Smartphones

The iPhone's Voice Control features are fun and futuristic. Voice commands also offer commuters a practical way to dial phone numbers without taking their eyes off the road.

But Voice Control isn't perfect, and unique names or pronunciations in your Contacts list can easily foil the software.

Fortunately, the iPhone allows you to get under the hood a little to make Voice Control run more smoothly. By adding fields for phonetic spellings, nicknames, middle names, and more, you can personalize your contacts to work seamlessly with the iPhone's voice-dialing capabilities.

To learn how to bend the iPhone'… Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--If you've ever doubted that Motorola has a global presence, then you need only to visit Mobile World Congress. Moto spoke to the United States and Europe with its Cliq XT/Quench announcement, showed the quirky A45 Eco for Latin America, and it threw a few bones to Asia with the Google Android-powered MotoRoi, XT800 Zihshang, and MT710.

The square, slider A45 Eco has a dual personality.: not only does the youth-oriented handset focus on messaging, but it's also made from recycled materials and is certified as carbon neutral. It sports a quirky orange skin.

The MotoRoi … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Though it's been building its reputation in the last few months with models like the T-Mobile Tap and the Huawei M750, Chinese manufacturer Huawei doesn't have a huge presence in the United States. It takes a visit to its stand at Mobile World Congress to show what the company has up its sleeve.

Like everywhere else in Barcelona, Google Android took center stage for Huawei. The company didn't stage a low-put press event--and we thank them for that--but it rolled out four new Android phones. Here are the basics, and be sure to check out our … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Sony Ericsson spilled the beans on its new Vivaz three weeks before Mobile World Congress, but the device was a big part of the company's presence at the show, not least because it begat the new Vivaz Pro. And since MWC gave us our first chance to check out the device, we tracked it down at Sony Ericsson's crowded booth to give it the photo and video treatment.

On the outside, it's an attractive device with a shiny finish in moon silver, galaxy blue, cosmic black, and Venus ruby. The back side is slightly curved as … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Though we came away from CES 2010 with loads of photos of the Google Android-powered Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, Sony Ericsson was stingy about video in Las Vegas. Reps wouldn't let the phone out of their sight--and not that we believe this--because they said that the slick handset wasn't in its final form.

Luckily, the company wasn't so stringent at Mobile World Congress. And really, how could it be after unveiling new Xperia X10 models? With CNET TV's Ariel Nunez I hit the Sony Ericsson booth the first morning of MWC and gave the device … Read more

Missing calls? Maybe the ringtone or vibration on your phone doesn't cut it. Well, the gadget-mongers at Japan's Thanko have a new bracelet that not only vibrates when someone's calling--it displays their number.

The Bluetooth Bracelet is an improvement on the BluAlert Vibrating Bluetooth Wristband. The slender LCD panel displays the time, serving as a watch, as well as the caller's number when you get a call.

It sits right on your wrist, so you'll feel the vibration through your skin and bones if your phone is in your briefcase or pocket. It's more … Read more

We know that you're dying to see more glamor shots of Windows Phone 7. We've teased with screenshots and photos from the big Microsoft bash, but our intrepid colleague Flora Graham at CNET UK got her hands on a Windows Phone 7 device.

The images show the revamped and refined OS in all its glory, though keep in mind that the look and feel could change when Windows Phone makes its final debut late this year. So for a closer look at the all the new features, click across the pond at see Flora's photos and expert … Read more

Who says no to Google? Apparently, Sony Ericsson.

In an interview with Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan, Sony Ericsson CEO Bert Nordberg revealed that Google first approached his company to build the Nexus One smartphone but it turned the opportunity down, making way for HTC to produce it.

Berg said Sony Ericsson wants to release phones under its own brand only and prefers to rely on its own efforts to make it in the U.S. market. Now, we can certainly admire the company's determination, but come on, Sony Ericsson, there's a time when you have to put your pride … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--One of the best things (and sometimes the most torturing) about Mobile World Congress is checking out handsets from around the world. I think it's fair to say that the U.S. is a bit behind the times when it comes to the mobile space, so it's always great to have an opportunity to see what other kinds of technology are out there.

Over the past couple of years, NTT DoCoMo, one of Japan's largest mobile operators, has provided some unique and most entertaining phones, and it didn't disappoint this year. DoCoMo outdid itself this … Read more