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Fujitsu Arrows F-07D nabs 'thinnest smartphone' title, Droid Razr retorts: 'real phones have (some) curves'
Do you see that? It's the Fujitsu Arrows F-07D. Unlike some phones we won't mention, it doesn't boast about being the world's thinnest (and it doesn't come with a 10.6mm hump at one end). No, this telephone is 6.7mm all the way along -- so svelte the brave boys at the FCC probably had to pop next door to borrow a ruler that measures things that small. The 109-gram device has a measly 4-inch 800 x 480 OLED display and a five megapixel camera, but you might have noticed that it's also quite thin. NTT DoCoMo's newest telephone also crams in a FOMA module, making it capable of HSPA-level 14Mb/s download speeds. Just be careful it doesn't blow away in the wind -- personally, we've always preferred smartphones that give us a little something to hold onto.
Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus hits the FCC sporting AT&T-compatible HSPA+
So, you dig what Sammy is doing with Honeycomb on the 10.1 and the 8.9, but you're looking for something a little smaller. The Note has struck your interest, but perhaps its dimensions are just a tad too diminutive for your tastes. Well sir or ma'am, you're exactly the type of person Samsung is hoping to snag with its Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. You can already order one with WiFi on board, but if it's cellular capabilities you're looking for, the latest model that just sauntered through the FCC might be the ticket. The GT-P6200 is sporting a little extra something in the way of an HSPA+ radio. Specifically the cellular modem comes supporting the 850MHz and 1900MHz GSM bands used by AT&T. So, perhaps Ma Bell is looking to refresh its tablet family, which is still hawking the OG Galaxy Tab (no Honeycomb on that bad boy). There's also 802.11n and Bluetooth 3.0 antennas on board. Hit up the source link for all the fun regulatory minutia.
Qualcomm announces Snapdragon S4 Liquid mobile development platform tablet on The Engadget Show, we go hands-on (video)
At its investor conference earlier today, Qualcomm unveiled a variety of new Snapdragon processors to join its recently-announced MSM8960 S4 chip. But we got an exclusive first look at the 8960 in New York City this evening, in the form of a mobile development platform (MDP) tablet demo during The Engadget Show. The tablet the company had on hand isn't much to look at -- it's not the slimmest we've seen, and it feels a bit clunkier than models destined for consumers -- but its specs, which include an on-die LTE modem (the first of its kind -- we were seeing download speeds of around 45 Mbps), dual 1080p cameras (and another two for 3D), seven microphones, a spattering of sensors and a handful of connectors make this the ultimate platform for Android developers. Not convinced? Join us past the break for a hands-on walkthrough with Raj Talluri, Qualcomm's VP of Product Management, and stay turned for his segment from The Engadget Show.%Gallery-139648%
Optimus 3D Gingerbread update coming, world shrugs, stares wistfully at Ice Cream Sandwich
So we thought an update was coming last month, but like those three-dimensional phantasms the Optimus 3D is capable of conjuring, it appears it wasn't really there. LG now plans to lump the 2D to 3D app convertor, camera upgrades and some more nuggets into its feet-dragging Gingerbread upgrade, starting this month. Alongside 3D video editing and automatic image-stabilization, the customized version of Android 2.3 will unleash a speedier HSPA+ connection boosting maximum download speeds to 21Mbps, and "advanced copy/paste" -- something we're very excited about. LG also promises longer music playback from the upgraded 3D phone, with the software refresh pegged to start on carrier-unlocked handsets in Europe next week, rolling out elsewhere in time for the new year. While LG will be bringing the ICS upgrade to its Optimus 2X, it has remained tight-lipped on the dual-camera'd stablemate -- that's probably not a good sign.
Qualcomm gobs off about Gobi 4000: the buy once, use anywhere mobile chipset
Qualcomm is polishing the chrome on a new Gobi chipset with the power to connect to every wireless connection imaginable. The 4000 series comes in LTE/HSPA+ or LTE/EV-DO variants for customers to use when they've been evicted from Starbucks. The chipset's compatible with CDMA2000, 1xEV-DO Rev A and B, HSPA+, Dual-Carrier HSPA+ and LTE. You'll find the kit tucked inside forthcoming Dell and Lenovo laptops as well as inside Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless' mobile hotspots. The hardware is built to play nicely with Qualcomm's Snapdragon gear, Windows and Android in all its many flavors. If you're interested in learning more about what'll probably power your next portable internet device, jog on down past the break to find a press release stuffed full of model numbers.
Verzo launches Kinzo Android smartphone, on sale today for $459
Remember the Kinzo, that mysterious Android smartphone from Verzo we teased you with this past summer? Well it looks like the Americano Czech company just launched its stylish, custom-skinned, FroYo-powered (?) device. Originally slated for a late-September release, the 12.3mm-thick handset -- designed by Novague -- goes on sale today on Verzo's website for $459 (€420) contract-free. This buys you a 4.3-inch WVGA glass-capacitive TFT display, a 1GHz TI OMAP 3630 processor, 512MB of RAM, a five megapixel AF camera (with LED flash), a VGA front-facing camera, tri-band UMTS support (AT&T-compatible), quad-band GSM support, WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR plus the usual array of sensors. Power comes from a 1590mAh battery, and a microSD slot provides storage (an 8GB card is included). No word yet on essential features such as a compass, HSPA, or support for the Android Market. The manufacturer plans to differentiate itself with free shipping, refined packaging and a full set of bundled accessories, including a leather case, quality headphones, a car charger and a car holder. While details about the Verzo GUI remain vague (tweaks appear to be primarily cosmetic), each Kinzo will include offline navigation software by Sygic. An app called TellME will provide "the basic means of communication between the users and the Verzo brand". The company wants to establish a strong relationship with its customers by letting the community of owners suggest and vote on improvements to its product. Winning features will be incorporated into the next software update. Curious about this elegant mid-range Android smartphone? Check out the picture gallery below, and hit the break for the full specs, a promo video, and the obligatory PR. %Gallery-139148%
Motorola Pro+ 4G rides into Canada November 7th, will kick off shoes and stay a while
We knew it was planning to grace Europe and Asia with its presence this month, but now we're hearing the Motorola Pro+ 4G is ready to make its North American debut at Bell Canada. We're not seeing any large differences here compared to the overseas model, though the addition of "4G" to the title is an obvious exception. The device offers a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, Android 2.3, a 5MP camera, 3.1-inch VGA (640 x 480) display with Gorilla Glass, HSPA 14.4 (hence the "4G" name) and a lot of Enterprise-friendly security features. We know it'll be hitting shelves on November 7th, but no price has been announced so far. To find out the full shebang, head south for the press release. Update: We've confirmed with an inside source that it'll sell for $349.95, but there's no word on whether subsidies will apply for long-term contracts.
O2's Galaxy Nexus landing page confirms November availability, forgets to add price
It's no secret that O2's set to release its Galaxy Nexus variant come this November, but a recently live landing page on the UK telecom's website is serving up some extras. As expected, its customers will be unwrapping the 21Mbps HSPA+ version of the device, but sadly, the question remains as to how much it'll cost. While a leaked Verizon document evidently has this Android 4.0 flagship pegged at $300 on-contract, O2's left nary a mention about pricing. With a handful of carriers now firmly under this 4.65-incher's belt, it's time for others to defrost their Ice Cream Sandwich release plans.
Nokia N9 review
MeeGo to be folded into Linux-based Tizen OS, slated to arrive in 2012 Want a Nokia N9 in the US? Expansys has some, but it'll cost ya Motorola Droid 2 stars in its first video, touts 1GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM? It's taken a long time for Nokia's MeeGo-packing N9 to make its way into our top-secret labs (the N9 moniker was first applied to early E7 prototypes), but it's here in our dirty little hands, at last, and it's glorious -- well, as glorious as a stillborn product can be, anyway. The N9 is the latest and greatest in a long line of quirky, interesting, yet ultimately flawed touchscreen experiments from Nokia that includes the Hildon-sporting 7710, a series of Maemo-based "internet tablets" (770, N800, N810, N900) and most recently, the N950 MeeGo handset for developers. What makes the N9 special is that it represents Nokia's last flagship phone as an independent player. MeeGo is already dead, and future high-end devices from the manufacturer will run Windows Phone and use Microsoft's services. So, is this the company's final bittersweet hurrah? Did MeeGo ever stand a chance against Android, iOS and Mango? In its attempt to stay relevant, is Nokia throwing out the baby with the bathwater? Most importantly, how does the N9 fare in today's merciless dual-core world? Find out after the break. %Gallery-137175%
Samsung Galaxy Nexus vs. Droid RAZR by Motorola: the tale of the tape
Well folks, the wait is over. Now you can push the rumors, early introductions and other pre-announcement ramblings aside and focus on the real matter at hand: which of these shiny new handsets will you buy? Will it be the Galaxy Nexus or the Droid RAZR? Let us offer some insight into the matter as we dive head-first into the specs below.
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.
Apple iPhone 4S pre-orders exceed one million in first 24 hours (updated)
Last year's iPhone 4 launch brought more than 600,000 pre-orders within the first 24 hours. This year, that number nearly doubled, topping one million within one day of the device's pre-order availability through AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Those that haven't pre-ordered the iPhone 4S can line up at Apple stores beginning at 8 a.m. on October 14th, or you can try your luck at pre-ordering now, though you may need to wait an extra week or two to get your hands on Apple's new iOS smartphone. Jump past the break for Apple's PR. Update: Maybe not a huge surprise considering the numbers Apple announced earlier today, but Sprint has just let us know that it has sold out of the 16GB iPhone 4S in both black and white for pre-orders, and that it's not taking backorders. 32GB and 64GB models are still available in both colors, however, as is the 8GB iPhone 4.
Qualcomm outs Snapdragon S4 SoC details, promises improved battery life and true world capability
Qualcomm has laid out its details of the upcoming S4 SoC, and yes, there's definitely reason for excitement with this next generation Snapdragon. First, it'll usher in a new 28nm manufacturing process alongside the company's Krait CPU and Adreno 225 GPU. The move from 45nm to 28nm promises smaller components, lower power consumption and improved thermal performance, while Krait will introduce a new pipeline architecture that promises a full 60% boost over the current Scorpion lineup with clock speeds ranging between 1.5 and 2.5GHz -- along with support for asynchronous multiprocessing and dual-channel memory. As for the GPU, the latest chip flaunts 50% greater performance over the current Adreno 220, where it also provides support for DirectX 9.3 for Windows 8, in addition to OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0. Should be quite the gaming experience, eh? It doesn't end there, as the S4 MSM8960 promises multi-mode world capabilities with support for all the commonly used frequencies from 700 to 2600MHz -- quite a feat, indeed. It handles Cat. 3 LTE (up to 100Mbps) and Cat. 24 HSPA+ (up to 42Mbps), along with EV-DO Rev. B, 1x Advanced and TD-SCDMA, as well as GSM, GPRS and EDGE. Oh, and there's also simultaneous support for GPS and GLONASS, along with Bluetooth, WiFi, FM radio and NFC. With samples already being sent to manufacturers, we're quite excited for what 2012 may bring.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus specs leak, headed to Verizon as an exclusive? (updated)
Ready for the latest scoop of Android Ice Cream Sandwich future? A report over on BGR details specs for the next pure Google phone we've come to know and love as the Nexus Prime. Quoting a "trusted source," the insider dish paints a familiar contoured picture of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy family member. The screen has been purportedly bumped to a 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display, and lurking just beneath its chassis should be a dual-core 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor. As for the rest, the supposed Verizon exclusive packs 1GB RAM, 32GB of storage, a 1,750mAh battery, 1.3 megapixel front-facing / 5 megapixel rear shooter capable of 1080p HD video, WiFi a/b/g/n, NFC and possible LTE / HSPA bands. So does this handset measure up to your (by now) impossibly high standards? We'll soon find out if any of this pre-release gossip holds its water when we're live at Unpacked next week.Update: A new batch of rumored specs have surfaced over on GSM Arena, and these seem to be more in line with what we'd expect of a new Nexus. According to an anonymous Google employee, that 4.65-inch Super AMOLED HD display mentioned above is just about the only spec to make the final cut. The processor, however, is more likely to be a dual-core 1.5GHz Exynos (that's right) with an accompanying dual-core PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics chip. That rear facing camera? Try 8 megapixels with a newly beefed up sensor. The handset should also ship with a girthy 2,050mAh battery fully capable of juicing this apparent LTE / CDMA / GSM Android monster.
iPhone 4S officially announced: lands October 14th starting at $199 in sizes up to 64GB, coming to Sprint
What's this? The second coming of the iPhone 4? Sure enough, Tim Cook just pulled the covers off of the hotly-anticipated iPhone 4S here in Cupertino, making 2011 the first year in the company's current stint in the smartphone business that it chose to launch three new handsets (Verizon's CDMA iPhone 4 included, of course). On the outside the 4S looks exactly like its predecessor, but on the inside it's "all new." Apple has jammed a dual-core A5 CPU inside alongside a new dual-core GPU that supposedly boosts graphics performance by up to 7x. Up front is the same 3.5-inch Retina display we've all come to know and love, and around back is a glass plate. Those antennae around the sides (which caused many users so much trouble) have been revamped and iOS will intelligently switch between two different sets on the fly to avoid dropping calls no matter how you hold it. Those antennae are connected to a dual-mode GSM and CDMA radio that will let Apple's handset roam the globe while enjoying either 14.4Mbps HSPA+ or EV-DO Rev. A. %Gallery-135683% %Gallery-135727% %Gallery-135711%
Samsung Galaxy S II now available on AT&T for $200
October 2nd. Boy, the date sure creeped up on us, but it's here regardless -- the Samsung Galaxy S II has finally debuted on AT&T. Many of you who've been waiting several months for a subsidized GSM model in the US may find it hard to believe that you're able to head on over to the carrier's site and purchase one for a couple C-notes. Rest assured, we've checked it out ourselves and it's really, really there, waiting for you to click that "add to cart" button. So if the style and carrier fit your fancy, friends, carpe diem. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nokia Siemens makes multi-carrier HSPA+ hurtle at 336Mbps
It's easy to shrug off technical achievements like this while real-world data speeds still lag so far behind. Nevertheless, the adrenalin junkies at Nokia Siemens Services insist their latest HSPA+ platform will be commercially available to carriers by the end of next year and, to prove it actually works, they've been demoing at PT Expo Comm in Beijing. The technology uses the latest 3GPP standardization to hog eight 42Mbps frequency channels at the same time, delivering a peak throughput of 336Mbps. Sure, it doesn't come close to the 1Gbps speeds we've seen from Ericsson with LTE-Advanced, but if it gets here first we'll have it. [Thanks, Alan]
Hands-on with HTC's Amaze 4G for T-Mobile (video)
So how does HTC's Amaze 4G stack up to its European counterpart, the Sensation XE? Pretty well actually. The 4.3-inch qHD smartphone also features Qualcomm's 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, but bumps the RAM from 768MB to 1GB. It's also HTC's first NFC toting device and joins T-Mobile's Galaxy S II as the other 42Mbps HSPA+ -capable handset on Magenta's network. More noteworthy is its trick eight megapixel shooter, which features the same backside-illuminated sensor, f2.2 wide-angle optics and 1080p video recording capability as the myTouch 4G Slide. Similarly, the Amaze 4G hangs on to quite a bit of that phone's camera software, including a new composite mode that automagically creates one stellar image out of five less than fabulous snapshots. We also liked the addition of two physical camera buttons, one for stills and the other for video. First impressions of the Sense-laden, Gingerbread smartphone? It's very much like a Sensation on steroids, with a definite T-Mobile flavor. Take a look at our gallery and hit the break for our hands-on video from Mobilize 2011. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-134939%
T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot bringing OLED display, HSPA+ connectivity this October
It feels like just yesterday that we saw T-Mobile's original 4G Mobile HotSpot at CTIA (our review is here), and already the purgatory-presiding US carrier is ushering out a successor. Alongside the Galaxy S II and Amaze 4G, the Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is being revealed at Mobilize, and it's hailed as the carrier's fastest ever in the category. Predictably, it'll enable five WiFi devices to hop onto T-Mob's HSPA+ 42 network, and there's a microSD card slot for handling file transfers. The wow factor comes courtesy of the embedded OLED indicator display, which shows signal strength, number of devices connected, number of unread text messages, connectivity to the internet, battery level and network connection type. Lips are zipped on pricing, but it'll be available at your nearest Magenta retailer next month. Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here!
T-Mobile makes Galaxy S II official at Mobilize: ships on October 12th for $230
Samsung might have already announced T-Mobile's variant of the Galaxy S II, but here at Mobilize the carrier's gone and revealed all the nitty-gritty details. We can now confirm that the 4.52-inch smartphone wields a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, eschewing Sammy's 1.2GHz Exynos found on its other stateside brethren. And much like the just announced Amaze 4G, it'll be one of the first phones to take advantage of the carrier's 42Mbps HSPA+ and T-Mobile TV functionality. The TouchWiz-covered, Gingerbread 2.3.5-sportin' superphone can be yours on October 10th for $229.99 (after a $50 mail in rebate) from Deutsche Telekom's website, or in stores and select dealers on the 12th. Stay tuned for an impending hands-on -- you can bide time by eying the PR after the break, or having a look at the gallery below. Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here! %Gallery-134906%
