The newest version of the Nexus 7 tablet is already sold out on Google’s online store, Google Play. The AT&T HSPA+ model, which went on sale Tuesday, marks the first time a Google tablet is being sold with 3G capability (or 4G, depending on how you define AT&T’s HSPA+). The $299 tablet comes with 32GB …

Apple has met its November deadline and enabled turn-by-turn directions in Apple Maps for customers in Australia, as promised at the launch of the iPhone 5. The turn-by-turn feature live in Sydney. (Screenshot by Joe Hanlon/CBSi) Voice-guided directions are activated after users install the latest over-the-air update for their devices. To manually check for the update, go to the General …

Top carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are losing sales of prepaid smartphones to the likes of Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and MetroPCS, according to an NPD report out today. Third-quarter prepaid smartphone sales for the smaller carriers rose 23 percent over the prior quarter. But sales among the tier-one carriers dropped by 12 percent over the same period. …

Walk into a T-Mobile store and a second cell phone payment option might catch your eye: the Value plan. Related stories Prepaid plans versus contract plans Nokia Lumia 810 review Top 5 T-Mobile phones At first, the plan looks a bit like an interest model: a lower up-front cost for your purchase, say $50 less, followed by 20 months of …

TomTom, the company best known for its auto navigation systems, has opened its mapping data for app developers, making it easier for companies to make programs that could rival those from Google and Apple. The company, which is one of the main data providers for Apple’s Maps app, says it’s providing access to its location and navigation services, including map …

Now playing: Watch this: Unboxing the Kindle Fire HD 5:34 The 8.9-inch version of Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD ships today, arriving a little earlier than the company originally said and hitting the market in time for the key holiday-shopping season. The device, originally slated to ship November 20, starts at $299. The 8.9-inch model with 4G LTE capabilities will ship …

Android’s dominance in the Chinese smartphone market only strengthened in the third quarter, according to new data. During the third quarter, Android owned 90.1 percent of China’s smartphone market, up from from 83 percent in the second quarter, according to Beijing-based research firm Analysys International. Meanwhile, Apple’s iOS, which owned 6 percent of the market in the second quarter, fell …

A laptop, an inexpensive transmitter, and a little technical knowledge is all that’s necessary to take down the high-speed wireless data networks that are being embraced as the future of wireless communications, researchers warn. As wireless consumers are increasingly doing more with their smartphones, demand for faster, persistent connections is also growing. Boasting speeds four times as fast as current …

The $99 JBL OnBeat Micro has a battery option for mobile use (click to enlarge). JBL Various accessories that include Apple’s new Lightning connector are gradually trickling out onto the market, and JBL is the first to announce Lightning-equipped speaker docks. The smaller $99 battery-powered model, the JBL OnBeat Micro, which gets about 5 hours of power from four AAA …

Flipboard, the mobile app that lets users see all of their desired news in one place, now supports books. The company announced today that when iOS users download its latest update, they’ll find that they can comb through 25 book genres, including fiction, nonfiction, and cookbooks. In order to deliver that functionality, Flipboard has incorporated Apple’s iBookstore into its app …

The next generation of BlackBerry is coming in the new year, and already the new phone is squaring up to the iPhone 5. Codenamed the BlackBerry London, or L-series, the new phone will be one of the first to show off BlackBerry 10, the long-delayed and much-anticipated update to the BlackBerry operating system. Indian site BBin posted this picture of …

AT&T today announced new international roaming plans that will go into effect tomorrow. The Europe and Rest of World options will join the Canada and Mexico plans that the carrier announced last June. For each region, customers can choose one of three packages that delivers a set amount of minutes for a flat monthly rate. Of course, going over your …

A court has taken a dim view of YouView, ruling that Lord Sugar’s TV service is guilty of trademark infringement — but YouView “has no intention of changing its name”. The High Court in London upheld an earlier decision that YouView infringed the trademark of a service called YourView. Gloucestershire company Total Ltd registered the name YourView (with an R) in …

Geoffrey Morrison/CNET If you read my “What is refresh rate?” post, you’ll know that plasma TV manufacturers (Panasonic, Samsung, and LG) make a point in claiming a “600Hz” refresh rate on their TVs. As we discussed in that article, it’s not exactly comparable to LCD’s 120 and 240Hz refresh. So what is 600Hz, and how does it work? By its …

BlackBerry Messenger is adding voice call support, Research In Motion announced today. Upon downloading the free BlackBerry Messenger update, customers will find that they can place voice calls to other BBM customers whenever they’re on a Wi-Fi connection. In order to connect to BlackBerry Voice, customers must already be a BlackBerry service plan customer. According to RIM, the calls can …