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.

HTC One M8 Android 5.0 Lollipop Update Goes Live for Download

Android 5.0 Lollipop OTA Update and HTC Sense 6 is rolling out right now for the Unlocked and Developer Editions of the HTC One M8 smartphone. The new Lollipop firmware update has been pushed worldwide and you should start checking the notifications panel or the Software Updates menu.

Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system is the biggest update that is launched for HTC One M8 devices. It brings the Material Design user interface, Priority Mode for intelligent notifications, improved battery saving mode, Recent menu, Android Smart Lock, Device Sharing capabilities, Guest User, Screen pinning, Quick Settings extra toggles have been added, and tons of other great changes that should provide one of the best Android experiences ever released for the HTC One M8 devices.

This new OTA Update is rolling out only for the unlocked models which mean that you won’t be getting any bloatware after the installation. It comes with software version 4.16.1540.8 and it measures 584 MB. Make sure to use a Wi-Fi Connection in order to download it without going over your mobile data plan. Check the ‘Software Updates’ menu under Settings and see if there are any new Android 5.0 Lollipop firmware files available for download.

The US editions of the HTC One M8 are still waiting for the Android 5.0 Lollipop roll out. That might take more than a month before it hits Verizon, AT&T or any other major US carrier.

The Android 5.0 Lollipop OTA Update is sent only for the stock unlocked and developer editions of the International HTC One M8 model. The firmware won’t be released for your device in case you’ve customized the smartphone in any way. Mo Versi has confirmed that the update has been released today, but note that the roll out is done in phases. All HTC One M8 Unlocked and Developer Edition models will surely be updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop before the end of this month. If you’ve received the new update, then head to our comments field below and make sure to list some of your favorite new features.

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop Update Starts Seeding To Moto G 2014 Users In US

The Moto G 2014 was the first smartphone to receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop update last year, even before Google released the update for its Nexus line of smartphones and tablets. Motorola has now set the standard for other Android OEMs once again by being the first to roll out the Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for its Moto G 2014 smartphone. The 5.0.2 Lollipop update has so far been rolled out only for the Google Nexus 7 2012 Wi-Fi only tablets.

The new Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update for the Moto G 2014 is currently available OTA for owners for the 2^nd Gen Moto G in US. The update comes with software version 22.21.28 and brings bug-fixes and improvements. An official changelog hasn’t been spotted yet, so we can’t tell you yet if there are any new features that have been included with this new update for the Moto G 2014 model. Since the update has just begun rolling out for users, not every one of you can expect to see the update notification just yet. However, you can still check if the update is available for your device manually by going to Settings – About Phone – System Update. In case the update is available, you will need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network before you can download the update.

The OTA update is 39MB in size and can be installed on your device right away if you have rooted it and have a custom recovery installed. To get the firmware running on your 2^nd Gen Moto G, you will need to download the ROM from this link for the Moto G XT1063 model. Do not install the firmware on any other model of Moto G as the modem firmware differs for each model. Once you have downloaded the firmware, transfer the 22.21.28 firmware ZIP file to the internal storage of your Moto G and boot into recovery. In recovery, wipe the cache, data, system and Dalvik cache. Once you have wiped all, return to the main recovery menu and tap on ‘Install zip from SD card’. Now choose the downloaded ZIP file and flash it to install the firmware on your Moto G 2014. Once the flashing process is complete, reboot your device. When the device boots up, you should have the latest 22.21.28 Android 5.0.2 firmware running.

Samsung Galaxy S6 To Feature Nexus-Like Clean Android UI According To New Report

According to a new report published on Business Korea website, Samsung is planning some major changes to its TouchWiz user-interface for its next flagship smartphone the Galaxy S6. The new TouchWiz UI will reportedly arrive first with the Galaxy S6 and then roll out for other newer devices eventually as part of a software update.

According to the sources close to Samsung, the company is working to optimize its custom Android UI and aims to cut down on all the bloatware that has made Samsung’s TouchWiz UI one of the most hated custom Android skins out there. What’s more interesting is that Samsung is apparently looking at slimming down its TouchWiz UI down to the level of Google Nexus devices. The company will reportedly get rid of the many features that it includes as part of its custom UI layer and concentrate on only the most essential features with the next TouchWiz version that will debut with the Galaxy S6 this year. Honestly, it does seem a bit too much to digest for us though, as Samsung has so far been heavily marketing its array of additional software tweaks as part of the TouchWiz UI. While we did see some positive improvements with the TouchWiz version used on the Galaxy Note 4, it is still bloated when compared to many of the other OEM Android skins. So to expect such a drastic change in such a short period of time is not very likely. However, we do hope that the report turns out to be accurate as we aren’t great fans of TouchWiz either, just like almost everyone else.

TouchWiz has been one of the main reasons why Samsung flagship devices have been underwhelming when it comes to system performance and smoothness of the UI. The Galaxy S5 for instance, was significantly less smooth than other rival smartphones that used the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset. The Galaxy Note 4 doesn’t suffer as much as the Galaxy S5 thanks to a lighter TouchWiz skin, but it still does exhibit signs of lag and stutter in the UI occasionally. While it is quite impressive how many features Samsung includes in its Galaxy flagship devices, most of them aren’t quite useful in day-to-day usage and are rarely used by most owners.