Conference

Conference calls are part of the ugly side of doing business. Sometimes they just can't be avoided. So, next time you have to set one up, instead of paying for a third-party service, use CrowdCall.

CrowdCall is an app (Android | iPhone) that allows you to easily create a conference call from your smartphone, while on the go.

Setting up a conference call is easy. Before you make a call, make sure all of the contacts you are going to include in the call have the proper area/country code added to their number.

After ensuring the numbers are formatted … Read more

TED, the esteemed nonprofit organization and popular video-driven Web site, has brought its TED Talks to Android devices. With the official TED app, you can now browse and watch more than 1,000 TED Talks from the organization's popular TED Conferences while on the go.

If you're not familiar with TED, it's a nonprofit organization devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading." While it may sound a bit hokey, TED produces annual conferences featuring some of the most brilliant speakers from around the world. These speakers often cover topics like technology, entertainment, design, science, and social justice. … Read more

SAN FRANCISCO--The mobile Web is in its infancy, according to Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Chrome and Apps at Google, adding that this market will flourish over the next three to five years.

Pichai sat down for a chat during the closing keynote discussion of the 2012 Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference on Thursday afternoon.

For critics who would ask what is there left to innovate with a browser, Pichai retorted that even though browsers have been around for 15 years, if you make the experience better, people will respond.

There are roughly 200 million Chrome users worldwide, … Read more

It's so hard to keep secrets on the Internet--just ask Samsung, which has been having a hard time keeping the (allegedly) upcoming Galaxy Note 10.1 under wraps today.

This morning, The Verge first noticed that an invite to a Samsung developer event at this month's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona mentioned that the "Galaxy Note 10.1" will be exhibited in Spain this month, along with the "S Pen SDK." That's the development kit for the stylus that also accompanies the original Galaxy Note (a smartphone with a 5.3-inch screen that goes on sale for AT&T Sunday) .… Read more

Smartphone users champing at the bit for the next iPhone could get a taste of it by June.

The latest rumors about Apple's flagship phone suggest that the iPhone 5 could be announced in June at Apple's next Worldwide Developers Conference. This latest report comes from analysts at Daiwa Securities as reported by the Chinese newspaper Commercial Times.

The folks at 9to5Mac are predicting that WWDC will be held from June 10 to 15 this year.

The new scuttlebut follows a recent report from 9to5Mac also pointing to a summer release for the next iPhone. Citing a "… Read more

Since Jeff can't attend the 26th annual Game Developers Conference on March 5 in San Francisco, we're doing the next best thing and bringing part of the show to him!

General Manager Meggan Scavio is our guest today and we're getting all the details on the upcoming show, like the split among console, PC, and mobile gaming, the rise of independent game developers, and sequelmania! We'll also rant about 3D games and the convergence of the film and gaming industries.

She'll also join us in the second half of the podcast where we'll run … Read more

LAS VEGAS--In a joint CES press conference today, Ford Motor and NPR announced that streaming news is coming "straight to the dashboard."

NPR's new app will work with Ford's in-car control system, Sync AppLink, even those without a touch-screen interface, and is intended to be less distracting to the driver as it's based on voice command. Users can set favorite stations and programs in the app to be browsed later using the car's steering wheel controls. Apps are available immediately in the Android Market and iTunes App Store.

NPR played up the ability to … Read more

Fujifilm took to the stage at CES to unveil its X-Pro1, a mirrorless camera that will set you back an estimated $1,700 for the body alone.

Lenses--and there will initially be three of them, though no zooms--will go for about $650 apiece, the company said. The camera and initial lenses are due in February, with pricing to be firmed up in late January.

Zoom lenses won't appear until 2013. At its press conference here, the company said it's aiming the camera at wedding and portrait photographers.

Last year, the Tokyo-based camera maker debuted a whopping 16 new point-and-shoot models, … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Remember when I said that CES 2012 would be a veritable car show?

Well, it looks like I was right, because one of the first press conferences of the big show was held tonight by none other than General Motors for its OnStar telematics and vehicle concierge service. OnStar announced that it is opening its service to third-party developers--with the car-sharing service RelayRides the first of them.

Following is the live blog of that press event. You can also check out our recap of the OnStar news for further details.