HTC One In Blue Coming To Sprint On September 10th

Sprint will be offering the Taiwan based manufacturer's Android flagship model in silver, black, red and soon in blue. The nation's third largest carrier is currently asking $99.99 for the handset with a signed two-year contract. 

Not a bad price for the phone that currently has the highest pixel density (468ppi) in the industry, you should be able to pick up a blue HTC One from Sprint on September 10th.


Source: PhoneArena

Google Has Acquired Smartwatch Maker WIMM Labs

Google has acquired a new company, smartwatch maker WIMM Labs, a move that further proves Google’s increased interest in wearable smart devices.

This isn't the first time we hear that Google may be working on its own smartwatch in addition to Google Glass, also a wearable device we have told you as much before this year’s Google I/O, and we have shown you new Motorola patent applications for such a device although the company is yet to unveil an actual product.

As for WIMM, the company said in summer 2012 it has entered “into an exclusive confidential relationship” for its technology, which prevented it to sell any more WIMM One Android-based smartwatches to interested buyers. At the time, it was believed that Apple purchased the company.

According to the publication, some WIMM employees now work at Google with the Android team and Google has confirmed the acquisition.

While WIMM products weren't necessarily popular must-have devices, they certainly attracted Google’s attention, and we can safely assume the Search giant will put that smartwatch technology to good use in its own smartwatch models and even in Google Glass.

What may have caught Google’s attention is WIMM’s own developer program, which allowed developers to create so called “micro apps” or “applications that were meant to provide more than just notifications for your smartphone, but actually work independently from the device in your pocket and provide additional functionality.”

Vodafone Confirms Talks To Sell Verizon Stakes

Vodafone today confirmed reports that it is in talks with Verizon Communications to sell its 45% stake of Verizon Wireless. Verizon Wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications and Vodafone. The companies held talks earlier this year, but no deal was reached. The two firms rekindled their discussions in July due to changes in the financial markets that make the deal more attractive to both companies. Verizon is working with banks to raise about $60 billion to help with the buyout. The total cost of the deal is said to between $100 and $130 billion. Vodafone said that it would use any funds raised by the sale to help with other acquisitions and to pay down debt.


Source: Reuters

Samsung’s ‘Galaxy Gear’ Smartwatch Companion App Leaked

Samsung’s Lee Young-hee confirmed that the device would make its first official appearance at the company’s event scheduled for Sept. 4 in Berlin. Today, Evleaks points us to the screenshots above showing what appears to be the device’s companion app that will likely be available for all Android devices, although there is still the possibility it will only support Samsung’s own Android devices.

The screenshots above confirm the device will pair with Bluetooth, and there is also a section within the app to manage “Samsung Apps.” Another feature called “Find my watch” sounds a lot like a feature for locating a missing Galaxy Gear and Samsung also references wireless charging: “turn on NFC in Settings and bring the mobile device and charger together, back to back.


Source: @evleaks 

Verizon Wireless And Vodafone Discuss $100 Billion Plus Buyout

Vodafone owns a 45% stake in Verizon Wireless. This is a fact that rankles Verizon constantly. Verizon has tried a number of times to work out a deal to buy out Vodafone, but it hasn't been able to make the deal yet. According to the Wall Street Journal, Verizon and Vodafone have started up talks again to try to arrange a buyout.

The talks between the two sides had said to have fallen off recently, but apparently have gotten very serious. The report says that Verizon is looking to buy out Vodafone for "well over $100 billion"; word has it that the talks have gotten serious enough that Verizon has even been talking to multiple banks about the loans for around $50 billion it would need in order to complete the deal.

Earlier this year, the two sides were quite far apart with Verizon said to be pushing for a deal closer to $100 billion, while Vodafone was asking for something around $130 billion.


Source: WSJ

Android VP Hugo Barra Reportedly Resigns From Google

According to a new report from AllThingsD, citing “sources in position to know”, one of Google’s top Android executives is leaving the company. The report states that Hugo Barra, who was the vice president of product management for Android, will soon be departing the company to join Chinese phone maker Xiaomi. Xiaomi produces its own high-end Android-based devices, though with a heavy custom skin on top. Barra originally joined Google in 2008 as a group product manager, having previously worked for speech firm Nuance, and has moved up the totem pole since then.

This news comes on the heels of Andy Rubin, the creator Android, stepping down from his position earlier this year. Given that Android is Google’s top product right now, Barra’s decision, especially when coupled with Rubin’s departure, will undoubtedly cause some tension within the company. Barra often appeared on stage at Google events, most recently at the second-generation Nexus 7 unveil.


Source: AllThingsD

T-Mobile Sues AT&T's Aio Wireless

T-Mobile has used the color magenta to represent its brand for over a decade, and it's been far from shy about defending the hue from others. Now the carrier has filed its latest color-protecting complaint against AT&T, alleging in a suit on Friday that its competitor's new subsidiary, Aio Wireless, is using its own trademarked color to confuse consumers. "Out of all of the colors in the universe," T-Mobile's complaint reads, "Aio chose magenta."

The complaint draws connections between the launch of Aio, which relies on off-contract plans, and T-Mobile's own switch to off-contract plans, which occurred just months before. "AT&T set up Aio to compete directly with T-Mobile," the complaint reads. It argues that Aio's use of the color magenta "is likely to dilute T-Mobile’s famous magenta color trademark, and to create initial interest confusion." T-Mobile has been using magenta since 2002, but its parent company, Deutsche Telekom, has been using it as far back as the 1990s.

Aio Wireless does use a bright shade of purple, but it's far darker than T-Mobile's hot pink, which it calls magenta. "T-Mobile needs an art lesson," an Aio spokesperson tellsThe Verge. "Aio doesn't do magenta." T-Mobile includes several images in the complaint to illustrate the confusion it's hoping to prove. Among those are both its own and Aio's coverage maps, which display varying shades of purple across the United States.

T-Mobile has previously requested that entities which aren't wireless carriers cease using the color too, including Engadget Mobile back in 2008. Our own Nilay Patel, then writing for Engadget, notes that for such a lawsuit to succeed, T-Mobile would generally have to prove that its own color of magenta was in use, that it was being used in conjunction with a telecommunications product, and that its use could confuse or was intended to deceive consumers.

Google Updates Official Google Keyboard Application

Google is sending out an update to the official Google Keyboard application, full of a few new bugfixes and added little features for tablet users. Listed in the changelog is “tuned keyboard layouts” when using some languages, as well as long-press numbers along the top row of tablet layouts.

What’s New:

• Added long-press numbers to the top row of tablet layouts.
• Tuned keyboard layouts for some languages.
• Bugfixes and stability improvements.

Source: Google Play Store

Nexus 4 Price Drops, Now $199 And $249

Google just dropped the price of the Nexus 4 by $100 for both 8GB and 16GB models. So yes, you can get a brand new off-contract phone for either $199 or $249, respectively.


Source: Google Play Store Nexus 4 (8GB), Nexus 4 (16GB)

Google Brings Chromecast App To iOS Devices

Google today published a version of its Chromecast application for Apple's iOS devices, including the iPhone and iPad. The Chromecast app for iOS allows users to set up their Chromecast to work with their Wi-Fi network, as well as manage their Chromecast settings (password, device name, etc.) Chromecast for iOS is free to download from the iTunes App Store and supports most iPhones and all iPads. Chromecast is already available to Android devices. Chromecast is an HDMI dongle that allows people to push online video content to their HDTV.


Source: iTunes