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New York City lifts its blanket ban on cellphones in schools
New York City kids may be reluctantly heading back to school this week, but they just got some (mostly) good news. As promised during Mayor Bill de Blasio's election campaign, the city's Department of Education is lifting its outright ban on cellphones in schools. The New York Times understands that principals (with help from parents and teachers) will decide just when and where students can break out their phones. By default, kids will be allowed to keep their phones around so long as they're hidden. If schools want, though, they can require that young learners drop cellphones off in a designated place. They can also give permission to use phones at certain places and times, such as outside during lunch breaks.
Football leather is now an option for Verizon's Moto X
Football season is in full swing, but let's be honest: a few months worth in the fall and winter isn't enough to last the rest of the year. To help combat the lack of pigskin next summer, Verizon has a new option for the Moto X: football leather. That's right folks, you can skip the colorful, wood or regular ol' leather backs and splurge for a sportier option. If that sounds too good to pass up, a handset with the new cover will set you back $120 with a two-year commitment.
Sound off! How often do you upgrade your phone?
Like clockwork, Apple's latest iPhone is almost here. Of course Apple isn't the only company that releases new phones on a regular schedule -- in fact, it seems like some unveil new models every month. With the latest and greatest always on the horizon, it's easy for us to feel pretty claustrophobic locked into a two-year contract and the threat of hefty early-termination fees hanging over our heads. How do you plan your upgrade cycles to get around these obstacles? Share your story in the Engadget forums.
Fake cellphone towers hiding in plain sight, intercepting your phone calls
In response to the loads of info leaked on government surveillance, a number of ultra-secure handsets have popped up to elude prying eyes. One such option is the CryptoPhone 500 from ESD that's built on a regular Galaxy S III frame. In a recent report from Popular Science, that company says that its customers discovered 17 fake cell towers across the US -- just in the month of July. It's unclear who's running the so-called "interceptors," but back in June police departments in 15 states admitted to using similar devices known as "stingrays." ESD CEO Les Goldsmith says that it's unclear who's responsible, but "a lot of these interceptors are right on top of US military bases." On a basic level, the phony towers are really radio-capable computers that can bypass a devices built-in encryption. To test out how different handsets react, Goldsmith and Co. took an iPhone, Galaxy S4 and CryptoPhone on a drive past a government facility this summer. While the two regular handsets barely displayed any change (switching from 4G to 3G), the encrypted device "lit up like a Christmas tree." It could be quite a while before we get any detailed info on who's behind the intercepting, but according to this report and others, it's quite clear that said means of gazing at cellphone use have increased significantly as of late. [Photo credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
Keep the surveillers at bay with Orwell-inspired clothes
If you've read George Orwell's 1984, you know of Big Brother's constant surveillance tactics. Taking inspiration from the book, and in response to present-day tracking methods, clothing maker The Affair is looking to Kickstart the 1984 Stealth Fashion collection. Thanks to a removable UnPocket, your phone remains "untrackable and unhackable" from inside the line's workshirt, chinos, jacket and blazer. That pocket is made of police-grade shielding fabric that blocks cellular (700 MHz-2 GHz), WiFi (2.4 GHz), GPS (1-2 GHz) and RFID (13.56 MHz) signals to help combat the peering eye of government overlords. So if you're ready to join Winston Smith, that UnPocket requires a pledge of $29 (£18) and the clothes start at $98 (£59). You may want to act now though, 'cause retail prices are set to get a bump.
AT&T relaunches Cricket prepaid brand with nationwide 4G coverage
It's a brand new day for Cricket, AT&T's budget wireless arm. Last year, the mobile giant announced plans to acquire Leap Wireless, Cricket's parent company, and has since launched a major refresh, formally introducing the new service today. After purchasing new devices, Cricket customers will be able to access AT&T's nationwide 4G network, including LTE. All plans include unlimited domestic calling, messaging and international texting to 35 countries, and come in at $35, $45 and $55 monthly (after a $5 auto pay credit), with 500MB, 2.5GB and 5GB of data, respectively. You won't be charged for data overages -- instead, Cricket will cap your speed at 128 Kbps for the rest of the billing period.
30 years of mobile phones, all jamming together (video)
In the technological equivalent of Band Aid, minus the charitable fundraising, Korea's SK Telecom has celebrated 30 years in the carrier business, by composing its current jingle from yesteryear's cellular hits. Stars include several car-phones from the eighties, the Motorola StarTAC and more recent smartphones like the, er, LG Optimus Z. Well, we were long overdue another K-Pop ear-worm.
Cellphone deals of the week: 3.28.14
We're smack-dab in the middle of the new phone-announcement season. While you'll have to shell out quite a bit for the latest hardware, some previous models -- including recent releases -- are getting price cuts. Head on past the break to peruse the handful we've selected, catering to iOS, Android and Windows Phone sensibilities along the way. If there are other hand-held devices that you're after that we haven't included here -- join us and add them to your "Want" list. Every time there's a price cut in the future, you'll get an email alert!
House passes bill that legalizes phone unlocking, with a frustrating caveat
Still unsure where unlocking your mobile device falls under the eyes of the law? Legislation just passed through the US House of Representatives that might clear things up, but there's a catch. The Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition act would allow users to unlock devices for use on a new carrier after their subsidized contract expires -- but a late change to the bill tacked on an exclusion for "bulk unlocking." This last minute change spoils the legislation for companies that purchase, unlock and resell devices to consumers, and casts a shadow over a bill that could have helped free your mobile from the convoluted mire of US copyright law. Proponents of the change argue that it won't prevent the bulk sale of locked or previous unlocked phones - and it passed with a strong majority - but the change was significant enough to dissuade several previously supportive representatives from voting for the bill. "There needs to be a market in unlocked phones," Democratic Representative Jared Polis said, describing the late change as a "poison pill" for consumer advocates. Hopefully, the bill will see more positive tweaks on the floor of the Senate.
The best cellphone deals of the week: 12.29.13
With Engadget's new tools, you can track price drops on thousands of devices every day, and once a week we feature some of the best deals right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. The holiday shopping rush may be winding down, but there's still some great deals for the taking. Best Buy is currently offering stellar pricing on both the iPhone 5c and the HTC One -- so long as you're willing to opt for a two-year contract. Be sure to visit our product database to monitor prices on these gadgets and more as they move around. Join us and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list; every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Nokia's shareholders approve sale of devices and services business to Microsoft
As expected, the sale of Nokia's devices and services business to Microsoft has been given the stamp of approval from the Finnish handset maker's shareholders. The group met this morning in Helsinki to give its official vote of confidence on the $7.35 billion transaction includes not only devices, but also Nokia's mapping service too. It remains to be seen if CEO Stephen Elop will be tasked with the same job at Microsoft after Ballmer's departure, or if the company will decide to take another road toward its future.
FCC aims to fine five wireless carriers $14 million for Lifeline program violations
Government shutdown or not, the Federal Communications Commission announced a proposal to fine five cellular service providers a total of $14.4 million for violating the rules of its Lifeline phone subsidy program. In case your memory needs to be jogged, Lifeline allows economically disadvantaged people to get subsidized cellphone service through carriers. Assist Wireless, Easy Wireless, Icon Telecom, TracFone Wireless and UTPhone are all in Uncle Sam's crosshairs for allegedly giving multiple subsidized accounts to folks who should have only received one through the program. This development comes after the commission's revelation that 41 percent of last year's subsidies didn't go through the appropriate verification process. The FCC's sanctions don't stop at the multi-million dollar penalty either. If the federal body gets its way, cash collected through duplicate accounts will have to be returned by offending companies. Update: TracFone reached out to us with a response to the FCC's proposal, saying that the commission's dispute with it involves less than $8,000 and fewer than 850 people -- a drop in the 4 million person Lifeline-customer bucket. Hit the break for the firm's full statement.
Android Device Manager scores remote locking feature
Google's Android Device Manager has only been locating phones for over a month, but that's not stopping Mountain View from adding new features. Android Police spotted that the online dashboard now allows users to remotely lock their smartphones with a new PIN code, overriding previous screen unlock measures. Hardware in airplane mode, however, will be locked once it connects to Page and Co.'s servers. Those who wish to protect themselves from ne'er do wells need only enable the security measure through a handset's Google Settings app. Click the source link below to foil unsavory types or to test out the fresh functionality.
Federal appeals court rules search warrants not needed to seize cellphone records
Cast your memory back to 2011 and you may remember a Texas judge ruling that the seizure of cellphone records without a search warrant violated the Fourth Amendment. Fast-forward to today, and the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals has just overturned that very decision, arguing that law enforcement's collection of such data does not violate the Fourth Amendment, and doesn't need to pass the probable cause test. Instead, as the info is considered a service provider's business records, authorities can get ahold of it so long as they have "reasonable grounds" and obtain a court order. The data in question can include numbers dialed, the date and time of communications and info allowing officials to suss out the phone's location at the time of a call. Despite the gavel's recent action, the issue is far from settled. As the Associated Press notes, a New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled search warrants must be used when officers request access to location information from phones details, while Maine and Montana passed legislation earlier this year requiring the same. To dive into the nitty gritty details of the case for yourself, give the bordering source link a click.
Foursquare arrives for Nokia S40s, mayoral population explodes worldwide (update)
Foursquare is looking to make at least 1.5 billion new mayors. The app that gamified being out and about announced that starting today, it's available for Nokia S40 phones. While we haven't seen an Asha in North America in some time, the model line's dominance in emerging markets is nothing to sneeze at. The check-in service also announced its app will be preloaded on "a bunch of new Asha devices" when they're released "in a few months." We've contacted Nokia and Foursquare because the S40 line rolls deep, and will update this post when we find out if the app requires GPS to work -- Nokia's Nearby doesn't. To test it out for yourself, the source links are a click away. Update: Nokia confirmed to us that Foursquare does not require GPS to work with S40. We're still waiting on a list of those new Asha devices.
WSJ: FAA will soon ease in-flight restrictions for some electronic devices
We've been hearing rumblings that the FAA wants to start letting you use certain gadgets on airplanes through the "terrible 10,000 feet," and according to the WSJ, it's about to do just that. A 28-member industry and government panel's draft report strongly recommended relaxing blanket rules against electronics that have been in place since 1966 due to massive changes in technology since then. The committee also cited reports showing that passengers often forget to turn off gadgets without any consequences and that airlines, left to enact their own rules, are much too conservative. If it goes along with the document, the FAA will likely allow the use of certain devices, like e-readers and music players, during all phases of flight -- though the ban on cellphones is expected to continue since the panel wasn't authorized to broach that controversial issue. As for other devices, the details are still being bandied about, and the FAA is unlikely to announce a formal decision until the end of September. Still, now might be a good time to start fortifying that music and book collection ahead of your next big trip.
Smartphones out-shipped feature phones for the first time ever worldwide, says IDC
Q1 2013 marks the first time that smartphones made up the majority of cellphones shipped across the world, according to numbers from industry analyst IDC. 216 million handsets with computer-like functionality left factories compared to 419 million total, making up a solid 51.6 percent of the pie. Another trend spotted by the pollster was the emergence of Chinese phone makers, particularly ZTE and Huawei, who've notably displaced Blackberry and Nokia in the top five for smartphones sold. Meanwhile, Samsung improved its lead over Apple in smartphone shipments over last quarter, jumping from 29 percent to a 32.7 percent share in Q1, while Apple slid from 23 percent to 17.3 percent. Sony dropped out of the top 5 in that category, while LG surged to 3rd place at 10.3 million units shipped, with Huawei and ZTE rounding out the top 5. Meanwhile, Samsung and Nokia continued to dominate overall cellphone shipments with a 27.5 and 14.8 percent share of the overall market, respectively. However, Nokia itself isn't too optimistic about the feature phone portion of those sales continuing, as it mentioned in its last financial statement. And the fact that people are happy to surf the web on their phones? As we've seen, that doesn't bode too well for the computer industry.
Kyocera Torque review: a rugged phone delivering superior sound
More Info Kyocera Torque coming to Sprint's Direct Connect lineup in March, we go hands-on (video) Kyocera Torque hitting Sprint March 8th, carrying $100 price tag Kyocera teases tissue conduction audio technology for mobile phones at CTIA Sacrificing a smartphone's thin and sleek form factor with a case is tantamount to sacrilege in some circles. Others feel little comfort venturing outdoors without having their phone wrapped safely in one sleeve or another. Sprint's Kyocera Torque, though, is for people who demand more than just a sheath of silicone to keep their device safe. Instead of relying on a case for its protection, it's durable in its own right, with an IP67 rating and Military Standard 810G certification to help it withstand everything from water to salt fog. In addition, the handset carries the distinction of being the very first phone released in the US with Kyocera's Smart Sonic Receiver tissue-conduction tech, which does away with the traditional earpiece. We put the Now Network's first LTE push-to-talk phone through our review gauntlet not only to gauge how tough it is, but also to find out how well it performs. Head past the break to see how it fared.%Gallery-183163%
Switched On: Battling for the bronze
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. More Info Windows Phone 7.8 hands-on Nokia is hooked on Windows Phone, now has to pay for it Editorial: Betting on BlackBerry (or hoping) Apple and Google, the latter riding on a Samsung partnership, continue to play an escalating game of units versus revenues to determine which is the top dog in mobile operating systems. However, two companies that were early players in smartphones, but late to revamp their operating systems, look on, seeking to establish themselves as solid third-place entrants, at least as a beachhead. A couple of years into the re-emergence of Windows Phone and its slow crawl up the market share mountain, the company formerly known as RIM has released BlackBerry 10. Both operating systems lie somewhere between the cathedral of iOS and the bazaar of Android in terms of their tradeoffs between integration and flexibility, with Windows Phone offering a broader range of hardware since it is licensed and has been in the market longer.
HTC outs budget-minded Desire U: ICS on a single-core 1GHz processor
HTC has put penny-pinchers in China and Taiwan square in its sights with its freshly announced Desire U. A price tag is MIA for the Android 4.0-toting and Beats Audio-infused device, but the specs paint a fairly frugal picture for the hardware, which comes in black and white flavors. Behind the handset's 4-inch 800 x 480 (WVGA) display sit a single-core 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of built-in storage, a microSD slot and a 5-megapixel rear-facing shooter. In terms of connectivity, the device supports 3G, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. As of now, there's no word on when it'll hit the streets in China and Taiwan or if a tweaked version with international-friendly radios will make its way to other countries.
