For anyone who likes to put the iPad up on a pedestal, here’s the accessory for you: the iOstand. Produced by the folks at iOmounts–we ran into them at CES last month–the iOstand comes in three colors–black, white, or stainless steel. While the product’s name implies that it’s made for Apple products, it can also …

A new service puts the brakes on texting while driving. DriveSafe automatically replies to incoming texts messages saying not now — we’re driving. The text reads, “I’m driving at the moment. I’ll read your text as soon as it is safe to do so.” Texting while driving increases the chances of a crash even more than driving under the influence …

Splish splash, the Element takes a bath. James Martin/CNET The world is a dangerous place for a tablet. One slip or spill, and your precious slate is sunk. The Pantech Element, out now on AT&T for $299 on contract, is here to relieve you of your worry. Its solid, waterproof design can handle up to a meter of water, so …

The iPhone 4S launch in China did not go quite as Apple had planned. Throngs of people are a norm for new product launches at Apple, but the gaggle of scalpers trying to hustle the system caused Apple to delay sales, earning its stores an egg wash and plenty of animosity. Now, after implementing a lottery system for ordering the …

8 could be Microsoft’s lucky number. The first look at Windows Phone 8 has emerged, revealing close ties with the warmly anticipated Windows 8 desktop software — including more on how apps will work on both your phone and your computer. Windows Phone 8 is detailed in an internal video seen by Pocketnow, in which a Microsoft boss explains the …

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 will be a standalone app …

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 …