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HTC's Droid DNA going international

As if it were any surprise, HTC looks to be readying an international version of the recently announced Droid DNA. A tweet from often-accurate @evleaks tells us the 5-inch smartphone will be released as a global edition and will be called the HTC Deluxe.

If the Deluxe name sounds familiar it is because that was one of the code names tossed around in the months leading up to last week's announcement. Some readers may recall recently hearing the phone tied to rumors of a HTC DLX moniker.

Reportedly, the HTC Deluxe will feature the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro … Read more

Droid Razr free at Best Buy today with new contract

Today is a sobering one for many Droid Razr owners like me. We're officially walking around with smartphones that are almost worthless, at least from the perspective of one major retailer.

Best Buy is letting go of the basic 16GB Droid Razr 4G LTE phone for free with a new Verizon contract for today only. I paid $199 for mine with the same strings attached about eight months ago.

If you're the kind of person who can live without the latest version of Android (the Razr comes with Gingerbread, but you should receive the Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade … Read more

Wireless charging blazes path toward mainstream

The ability to charge a smartphone by simply placing it on a tabletop has been around for a while, but it's more of a novelty, for early adopters and gadget buffs.

Wireless charging cases, back covers, and pads are out in the market, and the Palm Pre memorably championed its Touchstone charging stand a while back, but the options are either too complicated, expensive, or, in the case of the Pre, not popular enough to really resonate with consumers.

That's poised to change over the next year, with momentum and a lot of big-name companies behind the idea. … Read more

Who wins the battle for Verizon's top phablet of 2012?

Verizon Wireless customers now have three options should they be in the market for a 5-inch Android experience.

The latest handset to join the phablet family is the HTC Droid DNA, which the carrier announced yesterday. Like the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and LG Intuition it boasts a massive display and a full roster of high-end features.

But as compelling as each smartphone is, only one can come out on top. So let's take a deeper dive to determine which device will be crowned Verizon's king of gargantuan handsets?

LG Intuition A variant of the Optimus Vu, the … Read more

HTC amps up Verizon's Droid franchise with Droid DNA

HTC needed a slam dunk to reverse its fortunes. It may just have one with the Droid DNA thanks to an assist from Verizon Wireless.

The Droid DNA, unveiled today at an event in New York with Verizon, nabs the coveted flagship, or halo, slot at the wireless carrier. Verizon Chief Marketing Officer Tami Erwin said she sees the DNA positioned for "blockbuster success during the holidays and 2013."

HTC takes over a position largely occupied by Motorola Mobility over the past few years, and the coup couldn't come at a better time. The company badly needs … Read more

Verizon and HTC's latest twist: The $199 Droid DNA

Verizon and HTC unveiled a new device that the two hope will appeal to customers during the holiday season, while helping to reverse HTC's floundering fortunes.

The phone, the Droid DNA, sports a 5-inch screen, putting it more in the "phablet" category with Samsung's Galaxy Note. It runs on Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean and includes a boatload of powerful features, including a Super LCD 3 display with 440 pixels per inch, capable of playing 1080p HD video.

HTC noted the screen rivals traditional HDTVs, while the pixel density is among the highest available on … Read more

Join CNET's coverage of Verizon, HTC's launch event (live blog)

CNET's live coverage of Verizon and HTC's launch event, 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET.

Verizon and HTC have one more mobile device to unveil for the holidays, and it looks to be a big one.

The companies are widely believed to be releasing the Droid DNA, which Verizon accidentally leaked Monday on its own Web site. (It has since been scrubbed.)

The Droid DNA is said to feature a large, 5-inch display, moving into the tweener category referred to by some as a "phablet." The smartphone is expected to come with 2GB of … Read more

R2-D2 engagement ring charms geeky girl's heart

When New Jersey tattoo artist Joe Pagani decided to propose to his girlfriend, Emily, the fellow hit hyperspace past the jewelry store and instead chose to design an engagement ring inspired by R2-D2 from "Star Wars."

Pagani tapped CustomMade -- a Web site that matches dreamers with people who can turn those ideas into real, tangible things -- to find the artist who could create the sci-fi stunner.… Read more

BlackBerry 10 gets launch date

CNET Update starts the countdown:

Mark the calendar on January 30. That's when Research in Motion will launch the next BlackBerry phones. Also in Monday's tech news roundup:

- Facebook is testing out new features. Some users can reply directly to someone's comment on a post, according to Mashable. And VentureBeat reports Facebook is also testing notification sounds.

- A preview of the Skype app for Windows Phone 8 is now available to download.

- YouTube will cut funding to about half of the original shows it backed last year, according to Ad Age.

- Apple and … Read more