It’s been a few months since Motorola announced its modular smartphone idea called Project Ara. Since then, Google has sold the phone maker to Lenovo and it’s been unclear what would happen with the project. But now, new details are emerging. It turns out Google held onto Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) group where …

Boeing has made a smartphone that appears to have come straight out of a James Bond movie. Codenamed “Black,” this spy-like phone will erase all data and deactivate if tampered with or pried open. The aerospace and defense company filed documents for the phone with the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday. These documents were first sighted by tech site Myce, …

Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S5 smartphone on Monday and it’s full of bells and whistles, like a bigger display, improved camera, and built-in fingerprint sensor. By no means is Samsung the first smartphone maker to debut fingerprint authentication, but it has done something different — the Galaxy S5’s sensor will also act as password protection for PayPal payments. Samsung …

Ford has partnered with Microsoft for its Sync in-car infotainment system for years, but it’s looking like the car giant may be switching to BlackBerry. The automaker is swapping out Microsoft for BlackBerry for its next-generation in-car entertainment and communications technology, according to a Bloomberg report citing anonymous sources. Apparently, the car maker believes BlackBerry’s system could be cheaper and …

With Samsung expected to unveil its new Galaxy S5 next week, Sammobile has published a self-described explanatory report saying it’s “confirmed” that the new device will come with a fingerprint sensor to unlock the smartphone. According to Sammobile, people familiar with the upcoming device said the fingerprint sensor works with a vertical swipe of the pad of the finger while …

Lawmakers’ bids to require a smartphone “kill switch” seem to be gaining momentum. Following the proposal of a California bill, a handful of senators have now proposed federal legislation to require carriers to provide a security feature on all cell phones that would render the devices inoperable if stolen. The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act is being led by Amy Klobuchar …

While Nokia is expected to release an inexpensive Android smartphone sometime later this month, it’s been unclear how much the device will cost. But new leaks show the price is said to be roughly $110, according to WMPoweruser. The Nokia X A110, aka Nokia Normandy, aka Nokia X, appeared on the Web site of a Vietnamese online retailer, according to …

For the first time ever, more than 1 billion smartphones were shipped worldwide in 2013. This is mostly thanks to Android. New data from research firm IDC shows that Android stayed strong throughout the year reaching a total of 793.6 million shipments — this gave it 78.6 percent market share. While Apple’s iOS held a steady second place with 153.4 …

Samsung’s newest Galaxy tablets go on sale this month, and they’re packing hefty price tags. The company has announced pricing and availability for the Galaxy NotePro 12.2 and Galaxy TabPro 12.2, 10.1, and 8.4 models, four new tablets it unveiled at CES that are aimed at business users. Related stories Best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Cases Please, Clear Your …

The country’s traditional copper wire telephone networks could soon go the way of payphones — becoming nearly obsolete. The Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted on Thursday to launch a series of trials to investigate how best to update the nation’s telephone system. The idea is to replace the system’s traditional phone lines with networks that are based on Internet Protocol. …