Mobile app stores are likely to get a lot busier this year. Smartphone consumers will spend $6.2 billion on mobile apps in 2010, forecasts Gartner in a recent report, generating ad revenue of around $0.6 billion throughout the world. Downloads will also skyrocket, exceeding 4.5 billion this year. But good news for app users–82 percent …

Google has stomped into world of mobile phones like Godzilla, but is it leaving giant mutated dinosaur footprints all over its competition, or is it a case of the bigger they come, the harder they fall? We’ve pitted the Google Nexus One against current heavyweights iPhone 3GS, the Motorola Milestone and the HTC Hero, to see which should find a …

Finally, GTA makes its iPhone debut. Rockstar Games Note to parents: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for iPhone and iPod Touch is a crude, violent, decidedly R-rated game. So don’t let the kids catch you playing it, OK? Actually, it’s more likely you’ll catch them. Chinatown Wars ranks among the top-rated and most popular titles ever for both Nintendo DS …

Sometimes small changes are the most important. TmoNews, a site that exhaustively reports everything T-Mobile, reported Monday that the carrier will make it easier for customers to unlock their T-Mobile phones. Instead of having to wait three months (90 days), post-paid customers can obtain an unlock code after just 40 days beginning January 21. Prepaid customers will see a shorter …

James Martin/CNET After only a few short weeks, could it be that the honeymoon phase has ended for some Nexus One owners? Forum posts are alive with disgruntled users complaining about a variety of issues, with this week bringing news of issues involving the touch screen. A thread started earlier this week by a user reported that their Nexus One …

It would be nearly impossible to write about the forthcoming Zagat iPhone app without comparing it with Yelp’s newly released update. For starters, Zagat To Go 3.0 for iPhone will have augmented reality when it comes out (we received a sneak peek.) As with Yelp’s “Monocle” feature (video), first introduced as an Easter Egg in Yelp 3.0, Zagat To Go’s …

Welcome to the 411, my Q&A column answering all your questions about cell phones and cell phone accessories. I receive plenty of questions about these subjects via e-mail, so I figured many of you might have the same questions, too. At times, I might solicit answers from readers if I’m stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at [email protected]. …

While we were at CES in Las Vegas last week, we took every possible opportunity to get hands-on time with the Google Nexus One. As unashamed Android fans, we couldn’t wait to see what the latest version of the OS could do. We were especially excited about the new HTC hardware, with a Snapdragon processor giving a much-needed performance boost. …

Mobile Technologies, LLC Jibbigo, by Mobile Technologies, is a bilingual translation app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that can translate your speech directly into another language. (Jibbigo costs $24.99. Download via iTunes store link.) Currently, the app supports only English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English translations, but Mobile Technologies says it will support other languages in the future. Jibbigo is easy to …

You! Stop what you are doing. Put away any sharp objects and sit down. Steve Jobs has a proclamation to make, and it may well be tablet-shaped. Apple has issued an invitation to US press for a press launch on 27 January. It takes place at 6pm GMT — that’s 10am Pacific Time, at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for …

Google’s recent turmoil in China has prompted the company to halt the launch of two Android smartphones in the Chinese market. The company told Dow Jones Newswire on Tuesday that it has indefinitely postponed the Chinese debut of two mobile phones manufactured by Samsung and Motorola. The phones, which were to be sold by provider China Unicom, were initially set …

Building an iPhone app to promote your Web site or blog is becoming an increasingly popular thing to do, but the cost of creating an iPhone app can reach thousands of dollars. A new system called AppMakr, from PointAbout, lowers barriers to app development. AppMakr pricing starts at $199, making it relatively affordable to quickly turn your existing RSS or …

When I first heard Versace was working on a luxury cell phone, I couldn’t help but have a feeling of deja vu. It’s not just because other fashion houses have jumped on the phone bandwagon (remember the Dolce & Gabana Razr and the LG Prada?), but because I swear I’ve heard of Versace working on a phone before. It turns …

Mobile app phishers recently set their sights on the Google Android platform, releasing over 50 fraudulent banking applications in the market. Thankfully, Google stepped in quickly, removing the applications from the Android Market before any significant damage was done. The apps didn’t contain any malicious code, but they were designed to direct users to online banking sites where the app …

In case you haven’t heard, it’s all about unlimited plans these days as both AT&T and Verizon Wireless have revamped their calling and messaging options. And Tuesday, as if to prove it enjoys a challenge, U.S. Cellular unveiled changes of its own. Beginning January 19, new and existing U.S. Cellular customers can select an individual unlimited voice calling plan for …