Command & Conquer, for those who've not had the pleasure of acquainting themselves with the real-time strategy franchise, is one of the most enticing, addictive series ever to grace the gaming world, and an adaptation/sequel Command & Conquer: Generals - which first released a number of years ago - is set to be launching in the near future as a free-to-play.
Amid the talk of the next-generation iPhone and a smaller, "iPad Mini" device, it's easily forgotten that all of Apple's iOS devices evolved from the iPod - a long-standing series of music and media players which started off as a basic, yet elegant figure in the cauldron of digital players on the market.
Instagram has managed to make itself one of the most popular and well-known apps on the App Store and Google Play Store, notching up over 80 million registered members on its extremely eventful journey. The Instagram story hasn't been without its set backs, as you might expect from a team of developers venturing into the unknown on a relatively new platform, but with the membership-base growing everyday and the relatively recent acquisition by Facebook, Kevin Systrom and his twelve man team are now able to relax a little as they continue to build the app and grow the Instagram name.
There have been some major revelations over the past couple of weeks with regards to the purported "iPad Mini" device, and the consensus seems to be that it will look and feel somewhat closer to a larger iPod touch than it will a smaller iPad. Said to be releasing later on this year after the Cupertino's next smartphone - dubbed the "iPhone 5," it will not only be a great deal smaller than the 9.7-inch display of the main Apple slab, but it is also set to be a great deal cheaper than even the superseded iPad 2.
Android introduced a very different kind of entry protection in 2008. Named Pattern Lock, it allowed users to swipe in a specific way across 9 dots to unlock their smartphone. It is arguably easier to input and technically much more secure than a 4 digit PIN code. But, as time goes by, people found ways to bypass it. The first method I’ve heard of is actually pretty simple: if your fingers are the least bit oily, they will be leave smudges in line with pattern you use to unlock. If an intruder, then, observes the smudges, they may be able to gain access to your phone. The second method is to just go by trial and error as, in my own personal experience, I’ve noticed a lot of people use letters of the alphabet (such as V, D, U, O, etc. alphabets that can be easily recreated in the pattern lock).
If you’re without a credit card and need to buy apps from Google Play, you’re pretty much out of luck. The lack of gift cards on Google Play forces many young teenagers to adopt alternative methods of getting their paid apps, if you know what I mean. It’s terrible for developers, especially when people want to pay for apps but just can’t.
In the gaming world, Assassin's Creed is kind of a big deal, and if you like your stealth/action adventure titles, then it's more than likely you're a fan of the series. Sure, it doesn't manage to garner the same kind of following as your Halos and Call of Duty(s) of the world, but it's certainly not far off, and naturally, Assassin's Creed III is one of the most hotly anticipated future titles on the horizon.
According to a report over at the Wall Street Journal, Cupertino, Calif. based outfit Apple is currently in talks with cable television networks in an attempt to utilize its Apple TV device as a proper set-top-box. Although once described by CEO Tim Cook as a "hobby" of Apple's, the gizmo has slowly but surely evolved into a decent product - one which now uses an A5 processor to pump out 1080p media to HDTVs.
Microsoft is now offering a 90-day trial of Windows 8 Enterprise edition for development and evaluation purposes. Earlier today, Microsoft released the final bits of Windows 8 RTM to MSDN and TechNet subscribers.
In the current smartphone climate, it seems that everyone is talking about devices like the iPhone and Samsung's extremely popular Galaxy S III, or mostly devices that are built around iOS or Android. In all honesty, it is a bit of a short-sighted position to take, and although companies like Nokia have been cast into the wilderness in recent years, they have always been known for producing premium quality hardware. And now thanks to their partnership with Microsoft, we could hopefully see a re-emergence of the Finnish company.
