q10

Always On Episode 44: Unboxing the Asus PadFone Infinity

Well, folks, this episode just about sums up Season 4. It's been another a great one, but don't worry, we're not planning on spending the summer lounging by the pool sipping fancy cocktails. It's too cold in San Francisco, anyway. We're already on the prowl, gearing up for Season 5. Plus, we've even got a couple special shows and an Always On giveaway coming in the next few weeks to keep you guys entertained.

For this week's unboxing, we take our first look at a one-of-a-kind gadget: the Asus PadFone Infinity. Despite a … Read more

BlackBerry pleads for patience after brutal quarter

BlackBerry's "solid ground" just got shakier.

The company on Friday posted a loss in its fiscal first quarter, whereas analysts had projected at profit. Compounding the negativity was the eventual disclosure that it only sold 2.7 million BlackBerry 10 devices in the quarter and saw its subscriber base fall by 4 million to 72 million.

It was a bad day for BlackBerry all around. The surprising and disappointing numbers underscore the continued challenges the company faces as it continues its slow efforts for a recovery. But with losses expected to continue piling up, some are wondering … Read more

Uh-oh: BlackBerry shipped just 2.7M BB10 devices last quarter

BlackBerry sold a humbling 2.7 million BlackBerry 10 devices in its fiscal first quarter.

The company disclosed on a conference call Friday that 40 percent of the 6.8 million total BlackBerrys it sold in the period, which ended June 1, ran on its much-ballyhooed next-generation platform.

That's a number that most on Wall Street regarded as disappointing. Sanford Bernstein analyst Pierre Ferragu, for instance, had expected sales of 3 million units.

The sales figure likely represents the number of units sold to carriers, or the "ship in" figure. It's unclear what the "sell … Read more

BlackBerry narrows loss, but Wall Street had expected a profit

BlackBerry may have shown a bit of progress in sales of its new smartphones, but its loss left many industry watchers surprised and disappointed.

The Waterloo, Ontario, company on Friday posted a loss of $84 million, or 16 cents a share, in its fiscal first quarter, which ended June 1. That was narrower than the loss of $518 million, or 99 cents a share, from a year ago. Excluding one-time items, the company lost $67 million, or 13 cents a share. Revenue rose 9 percent to $3.1 billion.

Analysts, on average, expected BlackBerry to post revenue of $3.36 … Read more

Episode 43: Unboxing the BlackBerry Q10

The past three weeks of Always On showcased the roles tech can play in your summer vacation. In some cases, we determined whether or not your tech can survive your summer vacation. Now this episode doesn't involve snapping photos of spinner dolphins, desert road tripping in a tricked-out RV, or fitness tracking through mud at an average of 8,150 feet of elevation. But just because we're finally back home in the Bay Area doesn't mean we took a break from turning our environment into a tech battleground.

We start things off with an unboxing of the … Read more

BlackBerry Q10 finally landing on AT&T June 21

It's been a long time coming, but AT&T customers can now expect to get their hands on the BlackBerry Q10 on June 21. The physical keyboard-toting gadget will cost the industry standard price of $199.99.

With an expertly designed typing surface that's based on BlackBerry's legendary Bold line of handsets, the Q10 features keys that are billed as 30 percent larger. In my experience with the device, I can certainly vouch that punching out messages on the keyboard is both fast and accurate.

That said, to make way for the bigger key layout you … Read more

How FreedomPop's free mobile plan will work

CNET Update features a freebie:

Is FreedomPop's free mobile plan too good to be true? In today's Update episode, I explain how the plan will work when it launches this summer. The free model runs on Sprint's network and has unlimited texts, but monthly limits on data (500 MB of 4G) and voice (200 minutes).

Paying for more data and voice on FreedomPop is still cheaper than going with a major carrier. In an interview with CNET Update, FreedomPop CEO Stephen Stokols explained he's targeting a price of $9.99 for unlimited calling, and $17.99 … Read more

BlackBerry's next flagship phone: The all-touchscreen A10

BlackBerry's next flagship smartphone, the all-touchscreen BlackBerry A10, will launch during the holidays, CNET has learned.

The BlackBerry A10 is the successor to the Z10, and further builds upon the company's burgeoning lineup of devices. The A10 will occupy the highest tier, moving the Z10 and keyboard-equipped Q10 to the midtier. The lower-end Q5 will continue to occupy the lower, more affordable strata. By quickly expanding its product line, the company is hoping it can better cater to consumers of varying income levels.

The A10 continues BlackBerry's push to prove to consumers and the industry that it … Read more

BlackBerry COO: Carriers are all aboard for the Q10

The U.S. carriers weren't particularly enthusiastic when selling BlackBerry's debut next-generation product, the BlackBerry Z10, but you can expect them to get louder with the follow-up Q10.

That's according to BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear, who spoke to CNET on the day of the Q10 launch. T-Mobile is the first to offer the Q10, which hit stores on Wednesday, and the other three carriers will follow in the coming days.

It marks the first time a BlackBerry device has sold across all four U.S. nationwide carriers, a feat that should help get the company'… Read more

Verizon's BlackBerry Q10 drops June 10 for $200; preorders start June 6

Big Red faithful who have long been craving a physical keyboard's reassuring typing touch, this is your moment. Verizon will begin offering the new BlackBerry Q10 smartphone in stores starting next Monday, June 10 -- but eager beavers can preorder theirs starting Thursday.

Verizon and the other three major carriers -- AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile -- are pretty much on target with previous timelines that marked sales starting in early June.

Another consistency is the price. BlackBerry's QWERTY master sells for $199.99 on Verizon and AT&T with a new, two-year service agreement. Expect … Read more