Category: Weird and Wonderful

Sharp’s eye-watering 736ppi display

It appears that phone manufacturers are moving away from the camera megapixel race and instead onto who’s got the higest resolution screen. A screen resolution is measured by pixel density, or Pixels Per Inch “PPI” (not payment protection insurance). Now the human eye struggles to see anything more than …

Want to view your NHS records from your smartphone?

Our National Heath Service (NHS), love it hate it, it’s still the envy of the world. As we move ever closer to the digital edge, it appears that the NHS is following too (abeit slowly). The NHS today outlined a number of new digital improvements that include making …

I hope this is a joke. I hope this is a joke.

I’m really not sure where to start with this Kickstarter project. To be honest I’m glad that (at the time of writing) it’s only managed to achieve $1 of the $35,000 which is supposedly needed to put it into production. Now, we know that driving and texting is …

What phone? The NoPhone!

I’m not sure if I should be writing this article but if this picks up then I might be out of a job. Following on the heels of the BookBook from Ikea, comes the NoPhone. The NoPhone is a Kickstarter campaign that promises a “technology free alternative to …

My coverage of Bart’s Bash 2014

Well the event is done and now it’s time to review how the event went and how once again mobile tech helped me during the event. As those of you who read my previous article will know I was planning on covering the event for the site by …

China tries to control the (phone) zombie apocalypse

If your commute involves walking then you’ll have probably witnessed the “Phone Zombie”. It’s a creature that stares blankly into a mobile phone without really paying attention to their direction or surroundings. Usually there’s a few last-minute turns as the person (or you) changes direction before hitting something. …

My Xperia Z2 and its organising skills.

For the past few weeks I have been working on organising a charity sailing event. Why is this relevant to Coolsmartphone? Well there are a few reasons for that. Number one, I have been doing most of the organisational work for this event on my smartphone. Secondly, my smartphone will be …

Ikea announce the BookBook

Apple are having a conference on Tuesday, which means a new device is imminent. What this also means is a new set of adverts proclaiming why the new device is the best thing since sliced bread (or the last iPhone at least). The success of the adverts has …

Apple admits that celeb accounts were hacked

The iCloud storage system was indeed hacked recently according to Apple. It’s still perfectly safe if you take the proper precautions though. The attack seems to have been less of a “hack” and more of a password reset using personal information gleamed from information on the web. The …

Note 4 clone revealed.

Can’t wait to get your hands on Samsung’s latest flagship device the Galaxy Note 4, at IFA in Berlin, in a couple of weeks. Well,if you don’t mind using a cheap knock-off of the phablet, Goophone has you covered.The company has already listed its Galaxy Note 4 clone …

Phones 4u Launch #FutureYou

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last week or so, you’ll have seen a DeLorean whizzing across your TV screen in ad breaks. Now me, I rewound the TV when I first saw it, and thanks to the fact that it’s for Phones 4u, I …

Gunnar Optics glasses unboxing

Time for something different. I have to wear glasses for work as I spend the vast majority of my day in front of a computer screen. Now, while the screens have got better than they once used to be, it can be very tiring on your eyes. Not …

AirDog – A camera-equipped copter that’ll follow you round

This man knows how to make Kickstarter videos. He walks towards the camera like Hugh Laurie in House. Nice style. He basically wants you to invest in an aerial sports drone. If you’ve got enough cash and a penchant for outdoor sporting activity, this could be your thing. …

A meeting destined to shape our future?

This evening I am having a meeting. This meeting will be taking place in a bar. Some drinks will be drunk and words will be exchanged. It sounds quite dull and mundane. However, the meeting is with a very interesting chap by the name of James Hepburn. Chances …

Wait a minute, that’s not a phone…

It’s nearly the weekend, so we’ll let this one through the official Coolsmartphone “stuff that we should publish” filter. It’s a shaver. Yeah, I know. Put this against your ear and it’s not going to be a great smartphone. However, thanks to the Apple-esque addition of the letter …

You are being replaced. Google unveils driverless car prototype

Driving is a pretty dangerous pastime. You’ve got to watch out for truck drivers watching movies on their laptops and other drivers texting and fiddling with GPS apps while trying to negotiate a roundabout. When you get into town there’s pedestrians crossing the road without looking up from …

Quick cycle-related news update

Was my previous post just a cheap way to get donations to the Douglas Macmillan Hospice? Well yes, it probably was a bit, but they provide care for those with progressive diseases and a limited life expectancy. It’s a bloody good cause and I’ve only had 11 donations, …

Wireless armour protective underwear

This may be a bit of a pants article and I’m aiming low so I do apologise if it does downhill rapidly. Right, introductory puns out the way time for the actual story. Wireless Armour is the name of a new Indiegogo project that is looking to produce …

Having a smashing time?

With the OnePlus One smash the past details set to be revealed at 13:00 today, it seems some people have been jumping the gun a little and smashing their phone without being invited and without knowing the full details. Whilst some of the phones may have been slightly past …

iGuy iPad Mini case review

Do you have a young child? Does you heart jump into your mouth when those grubby little hands reach out and grab you iPad? If the answer to either question is yes then you need to keep reading. The iGuy case from Speck comes in iPad mini and …

WhatsApp – Highs and lows in one month

Not that we wouldn’t pay attention to one of the most popular messaging mobile applications in the world today, but there’s been a lot more attention placed upon it recently since Facebook snapped it up. Those who were concerned about privacy have been trying out a number of …

There’s gold in them thar.. err.. Smartphones

Now, I’m not going to talk about those trade-in websites that’ll offer you a few quid for your mobile. I’m actually going to talk about those slightly different websites that constantly ask whether you’ve got any gold.  Me, I know the answer already. I’ve got no gold. I …

I’ve gone mad, and I need your help

I could just dress this up and tug on your heart-strings like those daytime TV adverts asking for “just £2 per month” but I won’t. I’ll instead tell you a story. A few months ago I’d visited a friends house. It was just after Bonfire Night and I …

Microsoft giving free Nokia Lumia phones to Android and iOS owners

Microsoft isn’t a company that uses subtle marketing techniques, their ham-fisted Scroogled campaign has lost them a lot of respect, so this time their giving people phones in order to get them to switch from Android or iOS to the Windows Phone platform. The deal is that if …

The Oppo N1 horror story concludes

Last week we reported on episode 1 of The Killer’s House, a web drama starring the Oppo N1 as one of the main plot features. Well, episode 2 is now available to stream. In this concluding part we find that the suspected killer is aided by his manipulative …

Oppo N1 gets it’s own horror series on YouTube

The Oppo N1 is unique in many ways, with its rotating camera and rear touch panel, but I’m pretty sure it’s the first phone to have its own horror web series. Oppo Thailand has posted the first episode of a drama named The Killer’s House on YouTube. In …

Are iPhone users more intelligent?

It’s an often discussed topic as to whether iPhone users are more intelligent than other smartphone users, or the opposite as they need a simpler phone. Well now there is “proof” – iPhone users are more intelligent. Now before you all head straight to the comments section to …

Can you fall in love with your phone?

Yesterday I went to watch the Harry Hill Movie. It is, I’ll confess, utterly insane. The kids seemed to like it, although there weren’t a great of laugh-out-loud moments. I was just utterly puzzled about the whole thing and how on earth it had got into a movie. …

Samsung patent dual display smartphone

Samsung and LG seem to be having a competition at the moment to produce weird and wacky phone designs, with the LG Flex and Samsung Galaxy Round leading the race at the moment. Samsung’s next step is to patent the design of a folding dual display smartphone, which …

iPhone – The launch in numbers….

All of us here at Coolsmartphone Towers have our favourite device however it can be taken for granted is that for each one of us that device is different. James P loves his Galaxy Note 2, Ravi loves his Nexus 4 while Dan likes anything new.  Mark Peters …

Mykronoz Zewatch BlueTooth SmartWatch – Review

Watches are making a bit of a comeback, but in a new form, they have Bluetooth, a range off odd buttons and loads of features that you didn’t know you ever needed. I’ve never owned a SmartWatch, I’ve looked at many though and wondered what life would be …

Samsung claim the Galaxy Note III was designed by aliens

In the immortal words of one of our most respected urban poets, this story is, “bonkers”! You thought the HTChange adverts were out there, but Samsung’s teaser video for the ‘Unpacked 2’ event features lifeforms from out there! Just take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs81TTSMIFk This video and the full …

Show everyone how much money you’ve got – Get Jacked

Yet another Kickstarter campaign and it’s for something that… well, I just think this is a bit mental. It’s a money clip that attaches to your iPhone via the 3.5mm audio jack. Now, when I do actually have some money it usually lives in my wallet. It stays …