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IRL: Voltaic Spark, LG Optimus One and the Galaxy Nexus
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Want to read about Facebook's inflated valuation? A (debunked) rumor that Snooki is pregnant? Neither do we. So, let's do what we do best, and talk gadgets instead. This week, Engadget editor Don Melanson defends his phone of choice, James takes the Voltaic Spark for a spin in Spain and Mat talks about bonding with the Galaxy Nexus at CES. (Sadly, this fling, like others before it, stayed in Vegas.) How's it all working out for them? As always, we've got your quick takes tucked after the break.
LG Optimus Hub (aka Univa / Optimus Two) earns its stripes at the FCC
Okay, we'll totally admit that we've got something of a phone crush on LG's successor to the Optimus One lineup. Sure, it hasn't debuted in the States, and its specs already look a bit tired, but there's tons of goodwill attached to this family of devices. Should LG properly execute, the handset promises to be an iterative improvement for all smartphone buyers that need to save some coin. Now this sexy creation is making its way though the FCC, and while it's difficult to tell whether this is an international model or is bound for our domestic shores, it's easy to realize that we're one step closer to its much anticipated release. After a bit of digging, we can tell you the phone supports the 1900 and 850MHz bands, which is common to networks such as AT&T, Bell, Telus and Rogers. With all the names being tossed around, it'll be interesting to see how the individual carriers choose to brand these devices, but it seems that we won't have to wait much longer for those details.
Refresh Roundup: week of September 12, 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 The HTC Merge on US Cellular can now be bumped up to Android 2.3.4. It appears to be a manual install, so visit here to download the file and learn exactly how to update your device. [via UnwiredView] HTC has added another device to its growing list of phones and tablets that now support the HTCDev bootloader unlock tool. [via PocketDroid] The LG Optimus S on Sprint is now on the receiving end of an OTA Gingerbread rollout. [via UnwiredView] Great news, Samsung Infuse 4G users: you're getting an update. The bad news: it's a maintenance fix, rather than a full-out Gingerbread upgrade. Still, it may be worth the download if you have the time or opportunity. [via AndroidCentral] Samsung has released the kernel source for the Epic 4G Touch. [via PocketNow] Sprint's certainly getting a lot of love this week, and we're not done yet: the Motorola Photon 4G is beginning to push out another smallish bug fix meant to curb WiFi issues experienced by a few users, and appears to be a gradual rollout. [via SprintFeed] The original Motorola Droid X is expected to receive a maintenance refresh as early as tomorrow, which is intended to resolve a widespread issue with the keyboard. If you're in this category, definitely keep a close eye out on this space. [via Droid-Life] We're hearing that the Droid 2 R2-D2 update to Gingerbread, which we originally reported on last week, is officially rolling out to eager fanboys and fangirls countrywide. [via AndroidCentral] Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery Those CyanogenMod7 builds for the HTC Sensation and EVO 3D we were talking about last week? They're now available. As extremely early builds, download and flash at your own risk. [via AndroidCentral] Since we're talking so much about HTC, here's one more thing: you can now grab a ROM for your HTC Desire HD that enables the beats audio technology. [via GSMArena and Android Community] A dev has been hard at work pulling various Motorola Atrix ROMs and porting them over to the Droid X2. The first one available is plain vanilla Android 2.3.4, if you're just not feeling up to using MotoBlur (aka the now-nameless Moto UI). [via Droid-Life] The initial build of the Motorola Droid Bionic bootstrap is available for install, which essentially will enable you to bootstrap your recovery and create backups on your device. Custom ROMs still aren't around for the Bionic yet (although early builds of CM7 began showing up this week), but the bootstrap is a big step toward achieving that goal. [via Droid-Life] Other platforms Symbian's Anna update is continuing to expand support to more countries, including Italy, Switzerland, Taiwan and Turkey. The refreshes for the US, Canada and Australia -- according to an email from Nokia -- is expected to arrive within the next two weeks. [via MyNokiaBlog] Refreshes we covered this week AT&T Windows Phone 7 devices to receive Mango this fall BlackBerry PlayBook to get OTA update next month that will offer native email, calendar
LG Optimus Hub officially outed as successor to Optimus One dynasty (video)
Well, LG's gone ahead and made the successor to the Optimus One all official-like. The device you've previously known as the Univa (E510) has been renamed as the Optimus Hub, and it's set to arrive in Italy next month for €199 off-contract. The specs remain the same since we first peered at the handset, though we're now able to fill in some additional gaps. First, the camera has received a bump to 5 megapixels, and while the phone's ability to record video still tops out at VGA (640 x 480), it'll now capture up to 24fps (rather than 18fps with the Optimus One). Sadly, an LED flash remains absent from the scene. This Euro version features quad-band GSM support, although its 3G connectivity is limited to the 2100 and 900MHz bands and HSDPA caps out at 3.6Mbps. HDblog (based in Italy) was fortunate to get some hands-on time with the device, and even if you don't speak Italian, it appears to operate quite well -- just take a peek after the break. How will it compare to offerings from Huawei and ZTE in the battle for your hard-earned coin? That folks, remains to be seen.
LG Univa pictured in the wild, may be the Optimus One's young Padawan
You, kid, have got what it takes. The LG E510 -- also known as the Univa -- may be the apprentice of the massively-popular Optimus One, learning the tricks of the trade and mastering the art of winning the hearts of millions across the globe. Norwegian site Mobili nabbed some quality hands-on time with the new device and gave it high marks. The Univa is rumored to feature an 800MHz CPU and Adreno 200 GPU, 512MB of RAM, a 3.5-inch HVGA display, a 1,500mAh battery, and will come with Android 2.3.4 installed. The spec sheet isn't enough to stand up to the Droid Bionics and Nexus Primes of the world, but it's certainly capable of holding up the lower end of LG's Android lineup for the next year, likely picking up right where the aging Optimus One left off. The device still isn't official, which means this is all pure speculation for now, but undoubtedly the manufacturer has something in mind for this newbie. Check out more pics in the gallery below. %Gallery-133005% [Thanks, Cato]
Refresh Roundup: week of August 29, 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 The biggest update we saw this week was a widespread push of Android 2.3.3 to the Motorola Droid 2. This one is done OTA, so simply go into your settings menu and check for updates to see if it's there. (thanks to everyone who sent this in) While we saw a rollout of Android 2.3 to a select few LG Optimus Ones in June, we're hearing reports that the update's now getting pushed out again to a few more regions. This refresh must be done manually through LG's updater tool, so you'll definitely want to check to see if your phone is one of the lucky recipients. [via PocketNow] US Cellular took to its Facebook Page to let customers know it's working on revamping the Samsung Mesmerize to Gingerbread at some point, though no official date or timeframe was given aside from "as soon as possible." [via AndroidCentral] HTC announced the arrival of Android 2.3 for the Thunderbolt and Droid Incredible this month, via its Facebook page. [via AndroidCommunity] In fact, some users have already reported getting Gingerbread for the Incredible, and we suspect the rollout will be complete no later than the end of the month, to fulfill the company's promise. [via Phandroid] Gingerbread is in the plans for the Motorola Milestone 2, and according to the company the refresh will begin rolling out in early Q4. [via MyDailyGadget] The Samsung LC11 LTE mobile hotspot is getting a new build, EF07, that appears to improve its handling of multiple devices and congested WiFi locations. It also adds security patches and new protocols. [via Verizon] An update for the Droid 3 was apparently available to soak testers and leaked online, but was pulled from Motorola servers shortly thereafter. It appears to add video chat support in GTalk and adds a new radio that's supposed to save battery life. The via link still has the update available for anyone interested. [via Droid-Life] Unofficial Android updates / custom ROMs / misc hackery The root method used on most Motorola Android devices has been employed to root the Droid Bionic before it's even been released. [via Droid-Life] LG has released the kernel source for its Gingerbread build of the Optimus S. [via AndroidCentral] The HTC Dev site expanded its support for the bootloader unlock tool this week, now encompassing all versions of the Sensation -- including T-Mobile's. [via AndroidCentral] Other platforms SPB Shell 3.0 is now available for Symbian^3 devices. It brings a fresh 3D-style UI to the OS, and can be yours for $15. [via IntoMobile] Updates already covered this week HP planning TouchPad OTA update for added functionality HTC Flyer Honeycomb ROM leaks Samsung Nexus S updated to 2.3.6, fixes voice search and breaks tethering
Engadget's back to school guide 2011: smartphones
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we're tapping away on our smartphones -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Now more than ever, collegiate studies require a wide variety of devices to help you get that prized "A." The thirst for knowledge you so desperately seek can strike at any time, and you're not always going to have that desktop or laptop nearby to find the answer to a burning question. Perhaps you just need to hurl birds at pigs for a while to blow off your stress. Whatever the case, you'll need something to help you study, store (and edit) all of your important term papers, keep you in touch with classmates or family, and everything in-between. What better way to get all of that than with a smartphone? We've picked nine respectable candidates that can help you through your upcoming semester -- three for each budget level. Oh, and while you're looking, we're giving away $3,000 worth of essential back to school gear to 15 lucky readers, and you can be one of them by simply leaving a comment below! So, which phones are most likely to help you get smart? Head past the break to find out.
US Cellular introduces Android to its prepaid realm, offers LG's Optimus U and Apex sans-contract
US Cellular's love of all things green and robotic is spreading to its prepaid lineup, with LG's Optimus U and Apex marking Android's entry to the carrier's paygo segment. At $199, the Optimus is a respected entry-level Froyo touchscreen phone, and is our pick of the two. LG's Apex sells for $249, though its full QWERTY keyboard comes at a sacrifice -- the slider is saddled with Eclair. Data plans are required for both devices, though we think you'll smile at their very competitive rates. Full PR after the break.
LG Thrive debuts as AT&T's first Android GoPhone, also available as the Phoenix for the committal-type
Those leery of long-term contracts may now join Android's ranks on AT&T, who keeping with their promise, began shipping the Thrive, its first smartphone in the prepaid column. As we'd reported earlier, this restyled Optimus One can be yours for $179.99, no strings attached. Those scraping pennies together can join the (relatively limited) data consumption at 10MB per month for $5... though we feel 100MB for $15, or 500MB at $25, are comparatively better deals. On a related note, the same phone -- this time known as the Phoenix -- is available in slate blue attire with AT&T's customary two-year commitment for $49.99. Though both phones ship with Froyo, we're hopeful to see a Gingerbread update in due time -- depending on Ma Bell's whim, of course.
Cricket Wireless launches LG Optimus C for $130 off-contract
Just about every other carrier has its own variant of LG's fast-selling Optimus One smartphone, and you can now even count Cricket Wireless among that group. It recently launched the LG Optimus C, which offers yet another oh-so-slightly-different design along with all the same specs we've seen before -- a capacitive 3.2-inch HVGA display, 3.2 megapixel camera, a 600MHz processor, and Android 2.2 with some minor LG customizations. That may not sound like much, but we've found the other versions of the phone to be surprisingly snappy and solid for such a budget-priced smartphone. That budget pricing of course continues on Cricket, which is offering the phone for just $130 after a $20 web discount and $50 mail-in rebated -- and, yes, that's without a long-term contract, although you will apparently have to sign up for Cricket's $55 a month unlimited Android plan to start with. [Thanks, PHug]
LG Optimus One headed to T-Mobile with 3G hotspot and WiFi calls?
If the allegedly leaked slide immediately above is the real deal, it looks like the LG Optimus One is destined for T-Mobile, and it's going to get some serious use out of that 802.11 b/g WiFi radio. We knew the quad-band GSM handset was going to have a shot of Froyo on top of some fairly middling specs, but here's an unexpected treat: the Android handset just might be the first Android device with UMA support. If you've already forgotten what that particular acronym means, we don't blame you, as Unlicensed Mobile Access hasn't held the spotlight since the days of HotSpot@Home, but suffice it to say the tech uses a WiFi access point to make free VoIP calls, no cell signal (or minutes) required. It'd be easy to point to this move as a nefarious T-Mobile plot to free up cellular bandwidth a la the femtocell, except it apparently also works the other way, too -- the Optimus One will allegedly let you share that HSDPA 7.2 Mbps connection over WiFi with your thirsty laptop.
