Sprint’s unlimited data plans aren’t going anywhere, CTO confirms

Sprint may have plenty of changes in store for its upcoming “strategy update,” but it looks like one crucial policy will remain in place — unlimited data plans. Speaking to reporters at Mobilize in San Francisco yesterday, company CTO Stephen Bye confirmed that even though competitors like Verizon and AT&T are phasing out their unlimited plans, Sprint remains committed to providing its customers with infinite data. Doing so won’t come without costs, since, as Bye explained, not all unlimited subscribers eat up the same amount of data. But the exec pointed out that these efforts are counterbalanced by the relative simplicity of managing unlimited schemes, and don’t seem quite as prohibitive when compared with the hidden customer support costs involved with more complex, tiered plans. Yet despite all this optimism, Sprint seems fully aware that some major expenses are on the horizon, especially with a revamped 4G LTE network in the pipeline and, perhaps, with the iPhone 5 on the way. “Is there pressure? Yeah,” Bye acknowledged. “There’s a challenge for all engineers to work on how we get the cost structure down.” Bye went on to reiterate, however, that although a new data network may attract new investors, it’s ultimately Sprint’s unique data plans that will keep its customer base intact.

Sprint’s unlimited data plans aren’t going anywhere, CTO confirms originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces latest Unpacked event, set to kick-off at CTIA

Remember those Samsung Unpacked events from earlier this month and way back in February? Well Sammy is apparently readying something else for the upcoming CTIA, and we’ve tentatively circled October 11th in our diaries. There’s nothing concrete yet on precisely what the Korean manufacturer will be offering up to the masses, though we’ve seen previous events cover smartphones, cameras and even tablets all in one fell swoop. Might the next Google phone — heavily rumored to be a Samsung baby– be “primed” for launch?

[Thanks Oguz]

Samsung announces latest Unpacked event, set to kick-off at CTIA originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile makes Galaxy S II official at Mobilize: ships on October 12th for $230

Samsung might have already announced T-Mobile’s variant of the Galaxy S II, but here at Mobilize the carrier’s gone and revealed all the nitty-gritty details. We can now confirm that the 4.52-inch smartphone wields a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, eschewing Sammy’s 1.2GHz Exynos found on its other stateside brethren. And much like the just announced Amaze 4G, it’ll be one of the first phones to take advantage of the carrier’s 42Mbps HSPA+ and T-Mobile TV functionality. The TouchWiz-covered, Gingerbread 2.3.5-sportin’ superphone can be yours on October 10th for $229.99 (after a $50 mail in rebate) from Deutsche Telekom’s website, or in stores and select dealers on the 12th. Stay tuned for an impending hands-on — you can bide time by eying the PR after the break, or having a look at the gallery below.

Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here!

Continue reading T-Mobile makes Galaxy S II official at Mobilize: ships on October 12th for $230

T-Mobile makes Galaxy S II official at Mobilize: ships on October 12th for $230 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+

Europe may be enjoying the Sensation XE, but today at Mobilize, T-Mobile’s announced that it’s getting the exclusive on HTC’s Amaze 4G ($259.99 on a two-year contract), while also confirming the hardware whispers we’ve heard. With its 4.3-inch qHD screen and 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, it’s one of the first smartphones able to connect to T-Mobile’s upgraded 4G (HSPA+ 42Mbps) network and is the first HTC phone featuring an NFC chip — something we didn’t gather from those early spy-shots, but the manufacturer promised a while ago.

Pushing its photography credentials, the Amaze 4G’s eight megapixel shooter can record 1080p video, with a dedicated camera button (and even a direct-to-camcorder button) to make the most of the handset’s promised “zero shutter lag.” Its also got that backlit sensor found in its sibling, the myTouch 4G Slide, so we’re expecting admirable low-light performance, too. On the software side, it’s running Android 2.3.4, coated in the inevitable Sense veneer and supporting the likes of HTC Watch and T-Mobile TV. Will it be enough to steal the network’s king of Android crown away from the Galaxy S II when it ships October 12th? You tell us, as you check the PR after the break.

Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here!

Continue reading T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+

T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor

Toshiba may be bowing out of its mobile joint venture with Fujitsu, but not without bestowing this Gingerbread-munching flamingo upon the Japanese market. The Wimax-enabled Arrows Z ISW11F, unveiled today by Japan’s KDDI au, is juiced by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, sports a 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 LCD and, most notably, rocks a 13 megapixel CMOS sensor. It also features a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and supports 1080p video, along with your standard suite of 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Oh, and to top it all off, it’s waterproof, too. No word yet on pricing, but KDDI plans to bring this bubblegum to the Japanese market sometime in November. Doggie paddle past the break for more information in the translated presser.

Continue reading Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor

Fujitsu-Toshiba unveils waterproof Arrows Z ISW11F handset with 13 megapixel CMOS sensor originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fusion Garage’s Grid 4 smartphone sails through the FCC, Grid OS details flow from user manual

Go on, Fusion Garage — get down with your bad self. While we’d previously heard that the outfit’s $399 Grid 4 smartphone wouldn’t hit shelves until “closer to Q4,” a surprise stop by the FCC this morning makes us cautiously optimistic that it’ll happen — at least in the US — sooner rather than later. For those who’ve forgotten, this guy’s packing a 4-inch 800 x 480 LCD, dual-core Qualcomm CPU, 16GB of storage and dual cameras to boot. Moreover, the included user manual sheds a ton of light on how Grid OS will act, and it’s the first real in-depth look at how it’ll differ from what’s already out there.

We’re told that there’s a built-in web browser, Grid Launcher, support for Yahoo / Google data importing, a contacts app that’ll suck names in from just about anywhere, full integration with email / Facebook / Twitter and a “GridDesktop” application that’s used to load media from your PC or Mac onto the device. The guide also talks up the status bar, which is located at the top of the Grid 4 screen in order to show “indicators and widget controls for wireless networks, notifications, music playback and volume control.” The oddly-named TaoBar is described as a “unique feature that shows details on your current notifications, events and ongoing sensor information, while also offering suggestions that might be of interest.” Examples? Things like similar artists whilst listening to music, or pinging you with lunch recommendations when noon rolls around. Eager to see what else the feds put your future unlocked phone through? Give that source link a poke.

Update: We’ve added a gallery of the FCC’s teardown images below.

Fusion Garage’s Grid 4 smartphone sails through the FCC, Grid OS details flow from user manual originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Nokia app appears on Windows Phone store, suggests you buy more apps

Nokia is still hammering out the hardware for its premier Windows Phone, but here’s a taste of what the beleaguered phone giant will be adding in the way of exclusive apps. Posted on the Zune marketplace, Top Apps turned up a few days ago and we managed to get a screen grab in case it disappears. It appears to be Nokia’s “fun and quick” interpretation of a curated app portal, all pretty similar to the stock Windows Phone offering. Looks like we’ll have to wait just a little longer to see exactly how much creative freedom Nokia manages to wring from Microsoft’s (previously stringent) Windows Phone UI.

First Nokia app appears on Windows Phone store, suggests you buy more apps originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE handsets for Korean market

There’s some pretty big news coming out of South Korea today, where Samsung has just announced the Galaxy S II LTE handset, along with its even more alluring cousin, the Galaxy S II LTE HD — the first member of the Galaxy S family to rock an HD display. The new device, pictured on the right, boasts a 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD screen with 1280 x 720 resolution, which translates to about 316 pixels per inch. Other than that, its specs are identical to those of the Gingerbread-laced S II LTE, which is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and features 16GB of internal memory, an eight megapixel camera that supports 1080p HD video and the usual collection of WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC capabilities. No word yet on pricing or availability, but the Galaxy S II LTE will be available exclusively on SK Telecom, while the HD variant will be available on all three Korean carriers — SK Telecom, LG U+ and KT. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Samsung announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE handsets for Korean market

Samsung announces Galaxy S II LTE and Galaxy S II HD LTE handsets for Korean market originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Huawei makes Honor official, forgets to mention its other virtues

Sure, we love it when phones and spec lists leak out into the wild, but there’s nothing like an official announcement to set the record straight. When we last saw the Huawei Honor, it claimed to have a single-core 1.4GHz processor, a 4-inch FWVGA (854×480) capacitive screen, and a radio primed for European and Asian bands. The official word? It’s got all of that, but it’s also packing an 8 megapixel rear facing camera (2MP up front), 512MB of RAM (with 4GB ROM memory, and expandable up to 32GB) and a hefty 1900mAh battery. The Gingerbread powered handset is a hair thicker than we expected as well, measuring in at 10.9mm at its thinnest point. What else is new? Oh, just a handful of new frequencies, including GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 /1900 and the WCDMA/HSPA+ 900 / AWS / 2100 bands (compatible with T-Mobile’s US 3G). No word on price just yet, but the DLNA-certified powerhouse should be hitting Asia-Pacific, China, Russia, and the Middle East in “Classic Black” the fourth quarter, with more colors (and hopefully, regions) dropping sometime during the Christmas season. Want the full PR and official spec list? Skip on past the break.

Continue reading Huawei makes Honor official, forgets to mention its other virtues

Huawei makes Honor official, forgets to mention its other virtues originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 02:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola LTE handset emerges with qHD Super AMOLED display, questionable identity

Well, what do we have here? According to “trusted sources” over at This Is My Next it’s a Motorola Spyder, or a Droid RAZR, or maybe even the Droid HD we peeped back in August. Whatever the name, the phone is apparently packing a first-of-its-kind 4.3-inch, 960 x 540 qHD super AMOLED display. The rumored LTE handset also supposedly contains a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel, 1080p rear-facing camera and HD front-facing camera, and is apparently outfitted in Gorilla Glass and Kevlar. TIMN is also boasting exclusive new details for the recently outed Atrix 2. It seems the name is confirmed as well as a handful of previously identified specs. What’s more, the phone’s got a couple of accessories on board, including a laptop dock called the Lapdock 100, also rumored to play nice with the Spyder, or RAZR, or HD. More images of both devices await you at the source links below.

Motorola LTE handset emerges with qHD Super AMOLED display, questionable identity originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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