phones
Latest
UK asks Amazon and eBay to ban tiny ‘prison’ phones
Justice secretary David Lidington has called on Amazon, eBay and Gumtree to block all sales of miniature mobile phones. These tiny handsets, often less than eight centimetres long, can be bought for £25 online and easily smuggled into prisons. Many are advertised with the slogan "Beat the BOSS," a reference to the Body Orifice Security Scanners (BOSS) used by prison officers to detect knives, firearm components and other small metallic objects. During a speech for the British think tank Reform, Lidington said he had written to all three asking them to take down products clearly intended to "evade detection measures in prison."
The best smartphones you can buy right now
Smartphones get better every year, but 2017 has seen a string of particularly impressive devices. The benefits are obvious -- there's never been a better year to be in the market for a new phone -- but that also means that making a decision is harder than ever. Since we've tested all of 2017's major releases to date, we've put together a list to help you figure out which phone is the best choice for you, broken down into sections that'll give you a better idea of where these devices excel. Bear in mind, having the best comes at a cost, and all of the options below cost at least $600. We have a separate guide for smartphone shoppers on a budget, and we're also working on one for the best mid-range phones, for folks not looking to spend a small fortune. If you simply have to have the best, though, have a look at our short list.
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: Change in small doses
It's no secret that smartphones have tended to get sleeker and less obtrusive over time. Screens are growing, but bezels are shrinking. In a very real way, the boundaries between us and our information -- our apps, our contacts, our very desires reproduced in pixels -- are melting away. Apple has sensed the industry shifting around it, and it made the iPhone X in response to that. But, in a bid to make the transition less jarring, Apple also made the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. They're familiar-looking phones that mostly operate the way people expect them to. They're conventional. But that doesn't mean they're inherently lacking -- far from it, in fact. While I suspect all iPhones will look like the iPhone X soon enough, the 8 and 8 Plus are expertly built, high-performance devices for people who want to ease into Apple's vision of the future. And who knows? These just might be the last conventional iPhones Apple makes.
ZTE crowns its crowd-sourced Project CSX winner
Since the start of September, phone manufacturer ZTE has been running a crowd-sourced contest slash internet brainstorming session to figure out what features its customers want most in their next phone. Well, the results are in and ZTE has announced the grand prize project of that contest: it's an "eye-tracking, self-adhesive phone". Sure, why the heck not.
Sony's Xperia XZ arrives in the US October 2nd for $700
Sony debuted its latest handsets back at IFA and now the duo will soon debut in the US. The flagship Xperia XZ is slated to arrive October 2nd at Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers. Priced at $700 unlocked, the unlocked model supports GSM networks while packing in a 5.2-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 820, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded via a microSD slot. The XZ also has a USB-C port to keep up with the times and features like 4K video and enhanced image stabilization for its 23-megapixel camera. It's also IP65/IP68 dust-tight and water resistant for added protection from the elements and any unforeseen accidents.
IFA 2016: All things mobile
IFA isn't as big of a mobile show it once was. Samsung and LG opted to have their big phone announcements elsewhere this year, and even Motorola had its own Lenovo-hosted soiree a few months ago. Still, we did see a few new handsets at the show, along with a cool new MotoMod attachment. Peruse our gallery below for all the mobile news to come out of IFA 2016. We're live all week from Berlin, Germany, for IFA 2016. Click here to catch up on all the news from the show.
Sprint's new Unlimited Freedom plan is unlimited with a catch
Hot on the heels of T-Mobile's new unlimited data plan, Sprint is launching a new Unlimited Freedom plan for $100.
Crappy smartphone 'for women' does everything wrong
What's small, cute, fashion-focused and pink? The Keecoo K1 -- a smartphone 'designed for women,' of course. No, we're not kidding. The K1 is destined for the Chinese market, and is being marketed with a veritable check-list of gender stereotypes. It comes in an array of fashionable colors, features a hexagonal design to fit the "small hands of women" and boasts a front-facing selfie camera that "automatically makes your skin look delicate and smooth." That's not condescending at all.
ForcePhone software makes any mobile device pressure sensitive
A team from the University of Michigan have developed a novel means of giving any mobile device the same sort of force-sensitive capabilities found on Apple's flagship iPhone 6s. Dubbed ForcePhone, the software leverages two features that literally every smartphone has -- a microphone and a speaker -- do to what very few OEM device manufacturers have managed.
FCC wants to know why mobile security patches take so long
A number of critical security flaws have hit mobile devices in recent months, prompting device makers and service providers alike to issue timely patches. Sometimes those fixes take a while to reach affected handsets, and the FCC wants to know more about the process. Today, the commission announced that it's looking into how updates are distributed when a security flaw is discovered. As part of the inquiry, the FCC's Telecommunications Bureau head Job Wilkins asked both wireless carriers and eight phone and tablet manufacturers to provide details on how problems that plague consumer devices ultimately get fixed.
T-Mobile will give Verizon customers a year of Hulu to switch
T-Mobile announced a new phase of its Un-carrier Unwrapped holiday promotion on Thursday. The company already offered Sprint customers $200 to change carriers and tempted AT&T subscribers with a steeply discounted 128GB iPhone 6s. Now, Verizon customers who switch to T-Mobile's Simple Choice postpaid plan will receive a year-long Hulu subscription (with limited commercials, valued at $100). Additionally, switchers will receive up to a 50 percent discount on all in-store accessories. The promotion runs until Sunday, December 13th. You can find full details, rules and restrictions over at T-Mobile.
LG's mobile business just lost $67.8 million
If you were under any doubt that companies will struggle to make a profit from the smartphone business, you won't after today. LG has updated its financial results to reveal that the firm's mobile division lost $67.8 million in the last three months. That's in sharp contrast to the previous quarter, where the company could boast of squeaking a 1.2 cent profit from every handset that it sold. LG believes that the recent launches of both the Nexus 5X and V10 smartphones will help to wash away some of that pain. If executives were looking for reassurance, they'll get it from Sony which also posted its updated financial results today. The rival mega-conglomerate conceded that its own mobile division is losing $1.9 million every single day -- ouch.
Microsoft's 5.7-inch Lumia 950 XL is liquid cooled and $649
While the Surface Pro 4 may garner the bulk of the attention from today's Microsoft event, the folks in Redmond had other stuff to reveal, too. Those other announcements include a pair of smartphones, one of which is the supersized Lumia 950 XL. Thanks to a handful of leaks, we already had an idea what the handset would look like and some details of its spec sheet. The 950 XL features a larger OLED screen than its sibling, measuring 5.7 inches at 518 ppi. It also offers 32GB of storage that you can expand via microSD card up to a whopping (theoretical) 2TB. There's a 20-megapixel camera with a Zeiss lens around back with triple LED RGB natural flash, optical image stabilization and a dedicated camera button as well, continuing to leverage the photo chops from Nokia. That wordy flash description basically means people will look more natural in photos where you have to employ said feature. And, of course, all of that runs on Windows 10.
Google's next phones will reportedly be the Nexus 5X and 6P
We've seen a few snapshots of the upcoming Nexus phones and now we may have an idea what they'll be called. Droid Life reports that the pair of Google phones, one made by LG and the other by Huawei, will carry the labels of Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P (yes, six pee), respectively. The LG device is said to house a 5.2-inch display while the Huawei handset is rumored to carry a 5.7-inch inch screen, hence the 5 and 6 designations. We won't have to wait too long to find out, though, as reports indicate that Google is hosting event on September 29th where the duo is expected to be revealed alongside a new Chromecast. And, of course, a look at the latest version of Android Marshmallow. Hopefully we'll also find out what Huawei has tucked under that camera hump, too.
Modular mobile phone Project Ara is delayed until 2016
The much-anticipated Google-backed modular phone from Project Ara was supposed to make its debut in Puerto Rico later this year. However, the device won't be coming until at least 2016, thanks to an unexpectedly long prototyping phase, and likely won't use the US protectorate as its initial test market, as a series of tweets from company on Monday reveal. The company is reportedly "looking at a few locations in the U.S." to debut the phone but is certain that it won't be happening by the end of the year.
Verizon nixes phone subsidies and simplifies its data plans
Following the lead of alternative carriers like T-Mobile and Google Fi, Verizon announced today that it will be doing away with phone subsidies (the precise opposite of what it said last October) and rejiggering its data plans beginning August 13th. Don't get excited just yet, though, since there's no guarantee that your revamped service charges will be any less than what they are now.
Phone companies ditching copper wires will have to follow the rules
The age of the copper land-line is nearing its end, but traditional phone lines aren't going quietly: new rules from the FCC now require service providers notify customers of the impending removal and drawbacks of switching to a VOIP line three months before killing a copper network. It sounds like a reasonable move -- customers need to know that the technology replacing their traditional land-line won't work during a power-outage without an external power source -- but not everybody at the FCC is happy with the new rules.
Sprint counters T-Mobile with 10GB of shared family data
The battle between Sprint and T-Mobile for the hearts and phone lines of America's families is heating up. T-Mobile recently updated its Simple Choice family plan to give a family of four unlimited calling and text, as well as 10GB of data to each of them for $120 a month. On Wednesday, Sprint fired back with a revamped Family Share Pack. This package offers four lines, unlimited talk, text and 10GB of shared data for $100 to families that switch from another carrier. And if 10GB isn't enough, Sprint also announced that it will sell a 40GB plan for $20 more per month, $120 in total. [Image Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP]
Nokia CEO says the company will design and license phones again
When a deal with Microsoft allows it to do so in 2016, Nokia plans to design and license phones again. In what comes as no surprise, the company's CEO told Manager Magazin that it would look for interested parties to release the devices when the time comes. "We will look for suitable partners," said CEO Rajeev Suri in an interview. "We would simply design them and then make the brand name available to license." Nokia sold its devices and services business to Microsoft last year, but it can begin to license mobile gadgets to other companies next year. If you'll recall, it already released the familiar-looking N1 tablet in China post-acquisition. Of course, Nokia still owns its Here mapping tech, which has reportedly drawn interest from automakers and transportation companies like Uber. While the devices may carry Nokia's aesthetics, keep in mind that the Lumia, Asha and X brands all belong to Microsoft. A company would pay Nokia for the design work and rights to use the name, but those recognizable labels are off limits. [Image credit: Stilgherrian/Flickr]
LG's G4 arrives at T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon and US Cellular next week (update: AT&T, too)
Have you been eyeing LG's latest flagship handset since it was announced last month? Well, it's set to arrive in the US next week. T-Mobile began selling the G4 online today, for $0 down and $25/month for two years or $599.76 if you're looking to part with a lump sum. The pink-hued carrier is looking to lure early adopters with an extra that'll make good use of that microSD card slot. If you opt in "while supplies last," you can expect a free 128GB card for free. And T-Mobile's the spot to grab that dapper brown leather rear cover. The LG G4 won't go on sale in stores until June 3rd, so nabbing one now means yours will ship before the phone hits retail. Not a fan of T-Mobile? Fret not.
