CELL PHONES

Cell phones were introduced as big, expensive bricks in the 1980s — only attainable for the privileged few. It wasn’t until 1999, when Nokia introduced its customizable 3210 candy bar, that cell phones became not just a necessity, but an accessory everyone wanted. NBCLX’s Fernando Hurtado explores the history of our favorite possession.

If you’ve got a cell phone then you’ve got the power to help save the planet… albeit in a small way. It may mean what type of phone you buy, how often you buy it, or how you discard it. Here are a few keys to keep in mind that could go a long, long way.

Did you know that cell phones are among the world’s worst sources of pollution? Here are some tips for making your favorite possession better for our planet.

One of the dirtiest environmental polluter in the world is in your home. In fact, there’s a good chance you’re looking at it right now. It’s your cell phone. Here’s everything you need to know about how to upgrade your phone without killing the planet.

Did you receive an alert saying your SIM card has been activated on a new device? Your phone may have been hijacked by a scammer, and here’s what you can do to prevent that from happening.

More than a dozen Camp Pendleton-based Marines arrested during a Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigation into allegations of human smuggling have been charged, the U.S. Marines said Friday.

A traveling thief who allegedly targeted weddings and other events to steal cell phones, purses, laptops and other items was captured Thursday at San Francisco International Airport, police said.

It’s “excruciating.” It smells like a “locker room.” And what happens there is supposed to stay there. When history is written about President Donald Trump’s presidency, a key chapter in the House’s drive to impeach him will be set in a spy-proof bunker tucked beneath a spiral staircase just to the east of the U.S. Capitol. There, three House committees...

House Democrats announced they’ll hold the first public hearings next week in their impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump.

U.S. senators concerned about their personal cellphones getting hacked want Capitol Hill authorities to take steps to prevent it. Scott MacFarlane reports.

Distraught students and parents shouted at a Southern California school district leader and demanded answers during a vigil Wednesday night for a Moreno Valley middle school student who died after suffering severe injuries in a confrontation on campus.

A six-woman smokescreen shorted a Maryland Verizon store of $24,000 in phones, police say.

Organizers of the “Stand Up For Humanity” rally say hatred and bigotry is dividing our nation. “We want people to come together to recognize that we have to stand up for one another,” Rev. Sylvia Sumter said at the rally. News4’s Darcy Spencer reports.

A McKinney man says he’s mastered the art of turning robocalls into thousands of dollars — legally. Now, he wants to show you how to cash in on illegal calls.

A veteran FBI agent who wrote derogatory text messages about Donald Trump filed a lawsuit Tuesday charging that the bureau caved to “unrelenting pressure” from the president when it fired him. The suit from Peter Strzok also alleges he was unfairly punished for expressing his political opinions, and that the Justice Department violated his privacy when it shared hundreds of...

Every summer, kids can lose up to two-and-a-half months of learning in reading and math when they stop refreshing their skills. News4’s Doreen Gentzler has tips for how to keep your kids engaged during their vacation.

Four Maryland teenagers who sneaked onto their school’s property the night before graduation last year and covered it in racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic graffiti apparently tried to obscure their identities — but their cellphones gave them away.

D.C.’s attorney general is suing Marriott, accusing the hotel chain of using deceptive and misleading pricing practices. Consumer Reporter Susan Hogan explains.

If you have your cell phone with you near the National Mall Saturday morning, you might hear a loud — and totally harmless — buzzing noise. The District of Columbia is conducting a Wireless Emergency Alert Test between 11-11:30 a.m. Saturday, D.C. Homeland Security said in a tweet. Cell phones and mobile devices on or near the National Mall will…

NBC4 Consumer Reporter Susan Hogan explains the technology behind robocalls and what you can do to stop them.