phones

Sony Ericsson answers Apple

Sony Ericsson showed off a slew of sparkling new cell phones today including a Cyber-shot model for the North American market and a Walkman handset that could challenge the iPhone at its own game. We don't have pricing for any of the new phones just yet but they should be ready for sale in the second half of the year. See all of the phones in our slide show.

The Sony Ericsson W910 and W960 Walkman handsets are catching the most attention. They combine all the usual music features and high-end offerings of other Walkman but they raise the … Read more

CNET LIVE: This week's guest...the iPhone!

OK, so we weren't able to book the iPhone this week (it had previous engagements) but Tom and Brian did snag the next best thing--iPhone experts. And they aren't just some Joes off the street. CNET Reviews Senior Editors Donald Bell and Kent German will be joining us on CNET Live! Cooley, German and Bell will look under the hood of the iPhone and discuss whether it's worth the hype, or just a bunch of tripe.

Speaking of Apple, CNET Live will feature the best of this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), with fresh videos of … Read more

Will iPhone be a Mom's Best Friend?

I've been drooling over the iPhone for months now. June 29th can't come fast enough for me. I have been an Apple user for almost 20 years now, going way back to my Macintosh 512 enhanced. In 2002, as soon as I saw an iPod I recognized it as a great tool for moms to "reclaim their mind space" by taking along their favorite music and podcasts with them on the go. The iPhone takes this a step further by combining a smart phone and mobile entertainment center in one device.

I am surprised we haven'… Read more

Happy hour with the iPhone

The American public will get its first chance to buy the iPhone at 6 p.m. in each local time zone, Apple confirmed Wednesday.

Somehow, I don't think Apple and AT&T will have two-for-one specials on the iPhone, but my New York-based colleagues will be the first to see how crowds react to the release of the iPhone at 6 p.m. ET. Those of us out here in California will have to wait until 6 p.m. our time for the official release of the phone, in yet another blatant example of East Coast bias.

And … Read more

Digg for the iPhone

What are iPhone applications going to look and feel like? We saw yesterday a simple shopping list application, and here's another one bound to be a big hit: Digg for the iPhone.

This "app," like others to come, is really just a Web site designed for the JavaScript in Safari, and for the iPhone's small screen. (It works in Firefox and IE, too). The interface employs the "fling" feature that Steve Jobs and the iPhone commercials show off: when you drag down a list with your fingertip (or mouse), and let go, it feels … Read more

Surface: Design starts on the outside...

Welcome to Surface, CNET blogging on design... and no, we're not superficial, but let's be realistic here... first impressions count for a lot, especially when it comes to the products and accessories you surround yourself with... be it in your office spaces, kitchen, living room, and especially the things you wear. So i'm sure this blog will be evolving (and quickly!) but i'll be covering all things great and gorgeous for your everyday, especially those details that complement your tech and gadget filled lifestyles. So here's a quick overdose of what you will definitely be seeing more of soon. (Links to find out more on each product after the jump.)… Read more

Sex up your cell phone

Get ready for another wacky, or perhaps naughty, cell phone dangle from our friends in Japan. We've seen dangles of drunks and golden turds already, but now we turn our attention to Strapya-world's latest winner: "sexy underwear" dangles. For just $8.79 you, too, can attach a miniature piece of lingerie to your phone. The bras and panties (just for the record, I never thought I'd write those two words in a tech blog) are sold separately, but you can combine them to make a matching set. Styles include fairy garden, spear panther, midnight purple, … Read more

Seeing red with the UpStage

Sprint's Samsung UpStage remains one of the most interesting cell phones introduced this year. With its dual-sided design, it certainly stands out among the cell phone crowd. True, not everyone will love the constant flipping motion, but you have to give Samsung props for originality.

Today the UpStage received a breath of fresh air when Sprint and Samsung introduced a new version in bright red. All the features are the same, and you can get it from the bargain-basement price of $99 starting June 18.

The iPhone requires an iTunes Store account

One of the first things you'll need to do with your new iPhone is register with the iTunes Store in order to activate the handset.

Apple revealed the requirement in an e-mail sent Tuesday to those who had registered to receive e-mail updates on the TMHGIH (The Most Hyped Gadget In History). Presumably, most of the iPhone early adopters will be Apple devotees with current iTunes Store accounts, but for those who don't have an account already, have your credit card ready during the iPhone setup process.

Why would Apple do this? For one thing, iTunes is the … Read more

Pocketfuzz: Create your own ringtones, sort of

The field for Web applications geared at independent music acts is almost as saturated as, say, video-sharing sites and social networking portals. Consequently, the new ones emerging these days are typically very niche-specific--in other words, find a feature that MySpace doesn't offer, create a Web site for it, and make sure you offer embeddable widgets.

Like this one, PocketFuzz, which just launched its new Web site. Pocketfuzz aims to make it easier for independent artists to offer mobile downloads--specifically ringtones, but also wallpapers and text-message alerts--and profit from the sales. It's free for artists to join, so the … Read more