smartphone

As mobile phones become more powerful and GPS information easier to get, it's getting to the point where we have to wonder if buying a standalone personal navigation device makes sense anymore.

Personal nav devices were the hot gift item for the holidays just two years ago, but things have changed pretty drastically in the last year. Prices on GPS devices are dropping and while they're very reasonable, almost any smartphone sold today comes with some sort of GPS or mapping feature. So which is a better choice? Separate GPS device or smartphone with mapping software?

What's … Read more

Beginning Nov. 15, Verizon subscribers looking to get out of their smart-phone contracts early will pay $350 for the privilege. That early-termination fee is double the current one, but Verizon insists it's justified because of the higher prices of today's phones.

"The cost of smart phones is considerably higher than feature phones for which the early termination fees were created years ago at $175," said Verizon spokesman Jim Gerace. He added that the new $350 ETF declines by $10 per month through the life of the contract and customers can avoid it by buying their devices … Read more

Consumer demand for smartphones seems to be unstoppable.

In the third quarter, vendors shipped a record 43.3 million devices, up 4.2 percent from last year's third quarter and up 3.2 percent from this year's second quarter, says a report released Thursday by market researcher IDC.

Among smartphone vendors, Nokia still enjoys the greatest market share, according to IDC, with a 37.9 percent slice for the third quarter.… Read more

As you may have heard, Verizon Wireless' Motorola-made Droid smartphone goes on sale November 6. It's all anybody can talk about and arguably the most anticipated new phone since, well, the iPhone.

Verizon is selling it for $199.99 after a mail-in rebate, but Wirefly has the Motorola Droid for $149.99 shipped, no rebates required. (As always, there's that pesky two-year contract.)

Do you want to know more about this iPhone killer phone? Start with this CNET video, and then read the complete review.

When you're done watching, check out the Android Atlas blog for a … Read more

Verizon Wireless isn't the only one showing some BlackBerry love today. Following Verizon's announcement that it will bring the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 to its lineup on November 20, Sprint released a statement saying that it, too, will offer the Curve 8530.

Like the other models, the Curve 8530 includes features such a Wi-Fi, an optical trackpad, GPS, a 2-megapixel camera, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, among other things. In addition, it will support the Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV.

Pricing and release date were not announced at this time, but interested customers can preregister for … Read more

When it rains it pours. On Thursday, Verizon Wireless opened the floodgates and unleashed a handful of cell phones and smartphones that should make their way into your hands just in time for the holiday shopping season. It looks like there's a little something for everyone, so let us know which you are most excited about in our comments section.

Here is a roundup of all of today's news:

Verizon's Droid Eris offers Android for less Verizon introduces BlackBerry Curve 8530 LG Chocolate Touch is now official Samsung's Convoy goes rugged Verizon offers prepaid wireless for laptops … Read more

As Apple and Research In Motion have won a greater share in the Wi-Fi handset market over the past year, Nokia has lost share.

Though Nokia is still the leading vendor for dual-mode smartphones (Wi-Fi and cellular), its market share dropped to 35 percent in the second quarter, compared with 50 percent in the same period a year ago, according to a report released Monday from In-Stat.

The report "Wi-Fi in Mobile Phones: Dual Mode Becomes the In Thing" tracked the major Wi-Fi phone vendors, including Nokia, Apple, Research In Motion, HTC, and Samsung. Among those, Apple has … Read more

Aside from the cost of the device and the expensive monthly plan, you might have to face an additional charge just for the privilege of getting a smartphone.

According to a document found by the Boy Genius Report, Verizon Wireless has raised its $175 early termination fee to a whopping $350 specifically for "advanced devices," which probably includes all smartphones. The termination fee won't stay at $350 however: the sum will decrease by $10 for every month of service.

This isn't exactly painting Verizon Wireless in a positive light here, though we suspect it's just … Read more

One of the smartphones that left quite an impression on us at CTIA Fall 2009 was the HTC HD2. It could have been the massive 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen, its extreme thinness, or that the Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone was powered by Qualcomm's new 1GHz Snapdragon mobile processor--whatever the reason, we wanted this device.

Well, it looks like we might be only a few months away from seeing this wish become reality. Already shipping in Europe and now in Taiwan, HTC announced on Wednesday that it plans to bring the HTC HD2 to the United States with … Read more