Sprint Announces Samsung Galaxy S5 Availability; $199 on Contract, $649 Off Contract

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Now Sprint has finally made their plans known about the Samsung Galaxy S5. Yesterday, we heard from AT&T, T-Mobile and US Cellular about pre-orders and and when the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be available from them. Now it’s Sprint’s turn. This morning the nation’s third largest carrier announced the Galaxy S5 price, which is $199 on a new 2-year contract – of course that’s after a $50 mail-in rebate – or $649 if you want to buy the phone outright. However, if you prefer Sprint’s Easy Pay, you can grab the Samsung Galaxy S5 for just $0 down and monthly payments of $27.09.

The Sprint Galaxy S5 will be available on April 11th, and similar to AT&T and US Cellular you can pre-order yours today. Sprint is also offering a nice promotional offer with the Galaxy S5. For a limited time if you purchase a Samsung Galaxy S5 on a Sprint Framily Plan with Easy Pay, you’ll get a free Galaxy Tab 3 7.0. Which also comes with a data plan and a two-year agreement. So it’s not really free. It also doesn’t seem like much of a deal either since the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 is close to a year old already. But nonetheless it is a “free” tablet.

Sprint has also announced the colors that they’ll have available, which are Charcoal Black and Shimmery White. I have no idea why Samsung can’t just name their colors regular names like black and white. We’re assuming that Sprint also only has the 16GB model at launch, although they were not specific. Remember the Galaxy S5 does support microSD cards up to 128GB, so you’ll have plenty of space as well.

Of course, we couldn’t leave out Sprint Spark. Yes the Samsung Galaxy S5 will also be able to take advantage of the Sprint Spark network, which they are rapidly expanding to more and more markets. Which is definitely nice to see.

So how many of our Sprint readers are going to be picking up a Galaxy S5 from Sprint? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below.

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Verizon Tells Us to “Hit Refresh” On March 25th at 1pm ET – Verizon Launching the HTC One on Launch Day?

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We’ve already heard from Carphone Warehouse in the UK that they plan on having the new HTC One available on launch day next week. Now it’s looking like Verizon will have it available that day as well. According to a teaser that popped up from Verizon, this is a box of the HTC One 2014, which shows the cases that were leaked a few weeks ago basically saying “Get ready to hit refresh” and gives the date of March 25th at 1pm ET.

This leak, or teaser or whatever you want to call it, comes to us from the Android Central Forums. And the poster has stated that his store is also receiving an HTC One demo unit. Which all but confirms that the HTC One will be available on launch day at Verizon. Now that’s a huge change from last year when Verizon waited about 6 months to launch the HTC One. So this is definitely going to make some Verizon subscribers happy, especially if they are looking to grab the HTC One. We also heard a little rumor, that Verizon may have the exclusive on launch day, with the rest of the carriers getting it a bit later on. Which would suck, but at least the HTC One isn’t just exclusive to Verizon.

As we stated earlier, the box also shows the fancy dot-based flip cover case which Evleaks leaked a few weeks ago. So it’s looking more and more like that is an official accessory for the HTC One 2014. Which it’ll be interesting to see exactly how that works, and how it affects battery life. As for the launch event, it all goes down on Tuesday, and we’ll have all the information you could ever want to know about the HTC One 2014, right here at Android Headlines. So be sure to keep your browser locked here.

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Now This is What You Call a Smartphone Speaker Dock

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Ever since the iPod took off, we’ve been looking for fancy holders we call “docks” to put our smart devices in. With smartphones of today, things have gone wireless thanks to Bluetooth and WiFi, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a little analogue in today’s digital realm. I’m a big sucker for docks and stands here at Android Headlines, and I recently just purchased a wooden Bluetooth speaker, mostly because it looked nice. As discovered by PhoneArena, this is quite possibly the best-looking smartphone dock there ever was, or ever will be.

Looking like something you’d find in a house of Columbia on Bioshock Infinite, this Steampunk speaker dock works with both Android and iPhone, with your choice of either. There’s a Bluetooth speaker at the foot of the horn, which is amped to produce some pretty decent sound. Of course, we all know that this is more a talking piece than it is your next best speaker system. It does cost $625, which is because an enterprising fellow in New Jersey has painstakingly built this guy from hand. There’s only one in stock at the moment, but I assume there will be more built if demand requires it, but as with everything from Etsy, don’t expect lightning shipping times – someone has to make this first.

Overall, this thing is just badass. I doubt I’d get this past my other half, but if I had the extra cash I would certainly try, wouldn’t you? These days speaker docks, or just wireless speakers on their own seem cold, lifeless and overly plasticky. This steampunk dock certainly does away with all that and if you’re already into the whole steampunk scene, then this is perhaps something you have to own. You can check out more details by heading over to the Etsy link at the source, and if you really want one of these guys, it’s very much worth sending its creator a message.

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Sony Xperia Z2 Deluxe Headed to China

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Sony has a hot device on their hands with the Sony Xperia Z2. Though the device may be delayed a bit, we are still anxious to get our hands on it. Now, there is even more news about the Xperia Z2 that has upped the ante, at least for the consumers in China. Sony may be releasing a deluxe edition of the Xperia Z2.

The Xperia Z2 will be available April 11th world wide, as long as things go according to plan. However, in select markets, Japan being one of them, the Z2 will be released this month. When the Z2 hits China, there will not only be one, but two versions of the device. The deluxe version isn’t exactly an up in specs though in comparison to the original, but more of a deluxe package.

The main event, the Z2, but with this deluxe package you will get some pretty nice Sony accessories. Those accessories will include, an SCR10 style case stand, a DK36 magnetic charging dock, an MDR-NC1EM digital noise canceling headset, and a STM10 stereo microphone. That is an awful lot of Sony swag to come along with your new Xperia Z2, so how much would this deluxe package cost?

First it should be known that the non package deal Xperia Z2 is going to cost somewhere in the $800 ballpark in China. So for this deluxe version, consumers will only have to pay $884, so $84 for all that? Sounds like one of those deals that is too good to be true, however, as far as we can tell, there is no fine print. Seems as the only downside to this deal, is that as of writing this, there is no word on if the deal will be offered in other markets.

In case you aren’t sure when the Xperia Z2 will be coming to you, and when you can stop holding your breath in hopes this deluxe option is available, here are the dates. For China and the deluxe option, that is expected to be available on March 27th, the UK the device and maybe the deluxe edition, availability is set for mid-April. Same goes for the US, mid-April, and the majority of the markets, around that time as well. If any of these accessories really impressed you, there is always the option of buying them separately if there is no deluxe edition in your market. Though it may end up costing more than $84 altogether.

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Layar Augmented Reality App For Google Glass Enters Open Beta

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Layar is one of those apps that attempted to bring us some form of Augmented Reality with their app way back when the original Mytouch launched on T-mobiles network. At that point in time the Mytouch was the second Android device available, and none of the other carriers had released one yet. So for Layar, having their app on the Android Market(as it was known back then)right from the get go almost was a big thing. There hasn’t been much talk about Layar or their app for quite some time, although it is still available on the Play Store, and it has a nicely refreshed UI to match the design of Kit Kat and the design guidelines. This is the first I have personally seen the Layar app and what it looks like since a few years ago when I was actually using it.

Layar’s app seems to have mixed reviews from users on Android devices, with some loving it and some absolutely hating it. Perhaps their newest venture, which is a Google Glass version of their Augmented Reality app, will do them more justice. If anything it should feel more at home on a wearable device like Glass, as it’s worn on your face and just seems like a perfect fit for something that acts and functions much in the same way. Layar’s app provides users with an interesting way to interact with print and printed forms of media, which is quite a bit different from what they started out as. The app used to be a way to find all kinds of information in your local area by using your devices GPS, from tweets near you to local businesses, etc. Now that their focus on what the app provides has changed over the years, they see Google Glass as a huge opportunity for them to thrive naturally. If you own a pair of Google Glass and want to try out the app you can do so by hitting this link and jumping to the Layar website. You can also check out what Layar is all about in this handy little video that they have provided via their YouTube. It’s worth mentioning that so far the app is in beta, so they’ll likely be open to feedback, but more importantly there might be a bug here and there, as well as a lack of features which users should expect to be fine tuned and released as the app gets closer to a final build and released.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Most Wearables Users Consider Themselves Early Adopters, Nielsen Report Finds

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Whether you like them or not, the wearables are invading. We’re seeing a major wearables push from a number of manufacturers, from the Gear 2 to Android Wear. Interested in finding out just what consumers think about wearables, Nielsen produced a new Connected Life Report by surveying nearly 4,000 adults aged 18 and over. Of the folks surveyed, 70% of them said they already know about wearable technology, but only 1 in 6 of those respondents said they currently own a piece of wearable tech.

Nielsen found that 48% of wearable tech owners fall somewhere between 18 and 34 years old, and that men and women are equally likely to use wearables. 75% of respondents who own wearable tech consider themselves to be early adopters, leaving only 25% who consider themselves mainstream consumers. Interestingly enough, it isn’t smartwatches that people are buying most, as fitness bands take the largest slice of the pie with 61%. Smartwatches come in at second place with 45%, while mobile health devices round out the group with just 17%.

Obviously, the reasons these users gave for taking the plunge range from device to device, with many smartwatch owners citing convenience as a primary factor in their decision to buy. 35% of them said they bought a smartwatch to “supplement their smartphone addiction,” so it seems like a fair amount of people are buying smartwatches just for the sake of purchasing new technology. On the other side of the coin, fitness band users gave health-related reasons for buying their devices, with 57% of users saying they bought fitness bands because those give them the ability to self-monitor their activity.

Care to guess what’s most important to smartwatch and fitness band owners? A nearly equal percentage of smartwatch owners said that functionality and comfort were most important to them, while fitness band owners placed the priority on accuracy and battery life. It appears that cost and aesthetics could be the main roadblocks for people who are considering buying a piece of wearable tech. 72% of users said they’d prefer it if wearables were cheaper, while 62% said they wanted to see form factors branch out from just watches and wrist bands (Google Glass, anyone?).

All in all, it’s a neat little report that shows there is certainly some consumer interest in wearables. With such a small percentage of people who actually own wearable tech, however, it seems like manufacturers will need to up the ante in order to get wearables to catch on. It’ll be interesting to see how products like Google Glass change the wearables scene, so stay tuned.

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Rumor: Verizon Receives Accessory Stock For All New HTC One M8 Ahead Of March 25th Event

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Just earlier today we saw that Verizon had begun receiving some marketing posters and materials for The All New HTC One M8 in stores, as if they were preparing to start putting stuff up for launch of the new device soon. We know that Carphone Warehouse is going to be carrying the device minutes after HTC unveils the phone at their two events on March 25th, with one event being in New York City and the other taking place in London, where some attendees may be making their way over to a local Carphone Warehouse to pick one up afterwards. For those that won’t be able to make it to either event, not to worry as HTC will be setting up to live stream the entire thing so you don’t miss a beat.

Thus far we only know that all four major carriers will be selling the device, but we haven’t gotten word if any of them will have it on the day of the announcement. It would appear that at least Verizon may do so as evident by the marketing materials that stores are getting. Even further evidence though that they might actually have the device for sale on the 25th comes by way of a source close to Droid Life, which believes Verizon will be an exclusive US carrier with the device until the phones alleged official global launch in April. There is also apparently a source that says they have heard through the grapevine that Verizon will have the phone for sale either the day of the live event or the day after,(so the 25th or the 26th of March)on a 2 year contract for the price of $199.

The reason for the belief of this rumor is because Verizon has already started receiving not only marketing materials for the new HTC flagship, but accessories as well now. As a former retail sales employee for T-mobile, this generally only happens when the carrier is getting ready to launch the device. That being said, this is just a speculation and these are still just rumors. The HTC event is only four days away, so Verizon may actually be gearing up to put up posters and stock accessories for this new phone. Time will tell, and to be honest, we’re just tired of all the leaks and are eager to see the device officially from HTC themselves.

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