one x+

AT&T's smartphone lineup: Stodgy no more

Back in January there was no question which carrier had built the best portfolio, and I'll give you a hint: it wasn't AT&T.

By December, Verizon already had an embarrassment of riches, and the toughest high-end Android decision for holiday shoppers was which Big Red phone to get: the angular Motorola Droid Razr, the HTC Rezound audio genius, or the world's first Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. With the budget HTC Rhyme and the broadest LTE coverage in the nation, Verizon was on fire.

Verizon fueled its momentum with the astounding long-life Droid Razr Maxx just after Motorola introduced the handset at CES.

Yet in the past few months, Verizon's verve has begun to flicker just enough for AT&T to illuminate its renewed vigor. Now before flinging your biting anti-AT&T protests my way, hear me out.… Read more

Samsung Galaxy S III, HTC One X compared

If you're a loyal AT&T subscriber, love Android, and need a new phone badly, you've got a tough choice ahead. Both of today's hottest handsets, the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X, are yours for the taking. … Read more

Just how well did Nokia's Lumia 900 do?

Despite a mountain of hype and support behind it, Nokia's Lumia 900 was no blockbuster.

Recent data and comments suggest the phone performed well, but not great. After a strong start, sales petered. While AT&T was initially enthusiastic about the Lumia 900, it isn't saying much about the phone now.

More importantly, the Lumia 900 failed to break into the minds of consumers and establish Windows Phone as a heavyweight in the smartphone industry, behind only Apple's iOS and Google's Android. Still, the phone did well enough to keep Nokia in the game, even … Read more

A smartphone shopper's dilemma: Wait for the next iPhone or go Android 4.0?

Google and Apple have upped their game in 2012, and a new crop of smartphones running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and Apple's new iOS 6 will offer consumers a tough choice when it comes to choosing a new phone.

Apple isn't expected to launch the next iPhone until the fall. But the company gave a preview of what's to come with the unveiling of iOS 6 mobile software this week at its WWDC conference in San Francisco. From what I can tell, the new iPhone will give the current crop of Android 4.0 devices … Read more

HTC: Our phones don't infringe Apple patent

HTC believes it's free and clear of infringing on a key Apple patent despite allegations to the contrary by the iPhone maker.

This week, Apple filed its third complaint against HTC in the past three years with the U.S. International Trade Commission. The company is alleging that HTC is still violating the same Apple patents that triggered a recent ban on imports of the HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE.

Following the initial complaint, HTC said that it took steps to work past Apple's U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647, also known as the data … Read more

HTC's U.S. customs delays push Q2 outlook lower

HTC's patent dispute with Apple has damaged its finances, the company said.

The handset maker announced today that it has revised its second-quarter outlook (PDF) from an expected NT$93.6 billion (about $3.1 billion) to NT$91 billion. In addition, the company's anticipated gross margin of 29 percent has been revised to 27 percent. HTC's operating margin will now likely hit 9 percent, rather than the initial 11.2 percent figure.

According to HTC, the downturn is due in part to "lower-than-anticipated sales to Europe." In addition, the company says that the "… Read more

HTC One X available online today, in stores June 10

HTC One X fans have a real reason to celebrate. AT&T just announced that the superphone is available for order now online. The carrier also said the hot device will hit AT&T stores across the country on June 10 for $199.99.

Besides the extremely capable device, which boasts Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC's latest Sense UI, AT&T will hawk the HTC Media Link accessory, too. The $90 Media Link allows One X owners to push digital content such as video, pictures, and audio to HDTVs via Wi-Fi and wired HDMI connection. … Read more

Inside the Samsung Galaxy S III: Quad-core drives galaxial screen

The Samsung's Galaxy S III's vast 4.8-inch screen sits atop a quad-core processor and Sony camera, among other goodies exposed in detail via a chipworks teardown.

Before we dive into the specs, let's be clear. For a phone, it's big. Big enough to be brushing up against 5-inch mini tablets.

"I'd say it does verge on being unnecessarily large, but thankfully it isn't as ludicrously big as the Samsung Galaxy Note with its 5.3-inch screen," said CNET"s Jessica Dolcourt in her review of the phone.

And note this … Read more

Has the iPhone lost its cool factor?

commentary Let's face it: the iPhone just isn't cool anymore.

It's sad, but true that there's a reverse correlation between availability and coolness. The harder it is to obtain something, the more highly coveted it is.

Apple's decision to offer the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 to prepaid wireless provider Cricket may have tipped the scales away from the cool end. With Cricket in the fold, the iPhone is virtually everywhere (T-Mobile, sadly, is still left outside looking in), hitting a critical mass of availability. The iPhone has gone from a gadget of the tech … Read more

Best Android ICS smartphones (roundup)

In my view, smartphones are all about the future, and the best handsets are usually the ones with the freshest, slickest mobile technology. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google's latest and greatest operating system though remains frustratingly out of reach unless you own an unlocked Samsung Galaxy Nexus. Even so, the number of phones running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software is growing. … Read more