Samsung’s Galaxy J1 Available for Purchase in the Philippines
When Samsung announced the Galaxy J1, many people were completely underwhelmed, and perhaps for good reason as there’s very little to write home about. However, the Galaxy J1 is an entry-level device designed for emerging markets and now, it’s heading to just that, the Philippines. Those in the region will be able to purchase the Galaxy J1 for PHP 5,490 ($125~ USD) buyers can get their hands on the 4.3-inch 800 x 480 KitKat-powered device, complete with a dual-core CPU and 512MB of RAM. This is no Moto G, but it’s not too expensive given the market it’s headed to.
South Korea’s Main Networks Plan Joint App Store
The Google Play Store might be big in South Korea, but the networks in the Far East control even more than they do over here in the West. As such, the big three networks, SK Telecom, LG U+ and KT Telecom all have their own stores; Olleh Market (KT), T-Store (SK Telecom) and U+Store (LG U+). Now though, the three of them have met with over 150 app developers to create their own app store for Android, dubbed the “One Store” slated to open its doors in May and will prevent the need for developers to create a separate version for each store. Of course, the Play Store already does that, but it seems the South Korean networks aren’t content leaving so much revenue to Google.
Karbonn Starts Selling Accessories with Power Banks
Karbonn is a big deal in India, and so it’s interesting to see them enter the accessory market. They’re starting out small by offering colorful power banks at first. These will start at RS 999 and be available in 5,000, 7,000 and 10,000 mAh variants with two USB ports for charging two devices at once. The 10,000 mAh edition features an LED torch and can function as a card reader as well. These are now available from Snapdeal.
Netflix Finally Launches in Australia
Netflix has finally launched in Australia, albeit with some interesting pricing schemes. Still, there’s no need to hide behind that VPN or lament over the fact your American and British friends have much better internet streaming options than you. The service has three plans available; Basic, Standard and Premium, these cost $8.99, $11.99 and $14.99, respectively. The Standard option is really the only one worth thinking about, giving you access to HD content and 2 concurrent devices, but the Premium package offers 4K if your rig can handle it, and one more concurrent device. The Basic plan is a bit of a joke really, as it doesn’t offer HD content, which is a big disappointment as HD on Netflix is great if you have a half decent connection.
Samsung Malaysia to Announced Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge Plans on April 2nd
While many regions across the globe have pre-orders open for the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, those like Malaysia have been waiting for a little longer. Now, it appears that Samsung Malaysia will announce their plans on April 2nd, with pre-orders starting April 3rd. The news was leaked by Maxis Malaysia who also had this to say to customers: “Great news: the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge will be available at our Online Store on 3 April! The first 1,000 shoppers will receive a free wireless charger and screen protector worth RM280, plus the opportunity to buy the Emerald Green variant, exclusive to Maxis, while stocks last!” Hopefully, there will be enough stock of both devices for a smooth launch in the nation.
Samsung Announces the Galaxy Tab Active for Australia
The Galaxy Tab Active is essentially a ruggedized tablet from Samsung, and there’s little more to it than that. It’s an 8-inch affair with a 1280 x 800 display as well as a stylus, making this a decent option for building sites or areas less than soft and cushy. It’s now headed to Australia, but it won’t be cheap at AUD$699 for the WiFi model or AUD$849 for the 4G model. Neither of those prices is cheap, but those are RRP prices and retailers could be selling it for less. For more on the Galaxy Tab Active, take a look here.
Dojo Finally Launches on Android
Dojo is an app that helps makes Londoners make the most of their beloved City. It’s been on iOS for a long time and now, it’s finally coming to Android. You can find out which pop-up restaurants and such are the best to eat at and generally see what’s going on and when. You can also order an Uber right from within the app, a great app for those looking to find out more about London or just break a habit, it’s available from the Play Store here.
Nexus Player Finally Makes it to the UK
The Nexus Player has been available in the US for quite some time now and as the name suggests, it’s basically a device to show off Android TV. Which is great, as Android TV has a lot to offer folks, and now those in the UK can get their hands on one for £79.99 from Amazon, the Play Store itself and Argos. We reviewed the Nexus Player here and you can find out more about Android TV every Friday in our weekly feature.
Paid Content Hits the Google Play Newsstand in More European Countries and Turkey
The Play Newsstand is where folks can subscribe to great online content – like us! – and read news from all over the web. For Austria, Ireland, Belgium and Turkey it’s now a place where people can subscribe to paid magazines and more, making the service more useful for a lot of users.
Nexus 6 Expands Internationally Through the Google Play Store
We reviewed the Nexus 6 last year, and found that those looking for a stock experience and a larger device should look no further, so long as they were able to swallow the price tag. Now, it’s expanding to more Google Play Stores including Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, and Portugal. This means those in these new countries can purchase the Nexus 6 directly from Google.