Give your ears a treat with the awesome new This American Life app. Rick Broida I’m a giant fan of public radio show “This American Life,” and I’m not alone: it’s long held the No. 1 spot on the iTunes podcast charts. That being the case, you might wonder why there’s now an app for …

Sarah Tew/CNET The launch of the Nexus One hasn’t exactly been a smooth one, what with all the issues around upgrade pricing, early termination fees, and 3G issues. However, here’s some news that’s sure to bring smiles to Nexus One owners. On Tuesday, Google announced that it has begun rolling out an over-the-air software update that will not only provide …

One of the biggest cell phone trends of 2009 was the rapid rise of quick messaging handsets. Not quite a smartphone and made for more than making calls, quick messaging models like the Samsung Impression typically offer QWERTY keyboards, support for 3G networks, and a full HTML browser. And depending on the carrier, GPS, streaming video, and music downloads may …

On Tuesday, Sony Ericsson announced the latest addition to its Greenheart series of eco-friendly phones, the Sony Ericsson Aspen. However, it’s not the green angle that’s catching people’s attention (though it certainly is a plus), it’s the fact that the Aspen is the first smartphone to run Windows Mobile 6.5.3. This update to Microsoft’s mobile operating system brings additional enhancements …

Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo is set to demonstrate a prototype handset based on high-speed wireless data technology LTE later this month, according to its handset partner, NEC. NEC said on Monday that NTT will demonstrate the handset receiving streaming high-resolution video across an LTE network at Mobile World Congress, which kicks off February 15 in Barcelona. According to NEC, the …

A new version of Google’s Nexus One smartphone will apparently arrive soon for use on AT&T’s 3G wireless network. Customers are already able to buy an unlocked version of the Nexus One for $529. But the Android-based phone, which was launched last month, supports GSM radio frequency bands. The only 3G wireless bands that it supports are on T-Mobile USA’s …

Apple has released iTunes 9.0.3, which addresses a number of bugs found in previous versions of iTunes 9. The update provides a number of important bug fixes, including: iTunes no longer ignores your “Remember password for purchases” setting. Addresses problems with syncing some Smart Playlists and Podcasts with iPod. Resolves a problem recognizing when iPod is connected. Addresses issues that …

Welcome to the 411, my Q&A column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have the same questions, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I’m stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at [email protected]. …

Sales of cell phones around the world rebounded in the fourth quarter, indicating that the recession may be over for the beleaguered mobile handset market, according to figures compiled by market research firms. Global handset shipments were up 10 percent to 324.4 million units in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared to 293.8 million phones during the same quarter a …

Pinch, punch, first of the month — no returnsies. It’s February and the pre-Mobile World Congress phone rumours are kicking into high gear. Today we’ve heard whispers of the HTC Bravo and Supersonic, big-screen smartphones potentially running Android 2.1. Our CNET US colleagues over at the Android Atlas blog have had their ears to the ground and dug up some …