Microsoft is testing out a Skype application for Windows Phone that could make its debut by the end of next month. That’s according to the Verge, which reported today that the app would have a Metro UI-style look, keeping it consistent with the rest of the Windows Phone user interface. This version of Skype reportedly …

A pair of unannounced LG smartphones are appearing online just four weeks before Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The preliminary details were found in the UPnP Forum (1) (2), a popular spot for spying new devices before they come to market. Aside from the respective model numbers, there’s not a ton of information to glean from the actual findings. …

Update Feb 3, 2012: In early January Samsung told me of a firmware update that addresses the brightness pops in both the D7000 and D8000 plasmas (I was also told that 2012 versions wouldn’t suffer this issue), but since that time the company has not given me any additional information despite repeated inquiries. Meanwhile multiple CNET readers have told me …

See where the iPhone is placed? This is an excellent example of using the rule of thirds. It also happens to be a gorgeous photo, courtesy of Christopher Wesser. Christopher Wesser, Sandbox Studio Photography I hate to admit it, but my iPhone is always the first thing I reach for when I spot a photo-worthy scene. Sure, I own a …

A supposed leaked photo of a new Samsung phone running Ice Cream Sandwich has emerged, causing a torrent of speculation about what the mobile giant will be showing off at Mobile World Congress, but it’s likely that the image is a fake and the speculation is pure nonsense. The photo above came courtesy of industry insider Eldar Murtazin, who posted …

For the social networking giant Facebook, mobile phones represent both an opportunity and significant risk to the company’s business. Over the past year, Facebook executives have noted the growing importance of mobile for the company’s growth. About a year ago, the company launched an initiative to get its mobile app on all mobile devices, including smartphones, feature phones, and even …

MetroPCS is calling its $40 unlimited plan back into service for 4G LTE smartphones, after pulling the plan when it ceased selling its debut 4G phone, the Samsung Craft, last year. As with all of the carrier’s unlimited plans, the $40 4G LTE plan includes unlimited talk, text, and Web browsing. It also allows for 100MB of multimedia streaming using …

Verizon’s next Android flagship, the Droid 4, now could be on deck for a February 9 release. According to details uncovered by Droid Life, the fourth (or is it 40th?) iteration of the popular Motorola series should begin to arrive in retail stores over the next few days. Pricing has not been confirmed as of yet, but sources indicate that …

If you’ve got that gorgeous Nokia Lumia 900 on the brain, 25 bucks will get you a guaranteed reservation for the phone. The only problem? You’ll need to live near one of Microsoft’s fifteen retail locations. It costs $25 to reserve the phone, a fee that comes out of the total price of the handset. You’ll have to pick it …

Images purportedly showing iPad 3 diagnostic info suggest that Apple’s next tablet will sport a quad-core A6 processor. Boy Genius Report cites a source who claims to have an iPad 3 prototype in his possession, and sent the site some sneaky snaps from a diagnostic tool called iBoot. The most interesting tidbit to be gleaned from the lines of information …

Apple is now the world’s third largest phone manufacturer, beating LG and ZTE, according to a report from IDG. The intelligence firm’s research suggests the iPhone-spawning tech giant has leapt into the number three spot, up from fifth position in the last quarter. Apple’s success is attributed to — you guessed it — the fact that it’s flogged a bucketload …

Syncing your iTunes library to an Android device is easier than you may think. DoubleTwist is a two-part application that can allow your iTunes (Windows | Mac) library to journey into Android land (and back) with ease. One part of the application, including a media player for your convenience, runs on your Android device. The other runs on your computer …

Samsung’s Galaxies are expanding faster than light. The freshly announced Samsung Galaxy S Advance is soon to hit Three and O2 for more swipey, Androidy fun. The S Advance became official on Monday and the networks are already jumping on board. Three was the first to step up to the plate, having listed the phone as ‘coming soon’ on its …

commentary Let’s get one thing straight. Microsoft’s mobile operating platform isn’t called “Windows Phone 7.” How do I know? Because Windows Phone 8 is right around the corner. Yet “Windows Phone 7” is exactly how CEO Steve Ballmer introduced the platform and its first nine handsets in 2010, and it’s how people have commonly referred to the operating system–including CNET. …

Now playing: Watch this: Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet 5:25 Editors’ note: This article was originally posted November 23, 2011. We’ve added some material and updated it on February 24, 2012, based on further use of the products and the introduction of Barnes & Noble’s 8GB Nook Tablet. Now that the Amazon Kindle Fire and the Barnes & Noble Nook …