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Google, LG to unveil Nexus phone at the end of the month

LG will finally get its own Nexus smartphone based on its recently unveiled flagship Optimus G, CNET has learned.

The phone will be announced at the end of the month, according to a person briefed on the matter. While it will run some of the same specifications as the Optimus G, it will be modified to fit into the Nexus program. Google and LG haven't yet come up with a name for the product.

A Nexus phone could do wonders for LG's reputation, particularly in the U.S., where the company has struggled to make a name for itself … Read more

Google, LG to debut Android 4.2 next month, report says

Google will announce a new Android version next month, according to a new report.

At some point in November, Google will co-host an event with LG where it will unveil Android 4.2, according to blog Android And Me, citing a source. The Android tracker says that LG will take the opportunity to show off its Optimus G Nexus, a device that will be based on the previously announced Optimus G, but will run the latest operating system.

LG unveiled the Optimus G last month. The device comes with a host of impressive specs, including a 4.7-inch WXGA screen, … Read more

AT&T will sell LG's flagship Optimus G phone

AT&T said today that it plans to sell LG's flagship Optimus G super smartphone, adding to an already crowded lineup of mobile devices.

The Optimus G is one of the first phones to run Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon processor, allowing it to handle complex tasks such as pinch-to-zooming a high-definition video clip as its running, or working in a second application with video playing in the background.

AT&T didn't provide information on pricing or availability.

Along with a 1.5 gigahertz quad-core Snapdragon processor, the Optimus G is packed with 2 gigabytes of RAM, … Read more

Rhapsody launches on LG, Panasonic, and Samsung TVs

Music-streaming service Rhapsody has announced it will be available on Smart TVs from LG, Panasonic, and Samsung starting today, with Sharp and Xbox available in coming months.

Although the announcement came today, the service has been available on Panasonic and LG for a few months. Samsung is new with today's announcement. A Rhapsody app has also been available on Vizio TVs for the last two years. We're not surprised that Sony's Smart TVs, which support the competing Sony Entertainment Network's music service, aren't on the list of supporting TVs.

The new app appears to be … Read more

Best cheap plasma TVs

If you're looking for a cheap TV 42 inches or larger, there are a lot of advantages to buying a plasma instead of an LCD.

The biggest is picture quality: an LCD is typically not able to reproduce the black levels and contrast of an equivalently priced plasma, and plasma always trounces LCD for viewing angle and uniformity. Entry-level 720p plasmas are also more energy-efficient than more expensive 1080p plasmas, and while they use a lot more power than LCDs, they still only cost about $20 to $30 per year to run.

We recently reviewed a bunch of entry- and midlevel plasma TVs, and our favorites are collected below. There were a few that didn't make the cut, including the LG PA6500 and PA4500 as well as the Panasonic X5. The latter was a surprise as every other plasma in the Panasonic range is superb for the price, and the X5 is simply...well...poor. Its picture quality was very disappointing even for the money, especially compared with that of our new budget star, the Samsung E450.… Read more

Samsung hit by OLED patent lawsuit from LG Display

Already reeling from legal battles with Apple, Samsung is the target of yet another patent lawsuit.

LG Display said today that it has filed a patent infringement suit against the handset maker, alleging that Samsung violated seven of its OLED (organic light-emitting diode) patents.

The lawsuit specifically claims that Samsung infringed on the design of LG's OLED panels, driver circuitry and device design, reported the Wall Street Journal. LG is looking for an unspecified amount in damages and a permanent injunction of five infringing products, including the Galaxy S3 phone, the Galaxy Tab 7.7 tablet, and the Galaxy … Read more

Specs for Optimus Vu II surface

While the United States is just getting familiar with its version of the Optimus Vu, LG may soon be ready to introduce its successor to the rest of the world. The details for the presumed Optimus Vu II have spilled online, pointing to a moderately improved competitor to the Galaxy Note II.… Read more

Verizon's fall plans include several new Android phones

In what's becoming a regular occurrence, Verizon's year-end roadmap has apparently found its way online, according to Phone Arena, tipping the Big Red's smartphone plans.

It should come as no surprise that there's a handful of Android on the horizon, including devices from no fewer than six hardware makers. Should the leaked details prove true, Verizon will soon have a little something for everyone.

First out of the gate will be the Samsung Stratosphere 2, which has been rumored to have a Super AMOLED Plus display, a sliding QWERTY keyboard, an 8-megapixel camera, and a dual-core … Read more

The iPhone 5 review has landed

Wednesday's CNET Update has a special guest:

CNET's iPhone 5 review is here, and senior editor Scott Stein spent a week secretly living with it to do a thorough review. He was kind enough to stop by the show and let me hold it while I talked about his review. (Yep, I had a geek-out.) During his review, he found a few things surprising: It was noticeably lighter and the 4G ended up being faster than his home Wi-Fi. Also be sure to check out videos about the new panoramic photo feature and Apple's new Maps, available … Read more

LG's public image problem: It doesn't have one

LG must feel like it's shouting into the wind when it comes to smartphones.

The company today showed off the Optimus G, the latest Android super smartphone. The G boasts the most advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core processor, a 13-megapixel camera, and a hefty 2,100mAh battery.

The question is: will anyone care?

There lies LG's biggest dilemma in the smartphone market. It's not the lack of any particular feature or specification that has hurt the company, but the virtual non-presence it has had for the past few years. LG was late to the smartphone game and has … Read more