Smartphones & Accessories

Did someone on your holiday shopping list pick up a new smartphone this year? Or maybe they have an older one but aren’t making the most of it. Either way, here are some great ideas for gifts that will help them get the most from their smartphone.

When you think of cybersecurity or cyber safety, are you more likely to think of hackers targeting big corporations or governments rather than your own personal vulnerability. The wide open world of cyberspace is something you regularly interact with every time you browse a website, click a link, post on social media and chat online. But your online risk extends beyond those things because you can leave behind a digital footprint without realizing it, or expose your data in ways you didn’t intend to. This article is part of a series of articles that my Plug-in Blog colleagues and I are publishing over the next few weeks offering helpful tips and information about many topics related to cybersecurity. Today I will explore personal smartphone security.

Samsung new products at its Unpacked event, headlined by the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Z Flip4, plus all-new earbuds and smartwatches.

This year’s duo of Nexus smartphones has been the best Google has come to market with thus far, offering the best marriage of hardware and software to date. The Nexus 5X is the more affordable option between the two, though it benefits from having some of the same internal components. It also sports the same untouched version of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, making it far more open to customization.

Nexus smartphones have usually required accepting a compromise or two. A clean, untouched version of Android, and among the first to get the latest updates. Good design with solid all-around performance, at the expense of great battery life and an impressive camera. The Nexus 6P represents an end to the enduring concessions that characterized these phones in the past, and stakes a claim to being one of the best Android phones of 2015.

Google announced a set of new products led by the Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel 7, along with the company’s first smartwatch and a return to tablets.

New iPhones are now available, and so is the latest version of iOS, which offers a host of new features worth checking out.

Which smartphone apps do you use most, no matter where you are? Arguably nothing changed the usability of smartphones more than apps. Your music, photos, maps and web browser were in your pocket, along with all your contacts, messages and phone history. The explosion of apps and their sophisticated capabilities have since given rise to the concept of a “killer app.” These are some of the elite that really change how you use or think about your smartphone.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is one of the most anticipated films in years, and Disney has spared no expense in promoting it with a number of marketing partnerships that tie-in to mobile devices. If you’re a big fan, you may already know about some of them, and if you don’t, there may be some that are of interest as the next episode in the Star Wars mythos hits theatres.

There are a lot of choices for finding smartphone accessories under $50 that can enhance and improve ownership of this most personal device. Here are some of our picks.