Hasta La Gadget!

Kodak’s recent announcements may have circled around patent brawls (and victories), but if you’ve indentured yourself to the company’s range of all-in-one printers and digital photo frames, you might want to pick up its new Windows Phone app. Pic Flick will share your images with compatible hardware through WiFi — provided you’re connected to the same network on your phone. It’s largely identical to the existing iOS version, albeit cocooned in Microsoft’s metro style, and includes a handful of simple editing tools and filters. However, you will need to check that your Windows Phone is running version 7.5 or later. If you pass that requirement, hit up the source for the download.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

Windows Phone Kodak Pic Flick app pushes photos to printers — as long as you have version 7.5 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink WMPoweruser  |  Kodak Pic Flick (Windows Phone Marketplace)  | Email this | Comments

Smartphones and email-equipped feature phones have proliferated in even the most resource-dry areas of Asia, Europe and North America, but for many subscribers in Africa, SMS is the only option for text-based communication on the go. And, to give residents a more consistent method for reading and responding to email from their mobiles, Google just launched Gmail SMS in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. To sign up, simply head over to the “Phone and SMS” settings page in Gmail, add your mobile number and complete a verification process. Once enrolled, the service will automatically forward all email to devices as text messages. The service could even be useful for those that do have access to Android, iOS or Windows Phone devices — data outages can cripple smartphones, forcing users to turn to phone calls and SMS to connect with family, friends and colleagues. Geva Rechav, a Google product manager for emerging markets, confirmed in a blog post that Gmail SMS messages will be free to receive, but standard fees will apply for outgoing emails. You’ll find full signup details at the source link below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Google launches Gmail SMS for text-based email in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 00:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web  |  Google Africa  | Email this | Comments

With other national (and international) carriers slowly enabling carrier billing on content purchases, it was only a matter of time before the second largest network in the States would start adapting said payment method. And while AT&T’s been offering the service for application buys through Google Play, up until now it’d been leaving out all media-related goods. Luckily for some, the Rethink Possible outfit has announced its plans to begin offering carrier billing options inside Sammy’s Media Hub, with the Captivate, Galaxy Exhilarate and that modish Galaxy S III to be among the first to help kick things off. Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite phablet (aka Galaxy Note) and the somewhat aged Galaxy S II will be able to join the others as soon as they swallow up an upcoming software update. More importantly, are you planning to add those movie purchases to your monthly AT&T tab? Say the word in the comments below.

Continue reading AT&T now offering carrier billing services on Samsung’s Media Hub video purchases

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

AT&T now offering carrier billing services on Samsung’s Media Hub video purchases originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Next Web  |  AT&T  | Email this | Comments

If this is the “advanced gaming smartphone” that ZTE teased a few days ago, then we can’t help but feel a little miffed. It’d be fairer to describe the Grand X as the most advanced phone in ZTE’s growing budget line-up, and if you look at it from that perspective then it’s rather more impressive. For £190 PAYG with Virgin Mobile in the UK, you’re getting a 4.3-inch qHD LCD touchscreen, dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor (no Nexus 7 guts here unfortunately), microSD expandable storage (plus 4GB built-in and 512MB RAM), 5-megapixel rear camera and VGA front-facer, sub-10mm thickness and — ta-da! — stock Ice Cream Sandwich, albeit accompanied by legacy Gingerbread navigation buttons. We’d have liked to see the proper, up-to-date Android 4.0 button layout, but in any case the absence of ZTE’s Kanzi skin or indeed any other customization is a welcome change, because Google juice tastes fine served neat.

Now, we already did an early hands-on with this phone in June (not to mention its previous incarnation, the Mimosa X) and noted its fluid operation, solid build quality and capable display, and all of those things remain true in the retail-ready handset we’ve seen in the UK. The budget scene has certainly come a long way since last year, but do we expect the Grand X to have an easy ride on the market? Probably not — at least not when a phone like the Orange San Diego are offering a more modern processor, more RAM and better pixel density for just £10 more. That said, if a pure and uncluttered version of the OS is a priority, and if you can get this phone on a great deal when it arrives at Phones4U and Virgin Media stores at the beginning of August, then the Grand X is certainly worth a look.

Continue reading ZTE Grand X coming to UK for £190 pay-as-you-go: 4.3-inch qHD, microSD, stock Android 4.0

Filed under: Cellphones

ZTE Grand X coming to UK for £190 pay-as-you-go: 4.3-inch qHD, microSD, stock Android 4.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Ofcom’s annual report into the communications habits of Britons has revealed that it’s not just geeks who stare in annoyance when the phone rings. The general consumer is now abandoning voice calls is favor of texting in a big way, making five percent fewer calls than they did the previous year. The numbers also showed that on average, people send 50 texts a week, smartphone ownership was up 12 percent and tablet purchasing shot from 2 to 11 percent in a single year. The trend isn’t slowing, either, given that a whopping 96 percent of 16 to 24-year-olds prefer SMS and Facebook to talking — giving us hope that we’ll soon be spared having to listen to that guy’s conversation during our morning commute.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Wireless

Ofcom: Texting is more popular than talking originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink BBC News  |  Ofcom  | Email this | Comments