We know how difficult it can be when all of your friends, family and work colleagues are flaunting their new gadget in front of your face but your contract or financial situation doesn't allow you to go out and purchase the latest and greatest tech. Thankfully, staying at the cutting edge of the mobile industry doesn't need to cost a fortune, something that has been demonstrated by a Chinese Apple fan who has managed to forge an iPhone 5 out of nothing more than a lump of steel. Sort of.
With Windows 8 having just been released to the public, Microsoft now has the test of selling not only to consumers, but to businesses worldwide. Emirates, a renowned high-end airline, has already adopted the platform as a means to improve the inflight experience to its customers, and while staff are better able to communicate thanks to "knowledge-driven" inflight service app by the name of KIS, but those flying with Emirates are also enjoying a slicker experience.
The iPhone 5 may only have been out for just shy of two months, but that hasn't stopped the talk of its eventual successor. Following on from suggestions a couple of weeks ago that the next-gen iPhone would release in the first half of next year, it has now been reported the handset could be launching in the summer of 2013.
Hard rockers rejoice - those of you whom are fans of Australian band AC/DC will be pleased to know that the music can finally be downloaded on the iTunes Store. As well as all of the individual albums, the entire catalog can be downloaded as a box set for $99, or for those real hardcore fans, a special package - featuring various live and special tracks - can be had for an additional $50.
It's difficult to remember what the iPhone was like before the App Store even existed. Back in 2007 when the original iPhone was launched, the App Store didn't exist, and the only way to extend the functionality of the device was performing a jailbreak to install and run unapproved third-party applications and games. Apple quickly cottoned on to the extraordinary potential of an app marketplace and launched their official App Store in 2008, with it now being made known that one million different apps have been approved for download through the store in the last four years.
With over seven hundred thousand apps in the iOS App Store that have managed to amass over thirty billion downloads, it's no wonder that the iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad are extremely popular with consumers who want to extend the functionality of their mobile devices. The power and versatility of the apps on the store do a great job of promoting Apple devices to prospective customers which could be one of the reasons that Apple are in the first stages of rolling out a new "App Discovery" reward to retail store employees.
With so many photo-centric apps on the App Store, it's becoming increasingly hard for developers to bring something fresh to the table. But it's not impossible, and if you're looking for a new way to have fun with your photos, you may want check out Trevi for iPhone.
City Maps 2Go, a self-explanatory app that lets you download and view maps even when offline, has gone free for this weekend only, so if you're looking for an all-weathers mapping app to aid you even when you've no network coverage, this is certainly it.
In the ongoing patent war between Apple and Samsung, it seems one cannot sneeze without the other taking a strong interest, and with Apple having reached a settlement with Taiwanese rival HTC earlier this week, Samsung is seeking a copy of it.
According to a report over at WMPowerUser, the long-awaited release of Windows Phone 7.8 is almost upon us, so those rocking one of the older WP7.X devices will be able to get something of a taster of Windows Phone 8.
