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Google Play carrier billing goes live for impulse buyers on Verizon
Google gave the broadest of targets when it said Google Play carrier billing would reach Verizon in the "coming weeks" -- those last two words are often hints from companies that we shouldn't hold our breath. Call us surprised, then, when Google quietly takes the option live two weeks later. At least one Droid-Life reader has discovered that it's now possible to load as many as $25 in purchases per month on an existing Big Red smartphone bill and pay through just the one channel. The move puts all four major US carriers on the same page, and gives Verizon subscribers an incentive to splurge on apps and movies for that new Droid RAZR HD... so long as they remember to deal with the financial fallout afterwards.
Samsung ATIV Odyssey brings even more Windows Phone 8 to Verizon this December
Microsoft's ultimate Windows Phone 8 event mostly expanded on a familiar story, but it did leave us a surprise twist near the end. The company confirmed that Samsung will bring its own Metro-tinged experience to Verizon through the ATIV Odyssey this December. Unfortunately, that's about all we know on an official level: Microsoft even used a placeholder graphic rather than show Samsung's real-world design. However, that awfully familiar-sounding name suggests that Samsung and Verizon are directly exploiting that Odyssey codename which many associated with the ATIV S. If so, we're looking at a device that's not at all far off from a GSM equivalent, keeping the Snapdragon S4, LTE and both 8- as well as 2-megapixel cameras. Whether or not the Super AMOLED screen dips to a slightly lower 4.65-inch isn't as known. Even so, the ATIV Odyssey is at least another sign that Verizon will have much more than a token Windows Phone lineup this time around. For more, check out our Windows Phone 8 event liveblog!
Refresh Roundup: week of October 22nd, 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!
Verizon's HTC DLX may be called Droid DNA, Windows Phone 8 devices get tentative prices
Verizon is one of the more common proponents of silly Android device names, in part through its insistence on that "Droid" prefix for some hardware. When its smartphone badges practically demand a pause for breath, you know there's a problem. Android Central's purported copy of a Minimum Advertised Pricing list could show that there's hope for the carrier yet. The chart shows the HTC DLX (6435LVW) skipping the rumored Droid Incredible X name in favor of Droid DNA -- and that's it. No superlatives, no arbitrary "4G LTE" tags to remind us of the network we already know we're using. The 5-inch phone might have even been a reasonable launch, as the MAP shows a $200 contract price that would potentially take effect just before Thanksgiving. Want more? Other smartphones are on the supposedly leaked MAP list as well, primarily focusing on Windows Phone 8 gear: the as yet unconfirmed Nokia Lumia 822 shows up with a $100 price and a mid-November release window, while Verizon's take on the Windows Phone 8X is present with a $200 price and similar timing. Those who'd rather go for a Samsung phablet than HTC's aren't left out, either. The Verizon edition of the Galaxy Note II is on the list with a $300 price and availability that starts immediately -- rather convenient, that.
Best Buy listing reminds us that the LG Spectrum 2 is still on its way to Verizon
A few months back an anonymous tipster gave us a candid look at the Verizon-bound LG Spectrum 2, but after a couple more sightings here and there, the trail eventually went cold and Big Red's unannounced smartphone fled back into seclusion. However, a recent website posting by Best Buy has brought this mobile Sasquatch out of hiding and back into the mainstream media. While this listing is mostly a refresh confirming our source's shared specs, it notes the Spectrum 2's unsubsidized price as $650. Now, before you would-be buyers start directing your browser to the retailer's webpage in hopes of making a quick purchase, it should be noted that the device is listed as "sold out online." Still, we can't help but notice the pictured device's homescreen carries a date of November 3rd, which could be a nod to when the Spectrum 2 might officially show up on store shelves.
Refresh Roundup: week of October 15th, 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!
HTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact (Update: DLX is short for 'Deluxe')
It's about time. The HTC DLX has most often been rumored carrying a Verizon-style 6435LVW or Droid Incredible X name, and yet it was unveiled first in Japan as the J Butterfly; we really needed the photos just now surfacing at Android Central to remind us that the 5-inch, 1080p gigantophone could still come to Big Red. While nothing's confirmed yet, the black-with-red-trim design and all too prominent Verizon labeling make a convincing case for the DLX's ultimate US destination. A helpfully provided phone profile screen might be more interesting to some, as it hints that we might get the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM and 8-megapixel rear camera as in the J Butterfly -- Verizon won't pull a Droid Incredible 4G LTE and tone down the hardware, if this is true. Without any more details, we're still left wondering just how soon Verizon could commit to launching the smartphone. There's no guarantees that Verizon will follow KDDI's schedule and ship in early December. Update: We've been wondering whether the odd name was meant to be short for Droid Incredible X, i.e. "DIX" instead of "DLX," but our friend @evleaks on Twitter just showed us a list of device PIDs that mentions the latter. @evleaks also suggests that DLX might be short for the codename "Deluxe" for the international variant, just as "ENRC2" was short for "Endeavor C2" (One X+). Update 2: It turns out the J Butterfly has the codename "Deluxe J" in its bootloader menu, so there you have it. Thanks again, @evleaks!
Droid Bionic finally gets an ICS update as everyone else moves on to Jelly Bean
After nearly a year of suffering with Gingerbread, Droid Bionic owners who haven't given up on their phone will finally be rewarded with that long-awaited ICS update; the rollout starts October 19th, according to Verizon. Those who get it will receive a new customizable launch bar, a direct access lock screen, enhanced notifications, Motorola's SmartActions app, Face Unlock, easier multitasking, and many other goodies most Android owners have enjoyed for awhile now. It looks like Motorola Mobility actually made good on some of its promises to fix the handset that has suffered a number of different problems since its launch (which itself took almost nine months from the initial announce date). However, now that Jelly Bean has taken over as the firmware of choice with no word yet if that'll come to the Droid Bionic, we wonder if it's too little, too late. Update: We've learned from the comments, Motorola's owner support forum and its own Facebook page that the company is planning on rolling out Jelly Bean to the Droid Bionic "in the coming months" so don't lose hope just yet, Bionic faithful. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition
Shopping for a smartphone can be an exciting and arduous experience. Along with the promise of something new and fantastic, it brings the fear of commitment, and even worse, the prospect of saddling yourself to a lousy device for two years. Fortunately for you, Engadget spends tons of time playing with the latest gear and we're constantly on the lookout for what's coming next. If you're wanting to take the pain out of shopping for a smartphone, you've come to the right place. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: your one-stop resource to finding the best and most exciting handsets on the market today. Before you dive in, however, we've introduced a few changes to the buyer's guide, so take a minute to prepare yourself for what's in store. First and foremost, you'll now find alternate selections to supplement our top picks. This should already be familiar to many of you, which is the same format we use for our seasonal gift guides. The next one is a biggie: we've dropped the QWERTY selection. By and large, manufacturers and carriers alike have shifted their focus away from keyboard-equipped smartphones, and you'll rarely find more than one option on any given carrier. That said, if you still insist on the tactile experience, you'll always find everything you need to know in our reviews. Finally, whenever possible, you'll now find prices from Amazon Wireless, which allows us to provide you with more compelling budget selections and highlight the substantial savings that you can score by circumventing the carriers. It's not like they need your charity, anyway. If you're curious to see how it all unfolded -- and we know you are -- join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season.
Google to Verizon Android users: carrier billing coming to Play store
If you're on Verizon and don't feel like racking up your plastic when you buy Play store apps or content, the carrier will soon give you the option of putting it on your phone bill, according to a recent Google tweet. Mountain View's had the option for a while now, with T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T having already jumped on the app-billing bandwagon, which left Verizon as the final major to climb aboard. Other than saying that you'll be able to bill apps and music that way, details are scant -- but considering Big Red's whopping Android lineup, it's about time.
Next-gen Casio G'zOne makes it to the FCC, reveals LTE and NFC support
The last Casio G'zOne handheld to come our way was the Commando, a military-grade device that marked the company's first foray into Android smartphones. Now it seems there's another one in the works, at least if a recent FCC filing is any indication. The Casio C811 looks to be a successor to the aforementioned Commando, with its G'zOne branding and features like WiFi and GSM world phone capabilities. Notably, the FCC document reveals the phone has Verizon-flavored LTE plus NFC support, both of which lead us to believe it'll likely be a mid- to high-end handset. Not much else is divulged from perusing the filing, but we're sure that whatever the C811 turns out to be, it'll be just as tough and durable as the rest of Casio's G'zOne offerings.
Verizon Galaxy S III now available in black and brown
Verizon teased on Monday that black and brown models of Samsung's Galaxy S III would be coming soon, but mum was the word on exactly how quickly that would be. Turns out, it was real fast. The pair of smartphones are now available at the carrier's online storefront with a $199.99 price tag for those who don't mind a two-year commitment with Big Red. If the new shades strike your fancy, hit the source link below to give one (or two) of the devices a new home.
Nokia Lumia 822 for Verizon possibly caught stopping by the FCC
Just in case you thought Nokia's Lumia 822 for Verizon was an illusion, the FCC has given us good (if not quite smoking gun) evidence that it's tangible. A filing at the agency shows a device that's only listed as the RM-845 on the surface, but has Verizon's CDMA and LTE bands, measurements very close to those of the GSM-based Lumia 820 and a microSD slot that you wouldn't find in a Lumia 920 variant -- short of a surprise new model, there's little beyond the 822 that would currently fit the bill. Those disappointed that it's not a higher-end Lumia might take some consolation in seeing both the expected NFC as well as quad-band HSPA 3G for world roaming. Between the FCC and earlier photos, fans are really just left waiting for Verizon to make this new piece of its Windows Phone revival official, whether it's on October 29th or some other date.
Wilson Electronics releases three 4G multi-band signal boosters, no soup for Sprint
Even if you live in an area with 4G coverage, you might not get the best service inside certain buildings, and that's where companies like Wilson Electronics come in -- just take a peek at its Sleek 4G-V, for example. At MobileCon 2012, the antenna maker added three more to its lineup. They are the Tri-band 4G-V, the Tri-band 4G-A, and the Tri-band 4G-C, and are meant for Verizon's 4G LTE, AT&T's 4G LTE, and T-Mobile's "faux-G" network -- the latter of which is also recommended for use throughout Canada. The antennas are designed to boost the signal of older legacy networks too, so no worries if you don't live in an area blessed with 4G. No pricing and availability just yet, and we don't see any sign of a Sprint antenna either. To get more details, catch the full PR after the break.
HTC DLX specs purportedly slip, stuff Snapdragon S4 Pro and 12MP camera into a 5-inch frame
Talk of HTC's rumored, giant DLX has veered between the plausible and not-so-plausible. We might just toss the newest tip into that former category. Football4PDA, who's developing a reputation for uncanny accuracy in leaks, has posted what's claimed to be the core specifications of HTC's first phablet. The DLX would mirror earlier expectations of a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro and a 5-inch, 1080p display, but push past the OneX+ in more ways than just physical heft: the extra space might just help it afford 1.5GB of RAM, a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front shooter and a larger-still (but non-removable) 2,500mAh battery. We're not as much of a fan of the threadbare 16GB of storage that's supposedly in the cards, though, even with a new Android 4.1.2 build in store. Provided that there's more to the story than just 136 characters, the real point of contention is the ship date -- having mostly cleared the decks between its September event and its One X+ introduction, HTC hasn't left much time for the possibly Verizon-bound flagship to show its face.
Verizon teases black and brown Galaxy S III models for the subtle crowd
AT&T might have nabbed Verizon's color for the Galaxy S III, but that doesn't mean Big Red subscribers will be left out. The CDMA carrier has just posted a rotating teaser on its home page promising the low-key black and brown versions of Samsung's flagship sometime "soon," with availability sign-ups on hand for the impatient. That's all we know for now, although history suggests there won't be a premium over the $200 contract price of the existing blue and white models. We're hoping the new shades of Galaxy come soon -- Verizon's offering will be the first chance most Americans have to get the Android phone in muted colors and relive the glory days of brown electronics.
Refresh Roundup: week of October 1st, 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!
Samsung P500 and i915 tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Galaxy Note II for Sprint reach the FCC (update: Note II for US Cellular as well)
When it rains, it pours. As if to clear the decks, Samsung has passed three devices through the FCC's scrutiny at the same time. Two, the SPH-P500 and SCH-i915, are LTE-equipped tablets respectively headed to Sprint and Verizon with a dash of mystery; their label images imply a pair of Galaxy Tab 2 variants, but both have previously been spotted in as yet unverified benchmarks that allude to much faster Snapdragon S4 processors instead of the Tab 2's TI chips. The SPH-L900's dimensions and dual-mode support make for a safer bet, pointing to what's likely the Galaxy Note II for Sprint. We're less concerned with the hardware details so much as when everything ships -- although we may get a clearer picture of the Sprint Galaxy Note II's fate around October 24th, the tablets aren't linked to any kind of public schedule, official or otherwise. Update: Not long after Sprint's Galaxy Note sequel arrived in the FCC, US Cellular's flavor -- the SCH-R950 -- also made it through the federal approval process.
Verizon iPhone 5 update fixes mobile data use on WiFi bug
Verizon customers received an unexpected bonus when they opted for the latest iPhone, but in an unfortunate case of carrier Karma, the necessary sacrifice was their mobile data. An update has been issued to fix a Verizon-specific bug which, "under certain circumstances," used cellular data when connected to WiFi. To plug the potential leak, you'll need to head to the About screen in the phone's Settings, General menu, where you should find a update prompt. Install, then -- importantly -- reboot, and if "Verizon 13.1" shows as your carrier in that same About tab, you know you're safe. We'd also recommend checking your data allowance with crossed fingers -- for what use is LTE if you've already hit your monthly cap?
Refresh Roundup: week of September 24th, 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!
