Spotify finally comes to Windows Phone 8

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Music, Software,

Windows Phone 8 users have been patiently waiting for Spotify to hit the platform, and the day has finally arrived. You can download the beta Spotify app to get your subscription music streaming on while simultaneously kicking Xbox Music to the curb. The wait was due to the Windows Phone 7 Spotify app being built by a third party and paid for by Microsoft, in an attempt to just get Spotify onto its phones, and since Windows Phone 8 is a totally different platform, the app needed to be rewritten from scratch. Not sure why that garish pus-yellow background needed to be included, but we guess beggars can't be choosers.

Read More | Windows Phone Blog

Rumors of iPhone 5S and 4.94-inch iPhone 6 surface

Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Rumors,

The rumor mill is churning again, and it's saying that not just one, but two new iPhone models may see daylight in 2013. The two iPhones are rumored to be the iPhone 5S and a new 4.94-inch iPhone 6 (or iPhone +.)

This information comes courtesy of laoyaoba.com and a source claiming to have seen the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 at Apple suppliers. The source also claims the iPhone 5S resembles the iPhone 5, and that the iPhone 6 is the lightest and thinnest iPhone to date.

The report states that Apple is planning to bring the iPhone 5S to market this year, no surprise there. The larger iPhone +, however, is supposedly to be released as a backup against the rising popularity of larger Android phones.

Hit the source to see mocked images of what a bigger iPhone would look like.

Read More | Macro

Mophie Juice Pack Helium arrives to keep iPhone 5 charged

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds,

The iPhone 5 launched four months ago, and power users everywhere have been waiting for a compatible Mophie Juice Pack--the wait is over, as the Juice Pack Helium for iPhone 5 has arrived, supporting the new Lightning Connector. Packing a 1,500mAh batter, the Juice Pack Helium more than doubles the battery life of the iPhone 5. This means you get 6 more hours of talk time, or 6 more hours of web browsing. Like the older models, you can charge and sync the iPhone with the Juice Pack Helium on it through micro USB. Mophie is taking orders now, and the $79.95 Juice Pack Helium should ship later this week.

Read More | Mophie

Valentine’s Day Giveaway: Red Nokia Lumia 920

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Announcements, Smartphones, Features, Microsoft,

Yes - we're giving away a Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone, running Windows Phone 8 for Valentine's Day! Seriously, February is the month of red, and we've got the perfect smartphone for you to match. The Noka Lumia 920 runs on the AT&T network, and supports LTE.

So, how do you enter to win the Nokia Lumia 920? Simply use the widget below to keep track of your entries! We've got a lot of ways for you to enter, but don't check off any that you don't actually perform. If you do, you'll be eliminated:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

By the way, if you wanna pick up a Lumia 920 on your own, AT&T is currently running a buy 1, get 1 special, meaning you walk away with two Lumia 920 devices for the price of one through February 21st.

Why did Nokia review its own Lumia 620 on its own site?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Can someone explain to me why Nokia is now reviewing its own Windows Phone smartphones on its own corporate blog? This just screams conflict of interest. In fact, it doesn't appear that the reviewer had anything bad to say about the Nokia Lumia 620 - but hey, it matched the green jumper he happened to be wearing that day, so, that's something…right?

The company just changed the headline, removing the word "review" and replacing it with "hands-on" while adding this note to the post:

This article was first headlined as a ‘review’, obviously, it’s more of a hands-on account of Adam’s experiences and the headline has been changed to reflect that.

They don't seem to realize that, whether you call it a hands-on or a review, it is 100% biased. Seriously, the "reviewer" found nothing wrong and nothing about the device that could be improved. Horrible.

Read More | Nokia

Jailbreak your iOS 6 iPhone 5, iPad 4, iPad mini and more with evasi0n

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Mods / Hacks, Software,

The Evade3rs dev team has just released the first untethered jailbreak for the latest release of iOS, including devices that house an A6 or A6X processor. This means that owners of the iPhone 5, the iPad mini, and the 4th generation iPad can get in on the untethered jailbreak game. This means that you no longer need to connect to a computer each time you need to restart your device in order to maintain your jailbreak. That is good news!

Click to continue reading Jailbreak your iOS 6 iPhone 5, iPad 4, iPad mini and more with evasi0n

AnoStyle review: The iPhone 5 & iPad mini coloring service

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Design, Handhelds, Product Reviews,

Many would argue that the iPhone 5 is the most beautiful smartphone hardware from a design aesthetic. The black & slate and white & silver models look great from all angles. That said, some find them a bit boring. After all, Apple sells a colorful array of iPod touch, iPod nano, and iPod shuffle devices, so what gives with the iPhone 5 (and iPad mini, for that matter?) While Apple is content to provide two color options for its flagship smartphone and mini tablet, there's definitely a growing segment of people who want to be a bit more unique. That's where AnoStyle comes in. AnoStyle will take your iPhone 5 or iPad mini, and pretty it up in one of 12 different colors, making your device stand out from the crowd. We sent a couple of iPhones and an iPad mini in to get the AnoStyle makeover. How did they do? Follow along in our AnoStyle review for the answer.

Click to continue reading AnoStyle review: The iPhone 5 & iPad mini coloring service

Listen to a BlackBerry exec awkwardly ignore questions about Apple on BBC

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

Earlier today, BlackBerry (formerly RIM) announced the first two BlackBerry 10 devices in the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10. Shortly after, the company's European MD, Stephen Bates, appeared in a BBC radio show, and gets asked multiple times about what the company has learned from Apple and the iPhone over the past few years. That's where it gets awkward, since Bates no-sells the questions time and time again, ignoring the direct questions point blank. BlackBerry may have a couple of new devices and a new name, but the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Read More | BBC

BlackBerry Q10 keeps hardware QWERTY alive

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

While the BlackBerry Z10 was definitely the star of the show, the company also unveiled the BlackBerry Q10, featuring a hardware QWERTY keyboard and 3.1-inch display. With this device, BlackBerry (formerly known as RIM) makes it clear that it isn't ditching the hardware keyboard, making a device to cater to those who prefer it. The display is a 720 x 720 AMOLED screen, and it's all powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2 GB RAM. Like the Z10, LTE is on  board here as well, supporting AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless. One thing that BlackBerry left out here is the price of the Q10, but that should be coming soon enough. It should arrive in the US in April.

Click to continue reading BlackBerry Q10 keeps hardware QWERTY alive

BlackBerry Z10: 4.2-inch display, 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus, LTE, $199

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds,

This morning BlackBerry (formerly known as RIM) unveiled the first fully touch-based BlackBerry 10 device, the BlackBerry Z10. It's a handsome device, available in black and white, and matches what was previously leaked. They say that it's what's on the inside that counts, so let's dive in.

The BlackBerry Z10 sports a 4.2-inch 1280 x 768 display with a pixel density of 356 ppi (better than the iPhone 5 Retina display.) It's not a huge phone like the Galaxy Note II, but it does measure in at 5.13- x 2.6- x 0.37-inches, so it's a bit bigger than the Galaxy S III and iPhone 5 in terms of hardware dimensions. That said, it's a nice and light 138 grams. The Z10 is powered by a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Plus processor with 2 GB RAM to keep it speeding along. A removable 1800mAh batter is a nice touch, and you get a microSD slot that supports up to 32GB of additional storage, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. For optics, you can expect an 8-megapixel 1080p camera on the back, and a 2-megapixel shooter up front that records in 720p. This will also be the first BlackBerry with 4G LTE support for AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless.

The BlackBerry Z10 is set to launch in the US in March for $199.99, with the white version being touted as a Verizon exclusive.

Click to continue reading BlackBerry Z10: 4.2-inch display, 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus, LTE, $199