You may soon be able to pay for dinner at your favorite restaurant directly through your cell phone courtesy of a new NFC system slated to become available later this year. Announced today by electronic payment company VeriFone and software developer Micros Systems, the new system would tap into the growing technology of near field …

The HTC Sensation is finally available, after an unusually short waiting period. The smart phone comes free on all Vodafone tariffs of £35 or more per month. There are plenty of other packages, with varying minutes, texts and data, across 12-, 18- and 24-month contracts, if you don’t mind laying down some cash — up to £199 — for the handset. You’ll get at least …

We already knew that Verizon Wireless is promising to convert flat rate smartphone data plans into tiered data plans by summer, a move the carrier has worked toward since adding pricing tiers last autumn. Big Red will also attempt to ease the new financial burden for heavy smartphone data users by introducing family plans as well, said Chief Financial Officer …

Millennial Media Android increased its lead over Apple’s iOS in April as the top mobile platform tracked by ad network Millennial Media. Releasing its April MobileMix report today, Millennial Media found that Android accounted for 53 percent of all ad impressions on its network last month, a gain of 10 percent from March. That marked the fifth consecutive month in …

Panasonic has launched its 2011 range of entertainment gear with a new phrase, “Smart Viera”, and a focus on interacting with your TV through services such as Skype. Over half of Panasonic’s 2011 televisions will include “Smart TV” functionality. (Credit: Ty Pendlebury/CNET Australia) One half of Panasonic’s range incorporates 26 new televisions, with the other half incorporating “smart functionality”. The …

Sony has announced two new LED-backlit tellies with 3D capability. The Sony Bravia NX713 and NX813 will have you viewing in that all-important third dimension — or not, if you don’t fork out extra for the hardware. Both tellies will play 3D content, but you need to add a 3D Sync transmitter and pony up for some glasses. Internet content …

Virgin Mobile The $79.99 Ovation MC760 USB device qualifies for BroadBand2Go. Virgin Mobile Virgin Mobile USA has expanded its affordable, no contract Broadband2Go plan to two more devices. Beginning today, a $20 monthly service gets you up to 500MB of data for the MiFi 2200 mobile hot spot ($124.99) and the Ovation MC760 USB stick ($79.99). The two devices join …

Apple has put forward a proposal for an even smaller SIM card than the micro SIM used in the iPad and iPhone 4. Orange is backing the plan. Apple recently submitted its proposal to ETSI, the European telecoms standards agency. If the proposal receives support from mobile operators, it could become a standard, in the EU at least, in just a …

You’ve probably seen some of the video masterpieces filmmakers have created using nothing more than an iPhone. Of course, most of those clips, commercials, and shorts were shot with a single camera. Impressive as the results can be, aspiring videographers would no doubt appreciate the option of multiple cameras shooting at multiple angles. CollabraCam is a potentially game-changing app that …

NFC-ready Samsung smart phones will be given to athletes attending the London 2012 Olympic Games thanks to a collaboration with Visa and Lloyds TSB. The handset hasn’t been named, but we’re sure a Galaxy S or upgraded Galaxy S 2 would go down very nicely in the Olympic Village. Regular punters should also be able to pick up a branded …

Keys, wallet, phone — the pocket-patting mantra as you leave the house is about to get simpler, thanks to Lockitron. Lockitron is a new gadget that lets you lock and unlock any door with your phone, from anywhere in the world. Lockitron is produced by Apigy, an American start-up company founded by university friends Paul Gerhardt and Cameron Robertson. Gerhard told …

May 26 is looking to be a big day for Verizon Wireless. Not only will the Motorola Droid X2 make its debut, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play will come out to play as well. We’re now hearing from various sources that the LG Revolution might join in the party with its own launch that same day. We called Verizon for …

Nearly all Android smart phones running a version of the operating system prior to 2.3.4 are potentially “leaking” sensitive data, according to researchers at the University of Ulm. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe and keep your information to yourself. What’s the issue? Certain Android applications, including ones officially bundled with the OS such as Calendar, Contacts …

International early adopters choosing LG’s dual-core Optimus 2X have been raging online over a software issue that causes the handset to spontaneously reboot — though LG says that this issue should not be present on the latest shipment of devices received in Australia. “We are monitoring the situation really closely locally, and to date have not seen local stock presenting …

T-Mobile is the latest carrier to have its product lineup leaked and, to no one’s surprise, it’s full of Android phones and tablets. Customers coming up for renewal between now and the end of 2011 will have plenty of Android-powered options to choose from, as it looks like the wireless provider will be rolling out nearly a dozen new phones …