Tag Archives: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4

Qualcomm enlists Samsung, UMC to help meet 28nm Snapdragon S4 demand

Posted on by

Qualcomm enlists Samsung, UMC to help meet 28nm Snapdragon S4 demand

Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 chipset is certainly hot (well, not too hot), but it looks like demand is expected to grow even further, causing the San Diego-based SoC maker to turn to allies in the east to help beef up supply. According to China Economic News Service, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) and Korea-based Samsung will join Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to manufacturer the 28nm chips beginning later this year, in an attempt to increase S4 availability ahead of the Windows RT launch. The article cites Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs as saying that a shortage is expected to continue, due to the complicated techniques necessary to manufacturer 28nm chips, and that the company may consider adding its own manufacturing plant in the future. All in all, it doesn't seem like a terrible position for QCOM to be in. Full details are at the Taiwanese source link below.

Qualcomm enlists Samsung, UMC to help meet 28nm Snapdragon S4 demand originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink SlashGear  |  sourceChina Economic News Service  | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on (video)

Posted on by

T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on

T-Mob's variant of the Galaxy S III made its in-store debut on this very day, and we just had a chance to go hands-on with the flagship smartphone. The carrier brought the handset down to the Metropolitan Pavilion for Pepcom's baseball-themed shindig and we just had to get our greasy paws all over its shiny Pebble Blue shell -- and it is a serious fingerprint magnet. Aside from that, though, it's hard to take issue with such a slim and marvelously engineered device. The plasticky build quality does leave something to be desired, but it's something we've become accustomed with Samsung devices. We've also got to give it to Sammy for getting carriers, including T-Mobile, to leave well enough alone. Other than the innocuous logo on the back there are no physical differences between this version of the S III and its 4.8-inch cousins on other networks. There's no keyboard, redesigned corners or rejiggered buttons. Truth is, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between Big Magenta's variant and the international version.

Gallery: T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on

The only obvious changes come once you fire the device up, and you'll have to dig around a bit to find them. T-Mo has added a few apps to the standard Samsung Suite. Most of them are relatively inoffensive, but if you're the type who was taken aback when you discovered My Verizon Mobile on your LTE Galaxy Nexus, you might not be a happy camper. On board you'll find T-Mobile TV, Name ID, Access T-Mobile, Mobile HotSpot and Visual Voicemail -- pretty standard additions. Our brief time with the device turned up no surprises. Performance was snappy -- apps opened without a hitch and webpages loaded as fast as the congested wireless in the room would allow. If you're a Carly Foulkes fan with an upgrade on tap you could do worse than to pick up the Galaxy S III (which is available today) for $279.99. Though, that price tag is, admittedly, a bit hard to swallow. Be sure to check the video after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on (video)

T-Mobile Galaxy S III hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

The Engadget interview: Nokia’s Kevin Shields talks Windows Phone 8 (video)

Posted on by

The Engadget interview Nokia's Kevin Shields talks WIndows Phone 8

Today at the Windows Phone Developer Summit, we had the opportunity to sit down with Kevin Shields, SVP of Program and Product Management at Nokia, and chat about the day's announcements including Windows Phone 8. Our discussion started with the apps Nokia unveiled today -- PlayTo for DLNA support, Nokia Counter to monitor data usage, My Commute for personalized routing, an update of Nokia Music to 3.0 and the Camera Extras imaging suite -- which are rolling out next week for all Lumia handsets running Windows Phone 7.5. Kevin gave us a little more insight on Camera Extras, a set of four apps (Self Timer, Panorama Maker, Action Shot and Smart Group Shot) designed to enhance the camera experience using technology from Nokia's recent Scalado acquisition.

We then moved on to discussing Windows Phone 8 and specifically NFC support, with a small tangent spent on Kevin showing us the recently launched Lumia 610 NFC. The next topic was about what we can expect from Nokia in terms of hardware for upcoming phones running the latest iteration of Microsoft's mobile OS. We know that the first batch of Windows Phone 8 devices will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core SoC, but on the topic of quad-core processors Kevin said "where additional hardware makes a difference, then sure, let's talk about it," adding "we're going to stay committed to the experience." Finally we discussed the future of Nokia's PureView technology and how it fits in with the next generation mobile OS. PureView "is a core technology that we are dedicated to and invested in" said Kevin. Sounds quite promising, right?

We can't wait to see what the next wave of Lumia handsets brings to the table. Until then, go ahead and watch our video interview.

The Engadget interview: Nokia's Kevin Shields talks Windows Phone 8 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 19:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

LG VS930 pops up at the FCC, may be world-roaming Optimus LTE II for Verizon

Posted on by

LG VS930 pops up at the FCC, may be worldroaming Optimus LTE II for Verizon

Verizon may be getting into a regular habit of carrying high-end LG smartphones. If the FCC is anything to go by, the Optimus LTE II could be next to get the Big Red treatment: a filing has just emerged for the VS930, a likely successor to the VS910 (Revolution) and VS920 (Spectrum). While it's been showing up only in bits and pieces through certifications and tests, the more complete picture we're getting now shows a world-ready roaming device. It has the requisite CDMA and Verizon-specific LTE frequencies, but also GSM and HSPA as bonuses -- on AT&T-friendly bands, no less. LG is understandably shy about showing photos or other clues, but anything resembling the Optimus LTE II would flaunt a 4.7-inch 720p screen, a dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 and that all-important 2GB of RAM. To us, the real question is one of timing. Verizon has been making a habit of offering one 4G-equipped LG flagship every year, but early 2013 would be a long time to wait for what's more of an iteration than a... wait for it... revolution.

LG VS930 pops up at the FCC, may be world-roaming Optimus LTE II for Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFCC  | Email this | Comments

Samsung Galaxy S III review shootout: AT&T vs. Sprint

Posted on by

Samsung Galaxy S III review shootout AT&T and Sprint

More Info

Each summer the world celebrates a time of warmth, fun and relaxation. For the tech community, however, it's traditionally the season in which Samsung unleashes the latest version of its Galaxy S flagship. But the now time-honored tradition is actually more of a one-two punch: first the unlocked international model is revealed, and later it's followed up by a litany of worldwide variants. US carriers intent on offering the "value" of differentiation to their customers have been the worst offenders in modifying Sammy's magic formula, ranging from motley form factors to egregious bloatware to clumsy naming schemes (Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch quickly comes to mind).

But Samsung's brand cache has grown year over year, so much so that the company is starting to wield more power over carriers. No weird names, no exclusive agreements and no changes to the form factor. That's right, six carriers have signed up to carry the Galaxy S III so far, and every single one of these devices looks exactly the way Samsung intended, with the only major exceptions being the processor and memory allotment. So far we've had the opportunity to play with two of the six: AT&T's and Sprint's. How close to the original GS III (also known as the GT-I9300) do these devices come? What advantages and disadvantages does each bring to the table? Can you expect comparable performance? Stay with us as we break it all down.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S III (AT&T, Sprint) overview

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III review shootout: AT&T vs. Sprint

Samsung Galaxy S III review shootout: AT&T vs. Sprint originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Samsung T-Mobile slider flashes Chiclets for Mr. Blurrycam, could be the SGH-T699

Posted on by

samsung-t-mobile-slider-shows-chiclets-for-mr-blurrycam

If you're a fan of old-school QWERTY, it seems T-Mobile will soon have a clicky Samsung slider friend for you. The leaked image from TMoNews could also clear up a mystery and put a face to the name SGH-T699 we saw last month in a leaked user agent profile. From that we gleaned a 720P display, and new info points to a 5MP rear camera, Qualcomm S3 or S4 chip and Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich to boot. We'll keep the skep-o-meter turned up high till we have confirmation for all that, but tactile keyboard phone lovers might want to start making plans.

Samsung T-Mobile slider flashes Chiclets for Mr. Blurrycam, could be the SGH-T699 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 02:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTMoNews  | Email this | Comments

Purported Motorola Dinara press shot slips out, carries a whiff of Atrix 3

Posted on by

Purported Motorola Dinara press shot slips out, carries a whiff of Atrix 3

We're taking this with a big block of salt, but we may have just had our first real peek at the Motorola Dinara's American form. A claimed press shot has the possibly Snapdragon S4-powered Android 4.0 phone carrying a fairly plain shell, but also sporting a 720p display and an all-touch interface borrowed from Motorola's recent Chinese introductions. The tip to The Verge hasn't produced any shocks, including the mention of LTE and preloaded AT&T apps, although the badging does give us some room for skepticism: AT&T rarely if ever leaves its three-letter name out of phone branding, and that front camera position is slightly odd. As long as no wool has been pulled over eyes, however, the Dinara could be a candidate for another Atrix sequel that keeps Motorola on Big Blue.

Purported Motorola Dinara press shot slips out, carries a whiff of Atrix 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceThe Verge  | Email this | Comments

Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video)

Posted on by

Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 handson at Computex 2012 video

Want a dual-SIM phone running Ice Cream Sandwich? You've come to the right place. Here at Computex in Taipei we uncovered three of the handsets Gigabyte announced yesterday -- the GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 -- and took two of them for a spin.

First up is the G1362 which sports a 4.3-inch FWVGA (854x480) display, 5 megapixel AF camera with LED flash, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 CPU, 512MB or RAM and 4GB of internal storage. Next is the G1242, featuring a 3.5-inch HVGA (480x320) LCD, 5 MP autofocus camera with flash, 800MHz single core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM and a lowly 1GB of built-in flash. The M1320 M1348 was non-functional and hidden in a display case. It's expected to match the G1342 in specs but uses a 1GHz MediaTek CPU and offers 4GB of built-in storage. As previously mentioned, all three phones include two SIM slots (one of them HSPA 7.2Mbps-capable) and run Android 4.0.4.

Despite packing a Snapdragon S4, the G1362 looks and feels like a mid-range handset, with a less-than-stellar display (poor brightness and viewing angles). The UI was reasonably responsive, however, which is pretty much what you'd expect from a phone with such a powerful processor. As for the G1362, it's basically your standard fare low-end Android handset albeit with dual-SIM support and ICS. Build quality was in line with other prototypes we've handled -- that is to say a little rough around the edges. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that we played with pre-production units running non-final software.

The G1362 should be available in July for less than $300 unsubsidized, the G1342 is shipping this month (June) for under $200 and the M1348 is expected later this summer at a sub $150 price point. Want to know more? There's a gallery below and a pair of hands-on videos after the break.

Gallery: Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 hands-on

Continue reading Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video)

Gigabyte GSmart G1362, G1342 and M1348 at Computex 2012 (hands-on video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jun 2012 04:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Windows RT on Snapdragon S4 hands-on and Rob Chandhok interview (update: video)

Posted on by

Windows RT on Snapdragon S4 handson

We just got a hands-on demo of Microsoft Windows RT running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 development tablet here at Computex 2012 in Taipei. The verdict? It's smooth as silk on a 1.5GHz dual-core APQ8060A with 2GB of RAM, which means it's likely to be even more impressive on the company's quad-core offering. We got to see SkyDrive photo sharing between a Nokia Lumia 900 and the Windows RT device, showing that both WiFi and 3G connectivity are fully supported. Ditto GPS -- with Bing Maps purring along nicely.

Most interesting, however, was a demo of Vendetta Online which ran without hiccups even when multitasking along with other apps. We asked about battery life and benchmarks -- especially when comparing Windows RT to Android -- but sadly Qualcomm doesn't have any numbers to share. The company's focus is clearly on working with Microsoft to streamline the new OS for the Snapdragon platform, and from what we saw today, things are making great progress.

Take a look at our gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video and interview with Rob Chandhok, President of Qualcomm Internet Services.

Gallery: Windows RT on Snapdragon S4 hands-on

Continue reading Windows RT on Snapdragon S4 hands-on and Rob Chandhok interview (update: video)

Windows RT on Snapdragon S4 hands-on and Rob Chandhok interview (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jun 2012 02:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile brings Samsung Galaxy S III to stores on June 21st

Posted on by

TMobile brings Samsung Galaxy S III to stores on June 21st

T-Mobile US isn't letting Verizon bask in the spotlight for too long, as it just announced that June 21st will be the magic date it begins offering the Samsung Galaxy S III in stores. From what we can tell, this particular flavor of the device has seemed to escape a good chunk of carrier influence, with the traditional home button model staying intact. As we've been expecting, the GSIII will come in 16 and 32GB models (price is still an unknown at the moment, though $200 and $250 respectively seems to be the popular choice so far), run on a Snapdragon S4 dual-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and offer an impressive 2GB RAM. It doesn't appear that T-Mo will be allowing pre-orders through official retail channels, but you can sign up for a reminder by going to the link below. But don't worry if you forget to do that -- we'll keep you posted on all the updates no matter what.

Continue reading T-Mobile brings Samsung Galaxy S III to stores on June 21st

T-Mobile brings Samsung Galaxy S III to stores on June 21st originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments