smartphones

BB 10.1 and Skype come to BlackBerry Z10

ORLANDO, Fla.--At BlackBerry Live 2013, the phone maker announced that it would roll out BB10.1 software to its Z10 handset. The upgrade will also include access to the Skype video chat application.

BlackBerry also handed out the Z10 device to attendees here at the BlackBerry Live show so many folks no doubt will be able to enjoy the fresh infusion of software. Stay tuned as he get hands on with our upgraded Z10.

The Nokia Lumia 925 sports a metal design, but shares many specs with its predecessor

CNET's sister site CNET UK reviewed the unlocked Nokia Lumia 925 here. Check out this 4-star review!

The Nokia Lumia 925 is the second flagship phone Nokia has added to its Lumia lineup in a week. While the Lumia 925 shares many key specs with the Lumia 928 -- screen size, processor, and camera resolution -- it sports a metal design and, crucially, will be available outside of the U.S.

It's due to go on sale in the U.K., Europe, and China starting in June, with an estimated price of 470 euros before taxes -- expect … Read more

What to expect at Google I/O 2013

CNET Update gets ready for a new batch of Google goodies:

Google will announce new products and software updates at its annual Google I/O developers conference, which kicks off Wednesday in San Francisco. Today's Update gets you prepared with a look at what's expected, such as developments around gaming, social and Google Now.

For those hoping to see Android Key Lime Pie, you might have to settle for an update to Jelly Bean with Android 4.3.

It's expected Google will show off new hardware, including an updated Nexus 7 and possibly a new Nexus smartphone. … Read more

Recent FCC filings support rumors of Motorola X phone

The highly anticipated and hotly rumored Motorola X phone may have just popped up in FCC filings earlier this week.

According to the paperwork, the Motorola device includes the model number XT1058, and supports earlier rumors that the X phone will be available on AT&T.

For one thing, the handset is enabled for a GSM network, and it appears to be operating on 1900/850 bands -- both factors are indicative of an AT&T device.

The report also notes that the phone has 4G LTE and NFC capabilities.

Ever since Google acquired Motorola, talk of the … Read more

Sony unveils waterproof Xperia ZR phone

Sony is launching a new Xperia smartphone designed to be dunkable.

Announced on Monday, the Xperia ZR phone can stay under as much as five feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Using the phone's 13-megapixel camera, you can shoot underwater photos and videos in full HD. The dedicated camera key also allows you to quickly take a shot even if the phone is locked.

The camera takes advantage of Sony's Exmor RS for mobile image sensor with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for both photographs and videos. The company promises that photos and videos are automatically captured … Read more

Zact touts lower phone bills

Why shell out extra bucks each month for a cellular service you don't benefit from? That's the question wireless newcomer Zact poses to customers. In a fresh twist on the MVNO model, today the company unveiled a radical way for people to buy and customize their phone plans on the fly.

… Read more

Nokia video teases next Lumia with eye on camera

Nokia is shining a light on the camera and flash of a new Lumia smartphone.

A video posted on YouTube today takes us on a tour of the phone from the camera to the lens to the flash, promising "more than your eyes can see" and telling us that "the new Nokia Lumia is coming."

So, just which model Lumia is coming?

Nokia will hold an event in London tomorrow in which it will likely pull back the curtains on its latest Lumia phone. The company has been playing up its Lumia 928 in a series … Read more

Top 5: Reasons not to buy the Galaxy S4

If you're an Android fan with a short temper, please turn back now. Watching this video will just send you into hysterics.

Part of my job here at CNET is to play the devil's advocate, and sometimes that requires me to talk trash about products you love. This time around, I'm going to take a poke at a phone that we love as much as you do, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

You'd be hard pressed to find a smartphone on our site that comes more highly recommend than the S4, but that doesn't mean that … Read more

Save 20 percent on an Une Bobine flexible charging stand

Back in March I got the chance to test-flex the Une Bobine, which, despite having one of the worst product names in recent memory, is really cool.

Unlike most sync/charge cords, which just lie there with floppy abandon, the Une Bobine borrows from gooseneck lamps, coiling and snaking into interesting positions. Want to stand your phone upright? You can do that. Angle it sideways? You can do that, too.

Much as I liked the product in concept, in practice I found it a little disappointing, if only because it proved not quite stiff enough to hold my iPhone in … Read more