Never mind about dismal earnings and a looming Microsoft buyout that will strip Nokia of its mobile phone business, the company isn’t giving up its traditional presence at Mobile World Congress, February’s mobile-only show. On Thursday, Nokia mailed out invitations for its press conference that, cryptically, welcome conference-goers to “meet under the tree.” Related stories …

Adobe Systems released a new version of its Photoshop Express for Android app Thursday that brings optimizations for Android 4.4 KitKat, new editing options, more direct to effects filters, and a new engine for processing photos. “We have made every effort to fine-tune the app for Android. As an example, Android users will appreciate accessing and processing images saved on …

iPhone 5S owners are the data-hungriest of all mobile device users, says a report released Thursday by JDSU. Users of the 5S slurp up seven times more data over the study’s benchmark iPhone 3G in developed markets and 20 times more data in developing markets. Apple smartphones and tablets accounted for six of the top 10 most gluttonous devices with …

LG will introduce the next generation of its Optimus G Pro smartphone at Mobile World Congress, says Korea’s ETNews. Related stories: LG Optimus G Pro review Multiple LG smartphones could be right around the corner What mattered at CES 2014: Press day The handset will reportedly run Android 4.4 KitKat and feature a massive 6-inch HD display. According to a …

Samsung Electronics on Thursday posted its first quarterly decline in operating profits in two years, stung by softening smartphone sales and a one-time employee bonus. The South Korean electronics giant recorded an operating profit of 8.31 trillion won ($7.73 billion) for the quarter ended December 31, its first decline since 2011 and an 18 percent drop from the previous quarter’s …

Calling the gas or electric company is always a pain, multiplied by the fact you know you’re paying through the nose for the privilege. Virgin Media is tackling the problem by giving you free 0800 calls with its new VIP Plus SIM-only deal. Virgin’s SIM-only VIP tariff gives you unlimited texts, calls and data for £15 each month, with no …

Apple has acknowledged there’s an annoying bug in its iOS 7 mobile software that causes devices to shut down apparently at random and has pledged to fix it. The most viewed report on Apple’s official user forum concerns this issue. It has over 250 posts describing iPhone users’ black-screen woes, going back to September when iOS 7 first appeared. “We …

The government is not going to save BlackBerry with a massive order of 80,000 phones, despite earlier reports that sent the struggling company’s stock soaring. The Department of Defense confirmed to The Verge on Thursday that “absolutely no new orders have been placed for new BB devices.” The 80,000 phones mentioned in a January 16 press release — that, it …

Consumers eyeing the iPad Air can shave $50 off the price through a new Best Buy sale. Running Friday and Saturday only, the sale covers all models of the Air. Those of you looking for something smaller can save $30 off the first-generation iPad Mini. The retailer is also tempting mobile phone buyers with a variety of deals. Samsung’s Galaxy …

The curvaceous LG G Flex goes on sale on 1 February. LG has confirmed the bendy, flexy G Flex will be available to buy from Carphone Warehouse a week on Saturday — and you can order it now. Carphone Warehouse is selling the Flex with a contract from Orange, T-Mobile, O2 or 4G EE. Prices start at £49 for the phone …

Google is looking to expand its Nexus range in more ways than one with an 8-inch version, according to supply chain sources anonymously quoted by industry gossipmonger Digitimes. Likely to be built by Asus, like the Nexus 7, it could feature the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon or Intel Bay Trail-T chips. This mooted Nexus 8 would appear some time in the …

If you think the Motorola Moto G is cut-price, get a load of Motorola’s plan for a phone that’s even more bargain-basement — maybe even as cheap as fifty bucks. “Why can’t these devices be $50?” asks Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside, speaking to TrustedReviews. “There’s no reason that can’t happen so we’re going to push that.” No other details are …

Wearable tech has a single large challenge: it’s wearable. Many people don’t want to wear their gadgets, and if they do, they want that thing to be perfect, stylish, useful, and non-annoying. Most wearable tech right now fails at being any of that. And so, welcome to 2014. Can any gadget emerge that hopes to be that thing, that perfect …

As expected, Verizon has released its 2013 Transparency Report, and the company’s data shows the US is extremely interested in its network. Last year, Verizon received more than 320,000 requests for customer information from US law enforcement agencies. Verizon was hit with more than 164,000 subpoenas and nearly 71,000 legal orders. Among those orders were 1,500 wiretap requests. Verizon received …

Related stories: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review New color options come to Galaxy Note 3 How long can Verizon stay above the wireless pricing fray? Samsung quietly announced that Verizon will be the only US carrier to offer the Galaxy Note 3 in a new color. A short mention on the hardware maker’s Web site confirms Verizon will carry the …