Many of us surely prefer the stock flavor Android also referred to as ‘vanilla/pure Android’ over any manufacturer skins especially those which are deemed too ‘cumbersome’ and ugly. – Yes I’m talking about Samsung’s TouchWiz UI, the overlay bundled in virtually all Android handsets made by Samsung. Well, not quite; the recently announced Galaxy S4 ‘Google Edition’ sports stock Android but the only bummer is that it’ll be available only in the United States initially. That’s the catch here, especially for those from the rest of world who were hoping to get their hands on one.

Google, speaking to CNet UK has confirmed that the Snapdragon 600 powered LTE Google device would be a U.S exclusivity at launch.

The reason behind this may be purely technical as well as marketing-related as this special Galaxy S4 packs LTE radios specifically designed to operate on the U.S frequencies/bands and releasing it elsewhere would kinda make no sense.

Let’s not forget that Samsung has introduced its flagship device with all the trimmings of TouchWhiz and S-applications and so-forth, the culmination of significant development and investment in Samsung’s own image.

We doubt that the Google Edition would hit European soil given the current state of the Nexus lineup there. A possible European variant cannot be ruled out either, we might soon see it popping out in Europe in matter of months for roughly the same price shall Google change its mind.

Folks attached to the pure Android experience are left with no other choice than to either get the aging Nexus 4 or to flash a stock custom ROM on a regular Galaxy S4 (I9500/I9505). Other alternatives from other manufacturers is also to be considered if you’re not a fan of TouchWiz, but hey! It’s not that much of a big deal, Samsung’s in-house software may not suit your taste but let’s not forget the plethora of premium features & goodies bundled with the GS4!

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A photo allegedly taken by a Samsung Galaxy Note III phablet surfaced on the web a few days go. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is yet to be introduced to the masses,with its official unveiling by Samsung to be on 6th of September at IFA 2013 in Berlin. Well what proof is there to prove that this photo was taken by the Samsung Galaxy Note III? Apparently, the EXIF data pulled from the photo reveals this (which could also be easily fixed). The device codenamed GT-N72000 (running firmware N7200XXUAMEB) is on the EXIF data sheet.

Conclusions that can be made is that the Galaxy Note III seems to have a 13 megapixel sensor, according to the resolution of the photo. Considering the stir that the Galaxy S4 has caused,the Galaxy Note 3 is definitely something to look forward to. Check out the photo below.

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Samsung Electronics announced on March 14th in New York, the 2013 flagship smartphone – Galaxy S4 available in White Frost and Black Mist colors right now. Recently we’ve come across another variant demoed in a video in Asia all dressed in Blue (Arctic Blue). A fourth version of the Galaxy S4 has been spotted the other day in a Samsung promotional clip called ‘Hi Hey Hello.’ The Galaxy S4 Amber Brown probably set to get unveiled during IFA 2013 in Berlin this fall.

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Samsung Electronics announced on Wednesday, May 22nd, that the company invested 53 billion won (around $47.6 million USD) in Pantech, the third largest mobile maker in South Korea. The investment made, makes Samsung the third biggest shareholder within the company after the U.S. mobile chip manufacturer Qualcomm Inc and State-Run Korea Development Bank, each owning 11.96% and 11.81% stakes in the company.

According to YonHap new agency, Samsung has a strong relationship with Pantech in semiconductor and display businesses. Just last year (2012), Pantech purchased electronic parts worth 235 billion won from Samsung’s affiliates such as Samsung SDI. The current deal will solidify these ties between the two manufacturers.

Pantech is the 3rd biggest OEM in Korea after Samsung Electronics (obviously) and LG Electronics.

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About a month ago Samsung Electronics introduced two (I don’t even know what to call these, phablet maybe) new Android-powered devices, the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Galaxy Mega 5.8. None of the two Mega feature impressive hardware, however both come with a generous screen size, which these days is something many consumers fancy.

The UK retailer Clove Technology divulged on its blog, that the Galaxy Mega 6.3 will land on their stock in July at a pretty steep price – £460 (tax included) some would say, considering the hardware. However, if you still want one the pre-orders are now open on Clove website.

The first stock includes the 16GB model only and it will be available in both Black or White colors almost almost 40 days from now. Samsung has plans to sell it in the U.S. and Europe as well, but right now there aren’t any details available for these markets.

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LG Electronics has introduced four series of smartphones at Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona: Optimus G, Optimus V, Optimus L and Optimus F. LG Optimus F3 is an entry-level smartphone which is part of the Optimus F series which will make its way to Sprint carrier this summer.

An alleged press image has been leaked with the handset that will join the Now Network line-up. As a reminder, the LG Optimus F3 will come with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS, a 4 inch WVGA screen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, and a dual core processor. The Optimus F3 specs also include a 2,460 mAh battery, GPS and a microUSB port.

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Just the other day a few photos uncovering a ‘ruggedized’ Samsung Galaxy S4 Active have been published online and we are treated with a whole 41 seconds video hands-on demo with the same handset. The video shows exactly the same red and black painted phone with an unexpected Snapdragon S4 Pro Plus chipset in it, although rumors pointed out towards a Snapdragon 600 like its twin brother. The same S4 Pro Plus chipset would be making its way onto the Galaxy S4 Mini smartphone according to GFX Benchmark listing.

However since this is could be just a prototype of the final product Samsung GT-I9295, lets just wait and see if Samsung Electronics will indeed equip it with a Snapdragon 600 SoC or a Snapdragon S4 Pro Plus.

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HTC has already launched its 2013 flagship smartphone with glimpses showing up here and there about a couple of new devices coming this summer as well. And this is not all, HTC has plans to expand its HTC Desire series with a couple of new handsets – HTC Desire 600 and HTC Desire 200.

According to GFX Benchmark website the HTC Desire 600 is a Dual-SIM smartphone running Android 4.1.2 build JZO54K and it is powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and a Adreno 203 GPU. The screen size is somewhere between 4.3 to 4.5 inch with 960 x 540 pixel resolution.

While the second device dubbed HTC Desire 200, using model number HTC 102e is linked with HTC G2 and will pack according to rumors a 3.5 inch HVGA display, 1GHz (1 core) processor with 512MB RAM, 5MP rear-facing camera and 4GB internal memory storage which is expandable through a microSD card slot.

Although these are mid to low-end products will feature the latest HTC Sense UI with some minor changes like less animated transition effects or non at all.

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We’ve recently reviewed the Cygnett SoundWave Bluetooth Speaker with adjustable stand from GearZap, and to show our appreciation to our faithful readers, we are giving it away. So, one lucky PocketDroid reader will soon enjoy this SoundWave speaker with an adjustable dock for Android devices. All you have to do to enter our giveaway is to follow a couple of simple rules:

1. Circle us on Google+ official page
2. LIKE our Facebook page

then get back here and post a comment down below confirming the above steps, and that’s it your qualified for the big prize! This is an International giveaway, meaning anyone, anywhere in the world can win it, as long as he or she follows PocketDroid.

Our Giveaway Contest starts today, May 20th and it ends on Sunday, May 26th, when we will randomly pick one lucky winner from the comments section below. We will hold such giveaways whenever there will be an opportunity for a sponsorship!!!

Good luck!!!

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Daddy Was A Thief is a nice casual game in which the main goal is to collect as many coins as possible by crushing through an endless amount of floors of an infinite skyscraper. It’s whole new twist of the endless running type of games and will surely get the fans of it attracted.

The main character and leader of the action is the daddy, who desperately needs to find as many coins as possible without getting caught, killed or smashed during doing it. It may sound boring, but believe us: it’s the complete opposite! Every time you play the game throws a different situation, different floor arrangements you have to pass through, different furniture and different enemies. Also, there’s also the fact that it’s very easy to just pick it up and play: there are no real missions or achievements to complete, you just play for the fun of it!

Daddy Was A Thief is a really easy game to play, actually. The only controls you need to know are the swipe up and down actions and that’s about it. Everything else is up to you, your skill and your reflexes. The first floors are generally easy and full of coins that fly just in front of your nose, ready to be grabbed. As you progress further down the building, things get a little bit trickier. There’s more and more furniture on a single floor and as the number of enemies goes up, they also become stronger and smarter. Do not worry, though, one jump over them will likely mark their end.

Maybe there are no achievements, nor missions to be completed, but there is an existing leveling system that’s here to make yourself feel more engaged with the game. As you progress and reach higher levels, you will unlock more and more upgrades and powerups that can be bought from the store with the collected coins. Not everything in this game is pointless after all.

The store is the place where you upgrade your player’s powers, unlock new players and buy powerful powerups. There’s a big variety of each of them.

Finally, lets comment the graphics and audio effects of the game. They are very good, actually. With pleasant and vivid colors, they certainly suit the type of the game and the smart audio effects clearly make the game a whole. All in all, Daddy Was A Thief is a great time-passer that will cost you nothing to get it on the Google Play Store.

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The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, one of Samsung’s many Galaxy S4 derivatives has been leaked in its full glory courtesy of GSMArena. The smartphone doesn’t quite sport the new design dress but it features 3 hardware buttons on the front while carrying a ruggedized body.

All previous rumors indicated that this handset would most likely pack the same internals as its brother. We notably find a 5-inch 1080p AMOLED display, the same Snapdragon 600 SoC clocked at 1.9GHz paired with the Adreno 320 graphics and most probably a downgraded 8MP rear shooter. It comes in a metallic shell with bolts on the back & is a dust and water resistant version of the Galaxy S4.

So far we’ve only seen the Orange Flare variant pictured but it’s only a matter of time before we get a glimpse of how the Dive Blue drees looks like on the Galaxy S4 Active.

Samsung will announce the device this month, it is expected to hit shelves during the upcoming month!

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Overclocking, a feat otherwise hugely reserved for PC components has also been done on smartphones as well, of course not to that ‘extreme’ degree but we’ve seen plenty of achievements over the course of the last few years. As smartphone chips get faster, beefier and more efficient overclocking becomes something that can quite easily be done with custom kernels. It happens that HTC’s pride, the HTC One was given a recent overclocking treatment.

The Snapdragon 600 SoC inside the HTC One originally ticks at 1.7GHz, which is more than fast for an Android flagship. Yet folks at Pocketnow stepped into the uncharted territory by pushing up the clock speed by 300MHz up to a stunning 2.0GHz. Yes, that’s not a lot in mainstream overclocking terms but it’s still something exceptional as far as smartphones are concerned.

They of course tried stressing it further to 2.1GHz; the smartphone did not last long at such speed, however, causing it to shut itself down. So right now 2.0GHz seems to be the sweet spot, not to mention the benchmarks which were off the charts! Check out the full video below:

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It is known for quite a while that a follow-up of the HTC Butterfly / DNA from last year is due for 2013, under the codename DLXPLUS. New clues have emerged today straight from HTC website where a device called HTC Butterfly S showed up in an UAProf (User Agent Profile) revealing not only the name, but Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS and 1920x1080p screen resolution. We are expecting this device to launch over the summer, if not this fall during IFA 2013 in Berlin.

That’s pretty much all the details we have on this device so far. More in the following reports, so stay tunned!

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Samsung Electronics has spilled the beans regarding some of its upcoming new devices or should I say derived from the Galaxy S4. The OEM recently updated its Samsung WatchON Android app revealing unintentionally, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mega, Galaxy S4 Active and Galaxy S4 Mini names in the change log.

Google Inc introduced at Google I/O such a derived variant with full Nexus series experience and unlocked bootloader which is dubbed Galaxy S4 Google Edition by the media. This version will be joining AT&T and T-Mobile networks, because it will go on sale only SIM unlocked (carrier free), probably through Play store.

The Galaxy S4 Mini is another version of the Galaxy S4 which already has been spotted a couple of times during the last two months, which Samsung probably will unveil next month (June).

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