drag2share: Verizon's Pantech Breakout rendered, is four inches of LTE goodness

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/05/verizons-pantech-breakout-rendered-is-four-inches-of-lte-goodn/

Verizon's LTE lineup will soon be expanding like a balloon. With this week's launch of the Motorola Droid Bionic and eventual release of the Samsung Stratosphere and LG Revolution 2, 4G shoppers will soon have options aplenty to choose from; why not throw another one into the mix? The LTE-enabled Pantech Breakout -- which passed through the FCC as the Apache -- now has some higher-quality renders, courtesy of PocketNow. While most of the phone's specs are in line with the HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung Droid Charge, it differs by offering a smaller 4-inch WVGA display, Pantech's custom Android UI and a 10-device mobile hotspot. There's still no word on pricing or release date, though we were expecting to see the device come out last week; we can't think of many people completely devastated by the delay, but it will at least provide much-needed variety to Verizon's arguably stale 4G setup.

Verizon's Pantech Breakout rendered, is four inches of LTE goodness originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung Epic 4G Touch available for pre-order on Wirefly, early adopters get a $50 price break

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/06/samsung-epic-4g-touch-available-for-pre-order-on-wirefly-early/

There's nothing new whatsoever about high-demand phones becoming available for preorder, but it's not every day that you get a discount for being the first kid on the block to get one. As if there's any concern about pushing inventory of the Samsung Epic 4G Touch -- Sprint's variant of the Galaxy S II -- Wirefly is making the phone even more enticing by slashing $50 off the cost, bringing it down to $150 when signing up for a two-year agreement. Doing the math a different way, lighter on the checkbook plus a Samsung Galaxy S II equals happiness. Head to the source link to check out the deal.

Samsung Epic 4G Touch available for pre-order on Wirefly, early adopters get a $50 price break originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: LG developing slimmer Optimus 3D handset, might be ready for 2012

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/06/lg-developing-slimmer-optimus-3d-handset-might-be-ready-for-201/

The LG Optimus 3D certainly isn't the slimmest smartphone we've ever seen, but it looks like the chunky handset is about to get seriously streamlined. In an interview with Pocket-Lint, LG developer Dr. Henry Noh confirmed that his company is working on a thinner version of its 4.3-inch phone, hinting that it may be ready for release by next year. Noh didn't offer specifics on dimensions, but acknowledged that the current version, at 11.9mm (0.47 inches) thick, definitely isn't the "sexiest phone on the street" -- something he hopes to change. "Eventually, we want to make it so that having the 3D won't necessarily mean that it's going to be thicker," Noh explained. "That's going to be a differentiating factor that comes for free to the user." Doing so, he claims, could help LG's glasses-free 3D device distinguish itself from its 2D competitors:

"These days, all the phones look the same. They have a huge screen - 4.3-inches is normal these days - and next year they're moving even larger. And they have a fixed number of touch buttons. They're the same thickness. They have the same camera. And even the same OS. It's so boring."

Of course, it remains to be seen whether or not this strategy actually pans out, but it's definitely something we'll be keeping an eye on.

LG developing slimmer Optimus 3D handset, might be ready for 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 05:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Baidu, Dell join forces to produce line of smartphones and tablets in China

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/06/baidu-dell-join-forces-to-produce-line-of-smartphones-and-table/

Just a few days after introducing its own Android-like OS, Baidu is now looking to expand its mobile reach to the hardware front, with the help of Dell. According to Reuters, the Chinese search giant has joined forces with the PC manufacturer to produce a line of tablets and smartphones within China, in the hopes of capitalizing on a market of more than 900 million mobile subscribers. A Dell spokeswoman declined to offer a launch date for the new line of products, but sources close to the matter say they could launch as early as November. Details on the devices remain equally opaque, though Dell seems intent on resurrecting its tablet / handset unit, following the demise of the Streak 5. "We have a partnership with Baidu and you know we have the Streak 5 tablet, so the partnership will be in that space," the company's rep explained, adding that future releases would involve Baidu's mobile app platform, as well. Today's announcement also comes after Dell's Chinese sales grew by 22 percent during the first quarter of this year, though it remains to be seen whether or not this alliance will have much affect on a market currently dominated by Apple and Lenovo.

Baidu, Dell join forces to produce line of smartphones and tablets in China originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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drag2share: Samsung Stratosphere aims to be Verizon's first QWERTY-packing LTE device

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/06/samsung-stratosphere-aims-to-be-verizons-first-qwerty-packing-l/

Verizon's LTE network may be praiseworthy for its blazing-fast mobile broadband and high-end devices, but there's one area of the carrier's 4G lineup that's always needed improvement: variety. From renders revealed by PocketNow, it's apparent that one of the next-gen handsets slated for release soon (perhaps even this week) is the QWERTY-laden Samsung Stratosphere, also known as the SCH-I405. If true, this would be the very first LTE device that comes with a hardware keyboard, finally giving us a new option aside from the 4.3-inch slates that have dominated Big Red's offerings for so long. It's rumored to have an "awesome" screen (Super AMOLED Plus?), Android 2.3.4 preinstalled, 2GB internal storage and 5MP rear / 1.3 front cams; not much of a spec sheet to go off of, of course, but at least we know it's unique. With several other LTE handsets taking the stage between now and the holidays, there's no reason to make them all look the same... right?

Samsung Stratosphere aims to be Verizon's first QWERTY-packing LTE device originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 07:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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