InformationWeek Stories by Serdar Yegulalp

Nine Things Smartwatches Need To Succeed

2013-04-15T09:00:00Z

Apple, Samsung and Google are all rumored to be working on smartwatches. Here are nine things we think any smartwatch worth its salt (and silicon) needs.

Facebook Home: You Are the Product Being Sold

2013-04-05T14:33:00Z

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

2013-03-21T09:00:00Z

Before you balk at paying $300 a month, here are the reasons why there has to be some segmentation of usage.

Samsung Galaxy S4 - Peak Smartphone?

2013-03-20T08:00:00Z

Most of the really inventive things we do with our devices come from the software that's added.

Samsung Galaxy S 4: Visual Tour

2013-03-16T09:06:00Z

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

2013-03-07T13:55:00Z

ownCloud is 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"

2013-02-19T14:53:00Z

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

2013-02-19T09:30:00Z

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

2013-02-04T12:57:00Z

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

2013-01-28T09:30:00Z

AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint 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?

2013-01-23T08:05:00Z

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

2013-01-17T08:45:00Z

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

2013-01-09T13:45:00Z

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

2013-01-07T10:30:00Z

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

2013-01-03T08:30:00Z

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

2012-12-31T08:30:00Z

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

2012-12-12T09:15:00Z

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

2012-12-07T08:40:00Z

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

2012-11-21T08:02:00Z

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

2012-11-16T09:00:00Z

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'

2012-11-13T14:02:00Z

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

2012-11-13T08:32:00Z

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

2012-11-08T08:31:00Z

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

2012-11-07T16:17:00Z

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

2012-11-02T09:02:00Z

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.