Smartphones

View live weather conditions on your iOS device with Weathertron

There are plenty of ways to get a weather report for your current location. When it comes to getting timely forecast that could potentially save you from getting caught in a downpour, one of the more reliable sources comes from The Dark Sky Company and Forecast.io.

By making the same API that Forecast.io uses available to developers, it gives any developer the chance to integrate weather forecasts into an any app. A new app, named Weathertron, was created by a couple of self-proclaimed "data visualization nerds" and has done just that.

Using the same data that … Read more

Meet SK Telecom's tiny Smart Beam pico projector

SHANGHAI, China -- Fancy a portable projector that you can bring anywhere in your pocket? SK Telecoms' Smart Beam projector may be just the device you are looking for.

Measuring 4.5cm (1.77 inches), the wide, cube-shaped beamer fit nicely in my palm. Weighing just 126g (4.4 ounces), it's as light as most mobile phones. The Smart Beam supports the MHL connectivity interface, and you can use any smartphone that supports this standard to connect to the pico projector.

Other key specifications include a battery life of 120 minutes, VGA native resolution, and 35 lumens of brightness … Read more

FingerQ adds fingerprint sensor to Android phones

SHANGHAI, China -- FingerQ, a company based in Hong Kong, has made a series of Android cases that come with biometric fingerprint sensors for added security. The sensors don't replace the built-in security features of your Android phone (unlocking your smartphone still uses the passcode or pattern unlock), but adds another layer of protection for chats and applications.

The FingerQ system will be available as an accessory called the PrivacQ case and caters to phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, and Note 2, as well as the HTC One. The fingerprint sensor is just one part of the equation, as the company's software also needs to be installed on the handset for the system to work. … Read more

Rumor Has It: How much better will the iPhone 5S' better camera be?

Last week, Facebook announced video capabilities for Instagram, which nobody was surprised about. But I was a little surprised that the presentation ended with that. I was sure that the company would also announce its answer to Google Reader. Lo and behold, recent rumors suggest that Facebook still has a Reader of its own up its sleeve.

Google could be working its own version of Pinterest, called Google Mine. It would be integrated with Google+, and it could have its own Android app. Of course!

And finally, there's that little gleaming unicorn that everyone is speculating about, the iPhone 5S. Recent rumors suggest that it'll have a boosted camera, jumping 12 megapixels from the iPhone 5's 8. What do you think of those specs? Does it sound likely? Leave a comment below, and don't forget to vote in the poll!

4G LTE enabled ZTE Imperial available online for 1 cent

U.S. Cellular announced today that it has begun offering the 4G LTE-enabled ZTE Imperial online for 1 cent with a two-year contract. The device will be available in retail stores starting Thursday.

The midlevel handset runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and sports a 4-inch WVGA touch screen.

Powering the phone is a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and a 2,500mAh battery (which has an impressive reported usage time of up to 12 hours).

Users will also get a 5-megapixel camera, 4GB of onboard memory along with a microSD card slot for expandable memory, and 1GB of RAM.

While … Read more

How to stop your friends from checking you in on Foursquare

Foursquare on Tuesday released an update to both its Android and iOS apps, giving users the ability to check their friends into a venue, without their friends having to do a thing. According to Foursquare, the ability to check in friends is the most requested feature to date. Well, those who sent in the requests can now be happy, but for those who would rather have control over their digital whereabouts -- you'll need to disable the feature.

The first time a friend attempts to check you into a venue, you'll receive an alert asking you to approve … Read more

Google's Samsung Galaxy S4 now available in Google Play

Editors' note: For this review, I focused on how the Samsung Galaxy S4 Play Edition differs from the carrier-branded version of the handset. For our complete assessment of the original Galaxy S4's design, features, and performance, please see our full review.

High-end, powerful, and completely Google-fied, the unlocked variant of the popular Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available from Google Play.

Announced during Google I/O in May and shipping out to customers beginning July 9, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Play Edition remains largely the same as the original S4. It still sports a quad-core processor and a … Read more

Sprint to offer Windows Phone 8 devices with unlimited 4G LTE

Looking for a smartphone with no data caps? Sprint has a couple of new candidates lined up.

The HTC 8XT and Samsung Ativ S Neo, both Windows Phone 8 handsets, will be available sometime this summer through Sprint's self-dubbed Truly Unlimited plan. Offered in select markets, the plan promises unlimited 4G LTE data use with no overage charges. The cost rings in at $79.99 per month for an individual user and 179.98 per month for a three-line family plan.

Sporting a 4.3-inch WVGA display, the HTC 8XT is powered by a 1.4GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon … Read more

India overtakes Japan as third largest smartphone market

India is now the third biggest smartphone market in the world.

During the first quarter of 2013, smartphone sales in India jumped by 163 percent over the prior year's quarter, Strategy Analytics said on Wednesday. In comparison, smartphone volume over the same period rose by 86 percent in China, 24 percent in Japan, and 19 percent in the United States. The global average came in at 39 percent.

India's surge in smartphone use helped it swipe the third spot from Japan for the first time ever. It now ranks behind the U.S. in first place and China … Read more

Basis Band gains fresh style

Basis Science, the maker of the Basis Band fitness gadget, announced today three splashy wrist straps. The company hopes the straps will bring a fresh dose of chic to the fitness-minded smartwatch.

Named with evocative titles such as Electric Spring, Carbon Steel, and Cityscape, each strap accessory features a distinctive aesthetic. Cityscape ($34.95) uses a black and white street scene motif, whereas Carbon Steel ($49.95) is made from stainless steel and soft silicone.

The Electric Spring strap ($34.95) is the most daring of all, with wildly colored patterns reminiscent of ink drops and flowers.

If you're … Read more