Google's Eric Schmidt appears to have pointed the finger at Apple over the lack of a Google Now app on the Cupertino firm's iOS devices during a recent Q&A session. More details right after the jump.
We are getting close to that time of the year again when speculation surrounding the next-generation iPhone hardware starts to intensify. We've recently seen Samsung announce the Galaxy S4 smartphone, which may not offer much in terms of visual innovation, but definitely packs a punch when it comes to internal hardware and specifications. Those who are coming to the end of their current minimum-term contracts will be debating whether or not to snap up the latest flagship Android device from Samsung, or wait to see what Apple has in store for us with the new iPhone, or the iPhone 5S.
Mobile users, even many of those with an affinity to Apple's iOS, seem in agreement that the look and feel of the fruit company's flagship operating system is in severe need of updating. With a new leader at the helm of iOS in the form of Jony Ive, there's fresh optimism that iOS 7 will break the mold and bring the radical changes and implementations so many users seem to crave. As such, we've also seen many iOS 7 concepts since iOS SVP Scott Forstall was given his marching orders toward the end of last year, and this latest one from designer Mohamed Kerroudj is one of the best to date.
Apple today has released a new firmware update for Apple TV. The set-top box has seen its software bumped to version 5.2.1, and as well as a bunch of the customary bug fixes, there have also been significant enhancements made to the Hulu Plus interface for 5.2.x firmware users.
If Geekbench scores ruled the mobile industry, Samsung's latest and greatest Galaxy S4 handset would have blown out the competition. Having carried out some comparisons of the Geekbench 2 scores of the current popular and big-selling devices, PrimateLabs has established that not only is the GS4 considerably faster than any other smartphone ever made, but almost twice as fast as the iPhone 5, now that’s something.
Making phone calls, checking emails and browsing the web are some of the more useful features of Apple's range of iOS powered gadgets, but the introduction of iMessage meant that even iPod touch and iPad owners can send and receive messages to users who are running iOS 5 and above.
Most of you will, by now, have seen the prime time release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 on Thursday, and while the early opinions are flying about at will, it's pretty hard to gauge just how the device fares against some of its rivals. The handset is overflowing with high-end features, and trumps pretty much everything else in the specs department, but in a face-to-face, real world comparison, how does Samsung's latest outlet compare with its long-standing adversary, the iPhone? Several publications managed to get their hands on the Galaxy S4, and as well as offering in-depth, hands-on coverage, also briefly considered the presence of the iPhone 5.
The Galaxy S4 has scarcely managed two days in the limelight, and already Apple has chimed in with the customary new web page offering a bunch of subtly-conveyed reasons why Android sucks, and why the iPhone 5 is much better and you should buy it. As childish an assessment as that may sound, we're used to seeing just how the biggest battle in tech frequently devolves into playground-like tit-for-tat, and with Apple and the iPhone 5 feeling decidedly left-out over the past 48 hours, it was never going to be long before the Android community was treated to some kind of backlash.
The talk of a low-cost iPhone ranks alongside products such as the iWatch and Apple's connected TV effort in years-old rumors are yet to materialize into an actual product. Following the iPad mini, which, after a lot of similar speculation, is now very much a real device, claims of a similar, cheaper entry to the smartphone market seems to have claimed some legitimacy with time. Today, we're hearing that the device, which many have suggested will launch alongside the next flagship iPhone, will utilize the same 4-inch display of the iPhone 5, while also featuring plastic exterior casing, falling perfectly in line with previous reports.
Apple today released an update to its OS X operating system which powers its desktop and notebook computers. Version 10.8.3 is now available for download via the Mac App Store for all users of Macs running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion or later.

