mobile

Just in time for the holidays, not to mention Black Friday, Virgin Mobile announced today that it'll be offering a number of its devices at lower prices.

Starting tomorrow and lasting through Cyber Monday, its $199.99 Samsung Galaxy Reverb will go on sale for $99.99.

The day after, the HTC Evo V 4G will go from $299 to $199.

Other offers include the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G, which has been on sale since Monday. It comes with a $70 price break, at $299.99.

In addition, the carrier's unlimited data and messaging monthly plan, called … Read more

T-Mobile USA has expanded the number of markets where unlocked iPhones can tap into its higher network speeds.

The carrier said yesterday in a blog post that 10 new metro areas would get its faster HSPA+ network on the 1900 megahertz band. That's important because the iPhone is compatible only with 1900MHz, meaning that in most other markets, it is stuck on the much slower 2G Edge network.

Part of the allure of the 1900MHz HSPA+ is it that allows unlocked AT&T devices to enjoy 4G speeds on T-Mobile's network.

In addition, other T-Mobile customers should … Read more

AT&T has loosened its grip on FaceTime availability.

FaceTime access has opened up to those who own the iPhone 4S and who have grandfathered unlimited data plans. Macrumors discovered the feature from users in forums.

An AT&T representative said "we're looking into it."

At one time, AT&T had banned FaceTime access via its cellular network, limiting use to Wi-Fi systems. But earlier this month the company announced that it would open it up to those who had an LTE-equipped device and a Mobile Share data plan. All others were left out. … Read more

This year, some retailers are so impatient to open their doors for Black Friday that they're calling in employees to kick off the sales bonanza as early as 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. But why wait even that long? In fact, why even get off the couch when that tablet resting on your turkey and pie-filled belly has access to both your wallet and a whole universe of deals?

Digital ad agency Digitas told its hometown paper the Boston Globe this week that its recently commissioned survey (conducted by Harris Interactive) of consumers found that 28 percent plan to shop via a mobile device this Thursday. … Read more

Apple has applied for a trademark on the "iPad Mini" brand.

The company filed the trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week. In the application, Apple describes its tablet as a full-featured slate, offering everything from Web connectivity to calendaring.

Here's Apple's description of its tablet: A "handheld mobile digital electronic device comprising a tablet computer, electronic book and periodical reader, digital audio and video player, camera, electronic personal organizer, personal digital assistant, electronic calendar, and mapping and global positioning system (GPS) device, and capable of providing access to the … Read more

Norton Mobile Security has taken the unusual step today of merging its mobile licensing so that you pay once and can use the mobile security suite on either Android or iOS. It's an effort to make Norton's security more accessible, and parent company Symantec wants to turn Norton accessibility into a security service.

The change isn't drastic, said Con Mallon, senior director of Norton mobile product management, but natural. "The new Norton Mobile Security is both a Web service and a mobile service," he said in a phone interview with CNET. "We're going … Read more

Some iOS Facebook mobile users may have noticed something different today -- the ability to automatically sync their photos from their iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to the social network. According to TechCrunch, Facebook's Photo Syncing is currently being tested on iOS.

The feature, which automatically uploads images that users snap with their devices, is being given a trial run for a small number of users. These users should be able to take a photo and Facebook's Photo Syncing feature will automatically send the image to a private folder in the user's account. Those photos can then … Read more

Ah, it's that time of year again. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because you can gorge yourself on food without feeling guilty, spend time with your loved ones, and knock a stranger over at 6 a.m. in front of a department store in a frantic attempt to purchase that plasma TV.

All right, so it might not be everybody's definition of a good time, but Black Friday and Cyber Monday are grand institutions that let you save a lot of dough on some of this year's hottest electronics.

And as anyone can tell you, … Read more

Apple has approved 1 million iOS apps, according to an application discovery company.

Appsfire revealed the findings on its Twitter account yesterday. In an e-mailed statement to CNET, an Appsfire spokesperson said that its tally includes all of the apps "that have been submitted and approved by Apple and that went live in the App Store" since its launch in 2008. The spokesperson was quick to point out that the tally does not include those apps that have been submitted and rejected.

The Next Web was first to report on the Appsfire tally.

Apple announced last month that … Read more