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Meet the One, OnePlus' $299 Nexus killer
Rarely do we see a tech startup spending five months actively hyping up an unborn product; and when we do, most of them end up being vaporware. Luckily, that's not the case with OnePlus. Today, the Shenzhen-based company has finally unveiled its first smartphone, the One (not to be confused with the HTC One). While the device's impressive specs have already been listed in detail beforehand, OnePlus had remained tight-lipped about the actual prices (unsubsidized) until today: $299/£229/€269 for the 16GB model, and $349/£269/€299 for the 64GB flavor; both due mid to late May. This aggressive pricing is obviously going right after the Nexus 5 ($349 for 16GB, $399 for 32GB), but is this too good to be true?
AT&T's Galaxy Note 3 gets a bite of Android 4.4 KitKat
Samsung's Galaxy Note 3 may already be running the latest version of Android in some places. Here in the US, however, most carriers still haven't updated the faux leather-covered device to KitKat. But, starting today, at least a good number of Note 3 owners will be getting a taste of it, with AT&T announcing that its version of Android 4.4 is now rolling out to the 5.7-inch handset. You can expect to experience quite a few new things as part of this, such as a revamped user interface, improved GPS and the option to choose a default messaging app. The update is said to be available now -- all you need to do is tap your way to that Software Update menu, download the goods and voilà.
KitKat now rolling out to Sony's Xperia Z Ultra, Z1 and Z1 Compact
An Android 4.4 KitKat update for the Xperia Z Ultra, Z1 and Z1 Compact is rolling out as of today, Sony's announced. In addition to what the newer OS version itself brings, Sony's folded in some tweaks of its own, like a reworked status bar and quick-settings menu, a couple of PS4-inspired UI elements and updated forms of Sony's stock and media apps. While KitKat might be ready for this trio of devices, remember that availability depends on where you live and what carrier your handset may be bound to, so don't bet on a notification popping up this very afternoon. Sony confirmed back in November that the Xperia Z, ZL, ZR and Tablet Z, too, were eligible for a KitKat update, but they'll have to wait until at least "mid-Q2" for their snacks. In better news, the Xperia T2 Ultra, E1 and M2 have been added to that exclusive list, though we can't give you even vague timelines for when these updates might be available just yet.
The Grand Memo II LTE is ZTE's phablet sequel (hands-on)
ZTE's back with yet another take on the sans stylus phablet it introduced at Mobile World Congress last year, except this time, the device isn't touting a world's first with its Qualcomm CPU. The Grand Memo II LTE marks the company's second attempt at the smartphone category created by the Galaxy Note and G Pros of the world with a 6-inch 720p display, 13-megapixel rear camera and 7.2mm thickness. To ZTE's credit, it's whipped up quite a sleek and attractive plastic design, marked by a grooved, reflective backplate. Not only is the handset ultra slim, but also its curved edges and thin bezels somehow conspire to make the device appear slighter than its massive size.
Hands-on with LG's G2 mini
Just because it's smaller and has the same branding, that doesn't mean LG's G2 mini is anything like its elder namesake. It's just borrowing a bit of the G2's tech halo, is all. With a 4.7-inch, 960 x 540 qHD display, Android 4.4 KitKat, Snapdragon 400 heart (or Tegra 4i, depending on your market) and 1GB RAM, it's clear LG's positioning this as a budget Android KitKat device. But budget doesn't have to mean bad and here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, we got a chance to see just how modest the G2 mini really is. Read on for our initial thoughts.
Hands-on with the LG G Pro 2 (video)
Knock, knock. Excuse us, we're just unlocking LG's new G Pro 2 with some light taps from our fist. Yes, the Korean company's showing off its 5.9-inch flagship here at Mobile World Congress and its once again gunning for rival Galaxy Note 3's place in the spotlight. Aside from sporting a de rigeur 1080p display, the G Pro 2 comes loaded up with Android 4.4 KitKat, 32GB of storage and a 13-megapixel rear camera that's primed to shoot video in 4K. We've got one in hand right now, so follow along for our first impressions.
Verizon's LTE network won't support Nexus 7 (2013) until after KitKat upgrade
Nexus 7 owners, you'll unfortunately have to wait for Android KitKat before you can connect to Verizon's LTE network. In September, the carrier revealed that the pint-sized slate would have to go through a month-long certification process before it can connect to the internet via LTE. Now, Big Red claims the fault lies with Android Jelly Bean, and that Google and Asus (the device's manufacturer) have advised the carrier to suspend the certification process until KitKat arrives. According to Mountain View, its newest mobile OS is coming in the next few weeks -- for now, (disappointed) Nexus 7 users can head past the break for Verizon's full statement.
Android 4.4 KitKat lets you say 'OK Google' to activate touchless search
"Okay Google." Those Touchless Controls aren't just for the Moto X anymore -- they're now part and parcel of the Nexus 5. With today's unveiling of Google's (terribly leaked) Nexus 5, we're getting a first look at Android 4.4 KitKat on the handset, and that OS update comes with some significant tweaks to Search and Now. For starters, Nexus 5 users will have the ability to set hot keywords as a means of activating or "waking up" Now voice search. So, presumably, this means you'll be able to link any word you'd like to start barking voice commands at Now. Just don't be surprised if Now talks back to you: KitKat also apparently allows for a dialogue of sorts between users and the handset to refine search queries. This could be especially useful when directing Now to access contacts by first name. For example, saying "Text Jennifer" could result in it asking you to specify, "Which Jennifer?" It's smart control made smarter. But that's just the tip of the improvements Google's made to its Now and Search product. Overall, speech recognition is said to have been made 25% more accurate and manual access to Now can be triggered by a swipe to the left (Nexus 5-only, for now) -- no longer a swipe from the bottom of the screen up. Now has also been outfitted with a wider array of "contextual cards." It's yet another step in making Google's digital assistant even more prescient, as it will now display information based on a user's current activity, like Fandango for ticket listings if you're at a theatre, or even updates on a favorite TV show you've searched for previously. And going even further, Google Now will also provide "deep links" to applications you've installed on the handset. In the use case Google provided, this means that a recipe search won't just display link results, but will also ping up the AllRecipes app or even OpenTable, if you're on the hunt for a restaurant. Though all of these Search tweaks are bundled into the Nexus 5 for now, they should soon rollout to other Nexus devices as Android 4.4 KitKat is made more widely available.
More Nexus 5 details break cover in leaked LG service manual
It appears that nothing about the hardware of Google and LG's next Nexus smartphone will be left to the imagination by the time it releases. Android Police just got its mitts on what's claimed to be a 281-page draft of a service manual for the DE21. Surprise! The product specs match up nicely with the DE20 that went through the FCC a month ago -- and then some. This leak reveals the best shots yet of both the internals and the exterior, as well as a through listing of every spec. To refresh your memory, we've known those to include a 4.95-inch display, a 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, inductive charging and NFC. This particular model's LTE bands (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 20) are optimized for Asia and Europe. Let's move on to the notable new bits. There's an eight-megapixel camera with OIS on back and a 1.3-megapixel shooter on the front. Storage is capped at 32GB and the battery tops out at 2300 mAh. The IPS display has a 1080p resolution and screen tethering is supported via Slimport (just like the Nexus 4). While it's packing the usual array of sensors for a phone (gyroscope accelerometer, compass, proximity and light), there's also one that detects pressure. Lastly, there's the obligatory notification light and a Micro SIM slot. Be sure to be slightly wary of all this, however -- as Android Police notes, there are some oddities in the document (Bluetooth is now listed as 3.0 instead of 4.0, for instance). You'll find the full manual embedded after the break and you can hit the source link for further insight. We'll update you if we discover any other juicy bits.
