Software can come in different shapes and sizes for a variety of different platforms, which are capable of performing an almost infinite number of tasks, ranging from automating everyday tasks to performing the simplest tasks that make our lives easier. The Sleep No More app for OS X falls under the category of being a simple and extremely lightweight piece of software that doesn't try to be something it isn't, offering users the ability to prevent their OS X powered machines from going to sleep for a pre-determined period of time.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note II were two devices that redefined how the world viewed smartphones. The Dell Streak had been perhaps one of the original phablets (phone + tablet), but the Note lineup’s revolutionary design, hardware specifications, and the exclusive S Pen stylus made it something much more than any of its predecessors. Add to the fact that the device was produced by the famous Korean manufacturer that had already made for itself a towering reputation with droids, didn’t hurt the device’s success in any way. If you think about it, the Galaxy Note is a complete winner in almost all aspects, except for the large size (which is completely a matter of preference and opinion, by the way).
The iPhone 5 was released a few months ago with much fanfare, yet many have been left questioning whether Apple has made its infamous new device as good as it could. Those wondering what the device might have been have suggested many minor features, but a new concept that emerged on a French website looks very appealing.
Considering how much an impact the internet has on our lives and how many hours the majority of us spent browsing through our favorite sites and social networks, it makes perfect sense that we would benefit from a great lightweight mobile browser that packs a punch not only through the deliverance of great online content, but also through our favorite social channels. Thankfully, it would seem that Rockmelt could be that browser for those who have an iOS powered device, with the app promising to allow its users to explore the best of the web from the palm of their hands.
It's pretty accurate to say that most iOS users who make use of a jailbroken device have been paying attention to the progress of a particular multitasking tweak, after it was revealed that a designer’s fantastic concept was being brought to life by a dev team. That package has since been given the name Auxo, and is now available as an initial release in Cydia, with the hope of becoming the accepted method of handling multitasking on iOS devices by reinventing the controls that are contained within the switcher as well as the greatly enhancing the aesthetics and presentation.
One of the biggest reasons I, and a lot of other Android users, would want to root their smartphones and tablets, and install a custom recovery, is the ability to take nandroid backups. The stock Android recovery console allows you to only either wipe data/factory reset, or to install legitimate, signed ZIP updates for the Android operating system. Custom recoveries offer you so much more, one of which is the ability to back up all the partitions – system, data, cache et al – which lets you restore the device to the state it was originally in.
Being able to use a keyboard of your choice, and not just by aesthetics, but a completely unique package with a distinct feature set of its own, is one of the biggest freedoms of owning and using an Android device. I have used both the iPhone and iPad as my daily drivers, and while iOS boasts one of the best touch-based character entry mechanisms in the market, there’s still a lot to wish for in the stock iOS keyboard. Even with a jailbroken device, you don’t get a really staggering number of choices, and definitely nothing close to what Google’s droid has to offer. Android simply leaves iOS biting the dust on this front.
If you’ve ever wanted to modify your Android device, or actually done any changes, including rooting, for most part, you’d have come across the recovery. For those who are not really aware of what it means, in Android Open Source Project (AOSP), “recovery” refers to the isolated, boot-supporting partition that contains the system recovery console, and which can be invoked to perform system-level modifications without booting the Android GUI. Recovery console is usually invoked using a certain combination of key presses on the device itself, or through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) via a computer. The stock recovery console of almost all Android devices is rather similar, containing a matching set of options which is rather restricted in its nature. Thankfully, owing to the open source nature of Android, there’s loads of room for customization and enhancement in this partition, and that’s where custom recoveries come in to fill the void.
For years, many have been trying to figure out how to add physical gaming controls to the iPhone: a few solutions have surfaced so far, such as the BladePad and the iControlPad, but many of them are either too bulky or just downright unpractical. Luckily, there’s a new case in town: albeit in prototype stage, it has the potential to make your gaming experience much easier and keep the nacho smudges off your iPhone touchscreen.
As part of the plan to bring the full-sized 9.7-inch iPad in line with the recently released iPad mini, Apple is reportedly planning to announce and release the fifth-generation of their popular tablet in March of 2013. The speculated release date is notable due to the fact that it would come only five months after the current model iPad was introduced, and would effectively mean that the Cupertino based company will have launched the third, fourth and fifth-generation models in one twelve month cycle.
