Smartphones

Just a week ago, Microsoft launched a limited-time trade-in promotion, allowing users to get a minimum $200 gift card for trading in an iPad at one of Microsoft’s brick-and-mortar stores. This week, Microsoft has upped the ante on trade-ins involving its competitors’ devices. Users can trade in a variety of phones, tablets and PCs, including Continue Reading →

Google announced on Wednesday it’s rolling out a new version of the Google Wallet app for all phones running Android 2.3 or higher. This makes the app compatible with the majority of Android handsets. Previously the app required an NFC chip with a secure element, something only Nexus devices and about 12 other phones had. Continue Reading →

Microsoft announced on Wednesday that its Windows Phone 8 operating system has received a key government security certification from the US, which would help boost its standing among US and Canadian government customers. Getting the FIPS 140-2 certificate means the government has authorized the cryptographic algorithms used by Windows Phone 8 to protect sensitive data Continue Reading →

If you were paying attention to the late summer leaks, then the latest BlackBerry won’t strike you as a surprise. That’s because it’s the newly announced BlackBerry Z30, the official successor to the all-touch Z10, and it matches up quite closely to what we’ve already seen. The Z30 is the company’s first smartphone to ship Continue Reading →

YouTube streams more than six billion hours of video a month. Soon it will let people watch some of those videos even if they’re not connected to the Web. Next month, Google’s video site will let viewers save clips on their phones and other mobile devices for up to 48 hours, so they can watch Continue Reading →

Google has acquired Bump — a super-popular sharing app for iOS and Android. The announcement was made today on the company’s official blog. Bump, founded in 2008, lets users share information by bumping phones together. It came into existence even before NFC technology, and quickly proved insanely popular. The app has been downloaded over 100 million Continue Reading →

Apple’s event on the 10th was teased with the tagline, “This should brighten everyone’s day.” It has already drawn a powerful response.  Everyone was asking the question, “Does Apple still have it?”  The answer is a pretty clear, “No.” If you’re looking for an iPhone 5 in a colorful new plastic case for $550 you’re Continue Reading →

Shelly Palmer talks about Apple’s shortcomings on CNNi’s World Business Today.   Continue Reading →

Lovers of McDonalds who feel their fast food isn’t quite fast enough could soon be able to order their burger-n-fries using a mobile app. The chain is testing a mobile payment app that allows customers to order and pay for their meal before picking it up. The app is being tested in two U.S. cities: Continue Reading →

Back in June, screen shots of an early Windows Phone operating system build leaked (via a Lumia phone allegedly purchased on eBay). At that time, next-to-no attention was paid to an app, listed as “zCortana,” that was on the phone. But that Cortana app (with the “z” indicating it was a test build) is central Continue Reading →