NexusPrime
Latest
Galaxy Nexus shipping now in America: unlocked for $750 through Expansys
Pre-order, pre-schmorder. Americans more anxious to blow $750 on the planet's first Ice Cream Sandwich handset than anything on Black Friday can do so right now, as Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is shipping from the warehouses at Expansys. We've received independent confirmation that orders placed today are shipping out, with the aforesaid tally nabbing you an unlocked 16GB GSM (HSPA+) build that plays nice with T-Mobile and AT&T's 3G bands. What it won't nab you, however, is a pack of nabs. Can't win 'em all, right? [Thanks, Dan]
Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Ice Cream Sandwich hands-on (video)
Galaxy Nexus HSPA+ first impressions (video) Ice Cream Sandwich coming to full Xperia lineup, Sony Ericsson confirms Android.com update introduces Ice Cream Sandwich on phones and tabletsRemember the Droid RAZR? That's so yesterday. Or, earlier today. Whatever. The point is, Samsung's just busted out the planet's first Ice Cream Sandwich-based smartphone here in Hong Kong, a few days late but hardly worse for the wear. The Galaxy Nexus (formerly referred to as the Nexus Prime) carries on the Nexus torch in spectacular fashion, and we've just spent a few quality moments with one here at the launch event. Design-wise, it's clear that the Nexus S DNA is here, though the rear reminds us most of the Galaxy S II. Those who abhor physical buttons will also be delighted, and while we'd gotten used to the whole Power + Home for a screenshot on the GSII, Power + Volume Down works just fine on this fellow.The 1.2GHz dual-core processor was startlingly fast. It actually felt a wee bit quicker than our Galaxy S II, and given that Ice Cream Sandwich and the Galaxy Nexus were apparently built for one another, we're assuming there's some deeply ingrained optimizations to thank. Swiping from pane to pane was faster than its ever been on Android, and the new Roboto font actually is super eye-pleasing. The touch response of the capacitive buttons -- much like those on the original Nexus One -- take a bit of getting used to, and we had to mash 'em just a touch harder than we anticipated to elicit a response. [Update: turns out our demo phone was a bit of an early build; we touched another model later in the day, and our response gripes were gone. Perfectly responsive. Hopefully that's the one that'll ship out.] Not necessarily a bad thing, just a thing worth noting. We've built our impressions after the break, replete with a video. Enjoy! %Gallery-136933%
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 and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event liveblog!
There ain't no party like a Google and Samsung party because a Google and Samsung party comes with ice cream. Or, at least, this one does. We're glad you're going to join us for the first proper tasting of Google's next mobile operating system, because it's going to be big. Bookmark this page right here and sit tight for all the sweet action at the times below! Psst... and toss your own time zone / day in comments below! 04:00PM - Hawaii (October 18th) 07:00PM - Pacific (October 18th) 08:00PM - Mountain (October 18th) 09:00PM - Central (October 18th) 10:00PM - Eastern (October 18th) 03:00AM - London (October 19th) 04:00AM - Paris (October 19th) 06:00AM - Moscow (October 19th) 11:00AM - Tokyo (October 19th)
Samsung Galaxy Nexus leaks on official site, flashes Verizon affiliation
Guess what just showed up in searches on Samsung.com? That's right, the Galaxy Nexus. The official product page isn't live so there's not much to see beyond front, back, and side shots of the device. Wondering what happened to that Nexus Prime branding? Several readers have let us know searching for that also pulls up the same result on Samsung's suddenly leaky homepage. We've gotten familiar with the soft keys and rainbow background after many leaks, so check your local Verizon coverage map and come back here 'round 10PM ET for a big bite of Google's Ice Cream Sandwich.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Galaxy Nexus images, specs and benchmarks apparently leaked
Either these posters are extremely elaborate fakes, or NTT DoCoMo is really bad at keeping secrets. Just hours after it prematurely tweeted a November release for the Galaxy Nexus (aka the Nexus Prime), we now have what appears to be a full spec list and comparison with the other handsets in the Japanese carrier's range. The details are nearly all familiar from previous suspected leaks, including the dual-core 1.2GHz Texas Instruments processor, 720p Super AMOLED curved glass display, five megapixel camera with 1080p video recording and 32GB of storage (plus 1GB RAM). Now, it's entirely possible that the fakers are all singing from the same dodgy hymn sheet -- but if that's true, then they've also been busily submitting forged benchmarks to GLBenchmark, which displays results from a 'Galaxy Nexus' that include the same 1.2GHz clock speed and HD screen (albeit listed as 1196x720, supposedly due to the onscreen buttons). We'll know the truth soon enough -- the full fandango is but hours away. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Japan's NTT DoCoMo announces Samsung Nexus Prime ahead of Ice Cream Sandwich event
We're still a few hours away from Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event, but Japan's NTT DoCoMo has already jumped the gun on one of Sammy's most anticipated announcements -- the Nexus Prime. Today, the provider confirmed that it'll be "among the fastest" to bring the new handset to market, adding that the Nexus Prime will be on sale in November. Unfortunately, the company didn't get any more specific with regard to release dates, price or specs, but we'll be sure to bring you the latest as soon as we get it. And, as always, you can follow the event in real-time, on our liveblog.
Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event is tomorrow -- get your liveblog here!
Are you a first-to-knower? You will be if you tune in here 24 hours from now. Samsung's event happens at 10am on October 19th in Hong Kong, but if you want to read it live you only need to wait until 10pm ET on October on the 18th. That's right, we'll be liveblogging from the future, Mr. Fusion not required, and it'll be happening in American Prime Time. Samsung is quite obviously going to show us some more of Ice Cream Sandwich and we're hopeful it'll be seen running on the deliciously curvaceous Nexus Prime. Will there be other surprises in store? Will real ice cream be served? Bookmark this page right here and find out as it happens. October 18, 2011 9:00:00 AM EST Psst... and toss your own time zone / day in comments below! 04:00PM - Hawaii (October 18th) 07:00PM - Pacific (October 18th) 08:00PM - Mountain (October 18th) 09:00PM - Central (October 18th) 10:00PM - Eastern (October 18th) 03:00AM - London (October 19th) 04:00AM - Paris (October 19th) 06:00AM - Moscow (October 19th) 11:00AM - Tokyo (October 19th)
Verizon pricing, release windows for Galaxy Nexus, HTC Rezound revealed
One of our tipsters has forwarded this info from Verizon, with pricing and advertising dates for the supposedly Ice Cream Sandwich-ready Galaxy Nexus and the HTC Rezound (aka HTC Vigor). According to the leak we can expect both to sport on-contract minimum advertised pricing (MAP) of $299 when they launch. While their MAP period is pegged to start November 10th, as Droid-Life points out, they may not be released immediately. Still, it means you may have a couple more weeks to save up for one of these superphones and now that you have a target you can make sure your swear jar, piggy bank, or emergency slush fund is up to the task.[Thanks, Anonymous]
Samsung confirms Ice Cream Sandwich event on October 19
Just like we'd heard, we'll be getting our first taste of Ice Cream Sandwich next week, on October 19th to be precise. Of course we've already had a whiff of what it looks like in a video, and sampling the new Music and Google+ apps gave us another good look. But now we're set to see it for real, and if all goes well we might just get some new hardware out of the deal, too. Will this be the day the Nexus Prime makes us think that flat smartphones are... well... square? We'll be there live to let you know as it happens. The event takes place 10:00am HKT, which is conveniently 10:00pm EST on October 18th. A primetime liveblog and gadget unveiling? Can't wait.
Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich / Nexus Prime event back on for the 19th?
This week's CTIA festivities aren't the same since Samsung and Google decided to postpone their new product announcement that was originally scheduled for today, but now we're hearing the Ice Cream Sandwich / Nexus party has already been rescheduled. An inside source tells us the two have moved their plans for the Unpacked event to October 19th in Hong Kong (interested US residents should clear out the evening of Tuesday the 18th, time zones), timed to coincide with the AsiaD: All Things Digital event there next week. Naturally, we'll be in the house, but with not long to go before the potential date, we'd expect to hear something concrete soon.[Thanks, anonymous]
GSM Nexus Prime passes through the FCC, possibly heading to AT&T?
Just because next week's joint Samsung and Google event has been postponed doesn't mean the leaks have to end. A Sammy handset with the model number I9250, which matches up nicely with the baseband version in the Galaxy Nexus shots that popped up, just made an appearance at the FCC packing a GSM radio compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile's HSPA networks. It's also boasting dual-band 802.11n, Bluetooth and NFC. Despite suggestions that the next Nexus device would be a Verizon exclusive, we could be looking at the AT&T version or at least the unlocked GSM model. The fact that it doesn't support T-Mobile's 2100MHz band leads us to believe this won't be popping up in T-Mo shops. It appears that T-Mobile AWS is included. Noticeably missing, however, is any mention of LTE -- that particular feature could still be the sole realm of Big Red. Hopefully we won't have to wait much longer to find out all the details. One more image after the break. [Thanks, Samer]
Samsung and Google postpone Ice Cream Sandwich and Galaxy Nexus
Color us a disappointed shade of blue, but it appears that Samsung and Google have decided not to launch the Galaxy Nexus (or Nexus Prime, or whatever it's called) and Ice Cream Sandwich at their October 11th Unpacked event. The two companies sent out a joint announcement reading: Samsung and Google decide to postpone the new product announcement at CTIA Fall. We agree that it is just not the right time to announce a new product. New date and venue will be shortly announced.The press event on the 11th was expected to be not only the debut for the successor to the Nexus S, but our first good look at the next version of Android. For whatever reason the companies have decided to delay that launch. But, if Eric Schmidt is true to his word, we shouldn't have to wait too much longer... he did promise us that it would launch by November. We'll let you know as soon as we get a new date to expect "something big."Update: A Samsung spokesperson issued a follow up statement to CNET, confirming speculation that the reveal was postponed out of respect, following the passing of Steve Jobs. "We believe this is not the right time to announce a new product as the world expresses tribute to Steve Jobs's passing," the spokesperson explained.
Samsung Galaxy Nexus spotted in the wild? (video)
Leaks are flying left and right as Samsung's Unpacked event approaches, with the latest coming from Romania's Mobilissimo.ro. Today, the site published new images and video of what could be the Samsung Galaxy Nexus -- the long-awaited follow-up to the Nexus S. At this point, it's difficult to say whether the device (model number "Tuna") totally jibes with the leaked specs we saw earlier this week, though its spacious display (rumored to be of 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED stock) does look rather sharp -- the screenshots we've seen are indeed at 720 x 1280 resolution. Other than that, the handset appears to boast a 1,750mAh battery, along with a five megapixel camera and that rumored Ice Cream Sandwich UI, replete with onscreen buttons.Compared with the Nexus S, the front-facing camera on this handset is shifted further to the right, with the proximity sensor nestled between the earpiece and the shooter, rather than all the way on the left. Its corners, meanwhile, seem less rounded than what you'll find on the earlier version, though we noticed that it does have a micro-USB port lurking at the bottom center, much like its ancestor. Of course, we'll have to wait until October 11th to see whether these shots are as good as advertised, but you can head past the break to see the purportedly authentic video or to gaze at some extra screenshots.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
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.
Samsung teases next week's 'Unpacked,' offers a momentary glance at a mysterious device
See that image above? It's Samsung's way of being sly. The company put out a teaser video for its "Google Episode" of Unpacked occurring on October 11th (we'll be there live, by the way), stating that "something BIG is coming." And if you're not looking close enough, you may completely miss the brief glimpse it gave us of a device with a curved screen. The vid doesn't go so far as to loudly exclaim that this mystery device is the Nexus Prime, of course, but c'mon -- we're picking up what Sammy's putting down. Check out the video below to do some sleuthing of your own. Update: Samsung amended the end of the video to add the words "Ahead of the curve." Discuss. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Developers get Google Wallet on original Nexus S, squares wiping your phone with $10
Previously the exclusive phone-swiping domain of Sprint's Nexus S 4G, it now seems possible to get the wonders of Google wallet on its decidedly 3G predecessor. However, it's not an operation for the faint-hearted. If the words Cyanogen, full wipe, flash and kernel resemble white noise, it's probably worth waiting for an official release. See how the forum members at XDA Developers got their NFC wallet fix at the link below. [Thanks, John]
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 26, 2011: Last week we heard the rumor that Sprint would be launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on October 2nd, and we've finally received the official confirmation. The device will be hitting stores tomorrow for $80 with a two-year contract. [PhoneArena] The Motorola Photon WiMAX, referred to as the Photon 4G in the US, is now making its way to Japan as KDDI announced the launch of the device this past Monday. [Motorola] Verizon Wireless launched the Pantech Jest 2 this week, which is a feature phone with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. [Verizon Wireless] The Samsung Galaxy Y is now listed as "coming soon" on O2's website, which makes it the second carrier to announce upcoming availability in the UK. The actual date of release, however, is still unofficial. [O2] Softbank (Japan) looks ready to land the ZTE Lord V882, which appears to be an Android device running on Gingerbread, and comes packed with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 3.8-inch LCD at WVGA resolution and a 5MP camera. [LandofDroid] NTT DoCoMo and Orange have teamed up to offer the Sharp AQUOS SH80F, which features dual 8MP stereoscopic cameras and claims to be the world's first Android device capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time. It'll first be launched in France on October 6th and will follow to other European and Asian countries shortly after. [Softpedia] Maybe Microsoft Canada just assumed nobody actually reads terms and conditions, because the company outed the names of a few upcoming Windows Phones in the T&C for a developer contest: the Nokia Sabre and a duo of Samsungs named the Yukon and Wembley. The Nokia Searay was also named in the list, indicating the Sabre is a second device running on Mango. [Nokia HDBlog (translated)] In preparation for its Windows Phone debut, Nokia is also rumored to be featuring a new voice navigation system with 3D maps, according to some leaked marketing materials. [WinRumors] Here's a rendering of the HTC EVO Design 4G, also known as the Kingdom or Hero S. [Pocketnow] Samsung may have a midrange device coming soon to AT&T's lineup as a complement to the Galaxy S II. We've already seen the I857 pass through the FCC and show up in a leaked roadmap, and now it appears to have been dubbed the Doubletime, according to uncovered Cellebrite records. [Pocketnow] Also appearing in Cellebrite records are the HTC Vigor (PH98100), Motorola Droid HD (XT912), and the Samsung Nexus Prime (SCH-i515). [Droid-Life]
Samsung announces latest Unpacked event, set to kick-off at CTIA
Remember those Samsung Unpacked events from earlier this month and way back in February? Well Sammy is apparently readying something else for the upcoming CTIA, and we've tentatively circled October 11th in our diaries. There's nothing concrete yet on precisely what the Korean manufacturer will be offering up to the masses, though we've seen previous events cover smartphones, cameras and even tablets all in one fell swoop. Might the next Google phone -- heavily rumored to be a Samsung baby-- be "primed" for launch? [Thanks Oguz]
Engadget giveaway: win one of five Nexus S 4G phones with $1,000 Google Wallet credit!
We're pretty excited about Google Wallet, but the service is currently only available for Nexus S 4G phone owners, leaving most of you waiting for broader implementation. Well, how would you like to skip the line, getting to test it out on a Nexus S 4G of your very own? Google has supplied us with five phones to give away -- the company is even throwing in $1,000 (yes, one THOUSAND dollars) of prepaid credit to help fund those first few dozen taps. There's one catch: you'll need to use your Nexus S 4G with a Sprint plan, though the carrier is throwing in one month of demo service to get you started. Check out our in-depth preview for a detailed look at the service, and simply leave a comment after the break to be entered to win -- after checking that you meet the entry requirements, of course.
