December, 2011

• 9 December

  Now that Sprint has the iPhone, are its other customers chopped liver?

  

  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 …

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• 9 December

  Sorry, WebOS is doomed to fail

  

  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 …

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• 9 December

  HTC issues Sense 3.0 to pair of existing Android smartphones

  

  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 …

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• 9 December

  Apple patent applications detail noise

  

  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 …

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• 9 December

  Sharp Elite review: Overpriced, but best picture quality since Kuro

  

  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 …

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• 8 December

  Jabra unveils Pro 900 Series wireless headsets

  

  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 …

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• 8 December

  OnLive Android app now available, iPad version incoming

  

  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 …

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• 8 December

  Sony temporarily chops price of Reader Wi

  

  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 …

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• 8 December

  ZTE eyes high

  

  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 …

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• 8 December

  HP to reveal WebOS decision tomorrow?

  

  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 …

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