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Is a bigger iPhone a better iPhone?

The iPhone rumor du jour this week was about a big screen. In fact, "iPhone 5" rumors going way back almost invariably cite a bigger screen. Sizes run the gamut from 4-inch screens to 4.2-inch to, now, 4.6-inch.

The iPhone currently has a 3.5-inch screen.

And that's just fine with me. A smartphone should be as small as possible. Certainly not BlackBerry Curve small but not so big that it isn't compact. It's a phone, after all.

The brave new big-honking-iPhone world that Reuters claimed is coming (… Read more

Looks like the HTC Vivid isn't the only AT&T phone getting the Ice Cream Sandwich treatment.

The carrier announced today a number of other devices that will be eligible for the Android 4.0 update in the next few months.

These handsets include: the LG Nitro, Motorola Atrix 2, Motorola Atrix 4G, Pantech Burst, Pantech Element, Samsung Captivate Glide, Samsung Galaxy Note, Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, and Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9.

Again, it will be a couple of months until the update rolls out, but we're excited. As hot as … Read more

After launching the Galaxy Nexus with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), Samsung has decided to bring the software to its other devices.

The company will kick off the Ice Cream Sandwich rollout with its Galaxy S II, it announced on its Facebook page last night. The device's owners in Poland, Hungary, and Sweden, as well as Korea, already have access to the update. In a follow-up statement to gadget news and reviews site Pocket-lint today, Samsung said that it plans to make Ice Cream Sandwich available to U.K. customers starting next week.

Samsung announced plans to start … Read more

When U.S. Cellular picked up the Samsung Galaxy S II, it gave me a chance to lay some fresh eyes on a familiar device long after it ceased being the de facto best Android Gingerbread phone around.

I'm happy to report that it's still a terrific phone, and one with components that can stand against most of the next wave of more advanced phones, with one major and one minor sticking point. The major caveat: it won't support LTE. The minor one: it's U.S. Cellular's priciest offering, at $230 after a $100 mail-in rebate (so you're out over $300 up front).

However, if you can afford the cost, and if 4G data speeds aren't your primary concern, then you're looking at the carrier's newest flagship phone.

Check out the video, the photos, and all the pros and cons in this full review of the Samsung Galaxy S II for U.S. Cellular.… Read more

Subsidies, which allow the iPhone 4S or Galaxy S II to sell for $200, are actually hurting the industry and artificially devaluing the sophisticated hardware that's out in the market.

That's the read from T-Mobile USA Chief Marketing Officer Cole Brodman, who spoke yesterday at an event hosted by Geekwire. It's a surprising statement because T-Mobile--along with rivals such as AT&T and Verizon Wireless--still relies heavily on subsidies to drive customer growth.

But T-Mobile, more than its rivals, has experimented with no-contract, no-subsidy options, including a monthly payment plan for phones. Currently, the company's … Read more

The Canon 5D Mark III made its glorious debut yesterday, sending many a photographer's heart aflutter.

With such improvements as a new 22.3-megapixel sensor, enhanced video capabilities, faster continuous shooting, and a better viewfinder (to name just a few features), we're sure many of you are fantasizing about picking up the full-frame dSLR when it starts shipping in a few weeks. Its steep $3,500 price tag, however, just might snap you back to reality.

Given that the camera calls for such a large chunk of change, it should come as no surprise that there's renewed buzz around the 5D Mark III's predecessor. As CNET digital-imaging Senior Editor Lori Grunin rightly points out, though the 5D Mark III is obviously a big deal, Canon's plan to drop the price of the 5D Mark II is news in and of itself. … Read more

If you were salivating over the Samsung Galaxy S II last May, but were bummed because you're on U.S. Cellular, you'll be happy to hear that it is available on the carrier's network right now.

For customers who are eligible for an upgrade, the device is $249.99 after you sign up for a two-year agreement and send in a $100 rebate.

The device has a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and has a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU.

It also has an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and … Read more

Muve Music, a music service from Cricket Wireless that impressed us so much that it earned a Best of CES nomination last year, is coming to the Huawei Ascend II.

Muve Music lets you search through thousands of artists and albums available on major U.S. record labels. You can download an unlimited number of songs onto your device for playback, and you can make ringtones as well.

The service also includes a DJ feature that lets you listen to ready-made playlists organized by your favorite music genres, Shazam integration, and a social networking arm that let's you "… Read more

Samsung announced today that its Galaxy S II has sold quite well over the past 10 months.

According to the company, it has sold 20 million Galaxy S II units (Translate) since the device's launch last April. To put that figure into perspective, Samsung announced last July that it reached 5 million Galaxy S II unit sales 85 days after its launch.

Samsung's Galaxy S II was widely celebrated among reviewers and consumers alike, who liked the device's 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, and 8-megapixel rear-facing camera. The Android-based handset also comes with … Read more