Phones

Nvidia CEO unveils next two gens of Tegra, dubbed Logan, Parker

Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang today talked up the chipmaker's next two generations of mobile chip, saying the Tegra chip line will show a 100-times improvement in strength from the first chip to the fifth.

The current Tegra chip, Tegra 4, hit the market earlier this year. The next generation, coming later this year, is code-named Logan, while the fifth generation of Tegra is code-named Parker, Huang said at the company's GPU developers' conference.

Logan will incorporate Nvidia's Kepler GPU, which currently is dominating the discrete graphics market. It also will include CUDA, Nvidia's programming model for … Read more

Verizon's Samsung Galaxy Nexus gets Android 4.2.2

Verizon announced today that it's making the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean software update available for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Verizon says it'll push the update in "phases," which means that you may need to exercise a bit of patience if your phone doesn't receive the update in the first round.

At long last, Verizon's "pure Google" Samsung Galaxy Nexus has finally caught up with its Sprint counterpart in running the latest version of Android. Launched as the first Android device to run version 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy … Read more

Samsung, LG may battle over eye-tracking technology

Samsung and LG Electronics could find themselves in another patent squabble, this time over eye-tracking technology.

Samsung's Galaxy S4 and LG's Optimus G Pro both will offer an eye-recognition feature that automatically reacts to the movement of the user's eyes.

The Galaxy S4 already comes built with Smart Scroll, which lets people scroll through the screen and trigger certain actions by moving their eyes up and down. The phone also includes Smart Pause, which pauses a video when a person looks away from the screen.

LG will add a Smart Video eye-recognition feature to its Optimus G … Read more

T-Mobile gearing up for big event on March 26

Judging from a T-Mobile press conference invite that just crossed our desks, the carrier apparently has big changes in store. Scheduled for 11 a.m. ET in New York, the March 26 event will supposedly demonstrate the wireless provider's intentions to not act like a typical "wireless company."

While that's not a lot of info to go on, I'm betting this indicates T-Mobile's imminent transition to a completely no-contract carrier. Rumors have already surfaced that the carrier will ditch all subsidies on its phones soon, as early as March 24.

Additionally, reports assert that … Read more

Get an iOttie Sprinkle iPhone 5 case for $14.99 shipped

The iPhone 5: thing of beauty, right? It's slim and pocket-friendly and just a marvel of engineering, yes?

Gravity: 24-7, right? Strikes without warning, yes? That's why you'll never catch me carrying a phone without a case, even if it means hiding some of its beauty and lessening its pocket-friendliness.

The question is, which case? You've got a million options, with prices ranging from around five bucks all the way up to 50 -- sometimes even higher.

If you want robust, colorful, popular protection for your phone, there's a deal to be had: For a … Read more

Android 5.0 coming to Samsung Galaxy phones, reports say

The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 are on a short list of devices rumored to see an Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie update, according to SamMobile.

A select few members of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones are expected to see an update to the next version of Android, presumed to be OS version 5.0, known as Key Lime Pie.

A "prelist" of updates apparently obtained by the mobile blog suggests that the soon-to-be-released Samsung Galaxy S4 will be joined by four other models to receive the forthcoming Android 5.0 OS, including various versions of … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 FAQ

Samsung's long-awaited and much-hyped Samsung Galaxy S4 finally is here. CNET has rendered its official review, which you can read here, and early-bird customers will get the device in their hands this week. As one of the biggest smartphone releases of 2013 so far, the Galaxy S4 generated a lot of discussion in the five weeks since its blowout and bizarre launch event in New York. Below are the most vital details about the handset, where it will land, and when you can get it.

What are the GS4's most standout features? That depends; how long do you … Read more

What the Samsung Galaxy S4 means for other Android players

After months of rumors and speculation, and one rather awkward press event, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is now an official smartphone. Indeed, we still have a month or more before it actually arrives, but Samsung has again changed the game for Android.

Or has it? What does the Samsung Galaxy S4 mean for other Android players and how should they react in the wake of the big reveal? As I see it, there are three important lessons to be learned from Samsung and the Galaxy S4.

Go big or go home Watching last night's press event unfold, I came … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 display looking good, expert says

If you're the type of person who cares about these things, you'll be happy to know that a screen expert gives the Samsung Galaxy S4 kudos so far.

In particular, Ray Soneira, president of display analysis and software calibration company DisplayMate, takes it as a good sign that Samsung includes something called a CIE Chromaticity Diagram and grayscale for the GS4's adaptive screen settings.

The bottom line? If the Galaxy S4 has extensive color, white point, and display calibration adjustments, it means that Samsung's phones can back away from the oversaturated, candied colors they often get … Read more