LG phone to sport always-on voice commands in 2014 -- report

LG is hard at work on a new smartphone that will allow for always-on voice commands, a new report claims.

The handset, which will launch in 2014, will allow users to speak commands without needing to touch the screen first, Gotta Be Mobile is reporting on Tuesday, citing three people who claim to have knowledge of LG's plans.The technology will also allow for a broader range of commands than those available now.

Although Gotta Be Mobile cites LG's plans, it's highly likely that it won't be alone in launching a device next year that features … Read more

HTC finally shows off 3.5-inch Desire 200

HTC has unveiled the long-rumored Desire 200.

The device, which is designed for customers on a budget, comes with a 3.5-inch display and runs on 3G networks. The inside is similarly budget-friendly, boasting a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 processor and 4GB of onboard memory. The device has just 512MB of memory.

Rumors had been swirling for some time that HTC would launch an update to its Desire line. As expected, the device features rounded corners, a simple black finish, and Beats audio. Users can also monitor their data usage on the device.

HTC has yet to announce pricing and … Read more

LG Optimus G Pro hits 1 million unit sales in Korea

LG's Optimus G Pro has reached 1 million unit sales a few months before its predecessor, the company announced on Tuesday.

LG posted the news to its Web site (Translate), saying that it has sold 1 million units in Korea. The device hit the Korean market in February, meaning it took about four months for the Optimus G Pro to reach that point. The LG Optimus LTE, which came before the G Pro, reached 1 million units sold in seven months.

Interestingly, LG didn't mention Optimus G Pro sales elsewhere around the world, and it's not known … Read more

Sony reportedly readies first phablet

A French press invite from Sony Mobile touts a "big surprise" at an upcoming July 4 event in Paris, but a slew of leaked images and specs may have spoiled the secret of Sony's first phablet before its big reveal.

The invitation features a mysterious image of a tall and slim device with a profile that resembles the Xperia Z smartphone and tablet. The new device -- expected to be named the Xperia Z Ultra -- is rumored to have a 6.4-inch screen and a 1080p HD resolution (That's a pixel density of 342 ppi … Read more

Apple's Eddy Cue: Steve Jobs was confused in his e-mails

NEW YORK -- An e-mail from late Apple CEO Steve Jobs about e-book deal terms is no smoking gun, just a confused draft of a message, said a high-level Apple executive Monday during the e-books antitrust trial.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of software and services, testified that he never received an email from Jobs that said publishers would have to change their e-book sales terms with Amazon in order to reach an agreement with Apple. Cue said he didn't receive any of the four other drafts of the message, either.

Furthermore, Cue said there's no … Read more

Apple holds a quarter of e-book market, Eddy Cue says

NEW YORK -- Apple sells about a quarter of all e-books in the market, a high-level executive at the electronics giant said Monday.

Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of software and services, estimated that Apple holds a 25 percent share of the market, about on par with Barnes & Noble. He noted the two companies often flip the ranking, with Barnes & Noble sometimes having a higher share than Apple.

"I believe it's close," Cue said in his testimony Monday during Apple's e-book pricing trial. "At different times, we go back and forth.&… Read more

How to sync iCloud Reminders with your Android device

For some users who are torn between switching from iOS to Android, the downside of giving up some iCloud features such as Calendar and Reminders (especially if there are shared calendars or reminder lists with other iCloud users) is too much to overlook.

Last July I covered an app called SmoothSync for Cloud Calendar that provided a solution for Android users to still have two-way sync with iCloud calendars. The app has been updated several times since last summer, with each update improving reliability, but until recently the option to sync Reminders was still missing. If you had set up … Read more

Improve your looks with Facetune

The Internet is not a great place for honesty. Do you know how I know this? One hint is the fact that Facetune is currently in the top 5 of the top paid apps for the iPhone. It's a $2.99 portrait photo editor that lets you improve your looks before uploading a profile picture or otherwise sharing photos of yourself online.

Facetune provides 10 easy-to-use tools that let you pinch and swipe to edit your photo. For each tool, you use two fingers to zoom in and move around your image and one finger to apply an effect.… Read more

CNET's Galaxy S4 e-book guide (and a giveaway spectacular!)

The world's fastest-selling Android phone just got a little savvier. CNET How To is bringing its very best, unpublished advice to our newest e-book, "Mastering the Galaxy S4."

New to Android? We've got you. Google maven? You'll find plenty of hidden tips here, too. We've tapped through every last feature, button, sensor, shortcut, and blaster (seriously) to bring you the tips and tricks that help you master your S4.

CNET brought you a guidebook before, but for the S4, we've kicked it up a notch.

The e-book features hundreds of tips, from setting … Read more