Nokia’s colossal new Windows Phablet, the 6-inch monster that is the Lumia 1520, hits the UK next week for £550 SIM-free. That’s the price quoted by online retailer Unlocked-Mobiles.com, which is the first in the UK with an unlocked deal on the massive new blower. Other retailers are likely to start stocking the 1520 in …

Worldwide smartphone shipments are tipped to surpass one billion, according to research firm IDC. (Credit: Josh Miller/CNET) Shipments are 39 per cent up from those in 2012, said IDC, with demand mostly focused in emerging markets, as more traditional markets hit saturation point. IDC points to the decline in average selling price (ASP) as one of the big drivers. The …

The futuristic Xbox One lets you change channels with your voice, log in to your account with nothing more than your face, and instantly flip between gaming and live TV, but Microsoft’s wunderbox can’t stream Netflix without a $60-per-year Xbox Live Gold subscription. It’s a surprising restriction when nearly every other device, from the $35 Chromecast to the $400 PlayStation …

Related Nokia stories Reviewed: Nokia’s 6-inch Lumia 1520 HTC One Max’s pros and cons Samsung Galaxy Note gets it write (review) The tide has turned, dragging in new supersize smartphones with screens larger than 5 inches. Nokia’s Lumia 1520, HTC’s One Max, and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 are the three top extra-large handsets sold through US carriers. Each has its …

For Android fans who don’t have a Nexus 5, when they’ll get KitKat is a serious and angst-inducing question. Some handset manufacturers like Samsung and HTC have already promised the update for their flagship devices, but others haven’t been so forthcoming. Here’s what we know so far; we’ll keep updating this post as we get more KitKat news. When will …

Smartphones have become the dominant connected device in the US and around the globe on the twin motors of connectivity and portability. But with dominance comes the congealing of a once frothy market around a handful of operating systems and handset providers, and many companies are eager for a new round of disruption. This year saw the rise of “concept …

Looking for an early Christmas treat, phone fan? The expansively-screened Nokia Lumia 1520 hits shops on 6 December. The 6-inch Windows Phone will be available from O2, Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4u. It’s free on a contract costing £38 per month with Vodafone, which comes with unlimited calls and texts and 2GB of 3G data. For super-fast browsing and streaming, …

Uber began testing a financial program Monday that aims to reduce the car payments of its drivers through a partnership with auto manufacturers and banks. The on-demand car company said it now has 100,000 drivers and “millions” of customers, with full-time drivers giving $100,000 worth of rides each year. But, it needs more cars. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said the …

Presumably unhappy with the huge number of articles available just by typing ‘how to switch from iPhone to Android’ into his own website, Google chairman Eric Schmidt has written a guide to making the big mobile switch. And as the person who commissions how-tos for CNET UK, I grudgingly admit he’s done a pretty good job. “Many of my iPhone …

Odin Mobile added LG’s Nexus 4 smartphone to its lineup, the company announced on Monday. Related stories Newly minted Odin Mobile sells phones for the blind Read CNET’s full Nexus 4 review The Android smartphone is the most feature rich handset that the newcomer carrier stocks for its customers, who are blind or have limited vision. Preloaded with Android 4.4 …

Now playing: Watch this: Google Nexus 5 souped up with Android KitKat, LTE, and… 3:16 It’s been more than three weeks since the Nexus 5 made its way onto the market, and the momentum hasn’t stopped. Here in the US, the black and white 16GB models sold out quickly after their launch (though both are now back in stock), and …

Hooray! Check out what popped up on my Nexus 4! Sorry — *clears throat, puts on serious journalist voice* — Android 4.4 KitKat is now available for the Nexus 4. If you’ve not seen a notification yet, head to Settings > About phone > System updates, and it should show up. It took a couple of minutes to download, then you …

Here’s a sobering fact: Out of all the work smart phones in the UK that go missing, over half do so while the owner is out enjoying an alcoholic beverage. That’s according to a report by cloud security firm Trend Micro. Over a quarter (27 per cent) of smart phone users have had up to three work devices lost or …

iPhone users who plan to ask Santa for an Android phone can follow “Eric’s Guide” to ease the transition. Ringing in the holidays the Google way, Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt took to Google+ on Sunday to tell us all that “many of my iPhone friends are converting to Android.” Why? “The latest high-end phones from Samsung (Galaxy S4), Motorola (Verizon …

Want a better camera on your Android device? Google does, too. For that reason, the company has overhauled the mobile OS’s plumbing. Google has built deep into Android support for two higher-end photography features — raw image formats and burst mode — and could expose those features so that programmers could tap into them, the company said. Evidence of raw …