Smartphones

Verizon Wireless announced changes Friday that mean many customers will need to wait longer to get that shiny new phone. The carrier had been letting customers under a two-year contract upgrade to a new, subsidized device after 20 months. However, starting with those whose contracts expire next January, customers will have to wait the full Continue Reading →

It looks like Android users aren’t happy about Facebook Home moving into their Android phones. A day after launch, an astounding 44% of users who have reviewed the app on Google Play have given it just one star, with a mere 19.4% of users opting to give Home a 5-star rating. All that equates to Continue Reading →

T-Mobile finally began selling the iPhone 5 early on Friday, and it seems as though all that pent-up consumer tension has resulted in some promising sales for the carrier. “Today has been gangbusters for T-Mobile,” CMO Mike Sievert noted to AllThingsD. Naturally, Sievert wouldn’t discuss just how many iPhones were moved during the course of Continue Reading →

The delayed launch of HTC’s new flagship phone was obviously going to be a huge problem for the vendor, and now it looks as though the HTC One might only have a week at AT&T before the Samsung marketing machine looks to swoop in an steamroll it. Engadget reports that tentative launch dates have been Continue Reading →

Look: we know many on Verizon aren’t happy that the carrier has revealed plans to lengthen its upgrade intervals right as smartphone update season is hitting full stride. However, there may be a consolation prize. As of April 21st, “some devices” in its smartphone range, not just the existing tablets, will qualify for a Device Continue Reading →

A hacker claims that a single Android handset can be used to hijack an entire plane, Net-Security reported. Security consultant and trained commercial pilot Hugo Teso explained during a speech at the Hack In The Box Conference in Amsterdam this week that it is possible to develop an Android application that can attack a plane’s Continue Reading →

The New York Police Department has secretly equipped officers with a new weapon to help them fight crime. Roughly 400 Android smartphones have been distributed to officers since last summer as part of a pilot program taking place in New York City, The New York Times reported. The phones are unable to make or receive Continue Reading →

Preparing its apps for the launch of its Home launcher, Facebook has pushed an update for its Android Messenger app, allowing users to take advantage of the new Chat Heads feature. Like in Facebook Home, the Messenger app displays a round icon with the face of whoever you’re talking to, regardless of the app you Continue Reading →

If you’ve been looking at the Samsung Galaxy Note II and wishing it was just a little bit larger, you’re in luck. Samsung on Thursday introduced the Galaxy Mega — an even bigger “phablet” than its already substantial Galaxy Note. The Mega will come in both 5.8-inch and 6.3-inch sizes, offering two new finger-stretching options. Continue Reading →

Google’s latest stable channel of Chrome includes developer support for rich browser notifications in web apps. This isn’t the rumored Google Now integration coming to Chrome, but it does bring the browser one step closer to having proactive, useful pop-ups of actionable information. Don’t look for the new feature on Chrome for Mac or Linux Continue Reading →