Smartphones

When Apple released iTunes 11, an update was pushed for the iOS Remote app. The Remote update enabled users to take advantage of the new "Up Next" feature when playing music from a local iTunes library, along with on the Apple TV.

At the same time the Remote update and iTunes 11 was released, an update to the Apple TV itself was also released. This update enabled Up Next when streaming music through Home Sharing or iTunes Match on your TV. Here's some tips for using Up Next via the Remote app or directly on an Apple … Read more

Apple and China Mobile keep talking about providing the iPhone in China, and they keep running into the same stumbling blocks.

The iPhone is already available in China through China Unicom and China Telecom, the country's second and third largest carriers, respectively. But a deal with China Mobile, the biggest carrier, would give Apple access to 700 million more customers.

At China Mobile's Worldwide Developer Conference yesterday, company president Li Yue acknowledged that the carrier has been speaking with Apple since 2009 about a deal to sell the iPhone. A contract was even discussed last year, according to … Read more

It may look much more like the Samsung Galaxy S3 than the original Samsung Galaxy Admire, but the Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G, available today from MetroPCS, does boost the Admire name.

Namely, it adds LTE connectivity, which brings much faster data transfer compared to Metro's 2.5G network.

However, those hoping to brandish a high-end smartphone won't get one in the Admire 4G. Instead, the specs stack up to a small, but affordable entry-level device.

Let's start with the 3.65-inch HVGA screen, which is minuscule by today's standards. Then add the 1GHz processor, and top … Read more

If the rumors are true, real, honest-to-god 4G in the United States could be on the way sometime in the next 7 to 12 months. FierceWireless reports on word from AT&T's annual meeting with analysts that it will be "firing up" new "LTE Advanced" service across its network in the second half of 2013.

What is LTE Advanced? Well, it's a lot like 4G LTE, only more, um, advanced.

See, in the old days of mobile broadband -- like, all the way back in 2011 -- carriers started marketing services they called 4G, but in the real world, they really only offered speeds one-tenth or one-twentieth those of the actual 4G standard, which is meant to deliver download speeds in the range of 100Mbps. That means we were suddenly able to download full songs out of the air in mere seconds on these new 4G services. … Read more

The cost of insuring your T-Mobile handset could rise in the new year, according to what could be a leaked internal document.

If the image proves true, monthly premium rates will remain untouched when the new plans take effect. Deductibles, however, are largely set to rise.

Save for the carrier's low-end devices, the cost to replace your phone will go up by a minimum of $10. For most smartphones the standard deductible rate will jump from $130 to $150.

Although T-Mobile hasn't officially announced the pricing change, a carrier representative did confirm part of the rumor to CNET: … Read more

Sony today announced a new, entry-level Android handset that is expected to ship in the first quarter of the coming year.

Dubbed the Sony Xperia E, the company's latest should make for a decent first smartphone experience. Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the device features a 1GHz processor, and comes loaded with Sony's custom software touches.

The Xperia E will be offered in a single SIM model as well as a dual-SIM edition, the Xperia E dual. Aside from this difference, both are identical in every other facet. Details include a 3.5-inch (320x480) display, a 3.… Read more

The social-networking giant today said there are now more than 350 apps on its Web site, with more than 1 million monthly active users each.

On the mobile side, nearly 200,000 iPhone and Android apps are integrated with Facebook, including 9 of the top 10 grossing iPhone apps. Additionally, more than 45 percent of the top 400 grossing iOS apps use the Facebook SDK, the company said.

Facebook, which is at the LeWeb conference this week in Paris, also revealed that Paris has become one of the top locations … Read more

PARIS -- Nokia announced a new lower-end Windows Phone today, the $249 Nokia Lumia 620, hoping customers will be drawn to its rounded corners and bright colors when it launches in January of 2013.

The Lumia 620 is a 3G model with a 3.8-inch screen, 1GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, a back camera that'll shoot 720p video, a 5-megapixel front camera for video chat, near-field communications (NFC) technology, and loudspeakers, the company said. But Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia's executive vice president of design, put the new colors front and center as he unveiled the phone at the LeWeb … Read more

The Nexus 4 release has been anything but smooth. Google saw the launch day stock ordered up in just a few minutes. Then last week Google released some more inventory in the Play Store here in the U.S. and was met with more issues. The 8GB Nexus 4 started out at a 4-to-5-week ship time and eventually maxed out at 8-9 weeks before going back out of stock. The 16GB model is still available, although you'll be waiting 5-6 weeks for it to ship.

Google has been sporadically releasing more stock in other countries, such as the U.K. and Germany. … Read more