Mobile Tech

Foxconn Jumps on Firefox OS Bandwagon
June 04, 2013

Foxconn Technology Group, best known as the go-to maker of Apple's iPads and iPhones, said Monday it had embraced Mozilla's Firefox OS and would use the mobile platform on a raft of new devices, including a tablet it showed off at Computex. The company also demoed several smartphones running the Firefox OS and said it would make tablets, laptops and other devices supporting it.

Twitter's Vine Climbs Over to Android
June 04, 2013

Twitter's Vine has sprouted on Android, allowing users to post 6-second videos with tweets. Vine became available for Apple's iOS months ago, but until now, Android users have been left out of the fun. Now they can get into the thick of it as well. "Android owners: Welcome to Vine," said Android engineer Sara Haider. "Starting today, you can begin to shoot, share and watch short looping videos."

US, China to Hold Regular Cybersecurity Chats
June 03, 2013

Increasingly testy rhetoric and increasingly legitimate concerns have prompted the United States and China to announce that they will hold regular high-level talks on standards of cyberbehavior. The announcement precedes a meeting between President Obama and Chinese president Xi Jinping scheduled for Friday.

Make Your Kids Stars With a Little Disney Movie Magic
June 03, 2013

If you're a parent, there's a great chance that your iPhone will house a whole series of photos and videos featuring your kids following a road trip, a visit to the beach, a hike or a soccer game. Enter Story, a free app from Disney for the iPhone. Story accesses the photos and video stored on your iPhone and -- using the metadata -- combines them into a story. There are some limited editing options, but not enough to overwhelm.

Next Galaxy Tab May Roll In With Intel's Clover
June 03, 2013

Samsung's rumored selection of Intel's Clover Trail+ mobile system on a chip for at least one version of its upcoming Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 was given fresh strength by a Reuters report last week. The rumor had been floating around for weeks, fueled by the publication online of 3D graphics bench test results of a Samsung "Santos 103" tablet running Android 4.2.2.

Google Goes All-American With Moto X
May 31, 2013

Google company Motorola has announced a new smartphone that will be designed, engineered and assembled in the United States -- the Moto X. It will be manufactured in a factory in Fort Worth, Texas. "There are more than 130 million smartphones in use in the U.S., but not one of them is made here. That changes with Moto X," said Motorola spokesperson Danielle McNally.

Runtastic Turns Workouts Into Enjoyable Data-Crunching Exercises
May 31, 2013

If you've used any of the free tracking apps -- like Google's My Tracks, which records your path, speed, distance and elevation change while you exercise and then maps the route, charts elevation and speed, and tots it all up in a set of statistics -- you'll understand the concept behind Runtastic Pro. Runtastic Pro additionally promises to help you reach goals and track health improvements.

How to Get Music Onto Your Smartphone
May 31, 2013

One of the advantages of carrying a smartphone is that it's an all-arounder, and one of its killer features is that it can function as a personal media player. It's functionality that an iPod or MP3 player would have provided a few years ago -- and Sony Walkman before that. The principal difference between a smartphone and a classic MP3 player is that the smartphone now includes connectivity.

Google Offers a New Bag of Gmail Sorting Tricks
May 30, 2013

Google has unveiled a new Gmail design to give users more organizational control over a cluttered in-box.The revamped in-box is an option; users who like the approach can separate their email into four tabs: primary, promotions, social and updates. Primary is for the mail from friends, families or colleagues that a user would want to read and perhaps save.

Apple Stews in EU Pressure Cooker
May 29, 2013

The European Union reportedly is launching an antitrust investigation into Apple's iPhone sales tactics. Company CEO Tim Cook may have made it through last week's congressional hearings on the company's corporate tax policies relatively unscathed, but that doesn't mean the regulatory pressure is off for the tech giant. The EC last week sent several telecom operators a nine-page questionnaire.

Samsung Lights a Match for New Innovation Trail
May 28, 2013

Samsung piqued media interest this week with an invitation to a June 20 event in London, where it is expected to unveil its latest Galaxy smartphones and tablets, along with new entrants in its ATIV lineup of Windows devices. What exactly the company has up its sleeve is speculation at this point. However, there's some consensus as to the likeliest prospects for a big reveal.

Tablets to Demote Laptops to Also-Ran Status This Year
May 28, 2013

Tablets continue to gain momentum in the worldwide marketplace. The category is forecast to grow nearly 60 percent, surpassing laptop shipments this year and all PC categories by 2015, according to two reports released Tuesday by IDC. Lower prices and smaller screen sizes are among the drivers for increased shipments.

'Comment Crew' Back in Action Against US Cybertargets, Says Mandiant
May 28, 2013

China and Iran were accused last week of renewing their cyberattacks on U.S. computer systems after a brief hiatus. A gang of Chinese hackers allegedly affiliated with the country's People's Liberation Army has resumed infiltrating U.S. computer systems after making a strategic withdrawal earlier this year, according to cybersecurity firm Mandiant.

Collaborative Online Shopping: The Next Wave in E-Commerce
May 28, 2013

Shopping with friends has been a mainstay of the retail industry since stores were first introduced. Online shopping, on the other hand, has largely remained a solo experience. This is changing. That's because the Internet is becoming a social platform, as seen in the explosive growth and worldwide popularity of social networks like Facebook and Pinterest.

Galaxy S4's Camera Wins Shootout With iPhones
May 25, 2013

The Samsung Galaxy S4's rear-facing camera beats those in the iPhone 5 and 4S as well as other Samsung smartphones, according to a report from digital image specialists DxO Lab. The 13 MP GS4 camera tallied an overall DxOMark score of 75, while the iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III all scored 72. First place was taken by the Nokia 808 PureView.

Facebook Scrubs European Launch of Home, HTC First
May 24, 2013

It has been about a month since Facebook unveiled the keys to its mobile problems -- its Facebook Home app and the HTC First, a smartphone designed specifically around Home. To date, though, the progress of these duel initiatives has been less than encouraging. European carriers Orange and EE have delayed the rollout of the First, apparently at Facebook's behest.

Haswell Battery Life Claims Energize Hopes for PC Industry
May 24, 2013

Despite improvements in processing power in recent years, battery life remains an issue with the growth of mobile devices. Intel has looked to address this with a new family of Core processors code-named Haswell, which the company said Thursday will offer up to 50 percent more battery life for laptops than its previous Ivy Bridge chips provided.

Pandora's Mobile Biz Tunes in Q1 Growth
May 24, 2013

Pandora's boost in Q1 revenue, thanks largely to an increase in subscribers who want to listen to ad-free Internet radio, helped the streaming media company turn in a quarterly report Thursday that beat expectations. The Internet radio service reported $126 million in revenue, a 55 percent increase from the same period last year and higher than the $124 million analysts predicted.

Google's All Access Music Service Starts on the Right Note
May 24, 2013

Google has refreshed its music app. It's a big deal, because Google has introduced custom radio and an a la carte music streaming service, All Access, for an introductory price that's $2.00 cheaper than a la carte streaming leader Spotify. You can try the service free for 30 days, and if you start a trial by June 30, it will then cost $7.99 a month to continue.

Crowdsourced App Helps Otis Lift E-Service to Another Level
May 24, 2013

Mobile CRM is well entrenched in the sales and marketing spaces -- perhaps too entrenched in some cases. However, the third tier of traditional CRM -- service -- has barely been breached by mobile technologies. Some headway has been made, but for the most part it has been in fits and starts. Only a few vendors offer e-service applications for the mobile environment.