Cell phones

Gmail for iOS adds more organizational tools

As part of a flurry of changes today, Google updated its Gmail app for iOS.

The core structure and design of the app remain largely the same, but Google added several new useful features that make browsing and organizing your messages easier. Here are the highlights.

You now can jump between messages by swiping horizontally across your iPhone or iPad display. This new action saves you from having to close an e-mail and return to your home screen before you can move on to your next message. The app now supports up to five Gmail accounts. With the Search bar, … Read more

Sony's Xperia ZL is elegant, compact, and speedy

Our colleagues at CNET Asia just took the new Sony Xperia ZL for a complete test-drive and like how this elegant handset handles. While not as luxurious as Sony's current flagship the Xperia Z, the Xperia ZL offers plenty of smartphone goodies including a nimble processor, Android Jelly Bean, and even an IR blaster to function as a home theater remote. … Read more

Bringing phones to T-Mobile's LTE network: The devil's in the details

Today, T-Mobile hyped how much easier bringing phones to its new network will be. As it turns out, however, it isn't as simple as you'd think.

Here's the deal. T-Mobile is in the middle of three major wireless transitions. Besides ripping up mandatory two-year contracts, the carrier is building a new 4G LTE network. If that wasn't enough, T-Mobile also is migrating its older 3.5G data service from the AWS band (1700/2100) where it currently lives over to the 1,900MHz GSM band.

But that's not all. T-Mobile is using that freed-up AWS … Read more

T-Mobile undercuts Apple with iPhone prices

T-Mobile's new service plans mark a huge change for wireless carriers. In addition to ditching contracts, the nation's fourth largest wireless provider also has dropped handset subsidies completely. So now, when you buy a new phone from T-Mobile, you'll pay much more for your device than you did when you signed two years of your life away. You have the option of paying the full cost at the time of purchase, or paying a deposit with monthly installments, but the phone's price is the same either way. And, of course, you won't be tied to … Read more

Testing T-Mobile's 4G LTE

T-Mobile just took a bold, new step by shredding the contracts for its plans plus launching its new 4G LTE data network. But what kind of speeds can you really expect to see on the carrier's hot, new devices? Judging from what I observed at T-Mobile's splashy press event in New York, apparently quite a bit. … Read more

Prepaid or postpaid?: The fight for your cell phone dollars (Smartphones Unlocked)

This article originally published 11/11/2012 and was updated most recently on 3/25/2013.

Now that T-Mobile has smashed into the center of the no-contract wireless game, the tussle for your business between the contract and no-contract carrier model is even more urgent.

There's no question that the prepaid model is designed to save you money over a two-year contract agreement, but how much do you really gain by going prepaid, and what might you lose from the subscriber experience?

For the sake of comparison, I'm going to break down the cost of ownership over a … Read more

Three T-Mobile phones worth waiting for (roundup)

Now that T-Mobile has done away with its two-year contract model, we take a look at the three hottest handsets that are destined for the carrier.

Based on its new options, you will be able to get these phones alongside a monthly $50 unlimited talk and text plan (and 500MB of data thrown in for good measure). If you want unlimited data, you'll need to pay $20 more, totaling up to a reasonable $70 per month.

For more on what the carrier has in store, join CNET tomorrow at 8 a.m. PT as we live blog its "… Read more

The Galaxy S4 gets more screen time

Last week at this time, the Galaxy S4 had just made its debut at Samsung's wacky unveiling in New York. We've explored the new flagship smartphone in almost every detail, but our friends Luke Westaway and Andrew Hoyle at CNET UK channeled their creative sides with these awesome videos that take a closer look at the Galaxy S4 while building on the First look video of our own Jessica Dolcourt.

The first clip focuses on the Galaxy S4's unique software (one area where the handset promises to stand out), the second compares the Galaxy 4 to its … Read more

Android, LTE, and great call quality for an affordable price

Don't be swayed by the use of "Optimus" in its name, as the LG Optimus Regard for Cricket Wireless isn't out to impress. Its compact design is unassuming, its feature set is mostly entry-level, and it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. So, in other words, it's about as far from the Optimus G Pro as you can get. Yet, those aren't reasons to avoid this affordable, easy to use, and LTE-ready handset.

The Optimus Regard costs a reasonable $249.99 for Cricket's contract-free service, which places it right in the … Read more