gs4

Making sense of Google's high Galaxy S4 price tag

On Tuesday, when Google's Vice President of Android Product Management Hugo Barra told a crowd of nearly 6,000 attendees that the online giant would be releasing its own variant of the critically-acclaimed Samsung Galaxy S4, many broke out in applause.

Not only would the top-tier device sport all the same desirable specs the GS4 was already known for (like the quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor and Android 4.2 OS), it would also give Android purists/TouchWiz haters, an unsullied Nexus software experience.

Yes, there was clapping all around (and even a "woot!" or two) until Barra … Read more

AT&T to offer 32GB Galaxy S4 on May 10

AT&T announced on Twitter today that it will start offering the 32GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 on May 10 for $249.99 after users sign a two-year contract.

Currently, customers can purchase the 16GB version of Samsung's flagship handset for $199.99.

In addition to this bump in capacity, users will still get the same excellent features seen in the 16GB model.

This includes a vibrant 5-inch HD Super AMOLED 1080p touch screen, a 13-megapixel camera, and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

For more about the GS4, be sure to check out our full CNET review.… Read more

Best Samsung Galaxy S4 cases

Editors' note: This post was updated May 10, 2013, with eight new products, including cases from Ballistic, Bear Motion, Boxwave, Cygnett, Tech21, and X-Doria. Two cases were removed from the list.

iPhone owners have always had a variety of cases and covers to choose from, but the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4 are among the few ultrapopular Android smartphones that have spurred cottage industries of cases and covers.

In boiling down the best of what's currently out there, I tried to provide a good mix of well-designed, affordable cases with more-expensive models that offer some unique attributes.

One thing … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 rocks the best phone OLED yet, says report

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may have a 5-inch screen with a killer 1080p HD resolution, but that doesn't tell you as much about its display quality as you might think.

That's because, as any display guru (like CNET's David Katzmaier) will tell you, a screen's ultimate rating spans resolution and pixel density, sure, but also color reproduction and accuracy, total brightness, viewing angles, and reflectance.

The screen material technology also plays a huge role; when it comes to smartphones, LCD displays make up the lion's share of manufacturers' choice, with Samsung at the forefront of … Read more

U.S. Cellular preps for weekend Galaxy S4 sales

Amid reports of delays with some carriers, U.S. Cellular is announcing its schedule to sell the Samsung Galaxy S4 online and in its brick-and-mortar stores.

The 16GB version of the marquee device goes on sale Friday online for $199.99 with an instant rebate.

A few days later, on Tuesday, the black or white handsets will show up in retail stores.

Starting on Friday, U.S. Cellular will start shipping the Galaxy S4 to customers who preordered the device, along with a free S View flip cover (video), a $60 value.

Galaxy S4 faces supply issue due to 'overwhelming demand'

The Samsung Galaxy S4 may be a hotter item than its previous hype suggested.

Samsung Electronics' upcoming flagship smartphone may actually be a hard item to find. In a note to CNET, the company warned that initial supply would be limited, blaming "overwhelming global demand."

"We expect to fulfill inventory to meet demands in the coming weeks," a Samsung representative said.

The issues have already affected two U.S. carriers. Sprint Nextel will still offer the phone via its Web site and telesales on April 27, but gave no word on when it would actually have … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 review: At the top of its game

With the Galaxy S4, Samsung clinches its goal of global smartphone domination. The supercharged Android 4.2 Jelly Bean device may look like a toy compared with the stunning HTC One and the dapper iPhone 5. But taken together, its blazing quad-core processor, colorful 5-inch HD screen, sharp-shooting 13-megapixel camera, and mile-high stack of software extras make the Galaxy S4 the most powerful superphone anywhere in the world.

What does the Galaxy S4 have? A better question is: what doesn't it have? There's the 1080p screen, zippy processing speeds that are ideal for gaming, and an IR blaster … Read more

Samsung: Galaxy S4 for U.S. has four cores, not eight

It's official: Samsung's Galaxy S4, the marquee device due out in the upcoming weeks, will feature a quad-core processor instead of a chipset bearing eight processing cores.

Samsung had kept us guessing when it first announced its Galaxy S4 in New York last month, saying only that in some regions, a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 series processor would rev the GS4's engines, and Samsung's own 1.6GHz eight-core Exynos 5 Octa silicon would take care of others.

In addition to some promising processing muscle, the Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch full-HD Super AMOLED display, … Read more

Samsung Galaxy S4 vs. HTC One: A clash of two Android titans

If you're in the market for a new smartphone this year, chances are good you're seriously considering the two best Android handsets: the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the HTC One.

Both offer tempting helpings of powerful components, advanced features, and cutting-edge software.

So which device should you go with? It's a tough choice. But fear not: CNET is here to help. Sit back as we stack up all the abilities these excellent phones have in common and the key differences that separate the two. … Read more