By The Android Overload is where we feature the biggest news stories from throughout the day (see above video), as well as stash all of the stories/articles/news bits that didn’t make it onto our front page. But just because they weren’t featured doesn’t mean they aren’t worth taking a look at. In fact, there’s almost always a little something here for everyone. So, take a look around and let us know if you find anything of interest.
- Google Play Store officially turns 1 year old today. Celebrates with an all week long app sale that’s… kind of a snoozer. [GooglePlay]
- Improving Google TV: Pinning videos and music for offline viewing. [GTVSource]
- Japanese courts rule that Samsung is abusing the FRAND patent process. [Electronista]
- Pandora will compete directly with radio stations on advertising services after gaining access to $14 billion radio ad sales market. [Bloomberg]
- HTC’s “Ultrapixel” camera tech and “BlinkFeed” could make it’s way to mid-range devices later this year as well. [HTCSource]
- Android apps leak less personal information about its users than iOS apps. [AppleInsider]
- Google begins testing same-day delivery. Steps into Amazon territory. [Reuters]
- Google joins NFC Forum’s board of directors. [TNW]
- Sprint encourages customers to unlock old handsets and use them on their prepaid/MVNO networks. [BGR]
- Samsung Galaxy S4 may feel more premium than the Galaxy S3 — more than likely still plastic. [CNET]
- Sprint announces “Bring Your Own Sprint Device” program for unlocking old Sprint phones for use on MVNOs like Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile. Details still unclear on exactly which devices will be “eligible” but this is epic. [Sprint]
But isn’t it illegal to unlock your phones now? How useless… I think they’re just a tab bit late.
i think unlocking is only considering illegal when it isn’t approved by the carrier, i
think if you call them up to have them allow you to unlock it (not a
sprint issue really, more like at&t phone on t-mobile idea) then it’s ok,
It’s illegal if you unlock it yourself without the consent of the carrier from whom you bought the device. Its a win-win for customers and Sprint if people use their old sprint phones on their prepaid/MVNO network. Not to mention Sprint may not need OEMs to make specific devices for their MVNO customers other then maybe their low-to-mid range devices and even these can be cut out of the equation. In which case they can cut their cost down by doing this. Now Sprint customers on MVNO can buy old Sprint high end devices and use it there….
The CRICKET store down the street from me (franchise, not corporate) will already unlock any SPRINT phone for $25.
The only caveat is you have to use a specific SMS/MMS app (not sure, didn’t ask). Attempts to use the stock SMS/MMS app w/the flashed phone will presumably brick it.
Otherwise,everything else works normally. Hopefully in this new ‘Openness’ that SPRINT is presenting will be the end of these partially-functional flashed phones.
sprint unlocking, epic? could be very very epic :D depending on if it’s gonna be like t-mobile where you can buy any phone they sell and use it on their monthly 4G, rather then needing a contract or only being able to use the ones meant for pre-pay (think no more waiting for a phone to become old on sprint, before VM and boost get it 6months/year later)
I have email from John Votava stating that Virgin Mobile and Boost do not qualify for this as they are both Sprint owned