Smartphones

I'll be honest with you: I hate customer service as much as you do. The long waits, the anonymous feeling of phone calls, the paperwork...it's like a doctor's appointment. Maybe that's why many people I speak to simply don't bother. My dad always calls me before bothering to spend time trying to reach Apple. A friend let his bricked Xbox 360 sit in a drawer for two years rather than try to call for a repair.

As for me, my fear comes from broken headphones. At least once a year, it seems, some pair … Read more

Your iPhone and its apps can support typing in many different languages after changing a few simple settings. Launch the Settings app and then go to: General > Keyboard > International Keyboards.

Once there, turn on the foreign language keyboards you need and after that you use the small "globe" icon on the left side of the spacebar to rotate through the keyboards you selected.

In Mobile Safari after the keyboard you've chosen is displayed, you can press and hold the ".com" key. The iPhone will then display the most common top level domain names … Read more

Last Tuesday at CTIA, Skype and Verizon  jointly announced the Skype Mobile application is coming to select BlackBerry and Android phones on Verizon's network.

While only nine phones can currently run the app, Verizon and Skype are sure to add more phones to the mix. So if you don't have a BlackBerry Storm I or II, BlackBerry Curve or Tour, Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Eris, or Motorola Devour, keep your peepers trained on this First Look video. We'll show you what you're missing out on--or what you should expect when and if Verizon pushes … Read more

As we pack our bags to leave Las Vegas, It's time to reflect on the CTIA that was. After a sleeper of a show last year, 2010 was quite eventful. The show floor was busier, the announcements were bigger, and there was more of a buzz permeating the Las Vegas Convention Center. It can be hard to keep track of it all, so here's a summary of what we saw.

4G Sprint and HTC grabbed most of the spotlight when they announced their new HTC Evo 4G. The Evo is more than just hype; it's slick and powerful and Sprint has a growing WiMax network (it might switch to LTE, however). Indeed, we liked it so much that we named it the top phone at CTIA. Yet, Sprint was not alone in pushing 4G; MetroPCS and Samsung announced the LTE-equipped SCH-r900 for Las Vegas and other markets later this year. Read Maggie Reardon's recent take on 4G for a great perspective on how the technology could develop. T-Mobile tried to counter the 4G news by promoting its 3G network and AT&T execs advocated for more spectrum.

Android Just like at CES and Mobile World Congress, Android went big at CTIA this year. We saw the first Android phone from Nextel, Kyocera's first Android handset, a Dell Android device, and the promising Samsung Galaxy S. Oh, and did we mention that the Evo 4G runs Android 2.1? Nice.

… Read more

Late last year I told you about CNET's new tool to accurately rate wireless coverage across the United States. With our partner Root Wireless, we're able to show average signal strength, data throughput, dropped calls, and failed data connections for the four major carriers (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless) in great detail, even down to a city block.

Though we've received positive reader feedback about the service since its launch, we also know that you've wanted more coverage (no pun intended) beyond the current 16 metro areas. Well, the good news is that … Read more

One thing we've been hearing a lot about at CTIA this week--whether we like it or not--is the coming of 4G.

The United States' CDMA carriers, Verizon Wireless and Sprint, are pressing the notion that they have 4G networks ready while their GSM counterparts--AT&T and T-Mobile--are struggling to keep their 3G networks turned on or even installed.

But does anybody care? For many people, their 3G connection is fast enough, and people are confused enough by the different standards. 4G, for some, will only be more confusing, even to those who think they need … Read more

LAS VEGAS--CTIA 2010 has come to a close, and the show produced some really awesome smartphones, cell phones, and applications. However, it's one thing to read about these devices and services, and it's another thing to actually see them live.

Since we couldn't take all of you to Las Vegas with us, we're bringing the action to you. Here is a collection of our First Look videos from CTIA, which includes a hands-on look at the HTC Evo 4G, LG Remarq, and Opera Mini 5 for the iPhone. What are you most excited about?

Smartphones … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Opera Software submitted its mobile proxy-based browser, Opera Mini 5, to the iPhone App Store this week, but whether Apple accepts Opera's proposed alternative to Safari is still up in the air.

Either verdict could benefit Opera's hand. If Apple accepts the browser, Opera wins and can begin making a name for itself on yet another mobile platform. If Apple rejects Opera Mini, Opera gets a chance to play the victim, perhaps setting the stage to mount a similar European antitrust claim against Apple as Opera did against Microsoft for its Internet Explorer browser several years back.… Read more

Now more than ever our interpersonal relationships are dictated by electronic communication, which in turn depends upon some form of the written word. Text is of course a great way to express oneself, whether in an e-mail, an instant message, or a text message. However, when it comes to interacting with your friends, family, and business associates in this way, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind:

DO send a text to convey quick details, such as a time and address for meeting with a colleague or friend. Texts are also a great way to … Read more