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LG celebrates three million LTE phones sold worldwide, shockingly finds high speed data is awesome
LG has hitched its mobile fate to the future of LTE high speed data equipped phones basically since the technology was introduced and today it announced the fruits of its labor: three million LTE phones sold to date worldwide. While some will quibble over shipped / sold to end-user counting methods, or how this compares to figures recently touted by competition like Samsung and Apple, we need only look at LG's most recent earnings report to see the positive impact its LTE-infused lineup has had. According to LG, most of the gains have been in South Korea and North America so far, although it plans to have LTE phones in 20 countries by the end of the year. After kicking off the LTE frenzy with the Revolution last year on Verizon, it's talking up the combination of LTE and HD LCD screen features in its Optimus LTE phone, already a million seller in Korea just as its successor, the Optimus LTE II arrives on shelves.
Refresh Roundup: week of May 14th, 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!
Remote smartphone diagnostics: the new Carrier IQ or helpful support tool?
The importance of privacy has been dwindling for quite some time, and smartphones have become one of the biggest culprits. Allegations against Carrier IQ, location-based tracking, the recent concerns about Path snatching up iOS address book information -- all of these are just a few examples of mobile carriers and other wireless companies taking our personal data, selling it to the highest bidder (or using it for their own purposes) and not bothering to let us know or give us a choice. The last few aspects of our life that we choose not to share on Facebook seem to get out into the ether, whether we like it or not. And here's the scarier part: there may be companies grabbing information off of our phones right now without us knowing about it.Too much of a doomsday scenario? Perhaps, but it's important to drive home the point that it has become so outrageous over the past year that we can't help but become nervous anytime we download an app or type in a password. Is our phone secure? How can we really be sure? Can we really trust (insert carrier or manufacturer name here)? This week, the very same situation is resurfacing as Verizon and HTC have made significant moves to install remote diagnostic tools on select devices. It's all done in the name of customer support, but how can we tell this isn't just another sneaky way of snagging our personal deets and selling them to a third party without telling us? We wanted to find out, and here's what we've learned so far.
Verizon updates Revolution with Remote Diagnostics, HTC turns to LogMeIn
Both Verizon and HTC are experimenting with remote diagnostics and tech support. Big Red will be offering the tool to owners of the LG Revolution first. The VS910ZV8 update delivers a number of changes, but the most notable new feature is the integration of Verizon Remote Diagnostics. Now, when a customer calls support, the technician (or script follower, as the case may be) on the other side can take control of the user's device to troubleshoot or demo apps. And, just in case you're paranoid about handing over the keys to your handset, the tool only collects info such as battery temp, OS version and what apps are installed -- your contacts and other personal data are safe from prying eyes. HTC plans to offer similar capabilities on its phones, but through LogMeIn Rescue. Future handsets from the company will come with the app preinstalled so that HTC's own technicians can diagnose issues and tweak settings. For more details on the Revolution update hit up the source link and check out the PR after the break for the low down on HTC's initiative.Update: It looks like the Droid Charge will also be getting an update soon that will install Verizon Remote Diagnostics. This could be a pretty quick roll out.
Refresh Roundup: week of October 24, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout attips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy! Official Android updates Guess which phone's finally getting Gingerbread: the HTC Thunderbolt. Yes, we're being serious. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in, and thanks Eddie for the image!] Gingerbread is now rolling out to the Motorola Droid Pro and Droid 2 Global. [PhoneScoop] The HTC EVO Design 4G wasn't out for very long before it was ready for a maintenance release. It's called version 1.19.651.0, and no change log was found right away. More HTC stuff: the EVO 3D also offers a small bug fix in the form of a security update under the name of version 2.08.651.3. [AndroidCentral] The LG Revolution on Verizon's also officially gaining Android 2.3. [Pocketnow] In the UK, HTC Desire S owners are now finding themselves beneficiaries of the Android 2.3.5 firmware update as well as Sense 3.0. [AndroidCentral] How about a couple for the little guys? CSpire, formerly known as Cellular South, is pushing Gingerbread to its Samsung Galaxy S and Motorola Milestone X. [AndroidCentral(1) and (2)] Sony Ericsson announced this week that Android 2.3.4 is rolling out to the 2011 Xperia lineup around the world. Additional enhancements include 16x video zoom, WiFi DLNA, screen capture capability, ability to attach USB peripherals to Sony Ericsson LiveDock and more. Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery The Samsung Stratosphere on Verizon has been successfully rooted. [AndroidCommunity] HTC devices receiving the official Gingerbread kernel source from HTCDev this week: The Evo Shift 4G, the Thunderbolt and Droid Incredible. [AndroidCentral] When it rains, it pours -- the Thunderbolt, on top of receiving Gingerbread and its accompanying kernel source, has also found itself on the receiving end of an Ice Cream Sandwich SDK port. As can be expected, it's still in prealpha stages and has a few bugs to work out. [AndroidCommunity] If you're a CM7 user, there's now a file available that will turn your lock screen into one that resembles Ice Cream Sandwich's style. [Droid-Life] Other platforms Microsoft's pushing a firmware upgrade to the LG Optimus 7 Windows Phone which seems to grace the device with WiFi tethering and the ability to locate hidden WiFi networks. [WMPowerUser] It's not a BlackBerry firmware update, but many people still have a soft spot for BBM and will be interested to know that RIM is putting out version 6.0.1 with a few enhancements. Head to the source to check it out. [MobileTechReview] Refreshes we covered this week Windows Phone Mango now being delivered to 100 percent of compatible devices Windows Phone Apollo coming 'middle of next year,' says Nokia VP Nokia N8 gets Symbian Anna service pack update Symbian Anna update rolls out to compatible Nokia smartphones in the US Motorola Xoom will get updated with Ice Cream Sandwich Ice Cream Sandwich supports USB game controllers and HDMI RIM confirms PlayBook OS 2.0 delayed until February, still no BBM in sight Sprint issues OTA fix for HTC Android handset vulnerability
LG Esteem leaked, delivers more LTE respect to MetroPCS
The LG Esteem has been spotted hanging out in several official-looking press shots accompanied by several pages of specification juice at LG's partner portal site. Previously seen under the guise Bryce, and seemingly identical to Verizon's LG Revolution, this metroPCS interpretation looks set to arrive very soon. A welcome upgrade to the network's previous LTE offering, the Esteem runs Gingerbread on a 4.3 inch screen and has some respectable mid-range credentials under the hood including a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage expandable by microSD. There's also a five megapixel snapper on the back, embedded in a stylish metal strip similar to the dual-core T-Mobile G2x. Unlike LG's powerful flagship, though, MetroPCS will reportedly be offering up the Esteem off-contract for $349 -- a reasonable way to increase your LTE-connected self-worth
LG VS920 pushes through FCC with Verizon LTE, could be the LG Revolution 2?
The LTE-toting LG Revolution is still the most recent phone to debut on Verizon's 4G lineup -- at least for another week or so, that is -- but we're already seeing clues to the phone's sequel popping up. We saw the Revolution 2 show up on a leaked roadmap so the mysterious follow-up has been on our radar, but we weren't expecting to see it quite this early. Yet here it is: the LG VS920, complete with Verizon's LTE Band 13, global GSM / EDGE and 900 /1900 / 2100 WCDMA and HSPA, has received the FCC's blessing. Now, it doesn't specifically come out saying it's the successor, nor does it signify its relation to the previous device; since the original Revolution is designated the LG VS910, however, we're taking the liberty to put two and two together here. Check out the gallery below for more measurements and diagrams. %Gallery-131945%
Refresh Roundup: week of August 1, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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! Official Android updates Verizon and Motorola have finally begun rolling out the Gingerbread update for the Motorola Droid X2. [via PCMag] Sticking with Verizon, the LG Revolution is in the process of receiving maintenance update VS910ZV6, which consists of a few new features and bug fixes. This is not a major refresh. [via AndroidCentral] The HTC Desire Z has been updated to Gingerbread in the UK. As of now, only those devices without carrier branding are seeing the OTA show up. [via PocketNow] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play, Neo, and Arc should soon be added to the CyanogenMod repository. Once approved, we'll likely see nightlies appear in the near future. [via PocketNow] Did somebody say Xperia Play? Yes, we did. It looks like the phone's finally been rooted, and the bootloader's been cracked. [via Droid-Life] The Motorola Photon 4G came out last Sunday, but XDA was able to root it within a couple days. [via SprintFeed] XDA's also the provider of a Froyo update to the Samsung Continuum. [via XDA] Along with an official update for the Droid X2, an SBF is now available for download. [via Droid-Life] Other platforms The Dark Forces Team has released tools to enable custom ROMs to be used on your first-gen Windows Phone device. Currently, the supported phones are: the HTC Mozart, HTC Surround, HTC Trophy (excluding Verizon's version), and the HTC 7 Pro (excluding the HTC Arrive). [via Windows Phone Hacker] Shortly after this, the HTC HD7 also got its first custom ROM courtesy of XDA. The downloadable package consists of a ChevronWP7 unlock, a Mango Beta 2 update, and the ROM. Head over to XDA to grab it. [via Windows Phone Daily]
Verizon Wireless year-end roadmap leaks, Android and LTE spotted on the horizon?
Nope. There's no mention of a Nexus Prime in this glimpse of VZW future, but don't let that stop you from drooling over the purported goods. The leaked shot over on IGN lays out a back-to-school road filled with Android phones a plenty, and one lone RIM entry. September 8th is gearing up to be a busy Thursday for Big Red, with launches slated for the Droid Bionic, Motorola Xoom 4G, BlackBerry Curve 9370 (the LTE cousin of 'Apollo'?) and Samsung Stratosphere -- the operator's rumored Galaxy S II variant. The end of the month gets a 2.3 combo of Gingerbread phones as the Samsung Illusion (codenamed Viper), and HTC Bliss touch down on the 29th. Refreshes for a couple of the carrier's early LTE phones debut in October, when the Thunderbolt gets pushed aside by the virile HTC Vigor and LG gets a redo with the Revolution 2. Samsung's Galaxy Tab P8 (most likely the Galaxy Tab 8.9) gets an unconfirmed November mention, while BlackBerry's PlayBook languishes in a release date grey zone. Ready for that end-of-year upgrade? From the looks of things, there'll be no dearth of options.
LG MS910 (Bryce) clears the FCC with MetroPCS in sight
MetroPCS is talkin' 'bout a Revolution of its own, and now -- thanks to FCC approval -- the LTE-wielding handset is clear for takeoff with the scrappy regional provider. Unlike Big Red's version, the MS910 (aka Bryce) features only 4GB of internal storage, but it's said to include a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 4.3-inch WVGA display, and micro-HDMI port, along with the same 5 megapixel rear (and 1.3MP front-facing) cameras that are found on the Revolution. Additionally, users should expect Android 2.3.4 -- good thing, because while there's no official release date, early estimates suggest an October arrival. Of course, this also suggests the Bryce must contend with the same 512MB of RAM and middling battery life found on the Verizon model, but it's a welcome alternative to the network's current top banana.
Engadget Primed: how wireless and inductive charging works
Primed goes in-depth on the technobabble you hear on Engadget every day -- we dig deep into each topic's history and how it benefits our lives. Looking to suggest a piece of technology for us to break down? Drop us a line at primed *at* engadget *dawt* com. The world of wireless is dragging us into the 21st century kicking and screaming. Our treatise on NFC was a great sneak peek into how our future will play out over the next five years, but we're also seeing other types of suave new tricks coming out as short-range wireless technology creeps closer to the mainstream. Wireless is the crux of convenience that will keep us calm enough to make our way through this speed-demon culture. It didn't take long for our quest to obtain simpler and faster everything to become an obsession, and it shows no signs of stopping; on the contrary, it's only speeding up exponentially at a rate even manufacturers have a hard time keeping up with. Wireless charging is making some serious headway in public mindshare. Once confined to toothbrushes and other simple household items, it's now a handy means of powering phones (HP's Touchstone, for example) and media players, and it'll soon be ready to charge up our notebooks and cameras at our command. Are we sure this is the future, or will this just be a passing fad? Why should it matter? Read on after the break to get the air-conditioned answers to those burning questions.
LG Revolution review
The army of high-speed broadband phones is actively seeking new recruits to join its rapidly-growing force, and the LG Revolution is the latest to graduate from boot camp. We've witnessed the emergence of three Verizon LTE handsets in as many months, beginning with the HTC Thunderbolt and the Samsung Droid Charge a few weeks later. As if this wasn't enough choice to tempt your tastebuds already, the LG Revolution -- the entertaining climax to the classic 4G trilogy -- was born one full moon after that. With three options, all so close to each other in dimension and features, it's natural to compare all of 'em and make the call on which one is the best of the bunch. Is LG's first crack at Verizon's LTE network truly a game-changer, as its name suggests? Or does this Revolution fail to even get its feet off the ground? Read on after the break to find out. %Gallery-126319%
Verizon prolongs its free hotspot party on 4G LTE phones, but then what?
If you've been maxing out on Verizon's mobile hotspot offer that came with your new Samsung Droid Charge, HTC Thunderbolt or LG Revolution, then do carry on. The offer has been extended again, letting you use your 4G LTE handset as a WiFi hotspot for free until July 6th. On that miserable day, a software update will pull the plug and then who knows how much you'll have to pay? Verizon says its $20/GB tethering charge won't apply to 4G LTE phones, but it doesn't state exactly how much it will cost. Oh well, who needs 12Mbps anyway?
The Engadget Show - 021: Joystiq's Chris Grant and Justin McElroy, Babycastles, gadgets, gaming
It's another episode of The Engadget Show, in which we keep on keepin' on and give you a taste of what's to come next week. That's when the Electronics Entertainment Expo happens, and we just couldn't keep from going all gaming for this month's episode. It all starts when Tim and Brian take a look over some of the month's biggest gadgets, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the iCade. Then, we take a trip down to Babycastles, the indie arcade where the gamers make the games -- and the cabinets. After that, Joystiq's Chris Grant and Justin McElroy join us on the stage to dish up just what's coming next from Sony. NGP? Wii HD? Project Cafe? Intrigue. It's a gaming-heavy, genre-busting show this week that you won't want to miss. So what are you waiting for? Watch it now! The video stream is above, or download the show in HD below! Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater Special guests: Syed Sulahuddin, Kunal Gupta, Chris Grant, Justin McElroy Producer: Guy Streit Director: Michelle Stahl Executive Producers: Joshua Fruhlinger and Michael Rubens Music by: Narwhalz of Sound Visuals by: Nonhorse Taped live at AOL Studios Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 021 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 021 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 021 (Small) Subscribe to the Show: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (MP4). [Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (MP4). [RSS MP4] Add the Engadget Show feed (MP4) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically. [HD RSS] Get the Engadget Show delivered automatically in HD. [iPad RSS] Get the Engadget Show in iPad-friendly adaptive format.
LG Revolution root method promises to silence Bing's chime
If you're looking to banish Bing from your LG Revolution, then roll up those sleeves because root access is now possible on Verizon's latest LTE-equipped wunderphone. The process is relatively straightforward (provided you know what you're doing), and uses the rageagainstthecage method to unlock your handset's full potential. This crack comes one day following the phone's release, which suggests LG didn't expend much effort locking this one down. There's just two caveats here. First, you must install and configure the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which puts the rage into your Revolution. Second, there's currently no option for recovery images -- which must be addressed for custom ROMs to be of any value. Still, if you're undeterred (or really want to eliminate bloatware), just follow the source for this superuser solution. [Thanks, Andy]
Netflix updates Android app, expands device support
Tired of content providers bossing you around, telling you what you can do with your own phone? Good, because Netflix is sick of telling you kids to keep off its lawn. Following a recent update, the outfit's Android app now officially supports the LG Revolution, Motorola Droid, Casio G'zOne Commando C771, and any unsupported device that just happens to work on its own. In addition to adding official support for the aforementioned trio (and of course, some minor bug fixes), the stream king removed a device check that previously blocked unsupported handsets from attempting playback. Your mileage may vary, but the folks over at Droid Life are reporting success with both the Droid X and Droid X2, as well as the Xperia Play. That's no guarantee for you and your unsupported device, but at least you have the freedom to fail. That's nice, isn't it?
Verizon bonanza: Droid X2, Revolution, Trophy, and Xperia Play hit Big Red today
Verizon is seriously diversifying its portfolio today with the official in-store launch of four new smartphones. Three of them roll up in Android gear, though they all have major selling points beyond Google's software. LG's Revolution is the sole LTE-capable handset of the bunch, bringing with it a 4.3-inch screen and pre-installed Netflix for $250. The Droid X2 undercuts it on price, at $200, but doubles the core count with its Tegra 2 processor and ramps up resolution to qHD (960 x 540). Gaming aficionados can spend the same amount on the Xperia Play from Sony Ericsson, which offers a slideout gamepad and unique PlayStation Certified status. Bringing up the rear is HTC's well-traveled Trophy, a 3.8-inch Windows Phone that accepts it's a little late to the party and therefore slices $50 off its asking price, with a $150 levy before the obligatory two-year contract. What say you -- buy, try, or keep waiting?
LG Revolution coming to Verizon tomorrow for $250 on contract
That's right, kids, and we have the press release to prove it: the LG Revolution that we got our hands on at CES is coming to Verizon tomorrow for $250 (with a new, two year customer agreement). Sadly, this handset won't bring you any closer to overthrowing the established social order, as LG seems to think that "revolution" has more to do with such niceties as HDMI out, the Android 2.2 mobile OS, and a 16GB microSD card. But hey, that pre-installed Netflix app sure does seem nice. Interested? The Nationwide Talk plans begin at $40 a month, with unlimited data for $30. Mobile Hotspot is also included for free -- for a limited time. Check out all the important info after the break.
LG Revolution revisits FCC, reminisces the good times
The LG Revolution passed through the FCC's vigorous testing as the VS910 in March, but the device had so much fun it decided to take a second trip to the labs. Upon perusing the docs we learned that this version of the VS910 is a completely identical device, with the exception of some additional Mobile Hotspot modes and power reductions. The listed changes are mainly related to LTE, which hopefully means LG will have a solid battery comparable to the Droid Charge rather than the power-guzzling Thunderbolt. A second sweep through the FCC could be an indication that launch is close; given the recent history of delays on other LTE-equipped phones, however, forgive us if we're just a tad bit concerned about these changes occurring so close to the eleventh hour. If you're just as fond of digging through FCC documents as we are, head to the source links below.
Droid Charge to revive its battery via induction, completes Verizon's Qi-based trifecta
After many unexplained delays, Verizon's Droid Charge has coaxed many anxious consumers toward the edge of their seats, but we've now uncovered a tidbit that's sure to drive these folks up the wall -- an FCC document confirms this elusive Droid supports inductive charging. Just like the Thunderbolt and Revolution, the Charge uses Qi-based technology to accomplish this wizardry, which combines an optional back plate that pairs nicely with Big Red's forthcoming charging pad. As for the launch of the phone, we've stopped holding our breath. Many local Verizon resellers report the handset is in stock, however the carrier seems content in toying with the hearts of its devotees. Jump the break for a quick peek at the FCC label, which admittedly is rather bland... although it delivers the proof we all desire.
