411

Android 4.1.1, also known as Jelly Bean, will finally make its way to some global versions of the HTC One S.

It's still unclear when the U.S. version of the One S, sold by T-Mobile USA, will get the update. PocketNow was the first to pick up on the new software release.

HTC phones have been slow to get the latest version of Android, partly because the company has chosen to heavily customize its products with the Sense skin, which adds a layer of complexity to future software upgrades. In addition, the updates must be approved … Read more

Skype is one of the most widely used messaging and calling applications available on practically every current platform. Skype for iPhone is, as the name implies, the iOS port that works on iPhone and iPad. Available for free from iTunes or several download sites, including the publisher's, Skype installs and configures easily.

Skype lets you message or chat with anyone on your contacts list. You can also set up either audio or video conferences easily with Skype, as well as conference calls, by hitting a single button after choosing the contact. Calls over standard data networks, from one Skype … Read more

You don't have to buy expensive software or be an editing guru to create photo slideshows. Free Slideshow Maker pieces together multiple pictures and you can add audio files to make your slideshow more appealing. It's not as feature-packed as some similar programs, but it works just fine for showing off pictures to friends, and it's easy enough for rookie users.

Free Slideshow Maker supports most picture and audio formats, so there's no need to convert anything. As for outputting the final product, only the AVI extension is supported. While most computers will be able to … Read more

Gems With Friends Free for iOS is social puzzle game that uses drag-and-drop gems to rack up points against your opponent. We loved the game's simple, but strategic gameplay, and found it very addictive.

To begin, you can log in with either your Facebook account or with your e-mail address. For new users, logging in with either will create a new account where you can select your username. We loved the quick introduction that walks you through a sample game. After going through each tip, we felt we had a good handle on how to play the game. Gems … Read more

Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S 4G owners on Sprint's network are now getting a bite of Jelly Bean.

As of yesterday, Android 4.1.1, aka Jelly Bean, has been available for Nexus users through an over-the-air update. Owners of the Samsung phone can follow the steps on Sprint's Galaxy Nexus update page to download and install the latest version if they don't already have it.

The Nexus S 4G is also getting the Jelly Bean treatment over Sprint's network. Like the update for the Galaxy Nexus, this one is available over the air. Users will … Read more

There aren't that many Internet browsers. It was interesting to come across one that isn't as well-known or as well-advertised as the others: SlimBrowser. We can't say much about the security of this browser, since time will only tell, but it has some interesting features.

You can save all open sites as a Group, for example, which is a very convenient feature for anyone that has to regularly open the same sites simultaneously for work. There is also a Language tab, which connects you to Google in order to translate a page. It's not perfect, obviously, … Read more

For better or worse, our computers keep pretty good records of our activities in the form of cookies, temporary folders, search histories, and other bits of info that you might not even be aware of. There are plenty of programs out there to help you manage this data, both to protect your privacy and clear out junk files that take up space and slow down performance. Xleaner is one of these, though it's definitely not the most effective or user-friendly one we've tried. It's not awful, but we find it hard to recommend when there are so … Read more

I've been a big fan of Samsung's laptop designs, going back to the QX401 last year. While I had spent extensive time with the sleek Series 9 and diminutive Series 3, I was away on vacation when the Series 7 was first introduced. Now that one has arrived at CNET's offices, it seemed like a good time to do a quick first take, based on my first few minutes with the laptop.

Sleek metal: clean cut, brushed lines, very solid. The Series 7 is more impressive than I expected, more along the lines of an Apple MacBook Pro, and the way the HP Envy looked to our eyes for the first time. It's also a wide laptop, but that keyboard goes edge to edge. … Read more

Welcome to the 411, my column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have similar queries, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

I currently carry 2 phones, one Verizon (CDMA) and one AT&T (GSM). This has served me well at getting coverage most everywhere I go. But what I would really love to do is combine the 2 accounts onto 1 phone. Are there any devices available that I could combine the 2 accounts (Verizon & AT&T) onto a single phone? -- TC, via e-mail

I would say probably not. There are dual-mode CDMA/GSM phones like the Verizon world phones, but the GSM chip in those handsets can only be used with overseas carriers. These phones can be SIM unlocked, but even then, many of them have additional locks that make them unusable with either AT&T or T-Mobile. If you do want to use two accounts in one phone, I can think of dual-SIM card handsets like the Blu Speed and the Duet D888, but these are GSM-only. If anyone has other ideas, please let us know in the comments.… Read more