Time to purchase a new smartphone? Is this an upgrade from an existing device? We want to help you out either way.
To save you money, we’ve gathered up all of the promotions we could find from AT&T. Regardless of where you’re thinking of going for service, or what phone you are looking to pick up, you owe it to yourself to check below.
What follows is a mix of phone, rate plan, and accessory promotions worth checking out. It might not be an exhaustive list, but it’s a good collection of what’s currently offered through AT&T.
Although we’ve listed known expiration dates, we have no idea how long some of these other deals will last.
A few days ago Samsung officially announced it will start pushing an update for the Galaxy Note7 in the US, which will disable the phablet’s capacity to charge thus rendering it into a useless piece of metal.
Samsung said it will work with carriers to make sure the update is pushed on all remaining Galaxy Note7 units in the country. Verizon already released a statement saying it won’t be aiding Samsung disable the phablet, especially not in the wake of the holiday season.
What about the other carriers? Well AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint all have Samsung’s back on the Galaxy Note7 issue. But if you’re still holding on to a Galaxy Note7, then you should not you’re at least going to be allowed to enjoy Christmas with your beloved phablet.
T-Mobile is going to unleash the killswitch first, starting on December 27, followed by AT&T on January 5 and Sprint on January 8.
AT&T already started sending out messages to users alerting them the Grim Reaper is coming. To sweeten the deal, the carrier also invited soon-to-be Galaxy Note7 widowers to return to the place of purchase for an exchange.
Samsung said in its official statement on Friday that in the US, 93%of the phablet have been returned. However, the remaining 7% is not sitting well with Samsung, hence this drastic measure.
Galaxy Note7 users have had enough time to take advantage of the available ailments (up to three months), but given that some people continue to remain overly attached to the gadget, Samsung had no choice but to unsheathe the kill blade.
Ok, so we know Nokia has confirmed it will be making a comeback into the world of smartphones in 2017 with the help of its partner, HMD. We’ve also seen a couple of premium looking smartphones with rumored high-end (ish) specs leak online, in the past few months.
But in a recent interview in India, HDM’s CEO revealed that Nokia is looking to re-enter the low to mid-range smartphone niche. At least for starters.
According to NPU, the first Nokia-branded smartphones to see the light of day will be priced quite competitively. Known in the rumor mill as the Nokia D1C, the handset will be unveiled in two variants in February 2017, during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
The leaked spec list, would have us believe the Nokia D1C will launch with either 5-inch or 5.5-inch display versions with 1080p resolution and 2GB or 3GB of RAM.
The two phones will have a few specs in common including the Snapdragon 430 processor clocked at 1.4GHz plus Adreno 505 GPU, 16GB of storage, 16MP/13MP dual main camera plus 8MP selfie shooter and Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.
The report claims, the lower-end version with 5-inch display and 2GB of RAM will hit the market for $150, while the 5.5-inch model with 3GB of RAM will feature a $200 price-tag.
Nokia hopes to take the world by storm with these two smartphones and is hoping they will attract customers especially in emerging markets like India, which are known for its competitiveness.
Note that this information hasn’t been officially confirmed, although HMD’s CEO did say in the interview the first Nokia branded smartphones will be very competitively priced.
Earlier leaked info claimed Nokia is bound to unveil a premium combo as well, in the form of a 5.2-inch and 5.5-inch devices with QHD resolution. The phones were said to be operated by a Snapdragon 820 and to be IP68 certified.
In all possibility, Nokia and HMD want to tackle the budget market first in order to pave the way for the more expensive handsets.
Would you consider buying a super affordable Nokia?
Happy Monday everyone. Did you get some rest this weekend? I know I tried to, but it always seems like this time of year is just that extra little bit busier with all of the holiday activities. There didn’t seem to be any huge, earth-shattering news in the tech world this weekend, but we do have some headlines you may want to keep your eyes on if you own an LG V20, use AndroidPay, are interested in a new Android Wear watch, a new phone from Huawei, or plan on picking up the Samsung Galaxy S8. Let’s get to it…
Video catches a V20 bootloop. LG’s hardware troubles continue
If you follow LG, you may know about the Korean giant’s issue with bootloops. Bootloops are when a device starts to boot up, detects an error or fault and starts the process over again. LG has had pretty consistent issues with its devices developing hardware failures that result in bootloops. In the past, the LG G4, V10, and G5 have all had issues as well as the LG-made Nexus 5X.
This is a worrying trend, especially now with video of the V20 exhibiting the same behavior. Now, here are some things we need to keep in mind about the video below: It’s only 84 seconds of a bootloop and could have been temporary. Also, we don’t know what was done to the device before the video and we don’t know if this is an isolated incident or an example of a bigger problem.
Take a big grain of salt with the video. I do think it’s newsworthy based on LG’s past issues with bootloops, but obviously, we cannot speak to its veracity. I am currently writing up my review for the LG V20 and haven’t run into any issues like that for what it’s worth.
I do think it’s newsworthy based on LG’s past issues with bootloops, but obviously, we cannot speak to its veracity. I am currently writing up my review for the LG V20 and haven’t run into any issues like that for what it’s worth.
The Huawei Mate 9 is coming to the US. And soon!
Huawei is one of the Android OEMS attempting to bring its talents to America’s shores after a strong start overseas. The Chinese brand recently released the Honor 8, a really excellent midrange device we took a look at earlier this year. Now, we’re getting a second official Huawei device launch in the US (not taking into account the Huawei Nexus 6P). Legendary leaker EVLeaks let us know that the Huawei Mate 9 will be released in the US on January 9.
As you can see from the tweet, the Mate 9 shares some similar aesthetics with the Nexus 6P but features a new Leica branded dual-camera setup. The current version of the Mate 9 being sold overseas features those dual 20MP cameras, a 5.9″ 1080P display, 4GB of RAM, a Kirin 960 processor, a 4000mAh battery, and Android 7.0 Nougat. No word on pricing yet, but we hope to see it fall in line with other premium $400 devices, but a standard flagship fee may apply.
Save a ton on Uber with AndroidPay
Reddit user Redd17 took to the Android subreddit this weekend to point out that AndroidPay is running an excellent promo in concert with Uber. Currently, when you pay with AndroidPay you’ll receive 50% off your ride up to $15 and you can use the promotion five times. Redd17 pointed out in the comments that this deal was previously available, but the savings only reached $5 per ride instead of the current $15.
If Uber isn’t your thing, Google is also offering other promotions with companies like Delivery.com, Doordash, Foodler, Instacart, Jet.com, Newegg, PayByPhone, PoshMark, and SeatGeek. You can check out all the details on the AndroidPay Promotions Page.
Soon you’ll be able to do more things by simply voicing a command. If you have a Google Home speaker at home, then you should know the little device is bound to get a few, new features soon.
As originally reported by the Android Police, some select users are reporting Netflix and Google Photos integration with their Google Home speakers. Apparently a new “Videos and Photos” section now appears within the Google Home app’s Assistant setting. Here users will be able to link their Netflix account or enable (and disable) Photos integration.
However, it appears some users are having a hard time linking their Netflix account or playing Netflix content, which suggests the feature might need some fine-tuning before being made available to everyone.
The update which will hopefully be rolled out for the masses until the end of the year, offers users the option of asking Google Home to play Netflix TV shows and movies and display personal photos on a Chromecast or Chromecast-compatible device.
In order to see if the new “Videos and Photos” are available to you follow these steps:
Launch the Google Home app
Tap the Devices icon on the upper right corner
Find your Home device and then select the three dots located in the right top corner
Open Settings
Find the Google Assistant settings and tap on More
If you are among the chosen ones, you should see the “Videos and Photos” section right there
Not so long ago, Google introduced “Actions on Google” – an initiative aimed to provide the ground base for third-party developers interested to integrate voice support for their products via Google Assistant. Which is what we’re seeing right now.
If you are interested in purchasing a Google Home connected speaker you can do so for $129 a pop from the Google Store.
Here at AndroidGuys we really loved the HTC 10 and we called it “among the best smartphones to date”. However the handset hasn’t been so popular with Android fans around the world.
Launched this April, the HTC 10 was apparently “embraced by the market” according to the Taiwanese company. But, during Q3 the phone maker posted $57 million loss, which once again prompted rumors that HTC was looking to sell its mobile division.
But recently a HTC top manager confirmed the company is not giving up and is working on future flagships, referring without a doubt to the HTC 11.
We’re certainly a few months away from HTC unveiling the handset, but rumors about the upcoming premium phone have already started making rounds online.
According to TimesNews, the HTC 11 is going to pack a larger display than the HTC 10 which offered a 5.2-inch panel. The tipster shared a render of the upcoming phone which revealed a phone with a borderless display, pretty much in the vein of the Xiaomi Mi MIX. It seems that edge-to-edge screens are going to be a thing in 2017, as the Galaxy S8 is also rumored to sport one.
Like the HTC Bolt, the HTC 11 will feature a 5.5-inch display with 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution. Under the hood breathing life into the whole device will be the new Snapdragon 835 chipset. Phones with 8GB of RAM haven’t appeared on the market just yet, although the OnePlus 3T was rumored to be the first to offer that kind of RAM capacity.
Well sources would have us believe the HTC 11 will be among the first handsets to arrive with 8GB of RAM plus 256GB of native storage. As for the photography department, the phone should feature a main dual camera setup with two 12MP camera sensors plus an 8MP front-facing snapper.
The HTC 11 will come bundling a larger battery of 3,700 mAh capacity (compared to the 3,000 mAh fuel cell of the HTC 10) and Android 7.0 out of the box with HTC’s own Sense 8 UI.
The tipster even shares with us the expected price of the device in the UK, so if the info turns out to be true the phone should sell for £550+ a pop (or $691).
Don’t forget this is just speculation at this point, so you should take all the info above with a big grain of salt.
Nothing has been shared about possible design changes or other special characteristics the phone might bring. We could end up seeing the HTC 11 make a debut sometime in April 2017, but we can’t be sure at the moment.
Are you a Sprint customer? The you should know your favorite carrier just unleashed a new holiday promotion that is guaranteed to make Christmas better this year.
All you need to do is visit Sprint’s new “Snow Place Like Home” website and enter the relevant information in order to be eligible to win one of the twenty HTC Bolt handsets, which Sprint called its “fastest smartphone ever”.
But wait there’s more. The grand prize consists of $5,000 in gift cards from Amazon.com, an Amazon Echo, one-year membership of Amazon Prime plus a one-year subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited and the HTC Bolt.
Sounds pretty neat doesn’t it? And you don’t have do much to enter either. Just fill in the form under “Enter now”.
No purchase is necessary to enter or win, although to be eligible you’ll need to be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the US, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. You also have to be a Sprint wireless customer in good standing with service staring on or before 10/9/2016.
The sweepstakes starts at 12:01 a. ET Friday, 9 December and ends at 11:59 p.m ET Friday, 23 December.
Customers can enter daily, but you can get one extra per day by following Sprint on Twitter or tweeting a picture of your favorite Christmas tradition. Don’t forget to tag your tweet with #SprintSnowSweepstakes.
In case you don’t remember, the HTC Bolt was unveiled by Sprint not so long ago. The smartphone features a 5.5-inch LCD display with 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
Weirdly enough Sprint is called the HTC Bolt its fastest phone even if the device runs last year’s Snapdragon 810 processor. The device also bundles 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. By contrast the HTC 10 had 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage onboard.
Other specs include a 16MP main camera capable of taking pictures in RAW format plus an 8MP selfie snapper. The phone takes advantage of the services of a 3,200 mAh battery and runs Android 7.0 Nougat out the box.
While there are other phones out there that could easily top the HTC Bolt, the phone could make a pretty sweet holiday gift nonetheless.
Time to purchase a new smartphone? Is this an upgrade from an existing device? We want to help you out either way.
To save you money, we’ve gathered up all of the promotions we could find from Verizon. Regardless of where you’re thinking of going for service, or what phone you are looking to pick up, you owe it to yourself to check below.
What follows is a mix of phone, rate plan, and accessory promotions worth checking out. It might not be an exhaustive list, but it’s a good collection of what’s currently offered through Verizon.
Although we’ve listed known expiration dates, we have no idea how long some of these other deals will last.
Time for something a bit different. Up until now, we’ve been comparing Android-based phones to one another; this time, though, we’re going to compare what many consider to be the cream of the Android crop – Google’s Pixel XL – with the Apple’s most popular device – the iPhone 7 Plus. Since iOS and Android are very different beasts in terms of Operating System, I’m going to focus on hardware, and the value of that hardware for the price – off contract, though I’ll make a note of the on-contract price and carrier availability as well.
Let’s get it on!
Build
168g vs. 188g
IP 53 vs. IP 67
Let’s start with the body – both phones are made of mostly aluminum frames, with a bit of glass accent on the Pixel XL. While the 7 Plus is heavier, taller and wider than is the Pixel, it’s also more than a millimeter thinner. The Pixel is “splash” and dust resistant, while the 7 Plus (probably referred to just as the iPhone from now) is “water” and dust resistant. In quantifiable terms, the Pixel has an IP (Ingress Protection) Rating of 53 – the iPhone comes in at 67. Pixel’s rating means it is resistant to heavy amounts of dust and resistant to “sprays” of water (mist). The iPhone’s, however, is much more impressive – dust-proof and protected from water immersion of up to 1m. As usual, Apple’s build quality is really the industry standard; I don’t think you’ll find many people out there that’ll argue with you.
Screen
5.5″ AMOLED vs. 5.5″ IPS LCD
534 ppi vs. 401 ppi
We all know I’m biased here – I love me some AMOLED screens. Pixel has a higher screen density and uses a more energy-conservative technology (though the iPhone’s is probably less hungry, given the lower pixel density). The iPhone’s screen also sports 3D Touch, which while the technology hasn’t taken off as Apple hoped, is still different than anything Pixel has (though it should be noted that Google is trying to compete in this area with its new Launcher Shortcuts). In Google’s favor, Pixel is built with Gorilla glass – and as we all know, Apple’s phones tend to…shatter a bit.
Yeah…
Internals
Snapdragon 821 (2.15GHz) vs. A10 Fusion (2.34GHz)
4GB RAM vs. 3GB RAM
128GB vs. 256GB Internal Storage
Kind of an interesting mix, here. Pixel XL has more RAM, but iPhone has a stronger processor and a higher maximum internal storage. Apple’s line has always managed to do more with less in terms of RAM, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in that 1GB advantage Pixel has – if anything, this is a wash.
Internal Features
802.11AC Wifi, Bluetooth 4.2, Fingerprint Sensor
Type-C USB vs. Lightning Connector
Standard practices here, with a couple exceptions – Fingerprint sensors and charging connectors. Pixel utilizes its fingerprint sensor to enable gestures, controlling the notification shade without using the touchscreen. Apple prefers its own proprietary technology for charging (there’s a shocker), while Google uses the new industry standard USB-C cable. AndroidPit has a very good comparison of the two technologies – give it a read.
I just wanted an excuse to show off this picture we took – I’m a sucker for woodgrain.
Battery Life
3450mAh vs. 2900mAh
32hrs vs. 21hrs Talk Time
Pixel’s battery is 550mAh larger than is the iPhone’s, and it shows in the difference in talk time. Pixel’s AMOLED screen should help use the battery efficiently, despite being an overall more dense resolution, and the higher clock speed of Apple’s CPU makes it a bit more of a power hog. Expect to get as significantly longer charge out of Pixel.
Camera
12.3mp vs. 12mp
Dual LED vs. Quad LED Flash
F2.0 vs. F1.8/2.3 Aperture
1.55 μm vs. 1.22 μm Pixel Size
This is a mess, specification-wise. Pixel has more megapixels, larger aperture, a stronger selfie camera, and laser focus. The iPhone has smaller pixel size (giving it an overall better resolution) optical zoom, dual cameras (one of which has a comparable aperture size to Pixel), and HDR support. Lots to choose from – personally, I’m thinking the iPhone’s camera probably has the edge.
Value
$869 vs. $969
Damned near a grand for a smartphone – what is the world coming to. My goodness. I’m not even gonna comment anymore. Just think on that for a moment.
Verdict
I’m an AndroidGuy, through and through. I will always choose Android over Apple, and it’s 100% based on the philosophy of their creators. Google celebrates diversity, individuality, and open-source development. Apple prefers to limit all its software to Apple hardware, and prefers making proprietary accessories and charging an arm and a leg for them. No contest in my eyes.
…That being said, if you’re talking purely about hardware, these two phones are pretty comparable – just how Google planned it, I’m sure.
Are you a current or prospective Sprint customer looking for a new phone? Do you know which model is the right one to get? Why not let us help you pick out the best handset based on your needs. Here’s a look at what we recommend at Sprint for various types of users.
