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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Sometimes, we do wonder whether leaks of information by a vendor is done deliberately, or by accident, but the end game is more or less the same – attention is drawn to said leaked device(s). Well, Walmart has just leaked out pricing details on upcoming smartphones from T-Mobile, where we are looking at the Windows Phone 8X and the Nokia Lumia 810. Of course, one needs to bear in mind that carrier prices could very well vary from retailer to retailer, since it is up to the likes of Walmart to charge what they want – it is just the amount of profit margin that differs.

Recently, Sprint did reveal that they will be selling the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for nearly $300 a pop, and it does seem that Walmart’s leak points toward a similar price point for T-Mobile’s Galaxy Note 2. In terms of Windows Phone-powered handsets, your wallet would appreciate the pricing details more as HTC’s Windows Phone 8X should cost $150 with a contract, while the Nokia Lumia 810 would hover around the $100 mark.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: T-Mobile and Walmart announce Family Mobile plan, Walmart and T-Mobile introduce data-centric prepaid plan,

While we could easily see this coming, it’s still good to hear the news more directly: Isis has confirmed that its delayed mobile wallet system will arrive on October 22nd. The company’s marketing lead Jaymee Johnson tells us that the NFC-based commerce should start in the previously mentioned Austin and Salt Lake City areas. We haven’t been given a formal device list, but “as many as” 20 smartphones should be compatible by the end of the year. We can think of at least four. More details will follow on the day in question, although we already know that the cash-averse will need an Isis app, a special SIM card and compatible SmartTap terminals at stores. That’s a lot of conditions that have to be satisfied just to lighten the strain on our pockets — all the same, we’ll take it when the alternatives are moving slowly.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile

Isis makes October 22nd mobile payment launch official, vows 20 capable phones by year’s end originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unofficial rumblings have pointed to Isis Mobile Wallet’s trial getting close. If you’ve remained skeptical all the same, we’re pretty sure that seeing Isis’ Android app in Google Play will change your mind. The currently T-Mobile-only software confirms that pilot program members will tie their American Express, Capital One or Chase card (as well as a unique card) to Isis for paying through NFC at stores with a SmartTap terminal. We’re also promised streamlined loyalty cards and coupons. Before anyone rushes to try the app at the local shop, remember that it’s just one piece of the puzzle on top of the special SIM card, one of three NFC-equipped phones and that small matter of living in Austin or Salt Lake City when the service goes live. Having the official app at least lets those who qualify get a head start on what could soon be the only major alternative to Google Wallet in the US.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Isis Mobile Wallet app for Android surfaces in Google Play, you probably can’t run it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While the board of executives from both Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS have given the deal their blessing, we guess there were some shareholders who weren’t too pleased about it. It seems that some of MetroPCS’ shareholders have filed a lawsuit against T-Mobile USA, Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile USA’s parent company), and MetroPCS for apparently undervaluing the company.

The deal is expected to bump share prices to $12.48, which apparently the shareholders of MetroPCS feel is too low since a stock analyst has recently pegged MetroPCS’ shares to hit $18. The plaintiffs of the lawsuit are also claiming that the deal was made so that only Deutsche Telekom could bid on MetroPCS and essentially blocks other parties from attempting to make a bid of their own. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: MetroPCS said to be frontrunner in buying AT&T’s assets, T-Mobile/MetroPCS merger expected to be completed by June 2013,