ie8 fix

Sony reportedly readies first phablet

A French press invite from Sony Mobile touts a "big surprise" at an upcoming July 4 event in Paris, but a slew of leaked images and specs may have spoiled the secret of Sony's first phablet before its big reveal.

The invitation features a mysterious image of a tall and slim device with a profile that resembles the Xperia Z smartphone and tablet. The new device -- expected to be named the Xperia Z Ultra -- is rumored to have a 6.4-inch screen and a 1080p HD resolution (That's a pixel density of 342 ppi … Read more

PIP biosensor makes you relax to win games

I don't generally consider gaming to be a relaxing activity. If I'm taking out zombies in Resident Evil, I'm on the edge of my seat. But it doesn't have to be that way. The PIP biosensor on Kickstarter wants gaming to be the road to relaxation.

There are two parts to this system. The first is the bionsensor that you hold between your thumb and forefinger. It communicates via Bluetooth to your Android or iOS device. A suite of game apps is available that works with the bionsensor.

Relax & Race, for example, lets you control … Read more

Possible Nokia EOS smartphone for AT&T clears FCC

A new phone model named Nokia RM-877 recently spied at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Web site suggests that AT&T could be among the first carriers to offer the rumored Nokia EOS smartphone.

Details in the FCC documents indicate that the mysterious device features NFC, Bluetooth, dual-band Wi-Fi, and support for AT&T's LTE network through its 4G bands.

A diagram accompanying the filing shows a handset that measures 130.35 x 71.4mm, a shade larger than the Nokia Lumia 925.

Additional information gleaned from the listing show the device as having been tested with … Read more

AT&T's Samsung Galaxy Note 8 LTE sells for $400, $200 bundle

Starting Friday, LTE-hungry tablet buyers will be able to swoop in on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 tablet from AT&T.

With a new two-year service agreement, the 1.6GHz quad-core Android Jelly Bean device sells for $399.99, not including the monthly data connection.

That's a fairly steep price for those on the fence about choosing a smaller slate over a larger one, which is presumably why AT&T will kick off sales with a $199.99 sticker price when you also buy a new smartphone.

Catch all the pros, cons, and even more in CNET'… Read more

T-Mobile kicks off MetroPCS shift-over with new phones

Starting Friday, MetroPCS customers will already be able to feel the effects of T-Mobile's buyout in the form of three new phones that customers can start using right away on T-Mobile's 4G network.

The Android-running LG Optimus L9 ($149) and Samsung Exhibit ($129), and Alcatel 768 flip phone ($49) run on T-Mobile HSPA+ 4G network and go on sale today.

Things look up for people seeking an even heartier features experience. Beginning June 17, MetroPCS will also stock its version of the Samsung Galaxy S3, riding T-Mobile's much faster 4G LTE than Metro's own network.

Today, … Read more

Too many stars in the 'S4' galaxy dull Samsung's brand

In just two short months we've seen the debut of five Samsung Galaxy S4 phones: the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy S4 Google Edition, the Galaxy S4 Mini, and the Galaxy S4 Zoom. There are already rumors of a sixth, the 6.3-inch Galaxy S4 Mega.

Making matters more confusing is that the phone specs vary, and some Galaxy S4 phones may offer an experience that's quite different from the original top-rated S4's. From my perspective, Samsung is simply muddying its S4 brand name with too many Galaxy S4s.

When I think of … Read more

See how Samsung torture-tested the Galaxy S4

Samsung has occasionally been criticized in the past for sticking with lighter, plastic-y, and presumably less tough materials in even its flagship phones like the Galaxy S4. But the Korean monolith is out to prove that it did its best to torture-test at least the S4 before unleashing it on our harsh, unforgiving world filled with countless basins of water, fumbling fingers, and perhaps worst of all -- curious kids.

The below video shows the gauntlet of Samsung's "reliability" testing that the Galaxy S4 was run through. Apparently the phone had to survive being dropped a few feet onto a hard, metal surface hundreds of times, free-fall from a height high enough to shatter a ceramic mug, and a front-facing impact hard enough to crush a walnut shell.… Read more

Amazon to slash price of HTC One to $99 on June 14

Those of you eyeing the HTC One can score the phone for half off the usual price, courtesy of a one-day sale at Amazon.

On Friday, the retail giant will sell the HTC One for $99.99, a hefty discount off the usual $199.99 price tag. Buyers will be able to find the phone through Amazon's Cell Phones & Accessories page. But you'll need to be quick -- the sale itself will last just for the day.

The $99 offer is good for all AT&T or Sprint subscribers eligible for an upgrade. New customers can … Read more

Are you an Android user envying iOS 7? There's a skin for that

Android users who want to see if the grass really is greener on the Apple side of the fence now can try out the new color scheme debuting in iOS 7.

A theme called jbOS7 marries the Jelly Bean version of Android with the iOS 7 style. Its creator, shmogt, used some custom icons and TeslaCoil Software's Nova Launcher home screen replacement app.

"It is more than just a background image with some icons," shmogt said by e-mail. "The theme also has a lock screen as well as two additional screens that act as apps. For … Read more