Getting a cell phone has become something of a childhood rite of passage. Parents often struggle with how soon is too soon, with the average child now receiving their first phone at age 10 and their first social media accounts by age 12.

What do you look for first when picking out a new smartphone? Android or iOS? The processor chip inside? The size and resolution of the screen? How many cameras? You probably have your spec of choice, but don't sleep on these less-considered differences.

I think the last time I played a Windows game — as in, a Microsoft game that comes baked into the Windows operating system — was back in Windows 95. Ah, FreeCell. That’s not to say that Microsoft’s games were bad, it’s just not very often that I find myself needing to strike up some Minesweeper to kill time.

The Razer Phone might not have set the world on fire when it was released earlier this year, but it's still a well-made and capable device, especially if you're a gamer. That said, the $1099 asking price might have been too much for some and if you've been waiting for it to get cheaper, now's the time to grab one.

As soon as you start up a new Android phone, you get prompted to sign in with your Google account — but what if you don't want to do that? Maybe you want to take advantage of Android but limit what Google knows about you, or maybe you just prefer the alternative apps; whatever the case, here's how to live a Google-free Android life.

iOS: There are plenty of incredible password managers out there — 1Password and LastPass come to mind — but Mozilla has password-management aspirations of its own. The company just released two new new mobile apps as part of its Test Pilot program and one, Firefox Lockbox, is a pretty convenient way to pull up your passwords on your iPhone and iPad.

Unlimited data. Imagine all the things you could do with it. You could binge-watch your favourite Netflix show on your mobile. You could binge-watch some YouTube videos on your mobile! You could even binge-watch Facebook memes on. Your. Mobile!

With the way we use our phones dramatically changing - and other telcos getting in on the act - Vodafone have today (also) unveiled new Unlimited Data Plans.

They often say that quality trumps quantity, but when it comes to mobile data, I'd argue that you may as well get as much as you can for your money.

If you're looking for a new prepaid plan for your phone, OVO have a special that's worth taking a look at...

Congratulations, new Samsung Galaxy S9 and/or S9+ owners! Now that you have your brand-new device (or are still refreshing its shipping status every five minutes while waiting for it to arrive), here are some of our favourite tips, tricks and tweaks you can use to get started.

They’re typical problems of the modern age. Our smartphones run out of juice just when we need them most or that last megabyte was consumed by another selfie and we can use a favorite app. Seagate, in partnership with Chinese company JD.com, has announced the Joy Drive to remedy these challenges.

Giphy, the popular GIF-making and sharing platform, launched a new web tool last month that allows you to make GIFs right from your phone's camera -- no app download required.

Our smartphones boast some pretty impressive cameras, but they're far from perfect -- especially where zoom is concerned. But, instead of forcing yourself to lug around a beefy DSLR for those long-range shots, you can improve your phone's zoom potential with the 8x Telephoto Smartphone Lens.

Android/iOS: Using your phone to scan documents isn't anything new. With apps such as Scanner Pro and Turbo Scan out there, if you own a smartphone there's pretty much no reason you need to break out the ol' flatbed scanner to digitise anything any more. Heck, even just snapping a photo of a document sans app could probably get the job done in most cases. Even if you've already found a favourite scanning app, Adobe's new app, aptly named Abobe Scan, is one you're definitely going to want to try.

We spend a lot of time on our phones - so it makes sense if our batteries usually hit that dreaded 10 percent mark before the day's even half over. That's why it's important to stock up on chargers whenever you can, and now you can re-up on three extra-long Lightning charging cables for a fraction of the cost.

If your smartphone's battery reading doesn't match up with your usage pattern, it might be time to calibrate it. Here's what you have to do.

3D Touch might be on of iOS's most unique and most ignored features. Using sensors in your iPhone it knows exactly how hard you're pressing and contextually gives you a whole slew of cool options for your particular press. If you've just bought yourself a new iPhone 6s or 7 or you've forgotten just how useful 3D Touch can be, we're here to help -- these are some of the smartest shortcuts available thanks to Apple's pressure-sensitive screen tech. Give a firm 3D Touch press on your iPhone's screen and all these options are open to you.

Machine learning in 2017 will elevate the smartphone to a virtual assistant which knows what you want before you do, according to forecasts by Deloitte.

The app market is still booming, and skilled coders are highly in-demand (and well compensated). If you want to join their ranks, then you should pick up the Professional Mobile Developer Bundle.