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Samsung Galaxy S III drops to $99 on Amazon for a 'very limited time only'
In the market for a Samsung Galaxy S III, but you despise dropping over two figures on electronics? First and foremost, we might suggest another hobby to you. We'd also suggest snapping up a half price $99 Galaxy S III from Amazon today, where it's on sale "for a very limited time only." Yes, you have to sign up for a new individual or family activation, but at least you can choose between Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T for that new contract. It'll even arrive in two days, per Amazon's free two-day shipping, and there are three different colors of the 16GB version to choose from. Hot dog!
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!
STMicroelectronics details pressure sensor in your Galaxy S III, can tell when you're mountaineering
If you're the sort to tear down your Galaxy S III, you might have noticed a mysterious STMicroelectronics LSP331AP chip lurking on the motherboard. While we've known that it's a pressure sensor, we now know that it's a new generation -- new enough that ST is just getting to explaining the technology to a mainstream audience. The piezoresistor-equipped MEMS chip tracks altitude through atmospheric pressure with an uncanny knack for precision; it can tell when you've crossing between floors, which could be more than handy for future iterations of indoor navigation. Don't worry if you're an extreme sports junkie that might push the limits, either. The sensor can do its job at the kinds of pressure you'd normally see when 32,800 feet high or 5,900 feet below sea level, which should keep it working even if you're checking your phone during a climb up K2 or a HALO skydive. We don't know if anyone beyond Samsung is lined up to use ST's pressure sensor in their devices, but we wouldn't be surprised if it becomes a mainstay for smartphones and outdoor gear in the near future.
ComScore: Android tops 52 percent of US smartphone share, iPhone cracks the 33 percent mark
Both Apple and Google have reasons to break out the champagne in the wake of ComScore's latest market share figures. Android is still sitting prettier than ever and just reached a new high of 52.2 percent for US smartphone share as of this past July, no doubt in part through at least a few Galaxy S III sales. Not that Apple is worrying about its US stake just yet, as the iPhone just passed the one-third mark to hit 33.4 percent -- it gained share faster than Android in the space of the preceding three months. We don't have much good news elsewhere, though, as the BlackBerry lost its hold on two-digit market share at the same time as Windows and Symbian continued to cede ground. As for the overall cellphone space? The familiar pecking order of Samsung, LG, Apple, Motorola and HTC remains intact, although only Apple and HTC gained any traction with their respective 16.3 percent and 6.4 percent slices of the pie. LG has dropped quickly enough that it's now within Apple's crosshairs at 18.4 percent. As significant as the shifts can be, we're most interested in what happens two months down the line, when ComScore can report September share: a certain phone's launch is likely to skew the numbers, regardless of what HTC and Motorola bring to the table. Just be advised that US market share isn't everything.
Samsung Galaxy S III gets Quick Tap mobile payments system from Orange and Barclaycard, works with most UK bank accounts
We've barely heard from Orange's Quick Tap payments system in over a year, but now the UK phone network has decided to dump the underwhelming Tocco Lite and add its mobile payments service to the NFC-capable Galaxy S III. Tying into any British MasterCard, Visa, Debit or credit card, you'll be able to pay up to £20 from your account without the need for PIN entry. New users on Orange SIM-toting Galaxy S IIIs will also pick up a 50 quid bonus when they activate the feature, which kicks off this Wednesday. Check the press release below for all the details.
Engadget UK Giveaway: win a Samsung Galaxy S III courtesy of Expansys!
If you live in the UK, and you've more than a passing interest in mobile phones (we're guessing that's a given), then you are probably already familiar with Expansys. The online store, known for its wide range of gadgets, and geek-friendly pricing, has kindly given us one of Samsung's Galaxy S III handsets to give away. For the uninitiated, all you have to do to win this piece of tech nobility is leave a comment below. Well, along with reading, and complying, with the rules set out below. Most importantly, on this occasion, you must be a UK resident. Good luck! Update: We've gotten hold of the actual handset we'll be sending out, and it turns out to be Pebble Blue rather than the Marble White originally shown above. Do you still want it?
Mophie readies Galaxy S III Juice Packs, coming very soon
If you thought Mophie was planning to keep its smartphone Juice Packs exclusively Apple-based -- we'd have probably agreed with you. But then we got to take a look at this pair of cases crafted for Samsung's Galaxy S III. Yep, the battery-packing cover (which looks likely to fit all the current iterations) promises to give "over double the battery life" of your un-augmented handset. This was just a brief peek -- but expect the (as-yet unpriced) cases to appear in stores around the end of October, early November.
Jelly Bean makes a surprise appearance on Vodafone's Samsung Galaxy S III LTE
Blink and you might have missed it -- we almost did. It's Android Jelly Bean (4.1.1), running on a German Samsung Galaxy S III LTE -- what seems to be a plum colored model, to be exact. It's not the first time we've seen it in some official form, but playing with the handset on display at Vodafone's IFA booth certainly made the inevitability of the upgrade all that much more real. Using the handset next to one running ICS, the differences in the buttery smoothness weren't too apparent, though the OS certainly felt quick. Video evidence after the break. Update: We also spotted the Titanium Grey iteration at T-Mobile's stand. Check the gallery below. %Gallery-164137%
Samsung sends Canadian a truly unique Galaxy S III, guarantees a loyal customer
And you thought your future brown Galaxy S III would be special. We're just learning the full story of how avid fan Shane Bennett got what may be the rarest version of Samsung's flagship phone through an unusual chain of events. After half-jokingly asking Samsung Canada for a free phone with the drawing of a dragon as a token gift, Shane was given a kangaroo drawing as a response; the overwhelming reaction to his posting that story on Reddit led to not just a thank-you trip to a Galaxy S III launch party but a custom phone designed around his off-hand doodle. We're not kidding when we mean custom, either. Along with the distinctive front and back, his phone came with matching on-screen wallpaper and even a specially wrapped box. The likelihood of anyone else receiving a similar gesture is slim -- who'd want to spoil the originality? -- but credit has to go to community manager Drew Bomhof for going the extra distance and acknowledging that even a giant phone maker is only as strong as its individual customers.
Samsung expands Galaxy S III colors: yes, you can get brown
Samsung just couldn't relegate itself to a two-tone, blue and white Galaxy S III universe -- the company is using the run-up to IFA 2012 to triple the size of its smartphone's palette. We've seen the Garnet Red model arrive early at AT&T, but it now looks to be spreading abroad; the previously leaked Sapphire Black is equally official for those who don't think the original blue is dark enough. We're also seeing two more colors that have been relatively undiscovered, including a Titanium Gray and an unconventional Amber Brown. No, not that kind of brown, although it may be the first time in awhile that earthy hue has claimed such a high profile. Color choices will vary depending on the carrier or store, which leaves a distinct chance that you'll be switching networks or hunting down importers if you've got to have just the right shade of Hyperglaze in your life.
Samsung announces Drive Link, a car-friendly app with MirrorLink integration
Until self-driving cars become mainstream, it's best to keep eyes on roads and hands off phones. With this in mind, Samsung's debuting Drive Link, an app that balances in-car essentials with driver safety, complete with approval from the no-nonsense Japanese Automotive Manufacturers Association. It's all about the bare essentials -- navigation, hands-free calling and audiotainment from your phone-based files or TuneIn. Destinations can be pulled from S Calendar appointments or texts without trouble, and the text-to-speech feature means you won't miss a message, email or social media update. The best bit is that via MirrorLink, all these goodies can be fed through compatible dash screens and speaker systems. Drive Link is available now through Sammy's app store for Europeans sporting an international Galaxy S III, and will be coming to other ICS handsets "in the near future."
Refresh Roundup: week of August 20th, 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!
Samsung reveals the design story highlights for the Galaxy S III
Samsung was very keen to let us know that its latest flagship phone was designed for humans. Now, the latest in the revealing series from the firm gives a little more insight into how the team went about that. For example, product designer Hangil Song explains how the rounded edges were inspired by pebbles in a stream, while sound engineer Joongsam Yun describes how they wanted to make the phone sound like a stroll in the forest. So, next time you're barging your way down Mainstreet with four ounces of synthetic material blaring out Carly Rae Jepsen, remember, you're doing it wrong.
Engadget Giveaway: win a Samsung Galaxy S III, courtesy of DailySteals!
The Samsung Galaxy S III is one of the best phones on the planet right now, and we have an unlocked global version (I9300) to send to your doorstep! This week's giveaway comes to you from DailySteals.com, a website dedicated to hooking you up with all sorts of electronic goodies -- and doing so without your wallet developing unkind feelings toward your lust for the latest and greatest gadgets. As always, it's best to take a quick look at the rules before entering, and then proceed to the comment section from there. Good luck!
MetroPCS reveals Samsung Galaxy S III as part of fall lineup
Turns out the LG Motion 4G wasn't all that MetroPCS had up its sleeve for reveal today, as the prepaid carrier separately let its new fall lineup slip, and wouldn't you know it, among those devices is the Samsung Galaxy S III. Joining the superphone will be a smaller Sammy smartphone, and like the LG Connect 4G, it'll support VoLTE -- curious that the carrier isn't touting the feature for the Galaxy S III, don't you think? ZTE will also be making another go at MetroPCS, as an Android handset with a 4.3-inch screen is now in the cards, but other relevant specs remain sorely absent. Rounding out the lineup will be an import from Coolpad, which is said to wield a 4-inch screen and will retail for $149. According to Phone Scoop, we may see this one make an official debut later this week. Naturally, none of these slabs carry the same clout as the Galaxy S III, and if you'd like to get a bit more familiar with the soon-to-be premiere smartphone at MetroPCS, be sure to check out PC Magazine below, which managed to score a hands-on with the latest version of Samsung's finest.
iZettle comes to Android for a few lucky Swedish Samsung owners
Square gets most of the media hype, but without an international presence, would-be competitors have had a chance to carve out their own niches in the mobile commerce market. Sweden's iZettle has managed to make quite a splash in its homeland, and it's expanding its mini empire by finally bringing its wares to Android -- albeit in an extremely limited form. Unless you've got a Galaxy S III, S II or a Note then iZettle still isn't for you and with availability in a single Nordic country, it might seem more accurate to describe Android support as being in beta, but the company has ditched the testing tag regardless. Rest assured, however, it is actively working to add more handsets and export the app beyond its particle board-loving borders.
Refresh Roundup: week of August 13th, 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 August 13th, 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, Clove teased the October arrival of the black Samsung Galaxy S III and a security vulnerability was uncovered for Android's pattern unlock feature. 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 August 13th, 2012.
Samsung Galaxy S III on Verizon gets one-click bootloader unlock, freedom is just a Google Play away
We were intrigued to see a bootloader unlock emerge for Verizon's Galaxy S III variant just this week. Unless you're the kind for whom a beta is just too... safe, though, the method on offer to date has been a tad cryptic. Dingus on the RootzWiki forums has taken all the danger out of it through EZ-Unlock, an app that reduces most of the process to a single tap. While it does require existing root access, everything else is sorted out; its most recent forms can also re-lock the bootloader if there's any anxiety about venturing out of bounds. The app is even available through Google Play, which makes unrestricted (if warranty-challenging) firmware just a short hop past the source link.
Samsung Galaxy S III bootloader for Verizon can now be unlocked: take that, Big Red (update: video)
If you're hot and bothered by the Galaxy S III on Verizon and have a burning desire to get your grubby little mitts on some custom ROMs and kernels, then rejoice, because you'll no longer have to plunk down $600 on the Developer Edition to partake in the fun. That's right, the encrypted bootloader of Big Red's Galaxy S III has now been unlocked. If you're wanting to partake in the fun, you'll find the requisite utility and a complete list of instructions over at xda-developers. As is, you'll need either Linux or OS X to carry out the dirty work, though workarounds for Windows users are possible. Be sure to do a bit of soul-searching before pulling the trigger, however, as any future updates pose the risk of bricking your device. That said, if you dive straight into the world of custom ROMs, it'll be much less of an issue. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Hit the break for a video that shows the process of unlocking the bootloader on Verizon's Galaxy S III. [Special thanks to Adam Outler and François Simond]
