One of the more obvious alterations to Apple's iOS 7 is the overall change in design ethos, with Jony Ive leading the Cupertino company towards a flatter, skeuo-free environment. It's fair to say that John Gruber's pre-WWDC assessment of the interface, in that it would be polarizing, has rung true, but irrespective of consensus, it is the look Apple will be sticking with. While Android won't be seeing such radical changes any time soon - at least, not from what we hear - those running Google's mobile OS can get a little taster of Apple's new UI through an app called iOS 7 Calci, which offers a passable emulation of Apple's new Calculator app.
Android management apps for PC and Web are a dime a dozen, and every now and then, some new contender enters the market hoping to claim the throne as the king. Many of these contenders are not even worth a second look, but from time to time, we see a solid performer entering the arena as well, even if it doesn’t get to generate an enormous momentum. Mobogenie is one such utility. Available for Windows based PCs, it offers complete management for Android devices from the comfort of your desktop/laptop’s screen real-estate and better control thanks to mouse/keyboard combination. More past the jump.
After quite a bit of a wait, we've finally seen the first device born of Google's well-documented acquisition of Motorola. The Moto X Android Phone has certainly made waves since its grand unveiling, and like most new mobile products out of Mountain View, comes with one or two exclusive treats. The Active Display, for example, keeps users abreast of their notifications even when the device is locked, and if you've been impressed by the new feature, you can now enjoy something similar on any Android device.
Sony, being a camera maker as well as a smartphone manufacturer, should have the smartphone-camera market pretty much sewn up. But with Nokia continuing to shine in this particular department, it would appear as though the Japanese electronics giant is about to step up its game. A leaked presentation slide of the rumored "Honami" handset suggests the device could be capable of shooting 4K video, and with the company's PlayStation 4 console set to be a vital part of the Ultra HD revolution, we certainly wouldn't discount these claims with haste.
A few months back, Yahoo! hopped out of the wilderness to deliver a rather stunning weather app for Apple's iPhone, and in fact, the iOS 7 weather app appears to have borrowed one or two design cues from it. Naturally, many Android users have been wondering whether the updated app would would be making its way to the Google Play Store any time soon, and if you happen to be one of those individuals, your wait is officially over. The new Yahoo! Weather app is now available for Android, and as ever, it's free of charge. Details, as well as that all-important download link, can be found after the leap!
CyanogenMod, the most popular custom firmware for Android based solely on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), usually serves as a sigh of relief for the plethora of users that otherwise would be stuck on an older Android version owing to the fact that OEMs are not really that keen on releasing updates for older devices. With the release of Android 4.3, a lot of Android users were looking forward to tasting the latest goodies on their device thanks to the famous custom ROM, and CM developers have not disappointed - CyanogenMod 10.2 nightlies have started making appearances on the official channel for a variety of devices, which is based on Android 4.3.
Yesterday, we heard reports out of Asia that Samsung was readying yet another stab at the antiquated flip-phone niche with the so-called 'Hennessy,' and today, those rumors have been confirmed as true. Today, the South Korean electronics giant has officially announced the dual-screen device, which runs on Android 4.1, packs a 1,500 mAh battery and a quad-core processor. Details, as ever, can be found right after the break.
One of the reasons why Samsung is among the most dominant smartphone vendors in the game, is that it seems to have few qualms with developing a device to suit every consumer. As well as an array of smartphones to cover all bases, the South Korean giant still pumps out plenty of dumbphones, but one particular type of handset the company seems to be dragging back from yesteryear is the flip-phone. We've already heard numerous reports of the reasonably strong Galaxy Folder, complete with dual displays and a dual-core processor, and now, a leak suggests another, named the Hennessey, could be about ready for the market.
Google's Android firmware may be continually improving in a number of key areas, but one category of constant concern is that of Android malware and general security threats, which seem to be rising just as readily as the platform is. Worryingly, security outfit Trend Micro notes of how the number of malicious apps in existence across the Web has increased to 700,000, with almost 200,000 having manifested in the last quarter alone. With up to 99 percent of devices potentially at risk, the threat is very real, and although users are at least becoming more cautious and aware, it would seem the malware makers are more determined than ever.
The smartphone industry is, slowly but surely, edging users away from the makers of standalone camera brands, with some of the biggest names in photography space forced to develop new strategies in order to adapt to the changing face of technology. You only have to look at Nokia's impressive 41-megapixel Lumia 1020 to realize just how much we value that lens on the rear side of our handsets nowadays, and in an attempt to cash in on the obsession with high-quality smartphone snappers, Sony looks to be prepping a lens attachment for both Android and Apple handsets.
