When purchasing a PC from one of the main manufacturers, the "unboxing" experience is swiftly marred by the barrage of unnecessary programs pre-loaded onto the computer. Known as "bloatware", it can be anything from free trials of various internet security suites, to vendor-specific programs - none of which the consumer has asked for.
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Camera-based apps for Apple's iPhone aren't exactly in short supply, and while they all use the same quality of camera, the results from app to app can differ greatly. Some of the more popular ones can yield fantastic results, but the indifference of many image and photo apps mean it's always good to do a little research before parting with any money.
Although Microsoft has born the brunt of much criticism throughout the tech industry over the years, the Redmond-based software maker has had a comparatively good last couple of years. The Xbox 360 is the number one console, Windows Phone is growing steadily, and the Windows 8 Consumer Preview dropped earlier this year to widespread critical acclaim.
If you cast your minds back a few months, you might remember the Raspberry Pi USB dongle, which one intuitive chap had turned into a fully-functional PC running Android. Enthusiasts will be pleased to learn that an equally tasty alternative has now gone on general sale, and can be bought for the unbelievably cheap price of just $74!
Whether you go unsubsidized or take out a contract with one of the carriers, the purchasing of an iPhone is an expensive gig, and after paying an arm and a knee for the thing, it figures you'd also want a decent protective cover for it. This, of course, means more expenditure, and although cases and sleeves can be picked up for a couple of dollars on eBay, the ones that'll actually help shield your device from the daily grind are not only fairly pricey, but can add quite a few extra millimeters of bulk to your device's form factor.
Although Apple's iPhone remains one of the most popular and sought-after devices on the market, the news earlier this month of Samsung taking its crown as the number one smartphone manufacturer will have sent alarm bells ringing. To make matters worse, it has now been revealed that Microsoft's Windows Phone has overtaken the fruit company's iPhone in terms of market share in China - the largest market in the world.
Apple's iTunes Festival has increased in popularity since first launching in 2007, and has just released details of some of this year's featured acts, including popular artists such as Usher and Norah Jones.
The news of Pod2g's progress regarding an untethered iOS 5.1.x untethered jailbreak earlier this week made for exciting reading, and via a blog post, he revealed which devices will be compatible once released. And now, pod2g has confirmed via a tweet on Twitter, that the iPhone 3GS and the third-gen iPod touch have been tested as working along with the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, whilst each iPad iteration will also be supported. Although the iPad 2's jailbreak currently only covers the Wi-Fi model, both the Wi-Fi an CDMA versions of the recently released new iPad will see the untethered jailbreak!
While there have been many mobile gaming hits from both Apple's App Store and Google's rivaling Play Store, only a select few could be categorized as "the elite". You know, the games which consumers have on their devices so often, they could become a stock feature; the titles boasting cutting-edge graphics with addictive gameplay enticing new users to keep purchasing the sequels year in, year out.
One of the things I personally found most fascinating about the late, great Steve Jobs was his dogmatic approach to everything that he did. Unfazed by skepticism, he took visions and ideas, remained vigorously dedicated to them, and while some were relatively hit-and-miss, the company he co-founded with Steve Wozniak has produced some of the most iconic and era-defining devices and innovations ever seen.

