Vertu TI luxury phone lands in Hong Kong, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 04/03/2013 by Richard Lai

Admittedly, many of us here at Engadget have never really had the opportunity to touch a Vertu phone (KIRFs don't count, of course), as the pressure of stepping into a posh Vertu store without the cash can be rather unnerving. That said, over the weekend Vertu launched its Android-powered TI in Hong Kong, and the British company was gracious enough to let us get up close and personal with all four flavors of its latest luxury device. Verdict? Well, please kindly ask your butler to read on after the break.

Gallery: Vertu TI hands-on in Hong Kong

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Acer V350 reportedly spotted in benchmarks with Snapdragon S4, Jelly Bean

Posted on 22/12/2012 by Jon Fingas

Acer may be something of a leaky ship. Just days after we saw the supposed V360 smartphone pose for the camera, a possibly related V350 model has reportedly shown up in GLBenchmark's results. Despite the lower number in the naming scheme, the device put through testing looks to be the higher-end of the two. It jumps to a 720p screen, a speedier 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and even a slightly newer Android 4.1.2 build of Jelly Bean. Without a peek at other details, we don't know what else if anything might be upgraded over the V360, or if this is indeed a real device -- benchmarks aren't definitive proof, after all. If history is an indicator, though, we could get full details of the V350 near Mobile World Congress in February, like with past devices. We just hope Acer is timelier about actually getting to market this time around.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Acer

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Via: Phone Arena

Source: GLBenchmark

Sony Xperia VL brings dash of toughened-up LTE to Japan

Posted on 17/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

We were intrigued by Sony's Xperia V back at IFA, but deals with specific carriers haven't been very forthcoming. Japan's KDDI is covering that gap by pledging to carry Sony's mid-size Android 4.0 phone as the Xperia VL. Everything we know and (mostly) love about the dust- and water-resistant phone is intact, including that thin sensor-on-lens 720p display, the 13-megapixel camera, the 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4, NFC and LTE-based 4G. The one question remaining is a definitive release date: Sony will only promise an Xperia VL launch before the end of the year, although there's talk at Impress Watch of a release on November 2nd for ¥30,000 ($381) after carrier discounts. Let's hope for the company's sake that other carriers sign up for the V and VL sooner rather than later.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony

Sony Xperia VL brings dash of toughened-up LTE to Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung P500 and i915 tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Galaxy Note II for Sprint reach the FCC (update: Note II for US Cellular as well)

Posted on 03/10/2012 by Jon Fingas

When it rains, it pours. As if to clear the decks, Samsung has passed three devices through the FCC's scrutiny at the same time. Two, the SPH-P500 and SCH-i915, are LTE-equipped tablets respectively headed to Sprint and Verizon with a dash of mystery; their label images imply a pair of Galaxy Tab 2 variants, but both have previously been spotted in as yet unverified benchmarks that allude to much faster Snapdragon S4 processors instead of the Tab 2's TI chips. The SPH-L900's dimensions and dual-mode support make for a safer bet, pointing to what's likely the Galaxy Note II for Sprint. We're less concerned with the hardware details so much as when everything ships -- although we may get a clearer picture of the Sprint Galaxy Note II's fate around October 24th, the tablets aren't linked to any kind of public schedule, official or otherwise.

Update: Not long after Sprint's Galaxy Note sequel arrived in the FCC, US Cellular's flavor -- the SCH-R950 -- also made it through the federal approval process.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, Samsung

Samsung P500 and i915 tablets for Sprint and Verizon, Galaxy Note II for Sprint reach the FCC (update: Note II for US Cellular as well) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pantech ADR930LVW knocks on the FCC’s door, brings Verizon LTE along for the ride

Posted on 07/09/2012 by James Trew

Are you familiar with the ADR930LVW from Pantech? Well, you'd be excused for never having heard of it, but given that it's just popped up at the FCC, you might be getting to know it soon. Typically, details are sparse, but a bit of sniffing around suggests that this will be rolling with Verizon friendly LTE (which might also explain the "VW" in the product name). There's mention of NFC too, along with the obligatory WiFi and Bluetooth furnishings. The handset is rumored to also be touting a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 and a 720p HD display, which sounds perfectly believable to us. But until this breaks cover, be it as the ADR930LVW, or codename Premia V -- or indeed as anything else -- we'll just have to wait and see.

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Pantech ADR930LVW knocks on the FCC's door, brings Verizon LTE along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE surfaces for Sprint

Posted on 03/09/2012 by Sean Buckley

If you found yourself on the wrong network for Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Stellar smartphone, consider this: The Galaxy Victory. This little slab was leaked to Android Central recently, sporting similar specs to Verizon's upcoming budget device. Like its cousin, the Victory appears to have a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, a TouchWiz flavored serving of Ice Cream Sandwich and a 4-inch 800 x 480 display -- but it sets itself apart with a five-megapixel rear facing camera and quad-band GSM support. The handset also plays nice with Samsung's TecTiles accessory, as well as Google Wallet, Beam and other NFC standards. An internal employee promotion from Sprint pegs the device for a September release, but makes no mention of price or specific availability.

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Samsung Galaxy Victory 4G LTE surfaces for Sprint originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 20:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony announces Xperia T,V, and J smartphones at IFA

Posted on 29/08/2012 by James Trew

Kaz Hirai is live on stage at Sony's press even at IFA, and has just announced three new Xperia phones -- the T, V, and J. The Xperia T is the new flagship and sports a 1,280 x 720 4.6-inch display, a 13-megapixel camera, a dual-core Qualcomm Krait 1.5GHz processor, PlayStation certification and one touch NFC connectivity. There will also be an Xperia TX in some markets. The Xperia V is confirmed as being LTE-enabled, as well as highly water resistant, plus a 1.5GHz dual core Qualcomm processor a 4.3-inch display, and a similarly megapixel-endowed (13) camera, and is also bestowed with PlayStation certification. The Xperia J is the more budget focused of the three, and also the smallest, with a 4-inch screen, a 1GHz core and just 5-megapixels on the camera front. All the new phones will launch with Android 4.0.4, with a Jelly Bean update already confirmed to be on the way for the lucky T and V. The flagship Xperia T will be available in the next few weeks, with the other two arriving some time in Q4 this year. All will be available in a variety of colors

Continue reading Sony announces Xperia T,V, and J smartphones at IFA

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Sony announces Xperia T,V, and J smartphones at IFA originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE review: the best full QWERTY phone on Sprint’s network

Posted on 21/08/2012 by Brad Molen

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The future of Motorola post-acquisition may still be a mystery, but the manufacturer has managed to stay quite active over the last few weeks: it unveiled the Atrix HD, its first smartphone with an HD display and native ICS build, and there's already much anticipation around Verizon's Droid RAZR HD ahead of the holiday season. For the here and now, however, it's Sprint's turn to soak in the Moto love with the Photon Q 4G LTE. (Say it five times fast.)

Naturally, the name of the phone doesn't leave a whole lot to the imagination. As you'd expect, it's a follow-up to last year's Photon 4G that trades WiMAX for LTE and adds a full-sized QWERTY keyboard. What the name doesn't tell you, though, is that this phone costs a lofty $200 on contract, and features a qHD ColorBoost display (not to be confused with the Atrix's 720p screen, which uses the same branding). In other words, it's gotta be pretty good to have any success at that price point. How does the latest Googorola device hold up against the rest of Sprint's LTE lineup? Is it worth the premium? Follow us southward to find out.

Gallery: Motorola Photon 4G LTE review

Continue reading Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE review: the best full QWERTY phone on Sprint's network

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE review: the best full QWERTY phone on Sprint's network originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung spills details on Odyssey and Marco Windows Phone 8 devices

Posted on 30/07/2012 by Mat Smith

If you thought the Apple and Samsung legal tussles weren't getting interesting enough, another filing has revealed that the father of all smartphones Galaxy has at least two Windows Phone 8 devices in the pipeline. According to the filing that's been unearthed by The Verge, both are running on a dual-core 1.5Ghz Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset -- which is currently Samsung's chip of choice for LTE regions. The Odyssey looks set to be Samsung's high-end Windows Phone, with a 4.65-inch high-definition Super AMOLED display and NFC ready for Microsoft's own mobile payment plans. Meanwhile, the Marco will apparently forego the near-field delights and house a humbler 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen, for a presumably gentler price. According to the legal documents, both devices are gearing up to launch in Q4 of this year -- after we've seen Windows Phone 8 in its entirety.

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Samsung spills details on Odyssey and Marco Windows Phone 8 devices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 04:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Atrix HD review

Posted on 16/07/2012 by Brad Molen

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When it comes to storied products, the Motorola Atrix has already mushroomed into one prolific line of devices, even in its short, 18-month life. It began as the Atrix 4G, entering the market with a splashy press conference at CES 2011, earning our respect as a game-changer, with its fingerprint sensor and innovative Webtop system. Less than a year later we were treated to the sequel, which offered some incremental improvements in specs and design, but failed to dazzle techies the way the original did.

Enter the third installment of the Atrix saga: the Atrix HD. True to its name, Motorola's latest device is the company's first US-bound smartphone to take advantage of a 720p display. It's also the outfit's first handset to ship with Ice Cream Sandwich already installed, and it sweetens the pot with other goodies such as LTE and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The spec sheet looks promising, and at $99 with a two-year agreement, so does the price. So is it worth your hard-earned Benjamin and two more years with AT&T? Let's find out.

Gallery: Motorola Atrix HD review