There are a lot of places to buy music, but what's the best online music store? There are three very popular options, and many smaller independent stores. We'll look at the main differences between iTunes vs Amazon mp3 vs Google Play Music, and comment on some other stores with unique qualities to determine the best online music store for you.
Read MoreThe best free music streaming services: Pandora vs Spotify vs iTunes Radio
There are a lot of free music streaming services out there, and they each have their unique pros and cons. We'll summarize some of the best services for free music streaming and also go over some other options for free music streaming on mobile devices and PC's. If you're looking to get rid of the ads and get more features see our post on the best paid services.
Read MoreA guide to buying and using an unlocked iPhone
There are lots of benefits to using an unlocked iPhone: using it with a prepaid plan will save you money, you can take your phone to a different carrier at any time, or maybe you want to replace your current phone but your contract isn't up yet. Apple makes it somewhat straightforward to buy an unlocked iPhone from them, but there are lots of details you should consider before you do.
Read MoreOne month with the $30 T-Mobile prepaid plan: Is this the best smartphone plan available?
On paper T-Mobile's $30 prepaid plan may look like the best smartphone plan available in America. When I got my unlocked Nexus 5 I had to put it to the test. I recently used the plan for a month, including a drive across the country. Here are my thoughts on the plan specifically and T-Mobile's service in general.
Read MoreWhy Apple doesn't care about smartphone market share, and why it really doesn't matter (for now)
Apple keeps signaling that it doesn't care about market share, at least not enough to buy share by lowering the iPhone's price or introducing a significantly lower cost model. Doesn't Apple see that Android's smartphone market share keeps growing, aren't they going to do something about it? I'll focus on smartphones here, but much of this also applies to tablets.
Read MoreGoogle Hangouts review for iOS: texting, calling, and chatting with Google’s mobile messaging application
In this Google Hangouts review for iPhone and iPad I'll go over how I use the app for free calling and messaging on my Apple devices and computer and how it compares to some other free calling and messaging apps.
Google Hangouts is a free messaging service that replaced Google Talk (aka gchat) and integrated some other Google communication services in 2013. Hangouts supports instant messaging, video calls with up to 10 participants, and free calls to US numbers on some platforms. Hangouts can be accessed on the mobile app for iPhone/iPad and Android or on computers through the Gmail or Google+ websites. There is also a Chrome extension for computers that adds some functionality.
Read MoreThe battle for your smartphone's home screen is heating up
There are several companies working to make Android 'launchers' that take over your home screen, presenting all types of useful information and giving your device a customized look and feel. Until Apple enables widgets in iOS your iPhone will just show a static array of app icons. But hey, at least that calendar icon shows the date! Just kidding, I love iOS, but the home screen is getting pretty dull after using Android.
Read MoreThoughts on Android and the Nexus 5 from an Apple user
I'm about 10 days into my 'Android experiment' and here are my thoughts on Android and the Nexus 5, from the perspective of an Apple user and fan. For the past year I've been using my iPad Mini as a smartphone. I also own a Macbook, Apple TV, and four iPods. In the past I've owned two iPhones, the original iPad, multiple iPods, and used a Macbook as my work computer. Suffice it to say I'm very familiar with Apple's products and really enjoy using them. But I also use a lot of Google services for work and play and am firmly and happily implanted in their ecosystem.
Read MoreHow to get free data from T-Mobile on your iPad or Android tablet
There's been some confusion around T-Mobile's new plan to offer 200MB of free data to its tablet customers each month. After the announcement I went to my local T-Mobile store but they told me it was free for customers who had phone service with them, or cost $10 per month. Then T-Mobile announced that they had issues rolling out the new program and it was indeed free for everyone. So last week I headed back to my T-Mobile store to pick up a SIM for my iPad.
Read MoreWhy Apple will make an iTV - the case for an Apple television set
In a previous post I made the case against an Apple iTV. Since then, a rumor has surfaced stating that Apple has delayed its iTV product until at least 2015 due to trouble negotiating TV rights. Despite repeated trouble securing content deals, it seems Apple refuses to throw in the towel. In this post I'll give my thoughts on why they keep trying despite repeated failures.
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