Sep 06

White Galaxy S II lands at Vodafone, ignores post-Labor Day etiquette

Posted in: Android, availability, galaxy, galaxy s ii, GalaxySIi, gingerbread, mobilepostmini, phone, price, samsung, smartphone, Today's Chili, uk, vodafone
Summer may have drawn to an unofficial close, but that clearly hasn’t stopped the Galaxy S II from wearing all white. Today, the albino version of Samsung’s Gingerbread handset officially made its way to Vodafone, just a few days after launching in the UK and more than a month after leaking in “official looking” images. The blanched, 4.3-inch smartphone is available for free with a two-year, £36 per month price plan (roughly equivalent to $58 per month), though it’s still unclear whether it’ll be making its way stateside anytime soon. If you’re looking to brighten up your pocket, you can grab your own at the source link below.

White Galaxy S II lands at Vodafone, ignores post-Labor Day etiquette originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 06

Nokia wants you to create its next iconic ringtone, if you have what it takes

Posted in: contest, mobilepostmini, nokia, Today's Chili, video
On the streets, in crowded restaurants, and even in movies, you’ve likely heard the same song ad nauseam for the last seventeen years: the rockin’ default ringtone used on virtually every Nokia device since 1994. And while it’s evolved over the years, Espoo’s always taken upon itself to choose the next version of the iconic tune. For the next iteration, however, the company is leaving it up to you to be the creative genius, and is offering a reward of $10,000 for the best one. Five submissions will be chosen as runner-ups, each getting their entry offered in the Ovi store as well as a smaller cash prize for their efforts. So if you’ve always wanted to hear your own creation blasting out of millions of phones each and every day, now’s your chance — you have until October 2nd to get that spark of musical innovation.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Nokia wants you to create its next iconic ringtone, if you have what it takes

Nokia wants you to create its next iconic ringtone, if you have what it takes originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 08:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 06

Samsung Stratosphere aims to be Verizon’s first QWERTY-packing LTE device

Posted in: 4G, Android, gingerbread, leaks, lte, mobilepostmini, qwerty, rumors, samsung, Today's Chili, vzw
Verizon’s LTE network may be praiseworthy for its blazing-fast mobile broadband and high-end devices, but there’s one area of the carrier’s 4G lineup that’s always needed improvement: variety. From renders revealed by PocketNow, it’s apparent that one of the next-gen handsets slated for release soon (perhaps even this week) is the QWERTY-laden Samsung Stratosphere, also known as the SCH-I405. If true, this would be the very first LTE device that comes with a hardware keyboard, finally giving us a new option aside from the 4.3-inch slates that have dominated Big Red’s offerings for so long. It’s rumored to have an “awesome” screen (Super AMOLED Plus?), Android 2.3.4 preinstalled, 2GB internal storage and 5MP rear / 1.3 front cams; not much of a spec sheet to go off of, of course, but at least we know it’s unique. With several other LTE handsets taking the stage between now and the holidays, there’s no reason to make them all look the same… right?

Samsung Stratosphere aims to be Verizon’s first QWERTY-packing LTE device originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 06

Samsung Epic 4G Touch available for pre-order on Wirefly, early adopters get a $50 price break

Posted in: Android, deal, galaxy s ii, GalaxySIi, mobilepostmini, pre-order, PreOrder, samsung, Sprint, Today's Chili

There’s nothing new whatsoever about high-demand phones becoming available for preorder, but it’s not every day that you get a discount for being the first kid on the block to get one. As if there’s any concern about pushing inventory of the Samsung Epic 4G Touch — Sprint’s variant of the Galaxy S II — Wirefly is making the phone even more enticing by slashing $50 off the cost, bringing it down to $150 when signing up for a two-year agreement. Doing the math a different way, lighter on the checkbook plus a Samsung Galaxy S II equals happiness. Head to the source link to check out the deal.

Samsung Epic 4G Touch available for pre-order on Wirefly, early adopters get a $50 price break originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 05

Verizon’s Pantech Breakout rendered, is four inches of LTE goodness

Posted in: 4G, lte, mobilepostmini, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

Verizon’s LTE lineup will soon be expanding like a balloon. With this week’s launch of the Motorola Droid Bionic and eventual release of the Samsung Stratosphere and LG Revolution 2, 4G shoppers will soon have options aplenty to choose from; why not throw another one into the mix? The LTE-enabled Pantech Breakout — which passed through the FCC as the Apache — now has some higher-quality renders, courtesy of PocketNow. While most of the phone’s specs are in line with the HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung Droid Charge, it differs by offering a smaller 4-inch WVGA display, Pantech’s custom Android UI and a 10-device mobile hotspot. There’s still no word on pricing or release date, though we were expecting to see the device come out last week; we can’t think of many people completely devastated by the delay, but it will at least provide much-needed variety to Verizon’s arguably stale 4G setup.

Verizon’s Pantech Breakout rendered, is four inches of LTE goodness originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 05

Nokia N9 coming soon to Mexico, passport-totin’ San Diegans

Posted in: availability, meego, mobilepostmini, nokia, PreOrder, smartphone, Today's Chili

Still bummed that Swedes, Kazakhs and Swiss peeps get a shot at Nokia’s N9, but you don’t? Well, southwestern yanks with gratuitous access to cheap transportation might soon be in luck, as the Mexican arm of the Finnish conglomerate will soon start hawking the elusive MeeGo flagship. Naturally, no word on how much it’ll set you back, but if you’re making the trip anyway, mind slinging one our way?

[Thanks, Mary]

Nokia N9 coming soon to Mexico, passport-totin’ San Diegans originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 18:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceNokia, @nokia_mx (twitter)  | Email this | Comments

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Sep 05

Baidu announces Android OS alternative, confirming its mobile aspirations

Posted in: Android, Google, mobilepostmini, operating system, OperatingSystem, os, search, smartphone, Today's Chili

At present time, Baidu’s a desktop web browser / search engine based in China that’s meant to mimic Chrome (though it’s actually wrapped around IE code). The company, however, has its sights set on conquering the mobile front as well, introducing Baidu Yi OS at its annual get-together. The new platform is essentially a forked version of Android, which will provide a lot of the same functionality and services we’re used to seeing from Google; Baidu, though, is adding a dash of flavor by throwing in its own bundle of apps — such as native maps, reader, music, web apps, and even a program similar to Google Places — as well as strong cloud integration for backups, storage and sharing. The new OS will likely be up against intense competition from Nokia, Alibaba, Xiaomi and Windows Phone Tango (amongst others), so the Chinese mobile space may get rather interesting in the coming years.

Baidu announces Android OS alternative, confirming its mobile aspirations originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Penn-Olson, The Register  |  sourceBaidu  | Email this | Comments

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Sep 04

Tango video calling en route to Windows Phone Mango?

Posted in: mango, Microsoft, mobilepostmini, Today's Chili, windows phone, WindowsPhone, Wp7
Good news, folks — Tango is about to reach Windows Phone. No, not that Tango. We’re referring to the video calling service that’s already popular on iOS and Android devices, but has had absolutely no presence on Microsoft’s platform at all. Of course, there’s a blatantly obvious reason for that: the OS didn’t support front-facing cameras until Mango came along. At this week’s unveiling of HTC’s first WP7.5 devices, someone perusing the Radar’s software happened across a Tango app in the Start menu, indicating users will have more video chatting options to choose from than just Skype. Better yet, it appears to offer cross-platform compatibility to ensure you can see your Android-toting pals and your iPhone-equipped in-laws up close and personal. We’re ecstatic to see the feature finally ready to go with Mango’s debut, but unfortunately it’s only a matter of time before the name confusion settles in.

Tango video calling en route to Windows Phone Mango? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 12:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 04

Refresh Roundup: week of August 29, 2011

Posted in: 4G, Android, droid, firmware, gingerbread, Google, honeycomb, HP, LG, lte, mobile hotspot, MobileHotspot, mobilepostmini, motorola, nexus s, NexusS, refresh, rom, roundup, samsung, Software, Sprint, t-mobile, Today's Chili, touchpad, verizon

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

  • The biggest update we saw this week was a widespread push of Android 2.3.3 to the Motorola Droid 2. This one is done OTA, so simply go into your settings menu and check for updates to see if it’s there. (thanks to everyone who sent this in)
  • While we saw a rollout of Android 2.3 to a select few LG Optimus Ones in June, we’re hearing reports that the update’s now getting pushed out again to a few more regions. This refresh must be done manually through LG’s updater tool, so you’ll definitely want to check to see if your phone is one of the lucky recipients. [via PocketNow]
  • US Cellular took to its Facebook Page to let customers know it’s working on revamping the Samsung Mesmerize to Gingerbread at some point, though no official date or timeframe was given aside from “as soon as possible.” [via AndroidCentral]
  • HTC announced the arrival of Android 2.3 for the Thunderbolt and Droid Incredible this month, via its Facebook page. [via AndroidCommunity]
  • In fact, some users have already reported getting Gingerbread for the Incredible, and we suspect the rollout will be complete no later than the end of the month, to fulfill the company’s promise. [via Phandroid]
  • Gingerbread is in the plans for the Motorola Milestone 2, and according to the company the refresh will begin rolling out in early Q4. [via MyDailyGadget]
  • The Samsung LC11 LTE mobile hotspot is getting a new build, EF07, that appears to improve its handling of multiple devices and congested WiFi locations. It also adds security patches and new protocols. [via Verizon]
  • An update for the Droid 3 was apparently available to soak testers and leaked online, but was pulled from Motorola servers shortly thereafter. It appears to add video chat support in GTalk and adds a new radio that’s supposed to save battery life. The via link still has the update available for anyone interested. [via Droid-Life]

Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery

  • The root method used on most Motorola Android devices has been employed to root the Droid Bionic before it’s even been released. [via Droid-Life]
  • LG has released the kernel source for its Gingerbread build of the Optimus S. [via AndroidCentral]
  • The HTC Dev site expanded its support for the bootloader unlock tool this week, now encompassing all versions of the Sensation — including T-Mobile’s. [via AndroidCentral]

Other platforms

  • SPB Shell 3.0 is now available for Symbian^3 devices. It brings a fresh 3D-style UI to the OS, and can be yours for $15. [via IntoMobile]

Updates already covered this week

Refresh Roundup: week of August 29, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 10:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 04

LG Thrill 4G officially arrives at AT&T for $100, fairy tales can come true

Posted in: 4G, att, available, froyo, hspa, LG, mobilepostmini, ti, Today's Chili
C’mon, admit it — you didn’t really think the LG Thrill 4G would ever be released, did you? After several weeks of unexplained delays, the AT&T-branded Optimus 3D is truly, honestly available on the carrier’s website for sale at a respectable $100. The device, announced at CTIA 2011 in March, isn’t hiding anything we didn’t already know: it’s got a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4 CPU with 512MB of RAM, Froyo, a 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display, 1080p video capture and dual 5MP rear stereoscopic cameras to add the extra dimension. So if you’ve been waiting for this phone to get the green light, it’s time to stop idling at the intersection.

LG Thrill 4G officially arrives at AT&T for $100, fairy tales can come true originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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