Reuters: EU not happy with Samsung’s patent settlement concessions
Samsung is willing to go for five years without suing competitors in Europe, to discuss licensing fees with rivals for a year, and to allow …
Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.
Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.
Articles by Chris Smith
Guide claiming to unlock Xbox 360 compatibility bricks Xbox One consoles
An instruction sheet purportedly revealing an Xbox One backwards compatibility unlock method has been posted online, although the instructions will actually brick the console instead …
Apple, Google and others demand NSA spying reform
Eight tech giants have joined forces demanding NSA reform in a “Global Government Surveillance Reform” campaign, including AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter and …
WSJ: China Mobile iPhone preorders start on Thursday
China Mobile will start taking iPhone preorders on December 12th in the country, according to an ad found by The Wall Street Journal on the carrier’s website. …
Amazon drones will face constant threats… from snipers and birds
In addition to meeting whatever requirements the Federal Aviation Administration may have in place for such projects, Amazon Prime Air drones may also have to …
HTC starts selling flagship One directly for $0 down
In a bid to increase sales of its flagship handset this Christmas, HTC has kicked off a special promotion in the U.S., offering buyers the …
This iPhone accessory will turn you into J.J. Abrams
A new project is raising money on Kickstarter to build an anamorphic adapter lens that would be compatible with the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, …
FTC finds popular flashlight app for Android illegally sharing data with advertisers
A popular flashlight Android app with an installed base of between 50 million and 100 million users has also been collecting personal data including location …
Spotify to unveil free on-demand music streaming next week
Spotify is apparently interested in expanding its mobile music services by offering users free (ad-supported) on-demand access to streaming music. The company’s current offer lets …
Prescription Google Glass leaks as Explorers upgrade to new version
Google is letting Glass Explorers swap in their first-generation wearable device for a newer model if they want to try out a faster, more durable …
Google may lose major patent case with big ramifications for Android
In an Oracle vs. Google appeal case, the judges appear to be siding with Oracle, according to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters, although there isn’t a …
Apple TV meets iMac in these gorgeous iTV concepts
Designer Martin Hajek imagined what Apple’s rumored iTV might look like when Apple is finally ready to launch it, and came up with two TV designs …
Obama can’t use an iPhone even if he wants to – for ‘security reasons’
President Barack Obama on Wednesday said during a healthcare-related speech that he’s not allowed to use an iPhone for “security reasons,” with Reuters describing him …
Next USB connector will finally be reversible, like Apple’s Lightning plug
The next-generation USB connector for mobile devices will be smaller to facilitate slimmer smartphone and tablet designs, but also reversible, similar to the connector on Apple’s …
WSJ: Apple and China Mobile finalize iPhone deal
Apple and China Mobile have signed a deal to start selling iPhones in the region, a person familiar with the matter told The Wall Street …
Facial recognition tech: Privacy, best practices on Obama’s agenda
The National Telecommunication & Information Administration (NTIA) on Tuesday announced that it plans to hold a variety of meetings next year, starting in early February, …
YouTube’s streaming music service launch reportedly delayed to 2014
Google will not launch a second music subscription service this year, people familiar with the matter told AllThingsD, as the company is not happy with …
With Topsy, Apple may be gunning for Google’s Search business
Apple’s $200 million purchase of Topsy prompted speculation earlier this week on what the iPhone maker may do with the analytics firm. PeerIndex founder Azeem Azhar …
CEO of Android phone maker: iPhone is ‘best smartphone on the planet’
Often called the Steve Jobs of China – a title he publicly said wasn’t appropriate – Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun said in an interview with Beijing …
UK government: Avoid ‘aggressive’ tax evader Amazon this Christmas
Eight members of the U.K. parliament led by Margaret Hodge, head of the public accounts committee, joined an Ethical Consumer campaign to boycott Amazon, advising …
Vertu founder now working on high-end Metawatch smartwatch
Metawatch has hired famed Nokia and Vertu designer Frank Nuovo to work on future devices for the company. Metawatch currently sells two smartwatch designs including …
New report sheds light on Apple’s plans for iPhone facial recognition
A new Apple patent describes a technology that uses face detection and recognition to activate certain features on devices including iPhones, iPads or Macs, AppleInsider …
Terrifying new malware uses sound to spread, doesn’t need networks
Computer scientists have developed an audio malware prototype that’s capable of establishing communication between devices that do not have an active network connection, Ars Technica …
Apple reportedly testing 12.9-inch iPad with 2K and 4K resolution
A new report says Foxconn has built as many as five test models of a new 12.9-inch iPad for Apple to choose from, with the company …
Sony says PlayStation 4 sales topped 2.1 million units in two weeks
Sony on Tuesday announced it has sold more than 2.1 million PlayStation 4 units in the two weeks since the console was first launched. The …
New Steam record: Almost 7.2 million gamers logged in simultaneously
More than 7 million gamers were logged into Steam at the same time on Sunday, a new record for Valve’s platform, which has a total of …
Leak says iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c hit China Mobile on December 18th
A leaked screenshot of an iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c pre-registration page reportedly put up by China Mobile suggests that the largest Chinese mobile operator …
Google hates patents… but collects 1,800 new patents this year alone
Despite publicly belittling software patents and lobbying for patent reform that would make it difficult for companies to use such patents in patent-based lawsuits, Google is …
iPad and iPhone win Black Friday online shopping war against Android
IBM and Adobe have independently revealed that iOS has won the battle with Android when it comes to Black Friday online shopping from mobile devices in …
Amazon Prime Air: Unmanned drones to ship packages in 30 minutes or less
Amazon on Sunday unveiled a bold new shipping initiative during CBS‘s popular TV show “60 Minutes:” Amazon Prime Air, which aims to ship packages to …
