calling

Digital games market could be worth $53B by 2016

Is there anywhere Angry Birds won't go?

Research firm Ovum doesn't think so, and expects hits such as Angry Birds to drive growth in the digital gaming market. The firm predicts that the market, which comprises any online games played on the PC, console, or smartphone, will double over the next five years to $53 billion.

The market for mobile gaming alone is expected to triple to $17.5 billion by 2016, Ovum said.

"With the addition of more and more casual gamers, the market is no longer the sole preserve of the teen male hardcore gamer,&… Read more

Call of Duty: Elite experiences rough start

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's overnight launch has caused a big headache for premium players.

The first true casualty of the military simulator is the new free and subscription-based Elite service, which has buckled under the stress from "hundreds of thousands of players" who have registered, according to a statement from Activision Blizzard.

A comment from Reddit member "ButterflySammy" indicates that users are having trouble with clans or using some of the other Elite features: "You just can't set up any clans or use any of the other elite features on any platform." … Read more

The 404 942: Where we're ready to believe you (podcast)

Happy Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Day! Actually, that probably means none of you are listening to our show today. You're likely at your local Costco, Sam's Club, or other restaurant supply depot stocking up on Twizzlers and Four Loko for the next two weeks of gaming hibernation.

But if you're ready for a break, today we'll tell you how to case business interiors for your next B&E using Google+ and GMaps, access the hidden panorama mode in the iOS5 camera app, pay $19 for a truly unlimited everything cell phone plan, and why you probably shouldn't let a cowboy doctor in the UK shine a laser in your beautiful brown eyes.

Stream or download today's podcast after the break!… Read more

The 404 941: Where we did it all for the Nook (podcast)

Barnes & Noble just announced three new tablets that could extinguish the Amazon Kindle Fire--tune in to hear why you should care, and how to shop for the best device this holiday season. Also, happy birthday, Wilson!… Read more

Best Buy freebie: HTC smartphone with your Modern Warfare 3

Are you a gamer looking for a smartphone? Best Buy may be the spot for you.

The electronics big-box retailer is giving away an HTC smartphone to anyone who buys Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which comes out Tuesday. The smartphone options are the Evo 4G for Sprint Nextel, the Incredible 2 for Verizon Wireless, and the Inspire 4G for AT&T. The catch: you need to sign up for a two-year contract.

The promotion is part of a larger effort by Best Buy to raise consumer awareness about its mobile offerings as it looks to tap into … Read more

Modern Warfare 3 ready to blow away game-sales record

Get ready for another blockbuster Call of Duty launch.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said in a research note yesterday that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which is scheduled to hit store shelves next week, will likely become the bestselling game this year, and could very well beat out its predecessor, Call of Duty: Black Ops, in total sales.

"If Modern Warfare 3 receives strong review scores, it should at least match predecessor Black Ops' sales (over 25 million units) due to the network effect," Pachter said. In a follow-up interview with IndustryGamers, Pachter said he thinks Modern Warfare 3 will outsell Black Ops by 10 percent during its first six weeks of availability and generate a total of $1.1 billion during that time.

If that happens, Modern Warfare 3 will become the bestselling game of all time, beating out Black Ops, which generated $1 billion during its first six weeks on store shelves. That title took the crown from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.… Read more

iPhone 4S delivers on talk time battery life

Immediately after I posted the iPhone 4S review last week, I sent the phone to CNET Labs for talk time battery tests.

Battery life is terribly important, as any smartphone owner knows, and we wanted to make sure Apple's promises weren't just that. And now, the results are in, courtesy of Senior Editor Eric Franklin.

When used with Sprint's 3G EV-DO Rev. A network, we beat Apple's promised talk time of 8 hours by an additional hour and 18 minutes. That's our strongest iPhone battery test to date, surpassing each of the previous three iPhones … Read more

5Star Responder like OnStar for people

When OnStar first came out, I remember finding the concept of a disembodied voice in the car to help with emergency situations kind of cool. Now you can equip your body with the same sort of technology.

GreatCall's 5Star Responder is a small GPS-equipped device that can clip to your keychain. Push the button and it hooks you up with an emergency responder over a nationwide cellular network.

Obvious uses for the Responder are when you're being threatened or have had an accident, but GreatCall also encourages use if you want someone to be there when you're walking to your car alone at night or hear strange noises outside of your house. Pretty much anything that gooses your danger instincts. … Read more

Line2 HD turns your iPad into an iPhone

It was just over two years ago that I wrote about Line2, a clever VoIP app that adds a second phone number to your iPhone.

Now developer Toktumi has released Line2 HD, an iPad-specific version of the app, which should prove popular among business users. It not only turns your tablet into a full-featured phone, but also provides a nice hub for managing calls and messages.

To get started with Line2, you need to sign up via the company's site. (Unfortunately, there's no longer an in-app sign-up option.) You can test-drive the app and service with a free … Read more

Comparing voice quality on the iPhone 4S

Even fancy smartphones like the iPhone 4S need to have satisfying call quality. A phone can have a hundred other amazing features, but its primary purpose is simple communication.

Yet, call quality depends on more factors than just the device. There's the strength of the carrier's network, your distance from a tower, and how many people are making a call at the same time. So when you throw all those variables together, the same handset on multiple carriers can deliver a different experience.

Below you'll find voice samples from the Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T … Read more