phone

My iPhone 5's got a V-8

For the last week, my iPhone has been sporting a case designed to look like an engine's head gasket. The maker, ID America, calls it a V-8, but as I've only got one phone, it's a four-banger.

The Gasket V8 case, as ID America calls it, is a nice variation on the competition, usually plastic or rubber with decorations consisting of simple prints and decals. This one is made of metal stamped through with four cylinder holes and apertures for cooling, oil, and bolts.

For variation, it comes in silver, charcoal, red, yellow, or blue. You will … Read more

Verizon Cloud adds online storage for iOS devices

iPhone and iPad owners can now use Verizon Cloud to back up key information from their devices.

The cloud-based system debuted late last month for Verizon subscribers using specific Android devices. As of yesterday, an app is also available for iOS users.

Owners of Samsung's Galaxy S4 and HTC's Droid DNA can also now access Verizon Cloud through its Android app via Google Play. Verizon provides a full list of compatible devices via the Check your Device button on its Verizon Cloud Web site.

Before you can tap into the app, you first need to sign up for … Read more

Best Buy to shave $50 off iPhone starting May 26

Consumers looking for an iPhone or certain Android phone may want to check out the latest sale at Best Buy come Sunday.

Starting May 26, buyers can save $50 off the price of an iPhone 5, 4S, or 4 with the usual two-year contract through Verizon Wireless, AT&T, or Sprint.

Those interested in an Android phone instead can score deals as well. Starting Sunday, the retailer will chop $50 off the Samsung Galaxy S3, selling the phone for $49 with the standard two-year agreement through AT&T or Sprint. The HTC Droid DNA will sell for $49 … Read more

AT&T's GoPhone prepaid service adds 4G support

iPhone owners will finally be able to tap into all the benefits of AT&T's prepaid GoPhone plan.

As of Friday, GoPhone customers who activate an iPhone will be able access data over the network. The same holds true for those who activate other 4G devices as GoPhone now supports AT&T's 4G LTE and HSPA+ networks. Previously, owners of 4G devices who subscribed to GoPhone didn't have access to network data.

To hop onto the plan, subscribers must already own an off-contract iPhone or other 4G device or buy one through AT&T … Read more

New iPhone 5 ad celebrates Generation Me-Me-Me, La-La-La

If you don't have (white) headphones in your ears, what kind of human being are you?

How can you possibly even classify yourself as human if you don't have a thousand playlists and ensure that every step you take, someone is playing to you?

The modern world is about creating your own soundtrack, in order to navigate its troubling paths and irritate fellow travelers.

Yes, you might be hugging your lover, but you have to be wearing your headphones and so does he. Otherwise, this isn't love. It's just a passing fling, free of melody.

This … Read more

iPhone 5 repairs won't come cheap

It's happened to a lot of people -- their iPhone drops from their hands, falls off their lap, plunks into a toilet, or gets knocked off a table.

Showing off a cracked iPhone screen is sometimes almost a point of pride. I have one friend who lovingly calls his damaged phone "The Hurt Locker," referring to the 2008 movie about a bomb disposal team working during the Iraq War.

But, many of these damaged iPhones cease to work after going through various mishaps. That's when repairs come into play -- and, they're not cheap.

Currently, … Read more

iPhone 5S and low-cost iPhone said to be multicolored

Apple's rumored iPhone 5S and low-cost iPhone are said to be coming in a rainbow of colors, according to an article by Macotakara.

While Apple has yet to confirm it's even producing the two new types of smartphone, rumors are flying about the phone's specs and appearance.

The low-cost iPhone, which is said to have a plastic shell rather than aluminum, could come in white, pink, green, blue, and yellow-orange -- or, navy, gold orange, white, and gray, according to MacRumors, which translated the Macotakara article. The phone is also speculated to cost around $350 to $400.… Read more

Get creative with iPhone videos using Montaj

There's no question that photo apps are extremely popular on mobile devices, which is leading to an explosion in video apps. Twitter launched its own Vine app, which allows users to create 6-second films and share them across Twitter and Facebook.

Another app, Montaj, is aiming to give iPhone users another option when it comes to getting creative with short videos, albeit in a longer form than the 6-second videos you'll find in Vine. Users are able to create short videos; the default limit of clips in a Montaj is 12 (adjustable to 36 in the settings), all … Read more

Pioneer AppRadio 3 debuts with MirrorLink connectivity

Pioneer pulls the wraps off of the third generation of of its app-powered series of car stereos this week with the announcement of the AppRadio 3. The new model adds a surprising new feature and a few others that I feel the line of receivers should have had all along.

AppRadio 3's biggest new party trick is the addition of the MirrorLink connectivity standard to its feature set. When connected to supported phones via USB, MirrorLink allows AppRadio to mirror the phone's display with touch sensitivity, putting the apps on the device at the user's fingertips. More … Read more

High-tech rifles let novices hit moving targets at long ranges

While 3D-printed guns have been grabbing most of the headlines lately, other types of firearms that make use of new technology are also hitting the scene.

TrackingPoint, a startup based in Austin, Texas, just began selling some of the most high-tech long-range shooting rifles available in the world -- they use 3D graphics, laser technology, and Wi-Fi, and allow users to live stream their exploits and post photos to social media and on personal devices.

"TrackingPoint introduces the world's first precision guided firearm -- the revolutionary new long-range shooting system that puts jet-fighter lock and launch technology in … Read more