The London 2012 Olympics have officially been brought to an end, and after fifteen days of non-stop games and athletes from all over the world competing against each other in various sports, we all have our own favorite memory from the games. Even though the Olympics contain a wide range of sports - historically speaking - it is always the short athletic events that manage to raise the pulses of those who are sitting in the stadium or watching the event from the outside on the television. Over the years, we have seen some phenomenal athletes competing in the 100 and 200m sprints including Linford Christie, Maurice Greene, Donovan Bailey, Tyson Gay and the current fastest man on the planet Usain Bolt.
Most of the attention of the technology loving world has been lavished on Apple and Samsung over the last two weeks, partly because they are the two largest smartphone vendors in the world and are currently actively competing against each for the top spot, but also due to the fact that they are currently locked in a fairly bitter legal dispute in California to resolve whether or not Samsung did indeed "slavishly" copy the design of the iPhone. As entertaining as the court case is, and as enjoyable as the information that it is unearthing, we should really try to step away from the fact that two of the industry’s largest names have had to go down this route and instead concentrate on the wonderful products they both offer.
Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder and former CEO, is responsible for some of the most iconic products seen in modern technology, and his untimely death in October from pancreatic cancer left a huge hole not only in his own company, but the tech sphere in general.
Considering it has been bubbling away and growing in size for the last eighteen months, it is going to be extremely interesting to see how the Apple vs. Samsung patent case progresses and ultimately pans out. It appears that both sides have fairly credible evidence to present to Judge Lucy Koh and the selected jury, but one of the most interesting parts of the case from an outsider’s point of view is the level of information that the companies have been forced to leak into the public domain as part of their own defense.
YouTube is by far and away the most popular viral video site out there, but unfortunately, it's often let down by applications (or lack thereof). Take iOS for example; the native YouTube app is a sluggish affair which has seen little change from the days of iPhone OS, and most now use the vastly superior web-based app to catch up on the latest music videos, drop tests, and amateur comedy sketches.
When Microsoft finally got around to announcing Windows Phone 8, users of current WP7.x were left a little disappointed by the lack of support for any current devices. As disheartening as the move was for some, it was a necessary way for Microsoft to really move on, since Windows Phone 8 will offer support for more powerful, dual-core devices - something which will undoubtedly be hindered by the support for older hardware.
Windows RT - based on Windows 8 - is the first desktop operating from Microsoft that has been developed from the ground up for touch-screen devices i.e. tablets. It replaces the traditional desktop interface in favor of a Windows Phone-like start screen, made for touch-input apps, a Windows Store for downloading them, multi-touch gestures and more! With Windows RT and OEMs like Samsung, ASUS, Lenovo, HP etc., Microsoft aims to directly compete with Apple’s iPad in the tablet market.
If you can bring yourself to look past the fact that you have just spent a whole heap of money on excellent Apple hardware to run OS X, then it actually makes sense to be able to install a version of Windows alongside the default operating system. This is especially true when we consider the new Retina MacBook Pro and those who want to use PC software or games in the full 2880 x 1800 resolution.
We all know how huge the gaming industry has become over the last few years with gaming giants like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo managing to command most of the hardware attention with their next-generation consoles such as the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo's Wii. Getting involved and playing video games is sometimes way more than a hobby to some people, and with the advancements in technology, gaming titles are becoming more and more synonymous with real life.
Such is the manner in which technology moves nowadays, no sooner is one major release out of the way, do consumers, analysts and enthusiasts in general begin nattering about what's up next. Windows 8 has been in our faces for the entire year, after Microsoft dropped the Developer Preview to the public in an unprecedented move, but despite not releasing for another two-and-a-half months, the successor to Windows 8 has already got chins wagging.
