United Kingdom
NCTJ-accredited journalist, copywriter & blogger
The HTC First, the much talked about Facebook phone, will not be coming to the UK, following a largely nonchalant reception from the smartphone-buying public in other markets. Its lack of success is surprising considering its tie-in with Mark Zuckerberg's company, so does this mean that mobile devices and social networking may not work together as well as is widely believed?
4K Ultra HD video recording is the latest smartphone feature and soon to be the essential function of the moment, with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Sony Xperia Z1 both rumoured to tout the new display technology.
On Sunday 14 September 2014, a business story broke on The Telegraph which sent 6,000 people in the UK into a whirlwind of panic, distress and disbelief. Phones 4u had gone into administration and its employees were facing being out of a job. Unfortunately, I was one of those 6,000.
When you cast your mind back to your childhood, there are hundreds of sights and sounds that come thick and fast, but for most people, myself included, there is only one childhood smell ... Play-Doh. That salty, sweetness which smelled oh so good but (when temptation and curiosity became just too much) tasted oh so bad!
Networks Vodafone and O2 have joined the 4G race by rolling out their first superfast data services in three UK cities. Up until now EE has been the only company to offer the fourth-generation coverage, across 105 towns and cities, since its launch in October 2012.
It's been a journey of highs and lows for HTC, from bringing us the award-winning flagship HTC One, to falling sales and internal turmoil within the company's ranks. But with a new advertising campaign featuring Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr, the Taiwanese phone maker really is trying to embrace its 'Here's to Change' slogan and regain some of its lost ground.
This guest post was written by Stefanie Keeling of Phones 4u - home of the best contract deals and #projectupgrade. Gone are the days when a mobile phone was purely a functional, business-like device awash in a sea of monochrome metal.
It's continuing to be an intense battle in the smartphone market but despite increasing competition a recent report has revealed that Android continues to lead the way. The study by IT research and advisory company Gartner reports that Android captures 75% of smartphone sales, with figures showing that Google's operating system is still dominating the market.
There have always been boy bands - teenage phenomenon's with overly styled hair and cheesy dance routines, who are flocked by millions of young girls everywhere they go. It is one of those facts of life we have come to accept. But The Police, well, they were a MAN band.
There has been some controversy surrounding smartphones and the materials used to manufacture them. Should a plastic handset really be considered high-end? Are glass coated devices too fragile for everyday knocks and bumps? Is moulding a phone out of metal the best way to create an attractive bit of tech?
The record-breaking Samsung Galaxy S4 passed the 10 million sales mark less than one month after its retail release, with the Korean manufacturer stating its latest flagship had surpassed any previous handset sales figures. Even the Galaxy S4's predecessor, the Galaxy S III, took almost twice as long to reach the 10 million mark.
More smartphones are being stolen every year, with recent figures from The Office for National Statistics revealing 107,000 mobile related incidents were recorded in the UK during 2012 alone. Stolen smartphones, such as current handsets like the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4, have a high resale value.
Our smartphones cater to just about our every need, and thanks to the mass array of apps available, we can either hone our skills in certain areas or start from scratch and learn new ones. It doesn't matter if you're a culinary master or a complete novice in the kitchen, the variety of Android cookery apps you can peruse and download are limitless.
BlackBerry's hold on the smartphone market has fallen in recent months, with the Canadian manufacturer grabbing only 3% of sales during the first quarter of 2013. The firm is, however, doing everything it can to regain its contender status by releasing a variety of devices to suit every type of mobile user.