Although Google spends a great deal of time updating and improving the general functionality of its wide range of products and services, often, the search giant comes through with some nifty customization features. Fairly soon, your Google+ profile will be the subject of deeper integration with your Android smartphone, becoming the profile picture seen by those who call, and so long as you've gone through the process of verifying your phone number in the first place, anybody ringing you will see your Google+ image.
With the Xbox One now just a few weeks from retail, many of the key details pertaining Microsoft's next-gen games console have already been revealed. But naturally, the Redmond has been saving some info for the build up to the release, and as we swiftly approach this all-important time frame, it has been revealed that every purchaser of the Xbox One will also get free access to Xbox Music, the streaming audio service to which many Xbox fans will already be accustomed. Unfortunately, it is ad-supported, so you will have to listen to numerous plugs for products and services you probably do not want, but nevertheless, this is definitely a win for music heads.
We all know Apple has a diverse range of fantastic hardware and software based products that seem to resonate with consumers all over the world. Sometimes though, those products just aren't enough and the financial success of a company invariably comes down to converting that consumer interest into sales that puts cash in the Cupertino bank. Apple's financial records indicate that extracting dollars from users isn't the most difficult thing they have to do, but in an attempt to make that purchasing process more widespread and efficient, they have extended the Apple Store Passbook support beyond the shores of the United States.
Now that Google and LG have finally put to bed the rumors and confirmed the new Nexus 5 handset, we can begin to concentrate on the actual important aspects of the device. Prior to its release, the Nexus 5 was undoubtedly one of the most leaked handsets that we have seen with images, purported technical specs and even video glimpses of the device appearing on an almost daily basis. The unofficial unveiling of the hardware didn't bring any surprises as the leaks had already told us pretty much everything that we need to know, except for one thing - how the device will perform in the real world and especially how it stacks up when compared against its predecessors in the Nexus range.
Apple has today updated their iTunes software to version 11.1.3. The latest iTunes release from the Cupertino giant is an attempt to fix a number of niggling and ongoing bugs that were introduced as part of the last iteration of the software. Version 11.1.3 follows hot on the heels of the refresh to version 4.0 of Apple's Remote app for iOS that has been refactored to work in perfect sync with iTunes 11.1.
Apple's 9.7-inch iPad continues to hold onto its place at the top of the popularity charts in the market, which essentially means that there is a whole heap of iPad users out there. Those users will undoubtedly value the iPad that they shelled out their hard-earned cash for and will be looking for some way of protecting it from damage. Twelve South has extended their excellent line of accessories by launching this unique vintage leather carrying case designed specifically for Apple’s famed tablet, called the BookBook Travel Journal for iPad.
The iPad Air is the hottest topic in the mobile world right now, and since its predecessor, the iPad 4, was rather far from overwhelming, the prospect of a thinner, lighter and altogether more stylish model has certainly been a long time in coming. The tablet has been cost analyzed by none other than IHS Suppli, which has released its estimated component cost of the new and improved iPad Air. In short, it is reckoned that the total component cost is somewhere in the region of $274 for the bare-bones model, which works out at about 13% cheaper than the iPad 3.
Apple's iPad Air is currently being lauded as the best thing since sliced bread, but as DisplayMate's Dr. Raymond Soneira points out, numerous aspects of the just-released slate fall short when compared to Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX. There's no doubt that a new iPad was always going to make a little more noise upon announcement and subsequent release than the retail giant's latest export, but as Soneira's in-depth comparison shows, the Retina panel is noticeably outperformed by that of the new Amazon slate.
If you aren't familiar with the Parrot AR. Drone then you've been missing out on a treat. The radio-controlled quadcopter is a third-party product manufactured by Parrot in France that stands in a category of its own. The whole design of the quadcopter relies on a smartphone or tablet to provide the control input for the device, which is something that pretty much meant it had to be placed into its own product category when it was originally unveiled at the International CES in 2010. In an attempt to keep the product fresh and in our minds, Parrot has announced the Elite Edition of the A.R.Drone 2.0, just in time for the holiday shopping season.
It seems rather strange to design and manufacture a smartphone called the G Flex and then not advertise anywhere that is has the ability to bend and flex. It's perfectly understandable not forcing your consumer to put unnecessary pressure on the device and attempt to bend or flex it beyond its physical capabilities, but when the unique selling point of a product is its curved form it seems like a missed opportunity to promote that fact. LG, for some reason has decided to not openly advertise the G Flex's malleable properties, although it has been proven that consumers can manipulate the frame of the device if they see fit.
