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T-Mobile reveals Galaxy S II launch date and price

Samsung held the Samsung Galaxy S II event last month in New York, and T-Mobile was the only carrier  that did not allow anyone to play around with its variant. Those precious devices were kept under glass, but T-Mobile is now finally ready to release more details about this super-phone, as well as the price and availability. T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S II will come with a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor and will be packing Android 2.3.5. The device is also Netflix compatible and NFC enabled. This phone should be nice for watching movies; it sports a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display. But we’ll have to wait until Google Wallet comes to other NFC-enabled devices. It’s currently only available for Sprint’s Nexus S 4G. Other NFC-enabled devices will simply have to wait and see when/if it comes around. Either way, if you want to get your hands on this beast, it will be released October 12. Pre-sales start October 10. The Samsung Galaxy S II comes with a price tag of $229.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate on a two-year contract. T-Mobile users who’ve been waiting for this device to show up can now start breaking those piggy banks! Who’s signing up for one of these? Show Press Release T-Mobile Unveils Its Fastest Smartphones: HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II T-Mobile USA CMO Cole Brodman details consumer adoption of 4G technology and unveils next-generation 4G devices SAN FRANCISCO and BELLEVUE, Wash. — Sept. 26, 2011 — Today at GigaOm Mobilize 2011, T-Mobile USA Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman outlined the company’s ongoing efforts to fuel consumer adoption of mobile data through increased speeds of America’s Largest 4G Network®, rate plans that make mobile data more affordable, and new devices that take advantage of the company’s faster 4G network and value. Unveiled during the T-Mobile keynote address at Mobilize 2011, the HTC Amaze™ 4G and Samsung Galaxy S™ II will be T-Mobile’s fastest smartphones and the first smartphones to take advantage of T-Mobile’s faster 4G (HSPA+ 42) network technology. The new smartphones will allow customers to browse the Web faster than on the average home Internet and are showing average download speeds approaching 8 Mbps with peak speeds around 20 Mbps on T-Mobile’s 4G network1 . Both smartpthones are expected to be available next month. In addition, T-Mobile today announced the T-Mobile ® Sonic™ 4G Mobile HotSpot, the company’s fastest 4G (HSPA+ 42) mobile hotspot, providing customers with access to T-Mobile’s fastest 4G speeds on up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices. America’s Largest 4G Network, which is now faster than ever with the 4G technology of HSPA+ 42, reaches more than 170 million Americans in more than 150 markets throughout the United States. “These new products unlock the full potential of our faster 4G network and deliver the best experience yet for watching video, surfing the Web, and creating and sharing content on the go,” said Cole Brodman, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile USA. “A 4G connection delivers a much improved experience, which entices consumers to do more with the devices they carry. We’ve seen that first hand; customers with 4G devices on our network consume roughly three times as much data compared as those with 3G devices. Smartphone buyers are increasingly looking for built-in 4G capability, and we’re offering what we believe is the best 4G product portfolio in the industry.” HTC Amaze 4G Exclusively available from T-Mobile, the HTC Amaze 4G features the most advanced camera experience of any smartphone and is the latest in T-Mobile’s family of advanced camera smartphones. The HTC Amaze 4G is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera and 1080p HD video recorder, a backside illuminated sensor for improved low light performance, zero shutter lag and a dual LED flash, as well as advanced digital camera features, including: SmartShot™, which captures five photos and creates the best shot using clear faces with smiles and no blinking. PerfectPics™, which is a separate album in the gallery created by scoring and filtering the best photos to the surface. PerfectPics prioritizes photos by using criteria such as important calendar events, the presence of faces, and overall picture quality. Additional innovative camera features first introduced on the T-Mobile myTouch® 4G Slide such as SweepShot™, ClearShot HDR™ and BurstShot™. The HTC Amaze 4G also enables high quality video recording with a full HD 1080p camcorder and an embedded video editor. Customers can instantly capture quality photos and videos with a dedicated camera button and T-Mobile’s first direct-to-camcorder button. Sharing photos is easy with one-touch access to post to Facebook®, Picasa ® or Flickr ® — all at 4G speeds. The device runs on Android™ 2.3.4, features a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S3 Processor with a 1.5 GHz dual core CPUs, and offers the HTC Sense user experience. With support for T-Mobile TV, HTC Watch and additional apps and services, the HTC Amaze 4G is excellent at keeping customers informed, connected and entertained using its gorgeous 4.3-inch qHD super LCD multi-touch display. The powerful handset will also include NFC capabilities for wireless searching, information sharing and, in the future, mobile payments. Samsung Galaxy S II T-Mobile today also revealed additional details about the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 Processor with 1.5 GHz dual CPUs, running on Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) and NFC enabled, the Galaxy S II will offer T-Mobile customers speedy access to their favorite movies, TV shows, websites, games, applications and more. The smartphone also acts as a mobile entertainment center with quick and easy access to thousands of premium movies and TV shows through Netflix®, T-Mobile TV in Mobile HD2 , Samsung Media Hub and YouTube ®. The Galaxy S II rich entertainment features and experience are further enhanced with a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus touch screen —the largest screen available on a T-Mobile smartphone. With DLNA compatibility and HDMI out, this media powerhouse also offers the ability to view content on a compatible HD TV. T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot The Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is T-Mobile’s fastest mobile hotspot, providing access to T-Mobile’s 4G (HSPA+ 42) network for up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices including iPads, music players, gaming consoles, laptops, cameras and eReaders, among other devices, all from virtually anywhere. Manufactured by Huawei, this sleek and ultra-portable on-the-go network hub weighs just 3.88 ounces, making it easy to slip into a pocket, backpack or purse. Whether staying connected on the go with colleagues and clients or providing a family Internet hub at a vacation spot or in the car, the T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is a device that uniquely complements the company’s existing lineup of mobile broadband devices on America’s Largest 4G network. As an added benefit, the Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot comes equipped with an SD card slot that accommodates up to 32GB of expandable memory, enabling customers to share and save photos, documents, videos and more with their family and friends also connected to the Mobile HotSpot. The Sonic 4G also features an OLED display to show signal strength, number of devices connected, number of unread text messages, connectivity to the internet, battery level and network connection type. Availability The HTC Amaze 4G and Galaxy S II are expected to be available in an exclusive online pre-sale via www.T-Mobile.com beginning Oct. 10 and are expected to be available at T-Mobile retail stores and select dealers nationwide starting Oct. 12. The HTC Amaze 4G is expected to cost $259.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement and qualifying Classic voice and data plan. The Galaxy S II is expected to cost $229.99 after a $50 mail-in-rebate card with a two-year service agreement and qualifying Classic voice and data plan. The T-Mobile Sonic 4G Mobile HotSpot is expected to be available in October at T-Mobile retail stores and online at www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network, including increased speeds, not available everywhere. See coverage details at http://www.t-mobile.com. 1 Based on average download speeds on T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ 42 Mbps network in four major markets. 2 Mobile HD TV can deliver a bit rate of 800kbps and 16:9 resolution; the bit rate and resolution you experience will vary based on many factors, e.g., programming, network connection, and device.

Bell launches 4G LTE network in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph

Later today, Bell Mobility will launch its next generation 4G LTE wireless network service in areas of Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph. The new network will provide users with the “fastest mobile Internet speeds available,” offering HD quality online TV and video, wireless video conferencing and chat with “quality previously available only on wireline or high-speed Wi-Fi connections.” The carrier plans to cover additional Canadian markets this year and through 2012. At the moment, Bell is offering the LTE/HSPA+ Sierra Wireless U313 Turbo Sticks, while network-compatible smartphones and tablets are expected to be released later this year. The mentioned USB stick is available for $79.95 on a three-year term (or for $219.95 with no term contract) online and in Bell stores across LTE service areas. 4G LTE flex-rate data plans start at $45 a month for 1.5 GB which automatically adjusts based on data usage. Finally, it’s worth adding that in the areas where there’s no LTE signal around, Bell’s customers will be able to use HSPA+ network which offers speeds of up to 21 Mbps. [Via: cnw.ca ] Bell launches 4G LTE network in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-14T10:47:23Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Videos: Intel reference design Android smartphone and tablet hands-on

Nearly every technology journalist in North America attended Microsoft’s BUILD conference yesterday to catch a glimpse at Windows 8, including over very own Marin Perez , but that came at the expense of providing coverage from Intel’s Developer Forum. There’s a reason for this. The chip company has been talking up Intel based smartphone for years without actually delivering, so why would anyone want to waste their time? Luckily for the internet, Anand Lal Shimpi of Ananadtech was in attendance and he was able to record three videos. Two showing off an Intel Medfield based Android Gingerbread smartphone that’s less than 10 mm thick and one that demos an 8.9 mm thick Android Honeycomb tablet. Intel says they expect to see devices with their silicon running Android out on the market during the first half of 2012, and while before we’d have no problem calling bullshit on that statement, the recent announcement that Google is going to optimize future versions of Android for both x86 and ARM has us mildly excited. Make no mistake, Intel is in a position to dominate the market since they’ll be able to offer hardware vendors everything they need to build a device. There’s the x86 application processor of course, the Intel graphics, which these days is built on the processor itself, and thanks to Intel’s acquisition of Infineon’s Wireless Division, they’ll also be able to supply cellular connectivity. That and Intel actually owns their own fabs, meaning they make their own stuff, whereas NVIDIA and Qualcomm depend on third parties to make their silicon. Video 01: Does this mean ARM will soon fall off the face of the planet? Absolutely not. Intel’s business model is to sell physical components, whereas ARM licenses their processor designs and architecture so that folks can build custom processors that support exactly what they need and nothing more. It’s why Apple builds their own A4, A5, and soon A6 chips, Samsung has Exynos, and Qualcomm has Snapdragon. Will device makers want to use the generic solutions Intel offers? Time will tell. Video 02: Video 03: Videos: Intel reference design Android smartphone and tablet hands-on originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-14T08:11:45Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Orb Live arrives on the Market; brings “free” Hulu, Netflix streaming with it

They took their sweet time, but Orb has finally released an Android app for us non-iPhone users. As some of you might already know, Orb is a service that streams all kinds of online and offline media from your PC/Mac to your mobile device. Everything from Hulu and Netflix to your local music files can be accessed via a WiFi or 3G/4G connection on your Android or iOS device. The service even lets you access your computer’s webcam if you ever need to. Previously, the Orb Live app was only available for our iOS-toting friends. But starting today, the app will be available for Android users as well. (Although, I’m not seeing the app on the Market just yet). Once it does appear on the Market, the app will cost $10. But after that, everything is free. Including the ability to watch Hulu on your phone even if you don’t have a Hulu Plus subscription. I’m quite sure Hulu won’t like that at all. Hulu has been pushing people pretty hard lately to upgrade to their $7.99/month Hulu Plus subscription, which gives you access to Hulu on your Android phone and other devices. However, most people are not comfortable with the idea of paying $8/month for something they’re getting for free on their PCs. On the other hand, paying a one-time fee of $10 to be able to access all your home media on your phone sounds like a more reasonable idea. Having said that, there are a few concerns if you choose to go the Orb route. Mainly, the video streaming quality. We haven’t been able to test this for ourselves, but GigaOM reports that things don’t work quite as promised on some phones: The MyTouch had some notable playback issues, with videos looking pretty jerky even when streamed via WiFi. Janko Roettgers GigaOM I’m sure the Orb team will improve the streaming quality over time, but it’s just something to be aware of. Another issue that might pop up with Orb in the future is the fact that it’s an awesome service. But wait, how is being an awesome service a downside? Well, Orb is doing a couple of things here that will surely piss off the wrong kind of people. First, they’re taking all the media you consume, (whether it comes from a TV, the Internet or your hard drive) and putting it all on your phone for just $10. That’s unheard of in a world where every single media company is trying to nickel and dime you for every single device that you want to consume their content on. You just have to look at the recent spat between Netflix and Starz as an example. To top it all off, Orb is giving you access to all this content through a well-designed and easy-to-use Android app. The audacity! Hopefully, Orb will manage to fly under the radar and stay hidden from trigger-happy copyright lawyers. Gallery

Gmail account security in Iran

Posted by Eric Grosse, VP Security Engineering We learned last week that the compromise of a Dutch company involved with verifying the authenticity of websites could have put the Internet communications of many Iranians at risk, including their Gmail. While Google’s internal systems were not compromised, we are directly contacting possibly affected users and providing similar information below because our top priority is to protect the privacy and security of our users. While users of the Chrome browser were protected from this threat, we advise all users in Iran to take concrete steps to secure their accounts: Change your password. You may have already been asked to change your password when you signed in to your Google Account. If not, you can change it here . Verify your account recovery options. Secondary email addresses, phone numbers, and other information can help you regain access to your account if you lose your password. Check to be sure your recovery options are correct and up to date here . Check the websites and applications that are allowed to access your account, and revoke any that are unfamiliar here . Check your Gmail settings for suspicious forwarding addresses or delegated accounts . Pay careful attention to warnings that appear in your web browser and don’t click past them. For more ways to secure your account, you can visit http://www.google.com/help/security . If you believe your account has been compromised, you can start the recovery process here .

Offline Google Docs

As promised, Google started to roll out the offline version of Google Docs, but don’t expect too much. Much like the offline Gmail and offline Google Calendar , Google Docs works offline only if you use Chrome and install an app from the Chrome Web Store. When you’re offline, Google Docs shows a simplified interface that only lists the documents and spreadsheets that are cached. You can only view them, so most of the features from Google Docs menus are disabled. Just like the offline Gmail, Google Docs uses a different interface that can also be accessed when you’re online if you go to: https://docs.google.com/offline/ . “Offline access is available only for documents and spreadsheets. When you have Google Docs open and have an Internet connection, your most recently opened documents and spreadsheets will sync and become available offline. Presentations, drawings and other items are not currently available offline,” explains Google. Another downside is that you can’t edit your documents and spreadsheets, a feature that was available in the Gears implementation. Right now, offline Google Docs is very limited and can only be used to access some of your documents and spreadsheets. It’s interesting to notice that the apps powered by Gears were a lot more powerful and worked in other browsers: Firefox, Safari, IE. Maybe Google shouldn’t have deprecated Gears and disabled the features that used Gears until the HTML5 implementations were good enough.

Android Overload: SE Believes Xperia Play Is Meeting Expectations, Official SBF Released for the Droid X and More

Hey there, folks! Congrats cuz you’ve found yourself in another episode of the Android Overload. During our busy day we may not always find time to write up every single news worthy we come across. Rather than let them fade away into the internet, we drop off here for you guys to give the once over. So have a look around and don’t forget to leave any thoughts you have in the comments. G’night! Screencast & Screenrecorder now available in the Android Market. [ Market Link ] Samsung Galaxy W launching on O2 in the UK later this month. [ TalkAndroid ] Google takes issue with the jury selection in Oracle vs Android case. [ AppleInsider ] Sony Ericsson believes their Xperia Play is meeting expectations in spite of dual-core hype. [ EuroDroid ] Samsung to support VMWare’s Android virtualization push. [ ArsTechnica ] Evernote updated in the Android Market. New features and enhancements. [ Market Link ] Official SBF 4.5.602 released for the Motorola Droid X [ MyDroidWorld ]

28 percent of U.S. consume mobile and location-based services

A study conducted by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project says 28 percent of U.S. adults consume mobile and location-based services. At least one of these activities (below) were done either on a computer or using mobile phones, with many users doing several of them. The following activities include: 28% of cell owners use phones to get directions or recommendations based on their current location—that works out to 23% of all adults. A much smaller number (5% of cell owners, equaling 4% of all adults) use their phones to check in to locations using geosocial services such as Foursquare or Gowalla. Smartphone owners are especially likely to use these services on their phones. 9% of internet users set up social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn so that their location is automatically included in their posts on those services. That works out to 7% of all adults. These results are based on a national telephone survey of 2,277 adults conducted April 26-May 22, 2011. The survey included 1,522 interviews conducted by landline phone, and 755 interviews were conducted by cell phone. This may be a small sample size of people interviewed, but it is still substantial findings nonetheless. Discussing the figures obtained in the survey, Kathryn Zickuhr, Pew Internet Project research specialist and co-author of the report said “Americans are not currently all that eager to share explicitly their location on social media sites, but they are taking advantage of their phones’ geolocation capabilities in other ways,” she added “Smartphone owners are using their phones to get fast access to location-relevant information on-the-go.” I agree with her, but this shouldn’t seem like much of a surprise to most people considering the rapid growth of smartphones in the U.S. The study shows how hypercritical people are when it comes to unwillingness to share their location, at the same time using their phones geo-location capabilities with apps like Gowalla, Foursquare, and Google+. [ via ] 28 percent of U.S. consume mobile and location-based services originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-06T19:52:33Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Leak: HTC Ruby, also known as the Amaze 4G on T-Mobile, found in the jungles of Thailand

Last month a blurry photo and a rough spec sheet for a device known as the HTC Ruby started circling around the internet. The Ruby was also said to be coming to the United States as the “Amaze 4G” on T-Mobile. Thanks to the Thai website Droid Sans , we now not only have clearer pictures of the Ruby, but confirmation that the absolutely ridiculous spec sheet we saw in August wasn’t just a fanboi’s wet dream, but indeed real. You’re looking at a device with a 4.3 inch screen that has a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels, a dual core 1.5 GHz processor that’s paired up with 1 GB of RAM, an 8 megapixel camera with a dual LED flash, a forward facing 2 megapixel camera, and best of all support for 42 Mbps HSPA+ networks. The Droid Sans folks say the device is a bit laggy, which is probably due to the fact that what they have is such an early prototype, and that the Ruby can run a bit hot, something that may be attributable to either the highly clocked processor or more likely the beefy 3G (technically 4G) radio. Is it nothing more than a souped up Sensation? All answers point to yes, and that would mean that HTC’s current Android flagship will have a lifespan of just under half a year if the October 26th release date for the Ruby is true. What do you guys think of that? Is it ridiculous that HTC is moving so fast or are you happy that the pace of innovation is such that you’ll never be left waiting endlessly for the next awesome bit of kit to hit the market? All we know is this: HTC seriously needs to come up with a new design language already because all of their phones look the same, and we don’t mean that as a compliment. Leak: HTC Ruby, also known as the Amaze 4G on T-Mobile, found in the jungles of Thailand originally appeared on IntoMobile.com on 2011-09-05T09:28:35Z. FV1gMYsz9b5j

Android Overload: Google’s Eric Schmidt Talks Patents, Canada’s 4G LTE Battle Heats Up and More

Hey, hey, hey! Whether you’re up late or just waking up, we have a handful of great articles you shouldn’t miss out on. This is the Android Overload. The place you can turn when you want all the Android/Google/wireless related news the internet has to offer. So take a load off and get to clicking! Bell Canada ready to launch LTE network with GS2 and Galaxy Tab 8.9. [ TekTok ] Google’s Eric Schmidt talks patents, revolution and acquiring Motorola. [ VentureBeat ] MSI Android tablet passes through the FCC packing 7-inch screen and Gingerbread. [ WirelessGoodness ] Intel may abandon Meego OS. Might make the move to Android. [ Digitimes ] Sony Tablet S up for pre-order at Dixons in the UK. [ EuroDroid ] Rogers Canada taking pre-orders for LTE devices including the Galaxy S II. [ Rogers ] AT&T discontinues “A-list” unlimited calling. Just one more thing they’re taking away from customers. [ Electronista ] The ZTE Skate, Libra and Tureis are going unlocked and all have been priced in the UK. [ Unwired ] The White Samsung Galaxy S II is headed to Optus in Australia September 9th. [ AusDroid]