Keep it working
Buying a Used Windows Mobile Phone or Pocket PC: What Still Matters
A collector's buying checklist for vintage Windows Mobile devices: batteries, missing accessories, software, storage, and realistic network expectations.
Phones, people & the years betweenGood technology deserves
Good technology deserves
a longer story.
Make sense of the phone in your pocket, the one in your drawer, and what comes next.
Useful things to know
Windows Mobile vs Windows Phone: Three Different Eras
Understand Microsoft's three mobile eras before buying a used handset, looking for an app, or following an old recovery guide.
Why an Unlocked Old Phone Can Still Fail on a Modern Carrier
Unlocking does not add missing bands, restore retired networks, or establish VoLTE eligibility. Check the barriers before paying for service.
Save Your Contacts Before Retiring a Phone: A vCard Checklist
Find every contact list, export a usable copy, and verify the transfer to Google Contacts or iCloud before erasing your old handset.
The phone in your pocket
View all →Google Health 5.12: How to Log Blood Pressure
Google Health 5.12 adds blood pressure logging. See how to enter cuff readings or import them through Apple Health or Health Connect.
Find Hub left-behind alerts: enable them and fix missed warnings
Turn on Find Hub alerts for forgotten keys or bags, set safe places, and check the owner, phone and battery settings that can silence warnings.
Moto Watch Fit 27 adds Polar insights. What to check before buying
See what Polar adds to the Moto Watch Fit 27, how the always-on display changes battery estimates, and which features depend on your phone.
WhatsApp Events now lets guests RSVP without an account
WhatsApp is rolling out shareable event invites. See how guests can RSVP without an account, when they see the address, and where hosts manage replies.
Motorola Signature 27 costs $1,599.99. What to know before preordering
Motorola Signature 27 U.S. preorders open November 19. See what the action camera, 12,000-nit display claim and software promises mean for buyers.
Fairbuds 2 reach the US: repairable earbuds with a spare-parts catch
Fairbuds 2 are on sale in the US for $119.99. Check replacement-battery prices, parts availability, warranty limits and iPhone or Android app requirements.
Before the glass rectangle
View all →Jabra BT800: When a Bluetooth Headset Had Its Own Caller-ID Screen
The Jabra BT800 put caller information and call controls on an earpiece. Its tiny screen shows what early wireless headsets were trying to solve.
The 2008 Ranking That Put BlackJack II Ahead of iPhone
A contemporary report of Consumer Reports' smartphone choices sparked debate. Here is what the surviving account supports and how to read it.
The Early Motorola Q Video: A Keyboard Phone With RAZR Ambitions
A 2005 CTIA video introduced the Motorola Q before its retail launch. What the demonstration showed, and what remained to be tested.
Robert Redford and Sundance’s Short Films for Mobile Phones
Sundance and the GSMA commissioned five films for mobile viewing in 2006–07, before watching short video on a phone became routine.
From MPx200.org to MobileGadgetNews: The 2006 Sale Announcement
The surviving account of MobileGadgetNews' 2006 sale announcement traces the community's MPx200 roots and the work behind an enthusiast site.
i-mate’s Expansion and the Finance Director’s Departure
The i-mate report concerned a finance director's departure and market worries during its Ultimate-era expansion, not a simple product verdict.
Keep it working
View all →Android Auto still failing after One UI 9? What to check on your Galaxy
Google is rolling out an Android Auto connection fix. Check wired and wireless setup on your Galaxy and gather the details support needs.
Fitbit data missing in MyFitnessPal? Check your Google Health connection
Google Health has your Fitbit steps, but MyFitnessPal does not? Check the new connection, Step Source and the sync delays MyFitnessPal still reports.
Memory Cards for Vintage Phones: SD, SDHC and SDXC
Physical size is only the first check. Match a vintage phone's supported card standard, capacity, and filesystem before buying or formatting.
Mini-USB, Micro-USB or USB-C: Cables for Old Phones
Identify an old handset's connector and separate cable fit, charging, and file-transfer support before buying adapters.
Old Bluetooth Headsets: Check Calls and Music Separately
HFP, A2DP, pairing, and old headset batteries: the practical checks that matter more than the Bluetooth version number alone.
Turn a Spare Android Phone Into an Offline Music Player
Use a supported spare Android handset for local albums, audiobooks, and podcasts without depending on streaming or a cellular plan.