huawei ascend mate

Huawei's Ascend Mate proves that bigger isn't always better

The Huawei Ascend Mate may be built like a linebacker, but it's the custom software interface floating on top of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean device that can hope to salvage an otherwise blah phablet experience.

With its 6.1-inch screen, the Mate is currently the largest smartphone you can buy -- though Samsung's Galaxy Note refresh is rumored to match or surpass even this gargantuan display with its own 6- or even 6.3-inch version. The Mate's screen is easy to read, yes, but it's also lower-resolution than I'd expect for the size. … Read more

Episode 39: Is the Samsung Galaxy S4 the right phone for you?

The Samsung Galaxy S4 brings a lot of tech to the table. From eye-tracking and gesture control, to its built-in translator and ability to act as a TV remote, the phone is cutting-edge in a plethora of ways. That being said, in today's highly saturated smartphone market, does the S4 have what it takes to be the best? And if it does, is it enough to get people to switch or upgrade with so many good options out there? With these questions in mind, we dished the S4 out to three people, both iOS and Android users, to let … Read more

This is the year Huawei smartphones break through

Huawei could not have asked for a better CES.

With best-selling heavyweights like Samsung, HTC, Morotola, and Nokia all but invisible from the show, the usually second-tier Huawei became a top dog when it announced two high-end Android phones -- the Ascend Mate and Ascend D2 -- and its first Windows Phone 8 device.

A relative unknown in the U.S, Huawei vowed two years ago to become a top-five vendor in three years. With one year left for it to achieve its own prophecy, things are finally looking good.

Better phones at last Back in August, I opined that … Read more

Huawei to go jumbo with 6.1-inch Ascend Mate

Huawei has something big in store for CES.

A company executive prematurely showed off the company's Ascend Mate, a jumbo 6.1-inch smartphone, which was rumored to be its big announcement for the Consumer Electronics Show in early January.

But Huawei executive Richard Yu pulled the phone out while at a Huawei store in China, according to Engadget.

CNET contacted Huawei for comment, and we'll update the story when we get a response.

The Ascend Mate is the latest in a class of phones known as "phablets," or a hybrid between a phone and a tablet. … Read more