devices

Mobile devices have surpassed magazines and newspapers in grabbing our time each day, says a new study from market researcher eMarketer.

On average, U.S. consumers now spend around an hour every day with their mobile phones, a 30 percent rise from last year.

In contrast, people are spending only 44 minutes a day reading newspapers and magazines, a small drop from last year. But the results stemming back from 2008 show a sharp rise for mobile devices and a steady decline for print publications.

Despite the popularity of mobile devices, people are still spending much more time watching TV … Read more

The jailbreak community has completed a safe, untethered jailbreak update for iOS 5.0.1, according to community hacker pod2g, who confirmed the process on his iPhone 4.

While the jailbreak for iOS 5.0.1 was available last week, the untethered version had just been confirmed Sunday by pod2g. As with most jailbreaks, when Apple releases an update to iOS, those who have hacked their phones must wait for the jailbreak community to engineer a suitable upgrade.

If users update their iPhones or iPads before the jailbreak update is ready, they will lose their hacked systems, reverting back to … Read more

In a series of patent applications, Apple has outlined how it plans to combat noisy environments by using voice recognition to activate and control noise-cancellation technologies.

By changing the noise-cancellation process to fit specific voices, Apple thinks it can better manage noise-ridden spaces, especially for mobile devices while making calls or recording voice memos.

Four patent applications relating to this technology were uncovered by AppleInsider at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office:

Tablet owners are quite comfortable buying goods and services through their devices, a trend that's fueling the growth in mobile shopping, says mobile media firm JiWire.

As tablet ownership has doubled over the past year, a new study from JiWire found that 82 percent of tablet users are OK buying items through their mobile devices (either tablets or smartphones), compared with 76 percent of smartphone users.

Further, tablet owners aren't afraid to spend big bucks. A full 67 percent of the tablet users are willing to spend $50 or more on a purchase, compared with just 57 percent … Read more

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--With the Nokia Research Center leading the way, the Finnish handset manufacturer could be headed down one twisted road--and we mean that in a good way.

Since its founding in 1986, the NRC has been charged with developing mobile technology through the exploration of science. The center recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, and to commemorate the milestone, Nokia hosted various events around the world. CNET got to take part in the U.S. celebrations at Nokia's Sunnyvale, Calif., headquarters yesterday, where we got to check out some of the latest innovations from the NRC. … Read more

Your power management could be getting a whole lot smarter. Apple has just been granted a patent that details an intelligent dock connector able to properly adjust power levels for multiple connected devices from a single outlet source.

As with other power-related patents that Apple has applied for in the past, the technology involved here seems to be exactly the kind of thing people, including myself, have been waiting for. In a time when everything needs to be charged, be it a MacBook Pro, an iPad 2, or an iPhone 4S, having a one-and-done solution is certainly the solution many … Read more

One of the major improvements for both iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S was made in the area of photography. Upgraded camera specs on the new iPhone 4S and improved software in iOS 5 make taking pictures much more appealing from your phone. These tips can help even further, giving users greater options when producing photos.

1. Use your software shutter-release button. This is the basic iOS function that has been included since the very beginning. Open the camera app, adjust your frame and zoom level, then press the camera icon. For better shake control, try pressing and holding the … Read more

Research In Motion now aims to support both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets--a break from the company's previous BlackBerry-only focus.

RIM introduced today BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, a mobile device management service that takes advantage of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology to track and monitor different phones and tablets.

With BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, RIM is attempting to preserve its hold over the business customer even as more of them leave the BlackBerry fold for other flashier devices. Mobile Fusion allows RIM to play a role in companies and government agencies, even if its BlackBerrys are no longer used. For … Read more

Wireless Internet is becoming essential for most of us, yet it remains a bit like black magic.

For a lot of people, terms like 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi are cryptic or just barely understood. How do they differ? When do you use each? And why do we even have to think about wireless connections so much? Brian Cooley explains what the different types of wireless do and how to use them. … Read more