Samsung's told us to expect the first smartphones running the new Tizen platform to arrive towards the end of Q3 2013 – sometime in August or September. We've heard rumors about a couple models in particular, codenamed Redwood and Melius. Since then, we've learned that Melius might be an Android, instead, but that leaves Redwood, attached to model number GT-I8805. Armed with that, the phone's User Agent Profile has been unearthed, which not only confirms the Tizen presence, but also gives us some insight into the phone's hardware. For instance, we've heard that Tizen hardware would be ...

There are devices that deserve a modicum of coverage, and then there are devices that call for a maelstrom of coverage. Samsung's Galaxy S 4, the most hotly anticipated Android smartphone of 2013 so far, easily falls into the latter category, and we have no qualms about devoting an entire podcast to discussing the latest Google-powered beast out of Seoul. Tune in as Master Chief Stephen Schenck, Figurine Boatswain Taylor Martin, and Captain 2 Phones take you for an auditory tour of the high and low points of the Galaxy S 4, calling on the kind of strung-out expertise that only nine days ...

With the Galaxy S 4, Samsung has moved to cement its position as an Android heavyweight, but what of its other smartphone ventures? We've been talking about the company's first Tizen hardware for a while now, and it's been clear that we'd see such hardware arrive sometime this year. Beyond that, though, details have been sparse, but today we begin to learn how Tizen will make its debut, with Samsung sharing some dates. According to Samsung exec Lee Young Hee, we should see the first Tizen hardware in August or September; that makes us wonder if Samsung is planning to launch this device at ...

One of the most nerve-wracking positions I can imagine a business in the smartphone or tablet game can find itself in is the introduction of a new platform. We just saw once-RIM-now-BlackBerry take that leap of faith last week, and while hard sales figures haven't yet arrived, the qualitative assessments that have already come in seem quite positive. That's great news for BlackBerry, but even with all the uncertainty surrounding the BB10 launch, the company had a heck of a lot going for it, not the least of which is fantastic brand recognition. Not everyone's that lucky, though, and some ...

Watch today's Pocketnow Daily as we go through the new rumors of an LG Optimus G2 in the works. Nokia makes the news later as we talk about their probable plans of an Aluminum Lumia in the future. Samsung later takes the spotlight, first with the fact that they're pushing updates to fix some problems with the Galaxy S III, and later because they seem to be going serious with Tizen in a probable Galaxy S device this year. We end today's show talking about how iOS 6 shouldn't disturb according to its settings, but will still do so until January 7th. All this and more after the break. Stories ...

Samsung's GT-I9500 is one model number we've had our eyes on for a good, long while. Just about a year ago, we brought you a sample image that appeared to originate from the I9500, and at the time we wondered if the phone might end up emerging as the Galaxy S III. By springtime, though, it was becoming clear that the GS3 would arrive as the I9300, instead, and the I9500 was purported to be a developer's handset Samsung was using in its efforts to prepare the new Tizen platform for launch. We thought that might be the end of the I9500's story, but now the model number is popping-up once ...

Like it or not, but a carrier's support, especially in a country like the US, can make or break a phone - or even a platform's - chance for success. Sprint's been chatting a bit about its expectations for the remainder of 2012 and 2013, giving us a little insight into its attitudes towards some upcoming launches. We all know that RIM has a tremendous amount riding on the launch of BlackBerry 10, and a failure for BB10 to catch on could very well mean the company's demise. Sprint seems cautiously optimistic towards the platform, with a carrier spokesman pointing out what it sees as "some ...

Is Tizen going to be the next big smartphone operating system upstart? We first heard of the project last fall, with news that Samsung and Intel were getting together to work on developing the open-source platform, after Nokia closed up shop on MeeGo. Things have been pretty quiet since then, although we have gotten the opportunity to look at a Tizen developer's handset (above), and examined rumors that Samsung might use devices running the OS as an opportunity to test the waters for its Super AMOLED HD Plus display tech. If any new smartphone platform is going to have a meaningful impact, ...