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Samsung Galaxy S 4 for Verizon signup page goes live
Want to be sure that you don't miss the arrival date of the Galaxy S 4 on Verizon? Naturally, you could keep a keen eye on Engadget's homepage, but Big Red now has a solution of its own that could be worth a whirl. The company has just posted a signup page for Samsung's Next Big Thing, and so long as you're comfortable forking over your email address, you'll receive a notification delivered to your inbox when more details are available. By now, it's no secret that the Galaxy S 4 will arrive on Verizon in May, but if you're looking to circle a definitive date on your calendar -- and stay in the loop about any pre-order opportunities -- then by all means, click on through and hit the red 'Sign Up' button. We're pretty sure Verizon's third-party marketing partners won't complain.
Samsung releases kernel source for a trio of Galaxy S 4s
As Samsung prepares to release its new flagship to the masses, the company is already making moves to accommodate its open source following. Today, the Korean electronics maker served up the kernel source for three versions of the Galaxy S 4. On tap are two unlocked variants of Samsung's next big thing (GT-I9500 and GT-I9505) along with Virgin Mobile Canada's rendition of the handset. Seeing how you've already seen the device stripped down to its unmentionables, why not go the extra mile and take a whack at its software? That is if you know what you're doing.
Verizon says its Galaxy S 4 is coming sometime in May
If you noticed that Verizon was silent while other US carriers provided their launch schedules for the Galaxy S 4, you're not alone -- it was the only real holdout among the big four networks. As it turns out, the company was just continuing a small tradition of being fashionably late with influential phones. Big Red now says its version of the Samsung flagship will appear sometime in May, skipping past the first wave of GS 4 releases later in April. An exact date? Pricing? Capacities? Those are coming at an unspecified point "soon," although that may not be soon enough for subscribers who have to own the latest and greatest.
Sky Go for Android now streams to the HTC One, Galaxy S 4 and Xperia Z
Brits accustomed to catching up on their shows with Sky Go likely don't want that seamless viewing experience broken just because they bought that latest 1080p-capable Android flagship. Thankfully, they won't have to. An update to the Android app now supports the HTC One, Xperia Z and the upcoming Galaxy S 4: while none of them will stream in 1080p, the software will at last do more than take up space. Those on the "merely" 720p-native RAZR HD can also tune in with the upgrade. Swing by Google Play for the update if you're a Sky subscriber with a shiny new device.
The Daily Roundup for 04.17.2013
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 S 4 up for pre-order at US Cellular for $200, ships late April
Chalk up another one: in sync with Sprint and T-Mobile, US Cellular has joined the ranks of US carriers detailing their Galaxy S 4 launch plans. The mid-size provider won't commit to a more specific timeframe for its launch beyond "late April," but it's already taking pre-orders for a 16GB edition at $200 with a contract and a steep $750 contract-free. That last detail prices it above AT&T's offering, although US Cellular is sweetening the pot by giving away an S View Cover to those willing to buy sight unseen. The news leaves just Cricket, C Spire and Verizon without mostly complete Galaxy S 4 plans -- let's hope they pick up the pace.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 priced at $150 on Sprint and T-Mobile, hits both carriers in late April
US launch details for the Galaxy S 4 are arriving at last, and both Sprint and T-Mobile are on the vanguard. The two carriers plan to sell Samsung's flagship for $150 in 16GB form, albeit with different pricing strategies: T-Mobile's plan includes its now-standard device payment installments, while Sprint is discounting the phone from its normal $250 price through a $100 instant credit for those switching to the network. Just when you'll have the chance to plunk money down also varies. Sprint plans to offer pre-orders starting on April 18th, with an actual launch on April 27th. T-Mobile isn't giving customers the same opportunity to buy in advance, although they will get to take the Galaxy S 4 home a few days earlier, on April 24th. We're still waiting on other American carriers to hop on the bandwagon, but we suspect it won't be long.
AT&T's Galaxy S 4 page lists April 30th ship date, $199 / $639 price for 16GB
We saw AT&T open up a registration page for the Galaxy S 4 almost as soon as Samsung's presentation was over, but now that link is exposing a bit more information. Several tipsters let us know that for customers in certain areas, the website is now showing the 16GB GS4 available for pre-order in White Frost or Black Mist. Some of the details are visible to all, including that the phone is promised to ship April 30th and has an off-contract price tag of $639 ($199 w/ two-year agreement). Those who can get further in the ordering process report it's expected to arrive at their homes on or before May 3rd, with two-day shipping. Hit the link below if you're moved to get your pre-order for Samsung's latest standard-bearer in as soon as possible. [Thanks, Stephen, Asim, Jeff]
Galaxy S 4 pre-orders live in Canada today, $199 on a three-year commitment
Samsung's next Galaxy flagship is seeking a new home in the land of hockey, maple syrup and politesse. Starting today, Canadian subscribers on Telus, Rogers or Bell will be able to pre-order the 16GB Galaxy S 4 for $199 on a three-year plan. Shipments of the TouchWiz-laden überphone are slated to begin later this month on the 27th, with Telus committing to an in-store date of May 3rd. Of course, you needn't sign away such a significant chunk of your wireless life for subsidized GS4 privileges -- the handset can be had outright for $700 CAD. Whether you go all in or opt for the monthly payment package, you'll at least have your pick of carrier poison.
Galaxy S 4 availability hinted at in Staples document, pegged for April 26th on AT&T
Scrambling to find a launch date for the Samsung Galaxy S 4? Staples may have just dropped a hint. According to a leaked store training sheet, AT&T will be offering the next Galaxy phone on April 26th, followed by T-Mobile on May 1st and Verizon on the 30th. Bold lettering warns these dates are tentative but they are familiar, matching both the UK launch date and T-Mobile's own declarations. Naturally, we try to take these things with a grain of salt, though it's worth noting that the document asks stores to prepare GS 4 reservation signage on 4/15, one day before official pre-orders begin. It isn't an iron-clad case for the phone's launch by any means, but for the eager Galaxy fan, tentative is better than nothing. Skip on past the break for a peek at the full page. [Thanks, anonymous!]
Samsung Galaxy S4 undressed on camera, found to be easily repairable
If you damage the microUSB connector, SIM slot or camera module on Samsung's new Galaxy S4, you may not need to spend a lot of time or cash swapping in replacements. Of course, you'll need to get the flagship smartphone in hand before you're able to damage it, but if you do, repairs shouldn't be a tremendous undertaking, if today's teardown video is any indication. According to TechnoBuffalo, which published the clip (available at the source link), the Gorilla Glass screen could be a bit more costly to replace, but overall, the device appears to be quite repairable. US carriers are expected to begin selling the Jelly Bean smartphone later this month, so even though this first undressing isn't terribly detailed, we should have but days to wait before taking a much closer look.
Monster Watts WiQiQi puts wireless charging in Samsung Galaxy phones without new cases
Samsung already has wireless charging options for phones like the Galaxy S4, but they require a separate cover that adds a slight amount of bulk. For Monster Watts, that's still too much. The company's upcoming WiQiQi charging receiver is thin enough to slip under the existing cases of both the S4 as well as the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, giving them the same Qi-based wireless power as official kits without disrupting the design or wrecking compatibility with accessories. Kits for the two phones already on the market should be available as soon as the middle of this month, with discounted early pricing for a receiver-and-charger bundle starting at $45 (normally $78) for the GS3; a WiQiQi for the GS4 won't show until around early June at a regular $88 price, although it should also start at $45 for advance buyers. Monster Watts' wire-free solution isn't seamless, but it may be one of the more elegant in an era when wireless charging is only occasionally built-in.
Samsung kicks off Galaxy S4 ad campaign with new TV spots, focus on features
We may still not have exact launch dates for the Galaxy S4 on all carriers, but the launch is approaching -- and with it, Samsung's latest big ad campaign. From the looks of the first few TV spots, the company is staying away from any shots at its rivals or celebrity appearances (at least for now), focusing instead on some of the new features of the smartphone; Sound Shot, Group Play and S Translator all get their own 30 second ads, while another minute-long commercial (appearing in at least in the UK) offers a more general and suitably dramatic overview of the phone. There's no word yet on exactly how big a push Samsung will be making with the new ad campaign, but it's pretty safe to bet you'll be seeing lots of these in the months ahead. Update: Samsung's also put up an infographics about the highlights of the S4. Good timing!
AT&T to offer 16GB Samsung Galaxy S 4 for $200, 32GB for $250
Interesting timing, AT&T: just a day after the HTC One pricing was announced, the carrier has clarified its launch plans for the Samsung Galaxy S 4. We already knew the phone would be available on pre-order for $250 on April 16th, but AT&T has now specified that this will be for the 32GB model; the 16GB flavor will actually be $200, both with two-year commitments. This certainly doesn't help HTC's hopes of conquering the world, though the $200 One will hold twice as much internal storage as the GS 4 (although Samsung's flagship at least offers expandable memory, whereas the One does not). AT&T still hasn't announced an official release date, so that's the last remaining piece of the puzzle yet to be revealed.
The Daily Roundup for 04.02.2013
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 S 4 isn't even out yet, but it might have been rooted already (update: or not)
We might have spent a few hours toying with Samsung's new mobile hardware, but some tinkerers over at XDA-Developers claim have had enough time to root the Galaxy S 4, already. This means those (very) early adopters might be able to peruse the inner workings as soon as it arrives on store shelves. There's a video of the process after the break and you can pick up all the necessary custom ROM files (and warnings of not to meddle with what you do not understand) at the source. There is one tiny caveat to the news, however, as the rooting magic is focused squarely on the Exynos 5 Octa model for now. According to SAM Mobile, several batches of the new Galaxy phone are rumored to be packing Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 instead of Samsung's homemade chip series. An official spokesperson from the UK branch has confirmed that it'll arrive there with the Snapdragon processor. Update: Perhaps we were a little too zealous. Notable smartphone tinkerer Chainfire has taken to Google Plus to note that this would be a pretty huge accomplishment given the limited number of handsets currently out there. Most of the XDA-Developers thread details custom ROMs, while the Galaxy S 4 apparently has a few extra tricks to slow down the rooting process. Read Chainfire's full breakdown in More Coverage. Apologies for any confusion. Update 2: A mere day and a half later, and Chainfire's been in touch to confirm he/she has a working root for the S 4, although aren't yet able to try it out on the final retail iteration. We'll have to wait a few weeks before it's able to pass that tet.
Samsung SGH-I337 hits FCC with AT&T LTE bands, fits the GS 4 profile
We have to be skeptical when new devices arrive at the FCC without photos or a blinking sign that says "I Am AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S 4." But even doubters can likely tie that model to a certain Samsung SGH-I337 that the FCC just waved through. Why? First off, it's carrying a certain LTE band 17 used exclusively by AT&T in the US (in addition to bands 2, 4 and 5, also frequently featured by the carrier's LTE devices). Secondly, the dimensions line up perfectly with the device we recently got our hands on at Samsung's recent Galaxy S 4 phone-a-palooza. Finally, we already saw a device packing the same model number on UAProf, a normally reliable source that revealed a 1,920 x 1,080 screen and "ARM11" Exynos processor. Since it's unlikely the carrier has another unannounced 1080p model coming from Samsung, those coveting an AT&T GS 4 can probably start warming up their wallets.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 for Verizon swings through the FCC
We weren't kidding about that influx of FCC filings: the Verizon edition of Samsung's Galaxy S 4, the SCH-i545, has passed through the US regulator's approval right on cue. The device on display ticks all the checkboxes we'd expect, including LTE on both Verizon's main 700MHz band and the carrier's recently acquired AWS frequencies. We also notice HSPA-based 3G, which suggests Big Red's GS4 won't be a paperweight when abroad. The filing just leaves AT&T and T-Mobile as the major stragglers in the US; at the current rate, though, they'll have little trouble getting clearance before they have to fulfill any future orders.
US Cellular to begin Samsung Galaxy S 4 pre-sales April 16th
AT&T's not the only operator to grant early adopters the opportunity to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S 4 on April 16th -- US Cellular will be following suit as well. While the regional carrier hasn't announced pricing or any other details on availability yet, interested customers will be able to at least start the purchase process before it hits retail shelves. Head to the source to sign up for email alerts on pricing and availability, and we'll keep you posted as soon as we hear updates.
Samsung Exynos Octa now rocking LTE, destined for Korean market
When Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa was announced, it was believed to be compatible with 3G networks only. As such, the HSPA+ (global) version of the Galaxy S 4 was the only handset to feature the company's eight-core SoC -- the LTE model shipping with Qualcomm's 4G-capable, quad-core Snapdragon 600 instead. That's apparently changed, with the Korean giant tweeting that the Exynos 5 Octa now supports LTE on 20 bands. So why even make a Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S 4, then? Perhaps Samsung can't produce as many chips as Qualcomm to meet the upcoming worldwide demand for its new flagship. This appears likely, with inews24 and new-samsunggalaxys4 reporting that the Exynos 5 Octa with LTE is currently reserved for Korean models only (SHV-E300S, SHV-E300K and SHV-E300L, to be exact). So, anyone fancy a trip to Seoul in the near future?