Hasta La Gadget!

Forget about the new iPhone. It’s almost time for the next Nexus superphone!

The Galaxy Nexus one was introduced last November so it only makes sense that the next one will launch around the same time period. Codenamed Superior, specs for the next Galaxy Nexus just appeared but don’t get too excited. This next phone, if it really is a Nexus variation, isn’t all that more impressive than the current generation.

As shown by a chart posted by SamMobile, the GT-I9260 reportedly has a 1.5GHz dual-core A9 at the core. It uses the same 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD screen as the current Galaxy Nexus. The biggest change comes in the form the 8MP/1.9MP cameras. This is a large upgrade from the GT-I9250′s 5MP, 1.3MP front and back cameras. This next model also reportedly sports a microSD card slot.

Pricing and release date wasn’t given, but it’s likely that the next Nexus phone will launch in the coming months — probably shortly after the new iPhone’s buzz dies off but still a before the holiday’s kick into high gear.

In the other court battle between Apple and Samsung, Apple is accusing the Galaxy Nexus of violating Apple’s “universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system” patent with its Universal Search. Samsung is saying Apple shouldn’t feel threatened by the Galaxy Nexus because the sales of the phone are so “minuscule”. Really. More »

Welcome to Engadget’s back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn’t nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we’re tapping away on our brand-new smartphones — and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they’re added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back — at the end of August we’ll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides — you can hit up the hub page right here!

It’s a good time to be a student. Last year, there were some solid picks, but it was still very clear that those willing to scrimp and save a little longer had a much better experience. This year, it’s a people’s revolution. Thanks to cutthroat competition, there are some exceptional phones out there, even for those of you hoping to avoid eating ramen noodles for a month. Software has taken a leap forward too, with many phones now offering a vital way to remember when that term paper is due… or to procrastinate at the pub. We have nine choices of phones in our shortlist, spread out across three categories to serve everyone from the I-just-need-a-phone freshman to the overloaded doctoral candidate. While you’re eying the selection, don’t forget to enter our giveaway and potentially ease the burden — who knows, you may get a phone you want rather than the one dictated by your student loan.

Continue reading Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: smartphones

Filed under: Cellphones

Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nobody puts Google Wallet in the corner for long, not even Big Red. Though the carrier courted controversy late last year by withholding support for the burgeoning NFC-based platform amidst security concerns, it appears to have finally changed tack. Owners of that LTE Galaxy Nexus variant are now reporting the ability to access the app from the Play store, no workarounds necessary. Though we weren’t able to verify the success of that particular method — no results surfaced during a quick store search — we did have success downloading the application to our stock, unrooted device using a direct market link. We’ve since reached out to Verizon for official comment on the matter, but have yet to hear back. In the meantime, if you’ve been itching to give Mountain View’s brand of mobile payment a go, hit up the source link below and let us know how you fare in the comments.

[Thanks, Keith]

PSA: Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners now have direct access to Google Wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve collided head-on with the month of August, and today we had some interesting news stories to ring in the eighth month of the year. Surprisingly enough, we didn’t have too much news about the ongoing trial between Apple and Samsung, except for the part where Samsung made Apple really angry by sending evidence that the original iPhone was inspired by Sony designs out to the press. Samsung found itself in a bit of hot water after that leak, so this evening it seems that Samsung has managed to get on Judge Lucy Koh’s bad side. The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said today that the Galaxy Nexus can remain on sale until August 20 despite Apple’s request for its preliminary injunction against the phone to be restored, so if you’ve been planning to buy one, your window to do so has been extended.

Moving right along, Lenovo suffered a pretty big leak today, and now details about the ThinkPad 2 are all over the place. Samsung has been granted the title of top phone brand for Q2, but interestingly enough, Apple’s iOS is growing at a faster rate than Android is. Google Wallet has received an update that increases the range of credit and debit cards you can use with the app, and we were right there to talk about whether or not the app is safe. Definitely give it a read if you’re considering using Google Wallet now that this update has arrived.

Speaking of Google, the company introduced a new set of rules for Android app developers today, and there’s a nasty little rumor going around that claims AT&T has been discouraging iPhone sales. AT&T, for its part, naturally says that the rumor is false, but that report definitely did a lot to pique our interest. The iPhone rumors don’t stop there, however, as we’ve been hearing whispers that Apple’s new dock connector may come with a MagSafe-like design when it arrives with the iPhone 5, and that the phone itself will be sporting Bluetooth 4 tech.

Microsoft was in the news a little bit today, as it was revealed that the company’s freshly-rebranded Outlook.com managed to attract one million users in just a few hours. Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing, which is the last step in development before Microsoft releases the OS to its OEM partners. The long-awaited Kickstarter campaign for the Oculus Rift kicked off today too, and managed to hit its funding goal in just a few hours. Is virtual reality about to make a comeback, or will it just leave us with a headache again?

Finally, we’ve got a couple reviews to share with you this evening, like this review of the myTouch and myTouch Q from T-Mobile, and this one of the Nintendo 3DS XL. Enjoy the rest of your Wednesday evening, everyone!

SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: August 1, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
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