Google’s Project Fi Now Offers Unlimited Mobile Data

Google's Project Fi service, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service using Wi-Fi and the cellular networks of T-Mobile, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Three.

The pricing model has been fairly straightforward until now, $20 per month for unlimited calls and texts, plus $10 for every gigabyte (GB) of data used. 

Simple right? Well today Google's Project Fi announced a new feature called “bill protection” a feature that effectively brings unlimited data to Project Fi subscribers with a $60 cap in place.

Before bill protection users would pay $20 for 2GB, $45 for 4.5GB, $50 for 5GB, and so on. With bill protection in place, users will pay the usual $10 per GB until 6GB after which they pay nothing extra up to 15GB. If they do hit the 15GB mark they will then begin to experience slower data speeds until their next bill cycle begins unless they opt out of the program and choose to continue paying $10 for every GB they use over 15GB.

Google's Project Fi currently works with a handful of Android devices including the Moto X4, Android One Moto X4, Google Pixel and Pixel XL, Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Google Nexus 6P, and Google Nexus 5X. It’s only open to U.S. subscribers, though the plans work for U.S. travelers in more than 130 countries.


Source: Google Project Fi

Samsung Officially Announces Galaxy S5

Samsung just announced their flagship Galaxy S5 smartphone during its press conference today at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new Samsung Galaxy S5 features a built in heart rate sensor that enables new features in the S Health 3.0 app as well as a finger print scanner similar to Apple’s TouchID feature on the iPhone 5S. Samsung confirmed that it will be offering mobile payments with the fingerprint scanner and using it as a security feature to make content in certain apps only accessible when activated by the user’s fingerprint.

Samsung has released some feature details on the new Samsung Galaxy S5 listed below:

• 5.1 inch 1920 x 1080 FHD Super AMOLED display
• 2.5GHz Quad core processor
• Android 4.4.2 (Kitkat)
• heart rate sensor
• 16 megapixel camera, 2.1 megapixel
• fifth generation Wi-Fi 802.11ac and 2X2 MIMO
• Download Booster WiFi-LTE bonding
• Finger Scanner
• IP67 dust and water resistant
• 2800mAh battery
• 2GB RAM
• 16/32GB memory (up to 64GB w/ microSD)
• dimensions: 142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm, 145g
• charcoal Black, shimmery White, electric Blue, and copper Gold

Motorola Hosting Hour Long $100 Off Sale On Moto X Devices, January 27th

Motorola announced a new sale that is set to take place next Monday on January 27. The deal will only last a single hour online, beginning at 3pm EST and ending at 4pm EST. During that time frame, you can grab an off contract Moto X for $100 off of the full retail price $299 for the 16GB model and $349 for the 32GB model.

Motorola stated if you miss the $100 off fire sale on Monday, Moto X phones will remain at $70 off of the full contract price until Valentine’s Day in February.

Source: Motorola

Samsung Unveils The Galaxy Note 3 And Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition

Samsung has announced a redesigned Galaxy Note 3 with a slimmer design and larger screen. Though the phone's front looks similar to its predecessors, Samsung has made some tweaks to the design, covering the plastic back with an apparent faux-leather finish in three colors, adding a metallic sheen to the plastic sides, and redesigning the S Pen. The screen has grown to 5.7 inches from the Note II's 5.3, and it weighs in at a slightly lighter 168g. It's 8.3mm, about a millimeter thinner than its predecessor, with 3GB of RAM, a 2.3GHz quad-core processor on its LTE model another 3G version will use a 1.9GHz octocore processor and a 13-megapixel rear camera. Samsung has even promised that the phone can shoot 4K video.

Samsung also touts new software and better multitasking, one of the Note's major selling points given its large form factor. A launcher called Air Command is designed to make the S Pen more useful, bringing up a menu of tools that let users organize and act on handwritten notes: one given example is jotting down a number, then using new software to save it in the address book or call it directly.

While we don't have pricing details, the Note is set to launch on September 25th in 149 countries, then worldwide by October. In the US, versions will come to all major carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular are all listed as partners.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2014 Note 10.1 carries Samsung's 8-core Octa chipset clocked at 1.9GHz with a class-leading 3GB of RAM. In terms of appearance, the new Note 10.1 features the same faux-leather rear casing as its smaller Note III sibling. An 8-megapixel camera can be found on the tablet's backside, with your standard 2-megapixel affair up front. The Note 10.1 2014 edition will be offered in three capacities with 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB of storage.

T-Mobile Purchases 10MHz Of AWS Spectrum From U.S. Cellular

T-Mobile announced on Friday that it is buying 10MHz of Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) from U.S. Cellular. The price that T-Mobile is paying for the spectrum is $308 million in cash. The purchased spectrum covers 32 million people in 29 markets and will allow T-Mobile to bring 4G LTE service to new markets, and expand the service in areas where the carrier already offers it in the Mississippi Valley region.

Some of the areas covered by the purchase include St. Louis; Nashville; Kansas City; Memphis; Lexington; Little Rock-North Little Rock; Birmingham; New Orleans; and Louisville. The deal still needs to receive certain regulatory approval from the FCC and the DOJ and is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

Google Wallet Now Available For Sprint’s Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 2 And HTC One

This morning, Google announced the availability of Google Wallet for new Android devices. The newly approved devices are Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2, along with the HTC One on Sprint. US Cellular also got some love, as their Galaxy S4 is also now compatible with the mobile wallet service. 

If you own one of those devices on Sprint, you can pick up the Google Wallet app through Google Play, starting today.

Google Play Store link

Source: Google+

A Hint Of Carriers To Support The Samsung Galaxy S III

The new Galaxy S III may be cool and all, but I'm sure we all remember the enormous amount of time it took to introduce the Galaxy S II in the US. Samsung's new sign-up site for information hints at a relatively soon release of its new flagship in the US. In order to complete the sign-up process, you have to enter your zip code. The only reasonable explanation for that is that Samsung has already lined up with the carriers which should result in a quick release. Let's hope so.

Update: The "carrier preference" section has since been removed from the Samsung Galaxy S III sign up page.