Best OnePlus 2 model gets a price cut
To appeal to a wider audience, OnePlus has introduced two versions of its second-generation flagship, called OnePlus 2: a base model, which ships with 16 GB of internal storage and 3 GB of RAM, and a high-end variant, which is equipped with 64 GB of internal storage and 4 GB of RAM. However, with only a small difference in price between the two, there has only been one model worth considering -- the latter.
Few consumers have likely opted to purchase the cheaper OnePlus 2, because the company has just decided to drop it from the lineup. OnePlus now only sells the high-end model, but the good news for consumers on a budget and other prospective shoppers alike is that this version is now cheaper.
US finally gets Sony's Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact
As a household name in the smartphone industry, Sony has a modest presence in US. It sells a small number of handsets in the country, and only a couple of those through major wireless carriers. What's more, its latest flagships arrive late, months after hitting other major markets.
Things are no different with Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact. The two flagships, which were announced at CES 2015 and released shortly after, are only now making their way to US shores. There is no word of the more upscale Xperia Z5 Premium, however.
Mozilla kills Firefox OS 2.6 for smartphones but it lives on in smart TVs and connected devices
Following on from the announcement that Firefox OS would no longer be developed for smartphones, Mozilla has explained the thinking behind the decision (failures on its part) and also revealed that Firefox OS will continue to live on in other devices.
The operating system is already used to power Panasonic SmartTVs, and this is set to continue. This will certainly come as good news to owners of such TVs, but Mozilla says that the OS stack will be used in a range of Connected Devices.
Vaio's first smartphone runs Windows 10 Mobile
It has been over a year since Sony sold off its Vaio brand due to decreased laptop sales, but now it seems that the brand may be making a comeback in the form of a mobile device. The Vaio Phone Biz will be the company’s first smartphone and, surprisingly, it is running Windows 10 Mobile.
Vaio is trying to retain the design and build quality of Sony’s laptops by using high quality materials in its new handset. The Vaio Phone Biz features a very sleek aluminum build with a silver finish.
Forget SMS, ChatSim offers unlimited free chatting to mobile users as they travel the world
Described as the world's first "instant messaging mobile operator", ChatSim aims to take the pain out of travelling with a mobile phone. Roaming charges can quickly mount up for travellers who lose track of the number of texts they send, and in order to avoid high data fees, you might find yourself seeking out Wi-Fi connections to make use of the likes of WhatsApp instead.
But there is an alternative. ChatSim lets you stay in touch without worrying about the cost. Buy a SIM card for just $25, £16 or €20, and you can send an unlimited number of messages -- over Wi-Fi or 4G... whatever connection you have available -- without incurring any additional charges. Sounds good? It gets better.
Brits say their smartphone data is worth £6,504
Choosing between the wallet and the smartphone, the majority of Brits would rather have their wallet stolen, a new research by the Ponemon Institute and Lookout has found.
But that’s not because of the smartphone’s quality, value or price. It’s what’s inside that counts.
LG will reveal G5 flagship on February 21
Samsung is not the only major Android vendor that will showcase a new flagship smartphone on February 21. Rival LG has just announced that it will take the wraps off the G4's successor on the same day.
Unlike Samsung, which has not officially said exactly what products it will unveil (although it is quite clear that Galaxy S7 is one of them), LG is taking a direct approach, flat out announcing that it will reveal G5.
Android adblocker apps blocked by Google
Well that was... brief. Just days after Samsung released an update that allowed for adblocking software to be installed on its handsets, Google has put its foot down. The company has already started to pull adblocking apps from Google Play.
Being so reliant on advertising revenue, it's understandable that Google might take a dim view of anything that stops the cash rolling in. Nonetheless, a move to block apps that have already proved incredibly popular has raised the ire of developers and users alike.
OnePlus X: Impressive mid-range smartphone [Review]
OnePlus may not be a name that springs instantly to mind when you think of smartphones, but it really should be. It is a Chinese company that is fast developing a reputation for turning out quality handsets at something of a bargain price.
The company's latest OnePlus X model starts at around £200 which is only about £40 below the price of its flagship, the better specified OnePlus 2 model, so does it live up to the company’s claims that this is an affordable phone with premium features?
How much do UK businesses spend on mobile devices per year?
An average business in the UK spends approximately £1,272 every year on a mobile device and all the expenses that come with owning one.
Those are the results of a new survey by mobile data security firm Wandera. Surveying 500 UK IT decision makers, Wandera’s survey has shown the true cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile devices for UK enterprise.
Use smartphones to vote for president
Over the weekend, my 94 year-old father-in-law asked what I would do to assure that every American who could vote would do so. That was an unexpected question, but one I addressed gingerly. This post is my answer restated for a public venue.
Simple answer: Smartphone. According to PewResearchCenter, nearly 70 percent of Americans own one of the devices, but the number among voting age adults tops 80 percent, according to other estimates. Surely a program could be in place by the 2020 Presidential race, and if lawmakers were truly serious about universal suffrage, a Manhattan-like project could make it happen by the next Mid-terms.
Samsung will unveil Galaxy S7 on February 21
The unveiling of a new Galaxy S smartphone is nearly as predictable as the introduction of new iPhones. Weeks before MWC, Samsung starts to tease the first Unpacked event of the year and, when the curtain finally lifts, it takes the wraps off its next flagship smartphone. A year ago, it was Galaxy S6 being presented, joined for the first time by an edge version.
Things appear to be no different this year. Samsung has just released a teaser for its first Unpacked event of 2016. It will be held in Barcelona, one day before this year's MWC conference kicks off. What will be unveiled? "The Next Galaxy", of course.
Samsung rolls out OTA update to bring adblocking API to Android handsets
2015 was the year that adblocking became one of the central debates concerning the web, and this looks set to continue through 2016. Adblock Plus is one of the best-known names in the field, but Apple also got in on the action by permitting adblocking tools for iOS. Now it's Samsung's turn to get in on the action.
The handset manufacturer is today starting the rollout of an over-the-air update that adds a new adblocking API to Android. Samsung has partnered with Rocketship Apps, and the company's Adblock Fast is the first app to take advantage of the API -- and there is a claimed 51 percent speed boost to be enjoyed.
Sorry 'pundits', but Windows Phone was never alive
After Microsoft revealed that Windows phone revenue fell 49 percent and Lumia sales dropped to 4.5 million units last quarter, disingenuous headlines like "Windows Phone is dead" started to show up. Believe it or not, some pundits actually believe that Q4 was the quarter when the platform met its end, like it did not "die" a long, long time ago.
Objectively speaking, Windows Phone was never relevant enough in the modern smartphone market to be truly alive. Lumia sales, which have typically accounted for the vast majority of Windows Phone sales each quarter, were never strong enough to pose a threat to the iPhone line or let alone the Android crop. Windows Phone was a feeble player from the start, which lost any real chance of mattering years ago, outside of the Microsoft crowd that is.
Live video streaming spreads to all mobile Facebook users
Lights! Camera! Action! Facebook is home to pictures, videos, comments, news, train-of-thought ramblings, and much more. Until recently, videos have been limited to those that have been pre-recorded, but that's about to change.
Facebook recently opened up the ability to share a live video stream to a limited number of people, and the social network is about to expand this. Starting today, live video sharing is being made available to US iPhone users, and it won't be long before the feature is available globally, and also to Android users.
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