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Smartphones with unusual features (roundup)

These days, almost every smartphone contains the same bag of tricks, with little to differentiate handsets, apart from the hardware and maybe some software extras.

Sure, one might have a better camera, more external or internal storage, and other specs that help us tell one phone from another. But on the whole, you can access e-mail, text messages, and social networks from them all, share photos and videos, surf the Internet, and install any number of apps.

This kind of uniformity is actually good news, since it means that even midrange smartphones can be just as capable as high-end products, even if they have a smaller screen or shorter battery life, for instance. Of course, there are some smartphones that stand out from the crowd for a certain physical or software feature. In no particular order, here's the current crop of unique handsets that have me looking twice.… Read more

Crave giveaway: Vinci Tab II tablet for kids

Congrats to David A. of Torrington, Conn., for winning a Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition and five game access codes in last week's giveaway. This week's prize is the best Black Friday deal you could possibly get -- a free Android touch-screen tablet designed, tested, and FDA-approved for children 18 months and older.

Yes, the 7-inch Vinci Tab II is a tablet just for children -- or, as my CNET colleague James Martin likes to call it, a "chablet." It comes preloaded with educational material designed to simulate a kindergarten curriculum and aimed at engaging developing minds in areas such as social skills; language and literacy; and math and logical reasoning. Apps can be used in English, French, Spanish, and Chinese. … Read more

122 hours of playing Black Ops 2 -- new world record

If video games truly desensitize us as much as some people would have you believe, then Australian Okan Kaya is a much more dangerous son-of-a-gun today than he was a week ago.

Today at the suburban Sydney offices of online retailer 4Cabling where he works as a sales manager, Kaya set a new Guinness World Record for longest video game marathon, after playing more than 122 hours of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

"This journey began nearly two years ago when I first heard about the record," Kaya said in an e-mail. "Back then it was 54 hours, and unfortunately earlier this year it skyrocketed to 120 hours."… Read more

Who wins the battle for Verizon's top phablet of 2012?

Verizon Wireless customers now have three options should they be in the market for a 5-inch Android experience.

The latest handset to join the phablet family is the HTC Droid DNA, which the carrier announced yesterday. Like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and LG Intuition it boasts a massive display and a full roster of high-end features.

But as compelling as each smartphone is, only one can come out on top. So let's take a deeper dive to determine which device will be crowned Verizon's king of gargantuan handsets?

LG Intuition A variant of the Optimus Vu, the … Read more

Petraeus a now unlikely defense secretary in Call of Duty

More than a decade in the future, we'll see a still-strapping Secretary of Defense David Petraeus greeting troops aboard the decks of the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Barack Obama.

OK, so that reality seems a little less likely in our world of carbon-based life forms now that Petraeus has resigned his CIA post amid an adultery scandal, but it's still very much part of the digital world in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.… Read more

The 404 1,164: Where we've got free copies of Black Ops 2 (podcast)

The show title isn't just an SEO play, we actually have five copies of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 to give away on the system of your choice (Wii U, Xbox 360, or PS3). Just follow us on Twitter and tell us your best 404-related box art parody name--use this one as an example, and don't forget to use the hash tag #404COD!… Read more

Samsung Galaxy Stratosphere II blasts off to Verizon

Verizon announced today that it'll offer the Samsung Galaxy Stratosphere II, the sequel to the Samsung Stratosphere, in the "coming weeks."

The handset's equipped with 4G LTE data speeds, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, and a 4-inch Super AMOLED touch-screen display.

It also natively runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and has NFC capabilities.

In addition, just like its predecessor, it has a five-row sliding QWERTY keyboard complete with numeric keys and four directional buttons.

Verizon will carry the device for $129.99 after users sign a carrier agreement and send in a $50 mail-in … Read more

Virgin Mobile to offer Galaxy S2 4G on November 15

Better late than never, right?

Virgin Mobile today announced that it will soon add the Samsung Galaxy S2 4G to its smartphone roster. Priced at $369.99, the top-selling handset of yesterday joins the no-contract carrier on November 15.

Lest you think that is a lot of money to part with, consider that Boost charges the same for its version of the Galaxy S2. Also, T-Mobile and Sprint are asking $499 for their models if you don't sign a contract. … Read more

Sprint adds Multi Window View to Galaxy Note 2

Just two weeks after it introduced the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Sprint has begun issuing a software update for the king-size smartphone. A posting on the carrier's forum indicates that the update features a number of minor changes affecting various aspects of the user experience.

Most notable among the changes is Multi Window View, a feature that lets the user run and view two applications at the same time. Considering how much real estate the Galaxy Note II provides, this will likely be an oft-used and welcome addition for many.

Other details found in the change log include GPS … Read more