Mobile
When Google killed its business, a startup hit the jackpot and became one of India’s profitable unicorns
Back in 2009, India was still far from becoming a global startup hub. The founders of India’s (now) most-funded internet startup, Flipkart, were only selling books online, and the country was nowhere on the radar of global players like Amazon.<p>But Piyush Shah took the plunge.<p>Giving up his cushy job …
StartupsGoogle is buying part of HTC’s smartphone team for $1.1 billion
The company is making a long-term investment in its own hardware<p>Google is making another big buy into smartphone hardware — or at least the people responsibly for creating it. The company has just confirmed that it plans to acquire part of HTC’s mobile division team. “These future fellow Googlers …
Mobile TechnologyThe 20 best smartphones in the world
Phew! Everyone make it through the annual summer smartphone drought?<p>OK, good, because a bunch of new smartphones have recently been announced and released this month, and it's time to rejigger this list.<p>We have a new top phone that replaces the Google Pixel, and we also had to make some tough …
PhonesReview: Galaxy Note 8 is Samsung’s best productivity phone I can’t afford
The Galaxy Note 7 was poised to be one of 2016’s best phones, but when a dangerous hardware defect sent some models up in flames, Samsung was quickly forced to pull it from the market. It was eventually revived in the form of the Galaxy Note Fan Edition, but limited availability and an aging design …
Gear & GadgetsMassive Pixel 2 Leak 'Confirms' Google's Expensive Secret
2017’s biggest remaining smartphone secret has been spilled. With the launch so close, we now know how much Google will charge for its hotly anticipated Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL and it’s not good news…<p>In two massive leaks Droid Life has learnt Google will follow in the footsteps of Samsung’s most …
PhonesHTC will have another flagship phone, even after billion-dollar deal with Google
HTC will persist as a smartphone maker into 2018<p>HTC and Google have just made official a $1.1 billion agreement whereby a substantial proportion of HTC’s smartphone design and engineering team will move to work for Google. While the specific details of the deal have not yet been disclosed, one …
Mobile Technology5 reasons to switch away from T-Mobile
T-Mobile doesn't work out for everyone.<p>Having phone service that's cheap <b>and</b> good is important.<p>Finding the right phone carrier is a pretty big deal. …
PhonesThe history of Android OS: its name, origin and more
Sometimes, it seems like we have had Android smartphones, tablets and other devices with Google’s mobile OS installed forever. However, it’s actually been less than 10 years since the first official Android phone made its debut for consumers to buy in stores. Google’s decision to make Android an …
Android LollipopGoogle Buys HTC Talent for $1.1 Billion to Spur Devices Push
Google agreed to buy part of HTC Corp.’s engineering and design teams for $1.1 billion to bolster the U.S. internet giant’s nascent hardware business.<p>…
Mobile TechnologyHTC suspends shares in wake of Alphabet takeover rumours
Taiwanese smartphone and VR headset maker could become in-house manufacturer for Google-branded products<p>Taiwanese smartphone and virtual reality headset manufacturer HTC will halt shares from Thursday, pending the “release of material” information following media reportsof a purchase by …
HTCAndroid One's first phone for the US is the Moto X4 for $399
These days, there is no shortage of well-made, mid-range phones that are affordable. (In fact, here are our favorite cheap phones to name a few.) But with Google's inclusion of the recently released Motorola Moto X4 into both its Android One and Project Fi endeavors, now there's one more compelling …
Mobile TechnologyMinecraft’s biggest update ever (happens today)
Today is the biggest day in Minecraft history – if you don’t count that one time the game went mobile. This is the first day when cross-platform play …
Nintendo SwitchShould You Buy An iPhone X?
It’s stunning. It’s elaborate. It’s got fancy features. The iPhone X is a truly amazing piece of technology. But should you shell out $999 for it? That’s a tougher question than you might think.<p>The elephant in the room is the iPhone 8. In terms of internal features, like processors, memory, and so …
PhonesGoogle Paid HTC $1.1 Billion To Turn Itself Into a Phone Maker
After years of half-heartedly and occasionally hamfistedly building gadgets, Google's finally all-in on the hardware game. Google will announce a …
GoogleYota unveils the third generation of its dual-screen phone
In a world where there are few differences between most flagship smartphones, the YotaPhone and its successor differed from the pack thanks to their …
PhonesAs Apple slows, fast-moving Chinese rivals gain in wealthy markets
HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Slowing innovation at iPhone maker Apple gives Asian rivals their best chance yet to conquer developed markets, retailers and consumers say - thanks to better designs and lower prices.<p>Apple last week unveiled new iPhones with wireless charging, an edge-to-edge screen …
News (China)Google signs $1.1bn HTC smartphone deal
<b>Alphabet's Google has struck a $1.1bn (£822m) deal with Taiwan's HTC to expand its smartphone business.</b><p>Google will not take a stake in the firm, but some HTC staff will join the Silicon Valley giant.<p>The Taiwanese company was once a major player in the smartphone market but has struggled to compete …
GoogleFull transcript: Recode’s Dan Frommer answers your iPhone X questions on Too Embarrassed to Ask
On the iPhone X: “[Apple] really changed, significantly, how you use the phone in two basic ways.”<p>This week on <b>Too Embarrassed to Ask</b>, <b>Recode’s</b> Kara Swisher and The Verge’s Lauren Goode are joined by <b>Recode</b> Editor in Chief Dan Frommer to talk about the latest Apple product announcements. Why did Apple …
PhonesGoogle bites off big piece of HTC in $1.1-billion bet on devices
Google is biting off a big piece of device manufacturer HTC for $1.1-billion to expand its efforts to build phones, speakers and other gadgets equipped with its arsenal of digital services.<p>The deal announced Thursday underscores how serious Google is becoming about designing its own family of …
GoogleSnapseed adds new photo filters and cleans up its interface
As smartphone cameras have beefed up, so have mobile photo editing apps. These days, both iOS and Android users are spoilt for choice. Those looking to make their Instagram posts pop, can choose from a range of free and premium software -- including Adobe's Lightroom and Photoshop Fix apps, VSCO, …
iPhoneographyYotaPhone is trying to make dual screens a thing for the third time
Remember YotaPhone, the brand that attempted to solve smartphone battery woes by adding a second e-ink screen on its phones’ rear panel? It’s back again with its third handset, which brings refreshed hardware and a new design, hoping third time’s the charm.<p>The all-aluminum Yota3 packs a 5.5-inch …
PhonesGoogle buying HTC smartphone unit for $1 billion
HTC will announce to investors that Google will acquire the Taiwanese business’s smartphone operations at the cost of $1 billion.<p>Reuters reports from …
Stock MarketsKymeta ships first 400 flat-panel antennas, confirms talks with OneWeb
LONDON — The first 400 flat-panel antennas developed by Redmond, Washington-based Kymeta Corp. have been shipped to customers in the past months as …
Yahoo’s former VP of Mobile launches YaDoggie, a dog wellness startup
Having successfully founded and exited a couple of software companies, Tomfoolery (sold to Yahoo) and Rally Up (sold to AOL), Sol Lipman has made his move into dog wellness with the launch of YaDoggie.<p>YaDoggie aims to help dog parents take a holistic approach to caring for their pups. And it has an …
StartupsMy Favorite Mobile Scanning Apps
Scanning documents on your smartphone has become a superior experience to using a flatbed scanner. It’s loads more convenient, you nearly always have it with you, and the scan quality has met — and in some cases surpassed — that of desktop models. I’ve tested out many of these scanning apps, and …
Google DriveTurning a garage into a designer home
Francesco Ceccarelli, an architect in Bologna, lives in a one-room apartment that used to be a garage. It takes a lot of work and creativity to turn …
HousesNew image of Huawei Mate 10 shows up
In just under a month from now, on October 16th, the Huawei Mate 10 will be officially announced by the Chinese manufacturer. We still do not know …
Evan BlassGoogle hires HTC's Pixel people to make one big happy handset team
As rumoured since early September, Google's decided to hire the HTC team that designs and builds its Pixel phones.<p>The ad giant's announcement says “ …
GoogleReview: $399 Apple Watch With Built-In Cellular Network Still Needs to Have Your iPhone Nearby
An hour of phone calls over LTE will drain your watch's battery.<p>A chief gripe with Apple Watch is that it requires you to keep an iPhone with you for most tasks. The inclusion of GPS last year helped on runs and bike rides, but you're still missing calls and messages without the phone nearby.<p>A new …
SmartwatchesPlanhacker: iPhone 8 Vs Galaxy S8 Vs Galaxy Note8
Image: Supplied<p>For those with an affinity with Chinese numerology, then this is definitely the year for a new smartphone. Between the iPhone 8, …
Phones