android

MetroPCS announces mid-range ZTE Avid 4G

Although ZTE is pouring more money into high-end phones like the ZTE Warp Sequent, the Chinese manufacturer is still releasing entry to mid-level handsets as well.

Today, the prepaid carrier, MetroPCS, is offering the ZTE Avid 4G, a mid-range 4G LTE handset, for $149.

Running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the handset has a 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

It also has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a front-facing VGA camera.

In addition, its 4-inch TFT display has a 480x800-pixel resolution.

Other features include Wi-Fi hotspot, and joyn capabilities, which is MetroPCS' content sharing and chat client.

CloudOn MS Office app adds support for iPhone, SkyDrive

CloudOn's Microsoft Office app has expanded its horizons beyond just the iPad.

Released today, version 3.0 of CloudOn supports the iPhone, the iPad Mini, and the iPod Touch.

It handles the iPhone 5, taking advantage of the new phone's longer screen. There's also a special reading mode for the iPhone, so you can easily scroll through a document without the Ribbon or keyboard getting in the way.

The app has kicked in support for Microsoft's SkyDrive. That means you can store your documents on SkyDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or Box.

CloudOn lets you create and … Read more

Six features you don't want to miss in Android 4.2

Android 4.2 is full of new features, some are fairly minor, such as the Settings shortcut in the notification bar. Other features, such an improved photo editing process, are bound to have a bigger impact on the overall user experience.

Here are five new features you can find in Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, with the sixth item being a workaround should you decide against lock-screen widgets.

Developer Options Developer Options is an important settings menu for developers and those who like to fiddle with their Android device. For whatever reason in Android 4.2, Google hid the Developer … Read more

Phantom fighter: MeterPlug reports electric use in dollars

It's cold. I'm sitting here with a heating pad on my desk chair. I use it all the time, but I have no idea what its real impact on my electric bill is. The same goes for my LED Christmas tree and the glowing smartphone charger I leave plugged in all the time. The big mystery around the cost of electrical appliances could soon be cleared up if a little device called MeterPlug hits its fundraising goal on Indiegogo.

MeterPlug plugs into an outlet. You then plug your appliance directly into the MeterPlug. The gadget reports energy usage over Bluetooth to an app that translates the draw into actual dollars. You can manually enter your local electricity prices or use the app's average for your country.… Read more

One-third of all Android devices sold in China

China is now the world's largest Android market, market researcher Informa said today.

Informa estimates that about 786 million smartphones will be sold worldwide by the end of the year, up 45 percent compared with 2011. Total Android-based smartphone sales this year will hit 461 million units. One-third of all of the Android devices sold in 2012 were sold in China, making it the world's largest Android market.

That figure becomes all the more staggering when one considers that the United States is in second place with 11 percent of all Android device sales this year.

The fact … Read more

Samsung announces Galaxy Grand: 5-inch Jelly Bean-powered smartphone

Samsung today unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Grand smartphone, which runs the Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean mobile operating system and sports a 5-inch WVGA display.

The smartphone also features a powerful dual-core 1.2GHz processor, along with 1GB of RAM, an 8-megapixel rear camera offering 1080p video recording and a 2-megapixel front camera.

It also includes 8GB of internal memory with a microSD memory expansion slot, Wi-Fi b/g/n, GPS functionality, and the usual perks, such as an accelerometer, compass, and gyroscopic sensor.

The Galaxy Grand also connects to high-speed HSPA+ networks, but falls short of offering 4G … Read more

Nokia CEO: We have to move with more urgency (Q&A)

Nokia has undergone a significant cultural and identity shift under the leadership of CEO Stephen Elop.

Elop didn't wait too long after he joined the company in September 2010 as CEO to make a splash. Five months into his tenure, he decided to drop the company's home-grown next-generation platform for Windows Phone, which just so happens to be created by his former employer.

Read: Nokia on the edge: Inside an icon's fight for survival

But perhaps it's the changes within Nokia that will ultimately have the largest impact in the company's bid to turn itself … Read more

Nokia on the edge: Inside an icon's fight for survival

HELSINKI, Finland -- I came here to listen for a death rattle.

It was a late Monday morning in late November when I arrived, and there was no sunlight. None. The sky was gray, bleaching out the city's colorful buildings. I asked the cab driver whether it would get any brighter, but he wasn't confident. The sun comes up late in the day and fades early in the afternoon this time of year. As even the Finns concede with a stoic chuckle, it's depressing.

Unsurprisingly, it's considered the worst time of the year to travel to … Read more

How to send a Square gift card

The ability send and process gift cards were recently added by Square as an additional service for its merchants. The process is simple, but requires you to download and install the Square Wallet app (iOS, Android) on your smartphone.

Once you have Square Wallet installed you'll need to set up an account, complete with your payment information. You can then find a local store listed in Square Wallet, such as a coffee shop or bookstore, open the respective card for that business, and then tap "Send Gift Card." Enter the recipient's information, select an amount and … Read more