Smartphones

So the Apple event has come and gone and there was no iPhone news. Needless to say, I'm a little disappointed that we didn't get anything...even if it was a minor OS update. So unless Apple decides to call another press event in the next four months, we'll have to save our wish list for the Worldwide Developer's Conference in June.

Still, the iPad raises some interesting questions about the iPhone. Not only does the iPad look like an oversize iPhone (or iPod Touch), but its new OS appears to be similar. And since we … Read more

Apparently, there was something called the Apple iPad announced today. We're not really sure what all the hubbub is about, but we share a few thoughts on the device and take a couple of jabs at its unfortunate name. Also, though there was no mention of iPhone 4.0, there was plenty of other cell phone and smartphone news. The FCC goes after Google and the carriers about their ETFs; Motorola teases a new handset that will be revealed during the Super Bowl; and Microsoft begins its push for Windows Mobile 7. All this and more on this week'… Read more

Article updated 1/28/2010 at 4:25 PM PT with clarification from Apple about the availability of the iBooks app.

We only got a glimpse of Apple's new iBooks app when CEO Steve Jobs demoed it at the January 27, 2010 Apple event in San Francisco. What we saw was a stylish, crisp-looking, colorful e-book reader and storefront that will run on Apple's forthcoming iPad, and that looks strikingly similar to Classics, an e-reader app for iPhone and iPod Touch. Since the iPad will share the content (and layout) of the App Store, there's a chance … Read more

Well, we know the details on the long-awaited Apple iPad. Yes, it's pretty and it offers a lot of features, but the required AT&T service for the 3G version is none too thrilling.

Though I've never had a huge problem with AT&T's service on our CNET iPhone, I admit that I don't use it as my primary device. Frequent iPhone users, however, have more nuanced opinions, and I know that they're not imaging their dropped calls and intermittent data connections. Indeed, AT&T service remains the biggest gripe for many … Read more

It smells like Apples in here. The day of reckoning is finally upon us and CNET has all your Apple coverage including a live blog to track the news as it comes through the pipe.

CNET's The 404 Podcast is also on the job, so check out today's episode for our predictions on what Steve Jobs has in store for the world. It better be good, especially if Jobs stayed awake all night inventing it. Jeff and I are able to approach it with a level head, but Wilson G. Tang is in full-blown Apple fanboy mode with the T-shirt and the Apple lip gloss all ready to go.

Before we get into our predictions, Jeff shows us a surprising study that demonstrates pirates are the music industry's most valuable customers. We're a little suspicious that the story comes from TorrentFreak.com, but they bring up a legitimate point that music "sharers" (aka pirates) are actually likely to buy more digital music as opposed to physical media in a store. In either case, the best way to support your favorite bands, signed or unsigned, is to buy a ticket to their live show and spend money on merchandise while you're there. That way, your cash support goes directly into the pockets of the band, instead of the digital music service taking a cut of the profit. Stick local!

Next up we've got a story about the worst Facebook revenge, like, ever. It happens like this: teenage girl finds six-pack of beer in younger brother's closet. Brother searches through sister's closet and finds disturbingly detailed "hookup list" and publishes image of said list on Facebook.

Wait, it gets way worse: the ultimate fatality is that he also tags every single guy on the list and starts an epic three-way flame war between brother, sister, and a group of guys that all have one thing in common.

We end today's show by going around the table and seriously (OK, not seriously at all) dishing out our Apple tablet predictions for the day.

Spoiler alert: Jeff is hopeful for a game-centric device, Justin hopes you can connect a printer to it, and Wilson can't even talk with all the saliva pouring out of his mouth.

The presumed "little brother" of the Motorola Droid, the Calgary, appears to be nearing release. Just last week, the handset was spied in Verizon's Cellebrite device, which is used to transfer information such as contacts, messages, and pictures between handsets.

We've also seen a couple of leaked images hit the Internet over the last few weeks. The Calgary, aka the Devour, bears more than a passing resemblance to the Droid. We're not sure about the color just yet as both silver and black versions have been spotted.

Rumored specs include Wi-Fi, GPS, a 3-megapixel camera, … Read more

Motorola will join the parade of companies paying through the nose for airtime during Super Bowl XLIV on February 7. Moto said Tuesday that it will show an ad during the game's third quarter that will feature a new MotoBlur handset.

And if that wasn't cagey enough, the company said that the commercial will feature "a well-known celebrity that you might be interested in seeing." By our measure, that could be anyone from Meryl Streep to Lady Gaga.

The company wouldn't provide any details, but you can check out a preview of the commercial (that'… Read more

Back in December, I did roundup of the most notable tech products for 2009. Well, looking back is nostalgic and all, but looking forward is more fun.

Since many companies like to keep future new releases under tight wraps so they don't short-circuit sales of their current products, we can't predict what all the new hot gadgets will be this year. But we did see a fair amount of intriguing stuff at this year's CES in Vegas and we know that plenty of sequels to today's popular products are on the way--whether the company wants you … Read more

What's the only thing worse than paying that monthly AT&T bill? Paying an even higher AT&T bill, which happens when you blow through your allotted talk time and/or text messages.

That's why I'm a newfound fan of OverMyMinutes Alerter, a free app that alerts you via e-mail and/or SMS when you're getting close to your talk/text limits.

At first blush, this may seem unnecessary. After all, you can use AT&T's own MyWireless app to review your minutes and data usage, or just dial *646# to get … Read more