Smartphones

It may be true that no cell phone is perfect, but the handset world isn't taking too kindly to Apple CEO Steve Jobs' public assertion that other smartphones suffer from the same antenna and signal problems that have been widely reported regarding the iPhone 4. And, in what's turned into an ugly back-and-forth PR mud fight, Apple is firing back by making its internal signal test results public to insist that it's not just pulling rivals' flaws out of thin air.

Hui-Meng Cheng, chief financial officer at HTC, told The Wall Street Journal on Monday that "… Read more

It's been six months since Microsoft introduced Windows Phone 7 at Mobile World Congress 2010, and we still have several months to go before we see any devices hit the streets.

At the time, we were excited and hopeful about Microsoft's revamped mobile operating system, but a lot of time has passed since then and the rest of the smartphone world hasn't stopped, so we were, and still are, a bit worried that Windows Phone 7 may be too far behind to catch up.

Well, we recently had a chance to find out. On July 19, Microsoft will begin shipping preview devices from Samsung and LG to developers so they can begin real-world testing of their apps before the big holiday launch. We were treated to one of said devices and had a few days to take Windows Phone 7 for a test-drive.

A couple of caveats before we get into the preview. First, this isn't final software, so some services, such as Windows Marketplace and Xbox Live, weren't available for us to test. In addition, Microsoft said it's continuing work to improve general performance and battery life, so though we made some general observations in these areas, this isn't indicative of the final experience. Last but not least, the handset we used, the Samsung Taylor, is only a prototype device and will not be released to market. It does, however, meet the hardware specifications that will be required on all Windows Phone 7 smartphones, including a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and the three navigation controls (back, start, and search).

Given that Windows Phone 7 is essentially a new operating system, there's a lot to go over, so we're going to break up our preview into two parts, starting with the phone's user interface and core features. As we continue our coverage throughout the week, please let us know what you'd like to hear about the OS and send along your questions, and we'll do our best to address them in following posts. … Read more

If you've ever wanted to get the Nexus One, you better grab one now because Google will stop selling the Android device once its current inventory runs out.

The company made the announcement on its Nexus One blog and said it received its last shipment of Nexus Ones this week. Once those devices are sold, you will no longer be able to buy them online from Google.

That said, the Nexus One will still be available through carrier partners, including Vodafone in Europe and KT in Korea. Registered developers will also be able to purchase the phone through a … Read more

A leaked screen capture from Verizon's internal system indicates that the days are numbered for the Droid and Devour.

Both phones are listed as limited, with no remaining shipments from the vendor, Motorola. It is not known what the inventory levels are for either device or when they might be completely gone. This is not to say the phones won't be supported with future updates, just that they're nearing the end of their life cycle. Motorola has at least pledged Android 2.2 for the Droid, while the 2.1 update for the Devour is under evaluation. … Read more

Editors' note: This post was last updated on July 16, 7:22 a.m. PT.

If you weren't one of the lucky few to score a free Motorola Droid X, the good news is that you can get one of your own: the Android superphone is now on sale.

Available at Verizon and Best Buy locations, as well as online, the Droid X goes for $199.99 with a two-year contract and offers a massive 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen, Android 2.1 (upgradeable to Android 2.2 later this summer), an 8-megapixel camera with HD video capture, and … Read more

Though demand is still high for HTC's Evo 4G, the rumor mill is already abuzz about HTC's next big Android phone.

According to a few recent leaks, the Taiwanese handset maker is working on a follow up to the HTC Desire dubbed the Desire HD.  The phone is said to run Android 2.2 and have a 4.3-inch touch screen, an 8-megapixel camera capable of recording HD video, 4GB internal memory, as well as the increasingly popular 1GHz Snapdragon processor.

Also according to the leaks, the phone will support XviD video playback, SRS surround sound, and … Read more

It's time for another Natali Del Conte Thursday episode of The 404 Podcast, but we're keeping the complaints to a minimum in deference to our guest co-host today; that is, after Wilson tells us about a 3D movie that tickled his gag reflex. Yes, we learn that Wilson officially honked after watching only three minutes of "African Adventure: Safari in Okavango" in 3D. He shares this experience with children and teenagers who might also be more susceptible to epileptic seizures and migraines as a result of watching 3D TV.

While we're on the topic of … Read more

Believe it or not, we have news to discuss this week that doesn't concern the iPhone 4. Android is back front and center with the Samsung Captivate and Vibrant, the first two Galaxy S models to go on sale. Bonnie gives us the scoop on both models and reports on the hot New York weather. Also in the podcast, Nicole tackles Android from the budget angle; Kent lists silly cell phone names; and, yes, we even talk about the latest controversy with Apple's handset.

Editors' note: As we shot our First Look video prior to today's announcement, we give the Vibrant's original release date at the end of the clip.

We suspected this might happen, and now it's official: T-Mobile has moved up the release date of the Samsung Vibrant from July 21 to July 15, with the same price tag of $199.99 with a two-year contract.

Oh and would you look at that? We just happen to have a full review of the Samsung Vibrant right here, so check it out to see if you should be headed to … Read more