Android 4.4 KitKat gone down about as nicely as its sweet and chocolately name implies, and already, Google is plotting a minor update to its flagship operating system in the form of Android 4.4.1. The reason behind this impromptu release is to improve the performance of the Nexus 5 camera, and as you would imagine, Android 4.4.1 is only specific to the LG-made Google smartphone.
The Xbox One finally made its debut in several major markets almost two weeks ago, and since then, gamers have been busily familiarizing themselves with the new Dashboard interface, increased power, and generally reveling in that new-console feeling. The special Day One Edition of the Xbox One was offered by Microsoft in the run-up to the release, and brought with it a series of perks reserved only to those who pre-ordered it. Here at Redmond Pie, we managed to reserve our own limited Day One Edition Xbox One, and naturally, felt compelled to give it an elaborate, snap-happy unboxing for your viewing pleasure. Check out the photos of the grand unveiling after the leap!
It's common knowledge that Apple's desktop computers are fairly popular, but according to research compiled by Parks Associates, the iMac, Mac mini and Mac Pro comprise the most sought-after product line in the desktop market - beating off competition from Dell in second place. Although the MacBook range remains extremely popular - more so than the desktop offerings from Apple - portables weren't considered in Parks' study, but even so, with some reputable brands for company including the likes of HP and Acer, it would seem the lure of a computer bearing that iconic bitten-apple logo is very strong indeed.
Foursquare is undoubtedly thought of as the App Store's premier location-based social network. In a genre that is extremely crowded with the likes of Twitter, Path, Facebook and even Instagram to a certain extent, Foursquare continues to shine bright due to their offering being all about location services. As with any premier App Store app that's worth its weight, Foursquare has been going through a regular period of change to fall in line with the aesthetics of iOS 7, resulting in version 7.0 of the Foursquare iOS app going live today featuring a completely new interface.
The phrase "selling a kidney" is often used to describe just how desperate some folks are to get a hold of the latest iPhone, and while, as far as we know, this hasn't actually happened, it is true that in some countries, you'd need to work for over ten weeks - without any living expenses - to afford a new Apple smartphone.
Square Enix has previously been guilty of teasing mobile gamers by announcing that the much anticipated Final Fantasy VI would be coming to mobile sometime "this winter". Developers and publishers are often understandably reluctant to commit to concrete launch dates for fear of having a spanner thrown in the works and subsequently having to renege on that promise. The winter is now well and truly upon us, and although we haven't yet been blessed with an actual release date, Square Enix has used the annual Jump Festa expo to release two official screenshots of the visuals that gamers can expect on iOS and Android when the title launches.
BlackBerry may find itself facing a whole myriad of troubles in the consumer and business smartphone market, but it seems they still have one extremely loyal and extremely influential user. U.S. President Barack Obama became extremely well-known for relying heavily on his BlackBerry handset during his initial 2008 presidency campaign, and it seems his trusty smartphone has stayed by his side ever since. Now into his second term as U.S. President, Obama has claimed that he would love to switch to an iPhone to handle his mobile needs but is unable to do so due to legitimate security concerns.
Apple can be, and has been, criticized for a lot of things in the past, and for good reason. However, one innovation that the fruit company deserves to be lauded for is the Lightning connector on newer iDevices and Macs. Forget about the fact that it has faster speeds and other similar advantages; the biggest gain is being able to plug the connector in both ways and have the “right side up” every time. It seems traditional USB is finally catching on, with the USB 3.0 Promoter Group announcing a new connector that can be plugged in both ways, and still work.
Early benchmark results are often a good way of discovering whether a new device is being tested out, and with talk currently rife regarding Samsung's next batch of flagship smartphones, benchmarks found over at GFXBench could already show the full list of specs of the Galaxy S5. The S4 only arrived in the late spring, but with sales having not reached expectations, the Korean company is said to be working doubly hard on its eventual successor. According to the GFXBench results, the device will boast the latest and greatest Android 4.4 KitKat, a Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz as well as a potentially jaw-dropping 2560 x 1440 resolution, or 2K HD display.
It's no secret that Apple is looking to make a lot more of its Apple Store app than it has so far. Over the past few years, it has been used to place orders, pay for purchases wirelessly when in the Apple Store, and to check out the latest products released by the Cupertino company, but in more recent times, we've seen Apple promote the app by giving away free stuff. With this this in mind, as well as the fact that the holiday season is now upon us, Apple has released a playlist of Christmas-themed songs from famed artist such as Mary J. Blige, Kool and the Gang and Kelly Clarkson, and all are available for free through the Apple Store app.
