When Apple first announced the original iPad, many people in the technology industry started a debate about whether it could ever be a device for creating content. Many decided that the touch-based input method meant that the iPad and other tablets were simply not suited to content creation, with consumption being the name of the game. While watching movies, viewing images and reading text are possibly the biggest reason to own an iPad, the years since that first iPad introduction have proven that there's plenty to be built on an iPad.
JoinedJanuary 21, 2011
Articles20,347
Oliver Haslam has written about technology for over a decade. His work has been published in print at Macworld and online pretty much everywhere else. If it plugs in or has a battery, it's fair game.
We all like to customize our devices. It's why multi-colored cases sell so well, and why we agonize over whether what color smartphone we want to buy every time a new one gets released. People like to think that they've got something different to what everyone else has because they like to be different.
Real multi-app multitasking may be on its way to iOS thanks to jailbreak developer Ryan Petrich after he released a teaser video showing a tweak that he is currently working on. It's still in its early stages of development, but the video is enough to get us very excited indeed.
Viber is one of the more popular Skype alternatives out there, and with apps across every major platform it isn't difficult to see why. It's also hugely popular on iOS, even with FaceTime now offering not just a video calling option, but also a voice-only solution too. Heavy users of Viber will always want to be able to customize the app a little more than its developer does though, which is where Vibrator comes in.
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 has a lot going for it. It's big, it's fast and it's got more sensors than NASA. Those sensors do all kinds of things, but it seems the old fashioned microphone may be at the center of one particular party piece, and it's a party piece that Samsung has kept rather quiet.
It's not something we've ever done ourselves, but we've got a sneak suspicion that it's happened to more people than are willing to let on. We are, of course, talking about people walking into things while they're sending text or instant messages. Granted, we've done it when inebriated, but never when trying to use our phones!
As more and more of our lives revolve around our smartphones, we really do need their batteries to last as long as possible. With those phones receiving more beefy CPUs and larger screens with more pixels, they're starting to use more juice than ever before. Unfortunately batteries aren't seeing huge improvements in technology, which as a result has left manufacturers with only one option: put larger batteries into their handsets.
You may remember that not too long ago now we told you about Winocm and how he had managed to dual boot his iPad 2 with iOS 6 and iOS 5. In fact, he was so sure that people probably wouldn't believe that he'd done it, he released a video on YouTube showcasing the feat. He even went so far as to release a further video showing that the same iPad 2 could also be forced to triple boot, with iOS 7 thrown into the mix. We're not really sure that the word 'impressive' does any of that justice.
When Facebook added Chat Heads to its apps the addition was greeted by both excitement and derision in equal measure, but for those that use them, Chat Heads are a must-have feature. Those who use the right flavor of Android will have access to Chat Heads system-wide, but those of us using iOS devices like iPads and iPhones aren't able to do the same thanks to Apple's stranglehold on how things work when an app is closed. It's a trade-off that we make, but it's safe to say the idea of having instant access to Chat Heads no mater what app is in use would be appealing to many.
We've all got our pet hates. Some people can't abide those who smoke, or perhaps have a particular disdain for anyone that bites their fingernails. With us, it's people who shout when talking on their phones.
