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T-Mobile confirms Samsung Galaxy S II in white will arrive December 14th
T-Mobile's going to have a rather important day on December 14th: earlier it announced a special event with Nokia scheduled for that evening, and it also tweeted out confirmation that the white Samsung Galaxy S II will be meandering into stores and online warehouses on the same day. If you've been hoping it would show up in time for the holidays, rest well tonight knowing you won't have to air any grievances this season -- at least, not for this reason.
Apple's request to block Samsung Galaxy tablet, phone sales in the US is denied
As the legal drama between Apple and Samsung drags on around the world, US District Court Judge has rejected Apple's request to block the sales of Galaxy devices. Reuters reports the ruling came out late Friday, with the judge deciding "It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung's accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed,". This isn't the first rejection for the folks from Cupertino either, after a request to speed up the trial was also denied back in July. The case itself will of course go on, but this means you'll still be able to get your hands on those Galaxy Tabs, Galaxy S IIs, and the like in the meantime.Update: While Apple has yet to comment on the ruling, Samsung has issued an official statement which you can check out after the break.Update 2: Feel like thumbing through the entire 65 page ruling? FOSS Patents has posted the entire document on Scribd, you'll find it embedded after the break. File has since been deleted by owner.
Samsung Galaxy S II LTE arrives in Japan, NTT DoCoMo offers up its first course of 4G phones
Japan has got its first taste of an LTE smartphone, and this one's Galaxy-flavored. Oh yes, Samsung's Galaxy S II LTE has made an appearance on NTT DoCoMo, running on the Japanese carrier's next-generation Xi network and promising top download speeds of around 37.5Mbps. The latest member to the carrier's top-drawer Next series will set you back around $260 (¥20,000) on a two-year contract. DoCoMo is aiming to reach the hands of 30 million customers by 2015, with another as-yet unnamed several more 4G devices already penned for release before the end of the year. Perhaps the pair of data-loving handsets will help to fill that iPhone-shaped hole in the carrier's phone catalog. Update: Contrary to the Asahi Shimbun report, it looks like both the Fujitsu Arrows X LTE F-05D and the LG Optimus LTE will cosy up on the new high-speed network before the end of the year.
T-Mobile to bleach Samsung Galaxy S II in white, arriving 'in time for the holidays'
What's that gorgeous device doing in a pearly white on this side of the pond? T-Mobile will be offering a second color option for its flagship TouchWiz device, the Samsung Galaxy S II, "in the coming weeks." Though its exact launch date is uncertain, the two companies assured us that it would land in time for the holidays. We're just hoping they're not referring to Valentine's Day. %Gallery-140072%
Ice Cream Sandwich coming to Galaxy S II, Samsung UK confirms
Here's some exciting, if somewhat unsurprising news for Galaxy S II devotees: Samsung's UK outpost has just confirmed that the handset will indeed receive an upgrade to Android 4.0, delectably known as Ice Cream Sandwich. As of this moment, details are relatively scarce, and Sammy has yet to make similar declarations for markets outside of the UK -- but at least it's coming. "The Galaxy S II will be receiving ICS, but there are no dates confirmed as yet," the company wrote in a tweet this morning. "We will keep you posted." As will we.
Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket review
Who knew AT&T's version of the Samsung Galaxy S II had a younger, larger brother on the way? Just a hair over a month after the carrier launched its flagship Android device, it's already set for another go-round. This one, the Galaxy S II Skyrocket, offers a larger display and "true" 4G connectivity using LTE -- yes, it's a pioneer blazing a new trail to Ma Bell's wild and untamed frontier, right alongside the HTC Vivid. It's time to answer the burning questions: what kinds of speeds are possible on AT&T's LTE network? Is the series' legendary battery life up to snuff on the next-gen network? Join us below to find out. %Gallery-138892%
Samsung outs pink Galaxy S II and limited edition Galaxy Tab 10.1, plays up battle of the sexes
While some manufacturers play coy with their gender marketing plans (*cough* the Rhyme *cough*), others make no pretense about pandering straight to the sexes. Cue Samsung with two distinct South Korea-only Android offerings for both guys and dolls -- a Galaxy S II painted in pink and a Lions special edition Galaxy Tab 10.1 for baseball fans. Sammy's issuing a limited production run of the popular Honeycomb slate to commemorate its team's Korea Series Championship win, and will pack an autographed ball and jersey in the box. As for that GS II in pinkalicious clothing, well, that's all you ladies are getting -- same beefy specs, same beefy screen and absolutely no charm dongle. These changes may be only skin-deep, but for the swag and style-obsessed alike, it's still nice kit if you can get it.
NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S II LTE makes way through FCC with swagger
Among the litany of smartphones that NTT DoCoMo announced last month, the SC-03D -- otherwise known as the Galaxy S II LTE -- was undeniably among the forefront of the bunch. The handset will begin shipping in the Land of the Rising Sun before year's end, but it seems that a lucky punk at the FCC got to review its dirty bits ahead of the glorious release. Like its Korea-bound siblings, the phone sports a Snapdragon S3 SoC with a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and an Adreno 220 GPU, but unlike the over-achieving HD variant, the SC-03D's 4.5-inch display is limited to WVGA resolution. Jet-lagged Japanese travelers will find GPRS and EDGE love with our 1900 and 850MHz domestic networks, although HSPA is restricted to the 2100 and 900MHz bands. As for that lusty 75Mbps theoretical speed for the Xi LTE network, you'll have to excuse us while we attempt to hide our jealousy.
Samsung loses attempt to ban iPhone 4S sales in Italy
Here's the latest news from the front in the battle between Samsung and Apple: Apple is victorious in a skirmish in Italy. Samsung was attempting to block the iPhone 4S release in Italy, which is scheduled for November 4, saying that the new phone infringed on two patents that the Korean manufacturer holds. In the courts in Milan, Italy, judges turned down Samsung's request, but agreed to requests by both manufacturers to submit more evidence to support their positions in the dispute. After yesterday's hearing, Apple is planning to release the iPhone 4S on schedule next Friday. This was the latest in a series of small, yet important, victories for Apple in the ongoing intellectual property war.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Galaxy S II, Nexus One and Nexus S (macro hands-on)
Guess who posed for a family gathering here in Hong Kong? From left to right, we've got the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S II, Nexus One and Nexus S. The panels on all of these guys are stunning, but we're finding it mighty difficult to choose a favorite between the Galaxy Nexus and the GSII. Have a look at some close-ups in the gallery below, and a typical home video just after the break. %Gallery-136939%
Engadget compares iPhone 4S,Galaxy S II, Nokia N8 and Amaze 4G cameras
Engadget spent the weekend comparing the cameras of the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, Galaxy S II, Nokia N8 and Amaze 4G. The iPhone 4S camera is a marquee feature of the device with its 8 MP sensor and an f/2.4 aperture lens. The 4S also shoots in full 1080p HD video. With regards to the iPhone 4S, Engadget generally praised the quality of the photos and video the device took, saying, "The iPhone 4S is a pleasure to shoot with. The camera is ready to capture its first image within a second of launch, and tapping to focus after recomposing is painless and speedy...Its image quality rivals many point and shoot cameras in most conditions...Overall, we were most often pleased with photos we shot with the iPhone 4S." Of course, Engadget found reason to praise the other phones as well. The Amaze 4G took sharper photos in Engadget's testing, for example. Engadget also noted that Apple's competitors offer more advanced manual controls over exposure, white balance and ISO sensitivity. Of course, there are a number of iPhone apps that provide similar features. The iPhone 4S lost out big on battery life. Engadget noted that "After about two hours of wandering around town, shooting several dozen photos and about 10 minutes of HD video with each device, the iPhone 4S had just 30% of battery left." The iPhone 4, on the other hand, had 53% of its battery remaining, and that's with Engadget sending some emails and making some phone calls too. The worse battery life while using the camera can mainly be chalked up the fact that the iPhone 4S has to process much larger files due to its 8 MP sensor and 1080p video recording capabilities. It's a good comparison, and we encourage you to read the whole thing.
Samsung delivers kernel source for T-Mobile Galaxy S II, developers can now collect all three
Developers, start your engines. T-Mobile's version of the Samsung Galaxy S II was the slowest in the family to get the official kernel source. It's here now, though, arriving on Sammy's site a whole four days after the phone's release; this isn't an eternity by any means, but its counterparts had the source available no later than the actual launch date. No matter the reason, make your way to Samsung's official site to dive in and make some magic happen. [Thanks, Aubrey]
Refresh Resource: week of October 10, 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 Motorola Xoom owners who swapped in their devices for one with LTE capability may have found an OTA enhancement waiting for them when the tablet arrived. It included a few minor changes, such as updates to Android Market and some additional browser security measures. The full changelog can be found at the link. [AndroidCentral] The update to the Motorola Droid 2 Global was pulled last month due to an Exchange encryption issue, but we're hearing reports that it's once again resuming the rollout with that concern resolved. [Droid-Life] Motorola's Photon 4G on Sprint is on the receiving end of a minor bug fix update, which includes video chat capability for Google Talk. [PhoneArena] The good news for unlocked Dell Streak 7 users: the official update to Android 3.2 (Honeycomb) is now rolling out and you should see it over the course of the next couple weeks. the coming weeks. [Dell] The bad news for T-Mobile Dell Streak 7 users: Honeycomb isn't coming to your tablet, for unknown reasons. [Android Community] According to a tweet from LG, there's a small refresh in the works for the Optimus 7 which will finally enable WiFi tethering. [WPCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery A new piece of firmware for the AT&T Galaxy S II was leaked via RootzWiki, and includes a few bug fixes. Sadly, it adds some bugs as well. [Android Community] Samsung's officially released the kernel source for the Stratosphere, Transfix and Galaxy Y Pro. [Android Community] And now for the best news for TouchPad owners: after several weeks of progress, it appears that CM7 is now ready to roll on the HP TouchPad. As always, download and install at your own risk -- we have a feeling this may be a bit more involved than your typical Android custom ROM. [Redmond Pie] Other platforms Redsn0w 0.9.9b5 is here, giving you the go-ahead to jailbreak iOS5. Up for the task? Head to the link for all of the details on how to make it so. [Redmond Pie] Some Windows Phone users have noticed a few bugs popping into their updated devices ever since they received Mango. The main concerns seem to be found in the keyboard and live tiles, though the reported issues are much more numerous. Have you experienced any of these on the list at the link? [WMPowerUser] Refreshes we covered this week Motorola a bit slow boomerangin' back with LTE update iOS5 now available for download
Samsung's Korea-bound Galaxy S II HD LTE pops up in FCC filings
We'll have to brush up on our foreign languages to decipher the full battery label, but the Samsung SHV-E120L (aka the Galaxy S II HD LTE, thanks David_DK!)-- home to a 4.65-inch HD screen and dual-core 1.5GHz processor according to specs leaked last month -- has passed through its FCC testing. We didn't spot any indications it will bring that 1280 x 720 res display this way, but you can check for yourself at the link below.
Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Amaze 4G on sale at T-Mobile
Sure, we knew this day was coming, but now the wait is finally over. Now the main question for T-Mobile customers at the end of their contract is whether to pick up the Samsung Galaxy S II or HTC Amaze 4G. Both handsets are now on sale from the carrier, running $229 and $259, respectively (plus plan, post-rebate, naturally). Thankfully, we've got a full review of the 4.52-inch Galaxy S II magenta edition and a hands-on with the 4.3-inch Amaze 4G, which should help make the deciding a bit easier.
Samsung crashes iPhone 4S block party, lures Aussies with $2 Galaxy S IIs
Can't say we didn't see this catfight coming after Apple boldly rejected Samsung's settlement offer in Australia, but man, the latter certainly isn't afraid of striking back in its enemy's front yard. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Sammy's set up a pop-up store merely meters away from Apple's Sydney store, all for just stealing the thunder from the iPhone 4S launch this Friday. The campaign? For the first ten customers each day up to Friday, the Korean giant's offering its Galaxy S II for just $2 sans contract -- no wonder the line's already longer than Apple's, according to the Herald. But of course, Samsung's also effectively funding some of these folks for their iPhone 4S from next door, so it's pretty much a win-win situation for both companies. See? There's always a happy ending, and let's hope that the upcoming Nexus Prime won't add fuel to the ongoing patent dispute. [Thanks, Kevin]
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II review
What else is there to say? Whether in its original, exotic exterior, its lightly changed but rather more accessible AT&T-flavored model, or the decidedly Epic Sprint version, the Samsung Galaxy S II has never failed to impress us. In fact, we called that first release "the best Android smartphone yet" and still, nearly six months later, it sits mighty close to the top of the pile -- if not squarely at the peak, waving its flag proudly whilst taunting the others below. Here today we're looking at the last of the Three Musketeers: the T-Mobile version. This marks the final US release of the Galaxy S II, unveiled in late-August. At that announcement event the device was curiously locked up in Lucite, but now it's right here in our hands. While we didn't really want to set down this 16GB, 1.5GHz, 42Mbps HSPA+ wunderphone, we gently laid it aside just long enough to write this very review. Join us as we see what sets this latest and final revision apart. %Gallery-136261%
CyanogenMod 7.1 brings support for Xperias and 20 other handsets
All it took was a little love from Sony Ericsson and now CyanogenMod's latest official release includes support for a happy cohort of 2011 Xperias as well as the X8. The same goes for Samsung, which doled out a free GSII and some employment and now finds that the Galaxy smartphones are on version 7.1's list too. Wondering if your particular Droid, Optimus or Incredible can run the cyan shade of Gingerbread and its attendant perks? Then check the source link for the full roll-call of newly supported devices -- but remember, despite the increasingly friendly overtures from manufacturers, installing a custom ROM comes with certain pitfalls and can void your warranty. Got that? Now go and play some juicy FLAC files on that Arc.
Size matters: why the iPhone has a 3.5-inch screen
One of the things Android phone owners love to brag about -- particularly those who have the new Samsung Galaxy S II with its 4.27-inch diagonal screen -- is that the larger screens are much easier to read and watch videos on. Dustin Curtis has owned both the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S II, and in an enlightening post on his blog, he pointed out why bigger isn't always better. Curtis noted that the iPhone 4's design allows you to hold the device in one hand and touch almost any part of the screen with your thumb. You can't do that with the larger Galaxy S II, as seen in the diagram (size is incorrectly marked by Curtis) at the top of this post. The green area designates the reach of the thumb when holding the device in one hand, and there's a lot of Galaxy S II real estate that's not under that field of green. According to Curtis, "Touching the upper right corner of the screen on the Galaxy S II using one hand, with its 4.27-inch screen, while you're walking down the street looking at Google Maps, is extremely difficult and frustrating." He concluded the post with a point that all Apple owners instinctively know, but can rarely explain: "This is an example of one of those design decisions that you don't usually notice until you see someone doing it wrong. It's one of the things that makes Apple products Apple products."
T-Mobile Galaxy S II pre-orders begin today, should land in stores October 12th
T-Mo customers, don't get jealous of everyone pre-ordering an iPhone 4S, you've got your own super phone ready to hit retail channels -- the Galaxy S II. As promised, the 4.5-inch variant of Samsung's current flagship device hit T-Mobile's site today for pre-order and is expected to start popping up on retail shelves on Wednesday, October 12th. If you want to make sure you're one of the first on Big Magenta to leave your fingerprints on its sizable Super AMOLED Plus screen, head on over to the carrier's site now to put in your order. The privilege will set you back $230 with a two-year contract. [Thanks, xkaosu9x]