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Pantech FCC filing hints at LTE Breakout successor for Verizon Wireless
We've just stumbled across a subtle hint from the FCC that suggests the Pantech Breakout will need to watch its back from now on -- it seems there's a successor in the pipeline. The Korean manufacturer just passed a new LTE handset through the regulatory agency with support for Verizon's particular flavor of 4G. Known so far only as the Starq (or Star Q), the phone will offer 802.11b/g/n, and while it lacks 5GHz WiFi, we're pleased to see that it'll support the new, low-power Bluetooth 4.0. Only time will reveal the true nature of this handset, but for the moment, we're given reason to hope that Verizon will soon receive a powerful, entry-level smartphone that's closer in specification to the Pantech Burst on AT&T -- and because it never hurts to dream, perhaps this time we'll see a better camera.
Refresh Roundup: week of April 9th, 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!
Refresh Roundup: week of April 2nd, 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!
Pantech breaks the mold with ceramic Vega Racer 2
Late last spring Pantech was making waves with its world-first 1.5 GHz dual-core phone, the Vega Racer. Now, it's introducing its successor, which also claims a mobile first -- a ceramic body (and they don't just mean the color). Apart from the fancy housing, there's a generous 4.8-inch, 720p LCD screen. It's Qualcomm in the engine room again, this time the MSM8960 S4 variant. This offers the same number of cores, but Krait is a much more tantalizing prospect over the aging S3. It also means you can expect LTE along with the usual suspects like WiFi, FM and GPS. If you can't hold out for that other Korean handset, you should be able to part with your Won later this month.
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: spring 2012 edition
Springtime is here. It's a season of renewal, and similarly, an ideal time to replace your aging phone with one that you'll adore. With this in mind, we give you Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide -- your one-stop resource for selecting the best handset that fits your desires and budget. This time around, we're doing things a bit differently. In addition to naming the top phones for each provider, you'll now find more comparisons across carriers. This should help you find the best possible handset -- regardless of network -- if you're willing to make the switch. Also, you'll no longer see limited-time offers as our budget picks -- they'll still get a mention, but now, only phones that commonly retail below $80 will qualify for this coveted spot. Naturally, new smartphones are always coming onto the market, so before you make your final selection, be sure to consult our reviews hub for the very latest recommendations. With that in mind, read on as we round up the best smartphones of the season.
AT&T rolls out Android 4.0 to HTC Vivid, other devices getting ICS in the 'coming months'
Be still our beating heart. Just two weeks ago we heard Android 4.0 -- that upgrade lovingly referred to as Ice Cream Sandwich -- would be reaching the HTC Vivid "in the coming weeks." We even saw the update trickle in to select devices last week without any official notice from the mother ship. AT&T's finally ready to open the floodgates and pour the refresh out to the masses. This download in particular includes Sense 3.6, but throws in third-party Beats Audio support -- a feature that until now has only been seen in version 4.0. If you're packing a Vivid, just make sure you're hooked up to WiFi and head to the settings to get your download on. If it doesn't find the update yet, you also have the option to sideload it from your computer.In the same breath, AT&T also made it known that it's still hard at work readying ICS for several other devices, and we can expect the updates to arrive "in the coming months." There aren't any surprises on the list of candidates: the Motorola Atrix 4G and Atrix 2, Pantech Burst and Element and the LG Nitro are all there, as well as a litany of Samsung devices like the Note, Galaxy S II, Skyrocket, Captivate Glide and Galaxy Tab 8.9. There's no more information yet, so the lucky owners of each one will just have to remain waiting on pins and needles for yet another undetermined number of months. Find the press release underneath.
Samsung, LG and Pantech, among others, fined $40 million in Korean price fixing scam
The truth in advertising is that there is none -- it's mostly all smoke and mirrors. But sometimes those illusory promises have real-world criminal intent behind them, like this latest ruling from the Korean government's corporate regulator. In a decision handed down earlier today, that governing body found mobile phone makers LG, Samsung and Pantech, in addition to operators KT, SK Telecom and LG Upius guilty of price fixing. In what's been framed as a case of consumer fraud, the OEMs reportedly inflated the associated costs of handsets, which were then marketed with supposed discounts by the colluding carriers. Collectively the group's been ordered to pony up about 45.3 billion won (or $40.2 million) in fines, with the largest of those penalties belonging to Samsung at 14.2 billion won (about $12.6 million) and SK Telecom at 20.2 billion won (about $18 million). Adding further insult to this public injury is the FTC, which has taken the extra step of imposing sales restrictions that are intended to prevent the involved parties from committing future infractions. Check out the source below for the full scoop on this corporate back-scratching.
Pantech Element review
You've heard of singin' in the rain (and have likely seen the movie). You may have even attempted it once or twice, but tableting in the midst of a downpour? That doesn't exactly conjure the same whimsy and spontaneous dance numbers. Yet, Pantech's making such joyous, on-the-go content consumption possible with the aptly named Element. It's yet another addition to the growing stable of LTE devices propping up AT&T's newly expanded 4G fort. Rather than run the risk of this being seen as another garden-variety Honeycomb tablet, though, Pantech's imbued this guy with waterproofing.Of course, that's not all this skinned Android slate's bringing to the party. With a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 CPU complemented by 1GB RAM, a 1024 x 768 TFT XGA display and a healthy 6,400mAh battery, this impermeable tab stands on equal spec footing with its post-PC peers. At $299 on two-year contract, it's certainly priced to sell, but should you dish out the dollars for a middle-ground tablet from the likes of a lesser-known manufacturer? Does a limited and possibly frivolous imperviousness to water warrant your attention? Should you stash that plastic until Pantech confirms an ETA for that Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade? Find all this out and more after the break, as we force this 8-incher to brave the elements.
Pantech Burst review
Consider the high-end smartphone. While you lust after those, Pantech is on the prowl, steadily adding to and improving upon its army of budget offerings in the US. It may not be as formidable a force as the Samsungs and Motorolas of the world, but the outfit is finally beginning to leave a mark. Once a complete unknown outside of Asia, the phone manufacturer is keeping itself incredibly busy on this side of the Pacific, cranking out low-cost devices for AT&T and Verizon. Now, Pantech's focus has turned to LTE, starting with the $50 Breakout on Big Red, followed by a smartphone and tablet option on Ma Bell. Pantech Burst official on AT&T Pantech Burst hands-on Pantech Element hands-onThe Pantech Burst is the inaugural entry-level LTE smartphone in AT&T's lineup, debuting at $50 with a two-year commitment. Don't let that bargain-basement price turn you off, though -- this thing's got plenty of mojo to back it up, which makes the Burst a stark contrast to its Verizon counterpart. But what can we expect from a budget-friendly handset? Is Pantech finally pushing out a device that will help it earn a new level of respect from American consumers? We're bursting at the seams to answer those questions and take the device for a spin after the break. (Yes, we just went there.)
PSA: Pantech Element and Burst get bundled together at AT&T, $250 on contract
In case you forgot, both Pantech's new dual-core smartphone and waterproof tablet have arrived and Ma Bell's bundled the pair together to form some kind of middleweight Android tag-team. The price of a matching tablet and smartphone? Expect to pay $250 on contract, and you'll need plans for both the Element and Burst. Those feeling flush can grab the full details at the source.
Pantech next to sign Android patent deal with Microsoft
Microsoft may have already signed patent licensing agreements with 70 percent of the US Android manufacturers, including some of the biggest names in the market, but that doesn't mean Redmond's about ready to hit the brakes anytime soon. Next up on the block is Pantech, according to a company spokesperson talking with Yonhap News. No specific details have been decided yet, so we'll have to wait for the official word and see what happens.
Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Pantech's Erin Magee (update: video embedded)
Got questions about Pantech's line of mobile devices? Marketing Director Erin Magee's got answers. And demos? Yeah, she's got some of the those too. She'll be joining us today on the Engadget stage at 2:30PM ET. Follow along after the break. Update: Interview video now embedded.
AT&T Pantech Element hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
The Pantech Element has been hanging around the rumor mill for quite some time, so it wasn't much of a surprise when we saw it show up at the AT&T Developer Summit keynote earlier today. All of the specs were right on with what we'd heard before: 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, 8-inch TFT XGA display, 5MP rear camera / 2MP front-facing, 6,400 mAh battery for over 12 hours of high-use battery life and of course, waterproof with IP57 certification. We got a little clarification on what Pantech means by this, and it turns out that the tablet can be submerged in up to one foot of water for thirty minutes without batting an eye. Playing around with the tablet, we were surprised by its light weight and classy look. It was incredibly glossy, however, which was painfully obvious by the number of times we felt compelled to wipe smudges off the front and back. The ports of entry were all covered appropriately by secured plastic flaps, but it's necessary in order to keep water or other liquid from getting inside. The tablet runs on Android 3.2, and in our limited time with the device felt smooth and without lag. Overall, it felt as though the tablet certainly fit the price range, which isn't something we were able to say about the $600 (on contract) HTC Jetstream. The Element will be available starting January 22nd for $300 with a two-year commitment, though AT&T is running a limited promotion in which you can get both the Element and the Pantech Burst together for $250. Take a look below to check out some up close and personal images and a snazzy video.
AT&T Pantech Burst hands-on at CES 2012 (video)
Pantech has been going after the budget-conscious subscribers on AT&T for quite some time now, but it now it finally has the opportunity to do the same thing on Ma Bell's network that it did with Verizon: offer a cost effective handset with LTE included. And we have to say: we were overall quite impressed both with the phone's feel and laundry list of specs. For $50 with a two-year commitment, the newly announced Burst -- available in both black and red -- offer a 1.2GHz dual-core Scorpion CPU, Android 2.3 (which Pantech confirmed to us that it will be upgradeable to ICS at some point in the future), 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 720p HD video capture and 2MP front-facing cam.Our first impression was rather positive. The 4-inch display will be a convenient option for most, and the Super AMOLED makes it bright and colorful. It felt comfortable in the hand and we enjoyed the smooth design and tapered sides. As always, we were disappointed in the lack of a dedicated camera button, though we can't say it surprises us anymore -- it seems as though Pantech typically shies away from that option. We're not huge fans of the proprietary OS, as mentioned in our review of the Pantech Pocket, but during our brief time with the device, it seems to be incredibly speedy and void of bugs. Check out the gallery below for plenty more angles, and feel free to watch our hands-on video.
Pantech Element gets official AT&T nod, arrives later this month
Well, we saw this coming and now it's gone all official. Pantech's premier Android tablet will be arriving on AT&T and, more importantly, it's coming January 22nd, matching the specs from our leak earlier. A refresher? Well, there's a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 16GB of storage, with room for expansion through microSD. The eight-inch slate will arrive on Honeycomb 3.2, although there's no news yet on an Ice Cream Sandwich update. Price-wise, expect the Element to set you back $300 on a two-year contract or $450 off-contract. Check it out in action in the video after the break.Update: Check out our CES hands-on here
Pantech Burst official on AT&T with LTE, available January 22nd for $50
Pantech's already made a move to dominate the lower end of Verizon's LTE lineup, and if AT&T's recent announcement was any indication, it's about to do the same on the largest GSM carrier as well. The Burst is AT&T's answer to the Breakout in terms of pricing, but the laundry lists of the two phones actually have a few gaping differences: the former employs the use of a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 4-inch Super AMOLED 800 x 480 display, 5MP camera with LED flash and 720p HD vid capture, 2MP front-facing cam, 16GB of internal storage space and microSD slot with a capacity of up to 32GB and a 1,650mAh battery. The Gingerbread-running Burst will be available in either black or red on January 22nd and can be yours for $50 with a two-year commitment. Considering Pantech's other offering for the same price, we can't say it will be a terribly difficult decision if you're looking for a budget phone on the lineup. We'll have our hands-on soon, so stay tuned. Update: Check out the CES hands-on here
Pantech Element for AT&T specifications confirmed: 1.5GHz CPU, Android 3.2, 4G LTE radio
We've had bits and pieces of information trickling in about the unfazed-by-trickles Pantech Element, but the whole load of specifications just showed up on our doorstep. The waterproof 8-inch slate (16.6 ounces) will start slipping out to retail shops starting today, with a two-year contract price of $299.99 and an off-contract charge of $449.99. Those tallies will net you a 4G LTE / HSPA+ enabled device, powered by Android 3.2 and a 1.5GHz processor. There's also 16GB of inbuilt storage, a microSD expansion slot, haptic feedback, a handful of preloaded applications (AT&T Messages, Enzo Pinball, Sketchpad and Photo Frame) and compatibility with a couple of data plans; there's the $35 / month (3GB) option for those on a contract, or the $14.99 / month (250MB) and $25 / month (2GB) alternatives for those operating sans strings attached. For those waltzing into an AT&T shop to snag one, don't be shocked if you're pressured to pick up an $85 Body Glove case or a $20 screen protector -- because, you know, the waterproof shell just isn't quite good enough on its own.
Pantech Element goes up for pre-order, get those water buckets ready
Looks like there was some truth to those coming attractions, after all. Pantech's eight-inch waterproof tablet, which is set to get its close up next week at CES, is now available for pre-order, a fact we've confirmed with a few AT&T stores -- though the physical locations have yet to actually get some demo models for you to play around with. The tablet is set to start shipping on January 22nd. It'll run you $300 with a two-year contract and $450 with, so you'll have to stick to the cheap champagne for a while with those at home splash tests.
Pantech Element poster spied at AT&T store, launch coming next week for $300?
We've had a pretty good inkling that the Pantech Element LTE tablet would make an appearance at CES in the coming days, and our confidence level just rose another notch. It appears that one corporate-owned AT&T store got the official marketing material for the new tablet a few days prior to the device's launch and was a little too eager to put it on display ahead of time. The tipster also spilled the beans on a few specs, lending credence to earlier rumors: it's a waterproof 8-inch tablet with a 1.5GHz CPU, 16GB of internal storage and LTE, and will go for $300 on a two-year commitment ($450 without). As for availability, we were informed that we should expect it to be available on direct fulfillment (special order) the week of January 15th, with actual units hitting store shelves in the coming weeks. We'll hopefully get the full laundry list and hands-on time on Monday. Jetstream, anyone? [Thanks, Anonymous]
Pantech Element 'Waterproof' tablet rumored to launch on AT&T next week
It looks like Ma Bell's keeping something under her sleeve for CES, if the BGR rumors are to be believed. Apparently we'll see the company releasing Pantech's Element LTE-capable tablet (that we saw at the FCC last month) for $300 on contract ($500 without). The 8-inch tablet is packing a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 16GB storage, five and two megapixel rear and front facing cameras and will run Honeycomb. There's also a claim that the tablet is waterproof, but we can't imagine that being shouted from the rooftops: it transpires that it's only splash-resistant as long as the ports are closed, so Bob Ballard will have to take something else on his next dive.
