Samsung Galaxy Note II for Sprint hands-on

Posted on 21/09/2012 by Edgar Alvarez

All we know so far is that it's possibly coming to US shores at some point in November, but the good news is that Sprint brought along one of the world's most famous phablets to a press event in New York City and, better yet, we got to play with it for a little while. Yes, we're talking about the Galaxy Note II. Looks-wise, the Now Network's flavor of that 5.5-inch behemoth hasn't exactly changed much from the unit(s) we landed our hands on when it was first unveiled to the world, meaning there's no "Sprint" branding anywhere to be found on the plastic shell -- at least for now, and, frankly, we kind of hope it stays this way. With that being out of the picture, the oversized handset looked as shiny as ever in its Marble White attire, which is the only color Sprint was happily showing off for the night. And while this particular Jelly Bean-loaded Note II was capable of running on the carrier's new LTE network, we weren't able to test out out data speeds due to matters out of our reach.

On the software side of things, we didn't notice any major hiccups worth pointing out, with the experience being rather similar to the one during our first encounter with Sammy's second-gen Note -- or, in other words, it felt very, very snappy and overall great. That said, the carrier, as it did with the Galaxy S III, looks to be pre-loading the device with some of its own applications, including ones such as Sprint Zone and other third-party apps like Polaris Office 4. Naturally, we popped the obvious question to Sprint of when we could expect the device to legitimately become part of its lineup, to which the carrier told us that it'd be sometime "this holiday season." For now, it looks like the hands-on gallery below will have to suffice, but you can be sure we'll let you know as soon as we find out the official release date.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Note II for Sprint hands-on

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Samsung Galaxy Note II for Sprint hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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American Airlines to hand out Galaxy Note ‘tablets’ to 17,000 flight attendants (video)

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Zach Honig

Things aren't all Champagne and caviar over at American Airlines, not that you'd know it from the company's latest press release. The Dallas-based air carrier just shared a plan to outfit all of its flight attendants with Samsung Galaxy Notes beginning later this year. The rollout will continue through the middle of 2013, at which point each of the airline's 17,000 cabin crew members will have their very own "tablet," which they'll use to manage flight manifests, track premium passenger meal preferences and monitor weather and gate information in real-time, on WiFi-equipped flights. Eventually, the handsets will also include the flight attendant manual, along with additional features, such as processing for in-flight meal and drink purchases (pending FAA approval).

Though the Galaxy Note II will likely be available by the time the program begins, the press release references a 5.3-inch display, which would imply the previous-gen handset. Sadly, this Note of excitement comes alongside news that some 11,000 American mechanics and ground workers could get a pink slip come November -- as frequent air travelers ourselves, we're genuinely sorry to hear that, and we don't want any gadget to overshadow the airline's ongoing troubles and the unfortunate fate of hardworking employees. You can catch that angle at the coverage link below, then read all about the Note program just after the break.

Continue reading American Airlines to hand out Galaxy Note 'tablets' to 17,000 flight attendants (video)

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

American Airlines to hand out Galaxy Note 'tablets' to 17,000 flight attendants (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Cellular will get Samsung Galaxy Note II in late October, will cost $300

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brad Molen

We already knew that US Cellular would be getting its hands on the Galaxy Note II alongside the four national players in the US, but the company just came out with specific pricing and general availability. The device will go for $300 (after $100 mail-in rebate) and should be available in late October, though the carrier will open up its site for pre-orders starting today. If you're considering just waiting it out until they're in stores, pre-ordering the Note II comes with a perk: you won't have to bother with the mail-in rebate. USCC only appears to be offering the 16GB titanium gray option, but we'll still certainly take that over nothing at all. Check out the press release below.

Continue reading US Cellular will get Samsung Galaxy Note II in late October, will cost $300

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

US Cellular will get Samsung Galaxy Note II in late October, will cost $300 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Cellular will get Samsung Galaxy Note II in late October, will cost $300

Posted on 19/09/2012 by Brad Molen

We already knew that US Cellular would be getting its hands on the Galaxy Note II alongside the four national players in the US, but the company just came out with specific pricing and general availability. The device will go for $300 (after $100 mail-in rebate and two-year commitment) and should be available in late October, though the carrier will open up its site for pre-orders starting today. If you're considering just waiting it out until they're in stores, pre-ordering the Note II comes with a perk: you won't have to bother with the mail-in rebate. USCC only appears to be offering the 16GB titanium gray option, but we'll still certainly take that over nothing at all. Check out the press release below.

Update: We just heard back from US Cellular that the full retail cost of the Note II will be $800.

Continue reading US Cellular will get Samsung Galaxy Note II in late October, will cost $300

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

US Cellular will get Samsung Galaxy Note II in late October, will cost $300 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AOKP team posts giant update to its Jelly Bean build, allows rotation and tablet UI anywhere

Posted on 18/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

Custom ROM fans will know AOKP (Android Open Kang Project), but the first build derived from Jelly Bean was knowingly rough around the edges. What a difference a month makes: along with the usual round of bug fixes, the team's second build has added options to force screen rotation and the tablet interface on any device. Not-quite-so-early adopters also get fine-grained control over the interface DPI, LEDs, theming and vibration, and the device list has grown to include the Verizon Galaxy S III, the Galaxy Note and multiple variants of both the original Galaxy S and the Galaxy Tab family. If you were waiting to stay just short of the bleeding edge before trying AOKP, your version is ready.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

AOKP team posts giant update to its Jelly Bean build, allows rotation and tablet UI anywhere originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 01:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Droid-Life | source

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Refresh Roundup: week of August 27th, 2012

Posted on 03/09/2012 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!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of August 27th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

Refresh Roundup: week of August 27th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung Galaxy Note II getting redesigned S Pen with rubber tip, improved grip

Posted on 29/08/2012 by Dana Wollman

Samsung Galaxy Note II getting redesigned S Pen with rubber tip, improved grip, same 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity

Today at its IFA 2012 press conference, Samsung confirmed that the newly announced Galaxy Note II will make use of a new, redesigned S Pen. In addition to boasting an improved 8mm grip, it has a rubber tip. It also recognizes 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity, which is already true of the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet. Other than that, Samsung hasn't shared much in the way of specifics, but if you'd like to see video of the new Note in action, we can at least offer that.

Filed under: Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Note II getting redesigned S Pen with rubber tip, improved grip originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from Samsung Unpacked at IFA 2012!

Posted on 29/08/2012 by Brian Heater

Judging from the rows and rows of Samsung flag lining the outside the Messe Berlin, the company's planning another big show for this year's IFA. This time last year, the company took the wraps off of its industry-shaping Galaxy Note, and if all goes according to plan, there's seems a fairly significant chance that 2012 will see a sequel. And, knowing Samsung, that's not all we're in store for today. Hold on tight and join us after the break.

August 29, 2012 1:00 PM EDT

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets

Live from Samsung Unpacked at IFA 2012! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iZettle comes to Android for a few lucky Swedish Samsung owners

Posted on 21/08/2012 by Terrence O'Brien

Square gets most of the media hype, but without an international presence, would-be competitors have had a chance to carve out their own niches in the mobile commerce market. Sweden's iZettle has managed to make quite a splash in its homeland, and it's expanding its mini empire by finally bringing its wares to Android -- albeit in an extremely limited form. Unless you've got a Galaxy S III, S II or a Note then iZettle still isn't for you and with availability in a single Nordic country, it might seem more accurate to describe Android support as being in beta, but the company has ditched the testing tag regardless. Rest assured, however, it is actively working to add more handsets and export the app beyond its particle board-loving borders.

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Software

iZettle comes to Android for a few lucky Swedish Samsung owners originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 16:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GigaOM |

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Samsung HM5100 Bluetooth S Pen makes a surprise debut in our Note 10.1 ‘press kit,’ we pencil in a chat (hands-on)

Posted on 15/08/2012 by Zach Honig

Hidden among the higher-profile items at Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 launch today was a device that at first seemed familiar, but turned out to be far more than your everyday S Pen. That's right, Samsung's already capable stylus just got a major boost -- meet the BT S Pen. The device, which received no formal introduction during its host device's launch event, first appeared in the "press kit" bag that attendees received on the way out the door. It's similar in size and shape to the company's Galaxy S Pen Holder Kit, which serves as a sleeve for the standard-issue Note S Pen, but Bluetooth functionality, along with a microphone and tiny speaker, enable the lightweight plastic contraption to double as a wireless headset -- sure to come in handy with the SIM slot-equipped international Note 10.1 flavor.

We caught our first hint of the pen's functionality upon discovering a bundled AC adapter -- that seemed mighty odd. The box also included an unusually beefy user manual and no fewer than five replacement "nibs" (read: stylus tips). Pairing took but a few seconds, and then we were on our way answering calls with a single tap of the talk button. There's also a built-in vibration mechanism, which serves to alert you to incoming calls. Sound quality was solid, but speaking into a pen admittedly felt a bit odd -- you may not draw as many stares as you would if speaking directly into a 10.1, but the seemingly unusual action may still turn a few heads. Otherwise, the S pen functioned as expected.

The packaging is all we have to go off of at this point -- Samsung reps we spoke to didn't know to expect the device today, so there's no pricing or availability info to share. We do know that it's rated for three hours of talk time and 130 hours of standby, it weighs 21 grams, offers Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility and will work with Galaxy Note devices -- you could use it as a headset with other gadgets, though there wouldn't be much appeal. It also includes a micro-USB charging cable, with the port accessible just above the shirt clip. That's all she wrote for now -- apparently this accessory was available exclusively at today's event, and may not make its way to the US, if it's released at all. You can see it in action now though, in our hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy Note BT S Pen hands-on