Oct 13

CyanogenMod for TouchPad alpha released, is surprisingly functional (video)

Posted in: Android, demo, diy, gingerbread, GoogleAndroid, hack, hacking, Hacks, HP, mod, multitouch, slate, tablet, Today's Chili, touchpad, video, webos, wifi





Tired of seeing TouchPad Android demos that you can’t quite get your hands on? Buck up buttercup, CyanogenMod 7.1.0’s unique flavor of Gingerbread has finally made its way to HP’s disowned slate; but beware — they’re calling this one the “lower your expectations” edition for a reason. A new video and forum update belabors the point that the alpha is an early, buggy build that is not intended for the general public. However, if you’re brave enough to install CyanogenMod anyway, you’ll wind up with a neat assortment of usable features, including multiboot support, ten-point multitouch, functional WiFi, camera support for video chat, limited GPU acceleration and a ton of other features that are either working now, or are near completion. The team says there are too many nonfunctional features to properly list at the moment, but advise brave testers to expect app incompatibility and poorly optimized power consumption. Ready to throw caution to the wind? Hit the source link below, as it’s chock full of cautionary tales, installation instructions, and download links.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

CyanogenMod for TouchPad alpha released, is surprisingly functional (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 12

Samsung Transfix on Cricket at CTIA E&A 2011 (hands-on video)

Posted in: Android, ctia, gingerbread, Google, hands-on, mobilepostcross, samsung, slider, Today's Chili, video

Staring intently at the image above? It’s understandable. After all, it is called the Samsung Transfix, right? Cricket’s latest Android addition doesn’t necessarily break any new ground in its quiet release at this year’s CTIA Enterprise & Applications, but it has a lot of potential for anyone looking to get an inexpensive prepaid phone. The new 3.2-inch QWERTY runs on Gingerbread, is powered by an 800MHz CPU and brings a 3.2MP camera to the tablet. Nothing to write home about these days, but don’t forget: your parents might appreciate at least hearing from you, even if it’s not regarding a smartphone. Stay transfixed below the break at our full hands-on gallery and vid, and a press release thrown in for good measure.

Gallery: Samsung Transfix hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011

Myriam Joire contributed to this post.

Continue reading Samsung Transfix on Cricket at CTIA E&A 2011 (hands-on video)

Samsung Transfix on Cricket at CTIA E&A 2011 (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 11

ViewSonic ViewPad 10e coming soon to UK and Netherlands?

Posted in: europe, gingerbread, tablet, tablets, Today's Chili, uk, viewsonic
Is ViewSonic about to surprise the UK and Netherlands with a new ViewPad? We haven’t heard a single peep about the new tablet until the advert you can see above mysteriously leaked, at which point Viewsonic confirmed to Tablet Test that the device not only exists, but will be coming out “soon.” The ViewPad 10e gets a 9.7-inch, 1024 x 768 IPS display (that’s the same size and resolution as the TouchPad and iPad 2’s display), a 1.3 megapixel camera and it’s only 9mm (0.35 inches) thick. We don’t know much about what’s on the inside, except to say it’ll be running Gingerbread solo, rather than the “dual OS” setup of the ViewPad 10pro. There’s nary a release date to be found, but we do know that when it arrives, it’ll set Europeans back to the tune of €250 (about $340).

[Thanks, Andreas]

ViewSonic ViewPad 10e coming soon to UK and Netherlands? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 10

AT&T starts CTIA off right by introducing five new smartphones to its Android lineup

Posted in: Android, att, froyo, gingerbread, Google, hspa, mobilepostcross, motorola, samsung, Today's Chili, video

At CTIA last March, AT&T stole the show by announcing its intent to purchase T-Mobile US. This time around the news is a bit more modest, but the company is still hoping to give us a bit of a shock by introducing a litany of new handsets right on time for the holiday season. The carrier promised the release of 12 Android devices throughout the course of the year, and this week’s announcement pushes the 2011 running count to 19. Not too shabby. Naturally, we’re looking for quality more than quantity, so we couldn’t wait to dig into the devices that are coming out. Check out all five after the break, along with a quick video teaser.

Gallery: AT&T CTIA Android Lineup

Continue reading AT&T starts CTIA off right by introducing five new smartphones to its Android lineup

AT&T starts CTIA off right by introducing five new smartphones to its Android lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 10

Disney Mobile DM010SH Android phone hits Softbank stores in Japan, we go hands-on (video)

Posted in: Android, cellphone, cellphones, gingerbread, hands-on, Japan, smartphone, Smartphones, Today's Chili, video

Disney Mobile’s first Android-powered smartphone hit Softbank Mobile stores in Japan earlier this month, with 0 JPY (about $0) due up front. You won’t be getting off that easy though — expect to pay just shy of 74,000 JPY (about $965) off contract, or 24 monthly installments of 880 JPY (about $11) if you opt for the two-year agreement. The Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) DM010SH packs a 4-inch 960 x 540 qHD display with 3D support, a 1GHz processor, and the typical spattering of smartphone features, including 3G data, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth and microSDHC expandability, along with an 8 megapixel camera.

Rest assured that Disney branding abounds, from the company logo just below the earpiece, to those signature mouse ears that replace a generic home button. There’s also a default Snow White 3D wallpaper and a home screen link to the D-Market, where you can load up your device with Disney-branded mail, calendar, photo, calculator and pedometer apps — so you can meet those fitness goals with hopes of getting one more Halloween out of that child-size Minnie Mouse costume.

We dropped by a Softbank store in Tokyo to play around with a Classic White version of the device (Classic Pink is also an option, though sadly we had to settle for boring old vanilla). Once you get past the not-so-subtle Disney branding, it looks and functions like any other Android smartphone. It felt quite snappy as well — launching apps and loading web pages with just as much pep as many other Android phones we’ve used. Make no mistake, the appeal here is definitely the Disney Mobile branding — but you should be pleased, assuming you don’t mind paying a rather lofty sum for a ho-hum device to fit within your Heigh-Ho lifestyle. Jump past the break for a video walkthrough.

Gallery: Disney Mobile DM010SH Android smartphone hands-on

Continue reading Disney Mobile DM010SH Android phone hits Softbank stores in Japan, we go hands-on (video)

Disney Mobile DM010SH Android phone hits Softbank stores in Japan, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 10

Motorola unveils rugged ET1 Android tablet for enterprise types (video)

Posted in: 720p, Android, business, camera, dual-core, enterprise, motorola, retail, rugged, Today's Chili, video, wifi
Well, here it is. After months of beta tests, Motorola’s ET1 tablet was finally unveiled today, bringing a taste of Android 2.3 to the enterprise market. Powered by a 1GHz dual-core CPU, this rugged slate packs 8GB of internal storage, along with a 32GB microSD card slot, and features a seven-inch, Gorilla Glass capacitive touchscreen with 1024 x 600 resolution. Weighing in at 1.4 pounds, the ET1 also boasts an eight megapixel rear camera, a front-facing shooter designed for videoconferencing and 720p video capabilities. Plus, retailers can choose to outfit the tablet with a host of accessories, including a barcode reader, magnetic stripe reader, handstrap and holster. At this point, the ET1 boasts only WiFi connectivity, though Motorola Solutions’ Sheldon Safir says a Wide Area Network version is in the works. The manufacturer didn’t offer a specific price, but Safir tells Computer World that bulk purchases should cost less than $1,000 by the time the slab hits the market, later this year. Head past the break for a full platter of PR, along with a demo video.

Continue reading Motorola unveils rugged ET1 Android tablet for enterprise types (video)

Motorola unveils rugged ET1 Android tablet for enterprise types (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 10

Boost Mobile adds Samsung Transform Ultra to its repertoire, hopes you’ll transition for $230

Posted in: Android, gingerbread, Google, mobilepostmini, qwerty, samsung, slider, Today's Chili
You might think it’s more than meets the eye, but the Samsung Transform Ultra doesn’t have much to hide — except a full QWERTY keyboard, that is. Arriving precisely on time, the newest flagship device for Boost Mobile packs a prepaid punch: the Ultra rocks a 1GHz single-core CPU, Gingerbread, a three megapixel camera and a VGA front-facing cam. You can pick one of these up now for $230, which isn’t too shabby for a decently-spec’d Android device with no contract involved. Head on over to the source link if this particular beauty is meant to be a part of your future.

Boost Mobile adds Samsung Transform Ultra to its repertoire, hopes you’ll transition for $230 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 09

Refresh Roundup: week of October 3, 2011

Posted in: firmware update, FirmwareUpdate, gingerbread, mobilepostcross, refresh, roundup, software update, SoftwareUpdate, Today's Chili, upgrade

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it’s easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don’t escape without notice, we’ve gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Official Android updates

  • Android 2.3.4 for the Motorola Droid X2 is ready for download. It includes minor fixes to the keyboard, video quality, the mobile hotspot and more. [Droid-Life]
  • Reports are starting to trickle in that the HTC Desire S on Orange UK is getting the bump up to Android 2.3.5 and Sense 3.0, though it seems to be unannounced at this point. [XDA]

Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery

  • The CyanogenMod team is getting close to having CM7 ready for the Motorola Droid 3. [Droid-Life]
  • The recently released LG Esteem for MetroPCS has been rooted. [AndroidNerds]

Other platforms

  • The BlackBerry PlayBook now has an upgrade available. Nope, not the one with native email. Instead, this one is more of a security and stability enhancement with the latest version of Flash Player thrown in for kicks and giggles. [PhoneArena]
  • The 6th-gen iPod Nano received an update to version 1.2 to help bring it to speed with the 7th-gen models unveiled this week. It offers larger app icons, new clock faces, easier adjustments of the accelerometer for the fitness feature as well as several bug fixes. Thanks, Eric! [MacObserver]
  • T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Bold 9900 will get a maintenance release in November that adds WiFi calling, a feature that many have sorely missed. [Electronista]

Refreshes we covered this week

Refresh Roundup: week of October 3, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 09

Pantech Vega LTE gets official for South Korea, dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and 4.5-inch HD display

Posted in: 4G, Android, gingerbread, Google, korea, lte, mobilepostmini, smartphone, Smartphones, South Korea, SouthKorea, Today's Chili

Pantech holds no punches in its home nation, where the company’s latest handset, the Vega LTE, has just become very official. In addition to 4G support, the phone features a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a 4.5-inch display with a whopping 1280 x 800 resolution. Take a moment to savor that last part. Gingerbread is at the core of this large-and-in-charge beauty, which also includes an 8 megapixel auto-focus camera that captures video at 1080p, an LED flash, a 1.3MP front-facing shooter and 16GB of built-in storage. An 1830mAh battery powers the slab, which measures just 9.35mm thin and weighs 135.5g (4.8oz). Rounding out the internals, users will benefit from A-GPS, 802.11n, NFC and terrestrial DMB — that last one is specifically for the home crowd. With specs like these, we can only hope a domestic version makes its journey across the Pacific. If you’re looking for some mental exercise, a translated PR follows the break.

Continue reading Pantech Vega LTE gets official for South Korea, dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and 4.5-inch HD display

Pantech Vega LTE gets official for South Korea, dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and 4.5-inch HD display originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 08

Samsung Stratosphere cleared for Verizon landing October 13th

Posted in: Android, gingerbread, Google, lte, mobilepostmini, qwerty, QwertySlider, samsung, Today's Chili

It seems like only yesterday that we got the full specy treatment from Samsung’s QWERTYriffic Stratosphere — 4-inch Super AMOLED display, Android 2.3 and 5MP rear-facing camera included. There was an important bit of information missing from the proceedings, however — namely a release date. Droid Life has shed some light on that little mystery — according to the site, the LTE handset should start offering up its Gingerbread goodness on Verizon starting October 13th.

Samsung Stratosphere cleared for Verizon landing October 13th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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