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You can bring your own Android phone to Xfinity Mobile
You no longer need an iPhone if you want to bring an unlocked smartphone to Xfinity Mobile. The Comcast wireless service (which runs on the network of Engadget parent Verizon) has expanded its bring-your-own-device program to include Android smartphones. It's currently limited to semi-recent Samsung phones ranging from the Galaxy S8 to the Galaxy Note 9, so you'll want to forget dreams of bringing an S10 or Google Pixel to the network for now. The list of compatible devices will expand in the "near future," Comcast said.
Samsung will let you remap the Bixby button on older phones too
If the Bixby button on your Samsung Galaxy phone doesn't get much use, you might prefer to make it open another app. Samsung noted the remapping option when it revealed the S10 lineup this week, but if you have a slightly older Galaxy phone (namely, Note 9, S9, Note 8 or S8), you can customize the button too if your device is running Android Pie.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide 2013: Tablets
Welcome to Engadget's holiday gift guide! Head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Tablets are right up there with 3D-enabled 4K TVs in terms of gift appeal; no one can resist firing them up the moment they've been unwrapped. Maybe it's their super-thin form factors; maybe it's because they make great couch companions; or maybe it's because they're just plain fun. Whether it's an Android, Windows 8.1 or iOS slate you're shopping for, you'll find suitable picks across all budgets below.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 review
Overseas, it doubles as a phone. Here in the US, it's just a tablet with an S Pen onboard. For its stateside debut, Samsung's stripped the Galaxy Note 8.0 of the very HSPA+ radios that made it an 8-inch curiosity at this year's Mobile World Congress. Now, as it's primed to go on sale, the Note 8.0 has sobered up, combining a host of compelling TouchWiz software tricks lifted from its high-profile Galaxy mates into a more serious, along with a more pocketable, size. Its 8-inch form factor may be new, but the bits used within should be plenty familiar: Samsung's borrowed elements from previous products, including the Note 10.1's 1,280 x 800 TFT display (albeit with a higher pixel density of 189 ppi). Meanwhile, the Note 8.0 draws inspiration from some Samsung phones, too, with chrome accents, a bulging rear camera module and a build that manages to be reminiscent of both the Galaxy S III and Note II. What's more, it packs a 1.6GHz Exynos 4 Quad inside -- yep, just like its predecessor. It'd be easy to pass the Note 8.0 off as a comfortable retread; a Best of edition for the Note line. In a way, it is. But, Samsung's not so daft -- there's a cushy market for tablets as a second screen and the company knows this all too well. So, can it best the iPad mini as the go-to, do-everything couch companion? Or is this $399 tablet more of a supernova for the Galaxy line? Follow along to find out.%Gallery-184913%
The Engadget Interview: Samsung's Nick DiCarlo talks Galaxy Note 8 at MWC 2013
The Galaxy Note 8 -- it's the next logical step in Samsung's ongoing Note saga, and it finally launched in Barcelona. We spoke with Nick DiCarlo, VP of Product Planning for Samsung mobile, about the company's latest tablet. He mentioned that the voice capability, which is a very polarizing feature for some, was a common request among customers. It's unclear if the US carriers will keep this functionality intact, but he suggested that you, dear readers, might be able to sway them by emailing in. We discussed some of the Note 8's other selling points, such as the S Pen-sensitive buttons (finally!) and the IR blaster, which we think is located in the wrong place (the right edge instead of the top) -- possibly the result of Peel's landscape-centric remote control app. Design was an other area we touched upon, and something we feel Samsung's been complacent about this past year. Materials and build quality just don't do the company's products justice, especially on flagships like the Galaxy S III and Note devices. Mr. DiCarlo acknowledged our concerns but pointed out that the entire Galaxy line is light, thin and durable, something everyone wants in a quality smartphone or tablet. Let's see what the Galaxy S IV brings to the table, right? Until then, watch our video interview after the break.
