Most people go to Las Vegas to gamble, party or see a show. On a warm winter’s day in January 2014, Ron Louks journeyed there to gamble. But he wasn’t trying his luck at the tables. He was there, on one of his first days on the job as head of BlackBerry’s smartphone business, to …

How do you get consumers interested in your aging smartphone franchise? Tying it to the biggest movie of the year (of the decade?) might be a good start. Verizon on Tuesday unveiled the latest additions to its Droid family of smartphones, the Droid Turbo 2 and the Droid Maxx 2, both from Motorola. The carrier will tap a licensing deal …

Interested in a smartphone with a display that won’t shatter? Unless you’re a Verizon customer, you’ll have to wait until next year. Verizon and Motorola on Tuesday unveiled the Droid Turbo 2 , which uses a technology called “Moto Shattershield” that protects the display during drops and minor hits. It is the trademark feature of the smartphone, which is the …

NEW YORK — Amid the chaotic and ever-shifting smartphone world, Verizon Wireless’ Droid franchise persists. It’s fitting, then, that Verizon and Motorola are stressing durability with the Droid Turbo 2 smartphone, which boasts a supposedly shatterproof display and a battery that can last two days, along with reaching a 13-hour charge in 15 minutes. They also announced a lower-priced Maxx …

Apple’s mobile payment system is going overseas thanks to American Express. Apple Pay, which allows you to pay for goods and services at the register with your iPhone, will be made available to American Express customers in Canada and Australia later this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook said during an investor conference call on Tuesday. The company plans to expand …

The momentum of T-Mobile can’t be denied. For months, the Bellevue, Washington, company has been gaining more mobile phone customers than its three rivals combined. It has struck a chord with consumers through pocketbook-friendly features under the “Uncarrier” banner, including monthly rollovers of unused data and free data roaming in Canada and Mexico. A dash of marketing flash and a …

When it comes to the wireless networks of the future, speed won’t be everything. The advent of so-called 5G, or fifth-generation, wireless technology will bring incredible speed, for sure, with the industry aiming to see your network connection jump by 100 times. (Yes, 100.) More importantly, the network will be smart enough to act differently depending on how it’s accessed, …

Xiaomi’s television is one of its latest products that isn’t a smartphone, which is what it is primarily known for. Xiaomi LAGUNA BEACH, California — This company partners with many manufacturers to sell a wide variety of products online. It’s willing to sacrifice some profit to ensure its prices are bargain-bin low. It’s also one of the hottest tech companies …

Verizon faces increasing competition from its rivals. Verizon Do you want reliable wireless service or do you want cheap service? That’s long been Verizon’s justification to customers for why it charges a premium over its rivals. It’s also a question being asked more often as rivals drop their prices and promise better service. Well, coverage continues to win out for …

Last year’s Droid Turbo smartphone for Verizon. CNET Verizon Wireless’ Droid smartphone franchise will soon get its moment in the spotlight. The New Jersey-based carrier sent out invitations to a media event in Manhattan on October 27, teasing multiple Droid smartphones. “Everything you expect from a phone will change,” the company said. The Droid phones are just the latest flagship …