Ford – An inside look at the gadgets in your next car

Get in a BMW, a Mercedes or an Audi and you’ll expect a certain level of tech. However, brand snobbery and perhaps because we’re buying a car that costs less, we sometimes don’t expect the latest gadgetry in … a Ford. They probably won’t thank me for saying …

Bluboo Xwatch approaching – Android Wear for not that much at all

We get a lot of random emails. One company in particular has been pretty incessant, and that’s Chinese manufacturer Bluboo. They make phones (like the pretty powerful and good-looking X9 which is a “monster inside and aesthetic outside”) and watches, like their Uwatch. Next month they’ll be launching …

Goodbye Moto G and E

Here at Coolsmartphone we universally loved the Moto G. It was our go-to phone when we were asked “What’s a decent inexpensive Android phone ?” I think that all of us here have owned at least one. Well yesterday Chen Xudong, Lenovo’s Mobile head honcho, was interviewed and we …

iOS 9.3 – Relax, you are in good hands.

Unusual title, but the new iOS 9.3 has moved with the times and is thinking about you. The latest update incorporates a new mode called “Night Shift”, which helps to reduce the exposure to blue light. The latest reports from health experts have recently stated that looking at …

See the earth from ISS, right now on your phone

Pick up your phone and head to into spaaaaace right now. Go on. Go on. NASA are streaming video from the ISS and, well, it’s a bit bloody fantastic. Yes, I know it’s not strictly connected with mobile devices, but being able to see the world live from …

How to – Download music videos as audio files

I’ve posted about this before, but I do get asked quite a bit and I’m really tired of people telling me that it’s strictly “not legal”. In truth, it probably isn’t if you’re using it to download copyrighted music, but then again so many people know about this …

13 More malicious apps removed from Google Play

We reported late last year the ever increasing malicious applications appearing on the Google Play application store. Google removed 13 applications which appeared in the store as games however they were able to execute unauthorised commands and code which was difficult to remove. The games contained malware similar to …

giffgaff knock down iPhone prices

Get an iPhone from giffgaff and you get a contract-free and network-free handset. Not only that, but until Wednesday you’ll be getting the iPhone for less than normal too. They’ve reduced prices but, as with any January sale, you’ve got to be quick to get them at this …

Something about the new Star Wars movie and BB8 ringtones

Warning – Someone told us that there were some Star Wars BB8 iPhone ringtones available to download (plus the Android ones here). That’s all there is to it really, but we couldn’t really write a news post that was just one paragraph, so I was asked to “pad …

How to fix the iStick on iOS9

When I reviewed the iStick back in June, while the software needed a little refining, I could clearly see the benefit of being able to copy media from an iOS device to a USB-equipped memory stick. However, the recent Apple update to iOS9 stopped the iStick from working with no …

How to – Run your own Minecraft server on a mobile

Last night my son wanted to play Minecraft with his mates. It’s really easy if you’re in the same house or on the same WiFi access point. During New Years Eve he spent an hour with his mates, iPads a-plenty, on the sofa creating new worlds together. They …

Further smart-locks announced to Noke range

I like to hop on my bike and do some nutty rides when I can. However, when you reach your destination you’ll soon find that your expensive bike can become the target for thieves. A company called Noke have already had experience of creating smart-locks – those clever …

So long Moto..rola

It’s a brand which is well known here in the UK. I’m sure we still have the “Hello Moto” tagline stuck in our head, even though Motorola Mobility has been under the control of Lenovo for a while now. It’s been announced that the full Motorola name will …

O2 launches new concept store with customer experience at its heart

O2 has announced the opening of a new concept store on Manchester’s Market Street, with customer experience taking centre-stage with and digital exploration. At three times the size of O2’s typical stores, the location comprises over 2,300 square feet of floor space and has been designed to revolutionise …

Looking for a Forex app?

I know, I know. You probably haven’t heard too much about it, but Forex does indeed have a following all over the world. In fact, its popularity in the last decade has soared. For me it’s accessible, flexible and exciting. What is it though? It’s basically the foreign exchange market (forex, …

CES – Huawei Watch range expanded

Huawei has announced that they will be expanding their Watch range with two new models. These have been designed for the fairer sex or those who have skinny wrists – i.e. me! The new watches do add an element of glamour to the proceedings with some bedazzling ornamentation. The …

Microsoft Surface Book now available for pre-order in the UK

When Microsoft announced their raft of Windows 10 products late last year the notable absentee, at least from a UK perspective, was the Surface Book.  Described by Microsoft as the ‘ultimate laptop’ it was not available in the UK.  On the face of it a laptop, the key …

New Year, new iPhone 7 rumours

While the tech world has been rather obsessed with CES this week, fresh rumours have emerged from China about the iPhone 7.  Apple normally adopts a 2 year cycle of introducing new handsets, with the years in between saved for iterative updates.  If that pattern is to be …