With Apple reportedly toying with the idea of bringing its own fleet of smart home products in the near future - a speculative project that may or may not see the light of day - more and more companies are looking to stake a claim to this emerging market. Google's acquisition of Nest has sparked a marked rise in start-ups relating to smart home technology, and Beddit, which started off as an IndieGogo campaign raising over half a million dollars last year with its sleep monitoring pitch, has since benefited from the guidance of established outfit Misfit. Today, we get an insight into 'Beddit', the fruit of this collaborative union between Misfit and Beddit, and on first impression, it's a product that could truly revolutionize the way we approach sleepy-time.
Google is renowned the world over as the foremost search company, but it's also an advertising juggernaut that accounts for a large portion of the ad revenue across the Web. Its AdWords service pulls in billions of dollars per year in revenue, whilst also allowing companies, blogs and sites to advertise, and in a continued attempt to cater to iOS as well as its own Android platform in terms of apps, has just dropped AdWords Express for iPhone and iPad. In addition, the Big G also rolled out YouTube Creator Studio for its iOS-rocking contingency.
Assassin's Creed is among the most popular franchises the gaming industry has ever seen, and like most series of this magnitude, has sought to expand its audience to encompass the thriving mobile gaming market. Assassin's Creed Pirates, which puts you in the shoes of young captain Alonzo Batilla, is a very enjoyable title that, ordinarily, would set you back $4.99. However, for a limited time, it's absolutely free, and if you welcome the prospect of a well-made, immersive title consuming a lot of your time, then we've got the details - as well as that all-important download link - coming right up after the jump!
Apple has just rolled out version 11.3 of its iTunes app for Windows and Mac, bringing a bunch of notable new features as well as the customary performance tweaks. Details, as ever, can be seen after the fold.
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.
