Android phones running OS 2.1 or 2.2 now represent more than three quarters of all handsets on the market, says Google’s latest platform version report. Though handsets with OS 1.5 or 1.6 haven’t disappeared yet, yesterday’s report has led some to suggest that fragmentation is winding down. Released monthly, the report breaks down the various …
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One of the best things about flying is the chance to leaf through the Skymall catalog. Indeed, there’s no better celebration of our nation’s obsession with consumerism. Where else can you find a tacky table-and-chairs set that’s disguised as a bookcase or a quirky baking pan that ensures everyone gets an end piece? Gadgets have also made their way into …
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PALO ALTO, CA–Let’s get it over with. There is no Facebook phone. Mark Zuckerberg made that abundantly clear with a firm denial at a Facebook mobile event today at company headquarters in Palo Alto. But Facebook did announce a single sign-on. Single sign-on is roughly an extension of (and replacement for) services like Facebook Connect, connecting you to third-party social …
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The CNET Reviews iPhone app’s main screen lets you surf categories, launch a bar code scanner, search for products, and more. CNET We’ve all been there: standing, befuddled, in front of 30 blaring TV sets in a big-box store, struggling to decide which flat-screen TV would work in the living room. Or maybe you urgently need a new digital camera, …
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Skyfire for iPhone ($2.99) may be one of the shortest-lived apps in the iPhone App Store, surviving only five hours today before Skyfire pulled it from the marketplace after noticing strain on their servers that resulted in poor user experience. “The servers haven’t crashed,” a Skyfire spokesperson said, but they did stutter as customers who bought the browser streamed Flash …
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Samsung Messager III Samsung has just announced the Messager III, the third iteration of the oddly named messaging phone for MetroPCS (it’s a successor to the Samsung Messager and the Messager II). It’ll have that same slide-out QWERTY keyboard, plus a music player, stereo Bluetooth, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. It looks like a rebranded version of the Samsung Restore. Pricing …
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Apple has confirmed that the next update to its iPhone software, iOS 4.2, will fix the alarm clock bug that caused owners throughout the UK to wake up late for workon Monday morning. Apple issued a statement saying: “We’re aware of an issue related to daylight-saving time and repeating alarms and will deliver a fix with the iOS 4.2 software …
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Think “Star Wars” games have been done to death? I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner. It’s like the PC classic “TIE Fighter” mixed with the ingenious UFO on Tape mixed with the Layar Reality Browser. Confused? This video might help: Millennium Falcon AR Test from Josh Shabtai on Vimeo. As you can see, the …
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T-Mobile has started rolling out a software update for the T-Mobile G2 that brings Wi-Fi calling to the Android smartphone, along with several other enhancements. With Wi-Fi calling, you’ll be able to make calls over a Wi-Fi network, and though there’s no additional cost for this feature, minutes will be deducted from your regular voice plan. T-Mobile announced in early …
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When Microsoft prepped cell phone manufacturers about Windows Phone 7, they were crystal clear in defining the minimum hardware specifications each phone would have to support the mobile software–a touch screen, 1GHz processor, and 5-megapixel camera, for instance. Android’s rapid development, on the other hand, makes minimum hardware specs murkier. They’re documented but less understood than the distinctions between the …
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ARC, which stands for audio return channel, is part of the HDMI 1.4 specification. It enables your HDMI cable to both send and receive sound, which is useful because it means you only need one cable to connect your TV to your compatible sound system, no digital audio cable required. There are some caveats though, as the video explains. For …
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James Cameron’s 3D epic Avatar is finally landing in living rooms in glorious three-dimensional high definition — it’ll cost you a few grand, but you’ll get a free Panasonic 3D TV thrown in. Nearly one year after first exploding into cinemas, James Cameron’s digital opus is finally arriving in 3D for your home. But if you’ve laid down your hard-earned …
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Sonim, self-styled maker of the world’s toughest phones, busted out the XP2 Spirit, its first 3G model, at Mobile World Congress. Among other claims, Sonim says the XP2 can be submerged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes, survive a 2m drop on to concrete, and work in temperatures ranging from -20C to 55C. Those are exactly the …
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The Nokia X3 Touch and Type may sound familiar — it’s got the same name as the Nokia X3 slider that came out in February. But this new X3 looks very different, with a widely spaced four-by-three keyboard and a touchscreen. Nokia is plugging the X3 Touch and Type as a simple, inexpensive mobile for when “you just want a phone”. …
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The tablet tornado is spinning up, and some worthy contenders are taking on the mighty Apple iPad. The BlackBerry PlayBook is RIM’s champion, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab is fighting in Android’s corner. But will the over-grown smart phones best the naked netbook? Enter our tablet tussle to find out. Apple iPad The iPad wasn’t the first tablet computer, but …
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