Dialed In

Spotted: HTC One 'Mini' with 4.3-inch display

HTC's popular One smartphone might be getting squished a bit.

Estonia-based site Forte.delfi.ee posted several pictures on Wednesday of what it claims is the long-rumored HTC One Mini. The device, it says (and the pictures corroborate), has the same basic design as the larger HTC One, but comes with a slightly smaller 720p HD screen measuring 4.3 inches. The standard HTC One comes with a 4.7-inch display.

According to Engadget, which was first to report on Forte's find, the smaller device has a 720p display, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. A … Read more

Galaxy S4 Active takes a waterproof tack

Samsung's long-rumored Galaxy S4 Active has entered the realm of officialdom at last, and will be out in the U.K. this summer, Samsung has confirmed.

The S4 Active is a rugged version of the regular S4, aimed at outdoorsy types who don't want a phone that'll faint at the first sight of dust or water. The phone has a sealed design that -- Samsung promises -- will protect the S4 Active from water damage for up to 30 minutes of submergence at a depth of one meter.

More than enough protection against dropping it in your … Read more

All systems not-a-go with the Cricket Engage LT

Though more stylish than what you usually get from manufacturer ZTE, the Engage LT is a $179.99 device that doesn't have much going for it. Other than a rather skinless Android 4.0 experience and Cricket's music service, Muve Music, the handset is slow, both in terms of data and processing speeds, and it doesn't justify its nearly $200 price tag.

In addition, Cricket offers better Ice Cream Sandwich handsets, in terms of performance and specs, around the same price range. (Oddly enough, even its predecessor, the ZTE Engage has more powerful specs than this phone … Read more

BlackBerry Q10 preorders begin June 5 for AT&T

Starting June 5, BlackBerry's keyboard-equipped BlackBerry Q10 smartphone becomes available for preorder through AT&T.

The carrier announced in a tweet that it would sell the Q10 for $199.99 with a new, two-year service agreement.

June 5th pre-order the #BlackBerryQ10 for $199.99 w/2-yr agreement soc.att.com/1b1u550 #KeepMovingUp pic.twitter.com/CRIpfDJZd1

— AT&T (@ATT) June 4, 2013

Keyboard enthusiasts will love the Q10's terrific physical keyboard, and BlackBerry holdouts will similarly appreciate the upgrades stacked into Blackberry 10 OS.

If you're thinking of preordering the device, stop by for all … Read more

Sony Xperia M landing in Q3

Electronics manufacturer Sony ended a relatively quiet period today by announcing a new Xperia M smartphone. Judging from its dual-core processor and 5MP camera, clearly the Xperia M is a midrange Android handset and not in the same class as the company's Xperia Z flagship device. … Read more

5 great apps to customize your Android home screen experience

Of all the great features that come with Android, I think perhaps my favorite is endless customization. If you don't want to root the device to go deep into modifying, there's still so much you can do with just apps. For example, you can give yourself a fancy home screen.

I've gathered a small handful of my favorite home screen apps here, but nothing that requires root access. Rather, these are the sorts of apps you can install and play around with on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Come next weekend, you just might have a completely different-looking … Read more

Lenovo in talks with smartphone party for joint venture

Lenovo told its shareholders in a statement Tuesday that it's in talks with a smartphone maker to engage in a possible joint venture.

"The Board would like to inform the shareholders of the Company and potential investors that the Company is in preliminary negotiations with a party in connection with a potential joint venture transaction," Lenovo wrote (PDF). "As at the date of this announcement, no material terms concerning the Potential Transaction have been agreed and the Company has not entered into any definitive agreement in relation to the Potential Transaction."

The business-speak aside, Lenovo … Read more

Apple to charge $149 for in-store iPhone 5 glass repair -- report

Getting that cracked iPhone 5 display fixed might be a tad bit easier than it previously was.

Apple has decided to start repairing iPhone 5 displays in-store for those who have signed up for its $99 AppleCare+ package, Macrumors reported Monday, citing people who claim to have knowledge of its plans. The site also pointed to a forum in which one member says he has a friend who works at the Apple store and who said the company is now charging $149 to fix cracked iPhone 5 screens.

Another poster said the replacement takes only about 10 minutes.

Although Apple'… Read more

HTC bleeding continues: Operations chief reportedly steps down

The HTC exodus continues, with Chief Operating Officer Matthew Costello the latest key executive to step down, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Costello leaves office after less than three years at the smartphone manufacturer, according to the report. Fred Liu, president of engineering and operations, is taking on Costello's duties, while Costello stays on as an executive adviser after moving to Europe.

HTC confirmed Costello's departure and Liu's new role and issued a statement to CNET.

To achieve success, we've had to change when it was right for the business. Recently was one of those times. We … Read more