Electronics giant Panasonic has announced it will enter the smartphone fray in 2012, planning to launch at least one smartphone in parts of Europe and Asia. This unnamed handset will be the first Panasonic smartphone in Europe. (Credit: Panasonic) Shown in the image above, the unnamed Panasonic smartphone will sport a 4.3-inch OLED display with …

Apple has quietly slipped an update to Aussie Apple TV users that now allows them to purchase, download and watch TV show episodes straight from their little black box. Although we’ve yet to receive official word from Apple Australia about this, multiple sources, including Mac Prices Australia, have confirmed the over-the-weekend addition of this long-awaited feature for Apple TV users …

LightSquared’s planned 4G wireless network caused “harmful interference” to the majority of GPS receivers used in recent government testing of the network, according to reports citing a draft version of the test results. LightSquared plans to offer network services like wholesale Internet access to companies such as Best Buy, but concerns about the network knocking out personal or military GPS …

More than a day after it surfaced in San Francisco, AT&T’s 4G LTE network now seems to be available in the Los Angeles area, as well. CNET editor Jessica Dolcourt noticed the 4G LTE icon on her phone in the City of Angels just about an hour ago. A quick speed test with the Speedtest.net app showed that she got …

As we near the one-year anniversary of Honeycomb tablets, you might assume that Android 3.0 has led to a proliferation of devices and sales. After all, considering it was written specifically with large displays in mind, it was sure to revolutionize the tablet industry, right? Well, not exactly. According to new data from ad network Chitika, Honeycomb only accounts for …

Sprint Nextel customers had been waiting for years for the iPhone to come to the carrier. And it finally arrived this fall. But will the iPhone be the only important device Sprint promotes from now on? Is Sprint a one-trick pony with the iPhone? Hi Maggie, I see Verizon Wireless and AT&T releasing new phones like crazy. I’m a Sprint …

commentary Hewlett-Packard may think it’s resuscitating WebOS by turning it into an open-source platform, but the truth is the plug was pulled a long time ago. So long, WebOS. We hardly knew you. James Martin/CNET In a case of too little, too late, HP said it felt the open-source route was the best one for WebOS. The company is gambling …

Keeping true to its word, HTC has begun issuing a Sense 3.0 update to a pair of older smartphones. Specifically, the two models getting the bump this time are the Incredible S and Desire HD. The custom interface was introduced earlier in the year and includes a number of aspects that can be tailored by the user. Most notable among …

AppleInsider In a series of patent applications, Apple has outlined how it plans to combat noisy environments by using voice recognition to activate and control noise-cancellation technologies. By changing the noise-cancellation process to fit specific voices, Apple thinks it can better manage noise-ridden spaces, especially for mobile devices while making calls or recording voice memos. Four patent applications relating to …

In the United States these days the word “Elite” has a negative connotation evoking snooty haves vs. gritty have-nots, Wall Street vs. Main Street, and them vs. us. The Sharp Elite PRO-X5FD won’t do much to dispel those associations. This ridiculously expensive television is basically “The wealthiest 1 percent” distilled into flat-panel TV form, and we’re betting very few of …

Jabra this week introduced its new Pro 900 series professional wireless headsets. Though not shy on features, you’ll pay $199 for the privilege of using them. The Pro 900 series consists of two headset models, the Pro 930 and Pro 920, which connect to desk-side office phones and allow workers to receive and initiate calls wirelessly. While cordless headsets have …

OnLive, the streaming gaming service, has finally arrived on tablets and smart phones, with an Android app live right now, and an iPad version just around the corner. We’ve already played with OnLive for both Android tablets and the iPad, so expect a hands-on video very soon. When you download the OnLive app, you get Lego: Batman thrown in for …

With all the major touch-screen e-ink e-readers now priced at $99, we’ve been wondering when Sony would give a price chop to its $149 Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1). Well, now it has–at least temporarily–dropping the price to $99 till December 24. I’ve always liked the Sony Readers and the Reader Wi-Fi received generally high marks in our review, but it’s hard …

A year from now, you may be coveting a flashy new ZTE smartphone. At least, that’s what ZTE is hoping for. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Lixin Cheng, the head of ZTE’s North American business, said he plans on introducing high-end smartphones in the U.S. By 2015, he expects the U.S. to be the largest …

It seems we may finally know the fate of Hewlett-Packard’s WebOS unit. HP has scheduled a companywide meeting for 10:30 a.m. PT tomorrow, during which CEO Meg Whitman is expected to reveal what the company intends to do with the troubled mobile operating system, according to a PreCentral.net report. HP representatives declined to comment. An announcement on the unit’s fate …