Devices
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...
App-Enabled Accessories Abound at the Apple Store
April 9, 2013 9:37 am | by Andrew Berg | Articles | CommentsThere's a special section over at Apple's online store devoted entirely to “app-enabled accessories.” These items include extravagances like a Wi-Fi enabled scale that shoots its data straight to the iPhone, or a flying drone that can be controlled right from your very own iOS device...
Review: HTC One Impresses but Software Disappoints
April 9, 2013 8:56 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsReady for the battle of the phones? This year's crop of high-end smartphones is starting to emerge, like bear cubs crawling out of their burrows, sniffing the spring air. First out is the HTC One, a handsome, powerful animal that should do well this year...
HTC Reports Dismal 1Q Profits
April 8, 2013 9:59 am | by By Andrew Berg | News | CommentsHTC today posted preliminary financials for the first quarter of 2013 that show the effects of delays in the launch of its flagship HTC One smartphone. The company today said unaudited net profit was $2.85 million for the...
Comscore: Apple Growing U.S. Market Share, Google Shrinking
April 5, 2013 9:53 am | by Ben Munson | News | CommentsComscore’s latest three-month study of U.S. smartphone market shows Apple’s iPhone and iOS platform both growing their shares. From the end of November through the end of February, Apple upped its share among OEMs to 38.9 percent from 35 and iOS boosted its share among smartphone operating systems to 38.9 percent from 35.
Samsung's Operating Profit Up 53 Percent in 1Q
April 5, 2013 9:11 am | by YoukYung Lee, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSamsung Electronics Co. said its operating profit last quarter rose 53 percent over a year earlier, outpacing expectations for what's normally a slow time for consumer electronics sales. The South Korean firm on Friday estimated its first quarter...
Report: Android Market Gains Tied to Sprint's Samsung Sales
April 4, 2013 11:13 am | by Andrew Berg | News | CommentsAndroid continues grabbing more market share, snagging 51.2 percent of smartphone sales in the United States during the three-month period that ended in February, according to a report from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. Apple's iOS took second place...
Report: Apple to Release Updated Phone This Summer
April 3, 2013 9:02 am | by Associated Press | News | CommentsApple is set for a possible summer launch of the next iPhone, rather than a fall launch like the last two models, according to a report Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal. Apple Inc. is also working on a cheaper iPhone model that could win...
