smartphone

Miss your pets when you're away on vacation or those long, dull business trips? Well, there may now be a way to keep in touch with your little critters. PetChatz is a two-way video system that can also be used to dispense scents and treats. ... PetChatz, which is about half the size of a desktop computer tower, plugs directly into an electrical outlet -- preferably one near ground level, where dogs, cats, iguanas, and other domesticated animals can access it. In the middle of the device is a screen the size of a smartphone display. When plugged in and remotely connected through WiFi to a home ... (view more)

Nokia is looking to connect automobile drivers with the 'cloud' through a program called "Here Auto", a new in-car navigation platform designed to provide users with real-time navigation data. Nokia says Here Auto is a dynamic tool that ... automatically adapts to the location of a driver. For example, if a driver is navigating city streets, the map they see is close to the ground, thereby displaying local parking lots, restaurants, side streets, and other important details. System Adjusts to Driver Location However, if the driver exits the city and heads out on an interstate highway, they'll be ... (view more)

Google has unveiled a new tool that allows Android users to find and track a lost smartphone or tablet device. The utility can also be used to wipe a smartphone's hard drive if recovery is deemed unsafe or unlikely. Google is calling the service ... 'Android Device Manager'. The firm says the service should be available to most Android users by the end of August 2013. It's been a long time coming. Apple released a similar tool -- called 'Find My iPhone' -- several years ago. That service lets iPhone users narrow down their smartphone's location to a specific geographical area (such as an ... (view more)

What's the extent of America's addiction to smartphones? A recent study shows that most Americans keep a smartphone nearby, while nearly one in ten have used such a device during intimate encounters. The study, which is being called the '2013 Mobile ... Consumer Habits Survey', was carried out by Harris Interactive on behalf of mobile credit card validation company Jumio. The survey included more than 2,000 people from the United States (of which 1,102 were actual smartphone owners) and was carried out in mid-June 2013. (Source: latimes.com ) Most Smartphone Users Keep Their Device Nearby -- All ... (view more)

Lockset manufacturer Kwikset has introduced a keyless front door entry system. Called Kevo, the two-part system connects a mechanical door lock with a smartphone app for easy access. Once an individual has changed over their current deadbolt to the ... one provided by Kevo (a process that takes about 5 minutes to complete), they program their smartphone app to create an administrator account. From there, the owner can sync the phones of other family members to the Kevo deadbolt, granting them access to the front door. Users Tap Smartphone for Access Anyone who has an administrator account can ... (view more)

A recent study by Gartner found that Microsoft's Windows Phone mobile platform has now surpassed BlackBerry in smartphone market share. But there's hope yet for the Waterloo, Ontario-based firm: the company is rapidly preparing itself to take ... advantage of the 'connected' car revolution. It's expected that BlackBerry's mobile operating system, QNX, will be the key to connecting drivers' smartphones to their in-car infotainment systems. Inside the Car: QNX Eclipsing Windows QNX is slowly but steadily taking over as the dominant platform for connecting mobile devices to a vehicle. The reason: ... (view more)

Google's Android platform continues to establish its dominance over the growing smartphone market. And as sales of Android-based devices rise, Apple's market share is starting to decline. According to analyst firm Gartner, in the first quarter of ... 2013 Android smartphones accounted for 74.4 per cent of global sales. That means more than 150 million devices are now running the mobile operating system (OS). It also means that Android's share of the smartphone market has skyrocketed approximately 20 per cent since last year. (Source: zdnet.com ) Android Up, Apple Down Facing a reverse trend is ... (view more)

Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S4 smartphone may be one of the most anticipated non-Apple mobile devices, ever. Setting this smartphone apart: a unique camera system, global LTE roaming capabilities, a new scrolling feature, and impressive gaming ... support. We recently reported on the Galaxy S4's ability to scroll around based on the movement of a user's eyes. But that's not all that's drawing attention to this device. In fact, consumers are buzzing about the Galaxy S4 for many other reasons. For one, the new Galaxy will feature front- and rear-facing cameras that can be used at the exact same time ... (view more)

Microsoft caused quite the stir when it unveiled its Surface tablet computer last year. It's rumored the move angered the firm's traditional hardware partners, including Hewlett-Packard (HP), Samsung, and Acer, who didn't like having to compete with ... Microsoft for customers. Now, it appears Microsoft may be preparing to ruffle feathers in another sector of the consumer technology industry. Windows Phone 8 to Suffer: Nokia Mobile phone maker Nokia, which produces handheld devices running Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system (OS), has reportedly filed a complaint with the ... (view more)

Lenovo, the world's second-largest PC manufacturer, is reportedly considering the acquisition of troubled smartphone company Research in Motion (RIM). Reports suggest that the PC maker could use RIM, which produces the popular BlackBerry device, to ... expand its burgeoning smartphone business. Bloomberg notes that Lenovo is currently "assessing potential acquisition targets" and that those targets may include Waterloo, Canada-based RIM. The latter has been in financial trouble for some time, though its stock has rebounded in recent weeks as the firm prepares to launch its highly-anticipated ... (view more)