HTC’s One smartphones have been a beacon of superior design among Android handsets, yet amid slumping sales even that bright light is dimming for the struggling smartphone maker as its head of design has decided to leave the company.
The man behind HTC’s One smartphone line, Scott Croyle, has announced that he is leaving the Taiwanese company after leading the industrial design and user experience teams since his studio One & Co was acquired in 2008.
Today’s free wallpaper shows Andy the Droid eating and enjoying his lunch.
Amazon’s rumored smartphone might be loaded with radical new hardware and strange UI gestures, but its most powerful feature could be its ability to drive down mobile data prices.
A specialized data plan called Amazon Prime Data will make its debut on Amazon’s phone, according to a report from BGR attributed to “multiple trusted sources.” If the anonymous sources’ information proves accurate, Prime Data could take the sting out of binging on streaming movies, TV shows and music. More importantly, Amazon’s bold initiative could force the entire industry to lower prices, much like Bezos has done with books, online shopping and tablets.
Streambells, one of the finest media streaming apps on Android, is now even better after receiving a new update that adds support for the Google Chromecast. It makes Streambells the first Android app to fully support all popular media streaming platforms — including Apple AirPlay and DLNA.
And if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also love how easy it is to use, and the fact that it’s completely free.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the OnePlus One. Its design and specifications make it one of the most exciting smartphones we’ve seen this year; it’s equipped to compete with rivals like the HTC One M8 and the Samsung Galaxy S5. In addition, it’s a steal at $299.
But we know it’s not going to be easy to get hold of one — at least not initially.
You may be tempted to take part in the OnePlus “Smash the Past” competition that gives you the chance to win the new device by smashing up your old one, then — but it’s a downright stupid idea, and you shouldn’t even think about taking part.
