Microsoft ran out of time to add notifications to WP8

One feature of the Windows Phone 8 platform that Microsoft failed to mention at the launch this week was a central hub for notifications. That's because it doesn't exist, with Microsoft's Thomas Fennel admitting it wasn't included because the developers ran out of time. While Microsoft's platform allows for notifications delivered through its Live Tiles system, there...

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Verizon rolls out mobile device charging stations for Sandy victims

Definitely helpful for anyone impacted by Hurricane Sandy, Verizon is providing assistance to the public in the form of emergency communication centers. With locations detailed on Verizon’s site, the wireless company has positioned large, trailer-sized charging stations at locations within Ohio, New Jersey and West Virginia as well as Staten Island. Not...

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Here it comes: iPad Mini sales start in New Zealand

With Apple's global launch of the iPad Mini set for 8am, November 2, plenty of consumers in New Zealand, where it's already Friday, will be busy testing out the new device. When Apple announced that sales of the new iPad Mini would begin at 8am on November 2, residents of New Zealand hoping to get their hands on the new device knew they’d be the first to have...

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Apple releases iOS 6.1 beta to devs, complete with new Map Kit framework

iOS 6.1 is expected to arrive sometime after the holidays Following its mini-update to iOS devices Thursday, Apple released iOS 6.1 beta and a Xcode 4.6 preview for developers to tinker with. On Apple's developer website, engineers have identified a file named "Build 10B5095f" as the iOS 6.1's beta. It's the first peek at the next version of iOS 6. Now...

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Pearltrees releases version 1.0, premium accounts included

We caught up with Pearltrees' chief evangelist, Oliver Starr, after the company announced its 1.0 release and a new subscription-based business model. Visualizing the scope of what we share from around the Web is a challenge, but given the popularity of tactile devices like iPhones and iPads it seems a valuable one to undertake. Interacting with website...

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Physical Google Wallet card reportedly coming soon

Game changer (credit: Android Police) Google may be soon drop a bombshell on the mobile commerce world as a report surfaced Thursday the company is preparing to launch a physical credit card. Dubbed the "Google Wallet card," this piece of plastic is for those times users can't tap and pay. It will work just like a regular credit card anywhere major...

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Physical Google Wallet credit card reportedly in the works

Game changer (credit: Android Police) Google may be soon drop a bombshell on the mobile commerce world as a report surfaced Thursday the company is preparing to launch a physical credit card. Dubbed the "Google Wallet card," this piece of plastic is for those times users can't tap and pay. It will work just like a regular credit card any where major...

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Google Wallet now offering mobile web payments

Evolution of mobile payments continues The evolution of Google Wallet continued Thursday as Google announced plans to change the way consumers purchase goods through the mobile web. Instead of being required to fill out lengthy order forms on a smartphone or tablet screen, Google Wallet users can now press one button to have all the busy work taken care...

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Apple issues iOS 6.0.1 update, fixes mainly iPhone 5 issues

Today Apple released a minor update for its iOS 6 mobile platform. This is the first OTA update to come since iOS 6 was seeded to users and it comes to fix an issue with horizontal lines over the keyboard of the iPhone 5, camera flash issues, Wi-Fi reliability and more. The update is available over the air and through iTunes as we speak. We installed it, but we are yet...

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Apple releases iOS 6.0.1 to address bugs

Apple's still got plenty of work to do on iOS 6 Apple has released the first update for iOS 6, bring the new mobile operating system up to version 6.0.1. But the most controversial feature of iOS6 - Apple's new Maps app - remains unchanged. Instead, Apple focused on bug fixes for iOS 6.0.1, addressing issues with the iPhone 5's Wi-Fi connectivity and its...

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Apple releases iOS 6.0.1 to address bugs

Apple's still got plenty of work to do on iOS 6 Apple has released the first update for iOS 6, bring the new mobile operating system up to version 6.0.1. But the most controversial feature of iOS6 - Apple's new Maps app - remains unchanged. Instead, Apple focused on bug fixes for iOS 6.0.1, addressing issues with the iPhone 5's Wi-Fi connectivity and its...

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BlackBerry 10 L-Series caught in new photo?

Leaky L-Series (credit: N4BB) RIM is managing to stay relevant and keeping interest in its BlackBerry 10 alive both through official announcements and inadvertent leaks. While the company likely isn't to blame for a BB10 handset image that surfaced Thursday, it probably appreciates the publicity. The image in question purportedly shows the L-Series,...

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Official render of Xperia Odin surfaces, looks like previous leak

Sony's alleged next flagship droid has leaked anew this time with an official photo. The Sony Xperia C650X Odin official photo is a render, which looks pretty close to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 and slightly resembles a Motorola RAZR with its beveled edges and use of metal in the frame. The render is very close to the previous live picture we saw of the Xperia Odin....

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AT&T, T-Mobile partner up to share networks for affected Sandy customers

Those having trouble finding signal in the wake of Hurricane Sandy will be glad to know their coverage is now temporary expanded thanks to a T-Mobile/AT&T partnership. Those in New York and New Jersey may have experienced a shortage in network over the past few days in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, so cell providers T-Mobile and AT&T have decided...

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Windows Phone 7.8 release date detailed again

Windows Phone 7.8 - tile time You might not be getting Windows Phone 8 on your old handset but the consolation prize is Windows Phone 7.8, and it looks set to land just after the new OS goes on sale. According to a post on Facebook, we'll see Windows Phone 7.8 land shortly after Windows Phone 8 devices go on sale in November – which jives nicely with the...

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8 things you think you own, but don’t

The rise of digital goods and software-reliant gadgets has thrown a wrench in the contemporary concept of ownership. Here are eight products that, even though you paid for them, aren't entirely yours. This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case called Kirtsaeng v. Wiley, which will test the limits of something called the “first sale” doctrine....

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Put grandma to work with this iPad power-generating rocking chair

Motion-powered generators are becoming a trend in tech-infused clothing, furniture, and accessories ... but none have targeted an older audience quite like this iRock rocking chair. Who says technology is only made for the new generation? While my grandmother may not be cool enough to answer emails and text messages, she does know how to work an iPad. So...

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Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich review

Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich review Ice Cream Sandwich used to be the new kid on the block, but it's been usurped by the likes of Android 4.2: Jelly Bean as the OS to have on the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Google Nexus 4. However, loads of users are still waiting for their Ice Cream Sandwich update, and Google told us that this is one of the biggest overhauls...

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini hits the UK on November 8

Samsung announced today that the Galaxy S III mini is heading to the UK as early as November 8, which aligns with earlier expectations. As usual, the mini version of the company's Android flagship will be available both on contract and SIM-free. CarphoneWarehouse is listing the S III mini with a price of £299.95, while Phones4U offers the device for free with monthly...

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Nokia 109 announced – cheap, small and old-school

Nokia has just announced the Nokia 109 entry-level phone. It packs a 1.8-inch TFT screen with 128x160 pixels resolution, dual-band GSM/EDGE connectivity, FM radio and microSD card. Nokia 109 runs on S40 platform and comes with Nokia’s Xpress Browser, which compresses the web pages up to 90% and saves you data traffic. Some handy social apps will come pre-installed...

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Watch out Apple, Google Play now has 700,000 apps too

It's reported that Google Play now contains 700,000 apps, which means it equals Apple's figure provided for its iTunes App Store. With Android activations growing too, Android could soon overtake iOS here too. It’s being reported that there are now 700,000 applications available inside the Google Play store, which sees the two giants of the app world — Google...

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2 now transforms into desktop PC

Ready, steady, dock! The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is currently the most powerful smartphone on the market, but would you really want to use it as your desktop PC? The Galaxy Note 2 Smart Dock lets you connect the phone to a HD monitor, keyboard, mouse and speakers, so you can use the beefy quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM inside to provide you with an all-in-one...

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How future phone screens will be viewable in the brightest sunlight

Assertive Display technology ensures brighter screens outdoors In an era of increasingly sophisticated mobile technology, it's tempting to assume that smartphones and tablets provide users with a wealth of content wherever they want it. But achieving a great multimedia viewing experience in bright light, particularly in sunlight, has been an ongoing problem...

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Stolen phone database goes live, as US carriers work on stamping out mobile thefts

AT&T and T-Mobile are working together on a joint database that could help reduce mobile phone thefts. It does so by blocking the stolen phone itself, not just the SIM card, and is part of a larger, unified, national database planned for this time next year. The plan to build a unified database containing the details of all phones reported stolen in the...

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