Death and taxes are the only thing certain in this life. And when it comes to cell phone taxes, the fees just keep climbing. Most wireless subscribers are annoyed by the extra taxes and fees slapped onto their monthly wireless bills. But few likely realize how different the rates can be based upon where they …

Looks like HTC isn’t the only one having a tough time of it at the minute. Sony is planning on cutting 10,000 jobs from its global workforce, possibly before the end of the year. That’s 6 per cent of its total employees worldwide. But that’s not all. It may also ask its seven executive directors — including chairman Howard Stringer …

AT&T’s marketing clout for the Lumia 900 isn’t quite as hefty as initially thought. The budget to push Nokia’s smartphone is significantly lower than the $150 million that Ad Age had reported yesterday, according to a person familiar with the situation. The Verge reported that the actual budget is more in line with a typical high-profile launch. Related stories Your …

Facebook’s got to be happy about Instagram’s recent momentum on the Android platform. The app has seen 5 million downloads in six days on the Android operating system, according to The Next Web. The site noted it took the iOS version six months to hit that benchmark. Related stories Instagram Phishing Scam Exploits Users’ Desire to Be Verified, Report Says …

Samsung’s Galaxy S III has yet to be revealed. But that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning out new reports on what the device might offer. South Korea newspaper Korean Digital Daily is reporting today (Translate), citing sources, that the Galaxy S III will come with Samsung’s familiar home button under the display. There has been some speculation that …

T-Mobile is all but ready to announce an official launch date and price for the HTC One S, according to newly leaked details. TmoNews has obtained a screenshot that shows the carrier has circled April 25 for its debut of the powerful HTC smartphone. Initially unveiled at Mobile World Congress a few months ago, T-Mobile was quick to announce future …

T-Mobile now has a new pool of potential customers to fish in, thanks to AT&T’s recent resolution to unlock your device for you, after meeting the right requirements. It’s a position they intend to capitalize on, too. The nation’s fourth-largest carrier has GSM micro-SIM cards on hand for compatible phones, including the iPhone. Buying one of these micro-SIMs and signing …

A teenager in China has sold a kidney so he can buy an iPhone and iPad, leaving him in a potentially fatal condition. Five people including the surgeon who carried out the operation have been charged with intentional injury, Reuters reports. The 17-year-old was only identified by his surname Wang. The operation was carried out last April, the government-run Xinhua …

Sure, they may drain the battery life, especially with the brightness cranked all the way up, but you can’t deny the effect of a sexy display. There’s nothing like holding a beautiful screen in your hands, and having rich colors, crisp images, and deep hues staring back at you. All these handsets can do the basics, but beyond that, these …

Nokia is taking extreme measures to rectify a glitch found in some Lumia 900 smartphones, offering new and existing customers a $100 credit for their troubles. Some early Lumia 900 customers found that their phones failed to get a data connection, an issue Nokia confirmed and said it is fixing. As a peace offering, the company is offering this promotion …

The Excite 7.7’s AMOLED screen is, quite likely, the same fantastic screen used in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7. Donald Bell/CNET With its Excite 10 LE, Toshiba offered a well-designed tablet with disappointing performance, and (in my opinion) too high a price tag for what was offered. With the company’s announcement of new 10-, 7.7-, and 13-inch tablets today, it …

If the inability to access video-on-demand (VOD) channels has kept you away from TiVo (and not its service fee), you may soon have to find another excuse. At least if you’re a Comcast Xfinity subscriber. An automatic software update will be pushed to TiVo Premiere users in the Bay Area starting today and over the coming weeks adding access to …

Figure (99 cents) lets you create a song with three tracks — drums, bass, and synth lead — through a series of taps on a beautifully designed touch interface. The easiest way to get started familiarizing yourself with Figure is simply by touching record, then holding drum sounds to lay down your first beat. Once you’re satisfied with your beat, …

New York City is looking to replace its public pay phones with Internet-connected touch-screen tablets. The city will start a pilot program next month where it will install 32-inch “smart screens” with broadband Internet connections in 250 old phone booths throughout the city. The hope is that eventually the city will replace its 12,800 outdoor pay phones with these new …

For developers looking beyond iOS and Android, the timing may be right to jump on the Windows Phone bandwagon. Nokia has a lot to do with that. The Lumia 900 launch signals the potential rise of the Windows Phone platform, with Nokia, Microsoft, and AT&T looking to make a big push for the phone. Nokia brought New York’s Times Square …