Amazon Deals: Samsung galaxy S5, HTC One M8 and LG G3 Get Price Cut

Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and LG G3 are without a doubt the best-selling Android smartphones of the moment. I know that some of you are looking to buy a new smartphone and if that’s the case, you would be glad to hear that all three smartphones are available at promotional prices on Amazon. All three devices are available on-contract with AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint at prices ranging from $0.01 to $99.99. Of course, the price of the device varies with carrier and plan. In this post, you will find the more information about each device and links that will help you take advantage of the Samsung Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, and LG G3 Amazon deals right away.

Samsung Galaxy S5 is available on Amazon at a price of $79.99. In order to be able to get your hands on the smartphone at this special price, you will be required to sign a two-year contract with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint. I remind you that Samsung Galaxy S5 is underpinned by a powerful hardware platform, based on a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chipset with quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 CPU and Adreno 330 GPU. The smartphone also arrives with 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal storage, support for microSD cards up to 128 GB, and a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD (1080 x 1920) resolution. Galaxy S5 is kept alive by a 2,800 mAh battery, while boasting about a 16 MP main shooter with phase detection autofocus and 4K video recording, 2 MP secondary cam, heart rate monitor, and fingerprint scanner. It comes pre-loaded with Android 4.4.2 KitKat customized with TouchWiz UI, and it should get upgraded to Android 5.0 Lollipop in the following weeks. You can order the Samsung Galaxy S5 from Amazon using the following links:AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

HTC One M8 is definitely one of the best-looking smartphones currently on the market. Courtesy of Amazon’s Deals, you will be able to buy it starting at $0.01. The Verizon One M8 32 GB is available for only a penny if you sign a two-year deal with the carrier. The Sprint model costs $29.99 on-contract, while the AT&T variant is the most expensive at $99.99. As a refresher, HTC One M8 comes with a 5.0-inch Super LCD3 screen with Full HD (1080 x 1920) resolution and a quad-core 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 801 processor. Underneath the metal body you will also be able to find 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of native storage (microSD-expandable), and connectivity features such as Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, or IR blaster. On the back of the phone there’s a Dual 4 MP UltraPixel set-up, while the front panel accommodates a 5 MP shooter. It runs Android 4.4 KitKat out of the box with Sense 6.0 UI. Just like the S5, it should get updated to Lollipop in the coming weeks. You can order it from Amazon using the following links:AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

The LG G3 is the most powerful device of the three and also the cheapest. All three carriers are selling the LG G3 for only $0.01 if you accept to sign a two-year contract with them. Hardware-wise, LG G3 arrives with an impressive 5.5-inch True HD-IPS + LCD display with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution, a quad-core 2.5 GHz Snapdragon 801 processor, 3 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of native storage with microSD support up to 128 GB. LG G3 also integrates a 3,000 mAh, a 13 MP rear-facing camera with optical image stabilization, laser autofocus, and 4K video recording support, and a 2.1 MP user-facing shooter for your Selfie needs. The device is currently running Android 4.4.2 KitKat, but it should get the Android 5.0 Lollipop update soon. You can use the following links to order the LG G3 from Amazon using the following links: AT&T, Verizon and Sprint.

All three smartphones are currently listed as “in stock” on Amazon’s website. Anyway, we are recommending you to grab one right away, as the deals might only be available for a limited time.

New HTC One M8 Android 4.4.4 Update to Bring VoLTE and Eye Experience to AT&T Users Early Next Week

Hello, AT&T HTC One M8 owners. We have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that a new software update will soon be pushed to our device. The bad news is that the software update is not Lollipop.

Yesterday, Vice President of Product Management at HTC, Mo Versi responded on Twitter to a customer on Friday that, HTC USA “just received TA on 4.4.4 for AT&T M8.” The AT&T HTC One M8 is already running KitKat, so all the specific features such as transparent status and nav bars, white status bar icons, full screen album and movie art in the lock screen, immersive mode, cloud printing, or color emoji support, were already available for the users. According to the HTC official, the new HTC One M8 Android 4.4.4 update arrives to introduce Voice over LTE support (VoLTE) and to add the camera-centric HTC Eye Experience software suite.

As usual, the new software update is being rolled out in phases, which means that some of you might not be able to download the update right away. As you may know already, as soon as AT&T pushes 4.4.4 to your terminal, you should be able to see a system update notification. All you need to do is tap on it and follow the on-screen instructions. There are four easy steps: tap on the notification, choose ‘Download now’, wait until the download is completed, then select ‘Install now’. Your phone should reboot and install the new update. In case there’s no system update notification, you would also want to check for the update manually under Settings > General > About phone > Software updates > Check now.

Since the new Android 4.4.4 update for HTC One M8 also packs the Eye Experience software suite, we are expecting it to exceed 200 MB in size. Therefore we are recommending you to download the update file using a stable Wi-Fi network.

LG G3 Android 5.0 Lollipop Update “coming Soon” in the US

Last year, the South Korean phone maker promised that the LG G3 Android 5.0 Lollipop will be pushed to users early 2015. LG’s flagship smartphone has already received Lollipop on several markets, but now we know when it will be released in the US.

According to the company’s tweet on the matter, the LG G3 Android 5.0 Lollipop is “coming soon” for the US-based owners of the smartphone. What “coming soon” actually means? I’m glad you’ve asked. Unfortunately, we are unable to give a proper answer.

As usual, the Android 5.0 Lollipop update for LG G3 will be pushed to users in phases. Furthermore, the carriers will have to further test the new firmware before being able to issue the update. As soon as your G3 becomes eligible to receive Lollipop, you should be able to see a system update message in the notifications bar. All you need to do is tap on it then follow the on-screen instructions. In case the software update notification failed to appear, you would also want to perform a manual check under Settings > General > About phone > Software updates > Check for software updates.

I remind you that Lollipop is the most major update Google’s mobile operating system has received since launch. The new software update brings a new design philosophy called Material Design which makes the whole interface more intuitive with the help of realistic 3D effects and shadows. It also brings improved performance, support for 64-bit processors, and ART (Android Runtime) instead of the obsolete Dalvik runtime. Android 5.0 introduced multi-user support for phones, lock screen notifications, revamped notifications bar and Quick Settings, and improved security with Smart Lock feature. It also brings Battery Saver Mode and better battery statistics which show how much time you have left until have to recharge your battery or how much time it’s left until the battery is full while charging.

2nd Gen Moto G Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OTA Update Available in the United States

Motorola is currently shipping out the official Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OTA Update for the Moto G 2014 edition. Check your phone’s notification menu in order to see if there are any new Lollipop files ready for download and installation.

The Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OTA Update is being rolled out in phases; it should hit all the 2nd Gen Moto G devices before the end of this month. Remember that the update is usually released only for the 100% stock Moto G devices. The 2nd Moto G generations models have been launched in 2014 with the Android 4.4 KitKat build. Now, a year after its release and several months since the official Lollipop launch by Google, the 2nd Gen Moto G device has received its first Android 5.0.2 Lollipop.

The Lollipop 5.0.2 OS update is one of the biggest releases made by Google for all the Android-based smartphones and tablets. Android 5.0.2 Lollipop comes with Material Design UI, Notifications alerts and interface improvements, Lock Screen actionable notifications support, Priority Mode, Recent apps multi-tasking tool, Ambient Display, Motorola Assist, new toggles for the Quick Settings menu, multiple user accounts support along with an extra Guest User Mode. Other great changes added by the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop are the Battery Ultra Power saving mode, Android ART and Screen Pin. The later one allows you to open an app and pin it every time you are allowing others access to your device. Screen Pinning is a great tool that will allow you to leave the phone unattended without worrying that someone might go through your files, accounts, pictures or text messages.

The official Android 5.0.2 OTA Update is rolled out in phases for all 2nd Gen Moto G smartphone in the United States. When the Lollipop OTA Update is displayed on your Moto G you should check its changelog, and then make sure that you are using a Wi-Fi connection for the download process. If the Moto G 2014 doesn’t feature any new Android 5.0.2 Lollipop OTA Update notifications, then you can open Settings> About Phone> System Updates and use this menu to check for new firmware files.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Dual-Edged Display Variant Seemingly Confirmed, Could Include 4GB RAM

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is no doubt going to be one of the biggest smartphone launches of the year. While we know a lot about the Galaxy S6 by now, confusion still remains regarding the Galaxy S6 Edge variant. Some rumors have claimed that the S6 Edge will be launched alongside the Galaxy S6, while others claim the product has been scrapped by Samsung. Now a new report has surfaced courtesy of SamMobile that claims Samsung will indeed launch a Galaxy S6 variant with a curved edge display. What’s interesting is that the Galaxy S6 Edge is said to feature a dual-edged display, instead of the curved edge on just the right side like on the Galaxy Note Edge.

According to SamMobile, the Galaxy S6 double-edged display variant will carry the model number SM-G925. While the model number has been confirmed, it is still unknown if the device will be called the Galaxy S6 Edge like the Note Edge or something else entirely different. The Galaxy S6 Edge is said to feature all the panels that we have seen on the Galaxy Note Edge. These include Finance, News, Pedometer, Sports, Contacts and other panels. These panels will be available for download on the Samsung App Store for the owners of the dual-edge display variant of the Galaxy S6, just like the Galaxy Note Edge. While for the most part the software on the Galaxy S6 Edge is said to be similar to the Galaxy Note Edge, a few notable differences will be seen too. As the Galaxy S6 Edge will have the edge panel on both the right and left curve of the display, you will be able to choose which panel you want to activate, depending on whether you are right-handed or left-handed. The Galaxy S6 Edge is also said to include the Glance Lighting feature that uses the Edge panels as notification lights by lighting up whenever you have any new notifications or an incoming calls and your device is turned over. This feature will include customization options as well, allowing you to choose the color of the light for specific contacts as per your choice.

Yet another report out of Korea also seems to confirm the existence of the Galaxy S6 Edge and claims that the Galaxy S6 may come with 4GB of RAM. The report claims that Samsung may include 4GB of RAM on the curved edge display variant while the main Galaxy S6 variant may include 3GB of RAM. However, since the SM-G925 specifications were leaked on Antutu a few weeks back and we know that it will come with 3GB of RAM, it doesn’t look like the S6 Edge will be the one with 4GB of RAM. Instead, we could see the main Galaxy S6 variant with higher 4GB RAM. Or it could be that the SM-G925 that was leaked on Antutu was an early prototype and both the main variant and the Edge variant of the Samsung Galaxy S6 could launch with 4GB RAM on-board. We will need to wait a few more weeks until Mobile World Congress to find out everything about the Galaxy S6 and its dual-edged display variant.

Possible LG G4 Variant User Agent Profile Leak Confirms Quad HD Resolution

Unlike the other 2015 Android flagship smartphones, we haven’t heard much about the LG G4 at all. However, recently a mysterious LG smartphone with the model number H810 was spotted in a leaked document by MyLGPhones. According to the website, the H810 will be LG’s flagship smartphone offering for this year on the AT&T network. As you can guess, the LG flagship smartphone for 2015 is obviously the much-anticipated LG G4. So the H810 could be the AT&T LG G4 variant.

The leaked User Agent Profile of the LG H810 doesn’t reveal anything much about the device except for its display resolution. The H810 sports 2560 x 1440 Quad HD resolutions, similar to the LG G3. Since the G4 will obviously not see a resolution downgrade and we still do not have 4K resolution panels available for mobile devices, the LG G4 will definitely be running Quad HD resolution.

From earlier leaks, it is believed that the LG G4 will arrive with a smaller 5.3-inch display compared to the 5.5-inch display size of the LG G3. This does seem a bit strange to us as we haven’t really seen many smartphones that come with a smaller display size than their predecessors. However, since LG is an expert when it comes to minimizing the bezels on its flagship smartphones, we can expect the LG G4 to be as compact as most 5-inch smartphones if it does end up with a 5.3-inch display size. The G4 is also said to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 64-bit Octa-core chipset, 4GB RAM and a 16MP Samsung ISOCELL rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization. There have also been reports of LG bundling a stylus along with the G4 to take on the Samsung Galaxy Note range of phablets. Since LG has retired its G Pro line of phablets, the idea of the G4 shipping with a stylus doesn’t sound all too crazy now.

The LG G4 is expected to be announced at the Mobile World Congress in March, where we also expect to see other 2015 Android flagship smartphones to go official.

First HTC Hima Pictures Leak, Confirm New 20MP Camera at the Back

The HTC Hima or One M9 has been hot in the rumor mills for weeks but we had not seen any leaked images of the device so far. Fortunately that has changed today as Nowhereelse has posted alleged images of what it claims is the HTC Hima.

Unsurprisingly the pictures show a design that is very similar to the One M8 from last year. We see the BoomSound stereo speaker grilles on the front top and bottom bezels and the front-facing camera. At the back as well, we see a familiar design treatment as the One M7 and One M8 smartphones. However, what is very noticeable is the new camera, reportedly packing 20.7MP resolution. The dual-tone LED flash can also be clearly seen. While we can’t say for sure, but it does look like the camera lens seems to protrude outwards slightly, similar to the camera bulge on the Apple iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The HTC One M8 from last year featured a circular camera design at the back, while the Hima seems to have a black square design for the camera with the lens positioned in the middle of the black square. This is one of the few design elements that seem to differentiate the HTC Hima from its predecessor. The side bezels also appear to have been trimmed down slightly. It is slightly disappointing though that HTC has decided to stick to the same design for the One M9 as its last two flagship smartphones.

The metal unibody design is no doubt very appealing, but we believe HTC could have done more with the design if these pictures are indeed of the next HTC flagship smartphone. However, while the design may be slightly disappointing, the 20.7MP camera at the rear will make up for it. The UltraPixel 4MP rear camera on the One M7 and One M8 smartphones was one of the most disappointing aspects about them and was one of the reasons why they couldn’t be more successful commercially than they managed to be. The 4MP UltraPixel snapper worked brilliantly for low-light shots but during the day its low resolution did limit its appeal among buyers who care more about the camera quality on their smartphones than the average Joe. With rivals offering 16 or 20MP rear cameras on their smartphones, 4MP UltraPixel did turn off many buyers. Now with a 20MP camera on the One M9, the smartphone will certainly be a lot more appealing to anyone who wants a high-resolution camera on their next smartphone.

The HTC One M9 is expected to debut on March 1, so we have a little over a month left for the official announcement of the device.

New HTC One M8 Android 4.4.4 Update Now Available for AT&T Users

If you purchased your HTC One M8 from AT&T, then you should keep an eye on the notifications panel as a software update is now available for download. The second biggest carrier in the US revealed that a new HTC One M8 Android 4.4.4 update is now being pushed to users. Even though all of you were hoping to receive Android 5.0 Lollipop, it looks like you would have to wait even longer.

As you might have guessed already, the new Android 4.4.4 update for HTC One M8 is just a minor update, so you shouldn’t expect anything magical to happen to your device. Anyway, the new firmware introduces some features you would definitely want to have on your device. According to the changelog posted on AT&T’s website the new software update arrives with HD voice, brings security and Bluetooth enhancements, adds AMBS Cloud Messaging integration, Copy and Paste camera feature, Usage Manager App, improves battery performance, and updates AT&T Ready2Go and Visual Voicemail.

The new firmware is being pushed to users in stages, which means that some of you might not be able to update your phones right away. As soon as your terminal becomes eligible to receive the OTA update, you should be able to notice a system update message in the notifications panel. All you need to do is tap on it and follow the on-screen instructions. If the system update message failed to appear, you would also want to perform a manual check under Settings > AT&T Software update < Check for updates.

It’s also worth noting that the new HTC One M8 Android 4.4.4 update has build number 1.58.502.1 and a size of 208 MB. AT&T says that the update file size will not count against your data usage, so it should be safe to download it using your mobile data connection without damaging your data plan.

HTC One M9 Specs Detailed

We told you a couple of days ago that HTC sent out invitations for a press event that will be held March 1st in Barcelona. The Taiwanese phone maker is expected to introduce their next-gen flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9 (aka Hima), during the Barcelona-based event. According to a report coming from Bloomberg, HTC will also introduce a smartwatch during the same event.

The reputed publication also revealed that the yet-unannounced HTC smartwatch will come with Under Armor integration, which might be the reason behind the recently signed partnership between the Taiwanese company and the fitness service. For the time being there are no additional details about HTC’s smartwatch, but we are sure we will get to hear more about the device as we get closer to Mobile World Congress tech fair.

The same report also confirms what we have already known: that the HTC One M9 release date has been set for March 1st, also adding that the new terminal will get an upgrade in terms of camera. Bloomberg says, quoting a source that asked “not to be identified because the details aren’t public,” that the One M8 successor will boast a 20 MP primary shooter and an HTC UltraPixel camera in the front for your Selfie needs.

If the rumors are to be believed, HTC One M9 would arrive with an appealing hardware platform. The handset is expected to come with a 64-bit Snapdragon 810 chipset with Adreno 430 GPU, 3 GB of RAM, 5-inch display with 1080 x 1920 resolutions, and a 2,840 mAh battery. It looks like the device will run Android 5.0 Lollipop with Sense 7.0 out of the box.

Even though Bloomberg is a trustworthy source when it comes to reports of unreleased devices, we are advising you to take the information with a pinch of salt. After all nothing is official until HTC says so.

Samsung Galaxy S6 to Arrive with Touch Based Fingerprint Sensor, Says Report

The Samsung Galaxy S6 release date is fast approaching and, as we are getting closer to the launch of the highly-anticipated smartphone, more details about it are starting to hit the web. According to a new report, Sammy’s next-gen flagship might integrate a different fingerprint sensor.

Back in 2013, Apple introduced the iPhone 5S which featured a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button. Even though the iPhone 5S was not the first smartphone to come with a fingerprint scanner (Motorola’s Atrix had one back in 2011), this feature has become mainstream after Apple launched their iOS 7-powered handset. Customers have begun to wish for fingerprint sensors in their smartphones and Android phone makers didn’t hesitate to include such sensors in their devices.

The Galaxy S5 was the first Samsung smartphone to sport a fingerprint scanner early 2014 and since then, Samsung has equipped devices like Galaxy S5 Mini, Galaxy Alpha, Galaxy Tab S, Galaxy Note 4, or Galaxy Note Edge with similar sensors. Anyway, unlike iPhone 5S’ scanner, the one mounted on Samsung’s smartphones requires you to swipe your finger over it in order to work.

According to a report from trustworthy publication Sammobile, Samsung’s yet-unannounced Galaxy S6 could arrive with a different fingerprint scanner. “Highly-credible sources” have told Sammobile that the South Korean phone maker will no longer use the swipe-based fingerprint scanner, as it will be replaced with a touch-based sensor which would work in a similar way to iPhone 5S’.

Just like its predecessor, the Galaxy S6 will have the touch-based sensor embedded into the Home button. Anyway, it seems that Samsung had to make the home button bigger than the one of Galaxy S5 or Note 4.

I remind you that Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to arrive with a powerful hardware platform. According to the reports, the terminal could feature a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with Quad HD (1440 x 2560) resolution, 64-bit Exynos 7420 / Snapdragon 810 processor (market depended), 3 GB of RAM, and a main camera with optical image stabilization and 16 or 20 MP resolution.

LG G4 Leak Points at 16 MP Main Camera and Snapdragon 810 Processor

The last couple of LG flagships have received a lot of praise from both media outlets and tech enthusiasts. Without a doubt LG’s G series of flagship will get a sequel this year and it will most likely be called LG G4. The LG G4 release date is yet unknown, but we might have some interesting information on the much-anticipated device.

The details on LG G4 come from Greek publicationTechmaniacs.gr and reveal that the next-gen flagship smartphone of the South Korean company might arrive with beastly technical specifications. The Android 5.0 dump reveals evidence of a 16 MP wide camera for the LG G4. In fact, the system dump revealed the resolution of G4’s camera. We are talking about 5312 x 2988 pixels, a resolution that it’s specific for a 16 MP wide camera. Of course, we are expecting G4’s main shooter to also boast about features such as laser autofocus, optical image stabilization, and 4K video recording capabilities.

According to a source close to LG quoted by Techmaniacs.gr, LG G4 should come with a Quad HD screen, 3 GB of RAM, and a 64-bit Octa-core Snapdragon 810 processor with Adreno 430 GPU. I remind you that there are some voices saying that the South Koreans are planning to cut down LG G4’s screen size to 5.3 inches, compared to the 5.5-inch screen of the LG G3.

Unfortunately, there is now way to verify the veracity of the reports, therefore we are advising you to take them with a pinch of salt. After all, nothing is official until LG says so.

As I was mentioning above, the LG G4 release date is yet unknown, but you definitely shouldn’t expect it to arrive in the next couple of months. The G4 might be officially introduced to the public late spring or early summer, just like it happened to its predecessor which was announced in May and released on the market in June.

Sony Xperia Z4 Gets Certified in Japan, It Could Be Launched at MWC 2015

Even though we’ve heard some rumors saying that the Sony Xperia Z4 release date has been set for CES 2015, the Las Vegas-based tech fair brought us no new Sony flagship smartphone. Last year, officials of the Japanese phone maker stated that in order to succeed on the smartphone market one company should release to flagship devices a year. It seems that Sony could be sticking to their usual 6-month release schedule and unveils a new flagship at Mobile World Congress.

Three versions of the much-awaited Sony Xperia Z4 have been certified in Japan. We are talking about model numbers PM-0792-BV, PM-0793-BV and PM-0794-BV each corresponding to a Japanese carrier. Unfortunately, the leak doesn’t bring us any details regarding the hardware platform of the smartphone, but at least we have the certitude that an Xperia sequel is on cards. Of course, the Xperia Z4 will go on sale outside Japan, but, for the time being there is no information regarding other models.

As I was mentioning above, Sony Xperia Z4 is expected to see the light of day at Mobile World Congress in March. For what it’s worth, HTC have already sent out press invitations for their Mobile World Congress event. Anyway, it’s plenty of time left until the Barcelona-based tech fair opens its gates and I am sure that Sony will tease their new flagship as we get closer to its launch event.

Hardware-wise, don’t expect the Sony Xperia Z4 to be a lot more powerful than its predecessor. Maybe we will get to see it boasting about an upgraded processor (probably a 64-bit Snapdragon 810) and an optical image stabilization module for its main camera.

I remind you that the rumor mill also speculates that Sony will introduce an Xperia Z4 Compact. The said device is rumored to pack a 4.7-inch Full HD display and a 3,000 mAh battery.

Moto X 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Now Available at Telus

In case you purchased your Moto X 2014 from Telus you should keep an eye on the notifications panel. Redditors on r/MotoX are reporting that the Moto X 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop update is now available for download for the Telus variant of the smartphone.

As usual, the Telus Moto X 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop update is being rolled out in phases, which means that some of you might not be able to grab it right away. Once your device becomes eligible to receive the new firmware, you should be able to see a system update message in the notifications bar. Tap on it, hit ‘Download now’, wait until the download is completed, then choose ‘Install now’. Your smartphone should reboot and install the new firmware. You can also perform a manual check under Settings > About phone > Software updates > Check now.

I remind you that Lollipop is the biggest update Android has received so far, so expect Android 5.0 to bring a lot of changes and improvements to your Telus Moto X 2014. The update arrives with a new design philosophy called Material design, improved security with Smart Lock and better Face Unlock, performance boosts courtesy of Android Runtime (replaces Dalvik), multi-user support for phones, revamped notifications bar and quick settings with new toggles, lock screen notifications, redesigned Recent screen, new shortcuts for the lock screen, better battery statistics with battery saver mode, and other such features.

It’s also worth noting that the Telus Moto X 2014 Android 5.0 Lollipop update has a size of around 575 MB. We are recommending you to download the update file using a Wi-Fi network in order to avoid unwanted data charges.

HTC One M9 Release Date Set for March 1st

Folks, it seems we have the HTC One M9 release date! It’s no longer a mystery that the Taiwan-based company will release a successor for their highly-appreciated HTC One M8. We’ve heard previous rumors about the said device and word has it that it’s known internally as Hima.

Now, the Taiwan-based phone maker started to send in media invitations for a mystery event held Sunday, March 1st. We incline to believe that this is where the HTC One M9 flagship would be officially introduced to the public. The said event will be held in Barcelona. As you may know already, between March 2 – 5, Barcelona will host the Mobile World Congress event. It’s not surprising at all to see that HTC have set the One M9 release date a day before MWC 2015 opens its gates, as it’s typical for companies to try to capture as much attention as possible for their products.

Unfortunately, the press event invitation itself doesn’t reveal to many details about the HTC One M9. It has a starry background, with “utopia in progress” tagline, and information on where and when the event will be held.

If the rumors are to be believed, HTC One M9 (Hima) will arrive with an appealing hardware platform. Even though it was initially reported that the One M8 follow-up might arrive with a 5.5-inch Quad HD screen, the latest leaks are suggesting that it might actually sport a 5-inch Full HD screen. The handset could also integrate a 64-bit Snapdragon 801 processor, 3 GB of RAM, and a 2,840 mAh battery. We’ve heard that One M9 might sport a 20.7 MP main shooter, while the user-facing camera could be either a 13 MP sensor or a 4 MP UltraPixel unit. Hopefully, HTC’s next-gen flagship will be at least as good-looking as its predecessor.

Verizon’s Sony Xperia Z3v Now Getting New Android 4.4.4 Update

Today is the “update your Verizon phone to new software” day. After we told you earlier today that Verizon’s LG G2 got a new update and that Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, and Droid Mini also received a new firmware, hear that the Xperia Z3v (which is also sold through Big Red’s network) is now getting a new Android 4.4.4 build.

Verizon revealed on their support page that a new Sony Xperia Z3v Android 4.4.4 update is now being pushed to users. According to the support PDF the new firmware reduces mobile data notifications during calls, it simplifies access to e-mail notification settings, updates the Lifelog notification to guide the user on
how to put their device into high accuracy mode, changes Lifelog default height and weight measurements to standard, and optimizes oversized email retransmit to reduce data usage. It also comes with improved NFC performance, modified group MMS to minimize “Message Expired or Not Available” condition, it enables HD video playback on Google Play Movies, and more.

Of course, the new Android 4.4.4 update for Sony Xperia Z3v is being rolled out in phases, which means that some users might have to wait longer than others before being able to update their phones. You probably know already that as soon as Verizon pushes the new firmware to your Z3v unit you should be able to see a system update message in the notifications bar. Tap on it, choose ‘Download now’, wait until the download is completed, and tap ‘Install now’. The smartphone should reboot and install the new firmware. If the system update message failed to appear, you would also want to perform a manual check under Settings > About phone > Software updates > Check now.

The new software update has version 23.0.E.1.44 and it shouldn’t be bigger than 100 MB. Even so, we are recommending you to download it through a Wi-Fi network to avoid unwanted data charges.

Samsung Galaxy S5 UK Owners Receiving Android 5.0.1 Lollipop Update Now

Samsung continues to expand the Android 5.0 Lollipop rollout for the Galaxy S5. The latest region to receive the update is UK. The Android Lollipop update for the Galaxy S5 has already been seeded for users in Poland, Russia, Malaysia, and Spain in the last few weeks.

The new Android Lollipop update released for UK Galaxy S5 owners is based on Android 5.0 version and not the more recent Android 5.0.2 version that the company is using for test Lollipop builds on all the other flagship devices that are slated to receive the Lollipop update in the next few weeks. The reason being Samsung would have been forced to delay the Lollipop rollout for the Galaxy S5 if it went ahead with pushing the Android 5.0.2 version. The Android 5.0.2 is a bigger upgrade than the Android 5.0.1 Lollipop update and thus it will take longer for Samsung to prepare the Android 5.0.2 update for the Galaxy S5. It is expected that the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Galaxy S5 will arrive in a month or two.

The Android 5.0 Lollipop update for Galaxy S5 owners in UK carries the build number G900FXXU1BOA3 and can be downloaded to your Galaxy S5 Over-The-Air (OTA) or installed via the Samsung KIES application. If you want to download and install the update via the OTA method, go to Settings – About Phone – System Updates and check for the update. Make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi network though, as the update cannot be downloaded over the cellular network since it is a major update. If you have a computer that has Samsung KIES application installed, you can connect your Samsung Galaxy S5 to the computer via the USB cable and install the update through your computer. Alternatively, if you have rooted your Galaxy S5 and have a custom recovery installed on it, you can download the firmware ZIP file from SamMobile and flash the update via recovery. Before you flash the ZIP file, make sure that you wipe cache, data, system and Dalvik cache.

The update includes all the major features included with Lollipop release and a complete overhaul of the UI and Samsung apps like S Health, dialer, messaging, and calendar apps based on Google’s Material Design guidelines. You will also find new features like heads-up notifications, Tap & Go, MirrorLink support and other optimizations.

Motorola Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx and Droid Mini Now Receiving New Android 4.4.4 Update

As you may know already the members of the Droid family of smartphones are sold exclusively through Verizon’s network. The carrier has announced on their website that a new software update is now being rolled out for the Motorola Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, and Droid Mini.

The new firmware is still an Android 4.4.4 build; therefore you shouldn’t expect any major changes. The three aforementioned devices got updated to Android 4.4 last year and the KitKat-specific goodies such as transparent status and nav bars, white status bar icons, cloud printing, color emoji support, new Location menu, or full screen album and movie art were patched back then. The new Droid Ultra, Droid Maxx, and Droid Mini Android 4.4.4 update comes with Advanced Calling bug fixes and stability improvements according to the support PDFs posted here and here.

The new software update is being pushed to users gradually, which means that some of you would have to wait longer until it’s being made available for your device. Once your Droid is ready to get updated with the new firmware, you should be able to see a system update message in the notifications panel. Tap on it, choose ‘Download now’, wait until the download is completed, then select ‘Install now’. Your smartphone should reboot and install the new firmware. If the system update notification failed to appear, you would also want to perform a manual check under Settings > About phone > Software updates > Check now.

It’s also worth noting that the new Android 4.4.2 builds is labeled 24.3.7.obake_verizon.Verizon.en.US for the Droid Ultra, 24.3.7.obake-maxx_verizon.Verizon.en.US for Droid Maxx, and 24.3.7.obakem_verizon.Verizon.en.US for Droid Mini. It’s recommended to download the update file using a Wi-Fi network in order to avoid unwanted data charges.