Phones

Martin Cooper changed the world when he made the first cell phone call 40 years ago.

The former Motorola vice president and division manager made the call on the company's DynaTAC phone while standing in front of the New York Hilton on Sixth Avenue. His first call: to the head of research at Bell Labs, a company that also was attempting to build the first cell phone.

Cooper's call did more than untether people from their fixed phone lines; it opened the door to true mobility and continues to affect virtually every aspect of our lives. … Read more

If you've always wished you could watch 3D content on your mobile device, you're in luck. A team of Singapore-based researchers has developed a special film that turns the screens of mobile devices into 3D-capable displays.

The EyeFly 3D film, which looks just like a typical screen protector, actually consists of 500,000 miniaturized lens-like structures that measure about one-thousandth the width of a human hair. When applied to a mobile device, the filter works with dedicated iOS and Android apps to render stereoscopic 3D content for playback. Nanovue, a startup set up to bring the EyeFly 3D to market, is working on apps to convert existing 2D content to stereoscopic 3D.

There's one tradeoff: In our tests, the film made the iPhone 5's Retina Display look like it had a lowered resolution, as text and icons appeared to have jagged edges. Screen brightness remained the same. … Read more

AT&T and Sprint Nextel said that the HTC One will hit stores on April 19 starting at $199.99 and a two-year contract.

Eager fans can pre-order the phone at AT&T on April 4, and on Sprint a day later.

After plenty of hype and a short delay, the flagship HTC One finally looks ready to come to at least one carrier. The 32-gigabyte version will cost $199.99, while the 64GB version, which is exclusive to AT&T, will sell for $299.99 and a two-year contract.

The phone will come in black and … Read more

Android has grabbed the lead over iOS in the battle for U.S. smartphone buyers, according to a report out yesterday from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

From mid-November through mid-February, Android increased its share of U.S. smartphone sales to 51.2 percent, up from 45 percent during the same three-month period in 2012. Over the same time, Apple's iOS dropped to second place as its share of U.S. sales fell to 43.5 percent from 47 percent.

Much of the surge in Android can be attributed to Apple arch-rival Samsung.

Prices drops on Samsung phones in the last … Read more

Just as expected, carriers have begun to slash prices on Samsung's Galaxy S3 handset in anticipation of stocking the bigger, fancier Samsung Galaxy S4 successor.

AT&T announced this morning that beginning today, its Galaxy S3 will sell for $99.99 with a two-year contract, an instant $100 reduction. Expect other carriers to follow suit.

Galaxy S4 preorders begin on April 16 for AT&T. The $250 in-contract Galaxy S4 cost makes the Galaxy S3 look like a bargain, a tactic that will help the carrier clear old stock to make room on the shelves for the … Read more

On what should be a quiet Good Friday, speculation is flying over an Android-themed event that Facebook has scheduled for next Thursday.

Of course, the most low-hanging rumor fruit is that the company will really-we-mean-it-this-time introduce the endlessly discussed "Facebook phone." This is one rumor mill that makes me ill so I'll defer to BGR's Zach Epstein to explain what I think the chances are of such a device. (Spoiler: there's not a chance)

Please, God, no Now I could be wrong. And if I am, I'll say so next week if the rumored HTC Myst … Read more

Last week, Panasonic announced that it was considering cutting its plasma production after next year; this is especially troubling, as its 2013 lineup looks like the company's best yet.

Panasonic TVs like the ZT60 and VT60 could (finally) give our reference TV the Pioneer Kuro a run for its money, and for a much more affordable price. We're not conspiracy theorists, but for one reason or other sometimes the best products just aren't the most successful. Watch out, Apple's rumored TV!

Panasonic's sad news got us thinking about the many other products that have gone … Read more

Sprint today announced an Android 4.1 update for the Samsung Galaxy S2. Yes, you read that right. The flagship smartphone from 2011 is getting a new coat of paint.

As expected, the Android 4.1 software update brings about changes such as Google Now, Project Butter animations, and lock screen widgets. Also included are the requisite richer notifications, smarter keyboard, and improved Google Search.

In addition to the standard Jelly Bean features, the Samsung Galaxy S2 is getting some of the Galaxy S3's more popular options. Details include the Smart Stay eye tracking for keeping the phone awake … Read more

Japan-based NEC is considering selling its ailing mobile phone unit, a new report claims.

NEC is looking to sell off its mobile phone unit to Lenovo, Reuters is reporting today, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the discussions. The company is also talking with other Japan-based companies about selling off its mobile phone operation.

Lenovo has been reported to be involved in a slew of talks lately surrounding a mobile phone acquisition. Most recently, Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing said that his company was open to buying BlackBerry, lending further credence to claims that the PC maker has plans … Read more