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| Engadget Mobile |
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| Ringtone creationism not for sale in iTunes 10, but DIY method still seems to work |
09/02/2010 11:11 PM |
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Not that we've ever been a fan of paying an additional 99 cents to turn an already-purchased track into a seconds-long ringtone, but if you fancied the option in iTunes 9.2.1, we're sad to inform you that yesterday's update seems to have nixed said option. But hey, look at this way, now you can learn a new skill: how to make iTunes 10 ringtones free of charge with some filename finagling. The old method still seems to work just fine (instructions via More Coverage link below), so turn that .m4-frown upside down! Ringtone creationism not for sale in iTunes 10, but DIY method still seems to work originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Samsung Wave 723 flaunts Bada, little else at IFA |
09/02/2010 06:46 PM |
Samsung just grew its Bada line with a low-end foil to the original Wave, the so-called Wave 723 -- and we just happened to catch it hanging out tucked away in a distributor's booth at IFA this week. Though the leather-grain flip cover is a classy touch, make no mistake that this one is destined for the bottom bits of the full-touch featurephone market segment thanks to a middle-of-the-road TFT LCD that looks pretty washed out and low-res compared to the Wave's Super AMOLED (interestingly, the 723 is the first Bada phone to use version 1.1 of the platform, whose major addition is support for auto-scaling between multiple resolutions). We were also surprised at how poorly responsive the screen was to touches and swipes; we even thought for a moment that it might be resistive, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Then again, 802.11n support ain't bad, and Samsung certainly seems as committed to Bada as ever, so we imagine they'll sell a few. Hit up the gallery!
Samsung Wave 723 flaunts Bada, little else at IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| WSJ: iPhone 4 to be offered by Vodafone and O2 in Germany as T-Mobile loses exclusivity |
09/02/2010 03:39 PM |
 The last bastion of Applephone exclusivity in Europe is about to be toppled, according to the Wall Street Journal, as Deutsche Telekom is said to be preparing for the loss of its iPhone 4 monopoly ahead of this year's holiday shopping season. Citing separate sources familiar with the matter, this report suggests that Vodafone and O2's German arms are earnestly reaching out for Apple's latest and greatest, and while distribution deals haven't yet been finalized, negotiations have reached an "advanced stage." Much as with O2's UK exclusivity deal, Apple looks to have opted against extending its arrangement with Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile in an effort to reach the widest possible consumer base. Makes a lot of sense to us, now how about doing the same back home?WSJ: iPhone 4 to be offered by Vodafone and O2 in Germany as T-Mobile loses exclusivity originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Samsung: 'we are prioritizing our Android platform' |
09/02/2010 02:51 PM |
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Samsung may be one of the big players that Microsoft is pinning its hopes on for Windows Phone 7, but you wouldn't know that from listening to the company at IFA. Speaking to Reuters at the show, Samsung's head of marketing for its mobile division, YH Lee, said flatly that "we are prioritizing our Android platform," adding that, "Android is very open and flexible, and there is a consumer demand for it." Lee further went on to note that the company will continue to focus on its own Bada platform (at least outside of North America), but seemingly downplayed Windows Phone 7 when asked about it, saying only that "there is still some professional, specialized demand there." Ouch. Oh, and in case you're wondering, Samsung also says it's "not seeing visible demand for Symbian." Samsung: 'we are prioritizing our Android platform' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Verizon officially announces prepaid smartphone data packages |
09/02/2010 01:39 PM |
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After a flood of leaks, Verizon's just officially announced its prepaid data plan for smartphones. The new 3G Prepaid data package will offer smartphone users "unlimited" data for $30 a month, while feature phone users can score 25MB of data a month for $10 with a 20-cent-per-meg overage fee -- all contract-free, of course. The prepaid smartphones include all of Verizon's Android phones, the Pre and Pixi Plus, as well as most recent BlackBerrys, which is a pretty solid list of choices -- and you can sign up for them today or online on September 28. Of course, you're still on the hook for a full price phone and a voice plan (and there's no mention of texting), so whether or not this works out to be a deal is up to you, but we're definitely seeing the prepaid data market start to significantly heat up, and we like it. PR with full device list after the break. Continue reading Verizon officially announces prepaid smartphone data packages Verizon officially announces prepaid smartphone data packages originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Skype updates Android app for Verizon users, lets you keep the WiFi on |
09/02/2010 01:03 PM |
Well, it looks like you still won't be able to actually make calls over WiFi, but Verizon Android users can now at least keep their WiFi connection active while using Skype Mobile -- something that was curiously not possible before. That's just one of the improvements in the latest version of the app (also updated for BlackBerry), which also includes features like incoming caller ID, support for copy and paste and emoticons in IM conversations, and the ability to automatically set your location as your mood message. Skype updates Android app for Verizon users, lets you keep the WiFi on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Boost Mobile adds $2-a-day unlimited everything option |
09/02/2010 10:35 AM |
 For voice and data alike, "unlimited" is a major buzzword among value carriers like Cricket, Virgin Mobile, and Boost Mobile lately -- and when they can offer it for $10 or $20 less than the big guys, why shouldn't it be? Boost is slicing the unlimited option in a new way this week with the announcement that it's now offering unlimited nationwide voice, messaging, web, IM, email, and information for $2 a day, which if our rough math is correct, works out to $60 a month. That's $10 a more than you pay if you just bite the bullet and prepay on a monthly basis, but obviously it's a heck of a lot more flexible, too -- and with these prepaid guys, flexibility is king. Follow the break for the full press release.Continue reading Boost Mobile adds $2-a-day unlimited everything option Boost Mobile adds $2-a-day unlimited everything option originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| OpenFeint PlayTime brings cross-platform multiplayer gaming to iOS, Android |
09/02/2010 10:23 AM |
Looks like options for iOS gamers are only expanding. Not only has Apple just announced the new Game Center, but Aurora Feint has just announced that its OpenFeint social network will soon enable interconnectivity between iOS and Android. The service, called OpenFeint PlayTime, will allow multiplayer gameplay between both platforms -- in addition to matchmaking, game servers, and real-time voice chat during gameplay. If you're a developer, and you're interested in adding cross-platform multiplayer to your next game, hit up the source link to apply for the private Beta. And now you'll have to excuse us -- we were in the middle of a rousing game of Bomberman Touch 2. OpenFeint PlayTime brings cross-platform multiplayer gaming to iOS, Android originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Samsung Fascinate arriving in Verizon stores, early September launch seems a given |
09/02/2010 09:18 AM |
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Lest all the paper-based leaks weren't sufficient evidence for you, we've now got ourselves an insider at one of Verizon's brick-and-mortar outlets informing us that Fascinate launch kits are being distributed. VZW is said to be training up its staff (presumably that involves more than just pointing out where the above puzzle piece should go) and the whole thing's looking "right on track" for the mooted early September launch. So that basically gives us about a week's time to kill with 21:9 HDTVs, 3D prototypes, slinky tablets, and whatever else we can find at IFA. We might just be able to manage it. Samsung Fascinate arriving in Verizon stores, early September launch seems a given originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Skyfire submits iPhone browser for App Store approval, we wait for the Flash to hit the fan |
09/02/2010 08:44 AM |
There was a time when Skyfire on Windows Mobile meant full Flash all the time. The 2.0 version on Android reigned that in a bit, really only supporting Flash video and little else, something Android 2.2 users no longer need to worry about. iOS users, however, do still spend their days ruing websites with such content, and so that's the market Skyfire is targeting next. The company has submitted a version of the browser for App Store approval, transcoding Flash video such that the phone only sees HTML5, with content coming in over H.264 adaptive streaming. As such, video is said to be compressed an average of 75 percent, in theory allaying any concerns about this thing being a bandwidth hog. In other words: there's no reason for this to not be approved, right? Right! However, something tells us things may not be so easy...
Update: Now with video -- watch the Skyfire crew coerce a poor iPhone into playing Comedy Central content right after the break.Continue reading Skyfire submits iPhone browser for App Store approval, we wait for the Flash to hit the fan Skyfire submits iPhone browser for App Store approval, we wait for the Flash to hit the fan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Sharp shows off mobile prototype with 3D screen, 3D camera, and 3D output |
09/02/2010 08:15 AM |
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We've seen enough home theater 3D already to be well and sick of it, but mobile 3D is still an upcoming sector, one which Sharp seems to be making a bid for. It's showing off a mobile device prototype (it looks like it could be your friendly neighborhood carrier's next Android handset) with a glasses-free 3D parallax screen (akin to the tech used in the Nintendo 3DS), a 3D camera around back, and 3D output over HDMI. The result isn't stellar -- just because a mobile device is shooting grainy, color-bleeding footage in 3D doesn't make the footage stop being grainy and color-bleeding -- but it most certainly works, as we witnessed both on the device's own screen and on a regular glasses-required 3D TV the prototype was outputting to over HDMI. The 3.7-inch LCD rocks a 800 x 480 resolution in 2D mode, which gets halved to 400 x 480 in 3D, and Sharp is also showing of a 10-inch glasses free LCD that didn't come off as so impressive somehow.
Sharp shows off mobile prototype with 3D screen, 3D camera, and 3D output originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Mercedes-Benz updates mbrace app with fancy pants 'Concierge' service |
09/02/2010 08:00 AM |
Mercedes-Benz just announced a new app that connects its in-car navigation systems with its customers' iPhones. Mbrace version 2.0 still lets drivers unlock their vehicles and, more importantly , find it in a crowded parking lot while adding location-based personal assistance ranging from entertainment, restaurant, directions, and traffic updates via Mercedes-Benz's Concierge service -- assuming you're are an mbrace PLUS customer. Destination information is then fired off directly to your in-vehicle navigation system to get you there. The updated app also includes enhanced Roadside Assistance that transmits the driver's location whenever a call is initiated. Think OnStar with a posh European accent. Continue reading Mercedes-Benz updates mbrace app with fancy pants 'Concierge' service Mercedes-Benz updates mbrace app with fancy pants 'Concierge' service originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Samsung Gem for Verizon shows up in Best Buy buyer's guide |
09/02/2010 06:28 AM |
We've heard talk of the Gem before, and a new listing for the phone in Best Buy's September buyer's guide confirms the existence of Verizon's new low-end Android piece that'll likely slot in below the Fascinate in Sammy's lineup for the carrier. Looks like it's slated to launch with Android 2.1, not 2.2, and will include both TouchWiz 3.0 and Swype -- both Samsung staples at this point -- along with a 3.2 megapixel cam and 16GB of microSD expansion (though it's not clear whether they're going to do you the favor of throwing a card in the box). Despite the high-end name, we'd argue pricing is definitely going to determine the success of the Gem, especially in a world where Vibrants go for next to nothing on contract. $79.99 at launch, perhaps?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Samsung Gem for Verizon shows up in Best Buy buyer's guide originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 06:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Confirmed: T-Mobile G2 will have Android 2.2, Flash and 800MHz CPU |
09/01/2010 11:44 PM |
T-Mobile is calling it "the fastest smartphone experience in America," but as it turns out, its Qualcomm Scorpion CPU is actually relatively slow -- the cellular carrier's insider newsletter T-Mobile Scoop says the phone's MSM7x30 chip will be clocked at 800MHz, rather than the 1GHz we'd hoped for. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that T-Mobile lying about speed, as anyone who's upgraded from Droid to Droid 2 very well knows -- bloatware can easily clog the pipes even on phones running Froyo, and we've heard that this particular HTC device is running a pure vanilla Android build. Speaking of delectable operating system revisions, T-Mobile confirms you'll indeed find Android 2.2 under the hood accompanied by Flash Player 10.1, as well as "one-touch quick keys" the carrier claims provide Speedy Gonzales-like access to apps and shortcuts. Still waiting to be confirmed: a $200 subsidized price, and the day we'll see it in stores.
[Thanks, james_of_the_jungle]
Editor's Note: It's important to keep in mind that the G2 seems to feature Qualcomm's next-gen MSM7x30 chipset, which can theoretically blaze. Of course, that all depends on firmware optimization, so let's keep our fingers crossed -- something tells us neither T-Mobile nor HTC have any interest in messing this one up.Confirmed: T-Mobile G2 will have Android 2.2, Flash and 800MHz CPU originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Jobs suggests that competitors' device activation tallies may be inflated, Google quickly responds |
09/01/2010 11:23 PM |
Not satisfied to simply trump Google's daily device activation numbers, Steve Jobs added insult to injury at the Apple press conference this afternoon, claiming that unspecified "friends" have been counting handset upgrades in their statistical totals and not just newly activated phones. As you might imagine, Google was not terribly pleased at this turn of events, and issued the following retort: "The Android activation numbers do not include upgrades and are, in fact, only a portion of the Android devices in the market since we only include devices that have Google services." Now, we don't honestly know who's telling the truth here and we'd like to be able to take both companies at their word, but this isn't the first time even during this particular Apple shindig that questionable claims were thrown out as fact.
[Thanks, Kamal]Jobs suggests that competitors' device activation tallies may be inflated, Google quickly responds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| LG's E900 and E720 handsets hit the FCC, one with AT&T-compatible frequencies |
09/01/2010 09:30 PM |
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We knew LG's C900 QWERTY-packing Windows Phone 7 handset was sliding towards an AT&T finish line, but it's looking like the company's E900 slate phone might play for Team Blue as well -- here's an FCC report (the third Federal scoop in an hour!) that shows the handset boasting GSM 850 and 1900 radio frequencies as well as compatible 3G data. You can also expect Bluetooth and 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz WiFi alongside that 1GHz Snapdragon SoC when or if the handset hits US shores. We don't know nearly as much about the Android-based LG E720 (which apparently just popped in for a quick Bluetooth test) but a filing suggests it might not be destined for the US -- unlike with the E900, there's no mention of WCDMA 850, 1900, or AWS for 3G data, only the comparatively slow EDGE. LG's E900 and E720 handsets hit the FCC, one with AT&T-compatible frequencies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Fake Nexus One browsing fake Engadget |
09/01/2010 07:34 PM |
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Interesting side note -- we understand that Erick Schmidt, Larry Paige, and Serge Brin all own this phone. Oh, and Digiboy777, of course. Fake Nexus One browsing fake Engadget originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Exclusive: HTC F8181 is AT&T's Brew MP-equipped dumbphone |
09/01/2010 06:39 PM |
We'll admit, we'd kinda figured that HTC's venture into the seedy underworld of dumbphones with the introduction of the Smart earlier this year was a non-starter and that it'd quietly fade into the night before 2010 was out, but apparently not -- at least, not if you ask AT&T. We've been slid a couple shots of a new handset from HTC for Ma Bell going by the model number F8181 (it'll have a fancy name like "Bacon," "Double Rainbow," or "Nilay Patel" by the time it launches, obviously) that runs the Brew MP platform Qualcomm has been pushing this year for the sub-smartphone category; of course, it seems to us that smartphone hardware is getting cheap enough to push through nearly every price segment, but if we can expect this to be free on contract, we suppose there might be a market here. No word on dollars or dates just yet, but naturally, we'll keep you in the loop.
Exclusive: HTC F8181 is AT&T's Brew MP-equipped dumbphone originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| T-Mobile G2 priced at $199 with contract, $499 without, by latest leak |
09/01/2010 04:29 PM |
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Been wondering how much T-Mobile's first HSPA+ phone will set you back? Why, it's that most generic of all smartphone prices: $199 with a two-year commitment or $499 without. To be fair to T-Mo, the G2 was one phone that it could plausibly have upmarked to, say $249, as Sprint has done with the Epic 4G, but nope, it's landing squarely in the middle of the well beaten path to smartphone sales. There is the dreaded specter of a $50 mail-in rebate to deal with, but we doubt it'll be enough to dampen anticipation for what's looking like the next great Android slider phone. T-Mobile G2 priced at $199 with contract, $499 without, by latest leak originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Windows Phone 7 goes gold master, begins rolling out to partners for final launch preparations |
09/01/2010 04:00 PM |
If you've been holding yourself back during these early rounds of the smartphone wars in anticipation of Windows Phone 7, your wait just got a tiny bit shorter. Today Microsoft is announcing that its fancy new mobile operating system has been released to manufacturing, making the idea of you holding an actual WP7 device in your hands that much closer to reality. The finished product is now rolling out to partners around the world where it will be getting carrier and manufacturer tweaks and additions, and going through the kind of pre-launch testing you would expect for a release of this scale. If you had any doubt that the Windows Phone 7 onslaught was close at hand, feel free to abandon them now.
Furthermore, the folks on the 7 team have managed to cram a few last minute goodies into the OS, one of which we're particularly excited about. As you probably know from our in-depth preview of an early version of the software, we had a lot of issues with overflowing Facebook contacts in our phone. Microsoft has now solved that problem by enabling a contact filter system which looks for pre-existing matches to your Facebook contacts. If it doesn't find a match, it doesn't pull that contact into your address book (kind of like how Android filters Facebook friends). It's a welcome addition and should make the Facebook / Windows Phone 7 combo a lot more palatable to a lot of people. Furthermore, Microsoft has added functionality into the People Hub which will allow you to "like" someone's posts, and you'll be able to comment directly onto someone's Wall right in the hub. The company has also made tweaks and fixes focusing on feature discoverability (another issue we pointed out in the early look), along with the expected set of polishing and finish you'd expect from a product that's gone gold master.Windows Phone 7 goes gold master, begins rolling out to partners for final launch preparations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Epic's spectacular Unreal Engine 3 tech demo free at iTunes App Store |
09/01/2010 03:37 PM |
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Did you oooh and ahh at the fantastic gaming graphics that accompanied today's Apple keynote? You won't have to wait for next week's iOS 4.1 to get a taste of those textures for yourself. Though the full-on gladiator dueling of Epic's "Project Sword" may be a while off, you can get your hot little hands on "Epic Citadel" right now, a 82.2 megabyte download that explores a beautiful medieval castle town. Oh, and did we mention it's free? Even id Software's mindblowing 60FPS Rage demo must be quaking in its boots right about now. Epic's spectacular Unreal Engine 3 tech demo free at iTunes App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Apple ships 120 million iOS devices since iPhone's launch |
09/01/2010 01:04 PM |
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Steve Jobs just dropped a few numbers on us. Firstly, that big one above, 120 million iOS devices -- that's iPhones, iPod touches and iPads, for the forgetful in the class -- have been shipped since the original iPhone made its grand debut back in 2007. 230,000 is the next number of significance -- that's the tally of daily iOS activations. Moving down to even more granular stats, Apple says 200 apps are being downloaded every second, which has resulted in the mind-bending 6.5 billion total downloads of iOS applications. This is from a catalog of over 250,000 total apps, with 25,000 of them being available for the iPad. Yeah, Apple's just blowing its horn, but it sure is a big one, isn't it? Apple ships 120 million iOS devices since iPhone's launch originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| HTC HD3 to be named HD7 in honor of Windows Phone 7, launch October 18? |
09/01/2010 11:26 AM |
Ooh boy, do we have a good one for you today. We've been tipped off that the HD3 -- HTC's mythical successor to the wildly popular HD2 -- is not only alive and kicking, but headed for a bright and sunny Windows Phone 7 future, starting as early as October 18. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, all the evidence we have for now is the above spreadsheet, which we're told is an internal planning doc from UK carrier O2. It's not exactly the hardest thing in the world to forge so keep your skeptical wits about you, but as silly as this inflationary renaming to HD7 may sound, we find it strangely believable. After all, why wouldn't the company that brought us the Incredible Wildfire of Desire jump ahead a few numbers to keep up with the hot new OS' numbering?
[Thanks, ZaK]HTC HD3 to be named HD7 in honor of Windows Phone 7, launch October 18? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Apple's fall event happens today at 10AM PT / 1PM ET, and we'll be there live! |
09/01/2010 10:13 AM |
So it's just around the corner. What are we going to see? Some new iPods? A revamped Apple TV? Updates to iTunes? iOS 4 for the iPad? A fix to your heartbreaking antenna problem? New, brightly colored iShoes? Or all of the above? It's hard to say, but luckily Engadget will be covering Apple's latest event live with up-to-the-minute coverage. As usual, we'll be providing the best liveblogging in the business, so you can just kick back with a cool drink and enjoy the show.
Tune in at this URL at the times below today for all the action!
07:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
02:00AM - Tokyo (September 2nd) Apple's fall event happens today at 10AM PT / 1PM ET, and we'll be there live! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Samsung Transform for Sprint: what is it? |
09/01/2010 09:18 AM |
 We normally wouldn't post news about a Sprint device in the FCC without any juicy details on decent specs, but hear us out -- this one's kind of interesting. As our tipster noted to us, the prefix "SPH" on Samsung phones typically means that particular model is heading for Sprint, and an SPH-M920 got FCC approval not long ago. A quick search reveals that the M920 appears to be christened the "Transform," suggesting that this phone... well, transforms somehow. Of course, that could be as simple as a sliding keyboard or as strange and unique as Verizon's LG Versa -- we really have no idea -- but it's notable that the Transform has a WiFi certification under its belt for 802.11b / g / n, so we can assume the phone's no slouch and might even fall into smartphone (read: Android) territory. Any educated guesses out there?
[Thanks, Celz]Samsung Transform for Sprint: what is it? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Sprint adds Boston, Daytona Beach and Providence to its 4G coverage map |
09/01/2010 07:23 AM |
Sprint's treating the East Coast to a shot of adrenaline-fueled mobile internet today, with Daytona Beach in Florida, Providence in Rhode Island, and Boston (you know the state, right?) all getting the green light for 4G activation. Notably, this takes the number of markets Sprint has now lit up in sexy WiMAX airwaves beyond 50 and ratchets up the states that have at least some coverage up to 21. It's also jolly good news for any residents of those three cities that were lustily eyeing the Epic or EVO 4G but felt they couldn't justify it without an actual 4G network to hook up to.
[Thanks, Nick]Continue reading Sprint adds Boston, Daytona Beach and Providence to its 4G coverage map Sprint adds Boston, Daytona Beach and Providence to its 4G coverage map originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| We're live from IFA 2010! |
09/01/2010 07:00 AM |
You may not be familiar with the Internationalen Funkausstellung Berlin -- better known as IFA -- but it's a positively massive consumer electronics trade show with a European slant, and this year marks its 50th in the game. 3D television technologies and Android tablets are the early favorites to be the big themes at the show, but with LG, Samsung, and Sony all figuring prominently into the equation, it's anybody's guess what kinds of surprises we're going to see over the next few days. Though the show officially kicks off this Friday, some press conferences actually start today -- so keep a keen eye out for coverage!
Protip: Use our "ifa2010" tag for all the IFA news this week!We're live from IFA 2010! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video) |
09/01/2010 04:39 AM |
Good news for UK mobile addicts: Orange's long-anticipated HD Voice service has officially made it to the Land of Hope and Glory. Starting today, British customers can pick up a HD Voice-enabled handset -- including the Nokia 5230, X6, E5 and Samsung Omnia Pro at launch -- from Orange, and start buttering their ears with "crystal clear" phone calls while within the carrier's 3G coverage. Prior to the launch, we were fortunate enough to try out the new service on a couple of Nokia E5 prototypes in Piccadilly Circus, and boy, that was some pretty impressive stuff there -- the wider speech bandwidth really added a lot of clarity to the caller's voice, and additionally, the noisy traffic from the caller's end was well suppressed at where it'd otherwise crackle over a normal call. Perhaps the easiest way to put it is that this is much like jumping from a bad FM radio broadcast to some sweet CD audio, thus making conversations a lot easier to interpret, even if the recipient is in a noisy environment or has hearing problem (as proven by Orange's public trial). As always, hearing is believing, so do check out our sample audio clips after the break.
While Orange remains a dominant driving force behind this mobile revolution, the carrier assured us that it expects other companies to pick up this open standard. That said, it's rather disappointing that current owners of the aforementioned handsets won't be getting a software patch for the HD upgrade (we were told that no extra hardware is involved), but we can understand -- the manufacturers do need to sell new phones to stay alive in this rapidly changing market. Anyhow, here's hoping that the forthcoming flagship Android and Windows Phone 7 devices will also get a taste of this crystal clear call quality.Continue reading Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video) Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Motorola Milestone 2 arrives, 720p HD video, Android 2.2, and Motoblur Enhanced in tow |
09/01/2010 04:00 AM |
Even without yesterday's premature video promo, you had to know Motorola wouldn't leave its international audience without a successor to the Milestone, so today -- surprise, surprise -- we're being treated to the Milestone 2's launch. The first thing to be said here is that if you've handled a Droid 2, you've also handled a Milestone 2 -- the new phone follows Moto's tradition of being a simple rebadge away from the Verizon-friendly Droid naming scheme, which means it retains the same 1GHz OMAP SOC, 512MB of RAM, 5 megapixel camera, 8GB of integrated storage (plus an included 8GB MicroSD card), and Android 2.2 as the default, albeit Motoblured, OS. Also, we got this straight from the Motohorse's mouth: Motoblur's not going anywhere, it's the company's "Android solution" and is here to stay.
One advantage over the Droid 2 here is the addition of 720p video recording. It's still the exact same imager as on the back of the first Milestone, but now you can catch moving visuals in HD resolution. Moto were keen to point out the 5-device hotspot capabilities (courtesy of Froyo) on the Milestone 2, but they showed it off using a wired connection since the demo handset's O2 SIM card wouldn't permit wireless tethering. Well, that was a grand demonstration of how vulnerable our Android 2.2 goodness will be to the whims of mobile carriers. The Milestone 2's expected to launch around Europe in Q4, with carrier-dependent pricing as per usual.
Update: Hands-on video now available after the break.
Continue reading Motorola Milestone 2 arrives, 720p HD video, Android 2.2, and Motoblur Enhanced in tow Motorola Milestone 2 arrives, 720p HD video, Android 2.2, and Motoblur Enhanced in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance |
09/01/2010 04:00 AM |
Remeber the Motorola i1? Moto has just added its second rugged(ish) Android handset in the 3.7-inch Gorilla Glass-fronted Defy. It's dust-, scratch-, impact-, and water-resistant. Matching up to the IP67 durability spec means it's expected to resist being submersed in up to a meter of water for up to half an hour -- making it a pretty awesome option for taking your Android to the beach, 854 x 480 is your screen resolution, backed up by an OMAP 3610 chip running at 800MHz (there had to be some tradeoffs, right?). Android 2.1 is another slight disappointment, we're not clear on why Froyo had to be left off the table, but at least Motorola has bundled Swype as the default input mechanism. Should be a boon for some, we suppose. The Defy is expected to launch across Europe in Q4 2010.
Update: Hands-on video now available after the break.
Continue reading Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance Motorola Defy: Android 2.1 goes rugged with water, dust and scratch resistance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| HTC Peep cooked, served a l'orange by Twitter's new authentication scheme |
09/01/2010 03:46 AM |
It's been known for some time that Twitter would be moving away from basic authentication to OAuth for third-party apps; in fact, they'd already officially pushed back the drop-dead switchover date once to mid-August before finally pulling the plug this week. Be that as it may, it makes sense that a bunch of lesser-known, less-maintained apps would fall by the wayside once the old security mechanism got shut down -- but HTC's Peep? Really? Sure enough, we've been able to confirm on our own Desire that the Twitter app HTC bundles with its Sense UI for Android is no longer working this morning, giving users an "incorrect username or password" error when they try to connect. We're not sure if they'll be able to fix this with a Market update across the board or if it'll take a bunch of firmware updates to get everyone back on the up and up, but either way, something tells us Twitter isn't going to flip the switch back on for these guys.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]HTC Peep cooked, served a l'orange by Twitter's new authentication scheme originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Samsung Galaxy Tab falls into FCC hands with GSM radio frequencies, 5GHz dual-band WiFi |
08/31/2010 08:27 PM |
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When Samsung's 7-inch tablet finally sees the states, it might indeed be more than a giant Galaxy S -- for one thing, it may have Froyo, but for another, it could have faster, more building-penetrating WiFi than most comparable devices on the market. That's because when the Galaxy Tab hit the FCC by the name "SHW-M180S," it came loaded with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi capable of speeds up to 150Mbps. It also intriguingly sports the GSM 1900 radio frequency, meaning an AT&T launch might be in the cards alongside the CDMA one rumored for Verizon. Browsing through the WiFi Alliance databases in an attempt to track the tablet down, we spotted both a "GT-P1000T" and a "GT-P1000L," each with dual-band WiFi, suggesting that there are multiple versions in the works... and the Global Certification Forum shows one of them actually has quad-band GSM and HSDPA connectivity. Not bad, Samsung. Now, let's hear about battery life. Samsung Galaxy Tab falls into FCC hands with GSM radio frequencies, 5GHz dual-band WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| HTC Droid Incredible update to Froyo rolling out far and wide, manual install available |
08/31/2010 08:02 PM |
Yeah, the Droid Incredible update was technically already deployed, but you know how these things work: they're usually long, painful phased rollouts designed to limit the damage if something catastrophic happens in the over-the-air push. On that note, we're excited to report that we've gotten a constant barrage of tips today suggesting that the update is now going out en masse -- and as always, the update file's already been sniffed out for you to download if you haven't gotten it on your phone yet and you're as distractingly impatient as we are. Let us know how it goes, alright, folks?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]HTC Droid Incredible update to Froyo rolling out far and wide, manual install available originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| LG's C900 Windows Phone 7 handset resurfaces with 1GHz Snapdragon, metal frame? (update: not 1.3GHz) |
08/31/2010 06:34 PM |
We imagine that LG's security forces are combing Poland as we speak, because Android.com.pl has just provided us with yet another high-end handset leak. This LG C900 (last seen combing AT&T trenches) reportedly joins LG's E900 in housing a 1GHz QSD8650 Snapdragon chipset under its sliding-QWERTY hood. Though our first look at the device suggested a plasticky matte frame, our erudite Polish informants tell us the phone's mostly metal inside -- despite a comparatively teensy 3.2-inch capacitive screen, they say it weighs about as much as an original Motorola Droid. A 3.5mm jack and a miniUSB port will play nice with headsets and charging cables respectively, and the site says it'll run 1,100 zloty (about $350) if or when LG's marketers recover from the shock of these leaked details and decide to ship. Find a video after the break and a host of similarly excellent pictures at our source link.
Update: Did we say 1.3GHz? We meant 1.0. As it turns out, Google Translate enjoys adding the letter "A" to acronyms immediately preceding a Polish comma, which made a 1GHz QSD8650 SoC look like a 1.3GHz QSD8650A to our tired eyes. Apologies! [Thanks, Anudeep]Continue reading LG's C900 Windows Phone 7 handset resurfaces with 1GHz Snapdragon, metal frame? (update: not 1.3GHz) LG's C900 Windows Phone 7 handset resurfaces with 1GHz Snapdragon, metal frame? (update: not 1.3GHz) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Prepaid Droid, BlackBerry and Palm phones coming to Verizon? (update: confirmed, box spotting) |
08/31/2010 05:04 PM |
 We'd heard a few rumors of some new prepaid offerings from Verizon recently, but it now looks like the carrier could really be about to expand things in a big way -- at least if some purportedly authentic leaked documents are any indication. Apparently received by Android Does from a helpful tipster, the documents list a whole new lineup of prepaid phones, including a slew of BlackBerrys, the Palm Pre and Pixi Plus, and just about every Android-based phone Verizon offers (including all of the Droids and even the yet-to-be released Samsung Fascinate -- again listed for September 9th). While there's no indication of prepaid pricing for the phones themselves, they would apparently be available with an unlimited $30 a month data plan, which would have to be tacked on top of a minimum $45 a month voice plan. Yeah, that's pretty aggressive for Verizon any way you slice it -- maybe too aggressive to be true?
[Thanks, Bryan]
Update: Well, it looks like this chances of this happening just got a whole lot better -- head on past the break for a shot we received of a Verizon Prepaid BlackBerry Curve box. If you look closely at the back of the box, you'll also notice that the pricing matches up with the leaked documents, including monthly plans from $45 to 75 a month, and unlimited email and web for $30 a month. What's more, while there's no shots just yet, we're hearing that the prepaid Droids are also a go (with the same plans), and that at least the Droid 2 has been specifically mentioned.
Update 2: As if that wasn't enough, we've also now gotten a handful more tips confirming that this is the real deal, and that it will apparently include BlackBerry, Android and Palm phones only (at least when it comes to smartphones).
Update 3: And just in case you still don't believe us, we just got screenshots of Verizon's inventory system listing all the current Droids, the LG Ally, the Motorola Devour, the Palm Pre / Pixi Plus, and a host of Blackberrys as pre-paid capable phones. Check it in the gallery.
Continue reading Prepaid Droid, BlackBerry and Palm phones coming to Verizon? (update: confirmed, box spotting) Prepaid Droid, BlackBerry and Palm phones coming to Verizon? (update: confirmed, box spotting) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| T-Mobile adds Boston, San Diego, Miami, others to HSPA+ live list |
08/31/2010 04:54 PM |
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T-Mobile USA isn't backing down with its somewhat controversial "4G speeds" rhetoric for its rapidly-growing HSPA+ network -- and when you consider that real-world performance on it can meet or exceed what Clear and Sprint will get you in some markets on WiMAX, we can't say we blame them. Next to enjoy the 4G-esque experience from the nation's number four carrier are a few major markets -- Boston, San Diego, and Miami -- along with Erie, Pennsylvania, Fresno, Palm Springs, Richmond, Spokane, and Topeka. Though the G2 is lining up to be the carrier's first true HSPA+ smartphone, T-Mobile's quick to remind everyone that the upgrades also mean that over 15 current devices in its lineup will see some benefits as well; not "4G speeds," of course, but better than the HSPA they'd had before. See T-Mobile's full statement after the break. Continue reading T-Mobile adds Boston, San Diego, Miami, others to HSPA+ live list T-Mobile adds Boston, San Diego, Miami, others to HSPA+ live list originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Motorola Milestone 2 makes official, albeit unintentional, debut (video) |
08/31/2010 03:05 PM |
Sometimes it takes a crafty, steel-nerved individual to leak an unreleased phone's details ahead of time. And then sometimes all it takes is a negligently uploaded video. An official promo for the Milestone 2 has popped up on YouTube before quickly being yanked by Moto. The Droid 2's international sibling unsurprisingly looks to be its carbon copy by another name: it features a 1GHz OMAP SOC, 512MB of RAM, a 5 megapixel imager, and Android 2.2 as the OS (complete with Flash Player and Froyo's native hotspot ability). We'll go out on a limb here and guess that this means the rest of the world will be getting its dose of Moto's latest and greatest QWERTY slider in very short order.
[Thanks, Thomas]
Update: Oh hello! Someone managed to rip the video before Motorola's retraction, so we've naturally got it embedded for you just past the break. And yes, whether you like it or not, Motoblur lives on. Thanks, qakgob!Continue reading Motorola Milestone 2 makes official, albeit unintentional, debut (video) Motorola Milestone 2 makes official, albeit unintentional, debut (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| T-Mobile G2 official shots break loose, corroborate rumors of wanton awesomeness |
08/31/2010 02:21 PM |
The T-Mobile G2 -- which will likely be known as the HTC Desire Z outside the States -- is shaping up to be one of the more anticipated Android launches of 2010, and a handful of smaller-than-we'd-like official press shots that have just leaked over on Cell Phone Signal are doing nothing to make us believe otherwise. The site says it believes silver (pictured) will be the only color offered, and considering that we haven't seen any leaks in any other shades, that seems like a reasonable assumption. Then again, a white, red, or black version of this would be pretty neat, wouldn't it?
[Thanks, Nam]
Update: Turns out these images are chilling on T-Mobile's servers right now -- check the source links below. Whoops!
Update 2: And we've now got the clearest shot yet of a G2 in the wild, casually browsing Facebook as a laptop looks on with a mixture of curiosity and contempt; follow the break to check it out. Thanks, Sebastian!Continue reading T-Mobile G2 official shots break loose, corroborate rumors of wanton awesomeness T-Mobile G2 official shots break loose, corroborate rumors of wanton awesomeness originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today |
08/31/2010 02:00 PM |
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Palm fans, get your party hats on. Today the company is announcing the beta release of its SDK for webOS 2.0, which means we're getting dangerously close to a proper 2.0 release for devices. And who knows... maybe the phone-maker will decide to throw a new device our way to go along with the OS. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Starting tomorrow, a select (though rather wide, says Palm) group of developers will be able to start toying around with the latest and greatest SDK for the company's mobile operating system, and it looks like the new software brings some tasty morsels to the table that you're definitely going to want to chow down on. We got the scoop directly from Palm on just exactly what kind of changes you'll be seeing in the first version of 2.0, and we've rounded them up in a neatly digestible form below, so read on after the break and get the full story. Continue reading Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today Palm puts webOS 2.0 SDK into limited release starting today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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| HTC Desire (US Cellular) review |
08/31/2010 01:30 PM |
HTC's Desire is undoubtedly one of the headline Android devices of 2010 so far -- and heck, when you're using the already-great Nexus One as a starting point and re-upping it with an optical pad, physical buttons, and Sense, it's hard to argue otherwise. US Cellular has now become the first carrier to bring the device to the States (nearly five grueling months since its first spats of international availability, we'd like to note), and because USCC's a CDMA carrier, this is naturally a slightly different device than you're getting elsewhere. Don't get us wrong, most of the thoughts in our first review of the Desire still apply -- but needless to say, this launch is notable enough to warrant a second look. Read on!
Continue reading HTC Desire (US Cellular) review HTC Desire (US Cellular) review originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments |
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