Google isn't shy when it comes to killing off its services, and having recently knocked Google Reader on the head, the company has announced via its official blog page that Google Latitude will be discontinued as of August 9th. The Big G now feels that the antiquated service has run its course, and will instead look to extend its check-in and location services on Google+. The announcement was made alongside the release of version 7 of Google Maps for Android app.
Google not only vends the Android operating system, but also a lot of quality apps for smartphones and tablets running the said OS. Time to time, Google keeps bringing a much-anticipated and completely radical update to one of its apps that usually prove to be a game changer in most cases. This time around, the app to receive such an update is the famous Google Maps, pushing the version number to 7.0 and gradually rolling out globally for Android (iOS update still to follow).
It's been said on more than one occasion that iOS has now introduced a number of features that were pioneered by the Android platform, so it seems only fitting that Android dedicated developers are now starting to feel "inspired" by Apple's iOS 7 beta Control Center feature. Rather than re-imagining that feature, Hi Tools Studio has pretty much just recreated Control Center for Android users, literally, and it’s even called Control Center!
While physics-based puzzlers are perhaps the most popular variety of mobile games, a certain army of tower defense fans may have a case to refute such a claim. From Fieldrunners to Bloons TD, there are perhaps hundreds of these addictive strategy titles available on the App Store, but few have reached the level of popularity of Plants Vs. Zombies. Today, the sequel to the original, which has naturally been entitled Plants Vs. Zombies 2, has become available at the Australian and New Zealand App Stores, and although the U.S. / worldwide rollouts tend to follow shortly thereafter, it looks as though the rest of us won't be seeing the game just yet.
Facebook Home, the Android launcher replacement and HTC First pusher has received an update in the last 24 hours, with users receiving a very important new feature, and one we're sure they'll be using extensively in the days to come. That new feature, only just making its way to Home, is the ability to create folders on the device's home screen.
The next generation iPhone, widely presumed to carry the iPhone 5S moniker, remains almost entirely a mystery. There has been incessant talk of fingerprint sensors and other such niceties, but tangible evidence of any of the reported implementations remains at a premium. As we edge ever close to what is presumed to be a fall release, the leaks and rumors are likely to come on strong, and to kick things off, sources of 9to5Mac believe the forthcoming iPhone will include slow-motion video recording.
Google's Chrome browser is one of the most popular in the business, and despite not having been around for as long as the likes of Mozilla's Firefox or Microsoft's Internet Explorer, the continual updates from the GOOG's famously dogmatic development team have made it hard to resist for many Web users. Today, Chrome for Windows has been given an update, bringing forth the improved pop-up notification interface as first previewed in the beta. At this point, only the Windows version sees the updated version, but the search giant has noted that the corresponding Mac iteration is imminent.
We've been chasing the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for a good few months now, and seen a plethora of spec leaks from tipsters in the process. Today, however, we've got something a little more concrete: a complete list of specs sourced from none other than the Korean company itself. WAP provisioning files found on Samsung Mobile’s website confirm two devices with the model numbers SM-N900T and SM-N900A, both of which refer to the Note 3, and also a run-down of some of the specifications. Details after the break!
Having remote access to your mobile device can be an invaluable tool, particularly if you happen to misplace or lose said device and wish to increase the probability of its safe return. We've featured many such apps here at Redmond Pie, and another interesting effort for Android users has just popped up over at the XDA-Developers forums. Called SMS Tasks, it offers much more in terms of functionality than other such apps, and all this control can be yielded by sending basic SMS commands. Full details after the jump!
With Apple currently working on iOS 7 beta and offering bi-weekly beta releases for developers to test, it's easy to forget that it is not the only operating system that Apple has on the fire. OS X Mavericks 10.9 is also under development inside Apple's Cupertino HQ, and it too is currently available to developers as part of the company's Developer Preview program.
