Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the GS4

Following the success of its flagship handset, the Galaxy S4, Samsung announced that it will launch a smaller version of the device in the U.S. and U.K. Aptly named the Galaxy S4 Mini, the manufacturer will release 4G, 3G, and 3G dual-SIM models.

While pricing and carrier information remain unknown, a few key specs were released. As you can see from the chart below, not only is the new device physically smaller, it also has some less powerful hardware features.

For example, it has an 8-megapixel camera (compared with the GS4's 13-megapixel), a dual-core CPU, and a … Read more

HTC could release 5.9-inch 'phablet' later this year

HTC is expected to release a huge 5.9-inch smartphone in the second half of the year, a number of sources report.

This fall should see the arrival of a larger, more powerful take on the HTC One experience, according to Taiwanese analyst Laura Chen.

Aside from the ultralarge screen size, the only other detail tipped for the device is an "upgraded" processor, though even that specific is unclear.

Considering HTC's history of working with Qualcomm, I'd infer that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 chipset could power the phablet.

Prolific handset tipster @evleaks has also apparently gathered … Read more

HTC One Nexus User Experience confirmed

HTC just made all the speculation about an stock Android Version of its HTC One smartphone official today. The company's blog announced that the HTC One with what it calls the Nexus User Experience will arrive on June 26 for $599.

CNET did previously confirm that HTC was indeed working on a version of the HTC One that will run pure Android. Now the shroud of mystery has been lifted. In fact, the coveted device was shown off today by Google's Sundar Pichai at the D11 technology conference.

Contrasting Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S4, which will also be … Read more

BlackBerry Q10 landing on Verizon June 6

Not to be outdone by T-Mobile, Verizon sets June 6 as the launch date for the BlackBerry Q10. Priced at $199.99, the long-anticipated device features a superbly crafted physical keyboard plus the latest BlackBerry 10 software.

Verizon is now taking preorders for the Q10 and expects to stock its store shelves with the phone by June 6. This development will no doubt come as welcome news for the BlackBerry faithful. Many in this camp are zealously addicted to typing on real keys and poo-poo messaging via touch screen.

And what a keyboard the BlackBerry Q10 sports. Based on the … Read more

Apple screen could react to the force of your touch

Your future iPhone or iPad could offer an interactive touch screen that reacts to the pressure exerted by your touch.

Published Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, an Apple patent application called "Embedded force measurement" takes the concept of tapping on your touch screen at least one step further. Instead of just lightly tapping on your screen, you would actually press down on it to activate a command. The phone would measure the force of your tap and respond accordingly.

As one example, an on-screen icon could let you control the volume of your device. … Read more

Apple patent application eyes eye-tracking technology

Apple may be aiming to challenge Samsung over eye-tracking technology.,

An Apple patent application, dubbed "Electronic Devices With Gaze Detection Capabilities," was published Thursday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The application describes a feature in which your mobile device reacts to the movement of your head or eyes.

Turn your head or eyes away from the device, and the screen dims. Look back at the device, and the screen returns to life. Looking away could also put the entire device in standby mode, meaning certain functions are powered down to preserve battery power. In yet … Read more

Galaxy S4 Mini gives Samsung's flagship a smaller sibling

Samsung announced its Galaxy S4 Mini on Thursday, delivering a smaller, lower-end cousin of its hot-selling high-end Android phone with a 4.3-inch screen.

The Korean electronics giant has been steadily pushing smartphone sizes larger, but not everyone is ready for a the 5-inch screen of a Galaxy S4. And the new model will ensure Samsung a place in the market for more cost-conscious buyers, though the company hasn't yet said how much the device will cost or when it will go on sale.

Although the new phone has many of the S4's software features -- tools to … Read more

Moto X smartphone is real and will be launched by October

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. -- Google's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility has not been the search giant's finest hour, at least so far. Motorola lost $271 million for Google in the first quarter of 2013, and it's unclear at this point what the plan is to reinvent the division. And, some Android phone makers aren't totally believing that Motorola won't have some kind of unfair advantage as part of Google. In addition, the European Commission has been looking into how Motorola Mobility might be using its market position to seek and enforce a … Read more

AT&T's LTE network blankets more than 200 million people

AT&T announced on Wednesday that 11 new markets are seeing the faster data speeds from the carrier's 4G network. What's more, another seven markets are receiving expanded LTE coverage.

The new markets are: 

Dover, Del. Leonardtown, Md. Ocean City, Md. Asheville, N.C. Goldsboro, N.C. Salem, Ore. Culpeper, Va. Roanoke, Va. Longview, Wash. Port Townsend-North Whidbey Island-Camano Island, Wash. Shelton, Wash.

As for the expanded markets, the growth is spread out over a half dozen states. They include areas near Chicago, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

With the newly expanded 4G LTE coverage, AT&… Read more