Hasta La Gadget!

Just as rumors predicted, the LG Intuition for Verizon has been made official in time for a September 6th launch date. The phone, which is essentially the Optimus Vu with the carrier’s 4G LTE connectivity thrown in, will be available for $200 on contract on Verizon’s website starting tomorrow, and it will hit stores on September 10th. To jog your memory, the handset runs Android 4.0 on a 5-inch display, with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor under the hood. The phone features the LG Tag+ app, which uses NFC to control phone settings, and two reprogrammable NFC stickers are included. Check out the press release for more info.

Continue reading LG Intuition with Verizon 4G LTE gets official: $200 on contract starting September 6th

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LG Intuition with Verizon 4G LTE gets official: $200 on contract starting September 6th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 09:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK carrier O2 faces the prospect of hugely disappointed Android users, with the news that the carrier will not be pushing official Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades to select Sony smartphones. Sony’s updates for the Xperia ray, arc and neo failed to meet O2′s exacting standards, the carrier says, being found to impact “the phone’s speed and performance,” and as such the three handsets will remain on Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

“These issues were present on three separate versions of the Android 4.0 software we tested and are caused by the software having more advanced hardware requirements than previous versions” O2 said in a statement on the decision. “Because the software affects the phone’s performance in this way and because you can’t revert back to an earlier version of Android without having your phone completely restored, we have decided not to approve the update. This means it won’t be available for O2 customers on these phones.”

Android fragmentation – different versions of the OS spread across different devices – has become an increasingly frustrating issue for users. In general, those who bought unlocked, SIM-free devices get the upgrades first (assuming the manufacturers themselves actually take the time to create them), with carrier testing processes often adding further delay into the roll-out.

Unfortunately, sometimes carriers also decide, as O2 has done, not to release upgrades altogether, usually because of concerns that they might face even greater backlash from owners whose devices become frustratingly slow. Those arc, ray and neo owners desperate for Ice Cream Sandwich will have to turn to the aftermarket ROM community, who will likely be able to bring them up to date.

Meanwhile, Sony itself has already begun pushing out ICS to non-carrier-supplied versions of the three phones.

[via Engadget]

O2 axes Sony Xperia ray, arc and neo Ice Cream Sandwich plans is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

A brand new smartphone has been revealed by the folks at MetroPCS complete with mid-range specifications for those looking to keep their pocketbooks full while they access 4G LTE data speed. This device is the Coolpad Quattro 4G, and it’s one of two 4G LTE-capable smartphones on the carrier this summer. This device works with a 4-inch display, single-core 1GHz processor, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

With MetroPCS ramping up efforts to bring 4G LTE to the USA on a network that’s not quite expansive enough to compete with the big guns, a set of two smartphones may be just what they need to stay steady. There’s also a device called LG Motion 4G on the market now for as low as $99 – it’s also a mid-range Android smartphone working on their burgeoning 4G LTE network. Details on the LG Motion 4G can be found in our post last week on the birth of the network’s new connectivity announcement.

Meanwhile you’ll be paying $150 USD for this smartphone working with such features as a microSD card slot, wi-fi connectivity, Bluetooth, GPS navigation, and a 1,600 mAh battery – more than likely much more than enough to keep you powered up for a full day at a time. This device can be purchased and paired with the carrier’s $55 USD a month rate plan with 4G LTE, and is also part of a buy-two-get-rebate plan.

If you purchase two of these devices – or one of these and an LG Motion 4G smartphone – you’ll qualify for a $50 mail-in rebate. Sounds like a deal! Have a peek at your local MetroPCS retailer immediately if not soon to grab em both!

MetroPCS continues 4G LTE assault with Coolpad Quattro is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Remember what the experience of shopping for a gadget was like at big-box stores years ago? Whatever your actual needs were, the store clerks would invariably steer you towards whatever they were getting a commission to sell, or whatever scratched their personal itch. Why would you even go to a store if you knew you would never get an honest answer? The problem was bad enough for Apple in the 1990s, when Macs were often relegated to a dark corner alongside the Ethernet cables, that the company started up its own retail chain. It didn’t get better for most of us until outlets like Best Buy backed off and sometimes made it a point to advertise commission-free staff. Today, while it’s tough to completely escape personal bias and the occasional exception to the rule, it’s more likely than not that a modern general electronics store will give you a decent shot at buying what you really want.

But just try buying a cellphone at a carrier store today.

Continue reading Editorial: Carriers, let customers choose their own phones

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Editorial: Carriers, let customers choose their own phones originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a recent interview with us, GameStop CEO Paul Raines confirmed that GameStop Mobile — an entity that appeared to be on the brink of selling prepaid GSM SIM cards to GameStop patrons — is nothing more than “a mockup.” If you’ll recall, an entire website launched back in May showcasing what appeared to be GameStop’s portal for hawking SIM cards that relied on AT&T’s network to provide service. At the time, the collective held its breath awaiting a confirmation of truth — after all, it’s not exactly easy to pry a data-only SIM out of AT&T’s hands, particularly one that’s free of a contract. Sadly, the CEO informed us that it was “just a creative thing,” noting that it “wasn’t even an idea being pitched.” Continuing, Raines stated:

“We don’t have an MVNO (laughing). If you are trying to provide your customers with a bundle that comes with a pre-owned phone and will allow them to play games, make calls, and everything else — you don’t have to have a network to do that; you can sell SIM cards and pre-paid plans, those things exist, and we are in the process of testing several to see which ones makes sense.”

Of course, accidentally publishing an entire website dedicated to the idea seems a bit crazy for something that wasn’t even being pitched — what kind of designer has that much free time? — but at least the story has an ending for now. “For now,” we say, because the aforementioned pitch could finally happen now that AT&T’s Mobile Share plans are debuting this month.

Filed under: Cellphones

GameStop Mobile will not be an MVNO; company still testing sales of prepaid SIMs from other carriers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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