Smartphones

If glasses are adjusted for varying eyesights, why isn't the same logic applied to our ears? Today, most music players (that's probably your phone) are designed with a one-size-fits-all standard -- the manufacturer adjusts the audio tone and left/right balance to what might suit most people.

It turns out, however, there are differences in our hearing, including unique nuances in balance and processing.

Some phones do let you dig into accessibility settings to adjust left/right balance, but the Galaxy S4 might be the first phone that actually adjusts the audio output to your needs automatically.

Buried … Read more

If you're an Android fan with a short temper, please turn back now. Watching this video will just send you into hysterics.

Part of my job here at CNET is to play the devil's advocate, and sometimes that requires me to talk trash about products you love. This time around, I'm going to take a poke at a phone that we love as much as you do, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

You'd be hard pressed to find a smartphone on our site that comes more highly recommend than the S4, but that doesn't mean that … Read more

The Android faithful are getting giddy over what Google goodies could be revealed at next week's Google I/O developers' conference, and the de-shelving of the Nexus 4 at retailers has some wondering if a new pure Android phone is about to replace it.

Two U.K. retailers, Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U, have discontinued sales of the Nexus 4 this week, and the number of U.S. retailers still offering the phone online also seems to be shrinking. Check Google's official retail locator for the latest pure Google phone and the only outlets that pop up in most places (I checked New York, San Francisco, and Denver) are all T-Mobile stores.

Yet, when I checked Best Buy's Web site and clicked on the only Nexus 4 on offer (the T-Mobile version), I got a mysterious "Page Not Found" error. It certainly appears someone thinks the Nexus 4 has run its course and is looking to make room for something new.… Read more

There was a time when the only way you could share files between your Android device and a Windows computer was by using a USB cable. These days, there are wireless options available that make it easier to share files. One such option is ES File Explorer, a powerful Android file manager. ES File Explorer helps you manage the files on your local Android device. Starting with version 3, however, LAN support was added to make it possible to share files with a Windows PC over Wi-Fi. To share files between your Android device and a Windows PC using ES … Read more

The Nexus 7 is the most popular pure Android tablet available. How do I know? Well, data compiled by Handset Detective and a bit of clever maths by analyst Ben Evans are certainly strong indicators. But also, everyone and their mother seems to have one. Especially in the U.S., but other markets have also been strong supporters.

I'd even say that the Nexus 7 deserves a decidedly corpulent chunk of credit for giving the overall Android tablet market a boost. Yes, Amazon found success with the first version of the Kindle Fire, but the lack of expected tablet … Read more

Sony may forgo the Xperia branding and adopt the new One Sony branding for this fall's flagship smartphone, according to various reports. Rumored to be called the Sony i1, the possibly forthcoming Android handset could be among the most powerful devices to date.

Details, which first surfaced in late April, suggested that the Sony "Honami" i1 would be among the first phones to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 processor.

Additional speculation called out a 5-inch 1080p HD display, 2GB RAM, and a 3,000mAh battery. Said to be centered on the CyberShot line, the phone was rumored … Read more

The first time you install a BlackBerry 10 app you're required to approve or deny the app access to various types of information on your device. For example, the Foursquare app requires permission to access your location (among other things) in order to find nearby venues. While other apps may request permission to access your photos, music or connect to BBM.

Denying an app permission to one of the requested categories is a good way to protect your personal data, but should you mistakenly deny an app permission, you'll need to know where to go to edit these … Read more

Amazon is reportedly working on two smartphones, including one that would have 3D capability.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Amazon is developing a device that features a 3D screen that can be used without special glasses. Citing "people familiar with the company's plans," the Journal wrote that the phone would use retina-tracking technology that would make the images seem to be floating "like a hologram and appear three-dimensional at all angles." What's more, users might be able to navigate through content using just their eyes.… Read more

If you're itching to snap up a budget Nokia Lumia 521, head over to Walmart on May 11 and buy it for $130, its full retail price.

If you aren't in a rush, the Windows Phone 8 handset also goes on sale May 22 at T-Mobile stores, Microsoft retail stores, and T-Mobile's Web site for $150.

However, if you don't want to fork over the full sum at once, you can also buy the budget smartphone for $30 down and pay $5 installments every month for the next two years. Either way you look at it, … Read more