The iPad mini is, by and large, deemed to be a consumption device, and although it surely has some productive qualities, it's definitely seen as more of an entertainment package than its larger sibling. With this in mind, a group of creative individuals have started a Techdy campaign to gather support for their rather beautiful gaming controller for the fledgling slate, and as well as doubling up as a smart cover when not in use, it also looks robust enough to keep your iPad mini securely in place when it is.
Apple is largely expected to release a Retina-displaying version of its iPad mini this year, along with an incrementally-improved iPhone dubbed the "iPhone 5S". According to a research note from Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities, both have hit delays, and with the iPhone 5S release date initially being touted for announcement in June in preparation for a July release, it now appears as though neither will be hitting the market anytime soon.
The iPad mini is largely considered to be the better looking of the two iPad variants currently on the market, and with the fourth-gen iPad appearing almost identical to the iPad 2 (only heavier and thicker), it is strongly suspected Apple will beautify its flagship tablet with a touch of the anodized aluminum. Whilst it's still unknown whether this will in fact be the case, a leaked image of a purported 'iPad 5' bezel seems to indicate that, at least from the front, the next iPad could borrow a few design points from its scaled-down counterpart.
Smartphones and tablets, while often lambasted for their lack of durability in dealing with those everyday mishaps, certainly appear to be getting stronger as we saunter on through the generations. But perhaps some of today's revered gadgets are, in fact, a lot more robust than we'd give them credit for, and in the case of one Apple iPad that inadvertently found itself in a head-on collision with an automobile, the device actually seemed to come off better than the car itself. The owner of the iPad in question accidentally drove off while leaving the Apple slate atop the roof of their car, but as it flew off and towards the vehicle behind, the impact left the device embedded within the bumper.
Like many jailbreakers, one of the very first tweaks I install upon jailbreaking a device for the first time is SBSettings. Its effortless toggling of any and every major setting within iOS is a commodity that cannot be enjoyed at stock level, but it's certainly something quite a few of us would love to see right off the bat. Designer Ran Avni certainly seems to concur, and has dared to dream with a very elegant design bringing toggles for alarm, orientation, Wi-Fi and others right to the home / lock screen.
Cydia creator Jay Freeman, better known as Saurik, is well known for his long, insightful speeches on numerous topics relating to the jailbreak scene, and today, has taken to his official blog to give users a better insight into the limitations of SHSH blobs and APTickets. Backing up these little clusters of information offers significant downgrade potential to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users, but what has recently become apparent to Saurik, is that they're essentially useless to some of the more recent devices. As well as explaining and clarifying a few matters relating to APTickets and SHSH blobs, he also tries to convey, in layman's terms, why we cannot downgrade to 6.1.2-6.0 from 6.1.3 or later using Cydia’s SHSH blobs and APTickets on older A4 devices.
Smartphones have made it very easy for almost anybody with a vested interest in photography, or cameras in general, to hone their skills. Okay, so Instagram doesn't really count, but you get the idea, and if you regularly use your smartphone to shoot and edit your very own video clips, you may be interested in a nifty little free app by the name of Fast Forward. It allows you to create wonderful stop-motion masterpieces by pre-setting the number of frames you wish to capture, as well as the amount of time between each frame, and the result is breathtaking at times.
Here's how you can watch WWE WrestleMania 29 live on your iOS, Android, Xbox and Windows 8 / RT powered devices. In case you don't already know, The Rock will be taking on John Cena for the WWE Championship, some 90,000 fans are expected to turn out to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to see it.
Music is always a pleasant commodity at a social gathering, and such are the trends of modern technology, that most people have their entire library (or at least, an assortment of favorites) in their pocket at all times. Unfortunately, the rigmarole of chopping and changing between devices to source different artists and songs is an altogether less enjoyable experience, and can make the process rather tiresome at times. Thankfully though, one developer has come through with a solution to this common occurrence, having created an app for iOS which allows all on the same Wi-Fi to curate a playlist mixing songs from different devices. It's called GrouPlay, and although it doesn't solve the issue of cringe worthy dance moves, will allow the party to continue with less interruption.
The native ability of most mobile devices to take screenshots can be incredibly useful, particularly if, like us, you're in the business of reviewing apps and games. As you may have noticed from some of our jailbreak posts, adding a device-like frame can turn a boring old capture into a beautiful, lifelike impression of a device in action, and although Photoshop skills tend to be required for these kinds of edits to be made, you can now add such frames natively on both iOS and Android. We've found two of the best apps in Screenshot - Frame Maker for iOS and Device Frame Generator for Android, and if you'd like to visually enhance some of your screen captures, check out the lowdown on each after the break!
