Refresh Roundup: week of August 19th, 2013

Posted on 26/08/2013 by Zachary Lutz

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!

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile

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Refresh Roundup: week of June 3rd, 2013

Posted on 10/06/2013 by Zachary Lutz

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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Refresh Roundup: week of March 18th, 2013

Posted on 25/03/2013 by Zachary Lutz

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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ASUS PadFone Infinity vs. PadFone 2… fight!

Posted on 25/02/2013 by Richard Lai

We happened to have a PadFone 2 with us at ASUS' MWC event, so it was only natural for us to put it next to the brand-spanking-new PadFone Infinity for a few photos. Unlike the jump from the original PadFone to the PadFone 2, the latest generation ditches the polycarbonate body with the iconic zen pattern in favor of an aerospace-grade aluminum unibody. Placing the PadFone Infinity and its shorter predecessor side by side you can see that the former is actually slimmer over all, and we dig the premium feel as well. Other notable differences include a new position for the loudspeaker, which is now on the top right side of the bezel instead of the back; and the 13-megapixel camera is now off-center.

You'd think the smaller PadFone 2 would easily fit into the bigger bay in the new PadFone Station (using the same special micro-USB socket), but interestingly, it didn't work for us. We might give it another go when we eventually get hold of a review unit, of course (it's OK, Jonney, we'll be gentle).

Gallery: ASUS PadFone Infinity vs. PadFone 2... fight!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, ASUS

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ASUS PadFone Infinity announced: 5-inch, 1080p screen, Snapdragon 600 CPU and full HD tablet display (hands-on)

Posted on 25/02/2013 by Dana Wollman

You may have heard a new PadFone was on the way -- it's not like ASUS has been dropping obvious hints or anything. In any case, surprise! ASUS just unveiled a new model, the PadFone Infinity. Like other PadFones, this is a handset that slips into a tablet-like dock, allowing you to make use of a bigger screen. This time, though, it ships with Android 4.2, and the display has grown from 4.7 inches to 5. The resolution is now 1080p (up from 720p), which comes out to 441 pixels per inch. Additionally, the tablet's 10.1-inch screen has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, up from 1,280 x 800 in the last-gen model. It's plenty bright, too, at 400 nits, but that's a slight step down from the last-gen model, which lit up to 500 nits.

What's more, the phone's gotten an upgrade on the inside: it now packs a quad-core, 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 chip with an Adreno 320 GPU, some of the freshest components Qualcomm has to offer at the moment. Also on-board, you get 2GB of RAM to help boost performance, with your choice of either 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. As far as connectivity, you're looking at EDGE, GPRS, GSM, WCDMA, LTE and DC-HSPA+, along with all the usual radios: WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS and even GLONASS. According to an ASUS rep, the device uses a nano-SIM rather than micro-SIM. Around back, ASUS has added a 13-megapixel autofocusing camera with an LED flash, five-element, f/2.0 lens and burst shooting at eight fps. There's a front camera too, capped at 2MP, in case you want to do the occasional video chat. Meanwhile, the 2,400mAh battery promises up to 19 hours of 3G talk time, and up to 40 with the dock attached.

Like every other PadFone that's been released, this won't be available in the US, but the phone-and-dock combo will cost £799 / €999 when it goes on sale in Europe this April. The phone is also headed to Asia, though we don't have any more details. You'll also have your choice of colors, we hear: gray, gold and hot pink, if that's what you're into. Check out our hands-on gallery for a closer look.

Update: Hands-on photos and video now added. You're welcome.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, ASUS

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Refresh Roundup: week of January 21st, 2013

Posted on 28/01/2013 by Zachary Lutz

Official Android updates

HTC One X: Following in Rogers' footsteps, Telus has released its Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and Sense 4+ update for over-the-air installation. The software weighs in at approximately 629MB. [MobileSyrup]
Samsung Galaxy S II: T-Mobile has begun delivery of an incremental update to address an issue with the Qualcomm SoC. The software also brings security fixes and S Voice improvements. [Android Central]
Samsung Galaxy S II: Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean) is now available for the international version of this handset (i9100), which includes Samsung's Nature UX enhancements. Owners of this handset can grab the update either over-the-air or within Samsung Kies. You'll also find a walkthrough video and a screenshot tour at the source link. [SamMobile]
ASUS PadFone 2: Build 10.4.11.13 is now available with a hefty number of performance and stability tweaks for the WWE version of this smartphone. The software also brings improved power management software and refinements to the HDR capture and white balance functions of the camera. [Android Police]
Unofficial Android updates, custom ROMs and misc. hackery
AOKP: A new milestone build of this popular Android 4.2 custom ROM is now available. With this release, the Galaxy S III on AT&T, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon are all supported, as is the Nexus 10 and the Nexus 7 (HSPA+). Among the customizations in this build, you'll find the ability to use the power button as a makeshift camera shutter button and enhancements to the boot animation chooser. [Android Police]

Other platforms

Nokia Lumia 900: An update to Windows Phone 7.8 now seems imminent for this AT&T handset, as the revised OS (build 8878) has been spotted on Nokia's servers. For what it's worth, January 31st is currently being kicked around as the rollout date, but you might wanna circle that date in pencil, just to be safe. [WPCentral]
HTC 8X: Rogers has released the 'Portico' update for this smartphone, which brings improvements to text messaging and WiFi connectivity. [MobileSyrup]

Refreshes we covered this week

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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Refresh Roundup: week of December 31st, 2012

Posted on 07/01/2013 by Zachary Lutz

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of December 31st, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

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ASUS PadFone 2 Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update starts arriving over the air

Posted on 09/12/2012 by James Trew

Maybe it was the gadget-in-a-gadget thing, or just that fact that it was a good 'ole "twofer." Either way, when the PadFone 2 from ASUS landed in our hands a few weeks back, we were pretty smitten. Now, the deal just got better thanks to the arrival of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean for the "fone" part of that combo. While the proprietary skin remains the same, you can now enjoy all the new perks that 4.1 brings along. The update is being sent out over the air right now, so be sure to point your phone / tablet at the system update screen to make sure you get the goods. Now, ASUS, we just need you to roll out that keyboard add-on we wanted...

[Thanks, Quan Truong]

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile, ASUS

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The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 11:30pm ET!

Posted on 26/10/2012 by Brad Molen

Ready for a fireside chat? We are, and we're delighted to have a special guest with us: it's Richard Lai, Editor-in-Chief of Engadget Chinese and the main character involved in the now-infamous (and slightly viral) NSFW ASUS Padfone 2 video! Don't let your imaginations run wild -- check it out here, while you're waiting for the podcast to start. But open up a new tab to do so, because we want you meet us right back here after you're done.

October 25, 2012 11:30 PM EDT

Filed under: Announcements, Mobile

The Engadget Mobile Podcast, live at 11:30pm ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS PadFone 2 review: two times is a charm for this phone-in-tablet combo

Posted on 25/10/2012 by Richard Lai

It's only been half a year since the peculiar PadFone made its much-delayed entry into select markets, and earlier this week, ASUS' launch of its second-gen phone-in-tablet brings us back to this old question: are we better off with just one mobile screen instead of two? Ask any ordinary manufacturer and the answer is likely the latter, because who doesn't want to sell more products? Similarly, carriers would likely back such manufacturers for the sake of selling more data plans, even if they admire ASUS' efforts (and they could already be selling ASUS tablets in the first place). Some folks also argue that if you have to carry the tablet module with you anyway, you might as well have two separate devices for better multitasking.

It seems like there's a huge mountain to climb here, but on the flip side, ASUS' innovative differentiation does have some advantages. You only need one data plan (and no tethering required) for both form factors, you get to keep the same data in one place instead of having to duplicate them and you can pretty much instantly switch between a small screen and a large screen for the same content. Not to mention that there's also the added functionality of charging up the phone while it's sitting inside the tablet. Alas, the original PadFone and PadFone Station didn't quite hit the spot: the combined weight and bulk made it tough to justify the phone-in-tablet idea, which is why we said it's all about the PadFone 2 in our review. Let's see if ASUS has done it right this time 'round.

Gallery: ASUS PadFone 2 review