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'House of Cards' S4 trailer shows it has some intrigue left
While Netflix has already dropped a couple of teasers for the next season of its flagship series, the official House of Cards season four trailer gives viewers their first extended look at some new footage. Poll results suggest that most of you (56 percent) are still riding with the Frank Underwood 2016 campaign, so take a peek and enjoy the final season produced under the guidance of show creator Beau Willimon. (Otherwise, you can also check out new trailers for Fuller House, Judd Apatow's series Love and The Art of Organized Noize documentary that's coming to Netflix March 22nd.)
How would you change Samsung's Galaxy S4?
Samsung's Galaxy S4 is one of the most popular smartphones on the market, and we'd wager that a hefty proportion of our readers use it as their daily driver. When we placed the device in front of our mobile expert Brad Molen, he was full of praise, with one or two exceptions. In his mind, the only thing that kept the Galaxy S4 from a perfect score was a tired design and some user interface decisions that didn't really work. But what about you? Did you love this device as much as he did, and if not, why not tell us? You can share your opinions by crafting a product review of your own, or why not discuss what you'd have done differently on our forum?
Samsung sold over 40 million Galaxy S 4s in six months
T Sure, Samsung's sold more than 38 million Galaxy Notes since late 2011, but its latest flagship puts that number to shame. According to a Korean publication, the company has sold 40 million Galaxy S 4 units worldwide, just six months after the device hit the market. It's a hearty milestone, although it's not a particularly surprising one -- the phone moved more than 10 million units in its first month alone. Samsung's JK Shin didn't give inews24 specifics on how the sales broke down between the device's assorted models, but we're betting that the golden S4 didn't take the lion's share.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 arrives on C Spire's LTE network for $199
Looks like Samsung's on a mission to make the Galaxy S 4 available on as many carriers as possible, and C Spire is one of its latest destinations. Samsung's prolific flagship device joins the iPhone 5 and the HTC One on the company's list of smartphone offerings for its LTE network. The phone is available (in both black and white) through the carrier's website and retail locations for $199 with a two-year contract. If C Spire doesn't offer its services in your area, you still have other regional carrier options, including US Cellular, Cricket, and Ting.
Verizon starts selling 32GB Samsung Galaxy S 4 online for $299
Verizon customers -- now's your chance to grab Samsung's latest flagship device with more internal storage. The carrier has started selling the 32GB Galaxy S 4 online, giving buyers another choice besides the 16GB version sold on its website for $199. Shipments aren't promised until July 3rd, but you can buy the 32GB Galaxy S 4 right now for $299 -- assuming you're interested in paying $100 more for storage on a phone that already features expandable memory. If you'd rather shell out more money for an unlocked bootloader, though, Verizon also sells the Developer Edition at the lofty price of $650 each.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active official: water-resistant, LTE-capable, coming to the US and Europe this summer
Samsung's gone official with the Galaxy S 4 Active -- once again, before the company's incoming UK launch event. With IP67 water and dust protection -- it'll survive three feet of water for up to 30 minutes -- as well as a 5-inch (TFT LCD) 1080p display (443 ppi), there's an unspecified 1.9GHz quad-core processor to do the heavy lifting. Alongside LTE radios and Android 4.2.2, the GS4 Active packs an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash, while the front-facer will take up to two-megapixel stills. Now, to match those outdoor protective credentials, there's also a water-resistant headphone socket, Samsung's 'glove touch' screen tech (meaning you'll be able to handle it with gloves) and a special 'aqua mode' setting for the camera to improve all those underwater shots you're bound to take with a submersible smartphone. (In fact, for meteorologists, there's even an outdoors-y barometer built in too.) The phone launches in the US (most likely on AT&T) and Europe this summer, in Urban Grey, Dive Blue and Orange Flare color options. We're still waiting on pricing, but Samsung promises that we'll be able to test it in the flesh at the aforementioned London event later this month. %Gallery-190396% Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Samsung Galaxy S 4's storage to be investigated by BBC Watchdog
We've seen Microsoft's Surface RT face similar accusations, but this time it's the turn of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 and how much space you'll actually get from that advertised 16GB of storage. The BBC's consumer rights show, Watchdog, will be focusing on the smartphone in next week's episode, and the fact that almost half of the phone's memory is already occupied by Samsung's own software and apps. According to UK retailer Clove, there's just 9.5GB of storage left for customers to fill. It's not the only Android phone with storage space less than advertised -- visit our More Coverage link to see how the Droid RAZR Maxx's 16GB of storage magically transforms into 8GB of usable space. While the smartphone maker argues that the phone does offer an expansion option in the form of a microSD card slot (up to 64GB, no less), some apps still seem to prefer to reside on built-in storage over anything removable -- Amazon's Cloud Player comes to mind. Host Anne Robinson hints at the end of this week's episode: "It [Samsung] claims that its brand new Galaxy phone has an extra-large memory, but what did it forget to mention?" Although we might have spoiled that question for you already, check the teaser after the break. Brits can tune in for the show at 8PM GMT next Wednesday.
Samsung SGH-I337 hits FCC with AT&T LTE bands, fits the GS 4 profile
We have to be skeptical when new devices arrive at the FCC without photos or a blinking sign that says "I Am AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S 4." But even doubters can likely tie that model to a certain Samsung SGH-I337 that the FCC just waved through. Why? First off, it's carrying a certain LTE band 17 used exclusively by AT&T in the US (in addition to bands 2, 4 and 5, also frequently featured by the carrier's LTE devices). Secondly, the dimensions line up perfectly with the device we recently got our hands on at Samsung's recent Galaxy S 4 phone-a-palooza. Finally, we already saw a device packing the same model number on UAProf, a normally reliable source that revealed a 1,920 x 1,080 screen and "ARM11" Exynos processor. Since it's unlikely the carrier has another unannounced 1080p model coming from Samsung, those coveting an AT&T GS 4 can probably start warming up their wallets.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 vs. Galaxy S III: what's changed?
Okay, okay, we all get it: the Galaxy S 4 looks a lot like last year's model. But there are of course some differences, most notably on the inside, where the phone steps up to either an Exynos 5 or Snapdragon chip, depending on the region. As is our way, we've combed the spec sheets for both models to see exactly what's changed this time around. So, phone snobs, have at it! Check out our event hub for all the action from Samsung's Galaxy S 4 event.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 preview: a flagship with some familiar roots
You say you want a revolution? Too bad, because this Galaxy smartphone update is just that... an update. Samsung's newly unveiled Galaxy S 4 is an incremental step up, an evolution less "inspired by nature" and more by last year's GS III. Don't believe us? Just take a look at the two handsets side by side to see the overtly obvious heritage. Samsung's staying the course with the overall design language, though it's expanded the screen size to five inches -- now powered by a Full HD Super AMOLED display with 441 ppi (and yes, it's still PenTile). On the inside, it has a processor setup that we're told will be either an Exynos 5 or Snapdragon depending on the region, along with 2GB of RAM, 16, 32 or 64GB of internal storage, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2,600mAh battery. Starting to see the bigger picture here? Samsung had a good thing on its hands with the GS III and it's not willing to compromise much of the tried-and-true with the GS 4. It will launch globally in Q2, with a stateside debut on T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular and Cricket. Until then, join us past the break for our detailed first impressions. %Gallery-182135% %Gallery-182392% Check out our event hub for all the action from Samsung's Galaxy S 4 event.
Verizon-bound Pantech Perception leaks: 1.5GHz S4, 720p display, LTE and Android
Sure, Pantech's 4.8-inch Discover HD for AT&T had its official announcement around CES, and now it appears Verizon will get its own variant of the Android smartphone. The ever-resourceful evleaks has scooped up details about said device, dubbed as the Pantech Perception, along with the leaked press image above. As the report goes, it's apparently packing a similar 720p (1176 x 720) HD display, a 1.5Ghz Snapdragon S4 SoC, LTE connectivity and, naturally, Verizon markings. Details are slim aside from that, although, evleaks is implying it'll cost near to the $50 on-contract pricing of the Discover HD. As always, we'll keep you posted when more info arises -- there are more happenings from CES to catch up on in the meantime.
Qualcomm adds two new China-bound SoCs to its Snapdragon S4 lineup
Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chips are flying off the shelves so fast these days that the company's had to enlist other manufacturing companies just to keep up with the demand. That's not keeping the San Diego-based firm from further expanding its entry-level quad-core lineup, however, as Qualcomm just unveiled the MSM8226 and MSM8626 CPUs plus their QRD counterparts. Each features an Adreno 305 GPU capable of 1080p video recording and playback and support for up to 13-megapixel shooters. The 28nm silicon also packs dual SIM support, multi-modal radios tuned to Chinese TD-SCDMA, CDMA and HSPA+ networks and has GPS, GLONASS and Beidou on board as well. Aside from the broad frequency coverage, the new radio promises 40 percent power savings and is 60 percent smaller than Qualcomm's older comparable wireless transceivers. Want to know more? PR awaits after the break. Update: It looks like this quad-core SoC uses ARM's newly minted Cortex-A7 architecture (see the "more coverage" link below)
Sony Xperia TL review: the company's second US flagship is much improved, but still imperfect
As Sony's second stab at the US mobile market, the Xperia TL arrives with a major corporate synergistic push: a 007 movie franchise tie-in. But an awkward distinction as the official Bond phone and a smattering of pre-loaded "Skyfall" multimedia content alone won't drive consumer adoption; the specs and pricing will. Following in the footsteps of the company's first stateside flagship, the Ion, this AT&T 4G LTE exclusive is priced aggressively at $99 on two-year contract, packing a 4.6-inch HD Reality display (1,280 x 720) powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of storage (expandable up to 32GB via microSD), 1GB RAM, NFC, dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, as well as an integrated 1,850mAh battery. With Ice Cream Sandwich running the show and a planned upgrade to Jelly Bean in the works, it has all the makings of a current-gen high-end offering. So will the Xperia TL help Sony build much-needed buzz for its mobile division here in the states? Can a sub-$100 price tag effectively lure consumers away from the bigger, faster and flashier Android phones AT&T has to offer? Or is this mainly one for Sony loyalists? Find out after the break as we put the TL through its paces.%Gallery-169692%
Sharp's 7-inch AQUOS Pad SHT21 brings low-power IGZO LCD tech to tablets in Japan
The AQUOS Phone Zeta SH-02E was first with Sharp's new IGZO LCD technology a few days ago and it's been followed quickly by another device, the AQUOS Pad SHT21. Scheduled to debut on Japanese carrier KDDI in mid-December, this 7-inch slate claims battery life of up to two and a half times greater than the previous model thanks to the low-power characteristics of its display, and weighs just 280g. It's powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 CPU, and features a 1280x800 screen resolution, pen input, 1GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, microSDXC slot, Bluetooth 4.0, MHL, NFC, 3,460mAh battery and 4G LTE capability. Hit the source link for more details courtesy of Engadget Japanese.
LG's rumored Nexus, the E960 Mako, poses for Belarusian glamour pics
While Google and LG have kept quiet on the subject of any prospective Nexus phone, the leaky ship that is the LG E960 "Mako" popped another hole today as Belarusian site Onliner.by has apparently gotten its hands on a prototype unit. According to the site the specs match many of the previous leaks saying it's similar to the Optimus G, rocking a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 1280x768 4.7-inch display and 2GB of RAM, but only 8GB of storage built-in and an 8MP camera. It's running the just-released Android 4.1.2 for now, so unfortunately there's no hint of any potential Android 4.2 features. Hit the source link to check out a few more quality snaps of the "with Google" handset, but at this rate we'll probably have more details any minute now.
LG Optimus G and its quad-core 1.5GHz S4 Pro coming to US shores in Q4 (update: video)
When it comes to LG's latest flagship, it appears there can be no shortage of official announcements. So, while the news from overseas may not be quite so fresh, there's certainly nothing stale about the Optimus G. Today the company held a second celebration in honor of its powerhouse -- the first to pack Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Pro: a quad-core SoC clocked at 1.5GHz. Buffered by a heaping 2GB RAM and an Adreno 320 GPU this absolutely beastly device is officially coming to American shores in the fourth quarter of this year. The 4.7-inch phone may ship with some slightly different specs, depending on carrier, but they'll still find a home for the 1280 x 768 True HD, in-cell, IPS display. There's no specifics about carriers or pricing as yet, but we'll let you know when we do. Update: Hit the break for LG's Optimus G PR video.
LG Optimus G: hands-on with Korea's latest powerhouse (video) (updated)
We're in Seoul for the launch of LG's latest flagship smartphone, the Optimus G, and we finally managed to spend a few minutes with a demo unit. This is a powerhouse -- the first handset built around Qualcomm's 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro. It features LTE, a 4.7-inch 1280x768 True HD IPS PLUS display, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of built-in storage, a 13-megapixel autofocus camera, a sealed 2100mAh battery, and NFC. We like the simple and elegant design, which is reminiscent of LG's Chocolate and Prada models -- it's thin (8.45mm / 0.33 inches) and reasonably light for its size (145g / 5.11oz). The front sports a glass surface with three capacitive buttons and the back showcases the company's Crystal Reflection process -- an attractive patterned glass-like finish that's a bit of a fingerprint magnet. Materials and build quality are excellent (better than the Galaxy S III) and the Optimus G feels pleasant in hand. You'll find a volume rocker and micro-SIM slot on the left edge and the power / lock key on the right. There's a notification light next to the 1.3MP front-facing camera. A standard headphone jack sits on the top side, with the micro-USB / MHL connector on the bottom. The speaker and main camera are in the back, pretty much where you'd expect them. While the display is definitely high quality, it's not mind blowing (the One X screen still looks better) -- we expected better viewing angles from LG's True HD IPS PLUS and Zerogap Touch technologies. Sadly, we didn't spend much time using the software, but the Optimus G runs Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) with a skin similar to what we saw on the Optimus 4X HD and performance is definitely impressive. We'll get more seat time with LG's flagship over the next few days, so stay tuned for more impressions. In the meantime, enjoy our gallery below and our hands-on video after the break. Update: We've added pictures of the white model and screenshots to the gallery.
LG launches Optimus G flagship smartphone: quad-core S4 Pro, LTE, 2GB RAM, ICS, 13MP camera (updated)
It's official! Today in Seoul LG is announcing its latest flagship smartphone, the Optimus G. The 8.45mm (0.33-inch) thin handset -- which has been rumored for weeks -- packs Qualcomm's Fusion 3 chipset which pairs a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC (APQ8064) with a 2G / 3G / LTE radio (MDM9615). It features 2GB of DDR RAM and a 4.7-inch 1280x768 (320ppi) True HD IPS PLUS display with Zerogap Touch (in-cell touch) technology. A sealed 2100mAh Li-polymer battery rated for 800 charge cycles powers this Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) device. The rear camera sports a 13-megapixel backside-illuminated sensor with 1.1µm pixels, an f/2.4 autofocus lens and a single LED flash -- along with a more pedestrian 1.3MP shooter in front. There's 32GB of built-in flash storage, but no microSD card slot. Other specs include WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, NFC and MHL. Aesthetically, the Optimus G marries LG's Chocolate and Prada design-languages into a sleek 145g (5.11oz) unibody smartphone. The front is all glass with three capacitive buttons while the back indroduces the company's Crystal Reflection process which gives the handset "the ability to display different patterns depending on the viewing angle and lighting". LG's placing a lot of emphasis on how the user experience benefits from the Optimus G's quad-core Krait CPU and Adreno 320 GPU -- something it calls "cross-tasking". This includes capabilties like QSlide Function, Live Zooming, Dual Screen Dual Play, QuickMemo, Screen Zooming, Application Link and Icon Personalizer, plus camera funtionality such as Time Catch Shot, Cheese Shutter, Smart Shutter and Low Light Shot Noise Reduction -- all of which are detailed for your reading pleasure in the PR after the break. Stay tuned for hands-on pictures, video and first impressions later today... Update: Unsubsidized pricing will be 999,900 KRW ($895 USD) when the Optimus G ships in Korea next week. That's pretty steep, even for an unlocked device.
Nokia Lumia 920 hands-on: the dual-core, HD Windows Phone 8 flagship to take on the beasts
It's official. Nokia's just taken the wraps off its worst-kept Windows Phone 8 secret: the Lumia 920. The device, announced at the manufacturer's event in New York City today, is a spiritual successor to the 900 that first broke onto American shores and can largely be seen as a response to critics of that former device. With a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU (the same one that drives the current US supremos, the HTC One X and Galaxy S III), a "better than HD" 1,280 x 768 LCD display, PureView imaging (albeit with only eight megapixels), NFC capabilities, 2,000mAh battery with wireless charging and a next-gen Redmond-baked OS, this handset's a big-break proposition for the flailing Finnish company; an attempt to up the ante and compete on even ground. From the outside, it may appear as though not much has changed in this generational hardware leap, but rest assured that what Espoo's packed inside should take the mobile outfit to the next level. So, follow on after the break as we dive into our first impressions of this curiously hued smartphone splash.%Gallery-164354%
LG's LS860 'Cayenne' visits the FCC, flaunts Sprint LTE bands
After making the rounds with Mr. Blurry Cam, Sprint's rumored LG LS860 'Cayenne' handset has taken a breather from its photo tour and made a stop at the FCC. The federal filing reveals that the smartphone uses LTE bands tailored for the Now Network (CDMA 850 / 1900; LTE Band 25) and totes NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, SVLTE (simultaneous voice and data) and the usual suspects of WiFi b/g/n and GPS. If other details previously gleaned from the grapevine hold true, the mobile will be powered by a flavor of Android 4.0, pack a 4-inch WVGA screen and a 1.2GHz dual-core S4 processor. There's no word from LG or Big Yellow about the phone's official debut, but its FCC appearance means that it could soon show up packaged and properly photographed in the US.
