CES

Is ZTE ready for the high-end big leagues?

As CES 2013 in Las Vegas looms around the corner, one thing I'm looking forward to is what ZTE has up its sleeve.

Though it's the fourth-biggest phone manufacturer in the world, the Chinese company remains largely unknown in the United States. Those who do know it are usually those savvy about the mobile industry and even then, the overall impression of ZTE isn't positive.

At best, the company is known for entry-level-to-midrange handsets with mediocre performance and security flaws. At worst, ZTE figures as a national security threat. Yikes.

But as far as devices go, ZTE … Read more

YotaPhone at CES: An LCD, e-ink Android mashup

It sounds like a bad "Star Wars" pun and looks like someone slapped a Kindle e-reader on the back of a smartphone, but the two-sided YotaPhone promises to be so much more.

On the front, you've got a 4.3-inch, 1,280x720-pixel HD, full-color LCD, and the back, a secondary screen uses a monochromatic e-ink technology (at 200dpi). Both are reinforced Gorilla Glass.

Most importantly, the screens are interconnected, which means that you'll be able to quickly pass information from one to the other.

Why the two screens? It's all about battery savings. E-ink conserves … Read more

Actor, gadget fan Danny DeVito to talk tech at CES 2013

It's always sunny at CES.

Well, not really, but Danny DeVito, the film star and one of the actors who have helped make "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" a hit for FX, is scheduled to make an appearance in Las Vegas next week to talk technology and entertainment during CES 2013.

Besides being a film producer, director, and actor (his credits include "Hoffa," "LA Confidential," and "War of the Roses"), DeVito is also a big gadget fan. As part of the event, Hanno Basse and Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, the respective chief … Read more

Watch CNET's 'The British Are Coming' panel at CES

I'm the Editor of CNET UK and I've been going to CES for over a decade now. But there's one country's tech I almost never see reported on at the show -- my own. I've always wondered why that is.

Brits have been involved in so many important tech inventions over the years, from television to the World Wide Web -- are our best discoveries behind us, or do we still have something left to give?

On Tuesday at 2 p.m. Pacific Time (10 p.m. U.K. time) I'll be trying to … Read more

The 404 1,186: Where we're bad at the Internet (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Scientists to do tests to make sure this whole thing isn't just a computer simulation.

- Ban on demanding Facebook passwords among new 2013 state laws.

- Arizona bill would outlaw posing as others on Facebook or Twitter.

- Apple: "Do Not Disturb" will remain disturbed until January 7.

- An infinitely large wall of text editable by anyone, at your own risk.… Read more

Tougher Gorilla Glass 3 means more-scratch-proof screens

Corning's goal: to shatter its own status quo when it comes to the strength of its Gorilla Glass screens for consumer electronics.

At CES, the glass maker will debut Gorilla Glass 3, the company's latest effort in the daily battle against scratched, splintered, and shattered device screens.

By studying glass' atomic structure and bonding properties, Corning's team was able to "invent another kind of glass" that makes the substance less brittle, and less prone to scratches, says David Velasquez, Gorilla Glass' director of marketing and commercial operations.

Corning terms this additional fortitude "native damage … Read more

Ubuntu OS coming to smartphones

Thursday's CNET Update is disturbed:

Rumors come and go quickly in the tech world. A report from TechCrunch stirred up rumors that Apple was planning on buying the navigation app Waze. But CNET has learned that Apple has no plans to acquire Waze. It wasn't a radical idea, since Apple already works with Waze as a partner for Apple's mapping software.

Apple is, however, addressing a bug in the Do Not Disturb feature of iOS 6. The company said it won't be fixed until January 7. Do Not Disturb will silence incoming calls, alerts and notifications … Read more

Samsung speeds up midrange mirrorless camera model

Ah, release creep hits Samsung. It's been only 8 months since the company shipped its NX210 mirrorless interchangeable camera and the company's already lining up its replacement. Granted, the NX210 did feel a little like a stopgap -- it was essentially the same camera as its predecessor with some wireless capabilities tacked on -- but if I'd bought one, I'd be a little cranky about now, because the NX300 offers some significant enhancements that potentially make it a much better camera.

The most obvious difference between the generations is the new retro two-tone design, à la … Read more

CNET's Twitter team for CES 2013

CNET is ready to bring you everything under the Las Vegas sun at CES 2013, including all the best product releases, press conferences, photography, live video, shows, panels, awards, swag... you get the picture.

Here are the accounts to follow for all the best at CES. We're sending a few people...

Master CNET accounts:

Follow @CNET CNET - The best of everything at CES. Follow @CNETNews CNET News - Live-tweets from major press events and all the top stories. Follow @CNETTV CNET TV - Live coverage of press events, product videos, and CNET shows. Follow @Crave Crave - All … Read more