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Meizu MX launches today, lines dotted all over China as usual (updated)
This time last year we witnessed the Meizu M9 madness in Shenzhen, so we decided to pay our favorite gadget city another visit for the MX launch today (still the 1.4GHz dual-core model, of course). Surprisingly, the lines in Huaqiangbei this time were significantly shorter, but we were told that this was due to tighter security measures as requested by the local authorities -- if you've seen last year's photos you'll know why. Instead, this year the customers are told to line up only when they get a phone call; but a few keen beans still arrived last night, and the first guy in Shenzhen even turned down hotel accommodation offered by Meizu. Yep, that's how you do a "first" properly, folks. Other big cities in China also saw a similar phenomenon, including Beijing, Guangzhou and even Hong Kong -- it's hard to miss the long line formed along the south end of Sai Yeung Choi Street outside the new Mongkok store. Meizu also informed us that the MX's final hardware benefits from an improved camera (tweaked white balance and the lens now benefits from an oleophobic coating), while the software's been giving many enhancements since our review -- these are mostly the weird default settings we mentioned previously, such as the max clock speed out of the box (now at 1.4GHz instead of 1GHz) and the default video recording resolution (now 1080p instead of the weird 1,080 x 720 setting). Oh, and if you're still rocking the older M9, Meizu has confirmed that it'll also get the Ice Cream Sandwich update later this year, so stay tuned. More in the press release after the break. Update: A Meizu engineer confirmed on the company's forum that from now on, all Meizu Android devices -- including the M9 -- will receive both a vanilla OS build and a Meizu-customised build. That said, the phones won't support simultaneous dual-system, so you must pick your destiny. Thanks, Andi!
Intel starts shipping Atom N2600, N2800 processors for netbooks, ten hours of battery life promised
We've already seen a few benchmarks and other hints that they'd soon be shipping, and Intel has now officially announced that its new Cedar Trail Atom processors are finally available, with the first systems using them set to roll out early next year. The two chips you'll likely be seeing the most of are the Atom N2600 and N2800 -- both dual-core, and both designed for use in netbooks, where they promise to allow for up to ten hours of battery life and "weeks of standby," and offer support for 1080p video playback. Also rolling out today are the D2500 and D2700, which are designed for use in entry-level desktops and all-in-one computers, as well as more commercial systems. As for all those systems themselves, details remain a bit light, but Intel says you can expect to see some from Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and Toshiba.
Dell Streak Pro D43 launched in China, where Yi shall find some Baidu love
Just as rumored and teased earlier this week, yesterday Dell unveiled the world's first Baidu Yi-powered smartphone dubbed Streak Pro D43. We won't bore you with the hardware details again (the D43's identical to its Japanese Android counterpart 101DL), but it's worth noting that this dual-core 1.5GHz, quadband HSPA phone focuses on features and services tailored for Chinese users, including some seemingly basic Mandarin voice control (no pressure on Siri just yet), contacts synchronization, Baidu Chinese input, Yi's own app store and 100GB of free cloud storage that supports multimedia upload and secure file sharing. Essentially, the Yi platform's basically just another Chinese bastardized Android OS sans Google services -- much like Alibaba's Aliyun, China Mobile's Ophone and Lenovo's LeOS; but if you already reside in China and are cool with Baidu's offering, then get a Micro SIM ready and look out for a China Unicom deal soon. %Gallery-142261%
Dell's Streak Pro 101DL to become Baidu's first Yi phone, shows up in FCC's database
We already knew that Chinese search giant Baidu's been cosying up to Dell to kick-start its very own smartphone ecosystem dubbed Yi (which means "easy" in Chinese), but so far both parties have been mum on the specifics of the hardware. Thankfully, a lucky lady -- some sort of microblogging goddess on Sina Weibo -- managed to get hold of an engineering sample and was kind enough to share some details. Eagle-eyed readers may recall that this is actually Softbank's upcoming Streak Pro 101DL Android handset, which has also conveniently just showed up in the FCC database with a V04B moniker and 1,700MHz WCDMA radio -- we've attached its FCC label diagram after the break. The specs here match what we've seen before: a 4.3-inch AMOLED 960 x 540 display, Corning glass (presumably Gorilla Glass), dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8260, 8GB of ROM and microSD expansion. For those interested, Tencent Tech has reported that we could see the launch of this phone in China as soon as tomorrow, along with a competitive, unsubsidized price tag of CN¥3,000 (about $475). Well, Yi will sure make a fun playmate for its counterpart from Alibaba -- did you know that Jack Ma once called his Aliyun OS an ugly baby? True story.
Meizu's Hong Kong store opens today, teases mainland Chinese fans with lower MX price
As per Meizu's usual elusive ways, this morning the company quietly opened its Hong Kong flagship store -- the first-ever official Meizu shop outside mainland China. And like its mainland counterparts, we're told that the new shop will be offering the MX Android handset on January 1st as well but with one significant difference: due to the lower local tax, the 16GB MX will be priced at just HK$3,099 (US$398), which is much lower than the CN¥2,999 (US$470) price in mainland. Great, looks like we'll be expecting some lines in the heart of Mongkok in about two weeks' time. %Gallery-141868%
Meizu MX first hands-on!
While the rest of Hong Kong were enjoying their dim sum breakfast, we've been busy fiddling with the freshly delivered Meizu MX due out on January 1st. As expected, the customized Android 2.3.5 (dubbed Flyme OS) is pretty slick on that 1.4GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos 4210 and 1GB of RAM, but we keep an eye on the consistency of its performance. Compared to the smaller M9, we're hugely impressed by this successor's solid build quality -- the white crystal casing on the back gives out a premium feel and look, though only time will tell how scratch-resistant it is. Likewise, we also dig the booklet or CD album-like packaging -- you can see it all in our hands-on gallery below. There's much to be loved about the four-inch 960 x 640 ASV LCD -- the slight decrease in pixel density really isn't as noticeable as expected, still giving a sharp image in addition to a slightly wider viewing angle plus color gamut. Alas, many of our camera stills so far seem to be infected by a green hue, though our sample 1080p video clip's in good shape. Here's hoping that Meizu will still be able to tweak that eight megapixel camera before the official launch. Until then, check out our hands-on video after the break (where you can see Meizu's pretty rad "patented situation-aware bottom light keys" in action), and stay tuned for our upcoming review. %Gallery-141308% %Gallery-141309%
Sony Ericsson's elusive Nozomi shows up in Hong Kong, still glowing nicely
It was only about a month ago when we first came across some clear shots of Sony Ericsson's upcoming Nozomi (aka LT26i), and now it looks like someone in Hong Kong has also gotten hold of this pretty Android phone. HKEPC's forum leakster, who claims to have received this image from a friend, doesn't actually reveal much here (not even a codename), but he or she does confirm that a dual-core chip and a 720p LCD are packed within -- this matches what we heard from the previous leak. Furthermore, we're told that a Hong Kong carrier is already testing this device, so don't be surprised if it pops up in the market within the next month or two.
AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250
In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.
Samsung's two-faced SCH-W999 Android plays the dual core, dual SIM game
Remember Samsung's second-gen dual-screen Android clamshell we spotted about a month ago? Well, here it is at last: announced in partnership with China Telecom, this SCH-W999 flip phone packs two 3.5-inch 480 x 800 Super AMOLED panels back to back, along with a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm MSM8660, Android 2.3 with TouchWiz, HyperSkin back cover (as featured on the Galaxy Nexus for grip plus anti-smear), five megapixel camera, Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi and WAPI (China's not-so-successful take on WiFi, basically). Like many phones on China Telecom, the W999 comes with dual SIM slots and dual-mode connectivity (GSM and CDMA2000, with the latter offering EV-DO 3G), but with the additional support for penta-band radio for globetrotters. Want to nab one? We're looking at a 2012 launch, though there's no word on prices just yet -- well, just so you know, the predecessor W899 starts from ¥8990 ($1,410), so good luck with your garage sale. We got you some pictures from the China launch event after the break, courtesy of Samsung Mobile. %Gallery-140983%
Verizon purportedly readying new LTE tablets, Xyboard gets namedropped
Are there two Droid tablets on Verizon's horizon? It certainly seems like it, now that CNET has outed the Motorola Mobility Droid Xyboard. According to the news outlet, Verizon is gearing up to release two different versions of the 4G LTE-equipped tablet -- an eight-inch model and a ten-incher, both slated for launch later this month. Motorola declined to provide details on the devices, and Verizon stopped short of spilling the beans on pricing and availability, though it did provide the following statement: "As we've previously mentioned, we're planning to bring several new LTE devices to market including two tablets. We haven't made any official announcements in the U.S. but we look forward to sharing more details soon." CNET, meanwhile, apparently managed to get its hands on the two slates (pictured above), reporting that both carry a 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and a five-megapixel camera, along with a 1.3 megapixel front-facing shooter. They're also coated in Corning Gorilla Glass and CNET, in the absence of quantitative specs, reports that both are "thinner than a AAA battery and lighter than a paperback book." The stylus-equipped ten-inch version is reportedly geared toward the enterprise market, whereas its little brother is described as more media-friendly, presumably with the consumer market in mind. That's about all we know at this point, though be sure to check out CNET's coverage below for more images and insight.
Lenovo unveils the LePad S2007 and LePad S2010, both with Honeycomb and 1.5GHz dual-core chip
Oh no, it isn't just about the 5-inch tabletphone today. Announced at the same event in Beijing just now are a couple of larger tablets from Lenovo: the LePad S2007 and the LePad S2010. Interestingly, the latter 10.1-inch device isn't quite the same as what we saw in our exclusive scoop from two weeks ago: it's 1.5GHz Qualcomm dual-core rather than 1.6GHz NVIDIA quad-core, 1GB RAM instead of 2GB, no funky fingerprint scanner on the back, and it's launching with Android 3.2 instead of Ice Cream Sandwich. But fret not, as we've been informed that its international counterpart -- aka the IdeaTab K2 in our scoop -- will launch with the latest Android OS; so we're just waiting for a release date. Both of these Honeycomb tablets share many similarities: Qualcomm's dual-core 1.5GHz chip, 1GB RAM, 1,280 x 800 IPS display (pretty nice on a 7-inch form factor, with 216ppi density), eight megapixel main camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, dual-mode 3G (China Telecom's EV-DO plus China Unicom's WCDMA) for data plus voice calls, and plans to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich in the future. Aside from the obvious physical differences, these tablets also come with different battery capacities: the 360g-heavy, 9.7mm-thick S2007 comes with 3,780mAh that can last up to eight hours on WiFi; whereas the 670g-heavy (almost the same as the original WiFi iPad, uh-oh), 9.9mm-thick S2010 has a generous 7,560mAh that can push it to 11 hours. Like the S2005 tabletphone, both tablets will be available in China next month; so for now, stay tuned for some hands-on photos from our folks over at Engadget Chinese. Update: It turns out that there was a slight misunderstanding regarding the voice call feature -- the Chinese press release meant using Skype-like software to enable this. Pah.
Motorola XT928 coming to China Telecom next month for 'demanding customers'
Motorola bestowed an early-week treat upon the Chinese market today, with the XT928 -- a nominal RAZR relative and ostensible addition to the Droid X line that we spotted earlier this month. Powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, this Android 2.3 device boasts a 4.5-inch, 1280 x 720 HD display, supports 1080p HD playback and features a 13 megapixel rear-facing camera, along with a 1.3 megapixel shooter up front. The dual-mode, dual-standby handset is also coated in Corning Gorilla Glass to guard against nasty scratches and comes packed with 1GB of RAM. The XT928 will be available in China this December at an unspecified price, though there's no word yet on if or when it'll hit the US. For more details, head past the break for the full PR.
Exclusive: Lenovo also working on a 5-inch Android tablet, because pockets need love too
No matter how tempting the specs on Lenovo's leaked 10.1-inch tablet are, you might prefer something fairly more portable just for the sake of your regular pockets. Well, it looks like Lenovo's got you covered, too. Freshly delivered from the same anonymous tipster are a stash of photos depicting a dual-core 5-inch Android tablet, which will apparently be marketed under the usual LePad brand in China as well as an upcoming IdeaTab brand for elsewhere (to help differentiate tablets from the IdeaPad laptop line). Not much else is known about this device, but the photos below do show a micro-USB port, HDMI output, a front-facing camera and presumably three capacitive buttons (which could mean it won't be launching with Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich). There's a strong resemblance to the Dell Streak 5 here if you ask us, though despite the earpiece-like feature next to the front camera, our source couldn't confirm whether this tablet packs voice call capability (like the Galaxy Note and Pantech Vega No.5). Anyhow, stay tuned as we dig for more info. %Gallery-140034%
HTC Jetstream review
When HTC entered the tablet game, it did so in reverse course. Where other manufacturers were jostling for elbow room in a 10-inch form factored world, the company opted for smaller, more familiar battleground, eschewing the rough-hewn Honeycomb OS for a Gingerbread-baked Sense overlay on the Flyer. Naturally, the time for that mini-slate to shine has come and gone. In its stead, we're treated to a flagship of sorts -- HTC's first 10-incher and AT&T's inaugural 4G LTE slate. Android 3.1 makes an appearance here, as does Sense 1.1 for tablets, but is the skinned experience really any different from the custom UX we've all come to love or hate on phones? Can the added Scribe pen functionality, repurposed here from its 7-inch brother, transform the Jetstream from third pillar offering to an always-on, on-the-go assistant? And will those newly hatched 700MHz speeds convince you to cough up for that weighty $700 price tag? Follow along past the break to see how it fared. %Gallery-137899%
HTC Vivid review
HTC's been around this block before -- the LTE one, that is. Back in March, the manufacturer was the first to hold Verizon's hand as it tested the 4G waters with the Thunderbolt. That launch may have been fumbled (see: hotspot cycling and 3G connectivity for starters) and the device plagued by battery issues, but as far as head starts go, Big Red got a big leap. Now the time has come for AT&T to play catch-up, shedding its reliance on an HSPA+ faux-G crutch and shifting over to LTE wireless speeds. To do this, the carrier's enlisted HTC's veteran expertise, taking advantage of its 700MHz know-how and offering the manufacturer a redemption song of sorts. This round two redux takes the form of the Vivid: an all-black, metal-backed unassuming plastic slab that houses a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 8 megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash under a 4.5-inch qHD display. Impressive as its specs may be, AT&T's not betting the entire farm on this phone and is trotting out the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket alongside to shoulder the burden. But for a device once codenamed the Holiday, its battle for consumers' attention and disposable dollars could prove to be anything but leisurely. Will LTE history and its battery draining missteps repeat themselves? Can AT&T get a leg up on its first place competition with this $199 device? And is the allure of "true" 4G even worth your hard-earned dollars? Follow us after the break as we find out. %Gallery-138803%
Bell confirms arrival of LG Optimus LTE, hasn't settled on a name
It's official: LG's new LTE-capable superphone is coming to Canada. Bell is running a Twitter competition to celebrate, and the Ts and Cs suggest that Canucks might have to dig deep into those winter coat pockets for a total of CAD $629 off-contract. The Optimus LTE has already been given a detailed video tour courtesy of Bell's retail arm, albeit under the guise of the Optimus Eye, and is keen to show off its 4.5-inch HD AH-IPS display, eight megapixel camera and 1.5GHz dual-core processor. 4G fans can toss their name into the hat at the sign-up page below and spare a thought for their southerly neighbors -- we still have no sniff of a release in the US.
HTC Rezound for Verizon unveiled: Beats Audio, 4.3-inch 720p display, available November 14th for $299
HTC's Rezound first leaked its way into our gadget-lusting hearts in late summer. Then bearing the virile Vigor codename, we suspected a heartily specced, Beats Audio-branded destiny for the device. And today's official unveiling doesn't disappoint, setting this 4.3-inch handset on a 4G course for Verizon's LTE airwaves. Thanks to the company's financial handshake with Dr. Dre, the Rezound's inbuilt Beats Audio integration gets its first stateside debut. Of course, that's not all that lies beneath the red and black tinged surface. Living up to the machissimo of its in-development moniker, the Rezound boasts a 4.3-inch 720p Super LCD display and packs a dual-core 1.5GHz processor underneath, with 1GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage / 16GB on microSD card, 1,620mAh battery, WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0 in tow. And for you Android fanatics, HTC's shipping the handset Ice Cream Sandwich-ready, but it'll come out of the box with Sense 3.5 skinned atop Gingerbread 2.3.4. As for the phone's front-facing / 8 megapixel camera with f/2.2 sensor (capable of 1080p video capture), well the company's tossed in the same suite of scene modes we saw ship on the Amaze 4G: panorama, action burst, instant capture, and new addition, slow-mo. Naturally, this Beats phone package wouldn't be complete without a pair of those customized headphones, which'll be included in-box. With the recent Big Red outing of the Apple iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Motorola Droid RAZR, connoiseurs of high-end mobile kit have a lot to consider this Q4. Add this Beats Audio contender to that plethora of options, and you'll be scratching your head come contract-signing time. The Rezound'll be Verizon-bound on November 14th, so if enhanced audio is at the top of your 'must have' list, expect to snag it for $299 on contract. Until then, enjoy the official PR after the break.
Freescale joins ARM A5 and M4 cores at the hip for performance and power savings
You may have noticed a trend recently -- pairing slightly less powerful cores that sip power, with more robust ones that can chug through demanding applications. NVIDIA's Tegra 3 will be packing an underclocked fifth core, while ARM's big.LITTLE initiative matches a highly efficient 28nm A7 with the beefy A15. Now Freescale is planning to use the same trick, but you won't find its asymmetrical CPUs in your next tablet or smartphone. Its platform, which marries a Cortex M4 to a Cortex A5, isn't meant to compete with the latest Snapdragon. These chips will find homes in factories and in-dash infotainment systems which have increasingly sophisticated UIs, but don't need to push thousands of polygons. Software development tools will land before this quarter is out and the first batch of silicon will be announced in Q1 of 2012. Looks like the era of "dual-core" meaning two identical cores has officially come to an end.
LG Optimus Eye: LTE smartphone renamed with a view to landing in Canada
LG's biggest, fastest phone to date, previously known as the Optimus LTE, has made its first landing outside of Korea. In a not-so-thinly-veiled reference to the retina display-beating resolution density, it's now answering to the name, Optimus Eye. The smartphone's been leaked in a preview video from The Source, a Canadian retailer which is owned by Bell -- who'll evidently be making the phone available on their network. We also get to see LG's latest AH-IPS display technology in action, alongside a dual-core 1.5GHz processor and the increasingly standard eight megapixel shooter. No whisperings just yet on pricing or a launch date, but we'd expect these top-drawer specifications to be matched with an appropriately top-drawer price tag when it does arrive. You can eye it up for yourself after the break.
HTC Amaze 4G review
T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+ Ericsson demos 42Mbps HSPA Evolution for the laypeople Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Amaze 4G on sale at T-Mobile What do you do when you've already created a Sensation? If you're HTC, you repackage that lightning in a slightly different chassis, turn the volume (read: speed) up to 11 and borrow a bit of optical wizardry to add that new smartphone smell. All key elements that can be found in the DNA of the company's latest imperatively named product offering -- the Amaze 4G. Clearly, HTC's throwing caution to the fickle consumer winds here, raising the bar for Android users' expectations and mixing in just enough razzle dazzle to win over those hard earned geek dollars. So, what's the hook this time 'round? No, not Beats -- that's for its Euro stepcousin, the Sensation XE. Here, the main attraction is this handset's ability to surf along T-Mobile's HSPA+ 42Mbps network. That's right, Magenta's tiptoeing into LTE speed territory and you've got Sense 3.0 to help pilot that wireless ride. Join us after the break as we peel back the layers of this unibodied mobile onion. %Gallery-136562%
