Sep 11

Refresh Roundup: week of September 5, 2011

Posted in: 4G, droid, firmware, firmware update, FirmwareUpdate, gingerbread, honeycomb, HTC, htc sense, HtcSense, lte, mobile hotspot, MobileHotspot, mobilepostmini, motorola, refresh, rom, roundup, samsung, Screenshots, sense, Software, software update, SoftwareUpdate, Sony Ericsson, SonyEricsson, Today's Chili, update, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw, windows phone, WindowsPhone, Wp7, xperia

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

  • Verizon was spitting out new refreshes left and right this week, as we saw Gingerbread begin to roll out as OTA downloads on the Motorola Droid 3, HTC Droid Incredible, and — get this — even the Motorola Droid 2 R2-D2 edition. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
  • Interestingly enough, Android 2.3 for the Droid 2 Global was already getting pushed out, but was pulled just a couple days later after a Microsoft Exchange encryption issue was discovered. We’ve been told the updates will resume “soon.” [via Droid-Life]
  • Finally, Verizon also pushed out one other software upgrade — this time on its 4510L LTE MiFi. (Thanks, Matt)
  • HTC continues to expand its bootloader unlock tool to more phones, region by region. This week the company enabled support for the EVO 3D in Canada and Europe. [via Phandroid]

Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery

  • The Motorola Droid 3 and Droid X both now have access to an SBF — System Boot File — to act as a safeguard for anyone who manages to brick their phones. [via Droid-Life (1) and (2)]
  • Recently we heard about the Honeycomb ROM for the HTC Flyer getting leaked by MoDaCo, but no screenshots were available at the time. This week, however, someone successfully grabbed a few images to share with the world (shown in the above image). The ROM appears to run on Android 3.2 with HTC Sense 1.1 for tablets as the featured UI. [via AndroidBugle — thanks, Dennis]
  • Let’s talk a little more about leaked Sense ROMs. We’ve already seen Sense 3.5 working on the Desire HD, and now we have another device to add to the list: the EVO 4G. [via XDA]
  • The first kernel for unlocked bootloaders on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is now waiting for your download, so head over to the link for instructions. [via XDA]
  • If you’ve been waiting and hoping for CyanogenMod 7 on your HTC Sensation or EVO 3D so you can shed the Sense UI, that time may be very close at hand. According to a member of the CyanogenMod team, an early alpha build for both devices may be available by the end of this weekend, so keep an eye out. [via Phandroid]

Other platforms

  • Two new unofficial ROMs — one for Windows Phone Mango and another for NoDo –are now available for the Samsung Omnia 7. The Mango ROM improves the device’s radio, camera drivers and motion sensors, in addition to a few other enhancements. [via WPCentral]

Refreshes already covered this week

Refresh Roundup: week of September 5, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 10

Mobile Miscellany: week of September 5, 2011

Posted in: BlackBerry, bluetooth, leak, leaks, Miscellaneous, mobilepostmini, NeXus, o2, research in motion, ResearchInMotion, RIM, rumor, rumors, samsung, Sprint, t-mobile, Today's Chili, uk, verizon, wifi

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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Sep 09

Samsung Galaxy S II now shipping for $100 in America… on Alaska’s GCI

Posted in: 4G, galaxy, galaxy s ii, GalaxyS, GalaxySIi, hspa, mobilepostmini, now shipping, NowShipping, samsung, ship, shipping, ships, Today's Chili

Leave it the regional folks to steal the thunder of the Big Four. While we were all led to think that Sprint’s Epic 4G Touch would be the first subsidized Galaxy S II to officially land in the US of A, it looks as if Alaska’s GCI has beat ’em all to the punch — and in more areas than one. A tipster residing in The Last Frontier just picked one up today, and best of all, it’s running a solid Benjamin less than it will on those other operators. Oh, and it’s compatible with the company’s “4G” (read: HSPA+) network. Unadulterated wilderness? Yep. Northern Lights? Definitely. Early / cheap access to the year’s hottest Android smartphone? Evidently. So, who’s up for a little northern exposure?

[Thanks, Joshua]

Samsung Galaxy S II now shipping for $100 in America… on Alaska’s GCI originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 09

FCC Fridays: September 9, 2011

Posted in: mobilepostmini, samsung, Today's Chili

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol’ Federal Communications Commission’s site. Since we couldn’t possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there, we’ve gathered up all the raw info you may want (but probably don’t need). Enjoy!

Phones

Read – Samsung T679
Read – Samsung GT-S5360B
Read – Samsung GT-S5360L
Read – Samsung GT-S7250D (Wave M)
Read – Samsung GT-E3217B
Read – Samsung SCH-I405 (Stratosphere)
Read – Huawei C2835
Read – Amgoo AM85
Read – Mobo Colore
Read – Kyocera C5121 (Milano)

Peripherals

Read – Huawei K3773

FCC Fridays: September 9, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 09

Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia

Posted in: Apple, HTC, mobilepostcross, samsung, smartphone, Smartphones, study, Today's Chili

Not only is Apple shipping the most smartphones, it’s also shipping the best smartphones — if you believe the stats in J.D. Power and Associates’ latest US customer satisfaction survey. It gave the iPhone a score of 838, versus HTC’s handsets in second place with 801 and an industry average of 788. Sammy got a disappointing 777, but we guess it might have fared better if the Galaxy S II had been quicker to cross the Atlantic. Hapless RIM got shunted into fifth place, having come second in 2010. You’ll find plenty more factoids in the PR after the break, including evidence that people just love 4G. Well, we could have told you that.

Continue reading Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia

Apple tops J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, grim reading for RIM and Nokia originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 09

German court upholds injunction against Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple wins nationwide ban

Posted in: Apple, europe, GalaxyTab, germany, ipad, ipad 2, Ipad2, Law, lawsuit, legal, patent, sales, samsung, slate, tablet, Today's Chili
A German court has weighed in on Apple’s seemingly interminable patent battle against Samsung, and it isn’t looking good for Galaxy Tab users. In a ruling issued today, a Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court upheld last month’s preliminary injunction, banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 within Germany. Citing the slate’s “minimalist, modern form,” presiding judge Johanna Brueckner-Hoffmann determined that Samsung’s tablet bears a “clear impression of similarity” with the iPad 2, thereby meriting a nationwide ban. “The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer,” Brueckner-Hoffmann explained, “other designs are possible.” Earlier this week, as you may recall, Apple won a separate injunction against the Galaxy Tab 7.7 in Düsseldorf, though Samsung can still appeal that decision in a lower court. The court stopped short, however, of calling for an EU-wide injunction against the 10.1-inch slate, arguing that “it could only be competent to order a Europe-wide ban for a firm headquartered outside the European Union if this firm has a German subsidiary.” Samsung, meanwhile, plans to appeal the ruling in a higher court, with a company spokesman issuing a now all-too familiar statement: “We are disappointed with this ruling and believe it severely limits consumer choice in Germany.”

German court upholds injunction against Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple wins nationwide ban originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 08

Samsung High Fidelity Position app gives Mango GPS a Russian boost

Posted in: app, AppStore, mango, mobilepostcross, nav, navigation, samsung, Today's Chili, windows 7, windows phone 7, Windows7, WindowsPhone7
Using your phone’s GPS to guide you down city streets can sometimes be a harrowing experience, especially in signal blackspots (or when there’s a mild breeze). Fortunately, there’s a fancy new solution — for some of you at least. High Fidelity Position is an app specifically for Samsung Mango phones that supercharges the GPS module with two upgrades to help positioning. The first leverages the on-board accelerometer and compass to help the Windows 7 device orient itself on congested city streets. Second is that it will now access GLONASS — Russia’s equivalent to GPS — pinpointing your location to within a few feet. When installed, the app is only visible in the settings menu, where you will need to activate it. We can also expect to see more of GLONASS in the future, since Russia’s imposing import taxes of about 25-percent on any device that’s incompatible with the Soviet standard, and manufacturers won’t want to take a hit of that magnitude on a feature they can use. Samsung WP7.5 owners who want every excuse to celebrate the triumphs of Gagarin, Sputnik and Laika can find the app available at the source link below.

Samsung High Fidelity Position app gives Mango GPS a Russian boost originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 08

Cricket intros the Samsung Vitality, the first Android to offer Muve Music

Posted in: Android, gingerbread, mobilepostmini, Music, samsung, Today's Chili
If executed properly, Muve Music could be a pretty nifty idea. But up until now, the all-you-can download music service from Cricket Wireless has been offered on the Samsung Suede featurephone… and that’s it. Fortunately, the Samsung Vitality will come to the rescue as the prepaid carrier’s first smartphone to provide the beats. We’ve seen this device before as the Admire, which runs on Android 2.3, has a 3.5-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display and is powered by an 800MHz CPU. The phone also includes a 3.2 megapixel cam, 1,600mAh battery and a 4GB microSD card. It may not sound all that tempting, but the price could turn a few heads: the Vitality will be available for $200 — that’s sans contract, folks — and requires a $65 plan which will hook you up with unlimited data, voice and music. Sounds like this Muve Music feature has sprung back to life. Follow the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Cricket intros the Samsung Vitality, the first Android to offer Muve Music

Cricket intros the Samsung Vitality, the first Android to offer Muve Music originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 08

Samsung Vitality Brings Android, Music to Cricket

Posted in: Android, Media Players, Music, Phones, samsung, Today's Chili

The Samsung Vitality will feature Cricket's Muve Music service. Photo courtesy of Samsung.

Listen up, music-loving tightwads: Samsung is offering the Vitality, an Android 2.3 smartphone, to budget-carrier Cricket. It features Muve Music, Cricket’s exclusive — and unlimited — music service.

Muve currently has more than 200,000 subscribers, and deals with EMI, Sony, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music, among others, so its reservoir of available music could be enticing for budget-minded music fans.

Besides all the Android-standard Google software, the phone comes with a Muve Music 4GB flash memory card. An 8GB version is also available separately.

Muve Music and Cricket run on a $65 per month wireless plan, which includes unlimited song downloads, ringtones, ringback tones, photo and video texting and data backup. The Vitality is available now for $200 with a Cricket plan.

Muve also is available on the Samsung Suede, a non-Android Cricket phone now available for $150. The model debuted the music service several months ago.

Cricket currently has 5.7 million customers in the United States.

See Also:


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Sep 08

Rumor: Windows 8 Tablet Appears Next Week

Posted in: Microsoft, rumor, rumors, samsung, Tablets and E-Readers, Today's Chili, windows 8

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talks about the future of Windows at CES 2010. Photo: Jonathan Snyder/Wired.com

We may finally get a look at Microsoft’s first Windows 8 tablet.

Samsung and Microsoft are set to introduce a brand-spankin’-new Windows 8 tablet next week at Microsoft’s BUILD conference, the Korea Economic Daily reports. The device is expected to house a quad-core ARM processor.

And tech blog This Is My Next says conference attendees will get the tablet for free.

We first got wind of Microsoft’s plan to release Windows 8 tablets when Steve Ballmer accidentally detailed the company’s roadmap in May, saying, “As we progress through the year, you ought to expect to hear a lot about Windows 8. Windows 8 slates, tablets, PCs, a variety of different form factors.” Other reports indicated Microsoft may deliver a Windows-branded tablet, but that seemed unlikely.

Windows 8 is designed to run on desktops and tablet PCs, unlike Apple’s mobile operating system iOS and Windows Phone 7. It shares its tile-based interface with Windows 7, and users will be able to purchase apps through a dedicated Windows 8 app store.

Last year, Microsoft gave away Windows Phone 7 devices as a perk to conference attendees. But seeing how Windows 8 isn’t even out yet, a complimentary Windows 8 tablet (likely running a pre-release or dev build), would be an extra nifty gift.

So far, Windows’ only foray into the tablet space has been the Windows Phone 7-running Lenovo IdeaPad K1. A previous tablet project, Microsoft Courier, never saw the light of day.


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