X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

iPhone makes the 'Leap' into the prepaid zone

The SpaceX ship splashes back down to Earth, Windows 8 Preview Release adds trackpad multitouch gestures, and Leap Wireless will sell the iPhone without a contract.

Bridget Carey Principal Video Producer
Bridget Carey is an award-winning reporter who helps you level-up your life -- while having a good time geeking out. Her exclusive CNET videos get you behind the scenes as she covers new trends, experiences and quirky gadgets. Her weekly video show, "One More Thing," explores what's new in the world of Apple and what's to come. She started as a reporter at The Miami Herald with syndicated newspaper columns for product reviews and social media advice. Now she's a mom who also stays on top of toy industry trends and robots. (Kids love robots.)
Expertise Consumer technology, Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, social media, mobile, robots, future tech, immersive technology, toys, culture Credentials
  • Bridget has spent over 18 years as a consumer tech reporter, hosting daily tech news shows and writing syndicated newspaper columns. She's often a guest on national radio and television stations, including ABC, CBS, CNBC and NBC.
Bridget Carey
2 min read

We're dropping down from space, getting touchy with Windows 8 and leaping over a new iPhone carrier:

Watch this: iPhone makes the 'Leap' into the prepaid zone

The iPhone has taken a leap into the prepaid, no-contract world. Beginning in late June, the prepaid carrier Leap Wireless will sell Apple's iPhone under the Cricket service. This makes it the first carrier to sell the iPhone without a contract. But don't expect the iPhone to come cheap. The 16 GB iPhone 4s will be priced at $500 dollars.

So that leaves T-Mobile in the corner, just tapping its foot waiting for its turn to dance with Apple. With the iPhone in more places, it's become the common, every-(wo)man phone now. It's the safe pick of the smartphone world, and I've been talking with my colleague Roger Cheng who wrote a column about how the iPhone may be losing its cool factor. It's nothing special to say you have an iPhone. How much does the "cool" factor still matter in a phone? I'd like to hear your thoughts on it. Use Tout to send a short video reply, and your comments could end up on the show. (Check out the replies so far at the bottom of this post.)

New Jersey residents will have to paysales tax on Amazon.com purchases starting next summer. Activists have been pushing congress to pass a law so everyone has to pay sales taxes in order to make it more fair for stores to compete with the online retailers.

But if you're feeling glum about having to dish out a few more bucks, there's a new way to earn money from Amazon. Amazon's electronic trade-in program has expanded, and now will give you gift cards for trading in old laptops and netbooks.

The SpaceX Dragon cargo ship returned to earth Thursday afternoon, splashing down off the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico and completing it's historic mission. This was the first commercial ship to dock with the space station.

Google Voice has been upgraded. Users can set a custom personal greeting for anyone in the contact list. Set up one greeting for your parents, another for co-workers, and a different one for unknown numbers. It's all in a tab under Google Voice's settings.

You can now download Microsoft's Release Preview of Windows 8. This is the final preview version before the official launch of the operating system this fall. Downloaders beware, it's still a little buggy. Get all the details from Seth Rosenblatt's review. If you haven't seen Windows 8 yet, it bares a striking resemblance to the AOL Kids channel I grew up with in the '90s.

Want to share your thoughts on a story? Your questions and comments can make it on the show! Use Tout to message Bridget with a 15 second video reply from your webcam or smartphone camera. Or, simply post a reply video to the CNET YouTube channel. You can also send an email.

Subscribe: iTunes (HD)iTunes (320x180)iTunes (640x360)

RSS (HD)RSS (320x180)RSS (640x360)