Huawei

Sudden death of U.S. engineer in Singapore linked to cyber espionage?

For years, the U.S. intelligence community has warned that cyber attacks from China and other countries are the biggest threat to our national security. Now, some are wondering whether the death of an engineer from California could be linked to cyber espionage.

In 2010, 29-year-old Shane Todd moved to Singapore for an engineering job with a government research firm called the Institute of Micro Electronics or IME.

"He was a young man that wanted an adventure and thought it would be super-cool to live in a foreign country and he really liked it when he first got there,&… Read more

Huawei Ascend P2 camera test

BARCELONA, Spain--Huawei took the wraps off its latest high-end, superskinny Android phone, the Ascend P2 on Sunday. It has a 720p 4.7-inch display, a 1.7GHz quad core processor and a 13-megapixel camera, all stuffed into an 8.6mm body. I was given an early hands on with the P2's camera to see how it stacks up against the Nexus 4.

Shooting outside the Mobile World Congress center, the P2 was off to an unimpressive start. It didn't have quite the level of control over its exposure that I'd like, resulting in blown-out highlights in the … Read more

Ascend P2 powers up Huawei's Android lineup (hands-on)

BARCELONA, Spain--The Huawei Ascend P2 is Huawei's next step in its mission to advance its Android presence worldwide.

Succeeding the Huawei Ascend P1, the P2 has a similar tuxedo look, with a sleek, glossy black face that curves along the top and bottom to dip into points that meet the white backing. Huawei credits the infinity pool as inspiration. While there is a slim bezel, the screen approaches the edges, giving the display an expansive feel. There's an all-black version as well.

A taller, more narrow configuration (a slim 8.6 millimeters thin,) the Ascend P2 felt good … Read more

Huawei's MWC 2013 news: Join us Sunday (live blog)

BARCELONA, Spain--On Sunday, we'll find out how well Huawei is doing meeting its ambition to become a top-tier smartphone manufacturer.

That's when the up-and-coming company plans to debut a brand-new phone at a Mobile World Congress press conference. CNET will be there to provide all the details about that phone -- you can expect a premium Android model -- and likely other news as well.

CNET UK's Luke Westaway, photographer Sarah Tew, and I will supply news updates, photos, and commentary from the event. It starts at 6 a.m. PT, which is 3 p.m. local … Read more

Huawei readies Ascend P2 for MWC arrival

BARCELONA, Spain--Huawei's booth crew may not have attached any phones to mounts over at its booth at Mobile World Congress, but it's clear that the Huawei Ascend P2 will officially debut at this show.

The successor to the Huawei Ascend P1 Android phone, the P2 is expected to run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and shoot for the high end with specs that include a 1.8GHz quad-core processor, a 13-megapixel camera and a 3,000mAh battery.

Rumors also point to a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 2GB RAM, and 8GB internal storage, though perhaps without expandable memory.

We'… Read more

Microsoft and Huawei debut Windows Phone for Africa

Microsoft and Huawei announced today that they're partnering to bring a new Windows Phone to Africa. The two companies are targeting the continent, which is one of the fastest growing technology markets in the world but has seen few smartphones to date and whose majority of users still rely on feature phones.

"We believe there has never been a better time to invest in Africa and that access to technology -- particularly cloud services and smart devices -- can and will serve as a great accelerator for African competitiveness," president of Microsoft International Jean-Philippe Courtois said today … Read more

Huawei CFO linked to attempt to sell HP goods in Iran -- Reuters

Huawei, the China-based telecom equipment maker that has come under fire in the past for alleged links to Iran, is once again under the microscope.

Reuters today published a report detailing evidence linking Huawei CFO Cathy Meng to a firm that has allegedly tried to sell U.S. company products to Iran-based firms.

According to Reuters, Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, served on the board of a Hong Kong-based company called Skycom Tech between February 2008 and April 2009. In addition, Reuters found that a host of other people with varying ties to Skycom also … Read more

U.S. Cellular dials up $300 rebate for new family plans

U.S. Cellular is offering a limited time "Family Switcher Bonus" for new customers who activate at least two lines on a Family Plan. The deal, which runs through April 1, provides consumers with a $300 MasterCard debit card.

The catch? At least one of the new lines must be a smartphone.

To sweeten the deal, U.S. Cellular has discounted a number of smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S 3 for $150 and the Huawei Ascend Y, which now sells for just a penny.

What's more, the carrier is tossing in a free 4G LTE Samsung … Read more

Apple, Samsung get knocked down a peg

Apple isn't the only one feeling the heat despite a blow-out quarter; Samsung is seemingly getting punished for its success too.

Both companies have been posting explosive growth in recent quarters and generating the bulk of the mobile industry's profits. While Apple's net income was relatively flat in its fiscal first quarter, its sales still grew 18 percent. And Samsung last night said its fourth-quarter profit soared 76 percent as its sales jumped 19 percent.

For any other company, those sorts of results would be cheered. But for Apple and Samsung, record-breaking quarters just aren't enough. … Read more