Here are Your AT&T Black Friday Weekend Deals: Free Moto X or HTC One, 50% Off Jambox, and More

 AT&T dropped off a massive Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend deal list into our inbox that includes items like a free Moto X (no MotoMaker), free HTC One, 50% off JAMBOX speakers, $30 Galaxy S4s, and half off all sorts of tablets. You’ll even find deals on things like the JBL wireless charging speaker (60% off), a Polaroid Bluetooth printer, and all sorts of cases.

Some of the deals on Samsung’s Galaxy line kick off tomorrow, but most of the big stuff starts on Friday and continues on through Monday, December 2. The deals can be had both online and in AT&T stores. We have the entire list for you below, broken down by deal and date.

As you can imagine, the “free” deals all require that you sign a new 2-year  contract.

 

Source: Droid Life

Moto G Shells and Flips Shells Now Available Starting at $14.99, Ship December 2

 

Motorola surprised us somewhat yesterday when they announced that their ultra-affordable phone, the Moto G, was now available in the U.S. as a GSM phone. Without a contract at $179 for the 8GB model, and $199 for the 16GB model, this might be the best deal in the mobile industry. Sure, the phone doesn’t have LTE, but most HSPA+ networks are plenty fast these days, just ask Nexus 4 owners how they’ve held up over the last year.

To top off its striking price, the Moto G also carries a bit of the Moto X’s customization swagger by being able to utilize swappable back plates called Shells. There are 19 options altogether through Shells, Flip Shells (like a Samsung Flip Cover), and Grip Shells. As of this morning, the Shells ($14.99) and Flip Shells ($29.99) are now available with free shipping. The Grip Shells are not yet available.

If you choose to pick up a Moto G and a Shell or two, you are looking at color options that include turquoise, black, cherry, lemon lime, chalk, violet, and royal blue.

Before you get too invested in the price of the Moto G, remember that Motorola is hosting a mega-sale on Cyber Monday for the Moto X with MotoMaker. You can pick up their 2013 flagship for $350 without a contract. The Moto G might be the best overall value in the industry, by that Moto X deal is the best we have seen heading into this holiday shopping weekend.

 

Source: Droid Life

AT&T Galaxy S4 Update to Android 4.3 Ready Again as Build I337UCUEMK2

Shortly after beginning to push the Android 4.3 update for the Galaxy S4 on AT&T as build 1337UCUEMJ9, issues arose causing the rollout to be stopped. Parties involved reportedly confirmed that there were issues and that they were investigating them, though no new timeline for a rollout was given. According to an update to AT&T’s Galaxy S4 support page, today is the day that 4.3 will resume, only this time as build I337UCUEMK2.

The update weighs in a little more as well at roughly 727MB. Other than that, it should be exactly as you were expecting when the first update began. Here is what the changelog shows:

• Android 4.3 OS upgrade (www.android.com/whatsnew)
• Samsung Galaxy Gear compatibility
• Drag and drop to uninstall or disable applications
• Call reliability improvements

To try and pull the update, head into Settings>About phone>Software update>Check for update. The update is supposed to “effective” as of today.

 

Source: Droid Life

CyanogenMod Installer Removed From Play Store At Google’s Insistence, Still Available For Sideloading

 

As part of an effort to expand adoption of CyanogenMod, the developers recently released the CyanogenMod Installer app in Google Play. All was well for a few weeks, but today Google contacted the CyanogenMod team to explain that the installer app was in violation of Google Play’s policies. So, the CM folks agreed to take the app down.

The app acts as a tool to help users get their devices connected to a computer over ADB – it doesn’t actually do any of the heavy lifting of unlocking and flashing the device. All that is handled by the desktop client that connects over ADB. Google’s rationale for the removal was that the CM Installer app ‘encourages users to void their warranty,’ which is unacceptable even if it doesn’t technically violate a rule (see update below). Of course, by that logic most root-only apps and tools encourage people to void warranties.

The installer app is still available for download on the CM site when people click “Get Started.” It can be sideloaded like any other app after Unknown Sources is enabled in the settings. CyanogenMod is also submitting the app to the Amazon and Samsung app stores, where it will probably be rejected. Apparently it’s harder to go legit that we thought.

Note, the app may still show up with a direct link for a while, but it’s already gone from search results.

Update: According to the CM blog post, Google as much as admitted the app wasn’t violating the letter of the law, but was still going to be removed. The developer agreement specifically gives Google broad authority to remove material from Google Play “at its sole discretion.” The document uses the phrase several times in section 7.2 to make the point. This section also refers to Google’s agreements with carriers and OEMs superseding those made with developers. That may be part of the issue as well.

Update 2: Koushik Dutta has just linked to the newly released source code for the app on Google+, but as he points out, it’s nothing groundbreaking.

Update, the third: CM updated their blog post to remove the assertion that Google told the team that the app was not technically in violation of the TOS. The post says that was a “mischaracterization of Google’s statement.”

 

 

Source: Android Police

[New App] SidePlayer | SidePlayer Pro

 

If you’re listening to music while using your phone or tablet for something else, you don’t always want to stop what you’re doing to fiddle with the song. If you’re in a game, for example, you may have to exit to the home screen just to get to your music controls, but SidePlayer offers an alternative. It pops a small control panel out from the edge of the screen when you need it, and hides it when you don’t.

SidePlayer ties into various music players like Google Play Music, PowerAmp, n7 player, and several OEM music apps. Just drag in from the right edge of the screen and the controls appear. Drag back, and they recede. This works in any app, even a full-screen game. The free version of the app is limited to this basic functionality, but the $1.75 pro edition includes themes, metadata display, more layouts, active area positioning, and more.

This app doesn’t make a lot of sense for devices that can show the notification shade in full-screen apps (like Samsung devices and stock KitKat), but it could be great for others. You can give it a shot for free, so why not?

 

 

Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.side.player

Download Pro: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.side.player.pro

[New Game] MLB.com Franchise MVP

I played one year of a baseball as a kid, and for a brief – very brief – period in my life, I imagined what it would be like to play on a Major League Baseball team. Yet I was never much of a serious fan, and I lacked the skills to even maintain the fantasy for a significant period of time. Thanks to Franchise MVP, the latest game MLB.com has pitched into the Play Store, no one will again have to expend much effort picturing themselves as the most valuable player on an MLB team.

Franchise MVP contains over 120 teams from Class A, Double-A, Triple-A, and Major Leagues. Players get to play on any position on the field, building up their skills and acquiring the best gear needed to boost them to the top. It’s very hands-on, with players getting to take control of the action by swiping and tapping within several provided batting, pitching, and fielding mini-games.

The game is free to download, but there’s virtual currency that you’re welcome to spend real currency on. It’s not necessary, but the choice is yours. Take a swing at the widget below if you’re ready to prove that you’re the best.

 

 

Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mlb.FranchiseMVP

[New Game] Wrath of Psychobos – Ben 10

Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow, which means there will be many kids who need something to occupy their time while parents drone on and on about family, politics, and football. Cartoon Network is here to help. They’ve dropped Wrath of Psychobos – Ben 10 into the Play Store, complete with visuals reminiscent of the hit TV show.

The game is deeper than first impressions would suggest, with over 30 levels within diverse environments spread across multiple planets. Players take control of Ben, who can transform into various aliens, or Rook, who can wield such weapons as a laser bow, energy sword, or proto shield.

This game is already available for play on Cartoon Networks’ website, but the new Android version lets you, or your kid, take it around on a mobile device. It costs just $2.99, but some items are tucked away behind in-app purchases. Be on the lookout for those.

 

 

Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.turner.wrathofpsychobos1

[New Game] Nakama

Crescent Moon has been one of the more reliable developers on the Play Store as of late, and their newest game is definitely worth a look from anyone who enjoys a good old-fashioned beat-em-up. Nakama evokes the spirit of 2D side-scrolling fighters like Streets Of Rage or Double Dragon. At least, it’s like Double Dragon might have been if you played it at 200 frames per second.

You play as an inexplicably blocky ninja on a quest to save his friends. For reasons that are not overly apparent, this involves killing lots and lots of bad guys, who may or may not also be ninjas. There are only four control buttons: left, right, A, and B; this Spartan interface would feel right at home in an OrangePixel game. You run, stab, and slash your way through the bad guys at a speed that would make Dante or Kratos jealous. There’s not a whole lot of depth in the simple combos, but for the right kind of twitch gamer, it’s a whole lot of fun.

I must admit that touch controls have become much better in the last year or so, and Nakama’s are blessedly simple. But if you must have real buttons underneath your fingers, then the developers have built in support for MOGA’s various controllers just for you. (NVIDIA SHIELD owners, you can map out the controls with the 4.3 update). Nakama is a free download for Android 2.3 or later.

 

Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crescentmoongames.nakama

[New Game] Final Fantasy IV: After Years

 

Fans of classic Squaresoft RPGs have had a smorgasbord on the Google Play Store as of late, but it’s all been remakes and re-releases. The first “new” Final Fantasy game to come to the platform (unless you count some of the simple stuff like Final Fantasy All The Bravest, which you shouldn’t) is Final Fantast IV: The After Years. It’s a sequel to the old FFIV (from 1991) released for Japanese mobile market in 2008 before making it to the Wii in 2011.

Since it was originally released as a series of downloads, The After Years is split up into ten playable chapters, four in the main story and six side stories. The game has been given a full 3D makeover not unlike the Nintendo DS re-releases, and of course it’s got full touchscreen support. Final Fantasy veterans will want to know that the The After Years utilizes the active time battle system, with additional quirks provided by lunar phases and full-party attacks.

Square Enix has a high opinion of its titles, and The After Years is no exception: the price comes in at a whopping $15.99. That said, this might actually be worth it for hardcore Square fans, especially if they enjoyed the original FFIV (which is also available on Android). The new title uses Google Game support for achievements. Unfortunately it doesn’t work with ART in Android 4.4; if you’re on KitKat, enable the default runtime before starting.

 

 

Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FF4AY_GP

[New App] Cox Contour

When it comes to cable, there’s a lot not to like. The monthly bill continues to go up, and no matter how many channels you add, there’s still never anything good on to watch. This somehow manages to be the case even while many shows are still exclusively available on cable. Yet as frustrating as the major providers may be, there is one trend that I can readily get behind, and that’s the addition of Android apps meant to supplement their traditional service. Cox Communications has added another offering into the mix, Cox Contour, which provides access to over 100 channels and on-demand content.

This isn’t Cox’s first Android app to support streaming content, but this opens up access to significantly more channels than Cox TV Connect provides. Unlike that alternative, though, Contour only works on a select few Android tablets. Both require you to be on your home WiFi connection to have any access at all.

The app is available for free to subscribers who have bundled Cox Essential, Advanced, or Contour TV with the company’s Preferred, Premier, or Ultimate Internet service. You will need a Cox User ID and password in order to sign in. Get started by grabbing the app from the Play Store below.

 

Download: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cox.contour