The problem with using a picture of your significant other as your phone wallpaper is that it's awkward to ever change it away. Luckily my wife just changed her lock screen from a photo of me to a photo of a baby we like, so I'm changing mine to one of the cool maps offered by Alvar Carto.

This week on Static we are all about the dollar dollar bills y'all. We talk smart phone prices, microtransactions, tips for saving money (including some questionable ones) and the cost of going to space!

Telstra and Optus announced this week that both would launch 5G services next year, and the general response was "sure, but it's not like they're going to give us a lot of data, so who cares?"

Will this be the case? I'm not so sure. One of the key benefits of 5G technology is a big increase in network capacity, so I'm quietly optimistic about how this will play out.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that as gadgets get older they slow down -- your 3-year-old laptop or phone isn't going to have the same spring in its step as it did when you first unboxed it. But what are the factors that cause this inevitable sluggishness? Is your precious device quite simply wearing out?

One of the more interesting technology trends for 2017 was the wave of nostalgia that passed over the industry. HMD Global's Nokia 3310 stole the limelight at Mobile World Congress this year, despite a raft of cutting-edge phones on display. The always-nostalgic Nintendo released an adorable re-imagining of the 1990s Super Nintendo, called the SNES mini.

I've been using the new Nokia 3310 3G as my primary phone for a full work week, and it's been like living in a localised time distortion field where I was in 2000 and everybody else was 17 years ahead. As someone with an appreciation for retro technology I thought this might be an interesting — or even refreshing — experience, but it was borderline intolerable.

A hidden feature has been uncovered in Google's new phone: The device features a secret dark theme and unlocking it is surprisingly easy.

Last month, we challenged you to save money on your mobile phone bill by switching to a cheaper plan. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to switch carriers, though. You might be able to negotiate a better price with your current one.

Your smartphone is a remarkable feat of engineering. It's half a dozen or more gadgets packed into a single slab. Much of it's coolest feats are accomplished with a wide range of sensors -- but what are they and what do they all actually do?

Our brains are lazy, easily lured away from productivity to timesinks like Facebook and Twitter. Make use of this mental laziness by carefully curating the icons on your phone's home screen.

Amaysim just launched four new SIM-only plans - $25 for 2GB, $30 for 5GB, $40 for 10GB and $50 for 14GB of data. Running on Optus' 4G network, the deals also include unlimited talk and text to standard Australian numbers as well as 10 other countries around the world.

If you've got a lot of work contacts, you probably want to keep them organized, grouped together, and separate from your friends and family. If you can't be bothered creating multiple folders and subsections for your contacts list, try reader trickycoolj's simple trick instead.

Do you have a few unused mobile phones gathering dust in your house somewhere? You're not alone: it is estimated that Australians are holding onto more than 23 million unused phones. All of these products contain valuable materials that could be returned to the supply chain via recycling. Here are seven expert tips for getting rid of unwanted e-waste in ways that will help the planet.

The Telstra's EasyCall 4 is a million miles from Samsung's Galaxy S8 or Apple's iPhone 7. But if your needs are basic or you're shopping for your kids, it might be the dumb phone that you've been looking for.

Over the next three years, TPG will spend $600 million to build a mobile network that it claims will reach 80 per cent of Australians. Here's what we know about it so far.

Ever since Nokia introduced the new iteration of its classic 3310 there's been an intense debate going on in my head.

"It's really cheap!" shouts Nostalgia.

"Why the hell would you want a phone that doesn't have apps?" replies Logic.

Maybe that same debate has been going on in your head too. Don't worry, I went hands-on with the device and now have enough facts to settle things.

Nokia has announced it will be resurrecting the iconic 3310 mobile phone that thousands of Aussies dropped without breaking. It promises a whopping four weeks of battery life and represents a refreshing antidote to feature-packed, gimmicky smartphones - but will it ever make it to Australia? Here's what you need to know.

If you're on a cheap mobile phone plan, there's a good chance your monthly data allowance is woefully inadequate. This can lead to huge bills at the end of the month if you don't keep close tabs on your usage.

Instead of switching off your mobile data completely (or downgrading to a basic phone), try following these simple data-stretching tips. With plenty of discipline and a bit of know-how you can make even the flimsiest of data plans go the distance.

Dear Lifehacker, I have a Samsung Galaxy 6 edge on a mobile contract that ends in December. I want to exchange my phone for an iPhone 7 now before my contract ends - how much would that cost? Also, can I upgrade to a new plan without having to pay off the remainder of my existing plan?