Hasta La Gadget!

Spent some quality time watching the Home Shopping Network this morning to hear just how the Nook Color will be improved? That’s what we thought… but we bit the bullet and tuned in ourselves to get the details for you. Simply put, HSN says Barnes and Noble will start rolling out an over-the-air software package in “mid-April” that will update the Nook Color to Android 2.2, bringing Adobe Flash Player, Angry Birds, and push email of some sort. It’ll also apparently include “lots of Nook apps,” though the channel’s pitchmen only had one to show on TV — a kid-friendly sketchpad, with a variety of drawing utensils and colored paper. HSN hosts also claim that customers who purchase the Nook Color on the show are “guaranteed to be the very first people updated,” though we’re not sure we’ll take them at their word, considering some of the other fabulous exaggerations we just heard on the air.

HSN details Nook Color update for ‘mid-April’: Android 2.2, Flash, apps and push email originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

We reported the rumors, we spied it on the show floor at CTIA yesterday, and T-Mobile finally announced it this morning. Well here it is now in the flesh: the G2x from LG. The hardware looks pretty much identical to its sibling, the LG Optimus 2X that we reviewed recently, but instead of featuring a custom UI, the software is plain Froyo (Android 2.2.2). Another major difference is the inclusion of “4G” support, which is missing from the Optimus 2X. Tegra Zone comes pre-installed, along with the usual T-Mobile add-ons like WiFi calling. Overall, the G2x made a very strong first impression, and we’re looking forward to getting more in-depth coverage soon. Take a look at our gallery below, and hit the break for our hands-on video.

Update: It turns out the “4G” radio in the G2x is quadband (2100 / 1900 / 1700 / 850MHz) but strangely, it’s limited to 14.4Mbps downlink speeds. Apparently, this also applies to the T-Mobile G-Slate. We’re reaching out to T-Mobile to check if the G2x radio is HSPA+ or merely just HSPA.

Continue reading T-Mobile G2x from LG hands-on (video)

T-Mobile G2x from LG hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Ready for some serious Sidekick 4G news? We thought so. First up, we’ve finally got the official pricing details from T-Mobile. That’s right, come this spring the revived Sidekick will be hitting the likely-to-be-acquired carrier for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and two-year contract with unlimited data — those that opt for the two-year contract but go with a lower-end data plan will have to pay $149.99 for the Android 2.2 handset. Sure, the pricing doesn’t sound all that shabby, but how’s the actual phone? There was no stopping us from getting our hands all over the first ever touchscreen-equipped Sidekick here at CTIA Wireless — hit the break for our impressions and a hands-on video.

Continue reading T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract, we go hands-on

T-Mobile Sidekick 4G by Samsung priced at $99.99 with a two-year contract, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 01:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

The Incredible S is a beguiling little beast. Looking at its name, familiar rump, and mostly run of the Android mill specs, you’d think it little more than an incremental update. And yet, pick it up and play with it for even the briefest of instances and you’ll realize that it’s somehow a lot more than that. Seemingly slight changes to the screen, in moving from 3.7 to 4 inches and from an imperfect AMOLED panel to a crisp and clear Super LCD, have earned our eyes’ approbation, while an upgraded Snapdragon under the hood, equipped with Adreno 205 graphics, infuses it with a fresh breath of firepower for those demanding HD videos and increasingly sophisticated Android games. Notably, the chip combo inside the Incredible S is the same as that contained within Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Play, foretelling perhaps of a PlayStation Certified future for this handset. But that’s the future — right now, there’s a big juicy review for you to dig into, so skip past the break to get started.

Continue reading HTC Incredible S review

HTC Incredible S review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

We’ve had an affinity for INQ’s Cloud Touch since we Poked and prodded the little device back in February, and now thanks to Carphone Warehouse we’ve got the all important pricetag to accompany the specs. Starting April 6, you’ll be able to pick up the Facebook-ified device in the UK completely SIM-free for £300, or about $486. Not a bad deal for a 3.5-inch Android 2.2 handset with a 5-megapixel shooter and a custom Facebook homescreen. Of course, it lacks the Facebook Buttons of HTC’s offerings, but if you simply can’t wait to be the first person on the block with a Facebook phone you should definitely give the Cloud Touch a peek.

INQ Cloud Touch gets priced in the UK, still MIA in the USA originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 Mar 2011 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashPhone  |  Carphone Warehouse  | Email this | Comments