The Samsung Stratosphere 2 will begin to receive Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) as early as today, March 27, according to Verizon. Since 2.5 people (.5 being someone’s cat) own this phone, I can’t imagine this rollout will take long, so keep your phones handy! But for those who do own it, get ready for Google Meow, better Voice Search, enhanced notifications, Verizon’s remote diagnostics tool, less bloatware, and better connectivity over WiFi.

The update is 506.6MB in size (damn!). The build number is VRBMA3. 

Via:  Verizon | More

Cheers Willimus!

Verizon Approves Jelly Bean Update for Samsung Stratosphere 2 is a post from: Droid Life

Is the Samsung Stratosphere 3 already in testing? A new benchmark that appeared over at GLBenchmark hints at a device that certainly fits into the model number scheme that Verizon and Samsung have used for their Stratosphere series. 

A phone under the codename “Godiva” and with model number SCH-i425 showed up with a 720p (1280×720) display and dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor. It also has Verizon branding all over the software build, so we’re jumping to a bit of a conclusion by giving it the “Stratosphere” name, but not much of one. The original Strato was i405 and the Strato 2 is i415.

It seems a bit odd that Verizon and Samsung would be ready to push out a new Stratosphere device after having just released the Stratosphere 2 in November. Without announcing much at CES, they are going to need Q1 devices, though, so maybe this makes sense after all.

If you were considering the Stratosphere 2 as one of the last phones on the planet with a keyboard, you were probably disappointed in the low end specs. Maybe this new version will be just what you were hoping for, assuming it has a keyboard.

Does a phone with a keyboard still have a place in your heart?

Via:  Ameblo | GLBenchmark

New Samsung SCH-i425 Device Spotted in Benchmark, Headed to Verizon as the Next Stratosphere? is a post from: Droid Life

On Sunday, RadioShack is kicking off a pretty big BOGO (buy one get one) deal for a number of phones. For example, if you buy a Verizon Galaxy S3, they’ll toss in a Samsung Stratosphere 2 for free. Or if you buy an original DROID RAZR, they’ll give you another DROID RAZR at no charge.

Here is the full list:

• Verizon: Buy a Verizon Samsung Galaxy SIII and get a Samsung Galaxy Stratosphere II 4G LTE for free
• Verizon: Buy a Verizon Motorola DROID RAZR 4G LTE and get a second DROID RAZR 4G LTE for free
• AT&T: Buy one AT&T Samsung Galaxy SIII and get a Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket for free
• Sprint: Buy a Sprint Samsung Galaxy SIII and get a Samsung Galaxy SII for free

Also, when you purchase a Galaxy S3 (Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint), they’ll hand you a $50 Google Play gift card. And every time you spend $50 in store at a RadioShack, they’ll give you $10 back.

Plenty of deals to be had.

RadioShack Hosting BOGO Deal: Buy a Verizon Galaxy S3, Get a Stratosphere 2 Free and $50 Google Play Card is a post from: Droid Life

Today, Samsung and Verizon have officially unveiled the Stratosphere II. The device will become available in following weeks, featuring some pretty decent specs for a mid-range smartphone. For $129 on a new two year agreement, the device sports a 4.0″ AMOLED display, full QWERTY keyboard for the texting addicts, Ice Cream Sandwich, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, and access to Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

On top of those goodies, the device is “Global Ready” and supported in over 200 countries across the globe. For the travelers, that’s a major plus.

Thoughts on the mid-range QWERTY device?

Via: Verizon

Verizon Announces Samsung Stratosphere II – QWERTY Keyboard, 4G LTE, and 1.2GHz Dual-Core Chip is a post from: Droid Life

Mmmhmm, look at that beautiful keyboard. A dying breed lives on the Samsung Stratosphere 2, a device that we hope will be announced any day by Verizon. As you can see from these pictures, dummy units for the phone are arriving in stores (mostly 3rd party retailers), which is usually a good indicator that it’ll be available for purchase soon. We have already seen holiday promos for the device in stores, so I can’t imagine we’ll be waiting much longer.

We are expecting the device to sport a 4″ Super AMOLED display (could be Plus), a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, and run on Verizon’s 4G LTE network. It’s mid-range, that’s for sure. The on-contract price could start around $99, but deals will likely make it much cheaper than that. 

Cheers ___!

Samsung Stratosphere 2 Dummy Units Start Arriving at Retailers is a post from: Droid Life

According to this ad out of BJ’s, a wholesale club, Verizon plans to sell the yet-to-be-announced Samsung Stratosphere 2 through Black Friday with a $50 discount. What’s interesting, is that the ad actually says that the $50 discount is good from November 1 through November 22, but we all know that you still can’t buy the phone even today, which is November 6. We’re sure that an announcement from VZW is coming, we’re just not sure what they are waiting for. The Stratosphere 2 is a mid-range device with a slideout keyboard – it’s not like it’s the HTC DROID DNA or something.

Cheers ___!

Samsung Stratosphere 2 Holiday Deal Pops Up at Retailer, Still No Announcement in Sight is a post from: Droid Life

In a little over two weeks, Black Friday will be upon us. Over the last couple of years, we have seen this day become flooded with deals on the latest and greatest in Android products, something that likely won’t change this year. In fact, RadioShack’s ad has already been posted for the world to see, and as expected, includes a number of Android smartphones at rock bottom prices. 

The most interesting of the bunch may be the Samsung Stratosphere 2, which has yet to receive an announcement or launch date publicly from Verizon. We have covered it plenty, but here we are two weeks out from Black Friday without an official statement. If RadioShack is expecting to sell it for free, giving you a $100 savings, the phone will likely debut at $99 on 2-year contract. We should point out that this is the only device with a physical slideout keyboard on Big Red that we have heard of in months.

Along with the Stratosphere 2, you’ll find the Galaxy S3 on Sprint and AT&T for $49 on new lines or $99 as an upgrade. The HTC One X and Galaxy S2 will be free, plus you will also receive a $10 coupon for every $50 you spend at The Shack.

We’ll do our best to bring you all of the hottest Black Friday deals.

Via:  Black Friday

Cheers Grady!

RadioShack’s Black Friday Newspaper Ad Shows Up – Stratosphere 2, Galaxy S3, and One X on the Cheap is a post from: Droid Life

The Samsung Stratosphere 2 and its physical keyboard may still be on the way. A fresh press render showed up today, even though it has been 2 months since we last saw the device enter Verizon’s Equipment Guide. This could be a sign that the phone will be announced at any moment, or it could be a leftover image that has finally surfaced.

We know the Stratosphere 2 will have a 4″ Super AMOLED display, physical slideout keyboard, 4G LTE, and a much faster processor than its predecessor. We’re under the assumption that the device runs a Snapdragon S4 dual-core, just like the Galaxy S3. Other than that, this device will sport Samsung’s TouchWiz, probably over the top of Ice Cream Sandwich, and launch at a reasonable mid-range phone price.

For keyboard lovers, this may one of your last options for a phone with a physical keyboard. Well, Motorola still seems willing to make them, but that could change now with their new executive team.

Via:  @evleaks

Samsung Stratosphere 2 Poses in Press Images on Twitter, the Keyboard Lives on! is a post from: Droid Life

Over the last week or so, the holiday lineup on Verizon has really started to take shape. Most companies took to press events at the end of August and beginning of September to announce their Q4 devices for Big Red, while others have remained slightly silent. Thanks to a handful of leaks and rumors though, we have been given a clear enough picture that we can at least start to talk about it. Verizon may have introduced questionable shared data plans, however, they still have the biggest LTE network in the land, and are also about to take back the “best device lineup in the land” crown as well. Q4 of 2012 is going to be a time to remember in the history of smartphones.

How are you going to decide which phone to get? Let’s walk through the expected lineup, with potential dates, and see if we can’t help. 

HTC DROID Incredible X

HTC is possibly creating the most impressive smartphone we have ever seen, if rumors are to be believed. Industry pundits have decided to call it the DROID Incredible X, and are expecting it to have a 5″ 1080p display (480ppi), Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, 1.5GB RAM, NFC, LTE, and an ultra-thin red-accented body. No one has seen the phone other than in a set of blurry cam shots, but even those should be enough to get the juices flowing.

This phone is expected to hit stores in November.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Samsung made the Galaxy Note 2 official for all 5 of the major carriers here in the U.S. This phone will sport a 5.5″ HD Super AMOLED display (non-PenTile), 1.6GHz Exynos quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, microSD slot for up to 64GB of external storage, 3100mAh battery, and will run Jelly Bean (Android 4.1). It’s the successor to the original Galaxy Note, a device that created an entirely new smartphone segment in the market place. Who says oversized phones aren’t in demand?

This phone will launch by mid-November.

Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD

Motorola unveiled their new RAZR family at an event in early September, but at the time, would only give us a launch date for one of the devices, the RAZR M. While we are huge fans of the RAZR M, the stars of the show were the new RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD. With their 4.7″ HD Super AMOLED displays, 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processors, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, expandable microSD slots, 8MP cameras, and Jelly Bean software, they are Motorola’s most powerful and appealing phones to date. The biggest selling point for both phones may end up being battery life though, with the RAZR HD holding 2530mAh of juice and the MAXX HD somewhere around 3300mAh.

These phones will launch “before the holidays.”

New Nexus?

We would be surprised if Verizon ever gets another Nexus device from Google. In fact, after the pissing matches that have gone on between Big Red and Google over updates and carrier control, this probably won’t happen. If it were to happen though, it would happen in Q4 and could be a device from Samsung, LG, Sony or maybe even HTC.

LG Spectrum 2

Last week, LG announced the Optimus G, one of the more impressive Android devices ever created. The Spectrum 2, is not that phone. The Spectrum 2 is the U.S. variant of the LG Optimus LTE2, which is actually a pretty decent phone on paper. It runs a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, has 1GB RAM, a 4.7″ HD True IPS+ display, LTE, NFC, and will run Ice Cream Sandwich. This phone is no slouch, but when compared to the big names like the Incredible X, Galaxy Note 2, and new RAZR HDs, it’s probably going to get lost in the shuffle.

This phone will reportedly arrive in October.

Samsung Stratosphere 2

The new Stratosphere 2 is the phone for those that can’t live without a physical keyboard. It should run a Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor, have a Super AMOLED Plus display (not HD), and connect to Verizon’s 4G LTE network. It won’t be high-end, but the keyboard should be decent and the phone will more than likely be powerful enough to satisfy as a mid-range device.

This phone will reportedly arrive any day now.

DROID RAZR M, Incredible 4G LTE, Intuition and Samsung Galaxy S3

If you can’t wait for any of the previously mentioned phones, don’t forget that Verizon already has a couple of phones out that are worth a look. The DROID RAZR M (our review) and its “edge-to-edge” display was one of our favorites of the last year. The Samsung Galaxy S3 (our review) has been out for a couple of months and will still be better than some of the phones that have yet to launch. The Incredible 4G LTE (our review) is probably our least favorite of Verizon’s recent releases, but it’s small and affordable if that’s what you are looking for. The LG Intuition, we recommend that you pass on.

Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC Windows Phone 8X

If Android isn’t in the cards, then I suggest you wait for the new Windows Phone 8 offerings from Nokia and HTC. The new Nokia Lumia 920 has hardware that matches up to almost any high-end Android phone, one of the coolest accessory lineups ever, and will be a welcomed change on the design front. The HTC 8X is up there in specs too and has a unique look, but has a slightly smaller foot print than the Lumia. Each phone will impress you in its own way. Even as an Android fanboy, I’m dying to get my hands on these new Windows phones.

These phones will reportedly arrive in November.

iPhone 5

Yep, the new iPhone 5 is already available. If you hate Android and aren’t interested in what Microsoft is doing, then this is probably the option for you. If you still like Android, going to this phone would probably be a downgrade.

____________________________________________________

If had to rank these as of now, it would probably look something like this:

1. HTC DROID Incredible X
2. Samsung Galaxy Note 2
3. Motorola RAZR MAXX HD
4. Nokia Lumia 920
5. New Nexus (which probably won’t happen)

So now that you know what’s coming, which phone is topping your list?

Verizon’s Epic Q4 Roadmap, Which Will be Your Next Smartphone? is a post from: Droid Life

According to Verizon’s Equipment Guide, they are planning to introduce follow-ups to two of their late-2011, early-2012 devices. The Samsung Stratosphere, aka the first 4G LTE slider, will get a refresh and be released as the Stratosphere 2 (SCH-I415). We aren’t seeing much for specs that would impress, but are assuming it’ll sport a Snapdragon S4. What 4G LTE phone doesn’t these days, right? Otherwise, we know it’ll have a 4″ Super AMOLED display, and carry the exact same form factor as its predecessor. 

The LG Spectrum is the other device that apparently still has a refresh in the works, known as the Spectrum 2 (VS930). As with the Stratosphere 2, we know almost nothing other than the model number from this Equipment Guide shot. Thankfully, we have been tracking this phone on benchmark sites and in other leaks for months now and are pretty sure that this will be similar to the LG Optimus LTE2. It should sport a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, an HD display, and an 8MP camera. It should be a solid offering.

It’s starting to appear as if Verizon is 100% invested in the Snapdragon S4 processor as it is efficient enough to do wonders with LTE radios and battery life. All of last year’s phone running anything less are getting phased out. We know that Motorola has two devices on the way to replace the original RAZR and MAXX, both that run the S4, along with the LG Intuition. And as you all know already, the Galaxy S3 runs the S4.

Any takers?

Samsung Stratosphere 2 and LG Spectrum 2 Also on the Way to Verizon is a post from: Droid Life