Cell Phones

 The dreaded “Can’t take photo. There is not enough storage space” message is history on my iPhone thanks to Leef iAccess. It’s a small, easy to use microSD reader that you can attach and leave on your phone to expand your memory up to 128 GB, and it’s the perfect summer accessory for anyone who wants the freedom to use their phone without storage issues. 

If you have an Apple device, then you likely already know that the bevy of accessories available to you can truly enhance the user experience. Whether it’s an iPhone or iPad, choices are abundant, and those with real functional value are probably the ones that will have the most lasting impact. Each product in this list falls well into that category.

This is one of the best times of the year to upgrade your smartphone or finally give into your pre-teen’s begging for their first smartphone experience. Here we look at five budget smartphones to add to your to-buy list.

What is all the fuss about Spritz? If you were using a Spritz-enabled app, you would already have read to the end of this post and could tell us. But given that Spritz-enabled tech isn’t out there yet (it’s coming soon, though), here’s the scoop. Spritz is new speed reading technology that’s based on the theory that much of our time spent reading is wasted as our eyes move side to side. Display a word in one place, flash one word at a time and suddenly reading becomes much more efficient. Not only that, but by displaying just one word at a time, reading is suddenly possible on compact displays, like a smartphone or smartwatch. Being able to quickly (and painlessly) read e-mail, reports or even books on your Gear2 or Gear Neo suddenly makes the idea of wearable technology even more appealing.

Having trouble connecting with your honey? Is technology getting in the way of your relationship? Here are five cool smartphone apps speficially deisgned to help couples get to know each other better, improve their communication and get back to being all lovey-dovey.

During the past week, the world’s leading manufacturers of mobile electronics —smartphones, tablets and wearable technology— have been showcasing their latest products at Mobile World Congress 2014. MWC is the mobile industry’s equivalent to the Consumer Electronics Show and that means big names (Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave a keynote) along with big product reveals —like the Samsung Galaxy S5. Basically, If you want to know what to expect in the world of mobile for 2014, just look at what’s on display at Mobile World Congress. Our MWC 2014 wrap-up covers the big news from Barcelona.

Books, tuition fees and supplies can leave a dent in your wallet. With only a two-year contract, these budget friendly phones get an A+ for affordability. They take the sting out of not being able to afford iPhone 6.

Square is one of the hottest tech companies going. By providing a plug-and-play credit card reader that lets anyone accept credit cards for payment by using their smartphone or tablet, Square is bringing sophisticated payment options to the masses. Perfect for small businesses, vendors at special events and anyone whose customers want to pay using a credit card —Square lets you run your business from anywhere. Square processed over $20 billion in transactions in 2013, proving just how popular this innovative approach is. Now you can pick up a Square credit card reader or tablet stand at Best Buy, starting at under $10.  

 If you find that cellular reception is a problem in your home or office, then the Eqo Boost from WeBoost may be the solution you’re looking for. Dropped calls, or parking yourself in one spot near a window to get a reliable connection for phone calls can be a frustrating experience, especially when you feel powerless to do anything about it.

Last year, HTC had a hit with its HTC One, considered by many to be the best-looking Android smartphone ever released, not to mention a solid performer. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 ended up running away with the Android sales crown in 2013, but HTC is back this year with the One M8, a successor that’s bigger, looks even better and offers solid performance combined with an innovative new dual camera system. I just spent a few days with HTC’s new flagship and this is probably the best Android smartphone I’ve laid my hands on. And it’s coming soon to Best Buy!