You can imagine that there were some unhappy people after hearing that Samsung was planning to leave out the original Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab lines from its Ice Cream Sandwich update plans. Apparently there were enough that Sammie is now revisiting the idea to see if they can somehow make it happen. This is good news for the millions of folks that bought Galaxy S phones across the globe, but we’ll have to recommend that you not hold your breath, hold on for dear life, or cross any appendages as it could be a while. With TouchWiz reportedly the blame for the initial “No,” and also knowing that Gingerbread took almost a full year to rollout, it could be a while.

Via:  The Verge

Samsung Revisiting Idea of Ice Cream Sandwich for the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab is a post from: Droid Life

Come on folks, you didn’t actually believe the original Galaxy S series would see Ice Cream Sandwich, did you? Whenever you put “update” and “Samsung” in the same sentence, you should know how that situation is about to go down. While I’m a huge fan of the Galaxy Nexus and the newest versions of the Galaxy Tab series, the original Galaxy S line of phones took how long to see Gingerbread? The Fascinate just received Android 2.3 on December 1…as in 3 weeks ago. The original Galaxy Tab was about a month sooner than that, but with single-core processors, TouchWiz, and a focus on the future from Sammie, you should have expected this news. Not that that makes it good or “OK” news, but just that the world’s jaw would have dropped if they had announced that they would receive ICS.

Don’t worry though, if the original DROID can see an Android 4.0 port, I’m sure these phones and tablets will as well. Go developers, go!

Via:  SammyHub, Samsung Tomorrow

Samsung: Galaxy S Series and Original Galaxy Tab Will Not Receive Ice Cream Sandwich is a post from: Droid Life

Wow, look at Samsung go. Just yesterday the DROID Charge started to receive Gingerbread (Android 2.3), and now today, the Fascinate is getting some love. It’s build EH03, the same one we were told would be the final build by a source a few weeks back. Click the image above for the full view on the changelog.

One of our readers has reportedly received the update already.

More info.

Cheers ScottM!

Samsung Fascinate Gingerbread Update EH03 Ready, Possibly Rolling Out Now is a post from: Droid Life

Developers are hustling to get Ice Cream Sandwich on as many devices as they can these days.  The next to show up is a fully working build for the Samsung Fascinate by JT1134 from RootzWiki.  When scrolling down the list of working features, this looks like a fully functional daily driver ROM.  3G calls working, WiFi, camera – everything that you would look for to see if a ROM is worthy of flashing. 

This one definitely has the Droid Life stamp of approval. A huge thanks to all the developers out there that are pumping out these builds.  Where would we be without you?  If you want to experience ICS on your Fascinate, just follow the link below.

Via: RootzWiki

Cheers Static_prone!

Samsung Fascinate Receives “Alphalulz” Ice Cream Sandwich ROM Straight From Source is a post from: Droid Life

The screenshot we have included above popped into our inbox this morning from one of our good friends in the industry. As you can see, it’s Gingerbread (Android 2.3.5) for the Samsung Fascinate on Verizon. According to our trusted source, Big Red has finally started “field testing” the software which is a good sign that Fascinate owners may actually see it at some point in the near future. The build number is EH03. My guess, you will see a leak of this build any day now from one of the various Samsung devs in the community.

And of course keep in mind that this build could fail and we could get EH04 or something else. As of now, this is in testing.

Now, if only we could see something for the DROID Charge.

“ZOMG, it’s just a build.prop edit!”

Cheers ___!

Verizon Finally Starts Field Testing Gingerbread for the Samsung Fascinate, Build EH03 on the Way is a post from: Droid Life

When we received a tip earlier in the week that Best Buy was planning something major for August 17 and 22, we were hoping for the world, but were pretty sure they were going to be running free phone promos instead.  Free phones were confirmed today through a small press release.  So for one day only (tomorrow), you can cruise into a Best Buy and pick up an Atrix 4G, Nexus S 4G or Samsung Fascinate for free with a new 2-year contract.  And yes, I said Fascinate – the same phone that Verizon no longer carries.

Hopefully they pick a better Verizon option on the 22nd.

Cheers ___!

Best Buy’s “Free Phone Wednesday” Kicks Off Tomorrow: Atrix, Nexus S 4G and Fascinate Available at No Cost is a post from: Droid Life

No, we didn’t put the word “RETIRED” on that screenshot.  That’s actually how Verizon is referring to the status of the Samsung Fascinate as of this week.  The device has been pulled from Big Red’s online shop and will probably be just as tough to track down in store.  As far as we know though, the device will still receive Gingerbread, but after that, support will likely dwindle.  Not a bad run for a non-DROID branded device, except for the amount of time it took to see Froyo of course.

So if a device is on the way out, does that mean that something will replace it?  We would certainly hope so.  Right now there are rumors of a device from Samsung called the Stratosphere, which may or may not be the Galaxy S II.  We’re pretty sure that it will be one of Verizon’s next 4G LTE devices, but other than that, device specifics have not been revealed.  Or it could end up just being that Epic 4G-esque device with a slideout keyboard that we saw a couple of weeks ago.  Maybe a Fascinate II?  It is anyone’s guess at this point.

Fascinate owners, sad day or just shoulder shrug-worthy?

Cheers Spaniard and Sam!

Samsung Fascinate Retired at Verizon, New Device Ready to Take its Place? is a post from: Droid Life

Within the last hour or so, we notified Samsung Fascinate owners that they could potentially take their device into a Verizon store if it was having trouble receiving calls and exchange it for a different certified like-new device.  So much for that idea.  A new 10MB update should be pushing to Fascinates in the next few days that will fix that nagging incoming call issue along with a couple of SMS bugs.  The new version is ED05.

Let us know if you see it!

Cheers @CodyBeckleyGCS!

Samsung Fascinate ED05 Update is Ready, Fixes Incoming Call Issue is a post from: Droid Life

Update:  Our friends at Verizon have reached out to tell us that this is no longer happening.  Since the ED05 update is going out and will fix the issue, there is no need for a swap.

If your Samsung Fascinate is suffering from an inability to accept calls after receiving its latest update, then you may be entitled to a certified like-new replacement from Verizon.  According to reports, Big Red is willing to hand over a DROIDX2, Incredible 2 or DROID Charge if they deem your phone to be worthless.  So, to the Fascinate owners in the building that have been more than frustrated with their devices after receiving ED04 because it broke one its primary functions, head on into a store.

Via:  Engadget

Verizon Swapping Out Faulty Fascinates for DROIDX2, Incredible 2 and DROID Charge? (Updated) is a post from: Droid Life

Our buddy P3droid, has leaked Gingerbread for the Samsung Fascinate. Fascinate users can thank the Android dev community once again, for keeping this device respectable in the face of newer Android phones. Samsung has been taking their time releasing GB on the Galaxy S series, so who knows exactly when an official release is to be expected. If you feel like giving this a shot, and want to have some fun with the Odin Recovery, and adb rooting Gingerbread, then check this out for sure.

For download, instructions, and support head on over to the original thread at MyDroidWorld.

Cheers John!

Gingerbread (Android 2.3) Leaked For Samsung Fascinate is a post from: Droid Life

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen an update that improved the ability of the phone to receive more updates, but we’ll accept it (any chance that means Gingerbread?).  The Samsung Fascinate ED04 build that’s rolling out now apparently does just that and also makes your call experience more tolerable.  Yeah, it’s minor and all, but how happy are you to see Samsung and Verizon continue to pump out updates to a year old device that seemed to be neglected for so long?  Even I’ll admit that it’s becoming less and less painful to think about buying the Galaxy S II when it lands on Big Red.

More Info.

Cheers to everyone who sent this!

Samsung Fascinate ED04 Update Rolling Out, Improves Call Quality and OTA Updates is a post from: Droid Life

There are more than a few people who know of Samsung’s track record with keeping their devices updated to the newest and greatest Android OS. Needless to say, it’s not that great, but it looks like they were listening at Google I/O.

Samsung will begin its roll out of Android 2.3 “Gingerbread” to the Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy Tab, Gio, and Galaxy Ace starting mid-May, which essentially means right now.  That’s a pretty great list, but we’ll see if they include the Fascinate which was left out in the cold on Froyo for quite some time.  And as you may have expected, the U.S. is not first in line.

“The Android 2.3 upgrade will start with GALAXY S in the UK and Nordic countries from mid-May, and gradually rolled out to other European markets, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, Africa and rest of the world according to the regional plan.”

So now all the wonderful Samsung owners have a wintery Gingerbread Summer to look forward to.  Full press release after the break.  

Samsung Offers Android 2.3 “Gingerbread” Upgrade for GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab

SEOUL, Korea – May 16, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a global leader in Android™ mobile devices, today announced the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) upgrade to the Samsung GALAXY S, GALAXY Tab, and GALAXY Ace/Gio/Fit/mini, giving users enhanced performance and an improved user interface.

The GALAXY S and GALAXY Tab are Samsung’s intelligently designed smart devices with 1 GHz application processors, giving users an intuitive, immersive and integrated mobile experience.

The upgrade from Froyo 2.2 to Gingerbread 2.3 offers an even greater user experience, with features including:

· Faster Performance – Multimedia content now has a lower CPU consumption rate, while support for more powerful 3D Graphics enables an enhanced mobile gaming experience.

· Upgraded Usability – The user interface has been improved, enabling faster access and control and a more intuitive user experience. Users will also benefit from improved copy-and-paste functionality.

The Android 2.3 upgrade will start with GALAXY S in the UK and Nordic countries from mid-May, and gradually rolled out to other European markets, North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East Asia, Africa and rest of the world according to the regional plan.

The upgrade will be available via Kies, Samsung’s device management software. Kies can be downloaded from Samsung’s corporate website (http://www.samsung.com).

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs.

For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Samsung Begins Roll Out of Gingerbread To Galaxy Devices is a post from: Droid Life

Samsung Fascinate owners, check your phones now.  The update to Android 2.2 is live.

To check to see if your phone can receive the update:

Menu>Settings>About Phone>System Updates>Check New

Cheers @xFenixKnightx, @ericwilborn, @7Android7, @IRONMatt14, Charles, Taylor, @CurtisR765, @lince90 and everyone else!  Did I show enough love there?

Verizon Samsung Fascinate Froyo Update is Go! is a post from: Droid Life

That’s right folks, the Samsung Fascinate source code of Froyo (Android 2.2) has been released, but that doesn’t mean you can have it on your phone yet.  Well, unless you’ve rooted it and can wait a few hours for developers to pounce on it.  For those of you that are running stock 2.1 though, you are still stuck waiting for Verizon to make it available to your phone.

And if you were wondering, this hasn’t been standard practice in the past by any means.  Normally an update comes out and the source is released weeks if not months later, so this is a great sign coming from Samsung.  Let’s also not forget that they released the DROID Charge source and that phone hasn’t even been made available yet.  +1 Sammie.

We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for a notification from Verizon on an update.

Via:  XDA

Cheers Andrew!

Samsung Fascinate Froyo Source Released…Wait What? is a post from: Droid Life

The Fascinate Froyo build EB01 that we outed on Twitter last week and with a full gallery earlier this week, has made its way into XDA and is available to those of you that are rooted and antsy.  The package comes with busybox and root, but other than that hasn’t been touched or tweaked.  TouchWiz, bloatware and everything else that the official build has are included.

Instructions and download links here.

Cheers Stephen!

Fascinate Froyo EB01 Leaks for Rooted Users is a post from: Droid Life