smartphones

The iPhone 5 may have the same light leak problem that initially plagued other Apple devices.

Chiming in on the MacRumors forum, one user posted a photo of the new iPhone in relative darkness, showing a small flash of light coming from the top of the device behind the glass panel. Another posted a similar picture displaying the same light leak. Other users have since added to both discussions, reporting the same issue on their new iPhones.

Apple's Discussion Forums have also picked up a few complaints about the light leakage.

Some users say they received a replacement unit … Read more

While the United States is just getting familiar with its version of the Optimus Vu, LG may soon be ready to introduce its successor to the rest of the world. The details for the presumed Optimus Vu II have spilled online, pointing to a moderately improved competitor to the Galaxy Note II.… Read more

Apple may receive a nice Christmas bonus in the form of 50 million iPhones sold over the December quarter.

Courtesy of J.P. Morgan analyst Katy Huberty, that forecast is a bit higher than the previous estimate and is based on heavy iPhone 5 demand anticipated by both suppliers and carriers. Last week's preorders for the new iPhone also were greater than expected, rising 100 percent from 2011's numbers for the iPhone 4s.

For the current quarter ending this month, Huberty now sees iPhone sales of 25 million, a modest bump from the previous forecast. The actual numbers … Read more

Samsung is slowly rolling out a software update for the Galaxy S3.

Forum posters over at XDA Developers reported today they've started receiving an update to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). Based on the posts, it appears that the update is slowly making its way across Europe.

If Jelly Bean is, in fact, coming to the Galaxy S3, it's a bit ahead of schedule. Earlier this month, Samsung confirmed to CNET UK that the device would get Jelly Bean as early as October. The company didn't say when the software might be rolled out to U.S.… Read more

The iPhone 5 has arrived, and it's pretty great. But I can't shake this nagging feeling that Apple could have done more.

A week ago, CNET's David Carnoy penned a great roundup of the most-wanted features that didn't make it into the iPhone 5. It seemed like easy pickings for a Top 5 video, so I imposed a ranking, stood in front of a camera, and created the video you see before you (click here if you don't see a video at the top of this … Read more

In what's becoming a regular occurrence, Verizon's year-end roadmap has apparently found its way online, according to Phone Arena, tipping the Big Red's smartphone plans.

It should come as no surprise that there's a handful of Android on the horizon, including devices from no fewer than six hardware makers. Should the leaked details prove true, Verizon will soon have a little something for everyone.

First out of the gate will be the Samsung Stratosphere 2, which has been rumored to have a Super AMOLED Plus display, a sliding QWERTY keyboard, an 8-megapixel camera, and a dual-core … Read more

Nearly two weeks after Sprint announced its Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update for its Galaxy Nexus, Verizon has followed suit.

The carrier announced today that it will start rolling out Jelly Bean to Galaxy Nexus phones.

As is the case with other Android 4.1 updates, the Galaxy Nexus will benefit from enhanced notifications, Google Now, smarter widgets, and more. Verizon has a support page set up for users which outlines all of the minutiae and might be worth a quick glance for those not up on their Jelly Bean game.

It's frustrating for some that Verizon has … Read more

Is the Lumia 920 better than the iPhone 5? Certainly, Nokia wants to convince you it is.

In a new Facebook post, the Finnish phone maker breaks down the key features found in both smartphones, naturally giving the nod to the 920 in each category. And in many areas, the company does manage to make its case.

The Lumia 920's screen is larger and sharper than the one on the new iPhone. The 920's 4.5-inch screen displays 1,280x768 pixels at 332 pixels per inch. The iPhone 5's 4-inch screen offers 1,136x640 pixels at 326 … Read more

iPhone 5 users who suffer a broken or scratched screen may be able to get a replacement directly in the store, according to a report from iMore.

Citing "sources within Apple retail," the blog site said that the equipment used to replace iPhone screens has started showing up in the stores themselves. This move means that Apple store reps could outfit an iPhone 5 with a new screen on the spot rather than switching the entire phone for a new or refurbished model.

The screen swap-out process for the new iPhone would match that of the iPhone 3G … Read more