Ubuntu Edge prototype impresses in hands

We’ve tried out the prototype of the Ubuntu Edge, the record-breaking £21.5m smart phone that’s proved a bold experiment in crowdfunding a cutting-edge smart phone. The Ubuntu Edge is designed to seamlessly switch between computer and phone, send texts from your PC, and show off the features of Ubuntu software. The Edge is currently looking …

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Firefox ZTE Open now on sale in UK from eBay

The first phone to run Firefox’s mobile OS is now on sale here in Blighty. The Spanish were the first to get their hands on the ZTE Open, but now us Brits can pick one up by heading to ZTE’s store on eBay. Our cousins across the pond can do the same, as it’s launched in Britain and America simultaneously. Nice …

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Galaxy Note 3 out in September, report tips, to fight iPhone

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 could be on sale mere weeks after its official unveiling, if a new report concerning Samsung’s sales plans is to be believed. The third in the South Korean company’s line of palm-ruining gigantophones is all-but-certain to be revealed on 4 September, and will go on sale that very month, SamMobile reports. The long-rumoured Samsung smart watch …

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iPhone 5C to cost $400

The long-rumoured cheap iPhone may not be quite so affordable after all, as an analyst estimates that the plastic ‘iPhone 5C’ will cost between 400 and 500 dollars. That equates to between roughly £255 and £320, though balancing US and UK prices is rarely as simple as a straight currency conversion. The figure comes via KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, …

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Samsung eyes four new phones

Samsung is ramping up four new phones, according to details found in a shipping document. A shipping manifest uncovered by blog site SamMobile lists the model numbers and their screen sizes. Model number SM-G730A will sport a 4-inch display, SM-G3815 a 4.5-inch display, SM-G9105 a 5-inch display, and SM-G7102 a 5.2-inch display. No further details are yet available on the …

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The one thing Apple must do to keep me as an iPhone customer

OK, Apple, cards on the table. I’ve been an iPhone user since the beginning. I’ve owned every model through the 4S, upgrading on an almost annual basis even though it meant paying extra. (Ah, the joys of the AT&T contract and its early-upgrade penalties.) Why no iPhone 5? That little bit of extra screen-estate and slightly improved camera weren’t enough …

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Tesco to launch own tablet before Christmas, sources claim

Another tablet is on the way, this one made by supermarket giant Tesco, The Sunday Times reports (subscription required). There are no specs for the device, and Tesco refused to confirm or deny its plans. But it’ll be an “iPad-style” tablet, according to the paper, and will be on sale in time for Christmas. It’ll come pre-loaded with books, films …

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Optus prepaid double deal open to all transferring customers

An Optus double data and talk offer to Kogan Mobile customers is actually open to anyone moving to Optus Prepaid Social plans until 30 September. Optus is doubling data and standard talk for all new prepaid customers, not just the Kogans and ALDIs. (Credit: Screenshot/CNET) Optus has announced a special deal “for Kogan and Aldi customers” to entice them to …

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HTC One Developer Edition to jump directly to Android 4.3

HTC will skip the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean update for the HTC One Developer Edition and jump straight to the 4.3 release. Related stories Verizon: HTC One arrives August 22 HTC brings One Developer Edition to America Android 4.3 spotted on HTC One Google Play edition Jason Mackenzie, HTC’s president of global sales, recently took to Twitter to address concerns …

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Tips and tricks for speeding up your Android device

Josh Miller/CNET You may have noticed over the past few months that your once-speedy Android device has slowed down considerably. Simple tasks such as switching between apps or returning home are proving more troublesome than before, and you are now experiencing lag in all the wrong places. Things don’t have to be this way, however. These simple tips and tricks …

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Smart phones make you short sighted, Brit eye surgeon claims

Your smart phone could be harming your eyesight, according to one laser eye surgeon. David Allamby, founder of Focus Clinics, claims short sightedness in young people has increased by 35 per cent since 1997, and it’s all down to how long we spend staring at a screen. The problem could increase by 50 per cent in the next 10 years, …

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Moto Skip unlocks the Moto X with a single tap

I know the Moto X won’t ever reach us on these shores, but here’s an intriguing accessory for it nonetheless. It’s called the Skip, and lets you unlock your phone with a single tap. Here’s how it works: it has embedded NFC tags that can be read by the Moto X handset. In those tags are unique numbers used to …

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Samsung plans three new mystery phones

Samsung’s plan to make a phone in every shape and size continues, with three mystery phones in the works. A shipping manifest from India spotted by SamMobile reveals the trio of forthcoming phones, with only model numbers and a couple of screen sizes to go on. The new phones are listed as the SM-G3815, SM-G9105, and SM-G7102. Also listed is the SM-G730A, the …

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Wozniak on Jobs film: ‘There were a lot of things wrong’

The Jobs biopic is out in US cinemas, and the critics have been less than kind. But now Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has sounded off on the matter in an interview with Bloomberg. He’s not impressed either. “There were a lot of things wrong,” Woz said. Such as? The film glorifies Jobs and glosses over his flaws, according to Woz. …

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Nokia plans 6

Nokia may be prepping a supersized Windows Phone handset. The Finnish phone maker is testing a Windows Phone device with a 6-inch display, according to the folks at The Verge. Citing “sources familiar with Nokia’s plans,” The Verge reported on Monday that Nokia is eyeing a launch date later this year, certainly by the end of the year. Related stories …

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