Nope, these patent lawsuits aren’t slowing down anytime soon. The latest comes from Apple, which filed a lawsuit this week against Samsung Electronics in Germany. Apple is seeking to ban the sale of Samsung smartphones in the country, according to a report by Bloomberg. The lawsuit is part of a broader legal war between Apple …

Sprint is making good on its promise to eliminate the controversial Carrier IQ software from devices on its network. On Monday Android Central reported that the HTC EVO 3D, which runs on Sprint’s network, will get a new firmware update that will wipe the Carrier IQ software from the device. HTC confirmed on Tuesday its move in a statement to …

After iOS 5 was released alongside the iPhone 4S this past fall, Twitter accounts grew by more than 25 percent, largely because of its integrated place in Apple’s mobile operating system. Now, according to tech site iMore, iOS 5.1 could bring a similar integration for Facebook. Screenshot by iMore Not that Facebook really needs more users. But, it should come …

The LG Extravert is a prepaid phone on the Verizon network that’s perfect for text-messaging enthusiasts who don’t want anything fancy. Verizon That’s because the phone, which retails online for $79.99 with a two-year contract, sports a four-row QWERTY keyboard complete with navigational arrows and shortcut keys. If working the phone with a tactile keyboard isn’t really your thing, the …

Now playing: Watch this: Nexus battery woes, Xperia S, Lumia 710 hit UK in phone… 3:11 CNET UK made but one resolution this new year and that was to make sure none of our readers missed out on any of the hot happenings in the smart phone world. We pledged to bring you all the latest phone news squished into …

New rumors have surfaced which suggest that Verizon Wireless and Sprint will offer their own versions of the Samsung Galaxy Note. Announced for AT&T at last week’s CES, the handset features a massive 5.3-inch HD AMOLED screen, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, and a 2,500mAh battery. Oh, and then there’s that stylus thing that’s getting a bunch of …

The fight to jailbreak Apple’s A5-chip-powered devices, specifically the iPhone 4S and the iPad, is nearing its end. Hacker “pod2g” and his crew of iOS exploit seekers have released photos and videos of a jailbroken iPhone 4S and a jailbroken iPad 2, both running iOS 5.0.1. The most compelling proof that an A5 jailbreak is close comes in the form …

Asus has announced the availability of the Eee Pad Transformer Prime in Australia. The original Transformer Prime is finally reaching Australia. (Credit: Asus) The tablet will ship with Honeycomb on-board, but an update will be available over the air for Google’s latest operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich. Two models of the Prime will be available in the Australian market: a …

Leaked shots of three new Sony phones reveal something interesting: one of the phones, pictured above, appears to have Windows Phone buttons. Is Sony — formerly Sony Ericsson — preparing a Windows Phone to join its current Android line-up and rival the Nokia Lumia 800? Mobile blog NokiaWP.net shows off photos of handsets labelled as prototypes. Two are Android devices, …

The app business is increasingly banking on the notion that virtual currency in a game could be worth real money–and a lot of it. Freemium apps are the way to go if you want to make money. Screenshot by CNET In-app purchases, which include virtual cash, weapons, levels, or extra features, are poised to dominate app revenue in the coming …

Telstra today unveiled its first new handset for 2012, launching the Samsung Galaxy Y into its prepaid range. (Credit: Telstra) With a 3-inch display, Telstra has dubbed the Galaxy Y “Baby Android” in its announcement, though it isn’t that much smaller than the currently available LG Optimus Spirit, and is marginally larger than the Telstra Smart Touch. The Galaxy Y …

It doesn’t look like iSkin will quite make the arrival of the Year of the Dragon, which kicks off on January 23, but it’s trying to get close with its new “dragon-themed” iPhone 4/4S Aura cases, which were spotted at CES in Las Vegas. A close encounter with supermodel Rick Genest, who is part of the new iSkin brand-awareness campaign. …

Dig it: this is the JCB limited edition version of the Motorola Defy+ rugged Android smart phone, with built-in apps for builders. The Defy+, follow-up to the Motorola Defy, is water-resistant, scratch-resistant and dust-proof, sporting a 3.7-inch scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass screen. The limited-edition digger-branded JCB Defy+ is aimed at builders and engineers, or anyone who works outdoors or in …

Now playing: Watch this: Samsung Smart TV at CES 2012 1:19 In the kind of dystopian insanity that would have George Orwell banging his head on his keyboard, Samsung’s newest Smart TVs watch you. In this video from the CES 2012 tech show, we see how the Korean manufacturer’s latest tellies recognise your voice and gestures with a built-in camera …

We think a matte-screen finish offers the best picture quality in rooms where you can’t control ambient light. Here are our favorite five matte-screen TVs CNET reviewed in 2011, arranged in descending order of overall picture quality. LG LW5600 series While passive 3D has its flaws, the LG LW5600’s 2D picture quality is very good for an edge-lit LED-based LCD …