IDG News Service Staff, PC World Staff

LG introduced today today the Optimus Vu, a combo tablet-smartphone LTE device with a 5-inch display to support easier multimedia viewing and ebook reading.  

The Optimus Vu will be on display at the Mobile World Congress next week and will be introduced in Korea in March, LG representatives say; no global availability or pricing was disclosed.

Few tools of modern technology have become as prevalent as the cell phone, which allows you to be in touch (almost) all the time, (almost) anywhere. And you can do more than just talk--today's phones let you send and receive email and text messages, surf the Web, and play music and videos. Sifting through the sea of service plans and handsets can be difficult, but we'll walk you through what you need to know to get the phone and service plan that are right for you.

If you don't have to own the latest and greatest smartphone, there’s no time like the present to buy a new one. From the newest iPhone to an Android superphone to a business-friendly Windows Phone, you can find the right phone for you. Before you hit the stores, however, do a bit of research and read our guide so that you'll know exactly what to look for.

The good news is, Sony shares are up off reports the PlayStation Network, Sony Online Entertainment, and media-streaming service Qriocity returned from the hereafter this weekend. The bad news is, it’s one of those part-zombie resurrections: the PlayStation Network’s only partly working, and even then, only for some.

Facebook is holding a press conference at 10 a.m. PT Monday where it will announce a new e-mail offering for its 500 million members, PCWorld has learned. If you would like to follow a live stream video feed of the event you can do so here.

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Facebook is holding a press conference at its headquarters in Palo Alto this evening, and it's rumored that the company is preparing to announce a new location-based service for its hugely popular social networking site.

If the rumors are correct, Facebook would be joining a growing wave of web services companies that affix locations to content posted by users. Other sites like Gowalla and Foursquare have built whole businesses on the concept, but Facebook could put those smaller specialty players out of business if it offers a similar service for its massive 500 million-member base.

This week on the podcast, PCWorld editors Mark Sullivan, Tim Moynihan, and Robert Strohmeyer dig into our second annual 3G wireless performance tests as AT&T makes a major leap over its competitors to take the top spot in performance and reliability.

Next up, Tim Moynihan dishes up the latest digital photo trends from this year's PMA conference in Anaheim, California. With hot new megazooms, the rise of the micro four-thirds format, and an emerging new lens format from Sony, 2010 is shaping up to be a big year for camera geeks.