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Previously bound to having a Hulu Plus subscription, Hulu this summer will be opening up their free streams to mobile users. As of right now, if you want to watch something that's streaming on Hulu on your mobile device, you'll need a Hulu Plus account even if that show is free to stream through a desktop browser. Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins announced today that this summer that will change.

There's not much more we can say beyond that, except that the iPhone app is expected to see a redesign this summer as well. We wouldn't be surprised if the Android and Windows Phone apps also receive a redesign to match. Hulu is also still in negotiations with cable companies about integrating Hulu into their boxes, but there haven't been any signs of progress on that front.

In the meantime, you can download Hulu Plus now for your Android phone from the Google Play Store. Of course, you'll need a Hulu Plus subscription to view anything from now, and you'll have to be living in the United States.

Source: Hulu; Via: The Verge

If your phone doesn't support Wireless Emergency Alerts, Google Now can still warn you

We all tend to loathe those emergency alerts that pop up on our phones from time to time AMBER Alerts, weather alerts ... you know the drill. That is, we loathe them until we miss them. See, not every smartphone supports Wireless Emergency Alerts still. We'll save why for another time.

Overnight I went from worrying whether a tornado was headed my way to wondering if it was every going to stop raining. And while my phone didn't once fire off that horrible klaxon and start buzzing to let me know of imminent danger, I wasn't totally in the dark. Google Now also handles emergency weather alerts. Perhaps not with the same sort of urgency, but they do show up in the notification area. (And I've got Google Search and thus Google Now turned on in Pebble Notifier, so they occasionally would show on my Pebble, too.)

It's not perfect. I wouldn't rely on it to warn me of an imminent threat. But it's certainly better than nothing. And it's one more reason you should give Google Now a shot if you haven't already.

Facebook Messenger has been updated with video sharing, faster photo sharing, and sticker shortcuts. The update to version 5.0 doesn't bring any of the visual changes you might expect with such a version bump (Messenger hit 4.0 just a month ago), but it does bring the app in-line with is iOS counterpart, which received a similar update just yesterday.

The video sharing works as simply as you might think. You can send videos from your gallery app into Facebook Messenger, and you can play them within the app (so long as you're on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or higher).

The addition of instant photo sharing means you can take a photo within the app and share it with a single tap. And sticker shortcuts make it easy to get stickers you're sent one you don't have: just tap and hold to download the entire pack. Search has also been sped up.

Facebook Messenger 5.0 is available now from the Google Play Store. Download it, try it out, and let us know if you think it's ready to stand on its own from the primary Facebook app.

LG's first Android Wear device, the G Watch, will be launching in France in June if a new report is to be believed. French site Les Numeriques is reporting that LG's local branch provided them with the information and that the G Watch would be priced at 199.

We've previously heard the rather vague "summer" timeframe for the G Watch launch, so this could be perfectly accurate. France is only one market, however, but it gives us something to go on, for now.

Source: Les Numeriques via Unwired View

The much anticipated OnePlus One will see general availability in mid-to-late June according to a post in its official forums. The initial batch of phones will be allocated to folks who enter the phone smashing contest and to folks who get invited to buy, with the 16GB white version being first available.

After our product announcement, we realized that far more people wanted the One than what we originally anticipated. Over the past few days, we have been frantically adjusting our production schedule to make sure that as many people possible can buy the One, as soon as possible.

The 64GB black phone will follow in early June ahead of general availability. It might be a little disappointing to anyone eager to get hold of one, but it's safely within OnePlus' original Q2 availability timeframe. The apparent popularity of the 64GB OnePlus One means that things have had to be shaken up a little so that customers can still get their phones as soon as possible.

More: OnePlus One hands-on and first impressions

Source: OnePlus

The Samsung Galaxy S5 marketing train continues to roll with a series of new ads that focus on individual features of the phone. There's one for the selective focus feature in the camera up top as well as one for the ultra power saving mode and for the S-Health application.

The Galaxy S5 is packed with features we've been trying to break out as many as possible ourselves and Samsung has done a pretty good job here at highlighting a few of the standout ones without going on for too long about it.

You'll find the others at the source link below. But, while we're talking features, which is your own personal favorite feature on the Galaxy S5? Sound off in the comments below!

Source: Samsung Mobile US (YouTube)

A week out from Huawei's launch event in Paris, photos of what's claimed is the new Ascend P7 have made their way out onto the Internet. Design wise the P7 looks to be an iteration on its predecessor, the Ascend P6, but with some subtle changes and a bump in hardware and software.

The images are accompanied by a purported specs list. The P7 moves up to the 5-inch display size at 1080p, Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Huawei's own Emotion UI layered over the top, a 13MP rear camera with a ridiculous 8MP camera out front, 2GB of RAM and Huawei's own quad-core CPU. Oh, and it's supposedly glass on the back.

Head on over to the source link below for more pictures. We'll be live in Paris on May 7 for the official launch of the Ascend P7, so stay tuned!

Source: cnBeta via PhoneArena

Reddit is a super-popular social networking site focused on news aggregation alongside general findings that people come across. You can literally locate any topic you can think of and if a section (or 'subreddit') hasn't yet been dedicated to this topic, it's simple to get started and create a new home for everything cats, dogs and even piercings in the weirdest places.

The website does not have official apps available and rather relies on third-party alternatives. That is until now, according to a new job listing. Official Reddit apps are in the works for Android and iOS.

The job posting was published by Reddit admin taxidermyunicornhead in the For Hire subreddit. Both Android and iOS have been mentioned on the skill requirement list with Java and Objective C highlighted. We can look to expect a similar, unified experience across the board with the new apps with the addition of location-based advertising and the ability to post content to social networking accounts.

It is still early days, but we'll keep a lookout for more details. Are you interested by an official Reddit app or are you content with the plethora of third-party alternatives already available?

Source: Reddit, via: CNET

Save the date, May 27 is when we'll see what's next from LG

The LG G3 is going to be with us very soon, as LG has started sending out invites to press for an event on May 27 in 6 cities around the world. London, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, Istanbul and Seoul will all see the introduction of LG's newest flagship smartphone for 2014 on the very same day. LG's going big this time.

The invite doesn't specifically mention the G3, but with the emphasis on G, it's pretty obvious what we're looking at. The G3 has leaked out recently showing off redesigned, but still rear facing buttons, and is rumored to have a crazy 1440p resolution display.

Of course, Android Central will be live on location though we'll keep you guessing as to which location, for now! from the event to bring you everything you'll want to know. We know a lot of folks are excited for this one, so stick with us. It's sure to be a good one!

Surprisingly high-quality build and subtle design choices with an industry-leading price point have us intrigued

We've just wrapped up an event here in San Francisco with CyanogenMod and OnePlus, where we finally have our hands on the much-awaited OnePlus One. This much-hyped device has drawn a good number of followers (and critics) over the past few months with an interesting marketing campaign, and now we have the hardware (and software) to look at for ourselves and see how things stack up.

Be sure to hit the break for an extensive gallery of the OnePlus One hardware, along with a few comparisons of other devices and our first impressions, after the break. We've got more on the software and its new version of CyanogenMod as well.

Naturally, we'll be bringing more in-depth coverage of the OnePlus One as we spend more quality time with it.

The phone looks and feels great, and for once it seems the press images didn't have our expectations set too high for the quality of the phone when it's actually in our hands. The solid back cover rightfully adorned with "CyanogenMod" branding tapers off to the edges perfectly, has a great feel and makes you think that this phone costs far more than $300. While we wouldn't mind if the chrome rim around the screen was left behind, the material choices leading to the bezel and around the screen are top notch, without a gap or piece out of place.

Blistering internal specs, including a Snapdragon 805 processor and 3GB of RAM, push along the latest build of CyanogenMod 11 without a hitch though we're going to reserve total judgement until we spend our daily lives with the phone. After a few hours of moving through the interface and holding this 5.5-inch flagship in our hands, we can say we're pleasantly surprised about the OnePlus One. But whether or not it truly lives up to the NeverSettle hypebeast will take more time to evaluate.

OnePlus One hardware specifications

If you've not grabbed a Moto X as of yet for yourself or are looking to get Mom into a new smartphone for Mother's day, Motorola is hosting a 24-hour sale on the device. Starting at 12:01am ET on May 1st, you'll be able customize a Moto X for mom, or yourself, on the cheap.

• 16GB starting at $299.99 (regular price $349.99)
• 32GB starting at $324.99 (regular price $399.99)
• Developer Edition $324.99 (regular price $399.99)

A customized phone, with no contract for a reasonable price. Can't really beat that. You can head on over to the Motorola site for the full details and be sure to check out our six-month look back at Moto X.

• Source - Motorola

While the news of Spotify teaming up with Sprint was big, unless you're a Sprint customer or planning on soon being one, it likely didn't matter all that much to you. What may matter to you though is the fact that there's a new Spotify app update rolling out through the Google Play Store right now and it's a bit of a departure from the app as you know it now. The new update includes a new darker theme, refreshed typography and rounded iconography and a few other changes as noted on the Spotify blog.

We're not only improving our interface though. We know how much you love playlists, but that you've been looking for more ways to organise your favourite songs, albums and playlists. So over the past weeks we've rolled out Your Music: a feature that will help you save, organise and browse your favourite tunes. We're also improving our Browse feature. Regardless of whether you're looking for something to fall asleep to, or the perfect playlist to get you geared up for your big night out, we got you covered.

You might have to wait a while before you actually see the update though as it seems for whatever reason, this one is being staggered out to Spotify users. As noted by Spotify, the update will start rolling out today and reach all Android users over the coming weeks.

• Source - Spotify

New features will make their way to other CM phones and the open-source project once work is complete

CyanogenMod and OnePlus took the stage today at an event in San Francisco to announce that the OnePlus One will be the launch device for the latest version of CyanogenMod, dubbed "CM 11S." A slight departure from the quick iteration of CyanogenMod releases in the past, CM 11S is a brand new release that's being timed to head out on the OnePlus One hardware, showing off the latest CM has to offer. CM 11S isn't a radical departure in terms of design, but there's a lot going on here under the hood.

The three main pillars that users can see with the release of CM 11S are a redesigned camera app, a new theme engine and the release of the new Gallery app from beta to a complete version. Under the hood, five months of design work alone went into completely rewriting CyanogenMod's theme engine to make it easier for users and designers alike to make their phone completely unique.

This is still CyanogenMod through and through let's go through a few of the details.

The new camera interface in CM 11S is the first great example of the extra design time and attention that has been spent on the latest release of CyanogenMod. The interface no longer looks like something that was potentially tacked together from other pieces, and instead looks like it was designed with usability and functionality in mind. The camera steps away from radial menus entirely, surfacing manual controls and settings to easily switch around. You can easily move between different live camera effects by swiping up and down on the viewfinder, and can even customize which effects are available to cycle through.

After taking pictures you'll be shuttled off into the new Gallery experience, which has changed (but not radically so) since it entered beta a year ago. The final stable release coming in CM 11S has a basic color palette and uses transparency to integrate different colors throughout. Making use of and a relative lack of interface chrome, it puts your photos front and center. The Gallery app automatically groups photos by location and time into albums that show events all together, and integration with social media accounts and dropbox make sure sharing is a breeze.

The changes to the new theme engine are far more than skin deep, although the interface for changing and managing themes has definitely changed. Several months of work from some very talented developers and designers went into a complete reworking of the theme engine, and the end result is a svelte customization suite that makes it easier than ever to change the look and feel of your CM device. Third-party developers and enthusiasts alike can get in on the theme action with an easy-to-use system, and end-users can selectively choose what parts of each theme they want to apply.

These big changes and another handful of small tweaks are making their way into CM 11S to launch on the OnePlus One, but that doesn't mean the software won't also make its way to other devices and the open source project as well. After the OnePlus One is completely tested and the final software is made, it will then move along to other CyanogenMod devices. For those who choose to go the custom ROM route, the open source CyanogenMod project will integrate whatever features are applicable to these other devices the theme engine, for example, is already completely open sourced.

We've got some initial thoughts on the OnePlus One on the way stay tuned!

If you've not grabbed a Moto X as of yet for yourself or are looking to get Mom into a new smartphone for Mother's day, Motorola is hosting a 24 hour sale on the device. Starting at 12:01am ET on May 1st, you'll be able customize a Moto X for mom, or yourself, on the cheap.

• 16GB starting at $299.99 (regular price $349.99)
• 32GB starting at $324.99 (regular price $399.99)
• Developer Edition $324.99 (regular price $399.99)

A customized phone, with no contract for a reasonable price. Can't really beat that. You can head on over to the Motorola site for the full details and be sure to check out our six-month look back at Moto X.

• Source - Motorola

Although Gameloft dropped some details on Modern Combat 5: Blackout back in June, we've still not seen release of the game as of yet. Don't fret though, Gameloft is still working on things and have once again let it be known the game is well on its way to release and have now dropped the full title and story details behind the game.

Modern Combat 5: Blackout will once again take fans on an adventure across the globe, as the player engages in special counter-terrorism operations with the latest and most technologically advanced combat weaponry. The single-player campaign for MC5: Blackout consists of compact and dynamic missions that ratchet up the suspense of each action-packed moments. The development team wanted players to experience the story in a more intense and diverse way than ever before.

The story will indeed begin in Venice, Italy where Phoenix, the main character of the game, is sent on a special operation to secure a transport of WMDs from a particularly well-armed terrorist group. From there the plot will take gamers on a globe-trotting adventure, including a particularly harrowing sequence in Tokyo where Phoenix has to fight amidst total anarchy while trying to convince his allies to accept an uncomfortable secret. By the end, players will have experienced a range of visually-stunning settings, and thrilling action-packed combat sequences.

Sounds promising and from the previous videos, it looks pretty good. Needless to say though, we're at the mercy of Gameloft for a release date and pricing details but it sounds like we're getting closer.

A few more updates are on their way for Google Glass and one in particular we're pretty stoked to see.

First up is a change to backing up images it'll only automatically do it when you're plugged in and on Wifi. You'll also be able to force a backup, though. You'll also be able to clear photos and videos out of your timeline, which is good if you've taken a whole bunch.

But perhaps more important is that Glass is getting smarter about phone calls. If you make or take a call with your phone, the audio stays on your phone and doesn't automatically route through Glass. Same goes for if you're not actually using Glass. If Glass doesn't detect that you're wearing it, it won't have control over the audio. Period. Absolutely a good change.

Look for the new build to roll out this week.

Source: +Google Glass

If you've been eyeing the Sony Z Ultra Google Play edition but couldn't stomach the price, have a look here. T'was $649, now available for $449. Plus free ground shipping, so there's that. Basically this extra-large smartphone again, it's pretty damned huge at 6.4 inches has gone from oversized and overpriced to merely "Damn, that's big."

Still, you're going to have to ask yourself why you wouldn't just save another $150 and pick up a Nexus 7 and make calls some other way.

Before you hand your Android phone to your kids, download and enable Kid Mode first!

Kid Mode is a great app made by Zoodles that not only adds some great parental controls to almost any newer Android phone, it also lets them draw, learn, and be creative under a watchful eye of course. All this can happen without them being able to access or mess with any of your personal stuff. When they're done, just disable Kid Mode and go back to using your phone like you normally would. Here's how:

The first thing you'll need to do is download Kid Mode to your compatible Android phone. (If you've got an HTC device, it'll probably be there already; HTC bought Zoodles some time ago.) If you see an install button, you should be good to go.

How to set up Kid Mode on your Android phone

1. Launch the Kid Mode app on your Android phone and tap on the Get Started! button.
2. Verify the year you were born as this is one way you can disable Kid Mode on your Android phone.
3. Walk through the child setup process and add all the children that will have access to your Android phone and then tap Done when you've added them all.
4. Go ahead and add the apps in the next step you'd like your child to have access to aside from what the Kid Mode app itself offers.
5. Modify any other settings you'd like for your child such as removing certain sites Kid Mode has preinstalled or setting up times and limits.

How to enable and disable Kid Mode

1. Launch the Kid Mode app once you've set it up and added your children.
2. Tap on the child's picture and hand your device over. Kid Mode is enabled.
3. When you're ready to disable Kid Mode, just return the main screen and tap the X in the upper right hand corner.
4. Enter your passcode when prompted and then continue using your phone like normal.

Kid Mode offers quite a few features for free but you can upgrade to a paid plan for even more control if you'd like. Give it a try and let me know what you think of it in the comments. If you're using something else to keep your kids safe when using Android, let me know that too!

Up until now the Samsung Galaxy S5's fingerprint scanner was good for two things: unlocking the phone and paying with PayPal. Granted that's one substantial thing more than Apple's Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, but that still was a little limited. But Samsung had opened access to that scanner, and now password manager LastPass supports fingerprint swiping too.

After logging in within the LastPass app on your Galaxy S5, when prompted for a password or PIN, all you have to do is swipe down over the fingerprint scanner to have LastPass fill it in for you. It's that easy.

PayPal is nice. Unlocking your phone is good. Swiping to enter your password that's pretty damn awesome.

LastPass for Android version 3.2.13 is available now for download from Google Play.

Source: LastPass

The LG G3 is very quickly becoming something of an open secret. We know the UI is getting a refresh, the screen will be 1440p, and the buttons, while redesigned, will still be on the back. Our first look at those redesigned buttons came over the weekend, and now courtesy of leaker @evleaks, we have a bigger and clearer look at them.

They're like the buttons on the LG G2 and the LG G Flex, but more refined. There's power, volume up, and volume down. The T-shaped layout mirrors the G Flex, with the camera over the buttons, a flash on one side, and what's likely the IR blaster on the other. And that's what we know: the LG G3 will come in white and it will have buttons.

Source: @evleaks

Our own Mark Guim sits down with HTC's Jeff Gordon to take a look at the Harman/Kardan edition of the HTC One M8, announced today as a Sprint exclusive.

It's the same M8 we've been using for a month or so no, only in a new color and with some special sauce from Harman/Kardan on board. It'll be available online on May 2, and in Sprint stores on May 9.

Sprint today as part of its announcement of the exclusive Harman/Kardon edition of the HTC One M8 also announced a new deal for Spotify subscriptions. All new and existing postpaid (ie not pre-paid) Sprint customers will get six free months of Spotify Premium, if you're on a "Framily" plan. You'll need to have an Android smartphone, iPhone or a Windows Phone (8 or 8.1) device.

And after the initial six months, you'll get a discount on your Spotify subscription, which varies depending on your level of Framliness.

Here's the deal.

And that's it. The whole thing starts this Friday, May 2.

New premium Android devices with Google-controlled software and fast updates could arrive next year

Google could be preparing sweeping changes for the Android ecosystem next year, according to a report from The Information. The site has published details of what it calls the Android "Silver" program, a new lineup of premium Android smartphones it says will replace the current Nexus line. Silver, the report claims, is intended to combat Apple's iPhone and allow Google to assert more control over the high-end Android market, currently dominated by Samsung.

'Silver' partners could include LG, Motorola, T-Mobile and Sprint.

Under the "Silver" program, Google would pay manufacturers and carriers to produce phones designed to its specification, with a limit on the number of non-Google apps pre-installed, and a promise of speedy Android updates. In addition to running Google-controlled software, The Information reports that "Silver" devices would support premium features such as waterproofing already present in many high-end Android phones, notably the Galaxy S5 and "personal voice recognition." The report points to LG, Motorola and Chinese manufacturers as likely "Silver" partners, along with carriers T-Mobile and Sprint in the U.S., and Telefonica, Telstra and Softbank overseas. Launch countries could include established markets like the U.S., Germany and Japan, as well as developing markets like Brazil and India.

Google is reportedly prepared to spend as much as $1 billion promoting "Silver" devices through traditional advertising and and in-store kiosks manned by those trained in the art of the Google. Whereas the Nexus program focused on online sales directly to consumers, "Silver" would be backed up by a considerable retail presence.

Separately, The Information's sources say Google has previously considered offering financial support to manufacturers struggling to compete with Samsung's vast marketing budget, with HTC named as one of the first to ask for such assistance in 2013.

A post-Nexus world raises many questions for Android.

Today's report echoes rumors from Android Police from a few weeks back, as well as tweets from Russian rumormonger Eldar Murtazin back in January. Murtazin claimed that the Nexus line would be discontinued in 2015, to be replaced with Google Play edition-style devices under a new brand.

A transition towards multiple "Silver" devices raises questions over what might replace Nexus as the go-to Android developer phone. It's also unclear how tablets might figure into a post-Nexus world Google and ASUS have had success with the affordable Nexus 7 series in recent years. And it makes the relationship between Google and Samsung, the world's biggest handset maker, all the more intriguing. Earlier this year reports from re/code suggested Samsung had agreed to pare back some of its Android customizations, and give prominence to Google's Play Store at the expense of its own content ecosystem.

Source: The Information (Subscription required)

Niantic Labs Field Trip app for Google Glass has received an update that enables voice controls. And all you have to say is "Okay Glass, Explore Nearby" to kick Field Trip into high gear. Field Trip hit Google Glass back in August of 2013, and it's just now getting support for those voice commands that typify Glass.

So what took so long? Despite Google Glass supporting voice commands, it was only recently that third party apps gained the ability to work with those voice commands as well.

If "Explore Nearby" isn't enough for you, you can take Field Trip on Glass and get more specific and look specifically for instances of notable architecture, history, art, food, and the generalist category of "Cool Stuff".

Those that want to try it out can grab Field Trip from the Google Play Store, and the Google Glass app through MyGlass.