Tweaker ports Samsung’s TouchWIz UI onto non-rooted Nexus One for reasons unknown

This one’s been kicking around the interwebs for a few weeks now, but it has managed to grow into something of a beast during that period. Frankly, we couldn’t think of less fitting way to send the glorious Nexus One out than to completely deface it and ruin what Google has worked so hard to perfect. But regardless of what we think, that’s exactly what has happened here. One rolle3k over at xda developers clearly has a masochistic gene or two planted inside of his skull, but at least his APK doesn’t require your N1 to be rooted before providing you access to a TouchWiz user interface. Feel free to hit the source if you’re up for seeing what you’ve been missing out on, but only if you literally cannot think of a single better thing to do with your time.

Tweaker ports Samsung’s TouchWIz UI onto non-rooted Nexus One for reasons unknown originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SmartQ T7 and T7-3G Android 2.1 tablets announced and priced in China

Don’t worry, it’s not déjà vu — these SmartQ T7 tablets may appear just like their Ubuntu-riding R7 sibling, but they offer Android 2.1, an integrated 3G option, a speedier 720MHz CPU, and a colossal 4,700mAh battery — 1,400mAh more than before! If that’s woken you from the slumber brought on by yet another boilerplate tablet, SmartQ’s also boasting support for a similarly impressive range of video codecs, meaning you can grab any RMVB, AVI, MKV and WMV files (even at 1080p) from your various, ahem, sources, and just play them back on the 7-inch LCD (probably at 800 x 600 like the R7) as they are. If you’re cool with just WiFi connectivity, then go for the ¥1,480 ($219) T7; if 3G is a must, be prepared to dole out ¥1,880 ($278) and ¥1,980 ($292) for the EVDO and WCDMA flavors of the T7-3G, respectively. And if you’re hanging out with China Mobile, price for the TD-SCDMA version’s to be confirmed later.

SmartQ T7 and T7-3G Android 2.1 tablets announced and priced in China originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Intercept ambushed in the wild, features higher res screen (video)

When we first got word of a Samsung Moment successor, we were concerned it would be too little, too late… but this week a man headed off Sammy’s new Intercept at a Best Buy (for $100, reportedly), and there’s slightly more to this device than it originally seemed. While the form factor and features are familiar enough — a QWERTY slider with a 3.2 megapixel camera and 3.2-inch screen — that display apparently sports a 800 x 480 resolution now, the keyboard seems much improved, ports and buttons have been thoroughly revamped, and the whole unit’s been given a lovely sheen. No word on internal specs quite yet — and no Froyo, either — but you can judge how responsive it is for yourself in a video after the break.

[Thanks, Brad B.]

Continue reading Samsung Intercept ambushed in the wild, features higher res screen (video)

Samsung Intercept ambushed in the wild, features higher res screen (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Droid X review

The original Droid made a powerful statement. Actually, make that statements, plural: for Motorola, it was the largest single affirmation that it was going all-in with Android (after having already released the far less memorable midrange CLIQ on T-Mobile) and that it could play in the very highest rungs of the smartphone elite. For Verizon, the Droid was the carrier’s very first Android device, period — announced to great fanfare in collaboration with Eric Schmidt and crew — serving as a pretty spectacular exit from the Windows Mobile / BlackBerry doldrums that the carrier’s smartphone lineup had historically suffered. By almost any measure, the phone went on to serve its purpose; it let customers (and potential customers) know that Verizon could release a “cool” phone, and they responded. The Droid’s an unqualified success. Today, Verizon’s involvement in Android has never been greater, and Motorola — by all appearances, anyway — seems to be on its way back from the brink.

Time stops for no phone, though, and we’re now halfway through 2010. Motorola’s success as a competitive phone manufacturer is ultimately going to depend not on its ability to produce a single hit, but to produce a never-ending string of hits, each better than the one before it. It’s a tall order — and that’s exactly where the Droid X comes into play. Featuring a 4.3-inch WVGA display, 8 megapixel camera with 720p video capture, a reworked user interface, and a significantly improved processor, this phone apes the first Droid in at least one critical aspect: its ability to immediately steal the spotlight from anything else in Verizon’s lineup. Specs don’t tell the whole story, though, so let’s dig in and see what this beast is all about.

Continue reading Motorola Droid X review

Motorola Droid X review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Acclaim arrives in US Cellular stores July 9, we’re sure somebody will care

Looks like we have a small band of US Cellular fans among our numbers, as we’ve received a slew of tips letting us know that the national carrier has dropped an official release date for the Samsung Acclaim. This most mundane of Android sliders will arrive on July 9, and… well, that’s it really. US Cellular hasn’t seen fit to entice us with any actual specs or even an Android version, though information floating about the interwebs suggests it has a 3.2-inch HVGA screen and a stock Eclair installation. We’ll just have to wait until somebody at Samsung swallows the shame of being associated with the Acclaim and finally gives us some official details.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Acclaim arrives in US Cellular stores July 9, we’re sure somebody will care originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC EVO 4G fully rooted, freedom loving people everywhere rejoice

You’ve undoubtedly been following the story — hell, maybe you’ve even partaking in some serious WiFi tethering. Well, the Android Police (not an actual police force) are reporting that the EVO 4G has finally been rooted, fully and completely. What’s this mean? Well, for starters, enterprising individuals will soon be writing to /system from within the OS, removing Sprint’s apps and flashing from custom ROMs. Pretty sweet, right? Hit up the source link to get started! But please, don’t brick your phone. For real.

HTC EVO 4G fully rooted, freedom loving people everywhere rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Android-based Innocomm Shark tunes into Taiwanese TV, makes us want to move here (video)

And you wonder why the cabbies here are so addicted to mobile TV. Innocomm’s latest — hailed as the first Android 3.5G smartphone with Telegent’s mobile TV solution — was on-hand here at Computex, and while the Shark didn’t look too special at first glance, it actually proved to be a mighty respectable phone after we opened our mind and gave it a few precious moments of our lives. The handset itself manages to boast an impressive WVGA (800 x 480) 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, and there’s an 8 megapixel camera around back to accompany the 3.5G connectivity, inbuilt WiFi and analog TV tuner. We found the device to be running Android 2.1, and for all intents and purposes, it hummed along like a clock. Touchscreen response was top notch, and the TV application loaded and closed with nary a hitch. Innocomm plans to ship the thing worldwide in the coming weeks, though users in need of a digital receiver will have to wait for a future model. Have a look at us presumably getting cursed at by a daytime drama queen just past the break.

Continue reading Android-based Innocomm Shark tunes into Taiwanese TV, makes us want to move here (video)

Android-based Innocomm Shark tunes into Taiwanese TV, makes us want to move here (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Evo 4G now for sale at Sprint online

It’s here! The Evo 4G is now on sale at Sprint’s online webstore. The dual-mode 3G/4G handset with 4.3-inch display, 8 megapixel camera, two-way video calling, and personal WiFi hotspot feature all powered by Android 2.1 on a 1GHz Snapdragon is now for sale for $199 on two year contract (after $150 instant savings and $100 mail-in rebate). Oh, sales are limited to five per customer just in case you’re planning to go nuts. Now get out of here, the future is waiting.

Update: Official PR added after the break.

[Thanks, Tim]

Continue reading Evo 4G now for sale at Sprint online

Evo 4G now for sale at Sprint online originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 01:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Flipout preview

We know you’re excited — the Nokia Twist finally has a legitimate competitor in the square-shaped pseudo-smartphone space! Motorola snuck up on us with its Flipout unveiling yesterday, so today we diligently trudged along to its local offices to get properly acquainted with this new Android handset. Running version 2.1 (Eclair) on a 600MHz processor might seem like a recipe for trouble, but it’s the same Cortex A8 (TI OMAP 3410) as used in the Droid, and our time with the little quadrangle revealed it could handle itself with aplomb. The Flipout also boasts a freshened up Motoblur implementation and 512MB of both RAM and ROM, but only 150MB for user storage — time to bring on Froyo, eh? With interchangeable back covers (two will come in the retail box) and that handbag-friendly form factor, the Flipout is unashamedly flirting with being a phone for style-conscious lady-geeks, but let’s see if it doesn’t appeal to gruff old types like us as well. Join us after the break for our full hands-on impressions.

Continue reading Motorola Flipout preview

Motorola Flipout preview originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy S launches in Europe, hitting US ‘later this year’

So that simultaneous global launch isn’t going to materialize quite as we were told, but Samsung is indeed bringing the Galaxy S to the widest possible audience. The Korean giant has made its 2010 flagship official in Europe today, meaning you should be able to sign your life away to your favorite carrier in exchange for it very soon indeed. We’re told the 4-incher will be making its American debut later in the year, though a protracted delay appears unlikely. Pricing on the Galaxy S might not turn out to be all that democratic, but its comprehensive choice of more than 100 global carriers sure will be, and might suggest we’ll get a choice of networks when the phone finally makes its way Stateside. Hang tight, gringos, not long to go now.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S launches in Europe, hitting US ‘later this year’

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Samsung Galaxy S launches in Europe, hitting US ‘later this year’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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