connected

Qualcomm's vision: A Snapdragon processor in your TV?

If Qualcomm Atheros President Craig Barratt had his way, the whole world would work like his house in Silicon Valley.

Barratt lives in the ideal vision of the connected home. He has precise control over things like temperature, energy consumption, the TV, stereo, and security system--all accessed remotely through his laptop. There's no remote control at home; he and his family can switch on the lights, open and close the curtain, and make sure the lawn is watered by using a connected iPod Touch.

Of course, it helps that Barratt actually wrote the software that powers everything in the … Read more

Sprint: 'We're taking the iPhone 4S speed issue seriously'

Sprint Nextel is working with Apple to figure out the connection issue affecting some iPhone 4S devices on its network, but doesn't yet have an answer for the problem.

"We're taking the reports of problems from a small number of customers seriously," Fared Adib, head of product development for Sprint, said in an interview with CNET today. "There's nothing of significance to report yet."

Some Sprint iPhone 4S users have reported suffering dramatically slow connection speeds--an issue that sprung up almost immediately after the device hit stores. The problem remains a top topic … Read more

Match your browser to your bandwidth on Android

Some Android browsers deliver all the content, while others cut back for faster browsing. Choosing the correct browser for your connection type each time can become tedious--but there's a quick fix.

With Smart Browser Chooser, a free app on the Android Market, you can decide which browser is used based on your connection speed. All it takes is a couple minutes of setup and whether you're on Wi-Fi, 3G, or 2G, your Android device will know which browser to load for the best user experience.

Note: In order to use this app, you need … Read more

Motorola Admiral with Sprint Direct Connect reports for duty Oct. 23

Today, Sprint introduced the Motorola Admiral, the newest addition to its Direct Connect portfolio.

Joining the previously announced Kyocera DuraMax, the Admiral supports Sprint's next-gen Direct Connect push-to-talk service, which operates on the carrier's 3G CDMA network instead of Nextel's iDEN network. The advantage of the new service is faster data speeds, and Sprint plans to phase out iDEN in 2013.

Running Android Gingerbread, the Motorola Admiral offers a 3.1-inch VGA touch screen with Corning Gorilla Glass and a full QWERTY keyboard. The rugged handset also meets Military Standard 810G specifications, so it can withstand dust, … Read more

Now you can synchronize your Dolphins

The Dolphin browser has long been regarded as one of the best alternative Android browsers for its support of gestures, add-ons, Webzine, and swipe-to-switch tabs. Released today, Dolphin HD 7 (download) adds synchronization to that list. Like Firefox for Android and Opera Mobile for Android, which were the first Android browsers to gain syncing powers, the feature leverages data hosted in the cloud. Called Dolphin Connect, it lets you line up identical browsing preferences, bookmarks and gestures on all your Android devices running Dolphin.

Unlike Firefox, though, there's no desktop counterpart for Dolphin. Also, Dolphin Connect won't work … Read more

Video list: Top connected car technologies

Here is an essential set of CNET videos to introduce you to what's happening in the connected car space. It's taking place on many fronts, so this is just a snapshot and can't possibly be complete so stay on top of all the latest in connected cars at Cars.CNET.com.

Toyota Entune shows a smart way of prepackaging a suite of apps so car owners don't have to manage them.

Cadillac CUE will debut in 2012 with a lot of cues from the smartphone home screen and computer desktop.

The GM OnStar Mobile App is … Read more

Sprint's Kyocera DuraMax and DuraCore: Hands on from CTIA

They're tough, they've got rock-hard bodies, and they can communicate. We're talking about the Kyocera DuraCore and DuraMax phones, of course, the first two in Sprint's lineup to use push-to-talk over 3G CDMA.… Read more

Get ready for the smart keg

SAN DIEGO--In case you didn't know, connected devices--or gadgets with a built-in cellular connection--are a big thing.

They've been a focus here at this year's CTIA Enterprise & Applications show. AT&T executive Glenn Lurie called it "the next big thing" in the wireless industry yesterday. His boss, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega, reiterated the sentiment today at the keynote address. Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead also talked up its position in the connected devices business.

The GSM Association and Machina Research said the addressable market for the wireless industry … Read more

Wireless execs see connected devices as 'next big thing'

Hooking up every device to a cellular or wireless connection is the "next big thing" that will drive growth in the industry, according to Glenn Lurie, head of emerging devices for AT&T.

Lurie has been responsible for creating new revenue opportunities by connecting everything from medicine bottles to dog collars at AT&T. He believes the industry is just starting to realize this opportunity.

"Everything that has a current running through it will be connected," Lurie said. "They need to be smarter."

A study conducted by Machina Research and funded by … Read more

Insignia Connected TV review: TiVo-based smart LED

Is the time of TiVo behind us? It's been 10 years since Sarah Jessica Parker gushed about the device on daytime TV. Best Buy's Insignia Connected TV would like to suggest otherwise as it licenses the TiVo interface, if not the functionality. The Insignia Connected TV E859A11 offers a decent array of on-demand services, but picture quality takes a back seat to out-and-out features.

Read the full review of the Insignia Connected TV series.