Google Instant search a mobile boon?

Like most of you, the first thing I did when hearing about Google Instant search was snap open a browser tab and begin testing the speedy new search results myself. My second action was to test the streaming search suggestions in my browser's search engine field. Nothing on Firefox or Chrome. My third attempt sent me to an Android phone, where Google.com patiently awaits your entire query before kicking off a search.

Since Google's newly revealed paradigm for real-time searches was explicitly announced just for Google.com on the desktop, I wouldn't fault you for wondering … Read more

T-Mobile G2 gets official, preorders starting soon

Over the past few weeks, T-Mobile has teased us with brief snapshots of its first HSPA+ smartphone but on late Wednesday evening, the carrier officially took the wraps off the T-Mobile G2.

The news confirms a lot of what we already know about the T-Mobile G1 successor. It will ship running Android 2.2 with support for Flash Player 10.1 and Voice Actions. The G2 will also feature a 3.7-inch capacitive touch screen with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and will be powered by Qualcomm's 800MHz Snapdragon MSM7230 processor, which is optimized for longer battery life and enhanced … Read more

MasterCard MoneySend like PayPal for BlackBerry

It's no surprise that everyone wants in on PayPal's successful payments strategy, and MasterCard is no exception. On Wednesday, the credit card giant launched a version of its MoneySend mobile app for BlackBerry.

Similar to the iPhone version, MasterCard MoneySend for BlackBerry can settle peer-to-peer balances by sending money to friends and family, and purchasing goods from an informal vendor. The app's tool lets you request cash (via text message) that others owe you and receive credit and debit card payments made to your account.

Since MoneySend operates as a form of prepaid credit card, you can … Read more

Dialed In 142: Nice try, Dell

Look out Dell, Bonnie is not happy. Your Android smartphone, the Aero, recently passed through her hands and all she can say is that it's "unintuitive, slow, and limited in functionality." And don't forget that it only runs on Android 1.5. Fortunately, Samsung fared better with its Fascinate Galaxy S handset for Verizon Wireless, but plenty of people are miffed that Verizon replaced Google's search with Microsoft's Bing.

Outside of reviews, cell phone news is a little slow this week. Apple's iOS 4.1 update went live today, a few Android rumors … Read more

iOS 4.1 hands-on look

Just as promised, Apple's iOS 4.1 went live today for iPhone and iPod Touch users. As iOS updates go, this one is pretty small, but it offers a new camera feature and it finally brings the promised Game Center feature. I posted my initial take last week shortly after Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the update during Apple's music event, but now that it's live I've had a chance to poke around.

As a review, here are the update's highlights. For a closer look at these additions, check out the slideshow below.

High dynamic … Read more

BlackBerry maker RIM buys Documents To Go's Data Viz

We heard the rumor on Friday that BlackBerry-maker RIM snapped up Data Viz, makers of the popular productivity app Documents To Go, but it wasn't until Tuesday that RIM confirmed the purchase to CNET with a statement:

RIM has acquired some of the assets of DataViz and hired the majority of its employees to focus on supporting the BlackBerry platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but the transaction was not material to RIM in the context of RIM's financial results.

The buyout price may be pocket change to RIM, who isn't telling, but the acquisition … Read more

Huawei could bring IDEOS to T-Mobile

Chinese handset maker Huawei is in talks to bring its newly announced IDEOS smartphone to T-Mobile, according to the Wall Street Journal. The paper says Huawei has been negotiating with each of the four major carriers to crack the U.S. smartphone market.

The T-Mobile deal could reportedly be finalized in the next four to six weeks. Huawei and T-Mobile UK already have an Android-based relationship overseas with phones like the pay-as-you-go Pulse and Pulse Mini.

Personally, I'd love to see this come to fruition. When it comes to Android, the prepaid segment has yet to be tapped. T-Mobile'… Read more

LG Encore available from AT&T

Though AT&T didn't officially announce it, the carrier put the LG Encore for sale on its Web site on Sunday, September 5. The touch-screen phone uses LG's proprietary operating system. The Encore is a quad-band GSM/EDGE phone with dual-band 850/1,900Mhz 3.6Mbps HSDPA 3G, A-GPS, an accelerometer, a 3.5mm headset jack, a microSD card slot that takes up to 16GB cards, and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support. Its other features include a 3-megapixel camera, a media player, compatibility with AT&T Mobile Music, AT&T's Social Net, and … Read more

Verizon's dual-mode HTC slider leaked by FCC

Thanks to a recent FCC listing, we may have a pretty good idea of what Verizon Wireless's next big Android phone might be. Listed as the HTC PD42100, the slider phone boasts what appears to be a 4-inch screen with a spacious keyboard spread across four rows. A quick glance and one might mistake it for the upcoming G2 from T-Mobile.

According to the FCC documents, the PD42100 features support for CDMA and GSM networks, EV-DO Rev. A 3G, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n/), and Bluetooth. The back of the phone shows that it has a removable battery, … Read more