When Apple took to the stage at the Worldwide Developers Conference last month, we knew that there would be some big iOS-related announcements as part of the keynote. But whilst we'd already gathered quite an insight into HealthKit and such, we didn't foresee the opening up of several key areas of the platform to third parties. As well as bringing widgets and offering developers the chance to do more with Siri, the Cupertino company finally came through and brought third-party keyboard support, and given how the AutoCorrect had become a bit of a running joke, the announcement did not arrive too soon.
We already suspect that the Apple iPhone 6 will be packed to the gills with some exciting new features on both the hardware and software front, with an improved camera, NFC and enhanced LTE connectivity accompanying all the little treats that Apple is cooking up with iOS 8. Now, a new report has suggested that the next-gen handset will include dynamic haptic feedback, further enhancing a typing experience that is set to reap the benefits of third-party keyboard support.
There's been so much talk, conjecture and wild speculation about the iWatch over the last 12 months that it's impossible to actually focus on the individual parts of the actual product. Will it be an intelligent watch akin to the Pebble or Galaxy Gear? Are we all barking up the wrong tree by thinking it's a watch when it's actually a wearable packed full of health related sensors? Apple's next product release is fast approaching, meaning that we shouldn't have to wait much longer for the big reveal, but if you're of an impatient disposition then why not head over to the Google Play Store and get the iWatch now?
Google Now is still very much a work in progress, and even though it has evolved significantly since its introduction a couple of years ago, it's always going to have its imperfections. One such case is when, rather irritatingly, the voice recognition feature cannot properly comprehend what you're saying, and if you're asking a long question, having to repeat the entire speech becomes cumbersome even at the second time of asking. Now, though, thanks to an update, you can correct just the word that Google Now has failed to latch onto by using a simple command, and although it's rare for the polished service to mishear anything anyway, it's a good little tip to know.
Oh yes, we're back with yet another batch of great apps and games gone free, and if you happen to be in ownership of an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, fire up your App Store app and join us after the break for some awesome freebies!
Although many of Google's big announcements over the past year or so have related to Project Glass, this year's I/O developers conference was all about Android, Android Wear, and the Chromecast, with the search giant also rolling out some new products and services for the home and auto markets. Chromecast, which first hit the scene last year, is not only incredibly cheap, but also highly functional, and at the aforementioned I/O in June, we learned that the Big G was about to add Android Mirroring to the HDMI dongle's repertoire. Today, the company has delivered on that promise, and now, Android-wielding Chromecast users can beam the contents of their display onto their HDTVs.
Google made a whole bunch of exciting announcements at I/O in June, and today signals the first wave of deliverance on those promises. Following the news that Chromecast users will be able to beam the contents of their Android smartphone or tablet to their TVs through the new Android Mirroring feature, it is now also possible for Android Wear enthusiasts to utilize their wrist-worn gadget as a remote shutter for their device's camera.
Even though, for quite a while, we've had a pretty solid idea of what's in store for the iPhone 6, we're now starting to encounter some solid evidence through numerous component leaks, and today, we've been treated to a close-up look at the rear shell of the 4.7-inch model of Apple's upcoming handset. As well as a few high-quality images, there's also a video to accompany this latest discovery, and below, you can catch all of the details.
Intel's Haswell chip, with its credentials as a very power-efficient processing infrastructure, has done wonders for Apple's Mac range, and in particular, MacBooks, which have seen significant battery life increases over the fleet of machines running on the preceding Ivy Bridge. The next-generation Broadwell chips were thought to be headed to Macs at some point this year, but with Intel apparently beset by delays, we could be waiting until the middle of next year before we can get our hands on the new Broadwell-powered machines.
There are literally hundreds of reasons why a particular device may appeal to one person and not another, but when you strip that away we're all concerned with the privacy and integrity of the data that passes through that device. If your smartphone of choice resides on the Android side of the fence then it could be time to rethink how sensitive data is wiped from memory after a new research has suggested that data removed using Android's native wipe feature can be restored.
