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ESPOO, Finland -- The executive offices of Angry Birds creator Rovio were exactly how I imagined them.

There were stuffed Angry Birds plush toys everywhere. Flanking the reception desk were Angry Birds versions of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and his Storm Trooper, created for the recent Angry Birds-Star Wars mashup game.

To the left was a short wooden crate blanketed by tiny Angry Birds figurines. To the right was an upright showcase chiller stocked with Angry Birds-themed soda, which recently launched in Finland and now outsells Coke and Pepsi. On the opposite end of the office was a cabinet with … Read more

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.

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

HELSINKI, Finland -- Local startup Jolla believes what few others do: that even with four major smartphone operating systems vying for supremacy -- or just relevancy -- there is still room for one more at the party.

Jolla hopes to resurrect MeeGo, which was once considered Nokia's savior and next-generation platform before it was dumped for Windows Phone. The company, founded by former Nokia product engineers intimate with the development of MeeGo, brought back the community-driven successor as Sailfish late last month.

There isn't a better example of a David and Goliath story. Jolla is made up of … Read more

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

Not only was 2012 a great year for handset technology like bigger and crisper screens and amazing camera phone improvements, it also witnessed a number of top-notch smartphones that were excellent in and of themselves.

From a brawny battery that liberated users from worrying about their power reserves throughout the day, to a novel design that turned the go-to black rectangle aesthetic on its head, there were a number of handsets that wowed us and pushed the standards of smartphone excellence even higher.

But, what's a year without a few regrets? During our time reviewing exceptional handsets, we also … Read more

Japan already has the market cornered on fancy toilets, but there's always room for more potty innovations. A new line of toilets from Lixil will soon turn smartphones into commode controllers.

The Satis toilets are set for release in early 2013. Through the magic of Bluetooth and an accompanying Android app, users will have minute control over these high-tech privies.

The app can trigger a lifting of the toilet seat or a flush if you've forgotten (or don't want to touch the flusher). According to the promo video, it looks like the app can also control an extending bidet feature that looks absolutely frightening. … Read more

It was just a few weeks ago that I wrote about N2A Cards' new Android 4.1 upgrade options for the Barnes & Noble Nook Color and Nook Tablet.

Now the company offers a similar option for the Nook HD+ (by all accounts a fantastic tablet). Whether you're not a fan of Barnes & Noble's heavily modified (and, some would say, limited) version of Android or you just want the option of a more traditional Android tablet experience, there's now a plug-and-play solution.

Starting today, you can download one of N2A Cards' specialized image files, copy it … Read more

Sprint Nextel took another step toward securing its future by coming to an agreement with Clearwire to buy all of the remaining shares it doesn't already own.

The deal gives Sprint full control of Clearwire's impressive swath of spectrum, as well as its existing 4G WiMax network, which the company was planning to upgrade to 4G LTE next year. It also ends years of drama between the two companies, with Clearwire getting absorbed into Sprint.

So why does this matter? This deal has ramifications for consumers of both Sprint and Clearwire, and could have an impact on the … Read more

Research In Motion has officially announced a BlackBerry 10 event for January 30.

The company today sent out invitations to select media outlets, inviting them to Pier 36 in New York City that day for the global unveiling of BlackBerry 10: "You can see it first." RIM didn't provide any details on the event, but its tagline is, "Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented."

RIM announced last month that it would launch BlackBerry 10 on January 30. The company is expected to unveil a full touch-screen device and another that could resemble its current Bold handset.

BlackBerry 10 … Read more