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Mild-mannered Samsung Galaxy S II update brings Isis mobile payment support
Mobile payments, those made from a phone and typically via NFC, haven't exactly had a huge impact on the average American consumer just yet, but look past that and you'll see a battle is brewing. Google had been making the most noise, with its Google Wallet, but today the competing service Isis just launched its first proper salvo. The T-Mobile version of the Galaxy S II is currently receiving an OTA update (T989UVLH1) that, among a few other tweaks, enables support for Isis NFC payments, making it the first such device on the market. Many more are inbound from AT&T and Verizon as well, setting the stage for an epic virtual currency battle that only the peaceniks at the Mobile Payments Committee stand a chance of mitigating.
Samsung stalls UK Ice Cream Sandwich roll out for unlocked Galaxy S II
So you paid attention to pundits and bought that Galaxy S II outright in the hopes that future software updates would arrive on your device first. And then reality came crashing in. It appears SIM-free is not the way Samsung wants consumers to be, as carrier-agnostic handsets in the UK will be the last to receive Ice Cream Sandwich. The move, though frustrating for many, is not as arbitrary and unfair as it might initially appear to be. Speaking to CNET UK, a company rep confirmed that this upgrade delay has everything to do with cross-carrier testing, compatibility and approval, owing to the "variety of networks" unlocked GS II's can access. Once it does get an unanimous greenlight, however, expect to see the final leg of that TouchWizzed Android 4.0 roll out commence.
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%
White Galaxy S II gets not-so-festive October launch in Canada
Smartphone obsessives in Canada will be getting their hands on some snowy Galaxy S II goodness sooner rather than later. Yes, Samsung's dual-core bestseller has been leaked with an October 7th launch date on Bell, with prices matching the dark original: CAD$599.95 off-contract or CAD$149.95 for three years. And we know all phones look better in white, right?
White Galaxy S II lands at Vodafone, ignores post-Labor Day etiquette
Summer may have drawn to an unofficial close, but that clearly hasn't stopped the Galaxy S II from wearing all white. Today, the albino version of Samsung's Gingerbread handset officially made its way to Vodafone, just a few days after launching in the UK and more than a month after leaking in "official looking" images. The blanched, 4.3-inch smartphone is available for free with a two-year, £36 per month price plan (roughly equivalent to $58 per month), though it's still unclear whether it'll be making its way stateside anytime soon. If you're looking to brighten up your pocket, you can grab your own at the source link below.
'Official-looking' pic of white Galaxy S II leaks, unicorns right around the corner
Albino Nexus S, meet your better specced, bleached out, dual-core nemesis -- the mythical white Samsung Galaxy S II. The leaked snap is certainly timely, coming in only one day after a UK retailer promised the colorless beast would go on sale August 15th. We can't vouch for that, but we do know US peeps can now sign-up for "more info" on Sammy's website, so stateside GSII fans should be hearing more from the company soon. Will word come of the LTE-toting, ivory dream phone we've been lusting after? Probably not, but getting the baddest black Android on the planet is still pretty darn good.
Samsung Galaxy S II nets two additional carriers on South Korea's official launch day
Today marks South Korea's official launch of the Galaxy S II, with Samsung ensuring its home country gets plenty of superphone love before turning its attention abroad. Rival carriers SK Telecom and LG Uplus have added this Super AMOLED Plus beauty to their repertoire, joining KT, who's already begun taking pre-orders for the device which retails for approximately $790 (before subsidies, of course). Though we're left wishing this amazing slab of engineering was available everywhere and all at once, we must remind ourselves that patience is a virtue, and -- oh, forget it -- who's flying to South Korea with us? [Thanks, Amjath]
Samsung Galaxy S II begins quest for 120 country domination
How do you best 10 million 14 million in sales of your flagship Galaxy S smartphone? Easy, do what the movie studios do and launch a bigger-budget sequel to an even wider audience. Samsung is holding a media day event in South Korea to celebrate the domestic launch of its smokin' fast Galaxy S II. The dual-core 1.2GHz Gingerbread handset with 4.27-inch 800 x 480 pixel Super AMOLED Plus display, TouchWiz 4.0 UI, MHL port, and 8 megapixel camera capable of 1080p video is already on limited sale in the UK on its way to a 120 country / 140 carrier invasion -- that's plus 10 countries over the initial Galaxy S target. Naturally, we expect variants of the S II, with and without NFC, to hit all the US majors just like the Galaxy S did in its day. Stay tuned to see if our very positive first impressions of this gorgeous 8.49-mm thick superphone carry over to the review which should be up later today.
