Boost Mobile to launch Samsung Galaxy S II 4G on September 6th for $360

Boost Mobile launches Samsung Galaxy S II 4G September 6th for $360

Boost Mobile is cranking out a trio of Samsung devices today, and the headliner is the Galaxy S II 4G. Essentially a prepaid version of Sprint's ever-popular Epic 4G Touch, the device will be all yours starting on September 6th for $360. As expected, it sports a 1.2GHz dual-core Exynos chipset, 8MP rear camera with 1080p video capture, 2MP front-facing cam, a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, 1,800mAh battery and WiMAX and EVDO rev A connectivity. Fortunately, it will run Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, and comes in both white and black options. Read on below for the full press release.

Continue reading Boost Mobile to launch Samsung Galaxy S II 4G on September 6th for $360

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Boost Mobile to launch Samsung Galaxy S II 4G on September 6th for $360 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget’s smartphone buyer’s guide: summer 2012 edition

Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide summer 2012 edition

Despite the sweltering heat waves, our spirits are high at Engadget, and for good reason: it's time for our summer edition of the smartphone buyer's guide. Here, you'll find our top recommendations for the best smartphones across several US carriers, along with the best QWERTY and budget alternatives. In many ways, it's now easier than ever to find a world-class smartphone, but unless you've developed a strong brand preference, choosing one is likely more difficult than ever before. It's no secret that the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III have firmly cemented themselves as the premier smartphones of the day, but if you're torn between the two, we'll reveal our preference in this latest installment.

Summertime also brought a bit of a shock, as Microsoft revealed that Windows Phone 8 apps won't be compatible with the current generation of Windows Phone hardware. For this reason, we've excluded all Windows Phone handsets from consideration in the latest buyer's guide. While the future of Microsoft's mobile platform looks incredibly bright, a purchase now would guarantee obsolescence in the short-term. Instead, all prospective Windows Phone purchasers must wait for the next generation of handsets to become available -- you'll regret it otherwise.

Naturally, there is no shortage of rumors surrounding the next Apple iPhone, and given the handset's current lack of LTE connectivity, the iPhone 4S is certainly showing its age. While cautious purchasers may choose to bide their time, the iPhone remains top-notch in many other respects, and its arrival at a number of prepaid carriers brought a breath of fresh air to an otherwise stagnant environment.

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.

Continue reading Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: summer 2012 edition

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Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: summer 2012 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kyocera Hydro hitting Boost on August 3rd for $130, lets you get your Ice Cream Sandwich soggy

Kyocera Hydro hitting Boost on August 3rd for $130, lets you get your Ice Cream Sandwich soggy

It's summertime, time for absent-minded running through the sprinkers with your smartphone in your back pocket. Thankfully, if you can hold out for a few more weeks without having some prankster toss you in a pool at a party, you can pick up the new Kyocera Hydro on Boost Mobile on August 3rd for $130 -- just think of all of the money you'll save on dry rice after your handset takes an accidental dip. The 3.5-inch Ice Cream Sandwich phone sports a 1GHZ processor and can stand being under three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Jump into the the press release after the break.

Continue reading Kyocera Hydro hitting Boost on August 3rd for $130, lets you get your Ice Cream Sandwich soggy

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Kyocera Hydro hitting Boost on August 3rd for $130, lets you get your Ice Cream Sandwich soggy originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boost Mobile takes BlackBerry Curve 9310 to the US, spices it up with $30 unlimited BBM, voice and text plan

Boost Mobile takes BlackBerry Curve 9310 to the US, spices it up with $30 unlimited BBM, voice and text plan

RIM gave the impression when it unveiled the BlackBerry Curve 9320 and 9220 that its lowest-cost Curves were doubtful prospects for the US. Thankfully, that's been proven wrong by Boost Mobile, which just launched the 9320's CDMA cousin, the Curve 9310. The message-manic BlackBerry comes to Sprint's prepaid network with its BBM key intact as well as BlackBerry 7.1, a 3.2-megapixel camera and that all-important low price: at $100 contract-free, it's one of the cheapest ways to leap into smartphones in the US. To top it off, Boost is throwing in a very tantalizing BBM Unlimited plan. The deal offers unlimited calling, text messaging and (naturally) BBM; although it starts at $45 per month, it gradually dips down to a very reasonable $30 per month if owners pay their bills properly for six months. Both the Curve 9310 and its companion plan will be available July 10th, giving us time to find the needed spare change under our couch cushions.

Boost Mobile takes BlackBerry Curve 9310 to the US, spices it up with $30 unlimited BBM, voice and text plan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of May 28th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany week of May 28th, 2012

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we learned of another possible prepaid destination for the iPhone (hint: it's a subsidiary of Sprint), and Samsung announced a combined sales total of 50 million Galaxy S and Galaxy S II smartphones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 28th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 28th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 28th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boost Mobile set to offer Smith Micro’s Visual Voicemail features starting on May 31st

Boost Mobile set to offer Smith Micro's visual voicemail features starting on May 31st

Up until now, the Boost Mobile crowd's been missing out on those fancy visual voicemail creations, but that's about to change starting on May 31st. Earlier today, Smith Micro announced it's delivering its Visual Voicemail features to the prepaid-friendly carrier, with the upcoming Boost-branded HTC EVO Design 4G being the first slab to offer said tidbits. Smith Micro is also adding an optional service dubbed "Voicemail-to-Text," which -- for an extra $1.99 per month -- will essentially turn those vocal messages into words and send them to you via text message or email. With the launch of the "four-gee" waves in mind, we're certain you're enjoying all the incoming news of late.

Continue reading Boost Mobile set to offer Smith Micro's Visual Voicemail features starting on May 31st

Boost Mobile set to offer Smith Micro's Visual Voicemail features starting on May 31st originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget interview: Sprint product execs John Tudhope and David Owens at CTIA 2012 (video)

The Engadget interview: Sprint product execs John Tudhope and David Owens at CTIA 2012 (video)

We managed to catch not one, but two of Sprint's execs yesterday at CTIA Wireless 2012: Director of Product Marketing John Tudhope and VP of Product David Owens. While our discussion was centered primarily around the company's announcements at the show -- Sprint Guardian, HTC's EVO V 4G for Virgin Mobile and HTC's EVO Design 4G for Boost Mobile -- we were able to ask a few questions about the state of Sprint's LTE deployment and the associated value proposition. Want to find out more? Take a look at our video interview.

The Engadget interview: Sprint product execs John Tudhope and David Owens at CTIA 2012 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 06:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC EVO Design 4G for Boost Mobile hands-on

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No, your eyes aren't deceiving you -- that's the very same EVO Design 4G we reviewed late last winter when it bowed on Sprint's lineup. Surfing along the carrier's increasingly antiquated 4G WiMAX network, this handset's getting a new berth on Boost Mobile priced at an affordable $299 for pre-paid customers. Much like its girthier Android cousin the EVO V 4G, the physical construction and internal specifications of this device have remained unchanged. It's still packing a 4-inch 960 x 540 qHD display, single-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon S2, 1.3 megapixel front-facing / rear 5 megapixel cameras and 4GB of internal storage. So, for the price the prepaid carrier's asking, it's not a bad deal.

The phone is still just as pleasant to hold in hand, owing to a soft touch plastic back that's broken up by a smooth piece of aluminum plating. Again, if you've seen its earlier incarnation, you know what you're getting into, but there is a distinct difference here -- a combo of Sense 3.6 and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Luckily for prepaid consumers, the phone's set to launch sometime this June with that software combo pre-loaded; a sweet perk given its place on the lower end of the consumer spectrum. Hit up the gallery below for a further peek at this re-badged handset.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

HTC EVO Design 4G for Boost Mobile hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 16:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31

Evo V 4G

In sync with Sprint's plans to get its sub-brands on 4G using its legacy WiMAX network, both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile have trotted out their initial 4G lineups. The early Virgin mix includes retreads of two Sprint data-only devices -- a Broadband2Go-badged version of the Sierra Wireless Overdrive Pro 3G/4G hotspot and a matching version of the Franklin U600 previously seen at Clear. Virgin's real star, however, is the HTC EVO V 4G: though it's ultimately the EVO 3D with a slightly more 2D name, it's shipping with Android 4.0 from the start and has HTC's Frankenstein-like Sense 3.6 rather than the 4.0 of the One series. The network upgrade and all three new devices swing into action on May 31, and while your $35 minimum monthly plan will stay in effect even with unlimited on-device 4G, you'll need to spend $300 (contract-free) to take home an EVO V 4G, $150 on the Overdrive Pro or $100 on the U600 stick.

Boost Mobile is also going the Sprint rebadge route through the HTC EVO Design 4G. As with its bigger brother over at Virgin, the single-core EVO Design 4G is identical in hardware to its Sprint equivalent but slaps Android 4.0 and Sense 3.6 on top to keep the software fresh. The update does mark the first time a Boost phone gets Visual Voicemail, so you can feel slightly less guilty when you miss a call. HTC's phone will oddly cost the same $300 off-contract as the more advanced EVO V 4G, although Boost is likely counting on customers sticking around long enough for an all-inclusive unlimited plan to drop to $40 per month and make it worthwhile.

Continue reading Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31

Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we learned that ZTE intends to release a phablet of its own, and Samsung unseated Nokia as the world's largest supplier of mobile phones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 23rd, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 23rd, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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