The LG-manufactured Google Nexus 4 has kicked up quite a storm on the interwebs this morning, with the revelation of it packing in an LTE chip. The first tear-downs have revealed a Qualcomm multi-band LTE chip nestled within, but before any current or prospective Nexus 4 fans get too excited, it does not equate to a usable 4G LTE cellular connection. At least, not on its own.
We may be fast approaching the fabulous holiday season which the majority of us are looking forward to throughout the year, but it would seem that the latest version of Android Jelly Bean simply does not want Android users to be celebrating. Version 4.2 of Google's industry leading mobile operating system has been shipped with a rather startling flaw in the date picker control that prevents users from selecting the month of December when adding date information in apps that use the native picker. It might not be the biggest bug we will ever see with shipped software, but it is certainly one that should never have gone live.
Android 4.2 might not be Google’s next major update, as most people hoped it might be, but it’s still the latest smartphone/tablet operating system from the search giant, and that’s enough for most people to desire it more than perhaps anything else. Add to the mix the fact that the latest Google Nexus 4 comes preloaded with the new Jellybean version, and that the device is being sold at an exceptionally reasonable price point of $300, and users will be lining up to buy the device as soon as they can.
The Wall Street Journal seems to have the scoop on all the upcoming tech products and services recently, and in the latest, the world-renowned publication has revealed search giant Google could be planning to build its own wireless network akin to the likes of AT&T. Considering the dogmatic manner in which Google has set goals and swiftly taken over in areas like mobile with Android and browsing Chrome, the news should come as no surprise, and if the report has any substance to it, would anybody bet against Google once again bullying its way to the top of the pile?
iOS users have been tripping over themselves to pour scorn on Apple's lackluster Maps offering, and even though Tim Cook released a public apology for the disastrous native app, consumers are still waiting to see most of the promised improvements bear fruit. Many have pined for Google to bring a app that at least gives the same functionality as the pre-iOS 6 version of iOS Maps to iOS 6, and although that may seem a simple enough concept, Google has been dragging its heels somewhat. Now though, it has emerged that a native Google Maps app could reach the App Store by the end of the year, and as the Wall Street Journal reports, the Mountain View-based search giant is applying the finishing touches before submitting.
Although preceded by Windows Phone 7.x, the perception is that Windows Phone 8 is Microsoft's first real stab at today's mobile market. The experimental phase has now passed, and the Redmond company is all set to launch its assault on Android and iOS with its new improved ecosystem and to begin with, the Surface. Naturally, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has stepped out and criticized his two main rivals, and while he calls the Android ecosystem "wild" and "uncontrolled," he also states Apple's iOS is is as highly-priced as it is controlled.
When Google announced Android 4.2 last month, a lot of people were left unimpressed, mainly because it was an incremental update and not really something that would cause a lot of bells and whistles. Nevertheless, the update did bring a few fresh additions to the Android ecosphere, including the likes of Notification Quick Settings, Gesture typing (trust me, it’s not Swype), Photo Sphere, improvements to Google Now, Miracast support, multiple user accounts for tablets, and more.
The coming days and weeks represent an extremely exciting and important time for Google and their manufacturing partners, with the official release of a wave of new Android based devices set to go live imminently. The recently announced LG Nexus 4 smartphone, the Samsung Nexus 10, and the new variants of the already heralded Nexus 7 will be available in the marketplace extremely soon and will no doubt cause a spending spree amongst the Android loving community. To make things a little more exciting, testers are starting to see Android 4.2 Jelly Bean pushed through to their test units of the aforementioned devices.
Now we know what you're thinking! You can't compare a desktop operating system to that of smartphones and the odd tablet! You just can't, it's utter madness and you should be mocked for even suggesting such a thing! Well, read on!
It should be common news by now that Apple has taken the decision to have an executive shake-up in Cupertino, with a number of notable faces set to leave the company in 2013. One of the most well-known casualties of the internal restructure is Scott Forstall who has held the role of Senior Vice President of iOS over the last few years. Forstall has been in charge of developing and handling the direction of iOS and has reportedly been shown the door due to his inability to play nice with other executives, as well as the publicly perceived shortcomings in the new Apple mapping system and the Siri digital assistant.
