Smartphones

Verizon could push Android 2.2 to three handsets next week

A hot rumor this week predicts that Verizon is rolling out Android 2.2 to the Droid, Droid Incredible, and the Droid X next week.

An AndroidSPIN source, who claims to be a Verizon employee, said the update is slated to begin August 6 and run through August 15. If true, this coordinated software update between HTC, Motorola, and Verizon would be the first of its kind. Typically, Android upgrades trickle out in a seemingly random order, often preceded by some form of announcement.

It's also interesting in light of the user interface differences on the handsets. The Droid … Read more

Preview of the BlackBerry OS 6 home screen

As new versions of Android and iOS take hold and Microsoft continues to tease us with Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry is in the unenviable position of trying to play catch up to the cool kids. So, as we anxiously await for next Tuesday's unveiling, RIM has kindly provided a brief sneak peek at what BlackBerry OS 6 might bring, at least when it comes to the home screen. Here's a gallery of what we can expect. As a refresher, here are a few links to our previous coverage of BlackBerry OS 6:

RIM previews BlackBerry OS 6 BlackBerry OS 6: What we know so far … Read more

Cricket teases us with Kyocera Zio

Kyocera raised its profile earlier this year when it announced its first Android handset at CTIA. At the time we knew that Cricket would offer the Zio M6000 (pronounced Zeye-oh), but it wasn't until this week that the carrier offered the first signs of availability.

We still don't know a price, but you can sign up on Cricket's Web site to be notified when the smartphone goes on sale. You'll also get a coupon for free overnight shipping.

As a reminder, the Zio has a candy bar design with a 3.5-inch, 262,000-color touch screen … Read more

On Call: Go ahead and jailbreak, it's legal now

On Monday, the U.S Copyright Office ruled that jailbreaking an iPhone or other mobile device will no longer violate federal copyright law. Some iPhone owners no doubt cheered the news, and I join them in supporting the decision.

"Jailbreak" entered the wireless lexicon soon after the iPhone first went on sale in 2007. Though some CNET readers have asked me if jailbreaking is the same as unlocking a handset, it's actually a different process. When you jailbreak an iPhone, you remove the Apple-imposed restrictions that prevent you from loading applications not sold through the iTunes App Store. Unlocking, on the other hand, only removes the restrictions that tie your iPhone to AT&T. So on the same phone, you can perform just one action or, if you prefer, both.

I welcome the decision because I've always advocated for giving customers as many choices as possible. Yes, I understand that jailbreaking carriers some risks--you void your warranty and you could wind up with a bricked phone if you're not careful--but those risks, rather than breaking the law, should be the only consequences that consumers should face. … Read more

Bidding adieu to the T-Mobile G1

With all of the awesome Android phones on the market now, it's easy to forget the models that came before them. But today, we take a moment to remember the device that started it all, the T-Mobile G1, as it goes into retirement and finds its place in the tech history books.

After almost a two-year run, the G1 is no longer available for purchase from T-Mobile or other retail outlets, and of course, the decision makes sense. It's old and can't keep up with the newer models, but still, you can't ignore the significance of … Read more

Carrier billing coming to Android Market

A short post on the official Android Developers blog last weekend brought big news for Android app developers and Android users: carrier billing will soon come as an option for the Android Market.

The blog didn't reveal a specific date, but "authorized carriers" are now considered an indemnified party. Current developers have 30 days to accept the new conditions to the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement (DDA), whereas new publishers are agreeing to them when signing up.

Adding carrier billing as an option should help developers move more copies of their apps. In the early days of … Read more

Dell continues Streak tease

Update: Dell has published (and since removed) a "test page" stating that the Streak will go on sale tomorrow unlocked for $549, or $299 with a two year AT&T contract. We contacted Dell asking or confirmation on these details and were told that the test page in question was not intended to be seen by the pubic and may have contained inaccurate information. Furthermore, there are no plans for the Streak to go on sale or pre-sale today. In other words, we still don't really know how much the Streak will cost, when it will … Read more

HTC trying to make name for itself in China

HTC announced Tuesday that it's launching its own name brand of smartphones in China, with four phones set to take the stage this year.

Although the mobile phone maker already holds a presence in the Chinese market, its phones there have previously been sold under the Dopod brand. These will be the first phones in China to carry the HTC name.

"We are proud to introduce the HTC brand in China and look forward to bringing a fresh customer-centric smartphone experience to consumers in China," Cher Wang, chairman of HTC, said in a statement.

The phones will … Read more

Landing the best iPhone flight tracker apps

Whether you're leaving on a jet plane or picking up Mom at the airport, a flight tracker app is an essential tool for your iPhone. You can use it to keep tabs on your departure time, confirm when Mom is arriving, and even check her plane's position in the air. And if you're an airline geek right like me, you might even check it just for fun.

There are a handful of flight tracker apps available in the iTunes App Store, but up until now I wasn't sure which offered the best experience. So to find out, I downloaded six titles and tracked a sample flight on each one. Below you'll find what I consider to be the upsides and downsides of each app, plus my overall assessments and a screenshot. For a further peek at the maps for each title, check out this related slideshow.

Note: For this roundup, I chose only standalone Flight Tracker apps. I did not include more comprehensive trip planning titles that happen to include flight tracker functionality.

FlightTrack Developer: Mobiata Price: $4.99 Can it track international flights? Yes, even when outside the United States.

What's good: FlightTrack offers a lot of information without saddling you with an overwhelming interface. For each flight, it not only lists the scheduled departure and arrival times (when the plane leaves from and arrives at the gate), but also when it will take off and land. Delay information is clearly marked, as well, and you view the aircraft type, departure gate, and scheduled flight time.

Once a flight is in the air, FlightTrack shows the airspeed, arrival gate, baggage claim number, and present altitude. And if that isn't enough, you can jot notes on a separate page, access a shortcut to the airline's phone number, and look up the local time and temperature of the departure and arrival cities.

The maps are gorgeous, and that's not an overstatement. You get a full satellite view with weather radar data and I really like that you can zoom way in and scroll around the map using your finger.

What's not: The satellite maps can take a long time to load depending on your connection, and you can't switch to a simpler format.

The final word: FlightTrack offers a clean, data-rich interface with the best maps of the bunch. Don't let the $4.99 price tag scare you off; FlightTrack is my top choice and well worth the money.

Neat bonus: You also can shake your iPhone to see a random flight.

Other versions available? A Pro version ($9.99) adds push notifications, weather, and TripIt integration. You'll need a subscription, though. … Read more