phones

Did you find some variety of iOS device under the tree this week? If so, you've likely spent more than a fair amount of time trolling through the App Store in search of apps for your new toy. If you feel you've exhausted your search efforts in the App Store, give Hip by Kinetic a try. This free app points you toward new and interesting apps, pulling in recommendations from 10 tech blogs (CNET's own How To blog is not included, due to what I can only imagine was a gross oversight). It also lets you build … Read more

A surge in thefts of iPhone and iPads is responsible for a slight uptick in New York City's overall crime rate, according to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Apple's products were the preferred mobile device target of many thieves in the city, Bloomberg noted during his weekly radio address, according to the New York Times.

Statistics published by the New York Police Department revealed that as of Monday, there were 3,484 more major crimes reported in 2012 than for the same period last year. During that time, the city experienced 3,890 more thefts of Apple products. … Read more

Apple's iPad Mini is creating a frenzy among Chinese tablet buyers, according to Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White.

Checks of retailers in China and Hong Kong show "an insatiable appetite" for the Mini, leading to a supply shortage, White said in an investors note out today. Stores in China are out of stock, while those in Hong Kong are sold out of nearly all flavors of the 7-inch tablet.

The iPad Mini is proving much more popular in China and Hong Kong than its bigger 4th-generation brother, which remains in stock.

"Prior to the China … Read more

The pragmatic and the weak tend to believe that if you can't beat them, you should join them. However, a significant number of the world's humans would just as soon carry on beating them.

Please choose sides, then, on a subject that may divide the artistic community from here to eternity.

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis is the latest to offer something that might stick in a throat or two: tweet seats.

Yes, this is a specially cordoned-off pen in which digital obsessives whip out their iPhones and tweet: "Oh, look. The fat lady's dead!" … Read more

Apple certainly enjoyed a jolly Christmas, at least to judge from its App Store downloads.

Data out yesterday from mobile analytics firm Distimo revealed an 87 percent jump in iPhone and iPad app downloads on Christmas Day as compared with the average for the month. Sales from all those downloads rose by 70 percent on December 25.

The iPad seemed to be an especially popular gift this season, according to Distimo. App downloads for Apple's tablet lineup grew by 140 percent on Christmas compared to the monthly average, while revenue for iPad apps shot up by 83 percent.

Among … Read more

If you ever needed to transfer a file from one Android device to another, you have probably wished that this app existed. Wifi File Transfer for Phone sets up your own private cloud between the two devices in the same Wi-Fi network and lets you transfer your files without much hassle.

Wifi File Transfer for Phone has a slick layout with bright colors and easy-to-read, intuitive icons. Once the app is set up, the devices can openly browse files between each other. Once the user finds a file they want, they simply select it for download and wait. If you … Read more

When I first read Rafe Needleman's tweet where he encouraged his iPhone to dance, I shrugged it off. Then I clicked on the cycloramic.com link in the tweet and watched one of the videos posted on the site. I shook my head in disbelief as I watched an iPhone 5 spin in a circle -- hands-free -- while standing on end. I was convinced there had to be some sort of special effects or movie magic going on. Obviously this was a prank. Right?

Boy was I wrong. So I followed the link to the App Store, forked … Read more

A few weeks ago, Facebook introduced the ability to sync photos taken on your iPhones, iPads, and Android phones to your Facebook account automatically. Jason Cipriani describes how to enable the feature in "Getting started with Facebook photo sync on Android, iPhone."

Your smartphone or tablet might prompt you to activate the service, which uploads via Wi-Fi or the cell network the most recent 20 photos taken with the device and all subsequent photos it takes. As Jason explains, the photos are stored in a private folder and aren't posted to your Facebook Timeline until you post … Read more

Windows Phone users can now find a wider array of apps in Microsoft's online phone store.

A new Microsoft blog post touting the growth of the Windows Phone store in 2012 revealed the latest facts and figures. Over the past year, Microsoft has published more than 75,000 new apps and games (which more than doubled the total number). And more than 300,000 app updates were added.

The average Windows Phone user has downloaded around 54 apps, according to Microsoft. Live Apps in particular have drummed up a lot of interest. Based on customer feedback, 85 percent of … Read more