Articles about Smartphone

First-weekend iPhone sales look good at first glance, and they're surely nothing to snicker at. But the numbers are not as big as they might seem. A year ago, iPhone 5 racked up 5 million sales, which compares to 9 million combined for successor 5s and the new 5c. Five is more than nine right?

But the math isn't so simple. The 9-million figure should stand on its own, and not -- as many blogs and news sites state today -- suggest sales surge. Don't be fooled by Apple marketing. What's good isn't great.

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Smartphone reviews today usually revolve around specs, benchmarks and feature comparisons, with little emphasis being placed on long-term usage scenarios. As a result, it is difficult for consumers to figure out which handsets they should buy knowing that their new purchase is likely to get into a couple (or more) accidents down the road.

According to a new breakability test, conducted by insurance company SquareTrade, if you are looking for the most durable new smartphone available on the market then you should get the Motorola Moto X. The handset surpassed the Apple iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and Samsung Galaxy S4 in a series of tests which involved a five-foot drop, sliding the devices on a slippery table and submerging them in shallow water.

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Most smartphones that are available nowadays sport a widescreen display, typically featuring a 16:9 or 16:10 aspect ratio. The reason for this is simple -- it works very well with multimedia content (like YouTube videos and movies), web browsing and helps with the overall usability of the device. The latter especially holds true with phablets -- or, big smartphones if you will -- where it is crucial for users to be able to operate their handset with one hand, at some basic level.

LG, on the other hand, believes that a 4:3 display would suit phablet users better, even though it practically makes the device wider than comparable handsets with a widescreen panel. As a result, the South Korean company continues the same approach with its latest entry in the niche phablet market -- the Vu 3.

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Just days after the launch of Apple's iPhone 5s, German security and privacy group Chaos Computer Club, claims to have found a way to bypass the Touch ID fingerprint reader. The group says that this demonstrates that "fingerprint biometrics is unsuitable as an access control method" but the "hack" is longwinded enough to mean that it is unlikely to be of concern to most people.

The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) goes as far as explaining precisely how it managed to bypass Touch ID using a fake fingerprint fabricated from a photo of a print.

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Apple stole the limelight from just about everyone else this week. The big news was, of course, the release of the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s. Just about as soon as online orders opened up, delays in shipping started to lengthen; Joe was somewhat skeptical about the limited supplies.

Before the new hardware hit the stores, iOS 7 was released to mixed reviews -- I hated it, Wayne loved it. A couple of security holes were found in the operating system including one that allowed for Siri to be used to post messages and access phone details even on locked handsets. There was also a new iOS 7 inspired look for iCloud and the addition of a bookmark syncing option.

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Sometime around this day, last year, I wrote an opinion piece that resonated with many of you. It's called "I want nothing to do with iPhone 5". So you may be wondering why I am not writing the same story as I did in 2012, but this time around with a "5s" replacing the "5", from top to bottom. The reason for my apparent insanity is quite simple.

Since writing that piece I've used Android and, most recently, Windows Phone 8 as my daily platform (yes, I'm calling it like that). The user experience has been, to describe it in one word, insightful. Insightful as to how good or bad Android and Windows Phone 8 are compared to anything that Apple released before iOS 7 and insightful as to how one can use different-sized smartphones with different feature sets and different quality standards.

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The number of people who are running iOS 7, either by buying a new iPhone or by downloading the update from Apple, is high. Very high. But shortly after the excitement of the new operating system, a security flaw with Siri emerges -- and it's not one to be taken lightly. Security firm Cenzic reveals details of a vulnerability that enables anyone to bypass the lock screen of an iPhone using Siri.

The voice activated assistant is better known for providing answers to questions and allowing for hands-free operation of iPhones. But Cenzic researchers show that it can also be used for more sinister purposes. You would think that when your phone is locked it should not be possible to do anything, besides answering calls, until you unlock it.

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The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are now here -- or they will be in a bit. Anyone with an older device that isn't too old is able to update to iOS 7 -- the jury is out about whether it is a step in the right direction or not -- but if you're looking for the full iOS 7 experience running on the latest hardware, the new iPhones are a must-buy.

Even on launch day it looks as though buying direct from your mobile provider, or joining the queue at your nearest Apple store might be the quickest way to get your hands on a new phone. Opt to make a purchase direct from Apple's website and you'll probably find that you have quite a wait on your hands.

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Starting today, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c are officially available to buy from Apple's online and brick and mortar stores in select markets. Depending on your location, the two smartphones can be purchased, directly from Apple, alongside a mobile operator contract -- you can expect heavily subsidized pricing -- and/or unlocked -- prepare for a hefty bill.

In the US, early adopters have to pay $199 for a 16 GB iPhone 5s, with a two-year contract ($649 unlocked). For those who have higher storage requirements, the 32 GB and 64 GB models are also available, for $100 and $200 more, respectively, on top of the aforementioned base prices.

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When I bought the first-generation iPad in 2010, I intended to use it for taking notes in college classes. Unfortunately, the iPad didn't come with an office suite and Microsoft's was not available. And so, I was forced to try a bunch of alternatives. Ultimately, I found one that stood out among the rest -- Quickoffice. I found it to be complete and a pleasure to use.

While my iPad is long gone, Quickoffice has followed me to Android with great results. However, Google bought my beloved Quickoffice in June 2012 and I became very nervous. My concern was that the software development would cease under Google's leadership. I am happy to say that my concerns were for naught -- Google announces today that QuickOffice has been updated and is now free.

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I just have to ask, because the price irks me.

Late this afternoon, Guy Kawasaki, Motorola's chief evangelist, posted to Google+ that Moto X "Developer Edition now available". I've been waiting for this, being on T-Mobile, which doesn't directly sell the handset. But the phone isn't available for me, or likely you. Verizon model is $649.99. GSM X is "coming soon", presumably for same price. While the phone packs an "unlockable bootloader" and is contract-free, price busts my budget, particularly considering one major benefit -- personalized appearance -- isn't available.

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Anyone who manages to get their hands on an iPhone 5c or iPhone 5s on Friday will find that it comes with iOS 7 pre-installed. But if you’re not planning on investing in new hardware, head over to Apple's update server right now and you can grab yourself an upgrade free of charge.

The OS revamp is available as of 10am PST / 6pm BST, and if you jump on the download straight away you may well find it a slow and frustrating experience as the world and its dog tries to do exactly the same. But hang on in there... it'll be worth the wait.

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In an effort to lure potential buyers who prefer large smartphones and steer its customers away from the flock of new Android flagships, Canadian maker BlackBerry today unveiled its biggest smartphone yet. It's called the BlackBerry Z30 and comes with the latest BB 10 OS version -- 10.2 -- out-of-the-box.

Here are some of the key specs: 5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 720 by 1280; 1.7 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor; 2 GB of RAM; 2,880 mAh battery; 16 GB of internal storage; 8 MP back-facing camera; 2 MP front-facing camera and 4G LTE cellular connectivity. For those who have kept a close eye on the Canadian brand, the BlackBerry Z30 is one of the worst kept secrets of 2013 so far, with numerous rumors and leaks describing it in the past couple of months.

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Today is iOS 7 day! But there is more than just a new operating system for your iPhone, iPad and iPod to look forward to; Apple also has a redesigned iCloud website for you to use. Unsurprisingly the new design takes heavy inspiration from the look of iOS 7, mimicking the floaty, layered styling that graces the new mobile OS.

Log into your account and you'll immediately be greeted by a muted, blurry background, over the top of which various icons appear to float. Apps including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Reminders and Find My iPhone all now sport the iOS 7 look, but the beta editions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote retain their older design. It looks as though there might still be a little work to do -- not all icons have been redesigned, for instance.

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Microsoft is no stranger to finding itself on the receiving end of complaints about security issues that are found in Windows and its other software. But now the Redmond company is turning the tables on consumers, saying that they need to do more to secure their own computers. Microsoft's research shows that Internet users are taking fewer precautions when they're online.

This is based on declining Microsoft Computing Safety Index (MCSI) scores over the last couple of years. The MCSI system was developed in 2011 as a way to measure the security savviness of web users. The system takes into account whether users do common things such as installing anti-malware software, enabling a firewall and keeping software up to date. It also factors in whether users are aware of the importance of using secure websites, using unique passwords and taking care of the personal information they share online.

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