Twitter, the One X will indeed receive Zoe and BlinkFeed in a future update, thus pretty much cementing a similar fate for the EVO 4G LTE, too. For you naysayers out there, this is also the same developer who tweeted about the One X receiving Jelly Bean, too, when it was still uncertain whether or not the phone would get that update.

We still don’t have a specific timeframe for when we can expect this update, but my personal guess is that it won’t appear until late summer at the absolute earliest. As we know all too well, Sprint can take its time approving these updates, and HTC also doesn’t want to potentially cannibalize new sales of the HTC One, either. Of course, we’ll let you know as soon as it is available for download.

[Twitter via Ubergizmo] Thanks, Bill!

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Coming in at 23.89MB, the official changelog lists this:

• BlinkFeed improvements
• New Sprint Zone client
• Improved Back and Home key sensitivity

One Pocketables reader did confirm that the update fixes the capacitive button sensitivity issue, and others are reporting that this update does not give users the ability to turn off BlinkFeed. Other than that, we’re not hearing much.

If you receive this update, let us know if you can confirm that the capacitive sensitivity issue has been fixed, along with any other bug fixes and new features that may have been stuck in.  As always, if you’re rooted, accept this update at your own risk.

[Sprint | AndroidSPIN] Thanks, Bill!

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Google took some of the best heretofore root-only features of DataSync and Helium and combined them into the new Google Play Cloud Saves, which will allow you to set down one device and pick up another where you left off.

The new unified notification that’s coming allows dismissing a notification on one device and it being dismissed on every Android product you own – no more clearing out old notifications on devices that were left at home, and also no more worrying that a surprise birthday party notification will be sitting on the tablet you left at home with your significant other.

The new Google+ sign-in allows you to do a one-click sign-in to a website and also install its app, should you want it with just a click or two. Shopping on mobile will now be as easy as shopping on a computer.

But Google’s plans don’t stop at Android. APIs for Apple developers are there or being developed, and all one has to do is incorporate them and Cloud Saves – the app is now mostly device independent. The only difference between Angry Birds on a PC, Chromebook, Mac, Android, or iPhone will be the method in which it’s installed (Google Play, App Store, Chrome Web Store, etc.). the launcher that’s used to tap it, and of course what compiler/language it’s written in for the device you’re using it on.

Everything’s going to be the same soon…

… and somewhat better. Google’s APIs that come with the Play Store and services will be updated as the Play Store updates. All Google APIs can be included directly in any developer’s products and updated versions just show up as needed.

What happens when we wake up and find we exist in a device independent world, in which there’s no difference between the iPhone and the HTC EVO 4G LTE, or the BlackBerry 10 and an Android powered waffle maker, other than what radios they have?

While we’re headed for a software Tower of Babel, we’re also looking at a world in which advertisers will have to sell devices honestly: “It’s grey, about the weight of three hummingbirds, you can hit it with a hammer, and basically it’s the same as any other window into the Google Web.”

When Google announced the Samsung Galaxy S4 as a Nexus-style device, it took me a bit by surprise until I saw that it’s the first step of showing it’s not the device, it’s the software. Why Samsung agreed to this, I don’t know, unless it’s tired of competing with Google on what is basically launcher differences.

As anyone in the root world knows, it’s not particularly difficult to find a ROM with a device-specific launcher for another brand. There’re several Samsung TouchWiz ROMs available for HTC devices, and I’d bet there are HTC Sense-based ROMs on Samsung products.

At least until now, phone manufacturers have managed to protect their brands by refusal to release source code and drivers to their chipsets. HTC is infamous for its refusal to release camera source code, meaning if you created an AOSP ROM and use it on your HTC phone, the best you were going to get was the AOSP camera, which doesn’t have nearly the features due to lack of proper drivers.

Can you imagine the Google Samsung Galaxy S4 without proper camera software being sold to the masses? Or any Google Nexus-style device? Google’s move here was to rest control of the last operating system stranglehold that Samsung had, which opens up the device to be another perfect portal into the Google Web.

If it can get HTC to give up the camera driver goods and do the same, the Android front will be pretty much, “this is it, it is good, they all are good, rock on.” Your window into the web won’t be limited by what the manufacturer of that window thinks you should do with their hardware. It’ll be yours.

I do wonder how long until Android marches across the lines and is running on iPhones. My bet is the next step involves an emulator such as Bluestacks for iOS, which already runs on desktops, making its way to the iPhone.

If one isn’t already there and ready I’d be surprised, although whether Apple would ever agree to let something like that into its App Store would be the question. Probably not. Apple has its stranglehold, and it wi’ll keep choking the consumer all the way to the top or the bottom, depending on how things go. Perhaps Cloud Save API will be enough.

I’m not sure whether to see this as a bright and shining day for developers, or a death gong ringing for the hardware manufacturers, as what makes them appear unique to the average consumer is rapidly disappearing. What will we argue about in the smartphone world when every device can do everything and the only meaningful difference between devices is how it feels in the hands the end user?

The post Items unveiled at Google I/O seem to aim at unifying everything appeared first on Pocketables.

So, Google’s new attempt a messaging was unveiled at Google I/O 2013 yesterday and rolled out to the masses. It’s available to download on Google Play if you haven’t gotten it yet yourself, although your Google Chat Chrome extension should also update automatically. You can enable this in Gmail chat, too, and Google+ Messenger will disappear very soon. iOS users should check the iTunes App Store.

While I like the general direction that Google is going here (group messaging is awesome), there are quite a few things that Google got wrong with this first release. First of all:

Google Voice / Gmail calling on the desktop.

To me, this is the biggest and most glaring issue with the new Hangouts app. Previously, the old Google Chat Chrome extension allowed me to receive notifications for incoming phone calls to my Google Voice number, even when all browser windows were closed. I had the option to answer, ignore, or screen the calls, and I could also enable call recording when answering.

Now, I’ll get a notification that a phone number is attempting a “video call” with me, even though it’s clearly just a normal phone call. I am only shown the phone number, even if it’s a previously stored contact. Clicking the notification will sometimes give me the option to answer the call, and sometimes it will not. When I am able to answer the call, which is about 50% of the time so far, there is no option to screen the call or enable call recording. Additionally, when answering, it opens a full video Hangout, even though it’s just a single phone call (my webcam even turns on).

To make a call, I have to start a video Hangout by myself, and click the option to add a phone number. There is no dialing by name or auto-complete, so I either have to remember the full number myself, or copy and paste it from somewhere else.

To retain most of the functionality I had before, I have to keep a Gmail window open and use the old Gmail Chat. There’s no telling how long this will last, however. All in all, making and receiving phone calls with the new extension feels broken and half-baked, and there’s no way to revert to the old extension to get all of my previous functionality back. If you can’t tell, I’m kind of pissed about this.

Voice calling with other Google contacts.

Simply put, you can’t do this anymore. There is no option to initiate a voice call; instead, you have to start a video Hangout, and then turn off your web cam. This is clunky, cumbersome, and adds extra unnecessary clicks.

Online and offline status.

There is no longer a single list of all your contacts who are online. On the desktop, online contacts have a barely noticeable green bar underneath them, but only some of your online contacts are displayed; you’ll have to search to find others. On mobile, offline contacts are very slightly greyed out, but it’s so slight you can hardly tell. There is no indication of whether or not your contacts are idle or on a mobile device, and custom status messages are completely gone.

Some of these changes aren’t as big of a deal as some others. I can live without custom status messages or mobile indicators, for example. But I’d still like one complete list of everyone who’s online.

Upgrade issues.

The rollout has been anything but smooth. For some reason, when opening the Play Store on my household’s Samsung Galaxy Nexus, it showed that Google Talk had already been upgraded to Hangouts. However, when I opened it, it was still the old Google Talk. We ended up having to install the new Hangouts through the Play Store desktop website.

The Play Store also said that my ASUS Nexus 7 was not compatible with the Hangouts app. That’s odd – it’s a Google-branded Nexus device, running the latest version of Android. It doesn’t even run a custom ROM. I ended up having to pull the apk from the Galaxy Nexus, and then install it on the Nexus 7.

For what it’s worth, my HTC EVO 4G LTE was updated seamlessly. I simply opened up the Play Store, searched for Hangouts, and pressed the install button. I’m not sure why my Nexus devices were having so many issues, while my EVO running HTC’s Sense UI was able to upgrade without any problems. Something about that seems really wrong.

Text integration

Everyone was expecting this, and everyone has been asking for it. Why didn’t Google make sure that this would be ready in time for Google I/O?

Granted, several Googlers have confirmed that SMS integration is on the way very soon. When using Hangouts on your phone the first time, you’ll also notice that you have to verify your phone number (there doesn’t seem to be any reason for this, other than SMS integration). Finally, some of the new permissions of the app include “send SMS messages,” “read your text messages (SMS or MMS),” and “receive text messages (SMS).” Again, these permissions don’t seem necessary unless Google is planning on adding this functionality soon.

However, this brings me to my final point:

This is quite obviously a beta product.

Before almost every other major product release, Google has first released its new products as limited betas, many times by invitation only. This is how Gmail, Google Voice, Chrome OS, Google Music, and Google+ all started. This allowed Google to beta test the products with real, everyday users, most of whom are tech enthusiasts and power users who don’t mind finding bugs and reporting them. This allowed Google to fine tune its products before releasing them to the greater public.

In this case, Google radically redesigned some of its core messaging services, and forced the change on everyone. This wouldn’t have necessarily been a bad thing, if everything just worked at release. But so far, one of the most requested features – SMS integration – is missing at launch. Voice calling is completely broken and/or missing. People are having problems upgrading.

Put simply, this is a disaster – and there’s no way people can opt out of this, except in Gmail for the moment. (Android users will constantly get notification reminders from Google Play, while Chrome users are upgraded transparently in the background with no way to prevent this or revert.)

This is clearly a beta product that Google should have allowed enthusiasts and power users to opt in to – instead, it’s giving everyone a headache. I know Google is watching and listening, so I hope all of these issues get resolved very soon; otherwise, Google might have just shot itself in the foot.

The post What Google got wrong in the new Google Hangouts (so far) appeared first on Pocketables.

In a very quiet announcement today, Google revealed a new service that combines the features of Gmail and Google Wallet into one. In the next few weeks, a dollar sign will begin appearing in the attachments area for people who use Gmail and Google Wallet, which will allow users to send money easily as an email attachment.

This is at least a little bit easier than using PayPal, because it is integrated with the email service that most people already use. In addition, there is no fee for any transfers directly from a connected bank account, although credit and debit cards will be subject to an additional 2.9% fee. Any users will have to be over 18, but other than that recipients need not have even a Gmail address. There’s not much more to the new service, as it is truly quite simple. As long as you have a Google Wallet account and are over 18, you can attach money to an email. The recipient will have to set up Google Wallet if they don’t already have an account, but other than that the transfer is quite easy.

Other companies have toyed with transferring money via cell phone numbers and email addresses, but so far none of the services have caught on. Google has the advantage of already having hundreds of millions of Gmail users, and quite a few Wallet users as well. I don’t doubt that this new service, if it truly works as well and as simply as Google says it will, could become quite useful for payments between friends and family, or in other casual situations. The service clearly isn’t aimed at business, but could potentially be useful to some small businesses in certain situations.

Google Wallet so far hasn’t been extremely successful, but this new integration should help to make the service a little more prominent. Although there may not be too many reasons that you would have to share money through email, Google’s new money attachment option certainly looks convenient for certain situations, and perhaps could even save small, casual transactions from the fees and hassle of Paypal.

[Google]

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It’s been more than a year since we started complaining about Google’s lack of unity with regards to its chat services, noting that there were too many different services that did essentially the same thing. A unified messaging solution from Google was rumored for some time under the name Babble (or Babel), but today at Google I/O the search giant finally released its unified messaging solution, called Hangouts.

The service ties together and replaces most of Google’s existing chat services, including Google Talk, Google+ Messenger, and Google+ Hangouts. Voice wasn’t mentioned, but eventually all of Google’s communication products are said to be moving towards the Hangouts brand. Hangouts is a basic unified messaging app, which is available for Android, iOS, and Chrome, meaning that it will work on Windows, OS X, Linux, and Chrome OS. (In fact, a nice little Hangouts icon appeared in the notification area of my KDE desktop as soon as I installed the Chrome extension, so integration for Linux is already great.)

Hangouts is a little bit different from Google Talk in that each conversation has its own name, and the interface begins with a list of current conversations instead of online contacts. Everything in a Hangout will be stored by Google in the cloud, including shared images and video history. This also means that you can “chat” with people who are offline, and they will see what you wrote when back online (much like Google Talk). The Hangout will keep track of how far each person has read, and you will be able to see that via a small watermark of each participant’s face. Of course, Hangouts also includes the features from the original Google+ Hangout, and any conversation can quickly be switched to a video chat with a simple click or tap.

The new Hangouts app may not include an incredible number of new features, but it certainly does a good job of unifying Google’s messaging services and integrating them with Google+. It is unfortunate that Google Voice isn’t yet a part of the unified Google communication experiment, but SMS and Google Voice support is planned for the future. For now, what we have is still a very good cross-platform text and video chat platform, which has unified Google’s products and should make communication easier, at least within the Google universe.

Download: Google Play

[Google]

The post Google’s unified messenger is called Hangouts, replaces Talk and more appeared first on Pocketables.

When accessing the updated Google Play Books Android app on your smartphone or tablet, you’ll notice there’s a new feature that allows you to view uploaded books. Selecting this gives you the following message:

You can now read personal documents such as PDFs or ePub files using Google Play Books.

To get started, go to play.google.com from your computer and click My Books.

Doing so will bring you to a page with the menu shown on the right. You can then upload files from your local storage, or directly from Google Drive.

Previously on Pocketables, we told you about apps like Fabrik and Moon+ Reader - until today, these were the best options for users who wanted to sync books you already own and reading progress across various devices from the cloud. Now, Google offers this ability itself – you can upload books you’ve obtained from any source, and sync your progress across literally any device you have seamlessly.

This is a great feature that I’ll definitely make use of myself. How about you?

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