We've been bamboozled by the number of rumors pertaining to the next-generation iPhone, unofficially dubbed the 'iPhone 5S', and iLounge has added even more to the mixer with an update on Friday. The iPhone 5S is almost certain to feature a faster processor, something the Cupertino company has done ever since the first model, but even more interesting, is the possibility of a 13-megapixel camera sensor supplied by Sony.
While gaming on Apple's OS X platform may not nearly be as prevalent as it is on Windows, there are still plenty of Mac users out their looking to get their fill of some of the world's most popular titles. Half-Life certainly fits into that category, and thanks to Steam, those on a MacBook, iMac or Mac Pro can enjoy the original first-person shooter on their machines.
Over the last few years, there have been rumors of a cheaper, lower-end iPhone to complement the standard model, in order to appeal to lower-budget consumers. These rumors have intensified over the last few months, leading the analysts at the firm Detwiler Fenton to predict that Apple may ditch the A6 processor, used in the iPhone 5, for a third-party chip such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon, used on other lower-end phones.
Apple's quarterly earnings call may have left some shareholders a tad dissatisfied, but its main rival in the mobile field - Samsung - seems to be ticking the numbers over just nicely right now. The South Korea-based company continues to make exponential strides in growth, having reported a $6.6 billion profit last quarter - a full $600 million more than the previous quarter. The $6 billion of profit in the quarter before last was itself a record, which makes the figures all the more impressive, and with devices such as the Galaxy Note 8.0 and Galaxy S IV on the horizon, one suspects the firm's profits will continue to grow throughout the course of this year and beyond.
With Windows 8, Microsoft made some different (if not difficult) choices, especially when it comes to licensing. You would already know that Windows is a closed-source operating system, and hence, when you purchase a copy of Microsoft Windows, you’re basically acquiring a ‘license to use’ for the operating system, and not the OS itself. When the company released Windows 8, one of the approaches that they took to making it even more popular (and combat piracy at the same time) was making it available for lower prices as compared to previous versions. This, at the same time, brought on some tough licensing choices, too. For instance, Microsoft had to do away with native DVD playback capability in Windows 8, because the patent holder for MPEG-2/4 (the video codec required to play said media) charges Microsoft $2 per copy of Windows 7 (the relative figure) sold. They had to cut back on such costs to achieve the pricing point that Windows 8 claims.
The final quarter of 2012 saw Google make a significant impact on the mobile world with a number of great application submissions to the iOS App Store. The Chrome browser went from strength to strength, the Gmail app saw a significant update as well as the debut of the official Capture application to compliment the native YouTube app that is now available for the iPhone and iPad. The progression of their mobile apps is clearly continuing during 2013, with the first major update to the YouTube Capture app going live today.
Microsoft announced on Tuesday record revenue numbers for the quarter ending on December 31, 2012. The full amount totaled at $21.46 billion, an increase from $20.89 billion in the same quarter in the previous year.
With the Surface Pro almost upon us, Microsoft has naturally offered consumers a subtle nudge as to why the tablet + ultrabook is the right device for them. Since consumers and commentators have doubted the Surface RT's credentials as a true PC (for obvious reasons), the Redmond company has felt inclined to remind the market of the Surface Pro's PC prowess. While the RT has come under fire for not running legacy apps, lacking power, and generally failing in many of the key areas one would expect a PC to deliver, the Surface Pro is a different animal. And boy, do Steve Ballmer and Co. want to emphasize that point.
By means of a press release, Twitter has officially announced Vine, an alternative way for its user base to share video clips through tweets. Twitter's CEO Dick Costolo gave us a glimpse of the services via his Twitter feed only yesterday, and now it would seem it's ready for the official roll-out. Currently, its app is only available for those on iPhone and iPod touch, but will be heading to the Google Play Store, as well as the stores of other platforms in the near future. More details after the break!
The Genius Behind Microsoft’s Kinect Sensor Wants To Bring Motion Sensing To Your Smartphone [VIDEO]
The Kinect peripheral has been a revelation for Microsoft and its Xbox 360 console, enticing a new consumer base - as well as existing users - into enjoying a type of interaction only previously available on the Nintendo Wii. Now it has emerged that PrimeSense, the company behind the award-winning Kinect technology, is aiming its visor towards a key area in tech space right now - the mobile market.
