Mobile Miscellany: week of March 25th, 2013

Mobile Miscellany week of March 25th, 2013

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, an unknown T-Mobile handset with Snapdragon 800 internals lit up the benchmarks, Sony was foiled at the lock screen and Rogers made 44 new promises without saying much at all. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of March 25th, 2013.

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Refresh Roundup: week of March 18th, 2013

Refresh Roundup week of March 18th, 2013

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

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LG trolls Samsung’s Times Square billboards with Optimus G ‘4’ ads

LG trolls Samsung's Times Square billboards with Optimus G '4' ads

The press is headed to Radio City Music Hall for Samsung's Galaxy S IV event in a few hours, but the company has also taken up consumer-focused presence in Times Square -- where rival LG is waiting. As shown in the pic, LG has refashioned its billboards (which it already occupied for 20 years before the new neighbor moved in below last year) to mock Samsung's "4" themed advertising, touting that the Optimus G is "here 4 you now", among other messages. They'd probably have a better chance of grabbing our attention if the upgraded Optimus G Pro were here 4 us instead, but that's not an option yet. Still, we have to appreciate a prank pulled off well enough that it even scores some screen time in a Samsung promo video (at :49 and 2:04) embedded after the break.

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Source: Korea Newswire

LG Optimus G for Sprint updated to Android 4.1.2

LG Optimus G for Sprint updated to Android 412

Today's been a good day for smartphone updates. In addition to the One X on AT&T and the Droid RAZR on Verizon both receiving bumps to Jelly Bean, Sprint is giving another reason to smile with an update to Android 4.1.2 for the Optimus G. Along with the usual set of improvements such as Google Now, Chrome replaces the default Android browser in this release, and users will also find improved voice search and a new camera app. Additionally, users of alternative launchers will be glad to know that system widgets can be now be installed without root access. All in all, it's high time that this top shelf smartphone made the leap into the world of Jelly Bean, so go ahead and grab the OTA update today.

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Via: Sprint (Twitter)

Source: Sprint

LG outs Quick Cover case for the Optimus G Pro

LG outs Quick Cover case for the Optimus G Pro

LG's just pulled back the curtains on Quick Cover: a magnet-infused case for the Optimus G Pro. Thanks to a Smart Cover-like design, the jacket turns the smartphone's screen on when its front flap is lifted, and off when it's shut. The sleeves come in black, blue, lime green, pink and white hues reminiscent of Samsung's own flip covers, and are accompanied by a reflective cube pattern option that comes in shades of black and white. By the sound of LG's press release, wireless charging and NFC capabilities should go unhindered when hardware is dressed up with a Quick Cover. South Korean online stores and brick-and-mortar shops will soon have the solid colors available for 43,000 won ($40), while the patterned variety will ring up at 39,000 won ($36). There's no word of a release in other territories just yet, so you'll have to sit tight if the accessories strike your fancy.

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Source: LG (translated)

Refresh Roundup: week of February 25th, 2013

Refresh Roundup week of February 25th, 2013

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

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Mobile Miscellany: week of February 25th, 2013

Mobile Miscellany week of February 25th, 2013

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought news of a new direction for Muve Music, the arrival of a budget smartphone at Sprint and a whole lotta LTE expansion. 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 February 25th, 2013.

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LG demos Optimus G TD-LTE prototype, promises LTE lineup for China Mobile

LG demonstrates Optimus G TDLTE prototype, promises range of LTE smartphones for China Mobile

Today at Mobile World Congress, LG demoed a modified Optimus G that supports China Mobile's forthcoming TD-LTE network, but just as weighty as the demonstration, the manufacturer also revealed that it'll provide a full line of TD-LTE devices for the world's largest mobile operator. While LG wasn't able to nail down a specific date, it's currently shooting for the second half of this year in order to compliment China Mobile's TD-LTE rollout. Along with the Optimus G, it seems a safe bet that the two companies will be evaluating new smartphones such as the Optimus F7 and F5, along with the Optimus L7II and L5II as candidates to make the leap into the world of TD-LTE. Inquiring minds will find the full presser after the break.

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LG Optimus G shipping to Europe this month with Jelly Bean (video)

LG Optimus G shipping to Europe with Jelly Bean video

LG is about to kick its currently slow, worldwide Optimus G deployment into high gear. Right in time for Mobile World Congress, the company has confirmed that its late 2012 flagship is about to reach Europe. Sweden gets first crack at the Optimus G before February is over, while at least France, Germany and Italy are next in line. Every European version will ship with the Jelly Bean update LG promised for new launches back in late January. It adds more than just obvious Android 4.1 features like Google Now and rich notifications: there's a wider variety of QSlide-friendly apps, better status bar controls and small perks like Privacy Keeper for calls and Safety Care live support. We're still waiting for Jelly Bean to hit the US, but Europeans (and envious Americans) can see what they'll get by watching the video after the break.

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LG Optimus G shipping to Europe this month with Jelly Bean (video)

LG Optimus G shipping to Europe with Jelly Bean video

LG is about to kick its currently slow, worldwide Optimus G deployment into high gear. Right in time for Mobile World Congress, the company has confirmed that its late 2012 flagship is about to reach Europe. Sweden gets first crack at the Optimus G before February is over, while at least France, Germany and Italy are next in line. Every European version will ship with the Jelly Bean update LG promised for new launches back in late January. It adds more than just obvious Android 4.1 features like Google Now and rich notifications: there's a wider variety of QSlide-friendly apps, better status bar controls and small perks like Privacy Keeper for calls and Safety Care live support. We're still waiting for Jelly Bean to hit the US, but Europeans (and envious Americans) can see what they'll get by watching the video after the break.

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