unlocked

Best Buy and eBay CEOs tell mobile operators they need to change

BARCELONA, Spain--Wireless operators need to stop locking devices and offering overly complicated data plans. That's the message from Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn and eBay CEO John Donahoe here at Mobile World Congress.

Dunn and Donahoe took the stage today as part of a panel discussion about mobile payments. While the CEOs talked a lot about how shopping and payments are changing thanks to mobile devices, they also took a few jabs at wireless operators, challenging them to become more open to help spur greater adoption of their services across a broad range of devices.

While the mobile phone … Read more

Google files for slide-to-unlock patent as Apple battle heats up

Who would have thought a simple slide-to-unlock gesture would be so important?

Google last week saw a patent it filed for back in 2010 published that describes a manner in which users interact with a smartphone--or PC--to unlock the device and perform at least one command. According to the patent filing, the commands can be anything from placing a phone call to opening an application.

The publication is a key step in Google acquiring the patent, since it establishes full prior art for any other patent applications that might pop up worldwide.

Unlike typical unlocking mechanisms, which bring users back … Read more

The 404 994: Where we need to talk (podcast)

Leaked from 404 Podcast 994:

Apple asks bankruptcy court for OK to sue Kodak for infringement. Leaning back from your PC screen can help you decide when shopping online. Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat might actually happen. Call of Duty: Black Ops has the best game ending of all time, Guinness World Records says. Bathroom break video 1: I'll call you right back. Bathroom break video 1: Even dogs cry to Adele.

The 404 993: Where we smell the roses (podcast)

If you're burning to spend this Valentine's Day, Pizza Hut has a $10,000 engagement party package that includes a personal fireworks display, a one-topping pizza, and bread sticks with icing to prep your stomach for a lifetime of loneliness. … Read more

'Reverse smudge engineering' foils Android unlock security

Eat a lot of potato chips? Then consider avoiding one of the ways Google offers to unlock an Android device.

Google's mobile operating system lets people unlock devices by swiping a particular pattern across a three-by-three grid of dots. But Android evangelist Tim Bray raised a concern about "reverse smudge engineering" to figure out the unlock pattern.

"A couple of colleagues had my original Galaxy Tab and needed to use it for something, but I wasn't there. They managed to figure out my pattern by looking at the fingerprints on the glass, and it only … Read more

T-Mobile to improve support for unlocked iPhone users

Starting January 30, T-Mobile plans to offer additional support for the over 1 million iPhone users that have unlocked their device for use on its network. T-Mobile watchblog TmoNews was able to obtain company documents detailing the new support policies.

According to the document (pictured above), the additional support will include "common procedures, information about feature and specifications, and other device questions."

To help iPhone users feel even more welcome, T-Mobile plans to create the support pages to look like the current T-Mobile Community pages. Other benefits of the increased support listed on the document include:

The customer … Read more

Apple uses 'slide to unlock' patent in lawsuit against Galaxy Nexus

In October 2011, Apple won a patent detailing the method of sliding an onscreen mark to unlock the iOS operating system on a mobile device. Now, just four months later, Samsung's Galaxy Nexus is coming under fire for violating that patent.

As Samsung and Apple have been going head-to-head in court lately, this should come as little surprise. The latest battlefield was in Germany where Samsung was hoping to stop Apple from selling the iPhone, a fight that Samsung ultimately lost. In response, Apple broke out one of its biggest patent wins of 2011, the "slide to unlock&… Read more

Will Verizon unlock my iPhone 4S?

Swapping out your SIM card on your iPhone 4S when you travel abroad is a good way to avoid expensive roaming charges. But whether you can do it, and on which carrier it's allowed, can be confusing.

In this edition of Ask Maggie I answer what should be a simple and straight-forward question about whether a Verizon Wireless iPhone 4S can be used overseas on a foreign carrier's network. I also offer some advice to another reader looking for voice-only service with a smartphone on T-Mobile's prepaid plans.

Confusion around unlocked iPhones

Hi Maggie, I love your … Read more

How to use face unlock on the Galaxy Nexus

The face unlock feature on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus may not be the most secure method to keep your data safe, but it's still fun to see in action.

You can set up face unlock on the Galaxy Nexus in a few simple steps.

Go to Settings and tap on Security. Select Screen Lock Tap on Face Unlock Follow the rest of the prompts on the screen to complete the setup process. Once you are done, you will be asked to enter either a pattern or a pin code as a backup unlock method should there be any issues … Read more

How to easily root your Galaxy Nexus

Unlocking the bootloader and rooting an Android device can be a bit intimidating, if not overwhelming, for those who don't feel comfortable with both the jargon and using the command line to carry out the process.

Even with the most thorough of guides, sometimes the easiest thing to do is wait for a streamlined solution to be released.

In the case of the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, an automated method for unlocking the bootloader as well as rooting is now available. Wug's Galaxy Nexus root toolkit was released earlier in the week, affording Galaxy Nexus owners the ability to … Read more