pcs

MetroPCS unveils $55 unlimited 4G plan and new 4G phone

MetroPCS may hand the major carriers some competition, with its new 4G LTE plan for budget-conscious consumers.

Available as a promotion, the carrier's new 4G LTE plan provides unlimited talk, texting, and 4G LTE data for $55 a month for a single line. Families can join in by paying $50 a month for second, third, and fourth lines. Though the deal is being offered as a promotion, the expiration date is open-ended.

MetroPCS President Thomas Keys told CNET that the end of the promotion will depend on the adoption rate by consumers. "We didn't want to set … Read more

Did Samsung steal Apple's icons?

Monday's top tech headlines are landing safely on your Earthly screens:

The Apple v. Samsung courtroom drama continues this week. The rundown: Apple says Samsung copied the iPhone and iPad. Samsung says it's just being competitive, and has also counter sued for patent infringement. Monday, Apple made the argument that Samsung's icons look the same as Apple's icons. What do you think?

The first week of Apple testimony revealed interesting tidbits, such as how executives liked the idea of a 7-inch iPad. We also learned that the iPhone was first called Project Purple and that it … Read more

'Dyle' in to watch live TV on your phone

You don't need any accessories to catch up on Friday's top tech stories:

A new service called Dyle picks up live, local TV signals to watch on your mobile device. The first with this service is the MetroPCS Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G. But if you rather not drop $460 right now for a phone, iOS users may have another option this fall when Dyle attachments are expected to go on sale.

No price has been set, but the attachments could cost, at most, $150. And the service from then on is free. Would you pay for an … Read more

MetroPCS TV service debuts on Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G

Nobody looking at the long antenna sprouting from MetroPCS' new Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G would suggest that Samsung's bringing sexy back, but for TV lovers, the throwback has a purpose.

The prepaid carrier and Samsung teamed up to introduce the Dyle Mobile TV service, which delivers live, local broadcast TV over Metro's 4G LTE network. The service is free once you buy the phone.

Dyle has been in the works for years, and is certainly an interesting. Now how about the Lightray itself?

The Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset is a version of U.S. Cellular's … Read more

Watch live TV on your phone! No, really

A while back, when I first heard about broadcasters' plans to build their own network to deliver local and live TV to smartphones, I have to admit I chuckled a little.

The idea that broadcasters, with little to no experience in the wireless world, could accomplish such a feat seemed ludicrous. Equally laughable was the idea that people would tune into Judge Judy on their phones. With so many other stories floating around (at the time, the big question was: when will the iPhone come to Verizon?) it was easy to ignore the seemingly half-baked project.

But more than two … Read more

Get to know America's carriers, big and small

How well do you know your carrier options?

Maybe very well, if you happen to follow the ins and outs of changing plans and perks. However, you may not be aware that Cricket has a roaming agreement with Sprint, or that Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile now have 4G.

If you're a beginner, or just happen to enjoy carrier trivia, check out this quick guide to carriers.

Does it still make sense to buy a desktop PC?

Earlier today I caught a glimpse of the HP tower that's been sitting, untouched, on my spare desk for the better part of a year. And it got me thinking: does it still make sense to buy a desktop?

As recently as three years ago, I'd never have a considered anything else for my primary PC. Real work required real horsepower, and that meant a desktop. Plus, as an avid gamer, I needed a fast processor and the occasional video-card upgrade to feed my habit.

Needless to say, the times, they are a-changing. I don't game much … Read more

Ratio of PCs sold over Macs drops to 1985 levels

The ratio of PCs sold to Macs sold has steadily been dropping and is now at 1985 levels, not too long after the first Mac debuted.

Creating a chart that reveals the ratio of PC to Mac sales since 1984, Asymco analyst Horace Dediu was able to track the rise and fall of that ratio over more than 25 years.

The ratio was about 20 to 1 in 1985 following the 1984 launch of the first Mac.

From there, the ratio went through some ups and downs for a good 10 years until around 1996, when it moved up to … Read more

Microsoft's mysterious new product

Get your battle gear on. It's time for tablet wars and food fights:

What could Microsoft be unveiling Monday afternoon at its mysterious L.A. press event? Some new music or movie product? A tablet or e-reader? The rumors are centering on a new tablet that would go head-to-head with Apple.

Vizio is bringing its television talents to computers with a new line of desktops and laptops, all starting at just under $900. The all-in-one desktop can be its own entertainment hub with a remote and HDMI ports for connecting a cable box or video game system.

According to … Read more

MetroPCS lands Huawei's first U.S. LTE phone, Activa 4G

Huawei promised CNET some 4G LTE action, and with the Huawei Activa 4G, the phone maker is ready to deliver.

If you're thinking this is the smartphone version of a certain yogurt with bifidus regularis, stop, because the Activa (pronounced "ACT-iv-uh") is in fact Huawei's first U.S. phone to get 4G, and it's available starting today at MetroPCS stores.

The Android 2.3 Gingerbread phone has a 3.54-inch HVGZ touch screen (480x320 pixels), a 5-megapixel camera with flash, and comes with a 4GB microSD that's preloaded with "Kung Fu Panda 2.&… Read more