gs4

The five different Galaxy S4s: Which one's for you?

Samsung wasted very little time after sending its Samsung Galaxy S4 into the wild to breed a whole line of variants.

Now, there are no fewer than five Galaxy S4 models vying for your time and attention, and they're rather tough to tell apart.

Take the Galaxy S4 Google Edition, for instance, a model that's almost identical to the GS4 original -- oh, except for its entire experience and price. Then there are the Galaxy S4 Mini, Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, and Galaxy S4 Zoom. What's a Samsung fan to do?

Don't worry, that's what … Read more

Waterproof Samsung Galaxy S4 Active makes some waves (hands-on)

Samsung's Galaxy S4 line gets another family member in the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, a hardened, ruggedized spin-off of the company's flagship model.

Waterproof to a meter below the surface and for up to 30 minutes, the Active carries on computing with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, Samsung's TouchWiz interface, and a 1.9GHz quad-core processor, the same as its more delicate Galaxy S4 sibling.

Many of its other specs are also similar, but one that stands out is the camera, whose 8-megapixel module can take this bad boy under the waves with its brand-new Aqua mode.… Read more

Cricket's Samsung Galaxy S4 sells June 7 for $600

LAS VEGAS -- Cricket announced on Wednesday that it'll sell Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone starting June 7.

The superpremium handset sells for the hefty sum of $599.99, but buyers can also put $55 down and space out monthly payments.

Cricket's version of the Galaxy S4 includes the same high-end hardware specs you'll find on any carrier, like a 5-inch HD screen, a 13-megapixel camera, and a TV remote control. However, it'll also carry Cricket's Muve Music service, which gives you unlimited access to downloadable songs and ringtones as part of the monthly Android … Read more

Making sense of Google's high Galaxy S4 price tag

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

AT&T to offer 32GB Galaxy S4 on May 10

AT&T announced on Twitter today that it will start offering the 32GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 on May 10 for $249.99 after users sign a two-year contract.

Currently, customers can purchase the 16GB version of Samsung's flagship handset for $199.99.

In addition to this bump in capacity, users will still get the same excellent features seen in the 16GB model.

This includes a vibrant 5-inch HD Super AMOLED 1080p touch screen, a 13-megapixel camera, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

For more about the GS4, be sure to check out our full CNET review.… Read more

Best Samsung Galaxy S4 cases

Editors' note: This post was updated June 14, 2013, with six new products, including cases from PureGear, Skech, and Spigen SGP.

iPhone owners have always had a variety of cases and covers to choose from, but the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4 are among the few ultrapopular Android smartphones that have spurred cottage industries of cases and covers.

In boiling down the best of what's currently out there, I tried to provide a good mix of well-designed, affordable cases with more-expensive models that offer some unique attributes.

One thing to watch for when buying cases these days is that … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 rocks the best phone OLED yet, says report

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may have a 5-inch screen with a killer 1080p HD resolution, but that doesn't tell you as much about its display quality as you might think.

That's because, as any display guru (like CNET's David Katzmaier) will tell you, a screen's ultimate rating spans resolution and pixel density, sure, but also color reproduction and accuracy, total brightness, viewing angles, and reflectance.

The screen material technology also plays a huge role; when it comes to smartphones, LCD displays make up the lion's share of manufacturers' choice, with Samsung at the forefront of … Read more

U.S. Cellular preps for weekend Galaxy S4 sales

Amid reports of delays with some carriers, U.S. Cellular is announcing its schedule to sell the Samsung Galaxy S4 online and in its brick-and-mortar stores.

The 16GB version of the marquee device goes on sale Friday online for $199.99 with an instant rebate.

A few days later, on Tuesday, the black or white handsets will show up in retail stores.

Starting on Friday, U.S. Cellular will start shipping the Galaxy S4 to customers who preordered the device, along with a free S View flip cover (video), a $60 value.

Galaxy S4 faces supply issue due to 'overwhelming demand'

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may be a hotter item than its previous hype suggested.

Samsung Electronics' upcoming flagship smartphone may actually be a hard item to find. In a note to CNET, the company warned that initial supply would be limited, blaming "overwhelming global demand."

"We expect to fulfill inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks," a Samsung representative said.

The issues have already affected two U.S. carriers. Sprint Nextel will still offer the phone via its Web site and telesales on April 27, but gave no word on when it would actually have … Read more