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One-of-a-kind Verizon Samsung Galaxy S II not found on Amazon [the old switcheroo]

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 04:06 PM PDT

Wha?

Take a look at the picture you see here.  Clear your head and take a long hard look at it (we'll wait).  See it yet?  I'll give a hint -- it's not a Samsung Galaxy S II with a big juicy Verizon logo up top, no matter how bad we all wanted it to be.  When we read the caption attached to this picture uploaded at Amazon, things start to make some sense:

Ordered a Galaxy S II from Warehouse Deals, received a Verizon Galaxy S. Sad that people take advantage of Amazon like this...I hope whoever stole the Galaxy S II gets caught.

Now we weren't there so we don't know exactly how this went down, but it sure looks like someone ordered a Galaxy S II from Amazon, then slapped the screen covering on a Samsung Fascinate, threw it in the box and sent it in for a refund.  With stock being low and demand being high, it slipped through and was sent to another customer. 

Feeling a little pissed off yet?  Yeah, I am, too.  It's not like it was my money, or this happened to a SGS II that was destined for my doorstep, but I can't help but feel a little outrage.  We're pretty sure Amazon will make this right -- they're Amazon.  We do have to agree with the gentleman who was expecting a shiny SGS II ready for his AT&T SIM card -- we hope whoever did this gets caught.  And maybe sent to some Russian Gulag to atone for his (or her) sins.  OK, maybe that's a bit too far.

This all goes to show just what hype will do to people.  We keep hearing about how something will be "the best one yet", and we'll be getting it soon.  After a while, this has one of two effects; you get jaded and stop caring, or you let it consume you.  I'm here to tell you, there is no best one, because the next one will always be the best one.  I've decided I'm not going to ride the hyperbole train any longer and just use what I have, and love it.  My old scratched Nexus One may not have that Super AMOLED HD screen I've been crying for, but I dropped my SIM card back in it, and made myself smile.  Do I still want a great new Android phone to use and abuse?  Of course I do.  I'm just not going to worry about when it gets here any longer.

Thanks, intheb0x for the link and pic! 

Samsung announces LTE version of Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 8.9, will show them off at IFA

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:53 PM PDT

Galaxy S II lte

Samsung has announced two new products ahead of their presumably big showing at IFA this week in Berlin, the Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 8.9 -- in LTE flavors.  They tell us a few limited specs, 1.5GHz CPU for both, and a size bump to a 4.5 inch screen in the Galaxy S II.  The rest looks to be unchanged, so we can't assume that the mythical 720p Super AMOLED screen (the one that haunts my dreams) will show up in the new Galaxy S II.  Interestingly, the Galaxy Tab 8.9 product pages have went live at Samsung's website as well, so we're pretty sure the Wifi version will also rear its head at IFA. 

We've heard all sorts of rumors and speculation about exactly what Samsung has in store for Verizon customers, and we've said all along to hold tight -- even after the Verizon version of the existing Galaxy S II seemed to have disappeared from the radar.  Will Verizon be picking up either or both of these two?  We can't say for sure, but it seems like a no-brainer.  We expect more details when these all get shown in Berlin, and until then we'll just have to sit tight.

Source: Samsung (Korean); via Engadget

More: Galaxy Tab 8.9 product page; Thanks, Dy4me!

 

How I do it: Listenin' in the kitchen

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 11:19 AM PDT

Music in the kitchen

I don't really have the luxury of using one Android smartphone or tablet all the time, but my usage cases don't really change. And one habit I've gotten into is listening to music or the radio while cooking. The kitchen's a precarious place to do that, what with all the heat, oil, water and lord knows what else flying around (never mind the knives.)

I've got my electronic footprint pretty much out of the danger zone, choosing to park my devices between the fridge and the sink. Sure, there's the real possibility of water damage. But for some reason that seems the lesser of two evils when I think about hot oil splashing onto a touchscreen.

So what do I use? Tablet, phone -- whatever's charged, really. Google Music for music, or Tune In Radio if I want local radio. For playback, I've got a Supertooth Disco speaker. Love the thing, but you'll notice I'm plugged in here. Bluetooth works OK (and if I used it more, it'd mean I can keep the tablet away from the sink), but sometimes I'm just lazy and plug the thing in. It's nice to have that choice. If you'll allow a bit of gushing over the speaker -- wow. It's not cheap -- a little more than $100 -- but for its size, it sounds great, and it pumps out 28 watts. You can also unplug it from the wall and run from the internal, rechargeable battery. Noyce.

I'm not sure if all this the food taste any better, but it sure is more fun to make.

Android App Review: bytNotes

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:27 AM PDT

 bytNotes

If you're anything like me, you take notes. I takes notes on Post-Its, I take notes in my schoolwork, and I take notes on my phone. What I haven't been able to do up until now, though, is take notes and assign them to contacts. BytNotes looks to remedy that problem by letting everyone do just that.

BytNotes is pretty simple. You create a new note, then assign it to a contact. When they call, the note pops up and reminds you about whatever you wrote about. You can either close the note out or close it and dismiss it. Simply closing it will have it pop up again when they next call, where dismissing it keeps it from returning.

Setup is easy and the app works well. My only complaint is that you have to close the note before you're able to answer a call. Maybe I don't want to close it. Maybe I need to get STRAIGHT to the call. I should have this option.

Otherwise, if you're the note taking (or forgetful) type, I'd recommend bytNotes. It's $1.01 in the Android Market.

We've got download links and more screenshots after the break.

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Droid Bionic apparently makes its Sept. 8 launch official on Twitter

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 05:25 AM PDT

Droid Bionic on Twitter

We're not exactly fans of companies announcing news on Twitter -- it's just too easy to screw up messages in 140 characters. That said, the @DroidBionic Twitter feed has let it drop that Sept. 8 indeed is the day for the most recently overhyped Android smartphone (which earned its crown after surpassing the previously overhyped smartphone) Motorola Droid Bionic to "be in your hands."

No response yet from the fake @mdb228 twitter account, which has nearly 400 more followers than the "official" @droidbionic. Go figure.

Source: @DroidBionic; thanks to everyone who sent this in.

Android Central Editors' app picks for August 27, 2011

Posted: 27 Aug 2011 05:13 PM PDT

Wifi

Apps! Apps! Come get your apps! Hit the break with us as we take a look at some of our favorite applications from this week while you continue to keep yourself safe and out of the way of the incoming hurricane!

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