You've picked up the Galaxy S III. You've grabbed the source code. But you probably like the quad-core monster too much to tear it down, which is why Chipworks and iFixit have taken to disassembling the phone for themselves to look for any surprises. We certainly knew to expect the Exynos 4 Quad and 2,100mAh battery, but we now know how Samsung is claiming a boost to speed and image quality for the 8-megapixel camera: it's using the same Sony-made, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that we've seen since the Xperia Arc and made its biggest splash in the iPhone 4S. Just don't anticipate replacing many components yourself. That 4.8-inch screen is not only permanently attached to the glass, but to the phone frame, leaving any face-first accidents a dicey fix. We're expecting a few more discoveries once iFixit gives the Galaxy S III a second scan, but the source will give you everything there is to know right now.

Chipworks, iFixit tear down the Galaxy S III for all to see, spot iPhone 4S' camera sensor hanging around originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 21:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here's a minor surprise: Android slipping at all in US market share. Although it saw just a tiny drop of two tenths of a point from where it was in March, and still saw a gain over January, Google's platform was down to 50.8 percent in April. Nothing dramatic enough to make Mountain View worry, as such, but definitely a sharp break from the rapid growth of last year. Apple could meanwhile claim a small victory for the month as a result by continuing to grow -- even if we wouldn't call its 31.4 percent iPhone share a revolution. Of the other platforms, only Microsoft had anything to crow about, as the Lumia 900 launch brought Windows Phone back just over the four percent mark.

The positions among individual cellphone makers as a whole didn't budge in April, and whatever losses came to Android's partners in that area were spread evenly across top-dog Samsung as well as LG and Motorola. Perhaps the biggest twist was HTC holding its ground at a steady six percent, which hints that the HTC One S' arrival at T-Mobile might have been just the ticket to keeping Taiwan in the fight.

ComScore: Android's US share dips ever so slightly, iPhone slowly marching up originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading FCC Fridays: June 1, 2012

FCC Fridays: June 1, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you've been waiting... and waiting... and waiting some more for Ice Cream Sandwich to show up on the US variants of the Galaxy S II, it looks like the upgrade is ready to begin trickling in. T-Mobile is the first to announce an official date for its flavor of last year's flagship device, with its version of the GSII rolling out on June 11th. Unfortunately, it's not an OTA refresh as we'd prefer -- you'll have to surrender yourself to the will of Kies, but at least it's going to be available. AT&T and Sprint, the move is now yours to make.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II getting ICS June 11th originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung buys Nanoradio, hints at very low-power WiFi in your next Galaxy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung has a tendency to, well, get a bit pretentious when it comes to talking about its products. At the launch event, Sammy described the Galaxy S III as being "nature inspired" and "designed for humans." But, we know you've been hungering for more head-scratching, Madlibs-esque, non sequiturs to describe the form and function of the company's latest flagship. Thankfully, you'll plenty of comparisons to "infinity pools" and mentions of its "minimal organic" aesthetic at the source link. Would you describe the HyperGlaze finish on the handsets as "intriguing?" We suppose that all depends on what your second adjective was. Honestly though, we're ok with Samsung getting a little flowery, so long as it promises to stop stalking us. Click on the source link for more.

Samsung discusses Galaxy S III design using the language of Magnetic Poetry originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As you prepare for adventures with friends and fun in the sun, just remember that a great smartphone should be at the top of your gear list. Whether you're looking for travel tips, a new place to hang or even directions to get there, your smartphone will have you covered. It can help you check-in for flights, rent a car and even get great deals on places to stay. Go ahead and leave your point-and-shoot camera at home, because many of today's best smartphones excel at photography and allow you to immediately share your memories as they're captured. If you plan to travel abroad, be sure to spring for an unlocked handset to avoid those nasty roaming fees. Whatever your particular needs, our smartphone selection is geared to make your decision as painless as possible - and more importantly, ensure that you have a fun and rewarding summer. Dive in on the other side of the break.

Continue reading Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: smartphones

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We'll call it -- in 10 years' time, tablets are gonna make desktops and laptops niche products. In the three years since the iPad fell from the sky, these humble devices have become ideal ways to surf the internet, play games, and, most importantly, create. Here's three of the best for you to enjoy over the summer, with the notable exception of the Galaxy Note 10.1. We're excited to see the stylus-centric slate in action, but it's still not ready for primetime, so we have to hope it's here before the new school term. Read on past the break to take a look at our current warm weather selections.

Continue reading Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: tablets

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you've been in the market for a new laptop, you've done the wise thing in waiting until now to buy: both Intel and AMD are putting the finishing touches on their newest mobile chips, which means a torrent of fresh notebooks is on the way. (Power users can already pick up a gaming machine or desktop replacement running one of Intel's new quad-core CPUs.) For the widest selection, we suggest waiting until mid-June or so, but in the meantime, we present you three of the best laptops money can buy right now. Enjoy, and do stick it out, if you can, for the inevitable Ivy Bridge refreshes. But if you must pull the trigger immediately, jump down past to the break to read our summertime suggestions.

Continue reading Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: laptops

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

That was fast: just a few days after the Galaxy S III reached buyers' eager hands, Samsung has posted the phone's source code. Its dutiful clinging to Google's Android guidelines opens the floodgates to custom ROMs as well as a better sense of what makes Samsung's Android 4.0 variant tick. As you'd anticipate, the code is only valid for the international GT-i9300 version. North American models, for the time being, are left out. Still, the source is useful for most anyone that wants to tinker with what should be the most ubiquitous Google-powered phone of the year, so get to downloading if that sounds like you.

Samsung posts Galaxy S III source code, modders start their engines originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Verizon said it was pushing out the Android 4.0.4 upgrade for its edition of the Galaxy Nexus, and it meant business: we've received tips and reports that some owners have been getting the update over the air within the past day. The long-overdue update upgrades the calendar and sorts out problems with email as well as the 4G device itself. It will likely take a few weeks before every Galaxy Nexus owner on Big Red is up to speed, but there's no doubt that many of them will just be happy to have caught up to the One True Nexus in features and fixes.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

PSA: Verizon Galaxy Nexus' Android 4.0.4 update is rolling out now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 14:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not satisfied with the launch of its newest creation, the Galaxy S III, Sammy's taken the wraps off of yet another member of the famed galactic family: welcome the Galaxy R Style. While Samsung isn't coming out and saying it, the device is essentially a follow-up to last year's 4.2-inch Galaxy R -- and although the handset keeps a similar form factor, it's changed quite a bit on the inside. For example, the 4.3-inch (960 x 540), 9.79mm thin R Style now houses an LTE chip, 16GB of onboard storage and a TouchWiz flavor of Ice Cream Sandwich. As if that wasn't enough, the slab also packs a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 CPU and a 5-megapixel camera to take care of those filtered Instagram shots -- all while being powered by a 2000 mAh battery. Samsung's R Style will be priced at 700,000 won (around $590) when it goes on sale in South Korea later this year. If we were there, we'd take two.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy R Style

Samsung unveils South Korea-bound Galaxy R Style: 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, LTE and ICS on board originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you liked the idea of buying an unlocked Galaxy Nexus straight from Google but were put off by the absence of the official accessories, have no fear. A swing by Google Play now gives US shoppers the chance to buy the regular Desktop Dock, the HDMI Portrait Dock or the Vehicle Dock, whether it's packed in with your Android 4.0 flagship or after the fact. All three require the HSPA+ edition -- sorry, no attempts to shoehorn the Verizon model here -- and cost between $49 to $54. The accessories reinforce the notion that Google is a little more in it to win it than the last time it sold hardware directly, although we have yet to see whether or not the store section will carry any hardware that isn't fully blessed by Google as part of the Nexus ecosystem.

Google starts selling accessories for HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus on Google Play, has you all docked up originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 19:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Canadian carriers flocked to the Galaxy S III before we'd barely even left our seats in London to try it, and it looks like they're also more than a little eager to provide launch details ahead of their American counterparts. Telus and Videotron have both confirmed the leaked June 20th release date, and Telus has gone so far as to reinforce suspicions that LTE models will use the Snapdragon S4 instead of the Exynos 4 Quad -- it expects the phone to use a "1.5GHz dual-core processor," which sure sounds like Qualcomm's latest to us. The same carrier has nailed down pricing at $160 on a three-year contract for a 16GB version and $210 for a 32GB model. Other carriers like Bell and Rogers are still a bit commitment-phobic, although that earlier Best Buy tip makes us think they'll fall into line before long.

Update: Samsung's own release has swung our way, and it's providing a slew of details that should closely relate to the US launch. As expected, that's a Snapdragon S4 inside, although we now know that the 2GB of RAM of the NTT DoCoMo version will at least be making its way to Canada as well. The LTE version for Bell, Rogers, Telus and a handful of regional carriers is known as the SGH-i747, while the fabled SGH-T999 stops at 42Mbps HSPA+ and is the edition that Mobilicity, Wind and Videotron will get, since it supports 1,700MHz 3G. There's no mention of a 64GB Canadian Galaxy S III, so you'll still have to import if you frown heavily upon microSD cards.

Continue reading Canadian carriers put Galaxy S III launch on June 20th, back dual-core 1.5GHz chip for LTE models (update: Snapdragon, 2GB RAM official)

Canadian carriers put Galaxy S III launch on June 20th, back dual-core 1.5GHz chip for LTE models (update: Snapdragon, 2GB RAM official) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Need a dozen or so extra reasons to pick up a new Samsung Chromebook? How's about 12 free in-flight WiFi sessions from GoGo? Granted, it's probably not enough reason alone to pick up the browser-based notebook, but it should help sweeten the deal a bit. The deal, which kicks in after May 31st, will have you flying the friendly web on some 1,500 Gogo-sporting planes.

Continue reading Google Chromebooks bring the cloud to the plane with 12 free Gogo sessions

Google Chromebooks bring the cloud to the plane with 12 free Gogo sessions originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Eagle-eyed readers might remember that Flipboard's long-awaited port to Android started with a fair amount of confusion; it showed up (seemingly at random) on Samsung's Galaxy S III, but soon after, we learned that it would only be available for that very phone over on the Android side of things. Recently, we uncovered the story of why, and what the company's planning for the future. Put simply, that "device diversity" that keeps developers on their toes is at the forefront of the issue here. For those unaware, Flipboard is quite the polished app over on iOS, and the outfit didn't want its product to offer a subpar experience on competing platforms. In order to gain a better grip on the app's appearance in the land of mobile desserts, it teamed up with Samsung to focus on a single screen, and a single screen resolution. Naturally, it's expecting a huge amount of GSIII shipments, so that's certainly not a bad device to start on. But in the effort of understanding Flipboard's future on Android, it's important to note that whole "start" phrase.

Turns out, the company's eerily close to having a build ready for the rest of the Android smartphone universe. But, smartly, it's planning to release it to a small subset of users with a clear 'beta' label. The idea here is to offer it up to savvy Android users who understand the art of sideloading an APK, giving them the tools to submit bug reports and help polish up Flipboard on the many, many variations of devices out there. Truth be told, we wish more app makers would give this approach a try. Tossing that 'beta' label on there keeps expectations in check, and allowing early adopters to chime in with bugs enables the final product to be that much more stable across a wide gamut of screen resolutions. We weren't able to nail down a specific launch date, but Android aficionados hoping to get a few flips in shouldn't have to wait too many more months before that beta offering is made public. In the meanwhile, there's always the renegade method -- but of course, we'd caution that you proceed at your own risk.

Update: It's here! Tips are pouring in from folks that have received an email from the Flipboard team with a direct link to the APK. If you haven't gotten the message yet, no worries, you can download it and sideload it yourself here.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Flipboard beta coming to all Android devices soon, hopes to handle resolution variety with poise (updated: it's live!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you're European, or you pre-ordered Samsung's Galaxy S III, then you're already registering for that extra Dropbox space, playing with Flipboard or clutching your Olympics tickets. For everyone else, today's the day you can wander down to your local store and buy the flagship handset in the flesh. No-one's certain if you'll be able to grab the handset in Pebble Blue on launch day, so best make sure that you really want the 16GB marble white edition, lest you're disappointed when you arrive in town.

PSA: Samsung's Galaxy S III is out in the UK today! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a horrible tease at the start of the month, Google and Verizon finally appear ready to roll out the Android 4.0.4 update for the LTE Galaxy Nexus. Verizon has just posted the install guide for its elusive IMM76K upgrade, a telltale sign that the update could push out (in this case, from Google) within the next few days. The fixes are largely those that hit the HSPA+ version in March, although that means important Calendar interface tweaks as well as email and device fixes. More than anything, it should close one of the most inexplicably long chapters for minor OS updates in recent memory: Verizon's Galaxy Nexus owners are the last to get 4.0.4, having run on 4.0.2 since December and having exhibited even more patience than Sprint buyers.

Verizon, Google get ready to post Galaxy Nexus' Android 4.0.4 update, really really this time originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 19:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What happens when you put a Chromebook in a box? You get a Chromebox, natch. Not content with launching its new Chromebook Series 5 550, Samsung's adding the Chromebox Series 3 -- a diminutive $329 desktop system -- to its lineup. Like its mobile cousin, the box runs version 19 of Chrome OS and features an Intel Core processor. Though it's clearly targeted at the education and enterprise markets, could Samsung's Chromebox be a compelling option for the Engadget reader? Can it transcend its cloud-based workstation origins? Is it a better choice than an entry-level Mac mini? Find out in our review after the break.

Gallery: Samsung Chromebox Series 3 review

Continue reading Samsung Chromebox Series 3 review

Samsung Chromebox Series 3 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When the first Chromebooks hit the market last year, they were greeted with skepticism, curiosity and some noisy debate. Which makes sense: after all, who had ever heard of an operating system based entirely on a browser? Laptops that were only usable when you had an internet connection? It was a wild, ambitious idea, to be sure, but since then, we haven't heard much on that front save for the occasional price cut.

Now, though, Samsung is selling the new Chromebook Series 5 550 (and Chromebox Series 3) it teased at CES, while Google is rolling out a new version of its operating system with offline doc editing, a basic photo editor and a desktop-like space that makes it easier to launch and switch between apps. Like last year's model, the Series 5 still has a matte, 300-nit, 12.1-inch display, 16GB of built-in flash storage and an optional Verizon Wireless 3G radio, but it's dressed in more conservative digs with a retooled touchpad and an Celeron -- not Atom -- processor. Accordingly, the starting price for the WiFi-only model is slightly higher ($449, up from $429), and the battery life is now rated for six hours, down from 10. Finally, the new model adds an Ethernet jack and DisplayPort -- both of which Google hopes will appeal to the schools and businesses considering using Chrome devices.

Most interestingly of all, Google is planning on selling its new Chromebook in retail, signaling an intent to expand beyond geeky early adopters and one-to-one laptop programs in classrooms. If the idea is to win over more consumers, will a faster CPU and improved user experience be enough to make up for the drastically shortened battery life? Should folks in need of a portable machine with a keyboard spend their $450 on a Chromebook instead of a netbook or Transformer tablet? That's a tough one -- meet us past the break where we'll hash it all out.

Gallery: Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 review

Continue reading Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 review

Samsung Chromebook Series 5 550 review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If the arrival of the GS III has placed a dent in your "latest Galaxy" street-cred, help is at hand. Once again it's the fine folk at XDA-Developers who come up with the goods, in the form of a CM9 add-on pack for the apparently passé Galaxy Nexus. Included in the bundle are all the leaked goodies from Samsung's latest flagship so far (including a working S Voice), as well as a TouchWiz launcher for added authenticity, plus a few other treats for good measure. While designed for CM9, it's believed it may also work with other, similar ROMs. It's available just in time for the real-deal release, so no one (well those with a very untrained eye, at least) need ever know your dirty little secret.

CyanogenMod 9 add-on gives your Galaxy Nexus a glass slipper, it will go to the GS III ball originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 08:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We already knew Samsung was dipping a toe in the music market, and now it's officially landed. Music Hub will launch with the GSIII in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. It's fair to say the electronics giant will be trampling on a fair number of toes, with Music Hub offering both streaming -- from 7 Digital's catalog of 19 million -- as well as recommendations, and a 100GB iTunes Match-esque cloud service. You'll need to trump up £ / €9.99 (about $16) if you want the premium features (unlimited streaming from the catalog and the online storage of your library,) while the free option will let you listen to matched / purchased tracks anywhere (from your phone or the web interface). Samsung's clearly taking a holistic approach with Music Hub, and it'll be a standard feature on its phones going forward (plus potentially Smart TVs and even Fridges). It might not just be restricted to its own hardware eco-system either, with some talk of it coming to other mobile devices in the future, officially, this time.

Continue reading Samsung's Music Hub launches in UK, France and Germany, offers 100GB storage, unlimited streaming

Samsung's Music Hub launches in UK, France and Germany, offers 100GB storage, unlimited streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 04:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Despite carrier and retailer indications of delays for certain editions of Samsung's new Galaxy S III, the company triumphantly announced its launch right on schedule tonight. Of course, here in the US we're sadly on the outside looking in at the launch action going on in 28 countries as a new day dawns for the 29th, but at least there's rumblings that our localized editions aren't far off. In July, its world tour is expected to have swung through 145 countries and 296 carriers. As long as you're looking for a 16GB Marble White quad-core Exynos juggernaut, you should be able to find it right away -- if the machine translated Korean press release (Update: English link added) is too tough to bear, remember we've got all the launch details (and a review) right here.

Samsung's 'human centric' Galaxy S III launches around the globe, says what delays? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 23:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We previously looked at talk of delays for some versions of the Galaxy S III with a jaundiced eye, as there hadn't been much official word at the time. That chatter just grew decidedly louder and more formal: Vodafone UK is now telling Pocket-lint that only the 16GB Marble White version will hit the high streets this week, with as many as two to four weeks before any Pebble Blue variant, or even 32GB white models, are ready to go. There isn't much comfort if you decide to turn elsewhere, either. With a few exceptions, third-party shops are all warning of at least slight delays for blue models that range from June 5th at Clove to a somewhat ominous-sounding "to be confirmed" at Handtec. Samsung is still quiet about what's triggering the delays, although Negri Electronics' founder Ryan Negri is claiming that different regions have been short-changed on different colors. Whatever the cause, it appears as if the Galaxy S III will face a rocky launch, even though the quad-core, Android 4.0-toting beast has otherwise been getting a warm reception.

Vodafone UK, retailers push back Galaxy S III in Pebble Blue by weeks, trample on dreams originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

GameStop selling Android tablets in-store isn't anything new, but we've been curious to see how well the initiative would take off following a soft launch at 200 locations last November. Things seem to be going swimmingly, as the company now has "more than 1,600 locations" stocking the slates. If you'll recall, the devices all come with pre-installed titles of the retailer's choosing, with models from the likes of Samsung, Acer, ASUS and Toshiba. There's still yet to be any word about whether you'll eventually be able to trade-in your own, but it would seem like a logical next step -- aside from becoming an AT&T virtual carrier. Hit up the source link below to see if a store in your area is part of the lineup.

Continue reading GameStop gives in to its sweet tooth, stocks Android tablets at over 1,600 stores

GameStop gives in to its sweet tooth, stocks Android tablets at over 1,600 stores originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 06:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung's sub-$200 Galaxy Player offers up PMP-stylings inside a smartphone shell. When our reviewer put it through its paces, we couldn't find much to commend it -- with poor sound quality and battery life that wouldn't manage a long-haul flight. The expandable storage and removable battery made it more desirable than the equivalent iPod touch, but given that it was retailing for $20 more (at the time), we'd have said go for a GoGear or D3 instead. But we suspect that despite our advice, some of you bought one, so tell us how you've found it on a daily basis and what should the company do when it comes time for a refresh?

How would you change Samsung's Galaxy Player 4.0? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 23:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After taking a few years to get off of the ground, MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) technology is now found in many modern phones as well as HDTVs from LG, Toshiba and Samsung. Now, Silicon Image has announced its second generation of chips to go in those devices with enhanced features. MHL if you'll recall, lets mobile devices connect to HDTVs via HDMI, while passing power and control signals along with the video. According to Silicon Image its new chips, the SiI8240 MHL transmitter (for phones, tablets, cameras and laptops) and SiI9617 MHL Bridge (for HDTVs, monitors and projectors) and dual-mode IP core (like the one in Samsung's Galaxy S II) upgrade the previous generation's capabilities with the ability to pass 1080p video at 60Hz (up from 30Hz) and charge up to twice as fast. There's a few more details in the press releases after the break, if you're wondering whether or not your phone / HDTV is down with MHL then check the specs or hit the Wikipedia link below.

Continue reading Silicon Image pushes new MHL 2.0 chips for phones and HDTVs with 1080p60 video, faster charging

Silicon Image pushes new MHL 2.0 chips for phones and HDTVs with 1080p60 video, faster charging originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 03:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, it was revealed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE likely supports simultaneous voice and data connections on Sprint's network, Samsung's Galaxy Ace 2 landed at Three in the UK and Vertu revealed a refresh to its Constellation series of luxury phones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 21st, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung deflated a few enthusiast tires when its "one more thing" Galaxy S III reveal turned out to be a pop-up retail plan. No matter now, as those great mobile expectations have shifted to the device's imminent launch, a debut the company's only too happy to showcase. Starting May 29th, PIN glass housings, like the one you see above, will begin to populate commercial centers in and around London, letting eager consumers gets hands-on with the ICS handset's nature-made design. Westfield's Shepherd's Bush and Old Spitalfields Market will be the first two UK locations for this temporary retail presence, with larger 7-by 7-meter versions, as well as a smattering of overseas appearances to follow in the coming months. In the meantime, check out our full review to get yourself well-acquainted with this flagship follow-up.

Visualized: Samsung's PIN pop-up stores take London originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ready for Samsung's latest entrant to the Windows Phone game? Hopefully you answered "yes," because we're about to take you through an in-depth look at such a device: the Focus 2. Around the time that we United States-based Engadgeteers were lusting over Nokia's Lumia 800 and getting to know the HTC Titan, Samsung introduced its Focus S and lower-tiered Focus Flash WP7.5 handsets. Redmond's hardware restrictions haven't exactly changed much since then, begging the question as to how the Focus 2 fits in as a late follow-up to the original Focus from back in 2010. The bulk of the answer, of course, is LTE. This handset is the only other Windows Phone aside from the Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II to feature such connectivity on Ma Bell's network. That, and it's priced at just $50 dollars on a two-year commitment. Is it a veritable steal like the Focus Flash proved to be, though? Join us past the break where we'll lay it all out.

Gallery: Samsung Focus 2 review

Continue reading Samsung Focus 2 review

Samsung Focus 2 review originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While we're no champions at "pin the tail on the donkey" we're pretty sure we're close to the mark with this one. An FCC report for a new Samsung phone bearing an SGH-I747 model number? Sporting HSPA+ and LTE bands that play nice with AT&T, Rogers, Telus and Bell? While it's not explicit, if this doesn't sound like the GSIII coming to town, we don't know what does. After all, it's not like we didn't know it was on its way.

Samsung phone lands on the FCC table, GS-three guesses which one originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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 individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 25, 2012

FCC Fridays: May 25, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 22:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We hope you weren't too excited about getting a Pebble Blue-tinged Galaxy S III in May, because we're seeing unconfirmed reports that the darker Hyperglazed hue might not be available for everyone in the first round of launches. Some would-be customers, primarily in Nordic countries but also in Asia-Pacific, Europe and Persian Gulf states, have been told that only the Marble White color will be on shelves at first. Most of the consensus, based on retailer notices, is that demand for blue is straining supply. Samsung Benelux's press lead Vivian Peters told Tweakers.net that at least the Netherlands wouldn't be getting the stealthier color until early June, but didn't confirm a rumor that there had been flaws in the blue plastic backplates that might have triggered shortages. There hasn't been mention of problems for the heavily-hyped UK launch.

We reached out to a Samsung spokesman ourselves and were told only that the company "does not comment on rumors or speculation" -- a slightly unusual statement given what Peters said on the record, but it does lead us to take at least the more dire claims with a grain of salt.

Pebble Blue Samsung Galaxy S III reportedly pushed back for some launches originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Are you a Londoner so taken with the Galaxy S III that you want to pre-order one before you've even held an in-store dummy unit? Samsung wants to give you a little something something for your eagerness: namely, Olympics tickets. The first 50 who pre-order the giant phone and pick it up at the Westfield Stratford City store on May 29th will get free passes to watch the home team run and leap its way towards a few medals. If you're hoping to claim the reward, though, be prepared to get into the kinds of lines that Samsung skewered in ads just a few months ago. Customers are being asked to show an hour ahead of the 6PM on-sale moment, and the limited slots for ticket winners could easily Samsung repeat its sale-driven Australian lineups in the northern hemisphere. There's no word yet on whether or not the promo will make the leap to Mobile Pin pop-up stores, but we wouldn't be surprised if Samsung spreads the perks around.

PSA: Samsung giving free Olympics tickets to early Galaxy S III buyers at London store, hopes you'll vault the queue originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's a strange feeling, receiving such a keenly anticipated phone to review. The hubbub of launch events, hands-on previews and heated debates suddenly dies away, leaving you with one small and intensely silent cardboard box. In this instance, the packaging contained the "marble white" version of the Galaxy S III (not the more daring "pebble blue") alongside one burning question: apart from all the hype, do this handset's paper credentials translate into a product that is worthy of serious cash and a 24-month commitment?

Those credentials are certainly more subtle than those of other recent devices. There's no unusual camera, stand-out display or unibody build. Instead, we get an abstract design statement about the phone being "inspired by nature" alongside a list of incremental hardware improvements such as a quad-core processor, as well as fresh additions to Samsung's customized Android 4.0 skin. As it turns out, these specs forgo immediate swagger in favor of creating a solid workhorse of a smartphone that is intent on attracting a long-term following. Read on and you'll discover just how it pulls that off.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S III review

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III review

Samsung Galaxy S III review originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While Samsung's Galaxy Ace Duos has already burst onto the scene in India pulling double duty on GSM and CDMA networks, the company today announced its dual-SIM GSM-only cousin will begin shipping in June in Russia, before rolling out to Europe and other regions later. Running Android 2.3 on an 832MHz processor and flashing a 3.5-inch HVGA screen, that dual-SIM capability is the highlight, with Samsung's "Dual SIM always on" feature that forwards calls from the phone number on SIM 2, even if the user is on a call through SIM 1. Bill Bellamy and all others in need of such features can check the press release after the break for a few more details, or the gallery below to get a look from a few more angles of this son of the original Galaxy Ace.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos

Continue reading Samsung's GSM-only dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos kicks off its world tour in Russia next month

Samsung's GSM-only dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos kicks off its world tour in Russia next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 21:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Jitters have persisted that the Canadian release of the Galaxy S III might face the customary weeks-long delays that those north of the border are used to. If we go by what looks to be an escaped Best Buy Canada flyer graphic, Samsung's Android 4.0 beast should be going up for pre-orders soon -- MobileSyrup hears May 30th -- with launches on at least Bell, Rogers, Telus and a Bell-owned Virgin Mobile around June 20th. We know that Samsung has publicly promised a US release in June, so there's a real chance that we could be seeing a simultaneous North American appearance that brings everyone together in TouchWiz harmony. There's still some big questions left open even if we're seeing an accurate snapshot, such as when Mobilicity, Wind and other LTE-less carriers will get their units as well as whether or not the LTE versions use Snapdragons instead of the Exynos 4 Quad.

[Thanks, Imdad]

Samsung Galaxy S III shows in Best Buy Canada leak due June 20th, maple syrup uncorked to celebrate originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung will soon launch its Siri-style S Voice software on the Galaxy S III, but in the more distant future it could bring speech recognition technology to standalone robots. A patent application from the company details an automaton that can adjust its voice detection capabilities to account for ambient noise, letting it recognize when people are talking even in loud locations. It remains unclear just what the robot will do for you once it hears your commands -- maybe it will be on call for cooking you dinner and the like. Judging by that pic, at least, the concept looks like a good time for all involved.

Samsung submits patent application for speech-recognizing robot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Back when it was unveiled at IFA 2011, Sammy's famed phablet was more of an attractive oddity than sure hit. Skip to now, and that 5.3-incher's not only taken the European continent by storm, it's also made inroads onto these American shores via AT&T. In keeping with the open source embrace begun last October, the OEM's once again offering up the device's kernel code, this time for the skinned ICS OS unlocked versions currently run. Devs and the amateur hackers that love them should make haste and hit up the source below to get cracking on this latest software nut.

Samsung spills Galaxy Note's ICS guts, releases kernel source code to devs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.