PATREONItems tagged with Cellphone
What is smaller than your thumb, lighter than a coin, and "ridiculously cute?" The Zanco Tiny T1, of course! Billed as the world's smallest functioning phone, this incredibly small mobile device has surpassed $105,000 in crowd funds on Kickstarter, blowing past its goal of $33,444. Over 1,600 backers have pledged monetary support for the tiny device, and there are still 22 days to go in the crowdfunding effort. The Zanco Tiny T1 arrives at a time when smartphone makers have been focused on building bigger mobile phones, not smaller ones. Even Apple has focused its efforts in expanding the display on its iPhone line—the iPhone X has a 5.8-inch front display that takes up nearly the entirety...
Read more...
Nokia finalized a sale of its mobile phone business to Microsoft last year for $7.2 billion, and though it was reported that Microsoft negotiated the rights to use the Nokia brand on mobile products for the next decade, by November of 2014, Microsoft released its first Lumia handset without the Nokia label. Less than five months later, there's talk that Nokia wants back in the game.According to Recode and the "two sources briefed on Nokia's plans," the Finnish company is planning to once again compete in the mobile space as early as next year. The comeback would be under the operation of Nokia Technologies, the smallest of the three companies that remained after the lucrative Microsoft deal.Here's...
Read more...
Your fancy pants smartphone might be able to play games like Angry Birds and stream movies from Netflix, but in Japan, it's just another overpriced device with a shrinking audience. Taking their place are those clamshell phones that your pop still uses. It seems crazy, but flip-phone shipments in Japan went up in 2014 for the first time in seven years.Citing data from MM Research Institute Ltd, Reuters says that smartphone shipments fell a full 5.3 percent to 27.7 million units, down for a second year in a row. Meanwhile, flip-phone shipments rose by almost the same percentage -- 5.7 percent to 10.58 million units.Image Source: Flickr (Shahbano Khushi)These aren't exactly the same phones you've...
Read more...
Phew, we can all breathe a sigh a relief that the scooping up of our sensitive mobile phone data -- things like text messages, call records, browsing history, pictures, contact, and more -- is completely legal, or so the government says. Doesn't that make you make feel much better about the U.S. Marshal Service's use of spy planes to harvest cellphone information on a mass scale? No? Well perhaps you'll rest easier at night knowing that the Department of Justice insists that the Marshal Service doesn't maintain a database of cellphone data belonging to everyday, law abiding citizens as part of a program that it won't even acknowledge exists. Surely that should give you warm fuzzies, right? Still...
Read more...
The Department of Justice's U.S. Marshals Service division has reportedly been employing fake cellphone towers on planes in an effort to stay one step ahead of criminals such as drug dealers and terrorist organizations operating in the United States. Unfortunately for law abiding citizens and privacy advocates at large, the fake cell signals don't just zero in on the criminal that's being sought by law enforcement officials, at least not at first, and instead gathers data from up to tens of thousands of people during each flight. These spy planes are equipped with so-called "dirtboxes," which are named after the initials of the Boeing Co. subsidiary that produces them (Digital Recovery Technology...
Read more...
Security breaches that expose sensitive customer data are becoming uncomfortably common these days. The newest firm to fess up to falling prey to a hacker attack is AT&T, which has begun sending letters out to customers letting them know about a breach that occurred between April 9 and April 21 of this year. According to a report in Dallas News, the attack resulted in an undisclosed number of wireless customers having their personal data exposed, including Social Security numbers and dates of birth -- handy information if you're trying to steal and/or sell someone's identity. Image Source: Flickr (Alexandre Dulaunoy) Luckily, it doesn't appear that identity theft was on the radar of the cybercriminals...
Read more...
Making calls while overseas isn't exactly a piece of cake... well, if you care about the cash you're earning, that is. Roaming rates can vary from "wild" to "downright crazy," but Roamer's app-based call forwarding service aims to take some of the edge off. Roamer is a new iOS and Android app designed to bring to end to steep call roaming charges globally. Available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play, Roamer is an app that saves users up to 90% on their call roaming bills abroad. The app uses local cellular networks that mean calls are high quality as Roamer enables users to 'forward' any mobile number to receive calls and make calls with Roamer app. Here's the play-by-play:...
Read more...
Batteries--specifically, their lack of longevity and long recharge cycles--have been one of the most annoying bottlenecks to mobile innovation, but a California teenager has developed a technology that could significantly relieve some of that burden. 18-year-old Eesha Kare developed a supercapacitor that could fit inside a battery and charge cell phones in 20 to 30 seconds instead of hours. Further, it offers 10,000 charge/recharge cycles, which is a far cry from the 1,000 or so cycles that many rechargeable batteries have. Eesha Kare (Image credit: Intel Corp) Kare’s supercapacitor won her a cool $50,000 scholarship award from the Intel Foundation Young Scientist contest. So far,...
Read more...
Last year, Republic Wireless made headlines with its $19/month unlimited everything smartphone plan. At the time, the service was available in a limited Beta service. As a result, many people who were interested in the service couldn't sign up for it. Now, Republic Wireless is opening the Beta service up to everyone. As you'll recall, Republic Wireless is a Wi-Fi-centric mobile operator. In other words, the carrier uses Wi-Fi as its primary network with cellular as a backup. Currently, Republic Wireless offers just a single phone: the Motorola DEFY XT. This appears to be a pretty decent mid-range smartphone with a 3.7-inch display, 1GHz processor, and a 5MP rear-facing camera. Preorders for the...
Read more...
If you'll be traveling overseas soon, it's probably about time to start planning just how exactly you plan to stay connected. It's not as easy as just turning your smartphone on and roaming internationally. Well, it is, but you'll pay through the nose to do it. For those who plan ahead, AT&T is offering new talk + text plans for overseas yappers. The new discount roaming packages for calling and messaging, as well as new Wi-Fi capabilities on select AT&T Data Global Add-On packages, offer much better rates than you'd get if you didn't sign up for a plan ahead of time. Joining the AT&T Canada and Mexico Travel Minutes package, which was introduced earlier this year but will now be...
Read more...
Google's always had a fetish for free or low-cost Internet access, and continuing that philosophy is a new service the sultan of search is experimenting with. It's called "Free Zone" and it's intended to offer users in emerging markets access to several online Google products, including Google Search, on their feature phones. "Free Zone is a bundle offered by mobile operators in association with Google that allows you to use Google+, Gmail, and Google Search for free. It's available for most Internet-enabled mobile phones," Google explains. "When you use these Google products through Free Zone on your mobile phone, you won't be charged for data. You can use Free Zone even if you haven't subscribed...
Read more...
My, how the tables have turned. It seems like ages ago when AT&T and T-Mobile were set to merge, and then, that fell all to pieces. But it seems as if T-Mobile just can't solder on as a solo outfit. This week, MetroPCS -- one of the larger prepaid carriers in America -- confirmed that they are in talks with T-Mobile's parent company (Deutsche Telekom). Why talk? Because there may be some sort of T-Mobile + MetroPCS tie-up in the near future. MetroPCS has been quick to point out that nothing has been nailed down just yet, but simply confirming the talks means that things are pretty well along. After all, both of these companies stand to lose a lot if this doesn't come together; it'll be particularly...
Read more...
There's a new network in town. That is, if your town is London. With LTE taking over major cities around the world, England's largest locale in terms of population is about to hop on the same bandwagon. Everything Everywhere is a new company, a new network, and a new brand, and it's bringing a new face to 4G in London. Coined "EE," the company has a big challenge ahead of it, but given that it switched on live today, it shouldn't take long to see how many Londoners will flock over for access to faster mobile data. The company promises that it's LTE will spread to 16 cities by the year's end, covering 20 million people, or a third of their nation's population. By 2014, a full 98% of the UK's population...
Read more...
Looking for disruption in the wireless market? Look no further. Republic Wireless, which bills itself as the nation's first Wi-Fi-centric mobile operator, just reopened its $19/month unlimited Beta to new customers, offering an all-new handset, the Motorola DEFY XT. That's right: cellular service for $19/month. The DEFY XT is a pretty solid mid-range Android option for the service, offering up a 3.7" panel, 1GHz processor, 5MP rear camera and one key factor: Republic's Hybrid Calling tech to leverage Wi-Fi as the primary network, and uses the cellular network as a backup only when needed. It'll be offered off-contract for $249, with $19 per month getting users unlimited talk, text and data, with...
Read more...
It's no secret that HTC has had a rough time competing with other big name smartphone manufacturers in the last couple of years. It looked like the company might be turning things around with its One series and the EVO 4G LTE for Sprint, but then the company got hit with another delay thanks to a U.S. Customs review. The EVO 4G LTE is finally here though, and Sprint customers can finally pick up this new, highly anticipated smartphone. The HTC EVO 4G LTE sports many of the high-end features you'd want in a smartphone today including Android 4.0, a 4.7-inch HD display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, and 4G LTE connectivity. The phone also comes with s kickstand built-in......
Read more...
It's no secret that HTC has had a rough time competing with other big name smartphone manufacturers in the last couple of years. It looked like the company might be turning things around with its One series and the EVO 4G LTE for Sprint, but then the company got hit with another delay thanks to a U.S. Customs review. The EVO 4G LTE is finally here though, and Sprint customers can finally pick up this new, highly anticipated smartphone. The HTC EVO 4G LTE sports many of the high-end features you'd want in a smartphone today including Android 4.0, a 4.7-inch HD display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel camera, and 4G LTE connectivity. The phone also comes with the well-liked...
Read more...
To date, we haven't heard a lot about Android 5.0 in terms of features, but Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) has had a lot of time to mature. Particularly on the Galaxy Nexus, the pure version of ICS is one of the most fluid, visually appealing mobile OSes -- but is it still the best alternative for those who are shying away from the iPhone for one reason or another? We ask the question because of Windows Phone's recent successes, however mild they may be. Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) feels like a completely overhauled version of the original WP7 build that shipped with phones like the HD7, Omnia 7 and Samsung Focus. Originally, it felt as if Windows Phone 7 was forced out just in time...
Read more...
2012 is shaping up to be a major year for mobile operating systems. For those fortunate enough to own a smartphone, these are exciting times. Competition is fierce, and the winner is you. Regardless of which platform you're keen on, you can bet that each of the major players are pushing the others to innovate and improve. In just a few weeks, Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference will kick off. While it remains to be seen if a new MacBook Pro or a new iPhone will launch, one thing is very likely: iOS 6 will be showcased for the first time. WWDC 2011 was where iOS 5 really got its wings, and Siri was brought into the fold last October. iOS 6 is apt to be the biggest iOS release yet, and...
Read more...
Voyager Mobile one day, and now, Virgin Mobile the next. These days, it's the prepaid carriers making just as many waves as the postpaid ones, and Virgin Mobile is stepping up its game with a new $40 Unlimited Talk and Text plan ideal for consumers with moderate usage on feature phones. The company's payLo offering brings nonstop talking and messaging (which includes text, picture, email and IM), as well as 50MB of web access. That's hardly enough for most avid smartphone users -- a few reloads of your bustling inbox would eat that right up -- but more occasional users may not take issue with the low data cap. Customers can also look forward to no activation fees, no long-term contracts and easy...
Read more...
Another mobile carrier in the States? Well, we can't really complain about increased competition, now can we? With the MVNO library growing by the month (seemingly, anyway), here's another to consider: Voyager Mobile. After a slight delay, the startup is now "taking orders," offering such phones as the Samsung Galaxy S II and Epic 4G Touch. It's offering a nationwide network, which allows customers to actually earn goodies by talking. Best of all, wireless plans of unlimited nature start at just $19, with no contracts and "no gimmicks." That $19+tax plan includes voicemail, unlimited talk and unlimited text within America. $39+ tax (per month, of course) gets you 3G/4G internet access as well....
Read more...
We heard HTC and Sprint were planning a follow-up to the EVO line, and now we have more details about what the phone will offer. Sprint and HTC officially unveiled the EVO 4G LTE which is expected to be the first HD voice-capable smartphone available in the US. The phone will be available in the second quarter for about $200. Preorders for the phone will begin May 7. The HTC EVO 4G LTE runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and features HTC's Sense 4. This phone will have a 4.7-inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 2000mAh embedded battery. Thanks to HTC ImageSense technology and other camera-friendly features found...
Read more...
Sprint announced a pre-order availability date for the new LG Viper 4G LTE. This smartphone will be the first 4G LTE device with eco-friendly features from Sprint. Starting Thursday, April 12, customers can preorder the phone from sprint.com/viper. The phone will sell for $99.99 with a new two-year agreement and after a mail-in rebate. The LG Viper runs on Android 2.3 and features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4-inch display, and a 4GB microSD card. The phone also supports mobile hotspot capabilities. Some of the eco-friendly features of the phone include the use of recycled plastics in its casing, RoHS compliance, "green" packaging, and an energy efficient charger. LG Viper 4G LTE...
Read more...
