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Colors! Samsung's Galaxy Camera pops at Photokina with vibrant orange and magenta paint jobs
Another Photokina star is Samsung's Galaxy Camera, which launched to much fanfare several weeks ago at IFA, but dominates the company's photo-themed booth at the biennial photography show in Cologne, Germany. There's not much more to report on the hardware side, apart from confirmation that certain versions of the Android snapper will pack LTE, but there are indeed some very shiny new finishes to gawk at. First up is a bright orange flavor -- if you feared that the Galaxy point-and-shoot's rather large footprint wouldn't attract enough attention on its own in the field, you shouldn't have any such concerns with an orange model. Also of the neon persuasion is a flashy pink version, which like the aforementioned color, should draw many an eye. We were quite pleased with the black and white models we saw at IFA, and while Samsung clearly has a few colorful prototypes in circulation, the company says they're only being considered at this point, with your feedback determining the final options. So, what do you think? Would you buy an orange or pink Galaxy Camera? Let us know in the comments after the break.%Gallery-165722%
AOKP team posts giant update to its Jelly Bean build, allows rotation and tablet UI anywhere
Custom ROM fans will know AOKP (Android Open Kang Project), but the first build derived from Jelly Bean was knowingly rough around the edges. What a difference a month makes: along with the usual round of bug fixes, the team's second build has added options to force screen rotation and the tablet interface on any device. Not-quite-so-early adopters also get fine-grained control over the interface DPI, LEDs, theming and vibration, and the device list has grown to include the Verizon Galaxy S III, the Galaxy Note and multiple variants of both the original Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab family. If you were waiting to stay just short of the bleeding edge before trying AOKP, your version is ready.
T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Note II firmware update appears, points to Jelly Bean and HSPA+
Samsung's new full-fat smartphone has hinted at appearances on both Verizon and AT&T, and now an update spotted at SAM Mobile suggests that -- just under two months since the original appeared -- there will be a Magenta-branded version of the Galaxy Note II... too. Going under the SGH-T889 model number, firmware from September 15th is now available to try -- if you have a phone that's not yet out on any official channels. The site's sources have said that the device runs closer to a global iteration, lacking any true LTE capabilities, but it's more than happy to substitute that for HSPA+ support. If you're part of Samsung's secretive cabal of handset testers you can seek out the new build at the source below.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 10th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. 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 we could find during 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!
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 10th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, C Spire Wireless activated its first LTE networks and we discovered strong indication that Isis will leverage the GSMA's SIM-based NFC standard for its mobile payments system. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of September 10th, 2012.
Verizon's Galaxy Note II purportedly poses for the camera, over-branding included
Phablet lovers on Verizon may have reason to rejoice, because the carrier's variant of the Galaxy Note II may have been captured in the flesh. The white device is aesthetically identical to the version straight from Samsung's house, save for its questionable carrier-branding. While the back of the phone sports a seemingly legit "Verizon 4G LTE" logo along with its moniker, you'll notice a rather obnoxiously-planted "Verizon" logo on its home button -- perhaps a bit too ridiculous to be the real deal. That said, it's almost certain that the Note II will officially make it to Verizon, no matter if it's dressed like the photos above or not; this purported variant lines up nicely with screenshots leaked earlier this week showing AT&T and Verizon compatibility. Now, if only we could have further confirmation -- perhaps in the way of a second visit to the FCC in the near feature or some leaky memos. [Thanks, Sean P.]
Intel wraps up Jelly Bean port for Atom smartphones, can't say when devices get it
Intel was fast to promise a port of Jelly Bean to Atom-based smartphones. We were left in the dark as to when that port would be ready, but mobile group general manager Mike Bell has put that to rest for PCWorld with news that the Medfield-native Android 4.1 build is both complete and running on Intel workers' devices -- including his. Before dreaming of Google Now searches on an Orange San Diego, though, we'd warn that the usual delays apply. Bell notes that phone makers and the carriers still need go through the lengthy process of signing off on any upgrades. Existing owners will no doubt find it frustrating to be so close and yet so far, although the limbo at least proves that Intel-based hardware isn't being held back relative to its competition; ARM-running phone manufacturers are in the same boat.
Galaxy Note II makes first FCC appearance, variant lacks US-friendly LTE bands
Samsung pegged its new Note for an October launch in Europe and Asia, in typical FCC fashion, it's passed through those wireless testing labs ahead of its arrival in stores around the world. For US readers, there's a severe lack of compatible US LTE bands on this Galaxy Note II, which suggests this is a global model we're dealing with, likely to connect with other 4G networks -- there's a whole lot of them out there. Aside from that, there's a typical selection of 850/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 850 WCDMA/HSPA radios inside this GT-N7105 model. However, we're expecting another Note II iteration -- packing friendlier LTE frequencies -- will make an appearance at the FCC pretty soon.
Xiaomi Phone 2 pre-production units available on September 22nd, limited to 600 lucky buyers
Much like the run-up to the previous flagship product launch, Qualcomm-backed Xiaomi has just announced that it'll be selling a small batch of pre-production second-gen Xiaomi Phones, in the hopes to get some keen users to perform last-minute checks before mass production. To be exact, only 600 of these quad-core Jelly Bean phones will be made available online at local time 10am on September 22nd (that's 10pm ET on the 21st); and even if you have CN¥1,999 ($310) to spare, you'll still need to be one of the 1,200 expert members from the Xiaomi and MIUI online communities to be able to hit the "order" button. Nice hype drive, if you ask us. Later on, successful buyers can simply swap their engineering units in for a final version of the 16GB or 32GB Xiaomi Phone 2 -- the latter a new addition that co-founder Lei Jun announced on Sina Weibo last Saturday (where he also cheekily asked if anyone need a 64GB flavor). For those who qualify but would rather avoid the digital bloodshed next week, we suggest you wait until the official Chinese launch in the second-half of October; or try Taiwan by the end of the year.
CyanogenMod 10 now available in 'M-Series' monthly builds
If keeping up with those CyanogenMod 10 nightly builds was hard work, or just a little too bleeding-edge, then you might be interested to hear about the introduction of "M-Series" releases for CM10. Once a month, the team will release a more stable version for your downloading pleasure, though they are also keen to point out they will be available under the experimental tag. The list of handsets that will get the new builds includes variants of the Galaxy Nexus, Galaxy S, Galaxy SIII, Nexus S, Nexus 7, Galaxy Note and Sony Xperia S. Support for more phones is promised, but for now, head over to the official site for the comprehensive list and a link to the downloads.
Engadget Giveaway: win one of three Nexus 7 units, courtesy of Poweramp!
If you read Engadget frequently, you're certainly no stranger to Google's Nexus 7 tablet that has captured our attention -- and our hearts. Poweramp, one of the highest-rated music players (and one of the most downloaded, from what we can tell) on the Android Play Store, is launching an update that offers Jelly Bean compatibility, and what better way to celebrate the occasion than to give away a trio of Jelly Bean-running Nexus tablets? Also, Poweramp offers a 15 day free trial, so it's definitely worth taking a look-see. Enjoy, and good luck!
Google Nexus 7 mod unlocks 720p recording on front-facing camera
To the delight of live event crowds everywhere, the ASUS-made Nexus 7 sidestepped the primary camera route, only furnishing the slab with a 1.2-megapixel front-facer. While it didn't take long for app-makers to tweak their wares especially for Google's statement tablet, users over at XDA Developers have dug a little deeper to unlock the shooter's 720p recording potential, removing the previous 480p cap. There are several (relatively simple) ways to get it done -- visit the source for the full instructions.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 3rd, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. 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 we could find during 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!
Ainol releasing dual-core Novo 7 Crystal tablet: Jelly Bean and an IPS display for $139
Chinese tablet maker Ainol is stepping up from its ICS-running Novo 7 to the Novo 7 Crystal, a new dual-core 1.5GHz model running Jelly Bean for $139. Below the hood is an Amlogic 8726-M6 Cortex A9 processor, a Mali 400 GPU, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The 7-inch touchscreen display sports a 1,024 x 600 resolution, and Ainol chose an IPS panel for wide viewing angles -- that's not exactly common for a tab in this price range. The whole package weighs 0.72 pounds (328 grams) and measures 0.4 inches (11.2mm) thick, and the tablet will be available in black and white. The Novo 7 Crystal will be WiFi-only (802.11n), though there's room for a 3G modem on board, and connections include a microSD card slot, mini-USB port and mini-HDMI. Notebook Italia says the Crystal will start shipping on September 28th, though we've yet to see any official word on availability. Click through to the source links for more details.
Motorola's rebate site goes live: $100 credit if you need to upgrade to get Jelly Bean
During Motorola's keynote on Wednesday, the company announced a nice little bonus for loyal fans -- should your 2011-or-later handset not receive a Jelly Bean update, you'll get $100 if you upgrade to one of its new models. Well, a website for the deal has gone live and the initial Ts&Cs don't make it sound like an immediate discount, but that the Benjamin will instead be reimbursed as a gift card, carrier credit or a cash equivalent of Motorola's choice. We're still in the dark about which specific phones will be denied a taste of Android 4.1, although the list is expected "very soon." In the meantime, you can sign up at the source link below to receive details of how to update, or how to claim the rebate once the fate of your old handset has been decided.
Were HTC One X+ specs just leaked anonymously by an XDA developer's tweet?
For the second time, we're seeing specs leak out from what would no doubt be HTC's flagship phone, the One X+, but this time there's a lot more detail. An anonymous XDA developer called @Football4PDA, who has shown reliable form in the past by outing the HTC Accord Windows Phone, has tweeted the impressive specs for the possible HTC One X successor. He claims that the phone will be about 134 x 70 x 9.3 mm in size, weight in at 129 grams and pack the new Tegra 3+ AP37 1.6GHz quad-core / 1.7GHz single-core processor with 1GB of RAM and a 32GB ROM. The tipster also said it'll be skinned with HTC Sense 4.5 on top of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, while still sporting the rather anemic One X 1800mAH battery. Naturally, a tweet out of the blue accompanied by no other proof shouldn't be taken as gospel, but it does reinforce another recent leak regarding the high-end device. Either way, we'll probably find out at HTC's big event on September 19th.
Official: Sprint Galaxy Nexus getting Jelly Bean update today (update: Nexus S 4G, too)
Well, well, would you look at that? Staying true to what we'd heard yesterday, it appears that long-awaited Android 4.1 refresh is finally making its way to Sprint's own flavor of the Galaxy Nexus. As expected, the Jelly Bean update brings a slew of familiar, but rather marvelous features to the Now Network's GNex, including Google Now, an improved notification and voice search system, offline dictation and, of course, a smoother UI that's made possible by Mountain View's now-famed Project Butter. Unfortunately, we can't say the same about the Nexus S 4G, as the 4.1.x goods are still MIA for this device -- however, we'll be sure to let you know if that changes any time soon. In the meantime, those lucky Sprint Galaxy Nexus owners can eagerly "check now" for updates on their handset, and don't forget to tell us how much you're liking it so far. Update: We're receiving tips that Android 4.1 is now available to Nexus S 4G users, too. Word is that it's a phased rollout, so check now and then check often. [Thanks, Jesse]
Sprint sending Jelly Bean to Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G tomorrow?
We haven't heard much from the Now Network about upgrading its handsets with some Jelly Bean goodness, but see that picture up there? That leaked screenshot says that Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G owners on Sprint will be getting Android 4.1 on September 6th, which is tomorrow. So celebrate, Sprint customers -- if accurate, that means that your Nexi will be the first stateside CDMA phones enjoying Mountain View's latest buttery smooth mobile OS. Let's just hope Big Red follows suit with a final release for its Nexus owners sometime soon. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Motorola's new Droid range: Meet the Family
Has all of this talk about the RAZR M, RAZR HD and RAZR Maxx HD made you unreasonably excited? Well get in line, because so are we -- which is why we've just broken down the specifications of each handset for you to compare and contrast the key features. Head on past the break to find out what you'll expect to find when you open the box (which doesn't include Jelly Bean, which isn't coming until later in the year).
Motorola aiming to upgrade all possible devices to Jelly Bean, promises to give you $100 credit if it can't
At today's keynote, Motorola head Dennis Woodside has pledged that the company will attempt to upgrade all of its new and existing Android handsets to Jelly Bean "very soon." However, for some units, the latest version of Google's mobile OS is going to be too "compromised" to use properly. In that event, it's pledging to give you $100 credit off one of its brand new handsets, which are being unveiled today. It's not given details about how you go about claiming that credit, or when the program begins, but as soon as we're told, we'll let you know.
