A brand being rear-ended? The Colbert Report/Hulu Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET Product placement. Native advertising. …

Tizen Andrew Hoyle/CNET Samsung is preparing to launch a new smartphone in Russia and India based on its own Tizen operating system, according to the Wall Street Journal. The South Korean electronics giant is planning to unveil a handset running the homegrown mobile operating system in the coming weeks at an event in Moscow, sources told the Journal. The launch …

Beats could soon be a part of Apple. CNET Editors’ note: Apple on May 28 confirmed that it’s buying Beats for $3 billion. For once, the intrigue surrounding Apple doesn’t involve the next iPhone or iPad. Instead, it’s centered on why the Silicon Valley consumer-electronics titan wants high-end-headphones maker Beats Electronics. Apple is reportedly in talks to buy Los Angeles-based …