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Nine Things Smartwatches Need To Succeed
April 15, 2013
Apple, Samsung and Google are all rumored to be working on smartwatches. With all the buzz about these devices, it's hard to see the real use cases through the hype. Here are nine things we think any smartwatch worth its salt (and silicon) needs.
Facebook Home: You Are the Product Being Sold
April 05, 2013
Once again, Facebook has found a new low. Facebook Home, their Android skin, is an attempt to grab hold of users and not let them go, to make them think that there is nothing out there but Facebook.
AT&T’s New Data Plans Dissected
March 21, 2013
Samsung Galaxy S4 - Peak Smartphone?
March 20, 2013
It’s not about this smartphone or that. Most of the really inventive things we do with our devices come from software added either by the phone markers, users or by the value provided through network-based services.
Samsung Galaxy S 4: Visual Tour
March 16, 2013
Samsung's new Galaxy S 4 smartphone offers unique features to challenge Apple's iPhone. Take a closer look.
Dropbox Alternative OwnCloud Uses Your Own Storage
March 07, 2013
ownCloud is already a powerful and useful alternative to Dropbox or other file-hosting services. Future revisions of this open source project promise to be even better.
HTC Claims "Best Phone Ever Made"
February 19, 2013
HTC aims high with their claims for their revamped Android smartphone. Like previous HTC phones this one is aimed at consumers with a focus on media consumption and other lifestyle features, like TV remote control. A shame it lacks microSD storage expansion.
iPad Mini Keyboard Cover Makes A Better Tablet
February 19, 2013
The Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Mini is an excellent addition to any iPad Mini, which provides not only a proper typing surface but a stand and a protective cover.
FCC Spectrum Plan is Telco Carrier Nightmare
February 04, 2013
AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint are no doubt concerned about the FCC's plan to open up high-quality RF spectrum for free Internet access, but they shouldn't be too worried. Too many factors weigh against such spectrum resulting in actual free Internet access for the public.
Carrier Deals Fragment LTE Spectrum
January 28, 2013
AT&T, Verizon and other carriers use different ranges in the RF spectrum for LTE services. The recent deal between AT&T and Verizon illustrates the fragmentation of the LTE spectrum and the problems it creates for smooth operation of handsets.
Samsung's New Weapon Against BlackBerry, iPhone: Fixmo?
January 23, 2013
Samsung Ventures has bought a stake in Fixmo, which sells MRM, or mobile risk management solutions. Their SafeZone product creates a separate, secure area on iOS or Android devices for confidential data and apps, similar in some ways to Good Technology's solutions. It's especially well-suited to a BYOD environment, where the company can't completely control and trust the device. The move may reinforce Samsung's SAFE program for security standards in Android devices.
Satellite GPS Works Off Grid
January 17, 2013
The Delorme InReach is a combination GPS on steroids and satellite communications link for all those who go boldly where few others go, and want a way to track their movements and call for help if need be.
2015: Apple Cachet Is Passé
January 09, 2013
It's CES in 2015: Apple's drive for market share has backfired and their brand has deteriorated as a result. They're still a big player and sell a lot of iPhones and iPads, but they're not a leader anymore.
Google Drops 'F' Bomb on Developers
January 07, 2013
Changes in the EULA (End User License Agreement) for the Android SDK warn developers of doing anything that might result in the "fragmentation" of Android. As with so many of these agreements, ambiguity is rampant and designed to give the vendor i.e. Google the freedom to interpret circumstances to its own benefit. In fact, developers aren't the source of the fragmentation problem, Google's own handset OEM partners are.
Ubuntu For Phones: Beautiful, Elegant, Doomed
January 03, 2013
How good could an UbuntuPhone really be? It can't possibly be unique enough and have enough of a value proposition to break into a market that's already dominated by big, powerful players.
Battery Life Boost Coming From New Antenna Tech
December 31, 2012
The amplifier for the data transmission on a mobile phone's antenna is the device's biggest power guzzler, wasting up to 65 percent of its juice through heat. Large increases in battery life may be coming soon through new technology designed to use power for data transmission more efficiently.
QWERTY Keyboards Are Here To Stay
December 12, 2012
Alternative keyboards are voodoo ergonomics. If the keyboard is going to be killed by anything, it'll be by the one holy grail of user interfaces: A direct neural connection between the user and the computer, with all of the fascinating and scary possibilities offered through such a system. The things I'm confident it's not going to be killed by are touchscreens or, for that matter, other kinds of keyboards.
T-Mobile Ending Phone Subsidies: A Victory For Transparency
December 07, 2012
The traditional subsidized phone contract that has made mobile phones seem more affordable is in fact a convoluted scheme to maximize carrier money and leverage on the customer. T-Mobile's plan to switch to unlocked phones and a "Value" package, in which you pay for the phone in installments clearly spelled out on the bill, lets customers make clearer decisions.
Skype For Android 3.0 Excels At Voice, Transfers
November 21, 2012
Skype for Android 3.0 improves voice quality and adds new tablet-specific features -- but requires the latest hardware and Android platform for the best results.
Dazzling Screen In Supersized HTC Droid DNA
November 16, 2012
HTC's Droid DNA for Verizon doesn't have much in the way of business-oriented features and might be too big for some hands, but it's powerful, well-built, graced with a gorgeous 1080p screen, and priced right.
HTC Droid DNA Boast: 'Most Advanced Smart Phone'
November 13, 2012
Citing its high-end hardware, HTC says its new Droid DNA is the most advanced smart phone to hit the market yet, and the "ultimate" Droid.
CEA: Tablets And Smartphones Still King In 2013
November 13, 2012
As the markets for smart phones and tablets have grown, the markets for other consumer electronics products, such as dedicated GPS and point-and-shoot cameras, have eroded. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the real news in 2013 will be the market growth of UltraHD (4K) televisions and automotive products.
Mobile Office: Partial Functionality Not Enough
November 08, 2012
The rumors are hot again that Microsoft will release an Office version for the iPad and iPhone, but all indications are that it will be little more than a document viewer, of which there are many already for iOS. Microsoft already has a far more capable Office Mobile for Surface, but even that is missing many important features, like editing Excel pivot tables and using Word revisions.
Verizon Wireless Waives Billing For Some Sandy Victims
November 07, 2012
Verizon says customers in parts of New York and New Jersey -- those affected by Hurricane Sandy -- won't be billed for domestic voice or text between Oct. 29 and Nov. 16.
Crapware Lives On Windows 8
November 02, 2012
Windows 8 is a clean slate in many ways. But one scourge that is not gone is crapware, a.k.a. bloatware, junkware, trialware, and stupid games that drag down the performance and experience of so many Windows PCs. We asked Acer, Toshiba, Dell, Samsung and Lenovo what they preload on their Windows 8 systems. Some PCs are cleaner than others. The surprise? A Microsoft store might be the best place to buy.