While we, as smartphone users, perhaps spend a lot more time than we'd like monitoring our battery usage, watching how much data we're using is perhaps the most important aspect of owning a mobile device. After all, many cellular packages are still rather stingy on how much data one can utilize in a given month, and if we should wind up downloading a lot more data than our package allows, those nasty surprise bills will inevitably follow. Like battery preservation, everybody has their own way of keeping abreast of how much data they're getting through, and one particularly neat feature within the Settings app of iOS 7 allows you to readily deactivate cellular data within certain apps.
In preparation for the worldwide launch of the PlayStation 4 Sony has officially released a mobile companion app for iOS and Android devices. The multi-platform offering is Sony's way of allowing gamers to take the PlayStation experience with them wherever they are, meaning that they can always be connected to the PlayStation Network from their mobile device. The company's existing Vita handheld will obviously be a vital tool for gamers who are looking to go mobile but it seems that this official PlayStation app will hugely appeal to those who haven't invested in the PS Vita.
Apple has shown an increased desire over the last 12 months to highlight the fact that a lot more of their design and manufacturing processes is taking place in the United States. The company's "Designed by Apple in California" slogan is playing an increasingly important role during media events, with Tim Cook and his executive team keen to drill home that products like the new Mac Pro will be manufactured in the US. If today's reports regarding the future of the iPhone and iPad processors turn out to be true then it could mean that upstate New York could be the production home of Apple's chips in the very near future.
It has long since been the case that users switch from Android smartphones to iPhones in larger proportions, but more so than ever, the trend is increasing. According to a study by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, more Android users made the jump to Apple's iPhone this year than ever before, and although many of those picking up the new iPhone 5s / 5c were previously owners of an older iPhone, the Cupertino firm will surely be encouraged to see more and more consumers ditching Google's OS for its own ecosystem.
One of the great things about always carrying a smartphone like the iPhone around in our pockets is the ability to almost instantly capture the beauty of any situation or environment. Apple has done a great job of providing us with instant access to the Camera app on the iPhone and iPod touch, meaning that those precious moments that may have been missed at one point can now be captured in a still photograph or full, high-definition video. But, what happens when a photograph just doesn't cut it and a 1080p video is overkill? The makers of the Bubbli app for iPhone and iPod touch believe their software is the perfect answer and is "the next best thing to being there". And furthermore, it brings the famed Android Photosphere feature to Apple's famed smartphone.
Things seem to be on the upside for BitTorrent Sync. The service that allows users to synchronize files without the use of Dropbox or other cloud based storage alternatives has just announced that it has hit a milestone that must have initially seemed out of reach. It's also been announced that the BitTorrent Sync offering will be greatly improved for the end users with the addition of third-party developer access as well as extending the current mobile distribution to appeal to a greater number of iOS users.
The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c were the big releases of the time when they were made available to the public, and rightly so, but as everyone probably remembers there were also some cool new accessories to go along with each new smartphone. If you bought a new iPhone, the chances are you at least considered picking up one of the new first-party cases, and if you went through with it, you've no doubt also noticed a problem.
Apple's latest edition to the iPad range - the iPad Air - seems to be going down with a storm with those who already have their hands on the 9.7-inch tablet. The latest and so-called greatest iPad yet is thinner, lighter and blazing fast thanks to the new A7 processor and 64-bit architecture, but more important than all of that, it seems to be getting rave reviews from those using it. With the new iPad being such an early success, it was only a matter of time until we started to see new concepts flying around the net, with one of the first bringing the same Air treatment to Apple's iPhone hardware.
If you happen to be a fan of Beyoncé then the chances are you would try and get tickets to one of her concerts if she was swinging by your way. The ex-Destiny's Child singer has undoubtedly gone on to be one of the most successful female solo recording artists of all time. Plus, her marriage to hip-hop legend Jay-Z didn't really do her worldwide appeal any damage. If you do manage to get to one of her concerts around the world then be prepared for her to not only belt out renditions of her pop infused tunes, but to also get up in your face and take your precious iPhone from you.
As soon as news of a smartphone begins to leak, the case makers are already on the task, looking to cash in on those early adopters. However, once the hype has died down a little, we get to explore some of the more creative, bespoke and generally intriguing cases on offer, and Proporta's iPhone 5s case, which boasts the ability to withstand a shotgun blast as its marquee feature, most certainly falls within those categories.
