Cell phones

LG Nexus 4 (sort of) has 4G LTE

In the best example of things being taken, then given, only to be then taken away again, it was recently discovered that the massively popular LG Nexus 4 houses an LTE modem that works... sort of.

The revelation began over at iFixit, which posted a teardown of the Nexus 4 last week. Front images of the motherboard showed a Qualcomm WTR1605L Seven-Band 4G LTE chip. That's right, a 4G LTE chip.

When asked about this, LG crushed all fantastical dreams of a firmware-enabled LTE upgrade to the ground and told TechRadar that despite the given chipset, the device isn'… Read more

T-Mobile offers HTC One S for free

Kick your outrageously old T-Mobile handset to the curb in favor the HTC One S. This sleek, modern Android device is free with two-year contract on this Cyber Monday.

I think that the HTC One S was one of the best Android smartphones HTC has ever sold, though lately that doesn't mean much. Its excellent 8-megapixel camera and nimble 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor would ordinarily serve to put this handset on your short-list any day. Factor in the One S' distinctive and extremely thin chassis that's carved from a single block on anodized aluminum, Android 4.0 … Read more

Motorola Atrix HD now 99 cents

A smartphone deal like this doesn't happen often. AT&T is selling the Motorola Atrix HD for just 99 cents with a new two-year contract as part of its Cyber Monday promotion.

Sure you may say the Atrix HD isn't all that new, but the phone isn't very old, either. Heck, the handset made its debut this summer, which, no matter how you slice it, wasn't a very long time ago. But what kind of device will a dollar bill net you? A pretty good, one judging from the 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, big … Read more

AT&T; HTC One X for 99 cents on Cyber Monday

Here's a nice Cyber Monday deal. AT&T is offering the HTC One X Android smartphone for 99 cents if you sign up for another two years of service.

If you recall, the One X was once the top dog in HTC's One series handset line and is not even a year old. While the phone may not be as powerful as the upcoming HTC One X+, which boasts quad-core processing and more RAM, the older One X is still a solid device.

First off, the One X runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Sure it'… Read more

Teach your Droid DNA some GSM tricks

One of the new HTC Droid DNA's unsung features is its ability to jump onto global GSM networks, which is great when traveling overseas. Verizon certainly thinks so, and thanks to an unlocked SIM card slot, you can also slip in an AT&T or T-Mobile card and flip the DNA over to operate on those carriers. … Read more

Virgin Mobile slash prices for Black Friday

Just in time for the holidays, not to mention Black Friday, Virgin Mobile announced today that it'll be offering a number of its devices at lower prices.

Starting tomorrow and lasting through Cyber Monday, its $199.99 Samsung Galaxy Reverb will go on sale for $99.99.

The day after, the HTC Evo V 4G will go from $299 to $199.

Other offers include the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G, which has been on sale since Monday. It comes with a $70 price break, at $299.99.

In addition, the carrier's unlimited data and messaging monthly plan, called … Read more

How to buy a cell phone as a gift

Cell phones can make fantastic holiday gifts, but purchasing one for someone other than yourself is more complicated than shopping for other gadgets. Unlike a laptop or a shiny new camera, a cell phone requires a service plan to use any voice or data features (otherwise you wind up with a very expensive paperweight). In most cases, you won't even be able to leave the store or complete your online order until you get that angle set up. And beyond just being an additional expense, that service may require a long-term commitment.

There's no reason to stress, though, … Read more

Seven savvy smartphone steals for Black Friday, Cyber Monday

Ah, it's that time of year again. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because you can gorge yourself on food without feeling guilty, spend time with your loved ones, and knock a stranger over at 6 a.m. in front of a department store in a frantic attempt to purchase that plasma TV.

All right, so it might not be everybody's definition of a good time, but Black Friday and Cyber Monday are grand institutions that let you save a lot of dough on some of this year's hottest electronics.

And as anyone can tell you, … Read more

Get a prepaid iPhone 4 (8GB) for $349.99

It's hard to reconcile my "cheapskate" title with my iPhone ownership. I do write about the latter for a living, so it's a legitimate expense, but, man, do I hate being locked into a two-year contract at around $80 per month.

I'm stuck with that for now, but you've got options if you want an iPhone on the cheap(ish). For a limited time, and only in stores, RadioShack has the prepaid, no-contract Virgin Mobile iPhone 4S (8GB) for $349.99, or the 16GB iPhone 4S for $449.99. Sales tax applies in both … Read more

RadioShack Wireless adds $119 HTC Desire C

RadioShack Wireless today added another Android-based handset to its burgeoning roster of no-contract smartphones. Available just in time for the holiday shopping season, the HTC Desire C can now be yours for a cool $119.99.

While it's certainly not going to replace your existing Android experience, it's plenty for a first-time smartphone adopter. Those who want to dip their toes in the Android waters without breaking the bank will likely appreciate the device.

Powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Desire C features a 3.5-inch display, a 5-megapixel camera, a 600MHz processor, 512MB RAM, … Read more