Smartphones

Quad-core smartphone shootout

Until now, smartphones with quad-core processors used to be just a twinkle in the eye of wistful Android addicts and gadget gurus. Either that or they remained exotic pieces of futuristic hardware reserved for foreigners. Quad-core handsets are now starting to arrive in force. The question is: which device packs the biggest CPU wallop? This chart lays it all out with deeper analysis below.

Phone HTC One X+ LG Nexus 4 LG Optimus G HTC Droid DNA Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Processor 1.7GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon … Read more

Prizefight: Apple iPad 4th generation vs. Google Nexus 10

Apple's fourth-generation iPad takes on Google's Nexus 10 in another battle between two mortal enemies. The full-size tablet market isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so which one is your top pick?

Apple's latest iPad brings exactly the same design, with the new Lightning port and the power of the iTunes and App Store ecosystem. The Google Nexus 10 brings one of the most feature-packed 10-inch tablets on the market, a screen that bests the iPad's Retina Display, and solid support from the Google Play store.

Which tablet are you picking as your Prizefight champion? Cast … Read more

RIM teases with new BlackBerry 10 image

Perhaps the dream of RIM shipping its BlackBerry 10 OS isn't a fantasy after all. The company today posted a teaser image of its upcoming handset via a new micro site. … Read more

Make Instagram pictures display properly on Twitter

You've probably noticed, or read, by now that Twitter and Instagram aren't really getting along all that well. Twitter originally blocked Instagram users' access to their Twitter friends. Then last week Instagram began disabling its integration with Twitter Cards, completely removing support as of yesterday.

Now, when you or someone you follow sends an Instagram photo to Twitter, you'll only see a link to the photo (as you can see in the screenshot above). In the past, you'd see the entire photo directly in your Twitter timeline when using any official Twitter app or the Web … Read more

Samsung video hints at big release at CES

A teasing post on Samsung's site suggests a new product will be revealed at CES 2013.

In a blog post and video, the electronics giant says that its customers should "get ready" for January 8 to 11 -- the dates of the Consumer Electronics show -- and should stay tuned to learn more.

The video doesn't give much away. But the phrase "the world is waiting" may be indicative of previous rumors concerning a potential successor to Samsung's Galaxy S3 smarphone, which debuted in May. The company actually quashed such rumors in September … Read more

Samsung outs more details on Galaxy S3 Premium Suite upgrade

Samsung last week unveiled the first group of new features coming to its Galaxy S3. Now, it has unveiled the second group.

The company earlier today updated its blog with more new features coming to the Galaxy S3 through its Premium Suite upgrade. The handset's camera features are getting a lot of attention in the new update. The Premium Suite upgrade adds a low-light-shot feature, ensuring better picture-taking in dark environments. A Best Face feature allows users to take five pictures consecutively and then choose which to keep. Samsung has also added a camera feature that tells users how … Read more

Jefferies cuts Apple stock target, cites iPhone 5S and more

It has been a rough few weeks for Apple investors, and so far, this week isn't looking much better.

Shares, which dropped nearly 10 percent last week alone, slid 1 percent to $527.74 in recent trading after Jefferies analyst Peter Misek cut his target price for Apple's stock to $800 from $900.

Misek said that Apple's financial results this quarter and next quarter should be well above analysts' expectations, but decelerating unit sales, price declines, and gross margin pressure should limit the stock's climb.

Meanwhile, Misek expects an iPhone 5S to launch in June or … Read more

Best Buy trims $50 off iPhone

Holiday shoppers looking for an iPhone 5 or 4S can save some cash courtesy of a new sale at Best Buy.

The retailer is currently discounting all the various flavors of the iPhone by $50.

That means the 16GB iPhone 5 is selling for $149.99, the 32GB for $249.99, and the 64GB for $349.99. The 16GB iPhone 4S can be had for $49.99. Both the black and white versions are up for grabs.

All of them naturally require the standard two-year contract with Verizon Wireless, AT&T, or Sprint.

A few of the variants can … Read more

LG: Nexus 4 supplies beset by 'huge demand'

Struggling to get your hands on the elusive Nexus 4 smartphone? LG says that's because it's so popular, citing "huge demand" when CNET UK asked about the phone's gloomy supply situation.

The LG-built Nexus 4 went on sale in mid-November, but sold out in half an hour. It was briefly back in stock last Tuesday, but by the next morning the 8GB version was already out of stock again. I contacted LG with a few inventory-related questions.

When asked whether LG knows why Google is running out of Nexus 4 stock, Andy Coughlin, the head … Read more