If it seems like you can't go more than three clicks without being bombarded with new iPhone news, then we're going to have to apologies right here, and right now; this post isn't going to offer any respite.
We're inching closer and closer to the impending announcement of the supposed iPhone 5S and 5C, and while it may just be a speed bump of the existing iPhone 5, the 5S is currently the one that everyone is shouting about thanks to that rumored champagne colored option.
The iPhone 5C, Apple's first attempt at offering a budget device, is expected to be unveiled alongside the new flagship iPhone 5S at a special event to be held on September 10th, and we've seen many leaks and sightings of the polycarbonate-enclosed handset already. But today, via French blog Nowhererlse, an image has emerged of what is claimed to be the device packaged in its retail casing ahead of shipment.
iOS and OS X are becoming more and more similar with every new version. OS X received a generous dose of "iOS-ification" last year with Mountain Lion, which saw a plethora of mobile features, such as Reminders, iMessage and Notification Center, make their way to the desktop. And seeing as iOS is still very much OS X's apprentice, apps like Safari are modeled on the main versions built for the Mac range. But while these two ecosystems are slowly becoming as one, communication between the two is still very much a strained affair. However, DeskConnect, a new app for iOS, helps make the sharing of information between the two as effortless as possible, and if you're looking for something to draw your two favorite gadgets even closer together, it’s well worth a look.
We first heard a few days back that Apple would begin an iPhone trade-in program around the time of the release of the next-gen handsets, a move designed to boost general sales of the device from the company's own retail stores rather than partners. Today, the service has come into full effect and now, consumers will be able to trade-in their old devices in part-exchange for a gleaming new handset.
Apple's decision to make the iPhone into a decidedly closed platform has allowed it to do all kinds of weird and wonderful things throughout its six year lifecycle, but it's also come at the cost of flexibility. Like it or not, there are just some things that devices running iOS simply cannot do when compared with most other smartphones, especially those running Google's rival Android mobile operating system. One of the things it cannot do is send or receive files over Bluetooth. It's also something that phones have been able to do for many, many years.
Despite the fact that BlackBerry looks in more than a spot of bother just now, the planned effort to bring the famed BlackBerry Messenger service, or BBM, to Android and iOS is still going ahead as planned. Whether owners of said devices actually require this impromptu resurrection of a dying brand - particularly in light of services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger - remains to be seen, but by the looks of a new landing page on the Canadian arm of the company's website, the wait is almost over.
The official Twitter app has taken a fair bit of stick over the years, especially with the likes of Tweetbot hanging around, but it's fair to say that in recent times, things have improved dramatically. Today, Twitter for Android and iOS have both been given rudimentary updates, with the main alteration being that conversations between tweeters are now clearer, rather than showing up as individual tweets.
BitTorrent Sync, the Android app that allows you to easily move files across your devices without the involvement of the cloud, has just been updated, and a version for iOS will be headed to the App Store later on this week, according to the company's official blog. Citing weaknesses with cloud-based services, BitTorrent Sync arrives almost like a watered-down and simplified version of BitTorrent protocol in the traditional sense, and with many continually questioning the rationale of uploading so much personal data to the cloud, as well as the motives and policies of those retaining said data, BitTorrent Sync serves as a quick solution for your file-transfer needs.
The budget iPhone 5C is almost upon us, and as the experts, commentators and consumers continue to estimate the eventual retail price of the so-called low-cost device, it certainly won't be anywhere near as cheap as its Chinese clone. Yes, the knockoff-ers are back in force in time for the release of Apple's next range of handsets, and while the knockoff iPhone 5C won't run on iOS 7, it will only set you back a mere hundred bucks!
