Whenever a launch of a new mobile device doesn't go exactly to plan, there's always at least one guy up in the higher ranks who winds up taking the fall. Scott Forstall was the scapegoat when Apple's iOS 6 Maps app took a public flogging for its not-even-beta-worthy state, and now, Samsung design chief Chang Dong-hoon has been replaced by his deputy thanks to shortcomings relating to the Korean outfit's Galaxy S5 design.
While other large corporations involved in the gaming world have openly embraced the world of mobile, Nintendo has used all of its internal grit and determination to stay away from the small screen. The Japanese based company has internally opposed building games and software for smartphones and tablets, choosing instead to focus on its own console hardware like the Wii U. An acknowledgement toward the end of last year seemed to indicate that things could be about to change with the company today announcing that it will launch its first mobile smartphone service alongside the release of Mario Kart 8 later this month.
We always knew, following the announcement of the Galaxy S5 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona back in February, that the Samsung flagship would be the first of many S5 spin-off handsets. The preceding Galaxy S4 had, after all, spawned many, including the Active, Zoom and the mini. Thanks to the inherently "Active" Galaxy S5 shipping dust and waterproof right off the bat and the recent announcement of the Galaxy K Zoom, it was only a matter of time before the compact edition manifested, and now, we have a sighting of said device courtesy of a reliable source.
A new piece of malware, which is capable of infiltrating various specifications of Android-based devices, has seemingly hit a new low in terms of sheer malice. Once installed, the infected device is abruptly disabled, showing only a pop-up message that demands significant sums of money be parted with by the victim.
The Google Glass might be a niche product, both from the usability and price point perspectives, but it seems that this particular niche cannot be satiated by just one competitor. Or, at least, that’s what Epson seems to believe. The company that gained famed via its remarkable printing products has announced the second-generation of its Google Glass competitor – a smart glass christened Moverio BT-200, which can do pretty much everything that Google has on offer and more, for a significantly lower price point.
Being the huge tech fans that we are, we're more than just a little excited about the OnePlus One smartphone. Combining the tried-and-tested formula of high-end specs and low price, the CM-running device is sure to be a hit when it makes it to market. Speaking of market, Oppo's spin-off company decided to promote its handset using the fairly common tactic of encouraging would-be early adopters to film themselves smashing up their iPhones. Some refused, while others played ball, and the winners, as you'll see in the clip below, went above and beyond the call of duty.
One of the marquee features of Apple's iPhone 5s back in September was the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and Samsung duly followed suit with a similar implementation to the Galaxy S5 released early last month. Now, reports suggest that the Korean outfit is planning to broaden the reach of the fingerprint-sensing tech. by also including it with a fleet of upcoming tablets.
One of major reasons why smartphone enthusiasts opt for Android over other mobile OSes like iOS and Windows Phone 8 is because of Android’s relatively open nature. It allows users to customize every facet of their phone while iOS doesn’t, even with powerful theming systems like DreamBoard and WinterBoard in place. Android enthusiasts are often heard installing “Custom ROMs” on their devices; these modified versions of Android OS are cooked up by passionate and dedicated developers in their free time and we’ve mentioned some of the most popular ones after the break.
There's nothing worse than being out somewhere far away from a charging facility with a mobile device about to cease functioning through lack of power. As such, most of us make provisions for this common eventuality, be it in the form of a spare battery, a USB cable, or a power pack that enables us to rejuvenate our mobiles by adding a few emergency droplets of juice. A new Indiegogo campaign offers a slight twist on the usual external charging hub with a peripheral that not only generates its own energy through your natural movements, but also keeps a log of how much you're burning off.
The great thing about owning iOS, OS X and Apple-powered gadgets in general is the seamless manner in which they tend to integrate with one another. AirPlay, in particular, makes it very easy for content to be beamed to separate Apple devices, but the major hitch for most folks is the proprietary nature of this connectivity. An intriguing new app, created by AirSquirrels - looks to bridge the gap between Apple products and those created by other companies by allowing an iOS devices screen to be streamed to Windows, OS X and - get this - Google's Android.
