Dialed In

A modern-day phone F. Scott Fitzgerald would love

Ever wish you lived in the '20s so you could go to parties at Jay Gatsby's house and call your friends up on rotary phones to tell them how much fun you had doing the Charleston? We're still working on a time machine to get you to Gatsby's mansion, but Pyle Audio can help with the antique phone.

The company's out with a new line of retro-style home telephones that also serve as smartphone docks.

The four classically designed phones, handcrafted from real wood and adorned with brushed copper parts, have buttons for answering landline and smartphone calls and easily switching between the two. They also have standard phone features like last-number redial, flash function, and ringer high/low selection. … Read more

Seven savvy smartphone steals for Black Friday, Cyber Monday

Ah, it's that time of year again. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because you can gorge yourself on food without feeling guilty, spend time with your loved ones, and knock a stranger over at 6 a.m. in front of a department store in a frantic attempt to purchase that plasma TV.

All right, so it might not be everybody's definition of a good time, but Black Friday and Cyber Monday are grand institutions that let you save a lot of dough on some of this year's hottest electronics.

And as anyone can tell you, … Read more

Ultra-cheap $19 Republic Wireless service opens back up

Republic Wireless, the service provider that made waves last year with its super-low $19 unlimited voice, data, and text messaging plan, is back and open to all.

The company garnered headlines and a lot of buzz for its plans when it launched a year ago, and consumers likewise gravitated toward the service -- the service provider had to shut its beta trial shortly after it opened up because of a surge of demand.

Republic Wireless, which buys and resells capacity from Sprint Nextel's network, is able to deliver such a low-priced service because it's betting that users will … Read more

Got a smartphone question? We'll answer them live (Ask the Editors)

CNET Ask the Editors: Smartphones starts November 20 at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET and runs for an hour.

If you're gearing up to buy a new smartphone this holiday season, but still have questions, CNET has just the thing for you.

Tomorrow, November 20, Senior Editor Brian Bennett and I will take your questions about specific smartphones, carriers, and operating systems. The live chat will only run an hour, so join us early!

We'll take your questions starting at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET. See you then!… Read more

U.S. Cellular offers unlimited 4G LTE plan...for now

U.S. Cellular is jumping on the unlimited data bandwagon.

The carrier today announced a new unlimited data plan for customers living in one of its 4G LTE markets. For a limited time, customers can sign up for an unlimited 4G LTE plan for $40 per month with an option to add tethering for $20 more.

U.S. Cellular isn't likely to have much competition when it comes to higher wireless speeds; the company said it is the only provider to offer an unlimited 4G LTE option in most of its markets, having recently expanded in parts of Iowa, … Read more

Otellini's legacy at Intel: Plentiful profits, mobile misfires

When Intel CEO Paul Otellini retires in May, he'll leave a mixed record.

On the one hand, Intel's processor manufacturing prowess remains second to none, with the company often introducing new miniaturization technology years ahead of rivals. As ever more companies withdraw from chip manufacturing, Intel manages to keep turning the crank profitably. During Otellini's reign, Intel has so far generated $107 billion in cash from operations and paid dividends of $23.5 billion.

But Intel also has failed to come to terms with a powerful force in the processor world -- the rise of mobile devices … Read more

HTC's Droid DNA going international

As if it were any surprise, HTC looks to be readying an international version of the recently announced Droid DNA. A tweet from often-accurate @evleaks tells us the 5-inch smartphone will be released as a global edition and will be called the HTC Deluxe.

If the Deluxe name sounds familiar it is because that was one of the code names tossed around in the months leading up to last week's announcement. Some readers may recall recently hearing the phone tied to rumors of a HTC DLX moniker.

Reportedly, the HTC Deluxe will feature the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro … Read more

How to get a (good) job developing apps

Talk about a pivot.

When I last talked to SherLabs in March, CEO Satjot Sawhney was busy getting his TapFame product into the hands of game developers. TapFame was a sweepstakes engine that any developer could drop into a game with the aim of raising awareness and loyalty.

But after a recent chat, Sawhney said the company had changed directions yet again, this time turning TapFame into a networking business that connected developers with companies looking for talent in app design.

Sawhney had built a vast network of both brands and strong developers in his effort to push the sweepstakes … Read more

Pick the best iPhone, Android, or Windows phone for you

We originally published this article September 14, 2012 and updated it November 19, 2012.

With the launch of the Apple iPhone 5, a legion of excellent Android handsets, and the rise of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system, choosing the right smartphone has never been more difficult.

On the bright side, all these options mean greater choice, which is a good thing -- if you're armed with the knowledge necessary to make smart shopping decisions. Sit tight as we break down what you need to know to choose the right mobile platform and model to fit your needs.… Read more