HTC’s next version of the One will have dual camera and fingerprint scanner

The HTC One was a popular smartphone among tech enthusiasts, but it didn't do very well among regular consumers. HTC will try to change that with the HTC One Two, the 2014 version of the phone that will have the best features of the HTC One and the One Max.

Forbes has cited a report from Taiwanese analysts who claim that HTC will include a fingerprint scanner in the One Two. The One Max also has a scanner that can unlock a phone or tap into some shortcuts, but it has been criticized because of awkward placement and inconsistency. The One Two would likely address those concerns. The phone would also have different camera lenses geared towards lighting conditions, so one lens would be tapped for low light, and the other for bright light. The dual camera solution would improve upon the ultrapixel setup that sometimes captures too much light.

The HTC OneTwo will also have a 4.9-inch display, a $600 price tag, and a release date at some time in March. Will the aforementioned improvements be enough to make the OneTwo more successful that the One?

UK government plans to let people deposit cheques by phone

It's common here in the United States for customers of some banks to deposit cheques (or checks as we say) by snapping a photo with a smartphone and have the funds entered into an account within a day or two. The government of the United Kingdom is currently devising a plan that would make it possible for Brits to have the same option.

The UK Payments Council had originally planned to phase out cheques by 2018 but reversed course because of consumer backlash. Instead, the government will try to modernize the paper system more by drafting a law that would permit paying into accounts via smartphone photos. A bank could develop an app that takes a picture of the cheque, converts the information into readable text, and then add the fund to the account within two days. Photos would not be stored on a phone because security concerns, and information would be sent through secure channels.

Barclays has plans to launch a pilot program for paying in checks via phone in April 2014.

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LG G3 may add fingerprint scanner like Apple iPhone and HTC One Max

As Apple and HTC move, so goes LG, according to new rumors out of South Korea. The Korea Herald has it on good authority from its sources that LG is testing a fingerprint scanner to be included in its next smartphone, the LG G3. LG recently decided to include the sensor as a way to unlock the device and add shortcuts. The feature is already in testing and may appear on the phone set to be announced in February alongside some other features you may have seen before.

In addition to having a fingerprint reader that would work by swiping across a scanner, similar to the HTC One Max, the G3 is expected to include:

• Android 4.4 Kitkat software
• Quad HD display (4K, 3840 x 2160)
• 2.2 GHz octa-core processor
• Support to sync with a smart watch (G Arch) and a fitness wristband (G Health)

The rumor suggests that LG will announce the G3 in February at the Mobile World Congress event. It seems a little premature to announce a G2 follow-up so soon - the G2 debuted in August, just six months ahead of the supposed G3 unveiling - but LG may want to quickly have a new phone to compete with the next phones from Samsung and HTC.

The Nokia Lumia 525 is for Sale in China for Only $148 USD

Few markets are as important for smartphone growth as China, the biggest in the world. Apple made a huge splash in the market a few days ago by announcing a deal with China Mobile. Now Nokia is bringing its follow up to the hugely successful Lumia 520, the Lumia 525 for the price of 148 USD with no contract.

The Lumia 525 is almost exactly the same as the 520 expect for one key difference: it has the full gig of RAM instead of the 512MB of RAM used in the 520. This will allow you to run the full range of apps in the Windows Phone store.  (The 520 can't run select apps with it's 512mb of RAM, like Subway Surfers, Temple Run, etc..)

Specs:

• 4-inch IPS LCD display
• 1 GB of RAM
• dual-core 1 GHz Snapdragon CPU
• 8 GB of internal memory
• Expandable SD Card Slot

This device should sell as well as the 520, if not better. While it cost sightly more, I predict that consumers will spend the extra few dollars for the 1GB of RAM. Sadly there is no word on this device becoming available for consumers here stateside or in the UK.

AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note II updated to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

The Samsung Galaxy Note II is finally upgrading to Android 4.3 Jelly Bean today. The AT&T version of the Galaxy Note II has updated to include many of the performance and software enhancements found in Android 4.3, including faster navigation. Not everyone will notice much of a jump in speed, but the will notice that the Samsung Premium Suite of software upgrades added a few new tricks, including…

• Samsung Galaxy Gear compatibility
• PEN.UP (sharing drawings)
• Group Play 2.5
• Multi-Window (Note 3 Version)
• Camera – Shot & Sound
• Group Messaging
• Samsung Link (Preload)
• New Easy Mode
• Samsung Apps
• Samsung Knox

Galaxy Note II owners can update starting today by navigating to Settings > About device > Software update > Check for update. The phone is updating in stages and may not be available to everyone. Be sure to have at least 75 percent of power before installing the update.

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AT&T adds new 4G LTE markets to inch closer to 500

AT&T has spent the past two years trying to rehab its image as the network of slow speeds and dropped calls. Building a strong 4G LTE network is critical for that to happen, so AT&T has so far focused its efforts on expanding its 4G network across the U.S. The carrier has so far reached 488 markets, and considering that it tends to upgrade in batches, LTE launch #500 shouldn’t be too far away. Here are the 12 new AT&T markets:

• Durango, Colorado
• Kauai, Hawaii
• Burley and Twin Falls, Idaho
• Terra Haute, Indiana
• Poplar Bluff and Sikeston, Missour
• Elmira, New York
• Pottsville, Pennsylvania
• Appleton, Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin

LG Android Devices to Come With BlackBerry Messenger

While BlackBerry's devices themselves are not doing so well their other services continue to thrive and be stay in demand.  One of the most popular of those services is BlackBerry Messenger, it was recently introduced into the Play Store for Android devices and now this service will be preloaded on some LG Android devices.

BlackBerry and LG have announced that the LG G Pro Lite will be the first device to have BBM preloaded on it straight out of the box.

"People across the globe are using BBM to connect with each other and the enthusiasm has been phenomenal. We're extremely pleased that LG Electronics will help bring their customers a more seamless experience with BBM by preloading the app, starting with the G Pro Lite in key markets," said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry.

While I don't personally use this service with all of the privacy concerns surrounding the government these days, it's a great service that will keep you safe from it all and I am glad to see it grow in users.

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Samsung assembles the greatest football team ever to promote the Galaxy 11

A few weeks ago, Samsung posted a bizarre video about aliens and crop circles staring legendary footballer/soccer player Franz Beckenbauer. The video seemed to be just one of Samsung’s marketing ploys that people would look at and then forget. On second thought, what if this is part of a campaign to promote a new Galaxy tablet that will be released next year?

The reason I didn’t pay much attention to the Galaxy 11 promotion is because I assumed it was just going to be a generic promotional campaign for all Samsung products in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup. The 11 number made sense because that’s the number of players on a soccer team, and the website already promotes existing products like the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear smart watch.

What if there’s more to it than that? Korean website ETNews has posted a rumor suggesting that Samsung might release a tablet with a 10.5-inch OLED screen as early as next month. Samsung tablets are typically 10.1-inch LCD’s, and other rumors have suggested it might go as high as a 12-inches. There’s nothing concrete to suggest that Samsung would make an 11-inch tablet, but this Galaxy 11 campaign seems like an awful lot to promote two existing products, especially when the company went out of its way to select 13 star athletes representing countries or clubs on every continent other than Australia. Maybe - and this is a big maybe - the Galaxy 11 will be a product instead of just a marketing stunt?

Galaxy 11 Squad

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina; Captain)

2. Mario Götze (Germany)

3. Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Jr. (Brazil)

4. Wu Lei (China)

5. Stephan El Shaarawy (Italy)

6. Victor Moses (Nigeria)

7. Radamel Falcao (Colombia)

8. Lee Chung-Yong (South Korea)

9. Iker Casillas (Spain)

10. Wayne Rooney (England)

11. Landon Donovan (United States of America)

12. Alexander Kerzhakov (Russia)

13. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Windows Phone 8.1 (Blue) Features Leaked: notification center and Siri-like assistant on the way

The Verge has fresh information on the upcoming Windows Phone 8.1 update and it looks promising to say the least. The thing that will be the biggest update for most users is the addition of "Cortana," the voice activated personal assistant which claims to be more integrated and useful than Siri or S-Voice. But there are a bunch of other new tricks coming to Windows Phone according to the report; let's take a look at them...

With the popularity of cheaper low memory Windows Phone devices like the Lumia 520, users were running into issue regarding memory space for apps. Windows Phone 8.1 will fix that issue with  micro SD card support for installing apps and games. This is a HUGE win for users worldwide that should allow Windows Phone devices to still compete with the low end Android devices.

Other new notable features coming with this update are:

• 3D touch system: Now users can interact with the device without touching the screen
• Notification Center: Windows Phone will FINALLY get a centralized notification center that can be accessed by swiping down and it can even be accessed on the lock screen
• Virtual Buttons: Windows Phone will now support virtual buttons for "back, home, search"
• Separate Volume Control:  Media volume will be controlled separately from ringtone/notification volume
• Deeper Social Integration: Facebook and Twitter will be integrated even deeper into the Windows Phone experience.  (People Hub)
•  Gesture Based Interactions: Swiping left will clear Tiles without having to open the program

It looks like Windows Phone 8.1 will arrive next year and help Microsoft answer the bell on the "shortcomings" of its mobile OS. A lot of these updates are features that tech bloggers and regular users have been calling for Microsoft to address. What are the features you would like to see coming to Windows Phone and do these updates bring the OS on par with Android in terms of functionality?

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Google Glass companion iPhone app appears briefly in App Store

Google Glass has been something popping up on everyone's radar because of its unique way of getting notifications, taking photos, and searching for information with a special display resting above the user's right eye. It now appears that Glass will be popping up on even more people’s face because the app is breaking away from its dependency on Android. At least that's what it seems like based on what Google did earlier today.

For a short while in the afternoon, a MyGlass iPhone app was published to the App Store before it was removed by Google. The reason for the removal is unclear, but some people managed to download the app before it was suspended. The app may have been removed so Google can fix some connection issues that may appear until the company can update Google Glass units.

Whatever the reason for the temporary suspension, it’s clear that Google Glass is finally breaking its Android exclusivity. Does anyone have $1,500 I can borrow so I can pair this with my iPhone 5s?

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Microsoft's Search for a CEO Will Continue into 2014

Microsoft is a company that has only had two CEO's in it's 38-year history, and the company doesn't seem to be in that big of a hurry to pick its third CEO. Today they announced that their search for a new CEO will continue into next year and complete "in the early part of 2014."

While this news is not totally unexpected, it did seem to come as a shock to some as shares of Microsoft fell on this news.  They did however update you on how the search is going in the press release that accompanied the news:

After defining our criteria, we initially cast a wide net across a number of different industries and skill sets. We identified over 100 possible candidates, talked with several dozen, and then focused our energy intensely on a group of about 20 individuals, all extremely impressive in their own right. As you would expect, as this group has narrowed, we’ve done deeper research and investigation, including with the full Board. We’re moving ahead well, and I expect we’ll complete our work in the early part of 2014.

There have been a few names bounced around recently but they are simply guesses at this point and are not worth mentioning. Whomever it will be will need to navigate the company through some important times. Between the push back on the transition from consumers to the more touch based friendly Windows 8, the new mobile division, Xbox One's leftover image issue, etc...someone has really got their work cut out for them.
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ASUS PadFone Mini Press Renders Leak

ASUS came out with the Padfone years ago before 5-inch-plus devices became a regular sight in the mobile market place. Though other manufactures have followed into this space, ASUS is now making a Padfone mini version of it. While specs leaked out a little while ago, now tipserevleaks tweets these pictures of the press rendering.

The "tablet" part itself of this device is rumored to between 7 to 8 inches in screen size while the device itself will sport a 4.3-inch qHD screen. Not much is known about the internal specs of the Padfone mini but there is word around the campfire that it will be running a Snapdragon 400 processor.

This form factor never quite took off in the way I felt it should. It's a brilliant idea for those who don't want the hassle of carrying around a huge device or having to transfer all your information from one device to another. My guess would be that the price is keeping many away from buying a Padfone. For what they cost you could actually buy a phone and a fully functional tablet.  Let's see if this new release will have a smaller price as well as screen size.

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Net 10 and Straight Talk Getting the iPhone 5s/5c

The pre-paid market in the United States is expanding and is no longer just for customers who are on a budget or need a feature phone. Nothing shows this expanding market as much the latest move by Straight Talk/Net 10 announcing that they will be carrying both the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s starting on December 13, 2013.

iPhone Details and Pricing

iPhone on Straight Talk Wireless and NET10 Wireless will be available as follows:

• iPhone 5s available in-store and online in Space Gray, Silver and Gold in 16GB: $649
• iPhone 5c available online only in White, Blue, Green, Pink and Yellow in 16GB: $549
• In addition, iPhone 4s available in-store and online in Black and White in 8GB: $449

While the upfront cost of the device seems a little pricey the real money is saved on the monthly bill.

Straight Talk Wireless No-Contract Plan Details and Pricing

• $45 – No-Contract 30-Day Plan with Unlimited* Nationwide Talk, Text, and Data.
• $60 – No-Contract 30-Day Plan with Unlimited* Nationwide Talk, Text, and Data PLUS Unlimited International** Calling to more than 1,000 destinations in Mexico, Canada, India, and in other countries.

NET10 Wireless No-Contract Friends and Family Plan Details and Pricing

• Friends and Family 30-Day Plans starting at $50 for the first line and $40 for each additional line – No-Contract 30-Day Plans with Unlimited* Nationwide Talk, Text, and Data for each line without sharing.
• $65 – No-Contract 30-Day Plan with Unlimited* Nationwide Talk, Text, and Data PLUS Unlimited International** Calling to more than 1,000 destinations in Mexico, Canada, and in other countries.

If you would like more details on this announcement you can check out the full press release here.

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VSCO Cam for Android – hands-on with a better photography app

Apple iPhone users know VSCO Cam as their preferred camera app thanks to its unique settings and wealth of preset editing tricks. Android users will soon know it as the latest in a long line of popular photography apps that have arrived to improve the photo-taking powers of their Samsung Galaxy, HTC One, Nexus 5, or other phone. VSCO Cam for Android launched today and it offers many, though not all, of the benefits seen on the iPhone version. Even without the split focus option, there’s still solid focus indicators, plenty of filters, and the ability to upgrade the artistry of cell phone snapshots. A hands-on video and download links are available after the break.

Download VSCO (Android 4.0 or later)

Samsung and Nokia tie for first in traditional mobile phone satisfaction, according to JD Power study

It seems that the two manufactures that dominate their respective mobile operating systems do so for one very good reason - customer satisfaction. According to the latest study from JD Power, Samsung and Nokia tied in the 2013 U.S. Wireless Traditional Mobile Phone Satisfaction Study both coming in with a score of 743. (see all the rankings below)

This study was done on 1,929 traditional device customers who have owned their current phone less than one year. The study was fielded between February and August 2013. The study measures customer satisfaction in four factors: performance (29%); ease of operation (26%); physical design (24%); and features (21%).  You can check out the full report here.

While this study did not include smartphone users, it still will play a huge role in future smartphone purchases. In general, customers tend to stick with the same brand rather than risk a new one if they are happy with their current brand of device. A feature phone user who trusts Brand A is more likely to buy a Brand A product when it comes time to upgrade to a smartphone.

What does all this mean?  It means that the smartphone mobile landscape is unlikely to change anytime in the near future with Samsung dominating Android and Nokia (soon to be Microsoft) dominating Windows Phone.

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Google may bring Chrome apps to Android and iOS as early as next month

Google is working to make Chrome apps compatible on mobile devices, which would allow people to run web apps capable of taking advantage of hardware features like the camera and storage, something Google has previously said it wants to do. A new report finds that Google may kick the program into high gear next month.

The Next Web reports that it has stumbled across documentation that shows Chrome Apps being made compatible with mobile devices using hybrid apps, tweaking design to fit smartphones and tablets, and working through bugs that may arise in the conversion process. Using Apache Cordova, the apps would be compatible with Android 4.0 or later, but that may change to Android 2.2 in the future. Apple iOS compatibility details are yet to be announced, but it is in development.

A Google developer advocate says that the company targets January for a developer beta, so regular consumers won't see Chrome apps right away. Once released, the effort could help web developers make their apps with offline capabilities and advanced web technologies useable on mobile devices running the Chrome browser. Native apps may be preferable for most mobile users, but this still might turn up some interesting use cases.

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Forget Android, Andy Rubin is building actual robots

Remember Andy Rubin, the man who started the company Google would eventually acquire to turn Android into the world-leading operating system? He left his position as head of the Android project earlier this year in order to work on something more interesting. What was that something? Real androids, as in robots.

The New York Times has a story detailing how Google is working on a project that would create robots for businesses. Google didn't share many details about the effort, but according to experts, the androids could be used for manufacturing, deliveries, and other behind-the-scenes positions meant to replace jobs currently performed by humans.

Rubin did tell the Times that this is a project that requires a "10-year vision" and there's still a long way to go before the software and sensor technology necessary for advanced robotics is where Google needs it to be. However, hardware issues related to getting the robots to move will be less of a challenge. Google has already acquired seven different companies to work on the project, and Andy Rubin is leading them all. Could he spark a rise of androids of a different nature?

The fully story is available here.

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 adds new color options

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has so far been seen only in black, white, and pink; however, three new color options have been announced today. Samsung has announced that it has expanded the number of color options to make the Galaxy Note 3 more appealing. That’s great, but when will we be able to buy them?

The Rose Gold White and Rose Gold Black options change the standard white and black color modes that have been available since the Galaxy Note first went on sale. Instead of the slver-colored accents along the sides and back of the device, it now has a Rose Gold hue similar to the accent colors seen on the Galaxy Gear smart watch. There’s also a new Merlot Red option that shows a very red tone all over the device.

Samsung has so far only confirmed that the Rose Gold White edition goes on sale in China this month. The remaining colors go on sale “according to each market’s preference,” which doesn’t really provide a clue as to when and where these new options will be available. The Galaxy Note 3 is a popular device and plenty of people are in the mood for a new phone, so now would be a good time to provide some clarity, Samsung.

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Microsoft gains government approval to buy Nokia

Microsoft is one step closer to officially becoming the owner of Nokia’s entire devices division. The US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have approved the $7.2 billion dollar purchase agreement between Microsoft and Nokia, leaving just one more force standing in its way...the European Union.

The EU, which is expected to grant Microsoft approval for its deal early next year, is the final hurdle to Microsoft officially taking over Nokia’s smartphone business. Nokia shareholders voted last month to approve a deal that will split the company. Nokia will continue independently operating the half of the company that developed network technology for operators and service providers throughout the world. However, the struggling handset division that developed the Lumia smartphones has been sold.

Once Microsoft gets EU approval, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop will take over the devices division within Microsoft that will use the former Nokia’s engineering talent and manufacturing facilities to build Microsoft-branded products. Microsoft also has the right to use the Nokia and Lumia names for smartphones for a limited amount of time, so maybe the company might let the Nokia brand live on in smartphones for just a little longer.

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Android obliterates competition in Europe, but the battle for second place gets more interesting

The latest numbers have just come out for the smartphone sales and they show some pretty interesting things that I didn't expect especially in Europe. While the new iPhone release went over huge in United States and Japan in Europe it sold enough however it didn't stop iOS's over all slide.  iOS is five percent down over the same time last year and is now sitting at 15.8%

Android continues to dominate all other operating systems at almost a full 71 percent! This is up over 6 percent from last year at this time and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Where the real shocker is for the Windows Phone OS in the past year; it more than doubled its share going from 4.8 percent to a 10.2 percent! This puts it only 5.6 percent behind iOS for second largest OS in Europe.

According to the numbers, this was done based mainly on the back the low end Nokia Lumia 520 and Nokia Lumia 620.  While Nokia/Microsoft is making almost no money on these devices they are accomplishing what they were set out to do, grow the Windows Phone user base. One would only assume that Microsoft is paying attention and when they take over Nokia next year they will continue to make budget friendly devices.

Apple is actually losing some market share in the US and Europe, but Android is the real threat to Apple's sales. Apple is still selling millions of phones every few months, but it's not doing it on the same level as the competition. The company saw big gains in Japan, capturing 61 percent of the market in the past three months.

I will continue to watch Europe's numbers closely. It could be the first market "that counts" in where Windows Phone takes the second place trophy from iOS. I don't see Apple making the low end type of devices that is driving Windows Phone growth in Europe anytime soon. If the same trend that happened this year in Europe even does half of it did last year and Windows Phone gains/iOS loses 2.8 percent Windows Phone will be the second largest OS in Europe and that's when the smartphone race gets interesting.

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HTC One mini banned from the UK because of Nokia patent dispute

The HTC One mini’s days are numbered in the UK following a ruling from a London judge that the device can no longer be sold in the country. Why? Because of patents, of course. The judge ruled that the One Mini infringes on patents held by Nokia, so beginning December 6, the phone will no longer allowed to be sold. Things could have actually been worse for HTC based on the judge's ruling.

Judge Richard Arnold ruled that the standard HTC One also infringes on Nokia’s intellectual property (IP) but the judge chose not to ban the phone because that would have caused “considerable” damage. One sales will be allowed to continue while HTC appeals, though One mini sales must cease.

The patent in dispute is related to microchips found in both the One and One mini. HTC was found to infringe on patents held by Nokia and may face financial penalties in addition to a sales ban if it cannot reach a settlement with Nokia or win an appeal.

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LG G2 KitKat update may not arrive until March

Some readers asked why LG wasn’t included in our Android 4.4 KitKat update tracker, and the answer was because LG had yet to outline its plans. News from LG suggests that the company’s plans are even slower than first imagined.

MobileSyrup says that it has spoken with a representative from LG Canada that confirmed LG plans to update the G2 in late Q1. Late Q1 is business speak for late February or March, so G2 owners may have to wait up to four months to go from Android 4.3 to Android 4.4. While some of the features in KitKat are low-level upgrades that probably won’t be noticeable to most users, many others think the performance upgrades and incremental improvements would still be nice to have.

The late Q1 promise is for Canada, so European users may see an update arrive sooner than that time period. Users in the United States, where carriers tend to take longer to release updates because of lengthy testing, may see an update around the same time.

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Android and iPhone apps go on sale for Black Friday

Black Friday marks the day that millions of shoppers crowd malls to get big discounts on clothes, electronics, toys, and gifts for others - or themselves - but you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home to get big discounts on apps. Here’s a list of Android and iPhone apps that are on sale for a limited time.

Android apps

VidTrim Pro Video Editor to trim video clips

InstaPlace to see great photos based around a location

OfficeSuite Pro 7 to read and edit MS Office documents or PDF

Smart IR Remote for controlling IR blasters with Samsung/HTC devices

BeyondPod Unlock Key to get premium features for excellent podcast app

RoByte - Remote for Roku

RedditPro to read Reddit

Anomaly Korea tower offense game

Battery Widget Reborn to see battery stats

RipTide GP2 racing game

The Amazing Spider-Man game

Heavy Sword action game

Virtual Tennis Challenge

Order & Chaos Online roleplaying game

Need for Speed: Most Wanted racing game

For a list of on-sale iPhone apps, check the DailyiPhoneBlog list.