The use of animations and transitions is possibly one of the least talked about, but possibly most obvious additions to iOS 7, and one of the first things you notice when testing the beta versions out having come from iOS 6. When used correctly, animations can make a smartphone feel alive, but when used incorrectly they can make it feel cheap and gimmicky.
JoinedJanuary 21, 2011
Articles20,356
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.
If you remember Apple’s big iPhone reveal back from 2007, then you may remember one of the big plusses that Steve Jobs said made the iPhone so unique. Standing on stage as only Steve Jobs could, the then Apple CEO said that the iPhone's lack of physical keys made the iPhone so special because it could adapt its software keyboard to suit any situation. Obviously that was something that could not be said about the competition of the time.
Everyone's been waiting for the first real phone to come out of Motorola since its acquisition by Google, and the world's worst kept secret is the existence of an unreleased, and indeed unannounced Moto X handset, which was formally known as the Google X Phone before things got a little on the official end. The company's own CEO confirmed the handset's existence back in May, even going so far as to say that it would be made in the United States. Apart from that though, we know next to nothing apart from leaked set of images and slight details.
It's a phenomenon that few had dare to predict, though certainly one that we all hoped for. The best Android smartphones on the planet getting special Google editions, free of carrier and manufacturer bloatware? It's like the Holy Grail of mobile technology, and this week it became reality as both the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 made the transition from unique-selling-point-filled behemoths to sleek, Google-powered monsters.
Apple's iOS 7 beta is very much the hot topic right now, with everyone having an opinion on whether Jony Ive's redesign hits the mark or not. Whether you're a fan of those colorful icons or not, one thing you must surely agree with is that the new keyboard looks awesome.
Nintendo's Wii was undoubtedly popular thanks to one game, and that's Wii Tennis. It was the game we all played with our families, and it was the game that everyone used to demonstrate what the Wii was capable of. Back when motion gaming was very much in its infancy, Wii Tennis was something that really caught the eye.
Microsoft made the day for many Windows fans by making a preview build of Windows 8.1 available to download for everyone, free of charge. It's like Christmas came early, except Christmas this year is an unfinished affair, with things likely to change before Christmas-proper comes around.
One of the announcements to come out of today's event opening is the news that a new version of Visual Studio along with .NET Framwork is on the cards. Unimaginatively named Visual Studio 2013, the updated software may not yet be ready for primetime but that hasn't stopped Microsoft by making a developer preview of the said tool available for download immediately.
Ahh, 2010. It feels so long ago doesn't it? Well it will do when we remind you that 2010 was the year of the infamous iPhone 4 found-in-a-bar shenanigans that led to all kinds of headlines the world over.
Any serious Android modder will no doubt find themselves flashing and re-flashing their custom recovery, especially if they're of the particularly picky persuasion like we are. Thankfully, flashing new recoveries isn't that big a deal, at least it isn't if you're comfortable with the process and have a computer and suitable USB cable at hand. Unfortunately, that's not always possible.
