Android

BlackBerry users looking to make the switch to Android might be interested in taking a look at Samsung's latest smartphone, the Galaxy Pro.

The Galaxy Pro, which was unveiled today, combines both a full QWERTY keyboard and a 2.8-inch, 320x240-pixel touch screen in a slate design. It runs Android 2.2 with Samsung's TouchWiz user interface, so you have access to the various Samsung Hub services.

The smartphone also offers support for Microsoft Exchange, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, and mobile hot-spot capabilities. Despite having the word "pro" in its name, however, the handset is … Read more

The spring CTIA show is just a couple of weeks away, and rumors and teasers are starting to bubble up about what might be unveiled at the show. We already know that at least two tablets will be unveiled, one being from Samsung, and now, we may be looking at two new smartphones and a tablet from Sprint.

According to Engadget Mobile, the carrier will introduce the Nexus S 4G, the HTC Evo 3D, and the HTC Evo View at CTIA, and Sprint wasn't exactly vigilant about hiding its secret.

Earlier this morning, if you entered now.sprint.com/… Read more

Editors' note: The video battery results for the Motorola Xoom were corrected from the original post. The original post contained results not in line with our final testing methodology. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

During the deluge of iPad 2 coverage last week, you may have missed CNET's handy tablets table. In it we gave an overview of the major non-Windows tablets already released and those soon-to-be released.

For the few tablets we actually have in the CNET Labs, we're able to go a bit more in depth with what each has to offer. … Read more

Hacking or rooting the Barnes & Noble Nook Color has become a commercial venture for some, and that has plenty of Android enthusiasts calling foul.

In recent days, folks on eBay have started selling hacks for the Nook Color preinstalled on microSD cards, which start around $60 for 4GB cards and work their way upward. Installing one of the cards in the Nook Color's microSD slot allows users to override Barnes & Noble's "closed" Android-based Nook firmware with an open Android system that supports running a multitude of Android apps. "Modders" have been "porting" various "rooted" versions … Read more

In case you didn't hear, this week Apple announced the iPad 2, as we expected, and it shaped up to be just about what we thought it would be. More importantly, Steve Jobs (it was great see him) flouted the success of the original iPad--not just gloating that his company had single-handedly invented a market, but also bragging that the iPad's competitors were "flummoxed" (and saying it with a smile).

But that's not all! It's a big, bad technology world, you know?

• Jobs also introduced new apps for the iPad, like iMovie and Garage Band

• Apple still has original iPads for as little as $350.

• More movement from Motorola's Xoom tablet, with new pricing that makes it a little more competitive.

• The Navy is looking at creating swarms of robots that repair themselves, search for Sarah Connor.

• Turn your watch into a tablet or cell phone--by stretching it.

• Another week, another creepy baby robot from Japan.

• Happy birthday, Dr. Seuss! … Read more

Motorola has decided to pull back on plans to update its Charm (T-Mobile) and Flipout (AT&T) handsets with Android 2.2 Froyo.

Of course, that means that the smartphones, which were released with Android 2.1 back in the fall, will remain on Eclair indefinitely. The handsets join a growing list of Motorola phones being left behind on older versions of Android. Most recently, the company decided that the Cliq XT would stay on Android 1.5 and never see features such as Google Maps Navigation or live wallpapers.

Looking at the list of devices represented on Motorola'… Read more

We're limiting iPad 2 chat to 10 minutes of airtime because you're probably sick to the gut from hearing all the rumors, the news, and the buying guides. Suffice it to say that Apple is now offering a $100 refund to anyone who purchased an iPad 1 in the two weeks leading up to this week's announcement.

Apple's price-matching program is nothing new--it has offered a two-week price-matching deal on almost all its hardware after something new is released, but it's up to third-party distributors like Best Buy to decide whether they want to honor the deal.

If you were unfortunate enough to purchase an original iPad on February 16 or later, head to an Apple Store and don't get bitter with the employees--they don't know about releases ahead of time.

Prepare your thumbs for soreness if you own an Android or Apple smartphone, as the two operating systems may soon get BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) courtesy of Research in Motion.

BBM is a free instant messaging service currently exclusive to BlackBerry smartphone users, but Android and iOS may soon benefit from the instant communication service.

In the meantime, if you want another way to get free texting, check out… Read more

Google, Apple, and RIM are all vying for the top spot among the smartphones. But which one is dominant depends on whether you look at operating systems or devices, according to new data from Nielsen.

Among mobile operating systems, Google's Android has surged into first place in the United States, grabbing 29 percent of the market, compared with 27 percent for Research In Motion's BlackBerry OS and 27 percent for Apple's iOS.

That left a 10 percent share for Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Windows Phone 7 combined, 4 percent for HP's Palm WebOS, and 2 … Read more

Consumers eager to pick up a version of Motorola's new Xoom tablet without the pricey data plan and two-year contract could get their wish courtesy of Sam's Club.

A series of photos and news reportedly coming from the retail chain's annual "Year Beginning" meeting this week point to the upcoming Wi-Fi-only Xoom popping up in its stores at a price tag of $539, according to DroidLife.

The photos offered up by DroidLife show a display filled with Xoom product vouchers and a sales sign above sporting the $539 price.

But zooming in on the sign … Read more