October, 2013

• 2 October

  HTC must alter its smartphones to avert US ban, says report

  

  HTC must modify a key technology in its Android smartphones or else face a potential sales ban in the US, according to The Wall Street Journal. Citing information from “people familiar with the matter,” the Journal said Wednesday that HTC has teamed up with chipmaker Qualcomm to try to revise certain chip technology in its …

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• 2 October

  iMessage not working for iPhone and iPad after iOS 7

  

  Looks like iMessage is messed up. Apple users are complaining that since the iOS 7 update, they can’t get their message across as missives from their iPhone and iPad aren’t getting through. “Phew I thought everyone hated me but iMessage was not working,” says blogger Brian Lam, as users report their messages are delayed or not sent at all. The system …

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• 2 October

  Samsung, LG vie to unveil flexible display smartphones

  

  LG and Samsung may be trying to beat each other to the market with a flexible smartphone. Dubbed either the LG Z or Z1, LG’s entry into the flexible smartphone arena would offer a concave design, ZDNet Asia said on Wednesday, citing “industry sources.” Curved like a banana, according to the English translation of the story, the display would offer …

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• 2 October

  Galaxy Note 3 and Xperia Z1 get Sky Go Android support

  

  Sky Go has added Android support for a slew of new smart phones, including Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 and the Sony Xperia Z1. A total of six new mobiles have been granted support for the broadcaster’s on-demand service, with the HTC One SV, Sony Xperia Z Ultra, Xperia M and LG G2 also welcomed into the fold. That brings the …

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• 2 October

  An inconvenient truth: Why music sounds bad

  

  CNN recently reported on the “death” of the home stereo system, and while that’s an exaggeration, few people — young or old — have “stereos” anymore. CNN was asleep at the wheel on this one; precious few folks have had stereos for decades. Music is now almost always consumed in cars, and over phones and plastic computer or Bluetooth speakers. …

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• 1 October

  Google Nexus 5 with Android KitKat in best leak yet

  

  This is our clearest look yet at the Google Nexus 5, the hotly-anticipated 5-inch follow-up to the Nexus 4 and the first smart phone to bring us Google’s Android 4.4 KitKat. Built by LG and rumoured to be codenamed the LG D820 or Hammerhead, the Nexus 5 is set to show off the next version of Android, Android 4.4 KitKat, …

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• 1 October

  Wireless charging powers shift as Samsung, Qualcomm take sides

  

  The wireless charging stars are aligning — sort of. Wireless charging — or the ability to place your phone on a charging pad or table for a recharge without cables — has been slowing making its way into smartphones and even select venues, such as Madison Square Garden and Starbucks. But broader adoption has been hampered by a three-way horse …

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• 1 October

  iPhone 5 touchscreen 2x faster than best Android screen

  

  A new benchmarking tool for touchscreen response times shows Apple’s iPhone 5 is twice as fast as Android competitors. It’s a close race for top spot in the Android pack. Agawi’s Touchscope measures the time between activation and a light response. (Credit: Agawi) Agawi, a company that uses cloud technology to stream apps and games to mobile devices on iOS …

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• 1 October

  Britain’s Times dumps app for BlackBerry, cites lack of customer interest

  

  Another day, another kick suffered by BlackBerry, once one of the world’s leading smartphone brands, as we get word that Britain’s The Times newspaper has pulled its mobile app available for the Blackberry because of flagging interest. “While the Times’ app on iPhone, iPad, and Android continues to be very successful, very few people use the app on their BlackBerry,” …

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• 1 October

  FreedomPop launches free mobile plan with 200 minutes

  

  FreedomPop has fired a shot over the wireless industry’s bow. To commemorate its one-year anniversary, FreedomPop debuted its free mobile phone service on Tuesday. The free service includes 200 anytime voice minutes and 500 text messages per month, as well as 500MB of data. For now, FreedomPop’s smartphone collection isn’t all that deep. The service is available solely on the …

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