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Samsung extends warranties of failing Galaxy devices after Chinese TV report
Chinese state media is becoming quite the consumer advocate. Earlier this week, a bit on national TV berated Samsung over certain Galaxy S III and Note II handsets afflicted with the "sudden death" bug, as it has been called. While a firmware fix promised to cure some devices, the root cause appeared to be due to a dodgy flash memory module, leaving some models without hope of a true elixir. In response to the public scolding, Samsung has issued a statement thanking the broadcaster for its report, also noting that its repair and refund policies are in full compliance with Chinese laws. The company offers anyone that's paid for a repair while under warranty to hit them up for a refund, and has now extended the warranty of any potentially affected device made before November 30th 2012 for an extra 12 months. Earlier this year, Apple ended up massaging its warranty practices after the People's Daily proposed local coverage wasn't as robust as elsewhere. While Samsung was under scrutiny this time, it's clear both companies are keen on managing public perception. After all, attractive hardware ain't the only thing that'll make you successful in the world's biggest smartphone market.
Galaxy Note II info ticker, pop-up browser and ICE menu combo reveal another lock screen flaw (video)
The emergency contacts (ICE) menu is proving to be a Pandora's Box of lock screen vulnerabilities on several Samsung Galaxy handsets. Users are finding ways to exploit this weak point and the latest flaw that's come to our attention employs the pop-up browser on the Note II as an accomplice. It requires the information ticker to be active (found in lock screen settings) so news bites and such are displayed on the screen you encounter when waking the device. Touch upon something to find out more and you're sent to the lock screen; from there, head to the ICE menu to find a pop-up browser window containing the item you chose in the ticker. Within that window, anyone can access the handset's clipboard or point the browser to sites holding personal data. Sure, it isn't as bad as the bug that completely disables the lock screen -- identified on the Galaxy S III, but also found to work on the Note II -- but is just another reason to hope the mythical box is almost empty and at the bottom lies a fix.
Galaxy S III bug disables lock screen, grants full access, tests patience (updated)
Lock screens are around for a reason: to keep people from getting where they shouldn't. They aren't always infallible, though, and a few weeks ago, we saw a vulnerability in several builds of iOS 6 that granted access to the phone module without a passcode. Then, a couple of days ago, we reported on a Galaxy Note II bug that allows the quick-fingered to launch anything immediately behind the lock screen. Now, a similar flaw has been found on the Galaxy S III that breaks the lock screen altogether, permitting full use of the phone. To replicate the bug, you'll need to tap the "Emergency Call" button on the lock screen, then go into the ICE (emergency contacts) menu. From there, press the home button, followed quickly by the power button, and that's it. If successful, pressing the power button again will bring up the home screen straight away, and what's more, the lock screen won't return until the handset is restarted. Sounds worryingly simple, right? In our experience, not so much. We first tried this method on an S III running Android 4.0.4 ICS, and a Note II for good measure, but to no avail. Then, we had a crack at an S III running 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, and were close to giving up trying to replicate it when voilà, it worked. We hoped to provide you with a video of the bug, but it must be camera shy. Despite literally hundreds of attempts in front of the lens and several more behind it, we've only managed it once -- we found it impossible to nail down the correct timing between the home and power button pushes. Samsung's likely aware of the bug already and when quizzed about the Note II vulnerability, said a fix for lock screen issues on affected "Galaxy devices" was in the works (read: they didn't say the Note II specifically). We've reached out for comment just to be sure, but until a patch is provided, keep your phone concealed from nosey types who read tech sites and have saint-like patience. Update: Samsung has responded, confirming a fix is indeed on its way: "Samsung considers user privacy and the security of user data its top priority. We are aware of this issue and will release a fix at the earliest possibility."
Samsung Galaxy Note II sales exceed one million in Korea, may hit 10M globally in Q1
By all accounts, Samsung's Galaxy Note II has been a massive success. The oversized smartphone has now made its way into the hands of more than one million consumers in South Korea, just a month after Samsung announced that global sales had exceeded five million units. At that pace, the smartphone maker is reportedly on track to move 10 million Note IIs within four to five months of its late-September launch, compared to the nearly 10 months that it took to meet that milestone with the device's predecessor. LG is also reporting similar domestic sales for its aging 5-inch Optimus Vu, so if you've taken the plunge on either 5+ inch behemoth, it looks like you're in good company.
Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Note II starts shipping
If you've pre-ordered a Verizon flavor of Samsung's Galaxy Note II, it's high time you check your email for a shipping confirmation, as we just received a notice of our own. With two-day shipping on the package carrying our smartphone behemoth, it's estimated to arrive on November 29th. Presumably, it'll be available at Big Red's brick-and-mortar establishments on that same day, but we've reached out to Verizon and Samsung for confirmation. In the meantime, you can peep inside your inboxes and let us know in the comments if your hulking handset is on its way as well.
Samsung Galaxy Note II now available from Sprint for $300 on a two-year contract
Whether you're an existing or prospecting Sprint customer, the carrier's new big thing is now on sale. Priced at a whopping $300 with a two-year service agreement, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is the biggest smartphone to hit Sprint since the Hitachi G1000. As a reminder, the Now Network's Note II features an unbranded home button, a 5.5-inch 1,280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED display, a 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 1.9-megapixel front-facing shooter, Android 4.1 and international voice and data compatibility with GSM / UMTS / CDMA networks. If the aforementioned sounds pleasing to your mobile palate, then the only thing left to decide is marble white or titanium gray?
Verizon, AT&T put Samsung's Galaxy Note II on pre-sale for $300 with a two-year contract
Samsung's Galaxy Note II played coy at first by only hanging out with the European crowd, but now that it's here, it's the life of the US carrier party. The two biggest, AT&T and Verizon, have now glommed the phablet and each are offering it for pre-sale in all its quad-core Exynos, 5.5-inch glory for $300 under a two-year contract. We just handled Verizon's variant, but weren't sure of a sale date, and AT&T's version, which we saw earlier was already expected for pre-order today. When Sprint's copy of the handset arrives later today, that'll round out the Note II's major US carrier dance card -- so you'll be able to grab it at whichever plucks on your heart (or purse) strings. [Thanks to all who sent this in]
Samsung Galaxy Note II for Verizon hands-on
So far we've had the opportunity to review the global edition of the Samsung Galaxy Note II -- as well as get our hands on three of the five variants known to be making their way to the US -- but tonight we got our first official look at Verizon's particular flavor. Not that it's much different than the rest of the crowd: it's loaded with the same specs we've seen on the N7100 model (5.5-inch HD Super AMOLED display at 1,280 x 720, 3,100mAh battery and a quad-core Exynos processor clocked at 1.6GHz), with the exception of Verizon-specific LTE bands, and have the same button layout that we've come to expect. Of course, there's that hideous Verizon logo on the main button, but that's the only visual difference we could spot. Software-wise, Verizon's version of the Note II contains the built-in apps we've gotten accustomed to with its Android phones: VZ Navigator, My Verizon Mobile, and Mobile Hotspot. The device we picked up was running Jelly Bean, like its counterparts from other carriers. Sadly, no pricing or availability is yet available for the Note II on Verizon, with reps at the Samsung event we're at saying that it's up to Verizon to loose that news.%Gallery-169274% Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.
Samsung Galaxy Note II to arrive at US Cellular on Friday, pre-orders ship tomorrow
US Cellular has been offering the Samsung Galaxy Note II on pre-order for over a month now, but it just sent out an email clarifying that the device will be stocked on retail and virtual shelves beginning this Friday, October 26th. This falls in line with the "late October" timeframe we were promised; pre-orders, by the way, will also begin shipping tomorrow. As a recap, the Note II will only be available in titanium gray and with 16GB internal storage, and will cost $300 with a two-year commitment and $800 without one -- a huge difference, no doubt, given T-Mobile's $650 full retail cost. Tomorrow is the last day to pre-order if you're worried about facing inventory shortages or long lines on Friday. The best part? No silly logo on the home button (we're looking at you, Verizon).
Verizon's HTC DLX may be called Droid DNA, Windows Phone 8 devices get tentative prices
Verizon is one of the more common proponents of silly Android device names, in part through its insistence on that "Droid" prefix for some hardware. When its smartphone badges practically demand a pause for breath, you know there's a problem. Android Central's purported copy of a Minimum Advertised Pricing list could show that there's hope for the carrier yet. The chart shows the HTC DLX (6435LVW) skipping the rumored Droid Incredible X name in favor of Droid DNA -- and that's it. No superlatives, no arbitrary "4G LTE" tags to remind us of the network we already know we're using. The 5-inch phone might have even been a reasonable launch, as the MAP shows a $200 contract price that would potentially take effect just before Thanksgiving. Want more? Other smartphones are on the supposedly leaked MAP list as well, primarily focusing on Windows Phone 8 gear: the as yet unconfirmed Nokia Lumia 822 shows up with a $100 price and a mid-November release window, while Verizon's take on the Windows Phone 8X is present with a $200 price and similar timing. Those who'd rather go for a Samsung phablet than HTC's aren't left out, either. The Verizon edition of the Galaxy Note II is on the list with a $300 price and availability that starts immediately -- rather convenient, that.
Samsung TecTiles 3.0 update offers more options for NFC tagging, now available in Play Store
Samsung's NFC tagging app -- known as TecTiles -- made its official debut in June, but the company isn't putting a halt to its progression anytime soon. This morning Sammy announced version 3.0 of the app, which includes various enhancements that allow for better customization. Among the new features, you can choose from a larger selection of settings that can be programmed into the tags, and you'll also have the ability to send pre-written emails to a specified address, update your Google+ status, store a history of your profiles, customize preloaded profiles and create private tags that can only be read by your phone. The new refresh is ready to go in the Play Store, so head on over to download it for free -- provided, of course, you've forked over $15 for a pack of five tags. The press release, along with a full list of supported devices, can be found past the break.
Samsung Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile review
<p class="image-container" style="text-align:center;"><img alt="Samsung Galaxy Note II for TMobile review" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/10/dsc02462-1350970023.jpg"/> </p><div class="more-info"><h3>More Info</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/08/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-review/">Samsung Galaxy Note II (N7100) review</a></li> <li> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/09/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-for-t-mobile-hands-on/">Samsung Galaxy Note II (T-Mobile) hands-on</a></li> <li> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/04/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-for-atandt-hands-on-an-s-pen-phablet-with/">Samsung Galaxy Note II (AT&T) hands-on</a></li> </ul></div><p> The <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/08/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-review/">Samsung Galaxy Note II</a> is coming to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/10/samsung-confirms-october-24th-event-is-for-the-us-galaxy-note-ii/">America</a>, and unlike its predecessor, it's not being as quiet about the move. In a completely unprecedented feat, the mammoth smartphone not only won over the hearts of four national American carriers and one regional network, it did so without having to make sacrifices in its design, specs or even its name. This is a considerable amount of progress when taking into account the fact that only two mobile operators adopted the original <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/28/samsung-galaxy-note-review/">Galaxy Note</a> -- the inaugural phablet, if you will -- and they did so months after its global launch. Heck, T-Mobile released <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/07/30/samsung-galaxy-note-for-t-mobile-review/">its variant</a> of the Note just <i>three</i> months ago, which likely will be a sour point to early adopters for a long time to come.<br /> <br /> As you may have seen in our review of the global Note II, there's a reason for all of the buzz circulating around this new flagship device; it's good. It's very good. Once you get used to the idea of a 5.5-inch smartphone with an included <strike>stylus</strike> S Pen, you'll take heed of the incredibly fast quad-core processor, the latest version of Android, the high-end camera and the litany of other top-notch features that have helped the device become worthy of our praise.<br /> <br /> This review, as you see it today, discusses our impressions of <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/09/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-for-t-mobile-hands-on/">T-Mobile's version</a> of the Note II and how it sizes up against the global model (the N7100), but we're changing things up this time around. Since there will be very few differences across the five different versions offered on US carriers, we're simply going to add our reviews of each carrier-specific unit to this space as we go along. The idea is that this review will encompass every Galaxy Note II sold stateside. Enjoy the galleries below, and continue past the break as we dig into Samsung's latest flagship... again.</p><p> %Gallery-168986%</p>
Samsung Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile now available for $370 on contract
T-Mobile may be a bit late to the Samsung Galaxy Note II party, but the mega-sized 5.5-inch smartphone has now landed in its online store for $370 on contract. You'll need to commit yourself for two years to get that price, but if you can manage it, the quad-core packing handset looks to be ready to ship in Marble White or Titanium Gray shades. Its presence in the store slid under the radar with few other details or fanfare, but if you've been eying a T-Mob variant of the phablet with bad intent, check the source to see how to grab it. [Thanks, Amon]
Samsung Galaxy Note II to be available on AT&T November 9th for $299, pre-orders begin Thursday
In the leadup to tomorrow's Samsung Galaxy Note II event, AT&T has decided to make its pricing and availability known to the general public today. The 5.5-inch smartphone will be available in stores and online starting November 9th, and the cost for the LTE-enabled device will be $300 with a two-year commitment. Lest you fear having to wait an extra two weeks to waltz into a store, you'll be able to head online on Thursday and pre-order it. The press release below has the details, so follow us past the break.
Purported leak has Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile costing $300 on contract
While we're just a heartbeat away from Samsung's American launch event for the Galaxy Note II, that hasn't stopped the leaks and rumors from flowing around the release. What appears to be an internal T-Mobile page leaked to TmoNews has the 5.5-inch giant costing $300 on the carrier's Value plan -- on par with Sprint's up-front price, if you're not including the long-term device payments. Classic plan adopters would supposedly pay $420 before dutifully mailing in for a $50 rebate, and it would take a hefty $700 for an outright purchase. Nothing's definite until T-Mobile gives the green light, and we haven't seen the prices that every other carrier will offer, but the price if real could establish a common narrative where Samsung's biggest phone this year includes an equally large price tag.
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition
Shopping for a smartphone can be an exciting and arduous experience. Along with the promise of something new and fantastic, it brings the fear of commitment, and even worse, the prospect of saddling yourself to a lousy device for two years. Fortunately for you, Engadget spends tons of time playing with the latest gear and we're constantly on the lookout for what's coming next. If you're wanting to take the pain out of shopping for a smartphone, you've come to the right place. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: your one-stop resource to finding the best and most exciting handsets on the market today. Before you dive in, however, we've introduced a few changes to the buyer's guide, so take a minute to prepare yourself for what's in store. First and foremost, you'll now find alternate selections to supplement our top picks. This should already be familiar to many of you, which is the same format we use for our seasonal gift guides. The next one is a biggie: we've dropped the QWERTY selection. By and large, manufacturers and carriers alike have shifted their focus away from keyboard-equipped smartphones, and you'll rarely find more than one option on any given carrier. That said, if you still insist on the tactile experience, you'll always find everything you need to know in our reviews. Finally, whenever possible, you'll now find prices from Amazon Wireless, which allows us to provide you with more compelling budget selections and highlight the substantial savings that you can score by circumventing the carriers. It's not like they need your charity, anyway. If you're curious to see how it all unfolded -- and we know you are -- join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season.
Sprint's Galaxy Note II to arrive October 25th, with LTE and $300 price tag
Fancy being more than just a statistic on a Japanese balance sheet? Come October 25th, you can be a statistic and the proud owner of a stylus and an accompanying Note II to scrape it against. The Now Network just announced that it'll make the handset available to new customers and upgrade-eligible folk for $299.99 on a two-year contract, in either marble white or titanium gray. Expect to pay a significant monthly sum too, especially if you eventually want to exploit that Sprint-flavored LTE we keep hearing about.
Mobile Miscellany: week of October 8th, 2012
If you didn't get enough in mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, Samsung confirmed its Canadian release date for the Galaxy Note II, Alcatel took the wraps off of its first Windows Phone and it was revealed that T-Mobile will no longer openly market the iPhone in conjunction with its BYOD value plans. 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 October 8th, 2012.
Samsung confirms October 24th event is for the US Galaxy Note II, removes what doubt was left
Ever since Samsung issued invitations for its October 24th event, it's become increasingly clearer that the New York City gathering would center on the Galaxy Note II. After all, we've tried almost every US version so far, and nothing else has loomed on the horizon. Just in case there was any lingering uncertainty, though, Samsung sent us that promised formal invitation with exact details of what's going on: it's the US stop for the Galaxy Note II World Tour, with a press event that night followed by a "consumer celebration" later on that might bring a public side to the affair. Most American editions of the phablet have been announced or re-announced, which suggests to us that we'll primarily get firmer release dates and prices while we're busy hobnobbing.
Samsung Galaxy Note II for T-Mobile made (more) official, comes with gamepad-tuned racing this fall
Now that the Galaxy Note II has already been given a formal debut for AT&T and Sprint, it's T-Mobile's turn at bat. The magenta network isn't deviating significantly from the hardware seen at other American carriers, aside from the absence of (currently active) LTE, but it does brag about bonus software. Gamers taken with the MOGA mobile gaming system (read: Bluetooth controller) will get a preloaded, special version of an "exciting new racing game" that's tailored for the physical controller. Unfortunately, T-Mobile is shy about committing to prices and ship dates for the gray and white Note II editions it will be offering in the weeks ahead -- although there's more than one hint that we should keep an eye out around October 24th, or at least no later than mid-November.
