The HTC One S has been making a splash across carriers in Canada, so it's only fitting that we ride the wave and give one away to a reader in the true north strong and free. The example we're giving out is Bell Canada's model, which mates the dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 and Android 4.0 with Bell-specific extras like Mobile TV. Should you live in the land of the red and white, fire off an entry according to the rules and you might just get HTC's super-skinny smartphone for yourself.

• Leave a comment below. Any comment will do. Duplicate entries will be filtered out and discarded, so adding additional comments won't increase your likelihood of winning.
• Contest is open to all residents of Canada (excluding Quebec), 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
• Winners will be chosen randomly. One winner will receive one Bell Canada HTC One S.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. Bell Canada service will NOT be included. Also, HTC, Bell and Engadget are not held liable to honor warranties or customer service.
• The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
• Entries can be submitted until June 3, 2012 at 11:59PM ET. Good luck!

Engadget Giveaway: win an HTC One S, courtesy of Bell Canada originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RIM showed off the BlackBerry Music Gateway with the promise of a June release, and it's clearly not wasting any time: the first of the month has seen the tiny audio bridge go on sale. It'll set you back $50, but you'll get a conduit for music from any Bluetooth-packing device, whether or not it has that signature 7-dot logo on the back. The extra-special BlackBerry affection comes through NFC support, where equipped phones like the Bold 9930 can pair faster through a friendly tap. Buying straight from the source will lead to a one- to two-week wait, but if you're looking for the most polished way to share your musical tastes from a BlackBerry or PlayBook, it's likely worth being patient.

BlackBerry Music Gateway goes on sale, brings a little NFC into your life originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

Apple has been sending mixed signals as to whether or not it will bring NFC to the iPhone for mobile payments, but iCache clearly isn't waiting for the technology to show its face -- the company just started shipping its Geode e-wallet. As we saw just a few weeks ago, the Geode simply rolls existing credit and debit cards into a proxy GeoCard that's scanned at the store to handle transactions. Although it demands a specially-made case with an e-paper screen and fingerprint reader, not to mention an app to manage the attached cards, the choice lets an iPhone owner buy goods at all the usual places instead of having to hunt down special terminals. We like the one-card universe it creates, although it's clear the shopper has to carry a lot of the responsibility for making this digital payment dream a reality: at $200 a pop, the Geode's wallet-slimming effect carries a premium, especially since it won't work with anything besides an iPhone 4 or 4S.

iCache Geode claims title of first shipping iPhone e-wallet, asks 'who needs NFC?' originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 17:40:00 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.

A week and change after it announced Viewdini, Verizon has it ensconced in the Google Play store. If you're on Android 2.2 or greater and have a 4G LTE plan, you can install the app at no charge, and start your search by typing in the name of a movie, actor or genre you want to see. The app will scurry off and check net-based providers like Hulu, mSpot and Netflix, along with cozy new chum Comcast's Xfinity, and bring back relevent titles along with their price and availability. Further pawing will reveal critic reviews and ratings, filmographies, related picks and other info -- just keep one eye on that data limit.

[Thanks, Artem]

Viewdini hits Play to help find video, if you're on Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 08:38:00 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.

If you'd picked up a Sony Smartwatch, you might have noticed that some apps plod along; not anymore, courtesy of a just-posted update: third-party apps, the music jukebox and weather should all be speedier. Sony has also fixed the watch face -- a slightly important part of a watch -- to keep it always visible whether or not the device is in standby mode. Similarly, if you use the Smartwatch for exercise, you'll be glad to know that Endomondo's tracker app has now received Sony's seal of approval as a watch companion. Hit the Google Play link below if you can't wait to get moving, but you'll get a heads-up from the Android app in the days ahead if there's no rush.

Sony Smartwatch update speeds apps across the board, makes sure you (always) know what time it is originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 19:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've potentially seen a lot of the next iPhone's exterior; it may be the interior's time for a shakedown, as an unusually detailed rumor out of 9to5 Mac has claimed scads more about the processor and iOS 6. Going by the tips, the 2012 design would use an S5L8950X, a processor with unknown specs but likely a step ahead of what we've seen in the iPhone 4S (8940X) and new iPad (8945X). There would likewise be a new spin on the PowerVR SGX543 graphics from the iPad as well as 1GB of RAM -- which doesn't sound like much next to a 2GB Galaxy S III, but stands to produce a similar speed boost for a lightweight platform like iOS. As for iOS 6 itself, the software is supposedly using underlying code newer than recent OS X Mountain Lion builds and is dumping Google Maps, as some have claimed ever since iPhoto for iOS made that step in the spring. The new Maps app (possibly pictured here) is said to be rough, but the OS as a whole could be coming along so swimmingly that Apple might have no trouble shipping on time.

As always, we're skeptical when so much detail is in flux. The rumor still jives with much more tangible behavior from Apple, such as its experimentation with 32-nanometer processors and a tendency for Apple to refine the chip from the current year's iPad for the iPhone months later. We may know the accuracy soon enough: more leaks are promised in the next two weeks, including an "entirely new iOS app."

Rumors give 2012 iPhone shiny new chip, 1GB of RAM, mystery iOS app originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Could it be? Is AT&T addressing bill shock by simply trying to make international data roaming costs reasonable? From the looks of its new Data Global Add-On deals, that might be the case. The baseline price is up from last year at $30 per month, but you'll get 120MB of data for your trouble -- an amount that used to cost $50. The next step up not only costs less than before, at $60 versus the old $100, but ups the data ever so gently to 300MB in the process. AT&T's maximum allotment is still a relatively modest 800MB, but at $120 a month, it's a lot easier to swallow for a European vacation than the earlier $200 for the same data cap. The real advantage for all three may be the overage rate: rather than bill by the byte, AT&T is now charging $30 for every 120MB over your limit, so you won't have to fork over the equivalent of a car payment just because you couldn't resist posting to Instagram from the Alps. We still think dedicated international services like Xcom Global (or an unlocked phone and a prepaid SIM) are the most efficient ways to go, but the carrier-bound among us will catch a big break when the new international plans take effect June 1st.

Continue reading AT&T cuts prices on international data roaming, goes easier on overages

AT&T cuts prices on international data roaming, goes easier on overages originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 01:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google might be in trouble for how it handled an earlier raid by South Korean officials over antitrust concerns. Insiders claimed to AllThingsD that the country's Fair Trade Commission stormed Google's Seoul offices again on May 28th after the company allegedly stonewalled the investigation in suspicious ways. Among the accusations, Google supposedly deleted files and asked staff to work from home rather than face inquiries. The FTC's goal was still to answer complaints from local search firms Daum and NHN that Google was unfairly making it difficult to use a non-Google search engine in Android. Google still says it's cooperating with regulators, but the assertions if they're accurate would paint a different picture. They certainly don't alleviate pressure in the US over similar subjects.

South Korea's FTC reportedly raids Google again over lack of cooperation originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PayPal's mobile payments have been on a whirlwind American tour this year, but they haven't had a chance to cross the border so far. Someone must have finally stamped the company's passport, since it's now an option for UK residents to pay using the InStore app for Android or iOS. A trio of fashion outlets -- Coast, Oasis and Warehouse -- can soon scan an on-screen barcode to take payment for that posh new shirt instead of requiring ye olde wallet. As it is in the US, there's no need for any NFC magic or even an Internet connection to clinch the deal, and there's still the same access to discounts and refunds as for paper- and plastic-wielding buyers. A total of 230 shops will take your PayPal credit starting May 31st, although they won't stop your potential fashion mistakes.

Continue reading PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)

PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:29:00 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.

Never mind Huawei's 6.68mm-thick Ascend P1 S or Oppo's 6.65mm-thick Finder, because the record's about to be beaten yet again by another Chinese manufacturer. Codenamed "Athena," this mysterious ZTE phone's been getting a fair bit of attention on Sina Weibo with its 6.2mm slimness claim, all thanks to a keen terminal device strategy director from the company. While Mr. Lu hasn't delved into specifics, what we know so far is that Athena will feature a 720p display, Cortex-A15 chip (a source of ours said it will be multi-core) and up to 64GB of internal storage, as well as a "Miflavor UI" -- something that we've already previewed on the Era at MWC -- to go on top of Android 4.0. Lu also hinted that there will be several color options, but we're more than happy to nab that black kevlar edition in the above shot (and someone should tell Motorola to take a look at this). Two more pictures after the break to keep you busy for the time being.

Continue reading ZTE teases 6.2mm-thick 'Athena,' crams in 720p IPS display and Cortex-A15 chip

ZTE teases 6.2mm-thick 'Athena,' crams in 720p IPS display and Cortex-A15 chip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LG has been leaving its smartphone owners on pins and needles for their promised Android 4.0 upgrades. It's now starting to take action: if we go by poorly machine-translated Korean, the Optimus LTE, Optimus LTE Tag and Optimus Vu will all get Google's latest starting June 4th. Everyone gets the new UI 3.0 layer, but those who've leapt on the Optimus Vu's phablet frame will get "additional features" that we understand will take advantage of the extra-wide dimensions for side-by-side note-taking. LG's remarks still leave some gaps in the Ice Cream Sandwich story, such as when Nitro HD owners get the new software. Even so, we're glad to see that owners of LG's crème de la crème in at least some corners of the Earth can enjoy Chrome and other Android 4.0 perks in the very near future.

LG's Android 4.0 upgrades for Optimus LTE, LTE Tag, Vu start in June originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 23:25:00 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.

We're seeing rear cameras on smartphones and tablets get better all the time; what about at the front? OmniVision might have that side tackled through the OV2722, a 1080p-native CMOS camera sensor. It won't allow for magnum opuses of photography like the company's own 16-megapixel behemoth, but it's just big enough and thin enough (at 3mm deep) to give a serious upgrade to the 720p-or-lower front cameras that prevail today, including webcams on Ultrabooks. The new sensor is both thinner and better in low light than an earlier iteration, so we'll hopefully see fewer instances of blurrycam self-portraits and video calls. The OV2722 is in mass production now for unnamed clients, although we're worried that the resolution jump will show us a little too much detail in that chat with Aunt Mildred.

Continue reading OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see

OmniVision's OV2722 sensor promises 1080p tablet video chats, probably more than you wanted to see originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 17:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The wait for the Sony Xperia Ion in the US has been a long one, but that summer release feels considerably closer now that the Android flagship has swung by the FCC. As we'd hope, the Ion is passing through in full AT&T regalia, carrying the 700MHz and 1,700MHz 4G LTE bands it needs to run on Big Blue -- albeit with a legacy Sony Ericsson label. Along with the expected 850MHz and 1,900MHz HSPA 3G frequencies, we're also seeing an odd instance of 1,700MHz 3G that would normally be reserved for T-Mobile. Given that there isn't matching 2,100MHz support, we're more inclined to see the 1,700MHz block as related to AT&T spectrum refarming or other, more practical purposes than as a ghost of attempted mergers past. An FCC approval still doesn't provide any direct clues as to the release date, although removing that one major hurdle gives AT&T the option of launching sooner in the summer rather than later.

Sony Xperia Ion hits FCC with AT&T LTE intact originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Alcatel is relatively a newcomer to the world of smartphone manufacturing, but the company's latest handset is certainly bound to turn some heads. Dubbed "OT986," this 4.5-inch device packs a hefty amount of all-around power (unlike that Venture), starting with its 1280 x 720 HD, IPS display, which is paired nicely alongside a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU (TI OMAP 4460), one gig of RAM and 8GB of internal storage -- and, there's also a lower-end model sporting a 1.2GHz processor and a mere 4GB of built-in storage. Furthermore, Alcatel's new Ice Cream Sandwich slab is said to hit the Chinese market under the TCL S900 moniker for 1,999 yuan (about $314), but deets are still cloudy on whether it'll be stuffed with the same juicy specs as the aforementioned OT986. While we wait to hear which other countries the device will make its way into, though, you can hit the source link below to gander at some extra eye candy.

Continue reading Alcatel outs 4.5-inch, 720p OT986 smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich in China

Alcatel outs 4.5-inch, 720p OT986 smartphone with Ice Cream Sandwich in China originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 16:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last we heard, Thomsom had its PoMMeS IPTV tablet land at the rigorous FCC offices -- oh, and how could we forget that perky V888 slider from a few years back. Fast forward to today, and the company's clearly adapted to the "new" times, now introducing its 5.3-inch, dual-SIM X-view 2 smartphone in France. The phablet-styled device boasts a qHD, 960 x 540 display alongside an undisclosed single-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, a 2500mAh battery to get you through the days and, as we're finally becoming accustomed to seeing, a flavor of Android 4.0. Thomson notes the X-view 2 will hit French shelves later this summer, though there's no word yet on how much cash you'll have to unleash in order to grab one of these for yourself.

Continue reading Thomson's 5.3-inch X-view 2 brings its dual-SIM capabilities, Android 4.0 to la France

Thomson's 5.3-inch X-view 2 brings its dual-SIM capabilities, Android 4.0 to la France originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 14:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Amidst all of Sprint's eagerness to phase out its iDEN network, the carrier hasn't given us a hard cutoff date to mark on our calendars until now. If you're still rocking that Motorola Titanium, you may have to drop your Nextel push-to-talk dreams as soon as June 30th, 2013, the earliest possible date Sprint says it could shut down the legacy service. Government customers will be getting a friendly paper reminder on June 1st of this year to make sure they're using CDMA Direct Connect phones like the Admiral well in advance. The switch-off will mark the end to a long and troubled chapter in the Sprint Nextel era, but if it helps bring about 800MHz LTE sooner, we're all for it.

Continue reading Sprint sets a best-before date for iDEN push-to-talk: June 30th, 2013

Sprint sets a best-before date for iDEN push-to-talk: June 30th, 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 12:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When it rains, it pours -- after a tiny drizzle of tall iPod touch leaks, we're suddenly faced with a deluge of photos of what might just be the next iPhone's back plating. If that's what we're looking at through photos supplied by a historically reliable uBreakiFix, talk of bigger iPhone screens might just pan out, as it looks decidedly taller than the iPhone 4S we use today. Apple may likewise be going all old-school iPhone on us, with a modern twist: we could be reverting to an aluminum back with more receptive materials (likely glass) at the ends, just in a much thinner form that keeps the steel antenna band. Perhaps the most intriguing bit is at the bottom, where rumors of a much smaller dock connector may have been validated along with a shift of place for the headphone jack. There's still a chance we're looking at an elaborate KIRF or an early engineering prototype that could change, but given that 9to5 Mac just got very similar images with black trim, there's a real possibility that we've just been given a sneak peek of what to expect from Apple later this year.

Update: A handful of extra photos have surfaced at 9to5 that show a bit of the front, as well as better views of the back. It's looking like the new model won't quite be as skinny as some photos suggest, and we're digging the different-hued, two-tone design a bit more now that it's not being subjected to Mr. Blurrycam. We've included the more choice shots in the gallery.

[Thanks to Brandon and Steven from uBreakiFix]

Gallery: iPhone 2012 back plate leak

Supposed new iPhone casings show up with tall body, tiny dock connector, tons of mystery (update: a bit of the front too) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 11:06:00 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.

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.

Amazon has decided that offering 3G-capable Kindles isn't enough of an involvement in the cellular world -- it's now getting into the business of offering the bits themselves. Through a tie-up with NTT DoCoMo-using MVNO Japan Communications, Amazon is selling prepaid SIM cards for LTE data. Each slice of plastic and circuitry will provide a 500MB block of sweet, sweet 4G for ¥1,980 ($25). There's a very good chance we'd burn through that in a day, but it'll let you get an NTT DoCoMo-ready smartphone or Arrows Tab online in a pinch. The Japanese can snap up the cards later in the month, while those of us in the US will just have to hope that Amazon can make a similar (if hopefully cheaper) deal closer to home.

Amazon offers prepaid 4G LTE data in Japan, gets you online 500MB at a time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 21:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've see BBC iPlayer reach many devices over time, but it's been conspicuously absent on Windows Phone. Nokia has stepped into give us some relief, and it's now promising that a port of the TV catch-up service will be ready for your Lumia 800 "in weeks." Good news no doubt, although Nokia's encyclopedic knowledge of British TV streaming is also dashing hopes of using the Sky Go mobile app on Windows Phone anytime soon: the same Nokia rep doesn't see Sky being ready for a "good few months" at the earliest. As such, you'll have no problems keeping up with Doctor Who and Sherlock when they're airing, but we wouldn't count on watching live football matches for awhile.

Update: Pocket-lint is reporting that it quizzed the BBC over this issue and got a firm denial about a Windows Phone version, which suggests that The Inquirer's report, or its Nokia source, may have made an illogical deduction.

BBC iPlayer reaching Windows Phone within 'weeks,' will catch up with Sherlock on your Lumia (update: perhaps not) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 01:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Smartphone displays are becoming larger in size, and along with that, we're seeing a nice trend that's bringing greater pixel density. While LG Display's newly-announced 1080p HD mobile display isn't the most pixel dense that we've seen -- a distinction that belongs to Toshiba -- the five-inch panel is more appropriate for consumer applications and boasts an impressive pixel density of 440ppi. Its 16:9 aspect ratio was designed with HD content in mind, and the LCD technology isn't anything to sneeze at, either: it's a variant of IPS known as Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching (AH-IPS), which is said to boast wide viewing angles, fast response times and improved brightness efficiency. Best yet, it seems that consumers won't have long to wait before the panel works its way into consumer technology -- the five-inch HD display is set for availability during the second-half of this year. To learn more of the Retina Display-shattering deets, you'll find the full PR after the break.

Continue reading LG Display debuts five-inch Retina Display killer with 1080p HD resolution and 440ppi pixel density

LG Display debuts five-inch Retina Display killer with 1080p HD resolution and 440ppi pixel density originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 22:00:00 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.

If the HTC Status' dedicated Facebook button fell shy of satisfying your obsessive social networking needs, sit tight: the house of Zuckerberg may be building a slab of tech just for you. According to the New York Times Bits blog, those old Facebook phone rumors are making a comeback. A handful of Facebook employees and engineers familiar with the matter reportedly say that the firm is collecting former Apple engineers, specifically, ones that worked on the iPhone and iPad. Like Zuckerberg said, mobile is the company's top focus, and one employee says the man at the top is afraid of getting overlooked in a sea of apps. "Mark is worried that if he doesn't create a mobile phone in the near future that Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platforms." Facebook has focused on deep integration with other devices for some time, but a dedicated handset could take the freshly public company in new directions. Reports suggest that the rumored device is still in its infancy, and there's no word on form factor or OS, of course. Up for some speculation? Check out the source link below for Bits' full take.

Facebook reportedly back to building phones, recruiting former iPhone engineers originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 16:29:00 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.

RIM's current chief Thorsten Heins has had to make some tough decisions in the first few months of his tenure -- and he could be making some particularly difficult choices about trimming the rank and file within the next two weeks. Assuming we take the claims of several contacts for Canada's The Globe and Mail at face value, "at least" 2,000 jobs are being cut on or before June 1st. The numbers could climb higher at that: Reuters is bracing for as many as 6,000 layoffs, and has described an unhappy routine of "Goodbye Thursdays" where more recent hires are let go. RIM has turned down comment on what it calls "rumors and speculation," and we'd hope for the sake of those possibly affected that it's not true. Having said this, it's hard not to imagine Heins wanting to streamline the BlackBerry maker as much as possible to adapt to shrinking market share and keep the company afloat until BlackBerry 10 potentially spurs a revival.

RIM may cut 2,000-plus jobs within two weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sprint might not have its 4G LTE network up and running to power your EVO 4G LTE, but it's already getting more headroom. The FCC has just tweaked the rules around the ESMR (Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio) spectrum to let Sprint, and the considerably more regional SouthernLINC Wireless, run their CDMA voice calls and LTE data on the 800MHz band they're currently using for their soon-to-end iDEN networks. In practice, the extra frequency access should be a tremendous help to at least Sprint, which hasn't had the low-level, indoors-friendly airspace that AT&T and Verizon enjoy with their 700MHz networks. Just don't expect your EVO or the rest of the initial Sprint LTE devices to take advantage any time soon, as you'll need to both get an 800MHz-ready phone as well as endure the long, long wait until Sprint switches on the extra LTE band in 2014.

FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 20:36:00 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.

Although PayPal's mobile payment system started out small with a Home Depot deal, that snowball is quickly rolling itself into a boulder. Starting next month, 15 extra US retailers will be happy to see you slap down your smartphone (not literally, we hope) instead of a credit card. The selection leads us to think a lot of smartphone owners like to shop for wearables -- Aéropostale, Foot Locker and JC Penney are in the batch, along with others -- but there's a few useful exceptions, like Barnes & Noble, Jamba Juice and TigerDirect. At least a total of 20 merchants are expected by the end of year, and as with Home Depot, you won't need special hardware besides an Android or iOS device to spend your hard-earned cash. We'll just be thankful we won't have to buy our yogurt with actual cash, like savages.

PayPal lines up 15 retailers for mobile payments, will let you buy Jamba Juice smoothies with a smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not long after the Lumia 900 surfaced, Nokia's Windows Phone roadmap appeared to have come screeching to a halt -- official and otherwise. However, the first signs of Nokia's second wave may have just surfaced in WP Bench's testing leaderboards. The Nokia Alpha, Phi, PurePhi and PureLambda have all shown up at varying points in the chart; we've seen them for ourselves, although you'll need WP Bench on a Windows Phone to see them first-hand. Not much is visible without seeing the devices themselves, but the PureLambda appears to be running a build of OS 8.0 -- better known to most as Apollo, or possibly Windows Phone 8. As long as these aren't elaborate pranks, they could represent entry, mid-tier and high-end phones; we're wondering if the Pure tag isn't a reference to the PureView-equipped Lumias Nokia said were inevitable in the long run. No matter what the four phones turn out to be, any real devices will show us what Nokia can do with Microsoft's OS now that it's had time to strategize.

Nokia Alpha, Phi, PurePhi and PureLambda pop up in tests, bring Windows Phone 8 along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Rumors of the Sony ST26i smartphone have been swirling for a while now, but up until recently, we've had nothing to sink our teeth into. Thankfully, we've now come across an OpenGL benchmark test and system profile for the yet-to-be-announced handset, and while this one seems destined for emerging markets and budget-minded consumers, the ST26i will come with just enough niceties to hold its head high. First and foremost, the system profile reveals Ice Cream Sandwich on the handset, and even better, it'll include a 4-inch, 854 x 480 display -- none of that HVGA crap here. To keep costs low, sacrifices had to be made: the phone will include a Qualcomm MSM7627A SoC, which includes a pedestrian 800MHz CPU and an Adreno 200 GPU. Curiously, the ST26i was previously rumored to contain an ST-Ericsson U8500 chip with a dual-core 1GHz CPU, which leaves open the possibility that we may see different configurations based on markets. Still, if Sony is able to exercise some restraint with its custom skin, the ST26i could shape up to be a very nice handset.

Sony ST26i benchmarks reveal Android 4.0, 4-inch FWVGA display and lackluster performance originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

No thanks to AT&T, owners of the carrier-branded HTC One X can now unlock their phone's bootloader on the HTCdev website. The process works by altering the handset's identifier, which causes the One X to appear as a Rogers unit on HTC's servers. While the instructions should be quite simple for those with the proper knowhow, they require knowledge and proper configuration of ADB, use of a hex editor and a rooted handset. Many users have already reported success with this method, but keep in mind that AT&T might not smile on the trickery if you ever need to seek warranty repair. Naturally, all of this frustration could've been easily avoided had Ma Bell simply considered the needs of power users in the first place, but until the day comes when the carrier rights its ways, just know that eager hackers have a tendency to come out on top.

[Thanks, Akash]

HTC One X for AT&T gets unofficial bootloader unlock originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If we believe Japan's Nikkei, the decision by Hon Hai Precision Industry (that is, Foxconn's daddy) to buy a stake in Sharp was really just the start of a long, torrid love affair in LCD production. While Hon Hai is getting the rosy side of the deal for Sharp's TV-oriented Sakai plant, it's now thought to be paying Sharp for display technology that would go into a new factory in Chengdu for small- and medium-sized LCDs used for smartphones and tablets. If all dovetails as nicely as the two would like, the joint venture would see advanced mobile displays manufactured on the cheap -- the best of both worlds. Suffice it to say that there's a few companies that might be interested, as clients like Apple are no strangers to Chengdu. Before you let visions of IGZO-based LCDs on every iPad and iPhone dance through your head, though, remember that neither Hon Hai nor Sharp has confirmed anything -- and that the plant wouldn't be up and running until 2013 at the earliest, even if everything's in sync.

Sharp reportedly getting cozy with Hon Hai Precision, helping to make phone and tablet LCDs in Chengdu originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.