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Pantech Breakout review: Fast 4G, crummy camera

Good: The Pantech Breakout runs on Verizon's 4G LTE network. Android 2.3 Gingerbread is dressed up with a handy custom UI, and the phone has good call quality.

Bad: The Breakout doesn't have a flash, and it has a poor front-facing camera, jerky video, and shutter lag.

Bottom Line: If you don't give a whit about the camera or video, the Pantech Breakout is a fast and straightforward Android handset for Verizon.

Catch the video, photo gallery, and all the pros and cons in our full hands-on review of the Pantech Breakout.

The 404 920: Where we're on a 7-second delay (podcast)

Wilson's out sick today so CNET Labs' Joseph Kaminski fills in with a 7-second delay, just in case.

Today we're discussing the controversial details of Steve Jobs' use of psychedelic drugs, what's being taught at Cupertino's Apple University, pre-crime becoming a reality, and this morning's speedbumps for iPhone 4S preorders.

The 404 Digest for Episode 920

Pre-crime might become a reality. Unlocked iPhone 4S coming in November. Galaxy Nexus launch delayed due to Jobs' death. Sprint to cover 120M people with 4G LTE next year (scoop). Did dropping acid make Steve Jobs more creative? Steve Jobs' virtual DNA to be fostered in Apple University. Superman fan turns to surgery to become Man of Steel. Florida school district taking attendance by scanning students' fingers. Google-designed Nikes prove Google has no taste. Fear abounds in images from Nightmares Fear Factory.

Episode 920 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Sprint's 4G shift to be 'aggressive'

Sprint Nextel said today it plans to aggressively roll out its own 4G LTE service next year as it looks to avoid falling behind in the network race.

Sprint plans to launch its next-generation network to cover 120 million people by the end of next year, and wrap up with coverage of 250 million people by the end of 2013. The company confirmed that 15 LTE devices will be available next year, with the first to launch by midsummer, CNET previously reported.

"There will be an aggressive rollout of LTE," Steve Elfman, head of network operations for Sprint, … Read more

Sprint to cover 120M people with 4G LTE next year (scoop)

Sprint Nextel plans to cover more than 120 million people with its own 4G LTE network by the end of 2012 and more than 250 million people a year later, CNET has learned.

In addition, Sprint said it expects to launch 15 LTE-compatible devices next year.

As previously reported by CNET, Sprint is building its own 4G LTE network, which will launch next year. The company has been relying on Clearwire to provide it with 4G WiMax technology, but has opted as well to go forward with its own 4G LTE path.

As part of Sprint's 4G lineup for … Read more

Android Atlas Weekly: Nexus Prime Watch (Podcast)

Nexus Prime sightings, Google Wallet Hacked, in a good way, and HTC security flaws. All that and more on this week's episode of Android Atlas Weekly for October 5th, 2011.

NEWS

iPhone 4S vs. the competition http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19512_7-20115636-233/iphone-4s-vs-the-competition/?tag=cnetRiver

Samsung Releases Teaser Shot of Nexus Prime http://www.pcworld.com/article/241162/samsung_releases_teaser_shot_of_nexus_prime.html

Might this be the Nexus Prime? http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20115325-251/might-this-be-the-nexus-prime/?tag=cnetRiver

Samsung to show off Nexus … Read more

Branded iPhone 5 won't arrive until LTE, analysts say

An Apple phone branded as the iPhone 5 won't arrive until "4G" LTE technology is ready for compact smartphones, according to analysts.

Needless to say, the iPhone 5 did not make an appearance today. Will Strauss, president of wireless chip market research firm Forward Concepts, says there is a very good reason that it was the 4S that showed up today and not the 5.

"They're saving iPhone 5 for the LTE version and that won't be out until next spring," said Strauss, who tracks companies like Qualcomm that supply the chips that … Read more

LG Optimus LTE brings high-res, 4G Gingerbread to Korea

The LG Optimus LTE, announced today, is another new Android 2.3 phone we in the U.S. can only dream about from afar, at least for now.

The Gingerbread handset has a 4.5-inch touch screen with a 1,280x720-pixel HD LCD display. LG claims it's the "highest-resolution IPS (in-plane switching) display" available on a smartphone.

The Optimus LTE also has a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, and an 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture and playback. In addition, there's an HDMI port and support for DLNA, so you'll be able to play phone content on your compatible TV. An 1,830mAh battery will hopefully grant it long life.

The Optimus LTE picks up LG's pace in producing LTE-ready phones. So far we've been pretty happy with what we've seen, including the T-Mobile G2X and the Revolution. The phone maker has also recently reached out to prepaid carrier MetroPCS with the LG Esteem.

The Optimus LTE is currently slated for Korea. LG says its plans to release the phone beyond Korean borders are still "undetermined."… Read more

New iPhone reportedly won't get 4G

Apple's new iPhone apparently won't be paired with a speedier next-generation wireless network.

The upcoming smartphone won't have access to the Long-Term Evolution or WiMax 4G networks that are available in the U.S., according to the Dow Jones Newswires. That will likely come as a disappointment to many who were hoping that the device would wed Apple's software and experience with a much faster data connection.

Apple plans to unveil the device at 10 a.m. PT today.

That the iPhone will run on 3G speeds only isn't a huge surprise. Tim Cook, Apple'… Read more

Motorola Xoom to get 4G LTE upgrade

For the Motorola Xoom tablet, it's better late than never.

Verizon Wireless said it would begin selling the 4G LTE version of the tablet starting tomorrow. The product will sell for $499.99 with a two-year contract. Existing Xoom customers can enter their contact info at this site can get information on how to send the Xoom to Motorola for the upgrade. Customers are expected to get the Xoom back back in roughly six business days.

The 4G capability comes more than seven months after the Xoom tablet originally hit the market, initially as a 3G-only device. The tablet, which was the first to use the tablet-specific Honeycomb version of Android, was supposed to be the first worthy competitor to Apple's iPad.

Instead, the Xoom received a mixed critical response and couldn't sell many devices until it cut its price,which was at a premium to the iPad. It's one of many tablets that have struggled to establish a foothold in a market dominated by Apple.

It's unclear whether the 4G upgrade will make much of a difference now. Particularly after Amazon unveiled a $199 tablet that disrupts what consumers think they need to pay for a tablet. Motorola is reportedly introducing a sequel as well.

Verizon Wireless customers won't have to switch their data plans with the upgrade. The plans range between $30 and 2 gigabytes of data a month to $80 for 10 gigabytes.

Corrected at 4:53 p.m. PT: to note that customers can not go to Verizon stores to get their 4G upgrade. … Read more

More than a third of Android phones are 4G-enabled

Android phones seem to have cornered the market on 4G, according to a report out yesterday from Localytics.

Gazing at the smartphone landscape, the mobile analytics firm found that 37 percent of all Android phones are now 4G-enabled. That percentage is likely to surge even further as this year alone the number of 4G Android phones have jumped by more than 50 percent.

Of course, 4G is a fuzzy term that's often used loosely to describe any type of high-speed mobile access. For the purposes of its study, Localytics defines a 4G device as one that taps into LTE, … Read more