mobile

Hummer gets a new (wimpy) phone

Hummer is coming out with the second version of its branded handset, but it somehow doesn't seem to live up to the reputation of its nameplate. The original version seen last year at least made an attempt with a camouflage design, but the latest model from ModeLabs Group bears hardly any indication that it's related to the Hummer at all, at least in appearance.

The "HT2" appears to take a candy-bar form (apologies to macho Hummer drivers for the reference) as opposed to the original slider, but there may be other versions. The mobile phone does … Read more

CTIA 2008: Cream of the crop

Every year at CTIA we dole out praise for those companies that are deserving. CNET's cream of the crop awards recognize the best of the show in four categories: best cell phone, best smartphone, best accessory, and best service. Though the 2008 CTIA wasn't the most exciting on record, we still saw some pretty cool things in Las Vegas. And without further ado, here they are.

Best cell phone: Samsung Instinct In some ways this wasn't a tough choice because so few cell phones were officially unveiled at CTIA. But even if it was facing a more … Read more

This week in laptops

Imagine us saying (in our best Jan Brady voice): "Intel, Intel, Intel!" The chipmaker managed to dominate laptop news this week thanks to the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, where the company heavily hyped all things small, especially its next-generation Classmate PC (see our exclusive full review) and mobile Internet devices running on the new Atom chip.

For visual learners, we've got a photo gallery of mobile Internet devices from the show, and Intel has posted a video of one of these bad boys being cracked open. For the more technical types, we've also got the … Read more

Gadgettes 84: The Li'l Critters Episode

Molly must say "nubbins" at some point, because this episode is pretty much dedicated to the cute li'l critters of the world. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 84

The Duck Show http://duckshow.com/

Meet Tengu the Next American Idol http://chipchick.com/2008/04/meet_tengu_the_next_american_idol.html

Pool-cleaning robot powered by the sun http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9910173-1.html

USB Home Pregnancy Test Kit http://www.everythingusb.com/pteq-usb-pregnancy-test-14515.html

KickTrak pregnancy monitor http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2008/04/review_kicktrak.html

Itch Cat Scratch Pad http://www.popgadget.net/2008/03/itch_cat_scratc.php

Stop Motion … Read more

A help desk for Symbian cell phones

Cell phone users might never be aware that LogMeIn Rescue+Mobile even exists, though most should be pleased it does. The remote-access app from the makers of the popular LogMeIn family (including LogMeIn Free) are back with a feature-rich tool that's custom-built for peering into broken cell phones.

I got a preview of the app at work on Symbian phones at the CTIA 2008 Wireless show in Las Vegas this week (it's already available for Windows Mobile phones). I was impressed with how well LogMeIn Rescue+Mobile organized the phone's file system for quick fixing, while also … Read more

Photos: Smartphones at CTIA 2008

It's a wrap! CTIA 2008 has come and gone and the show produced quite a number of smartphone announcements. Research in Motion unleashed a fleet of new BlackBerrys; Microsoft unveiled its latest mobile operating system; and we even saw a new entrant into the field. There was plenty more action, so take a look at all the new smartphones in this photo gallery.

Photos: Atom-based mobile Internet devices

You can't buy these little gadgets yet, but Intel certainly hopes that starting this summer, you'll buy them in droves.

The gadgets in question are what Intel calls "mobile Internet devices," built upon the diminutive Atom processor that was the star of the chipmaker's IDF Shanghai event this week. Pictured here is a prototype MID from Asus, best known these days for its Eee PC.

Other hardware makers that marched to the beat of Intel's marketing drum at IDF included Lenovo, LG, BenQ, and Panasonic. What they're getting their hands on is a … Read more

iPhone shortage eases as Germans get a bargain

Despite sitting out the CTIA 2008 conference, Apple's iPhone business had an eventful week.

Today, on "This Week in iPhone," we'll address two significant developments. Apple stores around the country are starting to recover from an iPhone shortage, while T-Mobile has cut the price of the iPhone in Germany by 300 euros.

First up, the supply concerns. Apple acknowledged the shortage and told The New York Times that it was working to get iPhones into its retail stores as fast as possible. The cause of the shortage still hasn't emerged, but speculation that a 3G … Read more

Best pro-audio mobile recorders

When it comes to recording concerts, lectures, or interviews, sometimes you just need to break out the big guns. Over the past few weeks, I've been testing out some of the best sub-$1,000 pro-audio portable recorders on the market, including the Edirol R-09, Korg MR-1, and Sony PCM-D50.

If you're in the market for a serious mobile audio recorder, then take a look at our product roundup.

FreeMobile411 launches on 4/11. Ha.

There's no real killer app yet for retrieving listings information on your mobile phone, but there could be soon.

On Aptil 11, FreeMobile411 launches the consumer version of its carrier-offered services. Visting FreeMobile411.com from your mobile browser gets you a decent-looking ad-supported WAP site that simplifies directory search and helps you avoid long waits while listening to ads from dial-in services like 1-800-FREE-411.

Enter the search term--it can be a business name ("Blockbuster"), business type ("video store"), or person ("Bill Blockbuster"). Then select the search type, and fill in either the city … Read more