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T-Mobile lost more customers in Q4, will launch LTE in 2013 with AWS spectrum from AT&T
In T-Mobile USA's first earnings report since the proposed merger with AT&T fell through in December, it noted a loss of 802,000 customers in Q4 (being the only carrier not to have the iPhone is a lonely, lonely circumstance). But there is some good news -- thanks to the AWS spectrum it's receiving due to the termination of said deal, it plans to launch LTE services in 2013. Additionally, it plans to spend $4 billion rolling out HSPA+3G/4G services on the 1900 MHz band which should mean high speed data access (in some areas) for previously unsupported devices like the iPhone 4/4S. Also, since both T-Mobile and AT&T use AWS spectrum for LTE, we could see existing (and future) unlocked devices that are compatible with both networks. For now, T-Mobile is focusing on the new devices it's delivering like the just-announced Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, and its addition of 276,000 prepaid customers. Check out the full report with all the details and dollar amounts after the break.
Richard Lawler02.23.2012ZTE to unleash eight new phones at MWC, hopes multi-core chipsets and LTE push them into third place
If the trio of slabs ZTE announced earlier this week weren't enough for you, sit tight, the outfit just announced it's bringing a total of eight new phones to Barcelona next week. The new handsets will reportedly flaunt multi-core processors, LTE radios and the latest versions of the Android and Windows Phone platforms. This announcement both echos and one-ups the recently announced Mimosa X, which gets its dual-core chops from an NVIDIA Tegra 2, but boasts only HSPA+, rather than the promised LTE. ZTE says it hopes the new devices will help it become one of the world's top three handset providers by the year 2015. Seem far off? Don't worry, at least the phones will be here by Monday. Read on for ZTE's official press statement.
Sean Buckley02.23.2012Qualcomm's fifth gen Gobi unveiled, supports a Lollapalooza of LTE, 2G / 3G bands
Qualcomm this morning took the wraps off the fifth generation of its Gobi reference platform, which offers up LTE via FDD and TDD networks. It also plays nicely with past favorites, including the likes of HSPA+ and EV-DO, keeping your globe trotting self connected on that skinny laptop, tablet or convertible. The reference platform is designed to work with Windows 8 and Android devices and a number of processors, including, naturally, the San Diego-based company's own dual- and quad-core Snapdragons and good old x86. More information and lots of quotes from big name companies who think the bouncing new baby Gobi is just swell after the break.
Brian Heater02.21.2012ZTE Mimosa X official: ICS, Tegra 2, HSPA+ and 4.3-inch qHD display, arriving in Q2
And then there were three. Not 24 hours after announcing a pair of Android 4.0 handsets, ZTE is back with the Mimosa X, a 4.3-inch, HSPA+ device running Ice Cream Sandwich. Interestingly, this is the first time since NVIDIA acquired wireless chip maker Icera that we've seen a phone packing both Tegra 2 and an NVIDIA-made modem (in this case, the 21Mbps-capable Icera 450). In its press release, NVIDIA also goes so far as to say this is the first time "a premium mobile computing experience is coming to the mainstream smartphone market," as if Tegra 3 hadn't already pushed Tegra 2 down into mid-range territory. Anyhow, marketing spin aside, this is indeed a middle-of-the-road device, with a qHD (960 x 540) display, 5-megapixel camera and 4GB of internal storage. It also supports A2DP Bluetooth and DLNA, and makes room for dual mics and a gyroscope. No word yet on how much it'll cost or even what markets it'll hit, though we do know it will go on sale sometime in Q2. Until then, something tells us we might get our first look much sooner, sometime in Barcelona next week.
Dana Wollman02.20.2012Nokia Siemens HSPA+ Multiflow lets one device connect to two cell sites simultaneously
If you've ever used a cell phone while moving, then you've probably experienced the depressed network connectivity that becomes more of an issue as you move further away from any given tower. Some of us are even unfortunate enough to reside or work right at the edge of a cell, forced to live with poor connectivity for much of every day. A new feature called HSPA+ Multiflow may offer some relief, "delivering double the data speed and up to 50 percent faster response compared to existing HSPA+ networks," according to Nokia Siemens, which will be demonstrating the technology at Mobile World Congress later this month. Essentially, Multiflow allows compatible devices on the edge of a cell to connect to two sites simultaneously, letting your device send and receive data between two base stations at once. Multiflow will be available as a software update for Single RAN systems, so it could make its way to a cell site near you just after Nokia Siemens flips the switch during the second half of 2013. Full PR is just past the break.
Zach Honig02.20.2012PSA: AT&T's Galaxy Note does not support AWS for HSPA+
Specs aren't always accurate, especially when it comes to the frequencies supported by the devices we review -- something we learned the hard way with T-mobile's G2x last year. While both Samsung and AT&T list the radios in the awesome new Galaxy Note LTE as quadband GSM / EDGE, tri-band UMTS / HSPA+ (850 / 1900 / 2100MHz) and dual-band LTE (1700 and 700MHz, bands 4 and 17) we've read emails, tweets and comments suggesting that Samsung's giant phone (or little tablet?) is also compatible with AWS (1700 MHz) for HSPA+, which is used by T-Mobile in the US. Bell, which carries the same Galaxy Note in Canada, shows it supporting 1700MHz for HSPA+, further adding to the confusion. Of course, it's possible the Canadian handset is slightly different, but we wanted to verify the radio specs for AT&T's model so we unlocked our white review unit with the help from our friends at Negri Electronics. The verdict? AT&T's Galaxy Note does not support AWS for HSPA+ -- it's EDGE only on T-Mobile USA. Sure, it's rather unfortunate considering Samsung's flagship unlocked Galaxy Nexus features a pentaband HSPA+ radio, but to be clear, the same restriction applies to the global non-LTE version of the Galaxy Note that we reviewed last year.
Myriam Joire02.16.2012White Galaxy Nexus hands-on: a taste of vanilla-flavored Ice Cream Sandwich (video)
When it rains it pours. Hot on the heels of last week's fabulous white Nokia N9, we just received Samsung's freshly minted "chic white" Galaxy Nexus thanks to our friends at Negri Electronics. This handsome phone -- which is spec-wise identical to the HSPA+ version we reviewed last year -- sheds the default gunmetal gray skin for a lovely satin white finish. Further differences include a chrome camera pod (instead of black) and a much smaller dot-pattern on the textured battery cover. The handset, which is running Android 4.0.2, goes by the name "yakjuxw", meaning that unlike its official "yakju" cousin, it won't be getting software updates directly from Google. Still, the bootloader is unlocked, making it relatively painless to switch ROMs. What's most intriguing about this particular unit, however, is that it shipped with a North American charger instead of the expected UK adapter. Is this an unannounced US / Canadian market device? Go ahead and ponder that while you savor a taste of vanilla-flavored Ice Cream Sandwich in our gallery below, then watch our unboxing video after the break.
Myriam Joire02.13.2012Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review (global edition)
Within an 11-day period last fall, Engadget published reviews of two different Samsung Galaxy tablets. At the time, we felt the company was turning into a caricature of itself, with slates in every conceivable size, including 10.1, 8.9 and 7 inches. Mostly, though, if we sounded exasperated with Sammy's "see what sticks" strategy, it was because the outfit unveiled not one, but two 7-inchers over the course of a month. One of these, the 7.0 Plus, went on sale in the US back in November, with mid-range specs and a mid-range price to match its in-between size. But that tablet always felt like a consolation prize next to our second contender, the Galaxy Tab 7.7, which brings a brushed metal back, 10-hour battery and Super AMOLED Plus, 1280 x 800 display. Even on paper, it always seemed promising. Special.Maddeningly, though, those of us here in the states still can't buy one through the likes of Best Buy and Amazon, and though Verizon Wireless plans to sell an LTE-enabled version, we know scant few details about when it will arrive, how much it will cost or whether there will be an off-contract option. Luckily for us, our friends over at Negri Electronics hooked us up with an international model, one with 16GB of internal storage and WiFi, HSPA+ and EDGE / GPRS radios -- a doozy of a tablet that would cost you $668.50 if you were to import it to the US. (You can buy it domestically if you live in select markets like the UK.) So is the product novel enough to warrant that novelty price? Find the answer to that question and more after the break.
Dana Wollman02.07.2012AT&T connected Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S get Android Market Google Wallet installs
So far, Google Wallet has its official US availability on NFC-compatible handsets limited by unfriendly carriers with their own mobile payment services in mind, but it appears that is no longer the case for Nexus handsets with AT&T SIMs inserted. Droid-Life reported the app is available in the market for AT&T-SIM'd HSPA+ Galaxy Nexus phones, which we were able to confirm on our own device (over any connection, as long as the AT&T card is in, switching back to a T-Mobile SIM made it disappear from the market again, although of course the app still worked). We also found it was available on our Nexus S under the same conditions, however that official blessing did not extend to the NFC-compatible Galaxy S II Skyrocket or Galaxy S II Global we tried. Interestingly, Droid-Life has also noticed easy access downloads for VZW Nexus that are rooted with their bootloaders unlocked, and of course there's still always another way to get it.
Richard Lawler02.02.2012Huawei's MediaPad joins AT&T's '4G' army, pauses to rethink possible
Ready to rethink possible, tablet-style? AT&T announced today that it'll be getting its 4G (well, HSPA+, that is) paws on Huawei's MediaPad, roughly half a year after the Android tablet made its debut. The seven-incher offers up a 1.2GHz dual-core processor courtesy of Qualcomm, front and rear facing cameras and Honeycomb, with ICS still on the horizon. It'll arrive on the carrier tomorrow for "varying price points." Press release after the jump.
Brian Heater02.02.2012Pantech Pocket review
Hundreds of smartphones of all shapes, sizes and colors pass through the doors of Engadget HQ every year, so it's natural for a few oddball devices with crazy form factors to end up in our hands from time to time. The Motorola Flipout, LG DoublePlay, Kyocera Echo and Samsung DoubleTime are all instances of carriers trying something new, seeing what sticks. Of course, pushing out a phone with an unproven form factor is a huge gamble for a mobile provider, and as a result they only ship to stores in low volume and rarely receive any kind of marketing campaign at its launch. Indeed, the vast majority of these types of phones are low-end devices aimed at young adults and first-time smartphone buyers, but we still find it adventurous to take a break from the monotony of black slabs and try out something completely different. The Pantech Pocket is definitely unique -- not because it flips or slides a weird way or because it has two and a half screens, but because its 4-inch display, whose 4:3 aspect ratio promises 20 percent more horizontal real estate. Did AT&T's gamble on the display pay off? Is it worth the $50 that AT&T demands with a two-year commitment attached? Time to find out below. %Gallery-142128%
Brad Molen12.27.2011Verizon Galaxy Nexus spills its guts, gets Ice Cream Sandwich all over the floor
What treasures lurk beneath the surface of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus? Well, erm, broadly the same ones that we saw when the HSPA+ version was torn down back in November. Big Red's version carries a smaller microSIM slot (it's also moved), presumably to cram in the Silicon Motion FCI FC8870 CDMA/EV-DO/LTE unit that's suddenly appeared on the motherboard. Check out the full teardown at the source link below, but be warned -- spilled Ice Cream Sandwiches always result in ant infestation.
Daniel Cooper12.16.2011Galaxy Nexus for Verizon LTE unboxing and speed test (video)
After weeks of waiting, rumoured launches and even a few accidental sales, the elusive Verizon Wireless Galaxy Nexus is finally here. We dropped by a New York City retail store to try out Google's first Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone in the flesh, before bringing one home for a proper unboxing and LTE performance test. As expected, the production version that we finally got our hands on today is virtually identical to the sample that popped up at the Samsung Experience earlier this month, but with one major exception: there's a Micro SIM installed, letting us try out core functionality, such as placing phone calls and accessing data without a WiFi network in range.The Verizon Nexus arrived with Android 4.0.1 pre-installed, but prompted us to update to 4.0.2 just a few minutes after we added a Google account. It is noticeably thicker and heavier than its HSPA+ counterpart, but this thing is fast when it comes to transfer speeds -- not quite as speedy as we've seen with some LTE devices on AT&T's budding 4G network, but it's definitely in line with competing handsets from Verizon, and the MiFi we used for a comparison speed test. Our salesperson wasn't willing to let us leave without first confirming that the phone was in fact working, so he had the honor of first peeling back the phone's plastic cover. Ready to check it out? Roll up your sleeves and join us after the break for our unboxing and speed test.%Gallery-141918%%Gallery-141932%
Zach Honig12.15.2011LG Nitro HD review
And then there were three. AT&T's lonesome LTE duo -- the Samsung GS II Skyrocket and HTC Vivid -- just gained a new member with the recent launch of LG's Nitro HD. You may recognize this particular handset from its former life as the Optimus LTE, except here the phone's been rebranded with a moniker that more astutely conveys its blazing 4G purpose. There may be tough times ahead for the handset, considering the current crop of high-end devices hogging the spotlight. But if three's company, the Galaxy Nexus, HTC Rezound and Droid RAZR are sure to make this a standing room-only crowd -- an especially haughty bunch given their heavyweight specs. Which is why this sudden end-of-year release for the Nitro HD has us questioning the company's timing. Sure, it's no slouch when stacked up against the competition, with a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 AH-IPS display, dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 processor and 1.3 front-facing / 8 megapixel rear cameras. Yet at $250 on contract, the Nitro HD needs to outshine the legacy set by its best-in-class Sammy stablemate or, at least, offer a performance boost over the cheaper Vivid. So can LG's last second contender rise above the fray to win your holiday dollars? Will it succeed in outclassing its LTE compadres? Or is it a case of too little, too late for this me too three! smartphone. Follow on past the break as we dive into the mobile nitty gritty. %Gallery-141021%
Joseph Volpe12.06.2011Dual-core Meizu MX fully unveiled, launching on January 1st with HSPA+
After some teases and leaks, Meizu's finally unveiled its next flagship phone MX to keep China entertained for 2012. While the quad core flavor won't be here until next year, this dual core model will be available in mainland China starting from ¥2,999 ($470) on January 1st (like with the M9 last year), and Hong Kong is still expecting an early January release. The full spec list now includes a 4-inch 960 x 640 ASV display, 1.4GHz Samsung Exynos 4210 dual core chip, 1GB of LPDDR2 RAM, 16GB of storage (32GB version to launch later), 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, a secondary mic for noise cancellation and a 1,600mAh battery. Oh, that circular button at the bottom? It's just a physical home button instead of an optical trackpad as previously rumored. Globetrotters will be pleased to know that the 10.3mm-thick MX will pack pentaband 3G with HSPA+, so all you need is a Micro SIM to get the phone working. As for software, it'll come with Meizu's heavily customized Android 2.3.5 initially (dubbed Flyme OS) but will eventually get the 4.0 update, as already promised by CEO Jack Wong. On the multimedia front you'll again find native support for FLAC audio plus various video formats like MKV, MP4 and AVI; along with a micro-USB port that supports S/PDIF digital output, USB host plus MHL; and an eight megapixel f/2.2 backside-illuminated camera (which does smile detection and panorama shot) with 1080p 30fps recording. Head on over to Meizu's website for the full lowdown -- it'll be a good way to practise your Chinese, too. Update: Press release added after the break. %Gallery-141100%
Richard Lai12.05.2011Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon LTE hands-on (video)
New Yorkers got a sneak peek at the Verizon LTE flavor of the Galaxy Nexus at the Samsung Experience in Columbus Circle today, and we dropped by to spend a few minutes with the Ice Cream Sandwich handset in the Manhattan showroom. Samsung had just four pre-production Nexus models on hand, which were running Android 4.0.1 -- not the final 4.1 version we're expecting to see shortly, with a baseband update in tow. None of the samples included SIM cards, so we were only able to test them using the built-in WiFi module. A security alarm sounded when we attempted to remove the back cover to install a SIM, though the battery was also superglued in place, further inhibiting our access.We did take the unit for a speed test spin using our Verizon LTE MiFi, and achieved download speeds ranging from 5000-7000kbps and upload speeds of 300-2000kbps when connected to LTE over WiFi. These results don't represent what you'll see with the built-in module, but considering there was no way to get these running on the Verizon network, connectivity was limited to the MiFi and in-house WiFi. Still, this is your best shot at getting your hands on a device ahead of Verizon's official launch, so if you happen to be anywhere near NYC, head on down to the Samsung Experience to get your Nexus fix. Or hop past the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-140993%
Zach Honig12.03.2011Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ review
Every now and then a device comes along that we really look forward to getting our hands on. Google's line of Nexus smartphones falls into this category, setting the new standard for Android each year.
Myriam Joire11.24.2011Meizu MX resurfaces, home button gets a nip-and-tuck, turns into optical trackpad?
It's been a while since we've seen the Meizu MX, but these latest shots from Mr. Blurrycam reveal that the phone could see a substantial tweak to its main home button. These photos are likely to be of a work-in-progress handset, with plenty of bizarre cutaways presumably obscuring details of the mole. In the leaked drawings, Meizu's upcoming smartphone looked an awful lot like its M9 predecessor, albeit with a bigger screen, running on a superior A9 Cortex processor. The main button apparently doubles as an optical trackpad, with the two flanking capacitive buttons rotating depending on orientation. While it still remains uncertain whether this nub will replace the squarish button found on the MX mock-up earlier this year, hopefully CEO Jack Wong will still manage to meet the December launch date -- if only for the sake of all those loyal Mei-yo. Fans of severely obscured photography can catch another glimpse after the break.
Mat Smith11.24.2011Engadget's holiday gift guide 2011: smartphones
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! We're well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties surrounding the seasonal shopping experience, so we're here to help you sort out this year's tech treasures. Below is today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Jack Frost nipping at your phone and you need a new one? We know it can be difficult to decide on a smartphone to add to your holiday wish list, but if you're going to be hitting up all of the New Year's Eve parties, you don't want to be using something that's too embarrassing to take out of your pocket. This season offers a lot of tempting options: Ice Cream Sandwich, Windows Phone Mango and iPhone 4S are all worth drinking a lot of eggnog over. Unfortunately, there are so many tantalizing possibilities that we aren't able to include every single handset, but we've whittled it down to a mere nine devices that we think even Old Man Winter would enjoy. Join us after the break to help ring in the holiday cheer.Note: Prices are subject to change. Amazon, for instance, is holding a week-long holiday sale (from November 21st to 28th) in which almost every smartphone is a penny.
Brad Molen11.22.2011Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 visits FCC again, wants to show its 3G credentials
It was on, then it was off, but it looks like Samsung 7.7-incher could return from the ether of launch limbo, with a 3G-capable model knocking at the FCC's lab-door. Schematics are largely identical to the WiFi model spotted at the commission back in September, but the filing confirms that this particular slab of Android will be arriving with HSPA+ talents. Yes, the GT-P6800 will offer up some faux-G speeds alongside a sizable Super AMOLED Plus panel (1280 x 800) and the standard WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS bells and whistles. We are, however, still tapping our collective feet while waiting for confirmation on whether the device will ever land on American soil. What's in an inch, anyway?
Mat Smith11.22.2011