New LG G3 Android 4.4.2 Update to Be Pushed to Sprint Users This Monday

According to a leaked Sprint document a new LG G3 Android 4.4.2 update will be pushed to user starting Monday, December 1. Apparently, we are talking about a minor software update, but, even so, you would definitely want your device to run the latest available firmware.

The said document leaked online courtesy of Android Police and reveals that the new Android 4.4.2 update for Sprint LG G3 is labeled ZV26. It also shows that, as usual, the update will be rolled out in phases with only 15% of the active Sprint G3 units getting it December 1st. A second batch will be rolled out a week later, covering 35% of the devices, and by December 9 50% of Sprint’s G3 terminals should receive the update. Over the next couple of days the percent will rise to 75% and 100%, respectively.

Even though the document suggests that the new firmware brings Google Security Patches which are often related to Android 4.4.4, it’s definitely not the case here. The new LG G3 Android 4.4.2 update will also arrive with a Qualcomm Security Patch, International Voice over Wi-Fi support, improved unlock algorithm when phone is in the pocket, and enhancements to LG Home, compass application, and the auxiliary cable recognition. It also adds mobilize device content caching.

Once your terminal becomes eligible to receive the new firmware, you should be notified that a system update is pending. If you aren’t able to see the system update notification, it’s also worth checking for the update manually under Menu > Settings > System Updates > Update LG Software.

LG G Flex to Get New Android 4.4.2 Update Starting December 1st

If you’re rocking an LG G Flex from Sprint, expect a new Android 4.4.2 update to hit your device next week. According to an internal Sprint document obtained by the folks at Android Police, a new LG G Flex Android 4.4.2 update labeled ZV9 will be pushed to users starting next week.

The same document also reveals that we are dealing with a minor update, so don’t expect anything magic to happen to your device after you install the new software. The new Android 4.4.2 update for LG G Flex will add International Voice over Wi-Fi calling, HD Voice enhancements, and Google Security Patches. Even though the latter enhancement could indicate a small upgrade to 4.4.4, it’s not the case for the G Flex.

As usual, we will be dealing with a staged roll out, which means that some users might have to wait longer than others. Starting December 1st, the update will be pushed to 15% of the active Sprint G Flex devices, followed by a second batch December 8th that should complete to up to 35%. By December 9th, the ZV9 update should arrive on 50% of the devices, and it should be ready for all users by December 11th.

In case you won’t receive the system update notification on your smartphone, then it’s also worth performing a manual check. To do so head to Settings > System updates > Update LG Software. We don’t know anything about the size of the update, but it’s recommended to download the update file using a stable Wi-Fi network.

Sony Mobile to Sacrifice Volume For Profits As It Struggles With Smartphone Business

Sony has had it tough in the smartphone business. The company decided to go solo in the smartphone network by acquiring Ericsson’s stake in Sony Ericsson in the year 2011 and renamed the company to Sony Mobile. Soon after the formation of the new company, Sony aimed to become the third largest smartphone vendor in the world. Unfortunately the goal was a bit too optimistic and the company has actually been finding it tough to maintain its sales in the past few quarters. To turn things around, the new Sony Mobile CEO Hiroki Totoki has decided that the company will shrink its smartphone portfolio in the coming year and target profit instead of chasing market share like it was doing so far.

The company is bracing itself for volumes in the smartphone business shrinking by as much as 30% in the near future. The aim going forward is to remain profitable and just maintain presence in the smartphone market instead of targeting market share or increasing unit sales of smartphones. Sony had already announced plans earlier this year of cutting down on its mid-range smartphone portfolio and focusing only on the high-end segment. In the coming year, the number of entry-level and mid-range Xperia models could be limited to just a few.

In its previous announcement, Sony revealed that the Xperia business was the main reason behind its losses and it was not expecting to make any profits from the mobile business this year and would be happy if it could get the business to break even this financial year. It has also lowered its full year smartphone sales forecast twice this year. As part of its turnaround plan the company will focus on the gaming and image sensor business to get the company back into profit.

Sony’s hopes of becoming the third largest smartphone OEM were never going to come true unless the company focused on the two key smartphone markets – China and USA. Sony has had limited presence in both markets. Sony did try launching a few exclusive Xperia handsets for the Chinese market but it couldn’t win much market share and has decided to move away from the Chinese market owing to the stiff competition there. As far as the US market goes, Sony has never had a good presence in the market and hasn’t been able to strike a deal with all the major US carriers. Its Xperia smartphones have so far been available only through AT&T and T-Mobile. The relationship with AT&T didn’t last long and while it continues to sell Xperia flagships through T-Mobile, which alone isn’t enough to make an impact in the American market as T-Mobile has the smallest market share among the major US carriers. The lack of extensive marketing has also been a factor behind the slowing sales of Xperia smartphones. Even though the company now spends a lot more on marketing its latest smartphones, initially Sony had ignored the need to properly market its smartphones to the global consumers.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop Firmware Leaked for the Sprint Variant

Rumor has it that the South Korean phone maker might release the Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop update sometime in December. After we’ve seen Lollipop running on a Galaxy S5, now an Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware leaked for the Sprint Galaxy S5 SM-G900P,

The leaked Sprint Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 5.0 Lollipop build has been made available by an XDA-developers forum member and, according to him, “this will not be the OTA release and may have issues.” Therefore it’s safe to assume that this is just a test build and that it might not be yet ready for daily usage.

The XDA member said that he’s tested calls, SMS, and “other functions” and they seem to work. He also adds that flashing the leaked Android 5.0 Lollipop build on your Sprint Galaxy S5 will wipe data on your device.

If you previously flashed ROMs on your Galaxy S5, then you shouldn’t have any troubles installing this Lollipop build. All you need to do is download the leaked Android 5.0 Lollipop build from here, extract the contents on your PC, boot your Sprint S5 in download mode, Open Odin, place the tar.mdg in the PDA slot, then hit the start button. Your smartphone should reboot and install the new firmware.

Android 5.0 Lollipop is the most major update Android has seen so far, so expect major improvements. The new software should arrive with revamped Material Design interface, multi-user support for phones; lock screen notifications, new notifications bar and quick settings, new recent menu, improved performance courtesy of ART (Android Runtime), and more.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 vs Google Nexus 6: Specs Comparison

The Phablet market has really heated up this year with Apple, Samsung, and Google launching their phablet devices to gain the attention of consumers worldwide. Unlike last year, when the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 had virtually no direct competition, the Galaxy Note 4 has more than one major rival to take on. And interestingly both its rivals are from companies that have no prior experience in the phablet market – Apple and Google. We’ve already seen how the Galaxy Note 4 fared against the iPhone 6 Plus in our previous versus article, this time we’re going to see if the Galaxy Note 4 will be able to dominate its Android rival the Google Nexus 6 in the same way as it did with the Apple iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung has a long experience in the phablet segment. The Korean tech giant literally created the phablet segment with the Galaxy Note three years back. Google on the other hand has no experience in the phablet market and the Nexus 6 is the first phablet product from Google as well as the manufacturer of the device – Motorola.

Display

The display is one of the most important criteria when buying a new phablet. Both the Google Nexus 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 have very impressive displays with Quad-HD 2560 x 1440 resolution. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a 5.7-inch display while the Google Nexus 6 has a slightly bigger 5.96-inch display. That translates to a pixel density of 515PPI on the Galaxy Note 4 and 493 PPI on the Google Nexus 6. Both feature Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the front.

Even though there is a slight difference in the pixel density, in real world you won’t really notice much difference in sharpness between the two. In fact even compared to a smartphone with 1080p resolution display, the difference in sharpness will not be very apparent. As far as the actual quality is concerned, the Galaxy Note 4 display is definitely superior, but not by much. The main advantage of the Galaxy Note 4 display is the significantly higher brightness, which means outdoor visibility is much better on the Note 4. Color accuracy is largely similar on both.

This round could have been a draw but the low peak brightness means the round has to go to the Galaxy Note 4.

Dimensions

Being phablet, both of these devices are definitely not going to be comfortable to hold for people with small hands. And even for those with large hands, single-handed usage is only going to be barely manageable at best.

The Galaxy Note 4 has overall dimensions of 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm while the Google Nexus 6 measures 159.3 x 83 x 10.1mm. Not only is the Google Nexus 6 taller and wider, but it is also thicker. So for a lot of people out there, the Nexus 6 is going to be simply too big to handle easily.

As far as the weight is concerned, both are roughly the same. The Google Nexus 6 only weighs around 8 grams more than the Galaxy Note 4.

So picking a winner here is a pretty easy task. The Galaxy Note 4 is easily the more compact device of the two

Processor

2014 hasn’t seen a major jump in CPU performance for mobile devices. In the beginning of the year we saw Qualcomm release the Snapdragon 801 chipset, which was barely any faster than the Snapdragon 800 that launched last year. The Snapdragon 805 is a bigger upgrade over the Snapdragon 800 though, and that’s what you will find inside both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon’s four CPU cores are clocked at 2.7GHz and it comes with the new Adreno 420 GPU. The Adreno 420 GPU is the biggest improvement the chipset brings as the new GPU is significantly more powerful than the Adreno 330 GPU on the Snapdragon 801 chipset. The Adreno 420 GPU has been designed to deliver high-performance graphics on displays with Quad-HD resolution, so performance with high-resolution screens does not bog it down much like the Adreno 330.

Between the two phablet, performance is largely similar as the two have identical CPU and GPU. So this round is a tie.

Camera

Cameras on our smartphones have seen a big upgrade this year in the sensor size as well as overall performance. The Optical Image Stabilization feature has also become more popular and most high-end flagships currently come with OIS equipped rear camera. The Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6 are no exceptions either.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 has a 16MP rear camera with a 1/2.6” size Sony Exmor RS IMX240 sensor with f2.2 aperture wide-angle lens, dual-LED flash, Fast AF, Live HDR, and support for 4K video recording at 30 fps.

Google Nexus 6 has a slightly lower resolution 13MP Sony Exmor RS rear camera that also has a lower sensor size of 1/3.06”. The Nexus 6 features a slightly brighter f2.0 aperture lens, dual-LED flash, HDR+, photo sphere, and records 4K videos at 30 fps.

As far as the front-facing cameras are concerned, the Note 4 has a 3.7MP unit with a wide-angle f1.9 aperture lens while the Nexus 6 has a 2MP front-facing camera.

When it comes to the overall quality, the Galaxy Note 4 is superior thanks to the bigger sensor and higher resolution. But the difference between the two isn’t huge though. The Galaxy Note 4 thus wins this round.

Memory

Over the past 2-3 years, smartphones have seen major upgrades in many areas but the one thing that hasn’t seen much of an upgrade is the internal storage size. The amount of internal storage on the latest flagship devices isn’t any higher than smartphones from 2-3 years back.

Samsung has in fact dropped the 64GB internal memory option from the Galaxy Note 3 with the Galaxy Note 4. The Note 4 only comes with 32GB of internal memory in all markets. Thankfully the memory is expandable, so you can get a microSD card and expand the memory by up to 128GB.

Like the earlier Nexus devices, the Nexus 6 doesn’t come with expandable memory. You have the option of 32 or 64GB internal memory with the Google phablet. While the higher 64GB option is certainly welcome, it still might not be sufficient for some users.

The amount of RAM on both devices is identical at 3GB.

Since 64GB memory should be sufficient for a lot of smartphone users, we are going to declare this round a tie.

Connectivity

Connectivity features largely depend on the chipset that has been used on a device. Since both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6 are using the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset, you would expect them to have similar connectivity options. And that is actually the case, almost.

Both devices come with Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac dual-band, Bluetooth 4.1, LTE Cat.6, NFC, microUSB v2.0, and USB host connectivity options. The Galaxy Note 4 does have one advantage over the Google Nexus 6 though – it comes with a built-in IR blaster. So you can use it to control all your home entertainment devices as well.

LTE Cat.6 is the biggest upgrade connectivity wise that Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 chipset brings. The previous LTE Cat.4 standard came with support for maximum download speeds of up to 150Mbps, but the new LTE Cat.6 standard can support download speeds of up to 300Mbps.Upload speeds remain the same at 50Mbps though.

This round could have been a tie but thanks to the IR blaster, the Galaxy Note 4 edges out the Nexus 6 in this round.

Operating System

The hardware of a device doesn’t give you the complete picture of the performance of a device. Software optimization is also a key factor.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 comes with Android 4.4.4 KitKat out of the box with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI layer on top. Unlike the previous generations of TouchWiz, the latest version on the Galaxy Note 4 is leaner than earlier and isn’t as resource intensive as earlier. Even on the Galaxy S5, TouchWiz negatively affects the performance. So it is good to see that Samsung has decided to bring positive change with the Galaxy Note 4’s software. What hasn’t changed is the amount of features added on by Samsung. Apart from the hugely popular and functional Multi-Window feature, there are other great S-Pen related features like Smart Select, Air Command, Photo Note, Action Memo, Image Clip and a few others. The usual Samsung S Voice, S Health, S Note, Motion Gestures are all there too.

Google’s Nexus 6 is the launch device for the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop version. Android 5.0 brings new changes like the Material Design UI, new Notifications view, redesigned recent apps menu, switch to the Android Runtime (ART) for improved performance, multi-user support, new battery saving mode with Project Volta, smart lock and more. As the earlier Nexus devices, the Nexus 6 is free from bloatware. There aren’t any apps that you would feel shouldn’t have been on it. It does get the always on voice command feature that is seen on Motorola devices, with the same Ti C55 hotword processor as on the Moto X.

Thanks to all the new improvements with Android Lollipop and a much cleaner UI, the Google Nexus 6 wins this round. Samsung is making good progress with TouchWiz but there is still some more work to be done to get it to perform as good as stock Android.

Design

One of the biggest changes with the Galaxy Note 4 is the improvement in design and build of the device. If there has been one consistent complaint with Galaxy devices, it has been the poor design and build. The Galaxy S5 for instance looks virtually similar to the two year old Galaxy S3. And the traditional plastic build only made matters worse. With the Galaxy Alpha, Samsung decided that it had enough and needed to step up in terms of design and build on its Galaxy smartphones.

The Galaxy Note 4 actually draws a lot from the Galaxy Alpha. It has a similar aluminum frame as the Alpha and has a much more premium feeling back that finally gets rid of the visible stitching pattern that nobody found appealing on the Galaxy Note 3. The front glass is also 2.5D curved, adding to the visual appeal of the design. The leather used on the back is also a lot more premium feeling this time, so finally we have a Galaxy device that looks and feels worthy of its high price.

Made by Motorola, the Google Nexus 6 is a charmer when it comes to design. It looks very similar to the 2^nd gen Moto X, with the same curved back and shiny aluminum frame on the side. There is no doubt that it is the best looking Nexus device yet and one of the better looking flagship devices launched this year. Thanks to the use of metal and high-quality polycarbonate, the device feels solid in the hand and is every bit as good as the Note 4 in terms of build quality, if not better. It also has a water resistance coating, so that’s another advantage over the Note 4.

The Galaxy Note 4 is an improvement over previous Galaxy devices, but the Nexus 6 simply looks better. That makes Nexus 6 the winner of this round.

Battery Life

Apart from the large display, phablet are also popular for their impressive battery life. The Galaxy Note 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 do not disappoint in this area.

It is quite interesting that both the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and the Google Nexus 6 have the exact same 3220mAh capacity battery. Since the two phablet have the same battery, chipset, and screen resolution, you might be thinking battery life on both would be very similar too. Right? Well unfortunately that is not the case.

According to the battery life tests, the Google Nexus 6 actually has significantly lower battery life than the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The reasons behind this aren’t clear but it could be due to various reasons. But it does have one advantage over the Note 4. Thanks to the Quick Charge feature, the Nexus 6 can deliver 6 hours of usage with just 15 minutes of charging. It comes with support for Wireless charging as well.

The winner is quite clear in this round, the Galaxy Note 4 it is.

Price

When it comes to flagship devices, the prices don’t play a major role in the decision-making process for most buyers, but it is still important to be sure if the device is worth the price or not.

The Google Nexus 6 is available on the Play Store at $649 for the 32GB variant and $699 for the 64GB variant. But since this time the Nexus 6 is available through carriers as well, you can get it through the major US carriers such as AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile on a 2-year contract. AT&T and Sprint are selling the phablet for $249 down, while T-Mobile will sell it to you for $0 down.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is available unlocked at around $750 if you purchase it outright or you can get it on a 2-year contract from the carriers at $299. That’s the price you would need to pay upfront from AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon Wireless. T-Mobile is selling it at $0 upfront payment, just like the Nexus 6.

Clearly, this round goes to the Nexus 6.

Conclusions

Now that we’re done with the comparison. Let’s see which smartphone managed to win most categories. The Nexus 6 managed to win in three categories – Operating System, Price, and Design. Two rounds were a tie – Memory and Processor. The Samsung Galaxy Note 4 won 5 rounds – Display, Dimensions, Camera, Battery Life, and Connectivity.

So does that mean the Galaxy Note 4 is the better phablet here? Well if you were to consider how good each of these devices are as a phablet, then the Galaxy Note 4 would obviously be the winner as it comes with the S-Pen. The Nexus 6 doesn’t come with stylus support and that limits its appeal to customers who are looking for a phablet that can do more than the average smartphone.

Sony Xperia Z4 Specs and Photos Leaked Online

Early this year, at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the folks at Sony claimed that, in order to survive and become relevant on the already overcrowded smartphone market, one company should release two flagships a year. And this is how the Japanese phone maker released their flagships over the past couple of years. In 2013 they unveiled the Xperia Z and the Xperia Z1, while in 2014 they brought us the Xperia Z2 and the Xperia Z3. Sticking to that pattern, Sony should release the Xperia Z4 at CES 2015 in January, followed by the Xperia Z5 at IFA 2015 in September.

Even though it was previously rumored that Sony would squeeze a Snapdragon 801 chipset under the hood of the Xperia Z4, Phone Arena writes, quoting an anonymous tipster, that the Japanese company is sticking to a quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor. Even though Sony bashed the Android OEMs making the jump to Quad HD screens, saying there’s not much of a difference between a QHD display and a Full HD one, their next-gen flagship smartphone will reportedly arrive with a 5.4-inch Quad HD display. The same report also indicates that Z4 might also integrate 4 GB of RAM while running Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

According to the same anonymous tipster who provided information for Phone Arena, Sony will also introduce a 5.9-inch Xperia Z4 Ultra phablet at CES 2015. It seems that, aside from the display, Xperia Z4 Ultra might share many of the technical specifications of the Z4, being underpinned by the same Snapdragon 805 and 4 GB of RAM team. If the rumors prove true, the Z4 Ultra will be insanely thin, with a profile of only 5.7 mm.

Camera-wise, Sony will allegedly stick a 20.7 MP sensor. Anyway, it looks like we might be dealing with a new generation sensor called IMX2130. According to Phone Arena’s source the new sensor comes with image plane detection auto-focus technology and 192-point auto-focus. It seems though that the Xperia Z4 Ultra might not be equipped with the same main shooter. The Japanese company is reportedly working on a 16 MP sensor for the new phablet.

As usual, we are advising you to take the rumors with a pinch of salt, as there’s no way to verify the veracity of the information. After all, nothing is official until Sony says so.

Small T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 Android 4.4.4 KitKat OTA Update Released by Samsung Today

T-Mobile has released a brand new Android 4.4.4 KitKat firmware update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 device. This new release comes with stability updates and bug fixes that should offer you an improved KitKat experience.

This build of Android 4.4.4 KitKat for T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 comes with Chinese language support, but there aren’t any other major changes listed in the changelog. The new Android 4.4.4 KitKat firmware version is set to N910TUVU1ANK4 and it is rolling out right now by T-Mobile for its Galaxy Note 4 users.

Note that the new update is being rolled out in phases, which means that not all devices will be getting this new update at the same time. But, T-Mobile will surely finish updating all the Galaxy Note 4 devices in maximum two weeks and then they are planning on releasing a brand new Android 4.4.4 build that will add T-Mobile Free Inflight Texting support. After that they will be able to focus 100% on testing the Android 5.0 Lollipop, firmware upgrade that should be released for all T-Mobile Galaxy Note 4 devices in early 2015.

The new N910TUVU1ANK4 Android 4.4.4 measures over 100 MB and it is recommended for you to use the Wi-Fi Connection in order to complete the download. Also, make sure that your device’s battery life is over 50%, it will prevent the device from powering down during the updating process.

If the update notification hasn’t been displayed by your T-Mobile Note 4 device, then you can choose to connect the device to your PC via USB cable and run KIES to search for new Android 4.4.4 firmware updates. The new official OTA update will not be released for Note 4 T-Mobile devices that are currently running modified OS builds.

New Android 4.4.2 Update for T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S5 Now Available Over the air

T-Mobile announced today that a new software update is now being pushed to their own Samsung Galaxy S5 variant. If you happen to have one by your side, you should keep an eye on the notifications bar. The new update is still based on Android 4.4.2 and only brings minor changes.

The roll out for the new Samsung Galaxy S5 Android 4.4.2 update started November 24 and, as usual, we are dealing with a staged roll out. This means that some user might have to wait longer than others. Unfortunately, T-Mobiles website doesn’t reveal too many details about the new update, except for the fact that it brings Chinese language support.

The new Android 4.4.2 update for Samsung Galaxy S5 will update your baseband to version G900TUVU1CNK2 and you will be able to retrieve it over-the-air. If the OTA update fails to initiate (the system update notification doesn’t appear), you can also try a manual pull down (manually check for the update under Settings > About device > Software update > Check for updates now. The new update is also rolled out via KIES so you can also plug in your device to the PC using the USB cable and use Samsung’s software to check for the update.

The update file shouldn’t be too large in size if you’re running a recent build, but, even so, it’s advisable to download it using a stable Wi-Fi network to avoid unwanted data charges. T-Mobile also notes that if you are coming from software version G900TUVU1BNH5 the update will have a size of around 33 MB, but if you are coming from G900TUVU1ANE6 the new update will have a size of about 140 MB.

Moto X 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Now Being Pushed to Verizon Users

The 2nd gen Moto X Android 5.0 Lollipop update is now being rolled out for the Verizon variant of the smartphone. Or at least that’s what a tweet by @droidlife is indicating. The same Tweet also includes a screenshot of the Moto X Android 5.0 Lollipop update as proof.

The Verizon users were invited to participated in the Android 5.0 Lollipop soak tests for Moto X 2014 late last week and it looks like everything went as planned as the update is now being rolled out. As you may know, the users who signed up for Motorola’s Feedback Network are asked to test and give feedback on new software versions before they are released for the public. Unless anything unexpected occurs, the firmware is rolled out only days after the soak test invites are sent in.

As usual, the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for Verizon Moto X 2014 will be rolled out in phases, which means that some of you might not be able to download and install it right away. Once your unit is ready to get updated with the new firmware, you should be able to see a system update message in the notifications bar. Tap on it, then follow the on-screen instructions. In case the system update notification failed to appear, you would also want to perform a manual check under Settings > About phone > Software update > Check now.

It’s also worth noting that the Moto X 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop update file has a weight of around 680 MB. Therefore, we are recommending you to download the update using a stable Wi-Fi network in order to avoid unwanted data charges.

Since Moto X 2014 is running an almost-stock version of Android, then the changes brought by the Lollipop update should be similar to those for stock Android. Expect the new Material Design philosophy, revamped notifications bar and quick settings, lock screen notifications, Priority Mode, new Recent Apps screen, multi-user support for phones, Screen pinning, better battery statistic and battery saver, smart lock and overall better system performance. Of course, the update will also bring some Motorola-specific improvements.

Minor Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 4.4.4 KitKat OTA Update Pushed Out for T-Mobile Users

Starting today the T-Mobile Galaxy Note 3 smartphones will be getting a brand new firmware update that should bump their Android 4.4.4 version to N900TUVUDNK3. This new update is available OTA (over-the-air) and through Samsung KIES.

In Android 4.4.4 N900TUVUDNK3 KitKat you will find new Chinese Language Support and support for T-Mobile Free Inflight Texting a few that will also be pushed out later next month for the Galaxy Note 4. No other major changes have been reported in this release, you can check the changelog by visiting the T-Mobile Support web page.

This new build of Android 4.4.4 KitKat for T-Mobile Galaxy Note 3 will possibly be the final KitKat release, as T-Mobile will soon be starting to work on implementing the new Android 5.0 Lollipop OS for their entire flagship devices like the Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 4 and last year’s Galaxy S4. Android 5.0 Lollipop will also be available for Galaxy Note 3 on T-Mobile, but that will most possibly happen in late Q1 of 2015.

N900TUVUDNK3 Android 4.4.4 OTA Update is rolled out in phases and it should arrive for all T-Mobile Galaxy Note 3 devices before next month. However, note that this update will surely not be released for Note 3 devices that are running on custom ROMs.

If the update isn’t available via OTA in your region, then you can choose to look for updates by connecting the Galaxy Note 3 to your PC and then using KIES to install the firmware. In case you don’t want to use KIES, then you can always go to Settings> About Phone and use the ‘Software Update’ menu and see if there are any new firmware files ready for download.

Black Friday Deal: Galaxy S5 and Note 3 Now Free at Amazon

Black Friday is nearing and Amazon continues to offer deals for some of the best Samsung devices such as the Galaxy S5 and Note 3 models. If you’ve decided to save up for this year’s Black Friday deals, then you might want to start cheering as these smartphones can be purchased for free.

Most major carriers in the United States are offering their Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 3 with discounts if you’re choosing to buy the devices with two-year plans. However, as Black Friday approaches we will be seeing new offers and deals with much higher discounts even for the unlocked models of Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 3.

The Galaxy S5 model has 5.1 inches Super AMOLED Full HD screen and is this year’s flagship device along with the Galaxy Note 4 for the Samsung giant. It is powered by some of the best hardware specs currently available on Android devices such as the 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 chipset, 2GB RAM, 16GB and 32GB internal storage, it can have its internal storage extended up to 128GB, packs a 16MP camera and it will soon be receiving the Android 5.0 Lollipop update.

The other device that is currently available with a discount from Amazon is the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. This smartphone or phablet, as most Android enthusiasts like to call it, is packing a 5.7 inches Super AMOLED Full HD screen and it is powered by a 2.3 Snapdragon 800 CPU, 3GB RAM, it comes in three storage variants and it is running Android 4.4.2 KitKat, but it will soon be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The Samsung Galaxy S5 16 GB Black versions can be bought from Amazon on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless by paying a nominal fee of $1.00, which is basically free. The Galaxy S5 16GB White model is priced the same and available from all three major carriers: Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. Also, Verizon and Sprint are also selling the Copper Gold version of Galaxy S5 at the same one dollar pricing.

The Black model of 32GB Galaxy Note 3 is sold on Amazon from AT&T for free, while Verizon and Sprint are selling it starting with $0.01 and going up to $99.99. This varies due to “service agreement”. Also, the Note 3 is available in White, too from all carriers: Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. If you want a flashier model like the Rose Gold one, then you can get it with Verizon Wireless connection starting from $0.01.