Samsung Galaxy S 4 preview: a flagship with some familiar roots

Posted on 15/03/2013 by Joseph Volpe

You say you want a revolution? Too bad, because this Galaxy smartphone update is just that... an update. Samsung's newly unveiled Galaxy S 4 is an incremental step up, an evolution less "inspired by nature" and more by last year's GS III. Don't believe us? Just take a look at the two handsets side by side to see the overtly obvious heritage. Samsung's staying the course with the overall design language, though it's expanded the screen size to five inches -- now powered by a Full HD Super AMOLED display with 441 ppi (and yes, it's still PenTile).

On the inside, it has a processor setup that we're told will be either an Exynos 5 or Snapdragon depending on the region, along with 2GB of RAM, 16, 32 or 64GB of internal storage, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 2,600mAh battery. Starting to see the bigger picture here? Samsung had a good thing on its hands with the GS III and it's not willing to compromise much of the tried-and-true with the GS 4. It will launch globally in Q2, with a stateside debut on T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular and Cricket. Until then, join us past the break for our detailed first impressions.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S 4 preview

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S 4 press shots

Check out our event hub for all the action from Samsung's Galaxy S 4 event.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, Google

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Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA+ goes live with throttled service to match

Posted on 30/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

Sometimes the leaks are uncannily accurate. As we'd seen just days ago, Mobilicity has flicked on its 21Mbps HSPA+ network, giving customers of the alternative Canadian carrier up to three times the speed of before if they're using new $80 Huawei E366 modem or a compatible smartphone. Unfortunately, the other part of the rumor is also true: there's now a curb on that unlimited data. Cross the (admittedly high) 6GB mark and those speeds may be throttled without springing for the 20GB that comes with either a $20 Premium Data Add-On for phones or a data-only $50 Premium Mobile Data Internet Plan. Despite the suddenly lowered ceiling, the higher performance is a welcome kick in the cellular pants for those who want a Galaxy S III without turning to one of the big three providers.

Continue reading Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA+ goes live with throttled service to match

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Mobilicity upgrade to 21Mbps HSPA+ goes live with throttled service to match originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tip has Mobilicity’s 21Mbps HSPA+ network going live next week with throttling after 6GB

Posted on 25/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

Mobilicity's much-needed 21Mbps network upgrade may be almost at hand... with a catch. A leak to MobileSyrup reportedly has the HSPA+ network arriving sometime next week in tandem with an $80 Huawei E366 USB modem to exploit the new speeds. However, the Canadian carrier might just slap an asterisk on the end of that "unlimited" tag it's been using so far. Current customers may be relegated to a Basic Unlimited Data tier where any use past 6GB is potentially throttled; anyone needing full speed beyond that would have to either slap on a $20 Premium Data add-on or switch outright to a comprehensive $50 data plan, with both plans bumping the ceiling to 20GB. The two could remain better deals than for the major carriers, at least if you don't mind eschewing LTE. Nonetheless, any truth to the offerings might take away one more choice for truly unlimited data in the True North.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Tip has Mobilicity's 21Mbps HSPA+ network going live next week with throttling after 6GB originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Apple iPad mini, 4th-generation iPad reach the FCC

Posted on 23/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

Apple's iPad mini and 4th-generation iPad didn't arrive alone. In the company's time-honored tradition, it has timed the FCC filings for both devices to show up alongside the products themselves. Each iOS tablet has been approved in both singular WiFi and dual cellular editions: the iPad mini has appeared as the WiFi-only A1432 as well as the A1454 and A1455 for worldwide HSPA+, EV-DO and LTE coverage, while the full-size iPad has been cleared in directly paralleled A1458, A1459 and A1460 versions. Not surprisingly, the frequency range matches that of the iPhone 5 and suggests that we're dealing with the same Qualcomm MDM9615 chip. We'll know more once the two iPads are in our hands and those of teardown artists, but for now you can explore Apple's regulatory gymnastics in full at the source links.

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

New Apple iPad mini, 4th-generation iPad reach the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

Posted on 19/10/2012 by Mark Hearn

T-Mobile silently killed off its $10 per month 200MB data plans, a leaked document reveals. A company spokesperson verified the news with Fierce Wireless. This decision is most likely due to the growing demand for mobile data as smartphone applications continue to evolve. Grandfathered customers will not be affected by this new policy, but will need to pay full price for a device and sign up for a "Value" plan when upgrading in order to maintain their existing service plan. T-Mobile now requires its smartphone customers to have a minimum data plan of 2GB or higher, which starts at $20 per month. While this change may make sense for most smartphone users, existing customers who are light on data and heavy on savings might have a different perspective when it's time to buy a new phone. Check out an extreme closeup of T-Mobile's document after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, T-Mobile

T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Phone Scoop, Fierce Wireless | source

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Nokia Lumia 820, 920 for AT&T swing through the FCC

Posted on 16/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

Hopefully AT&T subscribers weren't spooked when the Nokia Lumia 920 first passed through the FCC in only its non-US guise, and its lower-end 820 cousin only as the (currently unofficial) Verizon-ready Lumia 822. The two Windows Phone 8 flagships have had follow-up approvals in GSM versions that are unmistakably destined for AT&T and Canadian carriers. Never mind the slightly distracting RM-820 model number on the Lumia 920; it reveals the 920's distinctive curved design, 700MHz LTE in AT&T's range and AWS-based LTE for both AT&T as well as its Canadian neighbor. The Lumia 820 is equally identifiable as the RM-824, even if it limits the LTE access to AT&T's network. We haven't seen any shocking revelations from either device, although we weren't expecting any from phones that hew so closely to the original templates. The filings mostly set expectations for Microsoft's October 29th event -- now that the likely stars of the show are cleared to make their appearances, the companies involved should breathe more easily.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia

Nokia Lumia 820, 920 for AT&T swing through the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2012 21:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Note II variants for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon possibly caught at the FCC

Posted on 29/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

It's no secret that Samsung plans to bring the Galaxy Note II to many US carriers by mid-fall. Even so, getting there requires the FCC's blessing -- which makes us glad to see the regulator approve what might be three carriers' variants of the giant Android phone. The SGH-i317 looks to be the model for AT&T and Canadian carriers, having been greenlit for their key 3G and 4G bands while lining up with a briefly available benchmark of the device sharing the Note II's HD screen and use of Jelly Bean. The SCH-i605? Based on its inclusions of both CDMA and GSM, a lone 700MHz LTE band and a past screen capture leak, it's a dual-mode Note II destined for Verizon. As for the SGH-T889, it's even more conspicuous beyond what we've already seen: the T889's HSPA includes the 1,700MHz AWS frequency that T-Mobile will still call home for a long while. LTE likewise exists on the 1,700MHz and roaming-friendly 700MHz bands in possible instances of futureproofing. While we rarely want to say a mobile device is confirmed until we see it first-hand, the convenient timing and natures of the three FCC approvals only help to fuel suspicions that Samsung's pen-focused event on October 24th is all about the Note II's American launch.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Note II variants for AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon possibly caught at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon has no plans to re-lock iPhone 5’s GSM and 3G sides

Posted on 24/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

When we learned that Verizon wouldn't lock the GSM-related components of the iPhone 5, we were waiting for a "gotcha" moment. Surely the carrier would clamp down and steer us back towards its more expensive roaming plans, right? Not according to Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney: she says there's no plans to lock Apple's handset at a later point. In other words, you should be free to use a Verizon-locked iPhone 5 on any compatible GSM and HSPA+ networks for as long as you'd like, including with AT&T and Canadian carriers. Of course, this still brings the caveats of having to both buy a Verizon model, either at full price or with a contract attached, and track down a nano-SIM for the carrier of choice. It could nonetheless settle the question of what carrier to pick if you regularly need a passport when you travel -- especially knowing that neither AT&T nor Sprint will be quite so open-minded.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Verizon has no plans to re-lock iPhone 5's GSM and 3G sides originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Uros’ Goodspeed hotspot packs 10 SIM cards, says roaming is for chumps (update: fee differences)

Posted on 15/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

Snagging international data service usually involves either special agreements or steep roaming costs. Not Uros and its new Goodspeed hotspot. The pocketable, 21Mbps HSPA+ router carries a staggering 10 SIM cards and simply uses a local SIM for whichever destination country you visit. The brute force strategy helps Uros offer a relatively low flat rate for 1GB of data per day, no matter where you are on the coverage map: while the Goodspeed itself costs €273 ($352), Uros asks just €5.90 ($8) a day for occasional visits and €9.90 ($13) a month for frequent fliers. It's a very sizable bargain for the jetset, even with a current scope limited to Finland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. A number of "important" countries are due before Christmas, which could make Uros' hotspot a go-to choice for those who just can't stay settled in one place.

[Thanks, Antti]

Update: Uros has gotten in touch with us to clarify the pricing beyond what we've seen so far. The €9.90 fee covers account details and doesn't "yet" reflect data -- you'll still need to pay €5.90 per day . There's also a chance the rate could go up in future countries, although all the existing countries abide by that rate.

Filed under: Wireless, Networking

Uros' Goodspeed hotspot packs 10 SIM cards, says roaming is for chumps (update: fee differences) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Sep 2012 03:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arctic Startup | source

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