Dialed In

Benchmarks for a smartphone called the Motorola XT1055 have emerged online this week, leading many to believe the device could be part of the fabled X Phone series.

The benchmark scores for the rumored handset show an Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system with a Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor.

Considering the model number and very preliminary specifications, we could be looking at one of the first X Phones from the Motorola and Google team.

As a frame of reference, Verizon's Motorola Droid Razr HD carries the XT926 model number, which is similar to the one found here. … Read more

Documents listed on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Web site suggest that T-Mobile may soon offer a version of the Sony Xperia Z.

Details show that this flagship Sony smartphone will support T-Mobile's newly launched LTE network as well as pentaband HSPA+. In addition to the standard fare of photos and test results, the docs reveal the user manual and features such as Wi-Fi calling.

First announced in January at CES, the Sony Xperia Z has yet to find a home in the United States. Hardware specifications include a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, a 13-megapixel rear … Read more

T-Mobile will begin selling phones compatible with its network at MetroPCS stores later this quarter, according to T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Mike Sievert.

The goal is to sell only T-Mobile-compatible phones at MetroPCS stores by the end of the year. The move will help accelerate the migration of customers from the MetroPCS network to that of T-Mobile, Sievert told CNET on Wednesday.

T-Mobile was reborn today, appearing for the first time under the ticker TMUS as an independent and U.S.-based publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. This follows the company's merger with MetroPCS. The … Read more

Sprint said on Wednesday that is on track to turn off the Nextel iDEN network for good at the end of June. The company previously said it expected to decommission the network by the end of the second quarter.

The shutdown, which will begin on June 30, is part of Sprint's broader Network Vision plan, which includes an upgrade of its existing infrastructure and a move to 4G LTE. The company plans to use the spectrum from the Nextel network to power its 3G and 4G services.

Nextel, however, boasts a loyal base of users that continue to cling … Read more

Today at an event in New York we got a chance to spend some hands on time with the new LG Optimus G Pro for AT&T. We can say that the 5.5-inch, quad-core superphone feels just as quick, nimble, and powerful as the international model. Our experience makes us even more eager for the device's launch date of May 10. The handset will cost $199.99 with a two-year contract, but AT&T will begin taking preorders of the phone starting May 3.

The device marks the company's second attempt at a "phablet&… Read more

Apple launched the larger-screen iPhone 5 last year, but the company isn't done upping smartphone display sizes, according to one analyst.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek wrote in a note to investors recently that he believes Apple's iPhone 6 will launch next year with a larger screen. According to the Canada-based Financial Post, which obtained a copy of the note, Misek didn't say exactly how big the screen size will be but said this year's launch -- the iPhone 5S -- will come with the same 4-inch display as its predecessor.

It would make sense that Apple … Read more

How's this for an instant discount? Beginning Wednesday, when you trade in (almost) any old smartphone, AT&T is knocking $100 off the price of any new smartphone -- including the HTC One, iPhone 5, BlackBerry Z10, and Samsung Galaxy S4.

Of course there are a few caveats. Smartphones can't be older than three years, and need to be in good working order. As a bonus, though, AT&T rates some trade-in phones at more than $100, which means you could get even more off that asking price.

The offer extends to AT&T retail … Read more

BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins is not a fan of tablets.

Heins questioned the need for the mobile devices in an interview with Bloomberg on Monday.

"In five years I don't think there'll be a reason to have a tablet anymore," he said to Bloomberg.

Those are bold words for BlackBerry, which, of course, has had a checkered history with its sole attempt at a tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook. The PlayBook, which was a massive flop when it debuted without core BlackBerry e-mail and messaging apps, is now considered more of a bargain-bin item.

Still, there are … Read more

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son didn't mince words when discussing Dish Network's unsolicited offer to buy Sprint Nextel from under the Japanese carrier.

"To me, it's ridiculous," he said Tuesday of Dish's vision of merging its satellite TV service with Sprint's wireless service.

Son spent more than 90 minutes during an investor presentation in Japan -- primarily conducted in English -- laying out the argument for why his offer remains superior. As such, he doesn't believe SoftBank needs to raise its offer for Sprint.

Dish earlier this month submitted a bid of $25.… Read more