smartphones

For Tech Deals, Wait 'Till Black Friday

'Tis the season to buy tech products -- almost. If you're looking to upgrade, it's probably best to wait till Black Friday. Computers, high-end smartphones, HDTVs and tablets will see sharp discounts for the holidays.

iPhone Launch Event Preview: 5 Things to Watch

The entire tech world is anxiously awaiting Tuesday's iPhone launch event. The hope: that the iEmpire's holiday lineup impresses enough to reverse a 7% stock slide that began two weeks ago. We'll have to wait until 10 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday to find out exactly what the Mac maker has up its sleeve. In the meantime, here are five things to watch for as the event unfolds.

Read This Before Signing a Cell Phone Contract

When you're buying a new phone, the price can be dramatically affected by your choice of a cellular plan. But what do you really get for your money in this shotgun wedding? Is a two-year contract a fair trade for the discount? Read on for background info on some plans you may be considering.

Will Apple Go Downmarket With Cheaper iPhone?

When Apple rolls out its next-generation, high-end iPhone 5 this fall, one analyst is predicting the company will also shoot for the low-end market by introducing a second, inexpensive iPhone model that's capable of working with prepaid phone plans.

Norton Everywhere May Be Symantec's Mobile Moneymaker

Symantec is the global leader in the security software market, but its share of that market has been declining. Can its Norton Everywhere initiative leverage the companies strength in the PC world into the domain of smartphones and tablets?

Macy's Doubles Down on Its Big E-Commerce Plans

Macy's is bullish on e-commerce. Online sales for the department store chain grew more than 30% in 2010, and it's investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades, such as e-commerce product fulfillment centers, to accelerate its transformation into an "omnichannel" retail company.

What Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Is Obsessing About

Amazon (AMZN) boss Jeff Bezos doesn't take the usual approach to sales, technology or even competition. At this week's ShopSmart summit, he spoke with candor about his idiosyncratic strategies, growth opportunities, and how digital technology is still reshaping retailing.

BlackBerry PlayBook Not Ready for Prime Time?

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer debuts Tuesday, and for the many folks in the corporate world already armed with BlackBerry phones, the addition of a PlayBook may make sense. But there are a host of reasons why the average consumer may find the device not quite ready for the spotlight.

Why Apple May No Longer Be a Hot Stock

The re-weighting of the Nasdaq-100, which is expected to be announced today, could harm Apple's share price. But that may be the least of the tech giant's problems right now.

Will Google Turn Android Phones into Credit Cards?

Many major companies are hoping that consumers will use their smartphones as a credit or debit card, and Google may be preparing to join in with its Android phones. But is the trend, which has grown popular in Japan, finally ready to take off in the U.S.?

Where Does the AT&T and T-Mobile Deal Leave Sprint?

The news that the U.S.'s No. 2 wireless carrier, AT&T, is buying No. 4 carrier T-Mobile has squelched hopes that T-Mobile would join forces with Sprint. What else does this deal mean for the No. 3 carrier?

Apple Is Aiming Again to Get China Mobile to Carry iPhones

Talks between Apple and China Mobile didn't go so well back in 2009, but Steve Jobs apparently wants to take another stab at getting his wildly popular iPhone onto the world's largest network. And Apple may be more accommodating about terms now that Google's Android is gaining share globally.

Tablets and Smartphones Slow Laptop Sales Growth

Gartner has lowered its laptop-sales forecast for this year and the next, predicting that the popularity of tablets and smartphones will slow laptop sales. Gartner expects worldwide laptop sales to increase 11% this year and and 14% next year, down from a previously forecast 16$ and 15%, respectively.