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Mark your calendars. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 explodes in stores on November 13 for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming systems.

Publisher Activision and developer Treyarch have revealed the next installment of the hugely popular first-person shooter with an enthralling new trailer that shows off the first fully futuristic Call of Duty game. Those ready to make the plunge can pre-order Black Ops 2, which costs the usual $59.99.

Set in the year 2025, the main story of Black Ops 2 revolves around the notion of a "21st Century Cold War."… Read more

All eyes are on Samsung this week as it unveils what has arguably become the company's most anticipated Android smartphone to date.

First, however, Sammy has a bit of software business to tend to. Indeed, Samsung Canada today announced that it is making Android 4.0 available to a number of smartphones and tablets in the Galaxy series.

Starting today and rolling out over the remainder of the quarter, Ice Cream Sandwich will deploy to notable devices north of the border, including the Galaxy S II, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Galaxy Note. Though the exact dates for the … Read more

Samsung is beating its Galaxy drum quite hard as it nears its new handset's launch day.

The company today launched a new teaser video -- the second related to its upcoming Unpacked 2012 event -- enticing people to acquire "truly smart technology" that can become a "natural part of life." The company doesn't show off the highly anticipated Galaxy S III, but takes viewers on a journey through space and finds a way to toss the Galaxy branding into the clip's text overlay.

One of the more notable additions to the video, however, … Read more

Most people switching to the Lumia 900 or HTC Titan II Windows Phone handsets are moving from the iPhone and Android, at least according to a poll by WPCentral.

Grabbing responses from more than 3,500 users at this point, WPCentral found almost 30 percent jumping ship from the iPhone and 27 percent from Android.

BlackBerry accounted for 10 percent, Nokia's Symbian almost 12 percent, and HP's WebOS a little more than 6 percent. That left almost 15 percent of Lumia 900 and Titan II adopters upgrading from feature phones.

The results aren't fully comprehensive since WPCentral … Read more

The 35th anniversary of the Apple II introduction today takes me back. I sold Apple IIs in high school. It was the best summer job I ever had, even if I didn't, at first, make much money selling them.

When the Apple II first came to our store, Computer Connection, it really didn't move at all. The little putty-colored console wasn't especially powerful or capable. Our store was in the middle of San Francisco's financial district, and the businessmen who came in to look around were, for the most part, more interested in the Northstars and … Read more

It was a good day for Microsoft and AT&T yesterday, when the carrier opened its registers for two 4G LTE Windows phones: the Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan II.

Both have the most recent version of Windows Phone OS, large screens over 4 inches, and 16GB of storage, with 25GB of extra storage online. Yet the Titan II lives up to its name with a hulk of a body, a mega 16-megapixel camera, and -- at least compared with the Lumia 900 -- a price tag to match.… Read more

Microsoft wants consumers to really get its pitch that Windows Phones are more efficient than rival smartphones and can thus create more free time for consumers.

To drum up attention for the recently launched Nokia Lumia 900 and HTC Titan II, Microsoft has set up "free-time machines" in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. They are essentially offering freebies for meals, personal shoppers, grocery delivery, cleaning, and dog walkers. Personal concierges are also on-hand to handle tasks like waiting in line for a burger.

The promotion is part of the core Microsoft strategy centered on the Windows Phones … Read more

When it comes to making money in the smartphone business, Apple and Samsung have a license to print money, while everyone else is holding a hat out for handouts.

Apple and Samsung accounted for 95 percent of the industry's profits in the fourth quarter -- with Apple generating 80 percent by itself -- as the rest of the players struggle for the scraps. Canaccord Genuity analyst Mike Walkley said yesterday that their percentage could rise even higher in the first quarter.

Just five years ago, Nokia and Research In Motion -- two companies now desperately looking for a comeback … Read more

The smartphone business has come down to a two-horse race: Apple vs. Samsung Electronics.

The companies are the only two that matter, at least from a profitability perspective. Combined, Apple and Samsung accounted for a stunning 95 percent of the handset industry's profits during the fourth quarter, according to a study Canaccord Genuity sent out by email.

By itself, Apple accounted for 80 percent of the profits in the period.

Profitability is a crucial measuring stick for handset makers, and hold significant sway on how companies approach the business and the kinds of products they device. A big profitability … Read more