When Google refreshed Android to bring in version 4.4, KitKat, it added some new features to the mix while also redesigning some of the platform’s existing ones. Music playback was one example of something that got a lick of paint in KitKat, with a new lock screen widget being at the center of it all.
One of the prime difficulties with moving to a new phone or upgrading your existing device is all the valuable data that you leave behind in the old one. Thankfully, we’ve come such a long way in the world of smartphones that it isn’t that much of an issue any more, as third party solutions allow you to achieve that with relative ease, even though it’s a hassle. Things become really interesting (and difficult), however, when you decide to move between platforms, especially from iOS to Android.
We've been hearing a lot of rumor and speculation regarding Nokia's supposed effort to bring its first smartphone running on Android to market, and while it has been suggested on numerous occasions that next month's Mobile World Congress (MWC) could be the venue for the grand unveiling, Nokia has now all-but confirmed this to be the case by sending out invitations to a special press event kicking off on 24th at 8.30AM. The invitation doesn't, of course, specify what will be on show, but with everything seeming to point towards the mid-range handset - codenamed 'Normandy,' we could be just one month away from seeing it in the flesh.
Most users of digital devices containing some kind of storage will be aware that the quoted capacity doesn't usually tell the entire story. But once we've established that 16GB does not equate to the full 16GB, why do some devices only offer 8GB of available storage out of the box, while others offer 12GB+? Well this is due mainly to the firmware (and often, considerable bloatware) that some companies like to throw in, and as is portrayed in a rather nice infographic by tech market researcher Which, Samsung's flagship Galaxy S4 is the worst culprit for adding extra software.
Wireless charging may be a standard feature with many of the mobile industry's top smartphones, but if you happen to be in ownership of Samsung's Galaxy S4, you'll know that the device does not support it out of the box. But if you are happily wielding your Galaxy S4 and would love the option / convenience of wireless charging, you'll be pleased to learn that the official S-View Flip cover has your back. It costs $69.99, which isn't bad for a stylish all-rounder, and the added extra of inductive charging is simply the icing on the cake.
Nokia mightn't be alone in its quest to bring premium image and video-capturing capabilities to the smartphone industry, but the Finnish outfit is certainly the only one to have left DSLR manufacturers looking nervously over their shoulders. Yet Sony is very much renowned for its impressive array of cameras, and one could argue that it has a much more evolved reputation as a camera maker than a smartphone OEM. But playing to its strengths, it looks as though the eventual successor to the Xperia Z1 could up the ante as far as camera technology is concerned, with software discovered by ExperiaBlog seeming to suggest that it will bring 4K video to the fold.
We've already witnessed Apple make some significant changes to how iOS looks and feels, but we could also see Samsung following closely behind. The South Korean company is rumored to be planning big things for 2014, which will inevitably result in a number of new product releases, the first of which will be the Galaxy S5, and is rumored to be introduced to the market on February 23rd.
After being originally teased back in October of last year, the Beats Music app is now available to download for iOS, Android and Windows Phone through the relevant app stores. Beats, a company who take their music very seriously, are describing the new service as a place being "curated by people who believe music is emotion and life". The differentiating factor that exists within Beats Music appears to be the fact that the app and service is built around musical customization that exists to try and present subscribers with a perfectly curated playlist of music based on their current tastes and moods.
Google Glass is still trying to creep its way into the public mindset rather than simply living on the periphery of the technology circle. While we're still quite a way away from seeing people walking down the street while donning Google's epic specs, some rather surprising companies are starting to take notice of the technology.
We now have additional evidence to suggest that Samsung's recent decision to overhaul the user-interface in its PRO Galaxy Note and Galaxy Tab tablets could soon be followed up with a new look throughout. The fresh and modern magazine based design that graced the aforementioned devices definitely managed to capture the imagination of users, which can only be seen as a positive as it seems that upcoming Samsung smartphones will also benefit from a fresh lick of interface paint, as the latest leaked images show.
