Smartphone

As I said last week in CNET's full review of the Samsung Nexus S, I was pleased to find that the handset supports tethering and it can function as a Wi-Fi hot spot. Such is the benefit of using a phone with the stock Android OS. Indeed, both features are increasingly popular among smartphone users, but some carriers have stood in the way of making them a reality.

Sprint and Verizon Wireless, for example, declined to add tethering to their Froyo-equipped handsets, even though the Android 2.2 update promised to add the feature. And though Sprint does offer hot-spot capability on its HTC Evo 4G, the carrier charged an extra $29.99 per month for the privilege.

The Nexus S, on the other hand, adds both features for less money. We're still confirming with T-Mobile if there will be a separate fee. T-Mobile will charge an additional $14.99 per month to use them, but you're saddled with a few restrictions. I was able to play with both over the weekend, and I'm pleased to say that I was quite impressed with the performance on both fronts. … Read more

The LG Star, rumored to be the first dual-core Android-based smartphone, was reportedly tested recently by Engadget.

According to the tech blog, which claims to have received the smartphone from a "very anonymous tipster," the LG Star in its possession was still in its prototype stage.

The device purportedly boasts a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, a 4-inch display, and according to Engadget, might run Android 2.3 Gingerbread when it's finally released. Overall, the blog said that the Star's design is quite similar to that of the HTC Droid Incredible, another Android-based smartphone.

Aside from … Read more

Tired of playing games using your smartphone's touch screen? Ready to take it to the next level? Then, you might want to take a look at this.

A Boulder, Colo.-based start-up called Orbotix has created a robotic ball, called Sphero, that you can control with your smartphone via Bluetooth. The idea is that the ball becomes the object in a game, and you use your smartphone to maneuver it through the various levels or command it to do certain actions.

For example, you can use it to solve a maze by rolling the Sphero around on the floor. … Read more

Verizon is in the midst of rolling out software updates to two of its popular smartphones, the Droid and Droid X.

Each of these updates are minor, so don't expect Gingerbread just yet. However, keeping with its tradition, Verizon has created a Web page designed to help educate its customers and walk them through the update, should they need the assistance.

The Motorola Droid update doesn't add too much in the way of new content. Rather, it appears to be general enhancements to already existing applications. Amazon, News & Weather, and Twitter all get subtle tweaks as does … Read more

As Kent German mentioned earlier, we've reviewed close to 200 mobile phones this year, and as 2010 draws to a close, we thought it'd be a good time to mention some of the highs and lows. We've already shown you our list of best and worst cell phones of 2010, and now it's time to do the same for smartphones.

It's been a big year for the category, as we saw the launch of some major redesigns of mobile operating systems, including Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry OS 6. Of course, that also means new … Read more

It's a popular exercise with tech writers to declare product categories dead because of the iPhone or smartphones in general. Everything from GPS devices to alarm clocks to my editorial category at CNET Reviews, point-and-shoot digital cameras and camcorders.

It would be silly for me to try and argue that smartphones haven't played a part in slowing the purchase rate of compact cameras; I'm fairly certain they have. It would also be silly to say smartphones aren't legitimate photo tools or great for that shoot-and-share experience. However, saying that it'll be the death of the … Read more

Welcome to The 411, my column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have similar queries, too. Occasionally I solicit answers from readers if I'm stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at nicole.lee@cnet.com. If you prefer to remain anonymous, let me know in the e-mail.

With all this talk of 4G, I'm pretty interested to know what my options are. So do all the carriers have 4G? What phone choices do I have? -- Matt, via e-mail

It's true that the carriers have been bombarding our television sets with plenty of commercials touting 4G coverage, so it seems that 4G truly has arrived. But bear in mind that none of it can technically be called 4G right now, at least not according to the official standards body. When carriers like Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile say "4G," they mean speeds that are faster than current 3G networks; they tout speeds of around 3Mbps to 15Mbps download speeds, which are faster then the typical 3G speeds of 800Kbps to 2Mbps. Of course, real world speeds are sure to differ from what the carriers say in the commercials, but we have managed to get pretty good speeds out of purported 4G handsets like the T-Mobile G2 and the HTC Evo 4G. … Read more

After months of leaks and even a brief public appearance, Google and Samsung made it official and announced the Nexus S on Monday, the first smartphone to run Android 2.3.

The Nexus S will be sold from Best Buy, both online and in stores, and will be available for purchase on December 16. You can buy it unlocked for $529 or with a two-year contract with T-Mobile for $199. If you happen to live in the U.K., the phone will be available from Carphone Warehouse after December 20.

Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread, brings such new enhancements as … Read more

Apple's long-overdue white iPhone will finally hit the market in the spring, at least according to new placards apparently popping up in Apple stores.

Nestled amid the fine print on the signs is a brief line noting that the white iPhone will be available in spring 2011, according to Apple-enthusiast site 9to5 Mac.

The placards may be confirmation of Apple's late-October promise that the white device will go on sale in the spring following a series of delays. At the time, Apple issued a statement saying, "We're sorry to disappoint customers waiting for the white iPhone … Read more