Gingerbread

'Cotton Candy'--Android computer on a stick

At last--a sweet stick of Cotton Candy that won't rot your teeth. Instead, it aims to put an Android-based computer on just about any screen you can find.

Norwegian company FXI Technologies calls it "the world's first any-screen, connected-computing USB device," code-named Cotton Candy. The tiny system is basically a USB thumbdrive with an HDMI output on the other end and a microSD slot added to complete the package. According to a release from FXI:

The vision for Cotton Candy is to allow users a single, secure point of access to all personal Cloud services and apps through their favorite operating system, while delivering a consistent experience on any screen. The device will serve as a companion to smartphones, tablets, notebook PCs, and Macs, as well as add smart capabilities to existing displays, TVs, set-top boxes, and game consoles.

The Cotton Candy prototype's specs aren't too shabby, either--especially for a system the size of a pack of gum:… Read more

Sprint Express delivers $20 Gingerbread with Sprint ID

With all these high-priced, superpremium smartphones exploding onto the holiday shopping scene, it's nice to see that Sprint hasn't forgotten about the budget-conscious.

Running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the candy bar Sprint Express has a portrait QWERTY keyboard and costs $19.99. It has a 2.6-inch touch screen, 3.2-megapixel camera with flash, hot-spot capability for up to five devices, and Sprint ID, which is software that can load various profiles with thematic apps, wallpaper, and so forth.

The Express is similar to the free Samsung Replenish, but the former runs Android 2.2 Froyo instead of the Express' Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system. The Express is available beginning today.… Read more

Huawei Honor shipping in December in rainbow of colors

Huawei announced that it will begin shipping its next Android handset, the Honor, in December to select markets.

Powered by Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread and running the latest build of Huawei's custom software, the handset features a single-core 1.4GHz processor, an 8-megapixel camera, 512MB RAM, and 4GB internal storage.

Obviously, it's not the most advanced smartphone on the market, but one particularly interesting detail about the Huawei Honor is the battery life.… Read more

AT&T's Samsung DoubleTime, Captivate Glide come alive Nov. 20

After teasing the Samsung DoubleTime and Samsung Captivate Glide at CTIA last month, AT&T is finally sharing the news we all want to hear: when the phones will arrive, and for how much.… Read more

Thumbs on with the Samsung Captivate Glide

It's been a while since AT&T has had a higher-end, QWERTY smartphone in its lineup, but keyboard-loving customers should start warming up their thumbs for the upcoming Samsung Captivate Glide.

Announced at CTIA 2011, the Captivate Glide sports a slider design that combines a 4-inch Super AMOLED touch screen with a four-row QWERTY keyboard. The Android Gingerbread device also rocks Nvidia's 1GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video support, a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera, and enterprise-friendly features.

Though the carrier has yet to announce a release date and pricing, we suspect that its … Read more

Meet the Samsung DoubleTime (photos)

Samsung still isn't releasing information about the pricing or availability of the forthcoming Samsung DoubleTime, but the company did bring the phone to our CNET offices in New York for some glamor shots.

What makes this Android 2.2 Froyo handset distinct is its double-screen design. Instead of sliding out a keyboard for this text-centric phone, you flip it open like a book to read the screen on the inside. A razor-thin phone this will not be.

Check out all the specs and the 360 view in this Samsung Doubletime photo gallery.… Read more

HTC Vivid review: Reliable interior, plasticky exterior

I nearly did a double take when lifting AT&T's HTC Vivid out of its cardboard box. It's one of the first HTC phones in a long time whose form looked cheap to my eyes.

Shiny black plastic all around with just a thin metal plate on the battery cover, the handset lacks the thoughtful build quality typical of most HTC phones, and very unlike recent phones like the HTC Rhyme, the Evo Design 4G, the Amaze 4G, and so on.

Now, perhaps this isn't exactly fair. After all, I argued with myself, doesn't substance … Read more

HTC Rezound first impressions: Music to my ears

To absolutely nobody's surprise (twice), HTC today announced the HTC Rezound for Verizon, the first U.S. smartphone to use HTC-owned Beats Audio.

Originally known as the Vigor, the Rezound is HTC's stateside answer to Europe and Asia's HTC Sensation XL with Beats Audio, which CNET got a chance to see in early October at CTIA.

The Rezound, which features the same integration with the Beats headphones as the Sensation XL, will run on Verizon's ultrafast 4G LTE network. In addition, it's packing a 4.3-inch 720p HD display, which should make mincemeat out of … Read more

HTC Rezound press images surface hours before announcement

The first official press images of the HTC Rezound have landed online, hours ahead of its formal unveiling.

As evidenced in the photos obtained by Pocketnow, the Android-powered phone takes design cues from the Droid Incredible, as well as the Sensation XE. Bearing the carrier's red-and-black color scheme, the back of the smartphone also has the Beats Audio logo, indicating an enhanced audio experience.

Specifications look to include dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 4.3-inch HD (1,280x720-pixel) display, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage, and an 8-megapixel camera. Additional details for the HTC phone should include 4G LTE support, a … Read more