4s

Taking Nokia's monster camera phone for a spin

Sigh. Sometimes I'm green with envy when reading about the adventures of my colleagues at CNET Asia. It's not because they get to fly out of the world's coolest airport (though that's partially it) or because they can stuff themselves silly with Singapore Noodles, but rather because they usually get awesome cell phones before they land in the United States, if they do at all. … Read more

iPhone 5: 15 most-wanted features

Editors' note: This post was originally published June 9, 2010, and has been updated frequently. The most recent update takes into account the new features in iOS 6.

First, an apology to those who've read this article before in its various iterations, you probably have a bad case of deja vu.

Truth be told, I originally published this column shortly after the iPhone 4 came out back in June 2010, which is why you see a lot of dated comments -- but they are fun to read.

Hopefully, this will be the last update, but you never know, considering how long this whole waiting-for-iPhone-5 saga has gone on. … Read more

Dear Apple: Please spend your billions on radical battery tech

Dear Apple,

You have more than $100 billion sitting in your coffers. I know you're returning some of that money to shareholders, but you will still have tens of billions of dollars leftover for R&D.

I have a proposal for how you should spend some of that money: please invest it into new and radical battery technology. Let me explain why.

My friends and I decided to visit Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth, last Sunday. We fought Emperor Zerg and chilled with Mickey Mouse, all the while taking hundreds of photos and recording dozens of videos … Read more

How to install iOS 6 developer preview

During the WWDC keynote, Apple demoed several of the new features in iOS 6, including Facebook integration, the new Maps app, turn-by-turn directions, a "Do Not Disturb" feature for when you don't want to answer your phone, and several enhancements that make Siri "smarter." In total, iOS 6 brings more than 200 new features over iOS 5 and, with today's announcement, tons of app developers are flocking to Apple's iOS Dev Center to download the beta.

Before you can even think about installing the iOS 6 beta you'll need to have an … Read more

Why a prepaid iPhone is an amazing deal for bargain hunters

The Apple iPhone has finally come to the prepaid market in the U.S., but is it really worth paying full price for the device when you can get it cheaper from a carrier that is subsidizing the cost?

The short answer is "yes." In this edition of Ask Maggie I explain why even with a higher upfront cost, a prepaid iPhone is a better deal than buying a subsidized version of the same phone from AT&T or Verizon Wireless. And I lay out why prepaid is still cheaper even for people with discounted family plans.… Read more

iPhone 4, 4S reportedly heads to Virgin Mobile next

Virgin Mobile USA will soon be the latest pre-paid carrier to get Apple's iPhone 4S, according to a new report.

Citing people familiar with Sprint's plans, Dow Jones says that the iPhone will arrive on Virgin Mobile USA -- a wholly-owned Sprint subsidiary -- as early as next month.

Sprint joined AT&T and Verizon as the third major U.S. carrier to offer the popular handset last October.

The move would follow Apple's deal with Leap Wireless's Cricket, which marked a beginning of the iPhone's jump into the prepaid market. That deal, announced last week, … Read more

Mophie gets tough with Juice Pack Pro iPhone 4/4S case

Think of Mophie's new Juice Pack Pro as an Otterbox case that's packing a 2,500 mAh battery that more than doubles the battery life of your iPhone 4 or 4S.

Mophie would probably argue that the Juice Pack Pro is actually tougher than an Otterbox case. It's touting its first ruggedized battery pack case as exceeding military specification MIL-STD 810G, which is pretty tough.

That said, the case is water-resistant but not totally waterproof (it can't go underwater). It has a built-in screen protector and comes with a rotating belt clip. According to Mophie, that … Read more

iPhone 4S takes on Galaxy S III in drop test, gravity wins

I'm as much a fan of zombie and vampire flicks as any other self-respecting tech blogger or tween, but lately, gadget torture shorts have become one of my favorite genres for video.

We've seen phones and tablets run over by cars, dropped from great heights, and dipped in hot lava for our enjoyment (and normally to sell us some sort of case or accessory in the process), so it only seems natural that the next step be the tech equivalent of an MMA cage match.

Gadget warranty outfit SquareTrade is happy to oblige with this video that pits the iPhone 4S against the Samsung Galaxy S III to see which can best handle the typical abuse dealt out to many smartphones by drops, kids, and drive-offs.… Read more

Inside the Samsung Galaxy S III: Quad-core drives galaxial screen

The Samsung's Galaxy S III's vast 4.8-inch screen sits atop a quad-core processor and Sony camera, among other goodies exposed in detail via a chipworks teardown.

Before we dive into the specs, let's be clear. For a phone, it's big. Big enough to be brushing up against 5-inch mini tablets.

"I'd say it does verge on being unnecessarily large, but thankfully it isn't as ludicrously big as the Samsung Galaxy Note with its 5.3-inch screen," said CNET"s Jessica Dolcourt in her review of the phone.

And note this … Read more