Google is inarguably the most innovative company in the modern mobile industry, with several exciting products already in the pipeline. The head-mounted Glass device is perhaps the most eagerly-anticipated of them all, but as far as allowing us to engage with digital products using just our eyes, it's not the only project that the search giant is plotting. The company is also working on some smart contact lenses offering significant health benefits those suffering with diabetes, and today, this enterprise got a significant boost with the Big G having struck a licensing deal with Novartis subsidiary Alcon.
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It's a fair assessment to make that Apple's Passbook feature hasn't been adopted by consumers with the kind of enthusiasm that the early hype suggested, but with NFC said to be arriving with the iPhone 6, the voucher / pass / wallet service could soon become a staple part of iOS users' diets. The Cupertino's move to launch iTunes Pass in Japan is certainly indicative of a more concerted push with Passbook, and as of today, Japanese consumers will be able to top up their iTunes credit via Passbook at Apple's brick-and-mortar retail outlets.
We've covered plenty of great app deals here, but on this occasion, we've a special treat. For instead of four, five or six apps gone free, we've got a sizeable haul of nine, and if your home screen is looking a little scant, check the details below!
Beats Electronics, which was recently acquired by Apple, has enjoyed an immensely successful first few years in business, and while its hardware arguably offers premium audio quality, there's no doubt that the company's ties with music and popular culture have helped it to reach the dizzy heights of being Apple's largest ever acquisition. As well as music, an industry in which founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine are heavily invested, football / soccer players have certainly helped to broaden the appeal of the brand, and now, Beats has returned the favor by presenting Germany's World Cup-winning squad with some 24-carat gold Beats Pro headphones.
During the course of the past few years, the gaming industry's sales charts have been dominated by Activision's Call of Duty franchise, but last year, things changed. Not only did Grand Theft Auto 5 blow CoD: Ghosts out of the water, but its monumental success saw it break several Guinness World Records, and even though Rockstar Games' most celebrated release is now effectively done and dusted, there's still the small matter of the next-gen release. In retailing the original GTA 5 just two months before the arrival of the PS4 and Xbox One, Rockstar knew that it could further monetize with an up-scaled version for the newer consoles as well as the PC, and while the official announcements of these upcoming editions have just been made, we may now also have a firm date.
Apple's iPad is among the most coveted in the tablet game, and given that the Cupertino outfit is credited with forging this now-lucrative market, this is to be expected. However, while it's a well-made device - as is the case with most hardware out of Cupertino - the nickel element of its metal finish is apparently causing irritation on the skin of young children coming into contact with the slate.
We place a great deal of importance on our mobile devices in this day and age, and you only have to look at the scrum of eager consumers at ever iPhone launch to realize that Apple lovers take their gadgets very seriously indeed. But whilst it is often said of the iPhone's appeal that consumers would "sell a kidney" to get hold of the latest handset, it's not a phrase that we actually take to heart, but unfortunately, one young lady has tragically died in trying to keep hold of her iPad.
Ingress, Google's intriguing augmented reality title for Android, has just made its début on the iTunes App Store, allowing iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users to get a piece of the action. It's free of charge, and below, we've got the details and download link so be sure to join us right after the break!
It was revealed at Microsoft's BUILD developers conference earlier this year that the traditional Start menu would be making a re-appearance at some point in the near feature, and although Microsoft stopped short of offering specific details, a new leak gives as an insight into what we can expect of this feature once reinstated.
If you're a user of Google's very efficient, feature-rich Gmail service, you mightn't know that, in actual fact, you have two different email addresses through which you can be reached. This ideal if, say, you wish to make two accounts for a specific site or service, but want all notifications and correspondence to be sent to the same inbox, and although many of you will already be aware of this little tip, it's still a useful one to know.

