Apple How important is having the top spot in Apple’s App Store listings before the holiday “freeze,” when applications cannot be added, changed, or updated? Important enough for most of the major players to drop prices on their biggest titles. After Electronic Arts dropped the prices of most of its popular game titles, many to …

Apple Apple has posted job listings for engineers specializing in voice technologies such as speech recognition, iOS software development for speech applications, and speech research. Apple recently filed for patents related to greater integration of voice commands throughout iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch apps, including a customizable API that developers could use to include voice control in their software. The …

Though Sprint’s iDEN network will go to the mobile graveyard in 2013, the carrier today announced two new Motorola handsets that will see the technology through to its end. Exact specifications are still to come, but the handsets should have all the markings of an iDEN device, including a rugged design and support for the Direct Connect push-to-talk network. The …

Like games? Here’s your chance to save a few bucks on six indie champs–and support a worthy cause in the process. Screenshot by Rick Broida ‘Tis the season to score iPhone, iPod, and iPad games on the cheap. First, Electronic Arts cut some 70 games to 99 cents each, a promotion that’s likely to run through the holidays. Next, Gameloft …

Google used its Android Developers blog yesterday to deny a correlation between rooting a handset and perceived poor security measures on the operating system. In the blog, Android engineer Nick Kralevich pointed to comments on an Engadget post that characterized the Nexus S’ security as “crap.” Not suprisingly, Kralevich disagreed. “Legitimately gaining root access to your device is a far …

Alcatel’s superbudget OT-980 showed us that Android smart phones could break the £100 barrier, and just days later Orange has repeated the trick with a phone called the San Francisco, a 2.1 Eclair-running device for £99 on pay as you go. It’s the latest in Orange’s range of budget smart phones that have many of the features we expect from …

“Two hens can’t make an eagle” is the pithy Russian saying that perfectly illustrates our single raised eyebrow at hearing that Nokia may be in talks with Microsoft to release a phone running Windows Phone 7. It’s the kind of doubtful gossip we’d usually blush to repeat, but this rumour comes straight from legendary blog mobile-review.com, so we’re taking it …

Earlier today, we noticed Orange was flogging its San Francisco Android smart phone for the ludicrous price of only £20 on a pay as you go deal. We were just about to mainline that information directly into your eyeballs when Orange went and pulled the deal, like an absolute rotter. There’s a chance the deal could reappear after the phone, …

The Nexus S, the latest mobile phone from Google and our December Editors’ Choice, has slashed £120 from its price tag — even before it’s gone on sale. Carphone Warehouse, which is selling the phone exclusively in the UK along with its mothership, Best Buy, has cut the price from £549.99 to £429.99. If you’ve already pre-ordered the phone, don’t fret …

Welcome to The 411, my 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 similar queries, too. Occasionally I solicit answers from readers if I’m stumped. Send your questions and comments to me at [email protected]. If you prefer to …