BB 10.1 and Skype come to BlackBerry Z10

ORLANDO, Fla.--At BlackBerry Live 2013, the phone maker announced that it would roll out BB10.1 software to its Z10 handset. The upgrade will also include access to the Skype video chat application.

BlackBerry also handed out the Z10 device to attendees here at the BlackBerry Live show so many folks no doubt will be able to enjoy the fresh infusion of software. Stay tuned as he get hands on with our upgraded Z10.

Sony unveils waterproof Xperia ZR phone

Sony is launching a new Xperia smartphone designed to be dunkable.

Announced on Monday, the Xperia ZR phone can stay under as much as five feet of water for up to 30 minutes. Using the phone's 13-megapixel camera, you can shoot underwater photos and videos in full HD. The dedicated camera key also allows you to quickly take a shot even if the phone is locked.

The camera takes advantage of Sony's Exmor RS for mobile image sensor with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for both photographs and videos. The company promises that photos and videos are automatically captured … Read more

Zact touts lower phone bills

Why shell out extra bucks each month for a cellular service you don't benefit from? That's the question wireless newcomer Zact poses to customers. In a fresh twist on the MVNO model, today the company unveiled a radical way for people to buy and customize their phone plans on the fly.

… Read more

Top 5: Reasons not to buy the Galaxy S4

If you're an Android fan with a short temper, please turn back now. Watching this video will just send you into hysterics.

Part of my job here at CNET is to play the devil's advocate, and sometimes that requires me to talk trash about products you love. This time around, I'm going to take a poke at a phone that we love as much as you do, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

You'd be hard pressed to find a smartphone on our site that comes more highly recommend than the S4, but that doesn't mean that … Read more

New Google Nexus phone to replace de-stocked Nexus 4?

The Android faithful are getting giddy over what Google goodies could be revealed at next week's Google I/O developers' conference, and the de-shelving of the Nexus 4 at retailers has some wondering if a new pure Android phone is about to replace it.

Two U.K. retailers, Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U, have discontinued sales of the Nexus 4 this week, and the number of U.S. retailers still offering the phone online also seems to be shrinking. Check Google's official retail locator for the latest pure Google phone and the only outlets that pop up in most places (I checked New York, San Francisco, and Denver) are all T-Mobile stores.

Yet, when I checked Best Buy's Web site and clicked on the only Nexus 4 on offer (the T-Mobile version), I got a mysterious "Page Not Found" error. It certainly appears someone thinks the Nexus 4 has run its course and is looking to make room for something new.… Read more

Rumored Sony i1 could rule the Android roost this fall

Sony may forgo the Xperia branding and adopt the new One Sony branding for this fall's flagship smartphone, according to various reports. Rumored to be called the Sony i1, the possibly forthcoming Android handset could be among the most powerful devices to date.

Details, which first surfaced in late April, suggested that the Sony "Honami" i1 would be among the first phones to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor.

Additional speculation called out a 5-inch 1080p HD display, 2GB RAM, and a 3,000mAh battery. Said to be centered on the CyberShot line, the phone was rumored … Read more

What to expect from Android Key Lime Pie

With Google's I/O developer conference just a week away, all eyes are on the company's plans for the next version of Android.

For much of the last year we expected to see Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. After all, leaked slides from a January Qualcomm presentation showed a midyear debut for this next build, but they were immediately pulled from the Web site.

But now, recent rumors suggest that we might actually see the debut of 4.3 Jelly Bean instead of Android 5.0. Details found in various server logs show that a JWR23B build … Read more

Sapphire phone screens not as strong as you think, says Corning

On the surface, smartphones screens made of sapphire sound superb -- they're naturally strong, extremely scratch resistant, can withstand flexing, and transmit light very well. That's the widely accepted story, at least.

Disputing this view is Corning, maker of the Gorilla Glass material that covers a majority of smartphone screens.

Corning, whose aeronautics branch has worked with lab-grown sapphire since the 1970s, says it tested the strength of sapphire claims -- a potential cover glass alternative -- in-house.

Corning's conclusion: that sapphire, the world's second-hardest material after diamond, just can't take the lumps that a … Read more

Sony selling Xperia Z in U.S.

If you've been wondering when Sony's latest flagship Android handset would hit American shores, speculate no longer. The global and unlocked device is now for sale at Sony's U.S. Web site for $629.99.

Keep in mind that the Xperia Z is not to be confused with the Xperia ZL. While both smartphones boast huge 5-inch full HD screens, have fabulous cameras, run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, along with a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, plus 2GB of RAM, the Xperia Z sports premium design and materials.

Unlike the ZL's plastic chassis, the Xperia … Read more