Are you suffering from smartphone fatigue? (Poll)

There are days when it's so challenging to be a technology writer, I can only imagine what it's like to be a technology consumer.

For example, and I'm just ballparking here, there are some 37,000 smartphones you can buy today. Whoops, hang on, just got a press release from HTC; make that 37,001. Oh, and here comes Android 4.3 -- wonder when I'll be able to load that on my S3. Hey, Best Buy took $50 off the iPhone last weekend. Must mean Apple's announcing a new model at next month's WWDC, … Read more

HTC could release 5.9-inch 'phablet' later this year

HTC is expected to release a huge 5.9-inch smartphone in the second half of the year, a number of sources report.

This fall should see the arrival of a larger, more powerful take on the HTC One experience, according to Taiwanese analyst Laura Chen.

Aside from the ultralarge screen size, the only other detail tipped for the device is an "upgraded" processor, though even that specific is unclear.

Considering HTC's history of working with Qualcomm, I'd infer that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 chipset could power the phablet.

Prolific handset tipster @evleaks has also apparently gathered … Read more

HTC One Nexus User Experience confirmed

HTC just made all the speculation about an stock Android Version of its HTC One smartphone official today. The company's blog announced that the HTC One with what it calls the Nexus User Experience will arrive on June 26 for $599.

CNET did previously confirm that HTC was indeed working on a version of the HTC One that will run pure Android. Now the shroud of mystery has been lifted. In fact, the coveted device was shown off today by Google's Sundar Pichai at the D11 technology conference.

Contrasting Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S4, which will also be … Read more

BlackBerry Q10 landing on Verizon June 6

Not to be outdone by T-Mobile, Verizon sets June 6 as the launch date for the BlackBerry Q10. Priced at $199.99, the long-anticipated device features a superbly crafted physical keyboard plus the latest BlackBerry 10 software.

Verizon is now taking preorders for the Q10 and expects to stock its store shelves with the phone by June 6. This development will no doubt come as welcome news for the BlackBerry faithful. Many in this camp are zealously addicted to typing on real keys and poo-poo messaging via touch screen.

And what a keyboard the BlackBerry Q10 sports. Based on the … Read more

AT&T's LTE network blankets more than 200 million people

AT&T announced on Wednesday that 11 new markets are seeing the faster data speeds from the carrier's 4G network. What's more, another seven markets are receiving expanded LTE coverage.

The new markets are: 

Dover, Del. Leonardtown, Md. Ocean City, Md. Asheville, N.C. Goldsboro, N.C. Salem, Ore. Culpeper, Va. Roanoke, Va. Longview, Wash. Port Townsend-North Whidbey Island-Camano Island, Wash. Shelton, Wash.

As for the expanded markets, the growth is spread out over a half dozen states. They include areas near Chicago, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

With the newly expanded 4G LTE coverage, AT&… Read more

Verizon issues major software update to Samsung Galaxy S3

Verizon Wireless has a rather massive software update ready to issue for the Samsung Galaxy S3 smartphone.

Expected to roll out over the next few days, the 129MB file delivers handy features such as multiscreen and multiwindow. Other noteworthy changes include the "Best Shot" camera feature, the ability to bill Google Play apps to a Verizon account, and an option to tag weather, people, and places in photos and video.

Indeed, the software update is not all major improvements and new features; bug fixes and minor tweaks are also found throughout. NFC, for instance, is easier to toggle … Read more

Razor-thin One Touch Idol heading to the U.S.

Affordable yet compelling unlocked smartphones are hard to come by in America, but the new Alcatel One Touch Idol might buck the trend. Priced at $299, this sleek and thin Android handset sports a big 4.7-inch screen, plus it's splash-resistant. … Read more

Galaxy S4 Mini may sport dual-core Snapdragon 400 chip

The Galaxy S4 Mini won't be quite as beefy as its bigger brother, at least according to alleged specs leaked online.

Benchmark results reportedly obtained by German blog site All About Samsung show the Mini powered by Qualcomm's dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor. Outfitted with Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, the phone will offer a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display. The Mini will also come with 1.5GB of memory, an 8-megapixel camera in the back, and a 2.1-megapixel camera in the front.

In comparison, Samsung's 5-inch Galaxy S4 is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, … Read more

HTC One Google Edition to be offered in very limited quantities, report says

The HTC One 'Google Edition' smartphone will be sold in very limited quantities when it surfaces later this summer, or so the always-gabby "people familiar with the matter" have told Pocket Lint.

That means that if you were hoping to get your hands on the 'Google Edition' of the popular Android flagship, you'll have to look hard to find it. According to Pocket Lint's sources, HTC will release just "around one percent of total sales of the device so far." And with HTC having announced roughly five million in sales for the HTC One … Read more