Devices
BlackBerry Focuses on Cool Factor as It Returns to Orlando for Annual Event
May 13, 2013 9:00 am | by David Friend, The Canadian Press | News | CommentsBlackBerry will pull out all the stops this week as the company welcomes thousands of industry players for BlackBerry Live, it's annual three-day conference which promises to offer some perspective into its future. Chief executive Thorsten Heins will take the stage on Tuesday and...
Report: Amazon Preparing 3D Smartphone, Other Hardware
May 10, 2013 9:06 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAs one of the major players in the tablet market, Amazon is again generating rumors that it's ready to take the next step and offer its customers a branded smartphone. Amazon is reportedly developing a range of new hardware, including a glasses-free...
New Boingo iOS App Leverages iTunes Account for Payment
May 8, 2013 9:50 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsWi-Fi provider Boingo Wireless has announced that iOS users can now use their iTunes account to purchase a Boingo subscription. According to a press release, the latest version of Boingo’s iOS app links directly to a customer’s iTunes account, streamlining subscription sign-up and monthly billing...
Nokia Remains Focused on Windows Phone
May 7, 2013 9:59 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsNokia will continue to focus on Windows Phone, according to a report from Reuters today, which cited comments from Nokia CEO Stephen Elop prior to the company's annual general meeting. Elop said that while the company continues to make adjustments as it goes...
Microsoft Touching Up Windows 8 to Address Gripes
May 7, 2013 8:42 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsMicrosoft is retooling the latest version of its Windows operating system to address complaints and confusion that have been blamed for deepening a slump in personal computer sales. The tune up announced Tuesday won't be released to consumers...
B&N to Offer Google Play on Nook Tablets
May 6, 2013 9:50 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAlong with lowering the price of its Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets, Barnes & Noble has announced that it will be adding Google Play access to those devices. The move will gives its users unfettered access to all of the apps and content in the Google Play store...
US Cellular Embraces iPhone After Rejecting It
May 3, 2013 3:26 pm | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsU.S. Cellular, the fifth largest cellphone company and the only major one to resist the iPhone, says it's going to start selling it this year. CEO Mary Dillon announced the reversal Friday on a call with investors and analysts. She didn't specify exactly when the company would start...
Physical by Smartphone Becoming Real Possibility
May 2, 2013 8:34 am | by Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer | News | CommentsIt's not a "Star Trek" tricorder, but by hooking a variety of gadgets onto a smartphone you could almost get a complete physical — without the paper gown or even a visit to the doctor's office. Blood pressure? Just plug the arm cuff into the phone for a quick reading...
How Siri, Google Now Respond to 5 Questions
April 30, 2013 9:29 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsWith Google's voice assistant now available on iPhones and iPads, The Associated Press used an iPad Mini to throw five test questions at Google Now and Siri on Monday afternoon in New York. Here's what the two digital assistants had to say for themselves...
Smartphones Overtake 'Dumb' Phones Worldwide
April 29, 2013 9:32 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsResearch firm IDC said more smartphones than "dumb" phones are being made this year, a milestone in a shift that's putting computing power and Internet access in millions of hands worldwide. Manufacturers shipped 216 million smartphones worldwide in the first three months of this year...
Sprint, T-Mo Delay S4 Launch on Inventory Problems
April 24, 2013 10:47 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsSprint and T-Mobile, which had previously announced their customers would get first dibs on the Samsung Galaxy S4, have now said the device will be delayed. In a statement, Sprint said that while it had planned to launch the phone on Saturday, April 27, Sprint was dealing with...
AT&T Grows Margins Despite Record 1Q Smarpthone Sales
April 23, 2013 5:52 pm | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAT&T Mobility managed to grow its margins even as it reported a first-quarter record of 6 million smartphone sales. On $16.6 billion in total wireless revenues, $5.1 billion of which was from mobile data, AT&T Mobility managed wireless operating income margins of 28 percent...
Ahead of the Bell: Analysts See iPhone Sales Down
April 23, 2013 9:34 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsApple Inc. is set to report fiscal second-quarter results after the market close Tuesday, and analysts expect to see the first quarter ever in which iPhone sales declined. The launch of the first iPhone in 2007 set off a boom in smartphone sales...
Cricket Rolls Out New Family, iPhone Plans
April 22, 2013 10:44 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsPrepaid carrier Cricket today annoucned a new family plan discount, as well as a revamp of plans for the iPhone. As part of the family plan discount, consumers will essentially get $10 off the $50 smartphone plan when they activate 2 lines. The $50 smarpthone plan includes 1GB of data...
Google Posts $14B in 1Q Revenue, Struggles with Mobile
April 19, 2013 10:35 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsGoogle's first quarter revenue was up 31 percent annually to $14 billion, while net income reached $3.9 billion, but the company is still trying to sort out how best to capitalize on mobile. Shares of Google were up nearly 3 percent immediately following Thursday's earnings call. That trend continued...
Verizon Reports Strong 1Q, Looks to Maintain Record Margins
April 18, 2013 10:13 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsVerizon today reported a strong first quarter that was once again driven by wireless, with 677,000 retail postpaid net additions, up 35 percent annually. Margins were especially impressive. The company reported 32.9 percent operating income margin and 50.4 percent segment EBITDA margin...
Sprint, T-Mo Customers Will Get First Shot at Galaxy S4
April 17, 2013 10:41 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsBoth Sprint and T-Mobile today announced that they'll be the first of the major U.S. carriers to get the Samsung Galaxy S4.T-Mobile's version of the S4 will be available online and in stores beginning April 24 for $149.99 down and no contract, but with monthly device payments...
Google’s Schmidt: More Than 750M Android Phones in Use Globally
April 17, 2013 10:06 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsGoogle chairman Eric Schmidt estimated the global number for Android phones in use today at around 750 million. He added that Google sees 1.5 million sales or activations worldwide of Android phones every day. Speaking at the D: Dive Into Mobile event, Schmidt estimated that Android phones in use worldwide would top one billion later this year and pass two billion by 2014.
Facebook Bringing Limited Home Experience to iOS App
April 17, 2013 9:17 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsRumors that Facebook has been in talks with Apple and Microsoft about getting its new Home product on those operating systems prove at least slightly overblown. According to Facebook, the company will be updating its iOS app to include...
Verizon to Extend Phone-Upgrade Waiting Period
April 15, 2013 9:03 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsVerizon Wireless, the country's largest cellphone carrier, on Friday said that it is extending the time it takes to earn a subsidized phone upgrade from 20 months on contract to 24 months. The move will save Verizon money, since it subsidizes each new smartphone...
Review: Home Shields You from Non-Facebook Tasks
April 12, 2013 10:06 am | by Anick Jesdanun, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsWhen I got my first smartphone in 2010, I checked Facebook obsessively. But over time, the novelty wore off and opening Facebook's app to check photos, links and posts from friends turned into a chore. In a sense, I'm the ideal target for Facebook's new Home app...
BlackBerry Seeks SEC Review of “False” Return Rate Claims
April 12, 2013 10:05 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsBlackBerry is requesting a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and an Ontario Securities Commission review of what it calls “false and misleading” reports about the return rate of BlackBerry’s new Z10 smartphone.
PC Shipments Drop 14 Percent Annually as Consumers Prefer Tablets, Smartphones
April 11, 2013 9:23 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsConsumer preference for tablets and smartphones sent first quarter global PC shipments down 14 percent to 76.3 million units, according to new numbers from IDC. IDC said the extent of the annual contraction marked the worst quarter since IDC began tracking the PC market quarterly in 1994...
T-Mo Offers iPhone Trade-In Program
April 10, 2013 10:07 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsT-Mobile has added yet another incentive for prospective customers mulling a switch to the uncarrier. The company will offer an iPhone trade-in program as part of its sale of the iPhone 5. The trade-in offer, which begins April 12...
Orders of Keyboard BlackBerry Start in Canada
April 10, 2013 9:21 am | by Rob Gillies, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe maker of the BlackBerry phone said Tuesday that a modern smartphone with a physical keyboard will be available in Canada in the coming weeks as major wireless companies started taking advance orders. Details on when the BlackBerry Q10 will go on sale...
