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Sprint launches WiFi calling, but only on two Samsung phones for now
We heard rumors that Sprint was going to take a cue from T-Mobile and launch its own WiFi calling service. Well, it looks like those earlier reports were spot-on: Sprint today announced WiFi calling for select Android phones, allowing customers to call and text over a local wireless network as a way of avoiding overage charges. The only catch: when we say "select Android phones" we really do mean select. For now, the service will only work on the Samsung Galaxy Mega and the Galaxy S4 Mini. If you're lucky enough to own one of those devices, you'll be able to use the service for free following an over-the-air update, which should arrive sometime in the coming weeks. (Note: domestic calls and texts are free, but there's still a fee for international calls.) And if you don't own one of those phones? There may be hope yet: Sprint says it will expand the service to additional devices throughout 2014.
Sprint might launch free WiFi calling for select Android devices
Upgrading your plan may be a good way to avoid overage charges, but Sprint might have another option: WiFi calling. According to documents obtained by Android Central, the carrier is poised to give select Android phones the ability to call and text over a local connection, similar to T-Mobile's service. The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and Galaxy Mega are reportedly the first handsets that will have access to the service, but it'll also be available to future devices running Android 4.2 or higher. It does have limitations, though, and will only work if you're already within the confines of the network's CDMA signal. We've reached out to Sprint for confirmation (and more info), and we'll update you when we hear back.
Sprint introduces Spark enhanced LTE, promises unprecedented speed, futuristic app support
Sprint may have lost 360,000 customers over the last quarter, but it's looking to stem that tide with the introduction of Sprint Spark, an enhanced LTE service it says will deliver "unprecedented speeds" to its cellphone users. The company demoed the service running at 1Gbps this morning, however, customers can expect "50-60 Megabits per second (Mbps) peak speeds today with increasing speed potential over time." Sprint says the service will not only enhance video and bandwidth-hogging apps, but says it's ready to take on virtual reality and "futuristic apps" -- whatever those might be. Spark is dependent on tri-band wireless devices, which are intended to seamlessly switch between Sprint's 800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz cellular bands, depending on your location and which apps you're using. The rollout begins today with limited availability in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami, though Sprint promises to extend that service to 100 US cities by 2016. The first Spark-supported phones, Samsung's Galaxy Mega and Galaxy S 4 mini and LG's G2, will be available on Sprint's network on November 8th. Software updates for Samsungs' handsets will enable tri-band "shortly after launch," with a similar update scheduled for early 2014 for the G2. The HTC One Max will also support Spark, but Sprint has yet to announce availability. Update: This post originally listed tri-band support for all Spark-enabled handsets as November 8th.
IRL: Another look at the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. So you say a phone's too big to live with? Challenge accepted. In this week's issue, Jon takes the Galaxy Mega 6.3 for a spin to see if it's prohibitively large, or just stupidly so.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 26th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought convincing signs that BlackBerry users are moving away from physical keyboards, along with a new budget Android smartphone for MetroPCS and a stumbling block that's holding up AT&T's acquisition of Alltel. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 26th, 2013.
Samsung Galaxy Mega hitting AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular this month (updated)
Duck and cover -- Samsung announced this morning that its latest monster handset, the Galaxy Mega, will be arriving on our shores this month. The 6.3-inch monolith will be coming to AT&T, Sprint and US Cellular. Beyond that, availability information is one thing about this phone that's still on the small side -- as the company explains in a press release this morning (which you can find in all of its PRy glory below), "each carrier will announce their specific availability, colors and timing." We do know that it'll have Android 4.2.2 and a 1.7GHz dual core processor. Expect more info on the only smartphone visible from space to follow soon from each of the aforementioned carriers. Update: As expected, the carrier announcements have begun trickling in. You can find Sprint's below. It adds...a little information to what we already knew, namely the fact that the Now Network will be offering up unlimited data with the handset. Update 2: More info now from the AT&T camp, and this time out, it's stuff we can really use -- namely price and date. The carrier's got the massive handset arriving the 23rd, priced at $150 (with, you guessed it, a two-year contract). The rest of that release is after the break -- beneath all the other releases, naturally.
Galaxy Mega 6.3 press render surfaces with navy blue body, AT&T branding
Courtesy of the ever-reliable @evleaks, it appears the Galaxy Mega 6.3 is indeed coming to AT&T. A purported press render shows the device colored in a navy blue plaid with the carrier's globe logo below the rear-facing camera. Of the few versions that passed through the FCC, you may recall that this one (SGH-I527 Melius) features Ma Bell-compatible LTE connectivity. There are currently no other details aside from all that, but it seems this behemoth of smartphone should hit the States soon.
The Daily Roundup for 07.02.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 review: one giant smartphone for mankind
The Samsung Galaxy Mega is a 6.3-inch woolly mammoth of a handset, and it reigns as the largest of its kind, even if only for a brief period of time.
Three UK now selling Samsung Galaxy Mega on its site, retail stores to offer it July 2nd
Call the United Kingdom home? Have a thing for overly large, unorthodox smartphones? Well then, today's a good day to be a Three customer -- or plan on being one soon. The carrier has announced that the Samsung Galaxy Mega will be up for grabs on its website starting today, while brick-and-mortar stores are expected to have it on shelves as soon as tomorrow. The enormous 6.3-inch handset is being offered in conjunction with a variety of monthly tariffs, and there's also an option that takes advantage of Three's new pay-as-you-go scheme. Better yet, the company says the Galaxy Mega is future-proof, as it'll be able to support its upcoming LTE network once it goes live. Just remember, though... Three UK is in absolutely no rush to flip that switch.
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 revisits the FCC with AT&T-native LTE
Yes, we've seen Samsung's Galaxy Mega 6.3 at the FCC before. With its second visit, however, there's something special. The extra-large phone is back as the SGH-i527, and it's carrying AT&T-native LTE that hints at a probable US carrier deal. There aren't any other visible changes in the filing, although we weren't expecting any. The real question is when this behemoth will ship to the States, assuming it ships at all -- for now, any possible AT&T launch remains shrouded in mystery.
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 27th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, a new addition to the LG L-Series surfaced in Russia, a Lumia 920 was sighted that'd make Oscar the Grouch flip, and TalkTalk added three new devices from Huawei to its roster. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of May 27th, 2013.
Samsung Galaxy Mega hits FCC again, this time with LTE
Better start working on those powerball exercises. If Samsung's Galaxy Mega was the thing you thought your life was missing, it's just landed at the FCC. Yeah, we know this isn't the first time, but this second go-round it's the LTE-sporting GT-i9205 model. The usual lab tests show little that we didn't know already -- unless you didn't know it had LTE Band 5, dual band WiFi, NFC or GSM 850 / 1900. As the 5.8-inch isn't 4G-enabled, this means we're looking at the bigger 6.3-inch version, but still no word on if, when or how a version might land on US shores. Still no harm in limbering up, though, is there? Update: Upon further inspection, this variant only uses LTE band 5 (850MHz), which no US carrier currently uses. It's very unlikely this I9205 variant will hit the US.
The Weekly Roundup for 04.15.2013
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 hits the FCC, sports AT&T-compatible HSPA+
Samsung's Galaxy Mega 6.3 still doesn't have an exact launch date, but it has made its way to the FCC. While the Mega was announced with LTE and HSPA+ radios, it appears that this version, model I9200, only has the latter onboard (I9205 is the LTE-equipped variant). It's a safe bet that this particular model won't officially make it stateside, but the reports seem to indicate that it'll play nice with AT&T's HSPA+ bands. In case you're thinking of importing this 1.7GHz device down the line, you can have a look at our hands-on here. Otherwise, you can have a look at the filing by heading to the source link.
The Daily Roundup for 04.16.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy Mega hands-on (video)
When Samsung said it was having a little soiree to celebrate the launch of the Galaxy S 4, we took the company on its word. At the end, when the execs present warned us of something new, we thought a Mini might be in the cards, but in fact it was the exact opposite. It turns out that Samsung brought another friend along to the party, the recently announced Galaxy Mega. The largest of the two, to be precise. So, while everyone wanted to play with the latest flagship, we thought we'd take some time to get to know the 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega a little better. Head past the break for our impressions.%Gallery-185848%
Editor's Letter: The fiber fight for Austin's future
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. There comes a time in every modern geek's life when they seriously consider moving to Kansas City, simply to gain access to the wonder that is Google Fiber. This week, would-be bandwidth pilgrims gained another potential destination: Austin, Texas. Yes, the increasingly trendy SXSW locale has officially signed on with Google to start rolling out the connectivity in 2014. Sadly, we're told to not expect much in the way of access until the summer of next year, which seems like ages, but that should give you plenty of time to save up for a down payment. Austin housing rates are soaring of late. Not wanting to be left out of the party, AT&T promptly announced its own initiative to bring high-speed fiber connectivity to Austin just hours after Google. Ma Bell is promising 1 Gbps speeds and the same sort of accessibility and contracts as Google's service, thus creating a very interesting battleground for high-speed connectivity. It's the sort of fiber-optic gluttony that we'd all like to indulge in some day, and if Google can keep pushing AT&T like this, perhaps some day we actually will.
The Daily Roundup for 04.11.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Samsung Galaxy Mega is official and comes in 6.3- and 5.8-inch sizes
We knew Samsung was planning more devices, but we didn't expect the arrival of two Galaxy Mega smartphones at the same time. Both are apparently headed to Europe some time next month, continuing to prove that Samsung are willing to test out any screen-size. The 6.3-inch model has an 'HD display' (720p) alongside a dual-core 1.7GHz processor, Android 4.2 and an 8-megapixel camera. Software features like Air View, Multi Windows, Pop-up Play will make sure you have plenty to do on that giant screen. The Galaxy Mega arrives somewhere between Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy Note II, although we're hoping it'll be priced slightly more humbly than either neighbor. The Galaxy Mega 6.3 houses LTE and HSPA radios, while you'll get GPS and GLONASS to aid any location-based antics. There's a 3,200mAh battery and internal storage that can be expanded by microSD up to 64GB, with 8 or 16 gigs (there's two models) built-in to begin with. The HSPA-only Galaxy Mega 5.8 reduces the size -- and pretty much all the other specs. The resolution drops down to qHD (960 x 540), while it packs a lesser 1.4GHz dual-core processor. It has the same 8-megapixel camera, while the smaller, er, Mega, will arrive in only one size -- an 8GB model. No word on pricing for either yet, but the Ubergizmo team has already got the chance to handle the Korean manufacturer's 6.3-inch goliath. Take a look at their first impressions at the More Coverage link. Update: Samsung has confirmed to us that the resolution on the 6.3-inch model is in fact 1280 x 720. Also, the Galaxy Mega 5.8 won't be sold in the UK, although it will appear elsewhere in Europe. %Gallery-185310%
