Big Wins and Epic Fails in the 2011 Smartphone Market

By Ed Hardy | 12/29/2011

Looking back over 2011, there have been some spectacular failures, but some big successes, too. The Brighthand editorial staff considers the previous 12 months and picks the winners and losers, from Apple to Windows Phone, from AT&T to Verizon.

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Verizon Having A Major 4G LTE Outage... Again

By Ed Hardy | 12/28/2011

Verizon isn't exactly living up to its self-assumed title as "America's Most Reliable Network" -- the company's 4G service is apparently offline for the third time this month. UPDATED

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Samsung Galaxy S Models Might Get Android OS 4.0 After All

By Ed Hardy | 12/27/2011

Samsung recently admitted that last year's Galaxy S series won't be getting an upgrade to Android OS 4.0. The company may be reconsidering this after considerable online grumbling from customers.

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After-Christmas Sales Bring Savings on Smartphones

By Ed Hardy | 12/26/2011

Christmas is the time of giving, but the post-holiday sales are about getting -- you getting yourself the things you really wanted but didn't receive as a gift. There are plenty of phones on sale today and in some cases throughout this week.

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No Room for Android OS 4.0 on Last Year's Samsung Smartphones

By Ed Hardy | 12/23/2011

There's bad news for those who bought a Samsung smartphone introduced last year: there will not be an official Android OS 4.0 upgrade for your device. This is because these device's ROM doesn't have enough room for the new OS and Samsung's TouchWiz.

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Motorola Droid 4 Might Not Launch for Months

By Ed Hardy | 12/22/2011

When Verizon gave the world a sneak peek at the Motorola Droid 4 a few weeks ago, many assumed this meant this smartphone would be on the market soon. It has yet to be released, however, and a new report indicates it might not be for a couple of months.

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Samsung Galaxy S II Getting Android OS 4.0 Upgrade

By Ed Hardy | 12/20/2011

An upgrade to Android OS 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is going to be released for a number of smartphones and tablets Samsung released this year -- including the top-selling Galaxy S II. Users of these devices are going to have to wait until next year, however.

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Can Your iPhone Replace Your Point-and-Shoot Camera?

By Ed Hardy | 12/19/2011

The cameras built into smartphones keep getting better, but have they reached the point of being the only camera you'll need? Brighthand's sister site DigitalCameraReview seeks to answer this question with an in-depth look at the 8MP shooter in Apple's iPhone 4S.

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We Shouldn't Ban Cell Phones in Cars, We Should Ban Drivers

By Ed Hardy | 12/16/2011

Although the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board wants a complete ban on using a cell phone for any reason while driving, Brighthand's Site Editor has a a better suggestion: let's get rid of driving altogether.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus with Android OS 4.0 Finally Launches from Verizon

By Ed Hardy | 12/15/2011

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus was unveiled back in October, but Verizon has just become the first U.S. carrier to launch this smartphone, the first with Android OS 4.0. AT&T and T-Mobile customers have had access to a version for some time, however.

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Carrier IQ Under Investigation by the U.S. Government

By Valerie Sarnataro | 12/15/2011

Weeks after Carrier IQ software was discovered to be running on about 150 million smartphones, tracking and capturing every keystroke and text message without the user's knowledge, a federal investigation into the program is underway.

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Fed Agency Wants a National Ban on Using a Phone While Driving

By Ed Hardy | 12/14/2011

Many states already ban using a phone for texting or accessing the Web while behind the wheel, or require a hands-free kit to make voice calls, but now the Nation Transportation Saftey Board has recommended a nationwide ban on all phone use while driving.

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