Microsoft pushed a rudimentary system update for its Xbox One console exactly one month ago, and at the time, we were informed that a further, more significant update would be following in March. As per a blog post from Larry Hryb, AKA Xbox LIVE's Major Nelson, the new bundle of features will begin rolling out as of today, and will include improved party and chat support, as well as preparing systems for next week's big release of Titanfall.
Remember when Microsoft promised that the official Facebook Messenger app would be making an imminent appearance on Windows Phone? That announcement was made back in February, with Joe Belfiore announcing that the native Messenger app will introduce additional features above and beyond those found in the system based Facebook messaging integration. Belfiore, Microsoft and Facebook have stayed true to that promise, with the official Facebook Messenger app for Windows Phone now available to download from the Windows Phone Store.
The iPhone 5s, as is often the case with new iPhone releases, brought with it a bunch of new and exciting features, including Touch ID, gold color configuration, and a 64-bit processor - the first to be found within a smartphone. Allied to the new A7 SoC was the M7 motion coprocessor, and not only did this pave the way for more advanced fitness and motion-related apps, but took the strain off the standard CPU while also conserving battery. But the M7 coprocessor may be even more powerful than we first imagined, with one Redittor having discovered that it tracked his movements for days, despite the device seemingly dead through lack of power.
When branching out of its own particular niche, Apple tends to cozy up to high-end manufacturers within the new industry it's trying to capture. Nike, for example, has been a key partner in the Cupertino's various fitness-related enterprises, and with CarPlay now at the fore, Apple marketing lead Greg Joswiak has been at the Geneva Motor Show discussing a tie-in with Italian supercar maker Ferrari. Joining Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo on stage, the pair showcased CarPlay integration in the revamped four-seater Ferrari FF grand tourer.
With CarPlay having been demonstrated heavily by Apple and its auto partners over the past couple of days, we have more than a slight inkling that iOS 7.1 won't be too far away. After all, betas of the forthcoming release have served as virtually the sole source of information pertaining to the in-car flavor of iOS, and although the automobiles themselves won't be shipping just yet, it would make sense for Apple to begin distributing the necessary iOS updates as soon as feasibly possible. Previously, we'd heard that iOS 7.1 would hit the scene "mid-March," and now, as surmised by the folks of Daring Fireball, it could be set to make its début in the next few days.
Surenix, long-time graphic designer and member of the famed Evad3rs team, first teased his beautiful Ayeris theme for iOS 7 in early February before finally releasing it late last month. Providing subtle alterations to the native aesthetic rather than applying anything too drastic, Ayeris has gone down really well with themers looking for a refined stock appearance rather than a complete overhaul, and now, the same theme has been optimized for the iPad. Details after the break!
Yesterday, Apple took the wraps off CarPlay, its official name for the iOS in the Car tech we first witnessed at WWDC. Having only really gathered an insight into CarPlay via iOS 7.1 beta releases, we're now starting to see what these integrated systems will truly be made of, and after Volvo yesterday showcased CarPlay on one of its own upcoming automobiles, German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has done likewise for its soon-to-be-released fleet of C-Class cars.
We don't yet know precisely when the Samsung Galaxy S5 will begin retailing, nor how much it will retail for, but the Korean outfit is keen to remind us of its expansive feature set via a new promotional video. The Galaxy range is renowned for packing an unholy amount of useful software and hardware into one package, and yet again, those in search of an all-in-one handset have not been disappointed. The new trailer, which is almost four minutes long, takes us through some of the many new fitness features, as well as placing much emphasis on the device's photo and video-taking capabilities. Check out the embedded video below.
We simply cannot deny that we live in an extremely social world. As a society, we may not thrive on getting out and about and interact with one another face-to-face anymore, but you only have to look at the popularity of social networks and messaging apps to realize how import digital communication is in the modern world. It's almost a given that any accomplished app or tweak that focuses on messaging, sharing or communication is instantly going to be successful, which is why the developer of Compose for iOS 7 could be onto a winner.
The leap from Windows Phone 8 to Windows Phone 8.1 doesn't, on paper, seem like much of a big deal. In fact, such a '.1' update usually suggests a couple of decent new features, a few housekeeping enhancements, and a shiny new version number. But having already seen features like Cortana, the new Action / Notification Center, the Android-esque touch buttons and the Swype-like keyboard, Windows Phone 8.1 is shaping up as a very serious release indeed. Adding to the already exciting list of upcoming additions, a new leak has shown off one rather more simple feature that Windows Phone has been lacking to date - custom wallpapers.
