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Refresh Roundup: week of February 11th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. 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 we could find during 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!
BlackBerry Z10 goes under the knife, reveals innards similar to Galaxy S III LTE
BlackBerry Z10 devices have only been out in the wild for roughly a week, but the folks at UBM TechInsights have already forced one of the handset's open to figure out just what parts make it tick. Prying the device apart revealed the expected Snapdragon S4 Plus and three other parts from Qualcomm accompanied by Samsung-made RAM and storage. What stands out most to the dismantlers, however, is that the Z10 packs many of the same components in Samsung's Galaxy family of devices, particularly those of the LTE-toting GS3. It's not the most scrutinizing tear down, but you can hit the bordering source link for the entire parts list and full set of images.
Solavei becomes first US carrier to ship BlackBerry Z10, charges $999 for the privilege
We're pretty sure you've heard of the BlackBerry Z10 by now, but have you heard of Solavei? Let us jog your memory: Solavei is a virtual operator (MVNO) here in the US which rides atop T-Mobile's GSM / EDGE / UMTS / HSPA+ network and offers unlimited voice, SMS and data for $49 a month, contract free. The company further sweetens the deal with discounts when you sign up friends. As for the Z10, you probably know that it's already on sale in the UK and Canada but isn't supposed to land on US carriers until mid-March. Well scratch that, because starting today Solavei is teaming up with GSM Nation to bring Blackberry's flagship to its customers. We've confirmed with Solavei that pricing for the handset is a hefty $999 (unsubsidized, clearly). The company currently offers the ATIV S for $605, the Galaxy S III for $575, the Nexus 4 for $405 and the Ascend P1 for $391, to name a few. It also welcomes unlocked phones. Full PR after the break.
Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10 coming for developers in hot-rod red
Blackberry just announced at its Blackberry Jam event in Amsterdam that it'll have a Limited Edition Z10 smartphone sporting a flaming red exterior for developers only. It'll release just 12,000 of the devices, but extended the previous deadline application for qualified coders to February 28th. Now, if we could just think of an app to get started on... see the MC link below for the detailed application process.
Leaked T-Mobile doc pins BlackBerry Z10, Galaxy S III LTE for March 27th launch
Hankering for some fresh T-Mobile devices with LTE connectivity? According to a leaked roadmap courtesy of Mr. Blurrycam and TmoNews, Magenta will satisfy that craving on March 27th with the BlackBerry Z10, Samsung Galaxy Exhibit (in both pre-paid and monthly plan varieties) and the Sonic 2.0 LTE mobile hotspot. An LTE flavor of the Galaxy S III is also penciled in for March 27th, but the roadmap notes it could be available starting April 3rd instead. February's only just begun, but T-Mobile seems to have its springtime planned out pretty well ahead of time.
Back to BlackBerry: One editor's 30-day trial run
I confess, I'm intrigued by BlackBerry 10. Surprised? So am I. It's been easy to pre-emptively count BlackBerry out of the smartphone wars based on its performance over the last two or three years, but there's an element of mystique and personality that has made me quite curious to give the new OS a shot. While Wednesday's BB10 launch answered a lot of questions, it also raised a lot of new ones. Most of the mysteries revolve around its ecosystem, hardware quality, competitive advantages / disadvantages and if the platform can persuade Android and iOS users to switch. As a former Pearl and Curve owner, I want -- nay, need -- to determine for myself how well BlackBerry's latest effort holds up against its rivals. Thus, I have decided to use the BlackBerry Z10 as my sole device and daily driver for thirty days. From now until March 3rd, I'll experience nearly every aspect of BB10: the UI and its learning curve, its performance and battery life, BlackBerry World, the highly praised virtual keyboard and how well it can handle my work load. I'll even use the phone at MWC, a major international trade show in which I'll be even more dependent on my mobile than usual. Throughout this process I'll be documenting my thoughts, feelings and emotions and deliver them in a regular series of weekly posts. By the end, we'll see whether or not BB10 can win my heart; is it a suitable replacement for the average iOS or Android user, or does the company still have a difficult path ahead of it? Time will tell, and I'm eager to find out. Note: If you want to keep updated on my posts, be sure to use the "BradBerry" tag!
Which T-Mobile smartphones will support LTE?
It's no secret that T-Mobile is on the cusp of lighting up its first LTE network in Las Vegas, but with Kansas City soon to follow -- and ambitions of extending LTE coverage to 100 million Americans by mid-year -- it's time to start factoring this consideration into your next smartphone purchase. While the carrier's HSPA+ 42 network is certainly speedy, there's no point in saddling yourself with a device that's rooted in the past. Want to make sure you're ready for what comes next? Read on for everything you need to know.
BlackBerry Z10 review
One cannot overstate the importance of this phone. This, the BlackBerry Z10, is the device upon which the fate of BlackBerry (formerly Research in Motion) hangs. That's not to say that the company will disappear if the Z10 -- and the BlackBerry 10 OS that it contains -- is not a mass-market success. But if this phone does not do its job of extending the reach of the 'Berry OS beyond those die-hard loyalists who have clung on to their Bolds and Torches and Storms, it's safe to say that BlackBerry is in for some very hard times. The company hasn't exactly bet the proverbial farm on this BB10 release, but with massive financial losses tempered only by job cuts, plus an absolutely tectonic shift among the executive leadership and corporate culture architected by CEO and President Thorsten Heins, the phrase "make or break" feels pretty apt. So, then, is this the phone that's good enough to woo buyers away from the Galaxy S III or the iPhone 5 or any of the other delicious devices on the other platforms? The short answer is that no, as of now it isn't quite -- but of course it's a lot more complicated than that. Join us as we explore.
BlackBerry Z10 tipped to come only in black at launch, white edition to arrive February 15th
We've had a note in from a well-placed friend who says that RIM's BlackBerry Z10 will only debut in Henry Ford's favorite color: black. Those looking for a white-tinted fruity smartphone will apparently have to wait until February 15th before being able to splash their hard-earned. Either way, as we're but a few short minutes away from Thorsten Heins' big moment, we won't have long to wait for confirmation. [Thanks, Anonymous]
What we know about BlackBerry 10
Despite -- or rather thanks to -- major delays in releasing BlackBerry 10, RIM has let quite a bit slip about its upcoming operating system and related BB10 devices. We've had more than a year to absorb leaks, rumors and official information, after all, so it's no surprise that we have a very good idea of what to expect when Waterloo pulls back the curtain on January 30th. That doesn't mean things are as plain as day, though; the deluge of blurrycam shots and carrier screens have provided an almost indigestible amount of information about BB10, and we don't blame you if you can't keep the story straight. We're here to parse the madness, though, so read on to find out what to expect at tomorrow's launch event.
BlackBerry 10 camera app flaunts filters, transformation tools (video)
What's better than a non-functional prototype? One that actually works, of course. The Gadget Masters have apparently been spending time with a pre-production version of RIM's upcoming Z10 smartphone, and plundered its camera app in the process. The ensuing video (after the break) didn't reveal any new features, but carries the novelty of actually manipulating an image with the app's tools. After snapping a picture of the carpet (daring!), our host leads us through a few filters, mentioning the app's ability to crop and transform images. It's not groundbreaking, but it's good to see a fully functional version of the app. After all, Thorsten Heins' big event is just around the corner.
The Daily Roundup for 01.15.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
BlackBerry Z10 shown in first hands-on video
We've had an early look at the BlackBerry Z10 already -- both from a leak of RIM marketing materials and from footage allegedly showing the handset's components -- but Austrian publication Telekom-Presse can lay claim to the first hands-on video with the phone. The seven-and-a-half-minute clip shows off the hardware in great detail -- including what looks to be a removable plastic cover on the backing -- and the narrator lists specs, including a 4.2-inch HD display, a dual-core 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and 2GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage. According to the video, the Z10 weighs about 125 grams (4.4 ounces). Of course, the hands-on also demos the BB10 operating system, and it looks to run quite smoothly as the user carries out such gestures as swiping to reveal the BlackBerry Hub. We'll get an even better look at the Z10 when it becomes official, but for now jump past the break for a look at the video (natürlich auf Deutsch).
Leaked images may show black & white Blackberry Z10s, BBM Video and more (updated)
As Sony, Apple and others well know, it's hard to slip a phone into the marketplace without leaks, considering the many, many points on the supply chain where Mr. Blurrycam can spot it. This time, Rapid Berry allegedly espied promotional photos that look like they came directly from the source, hitting all the Blackberry 10 marketing points like the upcoming Z10 handset in black and white, BBM Video with Screenshare, the new BB keyboard and the so-called Time Shift Camera. While we've seen much of this before, these are among the first press-type pics we've seen straight from RIM -- and tie up the imminent Blackberry 10 future with a pretty bow, if real. Go to the source to see the entire series. Update: Rapid Berry's also found a short video showing BBM Video in action at the coverage link below.
BlackBerry Z10 parts reportedly surface, include a 4.3-inch display
The pieces of the BlackBerry Z10 puzzle are slowly coming together -- and today, that's almost literally true. ETrade Supply has obtained what's claimed to be the LCD, touchscreen digitizer and housings for RIM's future flagship device. The more production-worthy components appear to fit together properly, and they hint at a mid-size smartphone with a 4.3-inch screen and a microSD card slot. The biggest surprise may be the SIM slot, whose position varies depending on the parts at hand: the incongruity could either reflect late-stage design tweaks or else variants for different networks. We'll have to sit tight until January 30th to know what the individual elements represent when they're part of a working device, but those who don't mind seeing an upcoming phone in its rawest form can catch a video after the break.
