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Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 incinerates the competition

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 will destroy your mobile processor. Not literally, of course. I'm strictly referring to its ability to to render real-time graphics so fast as to make your current mobile processor -- on your phone or tablet -- embarrassingly dawdling in comparison.

At an benchmarking event in San Francisco, Qualcomm allowed me and others in attendance to run a benchmarks on a reference Mobile Development Platform (MDP) tablet housing its latest Snapdragon 800 system-on-chip. The results speak for themselves; however, I should warn that these are only benchmark results (3DMark and GFXBench, specifically) and don't necessarily … Read more

Samsung Galaxy Ring circles up with Virgin Mobile for $180

Those eyeing Virgin Mobile's prepaid phones now have another Android 4.1 smartphone to choose from. Starting Tuesday, the Jelly Bean-filled Samsung Galaxy Ring debuts with decidedly entry-level features that are aimed for the budget-minded.

Let's start with the 4-inch display, backed by a 5-megapixel camera with HD video recording, and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The Swype keyboard comes preinstalled, and ID packs can customize your phone by adding a themed profile. The more compact Galaxy Ring keeps gaming interesting with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor and a $179.99 up-front price.

Speed demons, however, will balk … Read more

BlackBerry Q10 finally landing on AT&T June 21

It's been a long time coming, but AT&T customers can now expect to get their hands on the BlackBerry Q10 on June 21. The physical keyboard-toting gadget will cost the industry standard price of $199.99.

With an expertly designed typing surface that's based on BlackBerry's legendary Bold line of handsets, the Q10 features keys that are billed as 30 percent larger. In my experience with the device, I can certainly vouch that punching out messages on the keyboard is both fast and accurate.

That said, to make way for the bigger key layout you … Read more

LG phone to sport always-on voice commands in 2014 -- report

LG is hard at work on a new smartphone that will allow for always-on voice commands, a new report claims.

The handset, which will launch in 2014, will allow users to speak commands without needing to touch the screen first, Gotta Be Mobile is reporting on Tuesday, citing three people who claim to have knowledge of LG's plans.The technology will also allow for a broader range of commands than those available now.

Although Gotta Be Mobile cites LG's plans, it's highly likely that it won't be alone in launching a device next year that features … Read more

HTC finally shows off 3.5-inch Desire 200

HTC has unveiled the long-rumored Desire 200.

The device, which is designed for customers on a budget, comes with a 3.5-inch display and runs on 3G networks. The inside is similarly budget-friendly, boasting a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 processor and 4GB of onboard memory. The device has just 512MB of memory.

Rumors had been swirling for some time that HTC would launch an update to its Desire line. As expected, the device features rounded corners, a simple black finish, and Beats audio. Users can also monitor their data usage on the device.

HTC has yet to announce pricing and … Read more

LG Optimus G Pro hits 1 million unit sales in Korea

LG's Optimus G Pro has reached 1 million unit sales a few months before its predecessor, the company announced on Tuesday.

LG posted the news to its Web site (Translate), saying that it has sold 1 million units in Korea. The device hit the Korean market in February, meaning it took about four months for the Optimus G Pro to reach that point. The LG Optimus LTE, which came before the G Pro, reached 1 million units sold in seven months.

Interestingly, LG didn't mention Optimus G Pro sales elsewhere around the world, and it's not known … Read more

Sony reportedly readies first phablet

A French press invite from Sony Mobile touts a "big surprise" at an upcoming July 4 event in Paris, but a slew of leaked images and specs may have spoiled the secret of Sony's first phablet before its big reveal.

The invitation features a mysterious image of a tall and slim device with a profile that resembles the Xperia Z smartphone and tablet. The new device -- expected to be named the Xperia Z Ultra -- is rumored to have a 6.4-inch screen and a 1080p HD resolution (That's a pixel density of 342 ppi … Read more

T-Mobile kicks off MetroPCS shift-over with new phones

Starting Friday, MetroPCS customers will already be able to feel the effects of T-Mobile's buyout in the form of three new phones that customers can start using right away on T-Mobile's 4G network.

The Android-running LG Optimus L9 ($149) and Samsung Exhibit ($129), and Alcatel 768 flip phone ($49) run on T-Mobile HSPA+ 4G network and go on sale today.

Things look up for people seeking an even heartier features experience. Beginning June 17, MetroPCS will also stock its version of the Samsung Galaxy S3, riding T-Mobile's much faster 4G LTE than Metro's own network.

Today, … Read more

Too many stars in the 'S4' galaxy dull Samsung's brand

In just two short months we've seen the debut of five Samsung Galaxy S4 phones: the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy S4 Google Edition, the Galaxy S4 Mini, and the Galaxy S4 Zoom. There are already rumors of a sixth, the 6.3-inch Galaxy S4 Mega.

Making matters more confusing is that the phone specs vary, and some Galaxy S4 phones may offer an experience that's quite different from the original top-rated S4's. From my perspective, Samsung is simply muddying its S4 brand name with too many Galaxy S4s.

When I think of … Read more