Facebook only took over WhatsApp a few days ago, and already it’s having to apologise for its mistakes. The free messaging service went down last night, and now new owner Facebook has said sorry. Last night at 8:16pm UK time, the WhatsApp Status Twitter account tweeted that it was “currently experiencing server issues”. About two …

In a world of smart watches, fitness trackers and other devices that don’t lend themselves to keyboards or touch screens, a new generation of audio and motion technology based on the human ear could see you telling your phone what to do by waving it in the air, tapping on the table, or saying the magic words. Having designed chips …

BARCELONA, Spain–Google and LG are about to jump into the smartwatch game together. Google is set to unveil plans for its smartwatch-centric operating system in March, likely in a blog post, according to a person familiar with its plans. The actual smartwatch itself will make its debut at its Google I/O conference in June, the person said. With its smartwatch, …

European mobile network operator Orange has a new own-brand handset, the Gova, that will be coming soon to parts of Europe. The Android phone is the first phone from Orange that comes with 4G LTE connectivity. The Gova also sports software designed to teach the basics of smartphone usage to those who are just taking their first steps away from …

BARCELONA, Spain–While the rest of the world sipped Sunday coffee and took weekend strolls, journalists at Mobile World Congress got down to the gritty business of unearthing the news of the biggest mobile show in the world. CNET’s team came together from London, San Francisco, New York, Singapore, and Sydney and we won’t say we didn’t eat some tapas along …

Now playing: Watch this: A waterproof phone coating you won’t believe 1:07 BARCELONA, Spain — A cell phone lies at the bottom of a fishbowl for hours, far longer than the 30 minutes that typical waterproof phones are rated to survive while fully submerged. Nobody looks worried; in fact, they’re proud. On the far side of the demo table is …

Huawei introduced what it claims is the world’s fastest MiFi, the Huawei E5786, on Sunday in Barcelona, Spain, at the Mobile World Congress 2014 trade show. The new MiFi can connect to LTE networks and will provide download speeds of 300Mbps, the company said. Upload speeds top out at 100Mbps. The MiFi supports Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n and 802.11ac, and it can …

BARCELONA, Spain — Garmin’s teamed up with Sony for a killer feature so far missing from smartwatches: navigation. The Garmin Xperia Edition app for Sony smartphones has an extension for the Japanese company’s Smart Watch 2. It means you can set yourself a route for a relaxing walk or an invigorating run and not have to keep looking at your …

Open wide! It’s time to brush up on your dental health with the help of the Oral B SmartSeries electric toothbrush, which gives your pearly whites the once-over and connects to your phone via Bluetooth. It’s a Bluetoothbrush! Experts reckon you’re supposed to brush your teeth for two minutes each session, but most people don’t. To get you into the …

BARCELONA, Spain — You have no shortage of options when it comes to communicating with your friends, but please try to contain your excitement about another launching at this year’s Mobile World Congress. The app is called Fuze and it is an interesting blend of Skype- or WhatsApp-style instant messaging — complete with voice and video chat — with a …

Microsoft wants Windows Phone to go global in an even bigger way. The company spilled a few of the details from its upcoming update to Windows Phone, which will be released later this year. With the update, Microsoft is loosening the restrictions for devices, allowing manufacturers to create more affordable products for the emerging markets. Microsoft also announced a number …

BARCELONA, Spain — Big changes are coming to Firefox OS over the next year as Mozilla moves the browser-based operating system away from its current Android-style functioning. At the Mobile World Congress show here Sunday, the nonprofit organization showed what’s in store for its mobile OS. Much of it’s about the interface changes — notifications, task switching, app discovery, search. …

BARCELONA, Spain — AT&T’s crew for its Drive Studio connected car facility is getting a little bigger. The telecom company said Monday that it had signed up three new partners to help automakers ease their way into the world of wireless services. First up is Qualcomm, which will debut its recently unveiled Snapdragon Automotive Solutions, which powers infotainment and telematics …

I know wearable tech is big business at the moment, but this is a little out of left field. It’s called the Alcatel Onetouch Pop Fit, and it’s a smart phone you can wear. Though sadly you strap it onto your arm rather than pull it on like a cardigan. Like a lot of wearable devices, it’s aimed squarely at …

We’ve only just heard about Samsung’s two new smart watches, and now come some fresh rumours concerning Google’s forthcoming techy timepiece. According to notorious leakster @evleaks, Google has partnered with LG to make its smart watch. Google enlisted LG to make its Nexus 5 and Nexus 4 smart phones, so a partnership could well be on the cards. The tipster …