Samsung Confirms Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

Well guys it appears this is a bit more official after this. Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy S II with 4G WiMAX and it will be called the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch on their online training site. I must say that is a HUGE name for a smartphone and it really is just way too long. I’ll be calling it the SGSIIE4GT for short, if you call that short.

We have heard rumors of an upgraded version of the Galaxy S II more than a few times, and expect to see it at IFA here shortly since we will be there live. These new images confirm a few of the recent rumors just as we reported yesterday that the US models would be coming to market with large 4.5″ displays rather than 4.3″ like the current Galaxy S II. Looking at the image above we can now confirm they will in fact have a 4.52″ AMOLED display but resolution is still unknown.
We have also heard of upgraded processors sporting a 1.4 or 1.5 Ghz speed but clearly stated the WiMAX version leaked above will be powered by the same 1.2 Ghz dual-core as previous models. Maybe that 1.5 Ghz speed bump is being saved for the Samsung Nexus Prime. Today in just a few short hours is the Samsung Galaxy S II U.S. Launch event in NYC and we have one of our own there to get all the details live so stay tuned as everything else unwraps today.
[via Phandroid]

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Motorola DROID Bionic Laptop Dock Priced at $299

Uh oh, I don’t know about you guys but I still feel this is way to expensive if it turns out to be accurate. Sources are now coming forward claiming the Motorola Droid Bionic laptop webdock will be priced at $299.97 come launch. I feel this is a bit expensive especially when the phone will also be priced at $299. When the Atrix Dock was announced at $499 and even discounted to $350 bundled with the phone it was still too high and users were hoping for something better this time around.

While $299 is a lot cheaper and much better than the $500 price tag the first dock was going for, I’m sure users were hoping for a little more than a $50 dollar break. There is the possibility the Bionic laptop dock will be $299 at launch but be offered at a lower price while bundled with the Bionic just like the Atrix, but we wont know until the launch date approaches or more details leak.
Earlier today we reported that these laptop docks are already arriving in Verizon stores but that no price or date had been given, if these new details are to be believed we can expect to see a $299 price tag come September 8th. We are reaching out for more details and will update with any further news on pricing and availability.
[via TheDroidGuy]

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Firefox for Android Tablets Unveiled

One of the most popular browsers by Mozilla is coming to Android Tablets. We already have Firefox for Android but it currently only officially supports phones. Today on the Mozilla blog they’ve announced what I’ve heard a few times being called “fennecomb”. This is Firefox for Android honeycomb tablets folks.

Firefox for tablets is an evolution of its phone based predecessor, with some added UI enhancements and changes that will take full advantage of the larger screens added real estate. With awesome tabbed browsing features that work great in both portrait, or landscape mode this will truly be a great browser for mobile devices. Themed nicely along with Android 3.0 Honeycomb it has the same drop down menu’s up top for easy access to configure settings and change themes.

Shown in the photo above in portrait mode multiple tabs no longer take up that precious space on the top of the browser, instead the tabs are singled into one group and accessed via a drop down menu. When in landscape mode they are nicely available on the left side and you can even scroll through multiple tabs. I’m really liking what I’ve seen thus far but sadly we have no official release date or beta at the moment. This is more of a tease for now. Adding features from both the mobile version and the web based experience into one truly optimized for tablets browser this should be exciting when we get more details.
Mozilla also kept the “awesome bar” for quick access to everything. Mozilla is only showcasing the new browser today we don’t have a beta for you to download at the moment but will be sure to report back and get some hands-on time as soon as possible. More details below.
[via Mozilla Blog]

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Motorola DROID Bionic accessories and docks arriving at Verizon Stores

In more Bionic news, Verizon stores are now starting to receive all sorts of different accessories for the much anticipated device. Today we are seeing a few leaked photos of the new Motorola Droid Bionic Webtop dock and more hit Verizon stores, making that September 8th launch feel even more legit.

Shown above is the Bionic Webtop dock accessory making your Bionic basically the brain of a computer with a keyboard and dedicated battery. We’ve seen this before with the Atrix but now we are seeing it in stores with “Bionic” attached we are starting to get excited. Sadly no pricing has been revealed at this time, but if the low sales of the Atrix webtop showed us anything it’s that they should probably price it a bit lower.

We recently saw the Bionic appear on video and even received the official teaser trailer commercial too. Everything is lining up nicely for that September 8th release date we’ve been hearing for a while now. If you plan to buy any accessories with the new Droid Bionic make sure to check out the deal Costco will be having at launch. Will you be buying one?
[via TheDroidGuy]

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Toshiba’s new ultra-thin tablet to be called the Toshiba Excite

With IFA kicking off any day now we are starting to see leaks of upcoming devices a bit early. Just yesterday we learned about the new Toshiba tablet coming to market soon that is said to be much much thinner than the Thrive. We are now hearing the follow up to the Thrive will be much thinner, and lighter yet still offer things like the full-sized USB port.

Thanks to a few tips the upcoming tablet may very well be known as the Toshiba Excite come launch date. Sources are saying it will be super sexy, ultra-thin, lightweight and running Android 3.2 Honeycomb. We don’t have too many further details but if we see anything at IFA we’ll be there live to report all the juicy details.

While there isn’t anything close to official details suggesting the tablet will indeed be name the Excite, the photo above and a few FCC filings are making us think this will most likely what we all will soon be finding out about. You can expect something along the lines of a NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core CPU, possibly 4G LTE support and more but until we get more details this is just a rumor for now. Stay tuned for more details.
[via Android Police]

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Samsung Mesmerize Android 2.3 Gingerbread Update Now Available

The Samsung Mesmerize over on U.S. Cellular has just been given the go for the Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread update. In case you’re wondering the Samsung Mesmerize is a Galaxy S device with a 4.0″ screen and on U.S. Cellular. Just a few months ago in June the Mesmerize was updated to Android 2.2 but now it’s time for some Gingerbread.

To get started head over to uscellular.com to download the new update. This is being offered by U.S. Cellular and will not come over the air, instead the update requires computer access and the user must download and manually install Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The link to the download will also provide full details with what’s new, as well as full instructions for the update.
The Mesmerize was launched with Android 2.1 and recently was updated to 2.2 FroYo. The update to 2.3 Gingerbread will wipe the device so users will be able to update no matter what current version of Android they have now. As usual with 2.3 users can expect improved power management, an improved user interface, new keyboard with improved text input, easy copy/paste and many more features so this is an update worth doing that is for sure. Again head over to uscellular.com/android/software to get started.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Mesmerize

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : US Cellular

Announced Date : June 11, 2010

Release Date : October 27, 2010

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 4.00 Inch


• Resolution : 480x800


• Screen Type : Super AMOLED

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 4.92 Inch


• Width : 2.53 Inch


• Depth : 0.39 Inch


• Weight : 118 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:


• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1500 mAh


• Talk Time : NA


• Stand By Time : 312 hours

Software

• Android OS:


• 2.2.x

• Audio Playback:


• AAC


• AAC+


• AMR


• MID


• MP3


• WAV


• WMA

• Video Playback:


• MPEG-4 (MP4)

• Messaging:


• SMS


• MMS

Hardware

CPU : Cortex A8 Hummingbird

CPU Clock Speed : 1000 Mhz

Core : 1

Ram : 384 MB

Internal Storage : 2.048 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :5 MP

• External Storage:


• MicroSD


• MicroSDHC

• Camera Features:


• Auto focus


• 720p Video Recording

• Sensors:


• Accelerometer


• Ambient light


• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:


• CDMA

• CDMA Band:


• 800


• 1900

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:


• 802.11b


• 802.11g


• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:


• Bluetooth 3.0

• Location Features:


• Compass


• GPS


• Cellular location


• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

[via US Cellular]

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Huawei Honor Leaks, Actually Looks Good

In Huawei’s efforts to help turn the public eye about their products (they’re known as the “cheap” OEM that everyone steers clear of for Samsung, HTC etc.) they look to be bringing another decent Android phone to Asia and possibly Europe. It’s called the Huawei Honor and at first glance could be mistaken for a Samsung Galaxy S
It’s true they’ve made their design similar to Samsung’s flagship phone (who was once accused of making theirs similar to Apple’s iPhone), but it’s a design that works and most people like it. What matters is what’s underneath, though – it’ll apparently be shipping with a 1.4GHz processor (no word on if this single core or dual-core), a 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording, Android 2.3, a 4 inch display, a 1930mAh battery and more.
No video yet, but if Huawei’s other 1GHz+ phones are anything to go on then this should handle Android as smoothly as the best of them. It’s possible Huawei will be on-hand at IFA with this model so we hope more information will come from the event. In the meantime, all we get is a fingerprint-clad photo of the phone that you see above. [LoD]

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Google Finally Releasing Fix for Nexus S Voice Search Bug

Just over two weeks ago, we reported on a long-withstanding bug affecting many Nexus S owners after being asked to shed some light on the matter due to Google’s lack of communication to owners regarding the problem. The bug was discovered as early as April 2011 and has since gone unsolved. Thankfully, it seems our little spotlight worked (we like to think so, anyway) as a Google employee confirmed that an OTA update that addresses this issue will be rolling out soon.
The bug related to Voice Search. The application would continually pop-up and disappear, sometimes so fast that the user can’t press the “cancel” button on the pop-up in time. It happens often for some and only intermittently for others, but either way we’re sure we’d get annoyed if it kept popping up when we were trying to use a different application. No timeframe still, but at least they’re close to a rollout and we know things are being worked on. [Google]

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Motorola DEFY+ Landing in the UK Next Month

Looking for a decent upgrade to the original Motorola Defy? Well, the Motorola Defy+ is already on your radar. But if you’re in the UK and were wondering when you’d be able to go out and snap one up, Motorola has today confirmed that the device will be available at select UK carriers and retailers starting sometime next month.
You’re getting a 1GHz processor, 2GB of internal storage, a 2GB microSD card (with up to 32GB cards supported) and a 5 megapixel camera beneath the armor that shields it – this thing is dust and water resistant (the original could be submerged in water and would still function as normal). Android 2.3 will be preinstalled with Motorola’s custom UI on top.
You’re also getting a 3.7 inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass protecting it, meaning it’ll be scratch resistant and should be more (but not completely) resistant to glass shattering due to deep falls.
This one should be reasonably priced for the punch it provides.

BASINGTOKE, UK. - Aug. 24, 2011 - Live life to the fullest with the latest life proof smartphone from Motorola Mobility, Inc., Motorola DEFY^™+. Building on the Motorola DEFY’s life proof heritage, Motorola DEFY+ offers exceptional protection from whatever life throws your way with its water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof design (IP67). In addition, Motorola DEFY+ has a 1GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster and is more fun with the latest version of Android^™ 2.3 (Gingerbread) delivering a smarter operating system and better battery life to fully enjoy your experiences. Motorola DEFY+ is expected to be available the UK in September.
Water resistant, dust proof, and featuring scratch resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass Motorola DEFY+, can survive a sudden rain shower, a day on the beach, an all-night party - or even a tough workout with the pre-loaded CardioTrainer application, which transforms the device into the perfect running mate. Its brilliant 3.7-inch high-resolution touch-screen display enables you to easily view and track your work out progress. Wherever your days - or nights - take you, Motorola DEFY+ is the life proof device that can keep up with your toughest demands and wildest adventures.
Motorola DEFY+ is faster than ever, keeping up with your on-the-go lifestyles so you can effortlessly browse the Web, stay updated with social networking sites on your homescreens and stream and download rich media content more quickly than before. Motorola DEFY+ offers an Adobe^® Flash^® 10-enabled browser for a rich web experience that allows users to watch their favourite movies or view videos on the Web.
Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Motorola DEFY+ is smarter than ever. This new version of Android boasts a better battery life, a more intuitive user interface and improvements on the features you use most - including enhanced calendar and email features and home screen options. Users can make Motorola DEFY+ their own by organizing and personalizing their Application trays for easy and quick access to their most used tools, games and content.
Boredom proof your life; the richest experiences in entertainment and social media are always within reach with Motorola DEFY+. The Music Player lets you access and share your favourite music. You can also stream your favorite music straight from your desktops at home or work, with Motorola Media Link. Motorola DEFY+ also features Google Talk^™ tokeep you connected with friends and colleagues, while built in apps like the *Zinio™ e-magazine service allow you to keep up with favourite publications on-the-go. Entertainment doesn’t stop there: Motorola DEFY+ also features a 5MP camera with flash, digital zoom and auto focus, letting users capture the best of their social life and create their very own entertainment whatever the conditions.
"Motorola DEFY+, our latest life proof smartphone, delivers the endurance and design strength to keep up with even the most demanding lifestyles, along with the social and entertainment capabilities that put friends and fun in easy reach," said Victoria McManus, UK marketing director, Motorola Mobility. "We designed Motorola DEFY+ with all the smartphone features you need for a demanding lifestyle."

Smart Accessories
A suite of smart accessories ensures users get the most from the Motorola DEFY+. Available accessories include Vehicle Dock, Bluetooth Headset, Bluetooth Car Kit, Portable Power, and Car Charger.
Key Features and Specifications:

• Powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and features more than 250,000 apps from Android Market™


• 1 GHz processor that runs 25 percent faster for efficient Web browsing and multitasking


• Water resistant, scratch resistant and dust proof to withstand all that life throws your way


• Features scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass


• 3.7-inch high-resolution touch screen display


• Music Player connects you to all your favourite artists


• MOTOBLUR lets users stay in touch with friends, providing quick access to social media accounts and live widgets directly from the homescreen


• Motorola Media Link allows users to sync their media content from their desktops at home or work


• Loaded with the ability to create group emails and communication to stay in touch with friends


• Adobe Flash Player 10 for uncompromised viewing of applications, content and videos


• 5MP camera with auto focus, flash and digital zoom


• 2GB internal; *2GB microSD card in box, expandable up to 32GB


• Access to Google™ apps (Google Maps™ 5.0 with Navigation, Google Talk, Browsing)


• 1700 mAH battery for 7.1 hours of talk time and 16 days in standby

Learn more about Motorola DEFY+ here
About Motorola Mobility
Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE:MMI) fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

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