Don’t want to shell out the cash for an iPhone 4S? Lease one on O2

If you can lease a vehicle, why not a smartphone? That’s O2’s line of thinking, anyways, as the UK carrier has begun piloting a rental scheme — called O2 Lease — with the iPhone 4S in the driver’s seat. For a 12-month lease period and £55 per month, you’ll be able to rent the 16GB version and get 750 minutes, unlimited messaging, 500MB of data and insurance. Want a 32GB model? That’ll be an extra £10 per month. Since it’s a rental, you’ll be required to give the phone back after your year is up, but at that point you’re free to grab a new device — a great idea for anyone embarrassed to still be holding onto a primitive year-old phone. As O2 puts it: “this is the first tariff model available to all O2 customers that reflects the lifestyle of the smartphone industry.” If the pilot’s successful, the company will consider expanding its selection to more devices; since not everyone wishing to lease a smartphone wants an iPhone, we’d say the more handsets the merrier.

Don’t want to shell out the cash for an iPhone 4S? Lease one on O2 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung makes Galaxy Nexus release date official, available in the UK on November 17th

October’s dizzying spate of high-end smartphone announcements gave us plenty of pizzazz, but not much in the way of release date meat. Well, that’s about to change for those of you craving an Ice Cream Sandwich delight across the pond. Leaked out via an Amazon product page and officially confirmed by Samsung today, the Galaxy Nexus is slated to arrive on UK retailers’ shelves this coming November 17th. If you’ve had your eye on this Android 4.0 flagship, you can always sign-up for a subsidized handset on Vodafone, O2 and 3UK — its intended HSPA+ carrier homes. Or, if you like your Google experiences pure and contract free, hit up the source below to pre-order it with no strings attached.

[Thanks, Pedro and Nathan]

Samsung makes Galaxy Nexus release date official, available in the UK on November 17th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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O2’s Galaxy Nexus landing page confirms November availability, forgets to add price

It’s no secret that O2’s set to release its Galaxy Nexus variant come this November, but a recently live landing page on the UK telecom’s website is serving up some extras. As expected, its customers will be unwrapping the 21Mbps HSPA+ version of the device, but sadly, the question remains as to how much it’ll cost. While a leaked Verizon document evidently has this Android 4.0 flagship pegged at $300 on-contract, O2’s left nary a mention about pricing. With a handful of carriers now firmly under this 4.65-incher’s belt, it’s time for others to defrost their Ice Cream Sandwich release plans.

O2’s Galaxy Nexus landing page confirms November availability, forgets to add price originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iPhone 4S pre-orders exceed one million in first 24 hours (updated)

Last year’s iPhone 4 launch brought more than 600,000 pre-orders within the first 24 hours. This year, that number nearly doubled, topping one million within one day of the device’s pre-order availability through AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Those that haven’t pre-ordered the iPhone 4S can line up at Apple stores beginning at 8 a.m. on October 14th, or you can try your luck at pre-ordering now, though you may need to wait an extra week or two to get your hands on Apple’s new iOS smartphone. Jump past the break for Apple’s PR.

Update: Maybe not a huge surprise considering the numbers Apple announced earlier today, but Sprint has just let us know that it has sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S in both black and white for pre-orders, and that it’s not taking backorders. 32GB and 64GB models are still available in both colors, however, as is the 8GB iPhone 4.

Continue reading Apple iPhone 4S pre-orders exceed one million in first 24 hours (updated)

Apple iPhone 4S pre-orders exceed one million in first 24 hours (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4S officially announced: lands October 14th starting at $199 in sizes up to 64GB, coming to Sprint

iPhone 4S

What’s this? The second coming of the iPhone 4? Sure enough, Tim Cook just pulled the covers off of the hotly-anticipated iPhone 4S here in Cupertino, making 2011 the first year in the company’s current stint in the smartphone business that it chose to launch three new handsets (Verizon’s CDMA iPhone 4 included, of course). On the outside the 4S looks exactly like its predecessor, but on the inside it’s “all new.” Apple has jammed a dual-core A5 CPU inside alongside a new dual-core GPU that supposedly boosts graphics performance by up to 7x. Up front is the same 3.5-inch Retina display we’ve all come to know and love, and around back is a glass plate. Those antennae around the sides (which caused many users so much trouble) have been revamped and iOS will intelligently switch between two different sets on the fly to avoid dropping calls no matter how you hold it. Those antennae are connected to a dual-mode GSM and CDMA radio that will let Apple’s handset roam the globe while enjoying either 14.4Mbps HSPA+ or EV-DO Rev. A.

Gallery: iPhone 4S

Continue reading iPhone 4S officially announced: lands October 14th starting at $199 in sizes up to 64GB, coming to Sprint

iPhone 4S officially announced: lands October 14th starting at $199 in sizes up to 64GB, coming to Sprint originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011

This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here’s some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 26, 2011:

  • Last week we heard the rumor that Sprint would be launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on October 2nd, and we’ve finally received the official confirmation. The device will be hitting stores tomorrow for $80 with a two-year contract. [PhoneArena]
  • The Motorola Photon WiMAX, referred to as the Photon 4G in the US, is now making its way to Japan as KDDI announced the launch of the device this past Monday. [Motorola]
  • Verizon Wireless launched the Pantech Jest 2 this week, which is a feature phone with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. [Verizon Wireless]
  • The Samsung Galaxy Y is now listed as “coming soon” on O2’s website, which makes it the second carrier to announce upcoming availability in the UK. The actual date of release, however, is still unofficial. [O2]
  • Softbank (Japan) looks ready to land the ZTE Lord V882, which appears to be an Android device running on Gingerbread, and comes packed with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 3.8-inch LCD at WVGA resolution and a 5MP camera. [LandofDroid]
  • NTT DoCoMo and Orange have teamed up to offer the Sharp AQUOS SH80F, which features dual 8MP stereoscopic cameras and claims to be the world’s first Android device capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time. It’ll first be launched in France on October 6th and will follow to other European and Asian countries shortly after. [Softpedia]
  • Maybe Microsoft Canada just assumed nobody actually reads terms and conditions, because the company outed the names of a few upcoming Windows Phones in the T&C for a developer contest: the Nokia Sabre and a duo of Samsungs named the Yukon and Wembley. The Nokia Searay was also named in the list, indicating the Sabre is a second device running on Mango. [Nokia HDBlog (translated)]
  • In preparation for its Windows Phone debut, Nokia is also rumored to be featuring a new voice navigation system with 3D maps, according to some leaked marketing materials. [WinRumors]
  • Here’s a rendering of the HTC EVO Design 4G, also known as the Kingdom or Hero S. [Pocketnow]
  • Samsung may have a midrange device coming soon to AT&T’s lineup as a complement to the Galaxy S II. We’ve already seen the I857 pass through the FCC and show up in a leaked roadmap, and now it appears to have been dubbed the Doubletime, according to uncovered Cellebrite records. [Pocketnow]
  • Also appearing in Cellebrite records are the HTC Vigor (PH98100), Motorola Droid HD (XT912), and the Samsung Nexus Prime (SCH-i515). [Droid-Life]

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Rhyme clicks its heels, calls O2 its exclusive UK home

Listen up, all you single ladies, err, people with styleHTC’s charm-dongled handset’s about to dash across the pond. Launching as an exclusive on UK carrier O2, the 3.7-inch device’ll saunter its way into handbags throughout the British isles on October 17th, bringing with it that recently unveiled slew of accessories — headphones, dock, charm and leather pouch. If you were hoping for some mobile color options to match that endless wardrobe, you’re going to be sorely disappointed — the operator’s only offering this phone in its debut shade of plum. It’s not the worst hue to be stuck with, but you’ll still have to coordinate accordingly — a no-brainer for this target demo. Right, stylistas?

HTC Rhyme clicks its heels, calls O2 its exclusive UK home originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of September 5, 2011

This week, as always, was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here’s some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 5, 2011:

  • It appears that Sprint employees are being informed that vacation requests anytime between September 30th and October 15th won’t be approved, due to “the possibility of a major phone launch in October.” Vacation blackouts are typically used during certain times of the holiday season, so the timing on this particular memo is a bit striking — as usual, we invite you to come to your own conclusions here. [via SprintFeed]
  • Two BlackBerry devices breathed life on T-Mobile this week in the form of leaks. First, the Curve 9360 began showing up on marketing material focusing specifically on its prepaid campaign, which says the device will be offered for $230 without having to sign a new contract. It didn’t mention the on-contract price, but if all goes according to rumors, it’ll likely be out this time next week (September 14th, to be specific). [via TmoNews]
  • Speaking of the Curve 9360, the phone will probably be hopping across the pond to a Carphone Warehouse near you (if you live in the United Kingdom, that is). It’s ready for pre-order now on the retailer’s site with a prepaid option for $200. Not bad for a brand-new BlackBerry at full retail cost. [via TechnoBuffalo]
  • The second BlackBerry we saw leaked for T-Mobile this week was the Torch 9860, which may have been discovered in T-Mo’s inventory system, according to a leaked screenshot. This doesn’t help us know the date or pricing of the new Torch, but it does signify that it’s likely just around the corner. [via TmoNews]
  • It’s possible that the Droid Prime and Nexus Prime have passed through Bluetooth and WiFi certification. Since names were not provided in the documentation, we’re left to speculate using the devices’ model numbers — rumored to be the SCH-I515 and GT-I9250. We’re naturally skeptical, but we’ll keep a close eye on the FCC in hopes that we’ll see these mystery devices pop up soon with at least a few revealing details. [via Droid-Life]
  • We’ve been expecting the recently announced Samsung Galaxy W to arrive this month in the UK, but all of our sights have been set on Three as the only known carrier… until now. O2 placed a teaser page on its website this week, listing the Galaxy W as “coming soon: September.” [via MobileBurn and AndroidCentral]

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 5, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telefonica iPhone stock being recalled in time for September 12th launch?

Well folks… looks like we’re finally getting some meat to all the iPhone 5/4S rumors that have been swirling around for months. We got some interesting news from a vigilant tipster today: beginning August 22nd, Telefonica will begin scaling back its current iPhone stock through September 12th. According to the source, this three week program is a move that “will of course prepare us for the launch of a new smart phone.” While the date next month should sound familiar, we’ve heard recently that the launch will actually take place sometime in October. Either way, a move like this is usually a telling sign that points directly to a new model launch. Keep your eyes pinned here, and prepare yourself, as it appears Mr. Jobs may have something planned for the fall.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Telefonica iPhone stock being recalled in time for September 12th launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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webOS Skype integration revealed in screenshots

Skype on Pre 3

We know you’ve all been losing sleep, wondering what exactly Skype integration on webOS will look like. Well, tonight, you should sleep like a baby, knowing you’ve gotten a solid peak at how the Pre 3 will handle the VoIP service. Similar to Google Voice on Android, you’ll be able to either route all international calls through Skype or force is to ask every time you press that precious dial button. We also know that it will be able to handle video calls and, at least on the O2 network in Germany, both voice and video chat will be available over WiFi and 3G. You’ll also be able to initiate sessions from either contacts or the messaging menu, so there’s no need to fire up a separate app. Now, we just need HP to get this out the door and for Microsoft to work out those reliability kinks. Check out the source link for the full-sized images.

webOS Skype integration revealed in screenshots originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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