Friday, 23 September 2011

Android Community

Android Community

Samsung Galaxy S II X caught on video

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 11:23 AM PDT

The Samsung Galaxy S II has been caught on video again and is out in the wild. This is being called the Galaxy S II X and is headed to TELUS. What you see in the pictures and video below is the same version that will hit the U.S on T-Mobile dubbed the Hercules. We’ve seen this bad boy back in August posing with some benchmarks and it’s safe to assume it will be headed to TELUS and T-Mobile USA here very soon — I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

The Hercules is essentially the same version of the Galaxy S II as the others on US soil and features a bright and amazing 4.52″ AMOLED display, Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, 8MP Camera and a few more amazingly awesome specs. The one thing that makes it different and potentially better than the rest — it will be powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor compared to just 1.2 GHz with the others.

The only difference we see here between the SGSIIX on TELUS and the T-Mobile Hercules is that latest pictures revealed the T-Mobile variant will have a brushed aluminum back cover rather than the usual Samsung plastic. Everything else remains the same with the 8MP camera, 2MP front, ports and that slim and sleek design. MobileSryup once again confirms the 1.5 GHz processor, NFC, and that huge 1850 mAh battery inside. Here are a few more pictures and the Hercules live on video looking pretty spectacular.

teus-galaxy-s-II-x3-e1316710318399 teus-galaxy-s-II-x5-e1316710367736 teus-galaxy-s-II-ximage

[via MobileSyrup]

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Samsung Mobile Unpacked Event set for October 11th at CTIA

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 11:05 AM PDT

Well folks, today Samsung has been reaching out to the mobile world reminding everyone they will be live in San Diego on October 11th for CTIA. The CTIA events in October are more for developers and enterprise level guests but as usual we can expect a few neat things to come from the show. Their last event they unveiled three Galaxy S II models for the US, and before that at IFA we learned about the Galaxy Tab 7.7 and the popular Galaxy Note.

We don’t know what to expect but as usual you know we have a few ideas or thoughts. I don’t even want to get into the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Nexus Prime, DROID Nexus rumors but we know that is on the plate and must mention it. I doubt we’ll be seeing anything like that as Google will most likely be partnered with Samsung and in charge for that little huge revealing.

I have a feeling we will be seeing the Samsung Galaxy 7.7 (aka Galaxy Plus for T-Mobile). It was spotted last week and you can read more about that here. We have also seen a few reports regarding an upcoming Galaxy Tab 7 or 7.7 from Verizon in this latest leak so that is another possibility.

Then we may also see more details about the Samsung Galaxy Note. We recently had some hands-on time with the awesome device and even compared it to similar Samsung offerings. We have seen reports that the Galaxy Note will be available in early November in the UK — while that doesn’t mean much for the US it is a good sign things are moving forward and it should be here quickly.

We don’t want to get too crazy regarding what we may see from Samsung Unpacked coming next month and will just have to wait and see what comes to the table. For now stay tuned for more information as the date inches closer as more details should follow shortly.

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SanDisk 32GB MicroSD Class 4 for Mobile only $29 [Deal of the day]

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 10:44 AM PDT

In what I’m going to consider one of the better deals of the day 1SaleADay is offering the SanDisk 32GB Micro-SD card class 4 for the extremely low low price of just $29. These are brand new units right from SanDisk and have the same 1-year warranty, no refurbished junk here. I don’t know about you guys, and even with everything going to the cloud these days on mobile this is just too good of a deal to pass up.

I’ve never purchased anything from the site myself but I’ve had many friends us it in the recent past with good experiences. I myself went ahead and ordered two. One for my Honeycomb tablet and another for my HTC Sensation 4G I use daily. You can never have too much space, even if the cloud is taking over.

Just as the name suggests — 1SaleADay.com brings you an awesome deal on a daily bases. I know many phones come with 8GB SD cards or sadly sometimes even a 2GB MicroSD card so something like this is a great deal to snatch up. Not only are 64GB MicroSDXC cards just hitting the market but they are still $219 each. I’d much rather take two of these 32′s for now and call it a day.

Get em while their hot!

[via 1SaleADay]

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Amazon sending out press invites, I sense an Android tablet

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 10:34 AM PDT

Just hitting the wires this morning is the long awaited press invite from Amazon. In what appears to be nothing but an invite and a tease for an upcoming press conference being held by Amazon we can only expect this to be the long awaited and much rumored Android Kindle Tablet.

While we heard some pretty compelling information earlier this month based on some hands-on time with the secret device, nothing else is really fully known at this point. This Wednesday, September 28th right in NYC at 10 AM the world will know. Sadly this invite like mentioned above is pretty plain and only lets our minds wander.

We’ve been seeing rumors about an Amazon tablet for a while, just like these claims of Foxconn being the manufacturer. Hopefully all the details and more come from this event next week. This may be just a new Kindle or e-reader but we have a feeling Amazon will be talking about and announcing much more than just a e-reader. All the speculation will be over soon so be sure and stay tuned right here at Android Community for all the details.

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Motorola ELECTRIFY Review [Video]

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 10:04 AM PDT

Let’s go ahead and get hands-on with this above-average super powerful dual-core Android handset that’ll make your robots explode with pleasure. This is the Motorola ELECTRIFY and it’s being carried here in the USA by none other than U.S. Cellular. This is the first time we’ve gotten to see such an amazingly powerful device on this carrier, the ELECTRIFY running with the big dogs here with a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor as well as what Motorola calls Webtop functionality for a fully immersive multi-purpose Android experience, complete with Motorola’s newest user interface to guide you.

Before we get into the review, have a look at what we’re looking at here with a lovely hands-on video featuring an unboxing of the device itself as you’ll get it right from the store.

Hardware

For both the hardware and to a slightly lesser degree the software here on the ELECTRIFY, I’d encourage you to check out our review of the Motorola PHOTON 4G, a device that was released a few weeks ago here in the USA with another carrier, it being basically the exact same hardware and software as what you’re seeing here, now with a different box and a new name. The difference here is the carrier, while Motorola remains the manufacturer in both cases of course. The first and brightest feature you’ll notice on this unit is its 4.3-inch qHD (quarter high definition) TFT LCD 960 x 540 pixel resolution display. Brightness and sharpness should be no concern of yours.

You’ve got a generous NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor inside right beside 1GB or RAM, and 16GB of internal storage expandable with a microSD card slot that can take up to 32GB more. The ELECTRIFY totes a lovely 8-megapixel camera on the back with dual-LED flash and a VGA resolution camera on the front for video chat. Up the right-hand side of this device you’ll find both a volume up/down and a dedicated camera button. On the top you’ll find a headphone jack as well as a power/lock button. On the left there’s a microUSB port as well as a microHDMI port, these spaced very similarly (but not certainly the same) as those on the PHOTON, this leading us to believe that all the standard docks would work, but if you don’t want to use them, you sure don’t NEED to do so.

On the back of the device there’s a kickstand. This kickstand holds your device up in landscape mode and also upon kicking activates a special display mode (which you can exit out of in a single tap.) The odd thing about how this stand holds your device up, and I’ve mentioned this before with other kickstand-popping devices, is that when it’s out and your device is sitting there looking nice, your microHDMI and microUSB ports will be facing down, basically flat against your sitting surface. That don’t work to well for them, let me yell ya. Instead you’ll be working with a device that’s on its own with power and display should you be sitting it up with the kickstand.

As this is a Motorola device, you can expect a heavy-duty build. The back is made of soft plastic that’ll never break on you, the rim around the display is made out of a reflective chrome-surfaced plastic, and the display is fronted by some hot curved-edges-having Corning Gorilla Glass with dual anti-reflective display. All the ports and all the buttons are strong and are not going to let you down, the buttons for volume and camera being particularly nice with some ridges so you can get a grip.

Software

Inside the guts of this device, once again, you’ll find the NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz. This core will allow you access to all the finest NVIDIA-optimized app with the NVIDIA Tegra Zone, a game guide for Super Chip device owners. Most of the apps available through the Tegra Zone are exclusive to those of you using an NVIDIA processor in your device – lucky you, ELECTRIFY owner, you’re part of this neato club.

Profile choices – save and flip!

You’re going to be running Android 2.3.4 out of the box which is, at the moment, the second-newest version of Android released at the moment, that only being true if you consider the leaked Android 2.3.5 out there right now for the Nexus S 4G that’ll give it Google Wallet access.

ELEC-About ELEC-Apps-1 ELEC-Apps-2-1

Apps are sparse, just like we like em to be, hitting up all the regular Google-centric apps like Gmail, Places, Navigation, then drops a few oddities on you with Zappos, Motorola Phone Portal, Audible, the second-newest Asphalt racing game Asphalt 5 (strange they dont just drop 6 on this device, isn’t it?), and Audible. Then there’s a bit of a bomb: you get both the Android Market AND the Amazon Appstore installed right away out of the box. These two big guns must peacefully coexist somehow – is it possible?! Yes of course it is, silly, they sit really nice to one another and compliment eachother’s hair style. Android Market still has a wider selection, but the Amazon Appstore has free apps every once in a while. Tough choice.

Motorola ELECTRIFY next to the LG Optimus U also on U.S. Cellular

Performance

We’re clocking this device in on a few different tests like Quadrant, Quadrant Advanced, Vellamo, Linpack, AnTuTu, and CF-Bench. See how they all add up here, and take special note of how they compare to the Motorola PHOTON 4G, which should have essentially the exact same numbers going for it unless one carrier or the other did an extra awesome job of pimping their version of the hardware out best.

[PROCESSING]

Battery and Camera

There’s a just-right 1700 mAh battery in this device which, if you’re not a max heavy user every day of your life, should be adequate to get you from waking up in the morning until your pre-bedtime cold pizza. If you’re a heavy user, you might be in line for a charge at least once halfway through the day. The camera, on the other hand, is the best that Motorola has yet offered on a mobile device. Compared to the DROID BIONIC, this device has much better autofocus and what appears to be a quicker shutter speed. Check out the video and photos below to make your ultimate judgement.

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Wrap-Up

At just $199 attached to a two-year deal on U.S. Cellular, this is a no-brainer for those that have some loyalty to the U.S. Cellular brand and want the nicest Android device they carry right this moment. If given the choice between this device and the PHOTON 4G, I’d take this one any day of the week. The WiMAX network the PHOTON is working with does not stand up well where I live (Minnesota) and the battery does tend to suffer more while the device searches for a 4G signal all day long. The ELECTRIFY, on the other hand, works only on U.S. Cellular’s 3G network and has a good coasting day.

The ELECTRIFY is also the only phone on U.S. Cellular to be running the newest version of Android 2.3.x Gingerbread. That’s something to consider as well if you’re the sort of person that likes to have the best phone on the carrier. You’ve got the option to find yourself some docks to use this device with, docks like car docks, HD media docks, and even a laptop dock not unlike the original ATRIX 4G, but you don’t need those things. This device does not need them and you do not need them – the computer is here, and it can grant you all your wishes. Also the color scheme is nice, and plugging this device in simply to your big-screen HD TV will result in nothing but good times and HD fun – for kicks, try Riptide GP, a game demoed in the video you see here:

Vector Unit’s Matt Small Demos Riptide GP on the PHOTON 4G

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Droid Bionic gets discounted on AmazonWireless

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 08:48 AM PDT

Early this month we got our mitts on the new Motorola Droid Bionic for review. Cory figured at the end of the review that this is one of the best Android devices out there, assuming you can live with the fact that Motorola locks the phone down. If you want to get yourself a new phone and the Bionic is the device for you, Amazon has it at a surprisingly discounted price.

Considering the phone just landed, we didn't expect to see the discounts go this low so quickly. You can get the Bionic via AmazonWireless for $149.99 with a new 2-year Verizon contract. The phone also includes a $50 gift card with purchase. Before, the phone would have cost you $179 with no gift card — not to mention it runs $299 at Verizon stores.

Once you get the $50 gift card you are essentially paying under $100 for one of the best Android phones we have tested. The phone runs Android 2.3, has a 1GHz dual core processor, 4.3-inch screen, 16GB of memory and a 16GB microSD card, WiFi, GPS, and lots more.

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NASA offers free sounds you can download for your Android ringtone

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 08:20 AM PDT

This is pretty cool if you are a Space fan and want a cool new ringtone. NASA has announced that it is making some of the iconic sounds from the space program available for people to download and use for whatever they want from ringtones to sounds for their computer. The sounds are now listed on a single page and are broken up into four categories.

The categories include Shuttle and Station, Apollo and Mercury, Current Missions, and Beeps and Bytes. The coolest are from the Apollo and Mercury missions. In that category, you can get clips from famous JFK speeches about the moon mission. You can also get audio of astronauts like Neil Armstrong saying his famous “One Small Step” quote and a lot more.

You can also get clips of the famous “Houston, we have a problem” quote and lot more. The files are offered in generic MP3 format you can use for your ringtone. A few files are offered in iPhone MR4 format as well. These woudl make great ringtones for you to use while tracking that UARS descent with the Satellite AR app.

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Android SoundHound app gets LiveLyrics with latest update

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 06:56 AM PDT

If you are a fan of the SoundHound app for Android smartphones and devices, you will want to grab the update to the app that has been released this week. The update ads a very cool new feature called LiveLyrics. The update also brings enhanced sharing as well that allows you to share music with Facebook and Twitter users faster.

The LiveLyrics is the best of the new features though and will identify any part of a song playing on the device for you and automatically show the lyrics below. The lyrics move along with the song so you can sing along or finally figure out what exactly the singer is saying in that particular part of the tune. The new features come in version 2.7.4 of the app.

The sharing feature allowed the user to share a message about a song and then post it to both Facebook and Twitter at one time. There is also an auto-share feature that will share all the tunes you find automatically. The update is available now.

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AT&T’s Motorola Atrix 2/Edison gets hands on treatment

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 04:48 AM PDT

That Motorola Atrix 2 also known as the Edison has been leaked already. We talked about the early leaked shots a few days ago when they surfaced. Today the gang over at This is My Next went hands on with the Atrix 2 and offered up some photos so we can go along for the ride. The gang says that the phone looks good and feels good in the hand.

The phone is destined for AT&T and is packing some features similar to the Droid Bionic. The Atrix 2 is a more rounded phone rather than a square monolith. The Atrix 2 has a 3.5mm jack for headphones, and has two mics with the second presumably for sound cancellation. There is a dedicated camera button on the right edge and the power button. The lock button is said to be flush and easy to press. That camera button is a single stage though, which means you can’t hold halfway to set focus and then snap the shot.

The cam is an 8MP unit that can do 1080p video and has a LED flash. The screen the Atrix 2 uses is a 4.3-inch qHD LCD. A close up view of the screen shows that the Atrix 2 lacks the Pentile pixel arrangement of the Motorola Droid Bionic with the cross-hatching pixels that bother some Bionic users. That will be something that people upgrading to the Atrix 2 will appreciate. The Atrix 2 runs Android 2.3.5 and much of the crapware we expect from AT&T is loaded on the phone, how much will be removable by the user is unknown.

[via Thisismynext]

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Google goes MVNO in Spain with SIM cards for workers [Update]

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 02:40 AM PDT

Google has announced that it is in operation in Spain as a MVNO or mobile virtual network operator. Google bought up a bunch of bulk network capacity from existing carriers and then handed the SIMs out to employees for testing. That testing was down with the Nexus S handset and apparently each of the cards accesses one of three various carriers including Orange, Movistar, and Vodafone.

It appears that the move on Google’s part isn’t to set up some sort of mobile network in Spain, but to get the workers it has within the country on a mobile network for voice and data at lower rates. The rumors claim that Google will also be going MVNO in other parts of Europe as well. We have to wonder if the tests are solely to save Google some loot on employee smartphones use or if this is a test of some scheme that it has in mind to become a carrier on its own.

Considering that the Nexus One that launched as the first Android device was sold directly to customers rather than through a carrier, it would be no surprise that the Google might have eyes on being a carrier in some places. With the purchase of Motorola Mobility Google now owns its own operating system, the company to make the hardware, and the wireless network would be the final piece of the puzzle.

Update: It turns out that there is a chance that the image here with the Google SIM card may be fake.paidContent has run across suggestions that the pics are not real and Google is offering no official comment.

[via SlashGear]

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Satellite AR app shows UARS satellite crashing in real-time

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 10:49 PM PDT

For those of you who are unaware, the UARS satellite is currently ‘scheduled’ to crash into the surface of the earth. If this news happens to worry you, or if you’re interested in tracking a falling satellite as in crashes into the planet, the Satellite AR app for Android is tracking the satellite live for your viewing pleasure.

The Satellite AR app, which allows users to track satellites in the sky above them, uses the GPS signal on your device as well as its compass if your device has the hardware, to show what lies in the skies above them. The yellow line on the augmented reality shows the projected path of the satellites and can be used to visually track the estimated path of the UARS projectile.

As the satellite falls to the surface of the earth, most of the satellite is expected to disintegrate as it enters the atmosphere, however 26 pieces are expected to crash along a 500 mile path. The largest piece to fall is approximately 500 pounds. For you North American readers, NASA has ruled out the continent as of late Wednesday.

Check out the Satellite AR app on the Android Market here.

[via NYTimes]

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Isis, Google Wallet competitor, to run on Android

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 10:25 PM PDT

In the midst of the recent flurry of Google Wallet news, Isis has announced that they will release an Android application when the payment system is released next year. While this announcement would be more significant if the application were released today, it still gives the application a fighting chance against recently launched Google Wallet.

The marketing head of Isis, Jaymee Johnson, believes that the broad spectrum of compatibility for the payment system will give it the competitive edge over Google Wallet. Isis is backed by Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile, as well as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have spent a total of approximately $100 million to support the system. This in response, no doubt, to Google’s choice of one carrier to debut Google Wallet.

While Isis does have the partnerships in place to size up to its strongest competitor, there are a couple of snags that might hold the service back. First of all, Isis has yet to announce a release date more specific than early 2012. Additionally, in the minimum four-month gap between the launch of Google Wallet and Isis, other credit card companies have been added to Google’s service. Though we have yet to see if the other carriers will follow suit, Google’s heavy influence is sure to play a part in their decisions.

[via FierceMobileContent]

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LG Esteem Leaks – Brings Gingerbread and LTE to MetroPCS

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 08:33 PM PDT

Found on a LG Partner portal, the LG Esteem has been confirmed for MetroPCS. The device will run on MetroPCS’ 3G/LTE network. It will also be running Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board as well. Though MetroPCS doesn’t sell its devices on discount with contracts, it is also reported that the device will sell for $349 with a $100 mail-in-rebate.

Apart from the inclusion of LTE, the device’s specs are a little low key compared to the other Android powerhouses on the market, but seem sizable to MetroPCS’ existing lineup. The LG Esteem features a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, with 512MB of RAM and 8GB of on-board storage. The LCD display is 4.3 inches with a 720p enabled, 5 megapixel camera on the back. The device also features a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera for video chat as well.

MetroPCS had also recently announced that they would be developing 3G service over their existing EV-DO network. The company made bold moves by initially skipping over developing a 3G network in support of quickly building its LTE network. For reasons that they haven’t specified quite yet, MetroPCS had recently announced that they would be upgrading approximately 30% of its EV-DO towers for Rev. A support.

[via AndroidCentral]

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uTorrent adds Android support

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 07:50 PM PDT

Popular BitTorrent client, uTorrent, has just released an alpha build of it’s software, version 3.1. This version brings drag and drop support for Android devices, as well as iTunes, the PS3, and Xbox 360. Users are now able to drag and drop items directly from uTorrent into the devices without having to leave the program itself.

While many of you are coming to the terms with the 5GB soft cap placed on your unlimited data plans, any effort to reduce the amount of bandwidth used on your device is worth it. While torrenting directly on your device would take an overwhelming amount of that now soft-limited space, uTorrent alleviates the stress on bandwidth by supporting drag and drop on downloaded torrents.

Of greater interest however was the suggestion that future builds of uTorrent will support automatic conversion of file types compatable with the device that the file is being copied over to, further simplifying the process. Though uTorrent has said that the inclusion of the convertor is but a teaser, we’re looking forward to future builds that might include the feature.

[via TorrentFreak]

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Oracle claims $1.16 billion in damages from Google

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 07:41 PM PDT

Just when we thought it was over, Oracle has reiterated in a court filing today that the patent infringement by Google’s upon Java patents held by Oracle totals $202 million. They also claimed up to $960 million on the terms of copyright infringement by the internet search giant.

Judge William Alsup, the judge who will preside over the case, had initially suggested that the two companies attempt to produce a mediation before bringing the case before a jury. At the time of that statement, both sides appeared willing to negotiate an agreement outside of court. Unfortunately, Oracle’s court filing suggests that the two groups could not come to terms on the infringement.

Additionally, Oracle cites that the initial claim by Google that Oracle sought damages of approximately $2 billion dollars were incorrect. However, Oracle’s initial damage estimate in the case came in at around $6 billion. The revised estimate is a result of Judge Alsup’s rejection of the initial six billion dollar claim, and Oracle has since reevaluated its claim.

The trial date has been set for October 31st.

[via Reuters]

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 free from Lowes until October 3rd [Deal]

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 03:42 PM PDT

I know its not every day that you get a free Samsung Galaxy Tab 7, but you don’t go shopping for things like a new Samsung refrigerator or appliances either. If you’ve been wanting a new Android tablet or even need a new fridge, washer and dryer or anything else that Lowes has to offer you might as well get a free tablet from it right?

This deal is live and being offered right now and will end on October 3rd. For those that purchase one of the many qualifying Samsung appliances from Lowes over the next week or two, you’ll receive the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 completely free. Not a bad deal if I don’t say so myself. While their washing machines may be huge the Tab 7 is thin, sleek, and still an awesome Android tablet.

You’ll probably spend a decent load of cash on a new appliance from Lowes but getting a free tablet might help you justify your purchase. If you happen to snag one of their huge washers make sure you take the Galaxy Tab out of your pants before running them through or you’ll be out a tablet real quick. We all know plenty about the Android 2.3 Gingerbread powered Galaxy Tab 7 so I wont go into the details there. This deal while unique and might not apply to all was worth a quick mention.

[via @Samsungtweets]

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Google TV update rolling out today, Honeycomb coming soon

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 01:47 PM PDT

We have seen a few updates for Google TV in the recent past including a large update back in March. Yesterday @GoogleTV tweeted some exciting news for today, and for the future. A decently sized minor update is rolling out now and should be hitting Google TV devices over the next few days. Then they mention something major coming soon.

The important part about this seemingly innocent tweet is they mention a “bigger update” is coming soon in the weeks ahead. This, we all know will be Honeycomb. I guess we don’t “know” this will be Honeycomb but what else is major and coming soon. We’ve seen Honeycomb for Google TV leaked a few times and we mentioned the first major leak back in August, then last week a much better Honeycomb build was also leaked for the Logitech Revue.

What we don’t know is what devices will get this bigger update that they’ve mentioned is coming soon but most likely the Logitech Revue will be one of the first, if not the first device to get updated to Android Honeycomb for Google TV. We have also spotted a few Sony Google powered TV’s also running the update so it’s safe to assume they’ll be on the list too.

Exciting times for Google TV users, I can’t wait to see what Honeycomb and then Ice Cream Sandwich brings to the world of Android. Now might be a good time to go snag the Logitech Revue for just $99.

Bonus Video: Creepy Kevin Bacon

[via Twitter]

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Samsung Stratosphere 4G LTE leaks again

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 01:08 PM PDT

Today some new press images have leaked for the upcoming Samsung Stratosphere. Apparently Wirefly accidentally posted a few pictures of the upcoming slider for Verizon on their Pantech Breakout page. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Stratosphere either, but new pictures are a good sign it should be coming to market soon.

First seen in a leaked roadmap we’ve known the Samsung Stratosphere was headed to Verizon for a while now. Then earlier this month it cleared the FCC revealing some neat little treats. It will be powered by Verizon 4G LTE and come with a QWERTY keyboard. Basically this is a nice little mid-range smartphone with the speed and power of Verizon LTE. With 4G LTE hitting 26 new markets in September and now Verizon is offering low priced LTE enabled smartphones things should really take off.

For those that might have missed it the Stratosphere is basically a 4.0″ AMOLED display powered Galaxy S just like previous models only it has a QWERTY keyboard and LTE. Very closely matching the internals of the DROID Charge or the Epic 4G Slider from last year — We have a 1.0 Ghz single-core processor, 512MB of ram, Android 2.3 Gingerbread and the rest of the usual goodies.

Still no details on pricing or a release date but with leaks continuing to appear we can only speculate the phone will be coming sometime shortly. We’ve heard early October and will report back when we hear more details on this QWERTY LTE smartphone.

[via Owen Johnston]

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Samsung Galaxy S II dressed in White hits Bell

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 12:54 PM PDT

The Samsung Galaxy S II superphone has been out in Canada and other areas for a while even though it’s just starting to hit the U.S the past two weeks. We have seen a few press images here and there regarding a white version but today Bell Canada has confirmed they’ve got one in the works and it will be available shortly.

We saw a white SGSII headed to the UK in July, and it is now available for a few select carriers outside of the U.S. and Canada. Bell Canada has confirmed that it is coming very soon and will be available for order shortly, here are a few images.

bell-sg2-white2-e1316700929525 bell-sg2-white-e1316700900802

No timeline was given but they did mention “way before” the holiday rush so we are assuming it should be landing soon. Here in the US the Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch was recently released (see our review) and the AT&T version will hit shelves October 2nd. We haven’t heard anything regarding a white Galaxy S II from any U.S carriers but if other regions are getting it, we will most likely see them appear here too. Stay tuned for more information as I know plenty of readers would love to get there hands on a white SGSII.

[via MobileSyrup]

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Samsung Galaxy S Glide QWERTY Slider with a dual-core heads to Rogers

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT

I know there is still a huge market for QWERTY slider smartphones these days, and for someone waiting for a powerhouse slider this may be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Sadly for now this is only known to be headed to Rogers Canada but it sounds impressive and we have all the details. It may not be named a Galaxy S “II” but don’t let that fool you.

Shown in the image below the Glide features an impressive 4 row slide-out QWERTY keyboard with big and well spaced keys, as well as dedicated home, menu, back, and search buttons on the outer edges. We mentioned this is titled with the Galaxy S name and it appears Samsung chose not to call this a Galaxy S II phone but we aren’t fully clear why.

They may have left off the II in the name but they didn’t forget that second processing core. We have an unknown 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, a 4.0″ AMOLED display (no 4.3 or 4.5″ here), as well as that spacious 4 row keyboard, an 8 MP camera on the rear with LED flash and a 1.3 MP camera around the front for those partaking in video chat. Running on the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread and powered by Samsung’s Touch Wiz UX this looks to be a great well rounded phone.

No pricing was given by Samsung or Rogers but it should be available on the Canadian carrier just in time for the Holidays.

rogers-samsung-galaxy-slide2-e1316705189445 rogers-samsung-galaxy-slide1-e1316705236423 rogers-samsung-galaxy-slide3-e1316705155767

[via MobileSyrup]

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