Hasta La Gadget!

Come 29^th of October, there is a good chance that Google will be unveiling their new Nexus handset (or could be handsets, if the rumors are to be believed). If you’re looking for further proof that something like that could be taking place, the folks at Mobile Syrup have gotten their hands on a leaked screenshot of Canadian carrier, Bell, in which it was revealed that on the 18^th of October (which has since passed), the Galaxy Nexus will be discontinued. Of course remaining stock will still be available for purchase, but once Bell is sold out, you will have to look for the handset via alternative means. If anything, this seems like a very good indication that the Galaxy Nexus’ successor is on the way – after all why discontinue such a popular handset unless you have something better to replace it with, right? We’re not sure if other carriers in the US or around the world have discontinued the Galaxy Nexus as well, or are going to, but we guess we will have to wait until the 29^th of October to see the LG Nexus 4 rumors pan out. Be sure to check back with us then for the confirmation!

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean update for the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus sales ban reversed by appeals court,

Shopping for a smartphone can be an exciting and arduous experience. Along with the promise of something new and fantastic, it brings the fear of commitment, and even worse, the prospect of saddling yourself to a lousy device for two years. Fortunately for you, Engadget spends tons of time playing with the latest gear and we’re constantly on the lookout for what’s coming next. If you’re wanting to take the pain out of shopping for a smartphone, you’ve come to the right place. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: your one-stop resource to finding the best and most exciting handsets on the market today.

Before you dive in, however, we’ve introduced a few changes to the buyer’s guide, so take a minute to prepare yourself for what’s in store. First and foremost, you’ll now find alternate selections to supplement our top picks. This should already be familiar to many of you, which is the same format we use for our seasonal gift guides. The next one is a biggie: we’ve dropped the QWERTY selection. By and large, manufacturers and carriers alike have shifted their focus away from keyboard-equipped smartphones, and you’ll rarely find more than one option on any given carrier. That said, if you still insist on the tactile experience, you’ll always find everything you need to know in our reviews. Finally, whenever possible, you’ll now find prices from Amazon Wireless, which allows us to provide you with more compelling budget selections and highlight the substantial savings that you can score by circumventing the carriers. It’s not like they need your charity, anyway.

If you’re curious to see how it all unfolded — and we know you are — join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season.

Continue reading Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: fall 2012 edition

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, HTC, Nokia, Google, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, LG, T-Mobile

Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: fall 2012 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Rejoice all ye owners of the GSM version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus because not only is it time for an Android software update, it’s coming the easy way, too – right over the air. All you’ll have to do is go into your settings and hit the software update button inside your device info near the bottom of your setting list and bam! There it is, ready to bring you up to an ever-so-slightly changed user interface.

This update brought on homescreen flip-flopping for the Nexus 7 – turning on to its side for some landscape action at long last. This update for the Galaxy Nexus brings with it the ability to expand notifications with a single finger as well as a collection of bug fixes as per usual. While it’s clear that this update is necessary for all Galaxy Nexus users, it’s not entirely clear what it fixes other than that notifications bonus bit.

With this sort of update comes a wave of misunderstanding on how Android updates happen, starting here with Verizon users who will, inevitably, ask when their update is set to hit the plate. As it were, Galaxy Nexus updates coming to the 4G LTE Verizon version of the device do not come regularly, and we’re unaware of when the 4.1.2 update will be hitting said phone. It’s not the most ideal situation, but as Verizon’s build for the device is not exactly the same as the GSM version shown above, more work must be done before a software update can be pushed.

This update now exists on the Galaxy Nexus GSM iteration and the ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 tablet. It’s a 15.1 MB download and will be coming to your device automatically, so just hit the snooze button for now! Meanwhile also prepare yourself for some hot vanilla Android action with the LG Nexus 4, the next-in-line for Google’s fabulous stripped-down line of devices showing their best-of look at Android, straight from the lab.

Galaxy Nexus Android 4.1.2 appears in over-the-air update is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. 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 we could find during 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!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of October 8th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile, Samsung, Nokia, Google, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, LG, Intel, RIM

Refresh Roundup: week of October 8th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

A United States appeals court has overturned the injunction banning the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus, arguing that the California district court had “abused its discretion” in granting it. The case between Apple and Samsung, which centers around four patents relating to unified search and Siri, will now be returned to the court of Judge Lucy Koh for reconsideration — in the same way that she had to reverse her previous decision regarding the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The injunction was granted on the basis that Apple could demonstrate “irreparable harm” to its business, and, that its case had a high likelihood of succeeding. However, the panel of judges felt that Cupertino could do neither of those things to the court’s satisfaction, and as such, Samsung’s handsets will be available to purchase as soon as the company can get them onto shelves. If you’d care to delve into the full text of the remand order yourself, it’s available at the source link.

Update: Here is Samsung’s jolly statement regarding the reversal:

“We welcome this reversal by the Federal Circuit, finding that the District Court abused its discretion in ordering a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus. Today’s decision confirms that the role of patent law is to protect innovation and not to unreasonably stifle competition and restrict consumer choice. We will continue to take all appropriate measures to ensure the availability of our innovative products.”

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Court reverses Galaxy Nexus sales ban in the US (updated with Samsung’s statement) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  Remand Order (PDF), Reuters  | Email this | Comments