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Our kick-ass team in Barcelona survived another year at Mobile World Congress, and we have the lowdown on all the new tech you might’ve missed out on during the week.

Samsung’s new phones give the people what they want

The new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge feature expandable storage and a water-resistant casing. I’d like to see an iPhone do that. No really, I would.


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Samsung Galaxy S7, Edge bring back two things you’ll…

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Who needs reaction gifs when we have these guys?

See what our editors had to say about the Galaxy S7 and Edge.


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Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge: CNET Editors react

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This toothbrush seems thinks we need to keep score on how well we’re brushing our teeth

Maybe I just won’t brush my teeth from now on! What do you think of that, Mr…brush…


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I cleaned my teeth with a smartphone-guided toothbrush…

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A heat-sensing smartphone

This CAT smartphone has a thermal imaging camera built-in, made by Flir.


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Find cats stuck in your walls with this heat-sensing…

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A real life modular phone by LG

You’ll be able to customize the LG G5 with different parts, like Mr. Potato Head.


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LG G5 hands-on: Taking one small step toward the modular…

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Trying to choose between the S7 (or Edge) and the G5?

The two biggest phones at MWC go head-to-head.


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Samsung Galaxy S7 vs. LG G5

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If you love tech inspired by 80s B-movie sci-fi, we’ve got just the thing

This smartphone gauntlet looks like a cool idea, but would you actually wear one?


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Smartphone gauntlet is oddly compelling concept tech

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Is 15 seconds enough time to pitch your idea? Only if you’re presenting to us!

We give these poor people only 15 seconds to pitch us their ideas. One guy does it in three.


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Quirky start-ups have 15 seconds to pitch their ideas

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This pair of smart shoes is your new personal trainer

They probably don’t want to hear about your personal problems either.


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Smart shoes measure your strides, swings, and squats

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You can finally replace your car keys with your phone

Everyone’s been asking for this, right? No? No one wants to do this? Hey, come back!


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Volvo app turns your phone into your car key

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We make it look easy, but covering a show like MWC can be hard work. Here’s how we survived

Many MWC rules were broken in the making of this video.


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How to survive a tech show

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roadtrip.jpg
Arm yourself with these Android apps and ensure your next road trip goes smoothly.
Scott Webster/CNET

Ahhh, here we are, the middle of summer and the time of year where a lot of folks pack up and head out on the road.

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As a child, I remember how simple it was to just wake up and jump in the car. Dad and Mom knew where we were going and packed for all contingencies. All I had to do was ask, “Are we there yet?”

Now that I am a parent myself, preparing for a road trip is more daunting. Will we have enough clothes or the right accessories? Where will we stay once we get there? What happens if we blow a tire along the way? Thankfully, it’s 2015 and we have smartphones to rely on.

Using the right combination of apps, planning and pulling off a driving vacation should be completely effortless. Here are a few you should have in your arsenal — and know how to use — before hitting the road.

PackPoint travel packing list (free)

Before you go anywhere, you’ve got to make sure you’re packed up properly, right? The PackPoint travel packing list helps you put together a checklist of the items you’ll need to enjoy your time off. This is more than a simple Notes list, though.

Once logged in, you select your destination, dates, and define whether or not this is business or for fun. The app can help build your list based on a variety of activities that you might enjoy, like swimming or going on a bike ride.

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PackPoint ensures that you don’t forget your sunscreen for that trip to the beach.
Screenshot by Scott Webster/CNET

All of these custom settings add up to a checklist that also considers the upcoming weather forecast. When it’s all said and done, the app delivers an itemized list of essentials, as well as items you’ll want to pack for your side excursions.

Although the free app might be more than enough for your next getaway, the premium version unlocks additional features that could prove more useful down the road. For $1.99, you’ll get custom packing templates and activities as well as integration with Evernote and TripIt services.

GasBuddy (free)

If you plan on driving for more than a day, gas costs will surely have an impact on your budget, especially since summer prices tend to spike. GasBuddy, the old reliable, has a handy mobile app to help save a few bucks along the way by identifying lower-cost stations down the road.

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GasBuddy keeps a curated database of user-shared gas prices.
Screen shot by Scott Webster/CNET

Users can, however, sort by gas type, location, and/or price. What’s more, the filters can pare results based on specific gasoline brands and other details, like if the gas station has an ATM or car wash.

If you have a GasBuddy account, you can log in to share or confirm pricing. Additionally, the app has a gaming aspect that offers challenges and a chance to win free gasoline. Just a heads up, however, the free app supports itself through ads.

iExit (free)

All right, so now you’re on the road and headed toward the beach (that’s where I’d go, anyway). Chances are you will want to grab a bite or need to pull over and sleep. This is where iExit comes in handy for answering the question: do we get off here or wait an exit?

Designed with highway exits in mind, the free app lists the hotels, gas stations, and restaurants awaiting you at every off-ramp.

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Know exactly what awaits you at the next off-ramp with iExit.
Screenshot by Scott Webster/CNET

Let’s say you’re driving a camper on your trek across the country. The iExit app can notify you whether locations are RV friendly or whether there is diesel fuel available.

The app works in real- time and also lets you configure favorites. On a quest to hit up every Cinnabon from here to Miami? You’ll want to load this one onto your smartphone before departure.

AAA Mobile (free)

To me, AAA is synonymous with roadside assistance and discounts. Hence, AAA Mobile is a great all-around companion app. This goes double for those of you with AAA memberships already.

Whether you’re looking to save a few bucks on a hotel, searching for a rental car, or do something else travel-related, the AAA app can help. Indeed, it also rounds up current gas prices as well.

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AAA Mobile works well for non-members, too.
Screenshot by Scott Webster/CNET

The key feature, perhaps, is the ability to quickly find a AAA-approved or Diamond Rated hotel, restaurants, or other businesses.

If you’re logged in with your member ID, you’ll also be able to save trips across mobile and desktop apps. And, should you break down on the side of the road, you can even use the app to request a tow or receive a quote on a new battery.

Hotel Tonight (free)

Are you the type of person who likes a serendipitous road trip, preferring to not plan too far in advance? Hotel Tonight is the kind of app to help you find a place to crash the same-day.

Upon opening the app, you’ll be given a handful of options by which to sort or search. Have a specific destination in mind? Use the app to look ahead and see which hotels have vacancy and how much you might expect to spend. Hotel Tonight prides itself on providing last-minute mobile deals on hotels, but users can also look ahead a few days and plan a bit.

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Last-minute decision makers can find a place to crash with Hotel Tonight.
Screenshot by Scott Webster/CNET

Once you find a place that piques your interest, you can read reviews, check the weather forecast and learn more about the hotel. Dive deeper and you’ll soon know whether you can bring pets or if Wi-Fi and breakfast are free. There’s a wealth of information at your disposal about all the amenities.

Hotel Tonight is not only designed for metropolitan markets and larger cities but for smaller towns, too. Likewise, the experience isn’t relegated to large chain hotels; you may find the random one-off boutique as well.

Have your say

There are plenty of other travel apps to choose from besides this list, including these other travel apps for Android and iOS. Perhaps you have a favorite app you turn to every summer for help. I would love to hear what you’re using to organize your summer vacation.

Leave a comment below with your favorite app for a successful road trip or weekend getaway.

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Everything you need to know from the March 9 Apple event

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Alongside shiny new Mac Books, Apple dished details on its highly anticipated smartwatch at an event in San Francisco. Check out the most important moments in the videos below.

The Apple Watch flaunted fancy new customizable faces.


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Apple Watch arrives with customizable faces

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Tim Cook gave a demo of the features on the smartwatch.


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Tim Cook demos new Apple Watch features

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HealthKit, available on the Watch, is a medical research platform that can keep track of diseases.


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Apple introduces medical ResearchKit

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Apple Watch keeps you in the loop with news, sports, and social media.


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Apple Watch helps keep track of daily news

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Siri makes an appearance on the smartwatch.


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See Siri in action on the new Apple Watch

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Naturally, the Watch uses Apple Pay.


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Check out how Apple Pay works on the Watch

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Forget the keys to your hotel? Apple Watch has your back.


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Apple Watch integrates with Starwood Hotels

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If you have $10,000 to spare, there’s a solid gold Apple Watch.


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Apple delivers solid-gold Watch Edition for $10,000

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Scott Stein got to model the Apple Watch.


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Up close with Apple Watch

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Here’s a closer look at the golden smartwatch and how it works.


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Apple’s $10K gold Watch on the wrist

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It’s not TV, it’s HBO, and it’s now streaming via Apple TV.


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HBO announces exclusive partnership with Apple devices

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No hardware upgrades for the Apple TV, just a price cut.


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MacBooks got a reboot.


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Apple refreshes MacBook line

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This new 12-inch MacBook sports a Retina Display.


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Apple reveals the new 12-inch MacBook with Retina Display

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Technically, it’s not a MacBook Air, but it’s still very skinny.


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Hands-on with Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook with Retina…

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It also features an all-new full size keyboard…


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New MacBook features a ‘full-size keyboard’

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and a solitary USB-C port.


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It you want more information, check out our hands-on coverage of the Apple Watch , Apple TV , and MacBook .

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With Thanksgiving planning upon us and the rest of the holidays right around the corner, there’s a lot of pressure to cook, bake, and show up to events bearing food and drinks. Luckily, all the recipes and drink suggestions you could ever need can fit on your Android phone, thanks to a plethora of cooking apps in the Play Store.

From the many options out there, I’ve uncovered four of the most useful Android apps that can help you prepare a fabulous meal no matter if you’re a pro in the kitchen or barely know your way around a whisk.

Editors’ note: For iOS cooking apps, check out Jason Parker’s holiday roundup. If you need a little extra help in the kitchen, check out Ry Crist’s guide to cook gadgets for holiday cooking.

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Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET

Food Network In the Kitchen

With its extensive database of recipes and general food knowledge, it’s hard to go wrong with the Food Network. The Web site and TV channel’s free mobile app, In the Kitchen, makes it simple to browse and search for recipes by keyword or dish type, such as appetizer or drink. If you’re like me and have a favorite Food Network chef (mine’s Alton Brown), you can also browse recipes straight from their kitchens and cooking shows.

You can sign up for a Food Network account to save recipes to your Recipe Box or add them to a shopping list. But even without an account the app gives you helpful kitchen tools such as a timer and unit converter.

For Thanksgiving, the In the Kitchen app has a special page of all the Thanksgiving recipes you could need, including turkey, mashed potatoes, cocktails, appetizers and desserts. Each recipe gives you user ratings, difficulty level, cooking times, and number of servings. Those stats make it easy to browse for, say, an easy stuffing recipe that you can make in 40 minutes or a complicated turkey preparation that will impress the entire family.

You can also download In the Kitchen for iOS.

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Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET

Yummly

If you’re looking to broaden your recipe horizons, Yummly is perfect. It’s like a recipe search engine, scouring the Web for all of the best recipes from big names like Martha Stewart and CNET sister site Chow, plus dishes from smaller food blogs. You can search for any recipe and get the full ingredient list, calorie count, and directions. When you find a recipe you want to make, you can add the ingredients to a shopping list with one tap.

Perhaps the best part of Yummly are the search filters, which help you find recipes that are gluten-free, vegan, low-sugar, and even those that use specific cooking techniques. There are more filters than you’ll probably ever need, and they are incredibly helpful for narrowing down search results. The app is currently featuring a collection of Thanksgiving recipes so you can find something to make for the big meal.

You can also download Yummly for iOS.

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Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET

Timer+

Your phone probably already comes with a timer, but it might not be able to keep time for multiple occurrences at once. Timer+ is a dead-simple free timer app that can run multiple countdowns at the same time. That means you can have a timer for your turkey, stuffing, side dishes and pie running simultaneously to keep your cooking on track. You can set different chimes for each timer and even pause and resume individual countdowns if needed. Of the many, many timer apps out there, Timer+ has one of the best designs, and it’s one of the easiest to use.

You can also download Timer+ for iOS.

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Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET

Vivino

This free wine app can help you out if you’re tasked with bringing a bottle to your Thanksgiving dinner or any other holiday event. Just scan the label of any wine you find at the store and Vivino gives you ratings and reviews, average price in your area and country and area of origin. It also shows a summary of the wine, including notes about the variety and food pairing suggestions. I especially appreciate the pricing information, because it helps clue you in if you’re overpaying at your corner market.

You can also download Vivino for iOS.

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LAS VEGAS — The 2013 CTIA kicked off today. The last event of the wireless show season, CTIA tends to be a bit quieter than Mobile World Congress and CES. Yet, there are plenty of new handsets, hotpots, and accessories on display at the Sands Expo. Keep on clicking in this gallery to join CNET’s team of reporters as they search the show floor and capture the best of CTIA on video. And as we shoot more videos we’ll be expanding this list.


1. Resilient Kyocera Hydro XTRM now available (hands-on)

Available from U.S. Cellular, this 4G LTE handset features a 5-megapixel camera and is both waterproof and shockproof.


2. Kyocera unveils waterproof Hydro Edge (hands-on)

Continuing its line of waterproof handsets, Kyocera introduced the 4-inch Hydro Edge for Sprint and Boost Mobile at CTIA 2013 in Las Vegas.


3. Sprint announces three tri-band LTE hot spots (hands-on)

Three new 4G LTE-ready hot spots will be coming your way this summer — and one of them you can take with you overseas.


4. Hands-on with Yota Ruby, not your average hot spot

Interesting design elements ensure this isn’t your ordinary hot spot.


5. Coolpad demos Quattro 2 4G handset (hands-on)

Sporting a bigger screen and better specs than its predecessor, the Coolpad Quattro II 4G is ready to take on C-Spire users.


6. Cobra iRadar Atom

Whoa there, speed demon — for $199, Cobra iRadar Atom keeps you in the know about local speed trackers in your vicinity.


7. Cobra AirWave wireless music receiver

Interesting design elements ensure this isn’t your ordinary hot spot.


8. Kwikset Kevo: Unlock your front door with a tap

Kwikset Kevo’s smartphone app and electronic deadbolt let you lock and unlock your front door with just your fingertip.


9. Samsung Galaxy S4 (Cricket)

What’s different about Cricket’s Galaxy S4? It comes preloaded with Cricket’s unlimited music service.


10. Samsung Galaxy Discover leaps to Cricket (hands-on)

Craving the stock Android experience? You’ll find it on this entry-level Ice Cream Sandwich phone.


11. Cricket’s Android 4.1 Samsung Admire 2 (hands-on)

As Cricket’s LTE footprint expands, this compact Galaxy S3 lookalike will be ready.


12. Pearl and Oyster pack an audio wallop (hands-on)

Making waves for the first time in the U.S., the Pearl and Oyster wireless speakers from Damson Audio have washed up on the beaches of CTIA 2013. Both Bluetooth products are designed by the British manufacturer, but it’s the first time we’ve seen them on this side of the pond.

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NFC technology has been poised to reach critical mass, at least in the U.S., for years now. Touted to bestow upon smartphones a wide range of magical solutions, proponents of NFC (near field communication) have said it will enable everything from using your phone as a digital wallet, serving as a secure and convenient method of identification, to even unlocking your home’s front door.

NFC invades Mobile World Congress (pictures)

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And if the technology’s big presence at MWC 2013 was any indication, it seems the long wait for the wonderful world of NFC might actually be nearing an end. Yes, almost all of today’s hottest handsets — sorry, iPhone 5, you lose — come with NFC circuitry baked right in. From the mighty Samsung Galaxy S3 (and yes the upcoming Galaxy S4, too), HTC One, HTC Droid DNA, and Nokia Lumia 920, all are on the NFC bandwagon. And don’t count out the BlackBerry Z10, Sony Xperia TL, Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD, and excellent LG Nexus 4, which can harness the powers of NFC as well.


Sarah Tew/CNET

HTC Droid DNA (Verizon)

Unquestionably the best Droid device Verizon has ever sold, the HTC Droid DNA is much more than a mobile fire-breather. Running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, the DNA also uses NFC for easy Bluetooth pairing. The handset has built-in Qi wireless charging, too. Read the full review of the HTC Droid DNA.

HTC OneHTC One

Sarah Tew/CNET

HTC One

NFC is just one of the HTC One’s many tricks. The company’s latest flagship phone is powered by a new 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 processor, a massive 4.7-inch HD screen, plus Android Jelly Bean. The real draw of this device, though, is its achingly beautiful aluminum unibody design. Read our hands-on review of the HTC One.

LG Nexus 4LG Nexus 4

Josh Miller/CNET

LG Nexus 4 (T-Mobile)

The freshest officially sanctioned Nexus handset, the LG Nexus 4 flaunts both a lovely glass design and elegant Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean user interface. Running the most recent version of Android available, the Nexus 4 also can use NFC to full Google effect. Specifically that means Android Beam to transfer application data such as pictures, Web sites, or contacts just by bumping phones together. Driven by a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon CPU, the handset will likely receive fresh Android updates before any other phone. Read the full review of the LG Nexus 4.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD

When it first hit the market last fall, the Droid Razr Maxx HD was certainly one of the most fearsome mobile machines ever minted by Motorola. It not only mixed quick dual-core processing with a big, 4.7-inch AMOLED screen, plus a humongous 3,300mAh battery for amazing longevity, it also added an NFC chip, which it predecessors lacked. Now that Motorola has thrown in an update to Android Jelly Bean, it’s an even more compelling option. Read a full review of the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD.


Josh Miller/CNET

BlackBerry Z10

Blackberry’s best, most powerful handset yet, the Z10 is attractive and boasts all the slickness the new BlackBerry 10 operating system can muster. Along with a solid camera and smooth performance, the touch-screen Z10 also boasts NFC tech to pair with Bluetooth gadgets such as the BlackBerry Music Gateway in a snap. Read the full review of the BlacbBerry Z10.


Josh Miller/CNET


Samsung Galaxy S3 (multiple carriers)

No one can deny the global success of Samsung’s Galaxy S3. Besides coming packed to the gills with excellent mobile components for a very attractive price, the handset’s software was also top notch for its time. Complementing Android, now recently upgraded to 4.1 Jelly Bean, you’ll find all the bells and whistles here, including NFC. Samsung also put its own spin on Android Beam, called S Beam, that merges NFC and Wi-Fi direct to push large files between compatible smartphones. Read the full review of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Wireless charging on the Nokia Lumia 920Wireless charging on the Nokia Lumia 920

Josh Miller/CNET


Nokia Lumia 920 (AT&T)

Arguably no other smartphone line has been as much a champion of NFC technology than Nokia’s Lumia handsets. Featuring Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 software, the Lumia 920 is no exception. It uses NFC to connect to specially crafted accessories such as JBL wireless Bluetooth speakers, which also charge the phone sans wires, and the Nokia Purity Pro headphones by Monster. Read the full review of the Nokia Lumia 920.

Sony Xperia TLSony Xperia TL

Sarah Tew/CNET


Sony Xperia TL (AT&T)

Sony smartphones have long championed the virtues of NFC, and the latest Xperia device to hit a U.S. carrier, the Xperia TL, is cut from the same cloth. Finally boasting modern dual-core Snapdragon processing and a powerful camera, the handset also uses NFC to read Sony Smart Tag stickers to alter menu settings in a flash. Read the full review of the Sony Xperia TL.

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