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Best rugged Android smartphones money can buy (2019 update)

If you are looking for a rugged phone you can toss around in the mud and go to battle with in the trenches, then continue below for our top 7 best rugged smartphone available. But if you don’t crawl around in the mud all day for a living, we would highly suggest the Cat S60 or the Samsung Galaxy S7 Active as the most rugged smartphone for everyday use.

Product	Brand	Name	Price
	CAT PHONES	CAT PHONES S60 Rugged Waterproof Smartphone with integrated FLIR camera	Buy on Amazon\|$484.46(Price as of 02/22/2019 02:31 ET)

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Made by the same company that makes industrial heavy equipment, Caterpillar also has a phone division that makes rugged phones. Their latest phone, the Cat S60, was released in June of 2016, so it has most of the modern technologies you would look for in a smartphone, and combine it with the rugged protection, this just might be the perfect and best rugged smartphone available today. It comes with a 3GB RAM, huge 3800mAh battery, 13MP camera, IP68 certified for waterproofing, running Android 6.0.

Galaxy S7 Active should handle most of the daily mishaps you may entercounter. It is built with shatter-resistant screen, rated the highest possible IP68 for water and dust protection, and comes with a huge 4,000 mAh battery to get you through the day.

You know how smartphone manufacturers always like to flaunt the way their latest, proudest, costliest “high-end products” cater to the needs of “power users” and so justify the outrageous price tags? Well, if you ask me, they got the definition of power user all wrong.

Bona fide power users don’t care how fast silly cat YouTube clips load on their handhelds. Or if they can smoothly run the newest Angry Birds installment. Instead, they want devices that could survive wars, actual wars, without flinching.

Quad HD displays? How about unbreakable glass with just enough pixels to check the football scores? “True” octa-core chips? Save it, and give us a gizmo we can bounce off 4 inches thick concrete walls. PureView 41 MP cameras? No thanks, but a battery capable of lasting more than a couple of days on a single charge would be nice when stranded on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere.

Bottom line, we want phones that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone would use in “Terminator 5” and “Rambo: Last Stand”, not toys for Robert Pattinson or Taylor Lautner to express their feelings for Kristen Stewart in “Twilight”. Luckily, a few such rough, tough, rugged models are around, and we picked seven we think might make even Machete reconsider his stance on texting.

Before getting to it, we’d like to underline the “magnificent seven” was selected based on a number of criteria. Of course, the exact grade of toughness carried the most weight (sorry, Galaxy S5), but we also looked for hardware specifications from this century, relatively new software, quality-price ratio (not even Rambo’s budget is unlimited), decent design (you can’t walk around with a brick in your pocket), and finally reliable, more or less well-known mobile brands. Here we go:

7. Runbo X6

Not only does this ruggedized beast’s name have an awesome ring to it (Runbo, Rambo, get it?), but it’s also water protected for dunks of up to 30 minutes in 2 meters deep rivers, lakes, whatever. And reportedly, impossible to break unless, I don’t know, a sniper has it out for you. Plus, get this, it doubles as a walkie talkie with a 5 km range. Why would you ever need a walkie talkie? Beats me, but it sounds oh so kewl.

Any downsides to the Runbo X6? You bet. For one thing, it comes from a no-name Chinese OEM. It runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (2011 called…), packs a modest dual-core 1 GHz chip, and the 4.3-inch screen is cringe worthy, with 800 x 480 pixels resolution. On top of it all, it’s a little on the expensive side of things, at $400 via Amazon.

6. CATERPILLAR CAT B15

You’re probably all familiar with IP58 and IP67 certifications since the Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 brought them to the mainstream, but the rugged CAT B15 adds MIL-STD-810G credentials in the mix. What does that mean exactly? Well, this bad boy ain’t just shielded against accidental water immersions, it can also take a beating, as well as handle solar radiation, thermal shock, humidity, vibration, you name it.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it will take a bullet for you, but you can use it in the desert, at the North Pole, when it rains, you can punch it (though why would you?), drop it whenever wherever. Price? A measly $370. On-board software? Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Hardware specs? That’s its Achilles’ heel, as it sports a 4-inch 800 x 480 pix res panel, dual-core 1 GHz SoC and 512 MB RAM.

5. NEC Terrain

Yes, the design is a violent blast from the past. I mean, I was under the impression candybars were outlawed in certain parts of the world years ago. Jokes aside, the Terrain is sure ugly, but it has one very important thing going for it. It’s cheap. $79.99 outright through Amazon, or $100 with AT&T contracts.

It’s also dust tight, water proof, plus MIL-STD-810G certified, just like the B15. Bottom line, if you’re on an (extremely) tight budget, this is your guy. Just maybe don’t ask a lot of questions about screen resolution, pre-loaded software, or cameras.

4. Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro

Looky here, an MIL-STD-810G-approved rugged handheld from the world’s most popular mobile phone maker. And affordable too, at least with AT&T pacts: $20. Off-contract, it’s a preposterous $450, albeit you can find refurb or used units at less than half the price.

Aside from resisting shocks, water and so on and so forth, the Rugby Pro offers 4G LTE connectivity (nice), a punchy dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 chip, and 1 GB RAM. Too bad it’s still on Ice Cream Sandwich.

3. Kyocera Hydro XTRM

This little survivor resembles the Galaxy Rugby Pro greatly, pretty much withstanding the same “pressures” with similar grace and supporting 4G LTE. But it’s so much cheaper, at $50 (yes, fifty bucks) free of contract restrictions via MetroPCS. Plus, it’s on Jelly Bean.

Drawbacks? Technically, it can endure shorter, more “casual” swims than some of its rivals, including the #2 on our rankings. It’s also extra prone to cracking if you drop it from higher than, say, your hip. The battery isn’t ideal either, and the 4 GB internal storage almost pitiful.

2. Kyocera Torque

Extreme is Torque’s middle name, yet another gadget that meets military standards for everything from dust to transport shock, high or low temperatures, solar radiation, etc., etc. Where the Torque truly impresses however is in battery life, packing a ginormous 2,500 mAh juicer whose autonomy is way beyond those of Android “flagship” devices. Think 20 hours in continuous talk time, and possibly up to a week in average use.

Available with Sprint contracts starting at a penny, the Kyocera Torque is no catwalk supermodel, weighing in at close to 170 grams and being way too curvy for my own personal taste. It’s also stuck on Ice Cream Sandwich. So close to perfection, Kyocera, so damn close.

1. Casio G’Zone Commando 4G LTE

Did anyone say perfection? Ahem, meet Verizon’s Commando. A striking, robust, muscular, hunky yet also stylish phone, the 4 incher is a near flawless blend of physical strength and high-performing Android-backed hardware.

Since Verizon eliminated the contracts, you would need to buy this phone outright, which is going for $499.99 currently on Amazon. The LTE-enabled hunk is sheltered against 4-feet drops, 30-minutes 1 m depth water dunks, rain, heavy dust, salt fog, humidity, solar radiation, ultra-low pressure, temperatures as high as 85° C and as low as -25°. Bottom line, it’s virtually indestructible.

Oh, yes, and it features a snappy 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB built-in storage, 8 MP rear-facing camera, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, so it’s really the best of both worlds.

What say you, action movie aficionados/outdoorsy tech geeks? Is any of the above your ideal war comrade? Have any other suggestions? Would you have maybe ranked our top seven differently? Let your voices be heard.

Product	Brand	Name	Price
	CAT PHONES	CAT PHONES S60 Rugged Waterproof Smartphone with integrated FLIR camera	Buy on Amazon\|$484.46(Price as of 02/22/2019 02:31 ET)

Best 4G LTE-capable Android tablets available today stateside

If you’ve been following our website lately, chances are you’ve already purchased a tab… or ten. You’re only human after all, and probably couldn’t resist the temptation of a stellar bargain, the best 7 inch+ gamers around, the 2015 endurance champions or ultra-high-res media streamers.

But there’s one market segment we haven’t tackled in a while. And even back when we did, in October 2014, the budget was restricted, so technically, you never got a list of the top 4G LTE-enabled Android pads. Just the finest low-cost soldiers.

Now, it goes without saying not everyone can afford to cough up $600 or $700 for a high-speed, always connected laptop replacement. Nor does everybody want to pay that much with the large-screen Google “ecosystem” deeply flawed and app support lowly at best.

So, instead of narrowing our search to a predefined price range, we’ve decided to bring together the low-enders and high-enders, the budget contenders and no-nonsense flagships. Here they all are, with advanced connectivity options their sole feature in common:

Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 – starting at $650 for Verizon

Going after Microsoft Surface Pros and Apple iPad Airs with comparable price tags never felt like Sammy’s smartest strategic move. And indeed, the Note Pro is a decidedly nichey product, which could never appeal to the masses.

But boy, is it colossal, literally and figuratively, with a 2,560 x 1,600 pix res 12.2-inch screen in tow, S Pen functionality, Snapdragon 800 muscle, 3 GB RAM and 9,500 mAh battery juice. Just think of how sharp the high-def YouTube vids will play on the move.

Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet – $500 and $650 respectively on and off-contract at Verizon

The name may send an old-fashioned vibe, yet the 10.1-inch Z2 is very much “contemporary”, what with its 1,920 x 1,200 display, S801 chip, Android 5.0 Lollipop software, 3 GB RAM and 8.1 MP rear camera.

Plus, for a large 10 incher, it’s extremely easy to transport, thanks to a 6.4 mm waist and 439-gram “heft”, not to mention it’s dust and water-resistant, ergo ready for whatever nature throws at it.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 – $500 and up with Verizon

Oh, come on, another Verizon exclusive? Technically, no, but Big Red does cut you the best Tab S deal at the moment, and Amazon always endorses steals. Well, steal might be a bit of a stretch, at five full Benjamins.

Let’s call the bang for buck factor… adequate. Enticing. Almost unrefusable if you’re in the market for a super-slim 10 incher with fingerprint recognition, LTE speeds, Snapdragon 800 SoC, 3 GB RAM, 7,900 mAh cell capacity… and only 16 GB internal storage.

Amazon Fire HDX 8.9 – $529 and up for AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon

Finally, something you can activate on your network of choice. As long as it’s not Sprint. Too bad the HDX is a little steep for what it offers – forked Android (an archaic iteration, no less), 2 gigs of RAM, bland design, somewhat awkward albeit ultra-sharp screen, and “sponsored screensavers” to begin with.

Luckily, $15 rids you of pesky ads, and $50 bumps up the storage from 32 to 64 GB. Remember, there’s no microSD card slot.

Google/HTC Nexus 9 – $469 unlocked with 32 GB storage

Ah, a purist’s wet dream, now at an all-time low tariff. What can be sweeter than that? Perhaps a smidge of extra battery serum or CDMA carrier compatibility, but beggars tablet buyers on a tight budget can’t be choosers.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 – starting at $380 for AT&T; $350 GSM unlocked

How is this any different from the Tab S, you wonder? Well, actually, their specs couldn’t be further apart. The Tab 4 is almost ridiculously low-end, and ultimately, it’s not worth the $350 and up Amazon charges for it. With or without operator agreements.

Yes, it’s compact, fairly handsome (in a non-standout way), and equipped with 1.5 GB RAM, which isn’t that bad. But the 1,280 x 800 panel is pretty crappy, and the same goes for the quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU, 6,800 mAh ticker and especially 3.15/1.3 MP cams.

LG G Pad 10.1 – $150 with Verizon pacts; $380 sans obligations

All in all not much better than the 10.1-inch Tab 4, the G Pad 10.1 is at least cheaper on-contract. And it’s upgradeable to Lollipop, slightly prettier, courtesy of narrower bezels, plus longer-lasting, with an 8,000 mAh pacemaker. And in case you’re one of those weirdos that takes photos with a big-ass slate, there’s a respectable 5 MP autofocus shooter around the back.

LG G Pad 8.3 – $130 on-contract at Verizon; $350 outright

Sometimes, it pays to wait. And oftentimes, smaller and cheaper doesn’t equal weaker and lower-end. Case in point, the almost two year-old 8.3 incher under the microscope here, which features 1,920 x 1,200 screen resolution, Snapdragon 600 power and 2 GB memory in addition to LTE capabilities. At $130, that’s a positively dreamy inventory of hardware components.

Oh, and as far as software goes, Android 5.0 is reportedly nigh.

Verizon Ellipsis 8 – $49.99 on-contract, $299.99 off

We’ll give it to you straight, as usual. If you can do better, ignore the Ellipsis. Don’t buy it outright either, it’s a waste of money. The only wise ploy would be to score it at 50 clams, even if that means pledging a two-year allegiance to the Big Red flag.

Not quite a disaster, the inexpensive 8 incher is probably stuck on KitKat for good, and it provides a lousy gig of RAM. Translation – it’s slow as hell, and opening more than a couple of browser tabs while on 4G may freeze the system instantaneously.

LG G Pad 7.0 – $150 GSM unlocked; $100 with AT&T contracts

It’s petite, it’s good-looking (all things considered), soon-to-run-Lollipop, quad-core, can work as a universal remote for TVs, sound systems, DVD or Blu-ray players, and “optimized” to last up to 10 hours between charges.

Of course, it’s not high-res (1,280 x 800 pixels), a multitasking beast (1 GB RAM), or photography champ (3.15 and 1.3 megapixels). But it’ll do if $100 is all you have lying around.

Galaxy Note 5 keeps showing persistent unread text message notification, other issues

Like any other smartphone, the #GalaxyNote5 can encounter texting problems from time to time so this post is meant to address some of them. This post covers 5 SMS and MMS issues reported by members of our community. Hopefully, you’ll find our solutions effective.

If you are looking for solutions to your own #Android issue, you can contact us by using the link provided at the bottom of this page.

When describing your issue, please be as detailed as possible so we can easily pinpoint a relevant solution. If you can, kindly include the exact error messages you are getting to give us an idea where to start. If you have already tried some troubleshooting steps before emailing us, make sure to mention them so we can skip them in our answers.

Below are specific topics we’re bringing for you today:

Problem 1: Galaxy Note 5 not sending all SMS and MMS to multiple recipients

Hello. I’m writing in regards to my Samsung Galaxy Note 5. I have been having problems with my contacts not receiving my SMS/MMS messages. One day they will have no problem receiving my messages, other days they will get some, and not get some, which both parties are becoming quite frustrated with! The messages always show as sent on my end. It really just depends on the day, and as far as I know I’ve done nothing to make this happen (no setting changes or resets to anything, I’m not a very phone savvy person so I don’t play with my phone much). Is there anything I can do to fix this problem? Thanks! — Amy

Solution: Hi Amy. If the problem happens intermittently and all messages on your end show as sent, we don’t think there’s anything that you can do in your device to fix it. As issue like this is more likely due to network service-related problem. Instead of finding ways to troubleshoot your device (which there are none), you should instead press your carrier to help you narrow down the possible causes. If multiple contacts on different networks are reporting the same trouble with your messages, there may be a problem stemming from your carrier’s network.

SMS and MMS passes through your network’s system being they’re sent to their recipients so the problem may be with your network not sending all your messages all the time.

Problem 2: Galaxy Note 5 keeps showing persistent unread text message notification

Samsung Galaxy Note 5, showing one unread text message when there is none. Have seen the posts about clearing data on badgeprovider. However I am a weenie and when I hit the button it gives me the warning that all files, settings etc will be deleted, I’m afraid to do it. Will clearing data on badgeprovider get rid on my texts ?

Also not tech savvy. I have no idea what version I’m running. Sorry. — Lorie Brophy

Solution: Hi Lorie. BadgeProvioder app is one of the default apps in Android that alerts users of new things that they may want like new versions of apps, new missed call alerts, new messages, among other things. Clearing its data will not delete your messages though so it’s good way to kick off your troubleshooting. Just to be on the safe side though, we suggest that you back everything up including your messages using Smart Switch.

To wipe the data of your Note 5, follow these steps:

Open the Settings menu either through your notification shade (drop-down) or through the Settings app in your app drawer.
Navigate down to “Apps”. This may be renamed to something like Applications or Application Manager in OEM skinned versions of Android 6 or 7.
Once in there, look for the application and tap it.
You’ll now see a list of stuff that gives you information about the app, including Storage, Permissions, Memory Use, and more. These are all clickable items. You’ll want to click on Storage.
You should now clearly see the Clear Cache and Clear Data buttons for the application.

If the problem won’t go away after you’ve wiped the data of BadgeProvider app, be sure to also clear messaging app’s data.

Finally, if that won’t work either, don’t hesitate to do a factory reset. Here’s how:

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.
Press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power keys together.
When the device powers on and displays ‘Power on logo’, release all keys and the Android icon will appear on the screen.
Wait until the Android Recovery Screen appears after about 30 seconds.
Using the Volume Down key, highlight the option, ‘wipe data/factory reset’ and press the Power key to select it.
Press the Vol Down button again until the option Yes — delete all user data is highlighted and then press the Power key to select it.
After the reset is complete, highlight Reboot system now and hit the Power key to restart the phone.

Problem 3: Galaxy Note 5 can’t send large files via MMS

Galaxy Note 5 (AT&T) have hard time sending picture messages. Particularly large files say over 5mb. They will start to download then fail. If I click the ! Next to the message it will attempt to retry the download but will fail again. Is it a problem with the sender phone not compressing the file or the receivers phone? It happens both ways on both phones. S6 and Note 4 did not have this problem. — Ronnie Caggiano

Solution: Hi Ronnie. As far as we know, AT&T normal limit for regular MMS is 1MB. This means that any file bigger and sent as MMS will either be compressed further by the network, or won’t be transmitted at all.

We’ve heard of some AT&T users being able to send up to 10 MB of file size via Advanced Messaging feature (this is labelled Enhanced Messaging in most international version of the Note 5). We don’t know the details how to enable Advanced Messaging for AT&T devices though so you must talk to your carrier about it.

Problem 4: AT&T Galaxy Note 5 receives low resolution photos via MMS

Hey, husband just got the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and we both have had iPhones with AT&T for years. When he sends me pictures they are either grayed out or the image is distorted. I have changed my settings for his contact so we are texting with MMS and he is able to receive and send texts to my iPhone with no problem, but sending picture or videos are distorted (most of them you can’t even make out what the pic is). Please help !! — Casey

Solution: Hi Casey. As mentioned above, carriers limit the size of files sent via regular MMS to 1MB, which means that photos and videos with original file size greater than 1MB may be modified (compressed). File compression however comes at a cost in terms of resolution. This means that compressed photos and videos will likely lose a lot of pixels here and there, resulting to “distortion” or pixelation.

As per AT&T’s official online document:

The AT&T mobile broadband network delivers picture, video, or audio messages of up to 1MB:

Larger media file attachments are compressed before sending to keep the message size below 1MB.
The maximum size for sending and receiving picture, video, or audio messages is also dependent upon the recipient’s device and the limitations of other carriers’ networks (e.g., other carriers may have a lower message size limit than AT&T).

If both devices (yours and your husband’s) have mobile data subscription, we suggest that you avoid using SMS and/or MMS in sending photos and videos. Instead, get used to utilizing more advanced messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger app or Google Hangouts as they have way more capacity in transmitting photos and videos in one go. Not only will you save some dollars by not paying for MMS but you’ll also be send and receive the original resolution of photos and videos. This means that if your husband sends a 30MB video, you’ll definitely get the same quality video in your phone.

If you think using MMS is the only way to go for both of you, we suggest that you talk to AT&T for additional support.

Problem 5: Galaxy Note 5 MMS are sent in parts and not as whole message

I have AT&T and for the past couple weeks, when I send a picture, the recipient either doesn’t receive it or it comes in split in half or jumbled up. I have the mobile data always turned on, but not the Wi-Fi as I have the unlimited data plan. I restart my phone or turn it off and then back on and that sometimes helps, but I don’t want to do that all the time. It’s very annoying. Any suggestions? Oh, and I don’t know which android version I have. — Jennifet

Solution: Hi Jennifet. Your messaging app’s MMS setting may be set incorrectly to Restricted. Make sure that it’s not set to automatically chop long messages up to parts by doing the following steps:

Open Samsung Messages app.
Tap MORE icon at the upper right hand side.
Tap Settings.
Tap More settings.
Tap Multimedia messages.
Tap Set restrictions.
Select Free.

The steps above are only applicable if you’re using the stock Samsung Messages app. If you’re using other messaging app, there may be a similar setting to achieve what we want to do here.

Engage with us

If you are one of the users who encounters a problem with your device, let us know. We offer solutions for Android-related problems for free so if you have an issue with your Android device, simply fill in the short questionnaire in this link and we will try to publish our answers in the next posts. We cannot guarantee a quick response so if your issue is time sensitive, please find another way to resolve your problem.

If you find this post helpful, please help us by spreading the word to your friends. TheDroidGuy has social network presence as well so you may want to interact with our community in our Facebook and Google+ pages.

Consumer Reports Shows Verizon Wireless Customer’s As The Happiest

Consumer Reports has just published their annual customer satisfaction rankings for the United States mobile carriers. The new rankings show Verizon Wireless customers as the happiest, while AT&T has been scored the lowest out of the four major carriers (I can personally vouch for this, as their customer service is terrible!).

These rankings are all based off of consumer surveys that are based upon categories like data network, call quality and customer service. These stats likely depend on where you live, as you could be extremely happy with AT&T while being extremely dissatisfied with Verizon. You can easily do a internet search showing varied opinions on carriers. Some will be happy with AT&T or T-Mobile while others will hate AT&T and T-Mobile to their grave.

Regardless, what mobile carrier do you have right now? Are you happy with them based off of the categories listed above?

Sound off in the comments below!

source: Android Central

Canadian Galaxy S III Receiving Jelly Bean Update On December 3rd

Users overseas may have been a bit jealous that the United States has been getting their updates to Jelly Bean on the Galaxy S III earlier than just about everyone else. If you’ve been anxious to get that update on your device, well you’re in luck! Samsung Canada has announced via a tweet that they a OTA (Over The Air) update would begin rolling out next week, which is Monday, December 3rd. This update just happens to be Android 4.1.1, which should excite a lot of you Canadian users!

A lot of American carriers still aren’t pushing out the Jelly Bean update to the Galaxy S III, despite Sprint rolling it out to their devices on their network a while back. Regardless, hopefully with the announcement of Canada getting the update we will be seeing the update also roll out from AT&T and Verizon here in the states. With how long users have been waiting for this update, I would highly doubt Samsung — and the carriers — would keep their users waiting much longer. If you remember, a while back there were a few reports that December would be the month of Jelly Bean for a few of Samsung’s devices as well. With this update coming to Canada on December 3rd, I think we’re going to be seeing a lot of Jelly Bean just about everywhere.

In other news, there has been rumors going around the Samsung Galaxy S 2 update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is almost ready as well! Hopefully we’ll be hearing some news of this shortly here. We’ll keep you posted as to when we spot something!

Do you have any predictions as to when Samsung and the various carriers are going to start rolling out Jelly Bean for the S III and S II? Any of our friends over in Canada excited to hear about the Jelly Bean update as well?

Sound off in the comments below!

source: Samsung
via: Talk Android

Solution to a Samsung Galaxy S3 Not Receiving Calls

Recording Calls and Getting Unlimited Cloud Storage in Galaxy S3

Is your Samsung Galaxy S3 not receiving calls similar to the problem which was sent to us via The Droid Guy Mailbag, which reads, “My Samsung Galaxy S3 is not receiving calls. I get everything else but it does not even show that I received a call. I do get voice mail and text messages though. I turned it off and took the battery out but the problem is still there. Please help.”

How to Troubleshoot a Galaxy S3 Not Receiving Calls

The common causes of this type of problem may lie in the SIM card or the network. First, try to remove the SIM card and reinsert it to see whether it solves the problem. Check also if inserting another SIM card will help fix the issue. We recommend using a SIM card that runs on your carrier’s network and another that runs on another carrier’s network (provided that your phone is not locked to a specific carrier).

Replace your SIM card if you find that it is the one causing the problem or contact your network if using another SIM card seems to solve the issue.

Other Fixes to a Galaxy S3 Not Receiving Calls

It should be noted that upon looking at the forum of AT&T, some subscribers complained that they only got the problem when they updated their firmware to the 4.3 version.

Contributors in the forum suggested the following solutions that might possibly fix the problem:

1. Disable LTE

While the phone is powered on, remove its back cover and eject the SIM card.
The phone will prompt a restart once it detects the absence of the SIM card, so simply restart it.
Once the device is powered on, dial *#2263#.
Choose WCDMA and WCDMA All.
Put back the SIM card to its slot.
Reboot the Galaxy S3.

2. Run Device on 3G and Add New APN

This solution has been accepted by the forum but the contributor noted that dropped calls still persist, although the rate is much lower after performing the following steps:

Download 4G Toggle in Google Play store.
Switch from 4G to 3G.

Alternatively, you can use this method if you do not want to use the recommended app or the problem is not fixed after using it:

Go to Settings.
Select More Settings.
Choose Mobile Networks.
Proceed to Access Point Names.
Enter a new APN by naming it according to your preference and it should be defined as wap.cingular.
Save the configuration.

Email Us

For more questions that are Android-related, feel free to email us at [email protected].

Source: AT&T Forum

AT&T Sells 6.4 million smartphones in third quarter of 2012

Leading wireless service provider AT&T reportedly sold 6.4 million units of smartphone in the third quarter and is on pace of breaking its projected sales by the end of the year, the company announced this week.

AT&T’s mobility arm CEO Ralph De La Vega said the carrier is experiencing a solid year in business as it expected to sell 1 million more than the projected sales of 25 million smartphones in 2012.

“What we’re seeing is tremendous response in the marketplace,” Vega said at an investor conference on Tuesday. “Excitement is at all time high. I feel very good about momentum going into December.”

De La Vega is expecting sales to further skyrocket up in the succeeding weeks, especially on key dates during the Holiday season. The AT&T executive said it has already sufficient supply of iPhones and improved its inventory of Nokia Lumia 920 and LG Optimus G.

The carrier is also anticipating its tablet sales to go up with its recent $100 promotions and mobie data share plan. Moreover, it has all three operating systems on their tablets: Microsoft’s Windows 8 and Windows RT, Kindle Fire HD, and Apple’s iPad.

“I can’t fathom how many tablets will be under the Christmas tree,” said an optimistic De La Vega about AT&T potentially big sales of tablets this Holiday season.

Aside from its mobile arm, De la Vega also tackled growth in other business areas such home security and mobile payments. The carrier is set to release its home security and automation service in 2013. These products will be available at its stores and selected distribution outlets.

AT&T home security business values roughly $18 million with operating margings of 35 to 40 percent range. De la Vega added that more profits are expected from this industry due to the company’s lower cost structure.

“We like what we see,” he said. “But we’re still in the early stages of development.”

[Deal] 32GB AT&T Galaxy Note 5 for $329.99

The AT&T #Samsung #GalaxyNote5 is now available on eBay for just $329.99. The smartphone is locked to the carrier, so you won’t be able to use it with any other network out there. If this is not a dealbreaker for you, make sure you have a closer look at the deal. Given that the Galaxy Note 7 was recalled not too long ago, this remains the only Note flagship available out there.

The handset comes with a 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, the octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of non-expandable storage, Android 5.1 Lollipop (upgradable to Marshmallow), and a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone also comes with Samsung’s proprietary S Pen stylus and all the software features that come along with it.

Stocks might be limited, so we urge you to get the handset while you still can.

Get the AT&T Galaxy Note 5 for just $329.99 on eBay!

[Deal] AT&T Galaxy S7 for $349.95

The #Samsung #GalaxyS7 from AT&T is now available on eBay for just $349.95. The smartphone, as most of you are aware, is Samsung’s flagship offering from earlier this year. One caveat here is that the phone is locked to work with AT&T’s networks in the U.S., meaning you will not be able to use any other network provider with this offering.

The Galaxy S7 is equipped with a 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, the quad-core Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, Android 6.0 Marshmallow (upgradable to Nougat), and a 3,000 mAh battery. The phone is IP68 certified water/dust resistant as well, which makes it one of the best flagships available in the market today.

Stocks might be fairly limited here, so we suggest you snatch up the handset before it’s too late. Hit the link below for more details.

Get the AT&T Galaxy S7 for just $349.95 on eBay!

[Deal] Unlocked 64GB Galaxy S6 edge for just $399.99

The #Samsung #GalaxyS6edge might be an aging device post the arrival of the Galaxy S7 duo, but it’s still pretty popular among customers thanks to that attractive curved edge display. The device can now be yours in a 64GB configuration for just $399.99 on eBay. The smartphone has sold for much cheaper before, but we’re guessing the demand for this early 2015 flagship has surged over the past few weeks.

The Galaxy S6 edge comes with a 5.1-inch Quad HD dual-edge Super AMOLED display, a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, the octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 64GB of non-expandable storage, Android 5.0 Lollipop (upgradable to Marshmallow), and a 2,600 mAh battery.

The seller might not have a lot of units in stock, so make sure you purchase the device with some haste. Hit the link below for more details on the device.

Get the 64GB unlocked Galaxy S6 edge for just $399.99 on eBay!

[Deal] Unlocked Galaxy S6 Active for $299.99

The #Samsung #GalaxyS6Active was originally exclusive to AT&T around the world. This meant that the handset’s reach was quite limited in the marketplace, leaving out customers of other networks. However, an eBay seller is now offering the unlocked version of the device for just $299.99. The Galaxy S6 Active sold here comes with 32GB of storage, so the retailer is offering the entry-level model.

The handset comes with a 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, the octa-core Exynos 7420 SoC, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of non-expandable storage, Android 5.0 Lollipop (upgradable to Marshmallow), and a 3,500 mAh battery. Since this belongs to Samsung’s “Active” series of phones, there’s IP68 certified water/dust resistance on board as well.

Be sure to check out the smartphone from the link below. Stocks might be limited, so it makes sense to snatch it up while it’s still up for grabs.

Get the unlocked Galaxy S6 Active for $299.99 on eBay!

[Deal] Unlocked Galaxy S5 Active for $154.88

The unlocked version of the #Samsung #GalaxyS5Active is now available via eBay for $154.88. The smartphone was originally exclusive to AT&T, but has since been unlocked to work with a wide range of networks. The smartphone comes with a durable and rugged design, which also makes it one of the few water-resistant flagships going around.

The handset comes with a 5.1-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 16-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front camera, the quad-core Snapdragon 801 SoC, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, Android 4.4 KitKat (upgradable to Marshmallow), and a 2,800 mAh battery. As you can see, the device is a pretty attractive buy at this price. The seller is currently offering the handset in Green and Gray color variants, so there’s not much to choose from.

Check out the smartphone from the dedicated eBay link below. Stocks might be limited so make sure you hurry.

Get the unlocked Galaxy S5 Active for just $154.88!

Samsung Gear S3 to be officially available in the U.S. starting Nov. 18

#Samsung will officially bring the #GearS3 models to the U.S. on November 18. AT&T will start taking pre-orders for the wearables starting tomorrow, while other carriers like Verizon and T-Mobile should follow suit subsequently.

The Gear S3 will be available in two WiFi models, known as the Gear S3 Classic and the Gear S3 Frontier. An LTE model called Gear S3 Frontier will also be sold by the American carriers, allowing customers to use the smartwatch without requiring a paired smartphone. The pricing for the LTE model is not known yet, although the WiFi models will be priced at $349.

There are some key differences between the Gear S2 Classic and the Frontier. The company is targeting different demographics with the two wearables as the Classic features a more old-school look while the Frontier has a bit of a sports watch like look to it. Both feature the same hardware on board, which includes the rotating bezel ring.

Will you be pre-ordering any of these models?

Unlocked AT&T BlackBerry Priv to get updates directly from BlackBerry

The AT&T #BlackBerryPriv is available in abundance out there, mostly in the unlocked form. Well, if you were wondering about the state of the updates for these models, BlackBerry has you covered. The company has freshly announced that these devices will receive updates directly from BlackBerry, meaning the onus will be on BB to send out the updates for your unlocked Priv.

This move makes sense given the sheer amount of BlackBerry Priv models there are in the wild. However, we wish the decision was taken sooner since most new customers have moved away from Priv now and don’t even factor it into their list when buying a new device. But with new deals popping up every day, BlackBerry can hope to move some more units of the smartphone in the days to come.

Do you own an unlocked BlackBerry Priv? What do you make of this news?

Source: CrackBerry

Via: Phandroid