By Brad Molen 
posted Aug 25th 2011 2:46PM 
Many of us were holding out hopes that the Function, Verizon's rumored variant of the Samsung Galaxy S II, would be the latest addition to its LTE lineup, but now we're hearing that it may not be coming to the carrier at all. According to the Wall Street Journal, it appears quite likely that Big Red won't be involved in Samsung's anticipated launch event this coming Monday. The publication cites people familiar with the plans, who also mentioned that we should still expect to see the Galaxy S II make its way to Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T at the very least. Now here's some possible relief to the sting you may have just felt: BGR is now reporting that while this is all true, Verizon has a Samsung phone in the works that will have "nearly identical specs" to that of the GSII. We're still awaiting official confirmation from Verizon on the matter and will update when we receive word. Update: We just heard from a Verizon spokesperson who confirmed the carrier will not be carrying the device, and offered the following quote: "We have a robust portfolio of devices that offer customers exciting options including the Droid Charge by Samsung which runs on Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network."
Samsung-thusiasts in the UK will be happy to know that the brand spanking new Galaxy W is coming to the British Three network in September. Just yesterday, we caught a glimpse of this beaut running Gingerbread with a 3.7-inch WVGA touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, 4GB of internal memory, a 1.4GHz processor and HDSPA connectivity. Those on Three can also expect the new line of BlackBerrys -- the Curve 9360, the Torch 9810 and the Bold 9900 -- soon, as well as the white Samsung Galaxy S II and the Sony Ericsson Xperia ray sometime in September. We hope to get some hands-on time with the W at IFA in Berlin next week -- roadtrip anyone? 
A judge in The Hague just issued a ruling in Apple's patent infringement case against Samsung, prohibiting "the marketing of Samsung smartphones Galaxy S, S II and Ace for violation of Apple Inc. EP 2,058,868." In an official press release, the court explains that The Hague judge ruled to "ban trading of Samsung smartphones Galaxy S, S II and Ace," adding that Samsung also violated other Apple patents with its Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 10.1v, though it's not clear whether or not sales of those devices will be banned as well. The specific patents cited include 2,058,868, which deals with "method of scrolling," 2,098,948 for "recording a flag in connection with multiple screen taps," and 1,964,022, which relates to dragging a slider to unlock the phone. We haven't been able to confirm, but from an online translation it appears that the ban will 
If you don't pay close attention, you may not even notice it, but Samsung sneaked a preview of an American Galaxy S II variant into a promo video it released earlier today. For the entire clip you stare at the version we're all familiar with, which sports a large home button on the bottom. Then, at the very end, a slightly rounder handset with four capacitive buttons and no large home key pops up on the screen. It looks a bit like the T-Mobile-bound Hercules, but not quite as curvy around the edges. It could be Sprint's Epic 4G Touch or perhaps an as yet unseen model destined for AT&T or Verizon. Check out the full promo video after the break. 
Could the above shot be the first 4G LTE smartphone for AT&T? BGR thinks it just might be. The site nabbed a shot of what purports to be the Samsung Impulse 4G, which may grab that distinction on its release. That's about all we're getting in the way of details on this Droid Charge-esque device at the moment. Hopefully the screen of truth will be pulled back even further in the near future.
posted Aug 22nd 2011 5:03PM 
Didn't see any budget phones on our Back to School list that tempt you? Perhaps the Samsung Admire (aka the R720) on MetroPCS might make the grade. Launched today -- earlier than its expected September release, we might add -- the Gingerbread-laden handset is being offered for $130 with the carrier's $50 unlimited monthly plan. All in all, it's pretty decent underneath the hood; among the specs are an 800MHz CPU powering a 3.5-inch HVGA display, as well as a 3.2MP camera. It's also taking advantage of a respectable 1600mAh battery, though the battery life is rated at three hours of talk time. Head on over to the source link to do your homework on the new prepaid device.
Walmart and its MVNO partner, TracFone, are preparing to plunge into the shallow depths of Android with the Samsung Galaxy Precedent. While little is known about the device itself, it appears strikingly similar to the Samsung Prevail, from the chunky volume rocker and external microSD card slot on the side of the phone, to the absent flash on the rear. Of course, Straight Talk's primary selling point with the Precedent is the price itself, which -- according to a promo video for the device -- is said to be just shy of $150 off-contract. This, combined with Wally World's competitive pricing of $45 per month for unlimited voice, text and data, could be a boon for many users who rely on Verizon for coverage (assuming this is a CDMA phone, anyway). While no official launch date has been set, you're welcome to get in line and reserve yours today. Or, just check the video after the break. 