My Note 4 just got an app update this morning for the pre-installed Softcard service, which now labels “Google Inc” as the developer. Upon opening the app, what did I find? You are no longer able to create a new Softcard account, and are now directed to use Google Wallet.
It’s dead Jim, and I can’t say I’m sorry to see it go.
Continuing their trend of delivering updates to services via app updates, HTC has unleashed Sense 7 for the M7 and the M8.
One of the more anticipated new features from the M9, Sense Home provides easy tools to customize and skin the Sense skin overlay on HTC handsets. They’re also building a community around sharing wallpapers and skins.
Sense is also more predictive now and, like launcher Aviate, it will try to offer up apps and services you might want to use in that moment, while also using your location for restaurant suggestions.
It’s also a nice consideration that this functionality is coming not only to last year’s M8, but is running pretty snappily on my two year old M7.
An interesting update from Lil Magenta in how they advertise and detail their network coverage.
We all skeptically check out network coverage maps from cell phone carriers. Asking people about real world usage in major cities, everyone has a story about each carrier where that network conked out on them. Instead of continuing to use predictive estimations of network coverage, from now on T-Mobile will show actual user data.
Crowdsourcing customer experience, combining that with verified third party speed testing, and updating their maps twice a month.
You can check out the new map here, and read T-Mo’s press release below. They also throw out entertaining PR…
Microsoft revealed more information on plans to move their personal digital assistant, named Cortana, to iOS and Android devices.
A competitor to Google Now and Apple’s Siri, Cortana is one of the most popular features found on Windows Phones, a voice search with a personality, capable of some fairly sophisticated actions when using casual speech commands. I’m a huge fan of person and location based reminders. Microsoft says we’ll see standalone Cortana apps for other phone platforms this Autumn.
“This kind of technology, which can read and understand email, will play a central role in the next roll out of Cortana, which we are working on now for the fall time frame,” said Eric Horvitz, managing director of Microsoft Research.
It’s a smart move which plays to Microsoft’s strengths in delivering services with as broad a reach as possible, converting consumers using competitor’s hardware into customers through software and apps. I’ll always be a fan of more competition, especially when you can go cross platform. Maybe someday I’ll even get that IBM Watson app I’ve been wanting…
We’ll learn more about Microsoft’s strategy later this year.
Trying to steal a few headlines from Apple today, Google officially and publicly announced Android Lollipop 5.1.
Alongside bug fixes and performance improvements, Android 5.1 brings a much improved security with Device Protection. We’ve detailed Device Manager in the past, which can be used to locate a missing phone or wipe it clean in the event it’s stolen.
Google’s newest phone operating system has only made it to around 5% of the Android handsets out in the ecosystem, but that’s set to improve soon as the Lollipop update is starting to roll out to AT&T LG G3’s.
The update brings the slick new Material Design, and the ability to use USB Audio hardware, which I just tested on my G3 with a Zoom H4n. Pretty exciting to use professional grade recording equipment with my smartphone.
As with most rollouts, expect it to be delivered in stages, so fret not if you go into your settings and you don’t have an update ready to install. It should be on its way soon.
Verizon surprised us all in being first to deliver the Lumia Denim firmware update to the Icon, but now it’s Big Blue’s turn to update the monster phablet Lumia 1520.
Windows Phone fans will be happy to play with a new camera app capable of shooting HDR photos and 4K video. Also on board is a new voice activation trigger for the Digital Assistant search app. Saying “Hey Cortana” by your phone will initiate a voice search or command even when your phone’s screen is off.
This update will also replace any AT&T pre-installed software on the phone. If you uninstalled AT&T Navigator or FamilyMap in the past, they’ll return. Thankfully, unlike bloat on Android devices, these apps can still be uninstalled without rooting or jumping through hoops.
It took us a while to get here, but Denim brings a collection of bug fixes and new features to play with, while we wait for Microsoft to deliver Windows 10.
To see if your Lumia has received the update, head to “Settings”, then to “Phone Update”. You can see our 4K video review from the Icon below (and the 1520’s camera performs very similarly).
***UPDATE: We now have a full review of the 4K video quality embedded below!***Coming down the pipe this morning, if you happen to own the oft neglected Nokia Lumia Icon, you’re in line for a BIG update.
Jumping the line over all the missed updates and patches, skipping over the Lumia Cyan firmware, VZW will be skipping directly to Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 with Lumia Denim. Go directly to GO, Collect $200. Fantastic.
In the updates arms race between AT&T and Big Red, Windows Phone users have been left out in the cold of late. The Lumia 1520 phablet still a ways behind it’s international brethren, but now Icon owners have a little something to brag about.
We’ll be tearing into the new Lumia Camera app soon, as we can’t wait to try out the new 2160/30p shooting mode.
An OTA should be pushing out soon, but if you don’t want to wait (and you don’t mind completely wiping your phone) you can use the Lumia Software Recovery Tool.
You can see our real world benchmark test of the Icon shooting UHD video below!
I’ve already written a cranky editorial about how frustrating it’s been to watch Google and the Carriers repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot over mobile NFC payments. Thankfully, with Google buying out Softcard, we can maybe see some more progress in the retail arena.
