The BlackBerry Z10 is off to a good start in several countries around the world, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek claims in a research note obtained by CNET. “Our initial checks indicate that sales in the U.K. are off to a strong start,” Misek wrote in his note to investors. “Some stores had lineups out front …

A couple of Android apps masquerading as cleanup tools actually had a sneakier mission in mind. Uncovered last month by Kaspersky, two apps named Superclean and DroidCleaner posed as software that claimed to clean up your Android smartphone or tablet. Instead, these two were actually pieces of malware designed to snoop on your conversations by infecting your computer. The programs …

It’s the end of an era — Sony will stop making MiniDisc stereos next month, two years after it stopped selling its portable equivalents, the BBC reports. MiniDisc stereos first went on sale back in 1992, so it marks an end to the 21-year-old format’s life. Sony hoped MiniDisc would become the format of choice, as a better quality alternative to cassettes. …

What goes black white black white? No, not a penguin on a zebra crossing: it’s the BlackBerry Z10 and its white version, only on sale at Phones 4U — with a free tablet if you’re quick. The Z10 is available in black across the board, but Phones 4U is the only place you can get it in opalescent white at …

It was too good to last: delivery of the Google Nexus 4 has slipped again, and the Big G cautions it could take two or three weeks before you get your hands on your new Jelly Bean phone. The oversubscribed Nexus 4 went back on sale at Google Play just last Wednesday, and already delivery times have been extended. Looks …

Well, look what just landed in my in-box a few minutes ago: a save-the-date from Mozilla, best known for its Firefox browser, for a press conference at Mobile World Congress later this month. Related stories: Firefox OS finds a new way to app Mozilla: Come build apps for Firefox OS! Ubuntu OS phones tapped for late 2013 We don’t need …

MENLO PARK, Calif.–Samsung Electronics today launched a new $100 million investment fund to boost its U.S. footprint and spur innovation in areas such as cloud computing and mobile privacy. Related stories: How Samsung might actually get featuritis under control Samsung aims to hit BlackBerry where it hurts: Business users Apple, Samsung get knocked down a peg The Korean electronics giant, …

The first commercial for the BlackBerry Z10 raised more than a few eyebrows. (Screenshot by CNET) Even in Australia, we get the concept of the Super Bowl ad — that short commercial slot watched by millions. They’ve become a form of commercial art, often talked about as much as the game itself. Since the dotcom boom, tech companies have tended …

There should be no shortage of Wi-Fi at the Super Bowl. And the NFL want to make sure it stays that way. The Wi-Fi network at the Superdome in New Orleans has been structured and reinforced to handle a stunning 30,000 simultaneous connections during the big game, starting shortly, between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens. Ars Technica …

Okay, so what now? BlackBerry opted to go with the whimsical and fantastical with its Super Bowl commercial, showing what the new BlackBerry Z10 can’t do instead of what it can do. To say it’s a little strange would be an understatement. Indeed, it’s a bold choice, one that some would argue might be a little head-scratching. But it’s one …

Do you know who’s overflowing with excitement for the not-yet-official HTC M7 smartphone? None other than HTC CEO Peter Chou, of course. A video from HTC’s year-end party shows the company’s head honcho on stage playing with the M7, and even snapping photos of the crowd. Chou can be seen rallying a team of employees with a battle cry. Related …

Two days ago, the company formerly known as RIM pulled out all the stops at a super-swanky event in New York to launch two new phones that will either kill or cure the company. Despite the global launch happening in the U.S., America will be the last in the first batch of countries to see the Z10, BlackBerry’s first phone …

Nine more towns just had their mobile data speeds given a kick in the pants as EE, Britain’s first 4G network, expands its 4G LTE coverage. The lucky nine are Amersham, Bolton, Chelmsford, Hemel Hempstead, Southend-on-Sea, Stockport, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield and Wolverhampton. That makes a total of 27 towns and cities covered by EE, the phone network formed from the …

Photo by Sharon Vaknin/CNET Although wireless charging is creeping into the market (and already evolving), the technology is still absent in some of the most popular phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S3. Initially, Samsung did mention a wireless charging kit that would be released following the launch of its flagship phone. But promises, promises — Samsung’s aftermarket kit never came …

I first laid eyes on the Archos Family Pad at CES. And I needed both eyes to take in this behemoth of a tablet, which sports a whopping 13.3-inch screen. At that size, you don’t really travel with it — though you could, no differently than you would with a 13.3-inch laptop (minus the keyboard, natch). No, the Family Pad …