More Smartphones In Depth

Movie Genius Pro for iPhone

For all of our advances in technology, getting a recommendation on what movie to watch still largely hinges on a sweater-clad film critic and the position of his thumb. Surely in this age of miracles--when a powerful computer controlled entirely by taps and swipes can fit comfortably inside a pocket--there can be a more tech-savvy solution to the age-old question of what movie to watch this evening?

Triple Town for iPhone and iPad

A deceptive little beast of a puzzler, Triple Town lures you close and sinks its teeth in before demanding you feed it more of your hard-earned cash. This clever hybrid of match-three puzzles and settlement planning gameplay from Spry Fox is insidiously addictive, but poorly conceived micro-transactions soon suck all the joy out of the experience.

The Most Annoying Android Apps

Not all Android apps are created equal, and most are far from perfect.

Spotify's New Android App Available for Preview

Spotify, the premium streaming music service, will soon release a redesigned Android app, but if you can't wait for it to hit Google Play, Spotify is offering a preview version you can install right now. The new Spotify for Android preview features full support for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, high-resolution images, new slide-out navigation, and improved social features. Spotify's mobile apps are available to users with a $10 monthly premium subscription.

AT&T Sweetens Prepaid Smartphone Data Plans, But Not Enough

Consumers have an increasing appetite for wireless data whether they're on a contract or not. AT&T responded Wednesday by doubling its data plans for prepaid customers to bring them more in line with competitors.

HTC One S review: T-Mobile's new shining star

With its sleek design and excellent camera, HTC's One S sets a new standard for smartphone greatness for HTC and for T-Mobile.

Fibble for iPhone and iPad

Fibble feels like what Pixar might come up with if the animation studio tried its hand at a puzzle game. The premise behind the game from Crytek even kind of sounds like a Disney movie waiting to happen: When a lovable alien the size of a marble gets knocked from orbit, it has to navigate its way through the hazards of a human household as efficiently as possible. Also, there's a lot of hugging. And an octopus with a monocle.

Bing Translator App Gets Cool Augmented Reality Tool

Microsoft has just unveiled the most practical use of augmented reality (AR) technology to date, at least for globetrotters.

How to capture video from an iOS device

Reader Andrew Lane is interested in the technique I used to capture video from my iPad's screen. He writes:

Are you ready for a 'quantified life'?

Software with access to all the data gathered by tiny sensors in your smartphone, combined with an Internet full of information, could figure out all kinds of things about you.

Circadia for iPhone and iPad

Circadia is the very picture of minimalism--just straightforward mechanics, no bells and whistles. Actually, maybe just bells. But no whistles.

Cut the contract: How prepaid smartphones can save you money

Prepaid smartphones were once both lower-cost and lower-quality, but lately they're becoming a viable alternative for many users.

Windosill for iPad

It doesn't seem entirely accurate to describe Windosill as a game. Games, after all, evoke things like rules and objectives and winning. And while there's certainly a goal to strive for in the $3 iPad app from Vectorpark.com--solve one puzzle to move onto the next one until you've completed all 11 vignettes--the real joy in Windosill comes in the journey, not the destination.

AT&T Starts Unlocking iPhones: Customers Gripe Over Long Delays

Want to unlock your off-contract AT&T iPhone to use with competing GSM carriers such as U.S. Cellular and T-Mobile? As reported last week, now you can, the only hitch is it may take up to a week for AT&T to process the request even though AT&T claims it only takes minutes.

Photon Android App: This Puzzler Needs Polishing

Photon is a futuristic match-three puzzle game designed in the drop-down style of Tetris. Your goal is to clear screens by connecting brightly colored discs with your finger. The app, developed by Bifrost Studios, is free on Google Play but requires an in-app purchase of $0.99 for full functionality. Unfortunately, while Photon is fun and addictive, it suffers from multiple performance issues that its designer needs to address.

Embracing the educational iOS device

I recently offered some advice on how to configure an old iPad for a child, and while the subsequent reaction was largely positive, there were the few (and expected) replies that suggested exposing a child to an iPad would lead to a machine-dependent future, devoid of fresh air, firm muscle tone, and true human interaction.

Ziggurat for iPhone and iPad

When you're trapped atop a lofty spire, surrounded by killer robots that have just slaughtered every other living being on the planet, it's not a matter of if you'll survive the onslaught but how long you can stave off the inevitable. Such is the thrill of Ziggurat, an iPhone and iPad game that's all about taking out as many of the mechanical jerks as you can before they inevitably rip you to shreds.

Terrapets Android App Review: A Pokemon-FarmVille Hybrid

What happens when you combine FarmVille and Pokemon? You get Terrapets, a terraforming-and-creature-battling Android game from CerebralFix. Unfortunately, though the concept of combining FarmVille and Pokemon is novel, Terrapets lacks any real motivators to keep you playing for longer than a few minutes.

Scramble With Friends: This Fast-Paced Word-Finding Game Brings Out the Competitor in You

An Android version of Zynga's popular word-finding game Scramble With Friends has finally arrived. Part of Zynga's "With Friends" series, Scramble With Friends is especially fun because it's a timed (and therefore fast-paced) game.

Review: Nokia Lumia 900 puts Windows Phone back in the race

The Nokia Lumia 900 puts Windows Phone in with the big kids, offering good performance, a bright display and stylish design.