Apple's 'tick-tock' smartphone release cycle, which involves releasing all-new devices intermittently and dropping a refreshed, aesthetically identical model in-between, has worked wonders for the company hitherto. Following the successful release of the iPhone 5 last Fall, it's largely expected Apple will follow it up with an iPhone 5S this summer, continuing the familiar pattern of the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S by offering a modest spec bump. According to the latest report, the new device could be coming a lot sooner than many may otherwise have anticipated, with the report touting a June 20th launch followed by shipments beginning in July.
One of Android’s biggest complaints, or rather, complaints related to the smartphone and tablet OS, is the relatively poor battery life, where most users find it hard to even make it through one full day on a single charge. For this very reason, there exists a slew of battery saving and optimization apps not just in the Google Play Store, but also all over the XDA-Developers forum. Most of these apps deliver what they promise, and are generally very functional. However, there is always room for some new contender in such a market, especially if the approach that it takes is different (and new) compared to existing ones. One similar app in this category is Optimus Battery Saver.
As operating systems have evolved, their primary goal has always been to make computing easier for the end user, be it a tablet, a smartphone or a desktop computer. Thanks to hybrid operating systems like Windows 8, and the deep integration that Apple’s OS X and iOS enjoy, the difference between various hardware platforms is quickly diminishing, making room for a more streamlined, unified experience. However, good as the intention may be, in doing so, some of the convenience aspects beget a security risk, thereby exposing the system in question to security breaches and execution of undesired code. One such feature in Windows – the most widely used desktop operating system – is the AutoPlay (or AutoRun, as it was formerly known). In this article, we’ll tell you how to disable AutoPlay / AutoRun for good at a system-wide level.
Facebook has sent out press invitations to an event set to be held on Thursday, April 4th at its Menlo Park HQ in California, and although it would appear from the invite as though the topic of conversation will be Android-related, all sorts of theories are already being offered as to what Mark Zuckerberg's company has up its sleeve. It may well just be that the social network has overhauled the Android app, bringing a series of new and cutting-edge features. But with previous movements and rumors suggesting the company is keen to release a new round of Facebook-branded smartphones or perhaps its own, Facebook-centric OS based on Google's ecosystem, the potential for things to get really interesting is perhaps higher than usual.
Facebook is the world’s most favored and popular social network for a reason; the web application-plus-social platform has evolved so much over time, that if you were to put its earlier editions next to the current shape and look of the website, you would barely be able to make any connection (except maybe the familiar blues). From the photo sharing experience to availability (and playability) of the games, the groups and assorted communications, the improved messaging interface and the integrated video calling, along with almost everything else, has improved by leaps and bounds over time. However, that doesn’t imply that all areas of Facebook are an absolute delight, and one of the worse examples comes in the form of Facebook Chat.
After what seems like an eternity, T-Mobile is finally getting onto the iPhone bandwagon as announced by the company earlier this week. If you can't wait until next month for your T-Mobile iPhone 5, then you're in luck, because thanks to a handy little jailbreak mod, you can get T-Mobile's shiny new LTE hotness on your iPhone 5, right now.
It's common knowledge that Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple back in the seventies, was ousted from his own company; only to return several years later and take the company from its knees and on the brink of collapse, and help it grow to become the world's most valuable company. It's a fascinating story, and one which will be documented to great length in the upcoming movies based on the life and times of the late, great Cupertino leader. As anticipation for the first movie, entitled jOBS, which hits cinemas very soon, there's likely to be a noticeable increase in Jobs-based coverage, and to kick things off, ex-Mac OS fanboy Tim Holmes has uploaded some interesting pictures of the moment Jobs returned home.
The LG-manufactured Google Nexus 4 has carried on many Nexus traditions, offering strong hardware specifications at an affordable price point. Not without its flaws, of course, it has made a reasonably good impression the consumer market nonetheless, and just recently, has been treated to a few minor modifications and design tweaks. Calling it a "refresh" would be a rather grandiose term to use, but the alterations, whilst not groundbreaking, are certainly noteworthy.
One of the most important aspects of any mobile device is undoubtedly the amount of power manufacturers manage to bundle into any device on the market. Any smartphone or tablet can come equipped with an array of innovative next-generation features, but if the battery depletes far too quickly, then that device becomes entirely useless from a user's perspective. We've previously seen a number of App Store and Cydia based packages that offer an insight into how a battery is performing on the installed device, but one of the latest to land on the BigBoss repository is the iBatteryInfo tweak that presents some useful information to the user based on certain charging conditions.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available to pre-order in the United Kingdom and naturally, the vast majority of the big retailers and carriers are on board. Available from late next month, prices naturally vary depending on which package you go with, but the takeaway is that, even on contract, the device will cost a fair bit upfront. Meanwhile, across the pond, AT&T has also offered vague details regarding its own Galaxy S4 pre-order plans.
