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Just in case you were getting comfortable with the YouTube app's latest design, it looks like there may be more changes in store. It seems a number of users are encountering a new YouTube interface, apparently triggered server-side without an app update.
Google has given a bunch of its apps the Material Design treatment. Thus far, YouTube isn't one of them, even if you're running Android 5.0. But a few users have noticed a UI change that nudges things in that direction. They've fired up the app and slid out the sidebar, only to see that it's now white. With their avatar in the top left atop a colorful background, YouTube is starting to look ever-so-slightly more like what Lollipop users would expect.
When Google launched the Android Device Manager in early August, I applauded the initiative because we finally got a much-needed security solution that was built into every Android devices that ships with Google's services. Rather, it was a good start, since the functionality was so limited: location, remote wipe, and alarm.
Mozilla UI Engineer Lucas Rocha, in a post to his blog earlier today, announced Firefox's "biggest UI change … since [its] first native release back in June last year."
HTC has already looked to metal as a defining characteristic of its flagship phone. Now the company is turning to the Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr., himself in hopes of turning around the company's waning brand perception and getting their highly capable smartphones into the hands of more consumers. HTC has launched a series of ads starring Downey as they kick off their new "Change" branding campaign, and thanks to a two-year contract, we can expect to see the actor pushing the company for quite some time.
Google recently updated its SDK license terms for the first time in a long while. While most changes are minor, one change has been grabbing quite a few headlines – Google's proclamation that those using the SDK are disallowed from taking "any actions that may cause or result in the fragmentation of Android". Here's the full clause in question:
Dropbox Upgrades Its Pro Plans, Doubles Storage Space For No Extra Cost, Adds 500GB Tier
When Google first announced Google Drive, the company made waves, if not by being better than Dropbox, then at least by being cheaper. 100GB of storage
When Google first announced Google Drive, the company made waves, if not by being better than Dropbox, then at least by being cheaper. 100GB of storage on Google Drive was $4.99 a month to Dropbox's $19.99. Well, today Dropbox is getting closer to being competitive with Google by increasing the amount of storage for its Pro users.
Sprint customers now have one more self-service option when managing their account online. A couple of days earlier than its official launch, the carrier has begun allowing users to change their phone number online, thereby avoiding the $15 fee charged when switching numbers via phone or in-store.
In a move that is likely to upset every single AT&T customer to some degree, the nation's number two carrier has decided that its current upgrade fee (a cost tacked on whenever a current customer renews their contract and gets a new phone) isn't covering the rising cost of subsidized smartphones. The current upgrade fee is $18, and will soon be doubled to $36, matching the current fee at Sprint.
ATRIX 4G users rejoice - HSUPA will soon be here, and without any sort of hacky flashing requiring root access. The official Motorola update page for the ATRIX 4G's latest OTA, 4.1.83, has appeared on Motorola's website today. Here's the change log "highlights" according to Moto:
Update: BGR just confirmed with AT&T that the early upgrade price bump listed for iPhones applies to all smartphones - that means early upgrade pricing for 2-year agreement customers will go up by 50 bucks on all Android phones.
Let's face it: as Android users, we like options. One of the greatest things about this platform is the insane level of customization possible, especially if you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty. With some readily available tools (all of which are extremely free) and the proper knowledge, you can make your android phone do almost anything you could possibly want and make it look however you want. What we'll be talking about today is the bootscreen.
It appears that Verizon got a little bit too excited about the "end of September" switch-over for the Droid Incredible's screen. As an internal memo revealed to us a couple of weeks ago, the Droid Incredible was slated to make the switch from an AMOLED screen to SLCD (Super LCD) at the end of September but, as these snapshots show us, the future is now.