Aug 28

Refresh Roundup: week of August 22, 2011

Posted in: Android, att, BlackBerry, firmware, firmware update, FirmwareUpdate, HP, HTC, leak, leaks, mango, mobilepostmini, motorola, nokia, refresh, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, roundup, rumor, rumors, Software, software update, SoftwareUpdate, Today's Chili, update, verizon, vzw, webos, windows phone 7, WindowsPhone7, Wp7

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!

Official Android Updates

  • Motorola’s Photon 4G was the recipient of a minor over-the-air firmware revamp that offers improvements to responsiveness and voice calls, and offers more bug fixes and other enhancements. [via PhoneArena]
  • Want another bug fix update? The HTC EVO 3D is the next contestant, rolling out its second OTA refresh in as many weeks. This time it appears that a new “Corporate 4G” widget and a new radio have been added. [via AndroidCentral]
  • Gingerbread 2.3.4 is now rolling out to Bell’s Motorola Atrix 4G OTA. [via MobileSyrup]
  • Now that its official Gingerbread support page has gone live, Verizon’s Motorola Droid 2 will likely be receiving Android 2.3 in the very near future. [via AndroidCentral]
  • Sasktel’s HTC Incredible S is now the beneficiary of Android 2.3.3 in an OTA install. [via MobileSyrup]

Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery

Other platforms

  • The Nokia N8 was recently blessed with Symbian Anna, but a few camera-related upgrades were left out. No need to fear, as an “experimental” update is now being offered, which adds continuous auto-focus and tweaks the UI to allow for faster access to the camera — among other improvements, such as a boost to 30fps. Check out the change log here. [via ZOMGitsCJ]
  • Given last week’s news about webOS, we were concerned the newly-launched Pre3 would be DOA, with no promise of future updates. HP’s proving this isn’t the case, however, as the device got a minor update that brought the phone’s help center live and fixed a few bugs along the way. [via PreCentral and PhoneArena]
  • Research in Motion released an upgrade to its Tablet OS for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Unfortunately, it’s not the 2.0 version we saw leaked screenshots of earlier this week, but it still brings a nice feature to the tablet: differential updates. This means that in future OS refreshes, only the affected sections will be changed. In addition, the new version, dubbed 1.0.7.2942, will improve WiFi connectivity via WEP and enhancements to BlackBerry Bridge. [via RIM]
  • WP7Mod showed a video of the HTC HD2 booting up with Windows Phone Mango’s RTM build installed. We’ve been told that it’s almost ready for any daring souls interested in a new challenge for their Windows Mobile device. [via WMPowerUser]

Refresh Roundup: week of August 22, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Aug 27

Exclusive: HTC Holiday for AT&T in the wild — 4G LTE, 1.2GHz, 4.5-inch qHD display

Posted in: 4G, Android, att, exclusive, htc sense, HtcSense, in the wild, InTheWild, leak, leaked, leaks, mobilepostcross, sense, smartphone, Today's Chili

Looks like AT&T’s fall lineup will include at least one slab of irresistible. The so-called HTC Holiday is indeed real, and it’ll soon be gracing Ma Bell’s airwaves — and not just the HSPA+ ones, either. We’ve confirmed that the Holiday will be amongst the first handsets to launch in AT&T’s LTE markets, bringing with it a rather gargantuan frame, a 4.5-inch qHD touchpanel, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of memory, an 8 megapixel rear camera (with flash), 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and a foursome of capacitive touch buttons below the panel. Software wise, it’ll ship with Android 2.3.4 and HTC Sense 3.0, and while we haven’t been able to nail it down with 100 percent certainty, there’s a better-than-average chance it’ll go by “Waikiki” upon launch — if “Holiday” doesn’t work out, that is. We’ll be bringing you more as it arrives; for now, cut loose in the gallery below!

Gallery: HTC Holiday for AT&T in the wild (screenshots and photos)

Exclusive: HTC Holiday for AT&T in the wild — 4G LTE, 1.2GHz, 4.5-inch qHD display originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Aug 26

Trio of US Samsung Galaxy S II models get together for a group photo?

Posted in: 4G, att, galaxy, galaxy s ii, GalaxyS, GalaxySIi, mobilepostcross, rumor, rumors, samsung, Sprint, t-mobile, TMobile, Today's Chili
Gaze closely at the above picture. Is this classy-looking bunch of phones the actual trio of Galaxy S II devices we expect to see unveiled at Samsung’s press event this coming Monday? If so, our mouths are commencing salivation as we speak. From the looks of it, the Samsung Hercules, Epic Touch 4G and Attain are shown off hanging out together in full disclosure. Granted, we’ve seen the T-Mobile and Sprint versions before, so this image simply verifies what we’ve already seen. The big reveal, however, is the look of AT&T’s variant — a device that’s managed to do the best job at playing hide-and-seek — which appears to be eerily similar to a leaked render we encountered in June. We’re only a matter of days away from knowing for sure, but this will definitely get your weekend started off on the right foot.

Trio of US Samsung Galaxy S II models get together for a group photo? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink TmoNews  |  sourcePocketNow  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Aug 26

Engadget NYC Reader Meetup recap

Posted in: att, HTC, motorola, samsung, Today's Chili, video
Meetup

What can we say? It was an amazing night. We filled the joint to capacity, made about a million new friends, smashed (and fixed!) an iPad 2 live on stage, and literally had so much stuff to give away that we ran out of time. The staff is still buzzing (and our ears still ringing) after a fantastic night in the City, and we’re hugely thankful for everyone who came out last night to party with us. And, of course, we’re hugely thankful to our sponsors that helped to make it possible, including Motorola, Get-a-Game, RIM, HTC, Samsung, and AT&T — who brought artist Matt Siren to create a little art live. We have a time-lapse video of that coming together after the break, along with footage of what happens when a set of in-line skates meet up with the display on an iPad 2 provided by uBreakiFix. Spoiler alert: it ain’t pretty.

Gallery: Engadget Fall 2011 NYC Reader Meetup

Continue reading Engadget NYC Reader Meetup recap

Engadget NYC Reader Meetup recap originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Aug 25

Engadget’s NYC Reader Meetup is happening tonight!

Posted in: att, engadget, Today's Chili

As a great poet once wrote, “Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known.” Okay, that might be hyping things up a bit, but we’re pretty pumped to meet you all tonight. Engadget editors have flown in from as far as Hong Kong to attend tonight’s NYC Engadget Reader Meetup. The event is free and open to you all, and we’ve got lots of awesome stuff planned.

For starters, AT&T, Samsung, HTC, RIM and Motorola will be on hand, showing off their latest and greatest. And as you can see above, there’s also a sweet electric Mini Cooper parked outside. Toss in lots of cool free stuff, a live podcast, live art and food and drink, and you’ve got a pretty sweet party.

The all ages event kicks off tonight at 6:30PM at Guastavino’s, located at 59th Street in Manhattan. Space is limited to 1,000, and things are first-come, first served, so showing up a little early certainly couldn’t hurt. Oh, and a Facebook event? We’ve got your Facebook invite right here.

Continue reading Engadget’s NYC Reader Meetup is happening tonight!

Engadget’s NYC Reader Meetup is happening tonight! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Aug 24

Huawei Sonic reappears at the FCC, ditches AWS 3G and NFC functionality

Posted in: att, mobile, mobilepostmini, nfc, t-mobile, TMobile, Today's Chili

If this is the same “T-Mobile Sonic” we saw a month back, it’s safe to assume Huawei took the Gingerbread slab back to the drawing board and away from a Magenta debut. Popping up, once again, over at the FCC, and bearing a different model number — U8652 — the new Sonic sports a similar rounded-edge design, although this current incarnation takes on a definite rectangular shape. Gone are both the formerly included NFC functionality and AWS bands, in favor of quadband GSM, UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100 bands, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, WiFi and Bluetooth. The handset’s radios are tipping us in the direction of an AT&T destiny, but could also very likely indicate a bow on the networks to our north. Will this Sonic ever see the light of day, or will Huawei lob off more bands for an overseas-only birth? We’ll keep an eye out for any new developments, but in the meantime, jump past the break for a closer look.

Continue reading Huawei Sonic reappears at the FCC, ditches AWS 3G and NFC functionality

Huawei Sonic reappears at the FCC, ditches AWS 3G and NFC functionality originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Aug 24

Engadget’s NYC Reader Meetup happens August 25!

Posted in: att, engadget, Today's Chili
The NYC Engadget Reader Meetup is less than two weeks away!

We know… this can be something of a sad time. Seasons changing, vacations ending, schools opening, and days shortening. But don’t be down, dear reader, because we have a heck of a party planned, only a day away. The NYC Engadget Reader Meetup is Thursday, August 25, it’s totally free, and you’re invited.

We’ve lined up an array of exhibitors to show their latest and greatest toys, including AT&T, Samsung, HTC, RIM, and Motorola. We’ll also have an electric Mini Cooper to check out, a glasses-free 3D display from Magnetic 3D, a recharging lounge to refill your electronics, and snacks and desserts to refill your stomachs. AT&T will be bringing artist Matt Siren to do a live piece of art inspired by your stories, and we will of course have a massive pile of goodies to hand out from companies like iRobot, Western Digital, and Pioneer, plus a special giveaway you’ll need a QR reader to win — so don’t forget those smartphones. (Not that you would.)

The party is at Guastavino’s, which is located at 59th Street in New York City. Things will kick off at 6:30pm that night and run until 10:30pm. It’s an all-ages event, but we can only manage 1,000 people in there at a time, and it’s first-come first-served, so don’t be late. Want to come? Just show up by 6:30! You don’t need to pre-register.

We’ll have a boatload of Engadget editors on hand fielding questions, good friends from Joystiq and TUAW will be in attendance, and we’ll be doing a Q&A-focused live podcast (which we won’t be able to broadcast, but look for the recording later). If you’re a member of the media who would like to attend, please e-mail us at meetup at engadget dot com. Everybody else, get ready to party, and if you want to share with your friends the Facebook event is here.

Continue reading Engadget’s NYC Reader Meetup happens August 25!

Engadget’s NYC Reader Meetup happens August 25! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Aug 24

AT&T’s fall and winter 2011 roadmap leaked in spreadsheet glory

Posted in: Android, att, galaxy s ii, GalaxySIi, gingerbread, Google, HTC, leak, leaked, leaks, mango, Microsoft, mobilepostmini, motorola, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, roadmap, samsung, smartphone, Smartphones, Today's Chili
Summer is in full swing, but if you happen to take a peek at AT&T’s leaked roadmap for the upcoming two quarters, you might just sense the chill of winter in the air. While this doesn’t appear to be official from Ma Bell, or entirely exhaustive, we’ve gotten a spreadsheet that goes in-depth to out the carrier’s upcoming smartphones. A host of Android devices are on the list — all with Gingerbread — along with two handsets that strut Windows Phone 7.5 and another duo with BlackBerry 7. Of particular note, we see the Samsung SGH-i777 (otherwise known as the Attain), along with the SGH-i927 for you QWERTY slider lovers. Both Sammy’s sport Category 14 HSDPA, or (up to) 21Mbps downloads. Curiously, the Impulse — Ma Bell’s rumored LTE phone — is nowhere to be found. The Motorola MB865, with a full gigabyte of RAM and 8 megapixel camera, aligns very well with the rumored Atrix refresh. You’ve seen the two phones from RIM before, and while Samsung’s Mango handset spent a brief moment in the wild, little is known about HTC’s counterpart. Hopefully we won’t need to wait for the actual change of seasons to learn more.

AT&T’s fall and winter 2011 roadmap leaked in spreadsheet glory originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePocketnow  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Aug 23

Exclusive: HTC Puccini in the wild, AT&T LTE support confirmed!

Posted in: 4G, Android, android tablet, AndroidTablet, att, exclusive, hspa, HTC, htc sense, HtcSense, in the wild, InTheWild, sense, tablet, Today's Chili, wifi

Have a gander. Take as long as you need. That, friends, is the AT&T-bound HTC Puccini, and it’ll be the first tablet to hit Ma Bell with inbuilt LTE support. According to our sources, the Android-based slate is currently in testing, and should be hitting the markets in the not-too-distant future. ‘Course, AT&T just started shipping its first two LTE devices, but having something other than a WWAN modem would certainly be appreciated. As for specs? We’ve confirmed that a 1.5GHz dual-core processor is onboard, alongside 1GB of RAM, Honeycomb, 16GB of storage, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 10.1-inch WXGA touchpanel. We’re digging for more as we speak, and will be updating accordingly. Meanwhile, feel free to peruse the gallery below — oh, and that “smaller” device? That’s the WiFi-only Flyer that we saw soar through the FCC in April. That’ll be let loose on US shores next month, and we’re sniffing around for a price as we speak.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Gallery: Exclusive: HTC Puccini in the wild, AT&T LTE support confirmed!

Exclusive: HTC Puccini in the wild, AT&T LTE support confirmed! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Aug 23

Rumor: iPhone 5 to Debut on Sprint in October

Posted in: Apple, att, iPhone, Phones, Sprint, Today's Chili, verizon

The iPhone 5 will come to Sprint’s network in mid-October, according to sources who spoke to the Wall Street Journal.

That’s also the time frame that Apple’s next-gen iPhone is expected to land on larger U.S. carriers Verizon and AT&T.

It’s been widely reported that Apple is testing LTE models of the iPhone, but it’s unclear if LTE will be embraced in the iPhone 5, or a later model. Generally, the iPhone 5 is pegged to look similar to the iPhone 4, with a speedy A5 processor, an 8-megapixel camera, a flat metal back and curved glass front, and possibly NFC technology. And as is the case with many Apple products, a large portion of the public is anxiously awaiting Apple’s release of the iPhone 5.

Speculation initially suggested September as the expected launch month for the iPhone 5, but the Journal’s report seems to corroborate with an October launch date rumor that’s been perpetuated for the past few weeks.

In the past, the iPhone has typically been unveiled in June, and up until this past January, was only available on AT&T’s network.

It’s not too surprising that the iPhone will finally be available on Sprint, as a market analyst pointed out earlier this summer. It would provide Apple with increased distribution, which it desperately needs to battle the multiplying ranks of Android smartphone owners.

When the iPhone 5 launches on Sprint, the carrier will also begin selling the iPhone 4, according to the Journal.

Photo: Sam Gustin/Wired.com

See Also:


No Comments | Tags: , ,