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Verizon Wireless doesn't like to use the word "throttle" when describing how it will restrict heavy data users, but it has no problem with the word "choke." And as Jessica tells us, that's exactly what the carrier is starting to do for the "most active five percent of its 3G data customers." No, it's not very convenient, but at least the carrier is trying to be polite about it.

Elsewhere in the podcast, we tackle a new female-oriented phone from HTC that may have Rhyme, though it's without any real … Read more

Bonnie is returning an important assignment in Toronto this week so our new colleague in CNET News, Roger Cheng, joins us to talk new BlackBerry phones, prepaid carriers, and Android rumors. Formerly of the Wall Street Journal, Roger works with Maggie Reardon in New York to cover the wireless industry from all sides. Also in the podcast, I call Jessica by Bonnie's name, Nicole rules the review roost, and we give Roger a crash course in our weirdness.

Cellular South's Android lineup is set to grow by one more now that the Samsung Admire has landed on the carrier's Web site. Though it stops short of officially announcing the handset, the wireless provider gives us a handful of specifications and images for its first Gingerbread device.

The Admire will feature a 3.5-inch touch screen, a 3.2-megapixel camera, and support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Additional details include a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD expansion port, live 3D wallpapers, and DVD-quality video playback.

Cellular South currently offers just over half a dozen Android phones, … Read more

After several weeks of frustration, Samsung Nexus S 4G owners should get a fix for the WiMax woes early next week. The carrier has yet to make an official announcement, but SprintFeed reported today that a software update scheduled for July 11 will enhance Wi-Fi and 4G performance and alter the signal strength indicators.

The update won't bring a new flavor of Android, but the improved connectivity should be more than enough for most users. The upgrade also promises to enable the NFC secure element and address the 4G widget, TTY support, and speakerphone audio quality.

Sprint made a good play two months ago when it added the respectable Samsung Nexus S 4G to its lineup. Not only did it bring some much needed stock Android to a CDMA carrier, but also it bested T-Mobile's version of the phone by adding 4G.

Yet, it was the 4G support that soon raised the ire of many Nexus S 4G buyers.… Read more

It appears AT&T's Motorola Atrix 4G might be next in line to receive Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Tech site BriefMobile has scored an alleged copy of the update, which claims it's full of new features, including application grouping, downloads management, and a retooled user experience.

According to BriefMobile's information, the revamped user interface feels less like Motoblur and more like the Motorola Droid X's Gingerbread update. Another noteworthy feature is the ability to download apps from outside of the Android Market. As you may know already, AT&T recently changed its stance on this topic, beginning with the Infuse 4G.

BriefMobile anticipates a June or July release for the Atrix update and expects it to have a build number along the lines of 4.5.XX. The AT&T smartphone recently saw an update that enabled support for the HSUPA+ network, but it didn't play nice with select banking apps. For those affected, Motorola has since made a minor update available.

Since we're on the subject of Motorola software updates, readers should be reminded that Verizon's Droid X is now seeing its Gingerbread update. Many of the features here look to similar to those found in the 2.3 that's apparently headed to the Atrix 4G. … Read more

Call it valley between two trade shows, but the cell phone world is having a quiet week for a change. As we're three weeks past Mobile World Congress and two weeks to CTIA, cell phone makers must have their heads down planning what's to come. Yet, there was at least one piece of news that brought out the CNET readers in force this week. Indeed, Android fans and detractors were abuzz over a ComScore report that found that Android had grabbed the largest market share in the United States smartphone market in the three months ending January. It'… Read more

On Monday, Microsoft finally took the wraps off of Project Pink and revealed two new phones targeted toward the younger generation of social butterflies.

The Kin One and the Kin Two will be available from Verizon Wireless starting next month, and, as CNET Reporter Ina Fried states, the phones are for men and women anywhere between the ages of 15 and 30 who want to broadcast their every thought, sight, and sound and want to know what their friends are up to as well. As a result, a lot of the phones' functions are built around the social-networking experience.

We got some hands-on time with both the Kin One and the Kin Two, and we're still trying to pinpoint our exact feelings on it. Overall, we think the premise is good but there are also some head-scratching omissions and the pricing of the devices and services plans will be key. We'll have to wait a bit longer to hear those details, but in the meantime, here are some of our initial thoughts on the hardware and the user interface.… Read more