CyanogenMod team bails on Samsung Vibrant, cites inability to dial ’911′ as cause
CyanogenMod developers responsible for the Samsung Vibrant have abandoned support for the phone after efforts to enable 911 emergency access turned fruitless.
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CyanogenMod team bails on Samsung Vibrant, cites inability to dial ’911′ as cause
Samsung Vibrant passes FCC again with AT&T 3G bands: a pre-acquisition tester? (updated)
This is out of left field, but bear with us — it all makes sense, in a creepy, business-y sort of way. First, the facts: a Samsung SGH-T959P just got FCC approval with 3G support on the 850 and 1900MHz bands (it might also support 2100MHz, but we can’t tell from the documents we’ve skimmed in the filing — and since it’s not a US band, the FCC doesn’t really care anyway). T-Mobile’s original Samsung Vibrant was the SGH-T959, and the Galaxy S 4G was the SGH-T959V — so you can imagine that this is another device in the same vein. Samsung SGH product codes that start with “T” and end with “9″ are T-Mobile devices… but if this is for T-Mobile, where’s the AWS 3G support?
So here’s our wild theory: T-Mobile and AT&T may have fast-tracked a T-Mobile-branded device — in this case, an offshoot of the Galaxy S 4G — with HSPA+ for AT&T’s bands. AT&T has mentioned this week that one of the first fruits of its planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA will be a roaming agreement that allows T-Mobile customers to use AT&T’s network, and naturally, that would require devices that support AT&T’s spectrum; interestingly, this roaming agreement is going into effect whether the acquisition completes or not, so these guys have to deal with it. We’d doubt that either of these carriers would be keen on releasing yet another variant of the original Galaxy S as we move toward mid-2011 here, but it’s entirely possible that T-Mobile and AT&T employees could be getting these to test the network integration over the course of the year. Crazy, yes… but just crazy enough to be plausible.
Update: Here’s another thought. This could be an HSPA+ device (a la Galaxy S 4G) for a Canadian network, since several of those guys have also deployed Samsung devices that start with “T” and end with “9″ — the model number exclusivity to T-Mobile is strictly within American borders. We’ll find out soon enough!
Samsung Vibrant passes FCC again with AT&T 3G bands: a pre-acquisition tester? (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy S 4G review
It’s only been six months since Samsung launched its highly successful Galaxy S assault upon the US market with a series of carrier customized phones: the Vibrant and Captivate GSM twins for T-Mobile and AT&T, the WiMAX-rocking Epic 4G for Sprint and the Fascinate for Verizon. More derivatives arrived later, with the Mesmerize, Continuum, Nexus S, and LTE-equipped Galaxy Indulge. Still the Vibrant was the first, and the closest in appearance to the original Galaxy S, losing the front-facing camera, but gaining a search button. Unfortunately, Samsung was slow to upgrade early devices like the Vibrant beyond Eclair, and to fix the well-documented AGPS problems. As such, the release of the Samsung Galaxy S 4G for T-Mobile – basically an updated Vibrant with HSPA+, a front-facing camera, a bronze battery cover, Froyo out of the gate, but no dedicated internal flash storage — is bittersweet. While beneficial to those who waited, it’s a slap in the face to those who purchased the Vibrant. But is it a worthy upgrade? How does it fit into T-Mobile’s high-end Android lineup? Read on for our full review after the break.
Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S 4G review
Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S 4G review
Samsung Galaxy S 4G review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy S 4G now available from T-Mobile
Samsung’s Galaxy S 4G might not have the very latest version of Android or too much hardware differentiation from the original T-Mobile Vibrant, but hey, it brings a front-facing camera and HSPA+ connectivity, so of course it costs $200. T-Mobile will have disappointed many with its clarification that the Galaxy S 4G will cost a pair of Benjamins on contract, exactly as much as its Samsung-built predecessor did seven months ago, and not as the carrier had originally indicated, $150. Also similar is the fact that T-Mo is launching this phone with an Android build that’s one iteration behind the cutting edge, meaning the Froyo update headaches of last autumn may return in the form of Gingerbread jitters this spring. All the same, if the Magenta team sees fit to chop the Galaxy S 4G’s price the same way it’s been doing with its other Android handsets, we could be in for a fine bargain in the near future.
[Thanks, Matt]
Samsung Galaxy S 4G now available from T-Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Samsung Galaxy S 4G will actually cost $200, unfortunately
Here’s a quick heads-up, if you had your heart set on Samsung’s Galaxy S 4G: T-Mobile says it’ll actually cost $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. That means you’re paying $250 out the door for an HSPA+ capable Vibrant, not counting taxes and related fees. T-Mobile says the original $150 price was a mistake on its part, and while you’re welcome to bring as many false advertising lawsuits as you’d like, we doubt you’ll get very far.
Samsung Galaxy S 4G will actually cost $200, unfortunately originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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More pics of the Samsung Vibrant 4G
We just got slipped a slew pics of the upcoming Samsung Vibrant 4G, the follow-up to T-Mobile’s Galaxy S-class Android smartphone. As in the other leaks we’ve seen, it looks rather (and unremarkably) unchanged from its predecessor, save for a more silvery look and a front-facing camera. We also get our first look at the side of the device and — you guessed it — just like the original Vibrant. We’re also told it’s still running Froyo, and we’re really not expecting it to launch with Froyo — which at this point is still unofficially set for Feb. 23.
Check out the other pics after the break. Thanks to you know who.
More pics of the Samsung Vibrant 4G posted originally by Android Central
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Froyo for the Vibrant being updated through Samsung Mini Kies … Good luck! (Updated with Samsung statement)
The good news — the T-Mobile Vibrant indeed is getting its Froyo update. The bad news — it looks like (thus far) you have to do it through Samsung’s Mini Kies program. That’s right, in this day and age of over-the-air updates, you have to plug your phone into a computer to update. Le sigh.
We’ve only been at it for an hour or so now, and Kies is still seeing our Vibrant as an "Unregistered device." Whatever that means.
You know that Froyo complacency a few of you have accused us of? It’s rapidly going away. There’s really no excuse for making an update this difficult. [via TMoNews]
Anyone get this to work yet? We’re all over it in this forum thread. Join us.
Update: Samsung just issued the following statement:
Samsung and T-Mobile are pleased to confirm to Samsung Vibrant customers that the Android 2.2 upgrade is now available. Please click here for an FAQ on how to download and install the upgrade.
Froyo for the Vibrant being updated through Samsung Mini Kies … Good luck! (Updated with Samsung statement) posted originally by Android Central
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Samsung Vibrant to start getting Froyo on Jan. 21 — as in tomorrow!
Yeah, you read that right. The Samsung Vibrant is finally getting Froyo. Just like Samsung promised, lo those many months ago. T-Mobile CMO Cole Broadman confirmed to PCMag that the Android 2.2 update will start pushing out on Jan. 21. And as usually is the case, not everybody’s going to get the update at the onset, but it’ll keep pushing for a few weeks.
Broadman told PCMag that the wait for Froyo was a technical issue — and not any of the rumored reasons, such as not wanting to canibalize from another phone, or because of supposed payments.
So hang tight, folks. It’s coming. It’s really coming. [PCMag]
Samsung Vibrant to start getting Froyo on Jan. 21 — as in tomorrow! posted originally by Android Central
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Samsung responds: ‘Not charging carriers for Froyo updates’
The number of anonymous and unconfirmed "reasons" for the amount of time it’s taking the U.S. Galaxy S phones to get their upgrades to Android 2.2 seems to grow every day. And the leading theory thus far has been from a post at XDA that claims Samsung is charging carriers more for the upgrade than they’re willing to pay. (There’s also that crackpot tip that Samsung was holding Froyo "hostage" as to not cannibalize sales of the unannounced Vibrant 4G. Yes, we’ve seen them all.)
But tonight, Samsung responded to Phonescoop, saying unequivocally:
"No. Samsung is not charging carriers for Froyo updates to Galaxy S. We hope to have more detail on status shortly. Promise!"
So it’s time to put the tinfoil hats back on and bombard our inboxes once again with the latest unsourced, anonymous theory. But we’ll throw this out and see if it floats: Perhaps it’s just taken Samsung and the U.S. carriers that long to get their ducks in a row to make sure everything works, and everybody will shut up and smile once the updates hit, and start bitching about Gingerbread instead. [Phonescoop]
Samsung responds: 'Not charging carriers for Froyo updates' posted originally by Android Central
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T-Mobile Vibrant 4G shows itself
Behold, the T-Mobile Vibrant 4G, apparently. It largely looks like the original Vibrant, though it appears to be sporting a front-facing camera and is supposed to hook into TMo’s HSPA+ "4G" network. Oh, and it’s rumored to launch with Android 2.3, once Touchwiz is ported to it (which BGR explains is the reason it’s unskinned in the pic above). Otherwise, same 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, and we’ll wager it has the same 1GHz Hummingbird processor (though a slight speed boost wouldn’t be out of the question). It’s still rumored to be headed our way Feb. 23. [BGR]
T-Mobile Vibrant 4G shows itself posted originally by Android Central
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