Hasta La Gadget!

If you’ve been wondering just when you’ll be able to get Europe’s hottest smartphone from last year, wonder no more: tonight the Samsung Galaxy S II was formally (and finally) announced for US release. Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T all will be receiving variants, with the first two getting a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, the AT&T unit being stuck with the same 4.3-inch display as the earlier GS II. In fact, the AT&T model looks indistinguishable from the European version that we compared it against, while the other two look a bit different.

Sprint’s model, aka the Epic 4G Touch, has that larger 4.5-inch screen, plus a slightly more rounded profile than the AT&T model. The T-Mobile version, meanwhile, is the most rounded of the three, but otherwise we were hard-pressed to find any differences between ’em, as you can see in the video below. All are powered by 1.2GHz dual-core processors, 16GB of storage, eight megapixel webcams on the back, batteries that are said to be at least 10 percent larger than the previous version, and “4G” wireless — either in the form of HSPA+ or WiMAX.

Only Sprint has announced formal pricing and availability, September 16th for $199, while the others will be available in the always ambiguous “soon.”

Update: We got curious about those battery sizes and popped the backs off the two phones that we could get our hands on. The AT&T model has the exact same battery size as the European Galaxy S II (6.11Wh), while the Sprint version is indeed about 10 percent larger (6.66Wh). We presume the T-Mob one is bigger too, but that’s locked up. In a box.

Continue reading Galaxy S II for Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile hands-on (video)

Galaxy S II for Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Like many other highly-anticipated product announcements, a few bits of information have leaked out mere hours prior to tonight’s reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S II. This time, we have a new piece of 411 about the Epic 4G Touch, Sprint’s weapon of choice. According to leaked training documents that surfaced today, it appears the device will match the Hercules in screen size, receiving a healthy bump up to a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. True or not, we don’t have much longer to wait before Sammy lets us in on all of the secrets these three Galaxy S II models have been keeping for so long.

Samsung Epic 4G Touch training docs leaked, likely to have 4.5-inch display? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink AndroidCentral  |  Samsung Mobile  | Email this | Comments

After the two most craziest weeks ever in the history of the mobile technology news universe, it’s important to step back and just take stock of everything: a survey course, if you will. That’s why we’ve created Engadget Mobile Podcast 101, your first stop on the road to an otherworldly state we call CMA: Complete Mobile Awareness. Come along, won’t you?

Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad Molen
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Daestro – Light Powered (Ghostly International)

00:02:23 – Steve Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple
00:10:00 – Tim Cook: Who is Apple’s new CEO?
00:25:27 – iPhone 5 coming to Sprint, other carriers in mid-October?
00:27:27 – App logs reportedly confirm dual mode CDMA / GSM iPhone 5 in testing
00:41:15 – Apple to release cheaper, 8GB iPhone 4 within weeks?
00:49:58 – Samsung Galaxy S II not coming to Verizon after all? (update: confirmed)
00:53:25 – Sprint’s Epic Touch 4G may be first US-bound Galaxy S II, arriving September 9th?
00:55:39 – Trio of US Samsung Galaxy S II models get together for a group photo?
01:04:05 – Samsung debuts new Galaxy lineup, refines naming strategy along the way
01:11:46 – Nokia announces Symbian Belle alongside three new devices
01:21:28 – Microsoft: Windows Phone Tango will be minor update, is meant for low-end handsets
01:25:35 – Microsoft: front facing cameras, Skype integration coming with Mango update (video)
01:26:05 – HTC Omega blessed with renders, revealing its front-facing camera
01:31:15 – Blackberry Curve 9360 hands-on

Hear the podcast

Subscribe to the podcast
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes
[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically
[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator
[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace

Download the podcast
LISTEN (MP3)
LISTEN (AAC)

Contact the podcast
podcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.

Follow us on Twitter
@tnkgrl @phonewisdom @engadgetmobile

Engadget Mobile Podcast 101 – 08.27.2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Many of us were holding out hopes that the Function, Verizon’s rumored variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II, would be the latest addition to its LTE lineup, but now we’re hearing that it may not be coming to the carrier at all. According to the Wall Street Journal, it appears quite likely that Big Red won’t be involved in Samsung’s anticipated launch event this coming Monday. The publication cites people familiar with the plans, who also mentioned that we should still expect to see the Galaxy S II make its way to Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T at the very least. Now here’s some possible relief to the sting you may have just felt: BGR is now reporting that while this is all true, Verizon has a Samsung phone in the works that will have “nearly identical specs” to that of the GSII. We’re still awaiting official confirmation from Verizon on the matter and will update when we receive word.

Update: We just heard from a Verizon spokesperson who confirmed the carrier will not be carrying the device, and offered the following quote: “We have a robust portfolio of devices that offer customers exciting options including the Droid Charge by Samsung which runs on Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network.”

Samsung Galaxy S II not coming to Verizon after all? (update: confirmed) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Wall Street Journal, BGR  | Email this | Comments

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   |  Pocketnow  | Email this | Comments