Hasta La Gadget!

Despite the sweltering heat waves, our spirits are high at Engadget, and for good reason: it’s time for our summer edition of the smartphone buyer’s guide. Here, you’ll find our top recommendations for the best smartphones across several US carriers, along with the best QWERTY and budget alternatives. In many ways, it’s now easier than ever to find a world-class smartphone, but unless you’ve developed a strong brand preference, choosing one is likely more difficult than ever before. It’s no secret that the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III have firmly cemented themselves as the premier smartphones of the day, but if you’re torn between the two, we’ll reveal our preference in this latest installment.

Summertime also brought a bit of a shock, as Microsoft revealed that Windows Phone 8 apps won’t be compatible with the current generation of Windows Phone hardware. For this reason, we’ve excluded all Windows Phone handsets from consideration in the latest buyer’s guide. While the future of Microsoft’s mobile platform looks incredibly bright, a purchase now would guarantee obsolescence in the short-term. Instead, all prospective Windows Phone purchasers must wait for the next generation of handsets to become available — you’ll regret it otherwise.

Naturally, there is no shortage of rumors surrounding the next Apple iPhone, and given the handset’s current lack of LTE connectivity, the iPhone 4S is certainly showing its age. While cautious purchasers may choose to bide their time, the iPhone remains top-notch in many other respects, and its arrival at a number of prepaid carriers brought a breath of fresh air to an otherwise stagnant environment.

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: summer 2012 edition

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Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: summer 2012 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Sprint flavor of Samsung’s latest flagship isn’t the only one to feel the gentle tug of patent warfare. According to Android Central (and several XDA Developers forum members), the latest OTA update for the international (i9300) version also does away with the universal search function, which browses your phone’s contacts and apps for results — and drew Apple’s ire. The new search box now offers web-only results, with the 27MB update also tinkering with the default browser layout. You may also find yourself back using Samsung’s homemade keyboard UI after resetting — though this can be quickly remedied in settings. Reduced functionality aside, if you like your smartphones legally sound, the update can be grabbed through the phone or Samsung’s Kies software.

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Samsung Galaxy S III update sheds universal search feature on international model originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jul 2012 05:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wondering if Samsung’s new flagship has hit its sales goal yet? Breathe out — it did. According to Yonhap, Shin Jong-kyun, head of Samsung’s information technology and mobile communication division, told reporters the firm has moved more than 10 million Samsung Galaxy S IIIs since its unveiling. Jong-kyun wasn’t able to give specific numbers, but we know from history that the handset is outpacing its predecessor, which took five months to make eight digits in sales. As for the goal, Sammy previously pegged the 10 millionth unit for early July, noting that it was fighting component shortages along the way — all in all, mid-month isn’t too far off. Thinking of helping the firm bolster its numbers further? We’ve got a whole series of reviews you may want to take a look at.

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Galaxy S III sales breach 10 million, satisfy Samsung executives originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Jul 2012 20:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tearing down a gadget normally presents a Catch-22 of having to destroy what you love to see how it works. As it turns out, there’s a clever way around that clause: when you have access to digital mammography X-ray machines beyond the hospital, like reader Alex does, you can get a peek at a Galaxy S III’s insides without having to dissect that Hyperglazed beauty layer by layer. The resulting scan stresses just how tightly packed Samsung’s Android flagship is when it’s all put together, but it also carries a slightly ethereal, Ghost of Smartphones Present aura, doesn’t it? While we doubt that Charles Dickens would ever have imagined this kind of spirit, you can gaze upon a much larger, even more detailed version of the supernatural Samsung after the break.

Continue reading Visualized: Samsung Galaxy S III blasted with X-ray, doesn’t gain superpowers

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Visualized: Samsung Galaxy S III blasted with X-ray, doesn’t gain superpowers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yesterday, rumors about the meaty 64GB GS3 model having reached a discontinued status started circulating around the interwebs — much to the disappointment of power users looking to snag the roomy handset. As it turns out, however, Samsung’s told The Verge that this is far from the truth, saying the proportionally spacious Galaxy S III is coming “during the second half of this year,” but also noting this “may vary and will be determined at the time of release.” In other words, not all is lost, though it looks like anyone wanting to grab one of these is going to have to wait it out on the sidelines for just a little longer.

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Samsung Galaxy S III 64GB not discontinued, coming in the ‘second half of this year’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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