Android

Android Key Lime Pie: Most wanted features (video)

Right now, deep beneath the Earth's crust, Google engineers are working in secret to develop the next major version of Android.

Rumored to be called Key Lime Pie (though some reports suggest the next version may stick with the Jelly Bean moniker), little is known about what new software treats this update has in store. That said, we at CNET certainly have an idea of what we want to see -- hit play on the video above to hear the apps and tweaks we're desperate for Google to bake into the heart of its next big refresh.

Separate … Read more

HTC One buyers can score cash by trading in current phone

Those of you who pick up the HTC One smartphone could get cash back if you trade in your current phone.

Kicking off Thursday, the offer rewards buyers of the HTC One with as little as $100 or as much as $375 for trading it any one of a number of phones. The trade-in promo page lists the following phones: iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S3, Motorola Droid Razr, LG Optimus 4X HD, BlackBerry Z10, BlackBerry Curve, and BlackBerry Bold.

But a variety of other phones are also eligible depending on their condition. HTC's Trade-Up page lets you … Read more

Apple, Samsung devices said to be near Pentagon security OK

Both Apple and Samsung have been in ongoing talks with the Department of Defense to bring their devices to the agency's employees, and now it looks like approval for device security is finally around the corner.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Defense Department reportedly plans to give security approval for Samsung's Galaxy smartphones and Apple's iPhones and iPads within the next few weeks.

The Defense Information Systems Agency, which rules what commercial technology the Pentagon can use, will decide within the next two weeks whether to accept Samsung's Galaxy smartphones loaded with Knox security … Read more

Jelly Bean overtakes Ice Cream Sandwich in Android rankings

Android users are flocking to the latest version of Google's mobile operating system in droves.

The number of active devices running Jelly Bean -- Android 4.1 and 4.2, combined -- rose 3.4 points to 28.4 percent in April, surpassing Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), which fell 1.8 points to 27.5 percent, according to monthly user numbers published by Google on Wednesday. Jelly Bean's growing adoption rate was not enough to overtake the declining Gingerbread (Android 2.3), which slid 1.7 points to 38.5 percent.

The numbers, which are derived … Read more

Motorola X Phone rumors, benchmarks march on

Benchmarks for a smartphone called the Motorola XT1055 have emerged online this week, leading many to believe the device could be part of the fabled X Phone series.

The benchmark scores for the rumored handset show an Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system with a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor.

Considering the model number and very preliminary specifications, we could be looking at one of the first X Phones from the Motorola and Google team.

As a frame of reference, Verizon's Motorola Droid Razr HD carries the XT926 model number, which is similar to the one found here. … Read more

T-Mobile-bound Sony Xperia Z clears the FCC

Documents listed on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Web site suggest that T-Mobile may soon offer a version of the Sony Xperia Z.

Details show that this flagship Sony smartphone will support T-Mobile's newly launched LTE network as well as pentaband HSPA+. In addition to the standard fare of photos and test results, the docs reveal the user manual and features such as Wi-Fi calling.

First announced in January at CES, the Sony Xperia Z has yet to find a home in the United States. Hardware specifications include a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, a 13-megapixel rear … Read more

Should you wait for the mythical Motorola X Phone?

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 finally getting into the hands of some consumers, we must once again return to that persistent question that smartphone and gadget lovers never stop asking: what's next?

With word that Apple won't be releasing any new hardware until the fall and the HTC One and Galaxy S4 just released, the answer seems to be "not much" -- at least not for the next few months.

However, dancing on the far edges of the horizon in this summer's blockbuster smartphone void is a magical unicorn of a device whose legend grows stronger and more far-fetched with each passing day -- and with each hyperbolic comment loosed from Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt's lips. I am speaking, of course, of the mythical Motorola "X Phone."… Read more

Google to integrate app activities into Search

NEW YORK--Google plans to integrate information on app activities into its Search page, giving users insight into what peers are doing and linking Google+ more closely with Google's other offerings.

The company in February launched its Google+ sign-on service that allows Google accounts to be used when logging into third-party apps and Web sites. Users taking advantage of the Google sign-in also can instantly download the Android app version without having to turn on their phones. The move was viewed as a way for Google to weave its accounts more tightly into the fabric of the Internet and a … Read more

Flipboard, now with 56M users, looks for ways to make money

Flipboard is posting pretty rapid growth, and it's looking for new ways to generate revenue for itself, partners, and users, the company's CEO said.

Mike McCue, speaking Monday at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in New York, said the company has added 6 million new users since launching an update to its popular news-reading app a month ago.

Flipboard in late March launched version 2.0 of its iOS app that allows readers to become magazine publishers. Instead of just reading content, users can now create personalized periodicals curated from a variety of Web content from around the world. … Read more