Smartphones

With the new year upon us, there are no doubt plenty of plans in place for changes both big and small. For precisely this reason, January's Tech Dos & Don'ts column will be focused on helping you through the necessary transitions--at least as far as technology is concerned. First up: out with the old, in with the new.

Certainly, both the holidays and the Consumer Electronics Show have inspired a lot of dough-dropping in the gadget space. Many of you probably have a new device or two lying around, which raises the question: what to do with the … Read more

Shortly after CNET first heard that iOS 4.3 would bring the new hot-spot feature to all iPhones, Apple confirmed the rumor when it released the update's beta version to developers. iPhone Atlas' Joe Aimonetti will follow up with a list of new iOS 4.3 features shortly, but the hot-spot option is sitting pretty inside the Settings menu of our updated AT&T iPhone 4.

Unfortunately, we can't actually use the hot spot just yet, but we welcome it nonetheless. Not only will the new Verizon iPhone 4 lack a monopoly on the feature, but also … Read more

This post was updated at 5:27 p.m., PT with comment from T-Mobile.

There's a story circulating the Web today that's causing an uproar among Samsung Vibrant owners and putting Samsung in the hot seat.

According to AndroidSpin, they received a tip from a reliable source that claims that Samsung is preventing T-Mobile from releasing the Android 2.2 Froyo update to Vibrant users in order to push the next-gen Vibrant 4G.

The tipster, who appears to be from within the T-Mobile organization, writes:

Some disturbing things have happened the last week or so concerning our "… Read more

T-Mobile and Samsung appear to be prepping the release of a follow-up to last fall's Vibrant. Dubbed the Vibrant 4G, the Galaxy S device should feature a handful of improvements on its predecessor, most notably support for 21Mbps on T-Mobile's HSPA+ 4G network.

Other new details include a front-facing camera, Android 2.2 (Froyo), and the inclusion of Qik (video chat) and doubleTwist Air Sync (music, media). And this time around, T-Mobile will preload the movie "Inception" rather than "Avatar." It's also worth pointing out that the carrier appears to be getting into … Read more

Alltel has just announced the LG Axis, the carrier's version of the LG Ally that was previously released on Verizon Wireless.

Like the Ally, it has a 3.2-inch touch-screen display in addition to a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It unfortunately ships with Android 2.1, which is a little behind current firmware. Features include a 3.2-megapixel camera and of course the usual Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It will be available for $89.99 after rebate.

Natali usually guest-hosts with us on Thursdays, but issues with Miles' babysitter means she can only stop by for the first few minutes of today's episode. Today is Miles' second appearance on the podcast, so he's already following in his parents' footsteps, and Natali tells us he's even started using an iPad for games! He's acting more and more like Wilson every day...

Speaking of things we love, Chatroulette may have finally found a way to monetize the exhibitionists who expose themselves on the site.

The service just introduced a content control system that lets you flag anyone engaging in indecent behavior, and a user is banned if he or she gets warned too many times in a short space of time, which Chatroulette hopes will cut down on all the random genitalia marring the experience.

On the other hand, the service has also started redirecting flagged users to an adult Web site that gives Chatroulette a cash reward for every referral, netting the company $100,000 in monthly revenue. With only three people actually working the site, it sounds like Chatroulette's going to be around for a very long time.

After a long wait, the PSP2 might finally debut at a Sony event in Tokyo at the end of this month. Two gaming sites have reported that Sony will lift the curtain on its next-generation handheld gaming device that could feature a rear-mounted touchpad, an HD display, and a larger screen than legacy models.

No word yet on pricing, but we're hoping Sony will use the press conference to address the leaked images of a fabled PlayStation Phone as well! OK, fine, only Jeff and Wilson care; I'm still deciding whether to go with AT&T or Verizon for my next iPhone.

Sure, Verizon customers can now order an Apple iPhone, and they even get the perk of preordering it a week before everyone else. But Verizon will also end its "New Every Two" program on January 16--the program offered a $30 to $100 credit on a new phone every two years--so existing customers won't be able to get their new smartphones at a discount (This has since changed; see the update below).

This also ends Verizon's early-upgrade program, in which customers would be eligible for new contract pricing as early as 13 months into a contract--now … Read more

Fitness chain Crunch today unveils its first app, which is free, for iPhone and Android users to more easily find locations, see class schedules, and avoid the lines by checking in remotely.

Not that Crunch gyms, of which there are roughly two dozen throughout New York, California, Florida, and Oregon, are boasting terribly long lines these days. Founded in 1989 by former stockbroker Doug Levine, the chain was bought by Bally in 2001 and filed for bankruptcy in May 2009, at which point it was acquired by New Evolution Fitness Company, which in turn was co-founded by one of the … Read more

Like many of you, I've watched the rumors of a PlayStation Phone spread across the Internet over the last few weeks. After a so-so 2010 for Sony Ericsson, this is exactly the type of device that could cement Sony Ericsson as a top Android contender. That is, if they get it right. Ask any Android enthusiast about last year's Xperia X10 and you'll likely hear gripes about how badly the company missed the boat.

Once expected to be one of the premier Android phones on the market, the Xperia X10 arrived with muted fanfare. Though eventually it was successful at a couple of carriers around the world, it never took off in the United States, even though it landed at AT&T.

What was the primary reason for this missed opportunity? Outdated software, of course. Even with its 1GHz processor, 4-inch screen, and 8.1-megapixel camera, the phone was hampered by Android 1.6. That inability to run many of today's better applications turned many potential consumers away. And even now, as some Android handsets are getting 2.2 or even 2.3, Sony Ericsson is just pushing Android 2.1 out to various regions. Thankfully, however, the future looks much brighter.

As of right now, the PlayStation should come branded under the Xperia umbrella, possibly carrying the Xperia Play moniker. Although branding it specifically as the PlayStation Phone could be a better move, it will be easier for the company to fold it into the Sony Ericsson portfolio. What's more, listing it with the Xperia name ties it to its other efforts, notably the new Xperia Arc. … Read more