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Refresh Roundup: week of March 26th, 2012
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!
CyanogenMod team bails on Samsung Vibrant, cites inability to dial '911' as cause
CyanogenMod developers responsible for the Samsung Vibrant have abandoned support for the phone after efforts to enable 911 emergency access turned fruitless. The team suggests the issue can't be overcome without source code from Samsung, as all means to resolve the issue with open source code have failed. While it's no doubt an unfortunate revelation for Vibrant owners, the move is certainly the most responsible route for developers and users alike. Absent any intervention from the Korean manufacturer -- which has previously shown love to the CyanogenMod project -- it appears that the Vibrant has met an impasse for the time being.
Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant will get Froyo tomorrow, says T-Mobile CMO
Sorry, gents, but your conspiracy theories are wholly kaput -- not only is a Samsung Galaxy S getting Android 2.2 stateside, but the speedy software update will start rolling out tomorrow on T-Mobile USA. That's the word direct from T-Mo chief marketing officer Cole Brodman, who tossed the news to PC Magazine this afternoon, saying that the delay was a "quality control and timing issue." Apparently, there's extra work involved in skinning the operating system and adding exclusive apps like WiFi calling -- though he didn't confirm either would specifically appear in the Vibrant's build of Froyo. Here's some more welcome news, though: the gentleman promised that in general, Android updates on T-Mobile will be more prompt from now on, as the firm's shooting to update all phones to new versions within five months of Google making source code available. Does that mean we should expect some Gingerbread men by May? We're not totally sure, but we imagine that T-Mobile's rivals aren't sitting still -- we'll probably hear some fascinating, captivating and totally epic news about Froyo any minute now.
Samsung Vibrant 4G appears in leaked docs, touts 21Mbps HSPA+, front-facing camera
Samsung did say it's ready to supply all US carriers with 4G phones, not just Verizon, and we may already be looking at one of those devices before us. Billed as a T-Mobile exclusive, the Vibrant 4G looks to be a gentle refresh of the current Vibrant handset, with the notable upgrades being the inclusion of 21Mbps-capable HSPA+ connectivity -- to speed your mobile broadband up into T-Mobile's definition of 4G speeds -- and a front-facing camera paired to Qik video chat software. The onboard version of Android is 2.2 and internal specs seem to generally match the earlier-released namesake. Speaking of the original Vibrant, these leaked docs also show it's sold over one million units in its time in the US and is the nation's best-selling Galaxy S variant. Great, now can someone please leak it to Samsung that Android 2.3 is already out? [Thanks, Brian]
T-Mobile drops Samsung Galaxy Tab to $350 on-contract
Been waiting for a carrier to shave a bit off the price of the Galaxy Tab before you took the plunge? Well, you now have your first option to consider -- T-Mobile has just knocked $50 off the on-contract price of the tablet, bringing it own to $349.99 for those willing to sign a two-year term (the off-contract price unfortunately remains unchanged). Incidentally, T-Mobile has also dropped the price of the Samsung Vibrant down to $150, although that's not the first time a Galaxy S device has been discounted. Of course, while T-Mobile is the first to start discounting the Tab, it almost certainly won't be the last. We'll keep you posted on any other changes.
Visa clears DeviceFidelity's In2Pay mobile payment microSD card for use in smartphones
No iPhone? No problem. If you'll recall, we heard back in May that Visa was in cahoots with DeviceFidelity, with the two trumpeting a not-exactly-svelte In2Pay case that would add contactless payment support to Apple's darling. Today, the rest of the world is finally being taken into consideration. The aforementioned firms have just cleared a new In2Pay microSD solution for use in the real world, with the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and the Samsung Vibrant in particular named as compatible. In theory, it seems that nearly any smartphone with a microSD slot could be ushered into the arena, and Visa itself expects to add additional phone models for use with this technology, "including phones based on the Symbian and Windows operating systems." This unveiling is happening after a solid 18 months of testing around the globe, but there's no definitive word on which banks will be offering this to customers. Between this and the sudden interest in NFC, America seems more poised than ever before to slip ever further into an endless pool of debt, and with way less friction than before! We kid, we kid... kind of.
Samsung rolls out JI6 update to fix Vibrant GPS issues
It's a tad later than initially promised, but it looks like Vibrant users frustrated by those serious GPS issues will soon have a fix -- Samsung has just announced that it's begun rolling out the JI6 over-the-air update to remedy the problem and finally bring it in line with the Captivate. No word on what else the update might include and, as with all OTA updates, there's also no guarantee as to exactly when you'll get it, with Samsung only saying that it will be distributed randomly over the next "several weeks." [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Samsung Vibrant launching today, awaits new owners in T-Mobile's online store
A tiny bit of uncertainty has been cleared away thanks to good old Twitter, where T-Mobile has made July 15 (aka, today!) the official launch date for its Galaxy S derivative, the Vibrant. The original Tweet seems to have disappeared into the ether apart from that screenshot above, but T-Mo has reiterated the statement in subsequent missives, telling its followers that the Vibrant will be on sale today. We imagine the typical $199.99 price point will remain unaltered, so all you'll really need to do now is decide whether this is the Super AMOLED handset for you, or whether you can wait the extra few days until Sprint et al intro their offerings. Decisions, decisions. [Thanks, Alex] Update: And it's now available to buy directly from T-Mobile's online store [Thanks, Volaris].
Engadget Podcast 203 - 07.02.2010
Robots, death, Epic Fascination, and tropicalia: genre-surfing tokenism dominates the Engadget Podcast this week. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Guest: Chris Ziegler Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Castor - Rude Boy Hear the podcast 00:02:58 - Motorola Droid X review 00:04:40 - Introducing review scorecards! 00:18:48 - Droid X ad pokes fun at iPhone 4 antenna troubles 00:26:15 - Samsung's American Galaxy S phones pose for family portrait 00:26:48 - Samsung Vibrant is official on T-Mobile, coming July 21 for $200 00:26:53 - Verizon ropes in Samsung Fascinate, US Cellular gets a Galaxy S too 00:26:55 - Samsung T-Mobile Vibrant and Verizon Fascinate preview 00:27:00 - Samsung's Epic 4G for Sprint seems to live up to its name 00:30:10 - Samsung Epic 4G preview 00:42:41 - Microsoft says Kin software update is scheduled for mid-summer 00:42:45 - Kin One drops to $29, Two drops to $49, data plans remain silly expensive 00:42:50 - Microsoft Kin is dead 00:42:55 - T-Mobile kills off current Sidekicks, Kin says 'welcome to the club' 00:47:00 - What killed the Kin? 01:11:05 - Hulu Plus announced with support for iPad, iPhone, PS3, Xbox Live, and more (update) 01:15:15 - Hands-on with Hulu Plus via Samsung HDTV, iPhone and iPad 01:15:45 - Hulu Plus preview arrives in iTunes App Store, Flash be damned 01:16:00 - Hulu CEO: we're 'complementary' to cable 01:16:23 - HP / Palm buyout officially complete -- get ready for webOS printers 01:19:35 - MeeGo for handsets makes its first appearance Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com. Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Samsung T-Mobile Vibrant and Verizon Fascinate preview
You'd think we'd be totally sick of Samsung's Galaxy S phones after seeing AT&T's Captivate and Sprint's Epic 4G, but we're just not done lovin' the 4-inch Super AMOLED, Android devices. Verizon's Fascinate and T-Mobile's Vibrant happen to be the last two Sammy phones to jump into our hands-on, but coincidentally, they're also the most alike. Design-wise, both remind us of the iPhone 3G / 3GS -- they're all screen on the front, strikingly thin, and have black shiny backs. And just like the Captivate and Epic 4G, they've got four touch sensitive buttons along the bottom edge. The Super AMOLED screens continue to impress, and watching a clip of Avatar on both versions was pretty breathtaking. (No, we didn't have an iPhone 4 on hand for comparisons, but make sure to check out the post where we put them head-to-head). We didn't get to put the 1GHz Hummingbird CPU to the test in our short hands-on time, though both Android 2.1-running phones seemed to perform briskly when opening videos and pulling up the browser. Beyond Samsung's TouchWiz skin, both are preloaded with Swype and other carrier apps -- Verizon's version had Skype Mobile as well as a number of VCAST applications. Oh, and unlike most of the other Galaxy S phones, the Fascinate had a flash on its backside. We don't have much more on these bad boys for now -- we're still waiting on pricing and availability -- but the pictures and videos after the break should hold you over. %Gallery-96589% %Gallery-96590% Note: Pay no attention to the background -- there isn't any intended symbolism to draw here, it was just the best lighting arrangement we could muster.
T-Mobile offers up official Samsung Vibrant (a.k.a. Galaxy S) details
We already knew that T-Mobile's version of the Samsung Galaxy S would be called the Vibrant, and it looks like the carrier is now starting to share a bit more not-too-surprising information about the phone in what they call an "early FAQ." That includes the first official pictures of the device with T-Mobile branding, and details on some of the phone's specs, including the somewhat interesting tidbit that while the Vibrant "benefits from enhanced speeds with T-Mobile's HSPA+ network," it is "not an HSPA+ device." Otherwise, T-Mobile has simply confirmed that the phone will indeed come with Android 2.1, and that it of course packs a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor and that standout 4.0-inch Super AMOLED display. Still no official word on a launch date just yet, but T-Mobile is promising to share at least a few more details when its countdown reaches zero late tonight. [Thanks, Brent]