Smartphones

Apple’s new iPhone 5S, which comes with a fingerprint scanner, won’t store actual images of users’ fingerprints on the device, a company spokesman confirmed Wednesday, a decision that could ease concerns from privacy hawks. Rather, Apple’s new Touch ID system only stores “fingerprint data,” which remains encrypted within the iPhone’s processor, a company representative said Continue Reading →

Remember those persistent rumors of a fingerprint sensor that would be baked into the iPhone 5S? Well, it’s not a rumor any longer — Apple has just confirmed that the iPhone 5S will feature a 500ppi fingerprint sensor right in the 5S’s home button. It seemed like a puzzling addition at first, but the company Continue Reading →

Surprise! While the iPhone 5 won’t stick around, the iPhone 4 will still be available for free with a two-year contract. It’s an unexpected move as the iPhone 4 is now three years old. Apple is adopting an iPad 2 strategy for its iPhones. It will be an important device for developing markets, even though Continue Reading →

There’s a new iPhone. Well, to be completely accurate there are two new iPhones. But the new iPhone 5S is Apple’s flagship phone and it’s the best iPhone you can buy. It looks exactly like how the iPhone 5 looked last year but with improved internals and guts that will make everything run even faster. Continue Reading →

Now we know what the iPhone 5C costs. Apple pulled the wraps of the iPhone 5C on Tuesday, which will cost $99 with a two-year contract in the U.S. A 32GB model will sell for $200. The phone, which has been consistently pondered as a “low-cost” phone or “mid-tier” option leading up to this event, Continue Reading →

PayPal announced a new way to better connect merchants with customers through the use of their mobile device. On stage at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference, the commerce company unveiled Beacon, an add-on piece of technology that lets customers pay for goods at their favorite stores without needing to take out their phone — it’s all Continue Reading →

A spokesman for Amazon.com Inc. said Sunday the online retail giant won’t launch a smartphone this year, and that if it did launch one in the future, it “would not be free.” The statement by Amazon came 48 hours after we reported that the company was considering introducing a smartphone for free to consumers, according Continue Reading →

Another “Samsung Unpacked” event has come and gone. The Korean electronics maker didn’t disappoint this year, as it released the Galaxy Gear – the company’s highly anticipated first-dive into the world of smartwatch-style devices. But while the gear understandably grabbed all the headlines, the company made some significant changes to its Note lineup as well. Continue Reading →

Everyone who loves to whine about the iPhone’s display being too small may soon have their prayers answered. Ian Sherr, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, has posted on his Twitter account that Apple is testing out several prototypes for a larger iPhone, including one device with a display measuring 6 inches diagonally. Sherr Continue Reading →

As anyone who’s stuck Google Glass on their head knows, controlling its UI via swipes, nods and voice commands can sometimes be… awkward. Now you can do it remotely, thanks to an update to the MyGlass companion Android app. It uses Glass’ so-called screencast experience, which is a way of letting other users see what Continue Reading →