Hasta La Gadget!

If the Impulse name sounds familiar but you just can’t put your finger on it, allow us to break out the iron and get the confusion straightened out. Two weeks ago we reported that a rumored device called the Samsung Impulse 4G might be on its way to guide AT&T into its new era as a LTE powerhouse. Turns out it was partially true: this morning, the carrier announced the Huawei Impulse 4G, which in reality is a rebranded Ideos X5 that will act as an affordable ($30 on two-year contract) HSPA+ device cooking up faux-G speeds at a max of 14.4Mbps. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly the LTE radio we were pining for. The Impulse also has a 3.8-inch WVGA display, an 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7230 CPU, Android 2.2 and 5 megapixel image-snapper with 720p video capture. It’ll be hitting stores on September 18, and we’d say the specs line up with what we’d expect from a $30 Android phone. Follow below for the full press release.

Continue reading AT&T introduces Huawei Impulse 4G, available September 18th for $30

AT&T introduces Huawei Impulse 4G, available September 18th for $30 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Better late than never, ey? RIM finally got with the program and rolled out their official version 3.0 upgrade to BlackBerry App World. The updated application portal had already been available to Beta Zone members early last month and was slated for an August 22nd debut, but apparently missed that release window. We’ve already seen the cosmetic improvements the Waterloo-based company’s brought to the app hub, with a redesigned home screen, refreshed icons, MyWorld downloads folder and the ability to share apps via your choice of social messaging service. The service still lacks the compelling selection of rival OS app markets, but hopefully the company’s renewed focus’ll bring more devs to its OS club. If you’re rocking a BB handset, drop us a line below and let us know your take on RIM’s refresh.

RIM officially trots out BlackBerry App World 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG Thrill 4G will arrive on September 4th, AT&T confirms originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a few days after suffering a legal setback in Dutch court, Samsung has now decided to delay the launch of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia, amid its heightening patent infringement battle with Apple. In a hearing today, the Korean manufacturer announced that it would refrain from selling or marketing its new tablet within Australia, before September 30th. Samsung made a similar concession earlier this month, agreeing to halt sales of its slates until today’s hearing and to provide Apple with product samples at least seven days prior to its Australian launch. The company says it presented the samples on Thursday, but Cupertino’s lawyers insisted that the Australian version of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 still infringes upon its patents. Samsung, meanwhile, said in a statement that it’s preparing to launch a counter-attack down under, telling reporters that it “intends to file a cross claim against Apple Australia and Apple Inc regarding the invalidity of the patents previously asserted by Apple and also a cross claim against Apple regarding violation of patents held by Samsung by selling its iPhones and iPads.” The next formal court hearings are scheduled for September 26th and 29th. Stay tuned.

[Thanks, Geoff]

Samsung delays Galaxy Tab 10.1 launch in Australia amid patent battle with Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While one consumer electronics giant is unceremoniously exiting the tablet wars, after many teaser trailers we’re hearing Sony is finally ready to reveal its entry. We uncovered the S1 PlayStation Tablet ahead of its official reveal earlier this year, and after getting our hands all over it we’ve got more details to report before it launches. The official name of the S1 is the Sony Tablet S, which is currently projected to bring its 9.4-inch (1280×768) screen to market in the first two weeks of September. It will ship with Android 3.1 with an eye towards upgrading to Ice Cream Sandwich once that’s available, and just as the company said many of the key features will revolve around using it to control all devices in the home, via the network or the integrated IR blaster, as well as having the ability to “Throw” media to other DLNA-compatible hardware, whether it’s made by Sony or someone else. The slate’s dual cameras come in at 3.0MP res up front and 5.0MP around the back, while it’s also expected to bring along accessories our source indicates are very similar to those for the iPad. In the images below you can check out a wireless keyboard and dock setup and micro-USB to USB host dongle, details on the “TruBlack” screen technology that’s supposed to provide better colors with less glare, and of course all of Sony’s preinstalled software bringing PlayStation Certified gaming plus its music, movie and book services. What we don’t know yet is its final price — we’d heard $599 previously — but there should be more to say about that and the clamshell S2 tablet soon.

Update: Eagle-eyed Daniel wrote in to let us know that it looks like Sony is rebranding its video service as “Video Unlimited,” which will make it a much nicer match for Music Unlimited.

[Thanks, J]

Sony’s S1 Android Tablet is the Tablet S, due to arrive in early September originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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