Hasta La Gadget!

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.

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We were pretty impressed with our demo of HD Voice on the HTC EVO 4G LTE earlier in the year, but are still waiting for the feature’s launch to test it in real situations. We may not have to wait much longer, though, because according to Phone Scoop, Sprint is aiming to roll out the service by the end of 2012. The carrier’s Network Vision architecture upgrade is progressing nicely, a necessity for implementing clearer conversations, although coverage is still patchy. We might see an official launch this year, but HD Voice is unlikely to be widely available on the network or on other devices until well into 2013 and 2014. However, if you happen to be a Sprint customer, HTC EVO 4G LTE owner, connected to the right tower and calling someone that’s ticking exactly the same boxes, listen out for that bump in quality as the New Year approaches.

Filed under: Cellphones

Clearer calls with HD Voice on Sprint expected before the year’s out originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 07:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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

Filed under: Cellphones

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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Sprint has decided to introduce a white colored version of the HTC EVO 4G LTE, where this stunning new device will be framed by its aluminum unibody, not to mention come alongside a matching silver kickstand alongside an aluminized back plate for a sleek and refined look. It has been available since yesterday, the white colored HTC EVO 4G LTE can be picked up as an exclusive in all Sprint-owned sales channels, ranging from websites to telesales channels for $199.99 a pop.

Obviously, this will be a handset on a 2-year contract, excluding taxes. For those who want something that is more regular and mainstream, then the standard issue HTC EVO 4G LTE that comes in an anodized black finish is already available to pick up.

Just what kind of hardware specifications can you expect to find underneath the hood in the white colored version of the HTC EVO 4G LTE from Sprint? For starters, it comes with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system which works in tow with HTC Sense 4, in addition to a blazing-fast processor, a 4.7” HD display in addition to the possibility of having HD Voice capabilities in the future.

It will also play nice with 4G LTE speeds, while HTC ImageSense delivers improvements to the amazing camera experience that features an extremely fast autofocus which will be able to enable continuous shooting of up to 99 images, not to mention the ability to capture still images while shooting video. There is also the ability to increase the quality of photos which was taken under adverse conditions such as low light, no light or with bright backlighting.

Your ears will also benefit from HTC’s authentic sound experience that boasts of integrated Beats Audio, the technology was enabled across multiple facets of the phone experience, ranging from playing music that is stashed on the device, streaming from a favorite service, watching a movie or even a YouTube video.

Underneath the hood lies a Snapdragon S4 processor by Qualcomm, accompanied by a vibrant 4.7-inch HD display, and an advanced 8-megapixel camera.

Press Release

[ Sprint offers white colored version of the HTC EVO 4G LTE copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Last month, we wrote to you about an alleged white variant of the HTC EVO 4G LTE from Sprint. Our report was based on a leaked document acquired by the folks over at TechnoBuffalo. However, the document did not mention anything with regards to its arrival. Today, however, Sprint is announcing the availability of a white HTC EVO 4G LTE. The carrier said that HTC EVO 4G LTE in white will be available beginning Sunday, July 15, exclusively in all Sprint sales channels or via www.sprint.com for $199.99, with a new line of service or eligible upgrade, and a two-year service agreement.

“HTC EVO 4G LTE sets a new standard for smartphones and boasts Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, HTC Sense 4, a blazing-fast processor, 4.7-inch HD display for a rich multimedia experience and the ability to have HD Voice capabilities in the future,” said Fared Adib, vice president–Product Development, Sprint. “Pairing the HTC EVO innovation with Sprint’s Everything Data Plans for a truly unlimited data experience gives customers a powerful combination.” So, if you have a fetish for white devices that aren’t made by Apple, this one’s for you.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Sprint to ship HTC Evo 4G LTE this coming Thursday, Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G LTE Pre-orders Officially Started,