galaxy

Prizefight: The Fitbit Flex takes on the Jawbone Up

Wearable tech is becoming a hotbed for innovation, but fitness tech has been the category that's opened people's minds to wearing tech 24-7. So we're taking the Fitbit Flex and the Jawbone Up and throwing them into the Prizefight ring!

The Fitbit Flex is the company's first fitness wristband with Bluetooth syncing. The Jawbone Up brings a unique design that's been fine-tuned after its initial release.

Both of them measure your steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and quality of sleep with complementary apps.

Who will cross the finish line first? Will it be the … Read more

Android 4.3 allegedly caught on Google Play Galaxy S4

Google's next version of Android may have taken its latest bow courtesy of a batch of leaked screenshots.

Images obtained and posted by Sammobile purport to reveal an early Android 4.3 build running on the Google Play Edition Galaxy S4. The screenshots clearly display the Android version number as 4.3, while the model number of GT-i9505G refers to Google's new "pure" version of the Galaxy S4.

Another screenshot shows that Google is apparently sticking with the Jelly Bean moniker for Android 4.3.

This isn't the first time Android 4.3 has surfaced … Read more

The best pure Android phones right now

There's something magical about owning a Nexus phone. It's akin to belonging to an elite inner circle or cabal, one that's privy to the most up-to-date software straight from Google's top-secret labs. The benefits of running on pure Android unfettered by carrier bloatware, shady third-party apps, and manufacturer skins go beyond feeling special, though. The biggest is that accessories and apps simply run properly when not tripped up by glitzy yet proprietary add-ons.

Unless you void your warranty and root your handset, then flash it with custom Android builds, however, phones with stock Android are hard … Read more

Google's Samsung Galaxy S4 now available in Google Play

Editors' note: For this review, I focused on how the Samsung Galaxy S4 Play Edition differs from the carrier-branded version of the handset. For our complete assessment of the original Galaxy S4's design, features, and performance, please see our full review.

High-end, powerful, and completely Google-fied, the unlocked variant of the popular Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available from Google Play.

Announced during Google I/O in May and shipping out to customers beginning July 9, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition remains largely the same as the original S4. It still sports a quad-core processor and a … Read more

Frustrated with Verizon's smartphone lineup? You're not alone

Verizon Wireless has built a loyal following by having a rock-solid network. But the carrier is not known for having the widest selection of cool devices.

Getting Apple's iPhone a couple of years ago helped ease the frustration. But Verizon's slow adoption of one of the season's hottest smartphones has some subscribers scratching their heads.

In this Ask Maggie edition, I offer my insights on choosing a Verizon smartphone. I also explain to another reader the best option for making sure you are never left out of a Google Android software update.

Verizon's tired smartphone lineup … Read more

SK Telecom launches world's first LTE-Advanced network

South Korea is about to get a taste of what true 4G mobile broadband speed is.

SK Telecom announced Wednesday that it has launched the world's first LTE-Advanced network, a faster LTE standard that was originally deemed by the International Telecommunication Union as a true 4G standard. LTE-Advanced is capable of data transfer rates of 150Mbps, roughly twice as fast as the 4G LTE speeds available in the United States and elsewhere, and 10 times faster than 3G, SK Telecom said.

"By supporting twice faster speeds than LTE, LTE-A will not only enhance customers' satisfaction in network quality, … Read more

Best Buy offers $50 gift card with Samsung device purchase

Best Buy plans to offer something a little extra to Samsung mobile device buyers.

Anyone who buys any Samsung Galaxy device from June 26 to July 6 will receive a $50 gift card. The offer includes all Samsung Galaxy mobile phones and connected tablets including the Galaxy S3, the Galaxy S4, the Galaxy Note 2 , and the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

A two-year activation is required for post-paid mobile phones and tablets. For mobile activations with a wireless contract, the gift card can be applied immediately to the purchase. For prepaid mobile and tablet activations, the gift card must … Read more

A Samsung Galaxy S4 supporting LTE-Advanced surfaces

Get ready to drool, folks. A version of Samsung's Galaxy S4 has been spotted that reportedly supports LTE-Advanced, a mobile broadband standard that could finally deliver on the true promise of 4G networks.

LTE-Advanced is designed to deliver higher capacity and peak data rates of as much as 3Gbps for downloading and 1.5Gbps for uploads. While carriers here in America are still working on blanketing our significantly more vast landscape with regular old LTE coverage, South Korea's SK Telecom claims to already be hard at work on its first LTE-Advanced network.… Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 Developer Edition debuts for Verizon users

Verizon Wireless subscribers interested in the Galaxy S4 Developer Edition can now order one directly through Samsung.

Selling for $650, the unlocked developer edition offers all the features of the standard S4. But as per its name, it's geared toward developers and other people who want to tweak the phone without running into the obstacles posed by the locked version.

An unlocked boot-loader gives you the ability to reprogram the phone with custom ROMs that carry only the OS and basic apps. You can then install a variety of apps of your own choosing and make other changes.

The … Read more