phones

Cell phone buying guide

Cell phones have become the most crucial personal technology purchase you can make. Not only are these devices full-fledged miniature computers in their own right, they're getting smarter with each product generation. If you're looking for a new handset right now, start with the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One. The Galaxy S4 offers all the power you'd expect from a high-end Android device in an ultraslim package. The HTC One, meanwhile, is the most gorgeous smartphone we've ever held, yet also manages to match the S4 in terms of speed and performance. Of course … Read more

Windows Phone 8 one step closer to 1080p support -- report

Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system might soon support 1080p resolution, leaked file information in Visual Studio 2013 suggests.

Former Nokia and Microsoft engineer Justin Angel tweeted out on Monday an image of Visual Studio 2013. The image showed Windows Phone 8 emulator files containing 1080p resolution of 1,920 x 1,080.

Microsoft's mobile operating system supports 720p resolution, as well as WVGA and WXGA. Full 1080p support, however, has been sorely lacking from the operating system. The resolution is available on several Android handsets.

For its part, Microsoft hasn't confirmed that 1080p support is coming … Read more

LTE-Advanced iPhone 5S and budget model rumors surface

In need of a daily dose of rumors about future iPhones? Well, A Chinese-language blog claims the budget iPhone is on the way, while a Korean news outlet expects a version of the iPhone 5S with high-speed LTE.

Let's start with the most colorful rumor. Chinese tech blog lieyunwang claims -- via Brightwire -- that Hon Hai Precision (aka, Foxconn) has begun production of the entry-level iPhone, expected to be offered in several different colors.

What colors? A French site posted photos on Monday that claim to show the colorful back plates.

Meanwhile, the Chinese-language report states that the … Read more

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 could arrive in September

Samsung fans, listen up: a new Galaxy Note 3 phone might be right around the corner. A new report claims the latest phablet device from the Korean tech giant could become a reality in September.

Samsung certainly has made a lot of noise about its newest Galaxy S4 superphone, but another of its popular gadget lines, the Galaxy Note franchise, is sorely overdue for a refresh. Now it appears a Note 3 model is in the works, according to sources close to technology blog Android Geeks.

You may recall that the original Galaxy Note first shook up the mobile device … Read more

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

Save San Francisco from mutant cheese and celebrate the DNA double helix

Mutant Muensters are on the loose! Who do you turn to for help when killer cheese aims to destroy San Francisco? That is the question Genentech poses on the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA double helix by Dr. Francis Crick and James D. Watson.

In Ralph's Killer Muenster (available for iPad) the game charges you, the user, to track down the runaway mutant cheese that escaped containment. The twist is the devious muenster is quickly spreading and mutating into different strains. Solve puzzles using genetic methods and scientific processes (Read: match symbols and shapes) to track … Read more

Record silent Instagram videos

I love animated GIFs. They're quick, there's an art to them, and as obnoxious as they might be visually -- they're silent.

My big problem with this whole Vine and Instagram video boom is that the end product is often unintentionally noisy -- sometimes even jarring. I used to browse my Instagram feed like I was walking through an endless art gallery made by my friends. But now it seems like every few posts there's a video sucking down my bandwidth and assaulting my ears with a cut-up of ambient noise.

Close your eyes and your … Read more

Review: PhoneTrans simplifies moving files between phone and computer

PhoneTrans removes many of the barriers that are built into the backup, sync, and restore process for your iPhone. This alone makes it an invaluable app, but combined with a well-made interface, and speedy, responsive upload and download speeds, it is a great tool that you will find yourself using far more often than the built-in transfer tools provided by Apple in iTunes.

PhoneTrans is designed to move files between your computer and your iPhone. There are few menus and the software does almost nothing until you have loaded your phone by connecting it to the computer. It is compatible … Read more

T-Mobile to make bold moves July 10

T-Mobile issued invitations today for a media event in New York City on July 10.

Exactly what the carrier has in store for the shindig remains a mystery, but T-Mobile promises that it will deliver its "boldest moves yet." It all begins at 11:30 a.m. PT.

Of course, a flashy new handset (or handsets) is a big possibility, with the Sony Xperia Z as the most likely star. Remember that last week, CNET's Roger Cheng reported that T-Mobile had confirmed that the Xperia Z would go on sale "in the coming weeks."

The … Read more

Search anonymously on your phone with DuckDuckGo

If the government's PRISM program has you looking over your shoulder, perhaps you'll find yourself a little less paranoid with DuckDuckGo Search & Stories on your phone. The app was released today for iPhone and for Android.

DuckDuckGo lets you search anonymously. Unlike other search engines, it does not collect or share your personal information. Thus, should the feds request user information from DuckDuckGo, it'll have nothing to turn over.

I tried out the iPhone app and was surprised to find it's more than a simple search app. It's a blend of search and news. … Read more