Apple's iOS Newsstand app has been around since iOS 5, and ever since, there has been much rumor and speculation pertaining Google's alternative effort. During the past couple of weeks, reports have increased considerably, with a general feeling that a release would be imminent. Today, the time has come for the app to make its official debut over at the Play Store, and naturally, it also signals the demise of the now obsolete Play Magazines and Currents apps. Details, as ever, can be found after the break.
Instagram, the Facebook-owned photo-sharing social network, has long since lacked support for Microsoft's Windows Phone platform, but following the recent news that a native Instagram for Windows Phone app was on the horizon, the app has now, finally, turned up. Sure, it doesn't include video recording just yet, so those on Windows Phone are still a bit behind their iPhone and Android-wielding counterparts, but after such a long wait and exhaustive will they, won't they, it's good to see that Facebook has finally delivered.
Mobile processors have improved dramatically over the past five or so years, and it's now not uncommon for some of the top-end smartphones to boast the kind of power usually seen in notebooks. Qualcomm has been a major influencer of this effort to bring more power to our pockets, and following on from the announcement of its Snapdragon 800 SoC earlier on this year, the company has just taken the wraps off its successor - the Snapdragon 805. While the number change implies meager tweaks and upgrades, it brings the interesting advancement of by way of support for the Ultra-HD standard, potentially paving the way for 4K smartphones and tablets in the next couple of years.
You may not have ever heard of Seattle based Teague. You may not be familiar with how they do business or even the list of famous clients that they've worked with, but trust us when we say you are more than familiar with the work that they produce. The Teague design consultancy is responsible for the design of the original Xbox console that launched over a decade ago and has acted as the platform for the development of the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One. As we approach the official release of Microsoft's latest gaming system, Teague has used their console design experience to give their professional opinions on the aesthetics of the One's biggest rival - the Sony PlayStation 4.
LG's decision to design, manufacture and release a smartphone with a curved display may seem like nothing more than a gimmick to some consumers. But LG themselves will understand that the existence of a curved display on the G Flex is initially nothing more than a novelty, but while it doesn't bring any real substance to the device the same can't be said for the self-healing properties of the rear case. One of our biggest fears of smartphone ownership is scratching it almost instantly. Thankfully, it seems as though LG has eradicated that issue with the G Flex, which as the video shows, can even recover from a malicious knife gash.
Jailbreaking and unlocking our smartphones and tablets may be something that those in civilized countries take for granted, but that doesn't mean that everyone has the same luxury. Those in the United States for example currently find themselves in a situation where unlocking a smartphone is illegal, as is jailbreaking a tablet. Oddly, jailbreaking a smartphone is not. Who thinks these things up?
Mobile gaming is slowly but surely moving away from dedicated gaming devices and towards multipurpose ones like tablets and smartphones, which is born out by the fact that the top apps across stores like the App Store and Google Play tend to be of the gaming variety. There's only one problem with playing what some would call 'proper' games on a small, touch-based device though and that's the fact that there's not tactile feel or more simply, no buttons. Depending on the kind of game being played, that may or may not be an issue.
Microsoft is busy getting ready for its Xbox One release around the globe, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been able to find time to release a new Xbox One edition of its SmartGlass app that allows owners of smartphones and tablets to interact with their new game console without having to pick up a controller.
Apple has finally updated its Find My Friends app for iOS, bringing with it a brand new and refreshed look for iOS 7. More details and download link can be found right here.
With the iPad mini, and more recently, the iPad mini with Retina display now taking pride of place alongside the tactically rebranded iPad Air, Apple's tablet range is as diverse as it has ever been. But with many other companies going larger than the 9.7-inch diameter of the full-size device's screen, there have been numerous suggestions that Apple will come through with a model packing a 12.9-inch Retina panel. Apparently, manufacturers have been given the green light to go ahead and produce this very display for the so-called "iPad Pro," which will, according to reports, release during the first part of 2014.
