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Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 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, Verizon Wireless brought its LTE service to 28 new markets and expanded its reach in 11 additional areas. We also saw Straight Talk introduce the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim, and it appears that Rogers will soon offer the HTC One S. 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 May 14th, 2012.
Samsung Galaxy Note Ice Cream Sandwich update begins rolling out now!
Samsung has begun quietly rolling out the long-desired Android 4.0 update for the Galaxy Note. When it arrives, it'll add the latest edition of Google's OS and the "Premium Suite" full of stylus S-pen friendly apps like S Note, Shape Match and My Story to your 5.3-inch phablet. The company is yet to confirm the launch, but several European users are already on the ICS bandwagon, with others expected to join soon -- but let's be honest, it's gonna feel like decades until that blessed notification pops up. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Refresh Roundup: week of April 30th, 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 April 30th, 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, we saw the first rollout of Verizon LTE from one of its rural partners, and both the Optimus L7 and Xperia U were spotted for Fido. 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 April 30th, 2012.
Samsung Canada begins rollout of ICS today
Let's not speak of the several months it took for Ice Cream Sandwich to finally begin showing up on Samsung devices. Rather, the fine mobile-loving folks in Canada should just take a brief moment to embrace the present and not-too-distant future, because Samsung is now officially rolling out its long-awaited Android update to the nation up north -- complete with the latest version of TouchWiz -- to select devices today and continuing throughout the rest of the quarter. The list of featured products include the Galaxy S II (along with its LTE, LTE HD and X variants), Galaxy Note and several Galaxy Tabs, such as the 7.0, 7.0 Plus, 8.9 and 10.1. Of course, not everyone will get the beloved installation invitation today, since these large-scale rollouts seem to take a healthy amount of time. If you simply can't wait, it couldn't hurt to give the 'ol manual update method a try.
Leaked T-Mobile roadmap outlines Ice Cream Sandwich updates, new myTouch devices
Looks like our friends over at TMoNews have unearthed a roadmap with some tasty morsels of info about what's coming down the pipe from T-Mobile USA in the next few months. Of course, none of this is set in stone or even confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt. Most interesting is a pair of dates for Ice Cream sandwich updates, with Magenta's Galaxy S II slated to receive Android 4.0 on May 14th, followed by the Sensation 4G and Amaze 4G getting ICS (with Sense 3.6, presumably) on June 16th. A bunch of device launches from Samsung and Huawei round up the list of dates, with no sign of HTC's One X, Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S III, or T-Mobile's rumored Galaxy Note variant. Sadness. Check out the entire bounty below. May 9th: Huawei Astor (low-end phone for 7-Eleven) July 11th: Huawei Buddy and Phoenix (myTouch QWERTY and slate, respectively) July 11th: Samsung Gravity TXT (new color) Aug 1st: Samsung T159 Cacao (low-end handset) Aug 15th: Samsung Apex Q (mystery device)
Samsung Galaxy Note for T-Mobile spotted in the wild, pretends it's no big deal
Oh, snap. By all appearances, the T-Mobile folks haven't lost sight of the popularity of the Galaxy Note, as a collection of snapshots obtained by TmoNews have revealed Samsung's phablet in none other than Magenta colors. At the very least, this suggests the Bellevue crew is considering bringing the 5.3-inch handset to its stores, and while the carrier's subscribers are currently able to use AT&T's Galaxy Note LTE on the Magenta network, it's a rather roundabout process and the results are less than ideal. We can only hope this one pans out, because really, who wouldn't love to take this monster for a proper ride on the little network that could?
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 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, we've seen clues to suggest the Galaxy Nexus will arrive at Sprint in a matter of days, and leaked materials suggest Rogers will have the HTC One X in stock by April 20th. 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 April 9th, 2012.
Sprint website hints at Samsung Galaxy Note for the Now Network
Well, color us tickled, but upon our recent visit to Sprint's website, we found a curious, unbranded device that looks awfully similar to Samsung's Galaxy Note. Might this fantastic phablet be the next big thing to hit the Now Network, or is it merely the whim of a careless graphic designer? Only time will tell, but with Sprint's recent push for LTE handsets, it seems unlikely that -- if this phone were to arrive -- it'd feature Samsung's mighty Exynos processor that we love so dearly.
Ice Cream Sandwich leaks for Samsung Galaxy Note (update)
For its part, Samsung has been none too coy about the upcoming Android 4.0 release for the Galaxy Note. So far, we know that it's set for a Q2 debut and will pack a new set of S Pen apps, but if you've longed to jump into the frozen goodness a bit early, today you can rejoice -- a leaked build of Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung's fabulous phablet has reared its head in the forums of RootzWiki. Curiously, the file is available only as an EXE, so you'll want to exercise a bit of due diligence with this one. That having been said, comments in the forums are quite enthusiastic.Update: Now that Ice Cream Sandwich is out in the wild, the community is already circling back to provide a rundown of what more timid users may expect. Most notably, Samsung's Premium Suite for the Galaxy Note isn't included in this build, and while TouchWiz is said to crash upon first boot and with the addition of a Google Play account, reports suggest that these are one-time glitches. Otherwise, much of the system is said to be in excellent shape. As for the EXE that we'd mentioned, it's an Odin one-click file that's designed to make the installation rather painless.[Thanks, Tyler]
Is Samsung's white Galaxy Note coming to Canada on Telus tomorrow, Bell on April 10?
It's been nearly two months since Samsung's LTE Galaxy Note made its debut in the land of maple syrup Canada, and now Telus and Bell might finally begin stocking the white variant of the Gingerbread-loaded phablet. According to (supposed) internal memos leaked from both companies to Mobile Syrup, it appears as though Bell's planning to release the 5.3-inch device on April 10th, while Telus may let it loose as soon as tomorrow. Notably, the site also mentions that you'll be looking at an unchanged entry-fee of $200 with a three-year contract or $730 if you'd prefer the phone sans strings. It likely won't be long until this unicorn's northerly arrival gets confirmed for sure, but for now, drag your cursor over to the source links below for a shot of the Bell document and further insight.
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.
Screen Grabs: Vampire Diaries uses Galaxy Note to scratch out sinister signals
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dot com. The residents of Mystic Falls, Virginia are the most tech-savvy bunch of supernatural creatures we've ever seen. If Edward Cullen and Bella Swan bothered to email each other, then we'd have been spared the horrors of New Moon. Quite the opposite here, as The Vampire Diaries folks have their fingers close to the undead pulse of gadgets, with one character in last night's episode refusing to type a text message so they could write out their response with an S-Pen. Fans of the show that keep score should know that it currently stands two to Microsoft, two to Google and the fate of humanity all to play for.[Thanks, Mark]
Samsung ships five million Galaxy Notes in just five months
Five is an important number for Samsung's Galaxy Note. It has a 5.3-inch screen and now, just five months since it debuted Samsung has announced it's shipped five million units (the one million mark was crossed right around the end of December). That's certainly long enough for you to decide if you're in love with its super-sized frame or the accompanying S-Pen stylus, but unfortunately it has not been quite enough time for the highly-anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich software update to be released. While the world waits for the Premium Suite of apps and Android 4.0, let's think back to all the good times we had, including its initial unveiling, our original review and finally its arrival in the US on AT&T. So, are you convinced yet that there's a place in the world for a device like this, or five million phablets later are you still thinking this is just a fad?Update: If you prefer to use your stylus for kanji or kana, Engadget Japan has NTT Docomo's announcement that it will release the Galaxy Note with LTE, branded the SC-05D, on its network April 6th.[Thanks, ph00ny]
Samsung's own Facebook page shows Galaxy Note wearing Ice Cream Sandwich
Hard to believe we're mere months from learning all about Android 5.0, and the lion's share of Android devices haven't even heard of v4.0. That said, Samsung already promised that its polarizing Galaxy Note would be grabbing ICS in the second quarter of this year, and it looks as if the company's designers already have an inkling as to what that'll look like. Shown here at Samsung Mobile USA's official Facebook portal, we have one Galaxy Note sporting Ice Cream Sandwich, but there's no fuss made about (officially, anyway) in the description below. We'd probably still hope for late Q2 based on history, but perhaps the update really is closer to seeing the light of day than we'd been led to believe.[Thanks, Binyamin]
Galaxy Note LTE gains access to T-Mobile's HSPA+ network with custom radio
To all T-Mobile users that've privately longed to wield the Galaxy Note, yet've remained deterred by its nasty EDGE speed limitation, we've just one thing to say: welcome to flavor country. A new workaround designed specifically for AT&T's LTE variant of the monolithic smartphone (and ostensibly, Canadian versions, but not the international model), has successfully enabled HSPA+ support for AWS networks. Just like the Galaxy S II Skyrocket hack, the process is fairly straightforward; users must simply enter a SIM unlock code and then flash one of three radio files to the handset -- feel free to experiment and pick the most reliable of the bunch. While all functions are said to work properly, your phone's battery life may take a hit, as reports indicate that signal strength isn't quite up to par. For those wanting to proceed, just be sure to obtain a stock copy of your phone's radio file before diving in -- otherwise, once the new baseband's in place, you'll be unable to access Ma Bell's LTE network. Isn't compromise the greatest?
Hands-on with Angry Birds Space at SXSW (video)
All work and no play makes even the hottest smartphone downright dull. It's with this in mind that Samsung is showcasing Rovio's latest creation, Angry Birds Space, running on the Galaxy Note at SXSW in Austin, Texas. We took a moment to get our feisty paws on the demo, which showcases the weightless, space-like trajectories that players must contend with in the game. Exclusive to the Galaxy Note, users will find a bonus level of play, in addition to the free Danger Zone add-on -- a collection of 30 levels that'll be available to the masses as an in-app purchase. If you haven't been keeping score, the game will make its official debut on March 22nd. So what're you waiting for? Hop the break for the PR and watch as we take revenge on those fiendish pigs!Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
The new iPad vs. the tablet elite: ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity 700, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and Toshiba Excite X10 LE
You may be thinking, how does that new iPad stack up against the best slates we've seen? Well, you're about to find out. Truth be told, two of these behemoths -- the ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity 700 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 -- were just announced, but impressive spec sheets earned them a seat at the table. We'll cut out the jabbering and get right down to business. Follow us down past the break for a breakdown of features before you decide which tablet will soon be yours.For more coverage of Apple's iPad event, visit our hub!
Samsung confirms pink Galaxy Note coming soon, we go hands-on (video)
Sure, you can personalize your Galaxy Note by sketching with the 5.3-inch phablet's S Pen, but there's no better way to express your mobile-obsessed self than by dressing your device in a flashy new color. Pink is the flavor of the month over at Samsung, which just gave us a sneak peek at its rosy Android hybrid at its CeBIT booth in beautiful Hannover, Germany. The sample on hand is of the shell-only variety, in that it doesn't include any internals, but looks pretty juicy even in its static state. The device is virtually identical to its blue and white counterparts, though its backplate is textured like that of the blue model, rather than the glossy rear you'll see on the white. There's not much more to say about pinky here, considering that the sample device won't even power on, but jump past the break for our hands-on video if you'd care to take a closer look. And keep an eye out for the pink Note in a store near you -- it's expected to land (in Germany, at least) within the next two months.%Gallery-149444%
A closer look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (video)
The last time we showed you the Galaxy Note 10.1, we had time for a few hands-on shots, but not quite enough to get to know the tablet, to warm up to the idea of interacting with one of our favorite 10-inchers using a stylus pen. Now that we've had a chance to park ourselves at Samsung's Mobile World Congress and get acclimated to the various S Pen apps, we wanted to hit back with one more hands-on, this time focusing on what makes the Note 10.1 so special: the writing experience. Meet us past the break and we'll share some early impressions, along with a walk-through video. Only have a minute to spare? Consider those photos below your Cliff's Notes.%Gallery-148870%
