samsung galaxy note 2

Quad-core smartphone shootout

Until now, smartphones with quad-core processors used to be just a twinkle in the eye of wistful Android addicts and gadget gurus. Either that or they remained exotic pieces of futuristic hardware reserved for foreigners. Quad-core handsets are now starting to arrive in force. The question is: which device packs the biggest CPU wallop? This chart lays it all out with deeper analysis below.

Phone HTC One X+ LG Nexus 4 LG Optimus G HTC Droid DNA Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Processor 1.7GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon … Read more

T-Mobile could hike up 2013 smartphone insurance

The cost of insuring your T-Mobile handset could rise in the new year, according to what could be a leaked internal document.

If the image proves true, monthly premium rates will remain untouched when the new plans take effect. Deductibles, however, are largely set to rise.

Save for the carrier's low-end devices, the cost to replace your phone will go up by a minimum of $10. For most smartphones the standard deductible rate will jump from $130 to $150.

Although T-Mobile hasn't officially announced the pricing change, a carrier representative did confirm part of the rumor to CNET: … Read more

Prizefight: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 vs. LG Intuition

It's a first-time Prizefight for a whole new evolving category between Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 and LG's Intuition.

These two unique devices bring the world of a smartphone and a tablet into one form factor. Throw in the use of a stylus, and we're talking about two of the most versatile mobile devices on the planet.

The Galaxy Note 2 has learned its lessons and it brings a versatile stylus, albeit with a much steeper learning curve. The LG Intuition stylus interface is straightforward and simple, but there's no place to hold the stylus on … Read more

Pick the best iPhone, Android, or Windows phone for you

We originally published this article September 14, 2012 and updated it November 19, 2012.

With the launch of the Apple iPhone 5, a legion of excellent Android handsets, and the rise of Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system, choosing the right smartphone has never been more difficult.

On the bright side, all these options mean greater choice, which is a good thing -- if you're armed with the knowledge necessary to make smart shopping decisions. Sit tight as we break down what you need to know to choose the right mobile platform and model to fit your needs.… Read more

Verizon's Galaxy Note 2 preorders open for November delivery

Verizon has finally come forward with a release date for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, but for customers fervently waiting for the 5.5-inch "phablet," delivery is still several long weeks off.

Preorders begin today for $299 with a new two-year service agreement, but the huge handset won't ship until November 27, more than a month from today.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 features Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a quad-core processor, LTE and NFC support, Bluetooth 4.0, and an 8-megapixel camera. See photos, watch video, and read the full Samsung Galaxy Note 2 review here.… Read more

Episode 18: The Galaxy Note 2 and a ThinkPad torture test

When Samsung debuted the Galaxy Note last year at CES, the phone met with, well, a mountain of mockery.

It was inexplicably huge, it came with a stylus, hallmark of the hopelessly unhip, and worse, pundits took to calling it a "phablet" -- half phone, half tablet. It appeared to be a product in search of a market it could never, ever hope to find.

We were wrong. The Note found a following, and Samsung reportedly sold 20 million of the funny little things. That's pretty good for a tweener device with no known purpose.

And here … Read more

CNET UK reviews the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Samsung has announced the Galaxy Note 2 smartphone/tablet hybrid, paraded it around our various U.S. offices, and is even planning a big ol' coming-out party. But we don't have the phone yet. Luckily for us, our friends at CNET UK do.

Not only does bigger equal even better according to CNET UK reviewer Andrew Hoyle, the "phablet," with its massive screen, powerful quad-core processor, and quirky-cool S Pen stylus dazzled enough to earn the phone a coveted Editors' Choice award.

Check out the full Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (II) review at CNET UK, and stick … Read more

Quad-core Samsung Galaxy Note 2 launches with 5 carriers

The first quad-core LTE smartphone in the U.S. is almost here, and it comes to our shores extra-large. In launching the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Samsung is hoping to repeat its own success with sales on the Galaxy S3 just a few months before, while also setting a record for the first quad-core smartphone to reach U.S. retail shelves.

The Korea-based manufacturer announced today that it will kick off the 5.5-inch Android 4.1 Jelly Bean "phablet," a smartphone with tabletlike proportions, on the same five carriers that initially offered the Galaxy S3 this summer. Moreover, the smartphone will carry Samsung's 1.6 GHz Exynos processor.… Read more

iPhone 5 opens the door for Nokia, Samsung

News flash: The iPhone 5 is not the end-all and be-all of the smartphone universe, a fact that should thrill Nokia and Samsung alike.

Here's what it is: a strong improvement to the iPhone 4S that offers up a larger screen, 4G LTE speeds, and a terrific camera. The iPhone 5 carries on the goodness that Apple excels at, like iTunes entertainment and cloud storage.

But however good the iPhone 5 is, it lacks the knockout, gasp-inducing feature that Apple followers have come to expect: perhaps double the battery life of any other phone on the market, or an … Read more