Cell phones

LAS VEGAS -- Tapping into high-speed 4G networks is a real treat, but sometimes a signal is hard to find. Mosaik's new CellMaps Mobile Coverage app for Android is here to help.

Announced today at CTIA 2013, the application lets U.S. Android phone owners see 4G footprints for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon in real time. Users can also drill down to see cellular network services in their neck of the woods or scan the overall 4G picture nationally.

Even more exciting is the application's ability to filter 4G coverage in granular details such as … Read more

Satellite phones may seem like a niche technology, and in many ways they are. You won't need one while roaming city streets, but they can be invaluable if you're ever trekking far from civilization -- though that didn't stop this guy from using the HTC One on Mt. Everest.

If you're an in-the-wilds type, then Spot has a new option for you. On Monday, the company announced the Spot Global Phone, a satellite handset that promises a voice and data connection in hard-to-reach places.

Though most satellite phones tend to be bulky, the Spot Global weighs … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Caterpillar's Cat B15 Android smartphone is the newest entrant to the U.S.' rough and ready durable phone tussle.

I got my hands on the B15 this past March when it first appeared on the world stage at Mobile World Congress. This U.S. variant is essentially the same handset, except for the cellular support -- AWS bands 1700/2100 to complement GSM 850/1900 support.

There's no launch date yet, since Cat is actively pursuing North American partners like carriers and retailers for around $350 unlocked.

Made by the same company that builds industrial tractors and … Read more

On Tuesday, when Google's Vice President of Android Product Management Hugo Barra told a crowd of nearly 6,000 attendees that the online giant would be releasing its own variant of the critically-acclaimed Samsung Galaxy S4, many broke out in applause.

Not only would the top-tier device sport all the same desirable specs the GS4 was already known for (like the quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and Android 4.2 OS), it would also give Android purists/TouchWiz haters, an unsullied Nexus software experience.

Yes, there was clapping all around (and even a "woot!" or two) until Barra … Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Irony may be funny to the gods of Olympus, but it's a cruel lesson for us mortals. I found this out the hard way at BlackBerry Live 2013. Within minutes of arriving at my hotel I managed to misplace my lovely HTC One test unit. As a result, my backup BlackBerry Z10 was suddenly promoted to first-string smartphone duty. … Read more

One of the many announcements flooding out of Google I/O that may have gotten lost in the shuffle is Android's expected support for Bluetooth Smart technology.

This may seem like an odd development, especially if you know that many Android devices already feature Bluetooth 4.0, the version in which Bluetooth Smart (that is, Bluetooth Low Energy) first appeared. What's new here, though, is that the fresh flavor of Android, expected to hit in the next few months, will natively integrate all of Bluetooth 4.0's fancy tricks, including BLE, or BT Smart. Previous Android iterations … Read more

Though the white version of the LG Nexus 4 began floating around the Interwebs as early as January, it may officially hit the Google Play Store starting June 10.

According to Android and Me, which reportedly got hold of the elusive device, the white Nexus 4 may even launch with Android 4.3, as well.

On Monday, CNET Asia reported that the white device appeared on a Google+ user site and speculated that it could make an appearance at this week's Google I/O.

Unfortunately, as we all saw in yesterday's keynote, no news of a white Nexus … Read more

Don't get me wrong, I still love my smartphones as much as any modern 21st-century kid. But there's something about whipping out a flip phone and then snapping it closed that is very gratifying and nostalgic. And while many phone manufacturers pump out high-tech handsets every season, it's nice to see that once in a while, a simple flip phone still makes it through the pipeline.

Not only do these handsets have the best call quality (and really, isn't that what phones are made for?), but they also are extremely simple to use and can withstand a good knock or two. Below, we've gathered our recent favorites.… Read more

The Pebble smartwatch certainly took its sweet time getting off the ground, but today the people who created Pebble say they have enhanced its application capabilities. Now able to talk in detail between phone and watch, Pebble apps promise true two-way communication. … Read more