It seems that Apple is well and truly embracing the beta testing spirit at the moment. Having to internally handle all those pre-release bundles and keeping everything in check is clearly proving too easy for the Apple whizzes as they have now opened up the iWork for iCloud beta to any productivity loving individual who happens to have a valid Apple ID.
Oh Nokia, you're so funny. You might not be able to sell smartphones to many people, but you sure know how to make an ad that has us giggling behind our non-Nokia branded devices.
Late last month, MoDaCo.Switch for HTC One was released, allowing owners of the device to readily flit between Sense and stock-based ROMs on the exact same device. Now, the developers have brought forth a corresponding version for the Galaxy S4, adding more diversity to the already very powerful Android handset. So, if you like the idea of having both untouched Android and Samsung's TouchWiz-ified version at your disposal, then check out the details after the break.
Blackberry's BBM instant messaging service was once very popular, back when the company was at the top of its game, and indeed, on top of the smartphone market. Things have changed quite a bit in recent years, though, thanks in no small part to the likes of Apple's iPhone and a deluge of Android devices, products have collectively left BlackBerry's once-domineering brand on the brink of collapse. With the For Sale signs now up and the Canadian company on the hunt for investors, the fact that BBM for iOS and Android for both being announced is perhaps of little consequence, but in light of today's leaking of the user guides for both the new apps, it would appear that a release is nigh.
Microsoft's Windows Phone platform continues to struggle against the might of both iOS and Android in the battle of the mobile ecosystems, and while the UI and functionality of the Redmond company's mobile software has been praised and lauded by many - including Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak - the lack of apps over at the Windows Phone Store has been more than a slight problem. While one app certainly won't be enough to completely change the fortunes of the still fledgling platform, an official Instagram app for Windows Phone has been conspicuous by its absence, and while there's still no sign of the Facebook-owned product making its way to the tiled interface, a third-party offering by the name of 6tag finally offers an almost fully-functional Instagram experience.
The battle for supremacy in the next-gen console wars is really heating up, to the point now where every day, either Microsoft or Sony has something to reveal regarding their respective consoles. With the latter having disclosed the PS4 release date for the whole world to drool over, today is Microsoft's turn, and the Redmond company now has the Xbox One on display for all to see at it own retail outlets. Unfortunately, they're securely housed within the confinements of glass boxes, but with many consumers still on the fence with regards to which console they will eventually choose, a close-up look at the new design could tempt some into going ahead and pre-ordering.
As we move closer to the speculated next-generation iPhone announcement, we are seeing additional leaked images that claim to prove the existence of the champagne / gold iPhone 5S. Over the last seven days we have been hearing murmurings about whether or not Apple will be releasing the iPhone 5S in a variety of colors, with most of the attention being lavished on the purported gold - or champagne - variant of the new device. Whether or not that will actually happen is still up in the air, but the latest leaked images to come from Japanese sources show the purported gold / champagne colored hardware sitting alongside a black and white version of the current iPhone 5.
Since the focus of mainstream attention has remained almost squarely upon the progress of Apple's iOS 7 betas, it's rather easy to forget about OS X Mavericks 10.9, which is also currently being readied for prime time. While the name may have raised one or two eyebrows after a series of big cat releases, the changes made to the Mac operating system are very much business as usual, and the sixth developer preview doesn't appear to offer anything radically different from the previous offering.
As smartphones have continued to advance over the past few years, so too has the quality of displays, and with visible pixels quickly becoming a distant memory, LG Electronics has just shown off a 5.5 inch display boasting an incredible 2560 x 1440 resolution. This places it alongside the Apple Thunderbolt display in terms sheer number of pixels, and considering how much smaller this new panel is from LG, one cannot even begin to decipher how crisp the aptly named Quad HD LCD panel would be on a phablet.
Sony's focus must no doubt be on its upcoming PlayStation 4 release in a few short months, but that doesn't mean that the Japanese firm isn't keeping an eye on its other product lines at the same time, and its recent announcement of a price drop for the PlayStation Vita is a prime example of that fact.
