Sep 08

Synrgic preps its T100 handset for the beast phone race

Posted in: Android, dual-core, DualCore, gingerbread, leak, mobilepostmini, phone, Phones, rumor, smartphone, Smartphones, tegra 2, Tegra2, Today's Chili

Synrgic may not be a brand name that resonates with mobile-obsessed statesiders, but that’s no reason to shrug off the nascent electronics maker’s efforts. Known primarily for its tablet PCs in China, the company is purportedly gearing up for a launch of its first ever smartphone — the T100. According to a leaked shot over on Chinitech, the handset’ll pack a spec list that runs neck and neck with the heavy hitting phones we’ve seen flood the global marketplace. Sporting a 4.3-inch 960 x 540 display, the device runs an undisclosed version of Gingerbread on a dual-core 1.2GHz Tegra 2 processor, packs 1GB RAM, up to 32GB of internal storage (due to an omitted microSD card slot), and 1.3 megapixel front-facing / 5 megapixel rear camera set-up capable of 720p video capture. There’s also an HDMI and USB port, ample 1500mAh battery, WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G GSM / WCDMA frequencies on board. If the gossip is to be believed, this phone’ll touch down on retailers’ shelves sometime in October or November — perhaps in time for an Ice Cream Sandwich.

Synrgic preps its T100 handset for the beast phone race originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceChinitech  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Sep 02

Verizon launching Droid Bionic September 8th, giving some away through an AR scavenger hunt (update: it’s already arriving in stores)

Posted in: dual-core, DualCore, mobilepostcross, phone, release, Release Date, smartphone, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, video, vzw

It’s been a long and tortuous road for the Droid Bionic. From our first taste of its dual-core potential at CES, to the stream of leaked specs, shots and release dates of the phone in the months since. Well, the wait officially ends on September 8th, as Verizon just confirmed the release date with a new version of the robotic battle teaser ad we saw a couple weeks ago. Big Red has also launched a Droid Does website with info on VZW’s Droids and its new Arena augmented reality scavenger hunt — where deft digital orienteers can win a Bionic, HDTV, laptop, tablet, or quadrocopter. For more info, hit the second source link below and head on past the break to see the vid for yourself. Feel free to enjoy the blade work of a raven-haired warrior slicing up cyborgs while you’re at it.

Update: Looks like Verizon’s ramping up for the Bionic era, as the handsets have already begun to arrive in stores. Pic’s after the break.

Continue reading Verizon launching Droid Bionic September 8th, giving some away through an AR scavenger hunt (update: it’s already arriving in stores)

Verizon launching Droid Bionic September 8th, giving some away through an AR scavenger hunt (update: it’s already arriving in stores) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink PC Mag  |  sourceVerizon (YouTube), Verizon, Droid Life  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Aug 30

Samsung Galaxy S II LTE heads to Rogers for 4G fall debut

Posted in: 4G, dual-core, DualCore, lte, mobilepostcross, phone, Phones, samsung, smartphone, Smartphones, Today's Chili

Our neighbors to the north just got a one-two punch of wireless awesome delivered courtesy of Rogers. The operator announced today that its variant of Samsung’s heavily lusted after Galaxy S II will be launching with baked-in LTE functionality on its nascent 4G network. Most of the handset’s specs have remained the same, aside from a newly beefed-up 1.5GHz dual-core processor, NFC functionality and Hercules-sized 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. If you’re proud to call yourself Canadian and “download speeds of up to 100Mbps” get your blood pumping, then expect to snag Sammy’s beast phone when it goes on sale before Autumn’s end.

Update: Interestingly, the Rogers site lists the Galaxy S II LTE as featuring a 1.2GHz CPU instead of the 1.5GHz slice of silicon that was announced only days ago. It may be a typo, or the Canadian carrier may have its version underclocked for a longer battery life. We’ve reached out for clarification and will update when we hear back.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Samsung Galaxy S II LTE heads to Rogers for 4G fall debut originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMobileSyrup (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Aug 16

Xiaomi Phone with MIUI OS: a $310 Android with 1.5GHz dual-core SoC and other surprises

Posted in: breaking news, dual-core, DualCore, launch, qualcomm, Sharp, Today's Chili

If you’ve already seen the Xiaomi M1 announcement about a month ago, well, forget it, because Xiaomi has already made some significant changes since then. What we’ve just learned from today’s Beijing launch event is that the M1 — now officially “Xiaomi Phone” — no longer packs a 1.2GHz dual-core chip; instead, it’s been given a bump to a Qualcomm MSM8260 SoC, thus becoming the first Chinese phone to sport a 1.5GHz dual-core chip. As part of the Snapdragon package, the phone is also powered by a powerful Adreno 220 graphics processor, which will no doubt make good use of the phone’s 1GB RAM and a staggering 4GB ROM. Oh, and that ¥2,600 (about US$410) price tag? It’s now ¥1,999 ($310), and will be available for pre-order on August 29th for October delivery. Read on for more surprises!

Update: We’ve just been informed that there will also be a 1.2GHz version available for an even cheaper price!

Update 2: Our hands-on post is up!

Gallery: Xiaomi Phone with MIUI OS: a $310 phone with 1.5GHz dual-core SoC and other surprises

Continue reading Xiaomi Phone with MIUI OS: a $310 Android with 1.5GHz dual-core SoC and other surprises

Xiaomi Phone with MIUI OS: a $310 Android with 1.5GHz dual-core SoC and other surprises originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Aug 15

Motorola Photon 4G review

Posted in: 720p, Android, dual-core, DualCore, gingerbread, Google, hspa, motoblur, motorola, NVIDIA, review, smartphone, Sprint, tegra 2, Tegra2, Today's Chili, video, WiMAX

It’s summer, which means the usual deluge of Android handsets is upon us. The Motorola Photon 4G is Sprint’s latest specimen, and follows hot on the heels of HTC’s somewhat disappointing EVO 3D. Like its stablemate, it’s a proper superphone with a dual-core processor, large qHD display, and of course, WiMAX. Instead of trying to wow us with a gimmicky 3D camera, it differentiates itself by being Sprint’s first global phone with WiMAX, and as such supports CDMA / EV-DO for North America along with GSM / HSPA for the rest of the world. Motorola further spices things up with a dash of WebTop functionality, something it first introduced on the Atrix 4G. So, is the Photon just the smartphone flavor du jour, or does it stand out from the seasonal crowd? How does it compare to the EVO 3D and the other Android flagships? Hit the break for our full review.

Gallery: Motorola Photon 4G review

Continue reading Motorola Photon 4G review

Motorola Photon 4G review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , , ,
Aug 14

HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound)

Posted in: att, dual-core, DualCore, HTC, leaked, leaks, prototype, Today's Chili
This isn’t something you see up for sale on Craigslist every day, but what you see here may very well be a true-blue HTC Holiday. According to the XDA thread, the person responsible for the pictures noticed the device was being sold on the famous classified site, purchased it, and splattered the images online as evidence. Certainly, the resemblance to the render we saw in May is uncanny (minus the unfortunately cracked screen), and if the specs stay true to what was rumored at the time, we can expect to enjoy a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU with 1GB of RAM on a 4.5-inch qHD (960 x 540) display — all confirmed by the screenshots — as well as Android 2.3.4 and dual cameras consisting of an 8MP rear and 1.3MP front. The smartphone was rumored to be heading to AT&T’s lineup, though no branding could be found. Either way, this particular dream machine is destined to turn more than a few heads. Check out the gallery below for a few more angles.

Gallery: HTC Holiday leaked shots

[Thanks, Michael]

Update: The “myATT” logo in the bottom right of the Holiday’s app menu is a pretty obvious indicator that it is, indeed, on its way to AT&T — so at least it’s going through the testing rounds right now, and we’ll see if it gets the final approval to get pushed to stores.

HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 20:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceXDA-Developers  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Aug 10

Meizu MX now aiming for end-of-September release, coming in dual-core and quad-core flavors

Posted in: Android, cellphone, dual-core, DualCore, launch, mobile phone, MobilePhone, phone, smartphone, Today's Chili
We weren’t expecting to hear anything about the Meizu MX so soon, but as always, CEO Jack Wong loves surprises. Earlier today, our main man quietly mentioned on his forum that his upcoming 4-inch Android phone will now be released in China at the end of September (around the same time as the next iPhone event?), meaning we won’t have to wait till the end of the year to see all the goodies. What’s even more interesting, though, is that there will be two MX variants: the 16GB version comes with a dual-core chip, while the 32GB version will sport a quad-core beast.

While it all sounds dandy, we’re not entirely sure which quad core chip gets to cuddle with the MX next month, as Samsung (a known buddy of Meizu), Qualcomm and even ARM aren’t expecting quad core chips until 2012 the earliest, whereas NVIDIA’s Kal-El is due to debut in tablets only this month. Well, we shall find out in a few weeks. As for the rest, Jack also confirmed that the MX will still have a removable back cover, though it’ll now sport a micro-USB port instead of the aging mini-USB socket — a bold move in a country where the latter is still commonly used. Anyhow, for now, enjoy the latest batch of MX patent drawings in the gallery below.

Gallery: Meizu MX now aiming for end-of-September launch, coming in dual-core and quad-core flavors

Meizu MX now aiming for end-of-September release, coming in dual-core and quad-core flavors originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMeizu BBS (1), (2)  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Aug 08

Elektrobit’s Specialized Device Platform tailors Android devices for security-minded markets, won’t hem pants

Posted in: Android, cdma, dual-core, DualCore, gingerbread, lte, mobile, security, Today's Chili

The defense industry may already have its share of deadly high-tech toys, but when it comes to the latest in mobile, it’s often left to watch from the highly-secured sidelines. Enter Elektrobit Corporation with a just announced Specialized Device Platform that crafts made-to-order, Android-based devices for the public safety, security and aforementioned defense markets. Citing its lower cost, faster development approach, EB’s service marries the “best of the traditional mobile world… with product-and industry-specific features” so clients won’t have to deal with last year’s Android OS. Oh wait, actually they will. The currently on offer Froyo-flavored, 1GHz single-core OMAP3 model packs a WVGA capacitive touchscreen (either 4-, or 4.3-inch), 5 megapixel camera, VGA front-facing camera, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS with quad-band GSM, tri-band UMTS / HSDPA and CDMA2K / EVDO support. Clients interested in a 700MHz LTE, Gingerbread option — that’s right, no Ice Cream Sandwich — will have to hold off until the first half of 2012, when the company’s 1.5GHz dual-core OMAP4 models will be available for production. Alright, so these specs aren’t exactly bleeding edge tech, but hey — who needs a quad-core phone when you’ve got this.

Continue reading Elektrobit’s Specialized Device Platform tailors Android devices for security-minded markets, won’t hem pants

Elektrobit’s Specialized Device Platform tailors Android devices for security-minded markets, won’t hem pants originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 01:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Aug 02

T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review

Posted in: 1080p, Android, dual-core, DualCore, gingerbread, Google, hspa, HTC, htc sense, HtcSense, netflix, qualcomm, review, sense, smartphone, snapdragon, t-mobile, Today's Chili, video

Not too long ago, things were pretty simple in T-Mobile’s Android land. For us (the nerds, geeks, power users, early adopters, and other misbegotten social deviants) there was the G series of phones with plain Android, culminating recently with LG’s delightful G2x. If you wanted to buy your mom an Android smartphone, you’d point her at the myTouch series of handsets with custom HTC Sense-based skins, like last winter’s myTouch 4G. Life got a bit more complicated with the introduction of LG’s Optimus T, Samsung’s Galaxy S 4G, and other devices that don’t neatly fit into the carrier’s grand branding scheme. Well, fear not! T-Mobile and HTC went ahead and refreshed last summer’s lovely myTouch 3G Slide with a dash of dual-core tech lifted right from HTC’s Sensation flagship and a bespoke 8 megapixel shooter said to be “the most advanced camera of any smartphone”. Those are fighting words… so does the myTouch 4G Slide (as it’s called) beat the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S II, Sony Ericsson’s Xperia Arc, and Nokia’s N8 in terms of imaging performance? Is the sliding keyboard as pleasant to use as its predecessor? And most importantly, is this your mom’s next phone? Read on for our full review.

Gallery: T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review

Continue reading T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review

T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , , ,
Jul 29

Engadget Primed: are multi-core chips worth the investment?

Posted in: arm, dual-core, DualCore, intel, NVIDIA, processor, qualcomm, samsung, snapdragon, tegra 2, Tegra2, Today's Chili, video

Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day — we dig deep into each topic’s history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com.


My, how times have changed over the last eight months. At CES 2011, we ecstatically witnessed the introduction of mobile devices with dual-core CPUs and drooled over the possibilities we’d soon have at our fingertips. Now, we look down at anything that doesn’t have more than one core — regardless of its performance. Not only are these new chips quickly becoming mainstream, Moore’s Law is in full effect with our handheld devices since tri-core and quad-core systems are just over the horizon. We can’t even fathom what’s in the pipeline for the year 2015 and beyond (we don’t think we’re too far away from that 3D shark seen in Back to the Future 2).

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here, however. After all, we first need to wrap our puny human minds around the idea of what this newfound power can do, and why it’s changing the entire landscape of smartphones and tablets. In this edition of Primed, we’ll focus on why multicore technology makes such a difference in the way we use our handheld devices, whether we should even consider purchasing a handset with a single-core chip inside, and why one-core tech is so 2010. Check out the whole enchilada after the break.

Continue reading Engadget Primed: are multi-core chips worth the investment?

Engadget Primed: are multi-core chips worth the investment? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,