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Microsoft prevails over an 8-year-old attempt to block its phone sales
Remember the heady days of August 2007, when the iPhone had barely reached store shelves and the Nokia N95 was all the rage? The US International Trade Commission sure does. After reviewing an 8-year-long case, the ITC has ruled that Nokia's phones (now Microsoft's) don't infringe on InterDigital patents covering 3G cellular technology. The decision eliminates the possibility of an import ban that would have prevented Microsoft from selling many of its phones in the US, including modern day Lumias. Things very nearly didn't go the company's way -- a judge had ruled in April that Microsoft was using InterDigital's patents, which would have forced the folks in Redmond to pay up.
Americans think it's rude to stay glued to your phone, do it anyway
You're no doubt astute enough to know that you should stop using your cellphone in some social situations, but how good are you at heeding your own advice? If Pew's latest study is any indication, the answer is "not very." The research center found that 82 percent of American survey respondents see cellphone use as a bane to social interaction, but that 89 percent of phone owners used their devices during their most recent gatherings. And they weren't just checking for notifications, either -- more than half of those surveyed were messaging, taking photos and answering calls.
Samsung's more daring phone designs: a visual history
With Samsung poised to reveal its latest take(s) on the smartphone in a matter of hours, we thought it was as good a time as any to take a look back. The Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 Edge+ are rumored to be on tap for tomorrow's festivities, two devices that would continue the company's affinity for super-sized phones and curved displays -- both of which are trends it started years ago. Of course, Samsung has experimented with a number of unique design flourishes. Some of them ended up setting the tone for the entire industry. Others, well, never really achieved liftoff (and with good reason).
BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition gets stainless steel, keeps it square
Blackberry debuted its square-screened Passport last fall, and now it has a new model to entice you. The company revealed the Silver Edition of the phone today, a variant that wields a "refined design" that includes a stainless steel frame and soft-touch diamond-pattern back cover. We have to give it to BlackBerry, this silver version certainly does look more sophisticated, but during our review, we found the phone's size to be a bit awkward and the keyboard took some getting used to.
Motorola's phones: a visual history
Since 1984 Motorola has trotted out some of the most iconic and memorable mobile designs in the industry. Whether it's the StarTAC, RAZR V3 or the original Droid, Motorola consistently offers something unique through design. It even allows you to make the final call on color schemes with its more recent devices so you can create a gadget that's truly one of a kind. As the company is poised to make its next big reveal tomorrow, let's take a look at some of those notable handsets that span four decades of mobile phones. [Image: AP Photo/Christof Stache]
Marshall's 'London' is a smartphone for music lovers
For a long time, Marshall's bread and butter was guitar amps. Then came headphones and Bluetooth speakers (via its partnership with Zound, makers of Urbanears) -- a fairly fitting diversification. Today, the brand is moving on to phones, announcing the "London," an Android (Lollipop) device for music lovers. We bet you weren't expecting that? Us neither, to be honest. But it's happening, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't a little curious.
Sprint's 'all-in' plan gives you a phone and service for $80 (update)
Sprint has been experimenting with including phone leases in your plan for a while, and it's clearly enraptured with the idea -- enough so that it's making the lease a part of its everyday service. The carrier's new All-In plan gives you a phone and the usual unlimited data, messaging and voice for $80 per month. In theory, you never have to worry about installment plans or up-front device costs again -- you just choose a recent phone (currently the One M9, iPhone 6 or Galaxy S6) and trade it in every couple of years. It's not as sweet as some of Sprint's earlier offerings, but it's still cheaper than bigger rivals if you're looking for both a lot of data and regular hardware upgrades.
The 'father of SMS,' Matti Makkonen, dies at 63
It's a sad day in the cellphone world. Matti Makkonen, widely considered the "father of SMS," has died from illness at the age of 63. The Finnish creator pitched the concept of text messaging over cellular networks in 1984 and helped get the ball rolling on the technology in its earliest days. He was quick to downplay his involvement and saw SMS as a "joint effort" between many people (Friedham Hillebrand developed the 160-character format in 1985, for example), but much of the initial credit belongs to him.
Experience the OnePlus 2 cellphone launch July 27th in VR
OnePlus has heard your frustration about the drip-feeding of information leading to its next phone, but according to co-founder Carl Pei, it's going to "keep doing things differently." For the OnePlus 2, that means taking advantage of new technology just to announce the thing. On July 27th at 10PM ET, OnePlus new Snapdragon 810-powered cellphone will be revealed with a streaming virtual reality presentation. Just to make sure the fans can tune in, it's working on a free OnePlus Cardboard headset that owners of its first phone (pictured above) can use to watch. Sign up on the website for more info on the headset, and clear your schedule. So far, what we know about the phone is its CPU and that it uses a USB Type-C connector (check after the break for a video of Pei using the phone's charging cable to juice up a Macbook), but you should be able to see the new device in 360-degree surround next month.
Vertu's latest 'basic' luxury phone goes well with your Bentley
So you just bought a fresh Bentley, but you're worried that it clashes with the look of your basic cellphone? Never fear, as Vertu is coming to your (totally unnecessary) rescue. The luxury phone maker has unveiled its second Bentley-inspired handset, and this one is all about matching the look of your car without having to join the smartphone era. Buy the Signature for Bentley and you'll get the same carbon fiber weave and calf leather as the automaker's Mulsanne Speed sedan, but none of the technological sophistication -- you can call and text, but you won't be getting Google Maps directions to your beach home. The focus is instead on loads of creature comforts, such as buttons that sit on ruby (because they offer a nicer click, naturally) and concierge services. While this simple-yet-upscale phone will cost a steep £14,500 (about $22,800) when it arrives on September 18th, we suspect that you won't mind the astronomical price tag if you can afford a Bentley in the first place.
Third-gen Moto G leak shows a new camera, not much else
The Moto G is quite the attractive handset for someone looking for a capable phone that's also very budget friendly. In fact, our own Chris Velazco calls it the best budget smartphone available. Thanks to a video and a few snapshots, there's a look at the supposed third-gen model and a list of its specs. While 2014's Moto G was a rather modest improvement over the OG device, the details served up in this leak show more of the same for the 2015 installment. The device shown here is said to keep the 5-inch 720p display, 1GB RAM and 8GB of storage. However, it does pack a Snapdragon 401 processor with 13-megapixel rear-facing and 5-megapixel front-facing cameras. That's a 5-megapixel boost for the primary camera and a 3-megapixel increase for the one you'll be using for selfies.
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active heads to AT&T with extra battery power
Samsung's Galaxy S6 broke cover last month and today AT&T revealed its exclusive grip on the rugged device. The IP-68 rated dustproof and water and shock resistant handset packs a 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display that touts a whopping 577 PPI to handle your swipes through Android 5.0.2 (Lollipop). Inside, a 64-bit Octa-core processor and 32GB of internal storage do the heaving lifting with 16-megapixel rear-facing and 5-megapixel front-facing cameras for photo duties. In addition to staying dry in depths of up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes, the S6 Active also packs in a beefy 3,500mAh battery. That's significantly larger than the battery inside the regular Galaxy S6. And yes, when it does run down, you can juice up with wireless charging accessories or make use of the Fast Charging option to charge to 50 percent in around half an hour.
South Korea will track cellphones to keep an outbreak under control
South Korea is grappling with an outbreak of the frequently deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and it's taking some drastic technological steps to keep this bad situation from getting worse. The country plans to track the cellphones of people under a MERS quarantine to make sure that they don't leave home and infect others. It's an "unavoidable measure," the country's Deputy Prime Minister claims, and there's some evidence to support his warning. A man broke quarantine last month and flew to China, for example, preventing confirmation of his sickness until it was too late. Still, the loss of privacy likely won't sit well with the roughly 2,300 affected Koreans -- it's a technological reminder of the isolation they face until they're deemed healthy. [Image credit: Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images]
Samsung Galaxy S6 Active breaks cover with an expectedly rugged look
If you're looking for a phone with great specs that can be tossed around and survive a swim, Samsung's Galaxy S6 Active appears to be on the way. Both GSM Arena and trusted leaker @evleaks offered a glimpse of the forthcoming handset today, one that features an outer shell similar to last year's version. Like previous Active models, a trio of hardware buttons reside on the front, so don't expect the same fingerprint scanner found on both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. They do have to be waterproof, after all. Other than a look at both sides, details remain scarce besides save for word that the S6 Active packs a 3,500 mAh battery. If history is any indication, you can expect similar specs to the flagship while being both shock resistant and dustproof, as this handset will be built to withstand a bit more stress.
Here's what our readers think of the BlackBerry Passport
Though BlackBerry has been trying its hand at touchscreen devices like the Z30 and the recently reviewed Leap, it hasn't left keyboard devotees behind just yet. Released last fall, the BlackBerry Passport combines a square screen with a three-row keyboard. Our review noted that the oddly shaped screen provides "a good viewing experience" and the keyboard is "an impressive feat of engineering." However, though the keyboard is "a powerful tool," the unusual dimensions make one-handed use awkward and the app ecosystem is still rather small. Most damning is the fact that the device's signature feature, the keyboard, "isn't among BlackBerry's best." But that's from the perspective of someone who had to type out a review entirely on the keyboard. Plenty of our readers have chimed in about their own Passport experiences to let us know how it fares in the hands of the common office worker and beyond.
Sprint and Verizon to pay $158 million over bogus texting charges
No, Sprint and Verizon* aren't going to escape the FCC's bid to punish carriers for letting shady text message services bill their customers. The two providers are respectively paying $68 million and $90 million to settle FCC claims that they not only turned a blind eye to this bill cramming, but frequently denied refunds when subscribers complained. About $120 million of this total payout will compensate victims, while the rest will go to both state governments and the US Treasury.
LA's newer cell towers will keep working after earthquakes
Cellular networks are only trustworthy if they continue running in emergencies, and Los Angeles knows it. The city's council has voted for legislation that requires all new cell towers to be tough enough to remain functional after a major earthquake -- not just standing, like they need to do today. Officials believe that this will involve only a "marginal" hike in costs, but should make a huge difference the next time a big quake rocks LA and leaves residents scrambling for help. This hardening process won't be truly comprehensive until carriers start replacing existing towers, which could take years. However, patience could be a virtue if it keeps families and rescue teams in touch when a disaster strikes. [Image credit: Getty Images]
NVIDIA is getting rid of its cellular chip business
Alas, NVIDIA's one-time dream of hitting it big in the cellular chip world is not to be. The company is planning to "wind down" its Icera modem business in the second fiscal quarter of the year (that is, no later than July), which could include selling it off. Simply put, NVIDIA's priorities have changed -- it's focused on those areas where its signature graphics and mobile processors tend to thrive, including cars, gaming and the cloud. It's an understandable move given the lack of traction for Icera's parts (Qualcomm virtually dominates the modem landscape), but it's unfortunate for the roughly 500 staffers who may find themselves out of work in a few months. [Image credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan]
Nokia says it's not going to start making phones again
We hope you weren't counting on Nokia reviving its phone business. The Finnish firm is now bluntly denying claims that it's planning to return to making phones -- there are "no plans" to make or sell any, Nokia says. That's not surprising given both the company's expansion of its networking efforts and an agreement with Microsoft that it won't make phones until at least 2016. Simply speaking, Nokia wouldn't have the cash or permissions to build these devices in the near future. With that said, the company mentioned this fall that it was considering licensing its storied name to a third party handset maker. If you don't mind buying a Nokia-approved phone, there's still a chance (however small) that you'll get your wish.
The CIA couldn't properly use a mass surveillance program for years
Whatever you think about the morality of using mass surveillance to catch evildoers, the technology only works if people can use it -- just ask the CIA. The New York Times has obtained a declassified report revealing that that the agency was largely kept in the dark about the President's Surveillance Program (aka Stellarwind), which allows for bulk data collection, until at least 2009. Only the highest-ranking officials could use PSP as a general rule, and those few agents that did have access often didn't know enough to use it properly, faced "competing priorities" or had other tools at their disposal. To boot, there wasn't documentation showing how effective the program was in fighting terrorism.
