Smartphones

This might be one of the most fruitful ads Google has ever enjoyed. And it wasn't even created by Google.

According to NBC Bay Area News, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was on the set of an education program called "NBC Class Action" when he was asked an entirely innocent question: what is your favorite gadget?

Wozniak reportedly replied: "Well, it's the latest one. It's a non-Apple product, but it's a gadget that just came out yesterday."

You will be stunned into February to hear that this remark was made the day after … Read more

CLARIFICATION: 1/15/10 at 2:50 pm PT. The video notes that Firefox mobile appears to only work in landscape mode. This is because the Nokia N900 doesn't support portrait mode.

The way development is going at Mozilla, it won't be long before we see the first full release of Firefox for a mobile device. Actually, two releases. Mozilla is making its browser's first mobile entrant Nokia's N900 and N810 Internet Tablet, both running on the Linux-based Maemo operating system.

This First Look video shows off the point Mozilla has reached so far in Firefox … Read more

While flying to Las Vegas for CES 2010, I came across a great article in "The Economist" that described how culture affects cell phone use around the world. Not a groundbreaking concept, I know, but the article gave a fascinating look at just how differently cell phones are used across the planet.

Indeed, as the number of cell phone subscribers worldwide climbs above 4.6 billion, culture plays a role in everything from where callers use the phone to how they use voice mail. Even the very word that cultures use to describe the device says something. For … Read more

Verizon Wireless today changed prices for its monthly unlimited and prepaid calling plans. The plans will be available to new and current customers; existing subscribers can adopt a new plan without extending their current contract.

Beginning Monday, Nationwide Unlimited Talk plans for individuals (that's voice calls only) will cost $69.99 per month. If you want messaging, you'll need to pay for them individually or add a texting plan. On the other hand, you can get both voice and messaging with a Nationwide Unlimited Talk & Text plan for $89.99 per month.

Groups on a family plan … Read more

If you've been discounting Seesmic's Twitter app for BlackBerry because of its spare tweeting features, you wouldn't be alone. As one of the newer Twitter apps for BlackBerry, Seesmic started out thin but has been steadily picking up features since its initial November '09 release.

A Thursday update to Seesmic for BlackBerry fills in some big coverage holes missing from Seesmic's proficient desktop tweeter for Windows and Mac. It may be time for those heavy Twitter users among you to get Seesmic back on your radar, if not on your BlackBerry.

Retweeting is Seesmic's main … Read more

We've spent more than a week with our Nexus One, but still we've been unable to sync a Yahoo Mail account with the phone. Each time that we tried (we've used two accounts), we received an alert that the phone does not support all Yahoo Mail. That's the first time we've seen such an alert on a Google Android handset, or any smartphone for that matter, so it was a little troubling. We pressed ahead anyway, but were told that our user name and password were incorrect (they were not).

Unfortunately, neither Google nor Yahoo … Read more

If you could download only one application for the BlackBerry smartphone, which would you choose? For many people, the single-must-have add-on is Google Mobile App. An update Thursday, to version 3.5.48, makes the free download even more useful.

Now, Google Mobile App will search through your phone's e-mail and address book--in addition to the Web--when you type or speak a name into the search bar. What's more, the e-mail address or phone contact appears in the app's search suggestions after you type (denoted by a tiny icon).

The latest version of Google's mobile app responds to keywords as well as names, with unobtrusive (read: minuscule) icons that match the keyword you entered to the content of your address book records or e-mails. That's in addition to retuning a full Web search.

You're able to call one of your contact's numbers or launch an SMS from Google Mobile App.

In addition, Google Mobile App contains a quick link for replying to an e-mail, which you can also convert to a forwarded message by going through the menu options.

Toggling between Web and device search results is made possible by clicking a "breadcrumb" link that appears in the search box.

Not everyone will want to open up Google Mobile App in order to seek out e-mail messages and buddies, but we're impressed on the whole with the phone search feature's quickness and efficiency. … Read more

Though the MotoBlur interface is a highlight of the Google-Android-powered Motorola Cliq, I wasn't sure if I liked it during my first experience with the phone. I enjoyed the capability to merge my contacts from various sources and access a universal in-box for e-mail and messages, but the constant flow of information seemed a bit overwhelming.

Now fast-forward three months. After spending a few weeks with the Cliq as a personal phone (I like to mix it up), I've changed my mind. MotoBlur can be convenient, informative, and a time-saver, as long as you use it wisely. Here's how.

The Happenings widget Moto pushes this as one of the best features of MotoBlur, but I would dump it immediately. It sits on the Cliq's central home screen and informs you of a variety of, well, happenings, from the essential to the exceedingly trivial. I enjoy knowing when a friend writes on my Facebook wall (that's the only social networking site I use), but I really don't care when some friend, distant or close, posts a new profile photo. What's more, I don't like that the Happenings widget can't screen out the friends that you've chosen to hide from your news feed (oh, come on, everyone does it).

Yes, I could just not look at the widget, but each "happening" causes the Cliq's LED above the display to flash. And while I could turn off the light, I want it to alert me when I have an e-mail from my partner or boss. The best solution is to drag the widget off the home screen. You still can access it from the main menu, but it's not always there flashing in your face.

Universal in-box This is my favorite MotoBlur feature. I love that the Messages widget combines my Outlook e-mail, Yahoo e-mail, text messages, and Facebook messages into one place. Gmail is not included, a fault that I hope is fixed soon, but I can scan through my latest communications and reply as needed.… Read more

First the divas and now the rockers. On Thursday, T-Mobile announced that it will release a special edition of the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G that has been redesigned in partnership with renowned guitar manufacturer, Fender.

The myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition model will be available starting on January 20 for $179.99 with a two-year contract and features a new sunburst finish inspired by Fender guitars as well as a number of enhancements centered around, not surprisingly, music. For one, the phone now has a 3.5mm headphone jack and also ships with a 16GB microSD card for storing all your … Read more