At first glance, the Samsung Factor is a sturdy and attractive little flip phone that looks like nearly every other appealing Samsung flip phone to predate it. While it’s true that the specs are deliberately modest–an e-mail app and browser are its only software trills–the Factor does a few things right. Call quality was good …

Sprint customers looking to tuck a zippy Wi-Fi hot spot in their pocket can now consider the Sprint MiFi 4082 3G/4G Mobile hot spot, created by Novatel Wireless. The WiMax-capable hot spot is available via DirectShip through Sprint, but it can be picked up in brick-and-mortar stores starting April 17. It costs $79.99 for the sleek-looking hardware, plus a mobile …

Editors’ note: April 6, 2011, 12:15 p.m. PT Article was updated after we noticed that Sprint changed its Web site. Yesterday, a CNET reader spotted a Web spec on this Sprint page that claimed the forthcoming HTC Evo View 4G would run on the Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system. Sometime after we posted this story, Sprint’s specs changed again, this …

I always love seeing new functionality for Facebook for iPhone, and the team has trotted out not just tweaks, but some improvements that make a real difference. For instance, you can now unfriend former buddies directly from the phone, instead of having to cut them off from your profile page on the Facebook.com site (not that I would ever do …

Google has tweaked Google Maps for Android once again. Starting today, smartphones running Android 1.6 and up will see new location history and check-in features in Google Maps 5.3. The first addition is for maps users who have enabled Google Latitude on their profile. If you choose to, you’ll now be able to view stats and graphs of your location …

If you visit Facebook’s mobile site, you may notice a few changes to the way the Web site looks. The social network began rolling out an update to the site that optimizes Facebook.com for all mobile phones, from the humble feature phone to the high-end smartphone. Facebook previously encouraged feature phone owners to visit m.facebook.com, while channeling touch-screen devices to …

Starting tomorrow, U.S. Cellular customers will be able to buy the Samsung Gem for $29.99, after an $80 mail-in rebate. Granted, it’s not the cost savings you get with Alltel, which offered the Gem for free in February after a $50 mail-in rebate, but that’s still a good price for any smartphone. The specs are largely the same as the …

Google made a few tweaks today to the way it presents financial information in its mobile search results. Now, typing a stock symbol into the Google.com search bar in on your iPhone or Android smartphone (2.1 or above) returns useful data in a glance, including the stock’s share price and an interactive graph you can click on to see fluctuations …

Now playing: Watch this: Firefox for Android 1:49 Mozilla lifted the lid off Firefox for Android earlier this week, but what’s the big deal? Oh, just that this is Firefox’s most important mobile appearance since browser-maker Mozilla began its mobile project, notably as the Minimo browser for Windows Mobile 5 and 6, and later as Fennec for Windows Mobile 6. …

Those who find MetroPCS’ plain-old Huawei Ascend too tame can now venture for a much hipper model. Tapout, a mixed-martial-arts and lifestyle brand teamed up with Huawei to create the Huawei Ascend Sanctioned by Tapout. (Yep, it’s a mouthful.) One of two special-edition covers for the Huawei Ascend. MetroPCS The special Tapout edition comes with two logoed covers (one black, …