Qualcomm outs Snapdragon S4 SoC details, promises improved battery life and true world capability

Qualcomm has laid out its details of the upcoming S4 SoC, and yes, there’s definitely reason for excitement with this next generation Snapdragon. First, it’ll usher in a new 28nm manufacturing process alongside the company’s Krait CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. The move from 45nm to 28nm promises smaller components, lower power consumption and improved thermal performance, while Krait will introduce a new pipeline architecture that promises a full 60% boost over the current Scorpion lineup with clock speeds ranging between 1.5 and 2.5GHz — along with support for asynchronous multiprocessing and dual-channel memory. As for the GPU, the latest chip flaunts 50% greater performance over the current Adreno 220, where it also provides support for DirectX 9.3 for Windows 8, in addition to OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0. Should be quite the gaming experience, eh?

It doesn’t end there, as the S4 MSM8960 promises multi-mode world capabilities with support for all the commonly used frequencies from 700 to 2600MHz — quite a feat, indeed. It handles Cat. 3 LTE (up to 100Mbps) and Cat. 24 HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), along with EV-DO Rev. B, 1x Advanced and TD-SCDMA, as well as GSM, GPRS and EDGE. Oh, and there’s also simultaneous support for GPS and GLONASS, along with Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio and NFC. With samples already being sent to manufacturers, we’re quite excited for what 2012 may bring.

Qualcomm outs Snapdragon S4 SoC details, promises improved battery life and true world capability originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 17:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HP launching an investigation into TouchPads shipped with Android, suspects foul play

Android on TouchPad

After a few TouchPads found their way into the hands of consumers loaded with Android 2.2, the devs working to port Google’s OS to HP’s hardware reached out to the company to get a look at the source code. Well, the request was denied since, according to open-source program director Phil Robb, HP had nothing to do with Froyo finding its way onto the slate. In fact, the company is going so far as to launch an investigation into how the OS wound up on the tablet and into retail channels. In an email Robb said, “we presently believe that some person or persons unknown may have facilitated the delivery of these Android-based units strictly against the policy and authorization of HP.” Of course, with TouchPad hardware discontinued we don’t expect the company to waste too much time or resources tracking down the culprits.

HP launching an investigation into TouchPads shipped with Android, suspects foul play originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile officially unveils myTouch, MyTouch Q just in time for the holidays

Not that they were a particularly well kept secret, but T-Mobile is finally ready to show off its two newest Android phones that are aimed at first-time smartphone buyers. The 4G-capable myTouch and myTouch Q are everything the leaks indicated, with the former sporting a 3.8-inch touch screen and the latter coming home with a 3.5-inch screen (no word on the display tech used in either one) and landscape sliding QWERTY keyboard. Both run Android 2.3 out of the box on a 1GHz Qualcomm CPU and 5MP / 720p cameras, with the myTouch throwing in a front facing shooter for your video conferencing enjoyment. Both will be available in two different color schemes “in time for the holiday season” — check the press release after the break for the full rundown.

Continue reading T-Mobile officially unveils myTouch, MyTouch Q just in time for the holidays

T-Mobile officially unveils myTouch, MyTouch Q just in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone 4S vs. the smartphone elite: Galaxy S II, Bionic and Titan

Now that we know how the iPhone 4S stacks up against the iPhone 4, let’s take a look at how Apple’s latest smartphone compares to its mightiest competitors on the other major platforms — Android and Windows Phone. In Google’s camp we chose the superlative Samsung Galaxy S II models (focusing on the announced US variants) along with the Motorola Droid Bionic for its qHD and LTE chops. We then picked the upcoming HTC Titan to bat for Microsoft’s team. RIM’s not included here since it’s still stuck in the junior leagues. We left out the intriguing Nokia N9 because it’s a niche player. Check out the fancy table after the break — the results are pretty clear cut!

Continue reading iPhone 4S vs. the smartphone elite: Galaxy S II, Bionic and Titan

iPhone 4S vs. the smartphone elite: Galaxy S II, Bionic and Titan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seven-inch Huawei tablet headed to T-Mobile, priced at $200 on contract?

It looks like T-Mobile is getting a seven-inch stablemate for the incoming Galaxy Tab 10.1. According to these shots from TmoNews, Huawei’s dual-core MediaPad will arrive in magenta clothing, though branding is limited to a few apps and an additional press shot, included after the break. Aside from a 1280 x 800 IPS display and 4G goodness, details remain sketchy, though pricing is expected to be around $200 with a two-year agreement. No word either when it’ll go on sale, but if Huawei’s earlier promises of end-of-year availability apply to carrier-branded versions, you can expect to get your hands on it at some (vague) point between now and 2012.

Continue reading Seven-inch Huawei tablet headed to T-Mobile, priced at $200 on contract?

Seven-inch Huawei tablet headed to T-Mobile, priced at $200 on contract? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S II for T-Mobile proves that unicorns do exist (hands-on video)

After eluding our grubby little paws at its launch in New York and again this morning at Mobilize 2011, we’re happy to report that we’ve finally caught up with T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II. To recap, the carrier’s permutation rocks the same WVGA 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display as Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch, but replaces Samsung’s in-house 1.2GHz Exynos CPU with Qualcomm’s dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S3 processor. T-Mobile tells us the brain swap was necessary as it wanted its variant to support 42Mbps HSPA+ on the network’s AWS band (just like its cousin the Amaze 4G). Oh, and like AT&T’s variant it comes with a little NFC glitter sprinkled on top. So is it the same delectable Galaxy S II as its European and Sprint counterparts? From our brief time with the handset, the transplant doesn’t appear to have impacted performance at all — it’s just as snappy as ever. In terms of appearance, the phone sports a soft-touch matte black finish in back and its bezel is a lighter shade of chrome than used on its siblings. Check out our gallery below, and peek after the break for our hands-on video.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading Samsung’s Galaxy S II for T-Mobile proves that unicorns do exist (hands-on video)

Samsung’s Galaxy S II for T-Mobile proves that unicorns do exist (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Runnymede spotted in the wild (updated with backup video)

From leak-town to the wild, HTC’s Runnymede’s getting a whole lot of pre-release love. This Beats Audio-branded handset’s just received the quick and dirty hands-on treatment (or so it appears) on YouTube. If you’re looking for details on where the phone came from or what’s going on here, you’ve come to the wrong place, but judging from the Vodafone branding on the home screen, we’re fairly certain that this is our first real-life spotting of the 4.7-inch Android phone. A rather off-center video awaits you after the break.

[Thanks, Thomas]

Update: Unsurprisingly, the original video got pulled, but we’ve slapped on a backup clip after the break.

Continue reading HTC Runnymede spotted in the wild (updated with backup video)

HTC Runnymede spotted in the wild (updated with backup video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Adobe: yep, your Windows 8 system will support Flash — sometimes (video)

Flash fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief — Adobe has confirmed that the next version of Windows will, in fact, support work built on its once ubiquitous web publishing platform. Windows 8 PCs and tablets with x86 or ARM processors will support the platform — in the more traditional desktop mode, that is. The version of Internet Explorer 10 built for that interface will play nicely with Flash. Those users who opt for the new Metro UI, on the other hand, will be out of luck on the Flash front, thanks to a lack of plug-in support. Between Adobe’s work in the HTML5 world and the ability to build Flash-like apps using Air for the Metro interface, however, the company seems to have most of its bases covered in Windows 8 land. Check out evidence of Flash running in Windows 8 after the break, courtesy of Qualcomm.

Continue reading Adobe: yep, your Windows 8 system will support Flash — sometimes (video)

Adobe: yep, your Windows 8 system will support Flash — sometimes (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon roadmap, 2.5GHz CPUs coming early next year

We’ve been hearing about Qualcomm‘s next generation of 2.5GHz processors for a few months now, but the company’s quad-core future has now become a little bit clearer. Speaking at the Innovation Qualcomm event in Istanbul yesterday, Senior Vice President of Product Management Cristiano Amon confirmed that the chipmaker’s S4 line of silicon will be shipped to manufacturers by the end of this year and should appear in consumer products by the beginning of 2012. Available in single-, dual- or quad-core models, the new, 28nm additions to the Snapdragon family will also support Adreno graphics, 3D and 1080p HD, in addition to 3G and LTE connectivity. If all goes according to schedule, then, we could see a slate of S4-equipped handsets at next year’s Mobile World Congress in February, though we’ll try to contain our excitement until we get a more specific launch date.

Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon roadmap, 2.5GHz CPUs coming early next year originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Runnymede and Bliss details sneak out from leak-town

Naming your flagship handset after a small village in Surrey isn’t what we’d do, but then we aren’t in the handset business. The first full render of the HTC Runnymede has leaked and as you can see, it’s one big heap of telephone. It’s the first phone to benefit from the company’s partnership with Beats Audio and will come with a pair of Beats-branded cans rather than regular earbuds. If you missed the specs first time around, the 4.7-inch, 9.9mm thick phone gets a beastly 768MB of RAM, 1.5GHZ Qualcomm chip and a serious 8 megapixel camera with f2.2 lens and double LED flash round back. Availability is still up in the air but we know that UK prices are £499 or £530 for the 16 or 32GB versions (roughly $790 and $840, respectively).

HTC also apparently thinks that women don’t buy enough of its phones, so it’s releasing the HTC Bliss, a smartphone that’s reportedly designed specifically for women. HTC’s belief is that the ladyphone needs to be smaller, gentler and do generally less than its contemporaries — it gets a much smaller 3.7-inch Super LCD display and a 5 megapixel camera. This is my next has also confirmed that the Bliss comes with an accessory called the Charm Indicator, a light-up bauble that fits to a handbag or bracelet (depending on size) and flashes when your phone requires attention. There’s no word on pricing or availability but presumably all will be revealed at the stylish HTC promo event on the 20th.

HTC Runnymede and Bliss details sneak out from leak-town originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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