Cell phones

Move over Samsung and LG, there's new evidence that HTC may be readying a "phablet" of its own for Verizon.

According to a trusted insider close to HTC Source, the smartphone is slated to boast a 5-inch 1080p HD display with a screen resolution of 1794 x 1080 and a ludicrous 480 pixels per inch (ppi). Inside it will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and boast other top features.

Before going any further, I have to address the handset's name, which is reported to be DIx, which is short for Droid Incredible X. That makes … Read more

Initially available on Boost Mobile, the Samsung Array has made its way onto Sprint today.

Offered at $19.99 after a two-year contract and mail-in rebate, this feature phone has a sliding four-row QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch screen, and a 2-megapixel camera in the rear.

It's powered by a 480MHz CPU and a 1,000mAh battery, which roughly translates to a reported talk time of 4 hours.

When CNET's own Brian Bennett got his hands on the phone, the device's build aesthetic was reminiscent of a Sidekick, and its screen's low resolution was unimpressive.

For … Read more

With less than one week to go before HTC takes the stage in New York, additional details have sprung up for the HTC One X+ smartphone. As a refresher, this is the handset rumored to be a faster, more powerful version of the AT&T phone.

Expectations thus far put the phone as running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and featuring 1.6GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor. Coupled with 1GB RAM and 32GB storage, the One X+ should offer consumers an updated HTC Sense 4.5 user interface.

The latest word on the street comes courtesy of HTC Source, … Read more

As it usually does, Apple got the tech world excited this week when it introduced its new iPhone 5.

The magically, magnificent device will be an experience like no other and will provide consumers a 4-inch display and 4G LTE connectivity. In other words, stuff that Android phones have enjoyed for the better part of two years. That is, of course, unless you get a Sprint or Verizon iPhone 5 and want to use simultaneous voice and data.

In all seriousness, though, the new iPhone will be a good step forward for Apple as it does improve upon the existing … Read more

Hot off the heels of Motorola, Nokia, and Apple's phone press conferences, LG will host its own spectacle set for September 19 in New York. LG will also team up with chipmaker Qualcomm to put on the show and flamboyantly invites us to, "Live without boundaries." … Read more

Planning to preorder an iPhone 5? You might want to have a new skin ready to peel and stick when it arrives.

Today only, Skinit.com is offering buy-one-get-one-free skins for all devices, including the iPhone 5.

To get the deal, add any two skins to your shopping cart, then apply coupon code 2012BOGO when you get to the checkout page.

Just to clarify, you don't have to choose two iPhone 5 skins, or even one iPhone 5 skin -- the BOGO offer applies to any two skins the company sells.

And it sells them for just about every … Read more

In addition to HTC, LG will be holding its own New York press conference on the morning of September 19. It will also be hosting a coinciding event on September 18 in Seoul, South Korea.

Though details are sparse, leaked press photos of the LG Optimus G suggest that the company will most likely announce the availability and release of its newest flagship phone.

The Optimus G promises to sport a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core CPU (yes, as in four), a 4.7-inch HD IPS display, and a 2,100mAh battery.

It's also expected to come with … Read more

Editors' note (September 12, 2012): It's official, folks. The iPhone 5 is for real. Our first impressions, plus additional full coverage.

Well, it's been a long time coming. Tomorrow, Apple is expected to finally announce the next iPhone. Whether it's going to be named the iPhone 5 or "the new iPhone," have a bigger screen, or come with seven arms sticking out of it, we've sifted (and sometimes trudged) through months and months of rumors that will either be confirmed or done away with come tomorrow. As archivers of the iPhone rumor mill, it has been entertaining, but we're looking forward to a brief moment of peace until a whole new batch of rumors comes out for the next iteration. Until then, remember to join us during our live blog tomorrow as the iPhone specs are unveiled and the bets get settled. (Who put $5 on NFC, anyone, anyone?)

After unveiling a marginally improved iPhone 4S in 2011 instead of a radically different iPhone 5, Apple has returned to its development labs to cook up (no pun intended) the next iteration of its popular phone. In 2012, we're fairly certain that the real iPhone 5 will roll out of Apple's gates and that the device should be a bigger leap forward than the 4S was.

That's why after taking some time off at the end of last year, we've resurrected CNET's iPhone 5 rumor roundup to cover the new tidbits from 2012. So join us again in watching the rumor mill churn. We'll add to it until we get the real thing; please let us know if we've left any gossip out.

See also CNET's iPad Mini rumor roundup and Apple HDTV rumor roundup.

September 10, 2012 Those previously mentioned plugs may be the size of Micro-USB Not satisfied with just posting pictures of the supposedly new iPhone 5 plugs, Nowhereelse is now reporting that these updated dock connectors may be the same size as a Micro-USB port. In addition to the new phone sporting the smaller port, other future devices, like the next iPad, will include it too.… Read more

It might seem crazy to buy a smartphone the day before Apple unveils its new model, but hear me out.

See, not everybody loves Apple, and not everybody loves the iPhone. (I know, heresy, right?) For those folks, tomorrow is just a Wednesday. What matters today is scoring the best possible deal on the best possible non-iPhone handset.

By most accounts, that handset is the Samsung Galaxy S III (S3), which has earned rave reviews from critics and users alike -- including an Editors' Choice award from CNET.

Most carriers sell it for $199.99, but for a limited time, … Read more